cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical sensors for oxidative stress monitoring

Abstract Electrochemical sensors are ideally suited for the detection of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) generated during biological processes. This review discusses the latest work in the development of electrochemical microsensors for ROS/RNS and their applications for monitoring oxidative stress in biological systems. The performance of recent designs of microelectrodes and electrode materials is discussed along with their functionality in preclinical models of drug efficacy, mitochondrial distress, and endothelial dysfunction. Challenges and opportunities in translating this methodology to study the pathophysiology associated with various diseases are discussed.
Selenoprotein P Regulates Synaptic Zinc and Reduces Tau Phosphorylation

Selenoprotein P (SELENOP1) is a selenium-rich antioxidant protein involved in extracellular transport of selenium (Se). SELENOP1 also has metal binding properties. The trace element Zinc (Zn2+) is a neuromodulator that can be released from synaptic terminals in the brain, primarily from a subset of glutamatergic terminals. Both Zn2+ and Se are necessary for normal brain function. Although these ions can bind together with high affinity, the biological significance of an interaction of SELENOP1 with Zn2+ has not been investigated. We examined changes in brain Zn2+ in SELENOP1 knockout (KO) animals. Timm-Danscher and N-(6-methoxy-8-quinolyl)-p-toluenesulphonamide (TSQ) staining revealed increased levels of intracellular Zn2+ in the SELENOP1-/- hippocampus compared to wildtype (WT) mice. Mass spectrometry analysis of frozen whole brain samples demonstrated that total Zn2+ was not increased in the SELENOP1-/- mice, suggesting only local changes in Zn2+ distribution. Unexpectedly, live Zn2+ imaging of hippocampal slices with a selective extracellular fluorescent Zn2+ indicator (FluoZin-3) showed that SELENOP1-/- mice have impaired Zn2+ release in response to KCl-induced neuron depolarization. The zinc/metal storage protein metallothionein 3 (MT-3) was increased in SELENOP1-/- hippocampus relative to wildtype, possibly in response to an elevated Zn2+ content. We found that depriving cultured cells of selenium resulted in increased intracellular Zn2+, as did inhibition of selenoprotein GPX4 but not GPX1, suggesting the increased Zn2+ in SELENOP1-/- mice is due to a downregulation of antioxidant selenoproteins and subsequent release of Zn2+ from intracellular stores. Surprisingly, we found increased tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus of SELENOP1-/- mice, possibly resulting from intracellular zinc changes. Our findings reveal important roles for SELENOP1 in the maintenance of synaptic Zn2+ physiology and preventing tau hyperphosphorylation.
Accumulation of C-terminal cleaved tau is distinctly associated with cognitive deficits, synaptic plasticity impairment, and neurodegeneration in aged mice.

C-terminal cleaved tau at D421 (∆D421-tau) accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. However, it is unclear how tau truncation, an understudied tau post-translational modification, contributes to AD pathology and progression. Utilizing an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery-based approach, we overexpressed full-length tau (FL-tau) and ∆D421-tau in 4- and 12-month-old mice for 4 months to study the neuropathological impact of accumulation in young adult (8-month) and middle-aged (16-month) mice. Overall, we show that independent of the tau species, age was an important factor facilitating tau phosphorylation, oligomer formation, and deposition into silver-positive tangles. However, mice overexpressing ∆D421-tau exhibited a distinct phosphorylation profile to those overexpressing FL-tau and increased tau oligomerization in the middle-age group. Importantly, overexpression of ∆D421-tau, but not FL-tau in middle-aged mice, resulted in pronounced cognitive impairments and hippocampal long-term potentiation deficits. While both FL-tau and ∆D421-tau induced neuronal loss in mice with age, ∆D421-tau led to significant neuronal loss in the CA3 area of the hippocampus and medial entorhinal cortex compared to FL-tau. Based on our data, we conclude that age increases the susceptibility to neuronal degeneration associated with ΔD421-tau accumulation. Our findings suggest that ΔD421-tau accumulation contributes to synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits, thus representing a potential target for tau-associated pathologies.
How is Machiavellianism related to locus of control?: A meta-analytic review

Abstract This meta-analysis examined the relationship between two power-of-influence concepts: Machiavellianism and locus of control. A comprehensive literature search identified 41 relevant research articles (51 effect sizes). These 41 studies were published between 1969 and 2018, comprising 8338 participants. The combined effect sizes from these studies revealed a significant positive correlation of medium size between external locus of control and Machiavellianism, with substantial heterogeneity in the data. Random effects moderation analysis revealed that participant gender ratio and the particular locus of control scale used in the study were significant moderators of the overall effect. These findings are consistent with the theoretical view that people who score high in Machiavellianism attempt to manipulate other people in order to compensate for their perceived lack of ability to control outside events more directly.
Data-driven and Automatic Surface Texture Analysis Using Persistent Homology

