cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First Lasing of the Jefferson Lab IR Demo FEL

As reported previously [1], Jefferson Lab is building a free-electron laser capable of generating a continuous wave kilowatt laser beam. The driver-accelerator consists of a superconducting, energy-recovery accelerator. The initial stage of the program was to produce over 100 W of average power with no recirculation. In order to provide maximum gain the initial wavelength was chosen to be 5 mu-m and the initial beam energy was chosen to be 38.5 MeV. On June 17, 1998, the laser produced 155 Watts cw power at the laser output with a 98% reflective output coupler. On July 28th, 311 Watts cw power was obtained using a 90% reflective output coupler. A summary of the commissioning activities to date as well as some novel lasing results will be summarized in this paper. Present work is concentrated on optimizing lasing at 5 mu-m, obtaining lasing at 3 mu-m, and commissioning the recirculation transport in preparation for kilowatt lasing this fall.
REACTION OF CHLORINE AND MOLYBDENUM BY MODULATED MOLECULAR-BEAM MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Abstract The reaction of molecular chlorine with polycrystalline molybdenum was studied by the modulated molecular beam mass spectrometry technique. Between 300 and 900 K, MoCl2 was produced with a reaction probability of about 10−3 on a chlorine-covered surface. At higher temperatures, the chlorine coverage decreased because of three direct reactions on the substrate metal: recombination to form Cl2; direct desorption of atomic chlorine; and a second reaction channel to produce MoCl2. Chlorine chemisorbed on the metal surface acquired sufficient mobility to move away from the spot illuminated by the incident molecular beam. By 1500 K, the only major processes remaining were chemisorption of incident Cl2 with near-unity sticking probability followed by rapid desorption of atomic chlorine. A kinetic model of the reaction, including all of the component elementary steps, was developed and compared to the data.
Ingestion, egestion, excretion, growth, and conversion efficiency for the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus (L.)

Abstract The food conversion efficiency of Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) was measured in terms of calories and nitrogen for three diets: Palaemonetes sp., Nereis sp., and Uca pugnax. Fish were allowed to feed ad libitum for 30–60 min each day. Growth, ingestion, egestion, and excretion were measured for fish fed each diet. The growth rates of Fundulus heteroclitus fed two of the single item diets of invertebrates were higher than growth rates previously estimated for mummichogs from the natural population in Canary Creek marsh. In comparison with other fish species, F. heteroclitus was found to have a higher than average assimilation efficiency ( X = 87% for all three diets) and a lower than average gross growth efficiency (≈12% for two of the diets). Metabolic costs accounted for an average of 69% of ingested energy. Excretion rates were also large, with excretion accounting for more energy than egestion in two of the three diets.
Structure of the Eggshell

Abstract The ultrastructure of the eggshell of the domestic fowl is reviewed with regard to the influence that the various shell layers have on determining eggshell quality. Emphasis is placed on the importance of normal mammillary knob formation. Eggshells having good eggshell quality have a regular distribution of mammillary cores. These initiate the production of many small mammillary cap and cone formations. Early fusion of the forming mammillary knobs is a key to eggshell strength through a reduction in the penetration of intermammillary clefts into the calcified eggshell. The formation of narrow palisade columns is implicated in this process. The impact of the membranes, vertical crystal layer, and cuticle is also discussed.
Characteristics of Insured Patients With Persistent Gaps in Diabetes Care Services: The Translating Research into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) Study

Background:Although preventing diabetes complications requires long-term management, little is known about which patients persistently fail to get recommended care.Objective:To determine the frequency and correlates of persistent, long-term gaps in diabetes care.Methods:The study population included
The Bridging Role of Television in Immigrant Political Socialization

A survey of Korean-American immigrants in California compares television news with other socialization factors in the acquisition of knowledge about American politics. U. S. television news exposure ranks alongside the newspaper as a positive predictor of U.S. political learning for this sample of Korean immigrants and is more important than other predictors, including years of schooling. Among long-time U.S. residents and those with strong English language skills, the newspaper is the main predictor of political learning, as is the case in other studies of adult Americans. But for those who have been in the U.S. a short time and who lack skill in English, TV news is the stronger predictor for these immigrants, as it is in studies of indigenous American adolescents.
Inhibition of Bismuth Dissolution during Anode Catalyst Layer Pore Former Removal in a Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell

An in-situ method is presented that protects the submonolayer of Bi on Pt/C, for enhanced formic acid electrooxidation in a fuel cell, from oxidative dissolution due to elevated potentials during an acid leaching pore former removal process by maintaining a potential of 0 V vs RHE. Comparing the current density of the no pore former catalyst layer at 0.25 V to the uncontrolled ex-situ acid leached catalyst layer, there was a 65% loss in activity, while for the in-situ potential controlled acid leached catalyst layer with pore former a 20% increase in performance was measured. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse of the work in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0061411eel] All rights reserved.
In Situ Measurement of Electromagnetic Properties of Welded Tuff Under Compression

