cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preserving environmental health and scientific credibility: a practical guide to reducing conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest, situations where personal or organizational considerations have compromised or biased professional judgment and objectivity, can weaken scientific credibility, pose threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, and are often precursors to corruption. Here, we review historical and international examples of conflicts of interest and their impacts on global biodiversity. We present a contemporary example of a conflict of interest that might have implications for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's re-evaluation of the safety of the herbicide atrazine. To help scientists, natural resource managers, policy makers, and judicial officials identify and thwart conflicts of interest, we review strategies used by individuals and organizations with conflicts of interest to evade environmental and public health decisions, discuss the role of the scientific and governmental review processes in maintaining scientific integrity, and offer recommendations to reduce bias and facilitate sound and swift decision making for enhanced environmental health.
Designing Linear Optimal Regulators Via Chebyshev Polynomials

A method based on shifted Chebyshev polynomials is presented for determining the optimal state feedback gains of deterministic linear optimal regulators. The method is applicable to time-varying linear optimal regulator problems with terminal state weighting and involves only matrix operations. An advantage of the approach is that truncation errors associated with using finite term shifted Chebyshev series can be estimated directly. Two examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Robots in Society, Society in Robots : Mutual Shaping of Society and Technology as a Framework for Social Robot Design ()

This paper analyzes scientists’ discourses on the social impacts and acceptability of robotics, based on data collected through participant observation and interviews with robotics researchers in the US and Japan. It shows that a linear, technologically determinist, view of the interaction between robots and society is dominant in the field; in this narrative the social impact of robotic technologies derives mostly from their technological capabilities and the aim is for society to accept and adapt to technological innovations. The framework of mutual shaping and co-production, which explores the dynamic interaction between robotics and society, is proposed as an alternative perspective on the dynamics between society and technology and a framework for envisioning and evaluating social robots. This approach focuses on analyzing how social and cultural factors influence the way technologies are designed, used, and evaluated as well as how technologies affect our construction of social values and meanings. Finally, the paper describes a range of methodologies of contextually grounded and participatory design that fit the mutual shaping framework and support a socially robust understanding of technological development that enables the participation of multiple stakeholders and disciplines.
Socioeconomic disparities in the quality of life in children with cancer or brain tumors: the mediating role of family factors.

Objective This study aimed to determine if and to what extent (i) socioeconomic disparities exist in the health-related quality of life (QOL) of children with cancer or brain tumors and healthy children; and (ii) family functioning and burden mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and children's QOL. Methods In this cross-sectional study, parents of children ages 2–18 with (n = 71) and without (n = 135) cancer or brain tumors completed in-person interviewer-assisted surveys assessing sociodemographics (including income and parental education), child QOL (measure: PedsQL), family functioning (measure: Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale IV) and burden (measure: Impact on the Family Scale). For children with cancer, clinical characteristics were captured through medical record abstraction. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the relationship between income and child QOL; the interaction between group status and income was assessed. Staged multivariate regression models were used to assess the role of family factors in this relationship among children with cancer. Results In multivariate analyses, the effect of income differed by cancer status; lower income was associated with worse QOL in children with cancer but not among healthy children. Among children with cancer, this relationship was significantly attenuated by family burden. Conclusions Significant socioeconomic disparities exist in the QOL of children with cancer. Family factors partially explain the relationship between low income and poor QOL outcomes among these children. Lower-income families may have fewer resources to cope with their child's cancer. Increased support, monitoring, and referrals to reduce burden for these families may lead to improved QOL in children with cancer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is necessary but not sufficient to activate CD4+ T cells. Discovery of a novel costimulator on kidney tubule cells.

Kidney tubule cells (KTC) are targets of T lymphocyte injury during allograft rejection and interstitial nephritis. KTC process and present self- and foreign Ags for immune recognition by CD4+ T cells in vivo and in vitro. However, it is not known whether KTC can provide the costimulatory signal required to fully activate CD4+ T cells. Using the MRL/MpJ fas model of lupus interstitial nephritis, we found that KTC did not express the costimulators B7-1 or B7-2. Nevertheless, KTC from both normal and systemically infected mice provided non-B7 costimulation to splenic CD4+ T cells. T cell proliferation was blocked by mAbs binding intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) but not by mAb or fusion proteins binding B7-1, B7-2, heat-stable Ag, or vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. Importantly, ICAM-1 expression was necessary but not sufficient to provide costimulation. The transformed KTC line D3.B7- expressed high levels of ICAM-1 but did not provide costimulation. Interestingly, KTC provided costimulation to splenic T cells but not to a Th1 clone. These results show that freshly isolated KTC can provide non-B7 costimulation to splenic T cells via an unidentified costimulator and ICAM-1. Furthermore, these experiments demonstrate the complex nature of T cell activation and show that at least for splenic T cells, three or more signals may be required for full activation on live APC.
EGG-LAYING DEFECTIVE MUTANTS OF THE NEMATODE CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS

