cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Elevates Basal B-Cell Intracellular Calcium Concentration and Suppresses Surface Ig- but Not CD40-Induced Antibody Secretion

Abstract Humoral immune responses to either T-independent or T-dependent antigens have previously been shown to be suppressed by the halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) through direct action on B-lymphocytes. To better understand the molecular nature of the TCDD-induced suppression of B-cell differentiation, we studied the effects of TCDD using in vitro models of T-independent (antibody directed against surface IgM) and T-dependent [activated T-helper (T H )-cells bearing CD40 ligand] B-cell maturation. We report here that TCDD suppresses murine B-cell IgM secretion induced by either soluble or insolubilized anti-IgM plus lymphokines but does not affect IgM secretion stimulated by activated T H -cells and lymphokines. Because soluble or insolubilized anti-IgM but not fixed, activated T H -cells was found to trigger increases in intracellular ionized calcium in isolated B-cells, the effect of TCDD exposure on B-cell intracellular calcium concentration and mobilization was examined. In comparison to the endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin, which induces an immediate rise in resting [Ca 2+ ] i of up to four- to fivefold, TCDD treatment did not produce a rapid increase in [Ca 2+ ] i but did result in an elevation of basal levels of nearly the same magnitude 18 hr postexposure. However, anti-IgM-induced calcium transients were similar in the presence or absence of TCDD. TCDD exposure also produced instability of the calcium concentration curve, with the observed elevation of basal intracellular calcium occurring after both in vitro and in vivo treatment paradigms. The immunomodulatory profiles of activity of TCDD and thapsigargin on the B-cell proliferative response to PMA plus ionomycin differ, suggesting that the kinetics of calcium release by these compounds dictates the overall effect on the responding B-cell. Taken together, the data indicate that TCDD elevates resting intracellular calcium levels in murine B-cells and may selectively inhibit calcium-dependent signaling pathways linked to surface Ig.
Determination of phenylalanine and tyrosine in dried blood specimens by ion-exchange chromatography using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer.

Abstract Objectives: The treatment for phenylketonuria (PKU) includes monitoring blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels on a regular basis. To reduce inconvenience to the patient and family, blood specimens on filter paper can be obtained at home and mailed to the clinic or analytical laboratory. For this reason, we validated an 8-min isothermal and isocratic HPLC method using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer for quantitation of Phe and tyrosine (Tyr) from dried blood specimens (DBS). Design and methods: The method was worked out using DBS fortified with Phe and Tyr. For method comparison, blood samples from 31 PKU patients and 5 non-PKU volunteers were analyzed as DBS by HPLC using the Hitachi L-8800 analyzer, and compared both to plasma analyzed by HPLC and DBS analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Results: For HPLC analysis of DBS, the within-run precision for Phe and Tyr was ≤5.1% and ≤4.5%, respectively, and total precision measured over a 3-month period was ≤7.2% and ≤8.7%, respectively. Correlation analysis was performed using results from fresh plasma analyzed by HPLC (r = 0.988 for Phe, r = 0.964 for Tyr) and from DBS analyzed by MS/MS (r = 0.960 for Phe, r = 0.942 for Tyr). Difference plots revealed good agreement between the HPLC and MS/MS methods. Conclusions: Determination of Phe and Tyr in DBS using this HPLC technique compares well with other methods. This technique with its short analytical time is convenient for monitoring patients with PKU and might be particularly useful in centers following many patients.
A developmental model for identifying and serving young gifted children

Recent literature on the nature of intelligence, young children's learning, affective characteristics of the gifted, and the needs of diverse learners has implications for identifications and instruction of young gifted children. A Developmental Model is proposed that integrates this knowledge with the Developmental Curriculum approach supported by The National Report on Identification #opRichert, Alvino, & McDonnel, 1982#cp. The model serves as both an approach to identification and appropriate practice for preschool and primary‐age gifted children. Suggestions are offered for implementation.
Applying Image Analysis to Auto Insurance Triage: A Novel Application

For the auto insurance claims process, improvements in the First Notice of Loss and rapidity in the investigation and evaluation of claims could drive significant values by reducing loss adjustment expense. This paper proposes a novel application where advanced technologies in image analysis and pattern recognition are applied to automatically identify and characterize automobile damage. Success in this will allow some cases to proceed without human adjusters, while others to proceed more efficiently, thus ultimately shortening the time between the first Notice of Loss and the final payout. To investigate its feasibility, we built a prototype system which automatically identifies the damaged area(s) based on the comparison of before-and after-accident automobile images. Performance of the prototype system has been evaluated on images taken from forty scaled model cars under reasonably controlled environments, and encouraging results were obtained. It is our belief that, with the advancement of image analysis and pattern recognition technologies, the proposed idea could evolve into a very promising application area where the auto insurance industry could significantly benefit.
The influence of orientation on the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of hydroquinone chemisorbed at smooth polycrystalline platinum electrodes