Surface roughness plays an important role in analyzing engineering surfaces. It quantifies the surface topography and can be used to determine whether the resulting surface finish is acceptable or not. Nevertheless, while several existing tools and standards are available for computing surface roughness, these methods rely heavily on user input thus slowing down the analysis and increasing manufacturing costs. Therefore, fast and automatic determination of the roughness level is essential to avoid costs resulting from surfaces with unacceptable finish, and user-intensive analysis. In this study, we propose a Topological Data Analysis (TDA) based approach to classify the roughness level of synthetic surfaces using both their areal images and profiles. We utilize persistent homology from TDA to generate persistence diagrams that encapsulate information on the shape of the surface. We then obtain feature matrices for each surface or profile using Carlsson coordinates, persistence images, and template functions. We compare our results to two widely used methods in the literature: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Gaussian filtering. The results show that our approach yields mean accuracies as high as 97%. We also show that, in contrast to existing surface analysis tools, our TDA-based approach is fully automatable and provides adaptive feature extraction.
Plastic Buckling of Simply Supported Plates Subjected to Combined Shear and Bending or Eccentric Compression in Their Plane

Formulas are derived for computing the plastic buckling stress of long simply supported plates that are subject to a combination of shear and longitudinal bending in their plane. The energy method and oblique coordinates are used. The integration in the plastic regions is carried out partially by using Simpson's rule. The more general case of combined shear and eccentric compression is also considered. After evaluating these computations for some definite cases, simple design formulas are presented for computing the plastic reduction factor, with which the elastic buckling stress for the so-called associated elastic case has to be multiplied in order to obtain the plastic buckling stress. An approximate formula is presented for calculating the elastic buckling stress for combined shear and eccentric compression.
The OH• + CH3SH reaction: Support for an addition‐elimination mechanism from ab initio calculations

Several intermediates for the CH(3)SH + OH(*) --> CH(3)S(*) + H(2)O reaction were identified using MP2(full) 6-311+g(2df,p) ab initio calculations. An adduct, CH(3)S(H)OH(*), I, with electronic energy 13.63 kJ mol(-1) lower than the reactants, and a transition state, II(double dagger), located 5.14 kJ mol(-1) above I, are identified as the entrance channel for an addition-elimination reaction mechanism. After adding zero-point and thermal energies, DeltaH(r,298) ( degrees )(reactants --> I) = -4.85 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaH(298) (double dagger)(I --> II(double dagger)) = +0.10 kJ mol(-1), which indicates that the potential energy surface is broad and flat near the transition state. The calculated imaginary vibrational frequency of the transition state, 62i cm(-1), is also consistent with an addition-elimination mechanism. These calculations are consistent with experimental observations of the OH(*) + CH(3)SH reaction that favored an addition-elimination mechanism rather than direct hydrogen atom abstraction. An alternative reaction, CH(3)SH + OH(*) --> CH(3)SOH + H(*), with DeltaH(r,298) ( degrees ) = +56.94 kJ mol(-1) was also studied, leading to a determination of DeltaH(f,298) ( degrees )(CH(3)SOH) = -149.8 kJ mol(-1).
The temperature structure of the winter atmosphere at South Pole

[1] Fe/Rayleigh lidar measurements and balloon observations made recently at the geographic South Pole are used to characterize the monthly mean winter temperature profiles from the surface to about 110 km. The measured temperatures during mid-winter in both the stratopause and mesopause regions are 20–30 K colder than current model predictions. These differences are caused by weaker than expected compressional heating associated with subsidence over the polar cap. The measured mesopause temperature responds much more rapidly to changes in sunlight than model predictions, which suggests that IR heating by CO2 absorption may also be important to the thermal balance in the mesopause region.
Ionotropic Histamine Receptors and H2 Receptors Modulate Supraoptic Oxytocin Neuronal Excitability and Dye Coupling

Histaminergic neurons of the tuberomammillary nucleus (TM) project monosynaptically to the supraoptic nucleus (SON). This projection remains intact in our hypothalamic slices and permits investigation of both brief synaptic responses and the effects of repetitively activating this pathway. SON oxytocin (OX) neurons respond to single TM stimuli with fast IPSPs, whose kinetics resemble those of GABA(A) or glycine receptors. IPSPs were blocked by the Cl(-) channel blocker picrotoxin, but not by bicuculline or strychnine, and by histamine H(2), but not by H(1) or H(3) receptor antagonists, suggesting the presence of an ionotropic histamine receptor and the possible nonspecificity of currently used H(2) antagonists. G-protein mediation of the IPSPs was ruled out using guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP-betaS), pertussis toxin, and Rp-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate triethylamine (Rp-cAMPs), none of which blocked evoked IPSPs. We also investigated the effects of synaptically released histamine on dye coupling and neuronal excitability. One hundred seventy-three OX neurons were Lucifer yellow-injected in horizontal slices. Repetitive TM stimulation (10 Hz, 5-10 min) reduced coupling, an effect blocked by H(2), but not by H(1) or H(3), receptor antagonists. Because H(2) receptors are linked to activation of adenylyl cyclase, TM-stimulated reduction in coupling was blocked by GDP-betaS, pertussis toxin, and Rp-cAMPs and was mimicked by 8-bromo-cAMP, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and Sp-cAMP. Membrane potentials of OX and vasopressin neurons were hyperpolarized, accompanied by decreased conductances, in response to bath application of 8-bromo-cAMP but not the membrane-impermeable cAMP. These results suggest that synaptically released histamine, in addition to evoking fast IPSPs in OX cells, mediates a prolonged decrease in excitability and uncoupling of the neurons.
Novel methods for mapping the cavernous nerves during radical prostatectomy

