cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of collagen granules from the foot of the sea mussel, Mytilus californianus

Abstract 1. 1. Membrane bound granules were isolated from homogenates of the foot of Mytilus californianus and shown to correspond to the ellipsoid collagen granules described by Tamarin & Keller (1972). 2. 2. Protein was extracted from the purified granules by standard procedures for preparation of collagen and its amino acid composition was compared with that of vertebrate collagen and different parts of the byssus secreted by glands in the mussel's foot. 3. 3. Hydrolysates of collagen extracted from granules contained approximately 8 mole % hydroxyproline and 33 mole % glycine and were similar in composition to byssus threads. 4. 4. Analyses of other parts of the byssus indicated that they contained collagen in addition to other protein components.
Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race, and Democracy – By Richard D. Kahlenberg

After suffering the indignity of being lampooned in the Woody Allen film Sleeper as the man who blew up the world, no less, before being posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Clint...
Optimal control of flexible end effector in AFM based nanomanipulation

Atomic force microscope (AFM) based nanomanipulation has been extensively investigated for many years. However, the efficiency and accuracy of the AFM based nanomanipulation is still a major issue due to the nonlinearities and uncertainties in nanomanipulation operations. The deformation of the cantilever caused by manipulation force, in our experience, is one of the most major nonlinearities and uncertainties. It causes difficulties in precisely controlling the tip position, which will cause the tip to miss the position of the object. In order to solve this problem, the traditional approach is to use a rigid cantilever. However, this will significantly reduce the sensitivity of the force feeling during the manipulation, which is essential for achieving an efficient and reliable nanomanipulation. An active AFM probe is used to solve this problem by directly controlling the cantilever's flexibility or rigidity during manipulation. An infinite dimensional model of the active probe is developed. Control of the active probe employing an optimal LQR control law is also implemented. The experimental results have verified the theoretical model and demonstrated that the precise position control and high sensitive interaction force measurement can be achieved simultaneously.
Multiple Ionization Bursts in Laser-Driven Hydrogen Molecular Ion

Theoretical study on H2(+) in an intense infrared laser field on the attosecond time scale reveals that the molecular ion shows multiple bursts of ionization within a half-cycle of the laser field oscillation, in contrast to the widely accepted tunnel ionization picture for an atom. These bursts are found to be induced by transient localization of the electron at one of the nuclei, and a relation between the time instants of the localization and the vector potential of the laser light is derived. A scheme is proposed to probe the localization dynamics by an extreme ultraviolet laser pulse.
Assessing the relative bioavailability of copper to fungi degrading treated wood

Copper is ubiquitous as a biocide component in wood preservatives. Some fungi detoxify copper by immobilizing copper ions with oxalate, decreasing its physiological availability (bioavailability). Decreases in copper bioavailability may also occur during wood treatment. To date, however, copper retention in wood has been measured as overall weight-to-volume concentration without an estimate of its bioavailability and without assessment of its relative contribution to preservative efficacy. Here, we gauge the bioavailability of copper ions in treated wood by using oxalate to pre-treat wood prior to colonization by a moderately copper-tolerant fungus. Copper-treated wood was treated with a gradient of sodium oxalate concentrations, rinsed thoroughly, and exposed in soil-block jars to an isolate of Serpula himantioides. Wood treated with copper ethanolamine was extremely effective in preventing decay by S. himantioides, but toxicity could repeatedly be overcome above a threshold level of oxalate pretreatment. In agar plates, copper-treated wood stimulated oxalate production by S. himantioides, but levels were less than those needed (>10 mM) to overcome copper in soil-block jars. This capacity to overcome copper using an oxalate pretreatment was absent in commercially available samples treated with co-biocide(s). Results demonstrate a useful relative measure of copper bioavailability, with potential to be modified for specific quantification.
Factors influencing tests of auditory processing: a perspective on current issues and relevant concerns.

BACKGROUND: Tests of auditory perception, such as those used in the assessment of central auditory processing disorders ([C]APDs), represent a domain in audiological assessment where measurement of this theoretical construct is often confounded by nonauditory abilities due to methodological shortcomings. These confounds include the effects of cognitive variables such as memory and attention and suboptimal testing paradigms, including the use of verbal reproduction as a form of response selection. We argue that these factors need to be controlled more carefully and/or modified so that their impact on tests of auditory and visual perception is only minimal. Purpose: To advocate for a stronger theoretical framework than currently exists and to suggest better methodological strategies to improve assessment of auditory processing disorders (APDs). Emphasis is placed on adaptive forced-choice psychophysical methods and the use of matched tasks in multiple sensory modalities to achieve these goals. Together, this approach has potential to improve the construct validity of the diagnosis, enhance and develop theory, and evolve into a preferred method of testing. Research Design: Examination of methods commonly used in studies of APDs. Where possible, currently used methodology is compared to contemporary psychophysical methods that emphasize computer-controlled forced-choice paradigms. RESULTS: In many cases, the procedures used in studies of APD introduce confounding factors that could be minimized if computer-controlled forced-choice psychophysical methods were utilized. CONCLUSIONS: Ambiguities of interpretation, indeterminate diagnoses, and unwanted confounds can be avoided by minimizing memory and attentional demands on the input end and precluding the use of response-selection strategies that use complex motor processes on the output end. Advocated are the use of computer-controlled forced-choice psychophysical paradigms in combination with matched tasks in multiple sensory modalities to enhance the prospect of obtaining a valid diagnosis. Language: en
A prospective study of the relationship between body mass index and cataract extraction among US women and men.

