cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of papilloma progression by antisense oligonucleotides targeted to HPV11 E6/E7 RNA.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are recognized as important human pathogens, causing a spectrum of hyperproliferative lesions from benign warts to cervical dysplasias/carcinomas. HPV-associated lesions require continued production of the oncogenic E6/E7 proteins, which are encoded by either bicistronic or overlapping mRNAs. Here we targeted the E6/E7 mRNA of HPV11, a type implicated in causation of genital warts, using molecular reagents. Accessible sites in the HPV11E6/E7 RNA were identified using library selection protocols, and nucleic acids (DNAzymes, antisense oligonucleotides) targeted to these sites were constructed, and tested in cell culture and on human foreskin grafts. While DNAzymes were at least equally effective in cell culture, antisense oligonucleotides targeted to the region surrounding one of the library-selected sites (ASO407) proved most effective in blocking progression of HPV11-induced papillomas in human foreskin grafts on immunodeficient mice. In total, 11 papillomas were treated with ASO407. Of these, four of seven small papillomas treated with ASO407 showed loss of detectable virus by in situ hybridization (ISH), and in all four of these, papillomas were no longer evident grossly or histologically after treatment. When larger papillomas were treated, one of four showed loss of virus by ISH, associated with a minor decrease in papilloma size. Considering all 11 papillomas treated with ASO407, loss of viral staining by ISH was significantly different from that observed in controls (P<0.016), as was true for the seven small treated papillomas (P<0.012). DNAzymes targeted to the same site (or other library selected sites) did not produce statistically significant differences in ISH staining (P<0.15). Our results with ASO407 appear to represent the first specific molecular therapy against a bona fide HPV infection, and provide a rational proof-of-principle strategy for development of molecular therapeutics targeting other HPV-associated lesions.
Alternative Land-Use Method for Spatially Informed Watershed Management Decision Making Using SWAT

AbstractIn this study, a modification is proposed to the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to enable identification of areas where the implementation of best management practices would likely result in the most significant improvement in downstream water quality. To geospatially link potential locations to individual land owners, a land-use layer that incorporated specific crops and crop rotations needed to be developed. Model results obtained using the new land-use layer are compared to those obtained using a more conventional land-use layer. Results indicate that water flow and nutrient loadings are similar at the basin outlet, confirming the overall consistency of the approach. Water flow results at upland subbasin outlets appear similar; however, nutrient loadings are different since the crop distributions in the alternative approach are more representative of actual practice in the basin. These results suggest that the alternative, crop-rotation-specific method can be used to provide additional i...
Experimental investigations to evaluate benefits of using compost amendments to modify expansive soils

Composting is a successful method of recycling organic waste materials such as yard trimmings, municipal biosolids, animal manure and organic urban wastes into stabilised materials that could be used for bioremediation, erosion control, landscaping, and roadside vegetation. The process of organic wastes composting is expanding rapidly in the USA and other countries since landfill spaces for disposal of organic wastes are becoming scarce and expensive. Researchers and practitioners always seek new application areas for composts. Compost materials, given their moisture affinity (hydrophilic characteristics) and low permeability characteristics, could provide stabilisation of natural expansive subgrades by mitigating shrinkage cracking and encapsulating subsoil surfaces. In order to verify these advantages, a research study was conducted to measure geotechnical characteristics of composts and Compost-Treated Topsoils (CMTs). Two types of composts, dairy manure and biosolids, and a local expansive soil were studied. This paper presents the laboratory test results, which showed that compost amendments resulted in the reductions of linear shrinkage strains and increase of shear strength and swell strains. Ranking analyses of test results also showed that compost amendments provided low to moderate enhancements to subsoil properties. Currently, field studies are being conducted to address potential applications of CMTs as unpaved shoulder covers to encapsulate and maintain compaction moisture conditions.
N-Acetyl-Seryl-Aspartyl-Lysyl-Proline: mechanisms of renal protection in mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease characterized by the development of auto antibodies against a variety of self-antigens and deposition of immune complexes that lead to inflamma...
Remote sensing field experiments evaluate retrieval algorithms and land-atmosphere modeling

The 2002 Soil Moisture Experiment (SMEX02) and the Soil Moisture Atmosphere Coupling Experiment (SMACEX) were both conducted during June and July 2002 near Ames, Iowa. The primary objectives of SMEX02 are to validate microwave soil moisture retrieval algorithms for existing and new, prototype microwave sensor systems under rapidly changing crop biomass conditions; and to explore the effects of rapid vegetation growth on the brightness temperatures and soil moisture retrievals from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometers (AMSR) on NASA Aqua and ADEOS-II. SMACEX is a combined measurement and modeling program that will address one of NASAs core missions: rigorously building a bridge between remotely sensed data and operational forecast models, including advances in operational assimilation schemes. The field observations will support the analysis of heterogeneities, ranging from within field- or patch-scale (∼100 m) to regional scales that are commensurate with prediction models for weather and climate (10–100 km). The unique in-situ and aircraft measurements of atmospheric and soil variables and fluxes provided by this data set will be used to validate both surface states and fluxes diagnosed using remote sensing methods at various scales. The experimental approach is thus also a “scaling” endeavor, in that it investigates how remotely sensed data at different horizontal and temporal scales can be utilized for both diagnosis and prediction of surface states and energy exchanges from patch to regional scales.
RadGSP: a medical image display and user interface for UWGSP3

