cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ion cyclotron waves in Io's wake region

Abstract When Galileo flew almost directly through the center of Io's wake in December 1995 it encountered a region of depressed field strength, devoid of the strong ion cyclotron waves that were present inbound and outbound on either side of the wake. In August 2001 Galileo made an almost orthogonal pass, parallel to the wake axis, passing within 200 km of the Io surface, and staying close to 1RIo above the center of the wake. Downstream from Io (but not upstream) strong ion cyclotron waves were seen. The very low frequency of these waves, well below the local SO2+ gyro frequency, suggests that they were created in the low field of Io's wake. Thus in contrast to implications of the December 1995, near-Io, wake passage, ion cyclotron waves are produced in the Io wake. Furthermore, these waves persisted beyond 6.7RIo downstream, with little sign of recovery in frequency, indicating that Io's depressed field wake extends well downstream of Io.
Electrochemical oxidation of dihydronicotinadmide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) on single crystal gold electrodes

The electro-oxidation of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) on three low-index basal single crystal gold faces was studied in a phosphate buffer solution. The reaction was found highly structure-sensitive; the Au(100) and Au(111) faces showed a high electrocatalytic activity, while the Au(110) face was much less active. The high electrocatalytic effect was attributed to the oxidation-mediator ability of the partially discharged OH(1 − r)− species on the gold surface. The structural effect of the gold faces on the electro-oxidation of NADH may result from the difference in the adsorption of NAD+, via its pyridine moiety as the adsorption site, on the different gold faces. The possibility of developing a highly sensitive NADH sensor based on the electrochemical faceting technique is suggested.
Non-nucleonic degrees of freedom in weak nuclear currents

Some of the key issues in the study of exchange currents in nuclei are surveyed. Particular emphasis is placed on the important connection between exchange-current effects and the effects of chiral symmetry in nuclei, a topic which is investigated with great intensity in the current literature.
Self-disclosure and psychological construing: A personal construct approach to interpersonal perceptions

The purpose in this investigation was to determine the relationship between self-disclosure (SD) and the types of personal constructs utilized by individuals in conceptualizing their interpersonal relationships. Deriving from Duck’s (1973) “inferential theory” of interpersonal relations, SD was conceptualized as a process which mediates the evolution of more advanced, “psychological” construing. As a test of SD’s mediational function, it was argued that such dimensions should be differentially meaningful when applied to a range of SD targets. Further, a positive relationship between the targets’ level of SD and its rated meaningfulness along participants’ own psychological dimensions was predicted. Conversely, no such differentiation was predicted along participants’ earlier, more “physicalistic” constructs. All predictions received support, with one general exception. Highly polarized negative relations, though low SD targets, received more meaningful ratings along psychological constructs than some higher SD targets.
The Proterozoic Ophiolite Problem, Continental Emergence, and the Venus Connection

To account for the lack of preservation of ophiolites (fragments of oceanic crust and mantle) in old orogenic belts (age 1000 to 2500 million years), a hypothesis proposes that the magmatic oceanic crust formed during sea-floor spreading was thicker during the cited time interval. This thickening led to reduced contrast between the elevation of continental and oceanic regions and to greater average flooding of the continents. The resultant distribution of elevation may have resembled modern Venus more than modern Earth.
Therapy of chronic hepatitis B with a 6-month course of ribavirin

Ribavirin is a nucleoside analogue with broad spectrum antiviral activity that has been shown to inhibit viral replication in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus infection. We studied the effect of ribavirin on viral replication in 18 patients with chronic hepatitis B who were positive for hepatitis B e antigen. Patients were randomized to receive a 24-week course of oral ribavirin at a dose of either 800, 1000, or 1200 mg/kg per day. All patients completed 24 weeks of treatment and an additional 24 weeks of follow up without significant side effects except for mild, reversible hemolytic anemia. Response to ribavirin was similar among all three dosage groups (p > 0.5); hence the data were pooled and analyzed together. Mean hepatitis B virus DNA levels decreased from 162.7 (95% confidence interval, 106 to 219) pg/ml before treatment to its lowest level of 114.3 (95% confidence interval, 53 to 175) pg/ml at week 20 (p < 0.05). Two patients became negative for HBV DNA and lost hepatitis B e antigen. Mean serum alanine aminotransferase activity decreased markedly from 131.1 (95% confidence interval, 84 to 178) U/l before treatment to 62.4 (95% confidence interval, 48 to 77) U/l at the end of 24 weeks of ribavirin (p < 0.05) and became normal in four patients (22%). Aminotransferase levels returned to baseline within 4 weeks once ribavirin was discontinued, while HBV DNA concentrations remained below baseline even at the end of 24 weeks of follow up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
FIDO prototype Mars rover field trials, Black Rock Summit, Nevada, as test of the ability of robotic mobility systems to conduct field science