We have isolated 145 fertile mutants of C. elegans that are defective in egg laying and have characterized 59 of them genetically, behaviorally and pharmacologically. These 59 mutants define 40 new genes called egl. for egg-laying abnormal. Most of the other mutants are defective in previously identified genes. The egl mutants differ with respect to the severity of their egg-laying defects and the presence of behavioral or morphological pleiotropies. We have defined four distinct categories of mutants based on their responses to the pharmacological agents serotonin and imipramine, which stimulate egg laying by wild-type hermaphrodites. These drugs test the functioning of the vulva, the vulval and uterine muscles and the hermaphrodite-specific neurons (HSNs), which innervate the vulval muscles. Mutants representing 14 egl genes fail to respond to serotonin and to imipramine and are likely to be defective in the functioning of the vulva or the vulval and uterine muscles. Four mutants (representing four different genes) lay eggs in response to serotonin but not to imipramine and appear to be egg-laying defective because of defects in the HSNs; three of these four were selected specifically for these drug responses. Mutants representing seven egl genes lay eggs in response to serotonin and to imipramine. One egl mutant responds to imipramine but not to serotonin. The remaining egl mutants show variable or intermediate responses to the drugs. Two of the HSN-defective mutants, egl-1 and her-1(n695), lack HSN cell bodies and are likely to be expressing the normally male-specific program of HSN cell death. Whereas egl-1 animals appear to be defective specifically in HSN development, her-1(n695) animals exhibit multiple morphological pleiotropies, displaying partial transformation of the sexual phenotype of many cells and tissues. At least two of the egl mutants appear to be defective in the processing of environmental signals that modulate egg laying and may define new components of the neural circuitry that control egg laying.
A gas chromatography/electron capture/negative chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry method for analysis of endogenous and exogenous N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine in rodents and its potential for human biological monitoring.

A gas chromatography/electron capture/negative chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/EC/NCI-HRMS) method was developed for quantitating N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (N7-HEG) with ...
Differences in Consumer-Generated Media Adoption and Use: A Cross- National Perspective

ABSTRACT Adoption of consumer-generated media (CGM) and social networking applications has been reportedly rapid and impacts on the travel industry are assumed to be tremendous. CGM such as blogs, reviews and podcasts provide great opportunities for travel marketers. In order to be able to respond to CGM developments, travel marketers need to better understand what drives CGM use in different markets. Using secondary data from various sources, this paper outlines national differences in adoption speed and usage patterns for four major origin markets: the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and China. Based on the existing technology adoption literature, the information is summarized and analyzed with respect to forces which could drive these differences, mainly focusing on cultural dimensions, media landscapes, infrastructure development and information needs due to specific travel behavior characteristics. The results reveal interesting differences in these four markets and suggest that many factors ...
Hyperfine Structure in Trivalent Plutonium

The hyperfine structure constants of ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{3+}$ in Ca${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$, Sr${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$, and Ba${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ are analyzed and the values $〈\frac{1}{{r}^{3}}〉=7.57\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.57$ a.u. and ${{a}_{{c}_{\mathrm{Pu}}}}^{3+}=\ensuremath{-}(556\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}42) ({g}_{J}\ensuremath{-}1)(\frac{{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}}{I})$ Mc/sec are derived. Relativistic Dirac-Slater and Dirac-Fock wave functions give a value for $〈\frac{1}{{r}^{3}}〉$ about 9% lower than the empirical value. The core-polarization effect in the actinide ion ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{3+}$ is much larger than in the lanthanide series.
The improvement in separation of concentric tube thermal diffusion columns

Abstract The improvement in the degree of separation of a continuous-type concentric tube thermal diffusion column by means of a wire spiral, having a diameter equal to the annular spacing and inserted as a spacer in the annular region, was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. It was shown that the undesirable remixing effect could be effectively reduced and controlled by this type of wire and a substanial improvement in separation efficiency attained. Experimental results for the benzene- n -heptane and toluene—isobutyl alcohol systems quantitatively confirm the prediction of theory.
Hispanic Inpatient Pain Intensity

Hispanic adults experience significant pain, but little is known about their pain during hospitalization. The purpose of this research was to describe Hispanic inpatients’ pain intensity and compare their pain intensity with that of non-Hispanic patients. A post hoc descriptive design was used to examine 1,466 Hispanic inpatients’ medical records (63.2% English speakers) and 12,977 non-Hispanic inpatients’ medical records from one hospital for 2012. Mean documented pain intensity was mild for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic inpatients. Pain intensity was greater for English-speaking Hispanic patients than Spanish speakers. The odds of being documented with moderate or greater pain intensity decreased 30% for Spanish-speaking patients. Greater pain intensity documented for English-speaking Hispanic inpatients suggests underreporting of pain intensity by Spanish-speaking patients. Practitioners should use interpreter services when assessing and treating pain with patients who speak languages different from t...
Delay in anal cancer diagnosis as a non-AIDS-defining malignancy

Background Anal cancer is not considered an AIDS-defining malignancy (ADM). Nevertheless, the frequency of both anal intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the anus continues to increase in the HIV/AIDS population. As in cervical cancer, an ADM, numerous studies have established a causal relationship between highrisk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and anal cancer [1]. In cervical cancer, the diagnosis is typically established at or near the time of HIV diagnosis [2]. The goal of this study was to evaluate and ascertain the interval from HIV diagnosis to anal cancer diagnosis.
Ultrastructure of capillaries in the red body (rete mirabile) of the eel swim bladder.

