cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of intracellular vesicles in neonatal and adult erythrocytes: evidence against the concept of neonatal hyposplenism.

ABSTRACT: Intraerythrocytic vesicles accumulate in the peripheral blood as a result of impaired clearance of these intracellular inclusions by the spleen. The observation that neonates demonstrate an increased percentage of erythrocytes containing these vesicles constitutes the primary evidence supporting the concept that the newborn is functionally hyposplenic. Neonatal erythrocytes also demonstrate an increased propensity to undergo a variety of endocytic processes. We therefore questioned whether the increase in red cell vesicles in the neonate might be the result of increased vesicle formation as opposed to impaired splenic clearance. Newborn and adult erythrocytes were incubated in vitro in synthetic medium at 37° C. Several parameters confirmed the maintenance of physiologic conditions, including levels of erythrocyte phosphate metabolites monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance. The acquisition of intraerythrocytic vesicles during the course of these incubations was compared. Over a period of 144 h, 19.2% of neonatal erythrocytes acquired vesicles compared to 3.7% of the adult cells (p < 0.001). The increase in vesicles was greater in younger density-separated erythrocytes in both the neonate (37.6%, p < 0.0005) and the adult (10.3%, p < 0.002), but persisted even in the oldest erythrocytes (12.2% and 2.4%, respectively). We conclude that the increase in erythrocytic vesicles in the neonate may not simply be an indication of hyposplenism, but a reflection of increased vesicle formation which overwhelms the clearance capability of the spleen.
Homocarnosine and the measurement of neuronal pH in patients with epilepsy

Homocarnosine is a dipeptide of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and histidine found uniquely in the brain, most likely in a subclass of GABAergic neurons. By comparison of spectra from the occipital lobe of patients receiving a homocarnosine elevation drug to normal subjects we have assigned two elevated resonances in the short TE 1 H MRS spectrum to homocarnosine. These resonances are partially resolved at 7.05 and 8.02 ppm in a short TE spectrum at 2.1 T when macromolecule resonances are removed by subtraction of a spectrum in which the metabolite resonances are nulled by inversion recovery. The chemical shift of both of these resonances is sensitive to pH,. By comparison with a titration curve the pH i was calculated from the downfield resonance to be 7.06 in the patient group which is similar to values reported using the P i resonance. Based on the in vivo results and theoretical considerations the potential sensitivity for using nonelevated homocarnosine to measure pH is similar to that of P i under physiological conditions.
Kinetic enrichment of hydrogen at interfaces and voids by dislocation sweep-in of hydrogen

A rigorous treatment is presented to answer the question of whether the dislocation sweep-in of hydrogen can result in enrichment of hydrogen at voids and boundaries. It is concluded that significant enrichment can occur in both low and high hydrogen diffusivity situations whether the enrichment is contributed by a dislocation annihilation process or by stripping of hydrogen atoms from dislocations by the internal traps. The model presented is based on enrichment controlled by long-range diffusion. It calculates the diffusion leakage current for the case where unsaturated trap interfaces simultaneously fill and leak hydrogen atoms into the matrix by diffusion, and compares this amount with the arrival current of hydrogen to the traps by dislocation sweep-in. The relative magnitudes of the two currents are found to depend on appropriate, calculable time constant values. These values are evaluated for physical situations of interest.
Maximum window-to-wall ratio of a thermally autonomous building as a function of envelope U-value and ambient temperature amplitude

Abstract In two earlier papers we proposed a process assumption - based design method, one aim of which is the determination of the thermal requirement of a building by investigating the building functioning as a dynamic thermal system. The principal constraint of that determination is the building indoor temperature range to be no more than 2 °C. In this paper we focus on the thermal requirement of maximum WWR (window-to-wall ratio) allowed by the constraint as a function of envelope U -value and ambient temperature amplitude. Seven US cities are studied to represent a range of ambient temperature amplitudes. As the window part of a building’s envelope is a prominent architectural feature of the building, WWR and its allowed maximum in terms of thermal autonomy are the signature/reflection of local ambient temperature amplitude and the variety of envelopes of building stock in each locality. Such signal characteristics are otherwise referred to as regional architecture.
Langerhans' cell histiocytosis