[1] The Field Integration Design and Operations (FIDO) prototype Mars rover was deployed and operated remotely for 2 weeks in May 2000 in the Black Rock Summit area of Nevada. The blind science operation trials were designed to evaluate the extent to which FIDO-class rovers can be used to conduct traverse science and collect samples. FIDO-based instruments included stereo cameras for navigation and imaging, an infrared point spectrometer, a color microscopic imager for characterization of rocks and soils, and a rock drill for core acquisition. Body-mounted “belly” cameras aided drill deployment, and front and rear hazard cameras enabled terrain hazard avoidance. Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data, a high spatial resolution IKONOS orbital image, and a suite of descent images were used to provide regional- and local-scale terrain and rock type information, from which hypotheses were developed for testing during operations. The rover visited three sites, traversed 30 m, and acquired 1.3 gigabytes of data. The relatively small traverse distance resulted from a geologically rich site in which materials identified on a regional scale from remote-sensing data could be identified on a local scale using rover-based data. Results demonstrate the synergy of mapping terrain from orbit and during descent using imaging and spectroscopy, followed by a rover mission to test inferences and to make discoveries that can be accomplished only with surface mobility systems.
Changes in amino acid concentrations over time and space around an impact injury and their diffusion through the rat spinal cord.

Release of amino acids, particularly the neurotoxin glutamate, in and around the site of an experimental spinal cord injury was characterized over time by microdialysis. Increases in amino acid concentrations caused by injury decline steeply and then slowly over distance from the impact area, becoming undetectable beyond about 5 mm from the injury epicenter. Diffusion profiles determined in the cord by administering amino acids through one microdialysis fiber and sampling them in a parallel fiber declined steeply with distance. Distant increases coincided temporally with those in the injury epicenter. We conclude that elevated amino acids more than about 1 mm into the periimpact zone are predominantly released in that region rather than diffusing into it from the trauma epicenter. In the outer areas of lesion development, glutamate does not appear to reach concentrations ordinarily toxic, and elevated concentrations do not persist nearly as long as the therapeutic window of NBQX in any part of the lesion. Therefore, the mechanisms whereby excitatory amino acid antagonists reduce the dimensions of injury lesions are unclear. However, sensitization of neurons following impact injury could be important in amino acid neurotoxicity.
Studies of purified fractions of ragweed pollen

Abstract The allergenic and antigenic properties of three "purified" fractions of ragweed pollen, pool C, fraction IV 2 , and Delta, prepared in separate laboratories by different techniques were investigated. Gel diffusion studies indicated that none of the fractions contain only one antigen. However, it appears that a number of antigens in whole ragweed extract have been reduced or eliminated in the preparation of these materials. Positive indirect hemagglutination reactions were produced in higher titers and with a greater number of sera from untreated ragweed-sensitive patients with each of the three fractions than with whole ragweed extract. The Delta fraction was most potent in eliciting hemagglutination. Pool C reacted in highest titer with most sera. Hemagglutination inhibition data suggest that all of the necessary hemagglutinating antigens are present in each fraction, but there are some quantitative differences. Each of the fractions was more skin reactive than whole ragweed extract. In vitro neutralization of reagin indicated that each of these fractions probably contained, in variable amounts, all of the allergens in whole ragweed extract. However, the in vivo neutralization studies suggested that only Delta contains most, if not all, of the allergens present in whole ragweed extract and that some of these allergens have been climinated or markedly diminished in the process of preparing pool C and fraction IV 2 .
Horizontally Explicit and Vertically Implicit (HEVI) Time Discretization Scheme for a Discontinuous Galerkin Nonhydrostatic Model

AbstractA two-dimensional nonhydrostatic (NH) atmospheric model based on the compressible Euler system has been developed in the (x, z) Cartesian domain. The spatial discretization is based on a nodal discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method with exact integration. The orography is handled by the terrain-following height-based coordinate system. The time integration uses the horizontally explicit and vertically implicit (HEVI) time-splitting scheme, which is introduced to address the stringent restriction on the explicit time step size due to a high aspect ratio between the horizontal (x) and vertical (z) spatial discretization. The HEVI scheme is generally based on the Strang-type operator-split approach, where the horizontally propagating waves in the Euler system are solved explicitly while the vertically propagating waves are treated implicitly. As a consequence, the HEVI scheme relaxes the maximum allowed time step to be mainly determined by the horizontal grid spacing. The accuracy of the HEVI scheme is r...
Temporal and spatial variability of Chl-a and SST on the South Atlantic Bight: Revisiting with cloud-free reconstructions of MODIS satellite imagery

