cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Algebras and manifolds: differential, difference, simplicial and quantum

Abstract Generalized manifolds and Clifford algebras depict the world at levels of resolution ranging from the classical macroscopic to the quantum microscopic. The coarsest picture is a differential manifold and algebra (dm), direct integral of familiar local Clifford algebras of spin operators in curved time-space. Next is a finite difference manifold (Δm) of Regge calculus. This is a subalgebra of the third, a Minkowskian simplicial manifold (Σm). The most detailed description is the quantum manifold (Qm), whose algebra is the free Clifford algebra S of quantum set theory. We surmise that each Σm is a classical “condensation” of a Qm. Quantum simplices have both integer and half-integer spins in their spectrum. A quantum set theory of nature requires a series of reductions leading from the Qm and a world descriptor W up through the intermediate Σm and Δm to a dm and an action principle. What may be a new algebraic language for topology, classical or quantum, is a by-product of the work.
Protein function prediction using ProMOL and PyMOL (777.3)

ProMOL, a plugin for the molecular graphics system PyMOL, was designed to characterize protein structures that lack functional annotation; there are currently over 3700 PDB entries with “unknown” f...
Limitations to basal and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose uptake in the high-fat-fed rat.

Rats fed a high-fat diet display blunted insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose uptake. It is not clear whether this is due solely to a defect in glucose transport, or if glucose delivery and p...
Evolution of the São Paulo Plateau (southeastern Brazilian margin) and implications for the early history of the South Atlantic

The Sao Paulo Plateau is a prominent marginal plateau in the southeastern Brazilian margin. Its surface displays a rough morphology either because of diapiric structures that have pierced and/or domed the overlying sediments or because of outcrops of igneous basement rocks. The plateau is bounded to the north and south by fracture zones and appears to be situated on oceanic crust created between Neocomian and Aptian time. At the end of Aptian, the segment of the initial spreading center that was bounded by the fracture zones that now form the northern and southern boundaries of the plateau shifted to the east. The newly created segment of the spreading center formed the eastern boundary of the plateau. The stratigraphy of the plateau has been inferred through correlation of seismic-reflection profiles with the drilling data from Deep Sea Drilling Project site 356, located on the southeastern corner of the plateau. We have attempted a comparison of the sedimentary facies of the plateau with those of the Santos Basin, a shelf basin located adjacent to the plateau. A continuous evaporitic layer of Aptian age extends from the basin to the plateau. In Albian time, shallow-platform limestone was deposited in the basin, while open-marine limestone was deposited on the plateau. Coarse conglomerates were deposited in the basin during Turonian-Coniacian time, whereas distal turbidites were contemporaneously deposited on the plateau. A major transgression in Maestrichtian time trapped the terrigenous sediments within the Santos Basin and halted terrigenous sedimentation on the plateau. Cenozoic sediments in both areas are open marine. The sedimentary history of the Santos Basin and the Sao Paulo Plateau thus suggests that the two regions have been structurally continuous at least since Late Cretaceous time. The region occupied by the plateau has acted as a depocenter and has evolved as a marginal plateau since the termination of evaporitic deposition in the South Atlantic.
Analogue Studies of Losses in Reflex Oscillator Cavities

An analysis is made which shows the method of applying the network analogue to the investigation of the effect of dielectric and wall losses on cavity-resonator behavior. The Q and shunt resistance of re-entrant cavities operating in the first- and second-order TM 0 type modes are investigated. The condition for a zero of shunt resistance is determined. Experimental resuilts are discussed.
Igneous Rocks of the East Pacific Rise: The alkali volcanic suite appear to be differentiated from a tholeiitic basalt extruded from the mantle.

The apical parts of large volcanoes along the East Pacific Rise (islands and seamounts) are encrusted with rocks of the alkali volcanic suite (alkali basalt, andesine- and oligoclase-andesite, and trachyte). In contrast, the more submerged parts of the Rise are largely composed of a tholeiitic basalt which has low concentrations of K, P, U, Th, Pb, and Ti. This tholeiitic basalt is either the predominant or the only magma generated in the earth9s mantle under oceanic ridges and rises. It is at least 1000-fold more abundant than the alkali suite, which is probably derived from tholeiitic basalt by magmatic differentiation in and immediately below the larger volcanoes. Distinction of oceanic tholeiites from almost all continental tholeiites is possible on the simple basis of total potassium content, with the discontinuity at 0.3 to 0.5 percent K 2 O by weight. Oceanic tholeiites also are readily distinguished from some 19 out of 20 basalts of oceanic islands and seamount cappings by having less than 0.3 percent K 2 O by weight and more than 48 percent SiO 2 . Deep drilling into oceanic volcanoes should, however, core basalts transitional between the oceanic tholeiites and the presumed derivative alkali basalts. The composition of the oceanic tholeiites suggests that the mantle under the East Pacific Rise contains less than 0.10 percent potassium oxide by weight; 0.1 part per million of uranium and 0.4 part of thorium; a potassium:rubidium ratio of about 1200 and a potassium: uranium ratio of about 10 4 .
TAT Stimulus-Cues and Extension of Personal Time

