cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory effects of various antibrowning agents on apple slices

A comprehensive study to evaluate the relative antibrowning activity of 36 known compounds was conducted. Five chemical groups, including carboxylic acids, ascorbic acid derivatives, sulfur containing amino acids, phenolic acids and other miscellaneous compounds, were tested on apple slices under the same conditions. Among the compounds tested, oxalic acid, oxalacetic acid, ascorbic acid-2-phosphate, cysteine, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, kojic acid and 4-hexyl resorcinol belonged to a group that showed the highest inhibitory activity on apple browning. The minimal concentrations of oxalacetic acid, oxalic acid, cysteine and kojic acid, for an effective antibrowning activity, were 0.25, 0.05, 0.05 and 0.05%, respectively. Oxalic acid showed a synergistic effect when 0.02% oxalic acid was used with 1% ascorbic acid or its derivatives.
Molecular cloning of the SUF2 frameshift suppressor gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A genetic approach to the molecular cloning of frameshift suppressor genes from yeast is described. These suppressors act by suppressing +1 G:C base-pair insertion mutations in glycine or proline codons. The cloning regimen involves an indirect screen for yeast transformants which harbor a functional suppressor gene inserted into the autonomously replicating "shuttle" vector YEp13, followed by transfer of the hybrid plasmid from yeast into Escherichia coli. Using this procedure a 10.7-kb DNA fragment carrying the SUF2 frameshift suppressor gene has been isolated. This suppressor acts specifically on +1 G:C insertions in proline codons. When inserted into an integrative vehicle and reintroduced into yeast by transformation, this fragment integrates by homologous recombination in the region of the SUF2 locus on chromosome III. A large proportion of the fragment overlaps with another cloned DNA segment which carries the closely linked CDC10 gene. The SUF2 fragment carries at least two tRNA genes. The SUF2 gene and one of the tRNA genes are located on a 0.85-kb restriction fragment within the 10.7-kb segment. A method is also described for the isolation of DNA fragments carrying alternative alleles of the SUF2 locus. Using this procedure, the wild-type suf2+ allele has been cloned.
Domain adaptation bounds for multiple expert systems under concept drift

The ability to learn incrementally from streaming data - either in an online or batch setting - is of crucial importance for a prediction algorithm to learn from environments that generate vast amounts of data, where it is impractical or simply unfeasible to store all historical data. On the other hand, learning from streaming data becomes increasingly difficult when the probability distribution generating the data stream evolves over time, which renders the classification model generated from previously seen data suboptimal or potentially useless. Ensemble systems that employ multiple classifiers may be used to mitigate this effect, but even in such cases some classifiers (experts) become less knowledgeable for predicting on different domains than others as the distribution drifts. Further complication results when labeled data from a prediction (target) domain is not immediately available; hence, causing prediction on the target domain to yield sub-optimal results. In this work, we provide upper bounds on the loss, which hold with high probability, of a multiple expert system trained in such a nonstationary environment with verification latency. Furthermore, we show why a single model selection strategy can lead to undesirable results when learning in such nonstationary streaming settings. We present our analytical results with experiments on simulated as well as real-world data sets, comparing several different ensemble approaches to a single model.
Comparative Epigenomic Analysis of Murine and Human Adipogenesis

We report the generation and comparative analysis of genome-wide chromatin state maps, PPARγ and CTCF localization maps, and gene expression profiles from murine and human models of adipogenesis. The data provide high-resolution views of chromatin remodeling during cellular differentiation and allow identification of thousands of putative preadipocyte- and adipocyte-specific cis-regulatory elements based on dynamic chromatin signatures. We find that the specific locations of most such elements differ between the two models, including at orthologous loci with similar expression patterns. Based on sequence analysis and reporter assays, we show that these differences are determined, in part, by evolutionary turnover of transcription factor motifs in the genome sequences and that this turnover may be facilitated by the presence of multiple distal regulatory elements at adipogenesis-dependent loci. We also utilize the close relationship between open chromatin marks and transcription factor motifs to identify and validate PLZF and SRF as regulators of adipogenesis.
A model of the effects of irradiation on bacterial ability to support phage growth

It is pointed out that within a phage-infected bacterium there may be several types of entities which can permit such a cell to produce plaques when plated before infection. From the equation giving the survival of the cell as a plaque-producing entity it is shown that actual survival curves will depend markedly on the relative radiosensitivity of the various entities. Survival curves in the literature are examined and interpreted as relealing the existence of several phage-reproducing factors, in unactivated form, in the cell before infection. The following model is shown to be consistent with all the data examined. After infection, the phage and bacterium undergo modifications lasting about onethird of the latent period. After this time replication begins with the aid of the phage-reproducing factors which are successively activated until all are in production; this takes until the end of the first half of the latent period. After this time the pattern of survival curves depends on the relative radiosensitivity of the phage-reproducing factors and the phages which begin to appear at about two-thirds of the latent period.
Orphanin FQ and behavioral sensitization to cocaine.