Abstract The retea mirabilia are paired capillary organs located on the dorsal surface of the swimbladder of the common eel. They consist of bundles of closely apposed capillary segments which function in countercurrent exchange of gases and other solutes and concentrate oxygen in the swim bladder. Ultrastructural features of the afferent arterial capillaries and efferent venous capillaries were studied by scanning EM of corrosion casts and critical-point dried retes and transmission EM of thin sections and freeze-fractured retes. A loose association between endothelial cells in the venous capillaries is indicated by penetration of casting material into interendothelial clefts and the appearance of clefts bounded by cytoplasmic flaps in exposed critical-point dried specimens. In this sections, open gaps between venous endothelial cells are bounded by cytoplasmic processes. Sections through arterial capillaries exhibit tight occluding junctions joining endothelial cells together and these can be seen in freeze-fracture replicas to extend without interruption along the length of the arterial capillaries. These studies indicate the absence of open or hydraulically conductive pathways across the arterial capillary walls and that they probably constitute a rate-limiting barrier in countercurrent exchange of solutes.
Electro-optic Effect with a Chirped Probe Pulse

We resolve a conflict that exists in literature on the theory of terahertz pulse detection schemes employing a chirped optical probe pulse. The correct expression differs from the conventionally used equation by a phase factor.
Risk and intertemporal substitution: Livestock portfolios and off-take among Kenyan pastoralists

Abstract Most decisions involve variability in two dimensions: uncertainty across states of nature and fluctuations over time. The stakes involved in tradeoffs between these variability dimensions are especially high for the poor who have difficulty managing and recovering from shocks. We assume Epstein and Zin recursive preferences and estimate risk aversion and intertemporal substitution as distinct preferences using data from Kenyan herders. Results suggest that the assumption implicit in additive expected utility models that relative risk aversion (RRA) is the inverse of the elasticity of intertemporal substitution (EIS) is flawed. Specifically, our RRA and EIS estimates are consistent with a preference for the early resolution of uncertainty, which we believe is driven importantly by the instrumental value of early uncertainty resolution. This same preference pattern is consistent with asset smoothing in response to a dynamic asset threshold.
Induced Maturation of Striped Bass Morone saxatilis Exposed to 6, 9, and 12 Month Photothermal Regimes

Photoperiod and temperature manipulation were used to induce out-of-season spawning in striped bass Morone saxatilis Maturational status of 40 age V striped bass, held in five environmental chambers exposed to compressed 6 mo and 9 mo cycles and a 12 mo reference cycle, was monitored by monthly egg and gonadal (ultrasound) diameter measurements. The primary effect of shortened photothermal and reproductive cycles was a reduction in egg and ovary diameters, and the number of ovulating females. Egg diameters were directly related to cycle length, averaging 845 μm, 946 μm, and 1,073 μm for females held on the 6, 9, and 12 mo cycles, respectively. Ovary diameters of females held on the 6 mo cycle were smaller (19.6 mm) than those held on the 9 mo (27.4 mm) and 12 mo (24.5 mm) cycles. Ovary diameter was highly correlated with egg diameter (r= 0.91). The number of ovulating females decreased with cycle length, totalling 38%, 88%, and 100% in the 6, 9, and 12 mo cycles, respectively. However, no differences in fecundity (58,452 eggslkg) or fertility (39%) were detected between photothermal treatments or tank-spawned and strigspawned females. When held for a second 6 mo cycle, none of the females spawned repetitively. Males held on the 6 mo cycle had smaller testicular diameters (16.2 mm) than those held on 9 mo (23.6 mm) and 12 mo (19.2 mm) cycles. Testicular diameter of spermiating males (15.7 nun) was significantly larger than that of non-spermiating males (6.9 mm) in all cycles. The low number of spawning females and small egg, ovarian, and testicular diameter offish held on the 6 mo cycle suggest that subjecting striped bass brood stock to an abbreviated cycle length (<9 mo) constrains maturation development and reproductive success.
Social support and religiosity as coping strategies for anxiety in hospitalized cardiac patients.

