cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational spectra, theoretical calculations, and structures for 1,3-disilacyclopent-4-ene and 1,3-disilacyclopentane and their tetrachloro derivatives

Abstract The infrared and Raman spectra and theoretical calculations for 1,3-disilacyclopent-4-ene and 1,3-disilacyclopentane and their tetrachloro derivatives are reported. The calculated structures for the molecules have been found and the silicon–carbon bond where the carbon atom is olefinic was found to be shortened relative to SiH 2 CH 2 bonds. The agreement between observed and calculated spectra is very good.
Project bidding under deterministic and probabilistic activity durations

Abstract A bid for a project involves the projection into the future of several entities which include required resources and their mode(s) of utilization, the times of realization of ‘key events’, and cost. A bid stands for a commitment by the contractor to deliver completed tasks at particular points in time and for a specified cost. This paper reports on an approach to the development of such a commitment under deterministic (CPM) or probabilistic (PERT) activity durations. The theoretical development is accompanied by a computer program for the PC.
A nearly complete test of a capital accumulating, vertically integrated, nonrenewable resource extracting theory of a competitive firm

Abstract A new approach to testing a generalized Hotelling theory of a nonrenewable resource extracting firm is developed. In contrast to approaches extant, it (i) permits empirical testing of all the refutable implications of the theory, (ii) does not require estimates of, or data on, the shadow value of the resource stock, (iii) does not require estimation of the feedback control functions or the necessary conditions associated with the underlying optimal control problem, and (iv) treats the capital stock in a theoretically sound manner in the econometric model. Because of certain limitations in the data, most, but not all, of the refutable implications of the theory are tested using a Bayesian approach. Other limitations in the data mean that the paper is better viewed as an illustration of how one would go about rigorously testing the extended Hotelling theory, rather than as one which presents convincing empirical evidence that supports or refutes it.
Neuroendocrine peptides stimulate adenyl cyclase in normal and malignant prostate cells

Elevations of intracellular cAMP in human prostate cancer cells have been shown to increase invasiveness and to promote neuronal differentiation. Since neuroendocrine peptides capable of activating adenyl cyclase are present in prostatic nerves and epithelial neuroendocrine cells, we investigated normal and malignant human prostate cells for changes in intracellular cAMP in response to the prostatic peptides vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), calcitonin (CT), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Normal prostate epithelial cells and LNCaP prostate cancer cells exhibited, respectively, 6- and 30-fold increases in intracellular cAMP in response to VIP. ALVA-31 and PPC-1 prostate cancer cells demonstrated 20- to 200-fold increases in cAMP in response to CGRP, while normal epithelial cells and LNCaP cells exhibited smaller (2- to 6-fold) responses. Only DU-145 cells increased cAMP substantially in response to CT. VIP receptor mRNA was identified by Northern blot analysis only in those cells that responded to VIP. CT receptor mRNA was identified only in DU-145 cells by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis. These results suggest that VIP and possibly CGRP receptors are likely to be present in both normal and malignant prostate cells. VIP or CGRP may regulate secretion of proteases by normal or prostate cancer cells and may influence epithelial cell differentiation.
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RADIUS OF CONVERGENCE OF DIRECT INVERSION TECHNIQUES IN HELIUM ATOM SCATTERING

Recent studies (I. G. Shuttleworth, Surf. Rev. Lett.14(2) (2007) 321) have demonstrated a direct method of diffraction pattern inversion for the helium atom scattering (HAS) experiment. The method requires the expansion of the Patterson function as a multivariate Taylor series to form a set of simultaneous equations. Benchmark tests of the procedure show that incomplete Taylor expansions introduce inconsistency into the set of simultaneous equations, whereas larger Taylor expansions attract significant numerical errors during their solution. The current work replaces the conventional matrix inversion techniques with a multidimensional Newton–Raphson algorithm. Tests have shown that the Newton–Raphson procedure removes the Taylor series and numerical limitations from the inversion technique for any realistic surface.
Newton's study of fluid mechanics

