cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification and characterization of three putative genes for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase from etiolated mung bean hypocotyl segments

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to produce 3 putative clones for ACC synthase from etiolated mung bean (Vigna radiata Rwilcz cv. Berken) hypocotyls. This was accomplished by utilizing genomic DNA from mung bean and degenerate primers made from information derived from highly conserved regions of ACC synthase from different plant tissues. The total length of pMAC-1, pMAC-2 and pMAC-3 are 308, 321, and 326 bp, respectively, all of which code for 68 amino acids. The introns for pMAC-1, pMAC-2 and pMAC-3 are 92, 105, and 110 bp, respectively. The degrees of homology at the DNA level for each of these clones is ca. 80% in their coding region and ca. 50% in their respective introns. This is the first report providing evidence that there are at least 3 genes for ACC synthase in etiolated mung bean.
Purification of fluorescein and fluorescein derivatives be cellulose ion exchange chromatography

Abstract A method for the purification of ionic dyes by cellulose ion exchanges is presented. The underlying rationale is based upon approximate knowledge of the pK's of the ionizing groups of the dye. Fluorescein purified by DEAE cellulose chromatography has a molar extinction coefficient of 8·72 × 104 in 0·01 M NaOH at 491 mμ. This agrees with results obtained by other workers using different methods of purification. Fluorescein amine is readily purified on a 10g scale by a similar method and an improved procedure for converting the amine to the isothiocyanate is given. The amine is a convenient and stable compound which can be standardized, stored and converted to the isothiocyanate as needed for fluorescent labeling.
Spin-orbit splittings and energy band gaps calculated with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof screened hybrid functional

We assess the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) screened Coulomb hybrid density functional for the calculation of spin-orbit (SO) splittings and energy band gaps. We have employed a set of 23 semiconductors with available experimental data, including group IV elements, and group III-V, II-VI, and IB-VII compounds. The spin-orbit interaction is included in the calculations using relativistic effective core potentials within a second-variation approximation. HSE errrors are similar to those obtained previously without including SO in the calculation and using a weighted average of the SO split bands for the reference value [J. Chem. Phys. 123, 174101 (2005)]. Here we explicitly show that the same good agreement remains after explicitly including SO interaction in the calculations and comparing directly to experimental energy band gaps.
Antiangiogenic cancer drug sunitinib exhibits unexpected proangiogenic effects on endothelial cells

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is an essential step for cancer progression, but antiangiogenic therapies have shown limited success. Therefore, a better understanding of the effects of antiangiogenic treatments on endothelial cells is necessary. In this study, we evaluate the changes in cell surface vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) expression on endothelial cells in culture treated with the antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug sunitinib, using quantitative flow cytometry. We find that proangiogenic VEGFR2 cell surface receptor numbers are increased with sunitinib treatment. This proangiogenic effect might account for the limited effects of sunitinib as a cancer therapy. We also find that this increase is inhibited by brefeldin A, an inhibitor of protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus. The complex dynamics of cell surface VEGFRs may be important for successful treatment of cancer with antiangiogenic therapeutics.
Autoregulation in encapsulated, passive, soft-walled vessels

Abstract Flow through an enclosed, passive, softwalled vessel remained at fairly constant values (autoregulation) despite marked changes in perfusion pressure. The system consisted of an "aortic" reservoir connected to a segment of Penrose tubing which was enclosed in a glass capsule; the capsule was connected to the upstream segment of the soft-walled vessel to permit a "transudate" to enter the extravascular space. Controlled escape of fluid from the capsule permitted regulation of the extravascular pressure. A tunnel clamp on the arterial inlet served as an "arteriole;" flow remained relatively unchanged when this "arteriolar" screw clamp was tightened almost to the point of obstruction of flow. The system displayed other properties of autoregulating tissues, such as absence of autoregulation at very low perfusion pressures and a lag in the adaptation of resistance to change in pressure. These effects result from an interplay of the transmural pressure and the pressure/flow relationships within and without the soft-walled vessel, as discussed. The results suggest that autoregulation may be a mechanical property of the effect of flow on the wall of enclosed collapsible vessels. A limited role for the arteriole in such a system is indicated.
Development and evaluation of a 4-target multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and characterization of Yersinia pestis

A multiplexed, 4-target real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection and characterization of Yersinia pestis was designed and optimized for respiratory and environmental samples. The target sequences include the entF3 gene of the chromosome, pla (plasminogen activator) on the pPCP1 virulence plasmid, caf1 (F1 capsule antigen) on the pMT1 virulence plasmid, and a region located on the pCD1 plasmid. The sensitivity of this assay was determined to be less than 85 CFU per reaction for each specimen type analyzed. This assay was also determined to be 100% specific with strains of Y. pestis, 9 additional Yersinia species, and related enteric and respiratory organisms. The results show that this multiplex real-time PCR assay using TaqMan(R) (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Alameda, CA) chemistry is sensitive and specific, requires minimal sample input, and can yield results in approximately 4 h. This assay is the first 4-target multiplex real-time PCR assay for Y. pestis in which detection and virulence assessment of Y. pestis can occur in one reaction, from clinical and environmental samples.
Passive random walkers and riverlike networks on growing surfaces.

