cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water budgets for fish ponds in the dry tropics

Abstract Water budgets were calculated for embankment fish ponds located in the dry tropics. Two 5-month studies were conducted at Comayagua, Honduras. Daily pond evaporation averaged 0·55 ± 0·22 and 0·64 ± 0·17 cm during studies 1 and 2, respectively. Pond evaporation was 14·5% greater during study 2. Significantly greater pond evaporation was measured during the 3 driest months compared to the 3 rainiest months. Mean daily seepage ranged from 0·11 to 0·43 cm and from 0·06 to 0·60 cm during studies 1 and 2, respectively. Total rainfall during study 1 exceeded that during study 2 by 43%. Regulated inflow water was required every month to replace water losses to pond evaporation and seepage. Pond evaporation accounted for 70% of total water loss during both studies, while seepage accounted for the remaining water loss. Rain accounted for 45·5 and 21·8% of gains during studies 1 and 2, respectively. Regulated inflow water accounted for 52·8 and 77·9% of the respective gains.
Modification of the NSTX-U outboard and Inboard Divertor tiles for the protection of the PF-1C coils

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is a low aspect ratio, spherical torus (ST) located at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Its Centerstack Assembly (CSA) consists of the inner legs of the Toroidal Field windings, the Ohmic Heating solenoid, the inner Poloidal Field (PF) coils, thermal insulation, diagnostics, and an Inconel casing which forms the inner wall of the vacuum vessel boundary. The outside surface of this casing is protected from the heat loads by a layer of Plasma Facing Components (PFCs), in this case, a combination of ATJ and POCO TM graphite. The CSA is electrically isolated from the outer, large major radius part of the vacuum chamber by ceramic insulators. The gaps at the top and bottom of the machine between the CSA and the outer vessel are known as the “Coaxial Helicity Injection (CHI) Gaps”. The PF-1C divertor coils are located in this region shadowed by the CHI gap, however, late in the design of the NSTX Upgrade PFCs, MHD equilibria were discovered which could direct field lines through these CHI gaps and onto the PF-1C stainless steel casings. This could result in thermal flux from the main plasma body to flow along the field lines directly onto the coil. Though the probability of such an event is low, the heat flux on the 0.125” thick stainless steel casing could damage the coil beneath, or in worst case, rupture the casing itself, resulting in an accidental vent of the vacuum vessel. By extending downward the overhanging edge of the row 1 PFCs on the Outboard Divertor (OBD) and the Inboard Divertor (IBD) and by increasing their outermost radii, effectively narrowing the CHI gap, this should provide significant protection to the PF-1C casing.
K user fading broadcast channels with CSI at the receivers

For an arbitrary number of users, we examine the capacity region of fading broadcast channels with channel state known at the receivers but unknown at the transmitter. Generalizing prior work for two-user broadcast channels, we find the capacity region of the layered erasure broadcast channel. We show that weighted sum rate maximization assigns each signal level to the user that derives maximum weighted expected rate from that level. The outer bound is based on a channel enhancement that creates a sequence of degraded component channels in the order of decreasing user weights. This same approach is then used to find an outer bound to the capacity region of the fading Gaussian broadcast channels.
Defect structures at solid surfaces

The analysis of surface structural defects at the atomic level using low energy electron diffraction (LEED) is briefly considered. The angular distribution of the diffracted intensity contains information on the defect structure. A number of defects can be distinguished and quantified by studying the behavior of the angular width of diffracted beams with changes in diffraction parameters.
Music Play Zone II: Deepening Parental Empowerment as Music Guides for Their Young Children

With the intent of facilitating musical development of children enrolled in early childhood music courses, the purpose of this research was to describe the ongoing use of an online social networking site by parents of preschool children. Six families attended a 45-min early childhood music class each week for 10 weeks and responded to assignments each week via a private online social network. Research questions examined perceived benefits and effects of participation in the online social network. Data consisted of online posts by the participants and transcripts of exit interviews. Results of qualitative data analysis suggested that the online social network seemed to foster deeper connections among most participants and provided a strong communication tool between parent and teacher. Parents indicated that the site also provided a beneficial forum for reflection. They also indicated that a barrier to full participation was a lack of time.
Expanding concepts of the writer's purpose, audience, and task: The IEEE transactions on professional communication, 1981–86

By surveying a sample of 116 articles and six book reviews, the author shows how contributors described the purposes of engineering writing, the engineering writer's audience, and the engineering writer's task.
A model for irreversible adsorption hysteresis

Abstract A model is proposed which is capable of describing non‐linear irreversible adsorption hysteresis with a single set of coefficients. The model is predicated on the assumption that two types of adsorption sites are present on the sorbent. At the first type of sites, solutes are irreversibly adsorbed in an amount related to the highest concentration at which the sorbent was exposed. Adsorption at the other sites is completely reversible and non‐hysteretic. The total adsorption is the sum of the two. However, when the equilibrium concentration is decreased, only the reversible component desorbs. Experimental protocol and mathematical techniques are presented for calibrating and verifying the model. The model is capable of predicting continuous flow column behavior based upon batch isotherm data.
Sustainable transportation infrastructure investments and mode share changes: A 20-year background of Boulder, Colorado

