cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Half-life of manganese-53 from meteorite observations

Abstract The half-life of 53 Mn has been estimated from measurements of the deficiency of this nuclide in a terrestrially old iron meteorite and in a stone of short cosmic-ray-exposure age. The respective estimates are (1·4 ± 0·2) and (2·4 ± 0·6) million years. These may be considered more properly as a lower and an upper limit, respectively, with the best estimate of the half-life of 53 Mn being (1·9 ± 0·5) × 10 6 years.
Heparosan, a promising ‘naturally good’ polymeric conjugating vehicle for delivery of injectable therapeutics

Many therapeutics have issues with delivery due to nonoptimal pharmacokinetics and/or detrimental side effects due to their nonhuman nature. Injectable biologic drugs are one class that often needs assistance. The pharma industry has employed a variety of delivery strategies and this Editorial focuses on drug-polymer conjugates, in particular those utilizing a newly introduced system using a natural carbohydrate called heparosan. This molecule, the biosynthetic precursor to the well-known drug heparin, appears tolerated due to its 'self' nature as well as exhibits intrinsically favorable behavior in the bloodstream and tissues. The polysaccharide is stable in the extracellular spaces of mammals, but degraded by lysosomal enzymes following entry into the cell. Heparosan manufacture utilizes a novel synchronized, stoichiometrically controlled reaction employing a sugar-polymerizing enzyme in an aqueous buffer system that results in a quasi-monodisperse product. Heparosan is predicted to serve as a conjugating vehicle to extend the plasma half-life of biologics without liabilities of polydispersity, immunogenicity and/or unwanted accumulation in the body that are observed for other types of polymer such as PEG, hydroxyethyl starch, or poly(sialic acid).
Comparison of the KonRad IMRT and XiO treatment planning systems

Reducing the treatment time for IMRT patients is highly desirable. The objective of this work was to evaluate the new clinical Siemens KonRad inverse treatment planning system (TPS) and compare it to the CMS XiO TPS with special emphasis on the segmentation efficiency. For head and neck, liver and prostate cancer patients, step-and-shoot IMRT plans were designed using both CMS XiO and Siemens KonRad TPS. Number, direction and energy of beams used were the same in the plans from both systems for each treatment site. The plans were optimized to achieve the same clinical objectives concerning dose to the target volume and to the relevant organs-at-risk (OARs). The number of intensity levels were minimized until the clinical objectives could not be achieved anymore. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs), mean- and maximum-doses were compared, as well as the number of beam segments and monitor units (MUs). The beams of each plan were delivered individually on a MapCheck device to verify the agreement between calculations and measurements to be less than 3%-3 mm distance-to-agreement. Plans optimized with KonRad resulted in fewer segments and lower number of MUs and therefore reduced delivery time on average by 20%, while achieving similar dose distributions. CMS XiO plans exhibited a slightly steeper dose fall-off outside the target volumes; however the difference was not clinically significant. DVHs to OARs were comparable. All calculated dose distributions passed the 3%-3 mm verification check.
Laser-Induced Line-Narrowing Effects in Coupled Doppler-Broadened Transitions. II. Standing-Wave Features

Previous theoretical results on the influence of a laser on the line shape of a coupled transition (laser-induced line narrowing) have been restricted to the case where the laser is detuned from the center of its atomic gain profile or is in the form of a traveling wave. The present paper extends these results to the case where the laser is an intense standing-wave field tunable to the center of its atomic gain profile (conditions for Lamb dip). A theoretical solution of the problem is developed, and a detailed discussion of line shapes and physical processes involved is included.
Limbic Activation to Cigarette Smoking Cues Independent of Nicotine Withdrawal: A Perfusion fMRI Study