Background: Prospective studies have demonstrated that anxiety is associated with an increased risk of mortality and sudden cardiac death. There is therefore a need to understand what factors contribute to anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Purpose: This study examined whether social support and religiosity are individually or jointly associated with lower anxiety in cardiac patients.Methods: Anxiety, perceived social support, and religiosity were assessed in 228 (71% male, 29% female) hospitalized CHD patients aged 62 ± 11 years.Results: Higher levels of social support were related to lower levels of state and trait anxiety (state anxiety, r = −.26, p < .01; trait anxiety, r = −.30, p < .01;). Religiosity was related to lower state anxiety (r = −.27, p < .01) but only modestly related to lower trait anxiety (trait anxiety, r = −.18, p < .01). The relationship between religiosity and trait anxiety was no longer significant after controlling for social support (p = .26).Conclusions: These findings suggest that religiosity and social support provide a buffer against anxiety in CHD patients and that higher levels of social support may account for the relationship between religiosity and trait anxiety. These findings underscore the importance of social support and religiosity as buffers against distress, with possible implications for prognosis in a patient group where high levels of anxiety appear to confer increased risk of mortality.
Intracellular Ca2+ signaling is required for neurotrophin-induced potentiation in the adult rat hippocampus

Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of neurotrophin function in adult synaptic plasticity. In an effort to characterize the intracellular signaling pathways that couple Trk receptor activation to the final physiological effects of neurotrophins, we have examined the role of intracellular calcium rises in neurotrophin-induced synaptic enhancement in hippocampal slices. Using pharmacological blockers to two different calcium ion (Ca(2+)) sources, voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and intracellular Ca(2+) stores, we show that the potentiating effects of neurotrophins in hippocampal slices are mediated by intracellular Ca(2+) signaling. Although basal synaptic transmission between hippocampal CA3 and CA1 neurons was not affected by nifedipine or thapsigargin, both drugs significantly attenuated brain-derived neurotrophic factor or neurotrophin-3-induced synaptic enhancement. The pharmacological blockade of Ca(2+) signaling is effective only during the initial period of neurotrophin-induced potentiation. These data suggest that the minimal requirements for inducing potentiation by neurotrophins involve a transient increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration, via voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and/or intracellular Ca(2+) stores.
Pressure-Induced Argon Insertion into an Auxetic Small Pore Zeolite

We report that natrolite,Na16Al16Si24O48·16H2O, a small pore auxetic zeolite can incorporate significant amounts of Argon under moderate pressure- and temperature conditions resulting in Na16Al16Si24O80·16H2O·6Ar. This material has a ∼6.5% larger unit cell than natrolite at ambient conditions and its structure is related to Na16Al16Si24O80·24H2O, an intermediate superhydrated natrolite referred to as para-natrolite. Argon insertion under pressure into auxetic frameworks such as natrolites is an important and overlooked confinement mechanism with potential applications and implications.
Description of a High Rate Luminosity Monitor Installed at CESR

In response to a need for a fast, direct measure of luminosity for the purpose of machine optimization, a high rate luminosity monitor has been constructed for CESR. The interaction regions at CESR employ a standard minibeta lattice in which the inner quadrupoles are vertically focussing. Bhabha scattered particles are horizontally defocussed upon traversing these quadrupoles. A beam pipe constricted in the horizontal plane was constructed to detect these high event rate particles. This paper is a description of the luminosity, background, and accidental rates observed with various detector schemes. These results are compared with calculations. Stability and beam steering sensitivies are also explored.
Laboratory study of fault healing and lithification in simulated fault gouge under hydrothermal conditions

Abstract Seismic data, geologic observations and laboratory friction studies suggest that faults lithify and strengthen (heal) during the interseismic period of the earthquake cycle. We report on experiments to investigate the influence of healing duration and temperature on the strength and healing rate of simulated faults. Layers of μm-sized quartz powder were used to simulate granular fault gouge. Gouge layers were sheared within Sioux quartzite in a triaxial pressure vessel at elevated pressures ( P c = 250 MPa), elevated temperatures (230–636°C), and in the presence of water ( P H 2 O = 75 MPa). We performed ‘hold-slide’ experiments in which samples were subjected to a period of healing under hydrostatic load, followed by shear deformation. Healing times ranged from a few hundred s to 10 5 s. To isolate the effects of lithification and temperature on friction, we ran two types of hold-slide experiments: (1) samples were subjected to healing and shear deformation at elevated temperature; and (2) following healing at elevated temperature, temperature was reduced prior to shear. We also ran slide-hold-slide experiments in which samples were healed under shear load at elevated temperature (636°C). Experiments in which deformation was carried out at a lower temperature than healing show that both the static and sliding coefficient of friction increase with heal time. Samples healed and deformed at higher temperature showed lower peak strengths, and within the scatter of our data, did not exhibit time-dependent strengthening. These data are interpreted to result from enhanced lithification rates at elevated temperature. Samples healed under shear load exhibited a log-linear decrease in friction with hold time. Modeling using rate- and state-dependent friction laws indicates velocity-strengthening behavior, with friction a - b values of 0.05 to 0.08. Our data indicate that at high temperature, the effective state-evolution term b is negative. Moreover, the data indicate the rate of frictional strengthening varies significantly for hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic load conditions. Our measurements of healing are consistent with seismic estimates of fault-healing rates, if stress drop is a fraction of the total shear stress and effective fault normal stress is 60 to 100 MPa.
Position of double bonds in the fatty acids of cholesterol esters from human aorta

