cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Object, intensity and subject variables in visual evoked response.

Surnmry.-10 subjects were studied to determine AEP effects of square, circle, and blank stimuli with variable stimulus intensity For the group as a whole, object and intensity effects were significant on a number of amplitude and latency measures, but the object effect appears largely to reflect the presence or absence of a figure, rather than its nature. Increased intensity differentially affected latency, shortening the first negative deflection while lengthening the second positive. Amplitude is generally increased with higher intensity. Analysis of within-subjects effects showed considerable variability as to which parameters were significantly related to the independent variables in individual subjects. A repeated-measures, within-subjects research strategy is seen as appropriate on the basis of these data. Alterations in the average evoked potential (AEP) as a function of visual forms and stimulus intensity have often been reported (1, 2, 3). The present data are offered as replication of these findings and to point to the significant role of intersubject differences in determining the nature of the effect. METHOD Ten adults (5 males and 5 females) ranging in age from 19 to 31 yr. served as subjects. All were negative for neurologic disease or visual defects. Each one was seated in a darkened, electrically shielded room, with his eye 150 un from a blank white field. EEG data were obtained from an active electrode 3 crn up from the inion on the midline, referred to the right ear with the left ear grounded. The signals were amplified on a Grass Model 78B Polygraph and were filtered to eliminate frequencies above 4 cps by an AP Multipurpose Variable Filter. Averaging was performed on line by a Hewlett-Padcard Model 5480B Signal Averager. Stimuli were delivered by a Grass PS 22 Photo Stimulator placed behind the subject and facing the screen. Intensity settings yielded roughly 187,500 and 1,500,000 candle powers. Control runs showed no significant click artifact. Shape stimuli were black cardboard geometric figures of a square and circle, both of 160 sq. crn area, subtending a visual angle of approximately 7" 5U'. Four replications of each of the six intensity-object combinations were run, rwo on each of two successive days in ABC CBA order. Thirty-two responses were averaged for each condition. AEPs were recorded by photograph and scored for latency and peak-totrough amplitude. Peaks were identified as N1, PI, Np, P2, yielding three peak-to-trough amplitude and four latency measures per waveform. Peak identification was by visual inspection of the 24 AEPs for each subject. The first consistently appearing negative deflection occurring after 50 msec. post-flash was designated Nl with the following major positive deflection PI and so forth. When a component had a biphasic character, the maximal deflection was used in determining the latency and amplitude.
Crossover Behavior of a Random-Exchange Heisenberg Antiferromagnetic Chain at Ultralow Temperatures

Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility ($\ensuremath{\chi}$) of quinolinium ${(\mathrm{tetracyanoquinodimethane})}_{2}$ are reported over the temperature range $0.45 \mathrm{mK}lTl40 \mathrm{mK}$ with use of low-field ESR. Down to 7 mK, it is found that $\ensuremath{\chi}\ensuremath{\propto}{T}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ with $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0.81$ characteristic of a random-exchange Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain (REHAC). At lower temperatures, the susceptibility peaks, the ESR linewidth greatly increases, and an internal field rapidly builds up. These changes may be due to either hyperfine or dipolar interactions, signalling a crossover from one-dimensional REHAC to a three-dimensional behavior-possibly a dipolar spin-glass.
Encouraging the transition from concrete to formal cognitive functioning-an experiment

L'auteur, collaborateur fidele et assidu de ce periodique, est a l'origine de nombreux articles presentant le fruit de ses recherches axees notamment sur l'implementation des theories et des descriptions de Piaget sur le developpement et l'apprentissage dans le domaine de l'enseignement scientifique. L'article presente ici etablit le rapport d'experimentations complexes ayant pour objectif de favoriser le developpement d'enfants de cinquieme et septieme annees et leur transition du stade concret au stade formel du developpement cognitif.
A potential role of cyclic GMP in the regulation of lordosis behavior of female rats

Nitric oxide (NO) has been suggested to play a crucial role in the regulation of lordosis behavior via stimulation of guanylyl cyclase to synthesize cyclic GMP. Whalen and Lauber (1986, Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 10, 47-53) hypothesized that hormones and pharmacological agents known to facilitate lordosis in estrogen-primed rodents act through cyclic GMP. The compound 1H-[1,2, 4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) has been shown to selectively inhibit NO-stimulated cyclic GMP production. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ODQ on lordosis behavior. Female rats were implanted with a guide cannula aimed at the lateral or third ventricles by stereotaxic surgery, and their ovaries were bilaterally removed. Five days later, animals were injected subcutaneously with 2 microg estradiol benzoate at 48 and 24 hr, and 200 microg progesterone 4 hr before behavioral testing. ODQ or vehicle (1 microl) was administered at the time of progesterone treatment or 20 min before lordosis testing. ODQ significantly decreased lordosis quotients and the quality of lordosis at both intervals of drug infusion. Locomotor activities, measured by line crossing and rearing, were not affected by ODQ. ODQ also inhibited cyclic GMP accumulation in response to NMDA stimulation in hypothalamic and cerebellar slices in vitro. We conclude that cyclic GMP produced by NO generation is an important modulator of female rat sexual behavior.
Modeling current and proposed COMET x-ray laser experiments