Many issues must be addressed and resolved in order to bring a complete imaging workstation into everyday use by radiologists and medical researchers. Important design issues for developing an imaging workstation include image quality, system response time, the user interface and image storage. The Image Computing Systems Laboratory (ICSL) at the University of Washington has been developing a series of inexpensive graphics and image processing workstations with high performance by taking advantage of a sharp decrease in hardware costs, increasingly more powerful VLSI chips, and versatile personal computers and workstations. After gaining experience with two previous image processing systems, UWGSP3 (University of Washington Graphics System Processor #3), a third-generation workstation based on the NeXT Computer and UWGSP3-HI, a host-independent version, that can work with any host computer via an interface card, were developed. UWGSP3, a highly integrated, low-cost workstation, is a complete image display and computing system capable of meeting many of the requirements of a medical imaging workstation provided that a suitable user interface is developed. To demonstrate this capability, RadGSP, a prototype user interface and application software for radiologist use, has been developed. This paper will first describe the UWGSP3-HI system for background information before describing the implementation and evaluation of RadGSP, and current radiology imaging workstation research in progress at ICSL.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Concentrations and trends of benzene in ambient air over New York State during 1990–2003

Since 1990s, a systematic program to measure air toxics has been active in New York State with monitors located both in urban and rural areas. In this study we examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of benzene, a known human carcinogen that is emitted by many source categories. The analysis indicates that ambient concentration levels of benzene have decreased by as much as 60% over this period not only in the ozone non-attainment area of New York City that had the reformulated gas (RFG) requirements, but also over the rest of the state as well. Although the rate of decrease appears to have flattened out in recent years, the annual average concentration levels are found to be above the health risk threshold even at the remote location, Whiteface Mountain, suggesting the need for further reductions in benzene emissions.
Oxidative coupling activity in soil extracts

Abstract An assay was developed in which 50 m m citrate buffer was used to extract catalysts responsible for oxidative coupling reactions in soil. The assay was based on the formation of the dimerized quinone from the oxidative coupling of 2,6-dimethoxyphenol. Oxidative coupling activity was destroyed by heating the extracts for 15 min at 100°C and was inhibited by H 2 O 2 (98% at 10 m m ), KCN (96% at 10 m m ), dithiothreitol (100% at 0.1 m m ) and 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (100% at 0.1 m m ). In the assay, a pH of 7.0 and a temperature of 55°C were determined as optimal. Freezing the soil extracts provided the best protection against activity loss, whereas storage caused a decline in oxidative coupling activity as a function of increasing temperatures (5–50°C). If soil had been supplemented with sucrose before extraction, activity increased. Soil extracts reacted with syringaldazine, benzidine, o -dianisidine, guaiacol, and p -cresol, substrates previously used to detect phenoloxidase enzymes.
Regulation of cartilage enzymes in cultured chondrocytes and the effect of 5-bromodeoxyuridine

When sternal cartilage from 15-day chick embryos is dissociated and cultured in normal media, the activity of the two cartilage enzymes, UDPG-epimerase and UDPG-dehydrogenase, falls to a level of about 25% of the original value within 3 days, but remains stable at this level thereafter. No change, on the other hand, occurs in the activity of the non-tissue-specific enzyme, phosphoglucose isomerase. The specific downward regulation of the cartilage enzymes seems to be attributable to the mitotic activity induced by the culture conditions. The addition of low concentrations of 5-bromodeoxyuridine to the culture medium, while having no effect on the isomerase or on cell division, causes a further drop in the activity of the cartilage enzymes from the 25% level to a value about 5%, but not further than this. In the case of the epimerase the latter low level is ubiquitously found in all tissues at all stages, indicating that only the cartilage-specific excess of this enzyme is susceptible of suppression by low concentrations of bromodeoxyuridine. The reduction of isomerase activity caused by higher concentrations of the analog is concomitant with a reduction of cell division and seems to be attributable to cell death. A scheme is presented summarizing the results and interpretations of the present paper and of a previous one.
Cloning and sequencing of the cDNA for the cph oncogene from neoplastic hamster fibroblasts reveal partial homology with the dbl exchange factor

