cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleic acid and protein metabolism during the mitotic cycle in Vicia faba.

In order to investigate some of the cytochemical processes involved in interphase growth and culminating in cell division, a combined autoradiographic and microphotometric study of nucleic acids and proteins was undertaken on statistically seriated cells of Vicia faba root meristems. Adenine-8-C14 and uridine-H3 were used as ribonucleic acid (RNA) precursors, thymidine-H3 as a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) precursor, and phenylalanine-3-C14 as a protein precursor. Stains used in microphotometry were Feulgen (DNA), azure B (RNA), pH 2.0 fast green (total protein), and pH 8.1 fast green (histone). The autoradiographic data (representing rate of incorporation per organelle) and the microphotometric data (representing changes in amounts of the various components) indicate that the mitotic cycle may be divided into several metabolic phases, three predominantly anabolic (net increase), and a fourth phase predominantly catabolic (net decrease). The anabolic periods are: 1. Telophase to post-telophase during which there are high rates of accumulation of cytoplasmic and nucleolar RNA and nucleolar and chromosomal total protein. 2. Post-telophase to preprophase characterized by histone synthesis and a diphasic synthesis of DNA with the peak of synthesis at mid-interphase and a minor peak just preceding prophase. The minor peak is coincident with a relatively localized DNA synthesis in several chromosomal regions. This period is also characterized by minimal accumulations of cytoplasmic RNA and chromosomal and nucleolar total protein and RNA. 3. Preprophase to prophase in which there are again high rates of accumulation of cytoplasmic RNA, and nucleolar and chromosomal total protein and RNA. The catabolic phase is: 4. The mitotic division during which there are marked losses of cytoplasmic RNA and chromosomal and nucleolar total protein and RNA.
BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT IN NEWBORN INFANTS OF TOXEMIC, HYPERTENSIVE, AND NORMAL MOTHERS

This study was designed to compare blood pressures of infants of women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and/or delivery and labor with blood pressures of infants whose mothers' were normotensive during gestation and delivery. The infants' blood pressure was measured with an Arteriosonde 1020 at 3 days of age. (Further analyses are in progress of examinations at 9, 18, and 24 months). One hundred and ninety infants qualified as cases and 201 as controls. Systolic blood pressures at age 3 days averaged 71 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressures averaged 46 mmHg. Infants' blood pressures were not related to mothers' race, age, or pay status; infants' sex or mode of feeding. Pressures were measured between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and no diurnal variation was detected. There was a direct correlation between infants' pressure and birth weight and also with level of activity (asleep versus awake or agitated) at the time of measurement. Little, if any, relationship was seen between mothers' and infants' pressure.
Primary Hyperaldosteronism As A Risk Factor For Recurrent Nephrolithiasis

Primary hyperaldosteronism typically presents as hypertension, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis. Several previous reports note an association between primary hyperaldosteronism and nephrolithiasis with secondary hyperparathyroidism. We report a case of a previously normotensive, normocalcemic, normokalemic young man with initial CT imaging of nephrolithiasis showing no adrenal abnormalities. Three years later, he presented with severe hypertension, hypokalemia, and an adrenal adenoma with incidental findings of recurrent nephrolithiasis. Literature review of hyperaldosteronism complicating nephrolithiasis and possible etiologic mechanisms are reviewed. A 25 year-old man with a history of ureteral calculi 3 years ago presented with gastroenteritis for over 24 hours. Initial evaluation included a BP of 194/140 mmHg, potassium of 2.2 mmol/l, bicarbonate of 40 mmol/l, and ionized calcium of 0.95 mmol/l. All electrolytes 3 years prior were normal. Plasma aldosterone concentration to plasma renin activity ratio was 21.1 with aldosterone of 4 ng/dl and renin of 0.19 ng/ ml/ hr. CT scan showed a new 3 cm left adrenal mass not seen on prior CT with multiple new left renal stones. Follow up aldosterone after correction of hypokalemia, spironolactone, and amiloride was 104 ng/dl. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy pathologically confirmed an adrenal adenoma. Postoperative labs showed relative hypoaldosteronemia albeit with persisting but much improved hypertension. Hyperaldosteronism can cause hypercalciuria, phosphaturia, and hypocitraturia, all of which are risk factors for nephrolithiasis. Additionally, hyperaldosteronism and deoxycorticosterone mediated hypertension have been associated with hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Our case augments earlier literature suggesting increased risk for nephrolithiasis in patients with hyperaldosteronism and suggests that hyperaldosteronism should be considered as a risk factor for patient with nephrolithiasis. It remains unclear if both primary and secondary hyperaldosteronism increase the relative risk for nephrolithiasis and the role of aldosterone receptor antagonist therapy for recurrent nephrolithiasis associated with hyperaldosteronism.
CHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE BLOOD OF THE DOG AFTER PYLORIC OBSTRUCTION

Chemical studies of the blood and urine of four dogs following pyloric obstruction are reported. The observations of other workers that a fall in chlorides and a rise in CO2-combining power of the plasma occur, are confirmed. There is also a marked rise in the non-protein nitrogen of the blood, consisting mainly of urea nitrogen and undetermined nitrogen. The fall in chlorides is not due to the loss of chlorides in the gastric juice. The chlorine is probably bound somewhere in the process of protein destruction. There is a close relation between the fall in chlorides and the protein destruction. A study of tetany should include the protein metabolism as well as that of the inorganic salts, since it seems possible that the tetany is due to protein split-products and not to the alkalosis. The chemical changes following pyloric obstruction are essentially the same as those following high intestinal obstruction.
Evaluation of urinary IL-1alpha and IL-1beta in gravid females and patients with bacterial cystitis and microscopic hematuria.