BACKGROUND: Obesity may influence several physiologic processes involved in cataract formation such as oxidative stress, glycosylation and osmotic stress. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between increased body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of cataract extraction. DESIGN AND SETTING: The Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, both prospective cohort studies of US women and men. SUBJECTS: A total of 87 682 women and 45 549 men aged 45 y and older who did not have diagnosed cataract or cancer at baseline (1980 for women, 1986 for men). MEASUREMENTS: Cataract extractions occurring between baseline and 1996, confirmed by medical records. RESULTS: During 16 y of follow-up in the women, and 10 y in the men, (1 097 997 person-y), 4430 incident cases were documented. Compared to participants with BMI less than 23 kg/m2, those with BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 had 36% higher risk of any type of cataract (pooled multivariate relative risk (RR), 1.36; 95% CI, 1.23–1.49) after adjusting for smoking, age and lutein/zeaxanthin intake. The association was strongest for posterior subcapsular (PSC) cataract (pooled multivariate RR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.55–2.55). With adjustment for diabetes, the RR of obesity associated with posterior subcapsular cataract was 1.68 (95% CI, 1.30–2.17). Obesity was not significantly associated with nuclear cataract. CONCLUSION: Obesity increases the risk of developing cataract overall, and of PSC cataract in particular; the etiology of PSC cataract may be mediated at least in part by glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, even in the absence of clinical diabetes.
THE ONE-BIT REFERENCE COUNT

Deutsch and Bobrow propose a storage reclamation scheme for a heap which is a hybrid of garbage collection and reference counting. The point of the hybrid scheme is to keep track of very low reference counts between necessary invocation of garbage collection so that nodes which are allocated and rather quickly abandoned can be returned to available space, delaying necessity for garbage collection. We show how such a scheme may be implemented using the mark bit already required in every node by the garbage collector. Between garbage collections that bit is used to distinguish nodes with a reference count known to be one. A significant feature of our scheme is a small cache of references to nodes whose implemented counts “ought to be higher” which prevents the loss of logical count information in simple manipulations of uniquely referenced structures.
Principal Preparation: Ethical Considerations for Universities.

Since the school principal plays a cru cial role in determining the kind of society in which we live, the university principal preparation programs that train these administrators have an ethical obligation to provide quality programs.
Physical and sexual abuse and unstable housing among adolescents with HIV.

Stable housing is a necessary component of treatment of adolescents with HIV. This study examines the housing status at two points in time of a sample of 224 adolescents with HIV seen at an adolescent medicine clinic in New York City. It addresses whether unstable housing is associated with several forms of abuse, and what factors predict continued instability. 38.6% (n = 86) had a prior history of unstable housing, reduced to 12.9% at the time of program entry. Multivariate logistic regression models predicting current and prior unstable housing revealed two variables related to both outcomes: physical abuse and referral from youth/social services entities. Continued unstable housing was associated with all abuse variables and adolescent history of arrest. When adolescents in abusive situations come to the attention of programs for youth, they have a positive impact on transitioning most adolescents to safer households, potentially improving adolescents’ accessing of health care services.
A new synthesis of defucogilvocarcin M

Abstract A convergent synthesis of the title compound is described. The synthesis revolves around a MAD-mediated coupling of oxazoline 11 and naphthoquinone ketal 16 and requires eight steps via the longest linear sequence.
Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning attenuates hemorrhagic transformation through increasing PPARγ in hyperglycemic MCAO rats

Abstract Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) has been demonstrated to attenuate hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in hyperglycemic rats. However, the mechanisms remain to be illustrated. Recently, HBO-PC has been shown to activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) by increasing 15d-PGJ2 in primary cultured neurons. We hypothesize that HBO-PC reduces HT by suppressing inflammation through increasing 15d-PGJ2 and activating PPARγ in hyperglycemic MCAO rats. HBO (2.5 ATA) was administered for 1 h daily for 5 consecutive days. The PPARγ inhibitor GW9662 was administered intraperitoneally to designated animals. Infarction volume, hemorrhage volume, neurological scores and mortality were analyzed. The levels of 15d-PGJ2, PPARγ, TNF-α and IL-1β, tight junction proteins as well as the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were evaluated 24 h after MCAO. HBO-PC reduced HT, improved neurological function, down-regulated inflammatory molecules and inhibited the activation of MMP-9 by increasing 15d-PGJ2 and PPARγ at 24 h after MCAO. The results suggested that HBO-PC might be an alternative measure to decrease HT in ischemic stroke.
Normal forms for algebraic specifications of reusable Ada packages

