cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A nuclear magnetic resonance study of the interactions of the antimalarials chloroquine, quinacrine, quinine and mefloquine with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers

The interaction of four cationic amphiphilic antimalarials (chloroquine, quinacrine, mefloquine and quinine) with model dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer membranes was studied using 2H- and 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed no significant perturbation of lipid bilayer structure by the presence of chloroquine up to a molar ratio of 1:2 of drug to lipid. Addition of quinacrine to DPPC at the same molar ratio resulted in a 2.5 degrees C decrease in the gel to liquid crystalline phase transition temperature (Tc) of the lipids, with only a small perturbation of the order parameters of the lipid side chains. 31P-NMR spectra of quinacrine-DPPC mixtures indicated a quinacrine-induced change of head group conformation of DPPC above the Tc. These findings are consistent with quinacrine interacting only with the surface of DPPC bilayers. In contrast, both mefloquine and quinine exhibited stronger interactions with DPPC, decreasing the Tc of the lipids by 10 degrees C and 9 degrees C, respectively, and causing significant disordering of the lipid side chains. The basic bilayer structure of DPPC was, however, maintained, even at the highest molar ratio 1:2 of drug to lipid. Such behavior is consistent with penetration of both mefloquine and quinine into the interior of the bilayers. This ability of mefloquine and quinine, but not chloroquine and quinacrine, to intercalate into lipid bilayers correlates with their lower pKa values, which ensures that at physiological pH significant amounts of mefloquine or quinine remain in their uncharged lipophilic form.
Insights into lignin primary structure and deconstruction from Arabidopsis thaliana COMT (caffeic acid O-methyl transferase) mutant Atomt1.

The Arabidopsis mutant Atomt1 lignin differs from native lignin in wild type plants, in terms of sinapyl (S) alcohol-derived substructures in fiber cell walls being substituted by 5-hydroxyconiferyl alcohol (5OHG)-derived moieties. During programmed lignin assembly, these engender formation of benzodioxane substructures due to intramolecular cyclization of their quinone methides that are transiently formed following 8-O-4′ radical-radical coupling. Thioacidolytic cleavage of the 8-O-4′ inter-unit linkages in the Atomt1 mutant, relative to the wild type, indicated that cleavable sinapyl (S) and coniferyl (G) alcohol-derived monomeric moieties were stoichiometrically reduced by a circa 2 : 1 ratio. Additionally, lignin degradative analysis resulted in release of a 5OHG–5OHG–G trimer from the Atomt1 mutant, which then underwent further cleavage. Significantly, the trimeric moiety released provides new insight into lignin primary structure: during polymer assembly, the first 5OHG moiety is linked via a C8–O–X inter-unit linkage, whereas subsequent addition of monomers apparently involves sequential addition of 5OHG and G moieties to the growing chain in a 2 : 1 overall stoichiometry. This quantification data thus provides further insight into how inter-unit linkage frequencies in native lignins are apparently conserved (or near conserved) during assembly in both instances, as well as providing additional impetus to resolve how the overall question of lignin macromolecular assembly is controlled in terms of both type of monomer addition and primary sequence.
Identification of persistent anionic surfactant-derived chemicals in sewage effluent and groundwater

Abstract Preparative isolation and fractionation procedures coupled with spectrometric analyses were used to identify surfactant-derived contaminants in sewage effluent and sewage-contaminated groundwater from a site located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Anionic surfactants and their biodegradation intermediates were isolated from field samples by ion exchange and fractionated by solvent extraction and adsorption chromatography. Fractions were analyzed by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Carboxylated residues of alkylphenol polyethoxylate surfactants were detected in sewage effluent and contaminated groundwater. Linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS) were identified in sewage effluent and groundwater. Groundwater LAS composition suggested preferential removal of select isomers and homologs due to processes of biodegradation and partitioning. Tetralin and indane sulfonates (DATS), alicyclic analogs of LAS, were also identified in field samples. Although DATS are a minor portion of LAS formulations, equivalent concentrations of LAS and DATS in groundwater suggested persistence of alicyclic contaminant structures over those of linear structure. Sulfophenyl-carboxylated (SPC) LAS biodegradation intermediates were determined in sewage effluent and groundwater. Homolog distributions suggested that SPC containing 3–10 alkyl-chain carbons persist during infiltration and groundwater transport. Surfactant-derived residues detected in well F300-50 groundwater have a minimum residence time in the range of 2.7–4.6 yr. LAS detected in groundwater at 500 m from infiltration has been stable over an estimated 50–500 half lives.
Modeling consumer choices of health plans: A comparison of two techniques