Abstract The recently identified endogenous ligand for the ORL-1 (opioid receptor-like) receptor, orphanin FQ, has been shown to induce hypolocomotion and to decrease extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens (N.Acc) after intraventricular (ICV) administration. This study investigated the effect of intraventral tegmental area (VTA) administration of orphanin FQ on the hyperlocomotor effects of peripheral cocaine administration and on the development of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. The administration of cocaine (40 mg/kg IP) once daily for 3 days to male Sprague–Dawley rats resulted in an enhanced locomotor response to a subsequent challenge of cocaine (10 mg/kg IP) 5 days later. The bilateral administration of orphanin FQ (10 μg/side or 30 μg/side) into the VTA 5–10 min prior to the administration of cocaine (40 mg/kg IP) produced a transient (15–30 min) decrease in the hyperlocomotor response to cocaine on day 1 but not on days 2 and 3 of the sensitization paradigm. Such orphanin FQ pretreatment on days 1–3 had no effect on the development of a sensitized response to cocaine (10 mg/kg IP) 5–7 days after the last orphanin FQ injection. However, repeated intra-VTA administration of orphanin FQ (30 μg/side) alone for 3 days resulted in a sensitized response to a single dose of cocaine (10 mg/kg IP) given 5–7 days later. These results indicate that orphanin FQ decreases the activity of mesolimbic dopamine neurons via an action in the VTA, an effect that is both transient and demonstrates rapid tolerance, and consequently, is insufficient to prevent the development of cocaine sensitization. The ability of the peptide to induce cocaine sensitization when administered alone despite its acute inhibitory effects is unique and requires further study to elucidate the mechanisms responsible.
The Stalled Recovery of the Iraqi Marshes

The Iraqi (Mesopotamian) Marshes, an extensive wetlands system in Iraq, has been heavily impacted by both human and climate forces over the past decades. In the period leading up to the Second Gulf War in 2002, the marshlands were shrinking due to both a policy of draining and water diversion in Iraq and construction of dams upstream on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Following the war through 2006, this trend was reversed as the diversions were removed and active draining stopped. A combination of MODIS and GRACE datasets were used to determine the change in surface water area (SWA) in the marshes, marshland extent and change in mass both upriver in the Tigris and Euphrates watersheds and in the marshlands. Results suggest that the post war dam removal and decreased pumping in 2003 provided only temporary respite for the marshlands (2003–2006 SWA: 1,477 km2 increase (600%), water equivalent depth (WED): +2.0 cm/yr.; 2006–2009: −860 km2 (−41%) WED: −3.9 cm/yr.). Unlike in the period 2003–2006, from 2006 forward the mass variations in the marshes are highly correlated with those in the upper and middle watershed (R = 0.86 and 0.92 respectively), suggesting that any recovery due to that removal is complete, and that all future changes are tied more strongly to any climate changes that will affect recharge in the upper Tigris-Euphrates system. Precipitation changes in the watershed show a reduction of an average of 15% below the 15 yr mean in 2007–2011 This corresponds with published ensemble predictions for the 2071–2099 time period, that suggested similar marshland shrinkage should be expected in that time period.
Treatment of acute neonatal vascular injuries--the utility of multiple interventions.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Vascular injuries in neonates are a rare complication of the varied invasive procedures performed in these small children. Unfortunately there remains a reluctance to repair these injuries early, often because of the relative small size of the affected vessels and the nature of the patient's underlying medical condition. The authors report a consecutive series of patients treated for arterial and venous injuries early in their course using a variety of microsurgical techniques. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of consecutive patients (n = 7) treated over a 2-year period. All had injury as a result of invasive procedures performed in the neonatal period. Both arterial and venous injuries that required some form of intervention were included. Results: Five arterial and two venous injuries were identified. Surgical thrombectomy and microvascular repair was required in two patients. Primary healing occurred despite prolonged (>13 hours) warm ischemia time. Pseudoaneurysms of the brachial artery and radial artery were controlled with surgical ligation, and one patient required bilateral fasciotomies for compartment syndromes related to severe spasm of the common femoral arteries. Phlegmasia cerulea dolens of the lower extremity (n = 2) was treated with leech therapy. All patients healed without tissue loss or functional deficit. Conclusions: A variety of microvascular interventions have application to the treatment of acute vascular injuries in neonates. Early, aggressive use of these techniques can provide effective therapy for these potentially devastating injuries and allow for complete limb recovery without tissue loss.
Koshino-Taylor coefficient in electrical resistivity

At low temperatures the electrical resistivity of simple metals such as potassium has a T/sup 2/ term which is proportional to the concentration of impurities. This behavior was predicted by Koshino and Taylor. We provide an expression for the coefficient of the T/sup 2/ term. It is expressed as a function of the phase shifts of the scattering of the electron by the impurity.
Results from radiating divertor experiments with RMP ELM suppression and mitigation