Passive random walker dynamics is introduced on a growing surface. The walker is designed to drift upward or downward and then follow specific topological features, such as hill tops or valley bottoms, of the fluctuating surface. The passive random walker can thus be used to directly explore scaling properties of otherwise somewhat hidden topological features. For example, the walker allows us to directly measure the dynamical exponent of the underlying growth dynamics. We use the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) -type surface growth as an example. The world lines of a set of merging passive walkers show nontrivial coalescence behaviors and display the riverlike network structures of surface ridges in space-time. In other dynamics, such as Edwards-Wilkinson growth, this does not happen.The passive random walkers in KPZ-type surface growth are closely related to the shock waves in the noiseless Burgers equation. We also briefly discuss their relations to the passive scalar dynamics in turbulence.
Star and Linear Dunes on Mars

A field containing 11 star and incipient star dunes occurs on Mars at 8.8 deg S, 270.9 deg W. Examples of linear dunes are found in a crater at 59.4 deg S, 343 deg W. While rare, dune varieties that form in bi- and multidirectional wind regimes are not absent from the surface of Mars. The occurence of both of these dune fields offers new insight into the nature of martian wind conditions and sand supply. The linear dunes appears to have formed through modification of a formerly transverse aeolian deposit, suggesting a relatively recent change in local wind direction. The 11 dunes in the star dune locality show a progressive change from barchan to star form as each successive dune has traveled up into a valley, into a more complex wind regime. The star dunes corroborate the model of N. Lancaster (1989), for the formation of star dunes by projection of transverse dunes into a complex, topographically influenced wind regime. The star dunes have dark streaks emanating from them, providing evidence that the dunes were active at or near the time the relevant image was obtained by the Viking 1 orbiter in 1978. The star and linear dunes described here are located in different regions on the martian surface. Unlike most star and linear dunes on Earth, both martian examples are isolated occurrences; neither is part of a major sand sea. Previously published Mars general circulation model results suggest that the region in which the linear dune field occurs should be a bimodal wind regime, while the region in which the star dunes occur should be unimodal. The star dunes are probably the result of localized complication of the wind regime owing to topographic confinement of the dunes. Local topographic influence on wind regime is also evident in the linear dune field, as there are transverse dunes in close proximity to the linear dunes, and their occurrence is best explained by funneling of wind through a topographic gap in the upwind crater wall.
An embolating apparatus for the collection of multiple samples of systemic and hypophysial portal blood.

An apparatus, called an embolator, was designed, and its details together with tests conducted to demonstrate its efficacy are presented here. The embolator consists of two units, a timer and a fractionator, and operates by introducing air bubbles in a controlled fashion into tubing collecting systemic or hypophysial portal blood. The air bubbles separate the blood into multiple, discrete segments. Experiments under both in vitro and in vivo conditions demonstrate that the embolator can be used to prevent mixing between aliquots during a prolonged, continuous collection of blood. (Endocrinology 94: 864, 1974)
Modulation of the cellular pharmacokinetics of ara-CTP in human leukemic blasts by dipyridamole.

The effect of dipyridamole (DP) on the cellular retention of 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and its metabolites was examined in leukemic blasts that had been isolated directly from bone marrow aspirates from patients afflicted with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). When AML cells were loaded for 2 h with 1 μm [3H]-ara-C and then transferred to ara-C-free medium, total intracellular concentrations of radiolabel and [3H]-ara-C 5′-triphosphate [3H]-ara-C-CTP rapidly declined. After 8 h, total intracellular levels of tritium were 4.4 times higher if 10 μm was included in the washout medium; however, the majority of this intracellular radiolabel corresponded to [3H]-uridine arabinoside ([3H]-ara-U) and [3H]-ara-C. DP significantly increased the meant1/2 for [3H]-ara-CTP from 102 to 136 min (P<0.01), but this effect was much less pronounced than that obtained for total tritium and the increase was quite variable (0–70%; median, 19%). The presence of DP in the washout medium also increased the incorporation of ara-C into DNA and the formation of ara-CDP-choline. The level of ara-CDP-choline continued to increase in both DP-containing and DP-free media for the first 4 h following drug removal and the formation of ara-CDP-choline continued during the first few hours in ara-C-free medium. At the end of the 8-h wash in DP-containing medium, the cellular concentration of ara-CDP-choline was equivalent to that found at the beginning of the washout period. Although statistically significant, the effect of DP on ara-CTP retention in AML blasts was much less pronounced than that previously observed in L5178Y leukemia. The former cells exhibited only 10% as many nucleoside transport carriers as did the L5178Y cells as measured by their capacity to bind [3H]-nitrobenzylmer-captopurine riboside (NBMPR). The effect of DP in prolonging ara-CTP retention was proportional to the number of [3H]-NBMPR binding sites. This suggests that in patients cells that exhibit extremely low transport capacity, most of the net catabolism occurs via deamination, and further inhibition of transport by DP in an effort to improve cellular retention of ara-C has little effect on ara-CTP catabolism.
Regional Distribution of Microdolomite Inclusions in Mississippian Echinoderms from Southwestern New Mexico

