cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global analysis of the thermal and chemical denaturation of the N‐terminal domain of the ribosomal protein L9 in H2O and D2O. Determination of the thermodynamic parameters, ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔC°p, and evaluation of solvent isotope effects

The stability of the N-terminal domain of the ribosomal protein L9, NTL9, from Bacillus stearothermophilus has been monitored by circular dichroism at various temperatures and chemical denaturant concentrations in H2O and D2O. The basic thermodynamic parameters for the unfolding reaction, deltaH(o), deltaS(o), and deltaC(o)p, were determined by global analysis of temperature and denaturant effects on stability. The data were well fit by a model that assumes stability varies linearly with denaturant concentration and that uses the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation to model changes in stability with temperature. The results obtained from the global analysis are consistent with information obtained from individual thermal and chemical denaturations. NTL9 has a maximum stability of 3.78 +/- 0.25 kcal mol(-1) at 14 degrees C. DeltaH(o)(25 degrees C) for protein unfolding equals 9.9 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1) and TdeltaS(o)++(25 degrees C) equals 6.2 +/- 0.6 kcal mol(-1). DeltaC(o)p equals 0.53 +/- 0.06 kcal mol(-1) deg(-1). There is a small increase in stability when D2O is substituted for H2O. Based on the results from global analysis, NTL9 is 1.06 +/- 0.60 kcal mol(-1) more stable in D2O at 25 degrees C and Tm is increased by 5.8 +/- 3.6 degrees C in D2O. Based on the results from individual denaturation experiments, NTL9 is 0.68 +/- 0.68 kcal mol(-1) more stable in D2O at 25 degrees C and Tm is increased by 3.5 +/- 2.1 degrees C in D2O. Within experimental error there are no changes in deltaH(o) (25 degrees C) when D2O is substituted for H2O.
Glucokinase and fructokinase of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus.

Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus contain glucokinase and not a hexokinase of broad hexose specificity. Tritrichomonas foetus also contains a specific fructokinase which could be resolved from glucokinase by anion exchange chromatography. Native T. vaginalis glucokinase had a Mr of 76,000, and SDS-PAG electrophoresis showed two equally stained bands corresponding to Mr 40,000 and 38,000. Glucose and ATP were by far the best substrates for both trichomonad glucokinases, with Km values as low as 33-35 microM and 75-83 microM, respectively. Substrate saturation curves for these enzymes were all hyperbolic. Tritrichomonas foetus fructokinase required fructose and ATP, with Km values of 200 microM and 81 microM. None of the activities was affected by a number of potential regulatory metabolites, including glucose-6-phosphate. The only exception was AMP which in supraphysiological concentrations had an inhibitory effect on T. foetus fructokinase. In conclusion, the absence of regulation at the hexose phosphorylation step described here, as well as the presence of an easily reversible PPi: fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase described previously (Mertens, E., Van Schaftingen, E. & Muller, M. 1989. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 37:183-190), suggest that the rate of the 1st part of glycolysis in trichomonads is controlled only by the intracellular availability of hexoses.
Sub-picosecond fluorescence evolution of amino-cyano-stilbenes in methanol: polar solvation obeys continuum theory without evidence of twisting

The spectral evolution of fluorescence from 4-(dimethylamino)-4′-cyanostilbene (DCS) in methanol, and of two derivatives bearing either the anilino (ACS) or the julolidino (JCS) moiety, was measured by optical Kerr-gating with a time resolution of 0.35 ps. A special thin Glan polariser in the Kerr shutter allows high contrast without unnecessarily increasing the group delay dispersion. The emission band may thus be gated and observed even with highly fluorescent samples. The spectral dynamics consists of a continuous red-shift and narrowing with similar relaxation behavior throughout, i.e. between these two observables and the three compounds. This suggests that polar solvation is the common cause for spectral relaxation after 0.2 ps. The continuum model describes the dynamic Stokes shift quantitatively. Contrary to previous reports we do not find a temporary isosbestic point in the fluorescence of JCS, nor is there evidence for a dependence on anilino substituents. The crystal structures of DCS and JCS are provided.
Role of brainstem structures in seizures initiated from the deep prepiriform cortex of rats

