cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Impacts on Thallus and Algal Cell Components of Two Lichen Species in Response to Low-Level Air Pollution in Pacific Northwest Forests

Lichens have long been regarded as bioindicators of air pollution, and structural studies typically have indicated negative impacts in highly polluted areas. In this research, Parmelia sulcata and Platismatia glauca were collected from one clean and two polluted sites in the Pacific Northwest forests of the United States to investigate the anatomical and ultrastructural responses of relatively resistant lichens to moderate air pollution. Light microscopy of polluted materials revealed only slight increases in the algal cell proportions of the thallus, and a decrease in the fungal cells of the medulla. Using transmission electron microscopy, increased lipid droplets in the cytoplasm and an increase in the cell wall thickness of the photobionts were found in the polluted lichens. These results were compared with physiological data in which the net carbon uptake did not show any significant differences; however, the total chlorophyll content was heightened in the polluted samples. The increased total chlorophyll content and the absence of any changes in the algal cell proportions of the polluted samples suggest that the photobionts possessed a higher chlorophyll content per unit volume of the photobiont at polluted sites. The results also indicate that lichens have altered their storage allocation in different cellular compartments. This may be a result of symbiotic readjustment(s) between the photobiont and the mycobiont. In comparison with the physiological results from these two species, these changes do not represent damaging effects by low-level air pollution.
Bladder cancer in 2011: The dawn of personalized medicine

Long awaited data from the clinical investigation of bladder cancer in both the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings were released in 2011, setting the stage for the next generation of work in this area. The findings of a number of studies provide the first steps towards a personalized approach to this disease.
Structure of the poly(2-thiouridylic) acid duplex☆

Abstract The crystal and molecular structures of poly(2-thiouridylic) acid are remarkably similar to those of A -DNA. How this might be contrived with homopolymer duplexes containing either symmetric or asymmetric pyrimidine pyrimidine base-pairs is described using molecular models optimized by the linked-atom least-squares method. This study supplements an earlier manual model-building study of the second possibility by Mazumdar et al. (1974).
Tropical Modernism: Designing the Tropical Landscape

The tropical gardens and landscape designs of the Brazilian landscapist, Roberto Burle Marx, are examined in relation to the historical development of the European concept of “the tropical”. The argument is made that Burle Marx's pared down, austere, and abstract designs, which incorporate tropical plants in innovative fashion, yet make no effort to recreate or imitate a jungle experience, can be interpreted as offering a possible solution to the dialectic of nature and culture in a country burdened historically by the designation “tropical”.
Why are mammalian alkaline phosphatases much more active than bacterial alkaline phosphatases

Summary Mammalian alkaline phosphatases are 20-30-fold more active than the corresponding bacterial enzymes even though their amino acid sequences are 25–30% absolutely conserved. In the active-site region there are two noticeable differences between the sequences of the bacterial and mammalian enzymes, in the Escherichia coli enzyme positions 153 and 328 are Asp and Lys, respectively, but in the mammalian enzymes His is observed at both of these positions. Site-specific mutagenesis, genetic and X-ray crystallographic data, which will be summarized here, suggest that the His substitutions at positions 153 and 328 are primarily responsible for the differences in properties between the bacterial and mammalian alkaline phosphatases.
Fluctuations and lambda phase transition in liquid helium

Abstract A general dynamical scaling theory of phase transitions is established by exploiting the absence of a characteristic length in an extended system at its phase transition. This similarity property imposes strong constraints on the frequency and wave-number dependence of the fluctuation spectrum and leads to unambiguous predictions concerning the critical properties. The theory is worked out in detail for the lambda transition of liquid Helium, as a prototype. The fluctuations resulting from density waves at low temperature and from both first and second sound at higher temperatures, are closely examined. The connection between the divergent fluctuations in the second sound modes (as the temperature T approaches the lambda temperature Tλ) and the critical variation of the damping coefficients is established. The critical temperature dependences of the thermal conductivity of He I and the damping of first and second sound in He II are predicted to be essentially (T − T λ ) −1 3 , (Tλ − T)−1, and (T λ − T) −1 3 . (There occur also logarithmic factors.) Recent experimental measurements of the first and second of these give quantitative verification of the theory. In addition to the temperature dependence, the dynamical scaling theory does not employ any adjustable parameter and consequently also predicts the absolute magnitude of these quatities. Although this is a less conclusive check on the theory, the agreement is also satisfactory.
Wetting effects on in vitro bioactivity and in vitro biocompatibility of laser micro-textured Ca-P coating

Calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coating on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy enhances osteoblast adhesion and tissue formation at the bone implant interface. In light of this, in the current work a laser-based coating technique was used to synthesize two different micro-textured (100 microm and 200 microm spaced line patterns) Ca-P coatings on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy and its effect on wettability and osteoblast cell adhesion were systematically studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the coated samples indicated the presence of precursor material, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (HA) and various other additional phases such as CaTiO3, Ca3(PO4)2, TiO2 (anatase) and TiO2 (rutile) owing to the reaction between the precursor (HA) and substrate (Ti-6Al-4V) during laser processing. Confocal laser scanning microscopy-based characterization of coated samples indicated that the samples processed at 100 microm line spacing demonstrated a reduced surface roughness and smaller texture parameter value as compared to the samples processed at 200 microm spacing. The surface energy and wettability of the 100 microm spaced samples measured using a static sessile drop technique demonstrated higher surface energy and increased hydrophilicity as compared to the control (untreated Ti-6Al-4V) and the samples processed at 200 microm spacing. The tendency of coated samples for mineralization through generation of an apatite-like phase during immersion in a simulated body fluid was indicative of their in vitro bioactive nature. In light of higher surface energy and increased hydrophilicity the in vitro biocompatibility of the samples with 100 microm line spacing was demonstrated through increased cell proliferation and cell adhesion of mouse MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells.
Security Guards' MMPI Profiles: Some Normative Data

Absrract: A national security guard company administered the MMPI to all its guards following hiring. This paper presents the normative data derived from all guards hired during the 12 months of 1978 (n = 4534). The validity of I profile in 5 was questionable. However, I in 8 was valid but elevated (T > 70) on one or more critical scales (D. Pd, Pa, PI. Sr, or Ma). Among valid but elevated profiles, the majority were elevated on Ma and/or Pd. Elevation of Dand Sr, as wellas M a and Pd, was common among questionable profiles.
Transient free convection from a vertical plate to a non-newtonian fluid in a porous medium

Abstract An analysis of the transient, buoyancy-induced flow and heat transfer adjacent to a suddenly heated vertical wall, embedded in a porous medium saturated with a non-Newtonian fluid, is presented. It is shown that the governing equations, under boundary layer assumptions, are of a singular parabolic type and can be solved accurately in a semi-similar, finite domain using a successive relaxation method. The results show that during the initial stage, before effects of the leading edge become influential at a location, heat transfer and flow phenomena in porous media are governed by transient one-dimensional diffusion processes, for both pseudoplastic and dilatant fluids. Results are presented for the transition from this initial stage to a fully two-dimensional transient, which ultimately terminates in a steady convection. Non-Newtonian fluids which are pseudoplastic exhibit a significantly larger change in the heat transfer coefficient during the transition between the initial diffusive and final steady flow conditions, and unlike the free convection in homogeneous media neither dilatants nor pseudoplastics exhibit any undershoot in the heat transfer coefficient. Furthermore, it is shown that the time required to reach steady state increases and the heat transfer coefficient decreases with a decrease in the power law index.
Role of the extracellular loops of G protein-coupled receptors in ligand recognition: a molecular modeling study of the human P2Y1 receptor.

The P2Y1 receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and is stimulated by extracellular ADP and ATP. Site-directed mutagenesis of the three extracellular loops (ELs) of the human P2Y1 receptor indicates the existence of two essential disulfide bridges (Cys124 in EL1 and Cys202 in EL2; Cys42 in the N-terminal segment and Cys296 in EL3) and several specific ionic and H-bonding interactions (involving Glu209 and Arg287). Through molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, an energetically sound conformational hypothesis for the receptor has been calculated that includes transmembrane (TM) domains (using the electron density map of rhodopsin as a template), extracellular loops, and a truncated N-terminal region. ATP may be docked in the receptor, both within the previously defined TM cleft and within two other regions of the receptor, termed meta-binding sites, defined by the extracellular loops. The first meta-binding site is located outside of the TM bundle, between EL2 and EL3, and the second higher energy site is positioned immediately underneath EL2. Binding at both the principal TM binding site and the lower energy meta-binding sites potentially affects the observed ligand potency. In meta-binding site I, the side chain of Glu209 (EL2) is within hydrogen-bonding distance (2.8 A) of the ribose O3′, and Arg287 (EL3) coordinates both α- and β-phosphates of the triphosphate chain, consistent with the insensitivity in potency of the 5′-monophosphate agonist, HT-AMP, to mutation of Arg287 to Lys. Moreover, the selective reduction in potency of 3′NH2-ATP in activating the E209R mutant receptor is consistent with the hypothesis of direct contact between EL2 and nucleotide ligands. Our findings support ATP binding to at least two distinct domains of the P2Y1 receptor, both outside and within the TM core. The two disulfide bridges present in the human P2Y1 receptor play a major role in the structure and stability of the receptor, to constrain the loops within the receptor, specifically stretching the EL2 over the opening of the TM cleft and thus defining the path of access to the binding site.
Understanding the effects of power amplifiers on bandwidth efficient single-carrier and multi-carrier waveforms

