cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rich pitch: The humorous effects of deaccent and L+H* pitch accent

This paper argues that intonation contributes to the humorous meaning of a certain class of jokes. Examples of both canned and spontaneous jokes show that two intonation patterns, the intonation of contrast, or “L+H* pitch accent”, and the intonation of given information, or “deaccent”, can contribute to a humorous effect. Both of these patterns act as cohesive devises in discourse: they trigger a mental search in the mind of a hearer for a cohesive tie that may not be obvious from the lexicogrammatical structure alone. A punch line effect is created if this search yields an unexpected incongruity between the hearer’s initial mental model of the joke discourse and a humorous alternative. The hearer must shift his “script” (Raskin 1984) of the discourse in an unexpected way. To the extent that intonation facilitates processing by directing attention to particular elements in the information structure of the discourse (Chafe 1994), the processing of jokes depends in part on their intonation. The implications of this premise for the processing of humorous texts will be discussed for the two intonation patterns in question. It is argued that intonation analysis can lead to a broader understanding of cognitive processes and structures.
ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCALLY DELIVERED CHLORHEXIDINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PERIODONTITIS

Background Several multicenter random clinical trials have studied a second-generation easy-to-use chlorhexidine local delivery system to assess its effectiveness as an adjunct to scaling and root planing, or SRP.
PEDIATRIC RESUSCITATION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Abstract [Quan L: Pediatric resuscitation and emergency medical services. Ann Emerg Med February 1999;33:214-217.]
Localization of the cyclic adenosine 3' : 5' -monophosphate phosphodiesterase activator protein in rat heart.

Abstract A cyclic adenosine 3′ : 5′ — monophosphate phosphodiesterase activator protein has been partially purified from rat heart by a procedure involving ammonium sulfate fractionation and affinity column chromatography with cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase bound to Sepharose 4B. Freezing and thawing of the rat heart was essential for solubilization of the activator protein in the crude homogenate. Activator activity was localized on sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from fresh heart which could be solubilized with a low yield that resulted in a labile product. Maximal activation of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase with excess protein activator was 100%.
Successful parenting in high-risk neighborhoods.

Impoverished inner-city neighborhoods in the United States are threatening contexts for the development of youngsters during middle childhood and adolescence. Nevertheless, some African-American families living in such neighborhoods succeed in protecting their children from the risks of “the streets” and launch them on paths toward achievement. Using quotes and ethnographic material from many studies, this article illustrates some of the parenting strategies that help inner-city AfricanAmerican youths to overcome risks and achieve success.
A Framework for Enhancing Security and Privacy on Unmodified Mobile Operating Systems

Mobile device utilization continues to experience considerable growth and the privacy and security of these devices are becoming more critical with their continued rise in utilization. In this paper, we discuss the components of a mobile operating system that require enhancements in the security and privacy controls that are inherent in modern mobile operating systems. We then propose a policy that can be used to provide the semantics of defining additional security and privacy controls. Using this policy, we propose a framework that can be utilized by an application to enforce a user-defined policy while taking into account the computing constraints of a mobile platform. We then describe the implementation of a limited prototype of this framework and demonstrate its effectiveness in enforcing a user-defined policy.
Midline suboccipital burr hole for posterior fossa craniotomy

Posterior fossa craniotomy is generally done starting with two lateral burr holes. Single midline burr hole is often avoided for the fear of injury to the venous sinuses. In this paper, we retrospectively evaluated the risk of dural tear or venous sinus injury with the latter approach. Patients who had a posterior fossa craniotomy at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan between 2003 and 2009 were analyzed. Seventy-one patients had been operated for a posterior fossa lesion, and 154 had a Chiari I decompression. Suboccipital craniotomy was performed utilizing a starting midline suboccipital burr hole. The craniotomy was completed using Midas Rex with B1 foot plate starting laterally from the burr hole and then over to the foramen magnum including the foramen magnum lip. In patients who had a tumor resection, the bone flap was replaced and secured with plates on both sides. One patient had a dural tear along the inferior aspect of the craniotomy not extending into the foramen magnum. There was no instance of venous sinus injury or undue bleeding from the burr hole. None of the patients had an infection requiring removal of the bone flap. This paper confirms the safety of utilizing midline burr hole for starting a posterior fossa craniotomy.
Opiate blockade inhibits saccharin intake and blocks normal preference acquisition.