Abstract Daily, cloud-free data interpolating empirical orthogonal function (DINEOF) reconstructions of sea-surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll (Chl-a) satellite imagery are compiled into monthly mean images for a six-year period (2003–2008) and used to identify their spatial and temporal variability on the South Atlantic Bight. Monthly-mean SST has the highest variability on the inner-shelf, decreasing seaward approaching the more stable temperatures of the Gulf Stream (GS). Monthly-mean Chl-a concentrations are similarly highest on the inner shelf throughout the year and decrease cross-shelf toward the nutrient depleted open ocean. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses on SST and Chl-a show a clear seasonal cycle in their 1st mode of variability, with SST lagging behind Chl-a by approximately one month. The 1st EOF modes account for 95.8% and 46.4% variance of SST and Chl-a, respectively. Chl-a EOF mode 1 in particular shows a highly regionalized spatial pattern with values on the central SAB clearly out of phase with the southern and northern SAB. This regional difference is likely a result of shelf geometry and stratification, which modulate GS influence on the shelf. SST EOF mode 2 exhibits a seasonal cycle as well, which previous studies have shown to be a function of local wind. Chl-a EOF mode 2 is well correlated with the cumulative river transport onto the SAB, but accounts for a relatively small 10.8% of Chl-a variability.
The stability of steady shear flows of some viscoelastic fluids

Abstract The stability of steady shear flows of some viscoelastic fluids relative to small perturbations in the initial data is examined. It is shown that all values of the steady shear rate where the flow curve exhibits a zero or negative slope the flow is unstable. This conclusion is corroborated by existing experimental data and bears upon the phenomenon of melt fracture.
The Poncelet grid

Given a convex polygon P in the projective plane we can form a finite “grid” of points by taking the pairwise intersections of the lines extending the edges of P . When P is a Poncelet polygon we show that this grid is contained in a finite union of ellipses and hyperbolas and derive other related geometric information about the grid.
Intramolecular Hydroamination/Cyclization of Conjugated Aminodienes Catalyzed by Organolanthanide Complexes. Scope, Diastereo- and Enantioselectivity, and Reaction Mechanism

Organolanthanide complexes of the general type Cp'(2)LnCH(TMS)(2) (Cp' = eta(5)-Me(5)C(5); Ln = La, Sm, Y; TMS = SiMe(3)) and CGCSmN(TMS)(2) (CGC = Me(2)Si(eta(5)-Me(4)C(5))((t)()BuN)) serve as effective precatalysts for the rapid, regioselective, and highly diastereoselective intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of primary and secondary amines tethered to conjugated dienes. The rates of aminodiene cyclizations are significantly more rapid than those of the corresponding aminoalkenes. This dienyl group rate enhancement as well as substituent group (R) effects on turnover frequencies is consistent with proposed transition state electronic demands. Kinetic and mechanistic data parallel monosubstituted aminoalkene hydroamination/cyclization, with turnover-limiting C=C insertion into the Ln-N bond to presumably form an Ln-eta(3) allyl intermediate, followed by rapid protonolysis of the resulting Ln-C linkage. The rate law is first-order in [catalyst] and zero-order in [aminodiene]. However, depending on the particular substrate and catalyst combination, deviations from zero-order kinetic behavior reflect competitive product inhibition or self-inhibition by substrate. Lanthanide ionic radius effects and ancillary ligation effects on turnover frequencies suggest a sterically more demanding Ln-N insertion step than in aminoalkene cyclohydroamination, while a substantially more negative DeltaS( double dagger ) implies a more highly organized transition state. Good to excellent diastereoselectivity is obtained in the synthesis of 2,5-trans-disubstituted pyrrolidines (80% de) and 2,6-cis-disubstituted piperidines (99% de). Formation of 2-(prop-1-enyl)piperidine using the chiral C(1)-symmetric precatalyst (S)-Me(2)Si(OHF)(CpR)SmN(TMS)(2) (OHF = eta(5)-octahydrofluorenyl; Cp = eta(5)-C(5)H(3); R = (-)-menthyl) proceeds with up to 71% ee. The highly stereoselective feature of aminodiene cyclization is demonstrated by concise syntheses of naturally occurring alkaloids, (+/-)-pinidine and (+)-coniine from simple diene precursors.
Computation of outflow flux for convection-dominated transport equations

An a posteriori point-wise outflow flux recovery scheme which capitalizes on the hyperbolic nature of convection-dominated transport models is proposed. The scheme is seen to be robust in that it can be applied to any upwind finite-difference or finite-element approximation, and gives a superconvergent approximation to the outflow flux.
Plane frame functions and pure states in Hilbert space

An elementary proof of Gleason's theorem for pure states in a Hilbert space is given. This theorem follows from a general result concerning plane frame functions in real inner product spaces.
Basic principles of computed axial tomography