Abstract This paper has two objectives. First, we will describe how conjoint measurement, a multivariate marketing research technique, can be applied in health care marketing. Second, we will compare the validity of results from two conjoint measurement techniques—the full profile approach and the tradeoff approach. A convenience sample of 97 university students was used in the study. Fifty-two students supplied data by using the full profile approach. Each respondent provided a complete rank order of 26 profile cards which included the following ambulatory health service attributes: charge for routine visit, travel time, office hours, length of time needed to make an appointment, waiting time in physician's office, practice arrangement/freedom of physician choice, parking arrangements and type of hospital. A fractional factorial design was used to determine different attribute levels (e.g. charge for routine office visit could be set at $10, $20 or $30) for each card. Forty-five students performed ranking tasks for the trade-off approach to conjoint measurement. These respondents ranked 28 grids which represent all combinations of factors taken two at a time. From the data collected in the ranking tasks, utilities or part-worth values for each level of each attribute were estimated by using dummy variable regression. Relative importance of ambulatory service attributes was inferred from the range of utility values of the attributes. Three measures of validity were assessed—adherence of estimated utility scores to monotonic assumptions, plausability of importance rankings and comparative validity. The results from the full-profile approach satisfied all three criteria. In contrast, the tradeoff approach results satisfied the first two criteria, but its comparative validity was only marginal. Valid conjoint data can be used for: simulations of market responses to different health services configurations; market segmentation studies; and development of promotional efforts.
Chronic Offenders: A Life-Course Analysis of Marijuana Users

Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug, and the use of marijuana has been linked to a wide array of maladaptive outcomes. As a result, there is great interest in identifying the factors that are associated with the use of marijuana and with desistance from marijuana. The current study employed a life-course framework to examine the factors associated with early onset of marijuana use, with the use of marijuana during adolescence, and with desistance from marijuana use in young adulthood. Analysis of data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that low self-control and delinquent peers were predictive of marijuana use, an early onset of marijuana use, and desistance from marijuana use. In addition, the models revealed that marriage increased the odds of desistance from marijuana use, even after controlling for delinquent peers, low self-control, and selection effects. The implications of our findings are noted.
“That's What Makes a Woman”: Infertility and Coping with a Failed Life Course Transition

Becoming a parent remains a key marker for the transition into adulthood, especially for many women. Infertility thwarts this transition. In this research, we investigate one aspect of the gendered nature of adult development within the life course. Specifically, this study examines interview data from 40 infertile women in order to explore how this group of women cope with what they perceive to be a failed life course transition and how it affects their sense of self. We find that this failed life course transition altered these women's relationships with others. Further, this change had a corresponding effect on their self. These women's inability to do gender by being mothers challenges their sense of themselves as normal adult women. Using West and Zimmerman's concept of doing gender, we argue that infertility can be experienced as a failed life course transition among women who desire children. We also demonstrate how this failed transition has a distinctly gendered component.
A shear-lag model for carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer composites

Abstract A shear-lag model is developed for carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer composites using a multiscale approach. The main morphological features of the nanocomposites are captured by utilizing a composite cylinder embedded with a capped nanotube as the representative volume element. The molecular structural mechanics is employed to determine the effective Young’s modulus of the capped carbon nanotube based on its atomistic structure. The capped nanotube is equivalently represented by an effective (solid) fiber having the same diameter and length but different Young’s modulus, which is determined from that of the nanotube under an isostrain condition. The shear-lag analysis is performed in the context of linear elasticity for axisymmetric problems, and the resulting formulas are derived in closed forms. To demonstrate applications of the newly developed model, parametric studies of sample cases are conducted. The numerical results reveal that the nanotube aspect ratio is a critical controlling parameter for nanotube-reinforced composites. The predictions by the current analytical model compare favorably with the existing computational and experimental data.
Concurrent-chain performance in transition: effects of terminal-link duration and individual reinforcers.

Pigeons responded on concurrent-chain schedules with variable-interval initial links and equal delays as terminal links. The terminal-link delays were 1 sec in some conditions and 20 sec in other conditions. The percentages of reinforcers delivered for responses on the left key were 10%, 30%, 70%, or 90%, and this percentage was switched every five to nine sessions. The rate of change in the pigeons’ response percentages after a switch was the same whether the terminal-link delays were 1 sec or 20 sec. Analysis of the effects of individual reinforcers showed that after a response on one key had been reinforced, response percentages on that key were higher for at least the next 100 responses. Small effects of individual reinforcers were evident after eight or nine additional reinforcers had been delivered. The effects of individual reinforcers were about equally large during times of transition and during periods in which overall response percentages were relatively stable.
Thermal degradation and physical aging of poly(lactic acid) and its blends with starch