This case study examines transportation infrastructure investments along with data revealing mode share in order to highlight correlations between investments in sustainable transportation infrastructure (‘supply’) and patterns of non-automobile mode share (‘demand’). The analysis assesses data from Boulder, Colorado, a city that has made substantial efforts to improve its multi-modal transportation infrastructure and services by investing in pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure and services. We aim to describe connections between supply and demand by measuring two phenomena: the extent of transportation infrastructure investments supporting pedestrian, bicycle, and transit modes made between 1990 and 2009 and the share of these modes during the same 20 years period. Results illustrate an overall increase in transit and bicycle mode share and a decrease in single occupancy vehicle share, with consistent pedestrian share. We conclude that Boulder's investments in improving mode choices through new infrastructure and services supporting non-automobile modes are associated with increasing share of non-automobile modes. This is despite national trends that indicate an increasing automobile mode share. Regardless of the reasons for the positive trends experienced in Boulder, the presence of robust pedestrian, bicycling, and transit infrastructure has clearly coincided with evolving travel preferences. Boulder therefore serves as an example for other cities desiring to focus on developing policies and infrastructure that expand the availability of non-automobile modes.
3D inverse scattering

Abstract We give a self-contained presentation of the method developed by R. Newton for solving the 3D inverse scattering problem and give an analysis of what is proved and what is not proved in this theory.
Isolation and maintenance of differentiated exocrine gland acinar cells in vitro

Methods have been developed for isolating and maintaining differentiated rat exorbital lacrimal, parotid, and pancreatic acinar cells for up to 1 month in culture. The dissociated cells retained their differentiated morphology when cultured as suspension cultures at 35°C with the appropriate secretagogue (exorbital lacrimal, 10−6 M carbamyl choline; pancreas 10−5 M carbamyl choline; parotid, 10−6 M isoproterenol). Under these conditions the cells remained viable and differentiated for up to 4 weeks in culture and continued to incorporate3H-leucine at rates similar to those of freshly isolated cells. If secretagogue was omitted from the medium, the cells rapidly degenerated. These results indicate that differentiated from the medium, the cells rapidly degenerated. These results indicate that differentiated exocrine gland acinar cells may be maintained in vitro and utilized as a model system for the study of secretory processes.
Chemical diffusion in CdS

Abstract The coefficient of chemical diffusion in CdS at high Cd activities is determined as a function of temperature and the result is interpreted on the basis of published self-diffusion data.
DITA XML: a reuse by reference architecture for technical documentation

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture is an XML architecture for producing and reusing technical information. DITA promises the following:Scalable reuse, so you can reuse content in any number of delivery contexts simultaneously without complicating the sourceDescriptive markup, so you can use markup that describes your information in terms your customers needInterchangeability, so you can treat specialized markup as if it were general, getting reuse of tools and processes defined at more general levels of descriptivenessProcess inheritance, so you can reuse existing process logic in your specialized processes.It accomplishes these goals by applying the principle of reuse by reference to the dimensions of content, design, and process within a technical communications workflow.
The Spatial Dynamics of Stratification: Metropolitan Context, Population Redistribution, and Black and Hispanic Homeownership

Racial and ethnic inequality in homeownership remains stubbornly wide, even net of differences across groups in household-level sociodemographic characteristics. This article investigates the role of contextual forces in structuring disparate access to homeownership among minorities. Specifically, I combine household- and metropolitan-level census data to assess the impact of metropolitan housing stock, minority composition, and residential segregation on black and Hispanic housing tenure. The measure of minority composition combines both the size and rate of growth of the coethnic population to assess the impact on homeownership inequality of recent trends in population redistribution, particularly the increase in black migration to the South and dramatic dispersal of Hispanics outside traditional areas of settlement. Results indicate remarkable similarity between blacks and Hispanics with respect to the spatial and contextual influences on homeownership. For both groups, homeownership is higher and inequality with whites is smaller in metropolitan areas with an established coethnic base and in areas in which their group is less residentially segregated. Implications of recent trends in population redistribution for the future of minority homeownership are discussed.
The wall shear stress produced by the normal impingement of a jet on a flat surface

A method for the theoretical determination of the wall shear stress under impinging jets of various congurations is presented. Axisymmetric and two-dimensional incompressible jets of a wide range of Reynolds numbers and jet heights are considered. Theoretical predictions from this approach are compared with available wall shear stress measurements. These data are critically evaluated based on the method of measurement and its applicability to the boundary layer under consideration. It was found that impingement-region wall shear stress measurements using the electrochemical method in submerged impinging liquid jets provide the greatest accuracy of any indirect method. A unique wall shear stress measurement technique, based on observing the removal of monosized spheres from well-characterized surfaces, was used to conrm the impinging jet analysis presented for gas jets. The technique was also used to determine an empirical relation describing the rise in wall shear stress due to compressibility eects in impinging high-velocity jets.
Analytical Models for Radiative Heat Transfer in Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (RTPV) Cell

A Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (RTPV) Cell is a device used to convert heat energy into electrical energy. The electric generation capacity of RTPV cell depends on the radiative heat transfer between its two surfaces: the emitter surface heated by radioisotope thermal source and the receiving photovoltaic (PV) cell surface. The spectral directional surface properties and the surface temperatures of emitter and PV cell surface play important roles in quantifying the radiative heat flux of RTPV cell. This paper establishes the required analytic flat plate solutions to calculate the radiative heat flux of RTPV cell. The results obtained using the analytic solutions developed in this study have been qualitatively validated with the results of numerical simulations performed by a commercially available software. The effect of the surface temperatures and emitter surface coating on RTPV cell capacity is also studied and analyzed by both the methods. The results obtained from both the methods show that PV cell surface temperature has negligible effect on RTPV cell capacity as compared to the emitter surface temperature. Also, the radiative heat flux of RTPV cell with coated emitter is found to be significantly higher than that of RTPV cell with uncoated emitter surface. The analytical methods can be used to estimate the net radiative heat flux of RTPV cell for different surface temperatures and are independent of the dimensions of RTPV cell.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin, an Inflammatory Protein Overexpressed in the Brains of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, Induces Tau Hyperphosphorylation through c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Activation

The association of inflammatory proteins with neuritic plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients has led to the hypothesis that inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of pathology in AD. Earlier studies have shown that alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) enhances amyloid beta fibrillization and accelerated plaque formation in APP transgenic mice. Later studies from our laboratory have shown that purified ACT induces tau hyperphosphorylation and degeneration in neurons. In order to understand the mechanisms by which inflammatory proteins enhance tau hyperphosphorylation, we injected interleukin-1β (IL-1β) intracerebroventricularly into mice expressing human ACT, human tau, or both transgenes. It was found that the hyperphosphorylation of tau in ACT and ACT/htau mice after IL-1β injection correlated with increased phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). We verified the involvement of JNK in ACT-induced tau phosphorylation by utilizing JNK inhibitors in cultured primary neurons treated with ACT, and we found that the inhibitor showed complete prevention of ACT-induced tau phosphorylation. These results indicate that JNK is one of the major kinases involved in the ACT-mediated tau hyperphosphorylation and suggest that inhibitors of this kinase may protect against inflammation-induced tau hyperphosphorylation and neurodegeneration associated with AD.
Tips for novice typesetters or: a point isn't always at the end of a pencil

Do-it-yourself typesetting is becoming a reality. The situation may not be exactly the same as the imaginary one described above---you may instead find yourself producing tapes to drive a phototypesetter, or even working with your own machine. No matter how you access the equipment, one problem remains the same: now that I have access to it, what do I do with it?
PCR cloning and sequence of two cDNAs encoding the alpha and beta subunits of rabbit casein kinase-II

Abstract Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of total RNA from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was used to clone and sequence full-length cDNAs encoding the a and β subunits of rabbit casein kinase-II (CK-II). A strong homology and evolutionary conservation was found in both the nucleotide (nt) and deduced amino acid sequences of CK-II from various species, with up to 100% identity among vertebrate homologues and 88% and 64% identity on the nt level with Drosophila melanogaster and yeast, respectively, compared with rabbit CK-II . The cloning and expression of rabbit CK-II will allow us to generate antibody and cDNA probes to investigate the role of CK-II in VSMC growth, migration, and phenotypic transformation during the pathogenesis of vascular disease.
Theory and Simulation of Ultrafast Intense Pulse Propagation in Extended Media

The theory of femtosecond pulse propagation in dispersive nonlinear media is reviewed with emphasis on modeling light-matter interactions in femtosecond optical filaments. Discussion of the principles underlying the pulse propagation models is followed by the description of the “standard” light-medium interaction model utilized in the ultrafast nonlinear optics, and open problems are identified across the field.
Self-touching and attentional processes: The role of task difficulty, selection stage, and sex differences

Lateral and bilateral self-touching movements were studied in a group of men and women performing a series of attentional tasks. In all tasks, subjects were instructed to selectively attend to, and “shadow” (i.e., repeat outloud), one of two passages that were presented simultaneously through earphones. Loudness, voice quality, or thematic content determined which passage had to be selected and shadowed. Performance was significantly better when shadowing on the basis of loudness or voice quality (an earlier, easier selection) than when following content (a more difficult selection that occurs at a later stage in the information processing continuum). However, self-touching rates during performance were not simply a function of task difficulty but seemed to depend on the processing stage at which selection occurred as well as on the type of selection involved. Strong, significant associations emerged between lateral self-touching and performance measures in most of the tasks for the women but in only one task for the men. The sample size on which these correlations are based is small and, hence, these findings must be interpreted with caution. However, in the light of previous findings on sex differences with these tasks, the present results suggest that lateral movements may serve different functions in men and women.
Simultaneous pair electronic excitations in a binuclear iron(III) complex