Summary Extension of personal time variables (including retrotension and protension), based on TAT stories in 93 Cuban and American children were examined under four conditions: cue, nationality, sex, and grade in school. While cue had a significant main effect on one extension variable, its interactions with other independent variables were non-significant. Cuban children had significantly shorter retrotension, and especially shorter protension than American children. There were no sex differences in protension, but girls had longer retrotension than boys. Grade, as a reflection of developmental level, did not have the expected main effects on the extension variables. The only significant interaction, nationality X sex X grade, was unanticipated.
Pixelating the brain.

This layer presents a great variety of forms and of sizes of cells. In general, the cells of which it is composed are more or less globular and much inferior in size to the large pyramid. But it is also possible to see, as did Golgi, who has recognized them before in man and higher mammals, a great number of fusiform cells and also true pyramids oriented in the same manner as the cells of the second and third layers. —Santiago Ramon y Cajal (describing neuronal cell types in cortical layers 2 and 3)
New Organic Materials For Efficient Harmonic Generation Of Near Ultraviolet Light

Water soluble organic salts comprise a large class of crystalline materials containing many efficient harmonic generators for producing blue and near ultraviolet light. Among the salts of simple chiral organic acids and bases, about 1 in 10 crystals has a nonlinearity greater than or equal to KDP. The distribution of noncritical wavelengths among these crystals peaks around 500 nm for Type I doubling and 700 nm for Type II. We estimate the number of chiral organic salts which must be examined in a survey in order to assure with high probability that an "optimized" crystal for a given frequency conversion process will be found.
Theoretical model for the hcp-bcc transition in Mg

Using a first-principles total-energy pseudopotential method, we investigate the transition mechanism for a pressure-induced martensitic transformation hcp..-->..bcc which occurs in Mg at pressures around 50 GPa. Two internal structural degrees of freedom are selected and one lattice is transformed into the other by relaxing these two parameters continuously. One of the parameters characterizes the relative displacement of the hexagonal layers and corresponds to a transverse phonon at the Brillouin-zone edge A in the hexagonal structure. The other characterizes the distortion of the internal hexagonal angles and corresponds to uniform strain along one of the (0010)/sub hcp/ directions. The interaction between these two distortion modes causes important anharmonic effects in the zone-edge phonon and provides a low-energy path for the structural transition. The small activation barrier at the transition indicates that quantum fluctuations between the two structures could be taking place.
Library instruction for credit: A technology driven need

Abstract While technology offers enormous opportunities for researchers, it complicates the very nature of the research process. Students and faculty have far more options than ever before. At many colleges and universities there is a bewildering array of online databases and CD-ROMs from which to choose, not to mention the different search engines that go along with them. For instance, here at the College of Charleston, we provide over sixty databases via our OPAC. In addition, our library has a CD-ROM LAN, as well as a number of stand-lone CDs which contribute even more to this overwhelming variety.
Aortic counterpulsation: C-pulse and other devices for cardiac support.

Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in the USA. Despite major advances in the medical and device-related therapy including chronic resynchronization therapy for management of heart failure, significant number of patients eventually require advanced cardiac therapy including mechanical circulatory support or heart transplant. Heart transplant is a gold standard for end-stage heart failure but is limited by the donor heart shortage creating a definite need for alternative effective therapies. The earliest and most common form of mechanical circulatory support is counterpulsation therapy. Annually, more than 150,000 patients worldwide receive counterpulsation therapy for various indications including cardiogenic shock or severe left ventricular dysfunction (Nanas and Moulopoulos in Cardiology, 84:156–167, 1994) and many thousands of lives are saved each year (65 % survival) (Torchiana et al. in Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 113(4):758–764, 1997). There are different types of aortic counterpulsation devices. Here, we will give an overview of different counterpulsation devices with focus on C-Pulse device. Extra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, C-Pulse (Sunshine Heart Inc., Eden Prairie, MN), is an important and novel approach in the management of patients with advanced heart failure who remain symptomatic despite optimum medical and device-based therapy. C-Pulse is designed to provide permanent, long-term, continuous partial circulatory support for New York Heart Association class III and ambulatory class IV heart failure patients. C-Pulse is a nonblood-contacting counterpulsation using an inflatable cuff around the ascending aorta, extra-aortic balloon (EAB) counterpulsation device. A pivotal, multicenter US study to assess the safety and efficacy of C- Pulse in patient with Stage C and NYHA Class III or ambulatory Class IV heart failure is in progress.
Creatine Kinase Isoenzyme Activity following Cardiac Catheterization and Exercise Stress Testing

