cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regionalized growth patterns of young chicken corneas

Purpose. Extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, synthesis, and degradation were compared in central and peripheral corneal regions of 3-week-old chicks to identify regional differences within the cornea. Methods. For collagen accumulation experiments, corneas were isolated at the scleral junction, the epithelium was removed, and the central corneal region was isolated from the peripheral region with a 3 mm trephine. After corneal stromas were digested with proteinase K, aliquots were used to estimate total collagen from hydroxyproline and cell number from DNA measurements. For biosynthesis experiments, corneas were placed in organ culture containing either in 3 H-thymidine, 3 H-proline, or 35 SO 4 . After radiolabeling, the epithelium was removed, central and peripheral regions were isolated, and each corneal sample was analyzed for incorporated radioactivity. Gelatinolytic species present in each corneal region were compared qualitatively by gelatin zymography. Results. Measurement of hydroxyproline content indicated that the central corneal stroma contained significantly more collagen per DNA than the peripheral corneal region (+40%, P = 0.013) and incorporated significantly higher levels of 3 H-thymidine/ng DNA (+92%, P < 0.001), 3 H-proline/ng DNA (+980%, P = 0.004), and 35 SO 4 /ng DNA (+650%, P = 0.01) than the peripheral corneal region. Results of gelatin zymography indicated that the central cornea contained the proenzyme form of gelatinase A, whereas the peripheral cornea contained both the proenzyme form and the active form of gelatinase A. Conclusions. Fibroblasts located in the central cornea have a significantly higher rate of proliferation and ECM production than those of the peripheral cornea, whereas the presence of active gelatinase only in the peripheral cornea suggests higher gelatinolytic activity and ECM turnover in the periphery.
A doubly anchored surface micromachined Pirani gauge for vacuum package characterization

This paper presents a surface micromachined Pirani gauge for measuring vacuum pressure inside sealed micro cavities. This thin gap (800nm) SiO/sub 2//Si/sub 3/N/sub 4//SiO/sub 2/ gauge can measure absolute pressure from atmospheric to less than 1mTorr without sophisticated interface electronics by using a reliable software calibration technique. This allows the sensor to be integrated with common vacuum packaging technologies to measure leak rates as low as 10/sup -17/cm/sup 3//s. This represents a 5 order of magnitude improvement over traditional helium leak testing with a substantially reduced cost.
Area Allocation Strategies for Enhancing Yield of R -2 R Ladders

A new strategy for allocating area, at layout, for enhancing the soft yield of R-2R ladders is introduced. In contrast to the conventional and convenient approach of allocating equal area to each R/2R bit-slice, the new strategy allocates progressively larger areas to higher-order bits. With this strategy, the INL yield for a fixed total resistor area as determined by local random variations in the sheet resistance is optimized. Simulation results show that the new area allocation strategy provides significant improvements in INL yield compared to what is achievable with the conventional area allocation strategy.
Rule of Law Profiles in Contemporary Polities

In the last twenty years, the rule of law has undergone a revival in legal, academic, business, military, and development spheres. Yet we lack a clear understanding of the distinct forms the rule of law takes, and how and why they vary across states and over time. This study investigate profiles of rule of law in the 1990s. The analysis of these rule of law measures show a reasonable degree of content validity. Convergence validation procedures reveal that while some profiles converge empirically with existing measures of the rule of law, other profiles discriminate between them. The results imply rule of law is not all of a piece and is likely to take only a handful of fairly predictable forms.
Evidence that the two binding sites for trypsin on chicken ovoinhibitor are not equivalent. Dissociation of the complexes with porcine trypsin.

Abstract Complexes between chicken ovoinhibitor (OI) and porcine trypsin were allowed to dissociate in the presence of the active site titrant, p-nitrophenyl p'-guanidinobenzoate, which reacts extremely rapidly with free active trypsin (T). The rate of the slower, "postburst" reaction with titrant, which is a measure of the rate of dissociation of the complexes, showed a distinct break not observed previously with bovine trypsin (Zahnley, J. C., and Davis, J. G. (1970) Biochemistry 9, 1428–1433). The OI-trypsin complexes dissociate according to the scheme OI-T2 ⇌ OI-T ⇌ OI + T + T With porcine trypsin, rate constants for dissociation of the OI-T2 and OI-T complexes were 7.5 x 10-2 and 4 to 8 x 10-4 s-1, respectively. The OI-T2 complex obtained with porcine trypsin dissociated 6 to 8 times faster than that obtained with bovine trypsin, perhaps reflecting structural differences between the two trypsins. The greater ratio of dissociation rate constants, kd, with porcine trypsin (g 100, against 9 for bovine trypsin) shows clearly that the two binding sites for trypsin on the single polypeptide chain of chicken ovoinhibitor are not equivalent. This appears to be due to intrinsic differences between the two sites, rather than to changes induced by the binding of the first trypsin molecule. An association rate constant, ka, of 8 x 104 m-1 s-1 for formation of the OI-bovine trypsin (1:1) complex was calculated from the inhibition constant (Ki) and the kd. This value of ka is lower than those previously reported for other naturally occurring trypsin inhibitors.
Governmental interventions and household behavior in a developing country: Anticipating the unanticipated consequences of social programs