Objectives: to determine IL-1α and IL-1β levels in patients with bacterial cystitis, microscopic hematuria, and gravid females relative to a control group of normal subjects. Methods: enzyme immunoassays were used to measure concomitantly urinary IL-1α and IL-1β in clean catch urine samples from normal subjects (n=31) and study patients (n=46). All normal subjects and patients underwent urinalysis, urine culture, and urine creatinine level determination. Since the IL-1α assay was developed for serum, the utility of the assay for urine specimens was unknown. The key parameters of urine collection, processing and sample storage for IL-1α were evaluated in detail. Results: mean values ± SEM (pg/mg) for IL-1α/Cr and IL-1β/Cr were control group (0.25 ± 0.10 and 0.17 ± 0.06), bacterial cystitis (9.97 ± 1.15 and 42.45 ± 1.86), and microscopic hematuria (2.81 ± 0.65 and 2.82 ± 0.70). Differences in cytokine levels between the control group and patients with either bacterial cystitis or microscopic hematuria were statistically significant for both IL-1α/Cr (P 0.05). Conclusions: Significant elevations of IL-1α and IL-1β occur in patients with bacterial cystitis and microscopic hematuria. Correlation between pyuria and cytokine elevation was stronger for IL-1β than for IL-1α. Changes in IL-1α may reflect changes in the bladder epithelium rather than in the inflammatory leukocytes. The ability of IL-1α and IL-1β to serve as markers for bacterial cystitis in gravid females is diminished due to high basal levels during pregnancy.
The visual dayglow

Abstract New observations of altitude profiles for dayglow emissions at λλ 3914(N 2 +) 5200[N], 5577[O] and 6300[O] have been obtained with rocket borne photometers. These data are of adequate quality to justify an extensive theoretical discussion. The first portion of the paper constitutes a general review of dayglow excitations which may occur through five types of process: dissociative recombination of molecular ions; fluorescence (including resonance scattering) of sunlight; photodissociation of molecules; chemical reactions and collisions with energetic electrons. Only upper limits to yields of λλ 5577 and 6300 from photodissociation of O 2 can be deduced from measurements of total absorption coefficients, since a multiplicity of electronic transitions may contribute to the opacity. Also little detailed information is available on the production of excited states from dissociative recombination. A method for estimating some of the relevant rate coefficients is presented and applied to O( 1 D ) and O( 1 S ). Our analysis of the dayglow observations confirms laboratory measurements of the rate coefficients for N 2 + + O and N 2 + + O 2 reactions. We also obtain estimates of quenching rates for O( 1 D ) and N( 2 D ), in collisions with N 2 and O 2 , respectively. An upper limit of 5R for λ5577 nightglow excited by photodissociation of O 2 by night-sky Lyman-α is obtained from an intercomparison of dayglow and nightglow data. The most important excitation processes are: resonance scattering for λ3914; dissociative recombination and ion-atom interchange for λ5200; three body association and photoelectron collisions for λ5577; and photodissociation, electron collisions and dissociative recombination for ϖ300. A summary of our results is presented in tabular form in Section 5.
Resonance-DIS transition and low Q2 phenomena

Recent analyses of electromagnetic structure functions in the resonance region suggest that duality-violating higher twists are small above Q 2 ∼ 1 GeV 2 . We review duality at the resonance–scaling transition, both phenomenologically and in the context of a simple quark model. While most studies have focussed on electromagnetic probes, we also discuss expectations for the workings of duality in neutrino scattering. Finally, we describe the transition of the structure functions to the photoproduction limit at Q 2 = 0 .
A facial recognition technique employing Subimages Normalized Histogram Intensity

A facial recognition technique employing Subimages Normalized Histogram Intensity (NHI) is presented in this paper. The algorithm has attractive properties with respect to storage requirements and computational complexity in both the training and testing modes, which make the technique particularly suitable for large data bases. The new algorithm is applied to ORL, Yale and FERET data bases. The experimental results confirm the significant reduction in the storage and computational requirements compared with recently reported techniques, without sacrificing the recognition accuracy.
A comparison of lower bounds for the single-machine early/tardy problem

This paper considers the single-machine early/tardy problem. The paper presents a procedure that integrates a timetabling algorithm into a lower bound for jobs not included in a partial sequence. The paper also shows how two lower bounds that were developed previously for the problem can be improved. The lower bounds are tested on problems of various sizes and parameters for the distribution of due dates. The results show that the lower bounds are able to increase the efficiency of a branch-and-bound algorithm.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis: a review with illustrative case reports.