The range in density and collisionality for which resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) are effective in suppressing edge-localized modes (ELMs) in the presence of a radiating divertor was found to be modest for representative H-mode plasmas in DIII-D. When deuterium and argon gas injection rates were increased during RMP, both the electron collisionality in the pedestal and the maximum electron pressure gradient (∇Pe,MAX) in the pedestal also increased. As ∇Pe,MAX approached values consistent with the peeling–ballooning stability limit, as determined by edge stability analysis, ELMing activity re-emerged. For cases with the same injected neutral beam power, argon accumulation in the main plasma was greater in the RMP ELM-suppressed cases than in comparable non-RMP ELMing H-mode cases. Reductions in the core concentration of injected argon were observed for both RMP and non-RMP H-mode cases when their respective deuterium injection rates were increased. Although complete ELM suppression in RMP radiating divertor plasmas in DIII-D was only accessible over a limited range in pedestal density and collisionality, significant ELM mitigation with heat flux reduction was possible over a wider range. Comparing RMP radiating divertor discharges after the re-appearance of ELMing activity during gas puffing with a standard ELMing plasma for cases with the same pedestal density reveals that the RMP discharges have (1) lower average electron temperature at the midplane separatrix, implying lower average electron temperature at the divertor target, (2) lower time-averaged peak heat flux and (3) lower transient peak heat flux from ELMs even at the same pedestal collisionality.
Tonotopic organization in the central auditory pathway of the mongolian gerbil: A 2-deoxyglucose study

The uptake of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) was employed to map functional activation of the central auditory pathway in the mongolian gerbil, during 85 dB SPL stimulation with pure tonal stimuli at frequencies of 0.75, 3.0, or 12.0 kHz. Pure tones produced foci of very high 2-DG uptake, when compared to adjacent tissue, in the cochlear nucleus, superior olivary complex, and inferior colliculus. Less distinct areas of elevated 2-DG uptake were seen in the dorsal and ventral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, medial geniculate nucleus, and auditory cortex. Little or no change in the distribution of 2-DG uptake was noted in the nucleus of the trapezoid body. The location of discrete regions of relatively high 2-DG uptake varied systematically with stimulus frequency. The tonotopic organization demonstrated by 2-DG mapping agreed well with the results of previous electrophysiological studies for most structures. However, in the inferior colliculus, stimulus-evoked increases in 2-DG uptake were found to occur in a fixed pattern of three to four bands across the central nucleus, which did not correspond to any previously reported anatomical or physiological organization. Pure tonal stimuli activated discrete portions of this banding pattern. Also, a small area at the ventromedial edge of the colliculus was more broadly tuned than other regions of the nucleus. It is concluded that 2-DG uptake is well suited to the investigation of tonotopic organization. This technique reveals patterns of activation which have not been observed with other methodologies.
Gender Politics in the Distribution of Therapeutic Herbal Knowledge

Data on the distribution of knowledge about medicinal plants in an indigenous Mexican community challenge several assumptions at the heart of medical anthropology concerning the distribution of therapeutic herbal knowledge. Contrary to expectation, many men in the community were knowledgeable about medicines for managing reproduction and women's reproductive health problems, and men more acculturated to the national society were particularly likely to know about plants containing chemicals that contribute toward their purported effects. Also contrary to expectation was the fact that older people were no more likely than younger ones to be knowledgeable about herbal remedies for reproductive health. Nor was prior illness experience necessarily associated with increased therapeutic herbal knowledge. Furthermore, although women who were socially integrated controlled more therapeutic herbal knowledge than those who were more isolated, the same was not true of men. These findings not only demonstrate the value of taking the gender-based distribution of power into account in analyses of intracultural variation, but they also raise questions about theories currently used to explain intracultural variation.
Optical fibre sensors for the measurement of concrete sample properties following exposure to freeze/thaw tests

In this work, a fibre Bragg grating (FBG)-based moisture sensor has been developed to test the porosity changes in a number of concrete samples when exposed to a series of different freeze/thaw cycles. The concrete samples produced specifically for the work have been analyzed under laboratory conditions using the sensor to monitor the changes in the rate of water ingress into the modified samples. The sensor works by monitoring the arrival of the moisture front at the centre of the cylindrical concrete samples when subjected to a simple water-bath test. The measurements were obtained by using a probe sensitive to the Bragg wavelength shift as a result of volumetric expansion of the moisture-sensitive polymer coated onto the FBG. This work is intended to show the feasibility of the use of the sensor developed to indicate the influence of freeze/thaw damage on the water absorption properties of concrete.
Polarization in Low-Energy Electron Scattering: Carbon and Nitrogen