Recent evidence indicates a close connection between oral sensory function and opioid effects on feeding. Not only is gustatory motivation influenced by opiate drugs [11] but apparently gustatory stimuli can also activate central opiate receptor systems [3]. In 3 experiments we studied the effect of opiate receptor blockade on drinking motivated by the sweet taste of saccharin. Experiment 1 established a dose-response function for inhibition of intake by naloxone (NAL) in short (60 min) 2-bottle tests. This experiment demonstrated the extreme sensitivity of nondeprived, nonstressed animals to NAL and estimated the MED50 at less than 0.1 mg/kg (SC), well below the threshold for effects due to illness or general motor disturbance. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that NAL's effectiveness depends on saccharin concentration. In particular, the lowest NAL dose studied was effective near the threshold for saccharin preference but not at higher concentrations. These data suggest that endogenous opioid systems may be activated by taste stimuli in a graded fashion. Finally, experiment 3 showed that the typical acquisition of preference for a moderate saccharin concentration can be effectively blocked by daily pre-test NAL injection. Together these experiments further demonstrate the close functional relationship between opioid systems and gustatory sensory systems.
PD0325901, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor, produces ocular toxicity in a rabbit animal model of retinal vein occlusion.

Objective: PD0325901, a selective inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), was associated with the occurrence of ocular retinal vein occlusion (RVO) during clinical trials in patients with solid tumors. As previous animal safety studies in rats and dogs did not identify the eye as a target organ of toxicity, this work was conducted to develop a rabbit model of ocular toxicity with PD0325901. Methods: Dutch-Belted rabbits were administered a single intravitreal injection of PD0325901 (0.5 or 1 mg/eye) or saline control, and ophthalmic examinations and retinal angiography were conducted over a 2-week period post-dose. In addition, mechanism of ocular toxicity was further explored in rat with microarray analysis. Results: PD0325901 treatment produced RVO with retinal vasculature leakage and hemorrhage within 48-h postinjection in Dutch-Belted rabbits. Subsequent retinal detachment and degeneration were also detected on day 8 postinjection. To evaluate the potential mechanism(s) of PD032590...
NASA’S LASER COMMUNICATIONS RELAY DEMONSTRATON PROJECT

This paper provides an overview of NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Project (LCRD). LCRD will provide two years of continuous high data rate optical communications as a hosted payload on a commercial communications satellite.
Binding of Ether and Carbonyl Oxygens to Lithium Ion

The power of a lithium battery depends on the mobility of the lithium ion. Since the lithium ion, Li+, binds to the mobile and nonmobile molecules in the electrolyte, then the strength of the Li+ binding affects the conductivity of the electrolyte. The binding of dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, acetone, ethylene carbonate, and propylene carbonate to lithium ion is calculated using ab initio quantum mechanics techniques. The binding of water and acetaldehyde to Li+ has been calculated for higher coordination numbers. Using these energies, coordination numbers are predicted for all the species studied. These energetics also provide the basis for molecular simulations of cationic transport in the electrolyte.
Return Cycle Mapping After Entrainment of Ventricular Tachycardia

Background—The central common pathway, which is the target for ablation in reentrant ventricular tachycardia, can be localized by entrainment mapping techniques. However, localization of the pathway is not always possible because of the elevated pacing threshold and the low voltage and fractionated potentials at the pathway. We examined whether return cycle mapping after entrainment localizes the pathway without pacing at the pathway or recording the potentials from the pathway and determined the required electrode resolution to localize the pathway. Methods and Results—Epicardial mapping was performed with 253 unipolar electrodes during and after entrainment of 13 morphologies of ventricular tachycardia that were induced in dogs 4 days after infarction. The return cycle was calculated by subtracting the first activation time from the second activation time after the last stimulus and the return cycle distribution map was constructed for each stimulation site. The return cycle isochrones equal to the vent...
CD36 as a Therapeutic Target for Endothelial Dysfunction in Stroke

Stroke pathology involves multifactorial pro-death responses, including inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction, and activation of necrotic and apoptotic pathways. The interruption of a single specific pathway in defined stroke model systems has not been sufficient to address the multifactorial nature of stroke-induced injuries in the human population. CD36 is a class B scavenger receptor that functions in regulating normal physiological and pathological functions. CD36 pathways are activated by several distinct ligands. Convergence of these pathways results in inflammatory responses and endothelial dysfunction, which may be an underlying cause of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. The current review describes receptor CD36-ligand interactions relevant to endothelial function and discusses how targeting CD36 may have therapeutic utility in stroke.
A sustainability root cause analysis methodology and its application

Abstract In the design of chemical/energy production systems, a major challenge is to identify the bottleneck issues and improve its sustainability effectively. Due to the multi-dimensional feature of sustainability, how to account for the impacts of various design factors and the cause-and-effect relationships can be very difficult. This paper will present a sustainability root cause analysis method based on the combination of Pareto Analysis and Fishbone diagram. The sustainability of the process is assessed incorporating economic, environmental, societal and efficiency concerns. This methodology is able to help the designers focus the attention on the most important fundamental causes, discover opportunities for sustainability improvement and provide critical guidance to design for sustainability. The efficacy of this methodology will be demonstrated through a case study on a biodiesel production technology.
Soil CO2 emissions in agricultural watersheds with agroforestry and grass contour buffer strips.