Abstract The histopathology of PVNS is characterized by giant cells, hemosiderin, variable collagenization, foam cells, and a histiocytic infiltrate. In the diffuse form of PVNS, the synovium displays numerous gross microscopic villi. It is unlikely that repeated trauma or hemorrhage are primary etiologic factors, and the disease is not a malignancy. Histiocytic proliferation may play a fundamental role in pathogenesis. PVNS occurs in two forms, localized and diffuse. Localized PVNS presents either as asymptomatic, solitary, nodular tenosynovitis, frequently on the digits of the hand, or as an intraarticular nodule, usually at the knee, with symptoms of internal derangement. Diffuse PVNS occurs as a monarticular arthritis with chronic swelling and stiffness; lobulated synovial thickening may be found on physical examination. Laboratory data are normal, except for a preponderance of red blood cells on synovial fluid analysis. Plain films show soft tissue swelling without periarticular osteopenia, and usually without joint space narrowing. Occasionally, x-rays in both the diffuse and localized forms of PVNS also show nonmarginal osseous cysts, either single or multiple. In DPVNS, arthrography may reveal a suggestive picture of multiple filling defects. Definitive diagnosis requires examination of tissue. In the differential diagnosis it is imperative not to confuse PVNS for a synovial sarcoma, in order to avoid unnecessarily radical surgery. PVNS is generally treated with surgical excision, either locally or, in diffuse disease, with synovectomy. Recurrences, which are frequent, are treated with repeat surgery, or, occasionally, radiotherapy. Both natural history and optimal therapy are unknown.
Metastatic papillary oncocytic carcinoma of the pancreas to the liver diagnosed by fine‐needle aspiration

A 37-year-old white male with a large pancreatic mass was referred to our institution with a hypodense liver lesion detected on CT scan. A fine-needle aspiration (FNA) was performed on the liver lesion. Diff-Quik smears demonstrated scattered papillary structures and single neoplastic cells with abundant well-defined dense granular cytoplasm. Eccentrically located nuclei were noted with single prominent nucleoli. Cell block preparations showed papillary structures lined by cells with abundant pink granular cytoplasm, hyperchromatic nuclei, and prominent single nucleoli. Electron microscopic examination displayed numerous but poorly preserved mitochondria. The diagnosis of papillary carcinoma with oncocytic features was made. Only two previous cases of pancreatic oncocytic tumors diagnosed by FNA have been reported in the literature. We present an additional case, notable in that the diagnosis was made in a metastatic liver nodule.
Bacteria associated with eggs and first-instar larvae of the European corn borer: Identification and frequency of occurrence

Abstract Bacteria isolated from egg masses of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, were identified by biochemical and other definitive tests as: Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, B. cereus, B. megaterium, Acinetobacter spp., Erwinia herbicola, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas spp., and Xanthomonas sp. With the exception of S. marcescens and Pseudomonas spp., this is the first report of these bacteria from insect eggs. In addition, Enterobacter sp., Klebsiella sp., Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus sp. and S. faecalis were isolated from first-instar larvae.
Band-gap renormalization in carbon nanotubes: Origin of the ideal diode behavior in carbon nanotube p-n structures

We demonstrate dramatic modifications to the electronic structure in single-walled carbon nanotubes due to band gap renormalization, the many-body induced shrinkage of the fundamental band gap. This is examined within the framework of ideal $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ diodes formed along individual single-walled carbon nanotubes. A combination of photocurrent spectroscopy with detailed transport measurements provides a complete set of energy levels of the nanotube $p\text{\ensuremath{-}}n$ structure. These energy levels confirm the large band gap shrinkage, consistent with enhanced many-body correction in one-dimensional confinement, and result in fundamental changes to the nanotubes diode transport properties as compared to their bulk counterparts. We show that the ideal diode behavior is a direct consequence of significant renormalization of the band gap at the doped $p$ and $n$ regions, resulting in formations of heterointerfaces, in stark contrast to a uniform band gap expected of a homogeneous material.
Quantitative studies of validity: expanding our understanding of disability.

AbstractPurpose: This manuscript seeks to explain why applications of item response theory (IRT) and factor analytic methods provide evidence of validity, and why for the same reasons that they provide evidence of validity, they can advance substantive knowledge. Methods: A narrative review of the psychometrics literature and disability literature is presented explaining the rationale for the use of quantitative validation methods. Results: Both the field of psychometrics and the application of psychometric methods in rehabilitation science are expanding rapidly. Logistic IRT models and factor analytic methods are the most commonly used validation tools in rehabilitation. Conclusions: Many of the available psychometric tools provide evidence of validity, because they are powerful tests of formally specified hypotheses regarding how specific observable traits relate to underlying latent construct. Thus, while the methods for studying psychometric validity have largely been focused on the question of whethe...
Water relations of Lagerstroemia indica grown in amended media under drought stress