The histiocytic syndromes are a diverse, poorly understood group of diseases with protean clinical manifestations. Two major categories of histiocytosis have been established: Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) and non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. The focus of this monograph is LCH, a rare disease that includes Letterer-Siwe syndrome, Hand-Schuller-Christian syndrome, and eosinophilic granuloma. Letterer-Siwe syndrome is usually an aggressive disease of infants associated with severe constitutional symptoms and a poor prognosis. Hand-Schuller-Christian syndrome consists of the triad of exophthalmos, diabetes insipidus, and membranous bone lesions and is often associated with a chronic course. Eosinophilic granuloma is usually associated with a benign course and osseous involvement alone. The various clinical manifestations of this heterogeneous disease are carefully reviewed. The Langerhans' cell (LC) is the pathognomonic cell of LCH, and its presence in involved tissue is the common pathologic finding that links together these clinically disparate syndromes and establishes the diagnosis of LCH. The morphologic, histochemical, and functional aspects of normal LCs and LCH cells are fully reviewed as are the histologic features of LCH in different tissue sites. The pathogenesis of LCH remains poorly understood, despite numerous investigative efforts and much speculation about the potential causes of this disease. We review here the extensive immunologic testing of patients with LCH that has been performed. Viral infection and malignancy have also been postulated as potential mechanisms in LCH, and the indirect evidence for these mechanisms is discussed. Evaluation of the patient with LCH is best begun with staging because this provides a framework for prognosis in this highly variable disease. On the basis of retrospective studies, multiple staging systems have been proposed, and these are detailed. The differential diagnosis of LCH in skin is emphasized, and specific guidelines for initial evaluation are outlined. The treatment of patients with LCH should involve careful consideration of its likely natural history in the individual patient because a benign course and spontaneous remission are often likely. In severe disease, radiotherapy, immunosuppressive therapy, or chemotherapy may be indicated. Experience with these modalities lacks the benefit of randomized, controlled, prospective trials; therefore it is often anecdotal. With these considerations in mind, we enumerate here the primary treatment regimens used in LCH and highlight their potential complications. Since the original description of LCH 100 years ago, investigative efforts have brought us closer to understanding its immunobiology, but many questions remain unanswered. With continued investigation there may be better understanding and more effective treatment of LCH in the future.
Energy scales and diffraction scattering

The influence of thresholds on models of diffraction scattering is considered. We use the experimental existence of effective inelastic diffraction and baryon-antibaryon thresholds to conjecture a relationship between the bare Pomeron ${P}^{G}$, of the Gribov calculus, the bare Pomeron ${P}^{E}$ of recent fits to Fermilab-CERN-ISR elastic data, and a bare Pomeron $\stackrel{^}{P}$ of intercept ${\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{0}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.85$ utilized in medium-energy two-body and high-energy inclusive phenomenology. A set of energy scales is set up describing approximate regions of validity of various models for diffraction, including the Gribov calculus. An iterative approximation scheme to the $s$- and $t$-channel unitarity equations at small $t$ and large $s$ is described.
A comparison of nerve grafting and tissue expansion techniques in the rat.

This study compares nerve repair following tissue expansion with nerve repair using an interposed graft in the rat. Group I had expansion conducted over 2 weeks at 40 mmHg. A 4 mm segment was excised from the lengthened nerve and repaired primarily. Group II had a 4 mm segment of nerve excised and then replaced as an interposition graft. Group III was sham-operated controls. Thirteen weeks postoperatively, all animals were evaluated using walking track analysis. Thirty-five rats finished the study: Eleven in group 1, 10 in group II, and 14 in group III. The Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) was calculated for each group as follows: group l, −57 ± 11 (mean ± standard deviation); group II, −59 ± 25; group III, −13 ± 6.5. The control group was significantly better than either experimental group (P < 0.01). The two experimental groups were not statistically different. Nerve repair following expansion allowed only one coaptation to be used. Functional results were the same as with interposition grafting. Repair by the expansion technique would eliminate the need to harvest a nerve graft, and the subsequent donor defect. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Case Study to Select an Optimal Split-Plot Design for a Mixture-Process Experiment Based on Multiple Objectives

This article considers a case study of a mixture-process experiment that seeks an SPD with a good balance of precise model coefficient estimates as measured by D-efficiency and low experimental cost.
Tidal salt marsh restoration

Abstract Coastal salt marshes occur in the intertidal zone of moderate to low energy shorelines along estuaries, bays and tidal rivers. They have ecological value in primary production, nutrient cycling, as habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife and in stabilizing shorelines. Disturbance by development activities has resulted in the destruction or degradation of many marshes. Awareness of this loss by scientists and the public has led to an interest in restoration or creation of marshes to enhance estuarine ecosystems. Recovery of marshes after human perturbation such as dredging, discharges of wastes and spillage of petroleum products or other toxic chemicals is often slow under natural conditions and can be accelerated by replanting vegetation. The basic techniques and procedures have been worked out for the propagation of several marsh angiosperms. Factors which affect successful revegetation include elevation of the site in relation to tidal regime, slope, exposure to wave action, soil chemical and physical characteristics, nutrient supply, salinity and availability of viable propagules of the appropriate plant species. Marsh restoration technology has been applied at a variety of locations to vegetate intertidal dredged material disposal sites, stabilize shorelines, mitigate damage to natural marshes and to revegetate one marsh destroyed by an oil spill. Contractual services for marsh establishment are now available in some regions. Further research is needed to determine the success of marsh restoration and creation in terms of ecological function, including the faunal component.
Explicit and Recursive Calculation of Potential and Actual Evapotranspiration

