cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding of carbon tetrachloride metabolites to rat hepatic mitochondrial DNA

Abstract Radioactivity from [ 14 C]CCl 4 was bound to highly purified mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) prepared from livers of rats after a single dose of [ 14 C]CCl 4 . At a low, non-necrotizing dose as well as at an acutely toxic dose, mtDNA bound 20–50-fold more radioactivity per mg than did nDNA. Extensive enzymatic digestion and purification of mtDNA did not remove radioactivity. Binding of radioactivity to mtDNA could also be demonstrated after anaerobic incubation of isolated mitochondria with [ 14 C]CCl 4 , NADPH, ADP, and succinate. Our results suggest that CCl 4 can be activated by rat hepatic mitochondrial enzymes to metabolites which bind covalenty to mtDNA.
Mice lacking DNA topoisomerase IIIβ develop to maturity but show a reduced mean lifespan

Targeted gene disruption in the murine TOP3beta gene-encoding DNA topoisomerase IIIbeta was carried out. In contrast to the embryonic lethality of mutant mice lacking DNA topoisomerase IIIalpha, top3beta(-/-) nulls are viable and grow to maturity with no apparent defects. Mice lacking DNA topoisomerase IIIbeta have a shorter life expectancy than their wild-type littermates, however. The mean lifespan of the top3beta(-/-) mice is about 15 months, whereas that of their wild-type littermates is longer than 2 years. Mortality of the top3beta(-/-) nulls appears to correlate with lesions in multiple organs, including hypertrophy of the spleen and submandibular lymph nodes, glomerulonephritis, and perivascular infiltrates in various organs. Because the DNA topoisomerase III isozymes are likely to interact with helicases of the RecQ family, enzymes that include the determinants of human Bloom, Werner, and Rothmund-Thomson syndromes, the shortened lifespan of top3beta(-/-) mice points to the possibility that the DNA topoisomerase III isozymes might be involved in the pathogenesis of progeroid syndromes caused by defective RecQ helicases.
Water and processes of degradation in the Martian landscape

It is shown that erosion has been active on Mars so that many of the surface landforms are products of degradation. Unlike earth, erosion has not been a universal process, but one areally restricted and intermittently active so that a landscape is the product of one or two cycles of erosion and large areas of essentially undisturbed primitive terrain; running water has been the principal agent of degradation. Many features on Mars are most easily explained by assuming running surface water at some time in the past; for a few features, running water is the only possible explanation.
Circular MAGFET Design and SNR Optimization for Magnetic Bead Detection

A novel circular CMOS MAGFET (Magnetic Field Effect Transistor) design is introduced and a novel device geometry design methodology is proposed to optimize the magnetic particle detection sensitivity of such devices. In order to optimize the signal to noise ratio, it was determined that the geometry of the MAGFET is required to have specific ratios, where its sector angle θ and its inner and outer radii r1 and r2 are optimized when θ/ln(r2/r1) = 1.3 . Compared to the more traditional rectangular MAGFET, the circular MAGFET has compatible SNR peak performance with rectangular MAGET. However, when the size of the MAGFET is scaled down in order to detect smaller magnetic particles, the proposed circular MAGFET has more robust SNR performance, design flexibility and tolerance to processing variations.
Purification of rat liver mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and separation of its isoforms utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A rapid method for purification of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase from rat liver employing high-performance liquid chromatography is reported. The product is purified 80-fold with a recovery ⩾50% in a single day. The amino acid composition, N-terminal amino acid sequence, specific activity, and spectral characteristics of the isolated enzyme are similar to those previously reported for this protein. The protein is homogeneous by standard electrophoretic and chromatographic criteria, but can be resolved into at least five isoforms by a carboxymethylated resin column using high-performance liquid chromatography. The principal isoform initially isolated is converted into two additional isoforms with lower specific activity upon storage at 4C.
A survey of terminal chalcogenido complexes of the transition metals: trends in their distribution and the variation of their ME bond lengths

Abstract The distribution of structurally characterized terminal chalcogenido complexes as a function of both the chalcogen and transition metal has been surveyed with the aid of the Cambridge Structural Database. The majority of these complexes are concentrated along the vanadium-molybdenum-rhenium diagonal with oxo derivatives being the most prevalent. Terminal chalcogenido derivatives of the early and late transition metals, and terminal tellurido complexes of all the transition metals, are particularly rare. Trends in the variation of metal-chalcogenido bond lengths are also described.
Recoverin is the tumor antigen in cancerassociated retinopathy

Considerable progress has been made toward understanding the involvement of recoverin in a cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) that results in blindness. We describe the expression of recoverin in tumors of individuals afflicted with CAR, characterize the immunological response towards recoverin in these patients, and demonstrate how the disease can be induced in rodents using recoverin as an immunogen.
Reinvestigation of the first structurally characterized metal-coordinated sulfenic acid complex