The cavernous nerves, which course along the surface of the prostate gland, are responsible for erectile function. During radical prostatectomy, urologists are challenged in preserving these nerves and their function. Cavernous nerves are microscopic and show variable location in different patients; therefore, postoperative sexual potency rates are widely variable following radical prostatectomy. A variety of technologies, including electrical and optical nerve stimulation, dye-based optical fluorescence and microscopy, spectroscopy, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging have all been used to study cavernous nerve anatomy and physiology, and some of these methods are also potential intraoperative methods for identifying and preserving cavernous nerves. However, all of these technologies have inherent limitations, including slow or inconsistent nerve responses, poor image resolution, shallow image depth, slow image acquisition times and/or safety concerns. New and emerging technologies, as well as multimodal approaches combining existing methods, hold promise for improved postoperative sexual outcomes and patient quality of life following radical prostatectomy.
IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT: UTILIZING A COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH APPROACH TO DEVELOP A FAMILY GUIDE FOR YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION

Utilizing principles from family-driven care and community-based research, community members and researchers collaborated to uncover the experiences, perceptions, and needs of families whose children had been impacted by mental illness and suicide. Using a flexible and iterative process involving in-depth qualitative interviews, four themes emerged: (a) the need for greater awareness about youth suicide; (b) the need to provide clear and direct steps to obtain help for at-risk youths; (c) the need to learn how to locate and access resources to seek help and overcome barriers to care; and (d) the importance of involving and empowering families to get involved in the design and increased utilization of treatment services and suicide prevention efforts. Further thematic content analysis revealed specific content areas that served as the foundation for the creation of a family-focused guide on youth suicide prevention. Preliminary findings with community stakeholders suggest that the family guide, It’s Time to Talk About it , is a useful and motivational resource that enhances awareness on how to prevent youth suicide and how families can become more involved in treatment and advocacy efforts. This paper provides an example of how to engage and partner with community participants throughout the stages of planning, developing, implementing, and disseminating a community-based suicide prevention effort.
Disruption Physics and Mitigation on DIII-D

The contributions of the DIII-D tokamak toward the understanding and control of disruptions are reviewed. Disruptions are found to be deterministic, and the underlying causes of disruption can therefore be predicted and avoided. With sufficiently rapid detection, possible damage from disruptions can be mitigated using an understanding of disruption phenomenology and plasma physics. Regimes of high {beta} are readily available in DIII-D and provide access to relatively high energy density disruptions, despite DIII-D's moderate magnetic field and size. DIII-D, with all-graphite wall armor and wall conditioning between discharges, has proven highly resilient to the deleterious effects that disruptions can have on plasma operations. Simultaneously, exploitation and adaptation of DIII-D's extensive core and edge plasma diagnostic set have allowed for unique plasma measurements during disruptions. These measurements have tied into the development of several physical models used to understand aspects of disruptions, such as magnetohydrodynamic growth at the disruption onset, radiation energy balance through the thermal quench, and halo currents during the current quench. Based on this fundamental understanding, DIII-D has developed techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of disruptions by radiative dissipation of the plasma energy and extrapolated these techniques for possible use on larger devices like ITER.
Changes in Low-Value Services in Year 1 of the Medicare Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Program

Importance Wasteful practices are widespread in the US health care system. It is unclear if payment models intended to improve health care efficiency, such as the Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) programs, discourage the provision of low-value services. Objective To assess whether the first year of the Medicare Pioneer ACO program was associated with a reduction in use of low-value services. Design, Setting, and Participants In a difference-in-differences analysis, we compared use of low-value services between Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries attributed to health care provider groups that entered the Pioneer program (ACO group) and beneficiaries attributed to other health care providers (control group) before (2009-2011) vs after (2012) Pioneer ACO contracts began. Data analysis was conducted from December 1, 2014, to June 27, 2015. Comparisons were adjusted for beneficiaries’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as for geography. We decomposed estimates according to service characteristics (clinical category, price, and sensitivity to patient preferences) and compared estimates between subgroups of ACOs with higher vs lower baseline use of low-value services. Main Outcomes and Measures Use of, and spending on, 31 services in instances that provide minimal clinical benefit, measured as annual service counts per 100 beneficiaries and price-standardized annual service spending per 100 beneficiaries. Results During the precontract period, trends in the use of low-value services were similar for the ACO and control groups. The first year of ACO contracts was associated with a differential reduction (95% CI) of 0.8 low-value services per 100 beneficiaries for the ACO group (−1.2 to −0.4; P P = .004). Differential reductions were similar for services less sensitive vs more sensitive to patient preferences and for higher- vs lower-priced services. The ACOs with higher than their markets’ mean baseline levels of low-value service use experienced greater service reductions (−1.2 services per 100 beneficiaries; −1.7 to −0.7; P P = .41; P = .003 for test of difference between subgroups). Conclusions and Relevance During its first year, the Pioneer ACO program was associated with modest reductions in low-value services, with greater reductions for organizations providing more low-value care. Accountable care organization–like risk contracts may be able to discourage use of low-value services even without specifying services to target.
Relationships among Critical Thinking Skills, Academic Achievement, and Misconceptions about Psychology