Abstract Estimates of the joint effects of governmental health, education and family planning programs as well as sources of water on fertility, child mortality and schooling are obtained from combined district-level and household-level data from rural India. The estimates are used both to test the implications of a model of household decision-making and to assess the effectiveness of the joint, public provision of such services in shifting resources from increasing family size to augmenting human capital per person. The results appear consistent with household optimizing behavior and suggest that reductions in the costs of medical services, contraceptives and schooling and the improvement of water sources are mutually reinforcing alternatives for implementing the joint policy goals of reduced population growth and increased human capital formation.
The US Farmland Protection Policy Act

Abstract The states and many local governments in the USA began developing legislation to address the decline of agricultural land almost 25 years before the federal government enacted the Farmland Protection Policy Act in 1980. This tardiness was further extended until 1984, when rules to implement the Act were approved. The total effect was designed to remove the impact of federal projects on farmland conversion to more intense uses. An assessment of the Act's effectiveness reveals that most federal agencies have not seriously adhered to the intent of the legislation. This is attributed to the weak contents of the Act.
Health Tracking for Improved Humanitarian Performance

Presently, there is no shortage of methods for collecting data on populations requiring assistance from humanitarian health interventions. However, utilizing a working group, the authors of this paper have looked at these methods through a critical lens and found that there is need for improvement upon existing systems of data collection and analysis. The authors concluded that efforts to standardize the methods of data collection are needed to achieve universal uniformity, and that more funding should be allocated to analyze the data collected.
Context, Structures and Relationships

The theme of this book is the complementary relationship between privacy and communality. Entities which are complementary, like the two sides of a coin, are merely different manifestations of the same thing: together they constitute an essential unity. To speak of privacy and communality as complements, however, involves more sophistication than simply acknowledging that both are important for the individual or the group. Complements are not opposites, although too often they are treated that way. Complements are mutual contributors to an underlying cause, or to an overall picture, much like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle each of which uniquely contributes to the unitary integrity of the puzzle.
A Comparison Study of Live Instruction versus Interactive Television for Teaching MSW Students Critical Thinking Skills

ObjectiveThe acquisition of critical thinking skills over one semester by distant and campus social work students enrolled in a graduate-level policy course were compared.MethodThe scores of pretes...
Determinants Affecting Physical Activity Levels In Animal Models

Weight control is dependent on energy balance. Reduced energy expenditure (EE) associated with decreased physical activity is suggested to be a major underlying cause in the increasing prevalence of weight gain and obesity. Therefore, a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of physical activity is essential. To facilitate interpretation in humans, it is helpful to consider the evidence from animal studies. This review focuses on animal studies examining the biological determinants influencing activity and potential implications to human. It appears that physical activity is influenced by a number of parameters. However, regardless of the parameter involved, body weight appears to play an underlying role in the regulation of activity. Furthermore, the regulation of activity associated with body weight appears to occur only after the animal achieves a critical weight. This suggests that activity levels are a consequence rather than a contributor to weight control. However, the existence of an inverse weight-activity relationship remains inconclusive. Confounding the results are the multifactorial nature of physical activity and the lack of appropriate measuring devices. Furthermore, many determinants of body weight are closely interlocked, making it difficult to determine whether a single, combination, or interaction of factors is important for the regulation of activity. For example, diet-induced obesity, aging, lesions to the ventral medial hypothalamus, and genetics all produce hypoactivity. Providing a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of activity has important implications for the development of strategies for the prevention of weight gain leading to obesity and subsequent morbidity and mortality in the human population.
Pathogenesis of brain and spinal cord atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

For more than a century, multiple sclerosis was viewed as a disease process characterized by oligodendrocyte and myelin loss, and research into the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis was mainly focused on the mechanisms of inflammation. However, with development of more sophisticated neuroimaging and molecular biology techniques, attention has shifted to new aspects of pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis: axonal loss and neurodegeneration. Evidence is increasing that tissue destruction, primarily axonal loss and neurodegeneration, is a key element in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. In addition, it is now known that brain and spinal cord atrophy begins early in the disease process of multiple sclerosis and advances relentlessly throughout the course of the disease. Cumulative data suggest that axonal loss is the major determinant of progressive neuro logic disability in patients with multiple sclerosis. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with multiple sclerosis for < 5 years indicate brain atrophy and loss of axonal integrity. Neurodegeneration and axonal loss in patients with multiple sclerosis are initially accompanied by a local response from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and some remyelination. However, these repair mechanisms eventually fail, and patients typically develop generalized brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and permanent disability. Although the exact mechanisms underlying central nervous system atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis are largely unknown, evidence exists that atrophy may represent an epiphenomenon related to the effects of dynamic inflammation within the central nervous system, including demyelination, axonal injury, neuronal loss, Wallerian degeneration, and possibly iron deposition. This article summarizes the potential mechanisms involved in central nervous system atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Women as the Paradigmatic Trade Unionists? New Work, New Workers and New Trade Union Strategies in Conservative Britain