The high-frequency electromagnetic permittivity and attenuation rate were measured in situ in a block of densely welded ash flow tuff compressed uniaxially. For stress changes up to 800 psi, the electromagnetic properties were found to be independent of stress, except where the water content of fractures may have been controlled by aperture changes induced by the compressional loading.
Advanced Bilayer Resist Process With Optimized PMGT Formulation

The advantages of using polydimethylglutarimide (PMGI) as an underlayer for a "Portable Conformable Mask" (PCM) process have been demonstrated by Shipley Company and Rohm and Haas. Here we describe an optimized PMGI formulation coupled with an advanced bilayer resist process. This paper reports on material studies involving PMGI composition, dye additives, and a casting solvent and their relationship to PCM process control. The use of different Deep UV flood expose wavelengths during the image transfer step has an effect on image profile and exposure time. Wavelengths between 240 nm and 280 nm are preferred. For submicron imaging, a dyed Novolak resist can be used to increase the masking efficiency of the imaging layer. A PCM process using a Novolak resist imaging layer and a dyed PMGI planarizing layer controls standing wave effects and reflective notching and provides thick resist patterns for etching and lift-off applications. Excellent linewidth control and process latitude can be achieved on g-line steppers.
Changes in submarine hydrothermal 3He/heat ratios as an indicator of magmatic/tectonic activity

AN important question in submarine hydrothermal research concerns the connection between hydrothermal discharge from a spreading centre and variations in local magmatic and tectonic activity. Because it is likely that tectonic stretching and concomitant shallow magmatic activity triggered the cataclysmic venting that created the Juan de Fuca Ridge 'megaplumes'1–3, we have for three years monitored the 3He concentration and temperature anomaly of the underlying steady-state plume at the site of the original megaplume. We report here that the apparent 3He/heat ratio in the steady-state plume has progressively decreased from 4.4 to 2.4 to 1.3 x 10-12 cm3 STP cal-1 changing from a uniquely high ratio to one characteristic of established vent fields on other ridge segments4–8. We propose that the initially high 3He/heat ratio, sampled within days of the megaplume eruption, resulted from magma degassing into a hydrothermal circulation system of high permeability and short fluid residence time. Thus, high 3He/heat ratios may indicate venting created or profoundly perturbed by a magmatic–tectonic event, and lower ratios may typify systems at equilibrium.
Role of anti-angiogenic factor endostatin in the pathogenesis of experimental ulcerative colitis

Abstract Aims Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pathologic angiogenesis have been demonstrated to play a pathogenic role in the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, we hypothesized that the potent anti-angiogenic factor endostatin might play a beneficial role in experimental ulcerative colitis (UC). Main methods We used three animal models of UC: (1) induced by 6% iodoacetamide (IA) in rats, or (2) by 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) knockout (KO) and wild-type mice, and (3) interleukin-10 (IL-10) KO mice. Groups of MMP-9 KO mice with DSS-induced UC were treated with endostatin or water for 5 days. Key findings We found concomitant upregulation of VEGF, PDGF, MMP-9 and endostatin in both rat and mouse models of UC. A positive correlation between the levels of endostatin or VEGF and the sizes of colonic lesions was seen in IA-induced UC. The levels and activities of MMP-9 were also significantly increased during UC induced by IA and IL-10 KO. Deletion of MMP-9 decreased the levels of endostatin in both water- and DSS-treated MMP-9 KO mice. Treatment with endostatin significantly improved DSS-induced UC in MMP-9 KO mice. Significance 1) Concomitantly increased endostatin is a defensive response to the increased VEGF in UC, 2) MMP-9 is a key enzyme to generate endostatin which may modulate the balance between VEGF and endostatin during experimental UC, and 3) endostatin treatment plays a beneficial role in UC. Thus, anti-angiogenesis seems to be a new therapeutic option for UC.
Visualizations: speech, language & autistic spectrum disorder

Without speech, we can have great difficulty communicating wants, emotions, needs, and interacting with society at large. During typical child development, an infant acquires language skills without explicit teaching. However, some children, including those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have explicit difficulty developing these skills in the context of everyday interactions. HCI is situated to help by developing technology and techniques to teach speech and language skills to children with ASD through the use of visual and auditory feedback. This paper examines preliminary results from a study, as well as describes new directions of research.
Mutations within the primer binding site of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 define sequence requirements essential for reverse transcription.