Previous studies showed that brainstem seizures can still be evoked after transections that separate forebrain from brainstem. We sought to determine whether forebrain-evoked electrographic seizures require brainstem connections for initiation and generalization. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 295-320 g implanted with epidural electrodes had brain transections placed at the pre-, mid-, or postcollicular level. In experiment 1, the transections were limited to severing the brainstem, sparing the telencephalon laterally; these are referred to as "core" transections. In experiment 2, the transections severed the brainstem and also cut through the lateral telencephalon. These "extended" transections were either (a) bilateral, (b) unilateral (i.e., a hemitransection confined to one hemisphere), or (c) partial (sparing pathways ventral to the pretectal nuclei). All transections were performed under ether anesthesia, and seizures were initiated 3 h later by focal infusion of bicuculline (BIC) into the area tempestas (AT) through a previously implanted guide cannula. In experiment 1, bilateral forebrain electrographic seizures occurred in the complete absence of connections between forebrain and brainstem, showing that the brainstem is not required for forebrain-evoked seizures. In experiment 2, forebrain seizures evoked by BIC in AT were suppressed by bilateral extended transections which interrupted connections between AT and the caudal lateral telencephalon. Under these circumstances, application of carbachol with BIC reinstated the forebrain seizure response. These results indicate that carbachol application served to compensate for loss of an excitatory influence on AT resulting from the severing of connections with the caudal telencephalon. The demonstration of direct projections from entorhinal cortex to AT using Fluoro-Gold tracing together with the finding that extended brain transections caudal to the telencephalon do not suppress focally evoked forebrain seizures provided further support for the notion that AT afferents from the caudal telencephalon regulate the sensitivity of AT to BIC. The present findings provide further evidence that seizure substrates in the forebrain and brainstem are separable and independent.
The Proton's Absolute Aqueous Enthalpy and Gibbs Free Energy of Solvation from Cluster-Ion Solvation Data

A method is presented to determine the absolute hydration enthalpy of the proton, ΔHaq°[H+], from a set of cluster-ion solvation data without the use of extra thermodynamic assumptions. The absolute proton hydration enthalpy has been found to be ∼50 kJ/mol different than traditional values and has been more precisely determined (by about an order of magnitude). Conventional ion solvation properties, based on the standard heat of formation of H+(aq) set to zero, have been devised that may be confusing to the uninitiated but are useful in thermochemical evaluations because they avoid the unnecessary introduction of the larger uncertainties in our knowledge of absolute values. In a similar strategy, we have motivated the need for a reassessment of ΔHaq°[H+] by the trends with increased clustering in conventional cluster-ion solvation enthalpy differences for pairs of oppositely charged cluster ions. The consequences of particular preferred values for ΔHaq°[H+] may be evaluated with regard to cluster-ion prop...
Treatment of Acromegaly with the Long-Acting Somatostatin Analog SMS 201-995

Current treatment of acromegaly (surgery, radiation, and bromocriptine) is often unsatisfactory, and a sizeable proportion of patients with this disease continue to have GH hypersecretion after all therapeutic modalities have been exhausted. Fifteen patients with active acromegaly (8 previously treated and 7 newly diagnosed) were treated with the long-acting somatostatin analog SMS 201-995 (Sandoz; 50–250 pg, sc, every 6–8 h for up to 21 months). The mean daily plasma GH concentration was significantly suppressed in 13 patients, and it became normal in 10. Two patients, however, did not have GH suppression by SMS 201-995 treatment alone; in 1, a significant decline in mean daily GH was achieved after the addition of bromocriptine. As expected, suppression of GH secretion was associated with normalization of plasma somatomedin-C values and significant clinical improvement. Plasma GH responses to synthetic GHRH-(l–44) and TRH were either abolished or blunted by SMS 201-995. Thyroid function remained normal,...
Psychoanalysis and the degradation of romance

Despite its centrality in the lives of many people, psychoanalysis, with its traditional emphasis on psychosexuality and rationalism, has generally undervalued the importance of love and romance. This essay explores this devaluation within psychoanalytic theorizing and the parallel widespread degradation of love in everyday life. Whereas common wisdom claims that familiarity extinguishes love, I argue that the illusory security that familiarity often masks is endangered by genuine love, with all its accompanying risks.
Effect of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction on Outcomes of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an important pathogenic factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). There are few data on the effect of LVDD on recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. A cohort of 124 patients (59.9 ± 11.7 years, 73.9% male, and 55% with paroxysmal AF) with recalcitrant AF and normal left ventricular systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%) undergoing ablation was studied. Each patient underwent transthoracic echocardiography, and LVDD was meticulously graded using rhythm-independent (AF or sinus rhythm) transmitral and tissue Doppler parameters. Patients underwent catheter ablation of AF using a stepwise protocol. All patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months with recurrent AF (>30 seconds) captured by electrocardiography and/or 7-day monitor. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model were used. There was no LVDD in 72 patients (58%), whereas 33 (26.6%), 10 (8.1%), and 9 (7.3%) patients had grades 1, 2, and 3 LVDD, respectively. AF recurred in 49 patients (39.5%) with median time to recurrence of 248 days. Patients with higher grade of LVDD were increasingly more likely to have recurrence (37.5% for no LVDD and 30.3%, 60%, and 66.7% for grades 1, 2, and 3 LVDD, respectively). Significant LVDD (grade 2 or 3) was an independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio 2.6, p = 0.009) after adjusting for persistent (vs paroxysmal) AF and left atrial volume. In conclusion, patients with more severe LVDD have a higher risk of AF recurrence after catheter ablation. These patients may derive less benefit from ablation or may require a more extensive ablation approach.
Um Brasil melhor