We model recent experiments done using the COMET laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to illuminate slab targets of Pd up to 1.25 cm long with a two joule, 600 ps prepulse followed 700 psec later by a six joule, six psec drive pulse. The experiments measure the two-dimensional near-field and far-field laser patterns for the 14.7 nm Ni-like Pd x-ray laser line. The experiments are modeled using the LASNEX code to calculate the hydrodynamic evolution of the plasma and provide the temperatures and densities to the CRETIN code, which then does the kinetics calculations to determine the gain. Using a ray tracing code to simulate the near and far-field output the simulations are then compared with experiments. In addition we model recent experiments that used a streak camera to measure the time duration of the Pd X-ray laser when pumped with a constant energy short pulse with different time durations that ranged from 0.5 to 27 ps.
Increased risk of nephrolithiasis in patients with steatorrhea.

Patients with ileal disease have increased absorption of dietary oxalate, hyperoxaluria, and an increased incidence of nephrolithiasis. Patients with steatorrhea of varying etiologies also have hyperoxaluria. To determine whether steatorrheaper se is associated with nephrolithiasis, we reviewed the charts of all adult patients who had a 72-hr fecal fat analysis from 1968 to 1978. The 159 patients with steatorrhea were compared to 162 patients without steatorrhea. The two groups were comparable in age, sex, urine specific gravity, and serum uric acid and phosphorus; serum calcium was slightly less in the steatorrhea group (8.7±0.1 vs 9.0±0.1,P 225 g/day), male sex, and ileal disease were significantly associated with nephrolithiasis with a relative risk of 3.0, 2.7, 3.1, and 8.0, respectively. When patients without ileal disease were analyzed separately, however, steatorrhea, diarrhea, and sex were no longer risk factors. In contrast, in patients with ileal disease the incidence of nephrolithiasis increased with the severity of steatorrhea. The relative risk of nephrolithiasis in male patients with ileal disease and fecal fat >20 g/day was 26.3 (P<0.01). Thus, the presence of both ileal disease and steatorrhea greatly increases the risk of nephrolithiasis; however, neither steatorrhea alone nor ileal disease alone are risk factors for nephrolithiasis.
F-actin fiber distribution in glomerular cells: Structural and functional implications

F-actin fiber distribution in glomerular cells: Structural and functional implications. Background Glomerular distention is associated with cellular mechanical strain. In addition, glomerular distention/contraction is assumed to influence the filtration rate through changes in filtration surface area. A contractile cytoskeleton in podocytes and mesangial cells, formed by F-actin–containing stress fibers, maintains structural integrity and modulates glomerular expansion. In this study, the glomerular cell distribution of F-actin and vimentin filaments was studied in normal control and nine-month streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Results in situ were compared with observations in tissue culture. Methods Microdissected rat glomeruli were perfused to obtain a physiological 25% glomerular expansion over the basal value. Fixation was done without change in glomerular volume. Dual fluorescent labeling of F-actin and vimentin was carried out, and samples were examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results The podocyte cell bodies and their cytoplasmic projections, including the foot processes, contained bundles of vimentin-containing fibers. Except for a thin layer at the base of foot processes, they did not demonstrate F-actin. While mesangial cells in culture had F-actin as long stress fibers resembling tense cables, mesangial cells stretched in situ contained a maze of short tortuous F-actin fibers organized in bundles that often encircled vascular spaces. This fibrillar organization was disrupted in diabetic glomeruli. Conclusion Mesangial cells, but not podocytes, contain a cytoskeleton capable of contraction that is disorganized in long-term diabetes. Together with previous observations, the distribution of this cytoskeleton suggests that mesangial cell contraction may be involved in the redistribution of glomerular capillary blood flow, but not substantially in the modulation of glomerular distention. Disorganization of stress fibers may be a cause of hyperfiltration in diabetes.
The flow of closely fitting particles in tapered tubes

Abstract The flow of rigid spheres, truncated cones and elastic incompressible spheres in tapered tubes is investigated assuming that the Reynolds equation is valid in the fluid and the linear theory of elasticity is applicable in the solid. It is shown that leading terms in the asymptotic expansion of pressure drop in terms of minimum fluid film thickness for neutrally buoyant rigid spheres and truncated cones are of higher order of magnitude compared to the corresponding terms for the flow of these particles in circular cylindrical tubes. The effect of taper angle on pressure drop is reduced in the case of soft elastic particles because of particle deformations and significant velocities at the particle surface.
Transient response of a piecewise linear inelastic system to impulsive loading

Abstract The transient response of single-degree-of-freedom systems with bilinear hysteresis is discussed. The application pertains to structures of strain hardening material. It is shown that the response of a linear strain hardening inelastic system is enveloped by the corresponding elastic and elastic-perfectly plastic systems, which are limiting cases of the general problem. It is further noted that in the presence of strain hardening, maximum displacement is contained regardless of the duration of applied load, and increases almost linearly with the magnitude of the applied load.
Sliding the slope toward human cloning.