The polarized-orbital method has been applied to low-energy scattering of electrons from atomic carbon and nitrogen. Cross sections for the elastic scattering of electrons by C and N are given for energies up to 5.5 and 10 eV, respectively. The shape of the cross sections for nitrogen is in good agreement with the shape obtained by experiment. The photodetachment cross sections for ${\mathrm{C}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ are given for ejected electron energies 7 eV, and those for ${\mathrm{C}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ are found to be in good agreement with experiment when polarization terms are included and the dipole velocity approximation is used. For ${\mathrm{N}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, photodetachment cross sections are given for electron affinity values of 0.05 and 0.15 eV.
Viscoelastic and electrical properties of self-assembled monolayers on Au(111) films

The interaction between Pt-13% Rh tips (of {approximately}1000 {angstrom} radius) and (111) oriented gold films covered with alkanethiolate monolayers has been studied with an atomic force microscope (AFM) of the interferometer type. The thiol molecules, with structural formula H-S-(CH{sub 2}){sub n}-CH{sub 3} had 12 and 22 carbon atom chains (n = 11 and 21). The cantilever of the AFM was forced to oscillate near its resonance frequency while the amplitude and phase of the oscillation at the free end supporting the tip were measured. These two parameters changed rapidly when the tip approached within a few nanometers of the surface. This allows us to investigate the viscoelastic properties of the surface films. We found that the thiolate layers respond to the applied load in a reversible way. Upon contact with the layer, the tip oscillation amplitude decreased to 10-20% of its original value and remained at this level until the load reached (7 to 15) x 10{sup -6} N. At loads below 1 x 10{sup -6} N, the tip-sample interaction is mainly elastic and no visible marks can be seen in the ac-AFM (attractive mode) images. Above the value, the gold substrate was found to yield plastically. This plastic thresholdmore » was identical to that found in bare gold. With an applied bias, tunnel current was found upon initial contact of the tip with the alkyl chain. This current is very sensitive to defects of the layer and to the compressive force applied by the tip. A theoretical calculation was performed to explain the effects of the adsorbed organic molecules on tunnel currents. 31 refs., 14 figs.« less
Intraoperative lymphatic mapping for early-stage melanoma of the head and neck.

background We previously reported dye-directed intraoperative lymphatic mapping and selective sentinel lymphadenectomy for primary cutaneous melanomas draining to the neck lymph nodes. In this study we determined whether combining the dye with a radiopharmaceutical agent would enhance our rate of sentinel node detection. methods One hundred seventeen patients with primary cutaneous melanomas of the upper chest and head and neck underwent preoperative cutaneous lymphoscintigraphy to confirm lymphatic drainage to neck nodes, followed by intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy. In 94 cases, isosulfan blue dye was injected at the primary site; in the remaining 23 cases, a 1:3 mixture of radiopharmaceutical and dye was injected, and a hand-held probe was used to determine the radioactive counts. results Preoperative cutaneous lymphoscintigraphy identified 129 drainage basins; 12 patients (10%) had dual-basin drainage. During intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy, 183 sentinel nodes were identified and excised from 120 basins (1.5 nodes/basin). The blue dye alone identified sentinel nodes in 93 of 101 basins (92%). The probe identified sentinel nodes in 28 of 28 basins, only one of which failed to reveal blue-staining sentinel nodes; thus, the probe plus dye identified sentinel nodes in 27 of 28 basins (96%). Histopathologic analysis revealed metastasis in sentinel nodes from 11 patients (12%) who underwent sentinel lymphadenectomy with blue dye alone and in 3 patients (13%) who underwent sentinel lymphadenectomy with dye plus probe. There were no same-basin recurrences over a mean follow-up of 46 months (range 1 to 125). conclusions Selective sentinel lymphadenectomy is a highly accurate method of staging the regional nodes in patients with primary tumors of the head and neck. Although we initially demonstrated the utility of this technique with blue dye alone, our results now suggest that the combination of dye and radiopharmaceutical may be a more sensitive method to detect sentinel nodes.
Hybrid Electro-mechanical Simulation Tool for Wind Turbine Generators

Wind turbine generators (WTGs) consist of many different components to convert kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy for end users. Wind energy is accessed to provide mechanical torque for driving the shaft of the electrical generator. The conversion from wind power to mechanical power is governed by the aerodynamic conversion. The aerodynamic-electrical-conversion efficiency of a WTG is influenced by the efficiency of the blades, the gearbox, the generator, and the power converter. This paper describes the use of MATLAB/Simulink to simulate the electrical and grid-related aspects of a WTG coupled with the FAST aero-elastic wind turbine computer-aided engineering tool to simulate the aerodynamic and mechanical aspects of a WTG. The combination of the two enables studies involving both electrical and mechanical aspects of a WTG. For example, mechanical engineers can formulate generator control that may preserve the life of the gearbox or mitigate the impact of transient events occurring on the transmission lines (faults, voltage and frequency dips, unbalanced voltages, etc.). Similarly, electrical engineers can study the impact of high-ramping wind speeds on power systems, as well as the impact of turbulence on the voltage and frequency of a small balancing area.
Screening for psychiatric Illness with a combined screening and diagnostic instrument