Abstract Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal a new crystal morphology of [Ru(DPPBT)(DPPBT-O2)(DPPBT-OH)] (DPPBT = 2-(diphenylphosphine)benzenethiolate; DPPBT-O2 = 2-(diphenylphosphine)benzene-sulfinate; DPPBT-OH = 2-(diphenylphosphine)benzenesulfenic acid) in the monoclinic space group C2/c. The sulfenic acid hydrogen, which was only inferred in the previously reported P-1 structure, has been located and refined. Comparison of metric data from the C2/c structure with density functional theory optimized structures (B3LYP/LANL2DZ + 6–31g(d)) definitively confirms the assignment of the complex as the Ru(II) sulfenic acid.
Comparison of ultraviolet sensitivity of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPO2 and its infectious DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid extracted from a clear plaque mutant of the temperate phage, SPO2, was infectious when incubated with competent cultures of Bacillus subtilis 168 M . The relationship between numbers of infectious centers and DNA concentration was linear. The sensitivity of the infectious DNA to ultraviolet light was much greater than that of the free phage when B. subtilis 168 M was used as host. Acriflavin, which inhibits host cell reactivation, increased the rate of ultraviolet inactivation of the free phage so that it approached the inactivation rate of the phage DNA. Acriflavin had little effect on the survival curves of the infectious DNA. Non-host reactivating mutants (hcr−)† of B. subtilis 168 M were isolated. The survival curves of SPO2 phage were much steeper when the hcr− mutant was used as a host than those obtained when the hcr+ parental strain was used as a host. Ultraviolet sensitivity of the phage DNA was still greater than that of the free phage even when B. subtilis hcr− was used as host, but the difference in sensitivity was much less than the difference obtained with B. subtilis hcr+ as a host. Possible explanations for the greater ultraviolet sensitivity of the infectious DNA are discussed.
High angle grain boundary diffusion of chromium in niobium bicrystals

Abstract Grain boundary diffusion of Cr in [100] [001] symmetrical Nb bicrystals with varying tilt angles, θ, was investigated in the temperature range of 958–1197°C. For low angle boundaries, the grain boundary diffusion is dominated by the dislocation pipe mechanism, in which the activation energy Q ′ is independent of θ and the pre-exponential factor ( sD ′δ) 0 varies linearly with sin(θ/2). For high angle boundaries, the grain boundary diffusion coefficients, sD ′δ, fall into minima, whereas the activation energies Q ′ attain maxima at the CSL boundaries, ∑13 (22.6, 67.4°), ∑17 (28.1, 61.9°) and ∑5 (36.9, 53.1°). The pre-exponential factor ( sD ′δ) 0 also varies with θ, but the variation is random. The results of the study agree with those of the f.c.c. system, confirming that grain boundary diffusion is strongly affected by the boundary structure and associated energies.
L2 estimates for convolution operators with oscillating kernels

Consider the operator where , and K is smooth away from the origin and homogeneous of degree —μ, for some μ ≥ 0. The following theorem was proved in [4].
Acute and chronic heroin dependence in mice : Contribution of opioid and excitatory amino acid receptors

Opioid and excitatory amino acid receptors contribute to morphine dependence, but there are no studies of their role in heroin dependence. Thus, mice injected with acute or chronic heroin doses in the present study were pretreated with one of the following selective antagonists: 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (BNTX), naltriben (NTB), nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI; δ1, δ2, and κ opioid receptors, respectively), MK-801, or LY293558 (NMDA and AMPA excitatory amino acid receptors, respectively). Naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumping frequency, shown here to be a reliable index of heroin dependence magnitude, was reduced by BNTX or NTB in mice injected with both acute and chronic heroin doses. In contrast, nor-BNI did not alter jumping frequencies in mice injected with an acute heroin dose but significantly increased them in mice receiving chronic heroin injections. Continuous MK-801 or LY293558 infusion, but not injection, reduced jumping frequencies during withdrawal from acute heroin treatment. Their delivery by injection was nonetheless effective against chronic heroin dependence, suggesting mechanisms not simply attributable to NMDA or AMPA blockade. These data indicate that whereas δ1, δ2, NMDA, and AMPA receptors enable acute and chronic heroin dependence, κ receptor activity limits the dependence liability of chronic heroin. With the exception of δ1 receptors, the apparent role of these receptors to heroin dependence is consistent with their contribution to morphine dependence, indicating that there is substantial physiological commonality underlying dependence to both heroin and morphine. The ability of κ receptor blockade to differentially alter acute and chronic dependence supports previous assertions from studies with other opioids that acute and chronic opioid dependence are, at least in part, mechanistically distinct. Elucidating the substrates contributing to heroin dependence, and identifying their similarities and differences with those of other opioids such as morphine, may yield effective treatment strategies to the problem of heroin dependency.
Predicting Young Adults’ Intentions to Get the H1N1 Vaccine: An Integrated Model