Abstract Cholesterol ester fatty acids (CEFA) from human aortas with fatty streaks and plaques were analyzed to determine the double bond positions of the unsaturated acids. Aorta CEFA contained a number of polyene fatty acids that were not identified in plasma CEFA. Nearly all the polyene fatty acids found in the aorta were derived from either linoleic or linolenic acid. Since these acids must be derived from the diet, it is presumed that long-chain polyene fatty acids derived from them represent chain elongation and desaturation by cells in the aorta. Polyene fatty acids derived by chain elongation and desaturation of palmitoleic or oleic acids were found in small amounts. The small amount of the 5, 8, 11 isomer of eicosatrierioic acid found suggests that at some point in the evolution of the lesions there is limited availability of linoleic acid.
Survival of the fittest: Law of evolution or law of probability?

In a recent issue of Biology and Philosophy, Kenneth Waters argues that the principle of ”survival of the fittest” should be eliminated from the theory of natural selection, because it is an untestable law of probability, and as such, has no place in evolutionary theory. His argument is impressive, but it does not do justice to the practice of biology. The principle of “survival of the fittest” should not be eliminated from the theory of natural selection because it is important to biological practice: it plays an essential role in explanation and discovery, and in unffying the theory of natural selection.
The Emory mouse cataract: accumulation of free leucine and incorporation into protein by cataractous and clear lenses

Leucine metabolism has been studied in the Emory mouse lens to determine if there is a correlation between the rates of leucine accumulation and incorporation and the stage of cataractogenesis. Developing cataracts were graded in vitro according to severity and then incubated in tracer leucine. There was no significant difference between grades with respect to leucine incorporation or accumulation of free leucine, although there was a gradual decrease in CL/CM as the cataracts increased in severity. The results showed a high degree of variability, especially for incorporation, leading to the conclusion that the morphological appearance of these cataracts is not predictive of their metabolic behavior as revealed by leucine accumulation or incorporation.
Thin film shape memory alloy microactuators

Thin film shape memory alloys (SMAs) have the potential to become a primary actuating mechanism for mechanical devices with dimensions in the micron-to-millimeter range requiring large forces over long displacements. The work output per volume of thin film SMA microactuators exceeds that of other microactuation mechanisms such as electrostatic, magnetic, thermal bimorph, piezoelectric, and thermopneumatic, and it is possible to achieve cycling frequencies on the order of 100 Hz due to the rapid heat transfer rates associated with thin film devices. In this paper, a quantitative comparison of several microactuation schemes is made, techniques for depositing and characterizing Ni-Ti-based shape memory films are evaluated, and micromachining and design issues for SMA microactuators are discussed. The substrate curvature method is used to investigate the thermo-mechanical properties of Ni-Ti-Cu SMA films, revealing recoverable stresses up to 510 MPa, transformation temperatures above 32/spl deg/C, and hysteresis widths between 5 and 13/spl deg/C. Fatigue data shows that for small strains, applied loads up to 350 MPa can be sustained for thousands of cycles. Two micromachined shape memory-actuated devices-a microgripper and microvalve-also are presented.
Observations on the regioselectivity of some Baeyer-Villiger reactions

Abstract The Baeyer–Villiger reaction of a series of compounds related to an intermediate in our synthesis of (+)-dactylol showed a pattern of regioselectivity which could be varied to a small extent as a function of substitution on the precursor. A very unusual Baeyer–Villiger reaction of a methyl ketone resulted in a product from apparent insertion of an oxygen atom into between the carbonyl carbon and the methyl group of the acetyl functionality.
High Speed Turning of H-13 Tool Steel Using Ceramics and PCBN

H-13 is the toughest tool steel used in machined die casting and forging dies. Due to its extreme hardness and poor thermal conductivity high speed cutting results in high temperature and stresses. This gives rise to surface damage of the workpiece and accelerated tool wear. This study evaluates the performance of different tools including ceramics and PCBN using practical finite element simulations and high speed orthogonal cutting tests. The machinability of H-13 was evaluated by tool wear, surface roughness, and cutting force measurements. From the 2D finite element model for orthogonal cutting, stresses and temperature distributions were predicted and compared for the different tool materials.
The Neurofibromatosis type 1:A dominantly inherited tumors-predisposing disorder

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is a hereditary multisystem disease involving the skin and nervous system. It is the most common form of autosomal dominant phakomatoses with 100% penetrance but wide phenotypic variability. The NF1 gene is located on chromosome 17q11.2 and encodes for a tumour suppressor protein. Because affected individuals have an increased risk of tumor formation, this disorder is classified as inherited cancer syndrome. The risk of malignancies in NF1 affected patients is estimated to be 5–15% higher than in the general population. We reviewed clinical aspects and genetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis in NF1 affected patients.
Sensitivity of the Inner-Shelf Circulation to the Form of the Eddy Viscosity Profile

Abstract The sensitivity of the inner-shelf circulation to the form of the vertical mixing is examined using a steady, linear, two-dimensional, eddy viscosity model. For both alongshelf wind stress and pressure gradient forcing, the alongshelf circulation over the inner shelf is insensitive to the form of the eddy viscosity profile. However, the cross-shelf circulation is sensitive to the form of the eddy viscosity profile. In particular, the location and width of the cross-shelf divergence in the Ekman transport over the inner shelf, and hence the corresponding upwelling or downwelling, depend on the form of the eddy viscosity profile.
Properties of calcium channels in cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle.

