cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intravascular photoacoustic imaging of atherosclerotic plaques: ex-vivo study using a rabbit model of atherosclerosis

Diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis necessitates the detection and differentiation of rupture prone plaques. In principle, intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) imaging has the ability to simultaneously visualize the structure and composition of atherosclerotic plaques by utilizing the difference in optical absorption. Extensive studies are required to validate the utility of IVPA imaging in detecting vulnerable plaques and address issues associated with the clinical implementation of the technique. In this work, we performed ex vivo imaging studies using a rabbit model of atherosclerosis. The intravascular photoacoustic (IVPA) and ultrasound (IVUS) images of the normal aorta and aorta with plaque were obtained and compared with histological slices of the tissue. The results indicate that IVPA imaging is capable of detecting plaques and showed potential in determining the composition. Furthermore, we initially addressed several aspects of clinical implementation of the IVPA imaging. Specifically, the configuration of combined IVPA and IVUS catheter was investigated and the effect of the optical absorption of the luminal blood on the IVPA image quality was evaluated. Overall, this study suggests that IVPA imaging can become a unique and important clinical tool.
A PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR BEREAVED CHILDREN

The death of a parent seriously threatens children's social and emotional development. When the death can be anticipated, early intervention may facilitate children's adjustment. A prevention program designed to enable parents to foster their children's necessary grief work and resolution of the loss is described.
The problem of the basing relation

In days past, epistemologists expended a good deal of effort trying to analyze the basing relation—the relation between a belief and its basis. No satisfying account was offered, and the project was largely abandoned. Younger epistemologists, however, have begun to yearn for an adequate theory of basing. I aim to deliver one. After establishing some data and arguing that traditional accounts of basing are unsatisfying, I introduce a novel theory of the basing relation: the dispositional theory. It begins with the pedestrian observation that beliefs stand or fall with their bases. The theory I offer is an elucidation and refinement of this thought.
Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars observations of northern Martian latitudes in summer

[1] This paper brings together initial results obtained of the high northern latitudes in Mars years 28 and 29, between October 2006 and October 2008. These measurements confirm many previous models and shed new light on the nature of polar surface materials, particularly in intermediate-albedo units of the polar layered deposits, many of which are found to be ice-rich. We identify hydrated non ice materials present in many low-albedo troughs, as well as in the circumpolar erg that was previously associated with gypsum. We identify icy outlier deposits that may be related to subsurface thermophysical properties and permafrost. New observations of the gypsum-rich dune material constrain models for its formation and distribution. Intrinsic properties of ice content and grain size are found to be independent of the albedo of fine layered units and may provide a novel method for stratigraphic identification and correlation.
Counselling women about the risks of caesarean delivery in future pregnancies

Key content In order to provide appropriate counselling about the risk to future pregnancies imposed by caesarean delivery, providers must be knowledgeable about and able to synthesise a multitude of variables such as institutional policies, the clinical implications of each current delivery option for future pregnancies, patient understanding of maternal and neonatal risks and benefits, the woman's reasons for requesting this type of delivery and the woman's desired family size. The rate of successful vaginal birth after caesarean section ranges 50–85%, with lower rates associated with both modifiable factors (gestational age >40 weeks, maternal obesity, short interpregnancy interval and increased birthweight) and non-modifiable factors (maternal age, non-white ethnicity, pre-eclampsia and recurrence of the indication for the initial caesarean delivery). In future pregnancies, the risk of adverse outcomes such as haemorrhage, endometritis, operative injury, hysterectomy and maternal death goes up with each additional caesarean section. Learning objectives To be knowledgeable about and able to provide accurate counselling for three important clinical situations: caesarean delivery on maternal request; women with a history of one or two caesarean deliveries; and women with a history of three or more caesarean deliveries. Ethical issues When counselling women about the risks of caesarean delivery on future pregnancies, providers should always consider the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence while synthesising a myriad of scenarios and outcomes. If properly counselled on the risks, benefits and alternatives of a delivery decision, her autonomy should be respected.
Geometrically Planar Ion-Implant Patterned Magnetic Recording Media Using Block Copolymer Aided Gold Nanoisland Masks

We have developed patterned media via ion implantation using Au nano mask approach for local control of coercivity of magnetically hard [Co/Pd]n multilayer film. Au nano-islands produced through a di-block copolymer templated technique is used as the mask for ion implantation. The sputter deposited [Co 0.3 nm/Pd 0.8 nm]8/Pd 3 nm/Ta 3 nm multilayer film having vertical magnetic anisotropy is coated with a diblock copolymer layer, two phase decomposed into vertically pored nanostructure, then chemically processed to nucleate gold nanoislands corresponding to the diblock copolymer nanostructures. Subsequent nitrogen (N) ion implantation, using these Au islands as implantation-blocking masks, allows a patterned penetration of implanted ions into unmasked portion of the [Co/Pd]n multilayer film, thus creating invisible but magnetically isolated bit island geometry while maintaining the overall flat configuration of the patterned media.
Dynamical symmetry breaking and universality breakdown