Many countries in the Americas describe themselves as “nations of immigrants.” In the United States, the myth of the “promised land” suggests that foreigners better themselves upon arrival because the nation is intrinsically great. In Brazil, however, the relationship between immigration and national identity is different. Many intellectuals, politicians, and cultural and economic leaders saw (and see) immigrants as improving an imperfect nation that has been tainted by the history of Portuguese colonialism and African slavery. As a result, immigrants were often hailed as saviors because they modified and improved Brazil, not because they were improved by Brazil. This “improvement” took place through absorption, mixture and with the use of increasingly flexible racial and ethnic categories.
Aortic baroreceptor characteristics in dogs with chronic high output failure

It has been shown that the arterial baroreflex is depressed in heart failure. The role of alterations in afferent discharge as a possible mechanism for this depression has not been investigated previously. Single unit aortic baroreceptor activity was recorded from six normal dogs and from nine dogs, each with a chronic aorto-caval fistula (AVF). At the time of the acute experiment, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was not significantly different in the two groups of dogs; however, pulse pressure was significantly higher in the AVF dogs (45.7±2.4 mm Hg vs, 24.4±2.0 mm Hg; p<0.001). Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was higher in the AVF dogs (31.3±2.0 vs 5.6±1.8 mm Hg; p<0.001). AVF dogs had elevated heart weight/body weight ratios. The relationship of systolic aortic pressure to systolic discharge was examined by changing aortic pressure with aortic and vena caval occluders. The peak gain (normalized to maximum discharge) averaged 2.19±0.27 in the normal dogs compared to 1.15±0.09 in the AVF group (p<0.01). Saturation pressures and maximum discharge rates were greater in the AVF dogs although the threshold pressures were not different in the two groups. This data suggests that there is an attenuated response of aortic baroreceptor discharge in dogs with chronic volume overload and this abnormality may partially be responsible for the abnormal baroreflex in heart failure.
Proposals for developing raw-material base for magnesia production

The USSR should cease importing periclase powder. The Magnezit Combine, producing periclase powder, will not be able, within the near future, to increase its capacity to the required level. Increasing the output of periclase powder on the basis of the reserve raw-material resources for traditional materials requires substantial capital investment, and will take a long time. An analysis of the various ways of supplying the refractories industry with raw materials on the basis of non-traditional sources showed that the most economical and most rapid in implementation is the reprocessing of industrial effluent from the Perekopsk-Armyansk region of the Crimea to obtain more than 400,000 tonnes of synthetic magnesia, containing 92–97% basic substance. To finance the construction of an enterprise for treating effluent from chemical production, it is desirable to set up an action committee of interested enterprises and authorities. It is desirable to commission the All-Union Institute of Refractories and the Crimean Production Association “Iodobrom”, with the participation of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Refractories, to produce a planning and scientific program for an enterprise to produce magnesia from industrial effluent.
The Relationship Between Social Support and Adolescent Mothers' Interactions With Their Infants: A Meta-Analysis

Objective The purpose of this meta-analysis was to statistically summarize the results of independent quantitative studies regarding the relationship between social support and adolescent mothers' interactions with their infants. Data Sources The following sources were selected from 1980 to 1999: citations from bibliographies of previously located articles, dissertations abstracts, the Social Sciences Citation Indexes, and researchers at a regional conference; online sources used were CINHAL, MEDLINE, ERIC, Psych Lit, and Social Work Abstracts. Study Selection Of a potential sample of 31 studies, 14 were excluded because they did not meet the sampling criteria, and 4 were deleted as outliers. The final sample consisted of 13 studies. Data Extraction Each study was coded for methodologic and substantive variables, including quality indicators. Data Synthesis Most of the studies were cross sectional in design and used a variety of measures. Together, the studies included a sample of 823 mothers. Conclusions A medium effect size and a significant relationship between social support of adolescent mothers and their interactions with their infants were established. No difference was found in the relationship when support was provided by the family or through a network.
Experimental low temperature water content in gaseous methane, liquid ethane, and liquid propane in equilibrium with hydrate at cryogenic conditions

Abstract In low temperature gas processing, the presence of water can result in the formation of gas hydrate plugs. To avoid this problem, it is important to know the water solubility in natural gas components in equilibrium with gas hydrate. In this study experimental measurements of water content in gaseous methane in equilibrium with hydrate at 3.45 MPa (500 psia) and 6.90 MPa (1000 psia) and temperatures ranging from −3.2 °C (26.2 °F) to −80 °C (−112 °F) are presented. Similar measurements are presented for liquid ethane at 3.45 MPa (500 psia) and temperatures from −2.2 °C (28.0 °F) to −70 °C (−94 °F), and for liquid propane at 0.86 MPa (125 psia) and temperatures down to −60 °C (−76 °F), respectively. In measuring the water content, a Panametrics moisture sensor (calibrated to 1 ppb water content in nitrogen) has been used in flowing streams of the hydrocarbon-rich phases that are saturated with water. The results obtained with the Panametrics hygrometer show good agreement (normally better than ±4%) with previous measurements, which were obtained by a gas chromatographic technique for methane, ethane, and propane at temperatures ranging from −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) to −30 °C (−22 °F), which are within the hydrate region.
Intra- versus interlayer pairing in copper oxide superconductors: Response to a magnetic field.