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum of an isolated metal complex containing the bridging unit Fe(III)⋯O-Fe(III) shows several bands due to the simultaneous electronic excitation of the two Fe(III) centers. The band positions are in excellent agreement with calculated sums of one-center d-d transitions.
In vivo cell mediated immune response to M. tuberculosis and M. Salmoniphilum in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

The cell mediated immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium salmoniphilum was studied in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) by delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions, thymus imprint analysis and a modified skin window assay. Test fish immunized with complete Freund's adjuvant containing M. tuberculosis were compared to control fish which received either incomplete Freund's adjuvant or phosphate buffered saline. Skin testing produced typical delayed hypersensitivity reactions with a significant difference between the test and control fish. Cross reactivity was produced when sensitized fish were tested with M. salmoniphilum. Imprints of thymus tissue from sensitized trout showed a significant shift in cell populations. Skin window studies supported the presence of cell mediated immunity by demonstrating the presence of activated macrophages at the dermal layer.
Discrimination by Rats of Conspecific Odors of Reward and Nonreward

The hypothesis that, after receiving reward and nonreward, rats excrete differential odors perceptible to other rats was tested by making the correct turn in a T-maze contingent on discrimination of any such odors. Clear evidence for an "odor of nonreward or frustration" was obtained, and there was the suggestion of a transistory odor after early reward trials.
A radical shift in the taxonomy of Lepraria s.l.: Molecular and morphological studies shed new light on the evolution of asexuality and lichen growth form diversification

A combination of molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS and mtSSU sequences, morphological and chemical analyses were used to investigate the lineages nominally included in the sterile lichen genus Lepraria. A core group (Lepraria s. str.) was resolved as sister to Stereocaulon. Species producing the secondary compounds argopsin, pannarin and usnic acid were found to belong to other lineages of lichen-forming ascomycetes. Study of Leprocaulon revealed that all species, except the type, likely represent members of Lepraria s. str. that have evolved a fruticose growth form. The correct name for the type species of Leprocaulon is shown to be L. quisquiliare, not L. microscopicum, and the genus is redefined to include several species previously placed in Lepraria. Leprocaulon quisquiliare is also shown to comprise two morphologically convergent species. The name is lectotypified and epitypified on material from the type region (Germany) and its application restricted to Old World populations. New World populations of L. quisquiliare are described as L. americanum. Leprocaulon, in its revised sense, is recognized in a new family (Leprocaulaceae) and order (Leprocaulales) sister to the Caliciales and including the genus Halecania. A new genus of Pilocarpaceae, Nelsenium, is introduced to accommodate Lepraria usnica. The status of Lepraria ecorticata is discussed in the context of usnic acid-producing Lecanora species. These nomenclatural novelties are proposed: (i) transfers from Leprocaulon to Lepraria: Lepraria albicans comb. nov., L. arbuscula comb. nov., L. congestum comb. nov., L. gracilescens comb. nov., L. pseudoarbuscula comb. nov., L. subalbicans comb. nov., L. tenellum comb. nov.; (ii) transfers from Lepraria to Leprocaulon: Leprocaulon adhaerens comb. nov., L. coriense, L. santamonicae comb. nov., L. terricola comb. nov. and L. textum comb. nov.; (iii) new taxa: Leprocaulales ord. nov., Leprocaulaceae fam. nov., Nelsenium gen. nov., Leprocaulon americanum sp. nov. and L. knudsenii sp. nov.
Estimation of parameters for a mixture of normal distributions

n observations are taken from a mixture of K normal subpopulations, where the value of K is known. It is assumed that these n observations are given as N frequencies from equally spaced intervals. Initial guesses of the K means, K variances, and K − 1 proportions are made using the maximum likelihood estimates for a single truncated normal population as derived by Hald. Then an approximation to the likelihood function of the entire sample is used, and attempts to maximize this yield two iteration formulas. In practice, the method of steepest descent always converged, although the rate was not always fast. Special cases of equal variances and variances proportional to the square of the mean are also considered.
Photon neutrino scattering.