Power amplifiers (PAs) convert low-power radio frequency (RF) signals into high-power RF signals. Most wireless communication systems employ power amplifiers in order to increase the operating range of the system. However, this conversion process can have some undesired effects on the underlying physical layer waveforms that are used for communicating. This paper will investigate these undesired effects on two types of waveforms: single-carrier and multi-carrier. Of main interest will be the effects caused by PAs to waveform out-of-band emissions, average and peak transmit power and received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
A 3D contact smoothing method using Gregory patches

In this work, a method is developed for smoothing three-dimensional contact surfaces. The method can be applied to both regular and irregular meshes. The algorithm employs Gregory patches to interpolate finite element nodes and provide tangent plane continuity between adjacent patches. The resulting surface interpolation is used to calculate gaps and contact forces, in a variationally consistent way, such that contact forces due to normal and frictional contact vary smoothly as slave nodes transition from one patch to the next. This eliminates the 'chatter' which typically occurs in a standard contact algorithm when a slave node is situated near a master facet edge. The elimination of this chatter provides a significant improvement in convergence behaviour, which is illustrated by a number of numerical examples. Furthermore, smoothed surfaces also provide a more accurate representation of the actual surface, such that resulting stresses and forces can be more accurately computed with coarse meshes in many problems. This fact is also demonstrated by the numerical examples.
Combined chemotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of suicidaI patients

SummaryExperience gained at the Crisis Intervention Clinic of the Cornell Program in Social Psychiatry has shown the value of chemotherapy as part of an overall approach to treating potentially suicidal patients. A double-blind controlled study was carried out in 89 patients attending the clinic to compare the effectiveness of doxepin, amitriptyline and placebo. Results indicate that doxepin was therapeutically comparable to amitriptyline and that both drugs were significantly better than placebo in the treatment of neurotic depression.
Emersion in the mangrove forest fish Rivulus marmoratus : a unique response to hydrogen sulfide

The mangrove forest fishRivulus marmoratus (Cyprinodontidae) has frequently been observed out of water, a phenomenon generally attributed to habitat drying. We tested the hypothesis that hydrogen sulfide, a substance characteristically found in their environment, can serve as a stimulus for emersion. In the field we foundR. marmoratus in water with low to moderate levels (<250 ppb) of HS. In the laboratory,R. marmoratus leaped from water contaminated with H2S at ecologically relevant concentrations (median response at 123 ppb). Aquatic hypoxia did not induce emersion, but prey capture did. Oxygen consumption by both juveniles and adults decreased significantly in air (27 and 25%, respectively). Our results suggest that avoidance of H2S and the ability to survive terrestrial conditions enable this species to permanently occupy an area of the forest unavailable to other fishes. Furthermore, because a variety of stimuli lead to etriersion inR. marmoratus, terrestriality in this species is likely a generalized response to environmental stress as well as a means of exploiting terrestrial resources.
ENDOCRINOLOGY: Idiopathic hypoglycemia-a defect in hypothalamic ACTH-releasing factor secretion

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) deficiency has not previously been demonstrated as a cause of hypoglycemic convulsions. We have recently stuided 3 children who justify such a diagnosis. One child moreover has an identical twin who provided the ideal control in the various test situations. The presence of the a disorder in ACTH release was suggested by the absence of a response in plasma cortisol and plasma ACTH to insulin induced hypoglycemia as measured by radioimmunoassay, impaired prompt water diuresis, lack of elevation in urinary 17-OHCS following metyrapone administration despite adequate 11-B-hydroxylase inhinition and normal adrenocortial activation by exogenous ACTH. Normal insuline and growth hormone responses to glucose, arginine, tolbutamide and glucagon adminstration as well as catecholamine release by insulin induced hypoglycemia confirmed the isolated nature of the defect in keeping with the presence of a normal growth pattern and normal thyroid indices. That the defeat is one of hypothalamic activation of ACTH release rather than isolated ACTH deficiency was confirmed by the release of ACTH and rise in plasma cortisol following vasopressin administration. Two children had a history of low birth weight for gestation age. The third infant was born postmaute with respiratory distress. The available evidence suggests that this is an acquired defect rather than a genetically determined abnormality. Hypoglycemia due to a defect in hypothalamic activation of ACTH release may provide the explanation for fasting hypoglycemia and convulsions in children otherwise unexplained or masquerading as ketotic hypoglycemia.
Geomembrane compatibility tests using uranium acid leachate

Abstract This paper compares the results of two different types of geomembrane compatibility tests with a simulated leachate from a uranium mill. One technique involves two-sided exposure by immersing samples in liquid (recently adopted by the National Sanitation Foundation). The other technique closely simulates conditions in an acid-leach uranium tailings pond by exposing the geomembrane to leachate on one side only and by simulating stresses due to tailings and leachate. In both cases elevated temperature was used to accelerate degradation. The two techniques produced similar results in most cases. Advantages and disadvantages for each technique are discussed.
Fine structure of mutant (muscular dysgenesis) embryonic mouse muscle