The voltage-dependent slow channels in the myocardial cell membrane are the major pathway by which Ca2+ ions enter the cell during excitation for initiation and regulation of the force of contraction of cardiac muscle. The slow channels have some special properties, including functional dependence on metabolic energy, selective blockade by acidosis, and regulation by the intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels. Because of these special properties of the slow channels, Ca2+ influx into the myocardial cell can be controlled by extrinsic factors (such as autonomic nerve stimulation or circulating hormones) and by intrinsic factors (such as cellular pH or ATP level). The slow Ca2+ channels of the heart are regulated by cAMP in a stimulatory fashion. Elevation of cAMP produces a very rapid increase in number of slow channels available for voltage activation during excitation. The probability of a slow channel opening and the mean open time of the channel are increased. Therefore, any agent that increases the cAMP level of the myocardial cell will tend to potentiate Isi, Ca2+ influx, and contraction. The myocardial slow Ca2+ channels are also regulated by cGMP, in a manner that is opposite to that of CAMP. The effect of cGMP is presumably mediated by means of phosphorylation of a protein, as for example, a regulatory protein (inhibitory-type) associated with the slow channel. Preliminary data suggest that calmodulin also may play a role in regulation of the myocardial slow Ca2+ channels, possibly mediated by the Ca2+-calmodulin-protein kinase and phosphorylation of some regulatory-type of protein. Thus, it appears that the slow Ca2+ channel is a complex structure, including perhaps several associated regulatory proteins, which can be regulated by a number of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. VSM cells contain two types of Ca2+ channels: slow (L-type) Ca2+ channels and fast (T-type) Ca2+ channels. Although regulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ slow channels of VSM cells have not been fully clarified yet, we have made some progress towards answering this question. Slow (L-type, high-threshold) Ca2+ channels may be modified by phosphorylation of the channel protein or an associated regulatory protein. In contrast to cardiac muscle where cAMP and cGMP have antagonistic effects on Ca2+ slow channel activity, in VSM, cAMP and cGMP have similar effects, namely inhibition of the Ca2+ slow channels. Thus, any agent that elevates cAMP or cGMP will inhibit Ca2+ influx, and thereby act to produce vasodilation. The Ca2+ slow channels require ATP for activity, with a K0.5 of about 0.3 mM. C-kinase may stimulate the Ca2+ slow channels by phosphorylation. G-protein may have a direct action on the Ca2+ channels, and may mediate the effects of activation of some receptors. These mechanisms of Ca2+ channel regulation may be invoked during exposure to agonists or drugs, which change second messenger levels, thereby controlling vascular tone.
Verification testing in computational fluid dynamics: an example using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes methods for two-dimensional flow in the near wake of a circular cylinder

Verification testing was performed for various Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes methods for uniform flow past a circular cylinder at Re= 5232. The standard and renormalized group (RNG) versions of the k–e method were examined, along with the Boussinesq, Speziale and Launder constitutive relationships. Wind tunnel experiments for flow past a circular cylinder were also performed to obtain a comparative data set. Preliminary studies demonstrate poor convergence for the Speziale relationship. Verification testing with the standard and RNG k–e models suggests that the simulations exhibit global monotonic convergence for the Boussinesq models. However, the global order of accuracy of the methods was much lower than the expected order of accuracy of 2. For this reason, pointwise convergence ratios and orders of accuracy were computed to show that not all sampling locations had converged (standard k–e model: 19% failed to converge; RNG k–e model: 14% failed to converge). When the non-convergent points were removed from consideration, the average orders of accuracy are closer to the expected value (standard k–e model: 1.41; RNG k–e model: 1.27). Poor iterative and global grid convergence was found for the RNG k–e/Launder model. The standard and RNG k–e models with the Boussinesq relationship were compared with experimental data and yielded results significantly different from the experiments. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An energy method to analyze through thickness thin film fracture during indentation

Abstract Nanoindentation was utilized to induce fracture of brittle thin oxide films on compliant substrates. The energies were calculated from integrating the resulting load–depth curves from indentation. The total energy applied to the system is a superposition of the energy to deform the substrate and the energy to fracture the film. The applied energy to deform the compliant substrate was separated from the energy applied to the film/substrate system resulting in the energy to fracture the film. The energy for fracture was then converted to a crack extension force and a stress intensity using linear elastic fracture mechanics. The toughness of thermally grown aluminum oxides is between 0.37 and 0.83 MPa m 0.5 , and tends to decrease as film thickness increases over the range of 25 to 63 nm.
Betatron phase and coupling measurements at the Cornell Electron/Positron Storage Ring

