cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of culprit plaque assessment by 64-slice multidetector computed tomography to predict transient no-reflow phenomenon during percutaneous coronary intervention

Background It has been reported that multidetector spiral computed tomography (MDCT) allows the classification of coronary plaques by measuring computed tomography (CT) density values. However, the impact of CT density values in culprit lesions on the occurrence of transient no-reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been investigated. Methods The study population consisted of 51 consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having coronary artery disease by 64-slice MDCT before PCI. The CT density values were measured in multiple cross-sectional images along the plaque by 5-pixel regions of interest at multiple sites in the culprit plaque. The measurements were performed by 2 physicians who were unaware of the outcome of PCI. In addition, we describe a new observation noted on MDCT: from the formal resemblance to a ring, we dubbed these images as showing a “signet ring–like appearance.” Results Of the total 51 patients, 9 had transient no-reflow during the procedure. There was a significant difference in CT density of the culprit plaque between patients with transient no-reflow and those without (67.0 ± 10.1 vs 97.8 ± 37.2 Hounsfield units, P = .018). In addition, a signet ring–like appearance was observed more frequently in patients with transient no-reflow (55.6% vs 16.7%, P = .013). By multivariate analysis, low CT density value and ejection fraction were identified as independent predictors of transient no-reflow. Conclusions The assessment of plaque characteristics by MDCT might be useful for the prediction of transient no-reflow during PCI. (Am Heart J 2008;155:1150-7.)
Entrepreneurship and Western Development: The Case of Micajah T. Williams*

As an important business figure in the development of the West, Micajah Williams' career well illustrates the interlocking character of public and private economic interests during the early nineteenth century. This article suggests comparable functions of entrepreneurs such as Williams in public-works agencies and profit-oriented firms, and argues that the state canal enterprises served to recruit and train a significant number of western business leaders.
Sediment delivery from the Fly River tidally dominated delta to the nearshore marine environment and the impact of El Niño

[1] In tidally dominated deltas, sediment discharged from the river sources must transit through an estuarine region located within the distributary channels, where particle pathways can undergo significant transformations. Water column profiles and time series data were collected in the distributaries and shallow nearshore region offshore of the Fly River, Papua New Guinea, during monsoon conditions of 2003 and 2004. Within the distributaries of this tidally dominated delta, near-bed fluid mud concentrations were observed at the estuarine turbidity maximum. Discharge and morphology of the distributaries determine the location of estuarine processes and control the sediment flux to the marine environment. Sediment delivery from the delta to the broad shallow nearshore region northeast of the river mouth and to the steep Umuda shelf valley is influenced by the shorter pathway of the northernmost distributary. The shallowest portion of the nearshore region (<10 m water depth) is a zone of temporary storage where unconsolidated sediment is easily resuspended. Umuda shelf valley constrains and enhances tidal currents and provides a steep conduit to seaward transport of fluid muds. Comparison of 2003 and 2004 data shows evidence of reduction in freshwater supply to the Gulf of Papua during the moderate 2003 El Nino conditions. El Nino creates a large negative perturbation (i.e., low flow) to the relatively constant sediment discharge. This reduction of discharge limits transport of sediment from the distributaries to the nearshore zone of temporary storage. As the sediment stored near shore feeds the prograding clinoform found seaward, the perturbation propagates throughout the dispersal system.
Early experience with real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic guidance of right ventricular biopsy in children.

BACKGROUND Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy is the gold standard for detecting active myocardial inflammation in cardiomyopathy as well as rejection after cardiac transplantation. This procedure has historically required the exclusive use of fluoroscopic guidance to guide catheter, sheath, and bioptome manipulation. The current study evaluates the feasibility and utility of real-time transthoracic three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) to guide right ventricular endomyocardial biopsies in children. METHODS From July 2003 to April 2004, we utilized real-time 3DE in 28 consecutive cardiac catheterizations in children aged 18 months to 16 years who were undergoing endomyocardial biopsy. A commercially available 3DE scanner (Philips Sonos 7500) equipped with a 2-4 MHz 3D matrix array transthoracic probe was utilized in all cases. RESULTS A total of 123 endomyocardial biopsy samples were obtained in nine patients (BSA 0.85 m(2)+/- 0.33 m(2)). Of these 123 samples, 99 (80%) were obtained with the use of real-time transthoracic 3DE. There were no complications, including no new tricuspid valve leaflet flail or pericardial effusion. 3DE proved to be a reliable noninvasive modality to properly direct the bioptome to the desired site of biopsy within the right ventricle. As familiarity with this technique increased, the need for fluoroscopic guidance of bioptome manipulation in the right ventricle was minimized. CONCLUSIONS The use of real-time transthoracic 3DE in endomyocardial right ventricular biopsies in children is both feasible and safe. Further study to determine the impact of real-time 3DE guidance on fluoroscopy and case times for endomyocardial biopsies is warranted.
A COMPARISON OF LEARNING CURVE ANALYSIS AND MOVING AVERAGE RATIO ANALYSIS FOR DETAILED OPERATIONAL PLANNING