The cross section for photon neutrino scattering is calculated in the standard model assuming that the neutrino is massless and that the center-of-mass energy is small compared to any charged lepton mass. Although the scattered photons can acquire a (parity-violating) circular polarization of order unity, the cross section in this limit is highly suppressed.
Theory for Dual-Wavelength C02 Lidar Method to Distinguish Ice, Mixed-Phase, and Water Clouds

Abstract An analytical study shows that the ratio of backscatter from ice particles at two CO2 lidar wavelengths is substantially different from the ratio from water drops. This forms the basis for a new method to discriminate between ice, water, and mixed-phase clouds. (The polarization technique often used by lidan operating in or near the visible part of the spectrum is not effective for C02 lidars, because depolarization from ice particles is usually very small at its infrared wavelength.) The effect of particle size distribution, differential attenuation in the cloud and clear air and other sources of uncertainty on the accuracy of the two-wavelength method are evaluated. Five wavelength pairs are examined to establish criteria for designing an optimum lidar.
An efficient method for the numerical evaluation of partial derivatives of arbitrary order

For any typical multivariable expression f, point a in the domain of f, and positive integer maxorder, this method produces the numerical values of all partial derivatives at a up through order maxorder. By the technique known as automatic differentiation, theoretically exact results are obtained using numerical (as opposed to symbolic) manipulation. The key ideas are a hyperpyramid data structure and a generalized Leibniz's rule. Any expression in n variables corresponds to a hyperpyramid array, in n-dimensional space, containing the numerical values of all unique partial derivatives (not wasting space on different permutations of derivatives). The arrays for simple expressions are combined by hyperpyramid operators to form the arrays for more complicated expressions. These operators are facilitated by a generalized Leibniz's rule which, given a product of multivariable functions, produces any partial derivative by forming the minimum number of products (between two lower partials) together with a product of binomial coefficients. The algorithms are described in abstract pseudo-code. A section on implementation shows how these ideas can be converted into practical and efficient programs in a typical computing environment. For any specific problem, only the expression itself would require recoding.
The distorted α2-adrenoceptor genotype distribution in F2 populations of dahl salt sensitive and resistant rats cross

To examine the role of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor gene in the development of genetic hypertensive rats, we tested Dahl salt sensitive (S) and resistant rats (R) for the presence of a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in that gene. An RFLP was found between the S and R rats with a human kidney cDNA alpha 2-adrenoceptor probe (alpha 2-C4) and Msp I restriction endonuclease. The alpha 2-C4 probe detected two alleles, S and R, of 3.0 and 2.8 kb in size. The two strains of rats were each homozygous for their corresponding allele. The inheritance of the alleles was investigated by crossbreeding S and R rats and subsequent brother/sister mating of F1 rats. Two hundred and fifteen F2 rats were produced by breeding 14 pairs of F1 rats. An atypical distribution of alpha 2-adrenoceptor genotypes was observed. We found a reduced number of the SS genotype in both males and females of the F2 generation. To investigate the mechanism of this distorted alpha 2-adrenoceptor genotype distribution in the F2 rats of S and R cross, we backcrossed the F1 rats to their S and R parents. The litter size and gender distribution were counted for each breeding colony. Analysis by chi-square test showed that there was no sex difference among the backcrosses. Also, there was no significant decrease in litter size. This excludes the possibilities of fetal demise of S homozygotes and intrauterine selection. Therefore the deficiency of SS genotype may be due to gene recombination or may not be due to the alpha 2-adrenoceptor gene itself, but to the effect of other genes closely linked to the alpha 2-adrenoceptor.
A hybrid, finite element—finite difference approach to simplified large deflection analysis of structures

Abstract A new and considerably simplified solution technique for geometrically nonlinear problems is introduced. In contrast to the existing numerical methods, the present approach obtains an approximate large deflection pattern from the linear displacement vector by successively employing updated correction factors. Conservation of energy principle yields a general expression for these subsequent corrections. While the linear portion of the strain energy can be computed using finite element approach, evaluations of its nonlinear counterparts often require mathematical discretization techniques. The simple, self-correcting iterative procedure is unconditionally stable and its fast oscillatory convergence offers further computational efficiency. To illustrate the application of the proposed method and to assess its accuracy, moderately large deflections of beam, plate and flexible cable structures have been computed and compared with known analytical solutions. If required, the obtained results—which are acceptable for most design purposes—can be further improved.
Is estrogen required for implantation in the ferret

A series of experiments was designed to further test the hypothesis that ferret corpora lutea synthesize and secrete estrogen between Days 6 and 8 of pregnancy, and that this estrogen is required to initiate implantation of blastocysts on Day 12. Corpora lutea, removed on Day 8 of pregnancy contained significant quantities of testosterone. Incubation of aliquots of the same luteal tissue for 4 h significantly elevated estrogen levels above those of nonincubated controls. Peripheral plasma estrogen levels exhibited a slight increase on Day 8 over those observed on Day 6 of pregnancy (7.9 +/- 3.4 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.1 pg/ml). However, continuous release of estradiol from Days 6-8 from two different sizes of Silastic capsules failed to induce implantation in ovariectomized-progesterone treated ferrets, whereas this same treatment was compatible with nidation in intact ferrets. Administration of the aromatase inhibitor, androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione (ATD) on Days 5-8 of pregnancy prevented implantation of blastocysts on Day 13. Simultaneous administration of estradiol and ATD failed to reverse the inhibitory effect of ATD. Results of this study confirm that luteal tissue of ferrets possesses at least one aromatizable androgen which is converted to estrogen under physiological conditions. However the data do not support the hypothesis that estrogen is required for implantation in the ferret.
Stereoselective Synthesis of 6-Amln0-5,6dideoxy-D-ribo-heptafuranouronates with the Aid of Glycine. Chiral Templates