Exposure to cigarette smoking cues can trigger physiological arousal and desire to smoke. The brain substrates of smoking cue-induced craving (CIC) are beginning to be elucidated; however, it has been difficult to study this state independent of the potential contributions of pharmacological withdrawal from nicotine. Pharmacological withdrawal itself may have substantial effects on brain activation to cues, either by obscuring or enhancing it, and as CIC is not reduced by nicotine replacement strategies, its neuro-anatomical substrates may differ. Thus, characterizing CIC is critical for developing effective interventions. This study used arterial spin-labeled (ASL) perfusion fMRI, and newly developed and highly appetitive, explicit smoking stimuli, to examine neural activity to cigarette CIC in an original experimental design that strongly minimizes contributions from pharmacological withdrawal. Twenty-one smokers (12 females) completed smoking and nonsmoking cue fMRI sessions. Craving self-reports were collected before and after each session. SPM2 software was employed to analyze data. Blood flow (perfusion) in a priori-selected regions was greater during exposure to smoking stimuli compared to nonsmoking stimuli (p<0.01; corrected) in ventral striatum, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, medial thalamus, and left insula. Perfusion positively correlated with intensity of cigarette CIC in both the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (r2=0.54) and posterior cingulate (r2=0.53). This pattern of activation that includes the ventral striatum, a critical reward substrate, and the interconnected amygdala, cingulate and OFC, is consistent with decades of animal research on the neural correlates of conditioned drug reward.
Mechanisms of lead-induced hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental toxin that is capable of causing numerous acute and chronic illnesses. Population studies have demonstrated a link between lead exposure and subsequent development of hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that chronic lead exposure causes HTN and cardiovascular disease by promoting oxidative stress, limiting nitric oxide availability, impairing nitric oxide signaling, augmenting adrenergic activity, increasing endothelin production, altering the renin-angiotensin system, raising vasoconstrictor prostaglandins, lowering vasodilator prostaglandins, promoting inflammation, disturbing vascular smooth muscle Ca2+ signaling, diminishing endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, and modifying the vascular response to vasoactive agonists. Moreover, lead has been shown to cause endothelial injury, impede endothelial repair, inhibit angiogenesis, reduce endothelial cell growth, suppress proteoglycan production, stimulate vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and phenotypic transformation, reduce tissue plasminogen activator, and raise plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 production. Via these and other actions, lead exposure causes HTN and promotes arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and cardiovascular disease. In conclusion, studies performed in experimental animals, isolated tissues, and cultured cells have provided compelling evidence that chronic exposure to low levels of lead can cause HTN, endothelial injury/dysfunction, arteriosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. More importantly, these studies have elucidated the cellular and molecular mechanisms of lead's action on cardiovascular/renal systems, a task that is impossible to accomplish using clinical and epidemiological investigations alone.
PPARγ-Independent Increase in Glucose Uptake and Adiponectin Abundance in Fat Cells

Although thiazolidinediones (TZD) effectively improve hyperglycemia and increase adiponectin, a proinsulin-sensitizing adipokine, they also increase adipogenesis via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ induction, which may be undesirable. Recent safety concerns about some TZD have prompted the search for next generation agents that can enhance glycemic control and adiponectin independent of PPARγ or adipogenesis. Reminiscent of TZD action, a human adenovirus, adenovirus 36 (Ad36), up-regulates PPARγ, induces adipogenesis, and improves systemic glycemic control in vivo. We determined whether this effect of Ad36 requires PPARγ and/or adipogenesis. Glucose uptake and relevant cell signaling were determined in mock-infected or human adenoviruses Ad36 or Ad2-infected cell types under the following conditions: 1) undifferentiated human-adipose-tissue-derived stem cells (hASC), 2) hASC differentiated as adipocytes, 3) hASC in presence or absence of a PPARγ inhibitor, 4) NIH/3T3 that have impaired PPARγ expression, and 5) PPARγ-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts with intact PPARγ served as a positive control. Additionally, to determine natural Ad36 infection, human sera were screened for Ad36 antibodies. In undifferentiated or differentiated hASC, or despite the inhibition, down-regulation, or the absence of PPARγ, Ad36 significantly enhanced glucose uptake and PPARγ, adiponectin, glucose transporter 4, and glucose transporter 1 protein abundance, compared with mock or Ad2-infected cells. This indicated that Ad36 up-regulates glucose uptake and adiponectin secretion independent of adipogenesis or without recruiting PPARγ. In humans, natural Ad36 infection predicted greater adiponectin levels, suggesting a human relevance of these effects. In conclusion, Ad36 provides a novel template to metabolically remodel human adipose tissue to enhance glycemic control without the concomitant increase in adiposity or PPARγ induction associated with TZD actions.
Recirculating linac muon accelerator for neutrino factory

Abstract A conceptual design of a muon acceleration scheme based on recirculating superconducting linacs is proposed. In the presented scenario, acceleration starts after ionization cooling at 210 MeV/c and proceeds to 20 GeV, where the beam is injected into a neutrino factory storage ring. The key technical issues are addressed, such as the choice of acceleration technology (superconducting versus normal conducting) and the choice of RF frequency, and finally, implementation of the overall acceleration scheme: capture, acceleration, transport and preservation of large phase space of fast decaying species. Beam transport issues for large-momentum-spread beams are accommodated by appropriate lattice design choices. The proposed arc optics is further optimized with a sextupole correction to suppress chromatic effects contributing to emittance dilution. The presented proof-of-principle design of the arc optics with horizontal separation of multipass beams is extended for all passes.
Reaffirming Professionalism through the Education Community

Objective: To determine the role of the clinical training environment and a medical education community in reaffirming medical professionalism among physicians-in-training and faculty. Data sources...
Review of thalidomide use in the pediatric population