ABSTRACT Crinoid grains from Mississippian skeletal packstones and grainstones from the Lake Valley and Kelley Formations, New Mexico, have retained most of their original Mg, which now resides in 1 to 10 µm microdolomite inclusions. The mean microdolomite content of these crinoids is about 9.3% ± 1.1% (95% confidence limit) by volumes, as determined by petrography. The microdolomite contents show regional variations being lowest in the northern part of the study area (about 6%), and highest (about 11%), 170 km to the south. There are no consistent stratigraphic gradients in microdolomite contents. The average apparent Mg content of the Mississippian crinoids is estimated from the 9.3% microdolomite by assuming 50% original intraskeletal porosity. This estimate of 10.4 mole % MgCO3 is lower than the average 14.5 mole % of modern low-latitude crinoids. In spite of this, the higher values of Mg contents of Mississippian crinoids fall within the range of Mg contents of modern, low-latitude crinoids. We interpret these data to mean that original Mg contents of Mississippian crinoids were comparable to those of modern crinoids and that the relatively low mean Mg content of Mississippian crinoids is due to diagenetic loss of Mg. We rule out lower temperatures or Mg contents of Mississippian sea waters and biological differences of modern and Mississippian crinoids as causin the low-Mg contents of Mississippian crinoids. Mg loss from Mississippian crinoids is supported by the decrease in microdolomite content toward rims of grains, and by the fact that intragranular variation is lower than intergranular variations of microdolomite content. On the basis of the above evidence we suggest that, on average, Mississippian crinoids have retained about 75% of their Mg. The southward increase in Mg content of Mississippian crinoids we interpret to reflect a greater diagenetic Mg loss in the north than in the south, rather than a southward increase in sea-water temperature or a southward change in taxa. This interpretation is supported by the southward decrease in intensity of chemical compaction and by the covariance of Mg and 18O contents of crinoids. Our diagenetic model, based on these data and on previous work, invokes regional, fresh, phreatic groundwater systems that formed in response to late Mississippian-early Pennsylvanian emergence of the shelf. The groundwaters were recharged in the north and flowed, generally, southward. Northern areas contained diagenetically more aggress ve groundwaters which leached more Mg from crinoid grains than did groundwaters farther south.
An Eddy Current Sensor for the Measurement of Resistivity and Temperature of Aluminum Rod during Extrusion Processing

Optimization of the speed of production and the control of quality of extruded aluminum products requires the measurement of the temperature of the extruded product during processing. This temperature measurement should be by a non-contact sensor placed as close as possible to the extrusion die, and the measurement should be accomplished and reported with sufficient rapidity to be used in a feedback control loop. For this purpose, an eddy current sensor which performs an on-line measurement of resistivity and converts the measurement to the corresponding temperature has been developed. This project is being conducted jointly by The Aluminum Association and the National Bureau of Standards.
Characterization of 2,3-bis(chloromethyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone induced mitochondrial swelling.

Abstract Mitochondrial swelling induced by 2,3-bis(chloromethyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (CMNQ) was found to be a non-energy linked, oxygen and sulfhydryl-dependent, substrate-independent, osmotic process, that lacks cation specificity. Swelling was inhibited by cysteine and DTNB, and the CMNQ induced swelling resulted in a decrease in mitochondrial reactive sulfhydryl groups; thus, mitochondrial sulfhydryl interaction was mandatory in the CMNQ swelling process. The non-enzymatic reaction of CMNQ with cysteine but not cystine resulted in the consumption of oxygen, implicating sulfhydryl redox activity in the swelling process. High levels of tocopherol and histidine depressed the CMNQ induced swelling, suggesting that free radicals and singlet oxygen are important in the CMNQ induced swelling process. These findings support the proposition that CMNQ interacts with mitochondrial reductase systems and sulfhydryl groups in such a way as to generate superoxide radical which subsequently may dismute to H 2 O 2 and produce ·OH and possibly singlet oxygen. These toxic oxygen species may be responsible for the CMNQ-promoted sulfhydryl depletion and mitochondrial swelling.
Non-symmetric transverse vibrations of truncated conical shells

Resonant frequencies and mode shapes for transverse vibration of truncated conical shells obtained by considering effect of bending, membrane rigidity and inertia terms due to transverse motion
Junction-current-confinement planar light-emitting diodes and optical coupling into large-core diameter fibers using lenses