This study tests the use of learning curve analysis for production planning at the detailed component level under various conditions, represented by factors of product turnover rate, learning rate, variance levels, and planning horizon length. It also presents an alternative to learning curve analysis that considers aggregation of cost data across time. This alternative is periodic revision of standard cost data using moving average forecasts to reflect productivity trends. Results of this study indicate that in most circumstances a moving average analysis can provide better estimates of short-term, detailed component operations costs than either a learning curve analysis or a standard analysis.
Raman spectrum of the CdCl2KCl system

Abstract The Raman spectrum of the CdCl 2 KCl system in the liquid state was investigated using the mercury blue (λ4358 A) and green (λ5461 A) lines as the exciting radiation. Four Raman peaks were recorded for the liquid CdCl 2 KCl (50 mole % KCl). The assignment of the recorded peaks in the liquid state was made from a comparison of the results obtained for the corresponding solid system using unpolarized and polarized mercury light, as follows: 257 ± 2 cm −1 ν 1 ( A 1 ), 211 ± 6 cm −1 ν 2 ,( A 1 ), 245 ± 3 cm −1 ν 3 ( E ) and 177 ± 5 cm −1 ν 4 ( E ). No shift in the ν 1 ( A 1 ) frequency occurred with change of liquid composition in the range observed (33–66 mole % KCl). It is concluded that the pyramidal CdCl 3 − is the predominant complex ion in the molten CdCl 2 containing KCl in the composition range investigated.
Reframing language reclamation programmes for everybody's empowerment

Although indigenous language reclamation programmes can empower their participants, they can also inhibit those who do not identify with the cultural values or practices that these programmes promote. I theorize that this occurs because ‘reclamation’ programmes evoke an essentialist notion of culture whereby participants feel pressure to act, think or speak in certain ways, particularly those that are deemed to be ‘traditional’. However, since participants have also been socialized into the norms of the dominant society, various identity conflicts can arise. This paper investigates this issue through the example of how gender roles are manifested, understood and promoted in the context of Miami language reclamation programmes. I demonstrate how inhibition can arise in the context of these efforts, locate this phenomenon in larger issues of identity and indigenous language reclamation, and conclude with proposals for how reclamation programmes can be framed differently so that they can empower the entire target community.
Publicly available specification. A new paradigm for developing international standards

Formal standards groups have been criticized in recent years for the time required to develop standards. With notable exceptions, standards groups have earned this criticism. One body, ISO/IEC JTC1 (Joint Technical Committee 1), is aggressively addressing the time required to develop formal international standards (ISs) for the information technology industry. With its latest addition, publicly available specification (PAS), JTC1 now has three standards development paradigms: traditional, fast-track and PAS. All three paradigms share the same final approval procedures but have different development processes. The PAS paradigm resembles both the traditional and fast-track paradigms in its process for moving from a draft IS to an IS. The PAS paradigm even more closely resembles the fast-track paradigm in that it lets a standard be initially developed outside ISO. However, whereas the fast-track paradigm lets a standard be developed by a JTC1 member, the PAS paradigm lets it be developed by any organization. >
Explanation of the Brightness and Color of the Sky, Particularly the Twilight Sky

By use of the Rayleigh scattering theory for pure air, primary scattering and known upper air densities from rockets, the brightness of the zenith twilight sky was calculated and values were obtained two to four times greater than those observed at Sacramento Peak, New Mexico ( J. Opt. Soc. Am.42, 353 ( 1952). The attenuation of the atmosphere there was observed to be twenty percent above that of the Rayleigh theory, and the ozone thickness was measured to be about 2.2 mm. When the absorption of the Chappuis band of ozone in the visible spectrum was added to the Rayleigh theory, the calculated sky brightness came into agreement with observation for solar depression angles below the horizon from about 0° to 6°. For the sun below 7° the calculated zenith sky brightness fell rapidly below the observed brightness, showing that primary scattering in the atmosphere above about 60 km does not contribute appreciably to the brightness, as has long been known ( J. Opt. Soc. Am.28, 227, 1938).Calculation showed that during the day the clear sky is blue according to Rayleigh, and that ozone has little effect on the color of the daylight sky. But near sunset and throughout twilight ozone affects the sky color profoundly. For example, in the absence of ozone the zenith sky would be a grayish green-blue at sunset becoming yellowish in twilight, but with ozone the zenith sky is blue at sunset and throughout twilight (as is observed), the blue at sunset being due about 13 to Rayleigh and 23 to ozone, and during twilight wholly to ozone.
Cardiac muscle strip model parameters and muscle elastance