Thalidomide is resurging in the management of adult rheumatologic skin conditions, especially lupus erythematosus. Although use in pediatric patients is reported since the 1990s, there are no systematic reviews describing treatment in children. Thalidomide has immunomodulatory and anti–tumor necrosis factor-α effects as well as antiangiogenic properties, making it useful for a broad spectrum of inflammatory disorders. Thalidomide is second-line treatment for aphthous stomatitis and chronic graft-versus-host disease in children and has been prescribed for many other conditions including actinic prurigo and epidermolysis bullosa pruriginosa. Systemic lupus erythematosus may be less responsive to thalidomide in children than adults. Peripheral neuropathy is observed in both idiosyncratic and dose-dependent relationships; children older than 12 years may be more susceptible to developing this adverse effect than younger patients. There are rare reports of thrombotic complications in children treated for nonmalignant indications. We review the mechanism of action and propose that thalidomide is an alternative treatment for patients who fail or have contraindications to anti–tumor necrosis factor-α biologics.
An exact solution for the inviscid flow field within a two-dimensional bubble contacting a horizontal tube in a gas fluidized bed

Abstract An exact solution obtained for the flow field within a slow two-dimensional bubble contacting a horizontal tube in a fluidized bed. The resulting velocity is equivalent to that produced in the case of a tube immersed in a stream at twice minimum fluidizing velocity and provides a theoretical basis for the empirical observation made by Catipovic [6] that the convective heat transfer to a horizontal tube produced by the bubble phase in a two-dimensional bed is equivalent to the heat transfer to a tube immersed in a gas flow at 2 U mf .
A novel interleukin-8 polymorphism is associated with severe systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis.

A novel interleukin-8 polymorphism is associated with severe systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis. Background Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a potent neutrophil chemokine that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of renal inflammation in human glomerulonephritis. To explain inter-patient variations in renal inflammation during diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), it was postulated that the promoter region of the IL-8 gene contains polymorphic residues that influence the level of IL-8 expression in response to immune-complex deposition, and thereby affect the severity of renal injury. This study was undertaken to identify polymorphisms in the 5′-flanking region of the IL-8 gene that correlate with the severity of SLE nephritis. Methods A 1526 base pair segment of the IL-8 5′-flanking region was PCR amplified from the genomic DNA of 100 individuals and sequenced on an automated capillary electrophoresis system. Sequence data were compared with the published IL-8 sequence to identify polymorphisms. Allelic variations were verified by cloning and re-sequencing, and also by restriction enzyme analysis. Patients with SLE nephritis were genotyped for IL-8 polymorphisms, and associations between specific alleles and severity of SLE nephritis [based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification] were determined. Results Three single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in the IL-8 flanking region. Labeled relative to the IL-8 translational start site, these are T-845C, T-738A, and A-353T. T-845C and T-738A are novel, and found primarily in African Americans. The C for T change at position -845 was found to be 3.6 to 7.5 times more frequent in African Americans with severe (WHO Class IV) SLE nephritis, than in African American controls, or patients with less severe forms of SLE nephritis, respectively. Conclusions IL-8 -845C might predispose African Americans with SLE nephritis to more severe renal injury, perhaps by influencing IL-8 expression. Genotyping patients with glomerulonephritis for IL-8 polymorphisms may be useful in predicting disease outcome and individualizing immunosuppressive therapy.
A versus F: The effects of implicit letter priming on cognitive performance

Background It has been proposed that motivational responses outside people's conscious awareness can be primed to affect academic performance. The current research focused on the relationship between primed evaluative letters (A and F), explicit and implicit achievement motivation, and cognitive performance. Aim Given the evaluative connotation associated with letter grades, we wanted to know if exposure to the letter A before a task could improve performance, and exposure to the letter F could impair performance. If such effects are found, we suspected that they may be rooted in implicit approach versus avoidance motivation, and occur without participants' awareness. Sample The current research was conducted at a large research university in the USA. Twenty-three undergraduates participated in Expt 1, 32 graduate students in Expt 2, and 76 undergraduates in Expt 3. Method Expts 1 and 2 were conducted in classroom settings, and Expt 3 in a laboratory. In Expt 1, participants were randomly assigned to either the A or F condition. The letter manipulation came in the form of an ostensible Test Bank ID code on the cover of an analogy test, which participants were prompted to view and write on each page of their test. Expt 2 followed a similar procedure but included the neutral letter J as a third condition to serve as a control. In Expt 3, participants' letter condition was presented in the form of an ostensible Subject ID code prior to an anagram test. Results Expts 1–3 demonstrated that exposure to the letter A enhances performance relative to the exposure to the letter F, whereas exposure to the letter F prior to an achievement task can impair performance. This effect was demonstrated using two different types of samples (undergraduate and graduate students), in two different experimental settings (classroom and laboratory), using two different types of achievement tasks (analogy and anagram), and using two different types of letter presentation (Test Bank ID and Subject ID). Results from the funnelled debriefing, self-report goals, and word-stem completion support our position that the effect of letter on academic performance takes place outside the conscious awareness of participants. Conclusions Our findings suggest that students are vulnerable to evaluative letters presented before a task, and support years of research highlighting the significant role that nonconscious processes play in achievement settings.
Grain permittivity measurements in free space