Computer tomography (CT) is a radiological imaging method which yields transverse tomographic images reflecting with high accuracy the spatial distribution of x-ray attenuation in the part examined. The contrast resolution achieved by CT permits the visualization of soft tissue structure heretofore invisible with conventional radiographic procedure. The CT image is reconstructed by a computer applied algorithm, from a series of x-ray attenuation measurements obtained at different angles around the subject, by means of radiation detectors; The signal to noise ratio for these measurements is optimized by reducing the contribution of scattered radiation and of system noise. The CT principle of image reconstruction is also applicable in nuclear medicine imaging, with the goal of achieving contrast improvement and quantitative assessment of radionuclide distribution over conventional "projection" techniques. In this application, however, the attenuation of the radiation in the tissue interposed between the radionuclide and the detector must be taken into account to yield quantitatively accurate images. Furthermore, the variation of the field of view of the collimator as a function of distance contributes another unwanted variable to the reconstruction process. A mathematically rigorous tomographic reconstruction which would account for these variables is unavailable for gamma ray-emitting radionuclides, although approximate solutions of that problem have led to the satisfactory images of the head. Images of larger inhomogeneous organs are less quantitative. The detection of coincidence annihilation counting of positron-emitting radionuclides allows the accurate correction for the attenuation of that radiation in tissues and permits depth independent collimation which renders these radionuclide particularly suitable for their imaging by CT. A number of CT devices designed for the imaging of positron emitting radionuclides are yielding nuclear medicine images of quality and potential clinical usefulness unequaled by more conventional projection techniques.
Effect of Drugs on the Lethality in Mice of the Venoms and Neurotoxins from Sundry Snakes

Abstract R. D. Crosland . Effect of drugs on the lethality in mice of the venoms and neurotoxins from sundry snakes. Toxicon 29, 613–631, 1991.—I investigated the efficacy of 10 drugs with respect to reducing the lethality in mice of the following venoms and their respective neurotoxins: Bungarus caeruleus venom; Bungarus multicinctus venom, α-bungarotoxin, β-bungarotoxin; Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, crotoxin; Notechis scutatus scutatus venom; Oxyuranus scutellatus venom, taipoxin. The drugs diltiazem, nicergoline, primaquine, verapamil and vesamicol protected mice from the lethality of B. caeruleus venom, B. multicinctus venom, and/or β-bungarotoxin. Dexamethasone provided protection from B. multicinctus venom, β-bungarotoxin, crotoxin, O. scutellatus venom and taipoxin. Protective activity resided in amphiphilic drugs and correlated with the charge on the drug at physiological pH. Protection from lethality was maximal when the drugs were administered immediately after injection of the venom or toxin. Nifedipine, piracetam and reserpine provided no protection from any of the venoms or toxins tested.
Endothelial reactivity and cardiac risk factors in older patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Abstract Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity, which is advocated as a measure of vascular health, is impaired in persons with cardiac risk factors and coronary artery disease. Few studies have examined the degree of endothelial dysfunction in patients with PAD. Using high-resolution external vascular ultrasound, we measured brachial artery diameter and flow at rest, and in response to reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated dilation) in 50 older patients (age 69 ± 1 year) with PAD (ankle-to-brachial artery index of 0.67 ± 0.03), and 50 age-matched non-PAD patients. Coronary artery disease was more prevalent in PAD than in non-PAD patients (40% vs 4%, p 2 = 0.37, p
Studies of lipid extracts from red blood cells.

35 Sera von Patienten mit infektioser Mononukleose (10 Kranke, 25 Rekonvaleszenten), 15 Sera von Patienten mit anderen Krankheiten und 15 normale Sera wurden im Komplementbindungstest gepruft, wobei als Antigen ein Lipoidextrakt von Rinder-Erythrozyten verwendet wurde. Sera von Rekonvaleszenten nach infektioser Mononukleose zeigten eine spezifische Komplementbindung, wahrend bei Patienten vor der Rekonvaleszenz die heterophilen Antikorper im Komplementbindungstest nur dann nachgewiesen werden konnten, wenn die Paul-Bunnellsche Reaktion auch positiv ausfiel.
Inspiration from Nature for Heterogeneous Catalysis

The desire to attain high activity and selectivity achieved by systems in Nature has long been a source of inspiration for research in heterogeneous catalysis, and significant progress has been made. A summary is presented here of the progress in applying concepts in enzymes and cellular systems to develop artificial systems. The discussion is organized according to the length scale: dimensions of small molecules (~1 nm), protein (nm–μm), and cells (~μm). At the smallest dimension, the focus is on the active site, and effects observed include functional group cooperation, substrate partitioning, site isolation, transition state stabilization, and pK shifts. At the intermediate dimension of a protein, effects observed include size exclusion, steric constraint, and docking and induced fit. Interestingly, the oscillation phenomenon observed in artificial systems, which is due to collective behavior of atoms, is not observed in natural systems. At the largest, cellular scale, processes of interest include cascade reaction and tandem reactions, and metabolon is one natural system to emulate. There are interesting but nascent developments to emulate phenomena such as self-healing, stimuli-responsiveness, reaction coupling, and designed hierarchical distribution of pores and channels across all scales. Much could be gained if catalysts can be designed to incorporate these properties. .
Verfärbung und Farbzentren in Calciumfluorid-Kristallen