Two groups of 60 students each were selected from introductory college psychology classes. One consisted of high academic achievers, the other of average achievers. They were given the McCutcheon Test of Misconceptions, a 65-item, multiple-choice test designed to measure common misconceptions about psychology. Subsequently, they were also given the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Both groups made many errors on the McCutcheon test, but high academic achievers made significantly fewer errors on both the McCutcheon test and the Watson-Glaser than average achievers. A stepwise multiple regression consisting of Watson-Glaser subscales 1 (the ability to draw valid inferences) and 4 (ability to weigh and interpret evidence) and GPA successfully predicted McCutcheon test scores (R = .43). This suggests that even beginning students with high grades and good critical thinking skills are likely to harbor many misconceptions about psychology.
Cellular localization of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in the normal mouse, rat, and human retina.

Prostaglandins, synthesized by cyclooxygenase (COX), regulate diverse neurophysiological actions such as regulation of autonomic responses, transmission of pain, generation of fever, control of sleep-wake cycle, synaptic signaling, and cross-talk between neurons and glia in the central nervous system. Although prostaglandins have been widely studied in the anterior segment tissues of the eye, relatively little is known about prostaglandins in the neural retina. By using immunohistochemistry, we have compared the cellular expression and localization of COX-1 and COX-2 in the normal mouse, rat, and human retina. In the normal mouse retina, COX-1 immunoreactivity is present in the outer segments of photoreceptor cells, horizontal cells, microglia, retinal ganglion cells, and displaced amacrine cells. In the normal rat retina, COX-1 immunoreactivity is present in microglia, retinal ganglion cells, and displaced amacrine cells. In the normal human retina, COX-1 immunoreactivity is present in microglia, astrocytes, retinal ganglion cells, and displaced amacrine cells. In the normal mouse and rat retina, COX-2 immunoreactivity is present in processes of the outer plexiform layer and in certain amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells. In the normal human retina, COX-2 immunoreactivity is only present in processes of the outer plexiform layer. These results suggest that prostaglandins, synthesized by COX-1 or COX-2, may contribute to normal physiological and homeostatic functions in the retina. J. Comp. Neurol. 452:392–399, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prognostic significance of field response in out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation.

We reviewed 94 cases of prehospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) to determine aspects of field response that predicted outcome. Only one of 37 patients (3 percent) failing to achieve rhythms other than VF or asystole after the first two defibrillations survived to hospital discharge compared to nine of 57 (16 percent) achieving organized rhythms by this point (p
Infrared chemiluminescence from hydrogen halides produced in IR photodissociation

Abstract The dissociation of SF 6 and other molecules by pulsed CO 2 laser produces halogen that can be detected by infrared chemiluminescence resulting from their reaction with H 2 , D 2 , or C 2 H 6 . The time dependence of the chemiluminescence intensity is consistent with a direct dissociation producing F atoms with little or no excess translation energy.
Quantum wire and quantum dot semiconductor lasers

There is currently great interest in fabrication of structures that are two and three dimensional analogs of the conventional quantum well. We review here the physics behind the use of arrays of such lower dimensional structures in semiconductor laser active layers. Methods which are currently under investigation for producing such structures will be discussed.
Refractive index of amorphous carbon near its K-edge.

The refractive index of the amorphous carbon layers inside multilayer soft x-ray mirrors is derived in the λ = 42–58-A wavelength range by measuring the shift in the Bragg angle caused by refraction. Reflectivity curves are measured with a reflectometer behind a zone plate monochromator at the National Synchrotron Light Source. The monochromator consists only of a freestanding zone plate of gold and an exit slit and is free of any of the contamination problems often found in monochromators that contain mirrors.
Do gastrotomies require repair after endoscopic transgastric peritoneoscopy? A controlled study