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and its blends with starch and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) were extruded in a twin-screw extruder and compress-molded in a dog-bone shaped tensile bars to form test specimens. The thermalgravimetric profile and thermal endurance of these samples were characterized. The effect of physical aging on mechanical and thermal properties of these samples was evaluated. For the aging study, samples were stored at 25°C and relative humidity fluctuating between 90 and 30%, from 2 to 180 days, with or without a polyethylene bag as a moisture barrier. Physical aging of pure PLA samples stored in a controlled environment from 2 to 360 days was also evaluated. The presence of MDI in the PLA/starch composite did not affect the thermal decomposition profile. The PLA showed the highest Arrhenius activation energy and strongest thermal endurance of all samples, followed by PLA/starch/MDI and PLA/starch. Exposure of the samples to storage conditions with fluctuating relative humidity (RH) significantly affects thermal-mechanical performance of PLA and its composites. But, the samples stored in plastic bags can minimize such effects. Mechanical properties of PLA and PLA/starch-based composites sealed in plastic bags had no significant change during 30-day storage in fluctuating humidity conditions (30–90% RH). POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Green fluorescent protein as a screen for enzymatic activity in ionic liquid–aqueous systems for in situ hydrolysis of lignocellulose

A rapid screen was developed to test the stability of proteins in ionic liquid–aqueous mixtures using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. In at least one ionic liquid (IL), GFP retained 50% or more of its fluorescence in IL volume fractions as high as 75%. ILs that best preserved GFP fluorescence also showed the best retention of cellulase activity. Using this screen, two potential candidates for in situ enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium dimethylphosphate (Mmim DMP) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (Emim) lactate, were identified. A commercial Trichoderma reeseicellulase mixture retained activity in both ILs up to 40% (w/w) IL, and β-glucosidase remained active after incubation in 60% (w/w) Mmim DMP for 8 h, indicating the possibility of in situ cellulose hydrolysis in IL–water mixtures.
Advising a publisher on product development and pricing

– Librarians have an opportunity to contribute to the evolution of scholarly communication. By serving on advisory boards, especially those of publishers that are revamping their products for an online environment, librarians can both accelerate the development of good digital information resources and foster greater diversity in the marketplace. The New England Journal of Medicine's newly established library advisory board is a case in point. Aims to give an overview of the situation., – A total of nine librarians agreed to serve as members of the library advisory board – designed to build relationships with the academic and hospital library community., – As a profession, librarians value learning and the lifelong augmentation of knowledge and skills. Stretching oneself by serving on the advisory board of a publisher is entirely consistent with that value, affording a rewarding opportunity to understand better the complicated world of scholarly communication and the role of publishers in that cycle., – By stretching their current skill set, librarians serving on this board have gained a better understanding of the exigencies of the publishing world and have been able to influence the development of critical policies, pricing, and processes in ways that benefit both the publisher and the library community.
χ (2) and χ (3) harmonic generation at a critical power in inhomogeneous doubly resonant cavities

We derive general conditions for 100% frequency conversion in any doubly resonant nonlinear cavity, for both second- and third-harmonic generation via χ(2) and χ(3) nonlinearities. We find that conversion efficiency is optimized for a certain “critical” power depending on the cavity parameters, and assuming reasonable parameters we predict 100% conversion using milliwatts of power or less. These results follow from a semi-analytical coupled-mode theory framework which is generalized from previous work to include both χ(2) and χ(3) media as well as inhomogeneous (fully vectorial) cavities, analyzed in the high-efficiency limit where down-conversion processes lead to a maximum efficiency at the critical power, and which is verified by direct finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations of the nonlinear Maxwell equations. Explicit formulas for the nonlinear coupling coefficients are derived in terms of the linear cavity eigenmodes, which can be used to design and evaluate cavities in arbitrary geometries.
REACTION CONDITIONS IN VITRO AFFECT RATE OF LIPASE‐CATALYZED HYDROLYSIS OF OLIVE OIL

An in vitro procedure that approximates many of the conditions prevailing in the human duodenum was further refined and used to study the effect of dietary fibers on the rate of lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of olive oil. Increasing bile salt concentration over the range of 2–8 mM caused a marked increase in the rate of lipid hydrolysis, both in the presence and absence of red wheat bran. Stirring speed (20–90 rpm) had no significant effect on the rate of lipolysis in the absence of fiber, whereas in the presence of fiber an increase in stirring speed was often accompanied by an increase in the rate of lipolysis. Fiber inhibition was sometimes observed regardless of stirring speed. Sequence of addition of reactants influenced the rate of lipolysis. Attention to these variables is clearly important if meaningful, reproducible results are desired.
Telomere replication: an Est fest.