A recent functional model of the left ventricle as a pressure generator that is time and volume dependent [1] was adapted to describe the mechanical aspects of heart muscle contraction. Muscle's complex dynamics develop from a single equation based on the formation and relaxation of crossbridge bonds. Muscle is modeled as a force generator that is time and length dependent. This equation permits the calculation of muscle elastance via Em = ∂fm/∂lm from muscle force and length, both as functions of time. This muscle model is defined independently from load properties, and elastance is dynamic and reflects changing numbers of crossbridge bonds. The model parameters were extracted from measured force and length data from cat papillary muscle experiments in the literature [2]. The purpose of this paper is to present in some detail how to describe a particular muscle strip from measured data. The resulting model is tested under a wide range of mechanical conditions, such as isometric and isotonic contractions for normal and varied inotropic state, and muscle velocity is computed for different loads. Computed results compare favorably with similar measurements from the literature. The resulting lumped muscle model is a compact, yet comprehensive functional description of muscle dynamics.
Duration of residence in the United States and the fertility of U.S. immigrants.

This paper analyzes census data on the fertility of U.S. immigrants to study trends in fertility after migration. The results showed that immigrant fertility may rise after arrival in the new country perhaps because immigrants are making up for births or marriages that may have been postponed due to the move. After a period of time the fertility of immigrants may fall and as immigrants become more assimilated to the new country their fertility may come to be similar to cohorts of longer duration. These relationships were examined in a multivariate context so that variations between groups in socioeconomic status fertility in the country of origin age and marital status could be controlled. Relationships were studied for all U.S. immigrants as well as for subgroups defined by country or region of origin. The results indicate that simple measures of immigrant fertility that do not consider duration of residence are likely to be misleading if used to draw conclusions about the fertility impacts of immigration and advisable policy interventions. (EXCERPT)
Control and Consequences of Alternative Developmental Modes in a Poecilogonous Polychaete

SYNOPSIS. The poecilogonous polychaete Streblospio benedicti (Webster) exhibits both planktotrophic and lecithotrophic modes of larval development. The alternative trophic modes are associated with differences in age and size at maturation, offspring number, size and energetic investment, larval planktonic period, morphology and survivorship. This paper reviews a decade of research into the control and consequences of the traits associated with planktotrophy and lecithotrophy in S. benedicti . The dominant control on reproductive and developmental characters is genetic. Significant additive genetic variance has been detected for egg diameter, fecundity, larval planktonic period and aspects of larval morphology. However, environmental factors such as temperature, food quality and photoperiod, and intrinsic factors such as maternal age, exert considerable influence on non-trophic developmental traits ( e.g. , offspring number, size and energy content). Demographic consequences of development mode are reviewed for field and laboratory demes of S. benedicti dominated by individuals exhibiting either planktotrophy or lecithotrophy. Similar population size structure, fluctuations in abundance, P: B ratios, and estimated population growth rates are achieved through trade-offs between survivorship and fecundity. Development mode may best be viewed as a complex set of traits that are intimately linked developmentally and evolutionarily to other aspects of an organism's life history. Greater insight into the control and consequences of development mode should result from further investigation of these linkages
Influence of selected environmental and personal factors on dietary behavior for chronic disease prevention: A review of the literature

Abstract This article reviews the influence of selected personal and environmental factors on dietary behavior for chronic disease prevention. Factors to be reviewed were selected a priori. Computer-assisted searches for English-language publications in the MEDLINE database were conducted and references cited in related publications were reviewed.The literature search was further restricted to population-based research conducted since 1980 that focused on healthy U.S. adults.Taste preferences appear to be a barrier to dietary change for many Americans. Many are confused by the current dietary recommendations, and it appears that, for some, this perception may result in dietary inaction. Time constraints in conjunction with the perception that it is more difficult to eat a healthful diet appear to be a significant barrier to dietary change for some. Data regarding the perceived cost of eating a healthful diet suggest that a notable proportion of Americans think that it costs more to eat a healthful diet. Nutrition knowledge and beliefs compete with a myriad of factors in determining the dietary behavior of Americans. Consequently, public health interventions to change the American diet likely need to be multifaceted, with nutrition education occurring in conjunction with other intervention strategies.
Side‐stitched books of China, Korea and Japan in western collections

The side‐stitched book structure was the workhorse of Chinese, Korean and Japanese publishing industries from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. The strengths and vulnerabilities of the materials and the books themselves played a significant role in the different choices made in China, Korea and Japan for their construction and their conservation. The majority of books in Far Eastern rare book collections are these paper and thread bindings, meant to be shelved horizontally. Western repositories devised a wide range of storage and treatment solutions for soft‐covered books, some successful, some damaging and often with little recognition of the differences between Chinese, Korean and Japanese styles. This article describes the general characteristics of, and differences between, Chinese, Korean and Japanese side‐stitched books, provides handling and storage suggestions, and includes instructions for constructing a wrapper for storage in western collections.
Adaptive feeding across environmental gradients and its effect on population dynamics.