Young adults 19 through 24 years of age were among the populations that had the highest frequency of infection from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. However, over the 2009-2010 flu season, H1N1 vaccine uptake among college students nationwide was around 8%. To explore the social cognitive factors that influenced their intentions to get the H1N1 vaccine, this study compares the predictive power of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the health belief model (HBM), and an integrated model. The final model shows that several HBM variables influenced behavioral intentions through the TPB variables. The results suggest that even though the TPB seemed a superior model for behavior prediction, the addition of the HBM variables could inform future theory development by offering health-specific constructs that potentially enhance the predictive validity of TPB variables.
Ab initio calculations of adsorbate hydrogen-bond strength : ammonia on Pt(111)

Seven-layer slab results for 14 monolayer of NH3 on Pt(111) (so called α-NH3) are compared with NH3 on a 91-atom Pt cluster; we find that the latter closely mimics the extended surface. The calculations predict atop site occupancy for α-NH3 with N-down. The H-bond between α-NH3 and an additional N-down molecule (β-NH3) approaching from the gas-phase is then compared with that of two molecules in the gas phase; we discover the H-bond on the surface is almost three times stronger and the bond length appreciably shorter. Geometry relaxation then results in a 65 ± 5 degree tilt of the β-NH3 axis. Finally, slab calculations with 14ML each of α- and β-NH3 support this geometry over symmetrically coordinated β-NH3 and predict an adsorption energy in good agreement with experiment.
Embolization of rolandic cortex arteriovenous malformations.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of preradiosurgical and presurgical embolization of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) involving the rolandic cortex. METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients with rolandic AVMs seen during a 31-month period (December 1994-July 1997) were evaluated. All patients underwent superselective sodium amobarbital testing to determine any changes in the results of the neurological examinations before undergoing embolization. In 16 of 17 patients (94.1%), somatosensory evoked potentials augmented physical examinations. Patients were embolized with N-butyl cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl; B. Braun, Melsungen, Germany) and iophendylate (Ethiodol; Savage Labs, Melville, NY). Rigid control of the mean arterial pressure (65-75 mm Hg) was maintained in all patients for 24 to 48 hours after embolization. RESULTS: Twenty-three embolization sessions were performed in 17 patients (mean, 1.5 sessions/patient), and a total of 40 feeding arteries were embolized. Two patients were unable to undergo embolization because of positive results of the amobarbital testing despite repeated attempts to reposition a microcatheter in the AVM circulation. In one case, somatosensory evoked potentials and the results of the physical examination were both positive; in the other case, only the somatosensory evoked potentials were used (in a pediatric patient under general anesthesia). All patients with AVMs that were embolized experienced a significant size reduction of their lesions (range, 20-95%; mean, 63%). There were no permanent complications. Four procedures (10% of the procedures, 23% of the patients) resulted in minor transient neurological deficits, with patients' conditions returning to baseline. Thirteen patients subsequently underwent radiosurgery, three underwent surgical resection, and one underwent combined surgery and radiosurgery. Complete obliteration of the lesions has been achieved in four patients to date (three who underwent surgery and one who underwent radiosurgery), with the remainder undergoing further follow-up. CONCLUSION: When properly evaluated before treatment, rolandic AVMs can be embolized with a high success rate (measured by completed embolization and size reduction) and a low complication rate.
Three-dimensional velocity measurements within Goertler vortices

Three-component LDA recorded spanwise periodic variations of all three velocity components within Gortler vortices (GVs), and a four-degree-of-freedom, lesat-squares, sine wave curvefit was employed to obtain estimates for oscillation amplitude and GV wavelength. The curvefit wavelengths derived from all velocity components exhibit a scatter of approximately 10%, with v and w oscillation amplitudes approximately one order of magnitude smaller than the u oscillation amplitude.
Evaluation of a Model Clinical Therapeutics Curriculum for Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner Education in the United States

In response to broadly increased prescription privileges of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in the United States and the need for training programmes to effectively teach and document the competencies of their students in clinical therapeutics, seven regional health science centers formed a consortium to construct a clinical therapeutics model curriculum. The consortium designed a problem-based curriculum with objectives matched to cases designed to reflect three levels of responsibilities commonly delegated to PAs and NPs: (1) initiating and managing therapy, (2) monitoring and following up care, and (3) delivering emergency care. A survey on training programmes that had access to the model curriculum indicates that it has been helpful to them and their students and that the c should be offered in other content areas.
Understanding Alien Morals