Background The optimal method for closing gastrotomies after transgastric instrumentation has yet to be determined. Objective To compare gastrotomy closure with endoscopically delivered bioabsorbable plugs with no closure. Design Prospective, controlled study. Setting Animal laboratory. Subjects Twenty-three dogs undergoing endoscopic transgastric peritoneoscopy between July and August 2007. Interventions Endoscopic anterior wall gastrotomies were performed with balloon dilation to allow passage of the endoscope into the peritoneal cavity. The plug group (n = 12) underwent endoscopic placement of a 4 × 6-cm bioabsorbable mesh plug in the perforation, whereas the no-treatment group (n = 11) did not. Animals underwent necropsy 2 weeks after the procedure. Main Outcome Measurements Complications related to gastrotomy closure, gastric burst pressures, relationship of burst perforation to gastrotomy, and the degree of adhesions and inflammation at the gastrotomy site. Results After the gastrotomy, all dogs survived without any complications. At necropsy, burst pressures were 77 ± 11 mm Hg and 76 ± 15 mm Hg ( P = .9) in the plug group and no-treatment group, respectively. Perforations occurred at the site of the gastrotomy in 2 of 12 animals in the plug group and in none of the 11 dogs in the no-treatment group ( P = .5). Finally, there were minimal adhesions in all dogs (11/11) in the no-treatment group and minimal adhesions in 3 and moderate adhesions or inflammatory masses in 9 of the 12 animals in the plug group ( P = .004). Limitations Small number of subjects, animal model, no randomization. Gastrotomy trauma during short peritoneoscopy may not be applicable to longer procedures. Conclusions After endoscopic gastrotomy, animals that were left untreated did not show any clinical ill effects and demonstrated adequate healing, with fewer adhesions and less inflammation compared with those treated with a bioabsorbable plug.
Inverse First-Order Reliability Method for Probabilistic Fatigue Life Prediction of Composite Laminates under Multiaxial Loading

A new methodology for concurrent dynamic analysis and structural fatigue prognosis is proposed in this paper. The proposed methodology is based on a novel small timescale formulation of material fatigue crack growth that calculates the incremental crack growth at any arbitrary time within a loading cycle. It defines the fatigue crack kinetics based on the geometric relationship between the crack-tip opening displacement and the instantaneous crack growth rate. The proposed crack growth model can be expressed as a set of first-order differential equations. The structural dynamics analysis and fatigue crack growth model can be expressed as a coupled hierarchical state-space model. The dynamic response (structural level) and the fatigue crack growth (material level) can be solved simultaneously. Several numerical problems with single-degree-of-freedom and multiple-degree-of-freedom cases are used to show the proposed methodology. Model predictions are validated by using coupon testing data from open literatu...
Case report: Inability to achieve a therapeutic dose of tacrolimus in a pediatric allogeneic stem cell transplant patient after generic substitution.

Background Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive drug that is used to lower the activity of the patient’s immune system to prevent organ rejection. Unfortunately, there is limited data regarding the therapeutic equivalency of generic tacrolimus formulations especially in children. We report the case of a pediatric patient having an inability to achieve a therapeutic trough level for tacrolimus after conversion from brand name to the generic formulation.
IGF-I is a matter of heart

An intriguing relationship between IGF-I action and cardiac function has been noted for some time, but exactly how IGF-I modulates myocardial function remained obscure. Recent research shed novel insight into potential mechanisms of IGF-I actions in cardiac muscle. New discoveries help elucidate the role of IGF-I signaling in protecting cardiac muscle against injuries, and support potential therapeutic roles for IGF-I in cardiomyopathy. Multiple actions of IGF-I has been described in cardiac muscle cells, including the well-documented anti-apoptosis effect and the newly emerged action on cardiac muscle regeneration. Furthermore, interplay between heat shock protein and IGF-I receptor signaling has been identified and this new paradigm might be involved in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. This article reviews recent research findings and outlines potential therapeutic implications of IGF-I in heart failure.
Low-temperature extraction of α-actinin-like protein from the I-Z-I brush of striated muscle

Abstract 1. I-Z-I brushes were subjected to eleven mild, short-term, low-temperature extractions. The ultrastructure of the I-Z-I brushes was observed after three, five and eleven extractions. The protein in each extract was checked for α-actinin-like characteristics. 2. There was little apparent ultrastructural change through Extract III, except for some loosening of the I-filament and Z-band structure. Only a small amount of the intermediate weight component of α-actinin-like protein was found in these extracts. This protein did not affect the superprecipitation of an actomyosin system at low ionic strength. Between Extractions V and XI, the Z-bands disappeared and the I-filaments became individually separated. As the Z-bands disappeared, a heavy component of α-actinin-like protein was solubilized, with a progressive increase in the solubilization of a light weight 6-S component of α-actinin-like protein during the latter extractions. Both the heavy- and light-weight components accelerated the superprecipitation of different kinds of actomyosin, with the heavy component being effective on all preparations, even though at low concentrations, it did not influence the viscosity of F-actin. 3. Reconstituted actomyosin, with its F-actin moiety coming from I-filaments after all of the α-actinin-like protein had been extracted, still showed a marked response to both the heavy and light components of α-actinin-like protein.
Reactance of end connections

Use of image conductors in iron, of Rayleigh insulating partitions, and of images of conductors in these partitions is shown in this paper to afford one possible line of attack on the problem of the reactance of the end connections of electrical machinery. The use of 2 other methods to reduce the field in the end zone to a basis where Ampere's equation may be correctly applied is also suggested.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Data Users