(2001). Sliding the Slope Toward Human Cloning. The American Journal of Bioethics: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 23-24.
Hydrogen Exchange Kinetics of RNase A and the Urea:TMAO Paradigm†

A key paradigm in the biology of adaptation holds that urea affects protein function by increasing the fluctuations of the native state, while trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) affects function in the opposite direction by decreasing the normal fluctuations of the native ensemble. Using urea and TMAO separately and together, hydrogen exchange (HX) studies on RNase A at pH* 6.35 were used to investigate the basic tenets of the urea:TMAO paradigm. TMAO (1 M) alone decreases HX rate constants of a select number of sites exchanging from the native ensemble, and low urea alone increases the rate constants of some of the same sites. Addition of TMAO to urea solutions containing RNase A also suppresses HX rate constants. The data show that urea and TMAO independently or in combination affect the dynamics of the native ensemble in opposing ways. The results provide evidence in support of the counteraction aspect of the urea:TMAO paradigm linking structural dynamics with protein function in urea-rich organs and organisms. RNase A is so resistant to urea denaturation at pH* 6.35 that even in the presence of 4.8 M urea, the native ensemble accounts for >99.5% of the protein. An essential test, devised to determine the HX mechanism of exchangeable protons, shows that over the 0-4.8 M urea concentration range nearly 80% of all observed sites convert from EX2 to EX1. The slow exchange sites are all EX1; they do not exhibit global exchange even at urea concentrations (5.8 M) well into the denaturation transition zone, and their energetically distinct activated complexes leading to exchange gives evidence of residual structure. Under these experimental conditions, the use of DeltaG(HX) as a basis for HX analysis of RNase A urea denaturation is invalid.
Biological species in the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex (Fusarium section Liseola) recovered from sorghum in Tanzania

In Fusarium section Liseola, the teleomorph is used to identify mating populations that represent different biological species when distinguishing morphological characters are absent in the anamorph. The Gibberella fujikuroi mating populations to which strains of Fusarium section Liseola belong were determined for isolates from sorghum grown at Ifakara, Ilonga and Kachiri, Tanzania. Representatives of all of the mating populations (A–F) were recovered at Ilonga, but C and E were absent at Ifakara and C was absent from Kachiri. The frequency of the different mating populations was similar at all three sites with A (21%) and F (49%) being the most frequent and C and E the least frequent, if they were recovered at all. The relative proportions of mating populations A and F in the population were significantly different from each other at Ilonga, but were not significantly different at Ifakara or Kachiri. Female fertile strains were more common within mating population A than within mating population F. The inbreeding effective population sizes for the A and F mating populations, respectively, were 69 and 91% of count based on mating type, and 88 and 53% of count based on male/hermaphrodite ratios.
Five-particle one-loop closed string amplitudes and supersymmetry relations

Abstract The explicit covariant forms for the three-boson-two-fermion and the one-boson-four-fermion scattering amplitudes at one-loop level in closed superstring theory are presented. The amplitudes are shown to have the correct factorization properties at kinematic poles, yielding as residues of these poles the well-known four-particle amplitudes. The analysis shows, for the first time at the one-loop level, a verification of the supersymmetry properties of the vertices.
Visualization of bearing noise using adaptive high-resolution near-field beamforming

AbstractBeamforming (BF) is an array processing technique that has been extensively applied in angular source localization applications such as sonar and radar, mostly from measurement in the far field. However, near-field source resolution performance of BF procedures can be significantly improved by using channel weights that are inversely proportional to the distance from the hypothesized source location to the measurement locations. Visualization of noise radiated from bearings is challenging since the measurement is usually corrupted by scattering and reflection from bearing housings that are located very close to sources even though the measurement may be taken in an anechoic environment. In this article, adaptive weightings are used in near-field BF procedure, and shown to give very good visualization of sound radiation of rolling bearings that are a complex sound source in a highly scattered and noisy environment. It is shown that for a machine made of several components, this adaptive near-field ...
Resonant flow in a row of small transverse cavities submerged in a turbulent boundary layer

The viscosity-dominated dynamic flow in a row of small transverse square cavities lying submerged in a turbulent boundary layer is considered. Experiments show that the cavity flow can be excited by free-stream disturbances in a narrow frequency band which is independent of the flow speed. The turbulent boundary layer in which the cavities are submerged remains transparent to the disturbances. The cavity flow resonates when the depths of the cavity and the Stokes layer match.
Electromagnetic Shielding Properties of Iron Oxide Impregnated Kenaf Bast Fiberboard