The potential for agricultural soils to act as a sink and sequester carbon (C) or a source and emit carbon dioxide (CO2) is largely dependent upon the agricultural management system. The establishment of permanent vegetation, such as trees and grass contour buffer strips, may cause accumulation of above- and below-ground C over time, thereby acting as a sink for tropospheric CO2. However, the effects of contour grass strips and grass-tree strips (agroforestry) on soil CO2 emissions have not been extensively studied in row-crop watersheds in the temperate regions. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of agroforestry and grass contour buffer strips and landscape position on soil surface efflux rate of CO2 in three adjacent agricultural watersheds with claypan soils in northeast Missouri. The three watersheds were in a corn-soybean rotation, and contained (1) cropped only (CR), (2) cropped with grass contour strips (GR), or (3) cropped with tree-grass contour strips (AF) management systems. Soil surface CO2 efflux was measured throughout the 2004 growing season at the upper (UBS), middle (MBS), and lower (LBS) backslope landscape positions within the three watersheds. The cumulative soil CO2 production was lowest in the CR (0.9 kg CO2-C m−2) compared to the AF (1.5 kg CO2-C m−2) and GR watersheds (1.5 kg CO2-C m−2). The lower backslope position (1.6 kg CO2-C m−2) across all three watersheds produced 32 and 40% greater cumulative soil CO2 than the upper and middle backslope positions, respectively. A 72-day incubation study determined the effects of 40, 60, 80, and 100% soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) and N rate (0 and 1.39 g KNO3 kg soil−1) on soil CO2 efflux from bulk soil collected under each management system. The cumulative CO2 production was highest in the grass soil (1,279 mg CO2-C kg soil−1) compared to the agroforestry (661 mg CO2-C kg soil−1) and cropped (483 mg CO2-C kg soil−1) soils regardless of WFPS and N rate. The highest cumulative CO2 production for the grass soil (1,279 mg CO2-C kg soil−1) occurred at 80% WFPS, and was approximately 2 to 2.6 times greater than the agroforestry and cropped soils at 80% WFPS. The results of this study indicate that conservation management practices, such as grass and grass-tree contour buffer strips, and landscape position affect soil surface CO2 production and accumulation of soil organic C that may influence soil C sequestration.
Forensic analysis of anthraquinone, azo, and metal complex acid dyes from nylon fibers by micro-extraction and capillary electrophoresis

The extraction and separation of dyes present on textile fibers offers the possibility of enhanced discrimination between forensic trace fiber evidence. An automated liquid sample handling workstation was programmed to deliver varying solvent combinations to acid-dyed nylon samples, and the resulting extracts were analyzed by an ultraviolet/visible microplate reader to evaluate extraction efficiencies at different experimental conditions. Combinatorial experiments using three-component mixture designs varied three solvents (water, pyridine, and aqueous ammonia) and were employed at different extraction temperatures for various extraction durations. The extraction efficiency as a function of the three solvents (pyridine/ammonia/water) was modeled and used to define optimum conditions for the extraction of three subclasses of acid dyes (anthraquinone, azo, and metal complex) from nylon fibers. The capillary electrophoresis analysis of acid dye extracts is demonstrated using an electrolyte solution of 15 mM ammonium acetate in acetonitrile/water (40:60, v/v) at pH 9.3. Excellent separations and discriminating diode array spectra are obtained even for dyes of similar color.
Selective IgA deficiency in the dog

This study documents the occurrence of selective IgA deficiency in the dog. This is a unique spontaneous animal model with clinical and immunologic findings similar to that of selective IgA deficiency in humans, the most common human primary immunodeficiency. The disease in the dog is characterized by chronic, recurrent respiratory infections and dermatitis, low concentrations of serum IgA, normal concentrations of serum IgG and IgM, normal T-cell function as measured by lymphocyte transformation tests, the presence of autoantibodies, and a defect in the maturation or terminal differentiation of IgA B cells into IgA-secreting plasma cells.
X-ray study of xenon to 23 GPa

Abstract X-ray diffraction photographs of polycrystalline xenon in a diamond- anvil cell show that the crystal structure of Xe remains fcc up to at least 23 GPa at 298 K. The atomic volumes are in good agreement with earlier x-ray data at lower pressures and with calculated volumes along the O-K isotherm.
Hopping conductivity in a quasi-one-dimensional lattice gas with three-dimensional ordering