Effective data interpretation is a habit, not a random event. By applying the seven habits outlined in this article, any otolaryngologist-regardless of the level of statistical knowledge or lack thereof—will be able to use data effectively. The seven habits are (1) check quality before quantity, (2) describe before you analyze, (3) accept the uncertainty of all data, (4) measure error with the right statistical test, (5) put clinical importance before statistical significance, (6) seek the sample source, and (7) view science as a cumulative process. The same habits apply whether interpreting one's own data, interpreting someone else's data, reviewing an unpublished manuscript for a journal, or reviewing a grant application for a funding agency. The basic principles that underlie these habits provide a systematic process for moving from observations to generalizations with predictable degrees of certainty—and uncertainty.
Extreme Data [Guest editors' introduction]

The guest editors discuss work that can accelerate insights from extreme data, from innovative algorithmic formulations to implementation frameworks and software stacks.
Thiol−Vinyl Mechanisms. 1. Termination and Propagation Kinetics in Thiol−Ene Photopolymerizations

In this work, termination and propagation kinetics of thiol−ene photopolymerizations are investigated via unsteady-state analysis, and termination is shown to occur though bimolecular radical−radical recombinations. The termination rate is too rapid to be resolved by standard differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) unsteady-state techniques. However, a modified rotating sector technique is demonstrated to be a viable technique for the quantification of the average radical lifetimes in thiol−ene systems. The application of the rotating sector technique to thiol−ene polymerizations requires extensive theoretical developments and analysis that are also presented here. Kinetic parameters in thiol−ene systems are determined by utilizing the experimental knowledge of average radical lifetimes and analytical expressions for steady-state and unsteady-state polymerizations. Knowledge of individual rate parameters in binary thiol−ene systems, rather than ratios of r...
On the theory of plastic wave propagation in a bar— unloading waves

Abstract This is a continuation of a previous paper on the problem of plastic wave propagation in a semiinfinite bar subjected to an axially-applied impact stress. In the present paper the problem of unloading waves is considered. Malvern's strain-rate theory is applied and both the case of elastic unloading and the case of elasticviscoplastic unloading are considered. A theoretical relationship between the rate-independent and the ratedependent theories is established. A bilinear stress-strain curve is considered, valid for both loading, instantaneous unloading, and linear unloading. Both the elastic and elastic-viscoplastic unloading cases are considered and by using the method of characteristics and an IBM 7040-7094 digital computer it is shown that for the elasticviscoplastic case there exists a lower quasiplateau during unloading. This quasiplateau depends on the rate of unloading.
The “Second Generation” LM2500: An Example of High Level of Reliability/Availability With Low Life-Cycle Costs

The first LM2500 “second generation” gas generator was placed in gas transmission service in December 1970. Derived from the TF39 and CF6 engines, advanced aircraft power plants in service since 1965 for the Air Force C5A transport and the new wide-bodied commercial airlines, the LM2500 has accumulated over 315,000 operational hours in gas transmission service. During this period, the LM2500 has demonstrated the capability to exceed 45,000 hr without major overhaul. Demonstrated reliability and availability have exceeded 99 percent. This paper describes the evolution of the LM2500 from its aircraft progenitors in order to illustrate the effect of the initial design concepts embodied upon reliability, availability, maintainability and life cycle-costs. Included is a discussion of the overall influence of initial acquisition, fuel, maintenance, and repair costs and their effects on system availability and overall life-cycle cost.Copyright © 1979 by ASME
Synthesis of Amphiphilic Block Copolymer of Butadiene and Acrylamide using Telechelic Polybutadiene and V(V) as Redox System

Block copolymers of butadiene and acrylamide (AAm) were synthesized by radical initiation using the hydroxy terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and ammonium meta vanadate (AMV) macroredox initiator pair in heterogeneous medium, in the presence of sulphuric acid/methanol at 35°C in air and in nitrogen. The homopolymer of AAm was not formed under these reaction conditions. The yield of block copolymer decreased on dilution with methanol. No copolymerization was observed in other solvents, namely DMF, DMSO, CHCl3, and toluene. Formation of block copolymers was confirmed by IR and NMR spectroscopy. Self‐assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers was evidenced by swelling, solubility and viscosity measurements.
Echocardiographic diagnosis: pitfalls in the premature infant with a large patent ductus arteriosus.

Thirty-one infants with clinical and radiographic evidence of a large left-to-right shunt across a patent ductus arteriosus underwent echocardiographic study to determine the magnitude of shunting. Seven patients were found to have a normal left atrial dimension and a normal left atrial/aortic root dimension at the time when physical and roentgenographic findings of a large PDA were most pronounced. In contrast, left ventricular end diastolic dimensions were excessive in these infants. After ductal closure (four, surgery; two, indomethacin, one, spontaneous) the left ventricular end diastolic dimension fell to the normal range. Optimal echocardiographic accuracy in infants with PDA should combine analysis of both atrial and ventricular dimensions; the former, used alone, may be misleading.
Analysis of heat and mass transport in a miniature passive and semi passive liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cell