The British labor movement has responded to a lengthy period of economic restructuring, state hostility and a consequent decline in union membership and influence, with a wide-ranging strategic reevaluation of the relationship between women and trade unions. It is primarily the nature of the locations in the labor market occupied by women, and not the specific interests or experience that women bring to collective organization or action at work, that has driven British union strategy. As a result, the major strategic union innovation of the past decade has been an enhanced emphasis upon legislation, as both a substitute and a support for trade union action.
Woody Guthrie through film: a selective guide

Film provides an alternative medium for assessing our interpretations of cultural icons. This selective list looks at the film and video sources for information on and interpretations of the life of Woody Guthrie.
The effects of memory set size and information structure on learning and retention

Two experiments examined the effects of memory set size and information structure on learning and retention. Participants learned 48 (small set) or 144 (large set) facts about individuals, and were tested over 48 facts. The test facts included either 4 facts about 12 individuals (12-person condition) or 12 facts about 4 individuals (4-person condition). During learning, there was an advantage for the small-set group in the 4-person condition, but a disadvantage in the 12-person condition. During testing, there was an advantage for the 4-person condition relative to the 12-person condition for the small-set group, even when the conditions were equated in terms of name exposure. The results support a mental model account of memory representation and retrieval.
Bilateral facial agenesia (Treacher Collins Syndrome)

Summary The purpose of this paper is to focus attention on a group of congenital facial anomalies which when assembled present a definite clinical entity. Authors have described various parts of this syndrome with the sincere impression that something new had been added to the literature. Although it is the consensus of many that this is a rare disease, it has been found to be more common than previously believed. This misunderstanding is possibly due to the various names attached to the syndrome. These patients have a normal intelligence and deserve surgical reconstruction.
Genomic characterization of equine Interleukin-4 receptor α-chain (IL4R)

Three overlapping fragments of the equine interleukin-4 receptor alpha chain gene (IL4R) were cloned and sequenced. The resulting 3553 bp cDNA sequence exhibited homology to human, murine and bovine IL4R. The equine IL4R exhibits many conserved features when compared to other species, including intron-exon boundary positions and amino acid sequence motifs characteristic of type I cytokine receptors. The IL4R gene was localized to horse chromosome ECA13 by synteny mapping on a somatic cell hybrid panel. Evidence for an alternative splice variant of IL4R was found in the genomic sequence and subsequently verified using RT-PCR on equine monocyte RNA. A polymorphism screen of the largest exon, homologous to exon 12 of the human IL4R gene, was performed using DNA from 60 horses of various breeds which yielded 11 coding-region single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 7 synonymous and 4 non-synonymous. Three of the four non-synonymous SNPs occur at high frequencies and are found very near a conserved tyrosine residue.
The Mn2(CO)10 catalyzed hydrogenation and hydroformylation of olefins

Abstract Mn2(CO)10 catalyze the homogeneous hydrogenation of 1- and 2-octene. In the presence of carbon monoxide and hydrogen at temperatures up to 235°, it is also a homogeneous hydroformylation catalyst. Cyclohexene yields the expected product, cyclohexylmethanol, at 235°, but at 200° the major product is cyclohexylmethyl formate.
CONSENSUS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES: A SURVEY OF REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND ECONOMISTS

The objective of this paper is to explore the distribution of opinion , and level of consensus among Republicans, Democrats, and economists on a number of specific economic propositions. The paper is based on a survey of Republican and Democrat national delegates and economists conducted in 2000. The survey instrument consists of 44 economic propositions, of which 26 are similar to those of a previous survey of political delegates and economists conducted in 1992. For these 26 propositions, we explore changes in the distribution of opinion over time.
Protective immunity induced by daily bites from irradiated mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium yoelii

Individuals in malaria endemic regions do not develop fully protective immune responses against Plasmodium liver stage infections. In high transmission areas, individuals can be exposed to more than two infective mosquito bites daily. Their exposure to Plasmodium sporozoites, therefore, is in the form of small and frequent doses. This is very different from individuals studied in controlled immunization trials where the delivery of large numbers of radiation-attenuated sporozoites in a limited number of doses can induce sterile protective immunity. Using irradiated mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL, we tested whether daily bites from a few mosquitoes can induce a protective immune response in mice. This immunization strategy successfully induced a protective response, preventing the development of liver stages when mice were challenged with non-irradiated sporozoites. These results provide further support for the development of liver stage vaccines. They are also a call for further study into why fully protective responses against the liver stage are not seen in individuals from endemic regions.
Geometric considerations in the calculation of relative free energies of activation

Abstract A method that locates transition state structures between homologous reactions and, with the use of the thermodynamic cycle-perturbation technique, determines the relative free energy of activation between the transition states is presented. A simple model system which displays the problem of finding condensed phase transition states is used to illustrate the method.
Live birth after ovarian tissue transplant.