Requirements for a free-space microwave transmission measurement system for determining the permittivity of grain are analyzed. Experimental verification of these requirements is provided for two cultivars of hard red winter wheat of various densities, moisture contents and temperatures in the frequency range from 10 to 18 GHz. Uncertainties in the dielectric constant determination are less than ± 1%, and those for the loss factor are less than ± 3%.
Three-Dimensional Kinematic and Microphysical Evolution of Florida Cumulonimbus. Part II: Frequency Distributions of Vertical Velocity, Reflectivity, and Differential Reflectivity

Abstract High-resolution radar data collected in Florida during the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment are used to elucidate the microphysical and kinematic processes occurring during the transition of a multicellular storm from convective to stratiform stages. A statistical technique is employed to examine the evolving properties of the ensemble small-scale variability of radar reflectivity, vertical velocity, and differential reflectivity over the entire storm. Differential radar reflectivity data indicate that the precipitation at upper levels was nearly glaciated early in the storm's lifetime. Dual-Doppler radar data show that throughout the storm's lifetime both updrafts and down-drafts were present at all altitudes and that most of the volume of the radar echo contained vertical velocities incapable of supporting precipitation-size particles. Thus, the ensemble microphysical properties of the storm were increasingly dominated by particles falling in an environment of weak vertic...
Lung injury and delayed toxicity produced by O,S,S-trimethyl phosphorodithioate, an impurity of malathion.

Abstract O,S,S ,-Trimethyl phosphorodithioate ( OSS -Me), an impurity present in organophosphorus insecticides, produced morphological alteration of rat and mouse terminal nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial (Clara) cells. The effects of OSS -Me on pulmonary and hepatic microsomal enzymes were studied following its po administration to rats. Oral 28-day LD50 of OSS -Me for rats was 67 mg/kg. The animals were treated with OSS -Me at 40, 100, and 160 mg/kg and killed 24 hr later. The relative lung weights were not affected at this time. Pulmonary microsomal benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase decreased significantly; activities were less than 36% of control at the lowest dose. In contrast, the effect of OSS -Me treatment on hepatic monooxygenase activity was moderate. Benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase, p -nitroanisole demethylase, or 7-ethoxycoumarin deethylase were not affected by OSS -Me treatment at any dose. Pulmonary and hepatic malathion carboxylesterase activities decreased following OSS -Me treatment. The decrease was more marked in liver. Time course effects of OSS -Me treatment on these parameters were examined by treating rats at 40 mg/kg, and the animals were killed at 6, 12, 24, and 72 hr after treatment. The lung relative wet weight was increased markedly at 72 hr. The benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase activity of pulmonary microsomes was decreased at 24 and 72 hr after treatment, the maximum decrease being observed at 72 hr. At this time, glutathione of the lungs was depleded markedly. Significant decreases were not observed in hepatic monooxygenase activities. Liver glutathione content was not reduced at 72 hr. Pulmonary and hepatic malathion carboxylesterase activities decreased throughout the time course. OSS -Me selectively inhibited benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase activity, depleted glutathione, and caused morphological alteration of Clara cells in lungs of rats. Although the toxic mechanism(s) produced by OSS -Me remains unknown, these results support the view that the lung is a target organ of OSS -Me-induced delayed toxicity.
The puzzle transformed: Explaining declining turnout

This analysis of the decline in aggregate voting turnout in the United States between the 1950s and the 1980s attributes the decline to changes in the generational composition of the electorate. In particular, the post-New Deal generation (first presidential vote in 1968 or later), which continues to grow in size, votes at a rate well below that of older generations. A minor part of the generational differences in turnout can be attributed to generational differences in party identification and social connectedness (as measured by such indicators as home ownership and church attendance). The larger portion of generational turnout differences cannot be directly explained with variables contained in the National Election Studies. The generational differences in turnout arenot reflected in preelection participation (informal campaigning, doing party work, etc.) and they cannot be accounted for by a declining sense of political efficacy or citizen duty or by lessened interest in campaigns and election outcomes.
Gene-based testing of interactions in association studies of quantitative traits.

Various methods have been developed for identifying gene–gene interactions in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, most methods focus on individual markers as the testing unit, and the large number of such tests drastically erodes statistical power. In this study, we propose novel interaction tests of quantitative traits that are gene-based and that confer advantage in both statistical power and biological interpretation. The framework of gene-based gene–gene interaction (GGG) tests combine marker-based interaction tests between all pairs of markers in two genes to produce a gene-level test for interaction between the two. The tests are based on an analytical formula we derive for the correlation between marker-based interaction tests due to linkage disequilibrium. We propose four GGG tests that extend the following P value combining methods: minimum P value, extended Simes procedure, truncated tail strength, and truncated P value product. Extensive simulations point to correct type I error rates of all tests and show that the two truncated tests are more powerful than the other tests in cases of markers involved in the underlying interaction not being directly genotyped and in cases of multiple underlying interactions. We applied our tests to pairs of genes that exhibit a protein–protein interaction to test for gene-level interactions underlying lipid levels using genotype data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. We identified five novel interactions that are not evident from marker-based interaction testing and successfully replicated one of these interactions, between SMAD3 and NEDD9, in an independent sample from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. We conclude that our GGG tests show improved power to identify gene-level interactions in existing, as well as emerging, association studies.
Diffraction Measurements at Ultra-High Frequencies