To determine 1) if the PRIME-MD, a two-step screening and diagnostic instrument for psychiatric disorders, increases diagnosis and intervention when actively implemented in a busy general medicine clinic, and 2) the type of staff support required to achieve sufficient implementation to realize gains in diagnosis and treatment. We introduced the PRIME-MD into a large general medicine clinic with repeated rotation of four support conditions for implementation: (1) no support, (2) nonclinical staff support (NCSS), (3) nursing staff (RN) support, and (4) a written “Prompt” condition. Patients (N=2,263) attending a general medicine clinic at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Outcome measures were (1) PRIME-MD questionnaire and interview use, (2) overall psychiatric diagnosis, (3) new psychiatric diagnosis, and (4) provider intervention for psychiatric conditions. The NCSS, RN support, and prompt conditions resulted in similar rates of questionnaire use but significantly different rates of structured interview use. The NCSS condition was associated with significant increases in new diagnosis, and the RN support and Prompt condition were associated with significant increases in new diagnosis and intervention compared with no support. Nursing staff support resulted in sufficient PRIME-MD implementation to achieve gains in both new diagnosis and provider intervention compared with no support. These gains occurred in a busy primary care clinic with non-selected providers and customary visit lengths. This level of support should be achievable in most clinical settings.
SU-D-19A-01: Can Farmer-Type Ionization Chambers Be Used to Improve the Accuracy of Low-Energy Electron Beam Reference Dosimetry?

Purpose: To investigate the use of cylindrical Farmer-type ionization chambers to improve the accuracy of low-energy electron beam calibration. Historically, these chamber types have not been used in beams with incident energies less than 10 MeV (R{sub 5} {sub 0} < 4.3 cm) because early investigations suggested large (up to 5 %) fluence perturbation factors in these beams, implying that a significant component of uncertainty would be introduced if used for calibration. More recently, the assumptions used to determine perturbation corrections for cylindrical chambers have been questioned. Methods: Measurements are made with cylindrical chambers in Elekta Precise 4, 8 and 18 MeV electron beams. Several chamber types are investigated that employ graphite walls and aluminum electrodes with very similar specifications (NE2571, NE2505/3, FC65-G). Depth-ionization scans are measured in water in the 8 and 18 MeV beams. To reduce uncertainty from chamber positioning, measurements in the 4 MeV beam are made at the reference depth in Virtual Water™. The variability of perturbation factors is quantified by comparing normalized response of various chambers. Results: Normalized ion chamber response varies by less than 0.7 % for similar chambers at average electron energies corresponding to that at the reference depth from 4 or 6more » MeV beams. Similarly, normalized measurements made with similar chambers at the reference depth in the 4 MeV beam vary by less than 0.4 %. Absorbed dose calibration coefficients derived from these results are stable within 0.1 % on average over a period of 6 years. Conclusion: These results indicate that the uncertainty associated with differences in fluence perturbations for cylindrical chambers with similar specifications is only 0.2 %. The excellent long-term stability of these chambers in both photon and electron beams suggests that these chambers might offer the best performance for all reference dosimetry applications.« less
A Theoretical Investigation Of Soliton Decoupling In Cross-Phase Modulation Systems

Cross-phase modulation (XPM) in nonlinear optical fibers has been investigated for several purposes in recent literature[1],[2]. Several XPM-induced soliton devices, such as Kerr shutters, intensity discriminators, soliton switches[2],[5], have been developed for applications in optical soliton communication. To our knowledge, most of these investigations are limited to designs of coupling or switching devices. Few works are devoted to optical soliton multiplex communication system by compensating the fiber XPM effect. Although the XPM effect is always exsit when two or more optical waves copropagating inside a nonlinear fiber, we have found that these mutual-modulating effects can be greatly reduced to near zero under certain condition. This condition provides a possibility to realize an optical soliton multiplex communication system. That is, two solitons at two different wavelengths or two different polarizations may copropagate in a nonlinear fiber without interfering each other.
Palliative Irradiation for Focally Symptomatic Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Support for Dose Escalation Based on a Biological Model

AbstractPurpose: Renal cell carcinoma has traditionally been regarded as a radioresistant cancer, yet inherent resistance of such tumors when they metastasize. Recently, the linear quadratic model has emerged as a paradigm to assess biologically effective dose of radiotherapy. This study was undertaken to determine the ability of radiotherapy to palliate focally symptomatic metastatic renal cell carcinoma and to assess whether the delivery of higher biologically effective dose was more likely to bring about a palliative response.Materials and Methods: Between 1996 and 1995, 107 patients with renal cell metastases at 150 sites were irradiated with palliative intent. Sites irradiated included bone (89), soft tissue (16), brain (20), spinal cord (9) and pulmonary (16). To determine dose effectiveness the biologically effective dose was calculated according to the formula, Gy10 = total dose (1 - fractional dose/alpha-beta), using an alpha-beta of 10.Results: For the entire group 86% of patients derived a pall...
Effect of renin on adrenocortical sensitivity to ACTH and angiotensin II in dogs.