The search for subunits of the telomerase enzyme has uncovered orthologs of the budding yeast Est1 protein in several species, including humans. Thus, positive regulation of telomerase by Est1 appears to be a widely utilized mechanism for maintaining telomere length homeostasis.
Effects of two-stage deposition on the structure and properties of heteroepitaxial BaTiO3 thin films

Abstract Layer-by-layer heteroepitaxial growth of BaTiO 3 thin films on single-crystal MgO (1 0 0) is demonstrated using a two-stage metal-organic chemical vapor deposition technique. Films grown using this technique are particularly well suited for photonic applications, with near atomically smooth surfaces and exceptional crystalline quality. Films with surface roughness as low as 0.23 nm RMS and X-ray rocking curve full-width-at-half-maximum values as low as 0.28° have been obtained. Refractive indices approaching those of bulk BaTiO 3 are demonstrated, with deviations from bulk explained by strain-modified tetragonality and a polydomain structure.
The p, V, T behavior of dense fluids VI. The shape of dense fluid isochores for krypton and xenon

Abstract From the analysis of the p , V , T behavior of krypton and xenon in the dense fluid and in the liquid state, the loci of C V maxima and C V minima are obtained in a pressure range up to four times the critical pressure and from 0.6 up to 1.1 times the critical temperature. For krypton, the slopes of the isochore of critical density and of the vapor pressure curve are compared at the critical point.
High mating frequency and variation with lineage ratio in dependent-lineage harvester ants

Explaining the evolution of multiple mating is a challenge because of the associated costs. For social insects, mating frequency may have fitness consequences due to effects on social interactions or genetic diversity within colonies. Here, we investigated the evolution of mating frequency in a social insect species with a unique genetic system that requires multiple mating. In certain populations of Pogonomyrmex harvester ants, there are two interbreeding yet genetically distinct mitochondrial lineages. Queens must mate with males of the opposite lineage to produce workers and with males of the same lineage to produce reproductive females. We expected queens of the dependent-lineage system to exhibit high mating frequencies relative to other social insects. Furthermore, we expected queens from populations of highly asymmetric lineage ratios to exhibit even higher mating frequencies, to adequately sample the population and successfully mate with males of the less common lineage. To test these predictions, we estimated the mating frequency of 16 P. barbatus queens, and compared these mating frequencies between two populations, one with relatively equal lineage ratio (60:40) and a second with a highly asymmetrical lineage ratio (96:4). Overall, observed mating frequency exceeded 10, which is high in comparison to other social insects, and our estimates of effective mating frequency were among the highest of Pogonomyrmex species. Mating frequency at the site with the asymmetrical lineage ratio was also significantly higher than the site with the more even ratio. Our results suggest that obligate multiple mating as well as lineage ratio contribute to the evolution of high mating frequency in dependent-lineage populations.
Evaluation of Colour Representations for Maize Images

Abstract The object of the study was to evaluate the use of colour image information to characterize stress levels owing to water and nitrogen deficiencies in maize leaves and variations in colour due to normal physiological growth of plants. A machine vision system was used to collect Red, Green and Blue (RGB) colour features interactively from slide images of the maize plants. Hue, saturation and intensity (HSI) and red, green and blue (r, g, b) chromaticity coordinate transformations of the data were also evaluated. Colour calibration standards placed in each image revealed minor colour variability. The major changes in the appearance of plants occurred for living leaf tissue. The senescent crop canopy leaf area changed with increased nitrogen levels, but colour representation data did not show any visible trends in colour changes. The evaluation of various colour representations revealed that colour variations in maize plant images were distinctly detectable using HSI as compared with RGB and chromaticity coordinates. Colour provided a classifying feature with which particular plant and leaf colour was recognized.
Comparison of photoelectron intensities and Franck-Condon factors in the photoionization of H2, HD and D2☆

Abstract The relative intensities of vibrational bands corresponding to the photoionization reaction X 1 Σ g + (υ″ = 0) + hv → X 2 Σ g + (υ′ = 0, 1, 2 …) + e − have been measured for H 2 , HD and D 2 , using He I radiation and a cylindrical mirror analyzer. These relative intensities differ significantly from squared overlap integrals (Franck-Condon factors) based on accurate potential curves for X 1 Σ g + and X 2 Σ g + , but are in good agreement with calculations performed by Itikawa which include the variation of transition moment with internuclear distance and the kinetic energy of the departing electron.
Performance of Selected Coded Direct-Sequence Receiver Structures in Pulsed Interference

We consider the performance of short constraint-length convolutional codes in conjunction with coherent BPSK direct-sequence spread-spectrum modulation in a variety of pulsed interference scenarios. We explore the use of several types of imperfect interference estimation mechanisms and the resulting impact on Viterbi decoder bit error probability performance. Our digital receiver structures eliminate the need for a fast-acting analog AGC circuit which is often susceptable to spoofing. For the short constraint-length codes under consideration, we provide upper bounds on bit error probability performance under idealized channel modeling assumptions. Departures from these idealized assumptions are analyzed through extensive Monte-Carlo computer simulation.
Theory and experiment on optical transverse intensity bistability in the transmission through a nonlinear thin (nematic liquid crystal) film