The combination of in vitro transformation protocols and transfection assays allowed us to isolate a new transforming gene, cph, from neoplastic Syrian hamster embryo fibroblasts chemically initiated with a single dose of 3-methylcholanthrene. Cosmid clones encompassing cph genomic sequences were able to transform NIH/3T3 cells and showed a synergistic action with H-ras in the transformation of the murine fibroblasts. In the present study, we describe the molecular cloning of the hamster cph oncogene cDNA. Nucleotide sequence analysis of a full-length cDNA clone (pBl-19), isolated from a cDNA library from neoplastic hamster cells with cph genomic probes demonstrated that the cloned cph cDNA does not show any significant global homology to sequences deposited in established databases, confirming that cph is a novel gene. The cph cDNA contained an open reading frame with coding capacity for a protein of about 26 kDa, which was synthesized from pBl-19 by using in vitro transcription-translation assays. The cph protein deduced from the cDNA nucleotide sequence contained a dbl-homologous (DH) domain. The fact that the DH domain has been found primarily among GDP-exchange factors suggests that cph may be a new member of this family of proteins. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Religion and guilt in OCD patients

Abstract The present study examined the relationships among type and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, types of religious practice and upbringing, degree of religiosity, and guilt. Subjects were 33 OCDs and 24 patients with other anxiety disorders. Findings indicated that no type of religion was more prevalent among OCD patients than other groups. OCDs were not significantly more religious or more guilty than other anxious subjects. Nonetheless, severity of OCD pathology was positively correlated with both religiosity and guilt, whereas moodstate was not. Social anxiety was associated with guilt but not with religiosity. OCDs who were more religious more often reported religious obsessions, but not sexual or aggressive ones. Guilt was not related to any type of obsession. As expected, greater religious devotion was related to more guilt in OCDs, but not in other anxiety patients. The relationship between religion, guilt, and OCD symptoms is discussed and suggestions for further research are proposed.
Protein-Mediated DNA Loops are Resistant to Competitive Binding

The lac Repressor protein (LacI) is a canonical genetic regulatory protein. It represses transcription of the lac operon in E. Coli by simultaneously binding to two distant operator sites on the bacterial DNA and bending the intervening DNA into a loop. A set of substrate DNA constructs with intrinsic A-tract bends have been engineered by Mehta and Kahn, which were optimized to form hyperstable loops. We present single-molecule measurements of LacI-mediated loop formation and breakdown rates on these optimized DNA constructs and demonstrate that repeated formation and breakdown of the loops does not cease in the presence of 100 nM of free competitor DNA. While this observation dovetails with bulk competition assays in which the presence of competitor DNA disrupts the looped complexes only very slowly, our measured loop lifetimes of minutes disagree with an inferred lifetime of days from the bulk assays. We conclude that the LacI-DNA complex can exist in some non-looped conformation, which can re-loop, but is unexpectedly resistant to competition. We discuss possible scenarios for such a conformation in light of the data.
Seawater-driven magnesium based Janus micromotors for environmental remediation

We describe the use of seawater as fuel to propel Janus micromotors. The new micromotors consist of biodegradable and environmentally friendly magnesium microparticles and a nickel–gold bilayer patch for magnetic guidance and surface modification. Such seawater-driven micromotors, which utilize macrogalvanic corrosion and chloride pitting corrosion processes, eliminate the need for external fuels to offer efficient and prolonged propulsion towards diverse applications in aquatic environments.
Resonance States of Atomic Anions

We study destabilization of an atom in its ground state with decrease of its nuclear charge. By analytic continuation from bound to resonance states, we obtain complex energies of unstable atomic anions with nuclear charge that is less than the minimum "critical" charge necessary to bind N electrons. We use an extrapolating scheme with a simple model potential for the electron, which is loosely bound outside the atomic core. Results for O 2 and S 2 are in good agreement with earlier estimates. Alternatively, we use the Hylleraas basis variational technique with three complex nonlinear parameters to find accurately the energy of two-electron atoms as the nuclear charge decreases. Results are used to check the less accurate one-electron model. c 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 82: 255-261, 2001
Heterogeneity aware dominant resource assistant heuristics for virtual machine consolidation

Power consumption is a critically important issue for data centers. Virtual machine (VM) consolidation is fundamentally employed to improve resource utilization and power optimization in modern data centers. In general, VM consolidation is formulated as a vector bin packing problem, which is a well-known NP-hard problem. Hence, heuristic algorithms, such as single dimensional heuristics (e.g., first fit decreasing (FFD)) and dimension-aware heuristics (e.g., DotProduct), are usually deployed in practice for VM consolidation. However, all of these previous heuristic algorithms did not sufficiently explore the heterogeneity of the VMs' resource requirements. In this paper, we propose several heterogeneity aware dominant resource assistant heuristic algorithms for VM consolidation. The performance evaluations validate the effects of the proposed heterogeneity aware heuristics on VM consolidation. The proposed heuristics can achieve quite similar consolidation performance as dimension-aware heuristics with almost the same computational cost as those of the single dimensional heuristics.
Simple model for electron inelastic mean free paths: Application to condensed organic materials