High-radiance AlGaAs-GaAs double-heterostructure light-emitting diodes utilizing junction current confinement are described. Diode resistance and junction ideality factor are investigated as a function of emission diameters from 10 to 75 µm. Near-field intensity profiles indicate tight current confinement over the full range of emission diameters. Rise-time measurements are consistent with a simple carrier lifetime model for >25-µm emission diameters. An effective radiative-recombination constant, B = 1.5(±0.5) × 10-10cm3/s is deduced from the rise-time data and model. Peak wavelength and spectral width data are discussed in terms of junction current density and temperature. With decreasing emission diameter, the optical coupling efficiencies into 100- and 200-µm core diam high-numerical-aperture fibers increased from 10 to 25 percent and 25 to 50 percent, respectivley, using spherical glass lenses.
The importance of the second strain invariant in the constitutive modeling of elastomers and soft biomaterials

Abstract The classical phenomenological constitutive modeling of the mechanical behavior of isotropic incompressible rubber-like hyperelastic materials involves strain-energy densities that depend on the first two principal invariants of the strain tensor. For rubber, the most well-known of these is the Mooney–Rivlin model which has a linear dependence on the two principal invariants and its specialization to the neo-Hookean form which is independent of the second invariant. While each of these models provides a reasonably accurate prediction for the mechanical behavior of rubber-like materials at small stretches, they fail to reflect the strain-stiffening that is observed as the stretch increases. For soft biomaterials, an exponential dependence on the strain-invariants is well known to capture this predominant stiffening effect. The most celebrated of these models is that of Fung and Demiray which depends only on the first strain invariant. In the limit as the strain-stiffening parameter tends to zero, one recovers the neo-Hookean model. A modification of the Fung–Demiray (FD) model that also depends on the second invariant was proposed by Vito. For the Vito model, one recovers the Mooney–Rivlin model as the strain-stiffening parameter tends to zero. It is well known that, in general, inclusion of a dependence on the second invariant models the stress response of rubber-like materials more accurately. More importantly, in the solution of some basic problems involving homogeneous and inhomogeneous deformations, constitutive models that do not include a dependence on the second invariant fail to capture some significant physical effects. These issues for elastomers and soft biomaterials are addressed here and explicitly illustrated by using the FD and Vito models.
Poly(ethylene glycol)-modified ligninase enhances pentachlorophenol biodegradation in water-solvent mixtures

Polychlorinated hydrocarbons are prevalent environmental contaminants whose rates of biodegradation are limited by their minimal solubilities in aqueous solutions where the biological reactions take place. In this study, ligninase (LiP) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium was modified by poly(ethylene glycol) to enhance its activity and stability for the biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the presence of acetonitrile (MeCN), a water-miscible solvent. The modified enzyme retained 100% of its activity in aqueous solutions and showed enhanced tolerance against the organic solvent. The activity of the modified enzyme was found to be over twice that of the native enzyme in the presence of 10% (v/v) MeCN. The solubility of PCP was enhanced significantly by the addition of MeCN to aqueous solutions, such that it was over 10-fold more soluble in the presence of 15% (v/v) MeCN than in pure aqueous buffer solution. Capitalizing on the enhanced substrate solubility and the increased activity of the modified enzyme, the catalytic efficiency of the modified LiP in solutions containing 15% MeCN was over 11-fold higher than that of the native enzyme in buffer solutions in unoptimized reactor systems. Continued research both in the use of organic solvents to increase the availability of recalcitrant contaminants and in themore » modification of enzymes to enhance their activity and stability in such solvents promises to dramatically affect their ability to remediate contaminated sites.« less
Parallel imaging reconstruction using automatic regularization

Increased spatiotemporal resolution in MRI can be achieved by the use of parallel acquisition strategies, which simultaneously sample reduced k-space data using the information from multiple receivers to reconstruct full-FOV images. The price for the increased spatiotemporal resolution in parallel MRI is the degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the final reconstructed images. Part of the SNR reduction results when the spatially correlated nature of the information from the multiple receivers destabilizes the matrix inversion used in the reconstruction of the full-FOV image. In this work, a reconstruction algorithm based on Tikhonov regularization is presented that reduces the SNR loss due to geometric correlations in the spatial information from the array coil elements. Reference scans are utilized as a priori information about the final reconstructed image to provide regularized estimates for the reconstruction using the L-curve technique. This automatic regularization method reduces the average g-factors in phantom images from a two-channel array from 1.47 to 0.80 in twofold sensitivity encoding (SENSE) acceleration. In vivo anatomical images from an eight-channel system show an averaged g-factor reduction of 1.22 to 0.84 in 2.67-fold acceleration.
Differential toxicity of monochloroacetate, monofluoroacetate and monoiodoacetate in rats.