Fresh pieces of monkey ovary remain fully functional even when moved to a new site. Radiation and high-dose chemotherapy may render women with cancer prematurely sterile, a side-effect that would be avoided if ovarian tissue that had been removed before treatment could be made to function afterwards. Live offspring have been produced from transplanted ovarian tissue in mice1 and sheep2 but not in monkeys3 or humans4,5, although sex steroid hormones are still secreted. Here we describe the successful transplantation of fresh ovarian tissue to a different site in a monkey, which has led to the birth of a healthy female after oocyte production, fertilization and transfer to a surrogate mother. The ectopically grafted tissue functions without surgical connection to major blood vessels and sets the stage for the transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in humans.
Application of bernstein polynomials and interpolation theory to linear array synthesis

This paper describes some new methods of synthesizing linear antenna arrays. The methods are developed from a re-examination of the well-known Bernstein polynomials and of the classical theories on approximation and interpolation. Both the ordinary and the trigonometric interpolations are considered. With these methods, one is able to synthesize an array such that 1) an upper bound of the errors between the specified and synthesized patterns can be estimated, 2) either the maximum deviation or the mean-square error can be made to be minimum if the total number of elements in the array is prechosen, or 3) a least required number of elements can be determined if the error specifications are given.
Perceived vibration and the loudness of low-frequency tones

Vibration and low-frequency tones were scaled for loudness by two numerical estimation procedures and by cross-modality matching. The same ranges of frequencies, from 30 to 250 Hz, were delivered to the ear and to the fingertip. For vibratory loudness, two sets of power functions were obtained, of which the low-frequency set was somewhat steeper. Tonal loudness gave a family of power functions of approximately the same slope at all the frequencies tested. For frequencies above 100 Hz, the growth of loudness is about the same for both modalities. Below this frequency, vibratory loudness grows more rapidly than tonal loudness.
Statewide Physical Fitness Testing: Perspectives From the Gym

This paper provides observations of physical fitness testing in Texas schools and physical education teachers' insights about largescale testing using the FITNESSGRAM® assessment (Cooper Institute, 2007) as mandated by Texas Senate Bill 530. In the first study, undergraduate and graduate students who were trained to observe and assess student fitness testing in grades 3 through 12 provided observations. In the second study, physical education teachers responded to selected interview questions during a focus group discussion. From the observations and responses, specific themes emerged related to teachers' knowledge and training about conducting fitness testing and managing data, students' knowledge and motivation, support and resources for conducting fitness assessments, and complexity of the fitness situation.
Microstructure and giant magnetoresistance in granular and multilayer magnetic thin films

Abstract The microstructure and magnetic properties of phase-separated (FeAg, CoAg) granular and multilayer Permalloy (Py)/Au magnetic thin films exhibiting giant magnetoresistance (GMR) havebeen investigated. Surprisingly, two Fe-Ag films of similar composition grown under identicalconditions and having substantially different microstructures yet display similar GMR. The microstructure of these films is characterized by Fe-rich or Co-rich regions respectively, 350–700 nm in extent and surrounded by a Ag-rich matrix. Within the Ag-rich regions, the Fe concentration varies from 20 to 25 atomic % and the Co concentration is ~16 at%. Within these regions essentially pure fcc Co particles and bcc Fe particles are in parallel and rotated epitaxial alignment respectively with the fcc Ag matrix. The Co and Fe particles are ~15 to 25A in diameter. It is these small particles which account for the GMR exhibited by these alloys. This suggests that a size distribution of magnetic particles, sharply peaked at the optimum size with limited bulk segregation might give rise to larger GMR values. On the other hand, high resolution electron microscopy (HREM) analysis of as-grown permalloy (Py)/Au multilayers in (111) orientation revealed that the Au and Py layers have sharp interfaces with defects such as twin boundaries and misfit dislocations. The density of twin boundaries decreases from the Pt-seed layer to the top surface of the multilayer. An average of 1 twin boundary/195 nm 2 has been observed. On mild annealing, the twin density decreases and the multilayer interfaces become rough. The magnetoresistance of the as-grown Py/Au multilayer decreased from 11% to 8% on annealing at 250 °C for 40 minutes. From the measured roughness and total thickness of Au layers it was found that Au preferentially intermixes with Py, which reduces the magnitude of GMR.
Acetylcholinesterase-positive innervation in cochleas from two strains of shaker-1 mice.