The dc ionic conductivity is calculated for one-dimensional (1-D) classical hopping with effects of nearest-neighbor repulsion included. Repulsion between ions in different channels which leads to three-dimensional ordering of the ions is accounted for in a mean-field manner. The intrachannel repulsion $U$ is treated exactly by using results for the equivalent Ising antiferromagnet in a staggered field. It is shown that several choices can exist for the dependence of transition probabilities on nearest-neighbor occupation numbers and still satisfy detailed balance. In almost any case, however, the activation energy increases by $\frac{U}{2}$ as the temperature $T$ goes through the ordering temperature ${T}_{c}$ from above. An appreciable change in activation energy should then be observed in a 1-D superionic conductor which undergoes an order-disorder transition, provided this transition is triggered by interactions between the mobile ions. The dependence of activation energy upon $U$ above ${T}_{c}$ depends on the range of the forces and whether the hopping is purely classical or involves tunneling. We find that Kikuchi's result of a decrease in activation energy by $\frac{U}{2}$ from the noninteracting value is reproduced if very-short-range forces and classical activation over a barrier are assumed. On the other hand, we get Mahan's result of an increase by $\frac{U}{2}$ if the transition rate is governed by tunneling through a barrier.
Growth of a human mammary tumour cell line in a serum-free medium

The MCF-7 line of human mammary carcinoma cells is a well characterised line1 which has retained a number of the properties expressed by breast epithelium in vivo, making it a good model for the in vitro study of normal and neoplastic mammary cells. MCF-7 cells have been reported to possess receptors for oestrogen, androgen, progesterone, glucocorticoid2, insulin3 and L-3, 3′, 5-triiodothyronine (T3)4. These cells also show responses to prolactin5, and dome formation1. This line, like most cells in culture, requires the addition of a serum supplement to the medium for growth. The complex and undefined nature of serum adds a complicating aspect to the design and interpretation of any experiments aimed at understanding the interactions of hormones or drugs with mammary epithelium. Our laboratory has shown that it is possible to replace the serum requirement for a number of cell lines with mixtures of hormones and purified serum factors6–8. We now report that MCF-7 cells may be grown, without a lag or adaptation phase, in a serum-free medium supplemented with physiological levels of insulin, transferrin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and cold-insoluble globulin (CIg). This medium will support a growth rate identical to that of cells in medium supplemented with an optimal concentration of fetal calf serum. The further addition of the α-1 serum protein first purified by Holmes9 results in a morphology identical to that of cells in 10% serum. Turkington has previously shown EGF effects on mouse mammary expiant cultures10, and mouse EGF has been reported to be stimulatory for human mammary tumour cells . Insulin and transferrin have been shown to be required for the continuous serum-free growth of the ZR-75-1 human mammary tumour cell line12. We believe that this is the first report of the effects of transferrin, PGF2α, Clg, EGF or the α-1 protein on the MCF-7 line.
IOP1, a novel hydrogenase-like protein that modulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activity

A central means by which mammalian cells respond to low oxygen tension is through the activation of the transcription factor HIF-1 (hypoxia-inducible factor-1). Under normoxic conditions, HIF-1α (the α subunit of HIF-1) is targeted for rapid degradation by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Under hypoxic conditions, this degradation is inhibited, thereby leading to the stabilization and activation of HIF-1α. Here, we report the identification of IOP1 (iron-only hydrogenase-like protein 1), a protein homologous with enzymes present in anaerobic organisms that contain a distinctive iron–sulfur cluster. IOP1 is present in a broad range of cell types. Knockdown of IOP1 using siRNA (small interfering RNA) in mammalian cells increases protein levels of HIF-1α under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and augments hypoxia-induced HRE (hypoxia response element) reporter gene and endogenous HIF-1α target gene expressions. We find that IOP1 knockdown up-regulates HIF-1α mRNA levels, thereby providing a mechanism by which knockdown induces the observed effects. The results collectively provide evidence that IOP1 is a component of the protein network that regulates HIF-1α in mammalian cells.
Toward delineating menstrual symptom groupings: Examination of factor analytic results of menstrual symptom instruments

The present study objectives were three. First, the factor structure of Chesney and Tasto's Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) was reexamined to determine whether Chesney and Tasto's (1975a) two‐factor or Webster's (1980) and Stephenson, Denney, and Aberger's (1983) multifactor result could be replicated. Second, the internal‐consistency reliability of the MSQ in the present study was determined. Third, known and suspected menstrual symptom report confounders were deleted from the analysis to determine whether or not exclusion of menstrual symptom confounders results in a factor structure which differs significantly from samples which include known symptom confounders. A “Heterogeneous”; sample (n = 330), similar to samples used in previous studies, and a more “homogeneous”; sample (n = 230), which deleted menstrual symptom confounders, were utilized in the MSQ factor analysis replication. Six factors resulted from both samples: premenstrual negative affect, menstrual pain, premenstrual pain, gastro‐in...
Interfacial Stability and Surface Morphology in Layer-By-Layer Semiconductor Heteroepitaxy Luis

A theoretical analysis based on continuum elasticity theory and atomistic simulations is presented of the interfacial stability with respect to misfit dislocation formation and of the film surface morphology during layer-by-layer growth semiconductor heteroepitaxy. The strain in the coherently strained films, the energetics of a transition from a coherent to a semicoherent interface consisting of misfit dislocation arrays or networks, and the morphological details of the film surface profile are calculated for InAs/GaAs(110) and InAs/GaAs(111)A. The analysis is presented for the general case of heteroepitaxy on a finite-thickness compliant substrate. The results are discussed in the context of recent experimental data.
"MAY I PLEASE PAY A HIGHER PRICE?": SUSTAINING NON-SIMULTANEOUS EXCHANGE THROUGH FREE DISPOSAL OF BARGAINING ADVANTAGE