Abstract Acute lethality and mechanisms of toxicity of monochloroacetate (MCA), monofluoroacetate (MFA) and monoiodoacetate (MIA) were compared in rats. MCA, MFA and MIA were administered to rats, and the number of dead was determined. LD90 doses of the haloacetates were administered to rats, and the time of death (LT) was noted. The effect of haloacetates on in vitro [14C] acetate oxidation in liver homogenates was determined, and Hofstee plots were used to estimate reaction kinetics. MCA binding of in vivo and in vitro sulfhydryl (SH) groups was examined as a possible mechanism of toxicity. Tissue distribution of [14C] haloacetates, LD90 dose, and of [14C]MCA, LD1 dose, was determined. The 24-hr LD50 for MFA, MIA and MCA were, respectively, 5, 60 and 108 mg/kg. The LT50 for MCA, MFA and MIA were, respectively, 130, 310 and 480 min. Reaction parameters for [14C]acetate oxidation were, Vmax = 30.5 × 102dpm14CO2min−1, apparent Km = 2.4 × 10−6, m . MCA and MFA inhibited [14C]acetate oxidation: MCA apparent Ki = 9.1 × 10−7, m , and MFA apparent Ki = 11.0 × 10−7, m . MCA and MIA reduced the SH concentration in the kidney and liver but MCA did not reduce cysteine SH concentration in vitro. [14C]MCA and [14C]MIA distributed primarily to liver and kidney, but [14C]MFA had relatively higher plasma concentrations. It was concluded that MCA, MFA and MIA produce acute toxicity by dissimilar mechanisms.
Langasite SAW pressure sensor for harsh environments

Wireless pressure sensing in harsh environments at temperatures in excess of 200°C has important applications in energy generation, aerospace, and industrial processing. Such environments restrict or prevent the use of silicon based technology and battery powered sensor devices. Microwave acoustics, in particular surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology, allows the design of wireless pressure sensors to operate battery-free in a harsh environment. Current SAW-based pressure sensors operate up to approximately 200°C and 150 psi and typically employ quartz substrates. The Langasite (LGS) family of crystals retains their piezoelectric properties up to their melting point of approximately 1470°C, thus opening up the possibility of designing and implementing very high temperature and harsh environment LGS SAW pressure sensors. A square shaped sealed cavity has been used in this work with sensors strategically placed at the edges of the cavity for improved differential sensitivity and temperature compensated response. The fabricated devices were tested up to 225 psia and 500°C.
Irradiation damage in proton irradiated palladium-iron solid solutions

Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the irradiation damage, in particular irradiation induced precipitation (IIP), in Pd-base alloys containing 2, 8, 12 and 18 at % Fe. The specimens were irradiated mainly using 400 keV protons at a current density of 0.16 μA/mm2 over the temperature range 110 to 750°C. A few samples containing 2 and 8% Fe were also irradiated using 3 MeV NiP+ ions. The irradiation microstructure of the proton irradiated alloys consists of dislocation loops over the temperature range 110 to 550°C and voids up to 650°C in all the alloys. IIP of Pd3Fe was observed only in the Pd-18% Fe alloy between 110 and 500°C, irradiated to a dose of 0.9 dpa. Pd3Fe was associated with dislocation loops, voids and grain boundaries. IIP was not observed in the Pd-2,8 and 12% Fe alloys proton irradiated to the same dose, nor to a higher dose of 1.5 dpa. It was also not observed in the 2 and 8% Fe alloys irradiated at 600 and 700°C by 3 MeV Ni+ ions. The absence of IIP in the more dilute alloys is attributed to the fast back diffusion of Fe atoms, which is due to the high mobility of vacancies in these alloys. This causes the Fe concentration at the sinks to remain below the solubility limit. Therefore, even though Fe is an undersized solute, the size effect alone is not sufficient for the production of IIP at point defect sinks in most Pd-Fe alloys. It is proposed that IIP can occur only when the alloy concentration is high enough to minimize the rate of back diffusion, which depends not only on the vacancy mobility but also on the concentration gradient near point defect sinks.
Benefits of concurrent delivery of hyaluronan and IGF-1 cues to regeneration of crosslinked elastin matrices by adult rat vascular cells

Elastin, a major component of vascular matrices, critically determines vascular mechanics and maintains the quiescence of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Attempts to regenerate elastin in elastin-compromised blood vessels using tissue-engineering approaches is limited by the unavailability of elastogenic cues to upregulate poor elastin output and matrix assembly by adult vascular cells. We previously showed that hyaluronan (HA) elastogenically stimulates aortic SMCs, although these effects are highly specific to HA fragment size. The elastogenic response of SMCs can also be modulated with growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Here, we evaluate the benefits of concurrent delivery of HA fragments (0.76–2000 kDa) and IGF-1 (500 ng/ml) to elastin synthesis, organization and crosslinking. The study outcomes show that, relative to supplement-free cultures, IGF-1 and long-chain HA/large HA fragments, but not HA oligomers, together induce multifold increases in the synthesis of elastin precursors, structural elastin matrix yields and crosslink densities within cell layers, and encourage elastic fibre formation. These outcomes are not all obtained when either of the cues is provided separately. IGF-1 and large HA fragments (>20 kDa) also together inhibit cell proliferation, a concern in elastin-compromised vessels, where SMC hyperproliferation is common. The results will benefit efforts to provide exogenous or scaffold-based elastogenic cues (IGF-1 + HMW HA/large HA fragments) to enable robust and faithful regeneration of elastin matrix structures in vivo or in vitro. The present outcomes may be used to restore elastin matrix homeostasis in de-elasticized vessels and tissue-engineered constructs that may be grafted as a substitute. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐ and world‐ownership: Rejoinder to Epstein, palmer, and Feallsanach