Abstract To determine the role of selected media treatments on water relations and growth of crape myrtle ( Lagerstroemia indica L. cultivar ‘Natches’), liners were planted in a container medium containing one of two hydrogels (polyethylene oxide or starch polymer), a synthetic mulch covering (wax-impregnated cardboard), a media drenched with the fungicide triadimefon (1-(4-chlorophenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-2-butanone) or no amendments. Plants were initially established under optimum irrigation and then subjected to drought stress cycles. Water-stressed plants had lower shoot and root dry weight than nonstressed plants. The starch hydrogel increased shoot dry weight of stressed and nonstressed plants. The organic hydrogel (polyethylene oxide) increased shoot and root dry weight under nonstressed conditions. Under water-stress conditions, neither the synthetic mulch covering nor application of triadimefon had any effect on plant growth or water relations. Drought stress resulted in a reduction of shoot water potential (more negative), low transpiration, high diffusive resistance, low osmotic potential (more negative) and reduced turgor.
Interface morphology development during stress corrosion cracking: Part I. Via surface diffusion

The initiation of a crack in a specimen under tensile or compressive stresses is treated from the point of view of perturbation analysis. A surface distortion is Fourier analyzed into a series of waves and the amplitude response of a single component of varying frequency is theoretically investigated. The response of the individual components yields a Griffith-type criterion for wave amplitude growth. The model is applied to alloy systems undergoing stress corrosion cracking via surface diffusion.
Azathioprine downregulates trail expression in a T cell line and in normal human peripheral blood T cells

Azathioprine downregulates trail expression in a T cell line and in normal human peripheral blood T cells
Reusing Scientific Data: How Earthquake Engineering Researchers Assess the Reusability of Colleagues' Data

Investments in cyberinfrastructure and e-Science initiatives are motivated by the desire to accelerate scientific discovery. Always viewed as a foundation of science, data sharing is appropriately seen as critical to the success of such initiatives, but new technologies supporting increasingly data-intensive and collaborative science raise significant challenges and opportunities. Overcoming the technical and social challenges to broader data sharing is a common and important research objective, but increasing the supply and accessibility of scientific data is no guarantee data will be applied by scientists. Before reusing data created by others, scientists need to assess the data's relevance, they seek confidence the data can be understood, and they must trust the data. Using interview data from earthquake engineering researchers affiliated with the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), we examine how these scientists assess the reusability of colleagues' experimental data for model validation.
Identification and characterization of angiotensin II receptors in cardiac sarcolemma.

Abstract We have used [125I] angiotensin II to investigate the presence of specific angiotensin II receptors in beef heart sarcolemmal membranes. The observed binding is saturable, reversible and specific. The apparent equilibrium dissociation constant is 2.23 ± 0.15 ( x ± SEM) and the maximal number of binding sites per mg membrane protein is 32.8 ± 5.4 fmol ( x ± SEM). The specific binding is 80–100% of the total [125I] angiotensin II bound and is directly proportional to membrane protein concentration over the range of 33–173 μg protein per ml. Angiotensin II and its antagonists competed for binding in a potency order of (agent, Ki): angiotensin II, 0.9nM > Sar1 Ala3, 7 nM > Sar1-Ile3, 51 nM > Sar1-Leu3, 427nM > angiotensin I, 1709 nM. The ability to characterize and quantify these receptors should now provide a method for investigating the mechanisms underlying the effects of angiotensin II on myocardial tissues.
Cerebellar degeneration in the rat following rapid correction of hyponatremia

Degenerative lesions in the superior vermis of the cerebellum were produced in 8 of 14 rats that were first made hyponatremic for three days with vasopressin and water and then given hypertonic saline. Within the superior vermis, lesions were predominantly localized to the crests of the folia. These lesions were characterized by demyelination of folial white matter and necrosis of granule cells at the junction with the white matter. In severe degeneration, the entire width of the granule cell layer was involved and Purkinje cell necrosis was found as well. Hyponatremia alone or administration of hypertonic saline to normonatremic rats did not result in lesions. Because of the topographical and histopathological similarity of these lesions to those of alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, our findings raise the possibility of a contribution of electrolyte-induced injury to the pathogenesis of alcoholic cerebellar degeneration.
Biocatalytic conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide using an engineered toluene monooxygenase

Mutants of toluene o-xylene monooxygenase are demonstrated to oxidize ethylene to ethylene oxide in vivo at yields of >99%. The best mutant increases ethylene oxidation activity by >5500-fold relative to the native enzyme. This is the first report of a recombinant enzyme capable of carrying out this industrially significant chemical conversion.
99m Tc-PIPIDA Cholescintigraphy in the Diagnosis of Gallbladder Disease

The efficacy of 99mTc cholescintigraphy in the diagnosis of gallbladder disease was studied in 116 patients. Sixty-one demonstrated gallbladder visualization (normal) and 55 had nonvisualization. In patients with acute abdominal pain, test sensitivity is 100%, specificity is 77%, and accuracy is 83% for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis; no patient with gallbladder visualization had acute cholecystitis. Test sensitivity for any form of gallbladder disease is 66%, specificity is 82%, and accuracy is 71%; excluding patients with laboratory evidence of hepatobiliary disease, the predictability of acute or chronic cholecystitis increases to 100%. Cholescintigraphy demonstrated common bile duct patency in all eight post-cholecystectomy patients referred for evaluation of possible choledocholithiasis. Thus, gallbladder visualization with 99mTc-PIPIDA virtually excludes the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, an abnormal test is a good predictor of gallbladder disease because of high specificity, and cholescintigraphy is extremely safe and simple to perform and may be used to demonstrate common bile duct patency.
Mid-infrared nuller for Terrestrial Planet Finder: design, progress, and results