The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of kenaf bast fiber based composites with different iron oxide impregnation levels was investigated. The kenaf fibers were retted to remove the lignin and extractives from the pores in fibers, and then magnetized. Using the unsaturated polyester and the magnetized fibers, kenaf fiber based composites were manufactured by compression molding process. The transmission energies of the composites were characterized when the composite samples were exposed under the irradiation of electromagnetic (EM) wave with a changing frequency from 9 GHz to 11 GHz. Using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the iron oxide nanoparticles were observed on the surfaces and inside the micropore structures of single fibers. The SEM images revealed that the composite’s EM shielding effectiveness was increased due to the adhesion of the iron oxide crystals to the kenaf fiber surfaces. As the Fe content increased from 0% to 6.8%, 15.9% and 18.0%, the total surface free energy of kenaf fibers with magnetizing treat increased from 44.77 mJ/m2 to 46.07 mJ/m2, 48.78 mJ/m2 and 53.02 mJ/m2, respectively, while the modulus of elasticity (MOE) reduced from 2,875 MPa to 2,729 MPa, 2,487 MPa and 2,007 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the shielding effectiveness was increased from 30-50% to 60-70%, 65-75% and 70-80%, respectively.
Control Room Design Review: The Duke Power Experience

The increasing complexity of nuclear power plants, together with the frequency of process functional changes and related regulatory activities, has been met with varying degrees of concern within the utility industry. With a concern for the additional burden placed upon nuclear power plant operators and the need for a good man-machine interface, Duke Power began a human factors review of the control rooms for all Duke nuclear power plants in early 1982. The NRC has now made this type of review mandatory for all nuclear power plants. The Duke Control Room Review focused on three review activities, a human factors survey of the control room, an operating experience review, and a task analysis of required operator actions during emergency conditions. An overview of the methods used in the Duke Control Room Review and a summary of the Review results is presented.
Octopamine-Mediated Neuronal Plasticity in Honeybees: Implications for Olfactory Dysfunction in Humans:

Biogenic amines, such as norepinephrine (in vertebrates) and octopamine (in invertebrates), have structural and functional similarities. These amines play crucial roles in animal behavior by modifying the synaptic output of relevant neurons. Increased levels of norepinephrine in the olfactory bulb preferentially increase mitral cell excitatory responses to olfactory nerve inputs, suggesting its critical role in modulating olfactory function including memory formation and/or recall of specific olfactory memories. Increased levels of octopamine in the antennal lobe play an important role in a reinforcement pathway involved in olfactory learning and memory in honeybees. Similar to adrenergic receptors in the human brain, activation of octopaminergic receptors in the honeybee brain induces specific second messenger pathways that change protein phosphorylation and/or gene expression, altering the activity and/or abundance of proteins responsible for neuronal signaling leading to changes in olfactory behavior. The author's studies in honeybees Apis mellifera indicate that oxidative stress plays a major role in olfactory dysfunction. A similar mechanism has been proposed for olfactory abnormalities in patients of Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. Due to similarities in cellular and molecular processes, which govern neuronal plasticity in humans and honeybees, the author proposes that the honeybee can be used as a potential and relatively simple model system for understanding human olfactory dysfunction during aging and in neurodegenerative diseases.
The Salience of Race and Gender in Pretrial Release Decisions: A Comparison Across Multiple Jurisdictions:

This study examines disparities in pretrial release decisions based on race or gender, using a large dataset representing seventy five of the largest counties in the United States. This representative sample makes findings of this study more generalizable across jurisdictions, and enables examination of racial and gender disparities across geographic regions.
Free radicals mediate endothelial dysfunction of coronary arterioles in diabetes

Previous studies have demonstrated that vascular responses to acetylcholine (ACh) are impaired in diabetes mellitus (DM). Objective: Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is increased in various disease states including DM, and a direct reaction between nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion has been demonstrated, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of ROS will restore coronary microvascular responses to ACh in a dog model of DM (alloxan 60 mg/kg, i.v., 1 week prior to study). Methods: Changes in coronary microvascular diameters in diabetic (blood glucose >200 mg%) and normal animals to ACh (1–100 μM, topically) in the presence and absence of superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured using intravital microscopy coupled to stroboscopic epi-illumination and jet ventilation. Results: In diabetic animals in the absence of ROS scavengers, ACh induced coronary microvascular dilation was impaired when compared to normal animals (ACh 100 μM: DM=25±5%; normal=64±13%, P <0.05). Topical application of SOD (250 U/ml) and catalase (250 U/ml) restored to normal ACh induced coronary microvascular responses in DM while having no affect in normal animals. Responses to adenosine and nitroprusside were not different between normal and diabetic groups. Conclusions: These data provide direct evidence that oxygen-derived free radicals contribute to impaired endothelium-dependent coronary arteriolar dilation in diabetic dogs in vivo.
Ethanol exerts differential effects on high affinity choline uptake in neuron-enriched cultures from 8-day-old chick embryo cerebral hemispheres.