To detect whether creatine kinase is released by the myocardium during cardiac catheterization or exercise stress testing, the sera of 100 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization and of 51 patients and 11 normal subjects who performed exercise stress tests were analyzed for the activity of isoenzymes of creatine kinase. The analysis of creatine kinase was done by a very sensitive and precise method using ion-exchange column chromatography. There was little change in the activity of the myocardial form of creatine kinase (MB form) following uncomplicated coronary arteriographic studies or cardiac catheterizations, but there was a 55 percent increase in the activity of the MM form of creatine kinase (P
Large-scale circulation departures related to wet episodes in north-east Brazil

Large scale circulation features are presented as related to wet spells over northeast Brazil (Nordeste) during the rainy season (March and April) of 1979. The rainy season season is devided into dry and wet periods, the FGGE and geostationary satellite data was averaged and mean and departure fields of basic variables and cloudiness were studied. Analysis of seasonal mean circulation features show: lowest sea level easterlies beneath upper level westerlies; weak meridional winds; high relative humidity over the Amazon basin and relatively dry conditions over the South Atlantic Ocean. A fluctuation was found in the large scale circulation features on time scales of a few weeks or so over Nordeste and the South Atlantic sector. Even the subtropical High SLP's have large departures during wet episodes, implying a short period oscillation in the Southern Hemisphere Hadley circulation.
The Lerma-Chapala river basin: a case study of water transfer in a closed basin

The water resources of the largest river basin in Mexico, the Lerma-Chapala River, are overcommitted by approximately 10%. A multi-state agreement provides for reallocation of water from agricultural use to environmental and municipal uses during periods of water stress as indicated by extreme low water levels in Lake Chapala. In 1999 the level of water in the lake was such that the ecology of the lake was severely threatened. Based on the agreement, 240 million cubic meters of surface water originally intended for irrigation was diverted to the lake. This represented approximately 70% of the surface supply available to the 700,000 ha of irrigation, and approximately 36% of the total supply. No compensation was paid to the irrigators who lost this resource. The over-use of both the surface and groundwater resources suggests that some permanent reallocation of water from agriculture is inevitable.
Proximity of Pacific cod to the sea floor: Using archival tags to estimate fish availability to research bottom trawls

Abstract The percentage of Pacific cod available to Alaskan bottom trawl surveys was estimated from the proximity of tagged cod to the seafloor. Archival tags recorded time and depth data at 15- or 30-min intervals. The distance of a cod above the bottom was computed by subtracting tag depth from bottom depth, estimated as the maximum depth recorded during each 24-h day. These estimates of bottom depth are based on the assumption that cod approach the seafloor at least once a day, and do not undergo migrations up or down bottom gradients. To ensure that migrations over variable bottom gradients did not confound our estimates of bottom depth, we narrowed our analysis to 11 tagged cod that were recaptured in areas of flat bathymetry, and only analyzed data recorded within one month prior to recapture (N = 29,462 depth recordings). Pacific cod maintained short distances above the seafloor that often differed between day and night. Over 95% of the daytime tag recordings occurred within 10 m of the seafloor. Average effective headrope heights for survey bottom trawls currently used in the eastern Bering Sea and Alaska Gulf/Aleutian Islands groundfish surveys are approximately 2.5 and 7 m, respectively. In the absence of any behavior responses to an approaching trawl, we would expect 47.3% of the cod within the water column are available to the trawl used on the eastern Bering Sea survey and 91.6% are available to the trawl used on the Gulf/Aleutian Islands surveys. This study demonstrated that Pacific cod are highly demersal, and current values of trawl survey catchability (Q) used in current stock assessments are consistent with estimates of cod availability to the trawl gear.
Reflections on Architectural Education

As must be the case with many colleagues nearing retirement, I find myself thinking about the meaning and quality of my life's work both as a professional and educator. Lending particular poignancy to these reflections is the fact that many educators I know have chosen to retire from their respective institutions, without fanfare or recognition, feeling useless and often disregarded by their younger colleagues. The suspicion is that these sentiments expressed by many older educators are symptoms of a larger condition, which is having an adverse effect on both teachers and students. I refer specifically to the culture of architectural programs, developed since the end of World War II. These cultural shifts have brought about a tangible diminution in the quality and character of many architectural programs. To bring shape to the argument, four aspects of culture are presented and discussed: those of the Studio, Faculty, Administration, and the Profession.
Women of the family, women of the nation: National enculturation among Slavic speakers in Northwestern Greece☆