Abstract Newton's effort on fluid mechanics was focused almost entirely on the forces of resistance that bodies encounter when moving in fluid mediums. His principal task in Book 2 of the Principia was to infer laws of resistance forces from phenomena of motion in the same way that he had inferred the law of universal gravity from phenomena of planetary motion in the rest of the work. The main problem Newton saw with resistance forces is that they arise from three separate mechanisms—the inertia of the fluid, the internal friction of the fluid, and surface friction. He reasoned that the first of these would vary as the density of the medium and the square of the velocity, and he expected the second to vary linearly with the velocity and the third to be independent of the velocity. This led him to assume that the total resistance force would vary as a 0 + a 1 v + a 2 v 2 , so that the problem became one of identifying what parameters govern each of the coefficients and how they vary with these parameters. For the first edition of the Principia Newton turned to pendulum-decay experiments to characterize a 0 , a 1 and a 2 . The data he obtained, however, were too inconsistent to yield any results beyond the conclusion that the inertial term is dominant, at least for the pendulum bobs and velocities in the experiments. In the second edition, Newton relied on a hypothetical model of the inertial action of fluids to deduce a priori values for a 2 for spheres. He hoped that the differences between the total resistance forces in experiments and his theoretical values of the inertial component would provide a basis for characterizing the other components. To this end, he conducted a number of vertical fall experiments in both water and air. The total resistance forces Newton obtained from these experiments were impressively accurate. More important, the experimentally determined forces convinced him that his theoretical value for a 2 was sufficiently accurate to enable the other components to be investigated in more carefully conducted vertical fall experiments in the future. He was wrong about this; his approach was doomed to fail from the outset for reasons he could not have foreseen. Its failure nevertheless sheds light not only on Newton's way of carrying out science, but also on the difference between pure science, as Newton conceived it, and engineering science.
Design of a random access network for compressed sensing

For networks that are deployed for long-term monitoring of environmental phenomena, it is of crucial importance to design an efficient data gathering scheme that prolongs the lifetime of the network. To this end, we exploit the sparse nature of the monitored field and consider a Random Access Compressed Sensing (RACS) scheme in which the sensors transmit at random to a fusion center which reconstructs the field. We provide an analytical framework for system design that captures packet collisions due to random access as well as packet errors due to communication noise. Through analysis and examples, we demonstrate that recovery of the field can be attained using only a fraction of the resources used by a conventional TDMA network, while employing a scheme which is simple to implement and requires no synchronization.
Effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure on cardiac output and oxygen delivery in patients with congestive heart failure.

We studied the acute hemodynamic effects of increasing nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in 13 patients with acute decompensation of congestive heart failure. Heart rate, respiratory rate, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, systemic blood pressure, and thermodilution cardiac outputs were measured at baseline, during, and after application of nasal CPAP at increasing pressures of 5, 10, and 15 cm H20. Cardiac index, stroke volume, and oxygen delivery were calculated. Based on a significant change in cardiac output greater than or equal to 400 ml, seven patients were classified as responders, whereas six patients were considered to be nonresponders. In responders, significant increases were noted in cardiac index (2.5 ± 0.7 to 2.9 ± 0.9 L/min/m2), stroke volume (49 ± 15 to 57 ± 16 ml), and oxygen delivery (10.3 ± 5.1 to 12.3 ± 6.0 ml/min/kg) without a change in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. In contrast, the nonresponders showed no significant change in any of the hemodynamic parameters. Improvement in cardiac output could not be predicted by any of the baseline hemodynamic or clinical variables, nor was it related to random variations since all variables returned to baseline after cessation of CPAP. Increase in stroke volume without a change in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (preload) suggests either improved inotropic function of the left ventricle or reduced left ventricular afterload with CPAP. Thus, CPAP may offer a new noninvasive adjunct to improving left ventricular function and augmenting cardiac performance in a subset of patients with congestive heart failure.
Close-range photogrammetry applications in bridge measurement: Literature review

Abstract Close-range photogrammetry has found many diverse applications in the fields of industry, biomechanics, chemistry, biology, archaeology, architecture, automotive, and aerospace, as well as accident reconstruction. Although close-range photogrammetry has not been as popular in bridge engineering as in other fields, the investigations that have been conducted demonstrate the potential of this technique. The availability of inexpensive, off-the-shelf digital cameras and soft-copy, photogrammetry software systems has made close-range photogrammetry much more feasible and affordable for bridge engineering applications. To increase awareness of the use of this powerful non-contact, non-destructive technique in the bridge engineering field, this paper presents a literature review on the basic development of close-range photogrammetry and briefly describes previous work related to bridge deformation and geometry measurement; structural test monitoring; and historic documentation. The major aspects of photogrammetry bridge measurement are covered starting from the late 1970s and include a description of measurement types, cameras, targets, network control, and software. It is shown that early applications featured the use of metric cameras (specially designed for photogrammetry purposes), diffuse targets (non-retroreflective), stereoscopic photogrammetry network layout, and analog analytical tools, which transformed over time to the use of non-metric cameras, retro-reflective targets, highly convergent network layout, and digital computerized analytical tools.
Practicing versus inventing with contrasting cases: The effects of telling first on learning and transfer.