This paper introduces the concept of normal forms for algebraic specifications of Ada packages defining abstract data types. The normal form is used in the process of reusable software component retrieval via formal specifications. We review the use of algebras for the specification of abstract data types. Then, using a concrete example, we define normal forms and present the details of algorithms to automate the normalization process.
Applying the Developmental Family Therapy Model to Issues of Migrating Families

Migration creates a substantial amount of stress for relocating families. Families lose the predictability of familiar surroundings and they often find themselves without the support systems that existed in their previous homes. Especially, they experience tensions between the primary values of the old and new cultures. This stress and the absence of support can lead to developmental problems for both the adults and children in the family. Developmental family therapy has grown out of individual and family developmental theories (Erickson, 1963; Duvall, 1977; Carter & McGoldrick, 1989; Steinglass, Bennett, Wolin, & Reiss, 1987). This model assumes that problems develop when family patterns block normal development of the family and its members. Family therapy then assists families to make changes in those dysfunctional patterns in order to promote the normal growth of the members. Developmental Family Therapy can help families successfully manage the transition between cultures. This paper first examines ...
Political Economy of the Euro Area Crisis

For many experts the true motivation behind the introduction of a single currency in Europe is political rather than economic. This view is based on the fact that the euro area does not constitute an optimal currency area and, therefore, the costs of monetary integration are likely to outweigh the benefits. In particular, the loss of control over monetary policy and exchange rates make overcoming asymmetric demand-side shocks very painful. Moreover, the monetary union lacks a common fiscal authority that could help in smoothing out business cycles. The present crisis exposed these vulnerabilities and, unfortunately, so far economic policies adopted in the region have failed to rectify these shortcomings.
Long-term nutrient addition differentially alters community composition and diversity of genes that control nitrous oxide flux from salt marsh sediments

Abstract Enrichment of natural waters, soils, and sediments by inorganic nutrients, including nitrogen, is occurring at an increasing rate and has fundamentally altered global biogeochemical cycles. Salt marshes are critical for the removal of land-derived nitrogen before it enters coastal waters. This is accomplished via multiple microbially mediated pathways, including denitrification. Many of these pathways, however, are also a source of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). We used clone libraries and quantative PCR (qPCR) to examine the effect of fertilization on the diversity and abundance of two functional genes associated with denitrification and N2O production (norB and nosZ) in experimental plots at the Great Sippewissett Salt Marsh (Falmouth, MA, USA) that have been enriched with nutrients for over 40 years. Our data showed distinct nosZ and norB community structures at different nitrogen loads, especially at the highest level of fertilization. Furthermore, calculations of the Shannon Diversity Index and Chao1 Richness Estimator indicated that nosZ gene diversity and richness increased with increased nitrogen supply, however no such relationship existed with regard to richness and diversity of the norB gene. Results from qPCR demonstrated that nosZ gene abundance was an order of magnitude lower in the extra-highly fertilized plots compared to the other plots, but the abundance of norB was not affected by fertilization. The majority of sequences obtained from the marsh plots had no close cultured relatives and they were divergent from previously sequenced norB and nosZ fragments. Despite their divergence from any cultured representatives, most of the norB and nosZ sequences appeared to be from members of the Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria, suggesting that these classes are particularly important in salt marsh nitrogen cycling. Our results suggest that both norB and nosZ containing microbes are affected by fertilization and that the Great Sippewissett Marsh may harbor distinct clades of novel denitrifying microorganisms that are responsible for both the production and removal of N2O.
Modeling study of the potential importance of heterogeneous surface reactions for NOx transformations in plumes

A parametric model of gas-particle surface reactions is incorporated into a reactive plume model and used to assess the potential importance of heterogeneous surface reactions on gas phase plume chemistry. Heterogeneous loss of the following species is found to be potentially significant: H2O2, PAN, NO3, N2O5, OH, HO2 and in cold weather HO2NO2. This simple model is unable to account for equilibrium/capacity effects in the condensed phase and therefore cannot be used for SO2 and HNO3 reaction with aerosol surface.
Astrophysical solutions are incompatible with the solar neutrino data.