A theory is presented for the transverse intensity distribution bistability of a Gaussian optical beam after its passage through a nonlinear thin film. The equations governing the intensity distribution are cast in the form analogous to optical bistability in a longitudinal cavity (a Fabry-Perot interferometer), i.e., into two coupled transcendental equations from which multiple solutions are obtained. This formalism allows one to examine various physical approximations in obtaining the equations, and to improve on these approximations. It also lucidly illustrates the mechanisms of transverse intensity distribution bistability. The theoretical predictions are verified with quantitative experimental results on thin films of nematic liquid crystals.
Efficient robust estimation of parameter in the random censorship model

Abstract For an open set Θ of R k , let \s{ P θ : θ ∈ Θ\s} be a parametric family of probabilities modeling the distribution of i.i.d. random variables X 1 ,…, X n . Suppose X i 's are subject to right censoring and one is only able to observe the pairs (min( X i , Y i ), [ X i ⩽ Y i ]), i = 1,…, n , where [ A ] denotes the indicator function of the event A , Y 1 ,…, Y n are independent of X 1 ,…, X n and i.i.d. with unknown distribution Q 0 . This paper investigates estimation of the value θ that gives a fitted member of the parametric family when the distributions of X 1 and Y 1 are subject to contamination. The constructed estimators are adaptive under the semi-parametric model and robust against small contaminations: they achieve a lower bound for the local asymptotic minimax risk over Hellinger neighborhoods, in the Hajel—Le Cam sense. The work relies on Beran (1981). The construction employs some results on product-limit estimators.
Free semiring-representations and nondeterminism

Abstract Semirings provide a simple abstract model of the syntax for a nondeterministic programming language. Each element of a semiring is a nondeterministic program segment, and the semiring operations (+ and ⊎) correspond to nondeterministic or and program composition. This is analogous to using an algebraic theory for the abstract syntax of a deterministic language. In the case of algebraic theories, an algebra provides the semantics, and free algebras (which always exist) are particularly important. For a semiring, semantics is provided by a representation as a system of relations. This paper examines the question of when free representations exist. Unlike free algebras, free representations do not always exist. It is shown that a semiring has free representations generated by arbitrary sets of variables iff it has a free representation generated by a single variable. Examples of semirings are given that do not have free representations. However, for an important class of semirings, free representations are always available. This class consists of semirings which arise when nondeterminism is freely added to a deterministic programming language.
Primary culture of bovine chromaffin cells

This protocol describes the primary culture of individual chromaffin cells derived by enzymatic digestion from the adrenal medulla of the bovine adrenal gland. Since the late 1970s, such cells have provided a useful model system to study neurotransmitter biosynthesis, storage and release in the catecholaminergic system. The protocol can be divided into three stages: isolation of cells (4-6 h), determination of viable cell numbers (approximately 30 min) and growth in culture (3-7 d). An alternative procedure is to perform studies in a continuous chromaffin (pheochromocytoma) cell line, such as PC12, although such transformed cells are typically less highly differentiated than primary cells. The bovine chromaffin cell procedure should yield approximately 10-20 million cells, suitable for several experiments over the subsequent 3-7 d. Typical experiments involve transmitter biosynthesis, vesicular storage, exocytotic release, stimulus coupling (signal transduction) toward secretion or transcription, or morphology, including ultrastructure. The total time, from adrenal gland harvest until functional experiments, is typically 4-8 d.
Synaptic density in the arcuate nucleus of female rats approaching middle age.

Synaptic number and synapses/neuronal cell membrane were evaluated from ultrastructural micrographs of the arcuate nucleus from 90-, 120-, 180-, and 240-day female rats grouped into ovary-intact or ovariectomized animals treated with peanut oil vehicle or estradiol benzoate (10 μg/100 g body weight) for 3 days. In ovary-intact rats, synaptic density was significantly less in middle aged 240 day animals than in 90-, 120-, or 180-day animals with greatest decrease occurring between 180- and 240-day animals. Ovary-intact and ovariectomized animals treated with estradiol benzoate had significantly higher sera estradiol levels, but the estradiol was ineffective in increasing synaptic density in the middle aged animals. Logistical regression confirmed a correlation between a decrease in synapses and increasing age but not estradiol treatment.
Construction of Knowledge Tests in Selected Physical Education Activities for College Women

Abstract In this study, knowledge tests suitable for use in the college women's instructional program were constructed for badminton, basketball, bowling, field hockey, softball, tennis, and volley ball. All tests consisted of four-choice multiple-choice type items. Tests were administered to students enrolled in colleges and universities throughout the United States. On the basis of an item analysis each test was revised. An analysis of the final form of each test indicated that they were all satisfactory measures of knowledge in their respective fields.
The effect of aging on glutathione and cysteine levels in different regions of the mouse brain.