Anthropologists often claim to have understood an ethical outlook that they nevertheless believe is largely false. Some moral philosophers—e.g., Susan Hurley—argue that this claim is incoherent because understanding an ethical outlook necessarily involves believing it to be largely true. to reach this conclusion, they apply an argument of Donald Davidson's to the ethical case. My central aim is to defend the coherence of the anthropologists' claim against this argument. To begin with, I specify a candidate-language that contains a significant number of alien thick descriptions. A thick description is a term that has both descriptive and evaluative content, e.g., “courageous.” I then argue that, because of its alien thick descriptions, this candidate-language cannot be interpreted by someone who adheres to the strictures of Davidson's account of interpretation. to complete my criticism, I demonstrate that the meaningfulness of this candidate-language cannot be impugned on Davidson's own terms. This involves showing that an interpreter's correctly assigning truthconditions, expressed in her own language, to sentences featuring alien thick descriptions is consistent with her believing those sentences to be false. “In cycle maintenance things are not that involved, but when confusion starts it's a good idea to hold it down by making everything formal and exact. Sometimes just the act of writing down the problems straightens out your head as to what they really are.”Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Stability of a class of discontinuous dynamical systems

A class of discontinuous dynamical systems is introduced as a generalization of Pulse Frequency Modulation Systems. An extension of Liapunov's direct method is developed for the investigation of their stability. This is done through the choice of a positive definite function which is constant or decreasing along the trajectories of the system when no pulses are emitted and decreasing during pulse emission. The method is also used for the investigation of periodic solutions and a number of examples are presented dealing with the solution of specific problems.
Evaluating Müller-Lyer effects using single fin-set configurations

Four experiments were conducted to study the bias of perceived length for Muller-Lyer configurations that contained a single set of fins (i.e., two segments that join to form a vertex). The experiments manipulated several factors that have been shown to be critical to the effect: (1) version (which way the apex pointed), (2) length of the stimulus span, (3) presence or absence of a line segment in the span being judged, (4) fin length, (5) fin angle, and (6) the zone in which the response was rendered. Using percent error as the index of perceptual distortion, the major finding was that the two versions show an opposite slope for strength of effect as a function of span. When stimulus spans were plotted against response means (not converting to percent error), an almost perfect linear relation was found. These results indicate that the perceptual effects can be modeled as a linear system having two parameters through which the treatments exert their influence. The results are discussed in relation to major theories of mechanism for the Muller-Lyer illusion.
Isolation and characterization of five genotypic mutants of chlorate-resistant cyanobacteria unable to utilize nitrate

Spontaneous mutants of the cyanobacteriumSynechococcus PCC 7002 resistant to chlorate were isolated. Either 40mM or 400mM Na2ClO3 was used as the selective agent. Putative Chlr colonies were picked onto medium containing ammonia as the sole N source, then replicaplated to media containing either NH4+, NO2− as N sources. Of 252 putative mutants, 106 were able to use either NH4Cl or NaNO2 but not NaNO3 as their sole source of nitrogen. All of the mutant isolates had generation times similar to wild-type 7002 when grown on either ammonium (3.8–4.1 h/generation) or nitrite (4.5–4.7 h/generation). None had detectable methyl viologensupported nitrate reductase activity and are thus phenotypically NRase−. The Chlr mutants had photomediated O2 production and dark O2 uptake rates similar to the wild type and responded similarly to selected metabolic inhibitors. They expressed increased levels of phycocyanin (PC) synthesis under normal, nitrogen-replete growth conditions, but rapidly lapsed into a chlorotic state upon a shift to either medium containing nitrate or to N-free medium. Genetic analysis of the Chl4 mutants indicated that each could be rescued by direct transformation with chromosomally derived DNA from the wild-type strain. Frequencies of transformation for the mutants were characteristic for single genetic lesions in this cyanobacterium. On the basis of marker rescue by a cosmid library of wild-type DNA, the NRase− mutants could be grouped into five distinctive genotypic families.
Photophysics of He-ICl van der Waals complexes: Excitation to predissociative levels in the B state

Abstract Fluorescence excitation spectra of He-ICl complexes are obtained for the B 3 Π 0 +( v ′ = 3)-X 1 Σ + ( v ″ = 0) transition. This indicates that vibrational predissociation of the van der Waals complex completes effectively with the subnanosecond electronic predissociation of the bare ICl molecule. A lower bound estimate for the vibrational predissociation lifetime is 550 ± 150 ps.
Generalized Geometric Interpretation of Temperature Control for Ternary Distillation

A previous paper introduced the concept of traveling distance to quantify how much the composition profile in a distillation column has to change when certain tray temperatures are held constant under single-end temperature control. The larger the traveling distance for a given temperature-control selection, the slower the composition dynamics and, hence, the poorer the control performance are expected to be. This work generalizes the concept of traveling distance in distillation-temperature control for different levels of complexity in a ternary distillation column separating components A, B, and C, in order of decreasing volatility. For the direct separation between A and B/C with a high purity of A at the top, the analysis shows that the conflict between process and control direction becomes more severe (larger traveling distance) with (1) increasing overhead purity of A, (2) decreasing relative volatility between light and heavy key components (A and B, respectively), (3) increasing relative volatilit...
Blood cultures in the emergency department evaluation of childhood pneumonia.