Abstract The influence of orientation on the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of hydroquinone (HQ) chemisorbed at smooth polycrystalline platinum electrodes in aqueous solutions has been investigated; experimental measurements, performed in the absence of bulk (unadsorbed) HQ, were based upon thin-layer electrochemical techniques. The extent of hydrogenation was characterized by (i) n H . the average number of hydrogen atoms reacted per chemisorbed HQ molecule, and (ii) the electrolytic charge Q ox for oxidation of chemisorbed organic which remained on the surface after the hydrogenation reaction. The measured values of n H indicate that the extent of HQ hydrogenation is (i) dependent upon the potential E Hyd at which hydrogenation was earned out, and (ii) a sensitive function of its initial adsorbed orientation; at a given E Hyd , n H is larger in the flat (η 6 ) than in the edge (2,3-η 2 ) orientation. Correlation of Q ox with n H , indicates that an appreciable fraction of partially hydrogenated species is desorbed from the surface; this fraction, which is a function of E Hyd , is larger in the 2.3-η 2 than in the η 6 orientation.
[3H]LY341495, a highly potent, selective and novel radioligand for labeling group II metabotropic glutamate receptors

We report herein the synthesis and pharmacological characterization of a tritiated version of the potent and selective cyclopropyl amino acid LY341495 as a radioligand to label group II metabotropic glutamate receptors in rat brain homogenates.
Quasi-optical notch filters for plasma imaging applications

Quasi-optical notch filters are employed to protect plasma imaging arrays from stray radiation from high power electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) sources. A new imaging arrangement permits stacking of multiple filters to maximize ECRH rejection. Simulations indicate that a stack of three filters can provide a notch depth of >60 dB at 140 GHz, and retain this high rejection over an incident angle range of plusmn8deg.
Performance of a sonic burner system firing coal-oil mixtures

Abstract The development of coal—oil mixture technology is progressing at an accelerated rate and the aim of this work has been the development of a new burner system (termed the sonic burner) to increase lignite loadings in air-atomizing burner systems. The burner system developed incorporates a sonic velocity at the atomizing air throat and a fuel oil gun with a single, relatively large opening at its exit. Lignite loadings with No. 6 fuel oil have reached 60.0 wt%. The flame produced at these loadings was stable, compact and characteristic of a No. 6 fuel oil flame. Fuel line plugging did not occur at these high lignite loadings; however, pumping problems did preclude increased lignite loadings. Results of this study are directly applicable to higher rank coals. Although feasible from a combustion viewpoint, no inference should be made from these results concerning erosion, ash deposition, particulate control or pollution characteristics, the work reported being based solely on combustion characteristics.
Inhibition of CYP1A1-dependent activity by the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fluoranthene

Abstract Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, and recently bioassay-based induction studies have been used to determine exposures to complex mixtures of PAHs. Induction of CYP1A1-dependent activity in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells has been used extensively as a bioassay for halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and more recently for PAHs. Fluoranthene (FL) is a prevalent PAH contaminant in diverse environmental samples, and FL did not induce CYP1A1-dependent ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity significantly in H4IIE cells. However, in cells cotreated with 2 × 10−5 M FL plus the potent inducers 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF) (2 × 10−8 M), there was a significant decrease in EROD activities. Furthermore, treatment of TCDD-induced rat microsomes with FL caused an 80% decrease in EROD activity. Studies showed that FL did not affect induction of CYP1A1 protein or mRNA levels in H4IIE cells, and analysis of enzyme inhibition data using microsomal CYP1A1 indicated that FL noncompetitively inhibited CYP1A1-dependent activity. 32P-Postlabeling revealed no significant FL–DNA adduct formation in H4IIE cells treated with FL. However, in cells cotreated with FL plus BkF or benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), certain PAH–DNA adducts were induced 2-fold. This study demonstrated that FL is an inhibitor of CYP1A1-dependent enzyme activity in rat hepatoma H4IIE cells and that the genotoxic potency of some carcinogenic PAHs may be modulated by FL in mixtures containing relatively high levels of this compound.
Effects of hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia on the ultrastructure of central nervous synapses.

Abstract Pronounced ultrastructural changes in the presynaptic terminals of central nervous tissues of rats were observed after various durations of sustained hypoxia or hypercapnic hypoxia. Two distinct types of morphological alterations were found. In the first type, the presynaptic terminal was greatly enlarged, measuring 3–10 μm in the greatest diameter. These terminals contained unusual multilamellar bodies in the form of compact lamellar whorls or loosely arranged concentric lamellae. The second type of terminal changes consisted of aggregated or clumped vesicles, often surrounded by attenuated glial processes. The first type of altered terminals occurred predominantly in the deep cerebellar nuclei, while the second type was present in all regions of the central nervous system examined.
Photosensitized oxidation of methyl linoleate monohydroperoxides: hydroperoxy cyclic peroxides, dihydroperoxides, keto esters and volatile thermal decomposition products