We consider the most general solar model, using the neutrino fluxes as free parameters constrained only by the solar luminosity, and show that the combined solar neutrino data exclude any astrophysical solution at 97% C.L. Our best fit to the $^{7}\mathrm{Be}$ and $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ fluxes is, respectively, 8% and 37\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4% of the standard solar model prediction, but only with a large ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{2}$ (4.8 for 1 DF). This best fit to the fluxes contradicts explicit nonstandard solar models, which generally reduce the $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ flux more than the $^{7}\mathrm{Be}$. Those models are well parametrized by a single parameter, the central temperature.
Pesticides in runoff: Measurement, modeling, and mitigation

Abstract Agricultural pesticide runoff has been investigated at four scales: laboratory research on processes, microplot and mesoplot studies under simulated rainfall, and field/watershed studies under natural rainfall. Because rainfall and hydrology may be controlled, the intermediate scales (meso‐ and microplots) are becoming accepted techniques for efficiently estimating the risk of runoff of a pesticide as a function of weather, soil, pesticide properties and cropping practice, and as a way to calibrate simulation models. The prediction desired—the probability distribution of both chronic and acute levels of pesticides in aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources‐depends on a large number of interacting processes and state variables. A complex computer simulation model is required to sort out the possibilities and to define the most important controlling factors. Thus, runoff experiments at different scales and model development and validation are mutually dependent enterprises.
Isolation and characterization of adult rat heart cells

Abstract Adult rat heart muscle cells were isolated after simultaneous perfusion of multiple (two to eight) hearts with buffered salt solutions containing collagenase and hyaluronidase. Yields (35 to 50% of ventricular weight with approximately 70% viability) are quantitatively suitable for metabolic studies. Viability has been determined by the ability of intact cells to exclude trypan blue and the inability of intact cells to oxidize exogenous succinate. Micrographs show that the fine structure of the isolated cells is well ordered. Cell concentrations of glycogen, glucose 6-phosphate, citrate, and various enzymes were similar to those of intact heart. ATP and creatine phosphate concentrations were lower than in whole hearts. Adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate concentrations were somewhat elevated. Deoxyribonucleic acid was lower than in whole tissue. The isolated cells retain certain metabolic control mechanisms. The uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, 2,4-dinitrophenol, increased oxygen consumption severalfold, whereas exogenous ADP had no effect on respiration. Under anaerobic conditions the rates of glucose utilization and lactate production were faster than in the presence of oxygen, indicating retention of the Pasteur effect. The addition of glucose and insulin caused a decrease in oxygen uptake or the Crabtree effect. Exogenously added pyruvate decreased glycolytic flux and produced a pronounced increase in intracellular citrate and glucose 6-phosphate. Isoproterenol stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of the isolated cells at the same concentrations effective with intact heart preparations. Isoproterenol and glucagon caused the activation of phosphorylase. The cells deteriorated as a function of incubation time, as indicated by a decrease in ATP content and a loss of lactate dehydrogenase into the medium. Cell deterioration was greatly accelerated by Ca 2+ at concentrations greater than 10 −5 m .
Shelter, employment and the informal city in the context of the present economic scene: implications for participatory governance

Abstract This paper analyses the scope of policies related to both shelter and employment for reducing urban poverty. It puts forward suggestions on how to strengthen such policies through local governance processes. Yet, the paper states that such local processes and associated shelter–employment policies are constrained by the broad economic context: although valuable local actions to combat poverty have indeed succeeded to some extent (e.g. support to small-scale, labour intensive, informal production), counteracting global trends have in many circumstances strengthened conditions such as capital-intensive production, unstable employment, unemployment and/or intra-urban differentials. The paper challenges the possibility of a comprehensive and sustainable development without significant changes in the current global context. It elaborates on the links between the shelter–employment policies at the local level and the overall economic trends, and makes recommendations for action.
Sex- and age-dependent effects of androgens on glutamate-induced cell death and intracellular calcium regulation in the developing hippocampus.

Abstract Hippocampal neurons must maintain control over cytosolic calcium levels, especially during development, as excitation and calcium flux are necessary for proper growth and function. But excessive calcium can lead to excitotoxic cell death. Previous work suggests that neonatal male and female hippocampal neurons regulate cytosolic calcium differently, thereby leading to differential susceptibility to excitotoxic damage. Hippocampal neurons are also exposed to gonadal hormones during development and express high levels of androgen receptors. Androgens have both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects in adults and developing animals. The present study sought to examine the effect of androgen on cell survival after an excitatory stimulus in the developing hippocampus, and whether androgen-mediated calcium regulation was the governing mechanism. We observed that glutamate did not induce robust or sexually dimorphic apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons at an early neonatal time point, but did 5 days later – only in males. Further, pretreatment with the androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) protected males from apoptosis during this time, but had no effect on females. Calcium imaging of sex-specific cultures revealed that DHT decreased the peak of intracellular calcium induced by glutamate, but only in males. To determine a possible mechanism for this androgen neuroprotection and calcium regulation, we quantified three calcium regulatory proteins, plasma membrane calcium ATPase1 (PMCA1), sodium/calcium exchanger1 (NCX1), and the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2). Surprisingly, there was no sex difference in the level of any of the three proteins. Treatment with DHT significantly decreased PMCA1 and NCX1, but increased SERCA2 protein levels in very young animals but not at a later timepoint. Taken together, these data suggest a complex interaction of sex, hormones, calcium regulation and developmental age; however androgens acting during the first week of life are implicated in regulation of hippocampal cell death and may be an underlying mechanism for sexually dimorphic apoptosis.
Factors influencing glycosaminoglycan synthesis by calf trabecular meshwork cell cultures