Being told procedures and concepts before problem solving can inadvertently undermine the learning of deep structures in physics. If students do not learn the underlying structure of physical phenomena, they will exhibit poor transfer. Two studies on teaching physics to adolescents compared the effects of “telling” students before and after problem solving. In Experiment 1 (N 128), students in a tell-andpractice condition were told the relevant concepts and formulas (e.g., density) before practicing on a set of contrasting cases for each lesson. Students in an invent-with-contrasting-cases (ICC) condition had to invent formulas using the same cases and were told only afterward. Both groups exhibited equal proficiency at using the formulas on word problems. However, ICC students better learned the ratio structure of the physical phenomena and transferred more frequently to semantically unrelated topics that also had a ratio structure (e.g., spring constant). Experiment 2 (N 120) clarified the sources of the effects while showing that ICC benefited both low- and high-achieving students.
Kramers—Kronig analysis of infrared reflection spectra with parallel polarization for isotropic materials

Abstract Kramers—Kronig analysis of reflection spectra from a single interface with parallel ( p ) polarization has been developed by using non-linear least square refinement and its application is studied theoretically with regard to a phase correction term. The errors in phase shift and complex refractive index obtained by Kramers—Kronig analysis have been examined for such techniques as external and total internal reflection spectroscopies by using spectral simulation with model spectra composed of complex refractive indices based on dispersion theory. From these calculations, it has been shown that the complex refractive index can be obtained for isotropic samples by Kramers—Kronig analysis using p polarization with the same accuracy as for perpendicular ( s ) polarization. The combination of Kramers—Kronig analysis for each polarization allows one to obtain the complex refractive index of anisotropic materials. Furthermore, the complex refractive index of thin film samples on metal can be obtained from reflection-absorption spectroscopy (RAS) by Kramers—Kronig analysis including a non-linear least square refinement procedure.
Photoaquation of hexachloroplatinate(IV)

Abstract A study of the photoaquation of hexachloroplatinate(IV) to pentachloroaquoplatinate(IV) in 1 F perchloric acid medium has revealed that the overall quantum yield for this reaction is substantially greater than unity for irradiation at 270 and 365 nm, except when dissolved chlorine is present, and that the primary photoprocess is redox in nature. Accordingly, a chain mechanism involving homolytic bond cleavage of hexachloroplatinate(IV) to yield atomic chlorine and a labile platinum(III) species is proposed to account for the observed behavior. Support for the suggested reaction pathway includes evidence based on chemical scavenging experiments for the presence of chlorine atoms. In contrast to previous work on the photohydrolysis of hexabromoplatinate(IV), which occurs by a non-chain, non-redox process and which involves the lowest energy ligand-field triplet state, our results indicate that the charge-transfer singlet state is active in the photoaquation of hexachloroplatinate(IV).
Quantification of Free Floating and Matrix Bound Growth Factors Secreted by Dynamically-Stimulated Endothelial Cells

Laminar shear stress from fluid flow influences endothelial cell (EC) behavior by increasing the production of specific growth factors (GFs). Moreover, fluid flow affects extracellular matrix (ECM) binding kinetics. This study investigates the effects of fluid flow on ECs for 5 and 12 h. Epithelial GF (EGF) and basic fibroblast GF (bFGF), in both free floating and ECM bound form, were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Both bound and free floating EGF and bFGF were found to be increased in cultures under flow compared to cultures under static conditions. These results give a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic EC microenvironment and will be used in future studies for manipulation of neural stem cell cultures.
Transistor amplifier performance

Summary form only given, as follows. Fundamental restrictions on the gain, bandwidth, and sensitivity which can be achieved in multistage transistor amplifiers arise from the inherent internal feedback and frequency dependency of the device parameters. These gain and bandwidth limitations are discussed in terms of Linvill?s power gain charts and the resistance integral theorem. A new set of charts are then devised which permit rapid evaluation of the effects of load impedance on input impedance at a given frequency. A sensitivity criterion is defined as the percentage change in input impedance for a given change in load impedance. This criterion allows one to plot areas on the charts from which the load impedances must be selected for the required sensitivity. For small sensitivity, a relation between sensitivity and power gain is derived which enables one to determine how much power gain must be lost for a given sensitivity. This information permits direct comparison of neutralized and unneutralized amplifiers. The theory given above serves to specify operating impedances and insertion loss of the interstage and load networks at a set of discrete frequencies in the amplifier pass band. The design of these networks can again be cast in terms of the charts and power gain formulas.
RFLP analysis of phylogenetic relationships and genetic variation in the genus Lycopersicon.