Previous studies of lipid secondary oxidation products have been extended to 6-membered hydroperoxy cyclic peroxides from the singlet oxygenation of a mixture of 9- and 13-hydroperoxides from autoxidized methyl linoleate. The oxidation product was fractionated by silicic acid chromatography with diethyl ether/hexane mixtures, and selected fractions were separated by polar phase high performance liquid chromatography. Products characterized by thin layer chromatography, gas liquid chromatography, ultraviolet, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry included: 6-membered cyclic peroxides (13-hydroperoxy-9,12-epidioxy-10- and 9-hydroperoxy-10,13-epidioxy-11-octadecenoates), dihydroperoxides (8,13- and 9,14-dihydroperoxyoctadecadienoates) and keto dienes (9- and 13-oxooctadecadienoates). The 6-membered hydroperoxy cyclic peroxides are apparently formed by 1,4-addition of singlet oxygen to 9- and 13-hydroperoxides withtrans, trans-conjugated diene systems. Thermal decomposition of the 6-membered hydroperoxy cyclic peroxides at 200 C produced methyl 9-oxononanoate and hexanal as the major volatiles. Other volatiles included 2-pentylfuran, pentane, 4-oxo-2-nonenal, methyl furanoctanoate and methyl 9,12-dioxo-10-dodecenoate.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO RESISTANCE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY OF COTTON AND OTHER HOSTS TO THE BOLL WEEVIL, ANTHONOMUS GRANDIS

A large portion of the world's germ plasm of cotton has been screened at the USDA Boll Weevil Research Laboratory, State College, Mississippi during the period 1962–68 utilizing developed techniques. An oviposition suppression factor causing 25–40% reduction in number of eggs laid by the weevil has been found in Gossypium barbadense and successfully moved into upland cotton, G. hirsutum. Two years field data with frego cottons indicate that the frego character contributes a significant degree of non-preference for egg laying by the boll weevil under field conditions. The frego character is currently being combined with selected lines of G. hirsutum carrying the oviposition suppression factor. A seedling screening technique utilizing field cages and greenhouse sand flats has been shown to have significant value in screening for individual resistant plants within a commercial variety. A number of selections with 25% or more resistance to oviposition are under extensive investigation. A number of biologically active materials have been detected in the cotton plant and other hosts of the boll weevil which significantly influences feeding stimulation, feeding deterrency, repellency and attractancy of the weevil to its hosts. A highly active square abscission factor has been detected and extracted successfully from 2nd and 3rd instar larvae. The material injected into cotton squares causes 95% abscission of squares within 48–60 hours. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG RESISTENZ- UND ANFALLIGKEITSFAKTOREN DER BAUMWOLLE UND ANDERER WIRTSPFLANZEN GEGENUBER DEM BAUMWOLLKAPSELKAFER, ANTHONOMUS GRANDIS Ein groser Teil des Weltsortiments der Baumwolle wurde in den Jahren 1962–68 im USA-Baumwollkafer-Institut der Staatshochschule von Mississippi mit modernen Methoden getestet. Ein die Eiablage unterdruckender Faktor, der die Anzahl der abgelegten Eier um 25–40% herabsetzt, wurde bei Gossypium barbadense gefunden und erfolgreich in Hochland-Baumwolle, G. hirsutum, eingekreuzt. Zweijahrige Erfahrungen mit “frego”-Baumwolle weisen darauf hin, das das “frego”-Merkmal unter Feldbedingungen in einem signifikanten Ausmase zur Nonpraferenz fur die eierablegenden Kafer beitragt. Das “frego”-Merkmal wird laufend mit selektierten Linien von G. hirsutum kombiniert, die den Faktor fur Eiablage-Unterdruckung tragen. Eine Samlings-Prufungstechnik, die Feldkafige und Gewachshaus-Sandbeete benutzt, hatte nachweislich signifikanten Wert fur die Auslese resistenter Einzelpflanzen innerhalb einer Handelssorte. Eine Anzahl Selektionslinien mit 25 oder mehr Prozent Eiablage-Resistenz wird intensiv gepruft. Eine Anzahl biologisch aktiven Materials wurde bei Baumwolle und anderen Wirtspflanzen entdeckt, das Frasstimulation, Frasabschreckung, Repellenz und Attraktanz der Kafer in bezug auf ihre Wirte signifikant beeinflust. Ein hochaktiver Kapsel-Abwurf-Faktor wurde entdeckt und erfolgreich aus Larven des 2. und 3. Stadiums extrahiert. In Baumwollkapseln injiziert, verursachte dieses Material innerhalb 48–60 Stunden Abwurf von 95% der Kapseln.
Light-driven chloride ion transport by halorhodopsin from Natronobacterium pharaonis. 1. The photochemical cycle.