The explicit combination method (ECM; Penman, 1948) to calculate potential evapotranspiration (ETp) is a physically based model using standard climatological data. It is based on an assumption regarding the temperature and humidity at the evaporating surface that is not made in a recursive combination method (RCM; Budyko, 1958). Our objective was to compare the two methods by calculating values of ETp and of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) using hourly weather data collected on 45 d during the warm season in Lubbock, TX. Results show that on hot summer days ECM underestimated the daily value of ETp and of ETa by as much as 25% compared with RCM. The proposed RCM procedure is based on the same physical principles as ECM, but uses iteration to find an accurate answer. It can easily be used with commercially available mathematical software that has proven to be stable. The RCM needs experimental verification before implementation for crop irrigation. T HE TERM POTENTIAL EVAPOTRANSPIRATION, due to Thornthwaite (1948), stands for the maximum rate of water loss by evaporation from the land surface under given atmospheric conditions. The ETa represents values of evapotranspiration (ET) that, applied to well-watered agricultural crops, facilitate the planning and efficient use of water in crop production. It takes account of the role of leaf stomata in causing ETa to be less than ETp. Historically, the methods of relating ETp to weather parameters were empirical and lacked general validity. However, Penman (1948) and Budyko (1958) independently proposed methods to calculate ETp based on known physical principles and standard climatological data, commonly referred to as the combination method. The solution was obtained by combining the equations for the transport of water vapor and sensible heat from or to the land surface with an expression for the radiative energy balance of that surface. For reviews of methods to calculate ETp, see Sellers (1965) and Brutsaert (1982). Penman (1948) derived an explicit equation for ETp by making the assumption that the ratio between the temperature gradient between the surface and the air above and the corresponding humidity gradient, given saturation at the surface, would equal the value of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation at the ambient air temperature. The object of this assumption was the elimination of the surface temperature from the set of equations used in the calculation of ETp (Milly, 1991). However,
An Intertemporal Cross‐Section Analysis of Economies of Scale in Mexican Manufacturing

Utilizing data from quinquennial industrial censuses for the period 1960-1975, this study examines economies of scale in a number of Mexico's manufacturing industries. A cross-sectional approach is used to estimate production functions by industry for each of four industrial censuses. In contrast to findings of relatively constant returns to scale for the United States, the Mexican data reveal substantial economies of scale at both the beginning and the end of the study period, suggesting that further opportunities for reduction in long-run costs exist. The resultant policy implications are that measures which promote larger scale manufacturing (incentives for expanded domestic production, export promotion, and selected tariff preferences) will speed up both short-term recovery and long-term growth of the Mexican economy. It is desirable, however, that these policies be harmonized with other designed to reduce the environmental contamination and congestion that has accompanied Mexico's industrial development.
Animal trampling effects on soil physical properties of two Southeastern U.S. Ultisols.

Abstract Animal trampling can affect soil productivity. Several selected soil physical properties and plant growth indicators thought to be affected by animal trampling were measured in three experiments ranging over 8 years. Crops studied included alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), and soybeans (Glycine max) following wheat (Triticum aestivum) or rye (Secale cereale). Stocking rates for the experiments ranged from 5 to 18 animals ha−1. Cone penetrometer measurements were consistently higher in grazed areas than in areas protected from grazing. Other physical parameters (infiltration rate, bulk density, water release curve) measurements were sometimes significantly influenced by trampling. Natural densification explained increased bulk densities within protected areas. Trampling altered surface soil structure; however, productivity (root biomass, forage growth) was not significantly reduced.
Characteristics and Possible Visual Consequences of Photopsias as Vision Measures Are Reduced in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Photopsias are simple visual phenomena consisting of unformed, geometric patterns or phosphenes. Patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) have described these phenomena as widespread flickering, pulsating, or shimmering lights; snow on a television screen (static noise); fluorescence, quick flashes of light; shapes resembling semicircles; or slow-moving, localized dots (which may move as a consequence of slow eye movements).1–3 Vision loss in RP is typically portrayed as consisting of nightblindness and visual field constriction, whereas the presence of photopsias as an additional visual disturbance is usually not considered by clinicians and researchers. Perhaps this is because, to date, little is known regarding how photopsias may affect RP patients depending on the degree of vision loss and whether photopsias interfere with visual function. These aspects may be important to consider during vision testing or in relation to RP patients' quality of life. The findings of our previous research using an Internet-based online survey suggested that the location of photopsias in RP was related to disease severity.3 Respondents were significantly more likely to report that their photopsias were located mostly peripherally versus centrally when they reported less difficulty with activities of daily living, such as reading, driving, and mobility. Although the survey was cross-sectional, the results supported the possibility that photopsias may start in the periphery early in RP and then later appear in more central areas, when reported deficits in visual function occur. The conclusions that could be inferred from this preliminary study were further limited by the anonymous nature of the survey, since we could not verify the respondents' RP diagnosis or vision measures through their medical records. Recently, we studied a new group of individuals with a confirmed RP diagnosis to elucidate the characteristics of photopsias in relation to standard vision tests. In particular, we wanted to quantify the amount of central and peripheral vision loss that was associated with subjects' cross-sectionally reported location of photopsias, changes in photopsia brightness or frequency over time, awareness of photopsias, and whether interference with vision was related to any of the characteristics of photopsias.
Biplane Color Flow Duplex Intravenous Intravascular Ultrasound for Arterial Visualization