Nulling interferometry shows promise as a technique enabling investigation of faint objects such as planets and exo-zodiacal dust around nearby stars. At Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a nulling beam combiner has been built for the Terrestrial Planet Finder project and has been used to pursue deep and stable narrowband nulls. We describe the design and layout of the modified Mach Zehnder TPF nuller, and the results achieved in the laboratory to date. We report stabilized nulls at about the 10-6 level achieved using a CO2 laser operating at 10.6 μm, and discuss the alignment steps needed to produce good performance. A pair of similar nullers has been built for the Keck Observatory, for planned observations of exo-zodiacal dust clouds. We also show briefly a result from the Keck breadboard experiments: passively stabilized nulls centered around 10.6 micron of about 2 10-4 have been achieved at bandwidths of 29%.
Beauty, Systematicity, and the Highest Good: Eckart Förster's Kant's Final Synthesis

Contrary to Eckart Forster, I argue that the Opus postumumrepresents more of an evolution than a revolution in Kant's thought. Among other points, I argue that Kant's Selbstsetzungslehre, or theory of self-positing, according to which we cannot have knowledge of the spatio-temporal world except through recognition of the changes we initiate in it by our own bodies, does not constitute a radicalization of Kant's transcendental idealism, but is a development of the realist line of argument introduced by the "Refutation of Idealism" of 1787-90; and I argue that Kant's concept of the highest good, which according to Forster was only revised to connect virtue to collective rather than individual happiness in 1790-93 and was then in any case withdrawn in the Opus postumum, was uninterruptedly focused on collective happiness from the first edition of the first Critique, and that there is no reason to believe that ever Kant retracted it.
Disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier and lens abnormalities in mice lacking Lysyl Oxidase-Like 1 (LOXL1)

Purpose Exfoliation syndrome (ES) is commonly associated with glaucoma, premature cataracts, and other ocular and systemic pathologies. LOXL1 gene variants are significantly associated with ES; however, the role of the protein in ES development remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize the ocular phenotype in Loxl1(-/-) (null) mice. Methods Loxl1 null mice and strain-matched controls (C57BL) were evaluated by clinical and histologic analyses. Results Anterior segment histology showed a pronounced vesiculation of the anterior lens in the null mice. The lesions were subcapsular and in direct apposition with the posterior iris surface. Fluorescein angiography showed increased diffusion of fluorescein into the anterior chamber of the null mice compared with age-matched controls (P = 0.003, two-tailed, unequal variance t-test), suggesting compromise of the blood-aqueous barrier. Intraocular pressure measurements were within the normal range (16.5 ± 2.0 mm Hg) in null mice up to 1 year of age. Immunohistochemistry showed decreased elastin in the iris and ciliary body in the null mouse compared with controls. Conclusions Elimination of LOXL1 in mice impairs the blood-aqueous humor barrier in the ocular anterior segment and causes lens abnormalities consistent with cataract formation, but does not result in deposition of macromolecular material or glaucoma. These results show that mice lacking LOXL1 have some ES features but that complete disease manifestation requires other factors that could be genetic and/or environmental.
On the fattening of lines in P3

Abstract We follow the lead of [2] and show how differences in the invariant α can be used to classify certain classes of subschemes of P 3 . Specifically, we will seek to classify arithmetically Cohen–Macaulay codimension 2 subschemes of P 3 in the manner Bocci and Chiantini classified points in P 2 . The first section will seek to motivate our consideration of the invariant α by relating it to the Hilbert function and γ, following the work of [2] , [5] . The second section will contain our results classifying arithmetically Cohen–Macaulay codimension 2 subschemes of P 3 . This work is adapted from the author's Ph.D. dissertation [11] .
TRIPLEX-MEDIATED, IN VITRO TARGETING OF PSORALEN PHOTOADDUCTS WITHIN THE GENOME OF A TRANSGENIC MOUSE

Light-activated psoralens can covalently modify DNA and are widely used to study nucleic acid secondary structure and mutagenesis. Sequence specificity can be added to the photoaddition reaction by attaching the psoralen to an oligonucleotide designed to recognize a double-stranded DNA binding site through formation of a triple helix. We have previously used this strategy to study targeted psoralen modification of a triplex binding site within the bacterial supF gene carried in viral genomes. In the present work we report the targeting of psoralen photoadducts in vitro to a specific site in the genome of a transgenic mouse. Both 10 base and 16 base oligonucleotide-psoralen conjugates were capable of sequence-specific modification of genomic mouse DNA, while a truncated 8 base conjugate was not. Light activation was necessary, and a dose dependence was demonstrated for target site modification and mutagenesis. The 10 base conjugate rapidly found its target, with sequence-specific binding occurring after just 10 min incubation in the presence of mouse DNA. The ability to target psoralen photoadducts within mammalian genomes may prove useful in the study of chromatin structure and DNA repair. Moreover, this work may lead to potential in vivo applications of targeted psoralen modification.
Energy efficient sampling for event detection in wireless sensor networks