Abstract Shaker-1 is a recessive gene mutation on chromosome 7 in mice, causing both deafness and neurosensory degeneration in the inner ear. A failure of efferent innervation to the outer hair cells is being implicated in the cause of deafness (Green, 1981). To investigate the efferent innervation, we examined the cochleas of two strains of shaker-1 mutants: SH1/Le (25 and 45 days old) and FS/Ei (28 and 68 days old), using enzymatic staining of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) for the light and electron microscopes, and also by measuring the activities of AChE and of AChE molecular forms. The enzyme levels in the SH1/Le and FS/Ei homozygotes (sh-1/sh-1) were within the range of those in SH1/Le heterozygotes (+ /sh-1) and in normal mouse strains (C3H / HeJ, 129/SvJ, ICR). The picture of AChE-positive innervation in both strains differed. In the SH1/Le mutants at 25 days, the innervation appeared normal, but by 45 days it showed a marked atrophy. In the FS/Ei mutants, the degeneration was already evident by the 28th day. In the younger animals of both mutants, large differentiated vesiculated nerve endings were ultrastructurally detected in synaptic contact with outer hair cells. The preservation of AChE activity and of the expression of AChE molecular forms up to 68 days indicate that the shaker-1 cochlea may initially possess a normal input of AChE-positive efferent innervation. The late onset and the slow course of the degeneration of AChE-positive innervation seen in the SH1/Le mutants suggest that the loss of efferent endings may be, contrary to previous suggestions, the consequence rather than the cause of the shaker-1 pathology.
Labor market dimensions as predictors of the reenlistment decisions of military personnel.

Labor market variables (e.g., unemployment statistics) and perceptual measures of employment opportunity (e.g., perceived occupational demand) were used to predict the reenlistment decisions of 402 U.S. Air Force enlistees. With logistic regression analysis, 3 significant predictors of reenlistment were isolated. A combination of perceptual and objective job availability measures provided the best prediction of the reenlistment criterion.
Seasonal Occurrence of the Ectoparasite Gyrodactylus atratuli on Spotfin Shiners

Abstract Gyrodactylus atratuli (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae) is an ectoparasite of spotfin shiners (Notropis spilopterus) in two piedmont streams of southeastern Pennsylvania. This is a new host record for this parasite. Densities of G. atratuli on spotfin shiners were highest during months when the fish schooled and water temperatures were below 15 C, and least in summer, when the fish were dispersed and water temperatures were above 15 C. The inverse relationship between temperature and parasite density was corroborated by 2-week laboratory studies in which infected fish retained more G. atratuli at 8 C than at 15 or 24 C. Most G. atratuli attached to the fins, especially caudal and pectoral fins, but in warmer months, when parasite loads were low, the proportion attached to gills increased.
Image-Guided Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: Treating a Moving Target

Prostate motion during external-beam radiotherapy can affect outcomes in patients with localized prostate cancer. Prostate motion and deformation are currently being characterized with different techniques. There is significant individual variation among patients with respect to the observed motion and its dosimetric consequences. There is also significant difference in the accuracy of different localization methods currently used to adjust for prostate motion. The motion of the prostate gland can itself affect the accuracy of different localization methods. The dosimetric impact on target areas and organs at risk should be studied for different localization techniques, treatment plan margins, and treatment schedules. Such assessments will be increasingly important with smaller treatment margins, smaller fraction numbers, and higher radiation doses. Understanding and managing the consequences of anatomic variations within the lower pelvis should be a priority in designing and implementing future clinical trials.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein is a body fluid biomarker for glial pathology in human disease

This review on the role of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as a biomarker for astroglial pathology in neurological diseases provides background to protein synthesis, assembly, function and degeneration. Qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques for the investigation of human tissue and biological fluid samples are discussed including partial lack of parallelism and multiplexing capabilities. Pathological implications are reviewed in view of immunocytochemical, cell-culture and genetic findings. Particular emphasis is given to neurodegeneration related to autoimmune astrocytopathies and to genetic gain of function mutations. The current literature on body fluid levels of GFAP in human disease is summarised and illustrated by disease specific meta-analyses. In addition to the role of GFAP as a diagnostic biomarker for chronic disease, there are important data on the prognostic value for acute conditions. The published evidence permits to classify the dominant GFAP signatures in biological fluids. This classification may serve as a template for supporting diagnostic criteria of autoimmune astrocytopathies, monitoring disease progression in toxic gain of function mutations, clinical treatment trials (secondary outcome and toxicity biomarker) and provide prognostic information in neurocritical care if used within well defined time-frames.
Response—Energy Strategies and Efficiency

Briggs argues that energy strategies should not focus exclusively on efficiency. We agree and explicitly state a wide range of criteria in our Report. Briggs also argues that biomass should be dedicated to liquid fuel production to allow for a complete transition away from fossil fuels, whereas
New products with a symmetric AIDS expenditure function

Abstract We study a symmetric AIDS expenditure function that allows for variation in the range of goods. Solving for the reservation prices for goods not available, a convenient form for the expenditure function is obtained. This functional form should prove useful in monopolistic competition models were the range of products changes due to entry and exit.
The electronic structure of peracids. Functional models for cytochrome p-450