Abstract The primer binding site (PBS) is involved in two stages during the reverse transcription of the retroviral RNA genome. In the early stage, the PBS provides complementary sequences through which tRNA Lys,3 binds the viral RNA genome to initiate minus-strand DNA synthesis; in the later stages, complementarity between the plus- and minus-strand copies of the PBS is required to facilitate the second template transfer needed to complete reverse transcription. We previously constructed a mutant HIV-1 proviral genome, designated as pHXB2PBS(pheC + 5) (now referred to as pheC + 5), which was used to identify regions of the PBS involved in the initiation and second template transfer steps of reverse transcription. To further define the sequence requirements of the PBS for the initiation of reverse transcription, we have made single nucleotide substitutions within the first six nucleotides of the pheC + 5 PBS. Our results demonstrate that mutations within the first five nucleotides of the PBS which disrupt base paring with tRNA Lys,3 -PBS results in an noninfectious virus; a G-U base pair at position six of the tRNA Lys,3 -PBS complex was tolerated. In contrast to the requirements for initiation, we found that complementary binding between only three base pairs of the plus- and minus-strand PBSs was required for the extension of plus-strand DNA during the second template transfer. Furthermore, regions of the minus-strand DNA of up to 24 nucleotides could be looped-out to facilitate the complementarity required for the completion of plus-strand DNA synthesis. Taken together, the results of our studies demonstrate that different features of the PBS with respect to RNA:RNA and DNA:DNA interactions are required for initiation of reverse transcription and the completion of plus-strand DNA synthesis, respectively.
Some local limit theorems in the symmetric Dirichlet-Multinomial urn models

The asymptotic distributions of the size distributions of the symmetric Dirichlet-Multinomial urn model are investigated. By allowing the number of ballsn and number of urnsm to go to infinity at different rates we can get both Poisson limit distributions and normal limit distributions. In either case some local limit theorems are obtained. We also consider a more general urn scheme where the number of balls is considered as a random variable depending on the number of urns; some interesting limit theorems are also obtained in this context.
X-ray Microbeam Diffraction Measurements in Polycrystalline Aluminum and Copper Thin Films

Thermally induced residual strains in polycrystalline Cu and Al films on single crystal Si and glass substrates, respectively, have been examined on a grain-by-grain basis by x-ray microbeam diffraction. The crystallographic orientation and the deviatoric strain tensor, {var_epsilon}{sub ij}*, are determined for each grain by white beam Laue diffraction. From grain orientation mapping and strain tensor measurements, information is obtained about the distributions of strains for similarly oriented grains, about strain variations within single grains, and about grain-to-grain correlations of strains. This type of information may be useful in developing and testing theories for intergrain effects in strain evolution in polycrystals.
Comparisons of class- and lower taxon-level patterns in naticid gastropod predation, Cretaceous to Pleistocene of the U.S. Coastal Plain

Abstract Predation by drilling gastropods provides evidence of predator–prey interactions usually lacking in the fossil record of other systems; the record of gastropod drilling has been used to test hypotheses concerning the role of ecology in evolution. Initial tests of the hypothesis of escalation employed assemblage-level estimates of drilling frequencies. Use of assemblage-level data to estimate predation intensities has been criticized because results based on such data may be confounded by varying relative abundances of prey taxa with different morphologies and adaptive syndromes. We tested the robustness of Cretaceous–Pleistocene temporal patterns previously derived from 28 Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain assemblages based on data for eight common bivalve and gastropod prey families and eleven additional long-ranging bivalve taxa of subfamily to species rank. Despite changing relative abundances of taxa through time, the general patterns of temporal change in drilling apparent at the assemblage level also occur within lower taxa. The assemblage-level pattern of fluctuating drilling frequencies, with peaks during the Paleocene to middle Eocene, early Oligocene, and middle Miocene to early Pliocene, was replicated for all families except noetiid bivalves and naticid gastropods. With occasional departures, the bivalve taxa at the subfamily to species rank also paralleled patterns for the assemblage as a whole. Statistically significant or nearly significant correlation coefficients between drilling frequencies of lucinids and crassatellids, arcids and crassatellids, carditids and crassatellaceans, and corbulids and arcids over time also indicate that drilling frequencies for these taxa changed synchronously. In contrast, “prey effectiveness” (effectiveness of prey defenses as measured by number of incomplete drill holes: total attempted holes) for lower taxa generally did not correspond to patterns at the assemblage level. All correlation coefficients for prey effectiveness for pairs of lower taxa were nonsignificant, suggesting that changes in prey effectiveness were not synchronized among taxa. Use of assemblage-level estimates in concert with analyses of lower taxa enables reconstruction of the history of predator–prey interactions and testing of hypotheses in evolutionary paleoecology. Assemblage-level estimates, at least in this study, appear to be reliable indicators of changes in the intensity of drilling predation through time. Changes in prey effectiveness appear to be more individualistic and may be affected by the evolutionary response of particular prey taxa to predators.
Application of the target fish community model to an urban river system