A two-dimensional, transient, multi-phase, multi-component, and non-isothermal model has been developed to solve the heat and mass transport in a passive and semi passive liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). A semi passive DMFC uses channel at the cathode side to facilitate the oxidant transport. The transient characteristics of the temperature, methanol concentration, methanol crossover, useful current density and methanol evaporation are investigated. The results indicate that the temperature in the fuel cell increases during operation as much as 10 °C, due to the heat generation by internal phase change and the electrochemical reactions. However, it is revealed that the temperature distribution is nearly uniform at any time through all porous layers including the fuel cell and fuel delivery system. The effect of using an active feeding system in the cathode and passive methanol feeding in the anode (semi passive system) on the performance of a fuel cell is also studied. The active oxidant feeding to the cathode catalyst layer in the semi passive cell improved the fuel cell performance compared to that in a passive one. However, in general, the performance of passive cell is better than that in a semi passive one because of more temperature increase in the passive system.
The influence of feeding, photoperiod and selected solvents on the reproductive strategies of the water flea, Daphnia magna

Abstract The influence of different feeding rates, reduced photoperiod and ethanol and acetone exposure on male production in Daphnia magna was investigated. Male production was observed under reduced photoperiod (8-h light:16-h dark) in all food levels. However, the sex ratio of daphnids fed 1×10 6 algae cells increased significantly from that of daphnids fed 15×10 6 algae cells (0.486±0.059 and 0.271±0.027, respectively). Under normal photoperiod (16-h light:8-h dark) and low food conditions (3.75×10 6 algae cells), a statistically significant increase in the sex ratio was observed in daphnids exposed to acetone at EPA acceptable solvent limits (0.1 ml/l). A shift back to parthenogenetic reproduction was observed in acetone-exposed daphnids at high food levels (15×10 6 algae cells). The results indicate that the reproductive strategies of females are influenced by phenological (i.e. reduced photoperiod), dietary and exogenous chemical cues.
Mutations of Ros Differentially Effecting Signal Transduction Pathways Leading to Cell Growth Versus Transformation

The signaling functions of the oncogenic protein-tyrosine kinase v-Ros were studied by systematically mutating the tyrosine residues in its cytoplasmic domain. The carboxyl mutation of Tyr-564 produces the most pronounced inhibitory effect on v-Ros autophosphorylation and interaction with phospholipase Cγ. A cluster of 3 tyrosine residues, Tyr-414, Tyr-418, and Tyr-419, within the PTK domain of v-Ros plays an important role in modulating its kinase activity. The mutant F419 and the mutant DI, deleting 6-amino acids near the catalytic loop, retain wild type protein tyrosine kinase and mitogenic activities, but have dramatically reduced oncogenicity. Both mutant proteins are able to phosphorylate or activate components in the Ras/microtubule-associated protein kinase signaling pathway. However, F419 mutant protein is unable to phosphorylate insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) or promote association of IRS-1 with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. This tyrosine residue in the context of the NDYY motif may define a novel recognition site for IRS-1. Both F419 and DI mutants display impaired ability to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of a series of cytoskeletal and cell-cell interacting proteins. Thus the F419 and DI mutations define v-Ros sequences important for cytoskeleton signaling, the impairment of which correlates with the reduced cell transforming ability.
Gas transport through supported Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers

Abstract Mass transfer coefficients for Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers deposited onto permeable support films have been measured for three gases: carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and helium. For stearate multilayers varying in thickness from 48 to 4 deposited layers (1200 to 100 A) the permeabilties [in (cc(STP)-cm)/(cm 2 -sec-cm Hg)] range from 4 to 20 × 10 −10 for CO 2 , from I to 8 × 10 −10 for He, and from 0.5 to 2 × 10 −10 for N 2 . The measured permeahilities were essentially independent of the surface pressure at which the monolayers were deposited for surface pressures between 9 and 29 dynes/cm. Tracer techniques were used to observe both the regularity and concentration of the deposited layers. Results were also obtained for oleic acid and 3β-cholestanol. The cholesterol permeabilities were comparable to those of stearic acid whereas the oleic acid values were at least an order of magnitude larger. The results are compared to permeabilities of polymeric films and monolayers on aqueous substrates.
Electronic structure and impurity-limited electron mobility of silicon superlattices.

With the utilization of a new complex-band-structure technique, the electronic structure of [100]-oriented model Si-${\mathrm{Si}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{\mathrm{x}}$ and metal-oxide-silicon superlattices have been obtained over a wide range of layer thickness l (11\ensuremath{\le}l\ensuremath{\le}110 A\r{}), complementing previous results obtained for very thin layer systems (l\ensuremath{\le}11 A\r{}). For l\ensuremath{\ge}44 A\r{}, it is found that these systems exhibit a direct fundamental band gap, produced in large part by the Brillouin-zone folding of the bulk conduction-band edges. In the same range, the transverse band-edge electron effective mass is reduced to a limiting value of 0.73 of the bulk conductivity effective mass, supporting our previous suggestion that a band-structure-driven enhancement in transverse electron mobility over bulk silicon may be possible. Simple effective-mass scaling yields an enhancement of about 1.2 in the (low-temperature) impurity-scattering limit and about 2.2 in the (high-temperature) phonon-scattering limit. Detailed consideration is made of the simpler of the two cases, impurity-scattering-limited electron mobility, with the result that enhanced mobility is indeed predicted for sufficiently high carrier concentrations.
Collisionally activated dissociation of supercharged proteins formed by electrospray ionization.