Abstract An extensive set of ground state ab initio and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations has been performed on both peroxytrifluoroacetic and peroxyacetic acids. The equilibrium geometry of peroxyacetic acid was calculated with the STO-3G and MINDO/3 methods, and peroxide rotational barriers for both peracids were obtained with STO-3G and PCILO. Extended basis set calculations with the 6-31G ** basis were performed for both peracids to compare the electronic structures of these two compounds. Electrostatic potential maps in the region of the peroxide bonds of both peracids were also calculated using INDO wavefunetions. These results are discussed with respect to the enhanced reactivity of peroxytrifluoracetic acid relative to peroxyacetic acid and the nature of the oxygen electrophilicity in these compounds and by analogy in cytochrome P-450, for which peroxytrifluoroacetic acid is considered to be an effective chemical model.
Soil heat storage measurements in energy balance studies

Energy balance studies require knowledge of the heat flux at the soil surface. This flux is determined by summing the heat flux at a reference depth (z r ) some centimeters below the surface and the rate of change of heat storage in the soil above z r . The rate of change of heat storage, or heat storage for short (ΔS), is calculated from soil volumetric heat capacity (C) and temperature. The objectives of this study were to determine how choices regarding z r , C measurements, and AS calculations all affect the accuracy of ΔS data. Heat transfer theory and data from three field sites were used toward these ends. In some studies, shallow reference depths have been used and ΔS neglected. Our results indicate that when z r is sufficiently deep to permit accurate heat flux measurements, AS is too large to neglect. Three methods for determining C were evaluated: soil sampling, the Theta-Probe soil moisture sensor, and beat pulse sensors. When C was determined using all three methods simultaneously, the estimates agreed to within 6% on average; however, the temporal variability of C was best recorded with the automated heat pulse sensors. Three approaches for calculating AS were also tested. The common approach of letting C vary in time but neglecting its time derivative caused errors when soil water content was changing. These errors exceeded 200 W m 2 in some cases. The simple approach of assuming a constant C performed similarly. We introduce a third approach that accounts for the time derivative of C and yields the most accurate ΔS data.
Self-affine time series: measures of weak and strong persistence

Abstract In this paper, we examine self-affine time series and their persistence. Time series are defined to be self-affine if their power-spectral density scales as a power of their frequency. Persistence can be classified in terms of range, short or long range, and in terms of strength, weak or strong. Self-affine time series are scale-invariant, thus they always exhibit long-range persistence. Synthetic self-affine time series are generated using the Fourier power-spectral method. We generate fractional Gaussian noises (fGns), −1⩽β⩽1, where β is the power-spectral exponent. These are summed to give fractional Brownian motions (fBms), 1⩽β⩽3, where the series are self-affine fractals with fractal dimension 1⩽D⩽2; β=2 is a Brownian motion. With β>1, the time series are non-stationary and moments of the time series depend upon its length; with β 1 to have strong persistence and with β
Diabetes Mellitus and the Risk of Prostate Cancer

Background: Little is known about etiologic factors for prostate cancer. Several studies have suggested a protective effect of diabetes mellitus on the risk of prostate cancer, though a study by our group has found an elevated risk of prostate cancer following ischemic heart disease.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of diabetes mellitus with prostate cancer in the same setting in which we had found an elevated risk following ischemic heart disease. Our study differed from prior studies in utilizing a multi-racial population. Another purpose was to investigate stage-specific effects.Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study in our University Medical Center in New York City. Cases were patients with prostate cancer seen at our Medical Center between January 1, 1984 and December 31, 1986. All cases were histologically diagnosed and had undergone a biopsy or surgical procedure at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC). The controls were patients who und...
Imaginary-frequency interior modes of black holes

Perturbations of black holes (Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordstrom and Kerr) can be treated by simple radial wave equations. It is shown that the massless scalar radial equation is a form of the spin-weighted spheroidal wave equation. The region in r corresponding to the usual angular argument (cos$\theta$, $\theta$ real) for such functions is the black hole interior, $r\in(r\_-,r\_+)$ where $r\_-,r\_+$ are the inner and outer horizon radii respectively. We restrict ourselves to axisymmetric scalar waves. (Because of the spherical symmetry this is no restriction in the Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordstrom backgrounds, but it is a physical restriction in the Kerr background.) In these cases the spin-weighted spheroidal harmonics correspond to imaginary-frequency waves, i.e. to exponentially growing or decaying waves that fall inward across the outer horizon r$\_+$ and are converted to waves moving in the opposite direction as they cross the r$\_-$-horizon (r is a timelike coordinate when $r\in(r\_-,r\_+)$). These modes are exactly analogous to the external quasi-normal modes of the black hole. There is always one zero-frequency mode, and l non-zero imaginary-frequency modes. Here l is the angular momentum eigen-number associated with the angular decomposition.
Of snowflakes and natural killer cell subsets