A general glutathione (GSH) deficiency occurs in many tissues of the aging mouse. However, there is no information on GSH in the aging brain even though it has been involved in a number of neurobiologic reactions. To this end, C57BL/6 mice, 3-31 months old, representing the growth, maturation, and aging periods of the life-span were studied. Brain cortex, hippocampus, and stem samples were dissected, processed, and analyzed specifically for reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH, GSSG) and cyst(e)ine using high performance liquid chromatography with dual electrochemical detection. The GSH content of each brain region varied in the order brain cortex > brain hippocampus > brainstem. However, the GSH profiles of all regions were the same through the life-span, namely, high values during growth dropping to a maturation plateau and then decreasing 30% during aging. In contrast to GSH, the order of cysteine levels was brain cortex c brain hippocampus e brainstem and no life-span changes occurred in any region. In addition, the brain GSSG and cystine contents of all regions were very low and did not change during the life-span. Thus, the GSH loss was not accountable by oxidation to GSSG or degradation to cyst(e)ine. Altogether these results demonstrated a GSH deficiency in brain tissues of aging mice like that found previously in other tissues. These findings suggest an increased susceptibility of the aging brain to oxidative damage. (P.S.E.B.M. 1989, Vol 1901
Preparedness planning for pandemic influenza among large US maternity hospitals.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the state of pandemic influenza preparedness and to delineate commonly reported challenges among a sample of larger US national maternity hospitals. This was done given the recent emphasis on hospital disaster planning and the disproportionate morbidity and mortality that pregnant women have suffered in previous influenza pandemics. An internet-based survey was sent to all 12 members of the Council of Women’s and Infants’ Specialty Hospitals. Questions addressed hospital demographics and overall pandemic preparedness planning, including presence of a pandemic planning committee and the existence of written plans addressing communications, surge capacity, degradation of services, and advance supply planning. Nine of 12 (75%) hospitals responded. All had active pandemic planning committees with identified leadership. The majority (78%) had written formal plans regarding back-up communications, surge/overflow capacity, and degradation of services. However, fewer (44%) reported having written plans in place regarding supply-line/stockpiling of resources. The most common challenges noted were staff and supply coordination, ethical distribution of limited medical resources, and coordination with government agencies. In conclusion, the majority of the Council of Women’s and Infants’ Specialty Hospitals maternity hospitals have preliminary infrastructure for pandemic influenza planning, but many challenges exist to optimize maternal and fetal outcomes during the next influenza pandemic. (Published: 27 March 2009) Citation: Emerging Health Threats Journal 2009, 2 :e2. doi: 10.3134/ehtj.09.002
HSV-1 amplicon peptide display vector.

There are significant uses for expressing foreign peptide epitopes in viral surface attachment proteins in terms of investigating viral targeting, biology, and immunology. HSV-1 attachment, followed by fusion and entry, is mediated in large part by the binding of viral surface glycoproteins to cell surface receptors, primarily through heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycan residues. We constructed a HSV-1 amplicon plasmid (pCONGA) carrying the gC primary attachment protein gene with unique restriction sites flanking the HS binding domain (HSBD) (residues 33–176) to allow rapid, high efficiency substitution with foreign peptide domains. To test this system, a His tag with an additional unique restriction site (for selection and assay digests) was recombined into the pCONGA HSBD site to create pCONGAH. Infection of pCONGAH transfected Vero cells with HSV-1 helper virus (gCΔ2-3 or hrR3) produced His-modified gC as demonstrated by western blot analysis with co-localization of anti-gC and anti-His tag antibodies to a protein of appropriate molecular weight (50 kd). As CONGA and CONGAH amplicons carry a GFP transgene and the gCΔ2-3 and hrR3 viruses carry a lacZ transgene, vector stocks produced from 1×105 Vero cells could be titered for competent vector on cell monolayers and were demonstrated to contain 2×105 amplicon vector transducing units (t.u.)/ml and 1×107 virus t.u./ml. As the amplicon plasmids also contain the neomycin resistance gene (neor), long term vector producer cell lines were created using G418 selection. This amplicon system provides means to rapidly and efficiently generate HSV-1 amplicon and viral vector expressing surface attachment proteins modified with different peptide epitopes for investigational and therapeutic uses, with the advantages of an amplicon plasmid that can be used with interchangeable helper virus vectors, is designed specifically for easy manipulation, and carries GFP and neor transgenes for marker and selection functions.
Mechanical simulation of the human mandible with and without an endosseous implant

Abstract Clinical research has demonstrated that a high remodelling rate for cortical bone exists around a rigid endosseous implant. This phenomenon may be regulated by change in the mechanical environment. 3D finite element models of the human mandible with and without an endosseous implant have been created to investigate the mechanical environment adjacent to the left retromolar area where the ipsilateral implant was located. A bite force of 100 N was applied in the left premolar region. The mechanical environment before and after implantation were computed. The environment was characterized by the following parameters: the principal stresses, dilatational stress, and von Mises stress. The changes in these parameters due to the implantation were calculated. The results showed that the mechanical environment adjacent to the implant changed drastically due to the implant. The major changes in the mechanical parameters occurred adjacent to the bone—implant interface at the bony surface. The changes of the distribution of the mechanical parameters due to implantation were different. Implantation effects were local, and did not alter the overall mechanical environment.
No experience necessary