Compressive Sensing (CS) is a recently developed mechanism that allows signal acquisition and compression to be performed in one inexpensive step so that the sampling process itself produces a compressed version of the signal. This significantly improves systemic energy efficiency because the average sampling rate can be considerably reduced and explicit compression eliminated.In this paper, we introduce a modification to the canonical CS recovery technique that enables even higher gains for event detection applications. We show a practical implementation of this compressive detection with energy constrained wireless sensor nodes and quantify the gains accrued through simulation and experimentation.
Bifurcations in the Wilson-Cowan Equations with Nonsmooth Firing Rate ∗

The Wilson--Cowan (WC) equations represent a common means of studying the dynamics between excitatory and inhibitory populations of neurons. A number of recent experimental papers suggest that the cerebral cortex lies in the so-called inhibitory stabilized network (ISN) state, which means that there is an equilibrium state that intersects the middle branch of the excitatory nullcline [H. Ozeki et al., Neuron, 62 (2009), pp. 578--592]. A commonly used simplification replaces the smooth firing rate function with the Heaviside step function. In this paper, we explore the consequences of the nonsmooth approximation on the dynamics for WC systems that have such a middle-branch equilibrium in their smooth analogue. In the nonsmooth system, the inhibitory stabilized state corresponds to a pseudo focus (or focal crossing) occurring at the intersection of two switching manifolds---the subject of current work in nonsmooth systems theory. To study the dynamics we introduce and use techniques from Filippov systems an...
Efficient pattern comparative method for selecting functionally important motifs in protein sequences: Application to zinc enzymes

We have developed a pattern comparative method for identifying functionally important motifs in protein sequences. The essence of most standard pattern comparative methods is a comparison of patterns occurring in different sequences using an optimized weight matrix. In contrast, our approach is based on a measure of similarity among all the candidate motifs within the same sequence. This method may prove to be particularly efficient for proteins encoding the same biochemical function, but with different primary sequences, and when tertiary structure information from one or more sequences is available. We have applied this method to a special class of zinc-binding enzymes known as endopeptidases.
Future U.S. energy technologies: Cost and oil-import tradeoffs

Abstract Many new energy technologies offer the potential of moderating the rising costs of energy while, at the same time, reducing dependence on imported oil. The problem of evaluating which technologies offer the most promise is complex and requires analyzing competition in the marketplace among new and existing technologies over a long span of time. This competition would occur under a variety of future situations affecting energy resources, costs, and technology availability. With the aid of a linear-programming model, we have conducted such an evaluation. The results indicate that the most promising technologies include the light-water reactor, residential and commercial conservation, enhanced oil recovery, shale-oil recovery, industrial cogeneration, the heat pump, and coal liquefaction. This usage yields a decline in oil imports to about half present levels, exactly when depending upon the situation. These results need to be evaluated in light of environmental and other effects not included in the model.
Paracrine mediators of mouse uterine epithelial cell transepithelial resistance in culture

Epithelial cell integrity at mucosal surfaces provides an effective physical barrier against potential pathogens that threaten reproductive health. We have used polarized epithelial cells from adult mouse uteri to investigate the roles of TNFalpha and TGFbeta, which are produced by uterine epithelial and stromal cells, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), produced by uterine stromal cells, in regulating epithelial cell integrity measured as transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Exposure of epithelial cells to TNFalpha, TGFbeta, and HGF have profound effects on TER that are different from their known actions on TER at other mucosal surfaces. When incubated with TNFalpha, TER increased in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, when cells were incubated with TGFbeta, TER was markedly but reversibly suppressed. Interestingly, HGF, when placed in the basolateral compartment, increased TER. Based on these findings, we conclude that TNFalpha, TGFbeta and HGF may play regulatory roles in modulating epithelial cell tight junctions. These studies suggest that factors, such as hormone balance, pathogen exposure as well as pregnancy, which affect cytokine and growth factor secretion, influence epithelial cell barrier protection within the female reproductive tract.
Attitudes of nursing students toward eight major disabilities.

34 nursing students ranked 8 disabilities according to the degree of difficulty they felt they would experience, were they personally to incur the disability. The nursing students' attitudes agreed only with those of Mensa members (rho = .81, p < .05), not those of rehabilitation counseling students or rehabilitation professors (Wilson, Sakata, & Frumkin, 1968).
Overdrive stimulation of functional reentrant circuits causing ventricular tachycardia in the infarcted canine heart. Resetting and entrainment.