Abstract This investigation is concerned with the ultrastructure of embryonic muscle cells in mice homozygous for the mutation mdg (muscular dysgenesis). The earliest abnormalities are detected at a gestational age of 14 days when the sarcoplasmic reticulum of mutant cells begins to appear dilated. In later stages swollen sarcoplasmic reticulum is seen in all muscle cells as well as nuclear abnormalities and cell death. The correlation between the ultrastructural abnormalities of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the other cellular abnormalities is discussed, as well as the possible relevance of the structural abnormalities to the total absence of muscle function in mutant homozygotes.
Optimal trade policy in the presence of changing market structure

This study examines the optimal use of tariff policy in response to a change in both the number and market behavior of domestic firms. The paper demonstrates that under certain demand conditions, optimal trade policy may require an increase in tariffs in response to an increase in consolidation or collusion among domestic firms.
The Sensory Rating Scale for Infants and Young Children

A major sensory processing disorder that may exist in infants and young children is increased vulnerability to sensory input, or sensory defensiveness. The Sensory Rating Scale for Infants and Young Children (SRS) was developed as a parent report measure that can be used to identify and quantify sensory responsiveness, including sensory defensive behaviors, in the birth to 3-year-old population. The SRS was administered to the parents of 120 normal children to provide data on internal consistency and intrarater and interrater reliability of the tool. Correlation coefficients and percentages of agreement for clinically important information were found to be high. The SRS appears useful as a clinical tool to assess sensory responsiveness in children.
Creation and a Theology of Humanness

This article seeks a Christian biblical interpretation for a theology of humanness based on the two Creation stories and the Garden of Eden narrative in Genesis chapters 1–3. The presentation serves as a corrective to the notion that Creation was perfect and that suffering (or mental illness/disability) is caused by the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The author seeks to develop a theology of humanness which engages Genesis 1–3 with the work of David Pailin's book, A Gentle Touch: From a Theology of Handicap to a Theology of Human Being, and the work of Douglas John Hall in God and Human Suffering: An Exercise in the Theology of the Cross. Particular attention will be given to the conditions of Creation addressed by Hall, which are temptation, anxiety, loneliness, and limits—iImplying that to be human is to experience temptation, anxiety, loneliness, and limits. God, however, becomes human in Jesus Christ to embrace humanness. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God restores the...
Synthesis and Characterization of Membrane-Active GALA-OKT9 Conjugates

Cellular processing of immunotoxins is inefficient, limiting the overall effectiveness of current immunotoxin therapies. Specifically, translocation of ribosome-inactivating toxins across intracellular membranes is agonizingly slow. In one strategy to improve immunotoxin efficacy, membrane-active peptides are attached to immunotoxins to facilitate transfer of the toxic moiety across a cellular membrane to the cytosol. pH-sensitive peptides are of particular interest, as the membrane activity can be localized to the endosomal/lysosomal pathway, reducing nonspecific interactions at the cell surface. In this study, GALA, a pH-sensitive peptide that forms multimeric pores in membranes, was chemically attached to OKT9, an anti-transferrin receptor mAb. Conjugates were tested by measuring release of encapsulated dyes from liposomes to determine the extent to which the membrane-lytic properties of GALA were retained. The most significant feature affecting the lytic properties of GALA-OKT9 conjugates was the numb...
Application of a color-appearance model to vision through atmospheric haze

Environmental laws mandate the protection of visibility conditions in national parks and wilderness areas from atmospheric haze, which occurs due to the emissions of anthropogenic air pollutants. To calculate the improvement in visibility that results from the reduction of these air pollutants, it is necessary to quantify the relationship of haze to the color appearance of objects being viewed through it. To this end, a field study was conducted in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee. Color appearance of objects was quantified by color matching with a special visual colorimeter. The Hunt94 color-appearance model was used to compare these matches with simultaneous spectral measurements. In addition to the chromaticity coordinates and luminance of the object, the Hunt94 model requires a number of parameters such as the chromaticity of the adapting light and chromatic and brightness surround induction factors, which need to be determined for the outdoor viewing conditions. This article describes how this was accomplished. Although it accounts for differences in viewing conditions between the colorimeter and daylight conditions, the Hunt94 model does not account for the perceptual transparency effect of haze on outdoor color appearance. These results challenge the manner in which current air quality–visibility models are being utilized. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Col Res Appl, 24, 112–120, 1999
Antipsychiatric activism and feminism: the use of film and text to question biomedicine

This article examines the relationships between antipsychiatric activism and feminism, paying particular attention to the civil liberties of mental health consumer/survivor/expatient (c/s/x) individuals in relation to mental health practices. It argues that a continually rigorous exploration of the complex (and at times uneasy) relationships between antipsychiatric activism, feminism and mental health practice is necessary and useful for pursuing social justice by working toward the diminishment of mental health inequalities. The article includes an overview of the ‘spectrum’ of antipsychiatric stances and a review of some of the literature covering the relationship between antipsychiatry and feminism, and uses cinematic and literary examples to highlight the complexity of addressing issues like medication ‘compliance’ and ‘non‐compliance’ among mental health users and consumers in biomedical contexts.
Neural crest can form cartilages normally derived from mesoderm during development of the avian head skeleton.