Background Blood cultures are frequently obtained in the emergency department (ED) evaluation of children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Objectives To determine the prevalence of bacteremia in children presenting to the ED with CAP, identify subgroups at increased risk for bacteremia, and quantify the effect of positive blood cultures on management. Methods This case-control study was nested within a cohort of children followed up at 35 pediatric practices. Patients from this cohort who were ≤18 years of age, evaluated in the ED in 2006-2007, and diagnosed with CAP were eligible. Cases were those with bacteremia. Controls included those with negative blood cultures and those without blood cultures performed. Results A total of 877 (9.6%) of 9099 children with CAP were evaluated in the ED. The mean age was 3.6 years; 53% were male. Blood cultures were obtained from 291 children (33.2%). Overall, the prevalence of bacteremia was 2.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8%-4.4%). Bacteremia occurred in 2.6% (95% CI: 1.0%-5.6%) with an infiltrate on chest radiograph and in 13.0% (95% CI: 2.8%-33.6%) with complicated pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 4 of the 6 cases of bacteremia. Blood culture results altered management in 5 of the 6 bacteremic patients; 1 had an appropriate broadening and 4 had an appropriate narrowing of coverage. The contamination rate was 1.0% (95% CI: 0.2%-3.0%). Conclusion Children presenting to the ED for evaluation of CAP are at low-risk for bacteremia. Although positive blood cultures frequently altered clinical management, the overall impact was small because of the low prevalence of bacteremia.
Response of Root-Knot Nematodes and Palmer Amaranth to Tillage and Rye Green Manure

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is a frequently used winter cover crop in many agronomic production systems in the United States. Our objective was to determine whether incorporating rye into soil while still green results in greater suppression of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) compared to conventional cover crop management. Two similar experiments were conducted: one with peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and the other with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Both experiments were a split-plot design with tillage as the main plot (conventional, green manure, and strip) and cover crop as the subplot. The cover crop treatments were a weedy fallow and the rye cultivars Wrens Abruzzi, Wheeler, Oklon, and Elbon. Wrens Abruzzi produced the greatest amount of biomass, Oklon and Elbon intermediate, and Wheeler the least. Where there was substantial soil disturbance (e.g., conventional tillage and green manure), Palmer amaranth densities were low and not influenced by cover crop. In the strip tillage plots, however, all of the rye cultivars, except Wheeler, reduced establishment of the weed compared to winter fallow. Root galling from nematodes on cotton and peanut was influenced by tillage, but not by rye cover crop. Gall indices on cotton were greater in conventional tillage than in either strip tillage or green manure plots; whereas on peanut, they were greater in the strip tillage than in the conventional tillage or green manure plots. Neither tillage nor cover crop influenced yield except in 2008 in peanut, where yield was lower in strip tillage than in conventional or green manure plots.
Should Russia adopt the Chinese model of economic reform

Abstract The numerous similarities between Russia and China make it intuitively attractive to examine the relevance of Chinese economic reforms to the troubled situation in Russia. In addition, Russia's wavering between Chinese and Western economic models is a real-world replay of two heated theoretical debates: first, between shock therapists and those who favor more gradual economic transformations; and second, between those who believe that economic reform best precedes political reform and those who argue that the sequencing of reforms matters little. It is argued that, although Russia's economic reforms will have to progress more slowly than shock therapists would prefer, adopting the Chinese model does not present a viable “third way” for Russian economic reformers. This conclusion is based upon an analysis of Russia's unique political situation, economic constraints, and the effects of its attempt to move towards democracy and the market simultaneously.
A rapid method for monitoring the activity of certain carbohydrases.

Abstract A method for localizing activity peaks in eluates from chromatographic columns is described for hydrolases normally assayed by reducing-sugar determinations. The technique combines rapidity and small amounts of reagents. Results obtained with yeast exo-β-(1 → 3)-glucanase are shown.
Comparison of emissive and reflective minimum resolvable temperature difference for measurements of sensor performance

The Minimum Resolvable Temperature Difference (MRT or MRTD) of an IR imaging sensor provides a measure of system performance in terms of sensitivity as a function of resolution. It's expressed as the temperature difference (ΔT) between a target and a background at which target features are just discernable as a function of spatial frequency. Traditionally, MRT has been measured in the laboratory by imaging a flat plate “blackbody” at slightly elevated and depressed temperatures through a sequence of 4-bar slot patterns (“targets”) in high Emissivity disks (“backgrounds”) at ambient temperature. In this traditional, purely emissive MRT approach, the luminance modulation in the images of the smaller targets ride upon luminance pedestals against the ambient background that make the image modulation hard to discern. Consequently, in the laboratory, sensor gain and offset adjustments sometimes must be performed in order to see the modulation on the smaller, i.e., higher spatial frequency, MRT targets. Quite frequently this part of the procedure does not correspond to how the sensor is operated in the field. An alternative approach, called reflective MRT, uses a disk in which the target region consists of slots and highly reflective, low Emissivity spaces and is surrounded by a high Emissivity background. Two flat plate “blackbodies” are used, one in transmission through the slots and one in reflection from the spaces between the slots. Both are at slightly different temperatures controlled and regulated above and below ambient. This results in target luminance modulation that does not ride upon ambient luminance pedestals, thus allowing MRT to be measured at the same sensor gain and offset for all target spatial frequencies. The intent of this approach is to improve the accuracy of laboratory MRT measurements as predictors of field performance. This paper describes this problem with emissive MRT, reflective MRT as a possible solution, and the experimental research planned for calendar year 2003 to compare emissive and reflective MRT measurements of well sampled imaging sensors.
The nutritive value of weather-damaged and good-quality straw of barley, wheat and oat, untreated and treated with ammonia or sodium hydroxide