Forty single-copy, nuclear probes of known chromosomal position were used to examine restriction fragment length polymorphism in the tomato genus Lycopersion. The probes were from three libraries: one cDNA, and two genomic libraries ⦓ne genomic made with EcoRI and the other with PstI. Total DNA from 156 plants representing eight species was cut with five different restriction enzymes and scored in 198 probe-enzyme combinations. Genetic distances between accessions (populations) and species were calculated from the resultant restriction patterns and proportion of shared bands. Accessions belonging to the same species largely clustered together, confirming their current classification. However, one mountain accession, classified as L. peruvianum var. humifusum (LA2150), was sufficiently distinct from the other accessions of L. peruvianum that it may qualify as a separate species L. esculentum and L. pimpinellifolium were the least clearly differentiated, possibly reflecting introgressive hybridization, known to have been promoted by man in recent history. Dendrograms constructed from cDNA versus genomic clones were nearly identical in their general grouping of species. The dendrograms revealed two major dichotomies in the genus: one corresponding to mating behavior [self-compatible (SC) versus self-incompatible (SI) species] and the other corresponding to fruit color (red versus green-fruited species). The ratio of withinversus between-accession diversity was much lower for SC species, indicating that most of the diversity within these species exists between populations, rather than within populations. Overall, the amount of genetic variation in the SI species far exceeded that found in SC species. This result is exemplified by the fact that more genetic variation could be found within a single accession of one of the SI species (e.g., L. peruvianum) than among all accessions tested of any one of the SC species (e.g., L. esculentum or L. pimpinellifolium). Results from this study are discussed in relationship to germ plasm collection/utilization and with regard to the use of RFLPs in tomato breeding and genetics.
RESISTANT PROPERTIES OF AZOTOBACTER CYSTS INDUCED IN RESPONSE TO MINERAL DEFICIENCIES.

Layne, Joseph S. (University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson), and Emmett J. Johnson. Resistant properties of Azotobacter cysts induced in response to mineral deficiencies. J. Bacteriol. 88:956–959. 1964.—Cysts produced in response to mineral deficiencies, and apparently lacking the characteristic exine and intine, possess the same degree of resistance to heat, mechanical disruption, desiccation, the action of lysozyme, and the combined action of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and lysozyme as do butanol-induced cysts. Slight differences in the behavior of the two varieties of cysts toward EDTA were observed. Since no significant differences seem to exist in resistant properties between cysts induced in response to mineral deficiencies and n-butanol-induced cysts, it would seem that the current concepts attributing the resistant properties of the Azotobacter cyst to the exine and intine require modification.
A Strategic Approach to Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Education and Resident Integration in a General Surgery Residency

Objective To outline a structured approach for general surgery resident integration into institutional quality improvement and patient safety education and development. Design A strategic plan to address Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Clinical Learning Environment Review assessments for resident integration into Quality Improvement and Patient Safety initiatives is described. Setting Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation is an independent academic medical center graduating three categorical residents per year within an integrated multi-specialty health system serving 19 counties over 3 states. Results The quality improvement and patient safety education program includes a formal lecture series, online didactic sessions, mandatory quality improvement or patient safety projects, institutional committee membership, an opportunity to serve as a designated American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project and Quality in Training representative, mandatory morbidity and mortality conference attendance and clinical electives in rural surgery and international settings. Conclusions Structured education regarding and participation in quality improvement and patient safety programs are able to be accomplished during general surgery residency. The long-term outcomes and benefits of these strategies are unknown at this time and will be difficult to measure with objective data.
Political Science and Beyond: Presidential Address to the American Political Science Association

This is the Presidential Address delivered at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, August 30 to September 2, 2007. The theme is that the discipline of political science has benefited from imports from many other fields, but it also has a lot to offer in the way of exports to other fields. A personal example is the export of cooperation theory to cancer research. The main recommendation is to cultivate your curiosity by: reading up in a variety of fields so your mind will be well prepared, teaming up with others who can help you, loading up on research related to your problem, and lightening up when you need to escape from the problem for a while. Promising opportunities exist for political science to export to public health, cognitive and neuropsychology, and the design of web-based institutions.Robert Axelrod is the Mary Ann and Charles R. Walgreen, Jr. Professor for the Study of Human Understanding at the University of Michigan (axe@umich.edu). This text is a renamed, footnoted and slightly revised version of his presidential address at the 2007 American Political Science Association Annual Meeting. For help in preparing this address, he wishes to thank John Aldrich, David Axelrod, Vera Axelrod, Lily S. Axelrod, Michael Brintnall, Joshua Epstein, Rick Hall, Liz Gerber, Ross Hammond, Rob Hauck, Lisa Koch, Justin McCrary, Ken Pienta, Robert Putnam, Eric Rabkin, Amy Saldinger, Jasjeet Sekhon, and PhillipTetlock. For financial support he thanks the National Science Foundation.
Pediatric Renal Transplantation

Successful renal transplantation remains the optimal form of therapy for children with end-stage renal disease. This article is designed to provide a current review of renal transplantation in children.
Perceptions of faculty development needs based on faculty characteristics