In dogs injected for 5 days with dog renin, then hypophysectomized and nephrectomized, the increments in aldosterone output produced by ACTH and angiotensin II were found to be greater than in noninjected control dogs. This increase resembles that seen in dogs fed a low sodium diet, which also increases renin secretion. The increments in 17-hydroxycorticoid secretion produced by angiotensin II and ACTH were unchanged by the renin treatment. There was no adrenocortical hypertrophy, sodium diuresis, or change in plasma sodium in the renintreated dogs, although plasma potassium fell significantly. The results support the hypothesis that the increase in the aldosterone-stimulating activity of ACTH and angiotensin II seen in dogs fed a low sodium diet is produced by the increase in circulating renin levels. (Endocrinology 80: 703, 1967)
Circuit for statistical estimation of BER and SNR in telecommunications

The key parameters that determine channel performance in telecommunications are bit error rate, Q-factor, signal to noise ratio and noise factor. Channel performance depends on signal susceptibility to attenuation, noise, jitter and other interferences in the propagating medium. Typical non-service affecting methods that estimate the channel performance rely on error detecting and correcting codes that have limited error detection capability and require relatively long time. In this paper, we review the statistical estimation of signal performance parameters. Based on this, we describe the functional block of a circuit that continuously estimates BER, SNR, Q-factor and NF at each port without service interruption. Our method is based on statistical sampling and therefore estimates are made in very short intervals.
Imaging hyporheic exchange

The dynamics of flow through the subterranean area at the base and along the sides of streambeds, known as the hyporheic zone, affect stream ecosystem dynamics, but researchers do not have a solid understanding of what controls the amount of hyporheic exchange.Ward et al. injected tracers into a stream in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon and used electrical resistivity imaging to quantify the shape and size of the hyporheic zone. Repeated experiments quantify changes from spring high to summer low flows in the stream. The researchers studied how valley morphology and hydraulic gradients between the stream and surrounding landscape affected hyporheic exchange. Contrary to their expectations based on commonly accepted conceptual models, the scientists found that increasing hydraulic gradients from catchment to stream did not always lead to smaller hyporheic zones. They conclude that hydraulic gradients were not the dominant control on hyporheic exchange in the setting they studied. (Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2011WR011461, 2012)
The laws of Taharat HaMishpacha: potential effects on fertility.

The laws of Taharat HaMishpacha (Family purity) which regulate coital activity among Orthodox Jews according to menstrual cycle phase in a population that generally does not use contraception have potentially important effects on fertility. Analysis of these effects based on menstrual cycle and ovulatory phase lengths for women in the childbearing years shows that the majority of cycles are potentially exposed to coital activity during a fertile period and the increased likelihood of coitus following abstinence has a potentially fertility-enhancing effects. Since most Orthodox Jewish women complete the period of tumah (ritual impurity) and attend the mikveh (a ritual water immersion which marks the end of the cycle) on or before day 14 of the postmenstrual phase only 22% of cycles are potential sources of diminished fertility as a result of restricted coitus. Any delay in the resumption of sexual relations would result in reduced fecundability for a much larger proportion of cycles. For example if sexual relations are not resumed until day 15 the proportion of cycles wherein coitus is restricted to the postovulatory phase increases from a maximum of 30% to 41%. Observance of the laws do not greatly diminish the overall fertility of the population assuming that 1) the majority of tumah intervals do not extend beyond 14 days and 2) coital activity is resumed immediately following return from mikveh. For the individual woman with a predominance of short cycles delays in conception are probable.
Identification and Characterization of a Spore-Like Morphotype in Chronically Starved Mycobacterium avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Cultures

Mycobacteria are able to enter into a state of non-replication or dormancy, which may result in their chronic persistence in soil, aquatic environments, and permissive hosts. Stresses such as nutrient deprivation and hypoxia provide environmental cues to enter a persistent state; however, a clear definition of the mechanism that mycobacteria employ to achieve this remains elusive. While the concept of sporulation in mycobacteria is not novel, it continues to spark controversy and challenges our perceptions of a non-replication. We investigated the potential role of sporulation in one-year old broth cultures of Mycobacterium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). We show that dormant cultures of MAP contain a mix of vegetative cells and a previously unknown morphotype resembling a spore. These spore-like structures can be enriched for using sporulating media. Furthermore, purified MAP spore forms survive exposure to heat, lysozyme and proteinase K. Heat-treated spores are positive for MAP 16SrRNA and IS900. MAP spores display enhanced infectivity as well as maintain acid-fast characteristics upon germination in a well-established bovine macrophage model. This is the first study to demonstrate a new MAP morphotype possessing spore-like qualities. Data suggest that sporulation may be a viable mechanism by which MAP accomplishes persistence in the host and/or environment. Thus, our current understanding of mycobacterial persistence, pathogenesis, epidemiology and rational drug and vaccine design may need to be reevaluated.
PEMFC contamination model: Foreign cation exchange with ionomer protons