Abstract G. A. Cohen's argument against the claim that respect for self‐ownership entails libertarianism features the imaginary example of “Able and Infirm.” Richard Epstein, Tom Palmer, and Am Feallsanach criticize the example, but fail to rescue libertarianism from Cohen's attack. This is due to a misunderstanding of the role the example plays in Cohen's argument, and to a false belief that the initial ownership status of the world is important for resolving disputes in political philosophy.
The Role of Dominance in the Social and Sexual Behavior of Infra-Human Primates: II. An Experimental Determination of the Behavior Syndrome of Dominance

* Recommended by Gardner Murphy, accepted for publication by Carl Murchison of the Editorial Board, and received in the Editorial Office, December 5, 1935. 1 The authors' thanks are due to Dr. Harry F. Harlow, the director of the Laboratory, for his helpful cooperation throughout the experiment, and to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation which contributed part of the funds that made the Laboratory a possibility.
Framing Brokeback Mountain: How the Popular Press Corralled the “Gay Cowboy Movie”

This study of 113 reviews of the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain finds that although U.S. critics applauded it, the discourse underlying their reviews created three complementary but conflicting frames that direct attention away the movie's core theme of destructive rural homophobia. Our interrogation of press reviews revealed that reviewers framed the film as a “universal” love story while simultaneously encouraging audiences to read it as a “gay cowboy movie.” The tension between these competing frames—perhaps an artifact of reviewers’ lack of language to articulate the queer issues privileged in the film's narratives beyond a heterosexual–homosexual dichotomy—results in disagreement about the “proper” interpretation of the film. The result, whether we see the film as “universal” or “peculiar,” is a paradoxical invisibility for queer identity, and yields a third frame in which homophobia is represented as a relic of the past. The tension among these contradictory frames illustrates how efforts in the mains...
Image-based assessment of spinal trabecular bone structure from high-resolution CT images.

The goal of this study was to assess whether a high-resolution CT measure of trabecular bone structure can enhance the discrimination between subjects with or without a vertebral fracture and having overall low hip or spine bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Sixty-one women with low BMD by DXA (T-score <–2.5 at hip or spine) were examined. Twenty women had sustained a vertebral fracture. Quantitative CT (QCT) BMD and high-resolution CT spinal scans were performed on a whole-body CT scanner. For the high-resolution images (0.31 mm pixel, 1.5 mm thick slice), trabecular bone was segmented from marrow using an adaptive threshold, region growth and skeletonization step. From the processed image we measured the apparent trabecular bone fraction (BV/TV), apparent trabecular thickness (I.Th) and apparent trabecular spacing (I.Sp). We also assessed the connectivity of the marrow space using region growing to derive a mean (HA) and maximum (HM) hole size. Despite the fact that the study population was preselected to have a low BMD by DXA, QCT BMD was highly associated with (p <0.005) with fracture status. All structural parameters were correlated (r ~ 0.64 to 0.79) with BMD with p <0.003 and showed significant differences between the fracture and non-fracture group. However, except for HA, this difference did not remain significant after adjustment for BMD. When BMD and then HA was entered into a paired linear regression model to predict fracture outcome, HA contributed with p= 0.03 and BMD with p= 0.86. ROC analysis was applied and showed that HA, BMD, I.Th and I.Sp discriminated the two groups with areas of 0.76, 0.75, 0.71 and 0.68, respectively. These findings suggest that an assessment of vertebral trabecular structure from high-resolution CT images is useful in discriminating subjects with vertebral fractures and potentially useful for predicting future fractures.
The independent psychodiagnostic clinic: Maintaining accountability through program evaluation

The pressures of PL 94-142 have caused many school systems to contract with in dependent psychodiagnostic clinics for differential assessments and educational recommendations, These clinics, and the contracting school systems, must ensure accountable and efficient service delivery, typically accomplished through program evaluation. Program evaluation at Syracuse University's Psychoeducational Teaching Laboratory entails process and product formative and summative evaluations, respectively. Clinic program evaluation, in general, should be discussed during contract negotiations with prospective consultees, should be individually tailored to consultees' referral problems, and should make efficient use of consultation time. An example of a program evaluation completed at the Psychoeducational Teaching Laboratory is presented.
Optical absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance of Fe ions in KDP crystals