When cell or explant cultures were established from excised calf aqueous outflow pathway tissue and subsequently labeled with radioactive precursors of glycosaminoglycans ([ 3 H]glucosamine and [ 35 S]sulfate), hyaluronic acid was the predominant glycosaminoglycan produced initially. As the cultures reached confluence, sulfated glycosaminoglycans became more prominent products. Further investigation revealed that the cultured trabecular cells could synthesize all of the glycosaminoglycans found in isolated calf trabecular tissue once a critical cell density had been attained. Increasing concentrations of fetal bovine serum in the culture medium stimulated glycosaminoglycan accumulation without altering the quantitative distribution of the various glycosaminoglycan products. Treatment of confluent monolayers with enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix molecules caused marked changes in the distribution of glycosaminoglycans produced by calf trabecular-cell cultures. The results suggest that calf trabecular cell cultures can be used to study the dynamics of extracellular matrix production and turnover under controlled experimental conditions.
A model study toward the total synthesis of N-deacetyllappaconitine.

A model study leading to the preparation of the AEF rings of N-deacetyllappaconitine is described. The conjugate addition to the α-alkyl cyclohexenone 10 proceeded with high diastereocontrol. The Mannich cyclization of 16 to 4 was accomplished by heating with Rexyn-300 and Na2SO4.
The reduction and oxidation of ceria: A natural abundance triple oxygen isotope perspective

Abstract Ceria (CeO2) is a heavily studied material in catalytic chemistry for use as an oxygen storage medium, oxygen partial pressure regulator, fuel additive, and for the production of syngas, among other applications. Ceria powders are readily reduced and lose structural oxygen when subjected to low pO2 and/or high temperature conditions. Such dis-stoichiometric ceria can then re-oxidize under higher pO2 and/or lower temperature by incorporating new oxygen into the previously formed oxygen site vacancies. Despite extensive studies on ceria, the mechanisms for oxygen adsorption–desorption, dissociation–association, and diffusion of oxygen species on ceria surface and within the crystal structure are not well known. We predict that a large kinetic oxygen isotope effect should accompany the release and incorporation of ceria oxygen. As the first attempt to determine the existence and the degree of the isotope effect, this study focuses on a set of simple room-temperature re-oxidation experiments that are also relevant to a laboratory procedure using ceria to measure the triple oxygen isotope composition of CO2. Triple-oxygen-isotope labeled ceria powders are heated at 700 °C and cooled under vacuum prior to exposure to air. By combining results from independent experimental sets with different initial oxygen isotope labels and using a combined mass-balance and triangulation approach, we have determined the isotope fractionation factors for both high temperature reduction in vacuum (⩽10−4 mbar) and room temperature re-oxidation in air. Results indicate that there is a 1.5‰ ± 0.8‰ increase in the δ18O value of ceria after being heated in vacuum at 700 °C for 1 h. When the vacuum is broken at room temperature, the previously heated ceria incorporates 3–19% of its final structural oxygen from air, with a δ18O value of 2.1 - 4.1 + 7.7 ‰ for the incorporated oxygen. The substantial incorporation of oxygen from air supports that oxygen mobility is high in vacancy-rich ceria during re-oxidation at room temperature. The quantified oxygen isotope fractionation factors are consistent with the direct involvement of O2 in the rate limiting step for ceria reoxidation in air at room temperature. While additional parameters may reduce some of the uncertainties in our approach, this study demonstrates that isotope effects can be an encouraging tool for studying oxygen transport kinetics in ceria and other oxides. In addition, our finding warns of the special cares and limits in using ceria as an exchange medium for laboratory triple oxygen isotope analysis of CO2 or other oxygen-bearing gases.
A Convective Wake Parameterization Scheme for Use in General Circulation Models

Abstract In the atmosphere, the cold, dry, precipitation-driven downdrafts from deep convection spread laterally after striking the surface, inhibiting new convection in the disturbed wake (cold pool) area. In contrast, the leading edge of this cold air lifts unstable environmental air helping to trigger new convection. A GCM cannot resolve the disturbed and undisturbed regions explicitly, so some parameterizations of these critical mesoscale phenomena are needed. The simplest approaches are to either instantly mix downdraft air with the environment, or instantly recover the downdraft air. The instant-mixing approach tends to lead to unrealistic pulsing of convection in environments that would otherwise be able to support long-lived mesoscale convective systems while the instant recovery approach usually overestimates surface energy fluxes. By replacing these simplistic approaches with a physically based convective wake–gust front model, these problems are substantially remedied. The model produced realis...
Fracture behavior of thin ring Cu-2.5 wt.%Co alloy specimens at high strain rates