Abstract This paper analyzes a consumer's adaptive feeding response to environmental gradients. We consider a consumer–resource system where resources are distributed among many discrete resource patches. Each consumer exhibits a feeding morphology allowing it to remove resources from a patch down to some threshold density (or level) before having to seek resources elsewhere. Assuming consumers trade off resource extraction with patch access and predation, we show that for a given environment there often exists a single evolutionarily stable feeding threshold and it is an evolutionary attractor. We then investigate how the population dynamics of the resource and the consumer change as the environment changes. Two cases are considered: (i) all consumers exhibit a fixed feeding threshold that is adaptive for an intermediate environment; and (ii) the consumer population adapts and adopts the evolutionarily stable feeding threshold associated with the current environment. In less harsh environments (i.e., environments where consumers experience a lower risk of predation, or environments where resource patches are more abundant) the adaptive consumer population is predicted to evolve so that resources within a patch are depleted to lower densities. We show that the change in consumer density due to environmental change can be rather different depending on whether or not the population can adapt. In some situations we observe that when the consumer's environment becomes harsher, the consumer population may increase in density before a rapid crash to extinction. This result has implications for monitoring and managing a population.
Secretion of bladder tumor-derived hyaluronidase activity by invasive bladder tumor cells

Hyaluronic acid (HA), a glycosaminoglycan, promotes tumor metastasis and its small fragments are angiogenic. These small fragments are generated by degradation of HA by hyaluronidase (HAase). We measured urinary HAase levels of 196 individuals using an ELISA-like assay. The urinary HAase levels (31.1 +/- 3.7 mU/mg) of intermediate (G2) to high-grade (G3) bladder cancer patients are five- to seven-fold elevated as compared to those of normal individuals and patients with other genitourinary conditions or low-grade (G1) bladder cancer. The increase in urinary HAase levels is due to the secretion of a tumor-derived HAase which is elevated eight-fold in G2/G3 tumor tissues. The HAase in bladder tumor tissues is secreted by tumor epithelial cells and is associated with the invasive/metastatic potential of the tumor cells.
Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay for human-dog-cat species identification and nuclear DNA quantification.

Abstract In the United States, human forensic evidence collected from crime scenes is usually comingled with biomaterial of canine and feline origins. Knowledge of the concentration of nuclear DNA extracted from a crime scene biological sample and the species from which the sample originated is essential for DNA profiling. The ability to accurately detect and quantify target DNA in mixed-species samples is crucial when target DNA may be overwhelmed by non-target DNA. We have designed and evaluated a species-specific (human, dog and cat) nuclear DNA identification assay based on the TaqMan ® quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) technology that can simultaneously detect and measure minute quantities of DNA specific to either humans, dogs and/or cats. The fluorogenic triplex assay employs primers and hydrolysis probes that target the human TH01 locus as well as the dog and cat Melanocortin 1 Receptor ( MC1R ) sequences in a species-specific manner. We also demonstrate that the assay is a highly sensitive, reliable and robust method for identifying and quantifying mixed-species templates of human–dog–cat origin with as little as 0.4pg of human and cat nuclear DNA, respectively, and 4.0pg of dog nuclear DNA.
Iron efficient and inefficient oats. I. Differences in phytosiderophore release

Abstract It has been known for some time that graminaceous species do not respond to Fe stress in the same way as dicots. Until the recent discovery of phytosiderophores in grass species, it has not been possible to characterize known differences in the ability of various cultivars of grasses to obtain Fe. The object of this study was to determine if differences in Fe‐inefficient TAM 0–312 and Fe‐efficient Coker 227 oats are due to their abilities to release a phytosiderophore when under Fe‐deficiency stress. The two cultivars were grown in modified Hoagland solution at several levels of Fe and the release of Fe3+ solubilizing compounds (phytosiderophore), chlorosis development, and the concentration of Fe were routinely assessed as indicators of Fe stress. There was a marked difference between TAM 0–312 and Coker 227 oats in the release of phytosiderophore from their roots. The amount of phytosiderophore released from Coker 227 roots increased as the nutrient Fe concentration increased from 0 to 1.2 mg/L...
Troponin T modulates sarcomere length-dependent recruitment of cross-bridges in cardiac muscle.

Abstract The heterogenic nature of troponin T (TnT) isoforms in fast skeletal and cardiac muscle suggests important functional differences. Dynamic features of rat cardiac TnT (cTnT) and rat fast skeletal TnT (fsTnT) reconstituted cardiac muscle preparations were captured by fitting the force response of small amplitude (0.5%) muscle length changes to the recruitment-distortion model. The recruitment of force-bearing cross-bridges (XBs) by increases in muscle length was favored by cTnT. The recruitment magnitude was ∼1.5 times greater for cTnT- than for fsTnT-reconstituted muscle fibers. The speed of length-mediated XB recruitment ( b ) in cTnT-reconstituted muscle fiber was 0.50–0.57 times as fast as fsTnT-reconstituted muscle fibers (3.05 vs. 5.32s −1 at sarcomere length, SL, of 1.9 μ m and 4.16 vs. 8.36s −1 at SL of 2.2 μ m). Due to slowing of b in cTnT-reconstituted muscle fibers, the frequency of minimum stiffness ( f min ) was shifted to lower frequencies of muscle length changes (at SL of 1.9 μ m, 0.64Hz, and 1.16Hz for cTnT- and fsTnT-reconstituted muscle fibers, respectively; at SL of 2.2 μ m, 0.79Hz, and 1.11Hz for cTnT- and fsTnT-reconstituted muscle fibers, respectively). Our model simulation of the data implicates TnT as a participant in the process by which SL- and XB-regulatory unit cooperative interactions activate thin filaments. Our data suggest that the amino-acid sequence differences in cTnT may confer a heart-specific regulatory role. cTnT may participate in tuning the heart muscle by decreasing the speed of XB recruitment so that the heart beats at a rate commensurate with f min .
Presence of a nonlysosomal endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