Abstract Our current interest in developing peptido-nucleosides, e.g. sinefungin derivatives as potential inhibitors of Leishmania parasite growth, 1 and homologues of polyoxins and neopolyoxins as prototypes of “low charge” nucleotide analogues, has prompted us to investigate synthetic methods for the enantioselective preparation of 6-amino-5.6dideoxy-D-ribo-heptafuranouro as key intermediates. Sinefungin, a nucleoside antibiotic, is a potent inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylases, and is very similar structurally to SAM.1 Polyoxins, uracil nucleosides containing a peptide moiety, mimic anionic N-acetylglwosyl-uridine 5′-diphOsphate and are powerful competitive inhibitors of chitin UDP-N acetylglucosoamine-transferase.2
Relationship of Cell-Cycle Expression of Ia-like Antigenic Determinants on Normal and Leukemia Human Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells to Regulation In Vitro by Acidic Isoferritins

Abstract An association has been established between human Ia-like (Ia) antigenic determinants, expression during DNA synthesis on granulocyte-macrophage colony forming cells (CFU-GM) and the regulatory action of acidic isoferritins in vitro. Treatment of human bone marrow cells with monoclonal-anti-Ia-like (Ia) plus complement inhibited colony and cluster formation by ~50% but did not affect pre-CFU-GM. Reduction of colonies and clusters was similar whether bone marrow cells were exposed to anti-Ia plus complement, high specific activity tritiated thymidine (3HTdr) or acidic isoferritins. No further decrease was apparent with 3HTdr or acidic isoferritins after Ia-antigen+ CFU-GM were removed, or with anti-Ia plus complement or acidic isoferritins after DNA synthetic phase (S-phase) CFU-GM were removed. Anti-Ia, without complement, did not reduce colony or cluster formation but did block the inhibitory action of acidic isoferritins. A relationship existed between Ia antigens and the activity of acidic isoferritins in the following ways: (a) The apparent loss of Ia-antigens from CFU-GM by 5 h in culture at 37°C, but not at 27° or 4°C, was associated with nonresponsiveness to inhibition with acidic isoferritins, (b) Ia-antigen−, noncycling pre-CFU-GM that were insensitive to acidic isoferritins could generate a population of Ia-antigen+ cycling CFU-GM in vitro that were responsive to inhibition by acidic isoferritins, and (c) nondetectability of Ia-antigens on CFU-GM from patients with leukemia was associated with nonresponsiveness to inhibition by acidic isoferritins. These results implicate Ia-antigen+ progenitor cells in the regulation of myelopoiesis in vitro and demonstrate that absence of Ia-antigens on patient CFU-GM is associated with imbalances in normal regulatory interactions in vitro. These findings may be of relevance to normal regulation and to the progression of leukemia.
Purification and characterization of a cyclooxygenase-2 and angiogenesis suppressing factor produced by human fibroblasts

SPECIFIC AIMSCyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) is cell cycle dependent and its expression declines significantly when cells enter the S-phase of cell cycle. We hypothesized that proliferating fibroblasts produce a factor to control COX-2 expression. To test this hypothesis, we purified from the cultured medium of proliferating fibroblasts a factor that suppressed COX-2 expression induced by diverse stimuli in human and murine cells and blocked COX-2 induction by angiogenic factors as well as endothelial tube formation induced by angiogenic factors and colon cancer cell medium.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. Purification of COX-2 suppressing factorConditioned medium from proliferating fibroblasts inhibited PMA-induced COX-2 protein levels in quiescent fibroblasts and replacement of proliferating cell-conditioned medium with fresh medium restored the COX-2 protein in response to PMA induction. These results suggested the presence of...
Zero thickness quarter point crack tip finite element for modeling an interface between two materials

Abstract A zero thickness quarter point crack tip element for modeling the interface crack between two materials is presented. The stiffness matrix of the element is derived. The element is shown to have the theoretical 1/√ r singularity in the stress field at the crack tip and is compatible with other singular quadratic quarter point elements. Numerical results are in close agreement under biaxial tension, K I is insensitive and K II is sensitive to the changes in the shear stiffness of the interface bond.
Pico Gauges for Minimally Invasive Intracellular Hydrostatic Pressure Measurements

Intracellular pressure has a multitude of functions in cells surrounded by a cell wall or similar matrix in all kingdoms of life. The functions include cell growth, nastic movements, and penetration of tissue by parasites. The precise measurement of intracellular pressure in the majority of cells, however, remains difficult or impossible due to their small size and/or sensitivity to manipulation. Here, we report on a method that allows precise measurements in basically any cell type over all ranges of pressure. It is based on the compression of nanoliter and picoliter volumes of oil entrapped in the tip of microcapillaries, which we call pico gauges. The production of pico gauges can be accomplished with standard laboratory equipment, and measurements are comparably easy to conduct. Example pressure measurements are performed on cells that are difficult or impossible to measure with other methods.
Surgeon-performed ultrasound: its use in clinical practice.