Several models have been developed to assess the biological integrity of aquatic systems using fish community data. One of these, the target fish community (TFC) model, has been used primarily to assess the biological integrity of larger, mainstem rivers in southern New England with basins characterized by dispersed human activities. We tested the efficacy of the TFC approach to specify the fish community in the highly urbanized Charles River watershed in eastern Massachusetts. To create a TFC for the Charles River we assembled a list of fish species that historically inhabited the Charles River watershed, identified geomorphically and zoogeographically similar reference rivers regarded as being in high quality condition, amassed fish survey data for the reference rivers, and extracted from the collections the information needed to define a TFC. We used a similarity measurement method to assess the extent to which the study river community complies with the TFC and an inference approach to summarize the manner in which the existing fish community differed from target conditions. The five most abundant species in the TFC were common shiners (34%), fallfish (17%) redbreast sunfish (11%), white suckers (8%), and American eel (7%). Three of the five species predicted to be most abundant in the TFC were scarce or absent in the existing river community. Further, the river was dominated by macrohabitat generalists (99%) while the TFC was predicted to contain 19% fluvial specialist species, 43% fluvial dependent species, and 38% macrohabitat generalist species. In addition, while the target community was dominated by fish intolerant (37%) and moderately tolerant (39%) of water quality degradation, the existing community was dominated by tolerant individuals (59%) and lacked intolerant species expected in the TFC. Similarity scores for species, habitat use specialization, and water quality degradation tolerance categories were 28%, 35% and 66%, respectively. The clear pattern of deviations from target conditions when observing fish habitat requirements strongly suggests that physical habitat change should be a priority for river enhancement in the Charles River. Comparison of our target and existing fish communities to those from a comprehensive study of Northeastern fish assemblage responses to urban intensity gradients revealed very similar results. Likewise, comparison of our TFC community and affinity scores to those of other TFCs from similar regions also yielded similar results and encouraging findings. Based on the positive results of these comparisons, the utility of the findings from the inference approach, and the widespread adoption of the TFC in the Northeast US, it appears that the TFC approach can be used effectively to identify the composition of a healthy fish community and guide river enhancements in both highly urbanized and non-urbanized streams and rivers in the Northeast US.
Working with Immigrant Women. Issues and Strategies for Mental Health Professionals

S. Guruge & E. Collins (Eds.)Toronto, ON: Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, 2008334 pp., $34.95 (Paperback)ISBN 978-0-88868-535-3A common interest in the interlocking character of culture, g...
A rationale for the development of an end-result design method for bituminous concrete

Abstract The Marshall design method for bituminous concrete is a popular design method in both highway and airport construction. A serious limitation of this method is its inability to relate the quality of the material to the test values of the design variables. Since the design variables are known to be jointly normally distributed, an overall quality index can be obtained by calculating the cumulative multivariate normal distribution function between the specified limits of the design variables. This will enable engineers to quantify the goodness of a particular mixture by utilizing the means, standard deviations and correlations of the acceptance variables. In comparison, only the means of the acceptance variables are used in the present Marshall approach.
The CTXϕ Repressor RstR Binds DNA Cooperatively to Form Tetrameric Repressor-Operator Complexes

CTXϕ is a filamentous bacteriophage that encodes cholera toxin and integrates into the Vibrio cholerae genome to form stable lysogens. In CTXϕ lysogens, gene expression originating from the rstA phage promoter is repressed by the phage-encoded repressor RstR. The N-terminal region of RstR contains a helix-turn-helix DNA-binding element similar to the helix-turn-helix of the cI/Cro family of phage repressors, whereas the short C-terminal region is unrelated to the oligomerization domain of cI repressor. Purified His-tagged RstR bound to three extended 50-bp operator sites in the rstA promoter region. Each of the RstR footprints exhibited a characteristic staggered pattern of DNase I-accessible regions that suggested RstR binds DNA as a dimer-of-dimers. In gel permeation chromatography and cross-linking experiments, RstR oligomerized to form dimers and tetramers. RstR was shown to be tetrameric when bound to operator DNA by performing mobility shift experiments with mixtures of RstR and a lengthened active variant of RstR. Binding of RstR to the high affinity O1 site could be fit to a cooperative model of operator binding in which two RstR dimers associate to form tetrameric RstR-operator complexes. The binding of RstR dimers to the left or right halves of O1 operator DNA was not observed in mobility shift assays. These observations support a model in which protein-protein contacts between neighboring RstR dimers contribute to strong operator binding.
Stimulation of endothelial nitric oxide production by homocyst (e) ine

Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia, characterized by accelerated atherosclerosis, is believed to induce endothelial cell injury and promote atherothrombosis by supporting the generation of hydrogen peroxide. Earlier observations in our laboratory demonstrated that in vitro nitrosation of homocyst(e)ine (HCY) prevents the generation of hydrogen peroxide. We, therefore, hypothesized that stimulating the production of nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial cells would detoxify HCY by forming the corresponding S-nitrosothiol, S-nitroso-homocysteine. In an attempt to prove this hypothesis, media containing 1 mM L-arginine, 1 microM bradykinin, a known NO agonist, and one of the biologically relevant thiols (HCY, cysteine, or glutathione) at concentrations of 0, 0.05, 0.5 and 5.0 mM were incubated with bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) for 0.5, 1 and 4 h. S-nitrosothiol (RSNO) concentrations were measured by photolysis-chemiluminescence. Nitric oxide synthase (eNOS or isoform 3) activity and Nos 3 steady-state mRNA levels were determined by the conversion of [3H]L-arginine to [3H]L-citrulline and Northern analysis, respectively. Results demonstrate that increasing concentrations of HCY, and not cysteine or glutathione, in the presence of bradykinin at 0.5, 1, and 4 h led to significant (P < 0.05 by ANOVA) time- and dose-dependent increases in RSNO produced by BAEC. Cells exposed to 1 microM calcium ionophore A23187 in the presence of 5.0 mM HCY also produced a time-dependent increase in RSNO compared to control (P < 0.05 by ANOVA). In an attempt to determine if de novo synthesis was occurring, BAEC were treated with bradykinin following a 4 h pretreatment with HCY. Pretreatment with HCY followed by stimulation also led to a time- and dose-dependent increase in RSNO production (P < 0.05 by ANOVA). Using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, S-nitroso-homocysteine was identified following treatment of BAEC with HCY and bradykinin. The increase in RSNO production in the presence of bradykinin and HCY at 4 h occurred concomitantly with a 78% increase in eNOS activity and a 58% increase in steady-state Nos 3 mRNA, with no change in Nos 3 mRNA half-life, compared to control. A partial explanation for HCY's unique ability to support an increase in NO production was demonstrated by showing that the t1/2 of HCY in media was greater than that of cysteine or glutathione. These data show that, in the presence of an NO agonist, HCY increases RSNO production in a time- and dose-dependent fashion that is reflected by an increase in eNOS activity and Nos 3 transcription. These results suggest that stimulation of endogenous NO, or provision of an exogenous NO donor, may ameliorate endothelial cell injury and thereby decrease the atherothrombotic risk of hyperhomocyst(e)inemic states.
The Fed as the Engine of Worldwide Inflation

The United States is a sovereign country that has the right to follow its own monetary policy. By an accident of history, since 1945 it is also the center of the world dollar standard—which remains surprisingly robust to the present day. So the choice of monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve can strongly affect its neighbors for better or for worse. Beginning with the Nixon shock in 1971, American policy makers have frequently ignored foreign complaints. But by ignoring feedback effects from the rest of the world, the Fed has made both the world and American economies less stable.
HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE : PARTIAL RESCUE OF THE HIS-42 ALA MUTANT BY A CONCURRENT ASN-70 ASP MUTATION

In horseradish peroxidase (HRP), hydrogen bonding of Asn-70 to His-42 enhances the catalytic activity of the histidine, and mutation of His-42 to a neutral residue greatly decreases peroxidase activity. The N70D/H42A HRP mutant is compared here to the previously characterized H42A mutant to determine if the Asp-70 substitution can rescue the catalytic activity. The N70D/H42A and H42A mutants give Compound I species with a high ratio of H2O2 at the low rates of 37 and 81 M-1 s-1 at 4 degrees C, respectively. The kcat values for the oxidation of guaiacol and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) by N70D/H42A HRP are 2.7 and 143 s-1, respectively, compared to values of 0.015 and 0.41 s-1 for the H42A mutant. The kcat values for thioanisole sulfoxidation by the N70D/H42A and H42A mutants are 0.18 and 0.03 s-1, respectively, and the corresponding values for styrene epoxidation are 0.005 and 0.007 s-1. Due to changes in the substrate Km values, the efficiencies of the N70D/H42A and H42A mutants defined by kcat/Km are guaiacol, 5 vs 4; ABTS, 286 vs 68; thioanisole, 3 vs 0.1; and styrene, 0.025 vs 0.002, respectively. The N70D mutation in N70D/H42A HRP thus increases the activity versus the H42A mutant with respect to all four substrates. The increased efficiency is due to enhancements in catalytic steps other than the formation of Compound I.
Suppression of growth rate of colony-associated fungi by high fructose corn syrup feeding supplement, formic acid, and oxalic acid

SummarySelect colony-associated fungi (bee isolates), Absidia sp., Ascosphaera apis, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium sp., Penicillium glabrum, Mucor sp., showed a 40% reduction in radial growth rate with formic acid, a 28% reduction with oxalic acid, and a 15% reduction with fructose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) when grown on supplemented media at 30°C to mimic colony conditions. No effect, suppressing or promoting growth, was observed on other colony-associated fungi, Alternaria sp., Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Rhizopus sp. and Trichoderma sp., except 0.1M formic and oxalic acid. Sensitivity to these compounds did not correlate with the fungus species being a slow- or fast-grower and sensitivity to one compound did not translate to sensitivity to another compound. Given the competitive nature and high-sporing (conidia) activity of these species, our results suggest that alteration or disruption of the colony mycoflora can occur by use of these compounds. This may indicate a possi...
The use of DNA fingerprinting to clarify uncertainties about an endoscopic biopsy specimen that unexpectedly revealed gastric cancer