Neuronal-enriched cultures were prepared from 8-day-old chick embryo cerebral hemispheres and exposed to ethanol (50 mM) from day 4 to 8 in culture. At day 8, both control and ethanol-treated cultures were processed for [3H]choline uptake in situ. Uptake was performed on cultures containing either Na+-plus or Na+-free (Li+) HEPES buffer. Total choline uptake as well as Na+-dependent and Na+-independent choline uptake were calculated. The Km and Vmax were calculated using the Lineweaver-Burke analysis. Our analysis of the data revealed that ethanol-treated cultures exhibited two values for Vmax, one similar to that found in control cultures and one significantly lower than controls. No differences were observed in Km values between control and ethanol-treated cultures. We interpret the low Vmax to represent a population of cholinergic neurons which have been arrested at an immature stage as a result of ethanol insult.
Cytologic findings of acute leukemia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is often performed in patients with acute leukemia developed with respiratory failure or pulmonary infiltrates. Patients usually undergo BAL to rule out infection. Occasionally, however, leukemic infiltrate may be detected. We present a series of 11 cases in which the diagnosis of leukemia was made on the BAL material. We retrospectively reviewed all BAL samples from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008. There were a total of 1,130 cases, of which 139 showed malignant cytology, including 10 with leukemia. Sixteen samples were unsatisfactory and 904 were benign, of which 32 had identifiable microorganisms. In additional to the 10 leukemia cases identified, two more were reviewed after the search criteria. The 12 patients (seven men, five women) ranged from 22 to 75 years old. All patients had previously biopsy-proven leukemia [two acute myelomonocytic leukemia, two acute promyelocytic leukemia, two acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv16, two therapy-related AML, one acute monocytic leukemia, one chronic myeloid leukemia in blast face, one AML with maturation, one myelodysplastic syndrome with excess blasts, and one large granular leukemia]. Four had a prior diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome. The time from initial diagnosis of leukemia to BAL ranged from 1 to 233 days, with 8 of 10 occurring within 8 days of diagnosis. Symptoms that prompted BAL included shortness of breath/hypoxia (8), fever (3), chest pain (2), and cough (2). Chest X-rays in all cases revealed opacities or consolidations mimicking an inflammatory process. Seven patients subsequently died, while three were alive, and, in remission, and two were lost to follow-up. The presence of a leukemic infiltrate can mimic infection. BAL is a relatively safe and useful diagnostic tool in this setting for differentiating a leukemic infiltrate from an infection/inflammatory infiltrate. The prognosis of patients with lung involvement of acute leukemia is poor.
Learning to Classify by Color and by Class: A Study of Concept Discovery within Colombia, South America

Summary In a cross-cultural study of classification behavior the Evans-Segall Concept Discovery Task was administered to 331 Colombian boys and girls. The study was designed to ascertain the ease with which perceptual and abstract bases for equivalence could be utilized by individuals from different age, school, and degree of urbanization groups within Colombia, South America. Children in grades one, three, and five were tested in schools representing different degrees of urbanization and social class. The results clearly indicate that for the population sampled in Colombia the classification process follows the developmental stages indicated by research in other cultures. School-going children use perceptual cues (e.g., color) as the basis of equivalency grouping without difficulty, and the ease with which they are able to use the abstract class criteria is dependent upon their grade in school (rather than age) and, to some extent, whether the child lives in an urban or more rural environment. In additio...
Alienated Intellectuals in the Camp of Religious Reform: The Frankfurt Reformfreunde, 1842–1845

A minor historical movement which never assumes mass proportions, which arises and passes from public view in a brief period of time, and which leaves behind no residue of specific lasting effect would seem to possess only the most limited scholarly interest. Its intensive study can be justified only if such research points beyond its immediate subject to broader objective trends and subjective attitudes which it crystallizes or foreshadows. Yet even a small and transient grouping of similarly minded individuals may bring to focus external influences and motivational patterns which are considerably more widespread and which exist over a far longer period of time. This study will focus on a tiny, evanescent phenomenon: the first religiously radical grouping to arise within German Judaism. While not disregarding the specifics of its history, it will seek to indicate how its subject reflects currents and tendencies of considerably broader measure and of longer duration.
Charge Transfer through Terthiophene End-Capped Poly(arylene ethynylene)s

Two poly(arylene ethynylene)s (PAEs) that are end-capped with α-terthiophene (T3) groups were prepared and structurally characterized by proton NMR, GPC, and optical spectroscopy. One of the polymers (T3PPE13) features a backbone structure that alternates phenylene ethynylene and bis(alkoxy)phenylene ethynylene repeat units. The second T3 end-capped polymer (T3PBpE12) features an alternating structure with biphenylene ethynylene and bis(alkoxy)phenylene ethynylene repeats. The absorption spectra of the T3 end-capped polymers are almost the same as those of the corresponding “parent polymers” (PPE164 and PBpE21, respectively) that lack the T3 end-groups. By contrast, whereas the fluorescence spectra of the parent polymers is dominated by a blue fluorescence with λmax = 425 nm, the emission spectra of the end-capped polymers contains a significant contribution of a green fluorescence (λ = 500−550 nm). This signals that the singlet exciton is efficiently trapped by the T3 end groups. Pulse radiolysis studies...
Of mice and women: light as a circadian stimulus in breast cancer research.