Measurement of the betatron phase in the vertical and horizontal planes as well as the transverse horizontal-vertical coupling is a standard procedure now used at the Cornell Electron/Positron Storage Ring. The measurement is made by shaking the beam and observing the phase of oscillation at detectors located around the ring. The measurements allow quadrupolar errors to be corrected.
Intrarectal inoculation of macaques by the simian immunodeficiency virus, SIVmne E11S: CD4 + depletion and AIDS

Macaca nemestrina and Macaca fascicularis were inoculated with various doses of a single-cell clone of SIVmne-infected HuT 78 cells (E11S) by both the intravenous and intrarectal routes. Animals inoculated intravenously at each dose seroconverted and virus was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but only the high-dose intrarectally exposed macaques became viremic and seroconverted. However, some seronegative, virus isolation negative intrarectally inoculated macaques showed evidence of infection and disease.
Shear-Induced Flocculation of Colloidal Particles in Stirred Tanks

Abstract Colloidal polystyrene and paramagnetic particles consisting of mixtures of polystyrene and magnetite are used to experimentally investigate flocculation kinetics in a stirred tank under turbulent shear flow. The effects of various parameters—agitation speed, solution pH, ionic strength, particle size, and particle concentration—on the flocculation rate are investigated. A trajectory model applicable for shear-flow systems is formulated to describe particle flocculation in stirred tanks. The collision efficiency of particles is obtained from the limiting trajectory of one particle moving toward another and is a function of interparticle forces and flow properties. The collision frequency is determined as a function of particle size and energy dissipation. The flocculation frequency is then determined by multiplying the collision frequency by the collision efficiency and is incorporated into a population balance model to predict the particle size evolution. Results suggest that the flocculation rate is enhanced by increasing the agitation speed, even though the collision efficiency is decreased at a higher agitation speed. It is also found that the collision rate increases and the collision efficiency decreases as the particle size ratio is increased. Results also suggest that the breakup rate of aggregates in a turbulent shear flow could be significant and may need to be included in the population balance modeling to correctly predict the evolution of particle size distribution.
An Unusual Mechanism for a Fistulous Communication Between the Aorta and Right Side of the Heart

A case of infective endocarditis is reported in which a fistulous communication developed from the septal tricuspid valve leaflet, through the membranous ventricular septum, into the non-coronary aortic cusp. From a nidus of infection in the uterus, the tricuspid valve was seeded, leading eventually to the fistula. The particular course of the perforation avoided conduction system damage until late in the clinical course, when idioventricular rhythm and eventual cardiac arrest supervened.
First-principles calculations of stress induced by gas adsorption on Pt(111)

Local-density-functional calculations show that both O and H adsorption relieve tensile stress on Pt(111) terraces. These results agree with the observation that both O and H undo the added-atom reconstruction of Pt(111) that occurs at elevated temperatures, but conflict with the idea that the direction of adsorbate-induced charge polarization determines the sign of the induced surface stress.
To See or Not to See...

Summary form only given. Vision is the primary sense used in daily life. How do we "see" the world? Do we actually "see" it or rather "perceive" it? Or is it one and the same thing? How do people with optical eye defects perceive the world? Can normally sighted people partake in their experience? If you are blind or become blind, are you blind forever? On Earth and in the spaceflight environment, there are many effects and conditions that may impair your vision or lead to irreversible vision loss or blindness, especially if undetected. The human eye and vision system can be likened to a camera consisting of an optical lens system (cornea and eye lens), film or sensor (retina), and an image-processing unit (retina and visual cortex). The malfunctioning of only one of these components will impair your vision. This paper will touch on the above topics and have (some of) the answers.
Initial supersonic combustion facility measurements

A combustion test tunnel designed for continuous operation to 2000 K was assembled. Flow quality of a Mach 2 nozzle for use with this tunnel was examined using an array of impact probes. The performance of gas shields used to protect optical windows was examined using both shadowgraphs and planar laser induced iodine fluorescence. High speed videography was used to aid in design of pressure relief panels related to hydrogen combustion testing safety.
A numerical study of longitudinal vortex interaction with a boundary layer

A numerical study of vortex generator aerodynamics has been carried out with a reduced set of Navier-Stokes equations. These are used to model the physical process of longitudinal vortex interaction with a turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate in incompressible flow. Comparison with experimental data is used to validate the approach, and detailed predictions are made. Results show an increase in skin friction and a decrease in integral layer thicknesses where the flow is toward the wall, and the reverse where the flow is away from the wall. The major controlling parameters of vortex strength, spacing and height are each found to have optimum values for which the efficiency of boundary-layer thinning is maximized. Vortex core spreading and secondary vorticity produced in the layer are observed and studied, as well as circulation decay and other features of the flow.
Why Did You Levy

Nature is full of biological landscapes that seem static to the casual observer, but actually contain highly dynamic spatial features. These features are shaped dramatically, if slowly, by subtle interplays between large-scale population-level patterns and small-scale movements of individual organisms. For spatial ecologists, a challenging aspect of such landscapes is the chicken-and-egg character of the underlying interactions: Organism movements are dictated by the environment, but the environment is strongly affected by organism movements. On page 1551 of this issue, de Jager et al. ( 1 ) reveal how, for mussels in patchy intertidal beds, the ecology of dynamic spatial patterns and the evolution of movement strategies are tightly linked.
Parathyroid hormone-related protein is expressed by transformed and fetal human astrocytes and inhibits cell proliferation.