Abstract We argue that, if the symmetry breakdown in the electroweak theory is dynamical, one should expect, in general, to have some nonuniversal interactions. Given the present bounds on flavor mixing, this imposes rather strong restrictions on the dynamics and the pattern of spontaneous symmetry breaking. The relevance of these considerations for top quark interactions is speculated upon.
Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations within North Inlet, South Carolina—Speculation as to sources and sinks☆

The daily concentrations of NH4+, NO3−, and NO3− + NO2− within the North Inlet system are all negatively associated with tidal stage during the late summer, this association breaking down during the winter. The high concentrations of these constituents during low tide coupled with the lack of streamflow during the late summer suggests that there is an internal source for these species. Ammonium and orthophosphate most likely have their source in sediment diffusion from tidal creek sediments and/or seepage from the vegetated marsh surface during tidal exposure. It is hypothesized that high nitrate plus nitrite values at low tide are caused by nitrification within the tidal water or tidal creek sediments. During the summer there is evidence for a source of dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved organic phosphorus within the North Inlet system, probably via diffusion from creek sediments. In general the main source of dissolved organic nitrogen is via stream-flow from the adjacent watershed. Particulate nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations are a function of: (1) wind and rain events which cause resuspension of particulate material from the tidal creek banks, (2) rain events which scour the marsh surface during tidal exposure, and (3) high tidal velocities which scour the creek bottoms.
Expression differences of circulating microRNAs in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer and low-risk, localized prostate cancer†‡

Background Recent studies show that microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression, may have potential for monitoring cancer status. We investigated circulating miRNAs in prostate cancer that may be associated with the progression of hormone-sensitive primary tumors to metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after androgen deprivation therapy.
Conflict of Interest in the Physician Interface with the Biomedical Industry

The physician interface with the pharmaceutical industry stands at the forefront of a debate about the effect this relationship has on the behavior of both researchers and clinicians. The authors explore the basis for this conflict of interest and show how it affects physician judgment and behavior. These effects lead to negative consequences for patients and threaten the professional status that society accords physicians. In view of the potential for ethical compromise, physicians should refrain from contact with pharmaceutical marketing representatives.
The half-life of the HSV-1 1.5-kb LAT intron is similar to the half-life of the 2.0-kb LAT intron

Herpes simplex virus type 1 establishes a latent infection in the sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system of humans. Although about 80 genes are expressed during the lytic cycle of the virus infection, essentially only one gene is expressed during the latent cycle. This gene is known as the latency-associated transcript (LAT), and it appears to play a role in the latency cycle through an anti-apoptotic function in the 5′ end of the gene and miRNA encoded along the length of the transcript which downregulate some of the viral immediate-early gene products. The LAT gene is about 8.3 kb long and consists of two exons separated by an unusual intron. The intron between the exons consists of two nested introns. This arrangement of introns has been called a twintron. Furthermore, the larger (2 kb) intron has been shown to be very stable. In this study, we measure the stability of the shorter 1.5-kb nested intron and find its half-life is similar to the longer intron. This was achieved by deleting the 0.5-kb overlapping intron from a plasmid construct designed to express the LAT transcript from a tet-inducible promoter and measuring the half-life of the 1.5-kb intron in tissue culture cells. This finding supports the hypothesis that it is the common branch-point region of these nested introns that is responsible for their stability.
Photoactivation of Chlorophyll Synthesis and Cytochrome Oxidase Activity in Anaerobically Germinated Seedlings of Echinochloa crusgalli var. Oryzicola

When seeds of Echinochloa crusgalli var. oryzicola are germinated in dark anaerobic conditions (99.995% N2), the seedlings do not have detectable protochlorophyll(ide). Two hours after exposure to light aerobic conditions, they begin to synthesize chlorophyll. The lag in greening is shorter in seedlings exposed to light for 24 hours before exposure to air. Seedlings maintained in light anaerobic conditions exhibit no lag in greening upon transfer to an aerobic environment. Preillumination of anaerobically grown seedlings does not result in any chlorophyll accumulation. Phytochrome is probably the receptor for photoactivation of chlorophyll synthesis, since activation is achieved by red light alone, but not by far red light or red plus far red light. The cytochrome oxidase activity in anaerobically germinated seedlings is 30% of the normal level found in aerobically grown seedlings. Preillumination was also found to activate the ability of anaerobically germinated seedlings to increase their cytochrome oxidase activity upon exposure to air.
Correlation of shear to compression for progressive fracture obliquity.