Purpose:To describe a feasibility study in a sheep model using an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) instrument in an intravenous position to produce color flow, B-mode images of arterial segments along with Doppler blood flow velocities.Methods:Four healthy adult male sheep were anesthetized for surgical exposure of the right external jugular vein. A 9.0F sheath was also introduced in the common femoral artery for arteriography and device insertion. A 7.5-MHz ultrasound probe with 1-cm graduation markers was passed into the jugular vein. B-mode and color flow pictures were captured at aortic branches in cross and longitudinal sections. Length measurements between aortic branches and Doppler spectral velocities were obtained. Guidewire, balloon, and stent maneuvers were monitored by the stationary intravenous IVUS probe.Results:High-quality visualization of the entire abdominal aorta and its branches was achieved in all animals. With the probe stationary in the vena cava, a 1.5-cm linear segment of the aorta...
Bulk-like structure of diamond ?111?

Abstract A LEED (low-energy electron diffraction) intensity analysis of C {111} 1 × 1 (diamond) has given good agreement with a surface structure which has bulk positions with small relaxation of the first interlayer spacing for both insulating and semiconducting specimens. The truncated-bulk character of C{111} 1 × 1 gives support to the previously determined bulk-like structure of stabilized Si{111} 1 × 1, and casts doubt on the disordered 7 × 7 structure suggested for the stabilized 1 × 1 phase by interpretation of photoemission measurements. In both cases rather than doubt the LEED structure, one can doubt the interpretation of the photoemission measurements.
Chromatin reader L(3)mbt requires the Myb–MuvB/DREAM transcriptional regulatory complex for chromosomal recruitment

Lethal malignant brain tumors (lmbt) result from the loss of the conserved transcriptional repressor l(3)mbt, in Drosophila melanogaster. Similar mutations in the human homolog L3MBTL1 correlate with some cancers. The protein’s C-terminal MBT repeats bind mono and dimethylated histones in vitro, which could influence recruitment of L3MBTL1 to its target sites. The L(3)mbt chromatin targeting mechanism, however, is controversial and several studies suggest insufficiency or a minor role for histone methylation in determining the site specificity for recruitment. We report that L(3)mbt colocalizes with core members of the Myb–MuvB/DREAM (MMB/DREAM) transcriptional regulatory complex genome-wide, and that L(3)mbt-mediated repression requires this complex in salivary glands and larval brains. Loss of l(3)mbt or of MMB components through mutation cause similar spurious expression of genes, including the transposon regulatory gene piwi, in terminally differentiated cells. The DNA-binding MMB core component Mip120 (Lin54) is required for L(3)mbt recruitment to chromosomes, whereas Mip130 (Lin9) (an MMB core protein) and E2f2 (an MMB transcriptional repressor) are not, but are essential for repression. Cytolocalization experiments suggest the presence of site-specific differential composition of MMB in polytene chromosomes where some loci were bound by a Myb-containing or alternatively, an E2f2 and L(3)mbt form of the complex.
Linear dependence in least squares analysis, with an application to internal rotation

Abstract The technique of fitting experimental results to many-parameter formulas by least squares is reviewed, with reference to the occurrence of linear dependences in the normal equations. The two common tests for linear dependence, the correlation coefficients and the eigenvalues of the normal matrix, are discussed. It is shown that the latter can be made more precise by scaling the parameters in a prescribed way, and that a more accurate and informative least squares technique is thereby gained. The “smallness” and the numerical accuracy of eigenvalues of the normal matrix are defined in terms of the number of figures carried in the calculation. It is pointed out that because the normal matrix contains theoretical quantities only, considerable information can be obtained numerically about the features of a problem without requiring any actual experimental measurements. The least squares techniques are applied to the microwave spectrum of methyl alcohol, and an exact and a near linear dependence are shown to arise. The form of the exact dependence, involving the important barrier terms V3 and V6 and applicable to all molecules, is given theoretically. It is shown that the near dependence would be removed by a wider range of microwave data, and that it is much less severe if infrared data are included in the least squares fit.
The Impact of Unions on Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover

Conclusion The research on the exit-voice hypothesis, both in the United States and abroad, shows convincingly that most of the variance in the negative union effect on job satisfaction can be accounted for by job quality, industrial relation climate, and wages. Union members see their jobs as less attractive than do nonunion workers in terms of skill requirements, task complexity, the amount of autonomy or discretion available, and opportunities for promotion. Union members also perceive the supervision they receive and the labor-management relations they experience as less satisfactory. They are, however, clearly better off with respect to wages, benefits, and pensions. But when it comes to job satisfaction, the economic advantages of union jobs are not sufficient to compensate for job content and work environment factors. It comes as no surprise to the job satisfaction researcher that job content — the nature of the tasks people are given to do — weighs heavily in overall job satisfaction scores. While there are individual differences in the degree to which people prefer intrinsically interesting jobs, there is ample empirical evidence showing that autonomy, skill variety, complexity, challenge, and advancement are important determinants of people's affective reactions to their jobs (Deci, 1975; Hackman and Oldham, 1980; Kanfer, 1990). The relative importance of job content factors to overall job satisfaction is also mirrored in the most commonly used measures of job satisfaction (Weiss et al., 1967).
Yasui Kaoru: citizen-scholar in war and peace

As the leader of Japan's ban-the-bomb movement in the 1950s and 1960s, scholar-activist Yasui Kaoru achieved international prominence for his promotion of grassroots anti-nuclear pacifism. Yet from his position as Professor of International Law at Tokyo Imperial University in the 1930s and 1940s, Yasui contributed to the formation of official cultural policy in occupied China and called on intellectuals to support Japan's wartime government. Although he later came to regret his naivety in collaborating with the wartime government's policies of military expansion, he never disowned the sincerity of his efforts to ameliorate the worst excesses of Japanese imperialism and help it fulfill the promise of true liberation for East Asia. Yasui subscribed to a philosophy of the scholar as politically engaged intellectual. This analysis of his writings on civic activism and his discipline's epistemologically problematic incorporation of politics into its practice suggests that Yasui was what he insisted he was: a l...
On the number of maximal subgroups of a finite solvable group

For a finite solvable group G and prime number p, we use elementary methods to obtain an upper bound for \({\mathfrak {m}_{p}(G)}\) , defined as the number of maximal subgroups of G whose index in G is a power of p. From this we derive an upper bound on the total number of maximal subgroups of a finite solvable group in terms of its order. This bound improves existing bounds, and we identify conditions on the order of a finite solvable group under which this bound is best possible.
Matching daily healthcare provider capacity to demand in advanced access scheduling systems

Advanced access scheduling, introduced in the early 1990s, is reported to significantly improve the performance of outpatient clinics. The successful implementation of advanced access scheduling requires the match of daily healthcare provider capacity with patient demand. In this paper, for the first time a closed-form approach is presented to determine the optimal percentage of open-access appointments to match daily provider capacity to demand. This paper introduces the conditions for the optimal percentage of open-access appointments and the procedure to find the optimal percentage. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the optimal percentage of open-access appointments to provider capacity, no-show rates, and demand distribution is investigated. Our results demonstrate that the optimal percentage of open-access appointments mainly depends on the ratio of the average demand for open-access appointments to provider capacity and the ratio of the show-up rates for prescheduled and open-access appointments.
Acoustical measurements of aerosol particle size and concentration

Abstract A method of measuring mean particle size and concentration in aerosols based on the theory for particulate attenuation and dispersion of sound is presented. The method is demonstrated by measurements of attenuation and dispersion of sound by a nonvolatile aerosol the properties of which are determined independently by means of light scattering experiments.
Effect of vitamin K-dependent protein precursor propeptide, vitamin K hydroquinone, and glutamate substrate binding on the structure and function of γ-glutamyl carboxylase

The γ-glutamyl carboxylase utilizes four substrates to catalyze carboxylation of certain glutamic acid residues in vitamin K-dependent proteins. How the enzyme brings the substrates together to promote catalysis is an important question in understanding the structure and function of this enzyme. The propeptide is the primary binding site of the vitamin K-dependent proteins to carboxylase. It is also an effector of carboxylase activity. We tested the hypothesis that binding of substrates causes changes to the carboxylase and in turn to the substrate-enzyme interactions. In addition we investigated how the sequences of the propeptides affected the substrate-enzyme interaction. To study these questions we employed fluorescently labeled propeptides to measure affinity for the carboxylase. We also measured the ability of several propeptides to increase carboxylase catalytic activity. Finally we determined the effect of substrates: vitamin K hydroquinone, the pentapeptide FLEEL, and NaHCO3, on the stability of the propeptide-carboxylase complexes. We found a wide variation in the propeptide affinities for carboxylase. In contrast, the propeptides tested had similar effects on carboxylase catalytic activity. FLEEL and vitamin K hydroquinone both stabilized the propeptide-carboxylase complex. The two together had a greater effect than either alone. We conclude that the effect of propeptide and substrates on carboxylase controls the order of substrate binding in such a way as to ensure efficient, specific carboxylation.
Activity level and hyperactivity in twins.