We have investigated the response of layered superconductors to an external magnetic field using the semiclassical phase approximation. The linearized gap equations have been derived, and solved numerically to calculate the upper critical field [ital H][sub [ital c]2]([ital T]) for layered superconductors with one or two layers per unit cell for both intralayer [ital s]-wave and interlayer BCS-like pairing mechanisms. In the weak-hopping limit the equations reduce to the Lawrence-Doniach form, and for general hopping the appropriate gap equations are derived and numerically analyzed. One encounters the familiar dimensional crossover in the [ital H][sub [ital c]2]([ital T]) curve for weak hopping. A different type of dimensional crossover can occur in the two-layer case with unequal intralayer or interlayer coupling strengths, such that at the crossover temperature, the magnetic field suppresses the superconductivity in the weakly coupled layers while leaving the strongly coupled layers superconducting. The effect is enhanced by unequal hopping strengths. The flux lattice consists of alternating superconducting and normal layers.
Bone Marrow Therapy for Myocardial Infarction

The results of the latetime study,1 reported by Traverse and colleagues in this issue of JAMA, appear 1 decade after the publication of the landmark study by Orlic et al.2 The authors conducted a rigorous clinical trial to test the hypothesis that intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMCs) in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) would improve left ventricular function. The rationale for using whole bone marrow in this setting derives from numerous sets of experimental studies showing that bone marrow contains cellular constituents that have cardiac reparative ability.2,3 The authors found that among 87 patients with MI and left ventricular dysfunction following reperfusion with percutaneous coronary intervention, compared with placebo intracoronary infusion, intracoronary infusion of BMCs 2 to 3 weeks after percutaneous coronary intervention did not improve global or regional ventricular function at 6 months.
Prophylactic application of CpG oligonucleotides augments the early host response and confers protection in acute melioidosis.

Prophylactic administration of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODNs) is known to confer protection against lethal sepsis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei in the mouse model. The mechanisms whereby CpG regulates the innate immune response to provide protection against B. pseudomallei, however, are poorly characterized. In the present study, we demonstrate that intranasal treatment of mice with Class C CpG, results in recruitment of inflammatory monocytes and neutrophils to the lung at 48 h post-treatment. Mice infected with B. pseudomallei 48 h post-CpG treatment had reduced organ bacterial load and significantly altered cytokine and chemokine profiles concomitant with protection as compared to control animals. CpG administration reduced the robust production of chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines in blood, lung and spleen, observed following infection of non-treated animals. Death of control animals coincided with the time of peak cytokine production (day 1–3), while a moderate; sustained cytokine production in CpG-treated animals was associated with survival. In general, CpG treatment resulted in diminished expression of cytokines and chemokines post-infection, though IL-12p40 was released in larger quantities in CpG treated animals. In contrast to CpG-treated animals, the lungs of infected control animals were infiltrated with leukocytes, especially neutrophils, and large numbers of necrotic lesions were observed in lung sections. Therapeutic treatment of B. pseudomallei-infected animals with CpG at 24 h post-infection did not impact survival compared to control animals. In summary, protection of CpG-treated animals was associated with recruitment of inflammatory monocytes and neutrophils into the lungs prior to infection. These responses correspond with early control of bacterial growth, a dampened inflammatory cytokine/chemokine response, reduced lung pathology, and greatly increased survival. In contrast, a delay in recruitment of inflammatory cell populations, despite a robust production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, was associated with poorly controlled bacterial growth, severe lung pathology, and death of control animals.
Response to letter to the editor regarding "A quantitative and comprehensive method to analyze human milk oligosaccharide structures in the urine and feces of infants"

To the Editor: We appreciate the opportunity to clarify and expand on our publication further. Human milk oligosaccharides have become an important area of research, primarily because of the pioneering efforts of several researchers and, particularly, of Professor Kunz. This publication [1] is one in a string of manuscripts that were submitted around the same time summarizing our efforts in measuring human milk oligosaccharides rapidly in several biological fluids. The paper published in this journal is best considered along with two other manuscripts in this area. With this in mind, we respond to the comments in each point. Points 1 and 2. Reproducibility and precision for the MALDI/MS was illustrated in this paper but the ESI LC/MS was not rigorously shown. We have published an additional paper [2] that shows the reproducibility and the repeatability of the LC/MS method using both isotopic labeling and peak areas. We show very good correlation between isotopic labeling and peak areas and now use primarily chromatographic peak areas for quantitation. We have also published a recent comprehensive paper [3] that shows high repeatability of LC/MS for oligosaccharides in terms of retention times, chromatographic peak area, and total ion abundances for the same sample injected nearly 30 times over a 3-d period. Point 3. We are very familiar with ion suppression in oligosaccharide analysis as demonstrated by an early paper on ion suppression onMALDI [4], where we show that native sialylated species are suppressed by neutral species in the positive mode by nearly a factor of 10, whereas in the negative mode sialylated species suppress neutral species. Similar suppression is observed in the ESI; however, when LC is performed, the components are separated and much less suppression occurs. In the earlier paper, we show that when the sialylated species and the neutral species are separated, their MS responses are very similar. Point 4. The water content is an issue with every biological fluid, whether it is serum, spinal fluid, saliva, or milk. It is an issue that everyone in this research needs to deal with carefully by freezing the sample as soon as possible and keeping the samples in −80 °C freezers in sealed containers. This is, in our opinion, standard operating procedure for nearly all laboratories working in this area, and we felt no need to comment on it further. Point 5. We agree that more descriptions should have been provided. However, taking into account the recommended length of the manuscript, we felt compelled to leave out This article is a response to the ‘Letter to the Editor’ to be found at DOI: 10.1007/s00216-013-7145-1
Engineering properties of tire/soil mixtures as a lightweight fill material