A concern was ra i sed t h a t an endoscopic biopsy spec imen submi t t ed to the Pa tho logy D e p a r t m e n t was mishandled . A gast r ic biopsy spec imen t a k e n f rom a n o r m a l a p p e a r i n g a n t r u m of a 32-year-old woman , which was sampled to look for Hel icobacterpy lor i , was read as s ignet r ing Cell gas t r ic carcinoma. Subsequen t an t r a l biopsies f rom the hospi ta] a t which the original spec imen had been t a k e n and a t re fe r ra l centers showed no evidence of cancer. The Pa thology Depar t m e n t t h a t had m a d e the original diagnosis did not bel i e v e t h a t the spec imen belonged to ano the r pat ient . This case d e m o n s t r a t e s the ut i l i ty of DNA f ingerpr in t ing in a clinical s i tua t ion t h a t m a y be encounte red by physic ians and surgeons.
Coordination of cations in TiNb2O7 by Raman spectroscopy

Abstract The Raman spectrum of the compound TiNb2O7 prepared by a liquid mix technique was recorded at room temperature using the 530.98-nm line from a krypton-ion laser as exciter. The bands observed at 998 and 884 cm−1 are assigned to the edge-shared and corner-shared NbO6 octahedra, respectively. The relative intensities of these two bands are consistent with the structure of TiNb2O7 worked out by earlier investigators using X-ray and neutron diffraction. The strong band observed at 647 cm−1 is assigned to the vibration of the TiO6 octahedra. The octahedral coordination for both cations based on the results of the Raman spectrum measurements is in essential agreement with the available structural data for the compound TiNb2O7. The weak band observed at 840 cm−1 is suggestive of the presence of NbO4 tetrahedra in small concentrations in TiNb2O7.
Second-order incompressible elastic torsion

Abstract The problem of second-order torsion of an incompressible, isotropic, homogeneous, hyperelastic cylinder is reduced to a two-dimensional classical linear elasticity traction problem without body force. The case of a rectangular cross section is worked out as an example of the procedure.
Severe thrombocytopenia following intralesional BCG therapy

Of eight patients we have seen with disseminated BCG infection (BCGosis) following BCG injection into primary melanomas, all eight have developed a significant decrease in platelet count of 33 to 99% mean ∓ 1 SE = 63 ∓ 9%) from the preinjection values. A concomitant randomized control group with melanoma not receiving BCG did not show a significant platelet depression. Two patients receiving BCG developed a profound thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 2,000) that persisted for two weeks. These patients had both received approximately 5 × 108 viable BCG organisms intralesionally and required isoniazid therapy for the BCGosis that developed. BCGosis was documented by the presence of granulomas in liver and/or bone marrow of both patients, and the growth of BCG from bone marrow and liver biopsies in one patient. Both severely affected patients had short platelet survival but evidence of normal platelet production in that megakaryocytes were plentiful in the bone marrow. Using sera from before, during and after the severe thrombocytopenic episode in both patients With and without added BCG, immunolo-gic evidence for an antiplatelet antibody could not be substantiated by complement fixation and serotonin release studies. After ethambutol, rifampin and prednisolone therapy was instituted in both patients, fevers due to BCGosis disappeared within a day, but platelet counts did not begin to rise for 11 and 14 days, respectively. Severe thrombocytopenia can occur following BCG administration and should be recognized as a potential life-threatening complication in all patients receiving intralesional BCG therapy.
Grey literature in energy: Five years later

It is almost hard to imagine that less than ten years ago, users requesting U.S. government reports often had to wait many days and sometimes weeks to receive their paper copies or microfiche, usually via what we today call "snail mail." Five years ago, at GL'99, the Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information (DOE/OSTI) presented a paper titled "Grey Literature in Energy: a Shifting Paradigm." The paper described the evolution of DOE reports delivery by OSTI from the paper and microfiche era into the electronic age of the Internet. The late 1990's saw the introduction of OSTI's DOE Information Bridge, an innovative web system that allowed users to find DOE reports and view or download the full text. In many ways, this easy access took the "hard to get" part of the grey literature definition out of the picture. Five years after presenting that paper, OSTI remains on the forefront of technology and techniques used in making grey literature even more easily accessible in a greater variety of ways. For instance, in just the past year, thanks to two OSTI initiatives, Internet searchers using the search engines Yahoo! or Google can now find individual DOE reports showing up on hit lists. This greatly expands the typical Web surfer's ability to find DOE grey literature into the depths of the Deep web. This paper will highlight more details on these and other initiatives plus give a current state of the collections, tools, access points, and partnerships that have allowed OSTI to truly bring science and energy information to the electronic desktop. First, perhaps a little background on DOE and OSTI is in order. As one of the largest sponsors of research and development for the United States, DOE supports thousands of research projects annually at the many DOE laboratories and universities across the country through contracts and grants. Researchers are required to document their research results in reports and can also submit articles to journals and present papers at conferences. OSTI partners with the DOE sites to serve as DOE's central repository for DOE research results. OSTI's mission is to advance science and sustain technological creativity by making these R&D findings available and useful to DOE researchers and the American people. Through OSTI's collections and services, the DOE research results are made available to scientists, researchers and engineers in the DOE community as well as to academia, the international science community, and science-attentive citizens. In addition to DOEfunded research, OSTI also provides research information of interest to DOE through partnerships with other federal agencies and international communities.
Role of preclinical cardiovascular disease in the evolution from risk factor exposure to development of morbid events