Abstract Objectives Many changes in pharmacy education have occurred in the past decade resulting in a need for faculty education. The increasing number of pharmacy schools, larger number of junior faculty, expanding use of technology in teaching, and the changing generation of pharmacy students has allowed educators to reassess their teaching practices. The purpose of this survey was to access faculty's preferences toward faculty development and determine needs based on faculty characteristics, including degree, rank, duration of appointment, and division. Methods A survey was distributed to 58 faculty members at the School of Pharmacy. Results More than half of the faculty responded to the survey ( n = 34, 58%). Faculty members responded that their preferred needs for faculty development centered on teaching. Doctorate of Pharmacy faculty desired development in ability-based learning and establishing authority with students. New faculty members expressed a need for more instruction in manuscript writing and developing a research focus, while more experienced faculty members desired instruction in planning workshops and labs. Tenure track and nontenure track faculty had the most variability in their preferences toward faculty development. Tenure track faculty preferred more growth in the areas of research and development and nontenure track faculty desired more development relating to student issues. Both expressed a desire for more instruction in the areas of teaching. Conclusions Characteristics of faculty members should be analyzed when developing faculty development programs.
Update on host defense and immunonutrients

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract presents the largest surface area of the body to which antigens and microbes are exposed. 101 The intestine must have intricate mechanisms to allow entry of nutrients and other beneficial molecules while preventing potentially harmful microbes and other agents from gaining entry into the inner milieu. Shortly after birth, the establishment of an intestinal bacterial community is very important for maintenance of normal homeostasis. The very low-birth weight infant in the neonatal intensive care unit is presented with special challenges. Several factors lead to a hostile gastrointestinal environment that predisposes the infant to disease. These include the introduction of feeding tubes into the stomach or more distal intestine, the routine use of broad-spectrum antibiotics that select for resistant pathogens that thrive in the unusual microbial environment of the neonatal intensive care unit, intrinsic immaturities of the infant GI tract, and the lack of adequate nutrition. There is accumulating evidence that in the newborn, the immune and nonimmune defense mechanisms that normally maintain a healthy balance in the intestine may be inadequate, or at least not functioning at levels observed in adults. Infants, particularly undernourished infants, may be at an increased risk of both luminal proliferation of and mucosal invasion by both microbial pathogens and intact dietary antigens. 112 This article is funded in part by National Institutes of Health grant RO1-HD-3-8954.
Arthroscopic resection arthroplasty for treatment of combined carpometacarpal and scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (pantrapezial) arthritis.

Purpose Arthroscopy of the carpometacarpal (CMC) and scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joints has been described for the purpose of diagnosing, staging, and treating CMC and STT pathology. This study evaluates the short-term outcome of arthroscopic resection arthroplasty (ARA) for pantrapezial arthritis. Methods Thirty-five cases of ARA of the CMC and STT joints were performed in 34 patients with one year minimum follow-up. There were 27 women and 7 men. Average age was 63 (range, 46 to 79). All patients had simultaneous ARA of both the CMC and STT joints. A 2- to 3-mm section of bone was resected from the proximal and distal aspect of both the CMC and STT joints. Preoperative data collected included 10-point self-reported pain scale, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) outcome measure, range of motion, grip strength, key and chuck pinch, length of symptoms, and treatment. Postoperative data included the same data plus patient satisfaction, graded on a 0 to 5 scale. Data were collected at postoperative months 1, 3, 6, and 12. Results Average time of postoperative immobilization was less than 3 weeks (range, 2–6). The DASH scores averaged 46 before surgery, and 51, 30, 20, and 19 respectively, for the aforementioned postoperative intervals. The mean improvement in key pinch was 1.3 kg. The mean improvement in grip was 4.3 kg. Pain improved from 7 before surgery to 1 at one-year follow-up. Conclusions Short-term analysis suggests that ARA for pantrapezial arthritis provides satisfactory pain relief and return of strength and function. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Using Spatially Detailed Water-Quality Data and Solute-Transport Modeling to Support Total Maximum Daily Load Development1

Walton-Day, Katherine, Robert L. Runkel, and Briant A. Kimball, 2012. Using Spatially Detailed Water-Quality Data and Solute-Transport Modeling to Support Total Maximum Daily Load Development. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(5): 949-969. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2012.00662.x Abstract: Spatially detailed mass-loading studies and solute-transport modeling using OTIS (One-dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage) demonstrate how natural attenuation and loading from distinct and diffuse sources control stream water quality and affect load reductions predicted in total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). Mass-loading data collected during low-flow from Cement Creek (a low-pH, metal-rich stream because of natural and mining sources, and subject to TMDL requirements) were used to calibrate OTIS and showed spatially variable effects of natural attenuation (instream reactions) and loading from diffuse (groundwater) and distinct sources. OTIS simulations of the possible effects of TMDL-recommended remediation of mine sites showed less improvement to dissolved zinc load and concentration (14% decrease) than did the TMDL (53-63% decrease). The TMDL (1) assumed conservative transport, (2) accounted for loads removed by remediation by subtracting them from total load at the stream mouth, and (3) did not include diffuse-source loads. In OTIS, loads were reduced near their source; the resulting concentration was decreased by natural attenuation and increased by diffuse-source loads during downstream transport. Thus, by not including natural attenuation and loading from diffuse sources, the TMDL overestimated remediation effects at low flow. Use of the techniques presented herein could improve TMDLs by incorporating these processes during TMDL development.
Roles of cysteine conjugate beta-lyase and S-oxidase in nephrotoxicity: studies with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine and S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide.