The issue of whether or not trade can be sustained when exchange is non-simultaneous is addressed. An environment in which a buyer is exposed to the possibility that a seller will not deliver an item which has been paid for is examined. Situations of this nature often arise when consumer-to-consumer trade is negotiated via the internet. Repeated interaction between a single seller and a single buyer is modelled, assuming each has incomplete information about the type of their prospective trading partner. It is possible for an agent to be better off with less relative bargaining power. Thus, if an agent can reduce his own relative bargaining power, he may choose to do so.
Cloning and characterization of a novel periplasmic heme-transport protein from the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Successful iron acquisition plays a crucial role in bacterial virulence. Numerous Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria have developed a novel heme-acquisition system to steal iron from hosts. This system involves a cell-surface heme receptor, a periplasmic heme-transport protein (HTP) and inner-membrane proteins typical for ATP binding cassette transporters. We have cloned the gene encoding a periplasmic HTP from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, overexpressed it in Escherichia coli and purified it as a 33-kDa His-tagged protein. Heme-staining and heme-content assays reveal that the isolated HTP contains approximately 50% heme-bound and apo forms. The heme is noncovalently attached and can be transferred to apomyoglobin in vitro. Electron paramagnetic resonance and UV–vis spectroscopies indicate a five-coordinate, high-spin, ferric heme in HTP. HTP is reduced by dithionite but not by either dithiothreitol or ascorbate. Fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies indicate a well-ordered structure for the HTP and a conformational change upon heme binding to apo-HTP. This was confirmed by limited proteolysis assays. Apo-HTP binds heme or protoporphyrin IX at 1:1 ratio with high affinity (Kd ∼ 1.2 and 14 nM, respectively). A BLASTP search revealed approximately 52 putative bacterial periplasmic heme transporters, which can be grouped into six classes, most of which are associated with pathogenic bacteria. Multiple sequence alignment reveals that these HTPs share low sequence similarity and no conserved common binding motif for heme ligation. However, a tyrosine residue (Y71) is highly conserved in the HTP sequences, which is likely an axial heme ligand in HTPs. Mutagenesis studies support Y71–heme iron ligation in the recombinant HTP.
On dynamic switching in one-dimensional iterative logic networks*

A sequential iterative network (SITN) is a cascade of identical finite automata such that the i th automaton receives an x i input from the outside world and a y i input from its left neighbor, and produces a z i output to the outside world and a y i +1 output to its right neighbor. We prove three main theorems: ( 1 ) For every integer k there is a cell definition such that a corresponding SITN either can or cannot switch from equilibrium to a cycling condition (i.e., oscillation) following a single x i change according as n ≦ k or n > k , respectively; ( 2 ) there do not exist algorithms to tell whether a given cell definition admits of a SITN that can start from equilibrium and following a single x i change either (a) switch into a cycling condition, or (b) put out a z i = 1 during a switching transient; and ( 3 ) there do not exist algorithms to tell whether a given SITN cell definition must have every switching transient following a single x i change from equilibrium either (a) die out a bounded number of cells to the right of the change, or (b) extend all the way to the SITN boundary. All theorems are proved constructively on finite-state diagrams, and ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) hinge on an embedding of Minsky's Post Tag system results into such diagrams. We conclude with several iterative network equivalence demonstrations.
Primary School Age Students' Spontaneous Comments about Math Reveal Emerging Dispositions Linked to Later Mathematics Achievement

To longitudinally explore children's developing beliefs towards mathematics, we asked 207 children to define “math” and “reading” at grades 2 and 3 and coded for spontaneous references to likability or difficulty of math (or reading) in their definitions. We found that children attributed more difficulty to math than to reading despite their relatively neutral comments on the likability of either subject. Children described math and reading with comparable degrees of specificity, but girls' definitions were more specific than boys'. Relative to their peers, children with mathematics learning disability (MLD) provided less specific definitions overall, were more likely to describe math as more difficult than reading, and were more likely to show a decrease in likability ratings of math (but not reading) from grades 2 to 3. Grade 2 ratings predicted math ability at grade 3, more so than predictors from grade 3. These findings, although based on informal analyses not intended to substitute for validated assessments of disposition, support the notions that distinct aspects of dispositions towards math emerge in early childhood, are revealed through casual discourse, and are predictive of later math achievement outcomes. This further supports current interests in developing formal measures of academic disposition in early childhood.
Bimane fluorescence scanning suggests secondary structure near the S3-S4 linker of BK channels.