The Nth Country experiment showed that three post-docs with no nuclear knowledge could design a working atom bomb.
Expert visual guidance of ultrasound for telemedicine

Expert visual guidance (EVG) is computer assistance that displays to the examiner how the image plane moves towards (or away from) a desired anatomical location as the ultrasound probe is manipulated over the patient's body. We tested whether EVG by a remote expert could assist inexperienced examiners in acquiring abdominal ultrasound images. The inexperienced examiners were 20 medical students, who were randomly assigned to verbal instruction alone (Group 1) or to EVG (Group 2). The examiners were tested on their ability to visualize the abdominal aorta and the right kidney. Group 2 was more successful in identifying specified anatomy in longitudinal and cross-sectional views of the aorta (95 vs. 75%, P = 0.032) and kidney (98 vs. 88%, P = 0.09). The groups succeeded equally well in obtaining a true cross-sectional view of the aorta. Kidney length was also similar when measured by the two groups. The results demonstrate that an inexperienced ultrasonographer can be significantly assisted by EVG compared to verbal instruction alone. This could be useful for tele-mentoring in rural hospitals as well as for teaching, both in person and at a remote site.
Automated Viral Plaque Counting Using Image Segmentation and Morphological Analysis

Manual counting of viral plaques is a tedious and labor-intensive process. In this paper, an efficient and economical method is proposed for automating viral plaque counting via image segmentation and various morphological operations. The method first segments a plate image into individual well images. Then, it converts each well image into a binary image and creates a new image by merging the dilated binary image and the complement image of the eroded binary image. At last, the contour hierarchy of the merged image is obtained and the plaque count is calculated by evaluating each outer contour count and its inner contour counts. Experiment results showed that the counting accuracy for the proposed method is up to 90 percent and the average processing time for a single image is about one second. An open source implementation with optional graphical user interface is available for public use.
Stochastic Performance Assessment and Sizing for a Hybrid Power System of Solar/Wind/Energy Storage

This paper proposes a stochastic framework for optimal sizing and reliability analysis of a hybrid power system including the renewable resources and energy storage system. Uncertainties of wind power, photovoltaic (PV) power, and load are stochastically modeled using autoregressive moving average (ARMA). A pattern search-based optimization method is used in conjunction with a sequential Monte Carlo simulation (SMCS) to minimize the system cost and satisfy the reliability requirements. The SMCS simulates the chronological behavior of the system and calculates the reliability indices from a series of simulated experiments. Load shifting strategies are proposed to provide some flexibility and reduce the mismatch between the renewable generation and heating ventilation and air conditioning loads in a hybrid power system. Different percentages of load shifting and their potential impacts on the hybrid power system reliability/cost analysis are evaluated. Using a compromise-solution method, the best compromise between the reliability and cost is realized for the hybrid power system.
Fate and Effect of Endotoxin Derivatives in Tumor-Bearing Mice

Summary1. A toxic endotoxin, its nontoxic chemical derivative called endotoxoid, and endotoxic glycolipids were tested in tumor-hemorrhage and lethality assays in tumor-bearing mice. All three materials were active in the tumor-hemorrhage assay. This indicates that neither toxicity nor the presence of O-antigenic polysaccharides is necessary to induce tumor hemorrhage.2. No evidence of a direct action of endotoxin on tumors or of altered reticuloendothelial function could be obtained by the fluorescein antibody technique, which was used to detect the presence of endotoxin preparations in the different tissues.3. Basic amines such as putrescine, spermine, and cadaverine, found in incompletely purified endotoxin preparations, and vasoactive agents such as histamine and serotonin could not duplicate the hemorrhagic activity of the endotoxic materials.4. The tumor-bearing state increases the susceptibility of mice to the lethal action of all three materials.5. Various inbred mouse strains, with or without tum...
Two extralogical uses of the principle of induction

have the result that almost all the supposedly true sentences which are being analyzed will be made to have a probability that approaches zero; and even if we did assume such an analyst, no one would be able to recognize his analyses as being correct. We can now conclude that if an infinite analysis can be successful in principle the criteria of analysis must be considerably weakened. The analyst cannot hold both that his analysis avoids the difficulties we have mentioned and that he is analyzing the meaning of a particular sentence uttered by someone. The difficulty is not just that the analysis is too long to complete in practice, but, more important, that there is no set of rules for constructing it on the basis of anyone's actual knowledge.
Electrically Short Monopole Antenna Response in an Ionized Air Environment - Determination of Ionized Air Conductivity