Abstract The mechanisms of fracture in precipitation hardenable Cu-2.5 wt.%Co alloys subjected to strain rates of 10 3 -10 4 s −1 have been investigated and compared with the fracture behavior accompanying quasi-static loading. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the role assumed by deformation substructure in the fracture process. An increase in macroscopic ductility and a decrease in the extent of necking were observed at high strain rates. Specimens were prepared and tested in the solution treated, peak aged, and overaged conditions; specimens in the solution-treated and peak-aged conditions exhibited heavy slip band ridges on the fracture surfaces with a limited number of voids, whereas the overaged specimens showed high void densities. Only minor differences in fracture surface features were noted between the dynamic and static-loaded specimens. TEM studies of the solution-treated specimens deformed at high strain rates revealed random arrays of dislocations without a well-defined cell structure. TEM also revealed uniform coherency losses between the precipitate and the matrix in the peak-aged alloys and microvoids at the precipitate/ matrix interfaces in the overaged alloys after deformation.
The problem of the confirmation of laws

Two disturbing facts about the confirmation of laws have come to light over the last ten years. In his Logical Foundations of Probability Carnap shows that the posterior confirmation of some laws of Loo, when measured by means of his favorite function c*, must be nil.' In The Logic of Scientific Discovery, on the other hand, Popper allegedly shows that under two special assumptions (one of which he borrows from Hume) the prior confirmation of all such laws must likewise be nil.2 A re-examination of the problem of the confirmation of laws thus seems imperative. As a first step in that direction I should like here to review some elementary, but seemingly littleknown, facts about confirmation, then reproduce Popper's demonstration 81
Exploring the role of CheA3 in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough motility

Sulfate-reducing bacteria such as Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough are often found in environments with limiting growth nutrients. Using lactate as the electron donor and carbon source, and sulfate as the electron acceptor, wild type D. vulgaris shows motility on soft agar plates. We evaluated this phenotype with mutants resulting from insertional inactivation of genes potentially related to motility. Our study revealed that the cheA3 (DVU2072) kinase mutant was impaired in the ability to form motility halos. Insertions in two other cheA loci did not exhibit a loss in this phenotype. The cheA3 mutant was also non-motile in capillary assays. Complementation with a plasmid-borne copy of cheA3 restores wild type phenotypes. The cheA3 mutant displayed a flagellum as observed by electron microscopy, grew normally in liquid medium, and was motile in wet mounts. In the growth conditions used, the D. vulgaris ΔfliA mutant (DVU3229) for FliA, predicted to regulate flagella related genes including cheA3, was defective both in flagellum formation and in forming the motility halos. In contrast, a deletion of the flp gene (DVU2116) encoding a pilin-related protein was similar to wild type. We conclude that wild type D. vulgaris forms motility halos on solid media that are mediated by flagella related mechanisms via the CheA3 kinase. The conditions under which the CheA1 (DVU1594) and CheA2 (DVU1960) kinase function remain to be explored.
Fischer and Lewis rat strains differ in basal levels of neurofilament proteins and their regulation by chronic morphine in the mesolimbic dopamine system

We studied levels of neurofilament (NF) proteins in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and other regions of the central nervous system, of two genetically inbred rat strains, Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rats. These strains represent genetically divergent populations of rats that have been used to study possible genetic factors involved in a variety of biological processes, including drug addiction: compared to F344 rats, LEW rats show a much higher preference for several classes of drugs of abuse. We found 30–50% lower levels of three NF proteins, NF-200 (NF-H), NF-160 (NF-M), and NF-68 (NF-L), in the VTA of LEW compared to F344 rats by use of immunolabeling and Coomassie blue staining. These strain differences were highly specific to this brain region, with no differences observed elsewhere in brain or spinal cord. Interestingly, chronic treatment of F344 rats with morphine decreased levels of these three NF proteins in the VTA, as found previously in outbred Sprague-Dawley rats (Beitner-Johnson, D., Guitart, X., and Nestler, E. J.: J. Neurosci., 12:2165–2176,1992), whereas morphine had no effect on NF levels in the VTA of LEW rats. A similar strain difference was observed in chronic morphine regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase, with morphine increasing enzyme immunoreactivity in the VTA of F344 rats (as has been observed previously in Sprague-Dawley rats [Beitner-Johnson, D., and Nestler, E. J.: J. Neurochem., 57:344–347, 1991]), but not in LEW rats. In view of the observations that LEW and F344 rats show different levels of preference for several types of drugs of abuse, and of the evidence supporting a central role of the mesolimbic dopamine system in drug reward mechanisms, the results of the current study suggest the possibility that levels of NFs and tyrosine hydroxylase may mediate some aspects of drug reinforcement and contribute to individual genetic differences in vulnerability to drug addiction. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A comparison of pilot-scale photocatalysis and enhanced coagulation for disinfection byproduct mitigation