Synthetische CaF2-Kristalle verschiedener Gute (beurteilt durch Messungen der Ultraviolettdurchlassigkeit, Dichte, Ionenleitfahigkeit und Spektralanalyse) wurden durch 2,5 MeV Elektronen, Ca-Dampf oder durch Elektroneneinwanderung verfarbt. Die besten Kristalle zeigen vier Banden Maxima bei 2,16, 3,14, 3,70 und 5,50 eV, deren Intensitatsverhaltnis bis zu hochsten Verfarbungen (k=3 mm−1) konstant bleibt. Kristalle mit kleinerer Dichte, hoher Ionenleitfahigkeit und schlechter UV-Durchlassigkeit lassen sich viel starker verfarben als die reinsten Kristalle und ihre Absorptionsbanden variieren stark in Intensitat und Lage. Es wird angenommen, das die vier Banden Storstellen des Gitters und nicht chemischen Verunreinigungen zuzuschreiben sind.
Not just welfare over justice: Ethics in forensic consultation

The ethics of forensic professionalism is often couched in terms of competing individual and societal values. Indeed, the welfare of individuals is often secondary to the requirements of society, especially given the public nature of courts of law, forensic hospitals, jails, and prisons. We explore the weaknesses of this dichotomous approach to forensic ethics, offering an analysis of Psychology’s historical narrative especially relevant to the national security and correctional settings. We contend that a richer, more robust ethical analysis is available if practitioners consider the multiple perspectives in the forensic encounter, and acknowledge the multiple influences of personal, professional, and social values. The setting, context, or role is not sufficient to deter mine the ethics of forensic practice. The public forum—the root of the term “forensic”—provides a setting where individual welfare and social justice strain against each other. Professionals who work in public fora (i.e., forensic practitioners), labor in settings like courtrooms, correctional facilities, and national security agencies that raise one of the most painful dilemmas in professional ethics: whether their primary duty is to the legal aspects of their work or to the clinical and scientific standards they employ. The law determines many of the elements critical to forensic work, while the scientific and clinical professions socialize, train, and introduce practitioners to their craft. The public forum consequently provides the setting where these ethical and professional tensions play out. Nowhere is this tension borne out more poignantly than in questions of community security, namely in assessing individuals who may present a danger to those around them. Individuals committed or incarcerated, for example, as a danger to commit suicide, to terrorize, assault, assassinate, rape, or set fires raise harrowing concerns for their safety and the safety of families, neighbors, and children. Such individuals bear enormous scrutiny as society determines whether they can re-enter the community and face high thresholds for that re-entry. In such cases it is almost a matter of faith that legal, and indeed community, standards will trump other considerations. After all, the decisions are often made in courtrooms—presided over by professionals with legal, not clinical, training.
Mutations in a Novel Locus on Mouse Chromosome 11 Resulting in Male Infertility Associated with Defects in Microtubule Assembly and Sperm Tail Function

Traditional gene knock-out approaches using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells are routinely used to provide functional information about genes involved in reproduction. In the present study, we examined a novel approach using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) together with a balancer chromosome mating strategy to identify new loci with functional roles in male fertility. Our genetic strategy is a forward-genetic approach; thus, our phenotypic investigation begins with the discovery of an abnormal phenotype without previous knowledge of the mutant locus. We isolated eight recessive mutations on chromosome 11 that resulted in male or female infertility from a screen of 184 founder pedigrees from ENU-treated males. After testing the six male infertile and two female infertile mutations for their ability to complement, we found that three independent recessive male infertile mutations failed to complement each other. The male infertility was associated with reduced epididymal sperm count, a block in late-spermatid differentiation, and increased apoptosis. Furthermore, the three male infertile mutants had severe defects in epididymal sperm morphology associated with incorrect microtubule assembly. Electron microscopy revealed unique defects in sperm head and tail morphology for each of the three alleles. One allele had an abnormal manchette assembly of the sperm head. The other two alleles had different abnormalities in the 9+2 patterning of the microtubules in the sperm tail axoneme, with one containing only five of the microtubule doublets and the other containing an extra doublet. The isolation of this allelic series identifies a new locus on mouse chromosome 11 that is required for spermiogenesis and male fertility.
The statin-low cholesterol-cancer conundrum