The lateral wall of the avian braincase, which is indicative of the primitive amniote condition, is formed from mesoderm. In contrast, mammals have replaced this portion of their head skeleton with a nonhomologous bone of neural crest origin. Features that characterize the local developmental environment may have enabled a neural crest-derived skeletal element to be integrated into a mesodermal region of the braincase during the course of evolution. The lateral wall of the braincase lies along a boundary in the head that separates neural crest from mesoderm, and also, neural crest cells migrate through this region on their way to the first visceral arch. Differences in the availability of one skeletogenic population versus the other may determine the final composition of the lateral wall of the braincase. Using the quail-chick chimeric system, this investigation tests if populations of neural crest, when augmented and expanded within populations of mesoderm, will give rise to the lateral wall of the braincase. Results demonstrate that neural crest can produce cartilages that are morphologically indistinguishable from elements normally generated by mesoderm. These findings (1) indicate that neural crest can respond to the same cues that both promote skeletogenesis and enable proper patterning in mesoderm, (2) challenge hypotheses on the nature of the boundary between neural crest and mesoderm in the head, and (3) suggest that changes in the allocation of migrating cells could have enabled a neural crest-derived skeletal element to replace a mesodermal portion of the braincase during evolution.
The earliest recollection: A new survey

High school (N= 150) and college (N= 164) students completed a survey of their earliest personal recollection (ER). These memories typically were of events occurring in the fourth year of life, and varied widely in terms of content and associated affect. The ERs of the high school sample were dated significantly later, contained more traumatic content, and were more likely to possess the qualities of a “screen memory” than were those of the college sample. Upon retest three months later, 58% of the high school students recalled the same ER as on the first trial. For those recalling a different ER, the second was rated as more pleasant than the first, and was less likely to contain traumatic content. In the college sample, those subjects whose ERs were of events occurring after the fourth birthday or which fit the definition of “screen” memories scored higher on the PRF Harmavoidance scale. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Caries Due to Food Retention in Nonsusceptible Rats Fed a Noncariogenic Diet

Ligation of mandibular first molars in Fischer rats resulted in extensive food retention and massive caries, although the rats were fed a high fluoride, noncariogenic diet. These experimental conditions were suggested as a model to study the relationship of food retention to caries.
Transcranial Doppler Assessment of Workload Transition in a Complex Task

Previous research has demonstrated that the level of performance achieved for a given workload level is affected not only on task demands and individual differences, but also by sequential effects of prior workload. The majority of this research has been done with vigilance-type tasks, wherein performance is an intermittent response to critical signals. Workload is then varied either by adjusting the signal rate or adding a secondary task. This study sought to demonstrate that workload can be assessed with Transcranial Doppler (TCD) in addition to performance and other physiological measures, and that workload transition results generalize to more complex tasks. TCD and electrocardiographic (ECG) data were collected while participants performed the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB, Comstock & Arnegard, 1992). Two levels of workload were individually defined based on performance via a pretest calibration procedure; one level was relatively easy with a mean composite TLX score of 23 and the other relative...
Stable transformation of insect cells to coexpress a rapidly selectable marker gene and an inhibitor of apoptosis.

We have constructed several plasmid expression vectors to express foreign genes in stably transformed insect cells. Unlike baculovirus-based expression vectors by which genes of interest are expressed transiently before lysis of the virus-infected cells, genes can be expressed continuously over many passages in a stable cell line. Furthermore, the function of a gene or genes expressed in a stable cell line from an insect-specific promoter that is constitutively expressed can be studied in the absence of virus infection and viral gene expression. In this study, we have expressed a novel, selectable marker gene, puromycin acetyltransferase, under the control of the Drosophila melanogaster hsp70 promoter or under the control of the AcMNPV ie-1 promoter which is active in Spodoptera frugiperda cells in the absence of virus infection. In addition, we have constructed expression vectors which coexpress two genes from separate promoters, the pac gene which confers resistance to puromycin and a baculovirus gene which inhibits apoptosis, derived from Orygia pseudotsugata nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Both genes were expressed in stable populations of S. frugiperda cells in the absence of continuous drug selection.
Analyses of nucleon spectra in heavy ion reactions.