Ultra-high-frequency field strengths are difficult to predict theoretically because of the inability to separate the effects of diffraction, reflection, and refraction on the measured field. A successful attempt was made to measure the diffraction effect alone. Measurements were made on the diffraction pattern set up by a knife-edge since this simple case lends itself to easy calculation. A natural knife-edge, consisting of a ridge on a peninsula on the Atlantic coast near Bar Harbor, Maine, was utilized, measurements being made on 55 and 110 megacycles. The diffraction was less for the higher frequency, as expected, and the field-strength patterns were fairly well predicted by the simple theory. It was found that horizontally polarized waves were diffracted more than vertically polarized waves over the horizontal knife-edge.
Interplay of molecular and specimen length scales in the large deformation mechanical behavior of polystyrene nanofibers

Abstract Bulk polystyrene (PS) undergoes craze-assisted brittle failure at room temperature. In this work it is shown that the synergistic coupling of the material length scale as defined by macromolecular size, and the specimen size as defined by the nanofiber diameter, can result in extreme ductility and simultaneous strengthening and toughening for fiber diameters at the submicron scale. Combinations of PS fiber diameters between 150 nm and 5000 nm, and molecular weights between 13,000 g/mol and 9,000,000 g/mol provided a spectrum of degrees of molecular confinement, which, for particular pairs of molecular weight and fiber diameter, allowed for large fiber extensions through the process of necking followed by large homogenous deformation controlled by strain hardening. Compared to bulk PS, the combined necking and post-neck strain hardening increased the fiber strength by 350% and the fiber ductility by as much as 4000%. This mechanical response was shown to scale well with the confining parameter D norm , defined as the ratio of the initial fiber diameter ( D 0 ) to the root-mean-square end-to-end distance ( R ee ), with D norm ∼ 18 identified as the threshold for the transition from necking to crazing of PS nanofibers. The large deformation response of PS nanofibers with molecular weights above a threshold value is shown to obey a master true stress vs. normalized strain curve that is independent of molecular weight.
Observation of the reverse ac Josephson effect in Y-Ba-Cu-O at 240 K.

A two-step resistive transition, one beginning at 240 K and the other at 90 K, has been observed in Y-Ba-Cu-O compounds. The superconductivity, possibly in granular form, at both temperatures has been verified by means of the rf-to-dc conversion associated with the ac Josephson effect.
Molecular determinants of colon cancer metastasis

Abstract Colon cancer metastasis is a tightly regulated process that requires a cancer cell to express genes that allow progression through various distinct steps. Aberrations in gene expression by cancer cells leads to transformation, growth, angiogenesis, invasion, dissemination and survival in the circulation, attachment in the organ of metastasis, and again invasion, growth, and angiogenesis. In addition to the genotype/phenotype of the tumor cell, for a tumor cell to become a clinically relevant metastasis, it must be able to respond appropriately to the environment. This includes being able to utilize growth factors and blood vessels from the organ of metastasis for the benefit of the tumor mass. Understanding the molecular and biologic mechanisms of colon cancer metastasis will allow the development of rationale therapeutic strategies that are more likely to impact the natural history of this disease than current therapies.
Processing system for real-time holographic video computation

This paper discusses the Chidi holographic video processing system (called Holo-Chidi) used for real-time computation of Computer Generated Holograms and the subsequent display of the holograms at video frame rates. Chidi is a reconfigurable multimedia processing system designed at the MIT Media Laboratory for real-time synthesis and analysis of multimedia data in general and digital video frames in particular. Holo-Chidi which is an adaptation of Chidi, comprises two main components: the sets of processor cards and the the display interface cards. Each processor card consists of a General Purpose Processor (GPP), a processor to PCl bridge, up to 128MByte DRAM, three SRAM-based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and high bandwidth data transceivers, all resident on a standard PC form-factor card. One of the FPGAs, called the RP (Reprogrammable Processor), is dynamically reconfigurable and enables Chidi to be used as a flexible specialized hardware for use in performing computations on streams of data and for the control of the transmission of the results through a High Speed I/O interface port to the display interface cards. The GPP controls the FPGAs and reconfigures the RP as needed by an application. Data archival/retrieval capability is provided through the PC interface via which the system can download/upload data from/to a host system while real-time input data streams can be received through a FireWire interface whence a camera may be connected. The display interface cards assemble and format data from the multiple processor cards for the display. A nine card Chidi processor system can perform over two billion 8 bit multiplications and two billion 21 bit additions in one second. This throughput is enough to generate a 36MB hologram frame in real time and to display the frame at video rates.
Preliminary examination of an electrochemical process for converting olefins to ketones

Olefins higher than 3-C were converted to ketones using aqueous chloropalladate ion as oxidant. The chloride ion content of the solution was kept at very low levels relative to normal usage to increase significantly the reaction rates of these higher olefins. The reduced palladium was reoxidized electrochemically using the ferric/ferrous couple as the transfer agent. Using cyclopentene as a model compound the ionic strength, the acidity, the concentration of palladium, the means of extracting product and the means of adding olefin were all adjusted as to achieve about 70% current selectivity with minimal palladium inventory. There were indications of even better behaviour with several open chain ketones.
Genetic correlations between six- and seven-week-old broilers.