Abstract A generic, transient fuel cell ohmic loss mathematical model was developed for the case of contaminants that ion exchange with ionomer protons. The model was derived using step changes in contaminant concentration, constant operating conditions and foreign cation transport via liquid water droplets. In addition, the effect of ionomer cations redistribution within the ionomer on thermodynamic, kinetic and mass transport losses and migration were neglected. Thus, a simpler, ideal, ohmic loss case is defined and is applicable to uncharged contaminant species and gas phase contaminants. The closed form solutions were validated using contamination data from a membrane exposed to NH3. The model needs to be validated against contamination and recovery data sets including an NH4+ contaminated membrane exposed to a water stream. A method is proposed to determine model parameters and relies on the prior knowledge of the initial ionomer resistivity. The model expands the number of previously derived cases. Most models in this inventory, derived with the assumption that the reactant is absent, lead to different dimensionless current vs. time behaviors similar to a fingerprint. These model characteristics facilitate contaminant mechanism identification. Separation between membrane and catalyst (electroinactive contaminant) contamination is conceivably possible using additional indicative cell resistance measurements. Contamination is predicted to be significantly more severe under low relative humidity conditions.
Guidelines for Presenting Quantitative Data in HFES Publications

This article provides guidelines for presenting quantitative data in papers for publication. The article begins with a reader-centered design philosophy that distills the maxim “know thy user” into three components: (a) know your users′ tasks, (b) know the operations supported by your displays, and (c) match user's operations to the ones supported by your display. Next, factors affecting the decision to present data in text, tables, or graphs are described: the amount of data, the readers′ informational needs, and the value of visualizing the data. The remainder of the article outlines the design decisions required once an author has selected graphs as the data presentation medium. Decisions about the type of graph depend on the readers′ experience and informational needs as well as characteristics of the independent (predictor) variables and the dependent (criterion) variable. Finally, specific guidelines for the design of graphs are presented. The guidelines were derived from empirical studies, analyses...
Analytical characterization of a facile porous polymer monolithic trypsin microreactor enabling peptide mass mapping using mass spectrometry.

A simple and rapid single-step method is presented to fabricate an enzyme reactor using trypsin immobilized on a macroporous polymer monolith. A reactor produced in a capillary format is ready to use within 1 h of preparation. The monomers making up the monolith, including N-acryloxysuccinimide for covalent immobilization of the enzyme, are mixed with trypsin and introduced into the column by capillary force for polymerization/immobilization. The enzyme activity from column-to-column is reproducible below 5% relative standard deviation (RSD), while the reactor is durable for at least 20 weeks when stored at room temperature. The apparent kinetic constants Vmax and Km are of value similar to those obtained by free trypsin in solution. Enzymatic digestion of proteins was shown to be feasible on a time-scale of seconds and submicromolar concentrations enabling peptide mass mapping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards a Safe Compositional Real-Time Scheduling Theory for Cyber-Physical Systems

Modern cyber-physical systems are becoming increasingly complex and distributed. These trends are making it more and more difficult to ensure the timing guarantees of these systems: traditional approaches were developed for much simpler systems and are difficult to scale. As system sizes are growing further, designing future cyber-physical systems is going to be even more challenging. Compositional design and compositional analysis have emerged as an effective means to address this challenge. Several interface models and interface computation methods have been developed, which can be used to analyze complex systems in an efficient manner. The existing theories provide a foundation for ensuring the timing guarantees of cyber-physical systems; however, they also have several important limitations. This position paper discusses open challenges in this domain, and it highlights several research directions towards a safe and resource-efficient compositional theory for cyber-physical systems.
Upregulation of placental growth factor by vascular endothelial growth factor via a post-transcriptional mechanism.

Abstract Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF) are key angiogenic stimulators during normal development and wound healing, as well as in a variety of pathological conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated a synergistic effect of VEGF and PlGF in pathological angiogenesis and suggest a role for PlGF in amplifying VEGF action in endothelial cells. We show here in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy that VEGF is significantly increased (P
Electronic structure of a metal-organic copper spin-1/2 molecule: bis(4-cyano-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)copper(II).