Objective To highlight areas where surgeon-performed ultrasound (US) is an effective diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Summary Background Data The success of US in trauma and technologic advances have enhanced the interest and ability of surgeons to perform their own US examinations. Methods General surgeons perform US examinations of the thyroid gland, breast, gastrointestinal tract, peritoneal cavity (laparoscopy), and vascular system. Essentials of these examinations are discussed and a plan for educating surgical residents in US is outlined. Results Focused assessment for the sonographic examination of the trauma patient, or FAST, is replacing central venous pressure measurements to detect hemopericardium and diagnostic peritoneal lavage to detect hemoperitoneum. Bedside US can be used to detect a pleural effusion so well in critically ill patients that lateral decubitus x-rays are rarely needed. US-directed biopsy of breast lesions is a common office procedure. Laparoscopic US allows tumor staging without formal celiotomy, and many hepatic and pancreatic surgical procedures include US as an adjunct. Endoscopic and endorectal US have added a new dimension to the assessment of many gastrointestinal lesions. Color flow duplex imaging and endoluminal US have significantly expanded the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of vascular imaging. The training program developed at Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital is offered as a model for educating surgical residents in US techniques. Conclusions US is a valuable addition to the general surgeon's diagnostic armamentarium and is rapidly becoming an integral part of the surgeon's clinical practice.
MRZ 2/579, a novel uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, reduces infarct volume and brain swelling and improves neurological deficit after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of MRZ 2/579, an uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, on infarct size, extent of swelling and neurological deficit in a model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Physiologically controlled Sprague-Dawley rats received 2 h MCAo by retrograde insertion of an intraluminal suture coated with poly-L-lysine. The agent (MRZ 2/579) or vehicle (sodium chloride 0.9%) was administered i.v. immediately after suture removal following a 2-h period of MCAo. Two experimental groups were studied: group A was treated by vehicle (bolus infusion:1 ml/kg for 10 min followed by infusion of 6 ml/kg/h over 6 h). Group B was treated by MRZ 2/579 (bolus infusion:10 mg/kg for 10 min followed by infusion of 6 mg/kg/h over 6 h). The neurological status was evaluated during occlusion (at 60 min) and daily for 3 days after MCAo. Brains were then perfusion-fixed, and infarct volumes and brain swelling were determined. MRZ 2/579 significantly improved the neurological score compared to vehicle-treated rats at 48 h (6.2+/-0.6 and 8.7+/-0.5, respectively; P<0.004) and 72 h after MCAo (5.2+/-0.6 and 8.4+/-0.5, respectively; P<0.001). Treatment with MRZ 2/579 also significantly reduced total infarct volume (29.3+/-11.1 and 83.2+/-16.5 mm(3), respectively; P<0. 01), cortical infarct volume (24.8+/-11.2 and 70.0+/-18.0 mm(3), respectively; P<0.04) and subcortical infarction (21.2+/-4.1 and 49. 6+/-4.5 mm(3), respectively; P<0.0002). Brain swelling was also markedly reduced compared with vehicle-treated rats (4.7+/-1.3 and 10.8+/-2.1%, respectively; P<0.02). These results demonstrate that treatment with MRZ 2/579, when administered promptly after reperfusion, confers neuroprotective effects on infarct volume, brain swelling, and neurological score compared to the vehicle group.
Brief Family-Based Intervention for Substance Abusing Adolescents.

This article describes a brief intervention designed to improve parenting strategies because of their important role in the onset and escalation of adolescent substance use.1–3 Alcohol and other drug use are typically initiated during adolescence and escalate over this developmental period. This pattern is so common that some describe substance use disorders (SUD) as “developmental disorders.” 4 Nationally representative data demonstrate that approximately 27.8% of adolescents have experimented with alcohol and 16.4% have experimented with marijuana by the time they reach the 8th grade and that these rates increase to 68.2% and 45.5%, respectively by the time adolescents reach the twelfth grade.5 Data on levels of problematic drinking, from being drunk to binge drinking also demonstrate important age-related patterns. For example, 12.2% of eighth grade adolescents reported ever being drunk and 5.1% reported binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks on one occasion) in the past two weeks. By the time these adolescents reach the twelfth grade, their rates of ever being drunk increase to 52.3% and their rates of binge drinking in the past two weeks increase to 23.7%.5
Constitutional Growth and Revision in the South