The accompanying shear force at the point of bone opposition is an important factor inherent to tibial fracture stability during axial loading. We determined at which angle of fracture obliquity shearing becomes a dominant force after stabilization with circular external fixation, and how modifications to the external fixator can reduce this effect. We constructed tibial fracture models with a successively increasing fracture angle obliquely (from 0° to 60°) to determine the stability in the classic Ilizarov frame and subsequent frame modifications during axial loading (maximum, 1000 N). Stability was determined by measuring the fracture line displacement for each fracture obliquity model after an applied axial load. Fracture line displacement was recorded as coordinate component changes as measured by an ultrasonic digitizer. We defined construct stability as less than 2 mm of fracture line migration with loading. More than 3500 data points were collected for this study. The classic Ilizarov construct successfully stabilized fractures with up to 30° of fracture obliquity, after which divergent instability occurs. The addition of proximal and distal perpendicular half-pins provides little benefit. Arced wires provided stability up to 40° fracture obliquity. A formal steerage pin construct provided stability for all fracture models (up to 60° of fracture obliquity) with all applied loads (up to 1000-N axial load).
Differentiation between the steroidogenic effects of cholera enterotoxin and adrenocorticotropin through use of a mutant adrenal cell line.

The enterotoxin of Vibrio cholerae, the heat-labile enterotoxins of Escherichia coli, and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) induce morphogenic and steroidogenic changes in Y1 adrenal tumor cells in monolayer tissue culture. A clonal mutant cell line (OS3) of these YI cells that does not respond to ACTH but is stimulated by adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) to increase its production of A4,3ketosteroids is similarly stimulated by V. cholerae and heat-labile E. coli enterotoxins. These results indicate either that different receptor sites exist for ACTH and the two toxins or that different adenyl cyclases are being activated by the pituitary hormone and the enterotoxins. OS3 cells in tissue culture, as well as the Y1 adrenal cell line, should serve as useful model systems with which differences in receptor sites or molecular mechanisms of action between the V. cholerae and heat-labile E. coli enterotoxins and any other activators of the adenyl cyclasecyclic AMP systems can be readily investigated. Previous studies have demonstrated that the enterotoxin of Vibrio cholerae probably exerts its intestinal effects through activation of mucosal adenyl cyclase and increased intracellular levels of adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) [1]. Using a clonal line (Y1) of adrenal cells in tissue culture known to possess an active adenyl cyclase-cyclic AMP system, we found that picogram quantities of cholera enterotoxin were able to effect cellular morphologic changes, probably associated with the generation of cyclic AMP, and to induce synthesis of A4,3-ketosteroids [2]. Both the time of onset of the morphologic and steroidogenic changes seen after exposure of the cells to
Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction in mouse liver cells--relationship to position in the cell cycle.

The inducibility of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) has been studied in synchronously grown cultures of mouse liver cells. These cells (NMuLi cl 8) have low basal levels of AHH which can be induced greater than 100-fold by BaP. Cells were synchronized in G/sub 1/(G/sub 0/) by serum starvation and in S by release from serum starvation in combination with excess thymidine. When released from G/sub 1/(G/sub 0/) by replating at lower cell density in fresh medium with 20% serum, cells began entering S with a lag of 12 h. Addition of BaP (1 ..mu..g/ml) 8 h before serum stimulation, at the time of stimulation or 7.5 h after stimulation all gave similar induction kinetics: the AHH activity peaked as the cells began entering S regardless of when the BaP was added. Cells blocked in various parts of S by excess thymidine were inducible for AHH activity as efficiently as cells moving through S and into G/sub 2/. These results indicate that the inducibility of AHH is greater when cells are actively proliferating and may be a contributing factor to why growing cells are more sensitive to mutagenesis and transformation than quiescent cells.
IL-1α and TNF-α Expression in Early Periapical Lesions of Normal and Immunodeficient Mice

T-helper and B-lymphocytes may contribute to mechanisms that result in bone-resorptive cytokine production in periapical lesions. Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) lack functional B- and T-cell immunity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the progression of pulp necrosis and the histomorphometric features of periapical lesions in scid vs. normal mice. The expression of the bone-resorptive cytokines IL-la and TNF-a was also investigated. Sixteen five-week-old homozygous scid mice and 14 normal BALB/cJ mice were used. The pulps of mandibular first molars were exposed for 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks. Blocks of tissue containing the mandibular teeth and supporting structures were processed for both light microscopic examination and immunohistochemical staining for IL-1α and TNF-α. Central sections were randomized, their images were blindly digitized into a computer, and the areas of the lesions surrounding the distal root apices were measured. The cells that stained positively for the cytoki...
The effects of rotation rate on deep convection in giant planets with small solid cores

Abstract We study how the pattern of thermal convection and differential rotation in the interior of a giant gaseous planet is affected by the presence of a small solid core as a function of the planetary rotation rate. We show, using 2D anelastic, hydrodynamic simulations, that the presence of a small solid core results in significantly different flow structure relative to that of a fully convective interior only if there is little or no planetary rotation.
Marketing and the Poor