Abstract Slavic-speaking women in Greek Macedonia have played a central role in twentieth century Greek nation-building efforts in the region. The Greek authorities have long recognized the importance of women's influence over the socialization and enculturation of children, and have made Slavo-Macedonian women the focus of a protracted effort to cultivate a sense of Greek national identity among Slavic-speakers of the area. This article examines transformations in Slavo-Macedonian family organization in the Florina District of Greek Macedonia following incorporation into the expanding Greek nation-state in 1913. It explores the roles played by women in these changes, and the impact this process has had on the creation of a Greek national consciousness that has come to supersede notions or memories of a distinctive ethnic or cultural identity.
Survival and functional demonstration of interregional pathways in fore/midbrain slice explant cultures

Abstract An important general question in neurobiology concerns the development and expression of the rich context of neuronal phenotypes, especially in relation to the diverse patterns of connectivity. Organotypic cultures of brain slices may offer distinct advantages for such studies if such a preparation survives, maintains a wide diverstiy of neuronal phenotypes and displays appropriate synaptic connections between regions. To address these requirements, we utilized long-term organotypic cultures of intact horizontal slices of rat forebrain and midbrain and assessed a variety of markers of phenotype in combination with functional tests of connectivity. This explant preparation displayed a distinct viability requirement such that the greatest explant survival was seen in slices taken from pups of less than postnatal day 7 and was independent of N -methyl- d -aspartate channel blockade. The anatomical features of the major brain regions (e.g., neocortex, striatum, septum, hippocampus, diencephalon and midbrain) were observed in their normal boundaries. The presence of cholinergic and catecholaminergic neurons was demonstrated with acetylcholinesterase histochemistry and tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. Labelled neurons displayed multiple, regionally-appropriate cytoarchitectures and, in some cases, could be seen to project to brain regions in a manner quite similar to that seen in vivo . Finally, the direct demonstration of spontaneous and evoked interregional excitatory synaptic transmission was made using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from striatal neurons which revealed an intact glutamate-using corticostriatal pathway. This simple explant preparation appears to contain a rich diversity of neuronal types and synaptic organization. Therefore, this preparation appears to have several distinct advantages for basic neurobiologic research since it combines long-term culture viability and many features of mature brain including complex interregional neuronal systems.
Organic Software Framework for an Adaptive Integrated Knowledge Repository

The goal of the research was to design and build an organic knowledge repository that had the inherent ability to grow and evolve over time. A design artifact - Constructivist Unifying Baccalaureate Epistemology (CUBE) - was designed and tested to validate the efficacy of this approach. Two models that facilitate this organic nature of the system were developed for this research; a Knowledge Weighting Model and the Aggregation-Integration-Master model. A Semantic Web ontology integrated with the W3C Resource Description Framework was used to create a concept space that offers a unified view of the discipline. The two goals of this approach were validated. First, students and faculty were able to enter information that dynamically altered the organization and structure of the knowledge repository. Second, students utilizing the Integrated Knowledge Repository developed a more complex understanding of the interconnected nature of the materials linking a discipline.
At the bottom of the differential diagnosis list: unusual causes of pediatric hypertension

Hypertension affects 1–5% of children and adolescents, and the incidence has been increasing in association with obesity. However, secondary causes of hypertension such as renal parenchymal diseases, congenital abnormalities and renovascular disorders still remain the leading cause of pediatric hypertension, particularly in children under 12 years old. Other less common causes of hypertension in children and adolescents, including immobilization, burns, illicit and prescription drugs, dietary supplements, genetic disorders, and tumors will be addressed in this review.
Extracting motion data from video using optical flow with physically-based constraints

Motion analysis of video data is a powerful tool for studying dynamic behavior and determining sources of failures. In the case of failure analysis, the available video may be of poor quality, such as from surveillance cameras. It is also likely to have been taken from a bad angle, with poor lighting, and occlusions may be present. To address such cases, this paper presents an optical flow-based tracking algorithm incorporating physically-based constraints to extract motion data from video. The technique can accurately track a significant number of data points with a high degree of automation and efficiency. Many traditional methods of video data extraction from poor-quality video have proven tedious and time-consuming due to extensive user-input requirements. With this in mind, the proposed optical flow-based algorithm functions with a minimal degree of user involvement. Points identified at the outset of a video sequence, and within a small subset of frames spaced throughout, can be automatically tracked even when they become occluded or undergo translational, rotational, or deformational motion. The proposed algorithm improves upon previous optical flow-based tracking algorithms by providing greater flexibility and robustness. Example results are presented that show the method tracking machines with flexible components, Segway personal transporters, and athletes pole vaulting.
Structures of homoleptic triply bonded M2(OR)6 compounds where the alkoxide is tertiary: the effect of steric bulk and alkoxide conformation on structural parameters