Constitutional development by amendment or revision should have taken a fair share of the time and attention of lawmakers and voters in the South during the past decade. A new constitution has been adopted in Georgia. Plans are being made for constitutional revision in Louisiana. Advocates of revision have continued their bitter siege against the constitutions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Numerous amendments have won popular approval in Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. A few proposals have been adopted in Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia.' On the basis of this limited study, it appears that Southern constitutions may be grouped into two classes. First, the long constitutions, most easily and frequently amended, are those of states where periodic revisions have also occurred most frequently, and where direct popular participation in the legislative process has been increasingly extensive.2 Second, the short constitutions, amended infrequently or not at all in recent years, are found in states where the amending procedure is comparatively difficult
Selection of a Suitable Solvent System for the Isolation of Toxicologically Active Components of an African Arrow Poison of Plant Origin

Abstract The efficiency of different solvent systems in the isolation of toxicologically active components of an african arrow poison of plant origin was investigated. The solvent systems were: deionized water? acetonitrile; acetonitrile/water (9:1), gradient elution with carbon tetrachloride/chloroform (10–50%): gradient elution with sodium chloride (0.02M) acetonitrile (45–95%) and; methanol/de-ionized water (98:2) and; chloroform and carbon tetrachloride (10–50%) gradient elution. The gradient elution with sodium chloride (0.02M)/ acetonitrile (45–95%) gave the best separation of four distinct peaks suggesting the presence of at least four components in the arrow poison. Deionized water eluted the arrow poison from the column in one single fraction, whose peak height was linearly related to the amount of toxin (0.02 – 20.0 jag) suggesting that HPLC might also be useful in quantifying the toxin and/or its active components.
Evolution of lesion formation, parasitic load, immune response, and reservoir potential in C57BL/6 mice following high- and low-dose challenge with Leishmania major.

A model of cutaneous leishmaniasis using 102 Leishmania major metacyclic promastigotes inoculated into the footpads of genetically resistant C57BL/6 mice was studied in order to more accurately reproduce the evolution of lesion formation and the kinetics of parasite growth and immune response as they might occur in naturally exposed reservoirs and in human hosts. In contrast to the more conventional experimental model employing 106 metacyclic promastigotes, in which the rapid development of footpad lesions was associated with an increasing number of amastigotes in the site, the low-dose model revealed a remarkably “silent” phase of parasite growth, lasting approximately 6 weeks, during which peak parasitic loads were established in the absence of any overt pathology. Footpad swelling was observed after 6 weeks, coincident with the onset of parasite clearance and with production of high levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in draining lymph nodes. Low-dose challenge of IL-12- and IFN-γ-depleted or -deficient mice provided strong evidence that the induction or expression of cellular immunity is essentially absent during the first 6 to 8 weeks of intracellular growth, since the concentration of amastigotes in the site was not enhanced compared to that for wild-type animals during this time. By monitoring the ability of infected mice to transmit parasites to vector sand flies, it was observed that following low-dose challenge, footpads without apparent lesions provided an efficient source of parasites for exposed flies and that the low-dose challenge actually extended the duration of parasite transmissibility during the course of infection.
Are women with urogenital atrophy symptomatic

Abstract Objective: To correlate the physical findings of urogenital atrophy, an inevitable consequence of menopause, with symptoms suggestive of atrophic vaginitis. Methods: Women presenting for routine outpatient gynecologic care were asked to complete a five-item questionnaire regarding the presence and severity (0–3) of vaginal atrophy symptoms. They underwent a pelvic examination recording vaginal mucosal changes and severity (0–3), including pH. Symptoms and physical findings were averaged for an overall score of 0–3. A vaginal sidewall cytologic maturation index (MI) was performed (range 0–100). Symptoms were correlated with mucosal changes, pH, and MI, using Spearman rank correlation. Results: Sixty-nine women, mean age 66 (range 23–89) were enrolled. Symptom scores were surprisingly low, mean 0.36 (range 0–2.6). Symptom scores were poorly correlated with age (0.35) and physical findings (0.35) but not with MI (–0.04). There was a moderate correlation between physical examination and MI (–0.49). Low pH correlated well with high MI. Women on estrogen therapy had higher symptom ( P = 0.0097) and physical finding ( P = 0.0311) scores. Conclusions: Although urogenital atrophy occurs universally after menopause, most elderly women are minimally symptomatic. Symptoms alone should not guide initiation of therapy.
Hybrid Force–Velocity Sliding Mode Control of a Prosthetic Hand

Four different methods of hand prosthesis control are developed and examined experimentally. Open-loop control is shown to offer the least sensitivity when manipulating objects. Force feedback substantially improves upon open-loop control. However, it is shown that the inclusion of velocity and/or position feedback in a hybrid force-velocity control scheme can further improve the functionality of hand prostheses. Experimental results indicate that the sliding mode controller with force, position, and velocity feedback is less prone to unwanted force overshoot when initially grasping objects than the other controllers.