Abstract A simple, ‘one-mode’ approximation for the wavevector- and frequency-dependent energy-loss function is employed to derive an expression for the electron inverse mean free path, λ v −1 , including the effect of exchange between the incident electron and the electrons in the medium. Relation to optical data is made by averaging λ v −1 , over the optical oscillator strength distribution, which is proportional to ωIm[— 1/ϵ(ω)]. For materials for which the optical oscillator strength distribution may be approximated by a single, Drude-type function, especially organic materials, the general results may be cast in a particularly simple form. Using a few constants derived from optical data for a given material, electron mean free paths in that material can be predicted for electron energies ≳ 150 eV. An approximate expression is also deduced for estimating electron mean free paths in materials for which no optical data are available. Mean free paths determined using this approximate expression agree well with those obtained in our earlier ‘universalcurve’ predictions. For polyethylene, the excellent agreement between results from the model presented here and those from a more detailed insulator model gives additional support for this simple theoretical approach. Agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental measurements of electron mean free paths in organic compounds, which in some cases is quite good, is on the whole less than satisfactory.
Effects of temperature and snowfall on mortality in Pennsylvania.

The relation between exposure to severe cold weather and mortality is examined in a retrospective [U.S.] study of deaths occurring during the month of January from 1991 to 1996 in Pennsylvania.... The authors estimated mortality rates for total deaths and deaths due to ischemic heart disease cerebrovascular diseases and respiratory diseases by analyses based on generalized estimating equations. Total mortality increased on days of `extreme climatic conditions that is when snowfall was greater than 3 cm and when temperatures were below -7degrees C.... On days of extreme conditions mortality due to ischemic heart diseases tripled among males aged 35-49 years... increased for men aged 50-64 years... and rose for males aged 65 years and older.... Among females mortality for those aged 65 years and older increased for respiratory causes...and cerebrovascular causes.... (EXCERPT)
Open-face custom tray for edentulous obturator impression

1. A new, easy, and predictable method of border molding an edentulous obturator impression is presented. 2. The use of an open-face impression tray facilitates proper extension in the site of the defect. 3. The manipulation of the modeling compound through the open-face tray assures proper seal, compression, and extension of the prosthesis above the mucodermal scar band. 4. The retention of the obturator bulb is mainly mechanical and is dependent upon engaging under-cuts superior to both scar band and the palatal shelf. 5. There should be a continuous peripheral seal between the defect and nondefect side of the obturator.
Effects of the index finger position and force production on the flexor digitorum superficialis moment arms at the metacarpophalangeal joints — a magnetic resonance imaging study

Background The purpose of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging to measure the moment arm of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon about the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index, middle, ring, and little fingers when the position and force production level of the index finger was altered. A secondary goal was to create regression models using anthropometric data to predict moment arms of the flexor digitorum superficialis about the metacarpophalangeal joint of each finger.
Sexual Stage of Histoplasma capsulatum

Twelve primary subcultures of Histoplasma capsulatum, paired in all possible combinations on agar containing yeast extract and Alphacel, produced fertile cleistothecia, resembling those of Ajellomyces dermatitidis (Blastomyces dermatitidis).
Treatment of Cognitive Decline and Psychiatric Disturbances Associated With Alzheimer's Dementia

Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is the most common type of dementia. In addition to the cognitive and functional disturbances that happen as the disease progresses, other psychological disturbances may manifest. Depression, insomnia, anxiety, and psychosis are among several psychological conditions which can occur concomitantly with AD. These changes can result in decreased quality of life for both patients and caregivers, increase caregiver burden, and impact the decision to place a patient with AD into a long-term care facility. An evidence-based review of the literature was performed to ascertain if a specific recommendation for pharmacotherapy can be made based on current research in this specific patient population.
Statistical Analysis of the Spatial and Temporal Variability of the Ratio Chlorophyll A to Phytoplankton Cell Volume in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron

Chlorophyll a has traditionally been used as an indicator of phytoplankton concentration in natural waters. This parameter has also been widely used by phytoplankton modelers for the purpose of comparing model output with field data. Examination of 1974 field data from Saginaw Bay indicated that chlorophyll a concentrations were inconsistent with phytoplankton cell volume concentrations. Statistical procedures were employed to determine the significance and source of the observed variability in the ratio of chlorophyll a to cell volume concentrations. The procedures employed included t-tests, analysis of variance and polynomial regression. The hypothesis that the natural log of the ratio of chlorophyll a to cell volume was constant in time was tested on six different sampling station groupings representing various spatial divisions of Saginaw Bay. In all cases, this ratio was found to vary significantly at the 95% confidence level. The variability of the ratio decreased when only data from the outer portion of Saginaw Bay were used. Greater than 60% of the variability of the ratio can be removed by using a linear correlation of the natural log chlorophyll a to cell volume ratio with the fraction of diatom cell volume.
Rapid Nonvesicular Transport of Sterol between the Plasma Membrane Domains of Polarized Hepatic Cells