Zusammenfassung Der Nahrwert von Wettergeschadigtem Stroh und Stroh von guter Qualitat, unbehandelt, Ammoniakoder NaOH-behandelt Es wurden Witterungseinflusse auf Eigenschaften und Qualitat von Stroh und der Einflus chemischer Behandlung auf den Nahrwert des Strohs untersucht. Verwendet wurden Stroh von Weizen, Hafer und Gerste. Die Halfte des Strohs wurde bei guten Witterungsbedingungen geerntet, die andere Halfte wurde starken Regenfallen ausgesetzt (168 mm). Wahrend ein Teil des Strohs unbehandelt untersucht wurde, wurde ein zweiter Teil mit Ammoniak und ein dritter Teil mit Natriumhydroxyd behandelt. Untersucht wurden die in vivo-Verdaulichkeit und der Energiegehalt des Strohs. Aus den Ergebnissen geht hervor, das das dem Regen ausgesetzte Stroh einen hoheren Gehalt an Rohfaser und Zellenwandbestandteilen (NDF, ADF und Lignin) hat, was auf das Auswaschen von Nahrstoffen hinweist. Die chemische Behandlung reduziert den Gehalt an Hemizellulosen im Stroh. Im Durchschnitt hat das Stroh von guter Qualitat eine bessere Verdaulichkeit und einen hoheren Nahrwert als das dem Regen ausgesetzte Stroh. Bei unbehandeltem Stroh betrug die Verdaulichkeit der OS 54,7% fur Stroh von guter Qualitat und fur wettergeschadigtes Stroh 51,0%. Es wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied in der Verdaulichkeit der Rohfaser zwischen Stroh von guter Qualitat und verregnetem Stroh gefunden. Die chemische Behandlung erhohte die Verdaulichkeit der verschiedenen Komponenten und den berechneten Energiegehalt des Strohs. Die Behandlung mit NaOH (Dip-Methode) zeigte den grosten Einflus auf die Erhohung des Energiegehaltes des Strohs. Der Verdaulichkeit der Rohfaser war um 22,9 Einheiten (von 63,7% auf 86,6%) und der organischen Substanz um 17,5 Einheiten (von 52,9% auf 70,4%) erhoht. Die vergleichbare Anhebung bei Ammoniakbehandlung betrug 11,4 Einheiten fur Rohfaser (von 63,7% auf 75,1%) und 9,4 Einheiten fur organische Substanz (von 52,9% auf 62,3%). Die chemische Behandlung glich Unterschiede in den verschiedenen Strohqualitaten aus. Der Unterschied zwischen Stroh guter Qualitat und geschadigtem Stroh wurde reduziert, dies gilt auch fur Unterschiede, die durch verschiedene Stroharten charakterisiert sind. Es wird deutlich, das Stroh niedriger Verdaulichkeit den grosten Respons auf eine chemische Behandlung zeigt. In der Cornell University wurden dann die Proben mit alternativen Analysenmethoden unterworfen, um den Nahrwert des Strohs niedriger Qualitat vorauszusagen. Die Resultate dieser Analysen zeigen, das viele dieser Methoden, wie wahre unfermentierte NDF in vitro, wahre unfermentierte organische Substanz in vitro, Verseifungszahlen, scheinbar unfermentierte organische Substanz in vitro, und scheinbar unfermentierte Trockensubstanz in vitro, relativ gute Schatzwerte fur den Nahrwert von Stroh liefern.
First-principles determination of superconducting properties of metals

Abstract Ab initio and many-body-theory methods are combined to determine the coupling of electrons to phonons in real materials. The electron-phonon spectral function is determined using a linear-response technique within density functional theory, and superconducting properties are then extracted with Migdal–Eliashberg theory. We examine the puzzle of a low T c in Li and determine theoretical estimates for T c in high-pressure phases of sulphur, which is the highest transition temperature elemental superconductor. These examples show that theoretical calculations are reaching a stage where their accuracy is now competitive with that of experiments.
The HER family and cancer: emerging molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets

The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family of transmembrane tyrosine kinases regulates diverse cellular functions in response to extracellular ligands. The deregulation of HER signaling through gene amplification or mutation is seen in many human tumors and an abundance of experimental evidence supports the etiological role of these events in cancer pathogenesis. In addition, the fact that they are feasible targets for both antibody and small-molecule therapeutics has made them highly pursued targets for the development of rationally designed anticancer drugs. Several HER-targeting agents have entered clinical practice and this has led to novel discoveries regarding the mechanisms of resistance, which has defined a new generation of challenges for targeted cancer therapies. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of HER signaling and targeting in cancer.
Early drought detection, monitoring, and assessment of crop losses from space: global approach

With nearly 30 years of the accumulated AVHRR data which were collected from NOAA operational polar-orbiting environmental satellites, the area of their applications expanded in the direction of agricultural production modeling, understanding of climate and global change, resource management, and early and more efficient monitoring of the environmental impacts (especially droughts) on economy and society. This becomes possible due to development of Vegetation Health indices (VHI). This paper discusses utility of AVHRR-based VHI for modeling crop and pasture yield with specific emphasis on early drought warning and estimation of losses in agricultural production.
A new learning environment: combining clinical research with quality improvement

Abstract: The emphasis provided by quality improvement strategies on performance measurement and evaluation often results in our understanding of processes of care and, perhaps, better outcomes. There are different references for process evaluation: external peers, regional profiles of performance or a trending of one's own performance patterns. This paper proposes a methodology that enables learning from the daily practice of medicine by comparing alternative care processes and outcomes. Since it is estimated that 15–20% of medical practices are based on rigorous scientific data establishing their effectiveness, we have much to learn. We propose to learn from our daily practice by combining clinical research methods with quality improvement tools. The products comprise modified clinical trial and case–control studies. In a modified clinical trial, we would use a practice guideline as a control group and modify the guideline to create an experimental group. This method would maintain the internal validity of efficacy research while maintaining the external validity of effectiveness research. In the case–control method, it is possible to quantitate risk for a given outcome and focus improvement effort on factors associated with that outcome. We believe physicians will accept this learning approach because it is a more valid learning method than traditional quality improvement and, unlike randomized clinical trials, learning will occur in the daily practice of medicine.
Shooting habits of U.S. waterfowl hunters

Exposure to high-intensity impulse noise from the recreational use of firearms is a common cause of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Although recreational firearm users who shoot firearms without proper hearing protection are at risk for NIHL, a specific subgroup involved in hunting waterfowl may also be at risk due to their particular shooting habits. The goal of the present study was to investigate the shooting habits of this particular group of U.S. recreational firearm users. A 23-item written survey was sent to waterfowl hunting club members regarding their shooting behaviors, use of hearing protective devices (HPDs), and auditory status. Results indicated that waterfowl hunters in this study typically used large bore semiautomatic shotguns, did not consistently utilize HPDs during target practice or hunting and were exposed to multiple, unprotected shots during the past waterfowl season. Most subjects reported hunting in reverberant acoustic environments (hunting blinds). This group of recreational firearm users also reported high incidences of hearing loss and tinnitus. Information provided by this study may help hearing conservationists and hearing healthcare providers understand and better educate these shooters regarding the risk of acquiring NIHL.
Bidirectional Linkages Between Psychological Symptoms and Sexual Activities Among African American Adolescent Girls in Psychiatric Care

The current study examines longitudinal associations between light and heavy sexual experiences and psychiatric symptoms in African American adolescent girls receiving mental health care. Research supports bidirectional associations between adolescent romantic and sexual behaviors and depression and other mental health problems, but this finding has not been examined among African American youth or in clinical samples. African American girls in psychiatric treatment suffer disparities in HIV/AIDS vulnerability, and understanding the context of girls' risk-taking (and how psychological symptoms contribute) may aid prevention efforts. Two-hundred-sixty-five African American girls seeking psychiatric care were assessed for mental health symptoms and light and heavy sexual behaviors. Participants completed a 6-month follow-up. Baseline light sexual activity predicted increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms and substance use at follow-up. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms predicted increased ...
Possible role of prostaglandin F 2α in mediating effect of prolactin on RNA synthesis in mammary gland explants of mice

CYCLIC nucleotides seem to be intimately involved in the initiation of lactation and the consequent production of milk substances in the mammary gland1–5. The ratio of cyclic GMP to cyclic AMP increased several-fold in mammary glands taken from rats immediately after parturition and during lactation1,2. Further, dibutyryl cyclic AMP attenuated or abolished several hormone effects on enzyme activities and other metabolic events in explants from mid-pregnant rats3. It seems that the regulation of the metabolism of the mammary glands of mice may be specifically related to the mechanism whereby prolactin affects this tissue4,5: cyclic GMP mimicked the early action of prolactin on RNA synthesis in mammary gland explants, whereas dibutyryl cyclic AMP and agents which inhibit phosphodiesterase abolished this effect. These observations suggest that the early effect of prolactin on RNA synthesis is mediated by an elevated level of cyclic GMP and a reduced or maintained level of cyclic AMP.
A continuous fluorescence assay for cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase hydrolysis of cyclic GMP