The photochemical cycle of the light-driven chloride pump, halorhodopsin from N. pharonis, is described by transient optical multichannel and single-wavelength spectroscopy in the visible, and in the infrared. Titration of a blue-shift of the adsorption maximum upon addition of chloride describes a binding site with a K{sub D} of 1 mM. The reaction sequence after the all-trans to 13-cis photoisomerization of the retinal in this chloride binding form is itself dependent on the chloride. At 2 M chloride it is described by the scheme: HR {yields} K {leftrightarrow} L {leftrightarrow} N {yields} HR that relaxes in a few milliseconds, and is very similar to the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin under conditions where the retinal Schiff base cannot deprotonate. At lower chloride concentrations, e.g., 0.1 M, however, a red-shifted state termed O appears between N and HR, in equilibrium with N. The absorption spectra of K, L, N, and O are very similiar to their counterparts in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle. As in their equivalents in bacteriorhodopsin, in the N state the retinal is still 13-cis, but it is reisomerized in the O state to all-trans. 90 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.
Fabrication of LiNbO3 photorefractive single crystal fibers and their applications

In this paper, we shall briefly discuss some recent works done at The Pennsylvania State University on the photorefractive (PR) fibers and their applications. First, we shall briefly review the growing process of single crystal fiber by using the laser heated pedestal growth technique. After that, the applications of PR crystal fibers to the holographic storage, fast speed wavelength tunable filter, and fiber optic true time delay line will be discussed.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Individual differences in visual search performance among medical technologists

Abstract Twenty female medical technologists were evaluated on measures of general intelligence, and visual search reaction time (RT). The individual differences measures used were the Picture Completion and Digit Span subtests from the Wechler's (1981) Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) and a computerized version of the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) (Kagan, Rosman, Day, Albert & Phillips, 1964). A skilled visual search and general visual search task were also administered. The skilled visual search task consisted of bacterial morphology typically encountered in a clinical pathology laboratory. The general visual search task consisted of displays containing geometric objects. The intercorrelation matrix revealed that RT on the MFFT was positively related to RT on both visual search tasks. Skilled visual search accuracy was negatively related to RT on the MFFT. Consistent with previous studies, Digit Span performance was not related to either visual search task. The relationship between RT and Picture Completion was moderated by the nature of the visual search task.
Limited Utility of Residue Masking for Positive-Selection Inference

Errors in multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) can reduce accuracy in positive-selection inference. Therefore, it has been suggested to filter MSAs before conducting further analyses. One widely used filter, Guidance, allows users to remove MSA positions aligned with low confidence. However, Guidance’s utility in positive-selection inference has been disputed in the literature. We have conducted an extensive simulation-based study to characterize fully how Guidance impacts positive-selection inference, specifically for protein-coding sequences of realistic divergence levels. We also investigated whether novel scoring algorithms, which phylogenetically corrected confidence scores, and a new gap-penalization score-normalization scheme improved Guidance’s performance. We found that no filter, including original Guidance, consistently benefitted positive-selection inferences. Moreover, all improvements detected were exceedingly minimal, and in certain circumstances, Guidance-based filters worsened inferences.
DYNAMIC SOLUTION TO THE GROUND-HOLDING PROBLEM IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Abstract Existing probabilistic solutions to the ground-holding problem in air traffic control are of a static nature, with ground-holds assigned to aircraft at the beginning of daily operations. In this paper we present an optimal dynamic solution that simplifies the structure of the control mechanism by exercising ground-holding on groups of aircraft instead of individual flights. Using stochastic linear programming with recourse, we have been able to solve problem instances for one of the largest airports in the U.S. with just a powerful PC. We illustrate the advantage of the probabilistic dynamic solution over: (a) the static solution; (b) a deterministic solution; and (c) the passive strategy of no ground-holding.
sidestep Encodes a Target-Derived Attractant Essential for Motor Axon Guidance in Drosophila

At specific choice points in the periphery, subsets of motor axons defasciculate from other axons in the motor nerves and steer into their muscle target regions. Using a large-scale genetic screen in Drosophila, we identified the sidestep (side) gene as essential for motor axons to leave the motor nerves and enter their muscle targets. side encodes a target-derived transmembrane protein (Side) that is a novel member of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF). Side is expressed on embryonic muscles during the period when motor axons leave their nerves and extend onto these muscles. In side mutant embryos, motor axons fail to extend onto muscles and instead continue to extend along their motor nerves. Ectopic expression of Side results in extensive and prolonged motor axon contact with inappropriate tissues expressing Side.
High frequency of extrapair fertilization in a plural breeding bird, the Mexican jay, revealed by DNA microsatellites.

We used tetra-nucleotide microsatellite DNA typing to estimate the frequency of extrapair fertilization (EPF) in a plural breeding species, the Mexican jay, Aphelocoma ultramarina, in Arizona. We found EPF in 32 of 51 complete broods (63%) and 55 of 139 nestlings (40%) for which the putative father had been identified (one of the highest rates of EPF known for birds). At least 96.1% of EPF fathers came from within the group. This is by far the highest known within-group EPF rate among socially monogamous, communally rearing species. Most (70%) males of breeding age (3+ years) had no genetic paternity in a given year. Social fathers (i.e. those with nests and mated females) rarely obtained EPFs; of 25 social fathers, 23 had young in only one nest and only two had young in two nests by virtue of EPF. Of the 27 males known to be EPF fathers without a nest of their own, none had young in more than one nest. Only 7% of EPF fathers had their own broods reaching banding age (day 14), compared with 29.7% of social fathers. The proportion of EPF young was significantly larger in smaller broods. Breeding females in all age classes were equally likely to have EPF young.
POLITICAL LIBERTY: WHO NEEDS IT?