Hundreds of millions of people all over the globe are currently being administered statins because it is believed that their lipid lowering actions provide cardioprotective benefits. Adverse effects are considered uncommon and mild, and authors of numerous case–control studies of patients on statin treatment and matched, untreated individuals have even suggested a protective effect against numerous non-cardiovascular diseases, including cancer. In contrast, four controlled, randomized statin trials have resulted in a statistically significant increase of cancer in the treatment group; and several case–control and cohort studies have also shown a significant risk of cancer associated with statins. To add further confusion to this issue, meta-analyses of controlled, randomized statin trials have shown neither an increased nor a decreased risk of cancer.1 Some of these discrepancies may result from the failure to recognize that the recordings of cancer in statin trials are biased for several reasons. Several cohort studies of healthy people have shown that low cholesterol is a risk marker for future cancer. The usual interpretation has been that the association is secondary, because in most studies the association disappeared after having excluded early cancer cases. A common explanation has been that preclinical cancers might use cholesterol, which would lead to lower levels. However, when searching Pubmed with the words ‘cancer AND cholesterol’ we identified nine cohort studies including more than 140 000 individuals, where cancer was inversely associated with cholesterol measured 10–30 years earlier, and where the association persisted after exclusion of cancer cases appearing during the first 4 years (Table 1).2–10 It seems unlikely that the liver would be unable to produce the extra cholesterol necessary for early tumor growth, considering that much larger amounts are steadily made for the constant renewal of our cells. Moreover, none of these cohort studies has been corrected …
Overcoming S-Phase Checkpoint-Mediated Resistance: Sequence-Dependent Synergy of Gemcitabine and 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) in Human Carcinoma Cell Lines

Although agents that inhibit DNA synthesis are widely used in the treatment of cancer, the optimal method for combining such agents and the mechanism of their synergy is poorly understood. The present study examined the effects of combining gemcitabine (2',2'-difluoro 2'-deoxycytidine) and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38; the active metabolite of irinotecan), two S-phaseselective agents that individually have broad antitumor activity, in human cancer cells in vitro. Colony-forming assays revealed that simultaneous treatment of Ovcar-5 ovarian cancer cells or BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells with gemcitabine and SN-38 resulted in antagonistic effects. In contrast, sequential treatment with these two agents in either order resulted in synergistic anti-proliferative effects, although the mechanism of synergy varied with the sequence. In particular, SN-38 arrested cells in S phase, enhanced the accumulation of gemcitabine metabolites, and diminished checkpoint kinase 1, thereby sensitizing cells in the SN-38 --> gemcitabine sequence. Gemcitabine treatment followed by removal allowed prolonged progression through S phase, contributing to synergy of the gemcitabine --> SN-38 sequence. These results collectively suggest that S-phase-selective agents might exhibit more cytotoxicity when administered sequentially rather than simultaneously.
Piecing Together the Mosaic of Early Mammalian Development through MicroRNAs

The microRNA (miRNA) pathway represents an integral component of the gene regulation circuitry that controls development. In recent years, the role of miRNAs in embryonic stem (ES) cells and mammalian embryogenesis has begun to be explored. A few dozens of miRNAs expressed in mammalian ES cells, either exclusively or nonexclusively, have been cloned. The overall role of miRNAs in ES cells and embryonic development has been assessed by examining the effect of knocking out Dicer, an RNase III enzyme required for miRNA and small interfering RNA biogenesis, as well as DGCR8, a nuclear protein specifically involved in miRNA biogenesis. In addition, the role of a cluster of miRNAs specifically expressed in ES cells, the miR-290–295 group, has been investigated by the knock-out approach. These analyses have revealed the crucial role of miRNAs in ES cell differentiation, lineage specification, and organogenesis, especially neurogenesis and cardiogenesis. Systematic investigation of the role of miRNAs in ES cells and embryos will allow us to find missing pieces of the mosaic of early development.
NPY moderates the relation between hurricane exposure and generalized anxiety disorder in an epidemiologic sample of hurricane-exposed adults

Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been found to be anxiolytic in animals and humans. A recent study found NPY expression to be inversely correlated with trait anxiety. We examined whether rs16147, a functional single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of NPY, moderated the relationship between hurricane exposure and risk for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in an epidemiologic sample of adults living in areas affected by the 2004 Florida Hurricanes. Methods: Data from this study comes from 616 adults from the 2004 Florida Hurricanes study who returned buccal DNA samples via mail. Selection of participants occurred via random digit-dial procedures. Participants were interviewed via telephone about hurricane exposure and posthurricane GAD symptoms. The outcome measure was DSM-IV GAD diagnosis, assessed via structured interview. Results: Rs16147 in NPY was associated with increased risk of GAD diagnosis under conditions of high hurricane exposure (Po.01). This gene by environment interaction remained significant after adjustment for sex, ancestry (as determined by Bayesian clustering of genotypes), and age. Conclusions: NPY rs16147 modifies risk of postdisaster GAD under conditions of high stressor (hurricane) exposure. This is the first demonstration of gene–environment interaction for this locus. Depression and Anxiety 27:270–275, 2010. r r 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On the road to invariant object recognition

Invariant recognition of objects depends on a hierarchy of cortical stages that build invariance gradually. Binocular disparity computations are a key part of this transformation. Cortical area V1 computes absolute disparity, which is the horizontal difference in retinal location of an image in the left and right foveas. Many cells in cortical area V2 compute relative disparity, which is the difference in absolute disparity of two visible features. Relative, but not absolute, disparity is invariant under both a disparity change across a scene and vergence eye movements. A neural network model is introduced which predicts that shunting lateral inhibition of disparity-sensitive layer 4 cells in V2 causes a peak shift in cell responses that transforms absolute disparity from V1 into relative disparity in V2. This inhibitory circuit has previously been implicated in contrast gain control, divisive normalization, selection of perceptual groupings, and attentional focusing. The model hereby links relative disparity to other visual functions and thereby suggests new ways to test its mechanistic basis. Other brain circuits are reviewed wherein lateral inhibition causes a peak shift that influences behavioral responses.
Pre-Cataclysmic Binaries