Gating of large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BK or maxi-K channels) is controlled by a Ca2+-sensor, formed by the channel cytoplasmic C-terminal domain, and a voltage sensor, formed by its S0-S4 transmembrane helices. Here we analyze structural properties of a portion of the BK channel voltage sensing domain, the S3-S4 linker, using fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy. Single residues in the S3-S4 linker region were substituted with cysteine, and the cysteine-substituted mutants were expressed in CHO cells and covalently labeled with the sulfhydryl-reactive fluorophore monobromo-trimethylammonio-bimane (qBBr). qBBr fluorescence is quenched by tryptophan and, to a lesser extent, tyrosine side chains. We found that qBBr fluorescence in several of the labeled cysteine-substituted channels shows position-specific quenching, as indicated by increase of the brief lifetime component of the qBBr fluorescence decay. Quenching was reduced with the mutation W203F (in the S4 segment), suggesting that Trp-203 acts as a quenching group. Our results suggest a working hypothesis for the secondary structure of the BK channel S3-S4 region, and places residues Leu-204, Gly-205, and Leu-206 within the extracellular end of the S4 helix.
Slope Water Current over the Laurentian Fan on Interannual to Millennial Time Scales

The strength and position of surface and deep currents in the slope water south of Newfoundland are thought to vary as a coupled system in relation to the dipole in atmospheric sea level pressure known as the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO). Paleoceanographic data from the Laurentian Fan, used as a proxy for sea surface temperature, reveal that surface slope waters north of the Gulf Stream experienced warming during the Little Ice Age of the 16th to 19th centuries and support the notion of an NAO-driven coupled system. The NAO may be a useful model for millennial-scale ocean variability during interglacial climate states.
Differential Effects of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K on Sp1- and Sp3-mediated Transcriptional Activation of a Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Promoter

The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene family consists of 11 members, alpha2-alpha9 and beta2-beta4. Three of the genes, those encoding the alpha3, alpha5, and beta4 subunits, are clustered tightly within the genome. These three subunits constitute the predominant acetylcholine receptor subtype expressed in the peripheral nervous system. The genomic proximity of the three genes suggests a regulatory mechanism ensuring their coordinate expression. However, it is likely that gene-specific regulatory mechanisms are also functioning because the expression patterns of the three genes, although similar, are not identical. Previously we identified regulatory elements within the beta4 promoter region and demonstrated that these elements interact specifically with nuclear proteins. One of these elements, E1, interacts with the regulatory factor Puralpha as well as three other unidentified DNA-binding proteins with molecular masses of 31, 65, and 114 kDa. Another element, E2, interacts with Sp1 and Sp3. Because E1 and E2 are immediately adjacent to one another, we postulated that the proteins that bind to the elements interact to regulate beta4 gene expression. Here we report the identification of the 65-kDa E1-binding protein as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K and demonstrate that it affects the transactivation of beta4 promoter activity by Sp1 and Sp3 differentially.
Protofibril Formation of Amyloid β-Protein at Low pH via a Non-cooperative Elongation Mechanism

Deposition of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in senile or diffuse plaques is a distinctive feature of Alzheimer's disease. The role of Aβ aggregates in the etiology of the disease is still controversial. The formation of linear aggregates, known as amyloid fibrils, has been proposed as the onset and the cause of pathological deposition. Yet, recent findings suggest that a more crucial role is played by prefibrillar oligomeric assemblies of Aβ that are highly toxic in the extracellular environment. In the present work, the mechanism of protofibril formation is studied at pH 3.1, starting from a solution of oligomeric precursors. By combining static light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy, the growth of the mass and the size of aggregates are determined at different temperatures. Analysis and scaling of kinetic data reveal that under the studied conditions protofibrils are formed via a single non-cooperative elongation mechanism, not prompted by nucleation. This process is well described as a linear colloidal aggregation due to diffusion and coalescence of growing aggregates. The rate of elongation follows an Arrhenius law with an activation enthalpy of 15 kcal mol–1. Such a value points to a conformational change of peptides or oligomers being involved in binding to protofibrils or in general to a local reorganization of each aggregate. These results contribute to establishing a clearer relation at the molecular level between the fibrillation mechanism and fibrillar precursors. The observation of a non-cooperative aggregation pathway supports the hypothesis that amyloid formation may represent an escape route from a dangerous condition, induced by the presence of toxic oligomeric species.
Secure method for sectional image archiving and transmission

Purpose: Data security becomes an important issue in telemedicine when medical information is transmitted over wide area network. Generally, security is characterized in terms of privacy, authenticity and integrity of digital data. We present a method here which can meet the requirements of privacy, authenticity, and integrity for archiving and transmitting of sectional image such as CT, MR. Methods: The method is described as follows: firstly, image segmentation was done and some patient information was read from image DICOM header. Second, a digital signature for the segmented image was produced using the image sender's private key. Afterwards, the digital signature and patient information were concatenated and embedded into the background area of the image. Finally, the whole image was encrypted to form a digital envelope using the receiver's public key. Results: (1) The image can only be decrypted and read by authorized user who own the private key of the receiving site. (2) The authenticity and integrity can be tested by signature verification. Conclusions: The preliminary results demonstrate that the method we presented here is an effective method for secure archiving and transmitting for sectional medical images.
The Heritability of Breast Blister Condition and Breast Feather Coverage in a White Rock Broiler Strain