BACKGROUNDClinical electrophysiology studies have used, for the most part, models of anatomic reentrant circuits to explain entrainment of ventricular tachycardia. Our studies use activation maps to directly determine mechanisms of entrainment of functional circuits that cause tachycardia.METHODS AND RESULTSElectrograms were recorded from 192 sites on reentrant circuits in the epicardial border zone of canine myocardial infarcts during sustained ventricular tachycardia. Overdrive stimulation from different sites and at different cycle lengths was investigated. The reentrant circuits were shown to be functional, yet stimulated impulses could enter and repetitively reset the circuits (entrainment), demonstrating the presence of an excitable gap. Entrainment could occur from different stimulation sites with the stimulated impulses from each site activating the circuit with a different pattern. Entrainment, however, did not occur when the stimulated wave fronts obliterated the lines of functional block in the...
Clam‐sediment accumulation factors for polychlorinated biphenyl congeners at a contaminated estuarine marsh

Clam‐sediment accumulation factors for hexa‐, hepta‐ and octa‐chlorobiphenyls were estimated at an intertidal marsh that has been contaminated with Aroclor 1268. Accumulation factors for PCB congeners with K ow > 6.5 were in the range of 0.07–0.88, indicating that their uptake was hindered by steric factors, contamination levels, non‐equilibrium conditions and stronger affinity to sediment organic carbon. Biota‐sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) were negatively correlated with log K ow of superhydrophobic PCB congeners. BSAFs estimated based on 2,3,7,8‐TCDD equivalents of PCBs were 2‐fold greater than those derived from total PCB concentrations.
THE INFLUENCE OF BLANCH AND FREEZING METHODS ON THE QUALITY OF SELECTED VEGETABLES1

Microwave blanced vegetables were lower in color and ascorbic acid than water or steam blanched vegetables. Shear values for microwave blanched asparagus were higher than the values for water or steam blanched. Drip loss was higher for microwave blanched green beans and peas than water or steam blanched. The reverse was true for asparagus. Sensory preference scores for color and flavor were very low for the microwave blanched vegetables. Little or no difference in quality was found between water and steam blanched vegetables. Individually quick frozen vegetables displayed less drip loss than common blast frozen vegetables and shear values were lower.
Temperature dependent linewidth of the conduction electron spin resonance in beryllium

Abstract A broadening in the low temperature CESR of beryllium is reported and possible mechanisms are discussed.
Initial studies of electric field effects on ceramic powder formation in flames

The effect of an electric field on ceramic powder formation was studied in a counterflow diffusion flame burner. TiCl{sub 4}, SiH{sub 4}, SiCl{sub 4}, and GeCl{sub 4} were used as source materials for the formation of TiO{sub 2}, SiO{sub 2}, and GeO{sub 2} in H{sub 2}/Ar-O{sub 2}/Ar flames. Particle size and number density were determined using dynamic light scattering measurements and 90{degrees} light scattering measurements. The effects of the electric field on flame temperature, current, OH emission intensity, and particle characteristics were measured. The results show that in the presence of an electric field, the peak temperature shifts toward the oxidizer side, and the peak OH emission intensity decreases at low field strengths. Particle diameter and number density measurements show that a factor of 3 change in size can be achieved. These results suggest that an electric field can be successfully used as a control variable in the formation of ceramic oxide powders. 12 refs., 7 figs.
MASS TRANSFER AND KINETICS OF THE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF SIC ONTO FIBERS

An internally consistent set of data was generated for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of SiC from methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) and H2 at atmospheric pressure. A moving fiber tow was used as the substrate. Coating rates between 0.3 and 3.7 µm/min and deposition efficiencies between 24 and 48% were obtained for MTS and H2 flow rates in the range 30 to 200 cm3/min and 300 to 2000 cm3/min, respectively. The data were analyzed and found to be best fit under a mass transfer regime. Based on this fit, a value of the constant in the Chilton–Colburn j factor expression for a moving fiber tow was estimated to be 2.74 × 10−6 with a standard deviation of 3.2 × 10−7. The efficiency of the reaction was found to decrease with increases in the total flow rate, indicating that the effect of the decreased residence time of reagents in the reactor was larger than the increase in the mass transfer coefficient. Finally, a comparison between the efficiencies for a stationary and a moving tow revealed that the moving tow had a higher efficiency, possibly due to a disruption of the boundary layer by the tow motion or due to the decrease in the canning of the moving tow.
Sulfate absorption from the airways of the isolated perfused rat lung.

The kinetics of sulfate absorption from the airways of the isolated perfused rat lung are presented. Absorption of sulfate ion appears to be by simple diffusion and to be enhanced in the presence of ammonium ion at low concentrations. The t12 for the initial rate was 11.9 ± 1.4 min. The administration of 1 μmol of (NH4)2SO4 intratracheally led to a rapid decrease in the respiratory volume of the lung, an effect which could be blocked by prior perfusion with mepyramine maleate (10−5 m). Ammonium sulfate caused a rapid release of a large portion of the histamine stores into the lung perfusate. The results suggest that sulfate compounds are absorbed rapidly by the lung and that histamine release may occur during absorption. The biological effects of sulfate-containing aerosols may be related to the liberation of histamine reserves.
Management of Delayed Gastric Emptying After Esophagectomy With Endoscopic Balloon Dilatation of the Pylorus