It is proposed that marketing exchanges are unbalanced in favor of marketers when one of the parties is a poor consumer, but in addition, marketers are presented with ethical conflicts in such exchanges. An exchange model that includes poor consumers is described. By strengthening ethical foundations of exchange, five implications for making the balance more equitable are discussed. One implication leads to the idea that small buying groups can increase the exchange power of poor consumers, thereby increasing the real and perceived equity as well as the level of commitment of all parties to a marketing exchange.
Helping families of patients with cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To discuss the impact of cancer on families of patients with cancer. DATA SOURCES National reports on caregiving and research articles related to cancer and families. DATA SYNTHESIS Family caregivers are the bedrock of chronic care in the United States. They provide an enormous amount of unpaid care that is often invisible. Cancer can affect the emotional, social, physical, and spiritual well-being of family members. CONCLUSIONS Family intervention research can have a positive effect on patient and family caregiver outcomes. More intervention research with families is needed that is theoretically based, uses randomized clinical trial designs, and uses instruments that are sensitive to intervention effects. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Although family intervention research is limited, descriptive and exploratory research has identified protective factors and risk factors that need to be addressed in clinical practice.
Effect of the second metal electrode on vibrational spectra in inelastic-electron-tunneling spectroscopy

Inelastic-electron-tunneling-spectroscopy experiments on the peak positions and bandwidths of the hydroxyl and deuteroxyl stretch bands for three different oxides and four different top metals are described. The bandwidths and peak positions depend on the top metal electrodes used. Two possible mechanisms for this effect, hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl ions and the metal atoms, and an image-dipole model, are discussed. Order-of-magnitude estimates are made for the simple image-dipole model and compared with experiment.
THE EFFECT OF SULFIDE ON THE BLUEGREEN ALGAE OF HOT SPRINGS. I. NEW ZEALAND AND ICELAND1

SUMMARY The concentration of soluble sulfide (H2S, HS−, S=)2 in hot springs of New Zealand and Iceland has a “species-determining” effect which appears to override the effect of all other chemical factors excepting hydrogen ion concentration. The cosmopolitan high-temperature form (HTF) of Mastigocladus laminosus (Ag.) Cohn appears to be sensitive to concentrations of S= over 0.15 mg·l−1 in New Zealand and 0.25 mg·l−1 in Iceland. It was absent in thermal streams where S= level was high enough to exceed this concentration at a point below its optimal temperature range (i.e., below ca. 50 C). In low or non-S= springs in these regions this alga formed mats to an upper temperature limit of 63–64 C. In contrast, one bluegreen alga (Oscillatoria amphigranulata van Goor) occurred abundantly only in moderate to high S= springs of New Zealand; this was a species with an upper temperature limit of about 57 C. Field 14C-HCO3− incorporation experiments with various levels of added S= confirmed the sensitivity of HTF Mastigocladus and the great tolerance of O. amphigranulata. In the latter, the photosynthetic incorporation of 14C-HCO3− was sustained or enhanced by the additions of S= in the presence of 5 × 10−5m DCMU, an inhibitor of photoelectron transport on the reducing side of photosystem II. It is possible, but not proven, that S= may act as a photoreductant in this species.
Head-Media Interaction in Magnetic Recording

The head‐tape interaction in magnetic recording is modelled by a coupled system of a second‐order differential equation for the pressure and a fourth‐order differential equation for the tape deflection. There is also the constraint that the spacing between the head and tape remains positive. In this paper, we study the stationary one‐dimensional case: We establish the existence of a smooth solution and a boundary layer phenomenon observed both numerically and experimently. The two‐dimensional case is briefly discussed.
Analysis of scattering from complex, electrically large structures using the generalized method of moments

This paper analyses scattering from PEC structures using a novel methodology based on the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The GMM has been introduced as a framework that permits a useful decoupling between the basis functions and the underlying tessellation, a feature that has been the hallmark of the standard Rao-Wilton-Glisson (RWG) basis scheme. This paper extends this method, to include a locally smooth approximation, that accepts any geometry description, from point clouds to standard triangulations. The scheme detailed here has the ability to construct patches of arbitrary sizes and corresponding basis functions, enabling the easy analysis of very complex, realistic geometries. Results will be presented that validate the method and showcase its advantages.
Elimination of indigenous measles from the United States.