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) estimates that over 279 million discarded tires are being added annually to the already existing stockpile of two billion tires. Current disposal and stacking methods of waste tires are not acceptable due to the possibility of fire and health hazards. Several states and the federal government have issued legislation that encourages or mandates the recycling of discarded tires. One application where shredded tires can be used is as a lightweight fill material behind retaining walls or in highway embankments over weak or compressible soils. This paper presents the engineering properties of shredded tires, Ottawa sand, and a mixture of 50% Ottawa sand and 50% shredded tires by volume (70% Ottawa sand and 30% shredded tires by weight). The maximum size of the tire chips used was 4.75 mm. Gradation, specific gravity, void ratio, density, permeability, and consolidated-drained (CD) triaxial tests were performed as part of the testing program. Although the data obtained were limited to the above three mixes, the results indicate that the use of shredded tires/Ottawa sand mixes as a lightweight fill material is very promising. However, long-term impact of leachates from tires on groundwater quality should be investigated.
Improved immunosuppression with aerosolized cyclosporine in experimental pulmonary transplantation.

Rejection remains a major obstacle to long-term success of pulmonary transplantation. Direct delivery of cyclosporine to lung allografts may produce better control of rejection by generating high intragraft concentrations of drug with decreased systemic delivery and toxicity. The efficacy of inhaled cyclosporine in preventing allograft rejection was compared with systemic delivery by intramuscular injections in a rat model of lung transplantation (Brown-Norway to Lewis). Group 1 animals were given no immunosuppression. Group 2 received a single i.m. injection of 25 mg/kg CsA on the day of operation while group 3 received daily doses on postoperative days 0-3. Groups 4-7 received aerosolized CsA daily for seven days. The aerosol generator produced an airborne concentration of CsA of 180 mg/m3 with a mean particle size of 0.7 mu and estimated pulmonary depositions of CsA of 0.98-3.6 mg/kg/day. Animals were killed on POD 7, and the transplanted lungs graded histologically in a blinded fashion. All control animals showed destructive grade 4 changes by POD 7. Animals receiving high-dose aerosolized CsA (groups 6 and 7) showed minimal changes with a mean rejection grade of 1.3. A single i.m. dose of CsA (group 2) failed to prevent rejection; the mean grade was 2.2. Animals given four i.m. doses of CsA had a mean grade of 1.8. Aerosolized CsA provided significantly better control of rejection than did systemic CsA (groups 6 and 7 vs. groups 2 and 3; P less than 0.0002 and less than 0.0054, respectively). Local delivery of CsA by aerosol inhalation is effective in limiting acute rejection of the rat lung allograft.
Comparison of Synthetic Aperture Radar-Derived Wind Speeds with Buoy Wind Speeds along the Mountainous Alaskan Coast

Abstract Satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) offers the potential for remotely sensing surface wind speed both over the open sea and in close proximity to the coast. The resolution improvement of SAR over scatterometers is of particular advantage near coasts. Thus, there is a need to verify the performance of SAR wind speed retrieval in coastal environments adjacent to very complex terrain and subject to strong synoptic forcing. Mountainous coasts present a challenge because the wind direction values required for SAR wind speed retrieval algorithms cannot be obtained from global model analyses with as much accuracy there as over the open ocean or adjacent to gentle coasts where most previous SAR accuracy studies have been conducted. The performance of SAR wind speed retrieval in this challenging environment is tested using a 7-yr dataset from the mountainous coast of the Gulf of Alaska. SAR-derived wind speeds are compared with direct measurements from three U.S. Navy Oceanographic Meteorologic...
Study of deformation field of interface crack in adhesive joint

Abstract Moire interferometry has been applied to a study of the deformation field of an interface crack between an adhesive layer and a composite adherend. A sandwich end-notched flexure is tested. Both normal and tangential components of the crack-face displacement jump are estimated. The stress intensity factor, which is determined by the displacement jump of the crack face, is evaluated at both macro — and microscopic scales. The analysis is based on the plane stress assumption, although three dimensional deformation in the vicinity of the crack tip is evident.
Memory suppressor genes: Enhancing the relationship between synaptic plasticity and memory storage