Vegetative cells of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum have been found to contain an endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.96) activity which hydrolyzes the di-N-acetylchitobiosyl linkage found in asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. In contrast to other previously characterized glycosyl hydrolases of Dictyostelium, this endoglycosidase is not secreted during vegetative growth or development nor is it developmentally regulated. Cellular fractionation studies showed that the endoglycosidase activity is not associated with lysosomes and remains soluble after centrifugation at 180,000g for 1 h. The enzyme has been partially purified (350-fold) from cell lysates, and its substrate specificity has been examined by its ability to hydrolyze several glycopeptides prepared from ovalbumin and from slime mold lysosomal enzymes. These preliminary studies revealed that the enzyme, called endoglycosidase S, has a substrate specificity similar to that of endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase CII secreted by Clostridium perfringens.
Calcium Channels Exhibit Electric Field Dependent Valve-Like Behavior

We propose a new model characterizing the valve nature of ion channels. There are four fundamental elements that any physiological valve must possess: a tube, a one-way gating mechanism, a gate-sensitive force, and a conducted substance. Macroscopic valves (heart or veins) have the gating mechanism attached to the tube. In our model of ion channels, the gating mechanism is the hydration state of the ion. A sufficient membrane electric field at the surface of an ion channel will strip water molecules from the ion, allowing the ion to enter the channel. The electric field decays exponentially away from the membrane within several nanometers. If the ion channel extended too far from the membrane, negligible hydration stripping would occur, the hydration shell would remain around the ion, and the ion could not enter the channel. Our measurements of ion mobility in an electric field show that hydration stripping occurs at 400 V/cm, corresponding to 7 nm from the membrane. Calcium ion channels extend 4 nm externally from the membrane, and will have the ion hydration shells stripped from the ion at the channel entrance. Internally, the calcium ion channel extends 12 nm from the membrane. A stripped calcium ion will enter on the external side of the channel, but upon exiting on the internal side, will rehydrate and be unable to re-enter the channel, creating one-way flow. Thus, the calcium channels exhibit valve behavior, with the channel being the tube, the hydration shell the gating mechanism, the electric field the gate-sensitive force, and the stripped ion the conducted substance. This model can be extended to other ion channels. The macroscopic valves are thyroporetic (tube-attached gate), while the ion channel valves are thyrofluidic (conductor-attached gate).
Salt and water metabolism in the marine fish-eating bat, Pizonyx vivesi

1. 1. Water loss and salt excretion were measured in Pizonyx vivesi, a desert bat which feeds on marine crustacea and fish. 2. 2. Evaporative water losses were higher than those of other mammals, but were considerably reduced when bats were torpid. 3. 3. P. vivesi can concentratel saltes in the urine sufficiently to utilize sea water as a water source. 4. 4. Calculation of the complete water budget indicates with P. vivesi probably requires sea water to maintain water balance. 5. 5. Data on salt content of the bat's diet suggest that, with low evaporative losses, other marine mammals can obtain all necessary water from a diet of crustacea only, without utilizing sea water.
Outside eye on the hominid beat

Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction. By Roger Lewin. Blackwell Scientific/W.H. Freeman: 1984. Pp.104. Hbk $22.36; pbk £6.80, $14.95.
Grazing incidence grating techniques for flashlamp-pumped tunable dye lasers

Abstract Using a diffraction grating mounted near grazing incidence to tune a coaxial flashlamp-pumped dye laser, we have achieved 55 mJ output energy in a linewidth of 0.25 cm-1 at a repetition rate of 4 Hz. Linewidths of less than 0.08 cm-1 were obtained with reduced output energy.
Enhancement of tryptic esterase activity.