Abstract We studied the transport of the fluorescent cholesterol analog dehydroergosterol (DHE) in polarized HepG2 human hepatoma cells. DHE delivered via methyl-β-cyclodextrin was delivered to both the apical and basolateral membranes and became concentrated in the apical membrane within 1 min. Intracellular DHE was targeted mainly to vesicles of the subapical compartment or apical recycling compartment (SAC/ARC), where it colocalized with fluorescent transferrin and fluorescent analogs of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. In contrast, transport of DHE from the plasma membrane to the trans-Golgi network was found to be very low. Vesicles containing DHE traversed the cells in both directions, but vesicular export of DHE from the SAC/ARC to the plasma membrane domains was low. Disruption of the microtubule cytoskeleton disturbed vesicular transport of DHE but not its enrichment in the apical (canalicular) membrane. Transport of DHE to the canalicular membrane after photobleaching was very rapid (t = 1.6 min) and was largely ATP-independent in contrast to enrichment of DHE in the SAC/ARC. Release of DHE from the canalicular membrane was also ATP-independent but slower than the enrichment of sterol in the biliary canaliculus (t = 5.4 min). Canalicular DHE could completely redistribute to the basolateral plasma membrane but could not transfer from one cell to the other cell of an HepG2 couplet. We conclude that sterol shuttles rapidly among the plasma membrane domains and other membrane organelles and that this nonvesicular pathway includes fast transbilayer migration.
Microstructure, creep, and tensile behavior of a Ti–12Al–38Nb (at.%) beta+orthorhombic alloy

The microstructural evolution, creep, and tensile deformation behavior of a Ti–12Al–38Nb (at.%) alloy were studied. Monolithic sheet materials were produced through conventional thermomechanical processing techniques comprising nonisothermal forging and pack rolling. TEM studies showed that depending on the heat-treatment schedule, this alloy contains two constituent phases including: β (disordered body-centered cubic) and O (ordered orthorhombic based on Ti2AlNb). Heat treatments at all temperatures above 800°C, followed by water quenching, resulted in fully-β microstructures. Below 800°C, fine Widmanstatten O-phase needles precipitated within the β grains. Fully-β microstructures exhibited room-temperature (RT) elongations of more than 27%. The second-phase O precipitates provided strengthening at the expense of elongation. However, RT elongations of more than 12% were recorded for aged microstructures containing 30 vol.% O-phase. Metallographic observations revealed that slip was compatible between the two phases. Tensile creep tests were conducted in the temperature range 650–705°C and stress range 50–172 MPa. The deformation observations and measured creep exponents and activation energies suggested that the creep mechanisms were dependent on stress. For applied stresses less than 123 MPa, the creep exponents were between 1.6 and 2.0 and low dislocation densities were observed. For higher stresses, the stress exponents were between 3.5 and 7.2 and higher dislocation densities were observed. The calculated activation energies for the low-stress regime were approximately half those calculated for the high stress regime. These data suggest that Coble creep operates at low stress levels and dislocation climb is active at high stresses. Microstructural effects on the tensile properties and creep behavior are discussed in the light of existing models.
Trace effects and object orientation

Trace effects are statically generated program abstractions, that can be model checked for verification of assertions in a temporal program logic. In this paper we develop a type and effect analysis for obtaining trace effects of Object Oriented programs in Featherweight Java. We observe that the analysis is significantly complicated by the interaction of trace behavior with inheritance and other Object Oriented features, particularly overridden methods, dynamic dispatch, and downcasting. We propose an expressive type and effect inference algorithm, combining polymorphism and subtyping/subeffecting constraints, to obtain a flexible trace effect analysis in an Object Oriented setting.
A class of facet producing graphs for vertex packing polyhedra

We examine a family of graphs called webs. For integers n >= 2 and k, 1 =< k =< 12n, the web W(n, k) has vertices V"n = {1, ..., n} and edges {(i, j): j = i+k, ..., i+n - k, for [email protected]"n (sums mod n)}. A characterization is given for the vertex packing polyhedron of W(n, k) to contain a facet, none of whose projections is a facet for the lower dimensional vertex packing polyhedra of proper induced subgraphs of W(n, k). Simple necessary and sufficient conditions are given for W(n, k) to contain W(n', k') as an induced subgraph; these conditions are used to show that webs satisfy the Strong Perfect Graph Conjecture. Complements of webs are also studied and it is shown that if both a graph and its complement are webs, then the graph is either an odd hole or its complement.
Life cycle expression analysis of three cell wall degradation-related genes in ethylene-treated grass