Nocturnal rodents are frequently used as models in human breast cancer research, but these species have very different visual and circadian systems and, therefore, very different responses to optical radiation or, informally, light. Because of the impact of light on the circadian system and because recent evidence suggests that cancer risk might be related to circadian disruption, it is becoming increasingly clear that optical radiation must be properly characterized for both nocturnal rodents and diurnal humans to make significant progress in unraveling links between circadian disruption and breast cancer. In this paper, we propose a quantitative framework for comparing radiometric and photometric quantities in human and rodent studies. We reviewed published research on light as a circadian stimulus for humans and rodents. Both suppression of nocturnal melatonin and phase shifting were examined as outcome measures for the circadian system. The data were used to develop quantitative comparisons regarding the absolute and spectral sensitivity for the circadian systems of humans and nocturnal rodents. Two models of circadian phototransduction, for mouse and humans, have been published providing spectral sensitivities for these two species. Despite some methodological variations among the studies reviewed, the circadian systems of nocturnal rodents are approximately 10,000 times more sensitive to optical radiation than that of humans. Circadian effectiveness of different sources for both humans and nocturnal rodents are offered together with a scale relating their absolute sensitivities. Instruments calibrated in terms of conventional photometric units (e.g., lux) will not accurately characterize the circadian stimulus for either humans or rodents.
Phase I Dose-Escalation Study of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Patients With Hepatic Metastases

To identify a tolerable and effective dose for 5-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatic metastases. Patients were enrolled onto three dose-escalation cohorts: 30 Gy in 3 fractions, 50 Gy in 5 fractions, and 60 Gy in 5 fractions. Eligible patients had one to five hepatic metastases, ability to spare a critical hepatic volume (volume receiving <21 Gy) of 700 ml, adequate baseline hepatic function, no concurrent antineoplastic therapy, and a Karnofsky performance score of ≥60. Dose-limiting toxicity included treatment-related grade 3 toxicity in the gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary/pancreas, and metabolic/laboratory categories. Any grade 4 or 5 event attributable to therapy was defined as a dose-limiting toxicity. Local control (LC) and complete plus partial response rates were assessed. Twenty-seven patients, 9 in each cohort, with 37 lesions were enrolled and treated: 17 men and 11 women; median age 62 (range 48–86) years; most common site of primary disease, colorectal (44.4%). Median follow-up was 20 (range 4–53) months. There was no grade 4 or 5 toxicity or treatment-related grade 3 toxicity. Actuarial 24-month LC rates for the 30-, 50-, and 60-Gy cohorts were 56%, 89%, and 100%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference for LC between the 60- and 30-Gy cohorts (P = 0.009) but not between the 60- and 50-Gy cohorts (P = 0.56) or the 50- and 30-Gy cohorts (P = 0.091). The maximum tolerated dose was not reached. A dose of 60 Gy in 5 fractions can be safely delivered to selected patients with hepatic metastases as long as the critical liver volume is respected. A dose of 60 Gy in 5 fractions yields an excellent level of LC.
Detection of pseudorabies virus transcripts in trigeminal ganglia of latently infected swine

Two pseudorabies virus (PRV) poly(A)+ RNAs, 2.0 and 0.95 kilobases, were detected in the trigeminal ganglia of latently infected pigs. These RNAs were partially colinear at the 3' end. They were located in the BamHI J fragment (0.706 to 0.737 map units), 3' of the PRV immediate-early gene. A potential polyadenylation signal was also identified in BamHI-J. The direction of transcription of the latency-associated RNAs was antiparallel (i.e., opposite in polarity) to that of the PRV immediate-early mRNA.
Surrogate-Model-Based Analysis of Analog Circuits—Part II: Reliability Analysis

This paper presents a reliability simulation framework based on surrogate modeling. A novel methodology has been developed, which integrates variability analysis with the reliability concepts by employing transistor drain-current surrogate models in terms of crucial process parameters, bias voltages, temperature, and time. Simulation techniques using these models enables exploration of the effects of time-based degradation on analog circuits. The analysis of a differential amplifier at the 65-nm technology node reveals that the dc current is reduced by around 10% in ten years. The tool is used to demonstrate how the biasing structures of analog circuits can be designed to boost aging resilience.
Frozen Modes in Parallel-Plate Waveguides Loaded With Magnetic Photonic Crystals

We examine parallel-plate magnetic photonic crystal (MPC) waveguides comprised of a periodic loading with two anisotropic layers and one ferrite layer on each period. It is shown that, at a specific design frequency , parallel-plate MPC waveguides can support a Bloch mode with zero axial group velocity similar to the ldquofrozen moderdquo regime of the prototypical 1D MPC structure. When the proposed 2D structure is illuminated with a properly polarized time-harmonic wave, near unity power transmission (coupling) into the frozen mode occurs, and field strength within the MPC becomes orders of magnitude larger than the incident field strength. The steady-state case is evaluated using both analytical tools and finite elements, while the finite-difference time-domain method is applied to evaluate the 2D MPC transient response.
Introduction to geochemistry of metalliferous black shales