levels in children entering school for the first time were 96o%, indicating that the necessary levels have been attained in that age group. Mechanisms are in place to assure maintenance of these levels; these rely heavily on the use of immunization requirements for school attendance in each state. Aggressive surveillance systems have been developed for each state to detect suspected measles cases as soon as possible after they occur and to investigate them within 24 hr of notification. The clinical definition of measles used is fever of >101 F (38.3 C); rash of three or more days duration; and cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis. The response to outbreaks involves identifying persons in the area who are at risk of contracting measles, determining those who are possibly susceptible, and ensuring that these persons are vaccinated. In school outbreaks, susceptible students are vaccinated or excluded from school until the outbreak is over. During 1981, measles morbidity reached a record low level of only 3,032 reported cases (provisional total). Epidemic measles occurred in only a few outbreaks of limited size and duration, and endemic cases were restricted to a small number. Imported cases averaged slightly more than two per week, occasionally producing limited outbreaks, but more often resulting in no secondary spread. Transmission of measles has been interrupted in most of the United States. With continued vigorous implementation of the current stategy and with additional measures to lessen the risk of importations, it appears likely that the goal to eliminate indigenous measles transmission will be attained by October 1982.
Herbicide dynamics in the Bogue Phalia watershed in the Yazoo River basin of Mississippi

Abstract A two-year surface water reconnaissance of the Bogue Phalia and its tributaries was conducted in 1997 and 1998. Cyanazine and metolachlor in surface water samples were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Cyanazine and metolachlor were detected in 101 and 132 of 160 samples, respectively. Cyanazine concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 2.2 g L−1 and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lifetime health advisory level (HAL) of 1 g L−1 in eight samples. However, concentrations never exceeded the HAL for shorter exposure times. Metolachlor concentrations never reached the lifetime HAL of 100 g L−1. Metolachlor concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 20.6 g L−1. Metolachlor was detected more frequently and found to be more persistent throughout the growing season than was cyanazine. Higher cyanazine and metolachlor concentrations were detected at sampling dates that coincided with herbicide applications. One of the Bogue Phalia's tributaries, Clear Creek, was found to ...
Respiratory syncytial virus infection alters surfactant protein A expression in human pulmonary epithelial cells by reducing translation efficiency.

Infection of neonatal lung by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory dysfunction. Lung alveolar type II and bronchiolar epithelial (Clara) cells secrete surfactant protein A (SP-A), a collectin that is an important component of the pulmonary innate immune system. SP-A binds to the virus, targeting the infectious agent for clearance by host defense mechanisms. We have previously shown that while the steady-state level of SP-A mRNA increases approximately threefold after RSV infection, steady-state levels of cellular and secreted SP-A protein decrease 40–60% in human type II cells in primary culture, suggesting a mechanism where the virus alters components of the innate immune response in infected cells. In these studies, we find that changes in SP-A mRNA and protein levels in RSV-infected NCI-H441 cells (a bronchiolar epithelial cell line) recapitulate the results in SP-A expression observed in primary lung cells. While SP-A protein is normally ubiquitinated, there is no change in the level of SP-A protein ubiquitination or proteasome activity during RSV infection, suggesting that the reduced levels of SP-A protein are not due to degradation by activated proteasomes. SP-A mRNA is appropriately processed and exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during RSV infection. As evidenced by polysome analysis of SP-A mRNA and pulse-chase analysis of newly synthesized SP-A protein, we find a decrease in translational efficiency that is specific for SP-A mRNA. Therefore, the decrease in SP-A protein levels observed after RSV infection of pulmonary bronchiolar epithelial cells results from a mechanism that affects SP-A mRNA translation efficiency.
Theoretical and experimental characterization of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

We present a systematic characterization of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. CARS signal generation in a heterogeneous sample under a tight-focusing condition is formulated by the Green’s function method. The CARS radiation pattern and the forward- and backward-detected CARS signals from a three-dimensional Raman scatterer are calculated. The coherent nature of CARS image formation and its consequences for image contrast and spatial resolution are investigated. Experimental implementations of CARS microscopy with collinearly copropagating and counterpropagating excitation beams, forward and backward data collection, and polarization-sensitive detection are described. Finally, CARS images of unstained live cells with forward detection, epidetection, and polarization-sensitive detection are presented and compared.
A Critical Thinking Map to Improve Content Area Comprehension of Poor Readers

A mapping strategy for thinking critically about expository text was used with six high school students who had difficulties in reading comprehension: Four were sophomores in a remedial reading program, and two were juniors in a special education program for the mildly retarded. Subjects read passages from an unfamiliar textbook on U.S. government history. The format was model- lead-test; that is, the teacher first modeled the strategy, then led the student in completing the map, and finally allowed the student to complete the map independently. The components of the critical thinking map were main idea of the passage, major points that support the main idea, other viewpoints, reader's conclusion, and relevance to a contemporary situation. All subjects improved substantially in daily comprehension of lessons. Remedial reading students showed maintained improvement over time. All subjects improved comprehension of passages from a different social studies text indicating ability to generalize to similar con...
Systematic synthesis of separation schemes