Abstract The structures of three homoleptic metal–metal triply-bonded M2(OR)6 compounds {Mo2(OCMe2CMe2O)3, 1; Mo2(OCMe2Ph)6, 2; and W2[OCMe(CF3)2]6, 3} containing tertiary alkoxides are reported. The data demonstrate that, overall, the M2O6 cores are isomorphous regardless of the substitution pattern of the alkoxide. Dimer 3 is the first example of a W2(OR)6 compound containing terminal tertiary alkoxides to be structurally characterized; it is of interest as a close structural analogue of the chemically remarkable W2(OCMe3)6. The hexa(hexafluoro-t-butoxide) dimer, though slightly disordered, displays distances and angles similar to other W2(OR)6 species despite the poor electron-donor capacity of the fluoroalkoxide group. The data from these structures, combined with literature data, show that proximal alkoxide ligands generally exhibit shorter M–O bond distances and larger M–M–O and M–O–C angles than do distal alkoxides regardless of metal type, alkoxide steric bulk, and alkoxide π donor ability in a range of compounds. This suggests electrostatic and conformational considerations are of greater importance to the bonding in these dimers than are M–O π interactions.
Some thermodynamic properties of a mapping

Abstract It is usual to represent equilibrium states of a simple thermodynamic system by points in the Pv plane and in the Ts plane. In this article attention is focused on the natural correspondence thus established between points of these planes. This correspondence induces topological transformations on point sets, isometric transformations on areas, and projective transformations on slope ratios. Each of these cartographic points of view produces results of thermodynamic significance. In particular the conclusions on slope ratios provide a general view of the concepts of specific heat capacity and bulk modulus. Interesting geometric constructions relating these concepts are developed.
Night-time spore deposition of the fusarium head blight pathogen, Gibberella zeae, in rotational wheat fields

Many fungal plant pathogens rely on atmospheric motion systems for transport. The movement of these pathogens in the atmosphere is characterized by processes of liberation, drift, and deposition. We observed temporal patterns of viable spore deposition of Gibberella zeae, causal agent of fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, over rotational wheat fields (with no visible residues of corn or wheat, potential inoculum sources of G. zeae) in Aurora, New York, United States. Viable, airborne spores of G. zeae were collected on Petri plates containing selective medium placed 30 cm above wheat canopies. Over 40 000 viable spores of G. zeae were collected over a total of 73 day (6:00 am to 8:00 pm) or night (8:00 pm to 6:00 am) sampling periods in 3 years (2002, 2004, and 2005). The vast majority of the spores was collected at night (94% in 2002, 86% in 2004, and 82% in 2005). Viable spores were deposited in all but one sampling period spanning spike emergence through kernel milk stages of local wheat. Seven major...
Molecular genetic studies of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Genetic study of over 200 cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease (GSS), fatal familial insomnia (FFI), and kuru have brought a reliable body of evidence that the familial forms of CJD and all known cases of GSS and FFI are linked to germline mutations in the coding region of the PRNP gene on chromosome 20, either point substitutions or expansion of the number of repeat units. No pathogenic mutations have so far been found in sporadic or infectious forms of CJD, although there are features of genetic predisposition in iatrogenic CJD and kuru. In FFI and familial CJD, clinically and pathologically distinct syndromes that are both linked to the 178Asp→Asn substitution, phenotypic expression is dependent on a polymorphism at codon 129. Synthetic peptides homologous to several regions of PrP spontaneously form insoluble amyloid fibrils with unique morphological characteristics and polymerization tendencies. Peptides homologous to mutated regions of PrP exhibit enhanced fibrilogenic properties and, if mixed with the wild-type peptide, produce even more abundant and larger fibrous aggregates. A similar process in vivo may lead to amyloid accumulation and disease, and transmission of “baby fibrils” may induce disease in other hosts.
Effects of precursors and stimulating agents on formation of indole alkaloids by C. roseus in a biofilm reactor

Abstract Effects of nutrient (phosphate), precursor (tryptophan), fungal elicitor (Geotrichum candidum), and inorganic salt (VaSO4) on the formation of indole alkaloids by C. roseus (periwinkle) in a biofilm reactor were investigated and compared with experiments free of these compounds (control experiments).
Fault displacement-gradient folds and the structure at Lost Hills, California (U.S.A.)