1. Metalliferous black shales Metalliferous black shales exhibit a wide range of physical and chemical characteristics. They can be enriched in many different metals, and the metals can be in a variety of geochemical states. Depositional and geological histories of these shales are diverse. Some metalliferous black shales contain relatively high concentrations of organic matter whereas others do not. Because of elevated carbonate contents, some are calcareous shales or marlstones. Metal enrichments can result from redox reactions mediated by bacteria during early diagenesis and also from those associated with hydrothermal processes after deep burial. However, unifying characteristics of metalliferous black shales are sufficiently well established to justify combining a diverse number of fine-grained sedimentary rock types under a common term that reflects enhanced metal content, dark color and an inferred association with organic matter (e.g., Huyck, 1990). Moreover, the term "metalliferous black shales" is sufficiently accepted that Working Group 254 of the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) has that title and focus. This special issue of Chemical Geology brings together reports describing characteris
China's "New Regionalism": Subnational Analysis in Chinese Political Economy

The study of Chinese political economy has experienced a sea change since the late 1990s; instead of debating the origins and direction of national reform, scholars have turned to examining the origins of local economic variation. This article reviews recent work in the regional political economy of contemporary China. In keeping with a movement in comparative politics toward analyzing subnational politics, the �new regionalists� seek to identify and explain meaningful heterogeneity in the Chinese polity and economy. Yet they go further than simply using subnational cases to generate or test theories about Chinese politics. Instead, they propose that subnational political economies in China are a function of endogenous change rather than a reaction to national priorities. After identifying differences between the �new regionalism� and previous studies of decentralization in China, the author discusses this work according to the theoretical approaches (institutional, ideational, and sociohistorical) used to explain the origins of regional differences. She concludes by examining the limitations of the new regionalist agenda in comparative and historical context and suggesting that scholars move past unconditional acceptance of the causal power of �socialist legacies� and instead attend to the importance of changes in the post-Mao administrative hierarchy.
Ecosystem consequences of plant life form changes at three sites in the semiarid United States

Many semiarid rangelands have recently experienced changes in dominant plant life form. Both woody plant expansion into grasslands and the invasion of annual grasses into shrublands have potential influence on regional carbon cycling. Soil carbon content, chemistry, and distribution may change following shifts in dominant plant life form because plant life forms differ in litter chemistry and patterns of detrital input. This study assesses the amount, quality, and distribution of soil C below woody vegetation and grasses at three rangelands in Texas, New Mexico, and Utah. At each of these sites there has been a well-documented shift in dominant plant life form. In Texas and New Mexico, woody plants have increased in grasslands, while grasses have invaded into former shrublands in Utah. We measured total soil carbon, particulate organic matter (POM) C, and the carbon isotopic composition of soil carbon beneath woody plants and grasses at each of these three sites. At the La Copita Research Area in south-central Texas there was significantly more soil C found beneath Prosopis glandulosa, the dominant woody plant, than was found beneath grasses. Mean soil C content to 1 m was 7.2 kg C m–2 beneath P. glandulosa and 6.0 kg C m–2 beneath grasses. There was also significantly more POM C beneath P. glandulosa than beneath grasses. Stable carbon isotopic composition indicated that the expansion of P. glandulosa in savannas in Texas first influences carbon cycling in surface soils, then deep soil C, and finally throughout the soil profile. At the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, we found that there was significantly more soil C in the upper 10 cm of the soil profile beneath Larrea tridentata than was found beneath Bouteloua spp. Stable carbon isotopic composition indicated that the expansion of L. tridentata influenced C cycling throughout the soil profile. At Curlew Valley in northern Utah, we found no significant differences in total profile soil C beneath different plant life forms. However, there was significantly more soil C found at the soil surface beneath woody plants than was observed beneath annual grasses. There was significantly less POM C beneath annual grasses than was found beneath woody plants or perennial grasses. Based on stable carbon isotopic analyses, we concluded that the invasion of grasses into shrublands influenced only the upper 30 cm of the soil profile. We determined that following changes in plant life form dominance, the most consistent change in soil C was an alteration in content and distribution of POM C, a slowly cycling pool of soil C. While we failed to find a consistent change in total profile soil C with plant life form across our sites, the change in soil C chemistry may have important implications for long-term soil C storage in semiarid systems where there have been shifts in plant life form.
Pharmacokinetic Optimization of 4-Substituted Methoxybenzoyl-aryl-thiazole and 2-Aryl-4-benzoyl-imidazole for Improving Oral Bioavailability