WILLERMAN, LEE. Activity Level and Hyperactivity in Twins. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1973, 44, 288-293. The mothers of 93 sets of same-sexed twins completed questionnaires on activity level and zygosity in their twins. Intraclass correlations for activity level in monozygotic twins (MZs) were substantially higher than for dizygotic twins (DZs). Among twin sets where at least 1 member scored in the hyperactive range on the questionnaire (upper 20%), MZ twins showed a high correlation for activity level while DZ twins showed no correlation. The results were interpreted as suggesting a substantial heritable component to activity level.
A one-drop cryoscope: The tonicity of frog and goldfish sera

Es wird eine einfache Modifikation eines Kryoskopes zur objektiven Messung von Gefrierpunktserniedrigungen im Bereiche von 20 µl beschrieben. Das Instrument eignet sich u.a. zur Bestimmung der Gefrierpunktserniedrigungen des Wirbeltierblutes.
DISTRIBUTION PATTERN OF HOSTS AND PARASITIZATION BY SPALANGIA DROSOPHILAE (HYMENOPTERA: PTEROMALIDAE)

Single females of Spalangia drosophilae Ashmead searching for 80 puparia of Hippelates collusor (Townsend), arranged in clumped or linear distributions, oviposited randomly producing equal numbers of progeny from cither host arrangement. Mixed groups of linear and clumped puparia caused changes in behavioral patterns that resulted in reduced progeny production, thus showing parasitization to be nonrandom. Host destruction was, nevertheless, greater in an all-clumped distribution, tile greater acceptance of clumped groups resulting in a greater number of progeny. Mixed groups involving a choice between linear or clumped distributions demonstrated the greater acceptance of clumped groups. Direct observation showed that the all-dumped distribution elicited the greatest overall initial attraction for hosts and subsequent movement to other areas. It was concluded that maximum host destruction resulted when completely random behavior was involved. A recognition of this, however, required a knowledge of behavior, host condition, and progeny production. The question of evaluating an exotic parasite’s effectiveness before introduction is discussed.
Analysis of optical and related properties of tin oxide thin films determined by Drude-Lorentz model

Abstract In this paper, optical parameters, such as refractive index n and extinction coefficient κ, of tin oxide thin films determined by fitting the measured and simulated optical reflectance spectra, are presented and analysed. Among the various classical dispersion relations for the dielectric function, we use the Drude model combined with the Lorentzian oscillators to get a good fit of R in the measured spectral range. Results on related parameters such as high frequency dielectric constant, plasma frequency, relaxation lifetime, electron density, film thickness and band gap are discussed. Pure tin oxide films deposited at different temperature exhibit the same reflectance behaviour in the entire range while antimony doped films exhibit a deep minimum of reflectance in the visible domain and a maximum in the infrared domain. The results show also that the refractive index and extinction coefficient of antimony-doped SnO 2 films increase with the increase of the Sb/Sn ratios. The dispersion of κ of doped films is higher than that the undoped ones in a wide photon energy spectral range while the dispersion of n exhibit an opposite behaviour. The high frequency dielectric constant e ∞ decreased with increasing percentages of Sb in SnO 2 and the optical band gap Eg depend on the doping amount. The deposited films present a great reflection in the NIR wavelength region which may originate from the fact that these layers contain many carriers resulting in a large nonstochiometry in the chemical composition. The optically determined film thickness agrees with that obtained by ellipsometry.
Synthesis and electrochemistry of late transition metal complexes containing 1,1′-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ferrocene (dcpf). The X-ray structure of [PdCl2(dcpf)] and Buchwald–Hartwig catalysis using [PdCl2(bisphosphinometallocene)] precursors

Abstract The electrochemistry of 1,1′-bis(dicyclohexylylphosphino)ferrocene (dcpf) was examined in methylene chloride with tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate or tetrabutylammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate as the supporting electrolyte. The oxidation of dcpf is complicated by a follow-up reaction. Seven new complexes containing dcpf and one new compound containing 1,1′-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)ferrocene (dtbpf) were prepared and characterized. The new complexes were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry and the oxidation of these complexes occurred at a more positive potential than the free ligand. In addition, the X-ray structure of [PdCl2(dcpf)] was determined and compared to other palladium complexes containing bisphosphinometallocene ligands. Five different palladium complexes containing bisphosphinometallocene ligands were examined as catalyst precursors in Buchwald–Hartwig catalysis.
Preparation of bispecific antibodies by chemical recombination of monoclonal immunoglobulin G1 fragments

Preparation of bispecific antibodies by the chemical reassociation of monovalent fragments derived from monoclonal mouse immunoglobulin G1 is inefficient because of side reactions during reoxidation of the multiple disulfide bonds linking the heavy chains. These side reactions can be avoided by using specific dithiol complexing agents such as arsenite and effecting disulfide formation with a thiol activating agent such as 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). In this way bispecific antibodies were obtained in high yield and free of monospecific contaminants from monoclonal mouse immunoglobulin G1 fragments. The bispecific antibodies were used as agents for the selective immobilization of enzymes.
Bounding Surface Plasticity Model for Sands