Ethylene regulates multiple developmental processes during a plant life cycle, but the effect of ethylene on the upregulation of senescence-, stress-, and post-harvest-related genes in forage grasses is poorly understood. In this work, we used quantitative PCR to determine whether ethylene application affected the expression of selected cell-wall degradation related genes that are typically upregulated post-harvest. The expression levels of beta-d-glucan exohydrolase isoenzyme, alpha glucosidase, and arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase isoenzyme, all putative cell wall degrading enzymes, were quantified at six points in the life cycle of the model grass species Darnel ryegrass (Lolium temulentum L.). We also quantified the expression of ACC oxidase and ACC synthase in response to ethylene application to determine if endogenous upregulation of ethylene biosynthesis occurred. Grass developmental stage had a significant impact on gene expression response to ethylene-treatment, indicating that discrete life cycle stages present different ethylene-responsive windows for treatment. Under our experimental conditions, ACC oxidase and ACC synthase expression were downregulated in response to ethylene-treatment, suggesting that exogenous ethylene served an auto-inhibitory role. Transcripts corresponding to the three cell wall degradation related genes increased significantly in response to ethylene treatment, suggesting that ethylene may have future utility in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a life cycle analysis of ethylene-induced genes in forage grasses.
Fault Detection and Isolation in Attitude Determination Systems

A simple buat powerful method to detect failures or changes in an attitude determination system employing a Kalman Filter is to monitor the filter residuals. By construction, the residuals should be a white sequence with zero mean and known variances. Departure of the residual statistics from the predicted values can be indicative of unknown parameter changes (gyro biases, star sensor alignment, etc.) and, therefore, used as an error flag to reconfigure the attitude system. Tbis paper presents an algorithm for detection and correction of failures by utilizing the filter residuals. An attitude determination simiulation is employed which uses gyros to propagate the inertial attitude while star sensor measurements provide updates to this attitude. The updates are processed by a decoupled Kalman Filter which is more efficient when fixed biases are part of the states and is also easily converted to a "fixed bias" filter when bias states are not to be eistimated. The nominal system filter would be a 3-state attitude only filter since the biases would not have to be estimated after an initial calibration. Only in the event of a "soft" failure (where a bias changes abruptly) or a periodic recalibration maneuver would the filter states be increased to estimate the biases. Under this "soft" failure condition, an autonomous correction can be obtained without ground support.
Concentration profile for linear driving force model for diffusion in a particle

Diffusional resistance in the porous particle is important in adsorption and reaction engineering. For a porous adsorbent particle subjected to an arbitrary change in the surrounding . fluid-phase concentration, Glueckauf 1955 derived the lin. ear driving force LDF approximation that relates the average adsorbate concentration inside the particle directly with the concentration in the fluid phase. By using the LDF approximation, the mass balance equation is eliminated from the model, leaving only the mass balance equation in the fluid
New insights into inhibitors of adipogenesis.

Purpose of review Adipose tissue is a dynamic organ that changes mass throughout life in response to the metabolic needs of the animal. In the past three decades, significant advances have been made in delineating key extracellular and intracellular stimulators of fat cell formation or adipogenesis. In this review, the author focuses on new findings of specific inhibitors of adipogenesis. Understanding the balance between positive and negative regulators of adipogenesis has important health-related implications for anti-obesity medical therapy and lipodystrophy. Recent findings Adipogenesis is a highly regulated process requiring coordinated expression and activation of two main groups of adipogenic transcription factors, CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins and peroxisome proliferators activated receptor gamma. In response to hormonal and nutrient stimuli, the increased expression and activation of these transcription factors induce the expression of adipocyte-specific genes. More recently, several groups have identified extracellular inhibitors of adipocyte formation, including cytokines, lipid molecules, genistein, and protease inhibitors. Intracellular signaling molecules, which negatively regulate adipogenesis, include Pref-1, Foxo1, Foxa2, SMAD-3, WNT-10b, GATA-2 and GATA-3. Summary The prevalence of obesity is increasing in the United States and in other westernized societies. Understanding the mechanisms of excessive energy storage in adipose tissue is necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent and treat obesity. One potential, but unrealized, approach to obesity treatment is to target excessive adipose tissue enlargement. A number of promising extra- and intracellular inhibitors of fat cell formation have been identified, but the modulation of adipose tissue mass may have both advantageous and deleterious health effects.
Atomic Resonance Radiation in Potassium Vapor

An argon-filled arc lamp, similar to the sodium lamp described by Cario and v. Lochte-Holtgreven, served as the source of the potassium light. The resonance tube was of the type designed by Wood. It was either placed in the same furnace as the arc lamp or in front of the arc lamp, in which latter case it was eated by gas burners. The brightest resonance radiation was observed at a temperature of 215°C. Spectr~ scopic observation was made with the aid of an improvised spectroscope with a hollow prism filled with carbon disulphide. The red potassium doublet showed quite plainly. There was an indication of a line in the violet, but it was too faint to be identified with certainty as the 4044 doublet.
Second‐order methods for diffusion–convection equations