This study evaluated pilot-scale photocatalysis and enhanced coagulation for their ability to remove or destroy disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors, trihalomethane (THM) formation potential (FP), and THMs in two Arizona surface waters. Limited photocatalysis (<5 kWh/m(3)) achieved reductions in most of the DBP precursor parameters (e.g., DOC, UV(254), and bromide) but led to increased chlorine demand and THMFP. In contrast, enhanced coagulation achieved reductions in the DBP precursors and THMFP. Extended photocatalysis (<320 kWh/m(3)) decreased THMFP once the energy consumption exceeded 20 kWh/m(3). The photocatalytic energy requirements for THM destruction were considerably lower (EEO=20-60 kWh/m(3)) than when focusing on precursor destruction and THMFP. However, rechlorination increased the total THM (TTHM) concentration well beyond the raw value, thereby negating the energy benefits of this application. Enhanced coagulation achieved consistent 20-30% removals of preformed THMs. Outstanding issues need to be addressed before TiO(2) photocatalysis is considered feasible for DBP mitigation; traditional strategies, including enhanced coagulation, may be more appropriate.
Negative effect of ammonium nitrate as nitrogen source on the production of water-soluble red pigments by Monascus sp.

Ammonium salts, especially ammonium nitrate, have been used as nitrogen sources for production of traditional water-insoluble Monascus pigments. However, we noted that defined media employing NH4NO3 as the sole nitrogen source in fermentations supported only poor pigment production by Monascus sp., and the pigments produced were mainly cell-bound. NH4NO3 was found not to (a) repress pigment synthase formation, (b) enhance synthase decay, or (c) serve as a nitrogen source for pigment production by resting cells; it had a weak inhibitory effect on the action of pigment synthase(s). The high level of cell-bound did not exert a feedback effect on the further synthesis of pigments. These observations indicate that the reason why NH4NO3 supports only low pigment production during fermentations is the poor ability of NH4NO3 to donate nitrogen in the Schiff-base reaction converting orange pigments to red ones.
Dimensional constraints and percolation theory: physical mechanisms controlling electronic structure and defects in high‐k transition metal oxide dielectrics

This article addresses three different aspects of nano-scale structure that are important for the implementation of high-k gate dielectrics, such as HfO2 and Hf Si oxynitride alloys, for advanced gate stack applications ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) circuit and system chips. Two of these deal with nano-crystalline thin films where it is necessary to make a distinction between the primitive unit cell, and a more extended electronic cell that can support cooperative Jahn-Teller distortions. The final example relates the bonding coordination of group IVB transition metal (TM) atoms, Ti, Zr and Hf in a ternary composition in which the concentration of four-fold coordinated TM atoms is above a critical percolation threshold. This is critical for strain relief, thereby promoting low densities of electronically-active defects. X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies play a significant role in revealing these important aspects of nano-structure, and are interpreted with in the frame-work of many-electron electronic structure theory. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
MYELIN BASIC PROTEIN AND GLIAL FIBRILLARY ACIDIC PROTEIN IN HUMAN FETAL BRAIN

We demonstrated myelin basic protein (MBP) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in tissue sections of routinely-processes premature human brain employing the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP( method. The MBP immunostain delineated oligodendroglia before the appearance of myelin sheaths. The GFAP immunostain indicated that in addition to the stellate astrocyte, bouquet-shaped glia and radial glia are astrocytic in nature. The bouquet-shaped glia may be the normal counterpart for the gemistocytic astrocyte. The glia limitans stained with GFAP beginning with our first specimen. Small numbers of ependymal cells also contained cytoplasmic GFAP.
The Distribution of Carbon Monoxide in Detached Circumstellar Envelopes

Calculations are presented of the evolution of the distribution of carbon monoxide and its photodissociation products in detached circumstellar envelopes surrounding evolved late-type stars that have undergone intense mass loss. The CO molecules are more readily photodissociated in a detached shell than in an attached envelope because of the less effective shielding by H2 and CO molecules and by the dust of the dissociating radiative field. At early stages of its evolution, the CO distribution follows closely the hydrogen distribution in the detached shell, because CO photodissociation is not significant except in the thin outermost layer of the shell. At the later stages, the CO shell occupies only the innermost layer of the detached shell because of the more effective CO photodissociation in the outer layer that occurs unless the gas is extremely clumpy. Observations of the CO photodissociation products, C and especially C+, are needed for the determination of the actual size of the detached shell. A comparison of the calculations and observations of the widths of the CO shells indicates a clumpy structure of the circumstellar gas, which is consistent with the patchy appearances and rectangular profiles of the optically thick CO emission from the shells. The carbon ionization ratio is a potentially useful diagnostic of the degree of clumpiness in the detached shells. Its determination through observations will be important in refining our understanding of the role of photodissociation in the detached circumstellar envelopes.
Response to Letter to the Editor from Paul Eger and Sanne Magnan