Cataclysmic variables may be descended from initially wide binaries that underwent catastrophic loss of mass and angular momentum during a “common-envelope” phase. If this is the case, there should exist a class of detached “pre-cataclysmic” binaries: double nuclei of planetary nebulae, and close binaries containing hot subdwarfs or white dwarfs. The secondary stars should be lower-main-sequence objects, and the orbital periods should be short (<1.5 days).
Evaluation of Corrosion Growth on SS304 Based on Textural and Color Features from Image Analysis

ime. The results obtained from the image analysis are presented to illustrate the metrics which best characterize early stage corro sion damage growth behavior. The results obtained indicate that textural features in combination with color features are more effective and may be used for correlating service/failure conditions based on corrosion morphology.
Levels of professionalism and professional efficacy among journalists in Ireland

Ireland's social, cultural, religious and political ethos has restricted the country's press freedom. This ethos, combined with a long history of colonialism, could mean that Irish journalists woul...
Survey of current practice for prevention of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus in the United States: leucoreduction vs. cytomegalovirus-seronegative.

Background and Objectives Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant pathogen transmissible through blood transfusion that can have devastating effects on immunocompromised patients. Current transfusion practice provides two choices for transfusion of cellular blood components that reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted CMV (TT-CMV): blood components collected from CMV seronegative donors and leucocyte-reduced (LR) blood components. Materials and Methods A web-based survey was designed and administered to AABB physician members in April 2007 to collect information regarding current blood banking and clinical practices for prevention of TT-CMV in the United States. Results Individuals representing 183 different institutions completed the entire survey (an institutional response rate of 32.5%). Sixty-five percent of respondents indicated that their institution considered that CMV-seronegative and LR products are equally effective in preventing TT-CMV. When analyzed by institutional type, academic institutions and community hospitals were more likely to subscribe to the premise that LR blood components are equally effective at preventing TT-CMV, than were community blood centres and government institutions. However, reported practices for specific patient populations did not match this view of equivalence between CMV-seronegative and LR products with many patient populations preferentially receiving CMV-seronegative components. Fetal and neonatal populations were more likely than other patient populations to receive CMV-seronegative products to reduce the risk of TT-CMV. Conclusion There is wide variability in transfusion practices to reduce the risk of TT-CMV. Lack of a consensus approach may reflect the conflicting data that exist in the literature as well as adherence to longstanding practice.
Evaluation of standard and active compression-decompression CPR in an acute human model of ventricular fibrillation.

BACKGROUNDThe mechanisms that underlie cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in humans remain controversial and difficult to study. This report describes a new human model to evaluate CPR during the first 1 to 2 minutes after the onset of ventricular fibrillation (VF). With this model, standard CPR was compared with active compression-decompression (ACD) CPR, a method that uses a handheld suction device to actively compress and actively decompress the chest.METHODS AND RESULTSDuring routine inductions of VF as part of a transvenous lead cardioverter/defibrillator implantation procedure, CPR was performed in 21 patients if the first defibrillation shock failed and until a successful rescue shock was delivered. Compressions during CPR were performed according to American Heart Association guidelines. For ACD CPR, decompression was performed with up to -30 lbs. Radial arterial and right atrial pressures were measured in all patients. Esophageal pressures, intratracheal pressures, or minute ventilation was meas...
Power optimization in disk-based real-time application specific systems

While numerous power optimization techniques have been proposed at all levels of design process abstractions for electronic components, until now, power minimization in mixed mechanical-electronic subsystems, such as disks, has not been addressed. We propose a conceptually simple, but realistic power consumption model for disk drives. We present heuristics for optimization of power consumption in several common hard real-time disk-based design systems. We show how to coordinate task scheduling and disk data assignment, in order to minimize power consumption in both electronic and mechanical components of used disks. Extensive experimental results indicate significant power reduction.
Characterizing and predicting blocking bugs in open source projects