Conventional risk factors (especially high arterial pressure, elevated cholesterol and glucose levels, and cigarette smoking) are useful predictors of morbid atherosclerotic and hypertensive events, and their control variably reduces the incidence of events. However, both the ability to predict risk and the ability to reduce it by modification of established risk factors are limited. These limitations occur in part because the progression from risk factor exposure to morbid events depends on the variable likelihood that individuals exposed to the same risk factors will progress through two stages: the development of asymptomatic or "preclinical" anatomic and functional cardiovascular disease in response to standard risk factors and other variables, and the precipitation of morbid events by progression of preclinical disease or by the action of additional "triggering" mechanisms in the presence of preclinical disease. Advances in diagnostic methodology now make possible accurate noninvasive detection in many asymptomatic individuals of preclinical disease such as left ventricular hypertrophy, carotid atherosclerosis, and renal dysfunction. Progress in elucidating stimuli to left ventricular hypertrophy and systemic atherosclerosis suggests that focusing research separately on these two stages of disease evolution is a fruitful strategy. The closer relation of measures of preclinical disease than risk factors with the subsequent risk of complications indicates that their detection improves clinical risk stratification. However, critical testing of whether clinical outcome is improved or treatment cost is lowered by basing antihypertensive or antihyperlipidemic treatment decisions in part on the presence of preclinical cardiovascular disease is needed before this strategy is adopted on a widespread scale.
An observation of nanotwin lamellae in Cd0.6Mn0.4Te crystal by atomic force microscopy

Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to examine the structure of freshly cleaved Cd 0.6 Mn 0.4 Te surfaces. The present report complements previous results obtained with X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy which showed the existence of microtwins. The AFM analysis was performed under ambient conditions and yielded nanometer scale resolution images of single twin lamellae that ranged between 20 and 100 nm in width. This is a first observation using AFM of such a substructure, which we interpret as evidence for the presence of nonotwins.
Buried in Mud, Digging for Gold

CAPTURED IN THIS DRAMATIC 1986 photograph, some 50 000 workers toil in the Serra Pelada open-top gold mine in the Amazon region of Brazil. The garimpeiros, or diggers, scratch through the soil at the bottom of the open pit, fill it into sacks each weighing between 65 and 130 pounds, and then carry the sacks up some 1300 feet of wood and rope ladders to the top of the mine, where it is sifted for gold. Because they work in mud, the gold diggers are called “mud hogs.”1(19) The workers are paid an average of 20 cents for digging and carrying each sack of soil—with a bonus if gold is discovered. As recently as 1994, there were an estimated 400 000 garimpeiros working in some 2000 active garimpos (artisanal mines) in Brazil, which has been a leading producer of gold and diamonds since the early 18th century.2 The average annual income of the garimpeiros is $2000. Because of high unemployment rates for unskilled labor, the supply of workers is unending. The photographer, Sebastiao Salgado, was born in Brazil in 1944. He studied economics in Sao Paulo and Paris and, after earning his PhD in 1968, worked as an economist trying to aid development in the Third World. During a trip to Africa, he decided that he could convey the harsh lives and human courage of the people more vividly by photographs than through his economic reports. He became a photographer, and has since won more than 50 international awards for his work. This image was part of a large project to document manual labor throughout the world. Salgado insists that his photographs are to be regarded as journalism, not art. His “militant photography” compellingly, and with a sad tenderness, depicts human and economic injustice while always respecting the innate dignity of the workers.3
Hume's Passions: Direct and Indirect

L'A. repere une theorie implicite des passions directes au livre II du «Traite de la nature humaine» de Hume. Examinant la relation entre passions directes et passions indirectes par comparaison avec l'analyse du desir chez Hutcheson, l'A. adopte une perspective globale sur l'ensemble des passions dites calmes, d'une part, et examine la vertu que Hume designe par l'idee de force de l'esprit, d'autre part.
The use of ridge waveguide for scanners

Summary form only given, as follows. The use of ridge waveguide with a movable ridge has been proposed for a variable-phase scanner. There are mechanical and electrical problems with this system similar to those encountered in variable width waveguide scanners. Its scan is more restricted, but it does permit the use of longitudinal slots in the broadside of the guide. Expressions for the fields in the ridge waveguide are obtained by Hahn's method. Expressions are obtained also for the normalized shunt conductance of a narrow longitudinal slot of resonant length in the broad face of the guide opposite the ridge and for the characteristic impedance of the ridge waveguide. [NB: A manuscript annotationon the copy at hand states "see also Howery, R.W. 'An Improved Eagle Scanner - Proc. of Third Symposium on Scanning Antenns' - Nov 1950 (NRL ASTIA #134257 (C-6317) [Confidential] Bendix Dept 465 File #2241."]
Relative aversion thresholds for shock in infant mice.