Optical absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) have been used to study the sites and the charge states associated with Fe ions in single crystals of KH 2 PO 4 (KDP). Doping KDP with 5 ppm of Fe introduced a broad charge-transfer absorption band near 270 nm. At the same time, room-temperature EPR showed that two Fe 3 centers were present. Although their intensities are different, the two EPR centers have similar zero-field splittings. SpinHamiltonian parameters, including fourth order in crystal field, were determined for the dominant center. We suggest that these EPR-active Fe 3 ions substitute for K ' ions, presumably with charge-compensating cation vacancies (i.e., potassium or hydrogen) nearby. Crystals containing both the 270-nm absorption band and the Fe 3 EPR spectra were X-ray irradiated at room temperature and then subjected to a series of thermal anneals up to 150°C. These treatments caused changes in both the absorption band and the EPR spectra, but the behaviors of the optical and EPR features did not correlate. This can be explained if a portion of the Fe ions occupy a site in the KDP crystals other than the K + site. We suggest that most of the optical absorption in the 200-to-300 nm region is due to Fe ions substituting for phosphorus; i.e., (FeO 4 ) 2- molecular units are present in the KDP crystals and give rise to ultraviolet absorption.
Social Comparison and Satisfaction: Students' Reactions After Exam Feedback Predict Future Academic Performance

These studies examined the relations among performance satisfaction, choice of social comparison targets, and subsequent performance in a classroom setting. Previous research has shown that comparison with high performers helps academic performance. In 2 field studies, this relation was moderated by satisfaction with initial performance. After learning their scores on the first exam of the semester, students indicated their satisfaction with the scores and performance level of someone with whom they would like to compare exams. Comparison with poor performers was beneficial when coupled with dissatisfaction. Dissatisfied students who preferred comparison with poor performers improved over the semester.
Virtual reality game for safety education

Safety and health issues are important components for any industry that involves machinery operations. To control various hazards leading to occupational injuries and illnesses, one common method is safety training and education. In this study, we developed a 3D virtual reality game to enhance safety training and education. Based on the recommendations from industrial partners, a pedestal grinder and its operation were selected for this study. The pedestal grinder and the mechanical laboratory were converted to three dimensional shapes using 3D modeling software. The completed 3D models were brought into the game engine to replicate actual laboratory environment. This allows students to interact within the virtual environment and be able to operate the virtual pedestal grinder safely. The interactivity between a user and the equipment within 3D virtual environment was implemented using visual programming tool inside the game engine. A pilot study was conducted to assess the students' learning with regard to the pedestal grinder safety using three groups: lecture only, lecture with physical laboratory, and lecture with the developed 3D virtual environment. The results indicated the benefits of 3D virtual reality game over “lecture only” delivery method in enhancing students' learning. Furthermore, virtual reality game allows students to retain information as good as the “lecture with physical laboratory” delivery method.
Requirement of yeast SGS1 and SRS2 genes for replication and transcription.

The SGS1 gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a DNA helicase with homology to the human Bloom9s syndrome gene BLM and the Werner9s syndrome gene WRN . The SRS2 gene of yeast also encodes a DNA helicase. Simultaneous deletion of SGS1 and SRS2 is lethal in yeast. Here, using a conditional mutation of SGS1 , it is shown that DNA replication and RNA polymerase I transcription are drastically inhibited in the srs2 Δ sgs1-ts strain at the restrictive temperature. Thus, SGS1 and SRS2 function in DNA replication and RNA polymerase I transcription. These functions may contribute to the various defects observed in Werner9s and Bloom9s syndromes.
Evaluation of Keep Food Safe Food-Handler Training of School Food Service Personnel

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To describe the impact of safe food handling instruction on attitudes and knowledge of school food service personnel A questionnaire was used to determine the impact of safe food handling instruction on attitudes and knowledge of school food service participants attending 5 Delaware Cooperative Extension Keep Food Safe Workshops during 1993-94. Before and after instruction (video, discussion, hands-on activities), 111 school food service personnel completed a questionnaire. Learner objectives and questionnaire evaluating attitudes and knowledge covered the most frequently contributing factors to outbreaks of foodborne illness: cross contamination, cooling/reheating, personal hygiene, temperature control and general food safety knowledge. Demographic and pre/post questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and multiple linear regression. Demographics of participants were: 96% female; mean age 43 years; 27% completed high school or some college; experience included an average of 7 years at their current facility; 9 years at other facilities - most frequently commercial restaurants (37%) and churches (23%). On the job training by supervisors (60%), coworkers (59%) and classes (36%) were most frequenty identified as the kinds of safe food handling training they had received. On the job classes predicted a significantly higher pre-questionnaire score in cross-contamination while college course was significant for temperature control; experience in commercial restaurants was significant for cooling/reheating. Paired t-tests of pre/post-questionnaires revealed significant differences for 43% of the attitude questions (P
Vibrational spectroscopy of size-selected metal-ion-solvent clusters

Vibrational spectra of metal ion-solvent clusters have been obtained size-selectively, using mass spectrometric techniques. Metal ions (Cs+ and Na+) have been solvated by as many as 25molecules with solvents such as methanol and ammonia. Structural information such as solvenx shell sizes and solvent orientation have been inferred from the variation in solvent vibrational frequencies as a function of cluster size. Independent Monte Carlo simulations of the solvated ions, based on established ion-solvent, and solvent-solvent interaction potentials, are in good agreement with the experimental observations. The simulations in turn have indicated that hydrogen bonding may play a significant role in determining the solvent shell size for large ions. An informative picture of icroscopic ion solvation is the result of the interplay between experiment and simulation.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evidence for hemispheric specialization of lexical distinctions in bilingual Chinese-Mandarin speakers.