Microtubules are critical components of the cytoskeleton. Perturbing their function arrests the growth of a broad spectrum of cancer cell lines, making microtubules an excellent and established target for chemotherapy. All of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved antitubulin agents bind to paclitaxel or vinblastine binding sites in tubulin. Because of the complexity of their structures, it is difficult to structurally modify the vinca alkaloids and taxanes and develop orally bioavailable agents. Antitubulin agents that target the colchicine-binding site in tubulin may provide a better opportunity to be developed for oral use because of their relatively simple structures and physicochemical properties. A potent antitubulin agent, 4-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)-2-phenyl-thiazole (SMART-H), binding to the colchicine-binding site, was discovered in our laboratory. However, the bioavailability of SMART-H was low because of its poor solubility. Structural modification of SMART-H led to the development of 2-aryl-4-benzoyl-imidazole analog (ABI-274), with improved bioavailability and potency but still considerable first-pass metabolism. A chlorine derivative (ABI-286), replacing the methyl site of ABI-274, resulted in 1.5-fold higher metabolic stability in vitro and 1.8-fold lower clearance in rats in vivo, indicating that metabolic stability of ABI-274 can be extended by blocking benzylic hydroxylation. Overall, ABI-274 and ABI-286 provided 2.4- and 5.5-fold increases in exposure (area under the curve) after oral dosing in rats compared with SMART-H. Most importantly, the structural modifications did not compromise potency. ABI-286 exhibited moderate clearance, moderate volume of distribution, and acceptable oral bioavailability. This study provided the first evidence that ABI-286 may be the first member of a new class of orally bioavailable antitubulin agents.
Carbon Monoxide Oxidation by Bacteria Associated with the Roots of Freshwater Macrophytes

The potential rates and control of aerobic root-associated carbon monoxide (CO) consumption were assessed by using excised plant roots from five common freshwater macrophytes. Kinetic analyses indicated that the maximum potential uptake velocities for CO consumption ranged from 0.4 to 2.7 mmol of CO g (dry weight)-1 h-1 for the five species. The observed rates were comparable to previously reported rates of root-associated methane uptake. The apparent half-saturation constants for CO consumption ranged from 50 to 370 nM CO; these values are considerably lower than the values obtained for methane uptake. The CO consumption rates reached maximum values at temperatures between 27 and 32 degreesC, and there was a transition to CO production at >/=44 degreesC, most likely as a result of thermochemical organic matter decomposition. Incubation of roots with organic substrates (e.g., 5 mM syringic acid, glucose, alanine, and acetate) dramatically reduced the rate of CO consumption, perhaps reflecting a shift in metabolism by facultative CO oxidizers. Based on responses to a suite of antibiotics, most of the CO consumption (about 90%) was due to eubacteria rather than fungi or other eucaryotes. Based on the results of acetylene inhibition experiments, methanotrophs and ammonia oxidizers were not active CO consumers.
Microbial desalination cells for improved performance in wastewater treatment, electricity production, and desalination

The low conductivity and alkalinity in municipal wastewater significantly limit power production from microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study integrated desalination with wastewater treatment and electricity production in a microbial desalination cell (MDC) by utilizing the mutual benefits among the above functions. When using wastewater as the sole substrate, the power output from the MDC (8.01 W/m 3 ) was four times higher than a control MFC without desalination function. In addition, the MDC removed 66% of the salts and improved COD removal by 52% and Coulombic efficiency by 131%. Desalination in MDCs improved wastewater characteristics by increasing the conductivity by 2.5 times and stabilizing anolyte pH, which therefore reduced system resistance and maintained microbial activity. Microbial community analysis revealed a more diverse anode microbial structure in the MDC than in the MFC. The results demonstrated that MDC can serve as a viable option for integrated wastewater treatment, energy production, and desalination.
The economics of tobacco: myths and realities.

Each side in the debate about tobacco control—the tobacco industry and the public health community—wields a seemingly powerful set of economic arguments, the industry claiming that economic considerations urge a “go slow” approach to tobacco control, the public health community insisting they recommend an aggressive stance. Each of the most prominent arguments presented by both sides has a kernel of truth to it; yet each, in its own way, represents only a half truth. The industry uses its economic appeal with full knowledge of and intent to exploit its ability to deceive and mislead policy makers and the public. In contrast, tobacco control advocates frequently employ their economic rationale without full appreciation of its limitations. To inform both tobacco control advocates and policy makers more fully, this paper identifies the principal economic myths concerning tobacco and discusses their realities. The myths are associated with their purveyors by initials: TI for Tobacco Industry myths, and TC for myths perpetuated by the Tobacco Control community. : Regardless of its health consequences, tobacco is crucial to a nation's (or region's) economy. Without the cultivation of tobacco, manufacture of tobacco products, and distribution and sale of products, a country's economy will suffer devastating economic consequences. Jobs will be lost, incomes will fall, tax revenues will plummet, and trade surpluses will veer dangerously in the direction of deficits . ### REALITY This is the tobacco industry's favourite economic myth. Conveyed to legislators and cabinet ministers (and journalists), its intent is to encourage the development of an indigenous tobacco industry within a given country, or to discourage the adoption of tobacco control policies likely to decrease tobacco product consumption. The half truth in this myth resides in the fact that tobacco farming and product manufacture, distribution, and sale do constitute significant economic activities in many economies, and in the world as a whole. Globally, according to tobacco industry estimates, 33 million people farm tobacco, albeit many of them part time and most in addition to other crops.1 Approximately half that number work in tobacco product manufacture, distribution, and retailing. In addition, another 10 million or so are employed in supplier industries providing materials and services to the tobacco …