The paper reports efforts to automate the synthesis of separation processes. Heuristic and algorithmic programming are used to select both the sequence and types of processes used for the conversion of complex mixtures into specified products. Improved schemes are evolved using learning techniques. An illustrative example is included.
Inverse carbon isotope patterns of lipids and kerogen record heterogeneous primary biomass

Throughout the Proterozoic δ(13)C values for preserved n-alkyl lipids are more positive than for syngenetic kerogen. This pattern is the inverse of biosynthetic expectations. It has been suggested that this isotopic inversion results from selective preservation of lipids from (13)C-enriched heterotrophic populations, while the bulk of kerogen derives from primary producers. Here, we formulate a degradation model to calculate the (13)C content of sedimentary total organic carbon and lipid. The model addresses two scenarios. The first scenario explores preferential preservation of heterotrophic lipid, thereby quantifying the existing hypothesis. In the second, we suggest that an inverse signature could be the result of prokaryotic phytoplankton contributing the majority of the total ecosystem biomass. Photosynthetic prokaryotes bearing a relative (13)C enrichment would contribute much of the resulting preserved lipids, while primary eukaryotic biomass would dominate the total organic carbon. We find that our hypothesis of a mixed primary producer community generates inverse isotopic patterns while placing far fewer requirements on specific degradation conditions. It also provides a possible explanation as to why there are large variations in the (13)C content of the isoprenoid lipids pristane and phytane relative to n-alkyl lipid, while the difference between n-alkyl lipid and kerogen is more constant. Our results suggest that the disappearance of the inverse (13)C signature in the late Ediacaran is a natural consequence of the fundamental shift to oceans in which export production has a higher ratio of eukaryotic biomass.
Synthetic Routes to Perovskite Phase Mixed Metal Oxides

We are developing strategies to form single-component precursors to perovskite phase mixed metal oxides where the stoichiometry of the precursor is fixed at the molecular level to be that of the final desired phase. These strategies ean be applied to the formation of perovskite phase thin films. Two such methods are described herein, relying on ester elimination and alcohol elimination reactions. We have found the reaction between lead(II) acetate and titanium(IV) isopropoxide in ethanol results in ligand redistribution at room temperature. Reactions between (β-diketonate)2M(OR)2 where M = Ti, Zr and Sn and lead(II) acetate do not result in any detectable ester elimination under the reaction conditions employed, and this approach was not successful. Alcohol elimination experiments have been explored as an alternative strategy using a bifunctional glycolate ligand. Lead carbonate reacted with glycolic acid to form the corresponding lead glycolate complex Pb(O2CCH2OH)2. This compound reacted with (β-diketonate)2M(OR)2, M = Ti and Sn, to eliminate two equivalents of alcohol and form the corresponding single component (β-diketonate)2M(OCH2CO2)2Pb complexes. These complexes start to thermally decompose at 150°C and loss of weight is complete by 450°C to yield a product whose weight loss corresponds to the formation of PbTiO3 for M = Ti. Bulk thermolysis of a sample of (dpm)2Ti(OCH2CO2)2Pb at 400°C resulted in formation of crystalline perovskite phase lead titanate together with PbO, massicot and α-PbO phases.
Evolution of our understanding of vitamin D

The development of our understanding of the function of vitamin D from its discovery in the second and third decades of the 20th century to its hormonal activation of its nuclear receptor and to its present position of an important factor in public health has been traced. The key discoveries of the conversion of vitamin D to its hormonal form, its regulation, and the evolving picture of its molecular mechanism of action are presented. The recognition of its role beyond mineralization of the skeleton to its role in skin, the immune system, and its protective role in some forms of malignancy represent more recent developments. The evolution of derivatives of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as therapeutic agents suggests a richness of therapeutic potential. All of this nevertheless illustrates that much more remains to be discovered and applied to our armaments for preventing and treating disease.
Use of Remotely Sensed Data for Assessing Crop Hail Damage