Dear Sir and Madam, Your letter to Dr. Gio Batta Gori has been forwarded to me. I am the principal scientist who was asked to perform a risk assessment and present it to the conference in St. Paul, and was the lead author of the paper on the risk assessment. In so far as your letter implies that the risk assessment is incorrect, it needs a brief response. My basic assessment had several options, one of which is more pessimistic than the usual one. At the meeting, no one objected to it or questioned it. Members of both state agencies were there, and that was clearly a time to ask questions and/or raise new issues. None were raised by the state then or since. I was also the lead author of the paper submitted to Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. As is usual in scientific publications, even in the regulatory field, I was not informed of the details of the review procedure that was involved in the paper. However, the risk assessment numbers are basically the same as I presented at the meeting, and have not been questioned. There were many detailed questions about presentation, and after a long process, my co-authors and I approved the final text, which has recently been published. I stand by the risk assessment. But I am, of course willing to modify it if and when new data or procedures become available. However, I doubt that the results will change outside the uncertainties, which we were careful to state. Based on your letter, it appears that you have concerns about both data and default assumptions used to perform the assessment as well as the results obtained. If this explanation is insufficient to satisfy these concerns, I request you to make your criticisms available in the normal scientific fashion by direct detailed criticism or questions addressed to the authors, or by a letter or publication preferably in the same journal where the paper was published. In that manner, all scientists may be aware of the disagreement and make there own scientific judgment thereon.
A New Filatima Busck (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Associated with Lupine and Early Herbivore Colonization on Mount St. Helens

Filatima loowita, n. sp. is described from the Pumice Plain on Mount St. Helens in Washington, United States. An apparent specialist on lupine, early instars feed as leaf-miners, while later instars tie leaflets together into silken tunnels and feed externally, mainly on the leaf tissue. The larvae make webbed tunnels, which extend from the root bundles to the uppermost leaves of the plant. Illustrations are provided of the adult male and female genitalia, and chaetotaxal maps of the last-instar larva, supplemented with scanning electron micrographs and images of the host on the volcano.
Evidence supporting a role for dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, bioenergetics, and p53 in selective teriflunomide-induced apoptosis in transformed versus normal human keratinocytes

We have demonstrated previously that the dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor teriflunomide (TFN) encourages apoptosis in transformed human keratinocytes. Here we sought to determine if this cytotoxic effect could be restricted to transformed keratinocytes relative to their normal human epidermal keratinocyte (NHEK) counterparts, and ascertain a potential mechanistic basis for the selectivity. The NHEK cells proliferated much slower than the premalignant HaCaT and malignant COLO 16 keratinocytes, and exogenous uridine added to the culture medium did not affect this growth. Similarly, DHODH expression and the bioenergetic characteristics of the normal cells were markedly dissimilar from those observed in the transformed cells indicating that de novo pyrimidine synthesis was involved with keratinocyte proliferation. Moreover, a short-term exposure to TFN caused a wild-type p53 response in the NHEK cells illustrating that pyrimidine metabolic stress could regulate this tumor suppressor protein in the normal cells. TFN-induced apoptosis occurred primarily in S phase HaCaT cells. This cell death was sensitive to uridine, an antioxidant, and a caspase inhibitor, and the suppression of Bcl-XL and the induction of Mn superoxide dismutase preceded it. These events suggested that mitochondrial/redox stress was involved with the cytotoxic effect of TFN. Conversely, a long-term exposure to TFN caused G0/G1 arrest in the NHEK cells, which supported a cytoprotective role for p53 against TFN-induced apoptosis. Together, these results propose that TFN could be useful in the prevention or therapy of non-melanoma skin cancers and possibly other hyperproliferative keratinocytic diseases.
Expressive writing reduces avoidance and somatic complaints in a community sample with constraints on expression.

Design and methods. This experimental study examined expressive writing (EW) in a community sample with social constraints on self-expression. Gay men (N = 62) were assigned randomly to describe gay-related thoughts and feelings (EW) or to write objectively (CTRL). Self-reported symptoms and physician visits were assessed at baseline and 1- and 2-month follow-ups. Results. Significant Group×Time interaction for somatic symptoms indicated buffering effect of EW. EW reduced gay-related avoidance, relative to CTRL. Avoidance and symptom changes were significantly, positively associated. Conclusions. Consistent with inhibition theory, EW reduces chronic avoidance and buffers stress-related physical symptoms in stigmatized groups.
Reexamining Individual Differences in Women’s Rape Avoidance Behaviors

A growing number of investigators explore evolutionary psychological hypotheses concerning the avoidance of rape using self-report measures of behavior. Among the most recent and most ambitious, is the work of McKibbin et al. (2011). McKibbin et al. presented evidence supporting their predictions that such behaviors would vary according to the individual's physical attractiveness, relationship status, and proximity to kin. In addition, McKibbin et al. predicted, but failed to find evidence, that age would exercise a similar influence. We question McKibbin et al.'s position on both theoretical and empirical grounds, arguing that (1) two of their predictions do not rule out alternative explanations, and (2) their key supporting findings may well be artifacts of their measurement instrument, the Rape Avoidance Inventory (RAI). Employing new empirical evidence derived from a broader sample of U.S. women, we simultaneously tested McKibbin et al.'s predictions and compared the RAI to alternative dependent measures. We found that McKibbin et al.'s substantive predictions were not supported, and suggest that there may be limits to the utility of the RAI beyond one specific demographic category.