The response of an electrically short, gamma thin, monopole antenna to an electric field in an ionized air environment has been measured, and can, under conditions discussed in the paper, be described with a surprisingly simple equivalent circuit. If conduction current is significant compared to displacement current, the response of the electrically short antenna is very sensitive to air conductivity. Such a condition exists in the AURORA flash X-ray facility test cell, and the monopole response yields quantitative information about ionized air conductivity.
Processing Thermoplastic Composites in a Press and by Tape Laying—Experimental Results

Tests were conducted to validate the thermoplastic manufacturing process models described by Mantell and Springer. In the tests, APC-2 graphite/PEEK plates were fabricated both in a press and with a specially constructed tape laying apparatus. The tem perature, intimate contact and bonding inside the plates were measured. The data agreed well with the results of the model.
Hypertrophic lichen planus in positive patients: A histologic immunological study

It is well known that several dermatoses, such as psoriasis vulgaris and seborrheic dermatitis, present with more extensive and severe disease in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Except for one report, however, lichen planus (LP) has not been described in patients with HIV infection. In this report we describe the clinical and morphological features of 3 HIV-positive patients who presented with extensive hypertrophic LP. To determine if alteration in the immune status in HIV-positive hosts is reflected in the nature of the infiltrate in LP, we determined the proportion of T-helper and T-suppressor cells in the infiltrate in 1 case. The majority of the infiltrating lymphocytes in the dermis were of the T-helper phenotype. Epidermal lymphocytes, however, were predominantly of the T-suppressor phenotype. We conclude that LP in HIV-positive hosts may present with more extensive disease than in immunocompetent hosts. Based on our immunohistochemical studies, we conclude that, similar to immuonocompetent hosts, T-helper cells are the predominant cells in the dermal infiltrate of LP in HIV-positive patients. However, in contrast with reports in the literature on LP in immunocompetent hosts, we found that, in the case studied, the epidermal lymphocytes were predominantly of the T-suppressor phenotype.
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF FISCAL POLICY

We describe a theory of the collective choice of fiscal policy in dynamic economies that are subject to aggregate shocks. The theory incorporates realistically complex policy spaces, rational forward-looking agents, and a rich political decision process. We argue that it provides a tractable framework to study a variety of important questions in macroeconomics and public finance. (JEL: E62, H63, D79)
Not Just Inductive: A Critical Mechanical Role for the Endoderm During Heart Tube Assembly

The heart is the first functioning organ to form during development. Similar to other organ primordia, the embryonic heart forms as a simple tube — in this case, a straight muscle-wrapped tube situated on the ventral side of the embryo. During gastrulation, the cardiac progenitors reside in the lateral plate mesoderm but maintain close contact with the underlying endoderm. In amniotes, these bilateral heart fields are initially organized as a pair of flat epithelia that move toward the embryonic midline and fuse above the anterior intestinal portal (AIP) to form the heart tube. This medial motion is typically attributed to active mesodermal migration over the underlying endoderm. In this view, the role of the endoderm is two-fold: to serve as a mechanically passive substrate for the crawling mesoderm and to secrete various growth factors necessary for cardiac specification and differentiation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Ultrafast nonlinear optical studies of silicon nanowaveguides.

Results of a self-consistent ultrafast study of nonlinear optical properties of silicon nanowaveguides using heterodyne pump-probe technique are reported. The two-photon absorption coefficient and free-carrier absorption effective cross-section were determined to be 0.68cm/GW, and 1.9x10−17 cm2, respectively and the Kerr coefficient and free-carrier-induced refractive index change 0.32x10−13 cm2/W, and −5.5x10−21 cm3, respectively. The effects of the proton bombardment on the linear loss and the carrier lifetime of the devices were also studied. Carrier lifetime reduction from 330ps to 33ps with a linear loss of only 14.8dB/cm was achieved using a proton bombardment level of 1015/cm2.
A biodegradable testosterone microcapsule formulation provides uniform eugonadal levels of testosterone for 10-11 weeks in hypogonadal men.

Limitations of presently available testosterone esters (enanthate and cypionate) include the fluctuating serum testosterone levels and the need for relatively frequent injections (every 10-21 days). These limitations of testosterone esters have prompted the development of more physiological and longer acting systems for androgen delivery. This paper reports pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data with a second generation long-acting testosterone microcapsule formulation in hypogonadal men. This was a single dose, open label, nonrandomized study. Ten hypogonadal men with primary (n = 6) or secondary (n = 4) hypogonadism, otherwise in good health, received 630 mg microencapsulated testosterone in dextran solution (IM) on day 1. Serum total and free testosterone; LH; FSH; dihydrotesterone; estradiol; sex hormone-binding globulin; total cholesterol; high, low, and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol; triglycerides; and apoprotein-AII and -B were measured on multiple occasions during the 2-week control p...