Abstract The genetic relationship between carcass traits in broiler chickens at 6 and 7 weeks of age was determined. Two-hundred and sixteen male broilers from 42 sires and 108 dams with 2 full sibs/dam were slaughtered at 41 and 48 days of age. One offspring per dam was slaughtered at each age. Means of 41-day-old birds are presented first and 48-day-old birds second: live weights 1435, 1872 g; carcass weights 877, 1200 g; abdominal fat weights 23.4, 41.7 g; percent abdominal fat/live weight 2.04, 2.22; percent abdominal fat/carcass weight 3.30, 3.47. Genetic correlations between weeks were: .58 (live weight), .66 (carcass weight), .48 (abdominal fat), .45 (% abdominal fat/live weight), and .42 (% abdominal fat/carcass weight). Records obtained on 6-week-old full sibs might be useful in a selection program to improve traits in 7-week-old birds.
Synergistic activation of an Mg-specific ATPase activity in chloroplast coupling factor by octylglucoside and tentoxin

Abstract (1) Octylglucoside stimulates an Mg 2+ -specific ATPase activity with CF 1 preparations from different higher plants and the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardii . (2) Tentoxin at high concentrations (10 −4 –10 −3 M) in the presence of octylglucoside further stimulates the Mg 2+ -ATPase activity of CF 1 from tentoxin-sensitive species and inhibits the activity of CF 1 from tentoxin-resistant species. The extent of tentoxin stimulation and inhibition varies among species. A maximal stimulation of over 2-fold was obtained with spinach CF 1 and a maximal inhibition of 50% was obtained with C. reinhardii CF 1 . In Nicotiana spp., tentoxin had only a marginal effect on the Mg 2+ -ATPase activity induced by octylglucoside.
Purine salvage in the apicomplexan Sarcocystis neurona, and generation of hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient clones for positive-negative selection of transgenic parasites

Sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan parasite that causes severe neurological disease in horses and marine mammals. The Apicomplexa are all obligate intracellular parasites that lack purine biosynthesis pathways and rely on the host cell for their purine requirements. Hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HXGPRT) and adenosine kinase (AK) are key enzymes that function in two complementary purine salvage pathways in apicomplexans. Bioinformatic searches of the S. neurona genome revealed genes encoding HXGPRT, AK and all of the major purine salvage enzymes except purine nucleoside phosphorylase. Wild-type S. neurona were able to grow in the presence of mycophenolic acid (MPA) but were inhibited by 6-thioxanthine (6-TX), suggesting that the pathways involving either HXGPRT or AK are functional in this parasite. Prior work with Toxoplasma gondii demonstrated the utility of HXGPRT as a positive-negative selection marker. To enable the use of HXGPRT in S. neurona, the SnHXGPRT gene sequence was determined and a gene-targeting plasmid was transfected into S. neurona. SnHXGPRT-deficient mutants were selected with 6-TX, and single-cell clones were obtained. These Sn∆HXG parasites were susceptible to MPA and could be complemented using the heterologous T. gondii HXGPRT gene. In summary, S. neurona possesses both purine salvage pathways described in apicomplexans, thus allowing the use of HXGPRT as a positive-negative drug selection marker in this parasite.
Nuclear pore complex antigens delineate nuclear envelope dynamics in vegetative and conjugating Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the nucleus undergoes dramatic shape changes during mitosis and mating. We have studied nuclear envelope dynamics during the processes of mitosis and conjugation using nuclear pore complexes as a marker for the nuclear envelope in wild-type cells and several cell-division-cycle (cdc) mutants. Three monoclonal antibodies are described that recognize nuclear pore complex-related antigens in S. cerevisiae. One of these antibodies, RL1, has been extensively characterized by Gerace and colleagues and recognizes nuclear pore complexes in mammalian and amphibian cells. By indirect immunofluorescence of yeast cells, all three antibodies yield a discontinuous nuclear rim stain. All three react with multiple nuclear-enriched proteins in immunoblots, including the nucleoporin protein encoded by the NSP1 gene. When the antibodies were used in immunofluorescence experiments on mating cells, the nuclear pore complex staining pattern proved to be a sensitive indicator of nuclear fusion. Nuclei with closely apposed spindle pole bodies and unfused nuclear envelopes could be readily distinguished. Marked shape changes were observed in nuclei during fusion and segregation of the diploid nucleus into the zygotic bud. In cdc14 and cdc15 mutants that arrest late in mitosis, the elongated nuclear envelope extension that stretches between daughter nuclei during telophase was preserved. In cytokinesis-defective mutants (cdc3, cdc10, cdc11 and cdc12), the elongated nuclear envelope was usually resolved into two daughter nuclei in the absence of cytokinesis. These results indicate that nuclear envelope division is mechanistically distinguishable from chromosome segregation, nucleolar segregation and cytokinesis.
Accuracy of biplane and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis of typical acute aortic dissection and intramural hematoma.