Effects of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) and its putative metabolite DCVC sulfoxide (DCVCO) on renal function in vivo and in vitro were investigated to assess the role of sulfoxidation in the mechanism of toxicity of cysteine S-conjugates. Both conjugates were potent nephrotoxicants in rats in vivo, but at equimolar doses, DCVCO produced greater renal injury (i.e., increases in blood urea nitrogen levels and anuria and more severe and widespread proximal tubular necrosis) than DCVC. Pretreatment of rats with aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), a selective cysteine conjugate beta-lyase (beta-lyase) inhibitor, did not protect against DCVCO nephrotoxicity, whereas rats given DCVC and AOAA exhibited partial protection. These results suggest that in addition to cleavage by the beta-lyase, sulfoxidation by the cysteine conjugate S-oxidase (S-oxidase) may play a role in DCVC nephrotoxicity. In isolated rat kidney proximal tubular (PT) and distal tubular (DT) cells, both DCVC and DCVCO produced time- and concentration-dependent increases in the release of lactate dehydrogenase. Because DCVC was generally more toxic in PT cells and DCVCO was more toxic in DT cells, an attempt was made to correlate in vitro cytotoxicity with the cellular distribution of the beta-lyase and S-oxidase. The finding that beta-lyase activity exhibited a 2-fold higher Vmax/Km ratio in PT cells than in DT cells, the greater inhibition of both beta-lyase activity and DCVC toxicity by AOAA in PT cells than in DT cells and the lower (40%) S-oxidase activity in PT cells than in DT cells provide evidence for the importance of the beta-lyase in DCVC toxicity in PT cells. The finding that DCVCO was more toxic in DT cells than in PT cells and the inability of AOAA to protect DT cells from DCVC-induced cytotoxicity, however, provide further evidence for DCVC bioactivation by S-oxidase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Recombinant Expression, Purification, and Biochemical Characterization of Chondroitinase ABC II from Proteus vulgaris

Chondroitin lyases (or chondroitinases) are a family of enzymes that depolymerize chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS) galactosaminoglycans, which have gained prominence as important players in central nervous system biology. Two distinct chondroitinase ABC enzymes, cABCI and cABCII, were identified in Proteus vulgaris. Recently, cABCI was cloned, recombinantly expressed, and extensively characterized structurally and biochemically. This study focuses on recombinant expression, purification, biochemical characterization, and understanding the structure-function relationship of cABCII. The biochemical parameters for optimal activity and kinetic parameters associated with processing of various CS and DS substrates were determined. The profile of products formed by action of cABCII on different substrates was compared with product profile of cABCI. A homology-based structural model of cABCII and its complexes with CS oligosaccharides was constructed. This structural model provided molecular insights into the experimentally observed differences in the product profile of cABCII as compared with that of cABCI. The critical active site residues involved in the catalytic activity of cABCII identified based on the structural model were validated using site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic characterization of the mutants. The development of such a contaminant-free cABCII enzyme provides additional tools to decode the biologically important structure-function relationship of CS and DS galactosaminoglycans and offers novel therapeutic strategies for recovery after central nervous system injury.
Flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease mortality in a prospective cohort of US adults

Background: Flavonoids are plant-based phytochemicals with cardiovascular protective properties. Few studies have comprehensively examined flavonoid classes in relation to cardiovascular disease mortality. Objective: We examined the association between flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among participants in a large, prospective US cohort. Design: In 1999, a total of 38,180 men and 60,289 women in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort with a mean age of 70 and 69 y, respectively, completed questionnaires on medical history and lifestyle behaviors, including a 152-item food-frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard RRs and 95% CIs for associations between total flavonoids, 7 flavonoid classes, and CVD mortality. Results: During 7 y of follow-up, 1589 CVD deaths in men and 1182 CVD deaths in women occurred. Men and women with total flavonoid intakes in the top (compared with the bottom) quintile had a lower risk of fatal CVD (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.92; P-trend = 0.01). Five flavonoid classes—anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavones, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins—were individually associated with lower risk of fatal CVD (all P-trend < 0.05). In men, total flavonoid intakes were more strongly associated with stroke mortality (RR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.89; P-trend = 0.04) than with ischemic heart disease (RR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.13). Many associations appeared to be nonlinear, with lower risk at intakes above the referent category. Conclusions: Flavonoid consumption was associated with lower risk of death from CVD. Most inverse associations appeared with intermediate intakes, suggesting that even relatively small amounts of flavonoid-rich foods may be beneficial.
Improved torque fidelity in harmonic drive sensors through the union of two existing strategies