Memory suppressor genes encode proteins that act as inhibitory constraints to impede memory storage. The study of memory suppressor genes is important not only for understanding the link between synaptic plasticity and learning but also for identifying potential targets for future pharmaceuticals to treat memory disorders. This article first reviews the evidence for proteins that impede memory storage from work in invertebrates and then explores recent evidence for the existence of memory suppressor genes in vertebrates in the context of hippocampus-dependent forms of memory. In Aplysia, memory suppressor gene products act at each step in long-term facilitation: in the cytoplasm to regulate kinase activity, in the nucleus to alter the activity of transcriptional regulatory proteins, and on the cell surface to modulate cell-cell interactions. Studies of genetically modified Drosophila have provided behavioral evidence for the existence of memory suppressor genes. One of the best candidates for a neuronal mechanism underlying learning is long-term potentiation (LTP), which has been extensively studied in the mammalian hippocampus. Recent work has identified a number of putative memory suppressor gene products that act in the hippocampus at the levels of LTP induction, regulation of intracellular signaling cascades, and transcriptional control. Using these gene products as tools to study enhancements rather than deficits in LTP and learning may generate more precise information about the relationship between synaptic plasticity and behavioral learning. The study of mammalian memory suppressor genes may provide insights into alleviating the learning and memory deficits that accompany both normal aging and a variety of human disorders.
Biomass energy and soil erosion: Assessment of resource costs

Abstract A resource assessment evaluates the extent of current soil erosion problems and how biomass energy production might influence the quality of US soils. Erosion rates for stover, herbaceous, and woody biomass production systems are compared for different land types and management technologies. Ecological, energetic, and cost accounting measurements are used to quantify interactions between production systems and soil erosion factors. Soil loss is a function of the biomass remaining on the ground after harvest, soil disturbance events and land terrain conditions. Harvesting agricultural crops for biomass energy accelerates already high erosion rates, while properly managed herbaceous production systems limit soil loss and might be appropriate for land areas with moderate relief. Decreased water availability associated with soil loss and disturbance is a primary constraint to biomass production. By translating these physical and biological variables to dollar values, via cost accounting, it is shown that soil erosion factors should be included in benefit/cost calculations.
Inhibition of tyrosine kinase Src suppresses pancreatic cancer invasiveness.

Abstract Background. Src is a 60-kDa tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in signal transduction associated with cell-extracellular matrix interactions. We tested the hypothesis that Src inhibition might suppress pancreatic cancer cellular invasiveness. Methods. We tested the effects of pyrazolopyrimidine (a Src kinase-specific inhibitor) on 3 human pancreatic cancer cell lines: BXPC-3, MIAPaCa-2, and PANC-1. Src expression was assayed with Western blotting. Pyrazolopyrimidine-mediated inhibition of Src phosphorylation was confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities and cellular invasive potential were assessed by use of zymography and Boyden chamber assays, respectively. Cell growth was assessed with the MTT assay. Results. Src was expressed in all 3 pancreatic cancer cell lines tested. Pyrazolopyrimidine completely suppressed Src phosphorylation, inhibited MMP2 (72kDa) and MMP9 (92kDa) activities by 40% to 34% ( P P P P >.05) in MIAPaCa-2, and 22% reduction ( P Conclusion. Inhibition of Src signaling results in a marked reduction of pancreatic cancer cellular invasiveness. Src may represent a novel therapeutic target for this deadly cancer. (Surgery 2003;134:221-6.)
The fish oil ingredient, docosahexaenoic acid, activates cytosolic phospholipase A2 via GPR120 receptor to produce prostaglandin E2 and plays an anti‐inflammatory role in macrophages

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the major ingredients of fish oil and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties mediated through the GPR120 receptor. Whether cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 ) and lipid mediators produced from cPLA2 activation are involved in the anti-inflammatory role of DHA in macrophages has not been reported. We report here that DHA and the GPR120 agonist, GW9508, activate cPLA2 and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and cause prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release in a murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and in human primary monocyte-derived macrophages. DHA and GW9508 activate cPLA2 via GPR120 receptor, G protein Gαq and scaffold protein β-arrestin 2. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation is involved in DHA- and GW9508-induced cPLA2 activation, but not p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. The anti-inflammatory role of DHA and GW9508 is in part via activation of cPLA2 , COX-2 and production of PGE2 as a cPLA2 inhibitor or a COX-2 inhibitor partially reverses the DHA- and GW9508-induced inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-6 secretion. The cPLA2 product arachidonic acid and PGE2 also play an anti-inflammatory role. This effect of PGE2 is partially through inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB signalling pathway and through the EP4 receptor of PGE2 because an EP4 inhibitor or knock-down of EP4 partially reverses DHA inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-6 secretion. Hence, DHA has an anti-inflammatory effect partially through induction of PGE2.
Doubling perturbation sizes and preservation of operator indices in normed linear spaces

We extend the index theory of Fredholm operators in Banach spaces to general operators in normed linear spaces. In so doing we make use of a doubling technique, which we also apply to obtain improved results for the perturbation of semigroups and sesquilinear forms.
Which accelerator photon beams are "clinic-like" for reference dosimetry purposes?