Background This study seeks to evaluate the use of postoperative pyloric balloon dilatation for delayed gastric emptying after esophageal substitution with gastric conduit. Methods A total of 436 patients underwent esophagectomy with gastric conduit from 2002 to 2009. All approaches to esophagectomy were included except patients with alternative reconstruction or emergent esophagectomy. Gastric conduit diameter, anastomotic location, and mediastinal route were variable. Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) was strictly defined to include patients with clinical and radiographic delayed gastric emptying requiring intervention. Results Gastric outlet obstruction was found in 22% (98 of 436) of patients who underwent esophagectomy. Pyloromytomy was performed on 52% (51 of 98) of these patients and employed in 41% (179 of 436) of patients in the entire cohort. GOO was present in 28% (51 of 179) of patients who underwent a pyloric drainage procedure compared with 18% (47 of 257) of patients with no pyloric intervention (p = 0.01). Endoscopic balloon dilatation of the pylorus was used to treat 39% (38 of 98) of patients with delayed gastric emptying yielding a 95% (36 of 98) success rate. Pyloric dilatations were performed with controlled radial expansion esophageal balloon dilators (range,10 to 20 mm). The remaining patients were treated conservatively with prokinetics, nasogastric drainage, or observation. Nasogastric drainage was employed for 7.4 ± 4.4 days in patients with GOO and 6.8 ± 4.0 days in asymptomatic patients (p = 0.15). Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy did not contribute to increased incidence of GOO. There was a significant difference in postoperative pneumonia (18.4% vs 10.6%, p = 0.05) and median length of hospital stay (12 ± 16 vs 10 ± 9 days, p Conclusions Delayed gastric emptying after esophageal substitution with gastric conduit can be adequately treated with balloon dilatation of the pylorus despite an operative drainage procedure.
Analysis of B-1 Cell Activation

Abstract Metabolic changes associated with B-cell activation can be studied in B-1 cells through the same biochemical techniques used for analysis of B-2 cells. However, difficulty may be encountered in obtaining sufficiently large numbers of purified cells. Several negative selection techniques have been combined to isolate B-1 cells for signaling studies. Purified B-1 cells have been found to differ from B-2 cells in a number of parameters relating to activation mediated by antigen receptor engagement and protein kinase C agonists.
Conversion of an Amplified Dirac Equation to an Approximately Relativistic Form

A fermion is described by a one-body relativistic wave equation of the Dirac type in which scalar, vector, tensor, pseudovector, and pseudoscalar interactions are included phenomenologically. This equation is converted to an approximately relativistic form by means of the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation. The resulting relativistic correction terms associated with the five types of interaction are tabulated. The tables may be used to convert any one-body Dirac equation to its corresponding approximately relativistic form. The fine structure of the hydrogenic atom including the Lamb-Retherford shift is discussed as an illustration.
Architecture, historic zoning, and the value of homes

The principal objective of this paper is to detect any partial effects due to architecture on home value. The empirical results show that premium prices are associated with the historical architectural styles like colonial, federal, garrison, and Victorian. A second objective to detect potential impacts of historic zoning, however, does not show conclusively that the historic district of Newburyport has positive external effects.
Investigation of the electronic properties of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors using a nuclear microprobe

Abstract The electronic transport properties of Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) determine the charge collection efficiency (i.e. the signal quality) of CZT detectors. These properties vary on both macroscopic and microscopic scales and depend on the presence of impurities and defects introduced during the crystal growth. Ion Beam Induced Charge Collection (IBICC) is a proven albeit relatively new method to measure the charge collection efficiency. Using an ion microbeam, the charge collection efficiency can be mapped with submicron resolution, and the map of electronic properties (such as drift length) can be calculated from the measurement. A more sophisticated version of IBICC, the Time Resolved IBICC (TRIBICC) allows us to determine the mobility and the lifetime of the charge carriers by recording and analyzing the transient waveform of the detector signal. Furthermore, lateral IBICC and TRIBICC can provide information about how the charge collection efficiency depends on the depth where the charge carriers are generated. This allows one to deduce information on the distribution of the electric field and transport properties of the charge carriers along the detector axis. IBICC and TRIBICC were used at the Sandia microbeam facility to image electronic properties of several CZT detectors. From the lateral TRIBICC measurement the electron and hole drift length profiles were calculated.
Crossflow heat transfer for tubes with periodically interrupted annular fins

Etude experimentale comparative des coefficients de transfert de chaleur dans un ecoulement croise d'air d'un tube a ailettes annulaires continues et a segmentation periodique pour 2 espacements entre les segments pour des valeurs du nombre de Reynolds entre 7500 et 44000
Chemical detection of mold in processed foods.

Alternaria alternata, A. solani, Colletotrichum coccodes, Fusarium oxysporum, Geotrichum candidum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Drosophila flies were added to tomato and fruit purees and nectars at 0.1 - 10 mg (dry weight)/2g sample, hydrolyzed at 121°C in potassium hydroxide (KOH) and analyzed colorimetrically for glucosamine. Glucosamine varied with product, quantity of mycelium, hydrolysis time, KOH concentration, age (older cultures gave highest values), and mold species (R. stolonifer gave maximum and G. candidum, minimum values). When processed foods spiked with molds were analyzed, the mold concentration was linearly correlated to glucosamine but not to Howard mold count. Drosophila were barely detectable in hydrolyzed foods. Hydrolysis may be the critical step in this procedure.