Abstract THE breast blister condition continues to be of concern in broiler growing areas. In some earlier investigations it has been referred to as a keel bursa. The typical condition is expressed by the presence of a thick and viscous fluid under the skin localized in an area along the anterior end of the keel. The exact morphology of the condition has been described by O’Neil (1943). In this report it was suggested that keel bursae were formed as a reaction to constant irritation when the resting bird brings this area against the ground or roost. Bird (1944) found that birds of greater body depth showed a higher incidence of blisters, and Gyles et al. (1957) reported a positive correlation between the incidence of blisters and breast angle measurements. Hodgson and Gutteridge (1941) found differences in the incidence of breast blisters between breeds and sexes, and reported a very much higher …
Surface Segregation Studies of Fluorine-Containing Diblock Copolymers

A diblock copolymer of deuterated styrene and isoprene (dPS−PI) with a small volume fraction of isoprene was chemically modified to incorporate pendant fluorinated side chains (“fingers”). The composition distribution of the diblock copolymers within a high molecular weight polystyrene (PS) homopolymer was determined by forward recoil spectrometry. Surface segregation and interfacial segregation of the modified block copolymers from a polystyrene matrix are observed in as-spun films. Equilibrium segregation was achieved on annealing at 160 °C for several days. The segregation isotherms at the air−polymer interface are shown to be quantitatively described by a self-consistent mean field theory (SCMF), and these permit us to estimate an effective Flory parameter which describes the attraction of the fluorinated segments to the surface and their repulsion from the bulk. The change in the surface tension as a result of the adsorption of the block copolymers at the air−homopolymer interface was evaluated from ...
Synthesis and Characterization of Electropolymerized Nanostructured Aminophenylporphyrin Films

Porphyrins substituted at meso positions with aminophenyl groups undergo oxidative electropolymerization in a process analogous to the formation of polyaniline. Porphyrins that successfully generat...
Polarized absorption spectra and intensities of Er3+ in sodium beta-double-prime alumina crystals

Abstract The polarized absorption spectra and intensities of trivalent erbium in sodium beta-doubleprime alumina (Er:SBA) were investigated between 355 nm and 850 nm. Both sigma ( E ⊥ c -axis) and pi ( E ∥ c -axis) polarized intensity parameters were obtained using a modified Judd-Ofelt phenomenological approach. By comparing the concentration dependence of intensity parameters observed in the current system with that observed in Nd:SBA, it is suggested that the observed absorption intensities are mainly contributed by those Er 3+ ions occupying sites which are less sensitive to the symmetry perturbation caused by the residual mobile Na + ions in the conduction plane of the doped crystal. The intensity measurements at different temperatures indicate that the vibronic contribution to the observed intensity is negligible in Er:SBA. An angular dependence of the intensity enhancement in the hypersensitive transitions was also observed.
Permeability measurements of flat seawater membranes

Abstract A methodology to determine the performance characteristics of flat sea water membranes has been developed. The test cell constructed by Manjikian (5) has been used for permeability measurements. A mathematical analysis to model the expected radial flow and to predict the concentration polarization has been performed. Experiments revealed departures from the assumed flow pattern and defined the validity limits of the model. Remedial measures to minimize the adverse effects of fouling established the preferred operating conditions of the cell and include the use of an open-nonrecirculating test loop, the evaluation of Monel as material of construction and finally the application of periodic cleaning. All permeation tests have been carried out with an asymmetric-noncellulosic membrane developed by the Du Pont Company.
The effects of plasticity on adhesion of hard films on ductile interlayers

Abstract Adhesion measurements for thin film systems based on buckle driven delaminations, which occurred both spontaneously and induced via nanoindentation, have been used to demonstrate the effects of interlayer plasticity on film adhesion. Tungsten films deposited upon copper and tin films on semiconductor and insulator substrates show that as the hardness of the underlying copper and tin films increases the practical adhesion energy of the interface (W–Cu or W–Sn) decreases. As shear mode loading increases, this effect becomes more pronounced, while the mode I opening fracture energy remains relatively constant for a given film system. Further analysis of the copper surface after the removal of the buckled tungsten film shows a deformation induced plastic zone. The plastic zone extends beyond the original buckle and is responsible for enhancing the effective adhesion energy for these systems.
Nitrosamine-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis in outbred and inbred Syrian hamsters