Previous work has demonstrated that, for photon beam dosimetry, TPR 10 20 is not an ideal beam quality specifier for all bremsstrahlung beams, especially for lightly filtered beams in some standards laboratories. This paper addresses the following questions: Is TPR 10 20 an adequate beam quality specifier for all modern clinical therapy accelerators? When can nonclinical beams in standards laboratories be used to calibrate ion chambers or measure k Q factors as a function of TPR 10 20 ? Based on detailed Monte Carlo simulations of Varian, Siemens, Elekta, and GE(Saturn) accelerators one can conclude that TPR 10 20 is an adequate beam quality specifier for all these machines in the sense that for a given value of TPR 10 20 , the value of stopping-power ratios is the same. It is shown that, for the heavily filtered beams used in standards laboratories, TPR 10 20 is an adequate beam quality specifier. It is also demonstrated that, for a larger range of bremsstrahlung beams than previously, % dd (10) x is a good beam quality specifier for all clinical beams as well as the lightly and heavily filtered beams in some standards laboratories. A criterion, based on the measured values of TPR 10 20 and % dd (10) x for the beam, is proposed for determining whether a nonclinical beam is well specified by TPR 10 20 . Agreement between calculations for specific accelerators and measured beam quality specifiers is shown to be good, but agreement with published data for a variety of clinical accelerators is not as good. Possible reasons for the discrepancy are discussed.
The Effect of Instruction on Conventional Expressions in L2 Pragmatics.

Abstract This study investigates the effects of instruction (input plus focused metapragmatic noticing) on the oral production of conventional expressions, particularly those conventional expressions which perform specific pragmatic functions in English. Using a pre-test–instruction–post-test design we tested 36 university-level students in six intact intensive English classes in order to determine whether guided metapragmatic noticing activities help learners increase oral production of targeted conventional expressions and whether such gains (if they are realized) can be generalized to other conventional expressions. Students were divided into two groups of three classes each; the two groups received instruction on a different set of expressions. Results showed that both instructional groups showed significant gains on one set of conventional expressions but not another, suggesting that learning conventional expressions is sensitive to instruction but also constrained by the transparency of the expression and the learners’ level of linguistic development.
Brucella dissociation is essential for macrophage egress and bacterial dissemination.

It has long been observed that smooth Brucella can dissociate into rough mutants that are cytotoxic to macrophages. However, the in vivo biological significance and/or mechanistic de-tails of Brucella dissociation and cytotoxicity remain incomplete. In the current report, a plaque assay was developed using Brucella strains exhibiting varying degrees of cytotoxicity. Infected monolayers were observed daily using phase contrast microscopy for plaque formation while Brucella uptake and replication were monitored using an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Vis-ible plaques were detected at 4-5 days post infection (p.i.) with cytotoxic Brucella 16M∆manBA at an MOI of 0.1. IFA staining demonstrated that the plaques consisted of macrophages with replicating Brucella. Visible plaques were not detected in monolayers infected with non-cytotoxic 16M∆manBA∆virB2 at an MOI of 0.1. However, IFA staining did reveal small groups of macrophages (foci) with replicating Brucella in the monolayers infected with 16M∆manBA∆virB2. The size of the foci observed in macrophage monolayers infected with rough Brucella correlated directly with cytotoxicity measured in liquid culture, suggesting that cytotoxicity was essential for Brucella egress and dissemination. In monolayers infected with 16M, small and large foci were observed. Double antibody staining revealed spontaneous rough mutants within the large, but not the small foci in 16M infected monolayers. Furthermore, plaque formation was observed in the large foci derived from 16M infections. Finally, the addi-tion of gentamicin to the culture medium inhibited plaque formation, suggesting that the cell-to-cell spreading occurred only following release of the organisms from the cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Brucella induced cytotoxicity is critical for Brucella egress and dissemination.
Imaging the anxious brain--promise or hubris?

Neuroimaging techniques have provided a unique and unprecedented insight into the functioning human brain. The emergence of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) [1] made a tool available that enabled psychiatric researchers to examine with great anatomical detail the relationship between psychological phenomena and brain physiology. Yet, twenty years later, it is important to take a step back and examine how this tool has helped to elucidate physiological and pathological anxiety related processes and to specifically address the challenges that lay ahead.
Harmonious Society and Chinese CSR: Is There Really a Link?