Abstract The effect of modifiers on tryptic esterase activity is discussed on the basis of the following model: the substrate acyl moiety of the acyl enzyme intermediate is thought to bind to the enzyme in at least two modes, productively and unproductively. Enhancement of enzyme activity is predicted when a modifier binds to the unproductive site favouring productive binding. The model has been treated quantitatively, and a simple relation has been derived and tested with experimental data from the literature.
Covalent binding of inhaled formaldehyde to DNA in the nasal mucosa of Fischer 344 rats: Analysis of formaldehyde and DNA by high-performance liquid chromatography and provisional pharmacokinetic interpretation

Inhalation of 3HCHO and H14CHO (6 ppm, 6 hr) resulted in the formation of DNA-protein crosslinks in the rat nasal respiratory mucosa. The DNA was extracted and was fractionated into aqueous (AQ) and interfacial (IF) portions. AQ DNA and IF DNA were enzymatically hydrolyzed to deoxyribonucleosides in Tris buffer and analyzed by HPLC with liquid scintillation counting (LSC). HCHO was bound exclusively to the IF DNA, indicating that the HCHO was bound as DNA-protein crosslinks. Hydrolysis of the DNA quantitatively released the HCHO; no evidence was obtained for the formation of hydroxymethyl adducts. An adduct detected previously following incubation of mammalian cells with HCHO, N6-hydroxymethyldeoxyadenosine (hm6dA) [Beland, F.A., Fullerton, N.F., and Heflich, R.H. (1984) J. Chromatogr. 308, 121-131], was shown to be produced by reaction of HCHO with deoxyadenosine (dA) in bis-Tris buffer under conditions similar to those used for hydrolysis of the DNA. This reaction does not occur in Tris buffer. Evidence was obtained that most or all of the hm6dA observed can be explained by this reaction. Based on these results, an improved method to determine the amount of H14CHO bound to DNA was developed: the DNA is hydrolyzed in Tris buffer and analyzed by HPLC, and the released H14CHO is derivatized with dimedone and quantitated by LSC. Rats were exposed to a wide range of H14CHO concentrations (0.3, 0.7, 2, 6, or 10 ppm; 6 hr). DNA-protein crosslinking occurred at all concentrations. The formation of crosslinks was interpreted in terms of a nonlinear pharmacokinetic model incorporating oxidation of inhaled HCHO as a defense mechanism. The slope of the fitted concentration-response curve at 10 ppm is 7.3-fold greater than at 0.3 ppm, and the detoxication pathway is half-saturated at an airborne concentration of 2.6 ppm.
Bounded output feedback control of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation with input constraints

This work focuses on the stabilization of the equation of Kuramoto et al. (1975, 1976) and Sivashinsky (1977) [KSE] with periodic boundary conditions at the zero solution in the presence of input constraints. Bounded nonlinear stabilizing controllers are synthesized on the basis of finite-dimensional Galerkin approximations of the KSE which capture the dominant dynamics of the equation for a given value of the instability parameter. The controller design accounts explicitly for the presence of input constraints and an explicit characterization of the limitations imposed by the input constraints on the allowable control actuator locations is provided. The theoretical results are successfully illustrated through computer simulations of the closed-loop system using a high-order discretization of the KSE.
An area preserving homeomorphism of T2 that is fixed point free but does not move any essential simple closed curve off itself

We construct an area preserving homeomorphism ƒ: T2→T2 that is isotopic to the identity and fixed point free, but has the property that every essential simple closed curve C satisfies ƒ(C)∩C ≠ O. This answers a question of Guillou.
An instrument-independent test software framework allows both hardware and software reuse

We are now reaping the benefits of an Object-Oriented software implementation of an ABBET (IEEE-1226) Signal-Oriented Test Framework. In our factory, we have created test software that is devoid of any knowledge of the instruments in our test set. Because of this, we can now choose whether we want a voltage measurement to be made by IEEE-488 Digital Multimeter (DMM) or VXI Oscilloscope instruments or even a hand-held DMM just prior to run-time. When an instrument fails or becomes obsolete, we can execute our test software on different testers or with different instrument types without impacting the test software. We can change the instruments in our Multiple Missile Factory standard test set without affecting the several configurations of test software that are controlled by separate organizations. One test suite, developed using the framework on a test set comprised of IEEE-488 instruments, was effortlessly moved to the VXI-based standard test set. In addition to the hardware independence, the framework supports a highly abstract test language that has allowed us to create generalized test methods that have greatly eased our effort to reuse test algorithms among our programs.
The Role of Notch Receptors in Transcriptional Regulation

Notch signaling has pleiotropic context-specific functions that have essential roles in many processes, including embryonic development and maintenance and homeostasis of adult tissues. Aberrant Notch signaling (both hyper- and hypoactive) is implicated in a number of human developmental disorders and many cancers. Notch receptor signaling is mediated by tightly regulated proteolytic cleavages that lead to the assembly of a nuclear Notch transcription complex, which drives the expression of downstream target genes and thereby executes Notch's functions. Thus, understanding regulation of gene expression by Notch is central to deciphering how Notch carries out its many activities. Here, we summarize the recent findings pertaining to the complex interplay between the Notch transcriptional complex and interacting factors involved in transcriptional regulation, including co-activators, cooperating transcription factors, and chromatin regulators, and discuss emerging data pertaining to the role of Notch-regulated noncoding RNAs in transcription.
The emotional antecedents to the evolution of music and language