Crop hail damage is a major problem in the Great Plains, causing substantial losses to farmers. ikditional crop hail loss adjustment is very labor-intensive. The loss adjuster must physically survey the damaged field, which is time consuming and subject to considerable error due to the difficulty in determining the relative size and location of the damage. We describe a tool based on remote sensing technology that can be used to help standardize the sampling procedure, estimate areas of similar damage, and speed the selection and location of field sampling. While it is not likely that loss adjustment can be done without ground reference information, it is possible that considemble improvements and cost savings could be made with the assistance of this technology. The NASA Affiliated Research Center (ARC) at the University of NebraskaLincoln working with IGF Insurance Company used airborne multispectral imagery and close-range hyperspectral data to evaluate the impact of artificially induced hail damage on corn and soybean fields. Additionally, a Landsat Thematic Mapper scene, covering a severe hailstorm in western Iowa on 02 July 1999, was evaluated for its potential contribution in evaluation of hail damage on crops. The results showed that broadband multispectral imagery is adequate for detection of the ground area and relative level of hail damage in corn and soybean crops. We believe that damage assessment based on remote sensing techniques would be faster and more accurate than currently used field-oriented procedures. Hail is a unique weather phenomenon that is spatially random and varies in degree of intensity from hardly noticeable to catastrophic. Topography, wind patterns, and the randomness of the hail in a thunderstorm can cause non-uniform spatial distribution of hail size and intensity. In addition, the vulnerability of growing crops and their capacity to compensate for hail damage varies with the growing season and plant-growth stage (Hillaker and Waite, 1985). Crop-hail insurance, in general, provides coverage on a per-acre basis. Therefore, each individual acre (an acre is approximately 0.4 ha] is appraised for damage. The ultimate yield loss due to hail damage as a percentage of the crop's potential prior to the hail event is determined by the growing stage of the crop; surviving plant population versus planted population; amount of plant defoliation; harvesting difficulties; and the direct amount of pod, ear, or grain-head loss if near harvest. These loss parameters are determined based on a series of sample sites (0.001 acre) that are selected
Outlier detection in graph streams

A number of applications in social networks, telecommunications, and mobile computing create massive streams of graphs. In many such applications, it is useful to detect structural abnormalities which are different from the “typical” behavior of the underlying network. In this paper, we will provide first results on the problem of structural outlier detection in massive network streams. Such problems are inherently challenging, because the problem of outlier detection is specially challenging because of the high volume of the underlying network stream. The stream scenario also increases the computational challenges for the approach. We use a structural connectivity model in order to define outliers in graph streams. In order to handle the sparsity problem of massive networks, we dynamically partition the network in order to construct statistically robust models of the connectivity behavior. We design a reservoir sampling method in order to maintain structural summaries of the underlying network. These structural summaries are designed in order to create robust, dynamic and efficient models for outlier detection in graph streams. We present experimental results illustrating the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach.
The Role Actin Filaments Play in Providing the Characteristic Curved Form of Drosophila Bristles

Drosophila bristles display a precise orientation and curvature. An asymmetric extension of the socket cell overlies the newly emerging bristle rudiment to provide direction for bristle elongation,...
Predicting seismic velocity and other rock properties from clay content only

It has been shown that accurate predictions of compressional and shear‐wave velocities can be derived from measurements of clay content, porosity, and bulk density. In this paper, we test the efficacy of using a sequence of established petrophysical formulations to go a step further and predict porosity and bulk density as well as velocity from clay content alone. Other variables, like grain and pore‐fluid properties, are assumed to be constant, while empirical relationships are used to model such behaviors as grain packing and compaction.The sequence of formulations, referred to as the “model,” is evaluated using well‐log and core data from the Amazon Fan collected during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 155. Clay contents are estimated from the borehole gamma‐ray logs. These are input to the model, which in turn predicts observed porosities to a rms error of <20%, and bulk densities and compressional velocities to rms errors of ≤10%. The results suggest that with better measurements of clay content and improv...
Cutting Edge: Inflammasome activation by Alum and Alum’s adjuvant effect are mediated by NLRP3

Alum is the only adjuvant approved for routine use in humans, although the basis for its adjuvanticity remains poorly understood. We have recently shown that alum activates caspase-1 and induces secretion of mature IL-1β and IL-18. In this study we show that, in human and mouse macrophages, alum-induced secretion of IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33 is mediated by the NLR (nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing) protein NLRP3 and its adaptor ASC, but not by NLRC4. Other particulate adjuvants, such as QuilA and chitosan, induce inflammasome activation in a NLRP3-dependent fashion, suggesting that activation of the NLRP3-inflammasome may be a common mechanism of action of particulate adjuvants. Importantly, we demonstrate that Ag-specific Ab production elicited by vaccines that contain alum is significantly impaired in NLRP3-deficient mice. Our results demonstrate for the first time a role for the NLRP3-inflammasome during development of the immune response elicited by alum-enhanced vaccination and suggest that therapeutic intervention aimed at NLRP3 may improve adjuvant efficacy.
Turnover rates and organizational performance: a meta-analysis