We discuss uncertainties in extracting precompound neutron spectra and multiplicities by commonly used methods.
SNR and BER degradation of upstream RFoG signals due to accumulated RIN and shot noise of off-state R-ONUs

Recent SCTE presentations have suggested that the SNR power penalties can be greater than 7dB for off-state R-ONU power levels of -30dBm. Our experimental and modeling results show power penalties far smaller than this.
Acid-sensing ion channel 3 matches the acid-gated current in cardiac ischemia-sensing neurons

Cardiac afferents are sensory neurons that mediate angina, pain that occurs when the heart receives insufficient blood supply for its metabolic demand (ischemia). These neurons display enormous acid-evoked depolarizing currents, and they fire action potentials in response to extracellular acidification that accompanies myocardial ischemia. Here we show that acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3), but no other known acid-sensing ion channel, reproduces the functional features of the channel that underlies the large acid-evoked current in cardiac afferents. ASIC3 and the native channel are both especially sensitive to pH, interact similarly with Ca(2+), and gate rapidly between closed, open, and desensitized states. Particularly important is the ability of ASIC3 and the native channel to open at pH 7, a value reached in the first few minutes of a heart attack. The steep activation curve suggests that the channel opens when four protons bind. We propose that ASIC3, a member of the degenerin channel (of Caenorhabditis elegans)/epithelial sodium channel family of ion channels, is the sensor of myocardial acidity that triggers cardiac pain, and that it might be a useful pharmaceutical target for treating angina.
The elegant solution to the problem of impotence

Although most therapists are committed to debunking the dual myths that “sex requires an erection” and that “sex equals intercourse,” sex researchers continue to use “successful” intercourse as a primary dependent variable. It is here asserted that RET therapists would do well to approach the problem of erectile dysfunction from a more elegant philosophical perspective. The treatment approach outlined here is aimed at reducing client disturbance as well as increasing sexual satisfaction rather than at simply helping the client to regain his potency.
The structure-breaking effect on oxygen diffusion coefficients in electrolyte and polyelectrolyte solutions

By employing a membrane-covered polarographic oxygen electrode, the oxygen diffusion coefficients and solubilities in aqueous solutions of ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and xanthan gum have been measured with a newly developed methodology. Experimental results showed that in all systems studied, oxygen solubilities decrease on addition of solutes. Oxygen diffusion coefficients in aqueous solutions of KI and NH4C1 are found to be higher than that in pure water. In sodium alginate solutions, dilute xanthan solutions, and solutions containing more than 0.3 wt% of CMC, oxygen diffusion coefficients decrease with an increase in polymer concentrations. Interestingly, in dilute CMC solutions and concentrated xanthan solutions containing more than 0.5 wt% of xanthan gum, oxygen diffusion coefficients increase with increasing polymer concentrations, and values exceeding that in pure water are generally observed. On a mesure grǎce a une methode nouvellement mise au point, qui utilise une electrode a oxygene polarographique recouverte d'une membrane, les coefficients de diffusion de l'oxygene et les solubilites dans des solutions aqueuses de chlorure d'ammonium, de iodure de potassium, d'alginate de sodium, de carboxymehyl cellulose de sodium (CMC) et de gomme de xanthane. Les resultats experimentaux montrent que dans tous les systemes etudies, les solubilites de l'oxygene diminuent avec l'addition de solutes. On a trouve que les coefficients de diffusion de l'oxygene dans des solutions aqueuses de KI et de NH4Cl sont plus grands que dans l'eau pure. Dans les solutions d'alginate de sodium, les solutions de xanthane diluee et les solutions contenant plus de 0,3% en poids de CMC, les coefficients de diffusion de l'oxygene diminuent avec une augmentation de la concentration en polymeres. Curieusement, dans des solutions de CMC dilue et des solutions de xanthane concentree contenant plus de 0,5% en poids de gomme de xanthane, les coefficients de diffusion de l'oxygene augmentent avec la concentration de polymeres, et on observe generalement des valeurs excedant celles obtenues avec l'eau pure.
Lateral spreading of Au contacts on InP

The contact spreading phenomenon observed when small area Au contacts on InP are annealed at temperatures above about 400 C was investigated. It was found that the rapid lateral expansion of the contact metallization which consumes large quantities of InP during growth is closely related to the third stage in the series of solid state reactions that occur between InP and Au, i.e., to the Au3In-to-Au9In4 transition. Detailed descriptions are presented of both the spreading process and the Au3In-to-Au9In4 transition along with arguments that the two processes are manifestations of the same basic phenomenon.
Diffraction image formation in optical systems with polarization aberrations. I - Formulation and example

This paper is the first in a series that will examine image formation in optical systems with polarization aberrations. The present paper derives the point-spread function (PSF) and the optical transfer function for optical systems with polarization aberration and explores how image formation depends on the coherence and polarization state of the source. It is shown that the scalar PSF of Fourier optics can be generalized in the presence of polarization aberration to a 4 x 4 point-spread matrix (PSM) in Mueller matrix notation. A similar 4 x 4 optical transfer matrix (OTM) is shown to be an appropriate generalization of the optical transfer function. The PSM and the OTM are associated with the optical system and are independent of the incident polarization state but dependent on the coherence of the illumination. Since an optical system with polarization aberrations will have a different PSF and optical transfer function for different incident polarization states, the PSM and the OTM act as filters with regard to the incident polarization state. Example calculations are performed for a circularly retarding lens.
Analysis of Variscan dynamics; early bending of the Cantabria^Asturias Arc, northern Spain