The method of lines provides a flexible and general approach for solving time-dependent PDEs. However, the numerical solution of the resulting ODE system can present certain difficulties depending on the method used. In particular, oscillations may appear in the solution when standard methods are applied to the ODE system arising from the semi-discretization of the diffusion–convection equation ∂u/∂t=α(∂2u/∂x2)−β(∂u/∂x). We examine second-order methods for such systems and present economical L-stable predictor–corrector schemes which are oscillation-free. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
One and two electron transitions in ion-atom collisions

Abstract One and two electron transitions in collisions between light bare ions and helium atoms have been studied for intermediate impact energies. The helium atom was treated as an effective one electron atom. The multichannel semiclassical impact parameter model with travelling atomic orbital expansion and rectilinear trajectories was used to calculate the transition probabilities. Cross sections for all one electron processes calculated in the independent electron approximation, employing a large basis set, are in good agreement with the experimental data. A two step mechanism is proposed to describe the two electron collision processes. Predicted total cross sections for various one and two electron processes are found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data.
Towards Construction of Optimal Strip-Exchanging Moves

Genome and other syntenic blocks rearrangements have become a topic of intensive study by phylogenists, comparative genomicists, and computational biologists: they are a feature of many cancers, must be taken into account to align highly divergent sequences, and constitute a phylogenetic marker of great interest. The mathematics of rearrangements is far more complex than for indels and mutations in sequences. Genome rearrangements have been modeled by a variety of primitives such as reversals, transpositions , block moves and block interchanges. In this paper, we study a genome rearrangement primitive called strip exchanges. We formulate the primitive as a special case of another primitive, the block interchanges, identify a new lower bound for the sorting by strip exchanges problem. We then design a 2 approximation algorithm for the problem.
Ghost Bird – The Ivory-billed Woodpecker: Hopes, Dreams, and Reality

​ScienceScience is a human endeavor, replete with all the trappings and promise of science as well as all the foibles of humans. Ghost Bird, an 85-minute documentary film [1] about the possible rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) in eastern Arkansas in 2004, bares the very fabric of science along with the diversity of public perceptions that color this fabric with hues of economic, political, and conservation hopes, dreams, and realities. This is a story about people perhaps even more than it is about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. It is very much about the interfaces and interactions of science, conservation, culture, politics, and the news media.
Mentoring Program for Women in Physical Oceanography

Efforts over the past several decades toward increasing the number of women entering science and engineering fields have largely been successful, with undergraduate and graduate school enrollments averaging between 30 and 50 percent women (see Nelson Diversity Survey, http://cheminfo.chem.ou.edu/faculty/djn/diversity/top50.html). Ph.D. attainments show similar progress. However, the percentage of women occupying tenure-track positions has not risen commensurably. Across the board, women in science and engineering fill on average only 15 to 25 percent of academic positions.
Correlation of the Waco Member of the Alger Shale Formation (Silurian; Llandovery; Telychian) in east-central Kentucky and south-central Ohio

New and published stratigraphic data are integrated herein to resolve the age and correlation of the Waco Member (Alger Shale Formation), a problematic Telychian lithostratigraphic unit exposed in east-central Kentucky (United States). This interval is correlated with strata presently assigned to the Dayton Member of the Drowning Creek Formation in south-central Ohio and north-central Kentucky, where recent conodont studies refer these beds to the Pterospathodus eopennatus Superzone, a conclusion that is reinforced by an interval of elevated stable carbon isotope (δ13C) values, consistent with the lower Telychian “Valgu” Excursion. This correlation is strengthened by observations of facies and new carbonate carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) data generated from localities in south-central Ohio and, for the first time in publication, from the type area of the Waco in east-central Kentucky. It is now clear that both lithostratigraphic units are substantially older than the recently redefined Dayton Formation of west...
Fault-dynamic modelling of a phthalic anhydride reactor

Abstract A new methodology, fault-dynamic modelling, has been developed for analysis of potentially hazardous situations in the process industries. Traditional fault-tree analysis is used to determine the combinations of component failure that can lead to a particular process upset condition. Realistic dynamic modelling is then used to calculate the time available for corrective action once the upset has started. The method is applied to a phthalic anhydride reactor. The results of the analysis identify three process upsets that can lead to catastrophic failure in 2–5 min if left uncorrected. Other process upsets lead to safe conditions.
Near-ideal Si-SiO 2 interfaces