The fluorescent 2'-methylanthraniloyl derivative of cyclic GMP undergoes a 45% decrease in fluorescence when it is cleaved by brain phosphodiesterase in the presence of calmodulin. This fluorescence decrease is dependent upon calcium, calmodulin, and phosphodiesterase, and correlates well (r = 0.996) with the disappearance of substrate as monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography. The Kd values determined by this fluorescence method and HPLC suggest that cyclic GMP and its fluorescent derivative exhibit similar kinetic parameters in their hydrolysis.
A SPECIFIC ANTIBODY-HAPTEN REACTION WITH NOVEL SPECTRAL PROPERTIES.

Abstract The specific binding of the hapten 2-(2,4-dinitrophenylazo)-1-naphthol-3,6-disulfonate to rabbit antibodies directed to the 2,4-dinitrophenyl determinant results in a marked spectral change at a pH near neutrality. This provides a simple and accurate method for assay of the activity of this antibody. The spectral change is due to a p K shift of the naphtholic OH group of the hapten from 6.5 to 9.0 on binding to the antibody site. The spectral and equilibrium parameters of this reaction have been determined. It is proposed that the p K shift is due to hydrophobic interactions between the hapten and amino acid residues on the surface of the antibody molecule. The equilibrium association constants are closely similar for the reactions of both this hapten and ϵ- N -2,4-dinitrophenyllysine with anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl antibodies, in spite of the profound steric differences between the groups attached to the 2,4-dinitrophenyl residue in the two cases. This suggests that nonspecific hydrophobic interactions make small but significant contributions to the free energy changes accompanying the reactions of both haptens.
Muscarinic receptor agonists stimulate matrix metalloproteinase 1-dependent invasion of human colon cancer cells.

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Muscarinic receptor agonists stimulated robust human colon cancer cell invasion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Anti-matrix metalloproteinase1 antibody pre-treatment blocks cell invasion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bile acids stimulate MMP1 expression, cell migration and MMP1-dependent invasion. -- Abstract: Mammalian matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which degrade extracellular matrix facilitate colon cancer cell invasion into the bloodstream and extra-colonic tissues; in particular, MMP1 expression correlates strongly with advanced colon cancer stage, hematogenous metastasis and poor prognosis. Likewise, muscarinic receptor signaling plays an important role in colon cancer; muscarinic receptors are over-expressed in colon cancer compared to normal colon epithelial cells. Muscarinic receptor activation stimulates proliferation, migration and invasion of human colon cancer cells. In mouse intestinal neoplasia models genetic ablation of muscarinic receptors attenuates carcinogenesis. In the present work, we sought to link these observations by showing that MMP1 expression and activation plays a mechanistic role in muscarinic receptor agonist-induced colon cancer cell invasion. We show that acetylcholine, which robustly increases MMP1 expression, stimulates invasion of HT29 and H508 human colon cancer cells into human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers - this was abolished by pre-incubation with atropine, a non-selective muscarinic receptor inhibitor, and by pre-incubation with anti-MMP1 neutralizing antibody. Similar results were obtained using a Matrigel chambermore » assay and deoxycholyltaurine (DCT), an amidated dihydroxy bile acid associated with colon neoplasia in animal models and humans, and previously shown to interact functionally with muscarinic receptors. DCT treatment of human colon cancer cells resulted in time-dependent, 10-fold increased MMP1 expression, and DCT-induced cell invasion was also blocked by pre-treatment with anti-MMP1 antibody. This study contributes to understanding mechanisms underlying muscarinic receptor agonist-induced promotion of colon cancer and, more importantly, indicates that blocking MMP1 expression and activation has therapeutic promise to stop or retard colon cancer invasion and dissemination.« less
Granular quantization noise in the first-order delta-sigma modulator

A unified approach to analyzing the granular quantization error of the first-order Delta Sigma modulator is presented. The approach handles many of the previously analyzed input sequences in addition to a large class of new input sequences. By averaging over the arbitrarily small amount of circuit noise assumed to be present at the analog input to the Delta Sigma modulator, a simple expression for the autocorrelation of the quantization error is derived. Each term in the expression is formally equal to the quantization error of a nonoverloaded uniform quantizer operating upon a finite partial sum of consecutive input sequence samples. Hence, existing results concerning uniform quantizers are directly applicable in evaluating the autocorrelation expression for specific input sequences. The theory is also applicable to deterministic input sequences, and has been applied to obtain a new closed-form result for sinusoidal input sequences. Ergodic results which assert that, under mild conditions, the autocorrelation equals the time-average autocorrelation in probability are presented. >