Using bounding surface plasticity, a constitutive equation is constructed to simulate the nonlinear behaviors of loose and dense sands subjected to various types of loadings. The critical state, wh...
Supply chain simulation: distributed supply chain simulation using a generic job running framework

For supply chain performance simulation that involves aggregating results from multiple runs of the same underlying model, simulation iterations can be distributed to networked computing resources to achieve significant speedup. This paper presents a generic distributed job running framework that facilitates such high performance supply chain simulation. We first introduce a supply chain modeling and simulation tool developed by IBM Research, and summarize the strategy to enhance it. A closer look is then taken at a generic job running framework we designed and how it was used to bring the distributed simulation capability to the tool. After reviewing an ongoing effort to integrate the new tool with the IBM MathGrid environment, we conclude the paper with a brief discussion of our future work.
Suspected autoimmune disorders and left-handedness: evidence from individuals with diabetes. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Abstract This study tested the theory that left-handedness is associated with certain disorders that may have an autoimmune aetiology. To accomplish this, we compared the handedness patterns of people with either Type I of Type II diabetes, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis with a normal control group. Consistent with earlier findings, a significantly higher incidence of left-handedness was observed in people with either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. In addition, there was evidence that males with Type I diabetes were more likely to be left-handed than males with Type II diabetes.
Large Sulfur Isotope Fractionation Does Not Require Disproportionation

The composition of sulfur isotopes in sedimentary sulfides and sulfates traces the sulfur cycle throughout Earth’s history. In particular, depletions of sulfur-34 (34S) in sulfide relative to sulfate exceeding 47 per mil (‰) often serve as a proxy for the disproportionation of intermediate sulfur species in addition to sulfate reduction. Here, we demonstrate that a pure, actively growing culture of a marine sulfate-reducing bacterium can deplete 34S by up to 66‰ during sulfate reduction alone and in the absence of an extracellular oxidative sulfur cycle. Therefore, similar magnitudes of sulfur isotope fractionation in sedimentary rocks do not unambiguously record the presence of other sulfur-based metabolisms or the stepwise oxygenation of Earth’s surface environment during the Proterozoic.
Thyroxine content of eggs and larvae of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch

The whole-animal content of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4) was measured in embryonic and larval coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) by radioimmunoassay following the validation of an extraction method. The embryonic yolk, at 20 days after fertilization and 10 days before hatching, was found to have 5.3 ± 0.3 ng T4 (mean ± SEM). At hatching, the total T4 content decreased to 4.4 ± 0.3 ng, of which 96% remained in the yolk and 4% was distributed in the larva. T4 content decreased to 1.5 ± 0.1 ng during the 30 days of larval development. The first increases in T4 were detected within 2 weeks following emergence from the substrate of the actively feeding juvenile; the newly emerged salmon responds significantly to bovine TSH. The presence and clearance of T4 from the yolk suggest that T4 may be critical to normal larval morphogenesis, that initially the T4 is of maternal origin, and that the hypothalamo-adenohypophysial-thyroid axis begins to function independently at or near the time of emergence.
Non-heart-beating lung donors: yes or no?

Lung transplantation is a lifesaving therapy for selected patients with end-stage lung disease, but its application is severely constrained by a paucity of suitable donors. About 80% of donors have lungs that are deemed unsuitable for transplantation for a variety of reasons, including aspiration at the time of brain injury, neurogenic pulmonary edema, and adult respiratory distress syndrome developing as a consequence of other simultaneous injuries in patients who become multiple organ donors. Given that graft and patient 1-year survival rates for recipients of lung transplants are lower than those for any other transplanted solid organ, it is not surprising that lung transplant surgeons are often reluctant to implant lungs with less than favorable gas exchange characteristics. The shortage of lungs for trans-
Adsorption Kinetics and Isotherms: A Safe, Simple, and Inexpensive Experiment for Three Levels of Students

Adsorption kinetics and isotherms are taught to chemistry and engineering students and are important to understanding operations such as water pollution treatment, yet many students do not have the opportunity to perform a hands-on experiment that demonstrates the theory in a practical and tangible way. This paper describes an experiment that is inexpensive, safe, and visually conclusive and can be used for a variety of student audiences: non-science and non-engineering students, first-year engineering students, and upper-level engineering students. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms were examined through the dyeing of fabric. All students observed the dyed water becoming colorless, while the adsorbent darkens. Students used the spectrophotometer to measure dye concentrations as a function of time and found that the data followed the first-order process they learned in calculus. Upper-division students noted a systematic error in the first-order model and determined that a second-order model fits the proce...
Rapid Death during Cocaine Abuse: A Variant of the Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome?