This paper concerns the question of whether the political liberties tend to be valuable to the people who hold them. (In contrast, we might ask whether the liberties are valuable in the aggregate or are owed to people as a matter of justice, regardless of their value.) Philosophers have argued that the political liberties are needed or at least useful to lead a full, human life, to have one's social status and the social bases of self-respect secured, to make the government responsive to one's interests and generate preferred political outcomes, to participate in the process of social construction so that one can feel at home in the social world, to live autonomously as a member of society, to achieve education and enlightenment and take a broad view of the world and of others' interests, and to express oneself and one's attitudes about the political process and current states of affairs. I argue that for most people, the political liberties are not valuable for these reasons.
Subjective adjustments to objective performance measures: The influence of prior performance

Abstract This field study examines whether and how supervisors’ subjective adjustments to objective performance measures are influenced by their prior subjective evaluations of employees. Evaluations were determined entirely subjectively in the sample internal audit organization in 2005. In 2006, the organization introduced a pay-for-performance incentive plan that established four objective measures of audit manager performance. Then, knowing the challenges of objectively measuring manager performance, the organization gave supervisors the discretion, mandate, and training to subjectively adjust each of the objective measures when performance as indicated on the individual measures misrepresented managers’ true performance. Using prior-year subjectively measured performance to proxy for current-year expected performance, empirical evidence documents that upward adjustments are more likely to be made to unexpectedly low individual measures the more supervisors perceive deficiencies in those objective measures. This indicates that supervisors made adjustments to correct deficiencies in the measures (as the organization intended). Independent of this interaction effect, however, unexpectedly low current-year objectively-measured performances are also more likely to be adjusted upward, which indicates supervisors also made current performance consistent with prior performance for reasons other than to improve individual objective measurement. Some of these other reasons are explored. The study highlights how the impact of the implementation of a new performance measurement system depends on the past.
Thermal effects of the intrusion of basaltic magma into a more silicic magma chamber and implications for eruption triggering

Abstract Shortly after a basaltic injection invades a more silicic magma chamber, a two-layer convecting system develops. The timescale for the start-up of convection, the rates at which the basaltic magma cools and the silicic magma warms, and the lifespan of a thermal gradient in the silicic magma can all be quantified using a parameterized scaling analysis coupled with the thermodynamics of crystallization. This analysis reveals that the timescale of start-up of convection is less than 1 h for the basaltic layer and days to weeks for the silicic layer, depending on its viscosity. For a given thickness, basaltic layers cool and silicic layers warm at surprisingly constant rates that depend weakly on their relative temperatures. Basalts cool in the order of 5 K day−1 for a thickness of 1 m. Thicker layers take proportionally longer to cool. Except for a thermal boundary region on the order of 1 m thick, silicic magmas only warm if they are less than about 100 times thicker than the basaltic injection. When sufficiently thin, they warm at an averaged rate of the order of 10 K day−1 for a thickness of 1 m. Thicker silicic layers take proportionally longer to warm. A thermal gradient will be induced in the silicic magma that will take years to tens of years to decay per kilometer thickness of silicic magma. These timescales are central to the role of magma commingling in explosive eruption triggering. The time between commingling of basaltic and silicic magmas prior to explosive silicic eruptions is on the order of days to weeks, equivalent to the timescale of forming a thermal boundary layer in the silicic magma (i.e. the start-up time for convection), but short compared to the cooling time of a basaltic replenishment. These timescales support the triggering of explosive eruptions by increased exsolution of volatiles in the silicic magma rather than the basaltic.
Simulation of exchanges of multiple gases in bubbles in the body

This communication introduces a system of equations, for numerical solution, which simulates the generation, growth, and decay of bubbles. The system is an advance over previous works because it allows for simultaneous diffusion of any number of gases. Our purpose for developing the system is to gain insight into the bubbles that occur in the body in decompression sickness (DCS). We validate the calculation system by matching observed data of DCS bubbles and of large subcutaneous gas pockets in rats. We demonstrate how a temporary supersaturation and bubble formation can occur without change of ambient pressure when there is a change in the inert gas being breathed. With exposures to hypobaric environments, such as when astronauts work in space, simulations show that O2, CO2, and water vapor add appreciably to volume of bubbles and affect the diffusion of inert gas.
Illuminating the lipidome to advance biomedical research: peptide-based probes of membrane lipids.