Abstract Geometric models of fault-propagation folds require that the underlying fault tip propagate upward across layering. However, related folds can be generated if the tip remains stationary, or even moves back along the ramp as a pre-existing fault is reactivated. Fault-propagation folds, detachment folds, as well as those produced when there is no propagation are generated by a displacement gradient along the underlying fault, and, as a general class, can be called fault displacement-gradient folds. New geometric equations are derived which relate fold shape to displacement gradient, and fault-propagation folds are a special case of these more general equations. Growth sequences associated with these structures have been used to distinguish fault-propagation folds from fault-bend folds when the underlying structure is obscured. A displacement-gradient fold in which the fault tip retreats back down the ramp generates a growth sequence that in some cases could be confused with that of a fault-bend fold. The structure at Lost Hills, in the San Joaquin Valley of California (U.S.A.) has been interpreted as a fault-bend fold, but it may be a displacement-gradient fold which formed as a pre-existing fault was reactivated during a Pliocene change in plate motion.
A higher degree of LINE-1 methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, a one-carbon nutrient related epigenetic alteration, is associated with a lower risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Abstract Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate LINE-1 methylation as an intermediate biomarker for the effect of folate and vitamin B12 on the occurrence of higher grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN ≥2). Methods This study included 376 women who tested positive for high-risk human papillomaviruses and were diagnosed with CIN ≥2 (cases) or CIN ≤1 (non-cases). CIN ≥2 (yes/no) was the dependent variable in logistic regression models that specified the degree of LINE-1 methylation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and of exfoliated cervical cells (CCs) as the independent predictors of primary interest. In analyses restricted to non-cases, PBMC LINE-1 methylation (≥70% versus Results Women in the highest tertile of PBMC LINE-1 methylation had 56% lower odds of being diagnosed with CIN ≥2 (odds ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.83, P = 0.011), whereas there was no significant association between degree of CC LINE-1 methylation and CIN ≥2 (odds ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.51–1.46, P = 0.578). Among non-cases, women with supraphysiologic concentrations of folate (>19.8 ng/mL) and sufficient concentrations of plasma vitamin B12 (≥200.6 ng/mL) were significantly more likely to have highly methylated PBMCs compared with women with lower folate and lower vitamin B12 (odds ratio 3.92, 95% confidence interval 1.06–14.52, P = 0.041). None of the variables including folate and vitamin B12 were significantly associated with CC LINE-1 methylation. Conclusion These results suggest that a higher degree of LINE-1 methylation in PBMCs, a one-carbon nutrient-related epigenetic alteration, is associated with a lower risk of developing CIN.
Contribution of viscoelastic stress to the rate-dependence of pulmonary dynamic elastance

Abstract To further characterize the contribution of the stresses accumulated during inflation in viscoelastic elements of the lungs to the rate-dependence of pulmonary dynamic elastance, we analyzed the changes in the pressures measured at the airway opening and in subpleural air spaces during airway occlusions performed at constant inflation rates of 5, 10, 20 and 40 ml/(kg sec) in 13 anesthetized piglets (mean age = 7 days). The analyses was repeated after saline lavage of the lungs and during intravenous infusion of histamine in 7 and 4 of the piglets, respectively. Viscoelastic stresses dissipated as stress relaxation were solely responsible for the differences between dynamic and static elastance before and after lung lavage and for more than 40% of this difference during histamine infusion (the remainder probably being caused by ventilation inequalities). The viscoelastic contribution to dynamic elastance increased by more than two-fold after lung lavage and was independent of inflation rate and only minimally dependent upon inflation volume. Our results demonstrate that viscoelastic stresses are primarily responsible for the dynamic stiffening of piglet lungs at low rates of inflation. They also support the notion that viscoelastic and elastic stresses are couple as the lungs inflate.
A microcomputer/hall probe data acquisition system for a magnetic sector mass spectrometer

Abstract An efficient approach for obtaining mass spectral data from a magnetic sector mass spectrometer is described. The approach involves: (1) direct monitoring of the magnetic field strength of the mass spectrometer via a Hall effect probe, (2) the use of a popular microcomputer system for the acquisition of the ion current and magnetic field strength in real time, and (3) computer assignment of mass to charge ratio to detected ions via polynomial curve fitting. This approach offers the advantages of commercially available hardware, simple construction and implementation, low cost, versatility and efficiency.
Salmonella detection in foods and feeds in 27 hours by an enzyme immunoassay

Abstract A heterogeneous enzyme immunoassay (EIA), which could be completed within 27 h, was developed for the detection of salmonellae in foods. Samples were subjected to the usual non-selective enrichment for 16–18 at 35°C and to a short (6 h) post-enrichment in a moderately selective broth. The EIA was carried out on polystyrene microtitration plates. A pooled polyvalent Salmonella flagellar antiserum and a protein A-alkaline phosphatase conjugate were used. The sensitivity of the enzyme immunoassay compared favorably with that of the conventional cultural technique for detection of Salmonella in 40 naturally contaminated food and feed samples. No sample was positive only by the cultural technique; samples positive only by the enzyme immunoassay were observed for feeds. Some specimens yielded high background values indicating possible interference from food proteins.
Expression of a novel function-associated molecule on cells mediating spontaneous cytolysis in swine

Abstract In the present study, we have analyzed the effects of the anti-FAM mAb 5C6, on endogenous NK cell and lymphokineactivated killer (LAK) cell activity of swine. We report that the anti-FAM mAb 5C6 binds to fresh and cultured lymphocytes with spontaneous cytotoxic activity from swine peripheral blood. In conjunction, the anti-FAM mAb 5C6 inhibits swine cytolysis against K562 target cells. Inhibition was found to be mediated by blocking of conjugate formation. The level of spontaneous killing and mAb inhibition was correlated with the number of swine cells staining positive with the mAb 5C6 as assessed by flow cytometry.
Nonlinear modal interactions and low order modeling of a kicked flexible rod