The emotional power of music may have strong linkages to the evolution of basic motor and emotional systems of the brain. Most movements have distinct rhythms and basic emotions are characterised by distinct affective sounds in all mammalian species, and these sounds may have been critically important pre-adaptations for the emergence of the melodic stream of music in humans. If so, the social emotions (playful joy, sadness, maternal care, sexual lust, and territorial/dominance imperatives) surely had more influence than the non-social, self-preservative emotions such as anger and fear, providing a substrate for harmony and discord. For instance, our capacity for separation-distress (substrate for primary-process sadness) may prepare the brain for chill-thrill reaction to aesthetic renditions of grief, providing one robust link to social-biologic foundations of music. Emotion mediating subcortical regions are robustly aroused in humans listening to especially moving musical selections such as those that p...
ViewStation applications: implications for network traffic

This paper describes applications built on the ViewStation, a distributed multimedia system based on Unix workstations and a gigabit per second local area network. A key tenet of the ViewStation project is the delivery of media data not just to the desktop but all the way to the application program. As processing power continues to improve, our approach enables applications that perform intensive processing of audio and video data. We hypothesize that as media data are shaped by this software-based processing, the resultant network traffic patterns will be dominated more by software behavior than by so-called real-time issues. We have written applications that directly process live video to provide more responsive human-computer interaction. We have also developed applications to explore the potential of media processing to support content-based retrieval of prerecorded television broadcasts. These applications perform intelligent processing on video, as well as straightforward presentation. They demonstrate the utility of network-based multimedia systems that deliver audio and video data all the way to the application. The network requirements of the applications are modeled as a combination of bursty transfers and periodic packet-trains. >
Development of TES Microcalorimeter Arrays for the Micro-X Sounding Rocket Experiment

The Micro-X sounding rocket program will fly a 128-pixel array of transition-edge-sensor microcalorimeters to enable high-resolution X-ray imaging spectroscopy of supernova remnants. To match the angular resolution of the optics while maximizing the field-of-view and retaining a high energy resolution (2-4 eV at 1 keV), we have designed the pixels using 590 × 590 μm2 Au/Bi absorbers, which overhang 140 × 140 μm2 Mo/Au sensors. Here we report experimental results from flight-candidate arrays, including measurements of energy resolution, uniformity, and absorber thermalization. We describe the reduction in pixel-to-pixel crosstalk afforded by an angle-evaporated Cu backside heatsinking layer, which provides Cu coverage on the four sidewalls of the silicon wells beneath each pixel. In addition, we present measurements of devices that have an identical pixel architecture but were fabricated with thin (sub-micron) all-Au absorbers.
Species Differences in the Induction of Hepatocellular DNA Synthesis by Diethanolamine

Diethanolamine increased the incidence and multiplicity of liver tumors in the mouse following chronic exposure. Diethanolamine is known to inhibit cellular choline uptake. Since choline deficiency produces tumors in rodents, diethanolamine, through choline depletion, may result in tumor development in rodents. The potential for diethanolamine to function through this mode of action in humans is not known. The present studies examined the effect of diethanolamine (0-500 mug/ml) and choline depletion on DNA synthesis and changes in expression of genes involved in cell growth pathways in primary cultures of mouse, rat, and human hepatocytes. In mouse and rat hepatocytes DNA synthesis was increased following treatment with 10 mug/ml diethanolamine and higher (3- to 4-fold over control). In contrast, diethanolamine failed to increase DNA synthesis in human hepatocytes. Incubation of hepatocytes in medium containing reduced choline (1/10 to 1/100 of normal medium; 0.898 to 0.0898 mg/l vs. 8.98 mg/l) increased DNA synthesis (1.6- and 1.8-fold of control in mouse and rat hepatocytes, respectively); however, choline depletion did not induce DNA synthesis in human hepatocytes. Mouse and rat hepatocytes incubated in medium supplemented with 2- to 50-fold excess choline reduced diethanolamine-induced DNA synthesis to control levels or below. Gene expression analysis of mouse and rat hepatocytes following diethanolamine treatment showed increases in genes associated with cell growth and decreases in expression of genes involved in apoptotic pathways. These results support the hypothesis that choline depletion is central to the mode of action for the induction of rodent hepatic neoplasia by diethanolamine. Furthermore, since diethanolamine treatment or choline depletion failed to induce DNA synthesis in human hepatocytes, these results suggest that humans may not be at risk from the carcinogenic effects of diethanolamine.
A multilevel block incomplete Cholesky preconditioner for solving normal equations in linear least squares problems

An incomplete factorization method for preconditioning symmetric positive definite matrices is introduced to solve normal equations. The normal equations are form to solve linear least squares problems. The procedure is based on a block incomplete Cholesky factorization and a multilevel recursive strategy with an approximate Schur complement matrix formed implicitly. A diagonal perturbation strategy is implemented to enhance factorization robustness. The factors obtained are used as a preconditioner for the conjugate gradient method. Numerical experiments are used to show the robustness and efficiency of this preconditioning technique, and to compare it with two other preconditioners.
Dual Electric Field Induced Alignment of Electrospun Nanofibers