The metal−organic molecule bis(4-cyano-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)copper(II) (Cu(CNdpm)2) (C24H36N2O4Cu, Cu(II)) is a copper spin-1/2 system with a magnetic moment of 1.05 ± 0.04 μB/molecule, slightly smaller than the 1.215±0.02 μB/molecule for the larger size copper spin-1/2 system C36H48N4O4Cu·C4H8O (bis(4-cyano-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)copper(II) 4,4‘-bipyridylethene−THF). There is generally good agreement between photoemission from vapor-deposited thin films of the C24H36N2O4Cu on Cu(111) and Co(111) and model calculations. Although this molecule is expected to have a gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, the molecule remains surprisingly well screened in the photoemission final state.
The selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde over bimetallic catalysts

The selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde has been investigated over a monometallic Pt/SiO{sub 2} catalyst and platinum bimetallic catalysts where the second metal was either silver, copper, or tin. The effects of addition of a second metal to the Pt/SiO{sub 2} system on the selectivity to crotyl alcohol were investigated. The Pt-Sn bimetallic catalysts were characterized by hydrogen chemisorption, {sup 1}H NMR and microcalorimetry. The Pt-Ag/SiO{sub 2} and Pt-Cu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts were characterized by hydrogen chemisorption. Pt-Sn/SiO{sub 2} catalysts selectively hydrogenated crotonaldehyde to crotyl alcohol and the method of preparation of these catalysts affected the selectivity. The most selective Pt-Sn/SiO{sub 2} catalysts for the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde to crotyl alcohol were those in which the Sn precursor was dissolved in a HCl solution. Sn increased both the rate of formation of butyraldehyde and the rate of formation of crotyl alcohol. The Pt/SiO{sub 2}, Pt-Ag/SiO{sub 2} and Pt-Cu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts produced only butyraldehyde. Initial heats of adsorption ({approximately}90 kJ/mol) measured using microcalorimetry were not affected by the presence of Sn on Pt. We can conclude that there is no through metal electronic interaction between Pt and Sn at least with respect to hydrogen surface bonds since the Pt and Pt-Sn at least with respect to hydrogen surface bonds since the Pt and Pt-Sn had similar initial heats of adsorption coupled with the invariance of the {sup 1}H NMR Knight shift.
New rapid diagnostic tests for HIV infection

Abstract Technological advances in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection provide the clinician with greater opportunities to reduce HIV transmission rates. The main drawback of conventional methods of HIV testing is a potential delay of 1–2 weeks for obtaining results, making routine screening a two-step method. Many of those tested never return to learn of their results, limiting our efforts to notify seropositive individuals and their contacts. Consequently, our ability to educate them on strategies for optimizing their health and reducing their risk for transmitting the disease is impaired. For pregnant women who present to Labor and Delivery with late prenatal care, having unknown HIV serological status reduces our ability to prevent transmission to neonates. Two new rapid HIV tests have become available commercially. These tests are just as accurate as conventional methods and offer the advantage of producing preliminary results within hours rather than days. As a result, case- finding and prevention counseling can be completed in a single visit, making the process more efficient and, hopefully, more effective. Additionally, faster identification of seropositive pregnant women who present later for prenatal care allows us to more precisely target intrapartum antiretroviral therapy for prevention of vertical HIV transmission.
Evaluation of the Impact of Fines on the Performance of Lightly Cement-Stabilized Aggregate Systems

The impact of increasing fines content on the performance of unbound (unstabilized) and lightly stabilized aggregate systems was evaluated. The aggregate systems analyzed varied in amount of mineral fines, the moisture state during curing and at the time of testing, and the amount of portland cement used to stabilize the blend. The evaluation was based on measurements of anisotropic resilient properties, permanent deformation, and unconfined compressive strengths of aggregate systems. In addition, the nonlinear anisotropic resilient properties of the aggregate blends were used in a finite element program to determine critical pavement responses. Aggregate systems with higher fines content were, as expected, more sensitive to moisture than control systems with standard fines content. The increase in the fines content in the unbound systems when molding moisture was wet of optimum dramatically diminished the quality of performance. However, the aggregate systems with higher fines benefited considerably from...
Evaluation of organic vapor breakthrough time of an activated carbon bed containing moisture by Wood’s estimation model using the Wheeler-Jonas equation

The breakthrough time estimation model reported by Wood makes use of the Wheeler–Jonas equation, the Dubinin–Radushkevich equation and previous research progress regarding gaseous adsorption of compact activated carbon beds. The estimation model can take into account the effects of temperature and relative humidity in the environments of activated carbon beds and type of organic vapor as adsorbates. In using the model, the determination of several constants or coefficients of its equations is important, and Wood also reported several empirical formulas for the constants or coefficients. In this study, we carried out an estimation of the breakthrough time by the model, and examined problems regarding its empirical formulas and its effectiveness with reference to the experimental data of breakthrough times. In particular, the determination of affinity coefficient of organic vapor βOV is most significant in the model. The values of βOV calculated by the empirical formula presented by Wood are liable to be small for application of recent activated carbon products for gas adsorption or gas respirators in Japan, and the formula requires further improvement for exact estimation by the model.