Systematic investigation of the lipidome will reveal new opportunities for disease diagnosis and intervention. However, lipidomic research has been hampered by the lack of molecular tools to track specific lipids of interest. Accumulating reports indicate lipid recognition can be achieved with properly constructed short peptides in addition to large proteins. This review summarizes the key developments of this area within the past decade. Select lantibiotic peptides present the best examples of low-molecular-weight probes of membrane lipids, displaying selectivity comparable to lipid-binding proteins. Designed peptides, through biomimetic approaches and combinational screening, have begun to demonstrate their potential for lipid tracking in cultured cells and even in living organisms. Biophysical characterization of these lipid-targeting peptides has revealed certain features critical for selective membrane binding, including preorganized scaffolds and the balance of polar and nonpolar interactions. The k...
Sucrose synthase localizes to cellulose synthesis sites in tracheary elements

The synthesis of crystalline cellulose microfibrils in plants is a highly coordinated process that occurs at the interface of the cortex, plasma membrane, and cell wall. There is evidence that cellulose biogenesis is facilitated by the interaction of several proteins, but the details are just beginning to be understood. In particular, sucrose synthase, microtubules, and actin have been proposed to possibly associate with cellulose synthases (microfibril terminal complexes) in the plasma membrane. Differentiating tracheary elements of Zinnia elegans L. were used as a model system to determine the localization of sucrose synthase and actin in relation to the plasma membrane and its underlying microtubules during the deposition of patterned, cellulose-rich secondary walls. Cortical actin occurs with similar density both between and under secondary wall thickenings. In contrast, sucrose synthase is highly enriched near the plasma membrane and the microtubules under the secondary wall thickenings. Both actin and sucrose synthase lie closer to the plasma membrane than the microtubules. These results show that the preferential localization of sucrose synthase at sites of high-rate cellulose synthesis can be generalized beyond cotton fibers, and they establish a spatial context for further work on a multi-protein complex that may facilitate secondary wall cellulose synthesis.
Evaluation of the physical stability, groundwater seepage control, and faunal changes associated with an AquaBlok® sediment cap

Active sediment caps are being considered for addressing contaminated sediment areas in surface-water bodies. A demonstration of an active cap designed to reduce advective transport of contaminants using AquaBlok® (active cap material) was initiated in a small study area of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. The cap remained physically stable, demonstrated the ability to divert groundwater flow, and was recolonized with native organisms after 30 months of monitoring following cap placement. However, the long-term performance of active caps associated with harsh environmental conditions, hydrogeological settings, and subsurface gas production needs to be further evaluated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of depth on transport of 129I in crystalline rock

In the present paper, a model for the transport of iodine through fractures in granitic rock has been developed by taking into account the variation of parameters with depth in order to investigate the effects of depth on repository performance. First, the evolution of groundwater chemistry with depth has been modeled by considering the physical and chemical conditions that vary with depth. Second, iodine-water interactions and iodine-rock interactions under groundwater-chemistry evolution with depth in crystalline rocks have been modeled using PHREEQC, with which the distribution coefficients of iodine have been numerically evaluated as a function of depth. These values and other depth-dependent parameters such as fracture aperture, groundwater velocity, and diffusion coefficients have been used in the iodine transport simulation to observe differences in the iodine concentration in the water from repositories located at 500 and 1000 m depths. The results show that iodine stays within the vicinity of the repository if it is disposed of at a greater depth. The main reason is that the retention effect of matrix diffusion increases and relative contribution of advection along fractures decreases at depth due to the cubic law for the water flow velocity in fractures. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Okadaic acid stimulates ouabain‐sensitive 86Rb+‐uptake and phosphorylation of the Na+/K+‐ATPase α‐subunit in rat hepatocytes

Ca2+-mobilizing and cAMP-dependent hormones rapidly increase sodium, potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase)-mediated transport in rat hepatocytes. To explore the possible role of protein phosphatases in these responses we used a protein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid. Okadaic acid stimulation of ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+-uptake was maximal between two and three minutes and displayed an EC50 of 41 ± 1 nM. Inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange with an amiloride analog abolished the response to insulin, but had no effect on okadaic acid-mediated stimulation of Na+/K+-ATPase transport. In hepatocytes metabolically-radiolabeled with 32Pi, okadaic acid stimulated the incorporation of radioactivity into several 95 kDa peptides, one of which reacted with anti-LEAVE peptide antisera, that recognizes Na+/K+-ATPase α-subunits. In other experiments Na+/K+-ATPase was immunoprecipitated from detergent-solubilized membrane fractions of metabolically-radiolabeled cells with an antisera to purified rat kidney Na+/K+-ATPase. A 95 kDa phosphoprotein was immunoprecipitated using anti-Na+/K+-ATPase antisera, but not by preimmune serum. Okadaic acid stimulated incorporation of radioactivity into this band by 220 ± 28%. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that rapid stimulation of hepatic Na+/K+-ATPase by hormones may be related to protein kinase/phosphatase-mediated changes in the phosphorylation state of the Na+/K+-ATPase α-subunit.
Reinforcement Of Response Surface Designs.