Abstract Lexical decision vocal reaction times of a group of English-proficient, Chinese-Mandarin speakers and group of monolingual, English speakers were measured to unilaterally presented concrete and abstract English words. Results of an ANOVA showed a significant group × visual field × stimulus type interaction. Post-hoc analysis showed a significant right visual field advantage for the Chinese subjects. For the English speaking subjects, right visual field stimulations yielded significantly faster vocal reaction times to the abstract words than to the concrete ones, while the opposite occurred for left visual-field inputs. Also, a correlation between the two lateral conditions was significant for the Chinese subjects but not for the English speakers. These findings suggest that the English speakers evidenced dissociated left and right hemispheric linguistic processing while the Chinese subjects left hemisphere was responsible for the final phonological stages of linguistic analysis. Such findings support a phonological “monitor-user” hypothesis for cerebral dominance characteristics in bilingual Chinese speakers.
Distribution and excretion of 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromobiphenyl in rats and man: Pharmacokinetic model predictions

A mathematical model was developed to describe the pharmacokinetics of 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexabromobiphenyl (HBB) in rats and man. Rats were given single iv or multiple oral doses of [14C]HBB and tissue distribution and excretion data were obtained. A blood flow-limited physiological compartmental model was constructed and used to simulate the time course of HBB in rat tissues and excreta. Intestinal absorption of oral doses and reabsorption of HBB in bile could be accounted for by an effective permeability constant; a growing adipose tissue compartment was needed to properly describe the pharmacokinetics of HBB in growing rats. The model was then scaled to man by appropriately adjusting tissue volume, blood flow, and clearance and rate constant parameters. Human HBB tissue concentrations were predicted following an acute high-dose or a chronic low-dose exposure regimen, and the results compared to human data where available. As for the rat, adipose tissue had a significant effect on the HBB concentrations predicted in man. The estimated body burden t12 in man was 6.5 years. It appears that at least for this compound, past exposure and present and future human tissue concentrations can be estimated by extrapolating pharmacokinetic results obtained in the rat.
In situ polymerase chain reaction detection of varicella zoster virus in infected cells in culture.

Abstract Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology provides a means of identifying genes and studying their expression with specificity and precision. Combined with in situ hybridization (ISH), the amplified gene can be localized within cells. Cell gene sequences (human α-tubulin) were identified by PCR-ISH first in uninfected cells in culture, then in human blood mononuclear cells, and finally in sections of human liver. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA was detected for the first time in virus-infected cells in culture by PCR-ISH, and compared to ISH alone. Efficient PCR-ISH was achieved by fixation of cells or tissue sections with 2% paraformaldehyde, by amplification under conditions of complete exposure of the samples to the reagents, and by detection of amplified products using non-radioactive digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probes internal to the amplified DNA segment. PCR-ISH increased the detection of VZV DNA in infected cells 5-fold compared to ISH alone. Compared to ISH alone, PCR-ISH enhances significantly the detection of virus DNA in infected cells.
Genetic counseling within the context of existing attitudes and beliefs

Abstract This study involved the development and testing of an alternative model of reproductive decision-making. This model emphasizes the contribution of pre-existing family-related beliefs, rather than recurrence risk and other genetic factors, to the understanding and use of genetic counseling information. Fourteen mothers scheduled for genetic counseling about their children's birth defects were interviewed 1 week before and 1 week after counseling. The interview included the Parenting Priorities Inventory (PPI), an instrument designed for this study to tap reproductive beliefs. Three mothers, representing positive, negative, and ambivalent reproductive attitudes, are discussed in detail. The data suggest how prior reproductive attitudes and expectations for counseling influenced the mothers' understanding of the information. Their appraisal of the birth defect's recurrence risk, understanding of its etiology, and perceptions that the counselor had directed a particular reproductive decision indicate that greater attention to personal frames of reference might enhance counseling effectiveness. A strategy of “focused counseling” may help counselors ensure that the information they provide is more accurately understood and practically relevant to decision-making.
Self-Blame Among Sexual Assault Victims Prospectively Predicts Revictimization: A Perceived Sociolegal Context Model of Risk

This investigation focused on relationships among sexual assault, self-blame, and sexual revictimization. Among a female undergraduate sample of adolescent sexual assault victims, those endorsing greater self-blame following sexual assault were at increased risk for sexual revictimization during a 4.2-month follow-up period. Moreover, to the extent that sexual assault victims perceived nonconsensual sex is permitted by law, they were more likely to blame themselves for their own assaults. Discussion focuses on situating victim-based risk factors within sociocultural context.