The dissociation of protein ions formed by ESI ranging in size from 12 to 29 kDa using sustained off-resonance irradiation collisional activation was investigated as a function of charge state in a 9.4-T Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Addition of m-nitrobenzyl alcohol to denaturing solutions of proteins was used to form very high charge states of protein ions for these experiments. For all proteins in this study, activation of the highest charge state results in a single dominant backbone cleavage, often with less abundant cleavages at the neighboring 3−5 residues. This surprising phenomenon may be useful for the “top-down” identification of proteins by producing sequence tags with optimum sensitivity. There is a slight preference for cleavage adjacent to acidic residues and proline. Solution-phase secondary structure does not appear to play a significant role. The very limited dissociation channels observed for the supercharged ions may be due, in part, to the locations of the charges on the protein.
In vivo synthesis and turnover of cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA by stage 6 oocytes of Xenopus laevis.

Abstract Cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis was detected in white-banded stage 6 oocytes taken from female Xenopus laevis which were injected with [3H]guanosine 7 days previously. The specific radioactivity of the rRNA in oocytes collected from injected females by weekly laparotomies displays first-order exponential decay. Calculated values for the half-life of rRNA ranged from 9.1–30.9 days in experiments on four animals. The concept of ribosomes in large ovarian oocytes of amphibians as an absolutely stable, long-term storage product appears incorrect.
Sensitivities to antibiotics and seasonal occurrence of mastitis pathogens.

Abstract In a 2-yr survey of the Clemson University's dairy herd, each sample of mastitic milk was cultured, and mastitis pathogens were isolated. Causative organisms then were subjected to disc assay of sensitivity to antibiotics. Antibiotics were penicillin, streptomycin, erythromycin, oxytetracycline, cephalothin (cephalosporin), ampicillin, and novobiocin. The more widely used antibiotics–penicillin, streptomycin, and erythromycin–were relatively ineffective for bacterial sensitivity in vitro, whereas bacterial sensitivity in vitro for oxytetracycline and cephalothin was considerably more. These results also were true in vivo in treatment of animals in the University herd. Incidence of mastitis under our conditions of weather, housing, and management increased greatly during summer months with less increase during winter months.
Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC) attenuates angiogenesis by causing senescence in endothelial cells

Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC), expressed on erythrocytes and post-capillary venular endothelial cells, selectively binds both CXC and CC chemokines. DARC binds ELR + angiogenic chemokines such as IL-8 (CXCL8). We show that the DARC on endothelial cells plays a direct role in regulating angiogenesis. Matrigel(TM) in vivo plug assay showed that there was more capillary formation in DARC knockout mice compared to wild type mice indicating that DARC attenuated angiogenic activity. In vitro angiogenic assay on Matrigel coated plates using DARC expressing stable human cerebro-microvascular endothelial cells (HCEC) showed that, although capillary formation in transfected cells started early within 4-8 h; capillary formation was attenuated within 12-24 h. Contrarily, mock transfected cells continued to show vascular capillary formation during that time without demonstrating any attenuation. Preincubation of DARC-expressing HCEC with monoclonal antibody (mAb-Fy6) against the N-terminal chemokine-binding domain of DARC increased capillary formation in vitro. Moreover, addition of excess IL-8 during incubation had the similar effect. DARC-expressing transfected endothelial cells underwent senescence in conditioned medium, whereas DARC non-expressing cells remained healthy. Interestingly, after several days in the conditioned medium, DARC expressing senescent cells started to initiate capillary formation; whereas capillary formed with DARC non-expressing cells remained the same. Our data evidently demonstrated that DARC on endothelial cells attenuated the angiogenic activity by causing senescence.
Pseudo-Dirac Neutrinos in the New Standard Model

The addition of gauge-singlet fermions to the standard model Lagrangian renders the neutrinos massive and allows one to explain all that is experimentally known about neutrino masses and lepton mixing by varying the values of the Majorana mass parameters M for the gauge singlets and the neutrino Yukawa couplings {lambda}. Here we explore the region of parameter space where M values are much smaller than the neutrino Dirac masses {lambda}v. In this region, neutrinos are pseudo-Dirac fermions. We find that current solar data constrain M values to be less than at least 10{sup -9} eV, and discuss the sensitivity of future experiments to tiny gauge-singlet fermion masses. We also discuss a useful basis for analyzing pseudo-Dirac neutrino mixing effects. In particular, we identify a simple relationship between elements of M and the induced enlarged mixing matrix and new mass-squared differences. These allow one to directly relate bounds on the new mass-squared differences to bounds on the singlet fermion Majorana masses.