Abstract Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and the PTH/PTHrP receptor are expressed in most normal tissues, including brain, where PTHrP is though to act locally in an autocrine or paracrine fashion. Previous in situ localization studies in adult rodents have documented CNS PTHrP expression in neurons but not in glial cells. However, a recent report describing immunoreactive PTHrP in human astrocytomas suggests that PTHrP expression may be a marker of dedifferentiation and/or malignant transformation in glial cells. To begin to test this hypothesis, constitutive and regulated PTHrP expression were examined in cultured fetal and transformed (U-373 MG) human astrocytes. PTHrP was expressed in untreated fetal astrocytes and U-373 MG cells, as determined by Northern analysis, immunocytochemical staining, and detection of PTHrP(1–84) protein in conditioned media. Epidermal growth factor and tumor necrosis factor, important growth factors in astrocyte development and malignant transformation, stimulated PTHrP expression in both cell types. Treatment of U-373 MG cells or fetal astrocytes with PTHrP(1–34) consistently inhibited cellular proliferation, as measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. These findings suggest that PTHrP, a peptide whose expression is induced by mitogens in both immature and transformed human astrocytes, may feedback inhibit cellular proliferation, an effect that may be of importance during malignant transformation as well as CNS development. Furthermore, when combined with previous evidence of PTHrP expression by PTH/PTHrP receptor-positive neurons, our demonstration of regulated PTHrP expression by receptor-positive astrocytes identifies PTHrP as a potential peptide mediator of cross-talk between glial cells and neurons.
Response-dependent parameter changes in the Prisoner's Dilemma Game.

This study represents an extension of the Prisoner's Dilemma game paradigm to include those social interaction situations in which the magnitudes of the payoffs which players receive are “responsive” to the strategy choices which they make. The experiment used eight different sequences of Prisoner's Dilemma games, each containing 25 distinct games. Each sequence was characterized by successive increments or decrements in either the reward, the punishment, or both of these parameters. These parameter changes were made to be contingent upon the responses of the players. The most interesting results obtained in this study relate to the effects of changes in the punishment parameter of the Prisoner's Dilemma game. It was found that when reward is either moderate and fixed or increasing and large, a decreasing severity of punishment produced as much cooperative behavior as did an increasing severity of punishment. A phenomenon which is peculiar to dynamic games was also identified in this study. This has been termed “pseudocooperation” and refers to jointly competitive strategy choices made by the subjects, the outcomes of which are interpreted as being mutually beneficial rather than mutually punishing.
O73 Étude par protéomique quantitative de la réponse compensatoire des îlots pancréatiques face à la résistance à l’insuline

Objectif L’hyperplasie compensatoire des ilots pancreatiques est un trait caracteristique de l’etat de resistance a l’insuline chez la souris et l’homme pre-diabetique. Afin d’identifier de nouveaux acteurs responsables de cette reponse adaptative, nous avons etudie les alterations du proteome des ilots pancreatiques murins de modeles animaux resistants a l’insuline non diabetiques. Materiels et methodes Des ilots isoles a partir de souris controles, de souris soumises a un regime gras (RG) et de souris (Ob/Ob) insulino-resistantes sans diabete ont ete analyses par chromatographie liquide couplee a la spectrometrie de masse (LC-MS). Les variations du niveau d’expression des proteines de ces ilots ont ete evaluees par « accurate mass and time tag » (AMT-Tag) et « selected reaction monitoring » (SRM). Resultats La LC-MS quantitative du proteome des ilots pancreatiques revele ˜1,700 proteines dans les modeles etudies. L’identification et la quantification des proteines ont ete obtenues par au moins deux peptides uniques avec une estimation du taux d’erreurs Discussion Ce travail represente la premiere etude quantitative du proteome dans la reponse hyperplasique des ilots pancreatiques de souris insulino-resistantes non diabetiques. Cette etude a permis l’identification de nouveaux candidats (CDK5RAP3, PRDX6, SEL1L, SEPT5 et SEPT7) pour l’etude de la proliferation des cellules endocrines du pancreas. La base de donnees acquise represente une source nouvelle pour une meilleure reflexion sur la maniere d’apprehender le choix de strategies therapeutiques a adopter pour augmenter le nombre de cellules β fonctionnelles chez les patients diabetiques.