Mass cytometric analysis reveals a remarkable and unanticipated degree of phenotypic heterogeneity among human peripheral blood natural killer cells.
Correlation-adjusted estimation of sensitivity and specificity of two diagnostic tests

Summary. Models for multiple-test screening data generally require the assumption that the tests are independent conditional on disease state. This assumption may be unreasonable, especially when the biological basis of the tests is the same. We propose a model that allows for correlation between two diagnostic test results. Since models that incorporate test correlation involve more parameters than can be estimated with the available data, posterior inferences will depend more heavily on prior distributions, even with large sample sizes. If we have reasonably accurate information about one of the two screening tests (perhaps the standard currently used test) or the prevalences of the populations tested, accurate inferences about all the parameters, including the test correlation, are possible. We present a model for evaluating dependent diagnostic tests and analyse real and simulated data sets. Our analysis shows that, when the tests are correlated, a model that assumes conditional independence can perform very poorly. We recommend that, if the tests are only moderately accurate and measure the same biological responses, researchers use the dependence model for their analyses.
Developmental and molecular biology of switching in Candida albicans

Candida albicans and related species switch frequently and reversibly between a number of general phenotypes usually discriminated by colony morphology and in some cases by cellular morphology. Switching has been demonstrated to affect a number of physiologic and architectural characteristics of single cells including most of the putative virulence factors of C.albicans. In the past few years, we have cloned several genes regulated by switching in the white-opaque transition of C.albicans strain WO-1. Two of the genes, PEP1 and Op4, are transcribed only in the opaque phase, and one of the genes, Wh11, is transcribed only in the white phase. These coordinately regulated genes are unlinked in the genome and do not undergo sequence reorganization in switching. With the identification of a cis-acting regulatory sequence in the five-prime flanking sequence of Wh11, we now believe that phase-specific genes are regulated by transacting factors and that these factors may be coded for or under the direct regulation of a single master regulatory gene at which site the basic switch event occurs.
Effects of intra-accumbens infusions of amphetamine or cis-flupenthixol on sustained attention performance in rats.

Attentional abilities, as reflected by performance in sustained, selective, or divided attention tasks, have been extensively demonstrated to depend on the integrity of cortical cholinergic inputs and their basal forebrain afferent circuits. As nucleus accumbens (NAC) efferent projections have been hypothesized to modulate the excitability of basal forebrain corticopetal projections, the effects of drug-induced modulation of NAC dopaminergic transmission on sustained attention performance in rats were assessed. Unexpectedly, bilateral infusions of amphetamine (AMPH; 0, 3.0, 10.0, 30.0 μg/μl/hemisphere) into the shell region of the NAC did not affect sustained attention performance. In contrast, microinjections of the non-selective dopamine (DA) receptor antagonist cis-flupenthixol (FLU; 0, 3.0, 10.0, 25.0 μg/μl/hemisphere) into the NAC of a separate group of animals impaired the detection of both signals and non-signals, as reflected by decreases in the relative numbers of hits and correct rejections. As the effects of neither AMPH nor FLU followed the predictions made on the basis of current hypotheses about the modulation of basal forebrain neuronal activity by NAC DA, the present results challenge such hypotheses and indicate that the conditions which implicate NAC DA in attentional performance remain unsettled.
Analysis of insulin-like growth factors (IGF)-I, and -II, type II IGF receptor and IGF-binding protein-2 mRNA and peptide levels in normal and nephrectomized rat kidney

Analysis of insulin-like growth factors (IGF)-I, and -II, type II IGF receptor and IGF-binding protein-2 mRNA and peptide levels in normal and nephrectomized rat kidney. Immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and radioimmunoassay were employed to examine the cellular distribution of mRNAs and proteins for IGF-I, II, IGF-II/M6P receptor, IGFBP2 as well as the levels of IGF-I and II in normal and unilaterally nephrectomized (Nx) adult rat kidneys. A similar distribution of immunoreactive IGF-I, and -II as well as IGF-II/M6P receptor was found in the principal cells of the cortical collecting duct and in all cells of the inner medullary collecting duct. In addition, immunostainable IGF-I and IGF-II/M6P receptor were noted in some inner medullary loops of Henle, while IGFBP2 was seen in the collecting ducts and loops of Henle of the inner medulla and the renal vasculature of all animals. By comparison, in situ hybridization revealed IGF-I mRNA only in the medullary thick ascending limbs while IGF-II mRNA was localized to the wall of the renal microvasculature in all kidneys. IGFBP2 mRNA was localized to the renal corpuscle and to inner medullary interstitial cells of all kidneys. These data suggest that renal IGF-I and IGFBP2 are synthesized at upstream sites along the nephron and then transported downstream for interaction with IGF receptors. Following nephrectomy, the renal levels of IGF-I peptide and mRNA were elevated at both 5 and 33 days post-nephrectomy, supporting a potential functional role for IGF-I in stimulating the structural and functional recovery in compensatory hypertrophy.
MODIS aerosol retrieval over urban areas