This paper investigates the effect of missing observations in response surface designs and suggests using reinforcement of the design matrix in advance to avoid the consequences of missing observations. The investigations are confined to a central composite design only. For choosing optimum reinforcement points, criteria such as the trace criterion, the variance of estimated response at a point and the average variance over a spherical region are used.
Discrimination in the Austrian capital market

The thesis has been expounded recently that the financial institutions of the Austrian half of the Hapsburg Monarchy discriminated against the non-German nationalities living within its borders (Good, 1977). Good has presented evidence that the interest rates tended to be lower in areas of high concentration of German population. He regressed the interest rate (on loans collateralized by financial securities) on a nationality variable (the percentage of Germans living in a region), a risk variable, and proxies for the supply and demand for funds. Indeed, he found a negative partial correlation between the percentage of Germans living in a region and the interest rate, and concluded that a bias did exist in the Austrian capital market against the several Slavic minorities. This conclusion is disputed below by showing that a properly specified model does not support a systematic relationship of this sort. Good oversimplified reality by assuming that the percentage change in population in a particular area is a good proxy for the demand for funds in that ,region. Since the demand for funds presumably originated with the adult population a high correlation between the demand for funds and the increase in population could exist only if the contemporaneous birth rate did not diverge greatly from past experience. Moreover, had the per capita demand for loans been constant, a linear relationship would have existed between the percentage change in population and the percentage change in the demand for loans, rather than between the percentage change of population and the actual level of the demand for loans. Hence the modeling of the demand for funds is made on an ad hoc basis and is open to criticism. The same is true for the supply of funds. Good assumed that it was in part a function of transaction costs between Vienna and the particular
An examination of the dental utilization practices of adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

OBJECTIVES This study characterized the self-reported dental utilization practice of long-term survivors of childhood cancer, a group at increased risk for treatment-induced dental abnormalities. METHODS 9,434 survivors and a comparison group of 3,858 siblings completed a 289-item survey that included a question on when their last dental visit occurred. RESULTS Within the last year 60.4 percent of survivors reported a dental visit. The groups less likely to report a recent dental visit include minority subjects, subjects with low levels of educational attainment, subjects with annual household incomes < dollar 20,000, and those without health insurance. No significant differences between survivors and siblings were seen. Male survivors exposed to cranial radiation were slightly more likely than other male survivors to report a recent dental visit (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.44). CONCLUSIONS The dental utilization practices among survivors of childhood cancer are below recommended levels, even among those at highest risk for dental abnormalities.
Women's satisfaction in close relationships☆

Abstract A review of research on women's satisfaction in close relationships explores the paradox between the images of women in popular books that offer advice on relationship distress, and empirical evidence supporting women's knowledge and expertise in the expressive/interpersonal domain. Images of women portrayed in the popular relationship literature can be characterized by three themes: (a) Ignorance (women don't know what they want); (b) Incompetence (women need to be taught how to relate in close encounters); and (c) Illusion (women and men are “intimate strangers” with distinct and polarized styles of relating). These three themes are reframed as testable hypotheses that are explored through reviews of relevant research literature on close relationships. The ignorance hypothesis is not supported, in that women have been shown to articulate their relationship preferences in at least three areas: demonstrations of affection and caring, clear communication, and equality in allocation of relationship resources. The hypothesis of incompetence is also rejected, in that women have been shown to display effective relationship skills in verbal and nonverbal communication, intimacy of self-disclosure, and social-support, all of which relate to relationship expertise and satisfaction. The intimate stranger hypothesis is explored through a sampling of relationship variables that have been shown to be independent of gender, including motives of intimacy and affiliation, and personality traits related to sex roles and self-monitoring. Applications to psychotherapy with women are considered. It is concluded that attention to gender issues in therapy is essential if clinicians are to address the preference and power differentials that exist between women and men. The focus on gender polarities, however, must be balanced by consideration of interpersonal variables that may transcend the social stereotypes of women and men in close relationships.
TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR, INTERLEUKIN-2, AND INTERCELLULAR ADHESION MOLECULE-1 mRNA EXPRESSION IN MYOCARDITIS AND CARDIAC ALLOGRAFT REJECTION USING REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION OF MYOCARDIAL TISSUE • 203

TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR, INTERLEUKIN-2, AND INTERCELLULAR ADHESION MOLECULE-1 mRNA EXPRESSION IN MYOCARDITIS AND CARDIAC ALLOGRAFT REJECTION USING REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION OF MYOCARDIAL TISSUE • 203
Development of miniaturized piezo-hydraulic pumps

Three small, low cost piezo-hydraulic pumps have been developed. The pumps deliver up to 600 psi of blocked pressure and 338 cc/min of free flow, while the smallest weighs less than 90 grams. The pumps utilize cofired multilayer piezoelectric actuators for low drive voltages and low cost. The properties of these pumps make them suitable for distributed actuation systems where pump, control valve and hydraulic actuator are located at the point of actuation, minimizing the system weight and length of hydraulic tubing.
Strain-gage-stability measurements for years at 75°C in air