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of the relationship between turnover rates and organizational performance to (a) determine the magnitude of the relationship; (b) test organization-, context-, and methods-related moderators of the relationship; and (c) suggest future directions for the turnover literature on the basis of the findings. The results from 300 total correlations (N 309,245) and 110 independent correlations (N 120,066) show that the relationship between total turnover rates and organizational performance is significant and negative ( –.15). In addition, the relationship is more negative for voluntary ( –.15) and reduction-in-force turnover ( –.17) than for involuntary turnover ( –.01). Moreover, the meta-analytic correlation differs significantly across several organization- and context-related factors (e.g., types of employment system, dimensions of organizational performance, region, and entity size). Finally, in sample-level regressions, the strength of the turnover rates–organizational performance relationship significantly varies across different average levels of total and voluntary turnover rates, which suggests a potential curvilinear relationship. The authors outline the practical magnitude of the findings and discuss implications for future organizationallevel turnover research.
Biomechanical Basis of Shoulder Osseous Deformity and Contracture in a Rat Model of Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of two proposed mechanisms, strength imbalance and impaired longitudinal muscle growth, to osseous and postural deformity in a rat model of brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP). Methods: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rat pups were divided into four groups on the basis of surgical interventions to induce a strength imbalance, impaired growth, both a strength imbalance and impaired growth (a combined mechanism), and a sham condition in the left forelimb. Maximum passive external shoulder rotation angle (ERmax) was measured bilaterally at four and eight weeks postoperatively. After the rats were killed at eight weeks, the glenohumeral geometry (on microcomputed tomography) and shoulder muscle architecture properties were measured bilaterally. Results: Bilateral muscle mass and optimal length differences were greatest in the impaired growth and combined mechanism groups, which also exhibited >15° lower ERmax (p < 0.05; four weeks postoperatively), 14° to 18° more glenoid declination (p < 0.10), and 0.76 to 0.94 mm more inferior humeral head translation (p < 0.10) on the affected side. Across all four groups, optimal muscle length was significantly correlated with at least one osseous deformity measure for six of fourteen muscle compartments crossing the shoulder on the affected side (p < 0.05). In the strength imbalance group, the glenoid was 5° more inclined and the humeral head was translated 7.5% more posteriorly on the affected side (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Impaired longitudinal muscle growth and shoulder deformity were most pronounced in the impaired growth and combined mechanism groups, which underwent neurectomy. Strength imbalance was associated with osseous deformity to a lesser extent. Clinical Relevance: Treatments to alleviate shoulder deformity should address mechanical effects of both strength imbalance and impaired longitudinal muscle growth, with an emphasis on developing new treatments to promote growth in muscles affected by BPBP.
The destruction of lenses and generation of wodons

Abstract Since midocean eddies Migrate westward, they eventually reach the western boundaries. It is, therefore, of interest to find out what happens after the eddies collide with the walls. An isopycnic, two-layer, primitive equation model on a β plane and a simple analytical model on an f plane are constructed to investigate the meridional migration of an oceanic eddy along a western wall. On a β plane, three factors determine the eddy's migration along a western meridional wall. First, the image effect pushes an anticyclonic (cyclonic) eddy northward (southward). Second, the β force (resulting from the larger Coriolis force on the northern side of the eddy) pulls an anticyclonic (cyclonic) eddy southward (northward). Third, after an anticyclonic (cyclonic) eddy collides with the wall, parts of the anticyclonic eddy's interior fluid leak out southward (northward) along the wall forming a thin jet. In an analogy to a rocket, this jet pushes the eddy northward (southward). Our aim is to investigate in whi...
Why Square Roots are Irrational

(1986). Why Square Roots are Irrational. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 3, pp. 213-214.
Force Molting (Interruption of Egg Laying) in White Leghorn Hens by the Use of Enheptin (2-Amino, 5-Nitrothiazole)

Abstract A FORCE molt to the husbandman means to make hens stop egg laying. This is accomplished with variations in severity by radical diet changes, fasting, and darkness. The object of this practice is to switch the period of productivity in order to accrue later advantages. A procedure for causing molt is described in the Washington Extension Bulletin 323 (1947). It has been shown by Berg and Bearse (1947) that force molting results in the improvement of egg quality characteristics when comparing “just prior” and “after” molt eggs. The force-molted hens were not able to recover the level of pullet-year egg quality characteristics. Van der Meulen (1939) reporting on hormonal control of molt was able to force the molt by oral doses of desiccated pig thyroid. He showed that induced hyperthyroidism precipitates molt and interrupts egg production, the duration of which varies with the season. Previous reports by Hudson and Pino …
Analysis on Bacillary Dysentery Incidence of Shenyang Based on CART

Objective To investigate the relationship between the incidence of bacillary dysentery and meteorological factors. Methods The incidence of bacillary dysentery from 1950 to 1996 in Shenyang was taken as response variable,and meteorological factors such as temperature,air pressure,precipitation and amount of evaporation as predictable variable. Software R 2.3.1 was used to establish the classification and regression tree(CART),and the correlation analysis was performed by using SPSS13.0. Results The model got very good fitting results. The predicted values accorded with the true values well and there was no statistical significance between them. Among all the temperature indexes,minimum temperature indexes were most related to bacillary dysentery incidence. Minimum temperature,precipitation and pressure were statistically influential factors in the multiple variable model. Conclusion CART is a powerful tool for dealing with data of heterogeneity; it is deem to have a good future in the prediction of infectious disease incidence for its simplicity and ease.