Abstract Objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of biplane and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography in patients with suspected aortic dissection, including intramural hematoma. Background. Transesophageal echocardiography is a useful technique for rapid bedside evaluation of patients with suspected acute aortic dissection. The sensitivity of transesophageal echocardiography is high, but the diagnostic accuracy of biplane and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography for dissection and intramural hematoma is less well defined. Methods. We studied 112 consecutive patients at a major referral center who had undergone biplane or multiplane transesophageal echocardiography to identify aortic dissection. The presence, absence and type of aortic dissection (type A or B, typical dissection or intramural hematoma) were confirmed by operation or autopsy in 60 patients and by other imaging techniques in all. The accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography for ancillary findings of aortic dissection (intimal flap, fenestration and thrombosis) was assessed in the 60 patients with available surgical data. Results. Of the 112 patients, aortic dissection was present in 49 (44%); 10 of these had intramural hematom (5 with and 5 without involvement of the ascending aorta). Of the remaining 63 patients without dissection, 33 (29%) had aortic aneurysm and 30 (27%) had neither dissection nor aneurysm. The overall sensitivity and specificity of transesophageal echocardiography for the presence of dissection were 98% and 95%, respectively. The specificity for type A and type B dissection was 97% and 99%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for intramural hematoma was 90% and 99%, respectively. The accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography for diagnosis of acute significant aortic regurgitation and pericardial tamponade was 100%. Conclusions. Biplane and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography are highly accurate for prospective identification of the presence and site of aortic dissection, its ancillary findings and major complications in a large series of patients with varied aortic pathology, Intramural hematoma carries a high complication rate and should be treated identically with aortic dissection.
A Method for Obtaining and Analyzing Sensitivity Data

Abstract The standard method of dealing with sensitivity of dosage-mortality data is the probit technique developed by Bliss and Fisher. This paper provides an alternative technique based on a special system for obtaining such data. It has some advantages when observations must be taken on individuals rather than groups of individuals, and it may be preferred in certain other situations. * This paper is in part an adaptation of a memorandum submitted to the Applied Mathematics Panel by the Statistical Research Group, Princeton University. The Statistical Research Group operated under a contract with the Office of Scientific Research and Development, and was directed by the Applied Mathematics Panel of the National Defense Research Committee.
Does the effect of a school recess intervention on physical activity vary by gender or race? Results from the ready for recess pilot study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The recess environment in schools has been identified as an integral part of school-based programs to enhance physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to report pilot findings on the extent to which the Ready for Recess intervention was associated with a different amount of increase in moderate to vigorous PA (MPVA) during recess and the rest of the school day between girls and boys, and between nonwhites and whites. METHODS The Ready for Recess intervention modified the recess environment of schools by providing staff training and recreational equipment. The MPVA levels of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students (n = 93) at 2 schools were measured pre- and post-intervention using ActiGraph accelerometers. Multiple regression models with robust variance were utilized to test for the interaction of intervention with gender and race/ethnicity. RESULTS The intervention was associated with an adjusted increase of 4.7 minutes (P <.001) in moderate/vigorous PA during recess. There was no evidence that this effect varied by gender (P = .944) or race (P = .731). The intervention was also associated with an adjusted increase of 29.6 minutes (P < .001) in moderate/vigorous PA during rest of the school day. While this effect did not vary by gender, there was some evidence (P = .034) that nonwhites benefited more from the intervention than whites. CONCLUSION Simple strategies such as staff training and recreational equipment may be an effective way to increase PA in children (despite gender or ethnicity) during recess time as well as during the rest of the school day.
Genetic mapping of 21 genes on mouse chromosome 11 reveals disruptions in linkage conservation with human chromosome 5

We report a high-resolution genetic map of 21 genes on the central region of mouse Chr 11. These genes were mapped by segregation analysis of more than 1650 meioses from three interspecific backcrosses. The order of these genes in mouse was compared to the previously established gene order in human. Eighteen of the 21 genes map to human Chr 5, and 2 of the genes define a proximal border for the region of homology between mouse Chr 11 and human Chr 17. Our results indicate a minimum of four rearrangements within the 10-cM region of synteny homology between mouse Chr 11 and human Chr 5. In addition, the linkage conservation is disrupted by groups of genes that map to mouse Chrs 13 and 18. These data demonstrate that large regions of conserved linkage can contain numerous chromosomal microrearrangements that have occurred since the divergence of mouse and human ancestors. Comparison of the mouse and human maps with data for other species provides an emerging picture of mammalian chromosome evolution.
An Eye Movement Analysis of the Spatial Contiguity Effect in Multimedia Learning.