The authors have evaluated the performance of three types of metal-foil strain gages for two and a half years at a constant temperature of 75°C in air. The studies included polyimide-backed and phenolic-glass-backed gages with copper-nickel foil (constantan) and glass-fiber-rein-forced epoxy-phenolic-resin-backed gages with nickel-chromium foil (modified Karma). All gages were tested in a three-wire-lead, single-active-gage Wheatstone bridge system at nominal mechanical-strain levels of 0, +1000 and −1000 μm/m.
Soil‐plant relationships in pangola grass (digit‐aria decumbens stent.) and intortum (Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.) Fertilized with molybdenum and copper 1

Abstract Molybdenum and Cu are required by plants and animals in trace amounts, and the ratios and interactions between them have profound effects on growth and maintenance. This study evaluated the influence of Mo and Cu on Mealani hybrid pangolagrass (Digitaria decumbens Stent.) and intortum (Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.) grown on a productive agricultural soil, and their relationships in soil and plant tissue. A factorial combination of two forage species, four Mo and three Cu rates was arranged in a split plot design with three replications. Extractable soil Mo concentrations of pangolagrass and intortum plots increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Mo application. Extractable soil Cu concentration of pangolagrass plots increased curvilinearly while that of intortum plots increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Cu application. Pangolagrass and intortum Mo concentrations increased curvilinearly (P < 0.01) with increasing Mo application and was accompanied by a Mo x Cu interaction. Molybd...
Direct and Indirect Laryngoscopy: Equipment and Techniques

Visualization of the larynx by direct or indirect means is referred to as laryngoscopy and is the principal aim during airway management for passage of a tracheal tube. This paper presents a brief background regarding the development and practice of laryngoscopy and examines the equipment and techniques for both direct and indirect methods. Patient evaluation during the airway examination is discussed, as are predictors for difficult intubation. Laryngoscope blade design, newer intubating techniques, and a variety of indirect laryngoscopic technologies are reviewed, as is the learning curve for these techniques and devices.
In situ solid-state NMR observations of photocatalytic surface chemistry: Degradation of trichloroethylene

Environmental catalysts that can efficiently degrade hazardous chemicals are of growing importance. Among these, TiO2 photocatalysts show high potential for effective degradation of harmful species, particularly chlorine containing compounds, which are chemically persistent.1-3 TiO2 photocatalysts can display efficiencies (degradation rate/unit energy) that are 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than thermal catalysts, particularly for the low chlorocarbon concentrations often encountered.4 Gassurface experiments5-10 show that reactions occur both in the gas phase and/or on the surface of TiO2 catalysts and can involve the following radical initiators: O2, OH, and Cl. Although a number of studies have been carried out by means of GC,7-9 MS,6,8 and FT-IR,5-8,10 a detailed understanding of the reaction mechanisms remains elusive. In the present work, we report a new approach to the study of photocatalysis, namely in situ solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy.11-13 SSNMR methods are advantageous because they allow a quantitative examination of the reactions on the catalyst surface as well as in the gas phase. We have characterized the reaction of trichloroethylene (TCE) over two types of TiO2 photocatalysts and have identified new intermediates in the complex surface chemistry. Figure 1 shows proton-decoupled 13C magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra obtained from photooxidation of TCE in the presence of O2 and Degussa P-25 TiO2 powder.14 The NMR spectra show the degradation of TCE, the formation of dichloroacetyl chloride (Cl2CHCOCl, DCAC), CO, phosgene (CCl2O), and pentachloroethane (C2HCl5), and their conversion to the final product CO2. The narrow line widths of the peaks indicate that these species are very mobile and most likely exchange rapidly between the surface and the gas phase. Assignment of these intermediates are confirmed by comparing 13C NMR shifts for liquid samples reported in the literature15 or prepared in our lab and from proton coupled spectra during the photoreactions. Most of the intermediates identified above are in good agreement
Finding mesoscale ocean structures with mathematical morphology

Abstract We introduce a technique to aid in interpreting infrared satellite images of the North Atlantic Ocean Gulf Stream region. Present interpretive methods are largely manual, require significant effort, and are highly dependent on the interpreter's skill. Our quasiautomated technique is based on mathematical morphology, specifically the image transformations of opening and closing, which are defined in terms of erosion and dilation. The implementation performs successive openings and closings at increasing thresholds until a stable division into objects and background is found. This method finds the North Wall of the Gulf Stream in approximately the same place as human analysts and another automated procedure, and does less smoothing of small irregularities than the other two methods. The North Wall is continuous and sharp except where obscured by clouds. Performance in locating warm-core eddies is also comparable to the other methods. However, the present procedure does not find cold-core rings well. We are presently investigating ways to reduce the effects of clouds and delete the unwanted water areas found by the method. We expect to be able to improve the cold-core eddy performance.