Calcite twinning analysis in the Cantabria^Asturias Arc (CAA) of northern Spain provides a basis for evaluating conditions of Variscan stress and constrains the arc’s structural evolution. Twinning typically occurs during earliest layer-parallel shortening, offering the ability to define early conditions of regional stress. Results from the Somiedo^ Correcilla region are of two kinds: early maximum compressive stress oriented layer-parallel and at high angles to bedding strike (D1c1) and later twin producing compression oriented sub-parallel to strike (D2c1). When all D1 compressions are rotated into a uniform east^west reference orientation, a quite linear, north^south trending fold^ thrust belt results showing a slight deflection of the southern zone to the south^southeast. North^south-directed D2c1 compression was recorded prior to bending of the belt. Calcite twinning data elucidate earliest structural conditions that could not be obtained by other means, whereas the kinematics of arc tightening during D2 is constrained by paleomagnetism. A large and perhaps protracted D2c1 is suggested by our results, as manifested by approximately 50% arc tightening prior to acquisition of paleomagnetic remagnetizations throughout the CAA. Early east^west compression (D1c1) likely resulted from the Ebro^Aquitaine massif docking to Laurussia whereas the north-directed collision of Africa (D2c1) produced clockwise bending in the northern zone, radial folding in the hinge, and rotation of thrusts in the southern zone. fl 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Social Support to Parents-in-Law: The Interplay of Gender and Kin Hierarchies

Using data from a representative sample of middle-aged married persons, we compare men's and women's contact and assistance to older parents-in-law and parents. Women have more visits and phone contact with their parents than do men, and men talk on the phone more with their in-laws than do women. There are no gender differences in assistance patterns. Multivariate analysis shows that women contact and help parents more than in-laws, whereas for men there are no such differences. There is little direct evidence that the presence of one set of parents affects relations with the other. Our findings suggest that although women clearly give priority to relations with their own parents, men experience pulls in both directions.
A graphic simulator for autonomous underwater vehicle docking operations

The performance of the control module in an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is critical to the success of vehicle missions. However, testing such a control unit in-situ is usually very costly and risky. A graphic simulator based on X-window for an AUV docking process has been developed. Based on a 1-dimensional physical model of a low-speed underwater marine vehicle and a radial basis function (RBF) neural network (NN) as the control unit, the simulator provides an experimental platform for developing, training and testing of AUV controllers in a safe, economic and reliable way. Through its use, the feasibility and effectiveness of a NN-based control module (for the vehicle borehole docking project funded by NSF and in cooperation with IFREMER) have been successfully demonstrated. >
Regulatory T Cells Are Critical for Clearing Influenza A Virus in Neonatal Mice.

Abstract We previously reported that neonatal mice infected with influenza A virus (IAV) develop interstitial pneumonia characterized by reduced lung cytokine and chemokine responses. The failure of T cells to infiltrate the airways of neonates correlated with delayed clearance of sublethal IAV infections compared to adults. We hypothesized that negative regulators in the neonatal lungs such as cytokines or T regulatory (Treg) cells are responsible for these differences. Neonates either deficient in interleukin-10 (IL-10) or with T cells unresponsive to transforming growth factor-β signaling due to absence of SMAD family member 4 (Smad4) had similar IAV clearance kinetics to wild-type pups and no difference in T-cell responses. In contrast, functional depletion of Treg cells with anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody resulted in increased proportions of activated CD4+ T cells in the lungs, but failure to clear IAV. Similarly, scurfy pups (mutation in forkhead box P3 [Foxp3] rendering them deficient in Treg cells)...
Influences of calibration data length and data period on model parameterization and quantification of terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics

Abstract. Reliability of terrestrial ecosystem models highly depends on the quantity and quality of the data that have been used to calibrate the models. Nowadays, in situ observations of carbon fluxes are abundant. However, the knowledge of how much data (data length) and which subset of the time series data (data period) should be used to effectively calibrate the model is still lacking. In this study we use the AmeriFlux carbon flux data to parameterize the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) using an adjoint based data assimilation technique for five different ecosystem types including deciduous broadleaf forest, coniferous forest, grassland, shrubland and boreal forest. We hypothesize that calibration data covering various climate conditions for the ecosystems (e.g. drought and wet; high and low air temperature) can reduce the uncertainty of the model parameter space. Here parameterization is conducted to explore the impact of both data length and data period on the uncertainty reduction of the posterior model parameters and the quantification of site and regional carbon dynamics. We find that: (1) the model is better constrained when it uses two-year data comparing to using one-year data. Further, two-year data is long enough in calibrating TEM's carbon dynamics, since using three-year data could only marginally improve the model performance at our study sites; (2) the model is better constrained with the data that have a higher "climate variability" than that with a lower one. The climate variability is used to measure the overall possibility of the ecosystem to experience various climate conditions including drought and extreme air temperatures and radiation; (3) the US regional simulations indicate that the effect of calibration data length on carbon dynamics is amplified at regional and temporal scales, leading to large discrepancies among different parameterization experiments, especially in July and August. This study shall help the eddy flux observation community in conducting field observations. The study shall also benefit the ecosystem modeling community in using multiple-year data to improve model parameterization and predictability.
Chirped-pulse millimeter-wave spectroscopy for dynamics and kinetics studies of pyrolysis reactions