Using a spatial-preference technique, we tested separate groups of mice, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 days of age, for escape and avoidance of a range of shock intensities administered from AC constant current and fixed impedance shock sources. With intensities ranging from 0 to .2 mA and to 70 V for the respective sources, near asymptotic escape and avoidance were obtained at .1 mA and at 50 V for all ages tested. Although few differences in the relative aversiveness of particular shock intensities were noted across ages with each source, the fixed impedance source produced more consistent avoidance than did the constant current source. The findings suggest that the motivational properties of shock remain relatively constant throughout the early development of the mouse and that the technique employed in this study should prove useful in assessing possible age-related alterations in sensitivity to shock as a result of physiological or pharmacological manipulations.
Is flanker-based inhibition related to age? Identifying specific influences of individual differences on neurocognitive variables

Researchers frequently attempt to identify the specific neurocognitive processes that might be responsible for differences in performance associated with neurological status or other individual difference characteristics by administering two or more conditions of an experimental task to different groups of participants, and focusing on the group-by-condition interaction as the primary outcome of interest. Three limitations of this approach are discussed, and an alternative analytical method is proposed to overcome the limitations. The method is demonstrated in analyses of data from 10 cognitive tasks in two independent studies, including two flanker tasks which are often used to assess aspects of inhibition.
Intrathyroidal T cell accumulation in Graves' disease: delineation of mechanisms based on in situ T cell receptor analysis.

We have explored the pattern of T cell clonal and nonclonal expansion within the thyroid glands of 7 patients with surgically treated hyperthyroid Graves' disease. Radiolabeled RT-PCRs were performed with 18 V alpha and 21 V beta oligonucleotides as forward primers and 32 P-labeled constant (C) region oligonucleotides as reverse primers, giving 273 experiments in all. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed CDR3 banding patterns involving at least 6-12 distinct bands per V gene family. However, 2 distinct banding patterns were seen with intrathyroidal T cell samples. The first was a limited number of bands (< 6), representing within V gene family restriction, seen in 38/153 (25%) PCR positive samples. The second was the presence of markedly enhanced bands representing either clonal expansion or accumulation of T cells using the same V gene with the same CDR3 length and observed in 15/153 (10%) of samples. Further examination of the enhanced bands by sequencing of gel-selected PCR-amplified V gene produc...
Firms and Credit Constraints along the Global Value Chain: Processing Trade in China

Global value chains (GVCs) allow firms to produce and export final goods, or to perform only intermediate stages of production by processing imported inputs for re-exporting. We examine how financial constraints determine companies’ position in GVCs and how this position affects profitability. We exploit matched customs and balance-sheet data from China, where exports are classified as ordinary trade, import-and-assembly processing trade (processing firm sources and pays for imported inputs), and pure-assembly processing trade (processing firm receives foreign inputs for free). Conducting more steps of the supply chain increases not only value added, but also profits. However, it requires more working capital because it entails higher up-front costs. As a result, credit constraints restrict firms to low value-added stages of production, and preclude them from pursuing more profitable opportunities. Financial frictions thus affect the organization of GVCs across firms and countries, and inform optimal trade and development policy in the presence of trade in intermediates. Global supply networks may enable more firms in developing countries to share in the gains from trade. Kalina Manova Stanford University and NBER manova@stanford.edu Zhihong Yu Nottingham University zhihong.yu@nottingham.ac.uk Berne Union Working Paper Series
Identification by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of an active-site hydrogen-bond network in human monoacylglycerol lipase (hMGL): implications for hMGL dynamics, pharmacological inhibition, and catalytic mechanism

Intramolecular hydrogen bonding is an important determinant of enzyme structure, catalysis, and inhibitor action. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL) modulates cannabinergic signaling as the main enzyme responsible for deactivating 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), a primary endocannabinoid lipid messenger. By enhancing tissue-protective 2-AG tone, targeted MGL inhibitors hold therapeutic promise for managing pain and treating inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. We report study of purified, solubilized human MGL (hMGL) to explore the details of hMGL catalysis by using two known covalent hMGL inhibitors, the carbamoyl tetrazole AM6701 and N-arachidonoylmaleimide (NAM), that act through distinct mechanisms. Using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) with purified wild-type and mutant hMGLs, we have directly observed a strong hydrogen-bond network involving Asp239 and His269 of the catalytic triad and neighboring Leu241 and Cys242 residues. hMGL inhibition by AM6701 alters this hydrogen-bonding pattern through subtle active-site structural rearrangements without influencing hydrogen-bond occupancies. Rapid carbamoylation of hMGL Ser122 by AM6701 and elimination of the leaving group is followed by a slow hydrolysis of the carbamate group, ultimately regenerating catalytically competent hMGL. In contrast, hMGL titration with NAM, which leads to cysteine alkylation, stoichiometrically decreases the population of the active-site hydrogen bonds. NAM prevents reformation of this network, and in this manner inhibits hMGL irreversibly. These data provide detailed molecular insight into the distinctive mechanisms of two covalent hMGL inhibitors and implicate a hydrogen-bond network as a structural feature of hMGL catalytic function.