The torsional compliance of harmonic drives lends itself to torque sensing, but the elliptical wave generator in harmonic drives introduces a spatially dependent local torque ripple on the flexspline of harmonic drives. It is difficult to extract the applied torque signal from this local torque ripple if the applied torque is sensed at the flexspline of the harmonic drive. Previous methods have used spatially offset Wheatstone bridges or gain tuning to attenuate torque ripple. The authors have found that combining both of these techniques through a different wiring configuration can attenuate local torque ripple to plusmn0.5 Nmiddotm, a better ripple reduction than either method alone. This local ripple reduction is adequate for large-range torque applications, but is not adequate for precision torque applications
Hydrogen Exchange-Mass Spectrometry Optimization of Digestion Conditions

The direct linkage between folded structures of proteins and their function has increased the need for high resolution structures. In addition, there is a need for analytical methods for detecting and locating changes in the folded structures of proteins under a wide variety of conditions. The rates at which hydrogens located at peptide amide linkages undergo isotopic exchange has become the basis for an important method for detecting such structural changes. When detected by mass spectrometry, hydrogen exchange can be used to study dilute solutions of large proteins and protein complexes with very high sensitivity. To locate structural changes, labeled proteins are often digested with acid proteases to form peptides whose hydrogen/deuterium levels are determined by mass spectrometry. This approach is successful only when the protein can be digested rapidly under conditions where isotope exchange is slow. This study describes how columns packed with immobilized pepsin can be used to reduce the digestion time and to provide an effective means for separating the pepsin from the isotopically labeled fragments. These columns are part of an on-line system that facilitates both rapid digestion of low concentrations of protein and concentration of the peptides.
Uncoupling Scavenger Receptor A-Mediated Phagocytosis of Bacteria from Endotoxic Shock Resistance

Unresolved infection by gram-negative bacteria can result in the potentially lethal condition known as endotoxic shock, whereby uncontrolled inflammation can lead to multiple organ failure and death of the infected host. Previous results have demonstrated that animals deficient in class A scavenger receptor (SRA), a trafficking receptor for bacteria and bacterium-derived molecules, are more susceptible to endotoxic shock. This has been proposed to be a result of impaired SRA-dependent phagocytic clearance of bacteria resulting in stronger proinflammatory stimuli. In this report, we test the hypothesis that there is an obligate reciprocal relationship between SRA-mediated phagocytosis of bacteria and susceptibility to endotoxic shock. Here, we demonstrate that both SRA-dependent and -independent gram-negative bacterial strains elicit SRA-dependent increased cytokine production in vitro and in vivo and increased susceptibility to endotoxic shock in SRA-deficient mice. This is the first evidence showing that SRA-mediated clearance of LPS is functionally distinct from the role of SRA in bacterial phagocytosis and is a formal demonstration that the SRA-dependent cytokine responses and the resultant endotoxic shock are not coupled to SRA-mediated clearance of bacteria.
Electromagnetic velocity inversion using 2-D Maxwell's equations

We adapt the wave‐equation traveltime inversion (WT) method to the reconstruction of the dielectric distribution from crosswell radar traveltime data. The data misfit gradient is computed using finite‐difference solutions to the 2-D Maxwell’s equations. An advantage of the wave‐equation method over ray‐tracing radar tomography is that it accounts for scattering and diffusion effects and works well in both resistive and moderately conductive rocks. Comparisons with ray‐tracing tomography show that the wave equation method is more robust and accurate when the rock conductivity is larger than .002 S/m. The methods are about equally effective when the conductivity is less than or equal to .001 S/m. The major disadvantage of the wave equation scheme is that it generally requires at least several orders of magnitude more computational time than ray tracing. We also derive the general equation for the waveform radar inversion method, which is closely related to the equations for the WT method and prestack radar ...
Atmospheric moons Galileo would have loved

In the spirit of the symposium and the theme of the session of this presentation, "Our solar system after Galileo, the grand vision," I review briefly a relatively recently discovered phenomenon in the solar system existence of atmospheres on certain moons, including Io, one of the four moons Galileo discovered four centuries ago. The origin of such atmospheres is discussed, and comparisons are made between various gassy moons.
Dirichlet's Theorem, Vojta's Inequality, and Vojta's Conjecture

This paper addresses questions involving the sharpness of Vojta's conjecture and Vojta's inequality for algebraic points on curves over number fields. It is shown that one may choose the approximation term mS(D,! ) in such a way that Vojta's inequality is sharp in Theorem 2.3. Partial results are obtained for the more difficult problem of showing that Vojta's conjecture is sharp when the approximation term is not included (that is, when D = 0). In Theorem 3.7, it is demonstrated that Vojta's conjecture is the best possible with D = 0 for quadratic points on hyperelliptic curves. It is also shown, in Theorem 4.8, that Vojta's conjecture is sharp with D = 0 on a curve C over a number field when an analogous statement holds for the curve obtained by extending the base field of C to a certain function field. Mathematics Subject Classifications (1991): 11G30, 11J68.
Energy shifts for a multilevel atom in an intense squeezed radiation field