A Chirped-Pulse millimeter-Wave (CPmmW) spectrometer is applied to the study of chemical reaction products that result from pyrolysis in a Chen nozzle heated to 1000–1800 K. Millimeter-wave rotational spectroscopy unambiguously determines, for each polar reaction product, the species, the conformers, relative concentrations, conversion percentage from precursor to each product, and, in some cases, vibrational state population distributions. A chirped-pulse spectrometer can, within the frequency range of a single chirp, sample spectral regions of up to ∼10 GHz and simultaneously detect many reaction products. Here we introduce a modification to the CPmmW technique in which multiple chirps of different spectral content are applied to a molecular beam pulse that contains the pyrolysis reaction products. This technique allows for controlled allocation of its sensitivity to specific molecular transitions and effectively doubles the bandwidth of the spectrometer. As an example, the pyrolysis reaction of ethyl nitrite, CH3CH2ONO, is studied, and CH3CHO, H2CO, and HNO products are simultaneously observed and quantified, exploiting the multi-chirp CPmmW technique. Rotational and vibrational temperatures of some product molecules are determined. Subsequent to supersonic expansion from the heated nozzle, acetaldehyde molecules display a rotational temperature of 4 ± 1 K. Vibrational temperatures are found to be controlled by the collisional cooling in the expansion, and to be both species- and vibrational mode-dependent. Rotational transitions of vibrationally excited formaldehyde in levels ν4, 2ν4, 3ν4, ν2, ν3, and ν6 are observed and effective vibrational temperatures for modes 2, 3, 4, and 6 are determined and discussed.
The discriminative ability of the 12-item short form health survey (SF-12) in a sample of persons infected with HIV.

Abstract Background Self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assesses constructs that transcend laboratory-based clinical parameters. Corroboration of the hypothesized relationships between the 2 types of health indicators (ie, clinical and HRQOL) could provide evidence of the validity of an HRQOL measurement tool. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of scores on the mental component summary (MCS-12) and physical component summary (PCS-12) of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to discriminate between HIV-infected persons in predefined disease-severity groups based on surrogate markers. Methods This cross-sectional study involved the collection of clinical data (ie, CD4 cell count, viral load [HIV-1 RNA copies/mL]) from patients' medical records and HRQOL data from the SF-12 at 2 HIV specialty clinics. The ability of SF-12 summary scores to discriminate between patients stratified by disease severity (ie, CD4 cell count 3 ; HIV-1 RNA >55,000 vs ≤55,000 copies/mL) was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Data were collected from 478 patients. The scores from the PCS-12 were able to discriminate between groups of patients stratified by disease severity based on CD4 cell count ( P P Conclusions Although the SF-12 is a brief generic measure of HRQOL, these findings provide further evidence of the validity of the SF-12 and suggest that it may be a practical way to monitor health status from the perspective of the HIV-infected patient.
BMP antagonism protects Nodal signaling in the gastrula to promote the tissue interactions underlying mammalian forebrain and craniofacial patterning

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common forebrain and craniofacial malformation syndrome in humans. The genetics of HPE suggest that it often stems from a synergistic interaction of mutations in independent loci. In mice, several combinations of mutations in Nodal signaling pathway components can give rise to HPE, but it is not clear whether modest deficits of Nodal signaling along with lesions in other pathways might also cause such defects. We find that HPE results from simultaneous reduction of Nodal signaling and an organizer BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) antagonist, either Chordin or Noggin. These defects result from reduced production of tissues that promote forebrain and craniofacial development. Nodal promotes the expression of genes in the anterior primitive streak that are important for the development of these tissues, whereas BMP inhibits their expression. Pharmacological and transgenic manipulation of these signaling pathways suggests that BMP and Nodal antagonize each other prior to intracellular signal transduction. Biochemical experiments in vitro indicate that secreted Bmp2 and Nodal can form extracellular complexes, potentially interfering with receptor activation. Our results reveal that the patterning of forebrain and medial craniofacial elements requires a fine balance between BMP and Nodal signaling during primitive streak development, and provide a potential mechanistic basis for a new multigenic model of HPE.