In 2005, Chinese President Hu Jintao instituted a “Harmonious Society” policy marking a new China’s approach toward development. This generated intense excitement among observers of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) who perceive an overlap in objectives between CSR and Harmonious Society and believe that Harmonious Society will lead to increased CSR engagement in China. However, there is little exploration of how Harmonious Society will contribute to increasing CSR engagement. This article seeks to explore whether Harmonious Society will meet this promise. It does so by drawing up a list of actions that if taken by the government would increase the level of CSR in China and make Harmonious Society a relevant factor in the development of Chinese CSR. To do so, my article studies comparative literature on CSR development to develop a framework that divides causes of CSR in a country into environmental constraints and discretionary responses. Understanding what drives the development of CSR allows us to understand what measures the Chinese government can take to influence the level of CSR. Using this framework, my article suggests that Harmonious Society is unlikely to promote CSR in China’s growing private sector because policy measures that affect the “constraints” driving CSR are bounded by other political considerations.
On the structure of the family of extremal quasiconformal mappings of parabolic regions

The phenomenon of nonunique extremality of quasiconformal mappings with specified boundary values is studied by means of the known example with the boundary values . The concept of critical extremal mapping is introduced. By constructing an appropriate class of variations of A k within the class of extremal mappings it is shown that A k is a noncritical extremal for every s, 1 < s < 3. A critical extremal is explicitly identified when s= 2.
Maternal serum metabolites during prolonged starvation in pregnant pigs

Abstract Pregnancies in pigs were sustained during periods of prolonged starvation in spite of maternal body weight losses exceeding 40 kg. Maternal stores of protein were made available for feto-placental development during starvation of the dam. Concentrations of maternal serum proteins, urea nitrogen, electrolytes, and iron were determined in sequential blood samples of healthy Yorkshire pigs during a prolonged period of 40 days inanition (water only) in either the middle third (days 30–70) or last third (days 70–110). Serum protein levels remained similar to full-diet controls throughout these two periods, whereas serum concentrations of albumin and urea N increased primarily during the last third of gestation in starved dams. Serum Na+ levels declined during prolonged inanition while Ca2+ increased and K+ remained unchanged. It was only near term that Fe2+ levels decreased in those dams starved during a period of 40 days in the last third of pregnancy. These results indicated that maternal serum components were sustained at adequate levels to maintain normal development of conceptuses during prolonged starvation in either the middle third or last third of pregnancy in the pig.
Impact ionization of impurities in germanium

The low-temperature electrical breakdown effect in germanium is investigated experimentally as a function of the temperature, magnetic field, background radiation, type and concentration of impurities, geometry, surface effects and the orientation of the specimens. A study is also made of the time dependence. The effect is shown to involve charge carrier multiplication which is attributed to the impact ionization of impurities by free charge carriers. A mean value theory is developed for the critical breakdown field which yields Ec = 22cμ [(γI2kT)−1]12 where c is the velocity of sound, μ is the mobility of the carriers, I is the ionization energy of the impurities and γ is a factor which corrects for the fact that electrons with energy higher than the mean value initiate the breakdown. The data are shown to be in substantial agreement with this theory. The framework for the more rigorous transport theory is outlined and used to compute rise and decay times for the breakdown, which are consistent with the experimental observations.
We Know Some Things: Parent-Adolescent Relationships in Retrospect and Prospect.

This article examines the most important ideas to have emerged from the last 25 years of research on adolescent development in the family context and suggests some directions for the future. Two major sets of questions organize the review. First, how can we best characterize normative family relationships during adolescence, and, more specifically, is adolescence a time of parent A child conflict? Second, how do variations in parent – child relationships affect the developing adolescent? The answer to the first question depends on what is meant by conflict and, more importantly, from whom one gathers data. There is a need for a new perspective on the family, one that emphasizes the different viewpoints and stakes that parents and adolescents bring to their relationship with each other. Special attention should be paid to studies of the mental health of parents of adolescents. With regard to the second question, it is argued that there is enough evidence to conclude that adolescents benefit from having parents who are authoritative: warm, firm, and accepting of their needs for psychological autonomy. Therefore, it would seem most beneficial to institute a systematic, large-scale, multifaceted, and ongoing public health campaign to educate parents about adolescence, one that draws on the collective resources and expertise of health-care professionals, scientists, governmental agencies, community organizations, schools, religious institutions, and the mass media.
A Top-Down Parallel Semisort

Semisorting is the problem of reordering an input array of keys such that equal keys are contiguous but different keys are not necessarily in sorted order. Semisorting is important for collecting equal values and is widely used in practice. For example, it is the core of the MapReduce paradigm, is a key component of the database join operation, and has many other applications. We describe a (randomized) parallel algorithm for the problem that is theoretically efficient (linear work and logarithmic depth), but is designed to be more practically efficient than previous algorithms. We use ideas from the parallel integer sorting algorithm of Rajasekaran and Reif, but instead of processing bits of a integers in a reduced range in a bottom-up fashion, we process the hashed values of keys directly top-down. We implement the algorithm and experimentally show on a variety of input distributions that it outperforms a similarly-optimized radix sort on a modern 40-core machine with hyper-threading by about a factor of 1.7--1.9, and achieves a parallel speedup of up to 38x. We discuss the various optimizations used in our implementation and present an extensive experimental analysis of its performance.