In three studies, eye movements of participants were recorded while they viewed a single-slide multimedia presentation about how car brakes work. Some of the participants saw an integrated presentation in which each segment of words was presented near its corresponding area of the diagram (integrated group, Experiments 1 and 3) or an integrated presentation that also included additional labels identifying each part (integrated-with-labels group, Experiment 2), whereas others saw a separated presentation in which the words were presented as a paragraph below the diagrams (separated group, Experiments 1 and 2) or as a legend below the diagrams (legend group, Experiment 3). On measures of cognitive processing during learning, the integrated groups made significantly more eye-movements from text to diagram and vice versa (integrative transitions; d = 1.65 in Experiment 1, d = 0.85 in Experiment 2, and d = 1.44 in Experiment 3) and significantly more eye-movements from the text to the corresponding part of the diagram (corresponding transitions; d = 2.02 in Experiment 1 and d = 1.35 in Experiment 3) than the separated groups. On measures of learning outcome the integrated groups significantly outperformed the separated groups on transfer test score in Experiment 1(d = .80) and Experiment 2 (d = .73) but not in Experiment 3 (d = .35). Spatial contiguity encourages more attempts to integrate words and pictures and enables more successful integration of words and pictures during learning, which can result in meaningful learning outcomes.
EFFECTS OF RESPONSE INVOLVEMENT, QUALITY OF ARGUMENTS, AND NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS ON ATTITUDE CHANGE

Previous research has indicated conflicting effects of attitude change by level of involvement, quality of arguments, and number of arguments. The present experiment used a 2 (response involvement)...
Fibromodulin promoted in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis

Fibromodulin (FMOD) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) that plays an important role in cell fate determination. Previous studies revealed that not only is FMOD critical in fetal-type scarless wound healing, but it also promotes adult wound closure and reduces scar formation. In addition, FMOD-deficient mice exhibit significantly reduced blood vessel regeneration in granulation tissues during wound healing. In this study, we investigated the effects of FMOD on angiogenesis, which is an important event in wound healing as well as embryonic development and tumorigenesis. We found that FMOD accelerated human umbilical vein endothelial HUVEC-CS cell adhesion, spreading, actin stress fiber formation, and eventually tube-like structure (TLS) network establishment in vitro. On a molecular level, by increasing expression of collagen I and III, angiopoietin (Ang)-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as reducing the ratio of Ang-1/Ang-2, FMOD provided a favorable network to mobilize quiescent endothelial cells to an angiogenic phenotype. Moreover, we also confirmed that FMOD enhanced angiogenesis in vivo by using an in ovo chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Therefore, our data demonstrate that FMOD is a pro-angiogenic and suggest a potential therapeutic role of FMOD in the treatment of conditions related to impaired angiogenesis.
The volatile compound BinBase mass spectral database

Volatile compounds comprise diverse chemical groups with wide-ranging sources and functions. These compounds originate from major pathways of secondary metabolism in many organisms and play essential roles in chemical ecology in both plant and animal kingdoms. In past decades, sampling methods and instrumentation for the analysis of complex volatile mixtures have improved; however, design and implementation of database tools to process and store the complex datasets have lagged behind. The volatile compound BinBase (vocBinBase) is an automated peak annotation and database system developed for the analysis of GC-TOF-MS data derived from complex volatile mixtures. The vocBinBase DB is an extension of the previously reported metabolite BinBase software developed to track and identify derivatized metabolites. The BinBase algorithm uses deconvoluted spectra and peak metadata (retention index, unique ion, spectral similarity, peak signal-to-noise ratio, and peak purity) from the Leco ChromaTOF software, and annotates peaks using a multi-tiered filtering system with stringent thresholds. The vocBinBase algorithm assigns the identity of compounds existing in the database. Volatile compound assignments are supported by the Adams mass spectral-retention index library, which contains over 2,000 plant-derived volatile compounds. Novel molecules that are not found within vocBinBase are automatically added using strict mass spectral and experimental criteria. Users obtain fully annotated data sheets with quantitative information for all volatile compounds for studies that may consist of thousands of chromatograms. The vocBinBase database may also be queried across different studies, comprising currently 1,537 unique mass spectra generated from 1.7 million deconvoluted mass spectra of 3,435 samples (18 species). Mass spectra with retention indices and volatile profiles are available as free download under the CC-BY agreement ( http://vocbinbase.fiehnlab.ucdavis.edu ). The BinBase database algorithms have been successfully modified to allow for tracking and identification of volatile compounds in complex mixtures. The database is capable of annotating large datasets (hundreds to thousands of samples) and is well-suited for between-study comparisons such as chemotaxonomy investigations. This novel volatile compound database tool is applicable to research fields spanning chemical ecology to human health. The BinBase source code is freely available at http://binbase.sourceforge.net/ under the LGPL 2.0 license agreement.