The Si-SiO 2 interface plays a key role in insulated-gate field-effect transistors (IGFETs). Of principal concern are the interface charge density Q ic and the fast-state density N fs . These properties can be optimized by eliminating the transition region and creating an abrupt interface. Our work with the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of SiO 2 using a CO 2 -SiH 4 -H 2 system in the presence or absence of trace amounts of HCl gas at 1000°C has demonstrated that unannealed CVD SiO 2 on (100) Si using a vertical-cold-wall reactor has properties similar to those of unannealed SiO 2 on (100) Si formed by the usual thermal oxidation procedure. In addition, using only 2.27 vol% HCl, we have produced films of SiO 2 on (111) Si that are better than their thermal counterparts, unannealed or annealed; i.e., Q ic ≈ 5 × 10 10 cm −2 and N fs ≈ 10 10 cm −2 -eV −1 . We attribute these results, at least in part, to an abrupt interface between the CVD SiO 2 and Si. Deposition rates of 10–20 nm/min were used to reproducibly deposit 30–50 nm of SiO 2 . The CVD SiO 2 films also show a significantly lower standard deviation in the breakdown fields (±1.5%) and the mobile charge densities (±5%) than their thermal counterparts. In general, N fs was independent of Q ic .
Relationships among Blood Androgen Level, Aggressive Behavior and Semen Characteristics of Cocks

Abstract IN THE cock, the male sex hormones, androgens, have been shown to be associated with the aggressive and sexual behavior of the bird. Castration of male birds reduces social aggressiveness and sexual behavior, Goodale (1913), Scott Payne (1943). Injections of testosterone proprionate restored normal sexual behavior to capons and increased the amount of fighting, Davis and Domm (1943). Aggressive behavior of cocks has been found to be associated with mating behavior. Guhl and Warren (1946) found that, in mass matings of chickens, the males highest in the social order of the flock tended to sire the most chicks. However, McDaniel and Craig (1959) reported that, in groups of cock birds divided on the basis of their aggressive behavior, males ranking low in social aggressiveness are capable of producing as good fertility as high ranking males. In their study there was no apparent relationship between social aggressiveness and fertilizing capacity of …
CLEANUP OPERATIONS AFTER THE 1976 SS SANSINENA EXPLOSIONAN INDUSTRIAL PERSPECTIVE

ABSTRACT This paper outlines the efforts made for oil spill cleanup and control following the explosion on the SS Sansinena. It describes the layout and conditions encountered in the harbor area, such as prolonged exposure to fire, interaction with salvage operations, and ship and pleasure boat traffic. The main problem encountered was the fact that the fuel oil aboard was heavier than water, and hence sank to the bottom of the 60-foot-deep ship channel when the tanks ruptured. The methods and equipment employed in recovering the oil from the channel are described indicating the relative advantages and disadvantages. Some of the problems included visibility in deep water, methods to maximize oil in the pump effluent, and separation of oil and water at the job site. Additionally, the long period (120 days) required to operate booms and other gear at the site required logistics and maintenance support not normally encountered. Cleanup and oil removal services were also utilized during the salvage and remova...
Progeria cells are stimulated to repair DNA by co-cultivation with normal cells.

Abstract The rate of rejoining of DNA strand breaks induced by 10 krads of γ-irradiation was studied in a progeria cell strain with a markedly reduced repair capacity. An increased rate of DNA repair could be induced in these cells by co-cultivating them at high density for 8 to 24 h prior to irradiation with an established hamster cell line, a mid-passage normal human diploid strain, or a second progeria strain. Co-cultivation with late passage and terminally senescent diploid cells did not, however, appear to stimulate repair in progeria cells.
The Molecular Basis of Familial Dysautonomia: Overview, New Discoveries and Implications for Directed Therapies

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a sensory and autonomic neuropathy that affects the development and survival of sensory, sympathetic, and some parasympathetic neurons. It is autosomally inherited and occurs almost exclusively among individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. The pathological and clinical manisfestations of FD have been extensively studied and therapeutic modalities have, until recently, focused primarily on addressing the symptoms experienced by those with this fatal disorder. The primary FD-causing mutation is an intronic nucleotide substitution that alters the splicing of the IKBKAP-derived transcript. Recent efforts have resulted in the development of new therapeutic modalities that facilitate the increased production of the correctly spliced transcript and mitigate the symptoms of those with FD. Furthermore, the recent demonstration of the reduced presence of monoamine oxidase A in cells and tissues of individuals with FD has provided new insight into the cause of hypertensive crises experienced by these patients.
Local environments of erbium and lutetium in sodium silicate glasses

Abstract The coordination environments of Er and Lu in sodium silicate glasses are probed through a unique analysis of L 3 X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) combined with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). By using the observed splitting of the empty 5d manifold of the lanthanides in combination with the EXAFS data, we demonstrate that Er and Lu are 6-coordinate in well-defined sites with relatively high symmetry.
Relative Volatilities of Ionic Liquids by Vacuum Distillation of Mixtures

The relative volatilities of a variety of common ionic liquids have been determined for the first time. Equimolar mixtures of ionic liquids were vacuum-distilled in a glass sublimation apparatus at...
Solution of three problems of Cornuéjols

A graph is balanced if it is bipartite and every induced cycle has length divisible by four. In his book, Gerard Cornuejols proposed a number of open questions, offering $5000 for the solution of any of them. Here we solve three of them, about balanced graphs.