A mechanism for rapid death in cocaine abusers is proposed based on the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). The mechanism involves decreased postsynaptic availability of dopamine either through direct receptor blockade, as postulated in classical NMS, or through relative dopamine depletion, as postulated in cocaine withdrawal. The hallmark symptoms of NMS include hyperpyrexia and muscular rigidity, but the cocaine associated syndrome is atypical in having minimal rigidity. This lack of muscle rigidity, however, appears to be consistent with NMS-like syndromes accompanying other conditions involving dopamine depletion rather than blockade. Treatment implications are that dopamine antagonists, which are usually prescribed for cocaine overdose, may be contraindicated and instead, dopamine agonists may reverse this rapidly fatal syndrome.
Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Activity in Acid by Tin-Oxide Supported Au Nanoparticle Catalysts

Gold nanoparticles supported on hydrous tin-oxide (Au-SnO{sub x}) are active for the four-electron oxygen reduction reaction in an acid electrolyte. The unique electrocatalytic of the Au-SnO is confirmed by the low amount of peroxide detected with rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry and Koutecky-Levich analysis. In comparison, 10 wt % Au supported on Vulcan carbon and SnO{sub x} catalysts both produce significant peroxide in the acid electrolyte, indicating only a two-electron reduction reaction. Characterization of the Au-SnO{sub x} catalyst reveals a high-surface area, amorphous support with 1.7 nm gold metal particles. The high catalytic activity of the Au-SnO is attributed to metal support interactions. The results demonstrate a possible path to non-Pt catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathodes.
Transcriptomic profiling of splenic B lymphomas spontaneously developed in B cell-specific TRAF3-deficient mice.

TRAF3, a critical regulator of B cell survival, was recently recognized as a tumor suppressor gene in B lymphocytes. Specific deletion of TRAF3 from B lymphocytes leads to spontaneous development of marginal zone lymphomas (MZL) or B1 lymphomas in mice. To identify novel oncogenes and tumor suppressive genes involved in malignant transformation of TRAF3-deficient B cells, we performed a microarray analysis to identify genes differentially expressed in TRAF3−/− mouse splenic B lymphomas. We have identified 160 up-regulated genes and 244 down-regulated genes in TRAF3−/−B lymphomas as compared to littermate control splenocytes. Here we describe the samples, quality control assessment, as well as the data analysis methods in detail for the transcriptomic profiling study. Data are archived at NIH GEO with accession number GSE48818.
Manipulation of the dopamine system affects fetal and neonatal responses to an artificial nipple

Rat fetuses respond to stimuli that they will encounter later while suckling. When exposed to an artificial nipple (AN) E21 fetuses show overall behavioral activation, mouthing, facial wiping, and oral grasping of the AN. The present experiments examined fetal and neonatal responses to the AN after central nervous system injection of receptor-binding drugs for the dopamine system. The D2 agonist drug quinpirole increased appetitive responses to the AN in the fetus and neonate. Activity at the D2 dopamine receptor promotes expression of fetal behavioral responses that are similar to those shown by the neonatal rat at the nipple. Motor responses also were elicited in neonatal pups that normally do not attach to the artificial nipple. These findings suggest that the dopamine system may regulate oral capture of the nipple in the neonatal rat.
Laminar Natural Convection in a Discretely Heated Cavity: I—Assessment of Three-Dimensional Effects

Two and three-dimensional calculations have been performed for laminar natural convection induced by a 3 X 3 array of discrete heat sources flush-mounted to one vertical wall of a rectangular cavity whose opposite wall was isothermally cooled. Edge effects predicted by the three-dimensional model yielded local and average Nusselt numbers that exceeded those obtained from the two-dimensional model, as well as average surface temperatures that were smaller than the two-dimensional predictions. For heater aspect ratios A htr ≤ 3, average Nusselt numbers increased with decreasing A htr . However, for A htr ≥ 3, the two and three-dimensional predictions were within 5 percent of each other and results were approximately independent of A htr .
Mechanical strength of poly(methyl methacrylate) cement‐human bone interfaces

A device was constructed to test the interfacial strength of PMMA-based bone cement and human cancellous bone under pure tension. Two types of tissue were used in the investigation: (1) formalin-fixed vertebral bone as an in vitro model for weak cancellous bone, and (2) freshly removed metatarsal bone. Tissue--cement joints were allowed to solidify under two different pressures (0.11 and 0.47 MPa), and cement placement time on tissue surfaces was also controlled as a variable. The higher curing pressure only seemed to enhance the strength of interfaces formed with mechanically weak fixed bone but had no significant effect for joints formed with the stronger, freshly extracted tissue. Cement placement time did not have a discernible effect on interfacial strength regardless of the tissue used or the pressure applied during setting. An analysis of fracture morphology by optical microscopy revealed largely cement cohesive failure in some cases and bone or mixed fractures in others. Joints exhibiting mainly cement fracture had the highest interfacial tensile strengths (in the order of 7.5 MPa). Once measured values of tissue porosity were taken into account, the observed joint strength correlated well with cement tensile strength. Based on experimental findings, better stress-dissipating qualities and higher tensile strength are suggested as two important necessary improvements of bone cements based on poly(methyl methacrylate).