Determination of aerosol optical depth from satellite remote sensing measurements is extremely complex due to the large variability of aerosol optical properties. Significant simplification occurs when measurements are taken over water since the ocean reflection signal can be taken as negligible in the NIR.. Unfortunately, over land, most of the signal can be attributed to ground reflectance. While conventional approaches look for "dark" pixels in an image to isolate aerosols, these pixels are subjected to increased noise. In this paper, we focus on the feasibility of the MODIS sensor to determine aerosol optical depth. In particular, an intercomparison between MODIS and CIMEL shows a significant trend for MODIS to overestimate optical depth. We show that this may be explained through an inaccurate assumption on the correlation between the VIS and NIR surface albedos. In particular, we show through an analysis of hyperspectral high resolution Hyperion data that the correlation coefficient assumption underestimates ground albedo resulting in an overestimate of the VIS optical depth. Preliminary radiative transfer calculations show that this mechanism can help explain the observed overestimation.
Visual Scanning with or without Spatial Uncertainty and Time-Sharing Performance:

An experiment is reported that examines the pattern of task interference between visual scanning as a sequential and selective attention process and other concurrent spatial or verbal processing tasks. A distinction is proposed between visual scanning with or without spatial uncertainty regarding the possible differential effects of these two types of scanning on interference with other concurrent processes. The experiment required the subject to perform a simulated primary tracking task, which was time-shared with a secondary spatial or verbal decision task. The relevant information that was needed to perform the decision tasks were displayed with or without spatial uncertainty. The experiment employed a 2 x 2 x 2 design with types of scanning (with or without spatial uncertainty), expected scanning distance (low/high), and codes of concurrent processing (spatial/verbal) as the three experimental factors. The results provide strong evidence that visual scanning as a spatial exploratory activity produces greater task interference with concurrent spatial tasks than with concurrent verbal tasks. Furthermore, spatial uncertainty in visual scanning is identified to be the crucial factor in producing this differential effect.
Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases from Arabidopsis thaliana: Cloning of AtUBP5 and Analysis of Substrate Specificity of AtUBP3, AtUBP4, and AtUBP5 Using Escherichia coli in Vivo and in Vitro Assays

Abstract A cDNA for a new ubiquitin-specific protease (UBP), AtUBP5, was identified from Arabidopsis thaliana flower mRNA using an oligonucleotide made against the conserved UBP cysteine (Cys) box. The 924-amino-acid AtUBP5 contains the regions characteristic of all UBPs and has 35% identity and 53% similarity overall to a mammalian UBP (Unp), resulting from additional significant similarity outside these regions. AtUBP5 has 48% identity and 58% similarity overall to two uncharacterized Arabidopsis genomic sequences but is distinct outside the UBP conserved regions from two other previously published Arabidopsis UBPs, AtUBP3 and -4. Using in vivo Escherichia coli assays, which allow co-expression of GSTAtUBPs and substrates, we show that all three UBPs were active. AtUBP5 was active without 311 amino acids N-terminal to the active site cysteine, or without 233 nonconserved amino acids between the Cys and His boxes, or without both, indicating the core region was sufficient. In in vivo and in vitro assays, GSTAtUBP3, -4, and -5 exhibited preference for specific Ub–Ub linkages, suggesting accessibility and/or conformation is important and demonstrating that these enzymes cleave post-translationally. A chimeric UBP consisting of the AtUBP5 Cys box with AtUBP3 amino acids was active and exhibited AtUBP3 specificity, indicating that the modular nature of UBPs and specificity for cleavage sites is not determined by the Cys box.
Ischemia-reperfusion injury in transplantation: novel mechanisms and protective strategies

Abstract Solid organ transplantation remains the treatment of choice for many patients with end-stage organ failure. Because of the significant donor organ shortage, many transplant centers are using deceased donor allografts that are considered "marginal" and would have otherwise been discarded in previous years. In some instances, the use of these marginal grafts has resulted in inferior outcomes after transplantation. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains an important cause of organ dysfunction and allograft survival after transplantation. Despite many years of investigative research, there remains no standard treatment for IRI after solid organ transplantation. With the increased use of marginal allografts, there is a greater need to protect these organs from IRI, and researchers continue to seek novel mechanisms and strategies to minimize injury after transplantation. This review focuses on the recently identified mechanisms of IRI and novel protective strategies being studied to minimize IRI after transplantation.
Representations of metaplectic groups II: Hecke algebra correspondences

Let k be a p-adic field with p odd. Let V + and V − be two quadratic spaces of dimension 2n+1, trivial discriminant, and trivial and non-trivial Hasse invariants, respectively. Then SO(V +) is a split, adjoint group of type Bn, while SO(V ) is its unique non-split inner form. Let S denote the category of smooth representations of SO(V ), and S 0 the component (in the sense of Bernstein [Be]) of S containing the trivial representation of SO(V ).