A magnetically kicked flexible-beam oscillator is studied experimentally. Spectral bifurcation diagrams of the attracting steady states are obtained, and the system is seen to exhibit periodic, quasiperiodic and chaotic responses. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is applied to spatial strain gauge data, and a specific nonlinear two-mode interaction is shown to be present in all responses. Based on these experimental observations, a two degree of freedom piecewise linear autonomous model is developed, which captures much of the behavior observed in the experiments. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Intensity effects of the auditory evoked brain response to stimulus onset and cessation

Average evoked brain responses (EBR) to the onset (ON) and cessation (OFF) of 1-kHz pure-tone stimuli were computed from human scalp recordings. Stimuli of 2,000 msec duration were presented binaurally at 10 intensity levels. The waveform of the OFF EBR is similar to the ON EBR. The ON response is in general larger than the OFF response. Comparable ON and OFF amplitude response measures are both sensitive to changes in stimulus intensity which may be fit by a linear function. Significant differences in slope between ON and OFF amplitude intensity functions were demonstrated, which suggests different physiological systems for these responses.
Pharmacovigilance Using Clinical Notes

With increasing adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), there is an opportunity to use the free-text portion of EHRs for pharmacovigilance. We present novel methods that annotate the unstructured clinical notes and transform them into a deidentified patient-feature matrix encoded using medical terminologies. We demonstrate the use of the resulting high-throughput data for detecting drug-adverse event associations and adverse events associated with drug-drug interactions. We show that these methods flag adverse events early (in most cases before an official alert), allow filtering of spurious signals by adjusting for potential confounding, and compile prevalence information. We argue that analyzing large volumes of free-text clinical notes enables drug safety surveillance using a yet untapped data source. Such data mining can be used for hypothesis generation and for rapid analysis of suspected adverse event risk.
Role of tissue diagnosis in pulmonary involvement in pediatric human immunodeficiency virus infection

Background. Pulmonary complications occur commonly during HIV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of lung tissue examination in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disorders in children with HIV infection. Methods. The medical records of 347 children enrolled between January, 1990, and April, 1994, into various antiretroviral therapy protocols were reviewed to identify patients who underwent a lung biopsy. Results. Fourteen patients underwent diagnostic lung biopsies on 16 separate occasions. The most common radiologic findings were nodular infiltrates which were localized in 7 patients and diffuse in 6. Eight patients presented with fever and progressive respiratory distress unresponsive to empiric therapy, whereas the rest had progressive nodular infiltrates. The pathologic diagnoses included opportunistic infection in 7 patients, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis in 5, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 3 and interstitial fibrosis in 1. The biopsy led to a major change in the treatment of 7 patients which resulted in a significant improvement of the pulmonary process in all of them. In an additional patient the excisional biopsy proved curative. Conclusions. When patients are selected appropriately, lung biopsy might have a significant impact on therapy and outcome in HIV-infected children with pulmonary infiltrates.
Preliminary results from a search for regional tectonomagnetic effects in California and western Nevada

Abstract Physical theory and laboratory experiments both indicate that tectonomagnetic effects in seismically active areas should be detected with highly sensitive drift-free differential magnetometers. By using a pair of synchronized 0.25 7 absolute magnetometers to measure precisely field differences between 70 adjacent sites with a 10–15 km separation, more than 1,000 km of faults in California and western Nevada have been monitored for anomalous changes in the local magnetic field. Over a nine-month period, four sets of mea surements have been completed along 350 km of the San Andreas and two sets along the Excelsior Mountains, Mono Lake, and Owens Valley. Preliminary results show that significant changes have occurred between each subsequent data set and that these changes appear to be related to tectonic structure and seismicity. This method looks promising as a simple inexpensive scheme for indicating some hazardous sections of active faults, particularly in countries where extensive geophysics programs are not feasible.
405. Correction of the Murine Model of Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type I Using Messenger RNA as a Source of Transposase for Sleeping Beauty Mediated Integration of the FAH Gene

Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a DNA transposon capable of mediating chromosomal integration and stable expression in vertebrate cells when co-delivered with a source of transposase. In all pre-clinical reports where SB-mediated gene insertion in somatic cells has been used to correct mouse models of human disease, the transposase component has been provided as a co-delivered DNA molecule that has the potential for integration into the host cell genome. Integration and continued expression of a gene encoding SB transposase could be problematic if it led to remobilization and reintegration of transposons. Such continued expression of transposase is a key safety concern in development of the SB transposon system for clinical applications. As an alternate source of transposase, we have previously shown that in vitro transcribed transposase-encoding messenger RNA (mRNA) can effectively mediate transposon insertion both in vitro and in mouse liver (Wilber et al., Molecular Therapy, 2005, in press). Here, we test the use of transposase- encoding mRNA plus transposon DNA for gene therapy of hereditary tyrosinemia type I by first evaluating several parameters for systemic delivery and expression of mRNA in mice. We also introduce a method to quantitatively track repopulating liver cells by in vivo bioluminescence imaging after co-delivery of a DNA or RNA source of transposase with a bi-functional transposon encoding both mouse fumaryl acetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) and firefly luciferase (luc) genes in FAH deficient mice by rapid, high-volume injection into the tail vein. Liver repopulation was quantitatively monitored over time by increasing luc activity, measured as light emitted from the liver. Using this method, we determined that supplying SB transposase in the form of mRNA results in selective repopulation of corrected hepatocytes with stable co-expression of both FAH and luc. Plasma taken from animals 5 months after co-infusion with transposase mRNA contained levels of succinylacetone (the clinical determinant of tyrosinemia) that were nearly normalized. Amino acid levels were also normalized, suggesting normal liver metabolism of catabolized protein products (including urea and glucose). We further demonstrated the stability of integration by transplanting hepatocytes (250,000) into FAH deficient recipient mice. All transplanted animals survived NTBC withdrawal and gained weight consistently over a period of 90 days and demonstrated stable expression of luc. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that transposase-encoding mRNA can be used to mediate non-viral gene therapy resulting in complete phenotypic correction that is stable and not associated with any incidents of cellular transformation.
Convex interfacial joints with least stress singularities in dissimilar materials

An integrated experimental and numerical investigation is employed to evaluate a new axisymmetric convex joint for the least free-edge stress singularity. Quasi-static tension and dynamic tension experiments of both straight and convex bi-material joints are conducted. Experimental results show that the convex joint yields an increase in final failure strength (up to 22%) and a reduction in material volume (at least 18%), compared to the traditional straight-edged joint. Finite element results indicate that the new axisymmetric convex interfacial joint is effective in removing the stress singularity at the bi-material edge and consequently, a relatively uniform interfacial stress distribution is achieved. The uniform stress distribution leads to more reasonable interfacial strength measurements and higher tensile strengths of dissimilar material joints.
The Ras/MAPK cascade and the control of positive selection

Immature double positive (DP) thymocytes bearing a T cell receptor (TCR) that interacts with self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules receive signals that induce either their differentiation (positive selection) or apoptosis (negative selection). Furthermore, those cells that are positively selected develop into two different lineages, CD4 or CD8, depending on whether their TCRs bind to MHC class II or I, respectively. Positive selection therefore involves rescue from the default fate (death), lineage commitment, and progression to the single positive (SP) stage. These are probably temporally distinct events that may require both unique and overlapping signals. Work in the past several years has started to unravel the signaling networks that control these processes. One of the first pathways identified as important for positive selection was Ras and its downstream effector, the Erk mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. In this review we examine the factors that connect the TCR to the Ras/Erk cascade in DP thymocytes, as well as what we know about the downstream effectors of the Ras/Erk cascade important for positive selection. We also consider the possible role of this cascade in CD4/CD8 lineage development, and the possible interactions of the Ras/Erk cascade with Notch during these cell fate determination processes.
Coarsening of grain boundary carbides in a nickel-based ternary alloy during creep

Abstract Stress enhanced coarsening of grain boundary carbides resulting from creep loading is analyzed. Grain boundary carbide distribution measurements from material before and after creep testing begins the analysis. The extent of stress enhancement is determined by comparison of measurements from creep tested material with those from stress-free aged material. These measurements are analyzed with respect to existing coarsening theories. A new relationship for coarsening kinetics is presented to properly reflect the combined effects of matrix and grain boundary diffusion control and is correlated with the experimental data. This relationship is given as follows: t= 1 3K V r 3 − 3K GB 2K V r 2 +3 K GB K V 2 r−3 K GB K V 3 ln (K V r+K GB ) r 0 r where KV is a coarsening constant for volume diffusion, KGB is a coarsening constant for grain boundary diffusion, r is the carbide radius, and t is time.
The limits of synthetic biology.

The pioneering works of Watson, Crick, Wilkins, and Franklin [1,2] on the structure of DNA have captivated our imaginations for over half a century and continue to shape our future endeavors. The genetic code, a mystery for many years, was soon thereafter decoded by organic chemists employing organic synthesis of polynucleotides [3]. Ever since, the construction of DNA has been central to our ability to probe the molecular nature of life. Synthetic biologists now push the limits of what can be engineered using DNA – from scratch if needed: complex genetic circuits, large metabolic pathways, and even whole genomes.