A dual-field method is described to produce aligned fibers by electrospinning. By applying a secondary electric field perpendicular to the primary field, control over the orientation of the fibers on the collector is obtained. The dual-field approach is used in conjunction with dual electrodes and a rotating collector. Both approaches were used to electrospin poly(lactic acid) fibers under conditions intended to produce fibers with a diameter greater then 400 nm to aid observation by optical microscopy and digital photography. Digital photography was used to visualize a large area of aligned fiber and image analysis software was used to quantify the degree of alignment. Fibers aligned with the aid of a dual field showed better alignment than those from a single electric field under otherwise identical conditions.
Issues and applications in ultrasensitive molecular spectroscopy

We present a systematic analysis of ultra-sensitive molecular detection methods based on an optical cavity and frequency modulation spectroscopy. Our goal is towards the improvement of the limiting attainable performance by the choice of optical configuration, sample gas pressure, laser mode size, laser intensity, and detection method was discussed. The application of sensitive detection techniques emphasized here is for laser frequency stabilization, leading to better optical frequency standards and clocks.application of sensitive detection techniques emphasized here is for laser frequency stabilization, leading to better optical frequency standards and clocks.
Patterns and Timing of Initial Relapse in Patients Subsequently Undergoing Transplantation for Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Purpose To evaluate the patterns and timing of initial recurrence in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) who subsequently underwent high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation to enhance our understanding of the natural history of this disease and its modern treatment strategies and to direct approaches to disease surveillance. Methods and Materials The records of 69 patients with HL who had undergone high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in our center between May 1992 and June 2006 were analyzed. The initial diagnosis had been made between April 1982 and January 2005 at a median patient age of 33 years (range, 19–65). The patients were segregated according to the initial stage (Stage I-II vs. III-IV). Results Early-stage HL patients developed a relapse at a median of 2.1 years (range, 0.5–10.3), with 91% of relapses at the initial disease site, 71% of which (65% overall) were only in previously involved sites. Advanced-stage HL patients developed a relapse at a median of 1.5 years (range, 0.6-10.5), with 97% at the initial site, 71% of which (69% overall) were only in previously involved sites. Single-site relapses occurred in 47% of early- vs. 26% of advanced-stage patients, and extranodal relapses occurred in 12% of early- vs. 31% of advanced-stage patients. Conclusions Almost all patients with HL who develop relapse and subsequently undergo high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation initially developed recurrence in previously involved disease sites. Early-stage HL relapses often occurred in single sites, and advanced-stage disease relapses were more likely in multiple and extranodal sites. The interval to recurrence was brief, suggesting that the frequency of screening should be the greatest in the early post-therapy years.
Learning Time-varying Concepts

This work extends computational learning theory to situations in which concepts vary over time, e.g., system identification of a time-varying plant. We have extended formal definitions of concepts and learning to provide a framework in which an algorithm can track a concept as it evolves over time. Given this framework and focusing on memory-based algorithms, we have derived some PAC-style sample complexity results that determine, for example, when tracking is feasible. We have also used a similar framework and focused on incremental tracking algorithms for which we have derived some bounds on the mistake or error rates for some specific concept classes.
Differential circadian catecholamine and cortisol responses between healthy women with and without a parental history of hypertension

Objectives Previous studies suggest that otherwise healthy individuals who have a parental history of hypertension (PH+) have an accentuated reactive rise in catecholamines and cortisol to laboratory stressors as well as elevated plasma levels when compared with those with no parental history (PH−); however, few, if any, studies have evaluated whether parental history affects the responses of these hormones to changing environmental circumstances in everyday life. The purpose of this study was to compare urinary catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine) and cortisol excretion and ambulatory blood pressures (BPs) across three daily microenvironments between women with and without a parental history of hypertension. Methods The women in the study (PH+, N = 62, age = 35.2 ± 9.1; PH−, N = 72, age = 33.8 ± 10.0) worked in clerical, technical, or professional positions at a major medical center in New York City. Urinary hormone excretion rates and ambulatory BP were measured across three daily microenvironments: work (11 am to 3 p.m.), home (approximately 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.), and during sleep (approximately 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.). History group comparisons by microenvironment were made using repeated-measures ANCOVA and ANOVA analyses. Results The results show that epinephrine excretion among PH+ women was 36% higher than PH− women (P < 0.008) over the entire day and that nocturnal cortisol excretion was also greater among PH+ women (P < 0.045). PH+ women also had statistically significantly higher systolic (4 mm Hg higher; P < 0.01) and diastolic (2 mm Hg higher, P < 0.03) BP when compared with PH− women across all daily microenvironments. Conclusion These findings suggest that there may be genetically linked mechanisms which elevate tonic epinephrine levels and nocturnal cortisol levels that contribute to elevating circadian BP. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:753–759, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.