As software becomes increasingly important, its quality becomes an increasingly important issue. Therefore, prior work focused on software quality and proposed many prediction models to identify the location of software bugs, to estimate their fixing-time, etc. However, one special type of severe bugs is blocking bugs. Blocking bugs are software bugs that prevent other bugs from being fixed. These blocking bugs may increase maintenance costs, reduce overall quality and delay the release of the software systems. In this paper, we study blocking-bugs in six open source projects and propose a model to predict them. Our goal is to help developers identify these blocking bugs early on. We collect the bug reports from the bug tracking systems of the projects, then we obtain 14 different factors related to, for example, the textual description of the bug, the location the bug is found in and the people involved with the bug. Based on these factors we build decision trees for each project to predict whether a bug will be a blocking bug or not. Then, we analyze these decision trees in order to determine which factors best indicate these blocking bugs. Our results show that our prediction models achieve F-measures of 15-42%, which is a two- to four-fold improvement over the baseline random predictors. We also find that the most important factors in determining blocking bugs are the comment text, comment size, the number of developers in the CC list of the bug report and the reporter's experience. Our analysis shows that our models reduce the median time to identify a blocking bug by 3-18 days.
A new species of snapper (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) from Brazil, with comments on the distribution of Lutjanus griseus and L. apodus

Snappers of the family Lutjanidae contain several of the most important reef-fishery species in the tropical western Atlantic. Despite their importance, substantial gaps exist for both systematic and ecological information, especially for the southwestern Atlantic. Recent collecting efforts along the coast of Brazil have resulted in the discovery of many new reef-fish species, including commercially important parrotfishes (Scaridae) and grunts (Haemulidae). Based on field collecting, museum specimens, and literature records, we describe a new species of snapper, Lutjanus alexandrei , which is apparently endemic to the Brazilian coast. The newly settled and early juvenile life stages are also described. This species is common in many Brazilian reef and coastal estuarine systems where it has been often misidentified as the gray snapper, Lutjanus griseus, or the schoolmaster, L. apodus . Identification of the new species cast doubt on prior distributional assumptions about the southern ranges of L. griseus and L. apodus , and subsequent field and museum work confirmed that those species are not reliably recorded in Brazil. The taxonomic status of two Brazilian species previously referred to Lutjanus, Bodianus aya and Genyoroge canina , is reviewed to determine the number of valid Lutjanus species occurring in Brazil. Twelve species of Lutjanus are now recognized in the western Atlantic, eight of which occur in Brazil (one endemic). A key for the identification of all western Atlantic Lutjanus species and their known distributional ranges is also provided.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of 18-methoxycoronaridine congeners. Potential antiaddiction agents.

Variation of the methoxycarbonyl and C-18 substituents of the antiaddictive compound 18-methoxycoronaridine, and contraction of its isoquinuclidine ring segment, provided 15 congeners for SAR evaluation at opioid and α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The opioid activities were relatively low, and the α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activities were found to correlate with in vivo antiaddictive activities.
A Fredholm integral equation method for propagation predictions over small terrain irregularities

Two-dimensional propagation of vertical line source fields over lossy, irregular terrain is considered using the magnetic field integral equation. The terrain is characterized by its elevation profile and the local surface impedance, both of which may vary with distance. For treatment via the Fredholm integral equation, the domain under consideration is made finite by enclosing the terrain irregularity and the source within an arbitrary outer boundary. Absorbing boundary conditions are imposed on the outer boundary to reduce unwanted reflections from it. The integral equation is solved by the boundary element method with quadratic elements. Substantial comparison is made with specific canonical problems, with previously published results of other workers, and with measurements to validate the method. >
Extending the mass range of the quadrupole ion trap using axial modulation

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry, using Cs+ ion bombardment of solid and liquid matrices, has been implemented on a quadrupole ion trap. Tetraalkylammonium cations and protonated peptides, generated in an external source using a pulsed primary-ion beam, are injected into the ion trap where they are decelerated and trapped in the course of collisions with the helium bath gas. The contents of the trap are then examined by recording a mass spectrum using the mass-selective instability scan. To improve performance in the examination of these trapped ions, the technique of axial modulation is used to cause resonance ejection of ions from the trap during the mass-analysis step. The supplementary AC voltage applied to the end-caps causes resonant ejection of ions at qz values below those which correspond to the normal stability limit. This is demonstrated to increase the mass limit of a commercial ion trap from 650 Da to approximately 1300 Da with no loss in resolution or sensitivity, and to more than 20 000 Da at reduced sensitivity.
Removing the depth-degeneracy in optical frequency domain imaging with frequency shifting

A novel technique using an acousto-optic frequency shifter in optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) is presented. The frequency shift eliminates the ambiguity between positive and negative differential delays, effectively doubling the interferometric ranging depth while avoiding image cross-talk. A signal processing algorithm is demonstrated to accommodate nonlinearity in the tuning slope of the wavelength-swept OFDI laser source.
Maximizing Learning Through Course Alignment and Experience with Different Types of Knowledge

Consistency among the objectives, learning activities, and assessment exercises results in aligned courses, which give students direction and clarity and yield increased learning. However, instructors may not check for course alignment. This article describes a concrete way to determine course alignment by plotting the course components on a table using the cognitive process levels from a revised taxonomy of learning objectives. Once instructors realize that courses are misaligned, they can make adjustments. By giving students experience with varied types of knowledge, which is the other part of this taxonomy, they also learn more. The types of knowledge include factual, conceptual, procedural, and meta-cognitive knowledge.