Pancreatic carcinogenesis was investigated in outbred and in five strains of inbred Syrian golden hamsters utilizing the nitrosamines N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHP) and N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP). Thirty eight outbred hamsters were treated for an average of 15 weeks with weekly s.c. inoculations of BHP at doses of 250,000 or 1000 mg/kg. Pancreatic carcinomas developed in 19%. Eighty nine inbred hamsters of strains CB, LHC and PD4 were given BHP at 250 mg/kg weekly for an average of 25 weeks. Pancreatic carcinomas developed in 61%. Pancreatic inflammation, fibrosis, and ductal hyperplasia were prominent. Toxic changes in the liver, biliary hyperplasia, and pulmonary interstitial inflammation were also prominent features of BHP-treated hamsters, along with occasional carcinomas of the liver and respiratory tract. One hundred and sixteen inbred hamsters of strains CB, LHC, LSH, MHA, and PD4 were treated with BOP at a dose of 5 mg/kg weekly for 15 weeks. The incidence of pancreatic carcinoma was 51%. BHP-treated hamsters exhibited pancreatic fibrosis and ductal hyperplasia. Livers of BHP-treated animals showed biliary hyperplasia, and lungs exhibited chronic inflammation. Occasional carcinomas of the liver and lung developed. From 243 hamsters treated with nitroso carcinogens, eight pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma lines were derived that can be transplanted and propagated in inbred hamsters.
Conditions Associated with Rice Plant Injury by Chironomid Midges in California

A 2-yr (1974–75) study of the conditions associated with rice injury by chironomid larvae ( Cricotopus sylvestris (Fabr.), Paratanytarsus n.sp., and Paralauterborniella spp.) in California showed that greater damage occurred in the 1975 experimental plots that were flooded late in the planting season and to those planted 7 and 14 days after flooding than at one day. Also, more damage was detected in those plots which supported greater populations of C. sylvestris . A developmental threshold temperature (12.8°C) for time from egg deposition to adult was determined in the laboratory for Paratanytarsus n.sp. High populations of 3rd and 4th instar larvae of this species were observed at 7 post-flood days [= ca. 120 accumulated day-degrees (°F)] in those plots with the highest levels of damage. Field life-history patterns of the other economic species paralleled those of Paratanytarsus n.sp. Rice growers are advised to flood their fields early in the planting season and to plant as soon as possible after flooding.
Security of Xinmei digital signature scheme

Xinmital signature scheme that uses error correcting codes in a manner similar to that of the McEliece public-key cryptosytem. It is claimed that the cryptanalytic work factor for the Xinmei system is O[(n − k)!] or O(2n−k), where n and k are the length and dimension, respectively, of the algebraic code selected for the system. In the Letter it is shown that, in some cases, the cryptanalytic work factor can be as low as O(n3).
Flow-induced birefringence: the hidden PSF killer in high performance injection-molded plastic optics

ABSTRACT A 7-mm OD, NA = 1 water immersion injection-molded plastic endoscope objective has been fabricated for a laser scanning fiber confocal reflectance microscope (FCRM) system specifically designed for in vivo detection of cervical and oral pre-cancers. Injection-molded optics was selected for the ability to incorp orate aspheric surfaces into the optical design and its high volume capabilities. Our goal is high pe rformance disposable endoscope probes. This objective has been built and tested as a stand-alone optical system, a Strehl ratio greater than 0.6 has been obtained. One of the limiting factors of optical performance is believed to be flow-induced birefringence. We have investigated different configurations for birefringence visualization and believe the circular polariscope is most useful for inspection of injection-molded plastic optics. In an effort to decrease birefringence effects, two experiments were conducted. They included: (1) annealing of the optics after fabrication and (2) modifying the injection molding parameters (packing pressures, injection rates, and hold time). While the second technique showed improvement, the annealing process could not improve quality without physically warp ing the lenses. Therefore, to effectiv ely reduce flow-induc ed birefringence, molding conditions have to be carefully selected. These parameters are strongly connected to the physical part geometry. Both optical design and fabrication technology have to be considered together to deliver low birefringence while maintaining the required manufacturing tolerances. In this paper we present some of our current results that illustrate how flow-induced birefringence can degrade high performance injection-molded plastic optical systems. Keywords: birefringence, injection-molded optics, plastic optics
Research on Domain-specific Embedded Languages and Program Generators

Abstract Embedding is the process of implementing a language by defining functions in an existing “host” Language; the host language with these added functions is the new language. As a consequence; the new language comes equipped with all the features of the host language, with no additional work on the part of the language designer. Embedding works particularly well when the host language is a functional language. We describe several examples of embedded languages. The first is a language for specifying simple pictures. The others are program generators, that is, languages used to specify programs in other languages. In all of these examples, the host language is Standard ML; in the program generating languages, the target language is C+plus;. The power obtained from the host language is the main emphasis of our presentation. The author gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the Oregon Graduate Institute, where he was on sabbatical during the preparation of this paper.