We derive atomic energy-level shifts due to the presence of an electric field associated with an arbitrary quantum-mechanical state describing an intense, but otherwise arbitrary, radiation field, a particular example of such a state being squeezed radiation from an intense source. In another particular case, in which the radiation is classical and monochromatic, our result reduces to the well-known Townes–Schawlow result.
Systems Security Engineering

Systems engineers solve large problems by breaking them down into well-defined pieces, while preserving the problem definition for use in validating the solution. A new systems-engineering security road map recommends that systems engineers and security engineers converge on empirical methods. The trend should be to escape from best-practices checklists and return to core systems-engineering methods, processes, and tools.
Rise and fall of late Pleistocene pluvial lakes in response to reduced evaporation and precipitation: Evidence from Lake Surprise, California

Widespread late Pleistocene lake systems of the Basin and Range Province indicate substantially greater moisture availability during glacial periods relative to modern times, but the climatic factors that drive changes in lake levels are poorly constrained. To better constrain these climatic forcing factors, we present a new lacustrine paleoclimate record and precipitation estimates for Lake Surprise, a closed basin lake in northeastern California. We combine a detailed analysis of lake hydrography and constitutive relationships describing the water balance to determine the influence of precipitation, evaporation, temperature, and seasonal insolation on past lake levels. At its maximum extent, during the last deglaciation, Lake Surprise covered 1366 km 2 (36%) of the terminally draining Surprise Valley watershed. Using paired radiocarbon and 230 Th-U analyses, we dated shoreline tufa deposits from wave-cut lake terraces in Surprise Valley, California, to determine the hydrography of the most recent lake cycle. This new lake hydrograph places the highest lake level 176 m above the present-day playa at 15.19 ± 0.18 calibrated ka ( 14 C age). This significantly postdates the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), when Lake Surprise stood at only moderate levels, 65–99 m above modern playa, similar to nearby Lake Lahontan. To evaluate the climatic factors associated with lake-level changes, we use an oxygen isotope mass balance model combined with an analysis of predictions from the Paleoclimate Model Intercomparison Project 3 (PMIP3) climate model ensemble. Our isotope mass balance model predicts minimal precipitation increases of only 2%–18% during the LGM relative to modern, compared to an ∼75% increase in precipitation during the 15.19 ka highstand. LGM PMIP3 climate model simulations corroborate these findings, simulating an average precipitation increase of only 6.5% relative to modern, accompanied by a 28% decrease in total evaporation driven by a 7 °C decrease in mean annual temperature. LGM PMIP3 climate model simulations also suggest a seasonal decoupling of runoff and precipitation, with peak runoff shifting to the late spring–early summer from the late winter–early spring. Our coupled analyses suggest that moderate lake levels during the LGM were a result of reduced evaporation driven by reduced summer insolation and temperatures, not by increased precipitation. Reduced evaporation primed Basin and Range lake systems, particularly smaller, isolated basins such as Surprise Valley, to respond rapidly to increased precipitation during late-Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1). Post-LGM highstands were potentially driven by increased rainfall during HS1 brought by latitudinally extensive and strengthened midlatitude westerly storm tracks, the effects of which are recorded in the region9s lacustrine and glacial records. These results suggest that seasonal insolation and reduced temperatures have been underinvestigated as long-term drivers of moisture availability in the western United States.
Integral closure and generic elements

Abstract Let ( R , m ) be a formally equidimensional local ring with depth R ⩾ 2 and I = ( a 1 , … , a n ) an m -primary ideal in R. The main result of this paper shows that if I is integrally closed, then so is its image modulo a generic element, that is, if T = R [ X 1 , … , X n ] / ( a 1 X 1 + ⋯ + a n X n ) , then I T ¯ = I ¯ T .
Transposing Music: An Intermedial Perspective on German Modernist Poetry

Conventionally, music is said to require three interrelated modes of receptivity: the formal analysis of its sonic structures, the hermeneutic deciphering of its semiotic meanings, and the performance of its actual works. However, as I argue in this essay, there is a fourth process that partly encompasses aspects of these modes but adds to them in multiple ways that are crucial to the experience of music. This mode of receptivity pertains to the possibility and limits of the transposition of the sonic language of music into other media, aesthetic practices, and signifying systems. German modernist poetry addresses this topic in its self-reflexive exploration of music beyond the parameters of melody, harmony, rhythm, meter, and timbre in order to intersect with other arts, forms of human experiences, and historical self-articulations.