cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4286: Improved FFPE DNA extraction for next generation sequencing using adaptive focused acoustics technology

Formalin fixation followed by paraffin embedding (FFPE) is the most widely used method of tissue preservation and often used in the clinical setting for cancer specimens. However, this process of fixation has negative consequences on the quality of extracted DNA, and inevitably adversely affects downstream analyses such as next generation sequencing (NGS). DNA extraction from FFPE samples requires paraffin disassociation, tissue rehydration and de-crosslinking. Low efficiency in any step will yield low quantities of nucleic acids with incomplete reversal of formaldehyde crosslinks, and mixtures of single and double stranded DNA. In addition, low quality nucleic acids will often result in poor sequencing quality due to inefficient library preparation, lower number of reads with high quality, and variable recovery of sequence reads with high GC-content. Here we describe the use of Adaptive Focused Acoustics technology (Covaris Inc. 2013) to remove paraffin and break down tissue, and we compared this method to traditional xylene-based paraffin removal. We found that Covaris had superior performance overall: (1) DNA yields were 6 times higher, and less specimens failed extraction: this is critically important when dealing with small tumor biopsies. (2) DNA was more readily available for PCR amplification. (3) Mean coverage of DNA fragments with high GC content was higher and more reproducible. (4) Library complexity was higher. In addition, the Covaris protocol required less hands-on time in the lab, and eliminated the need for hazardous organic solvents for paraffin removal. In conclusion, the Covaris FFPE DNA extraction method is very efficient, enhances DNA availability, improves reproducibility and provides higher DNA quality for NGS. Citation Format: Ling Lin, Mikenah Vega, Robert T. Jones, Liuda Ziaugra, Deniz N. Dolcen, Ashwini Sunkavalli, Laura Schubert, Jack R. Lepine, Aaron R. Thorner, Matthew D. Ducar, William C. Hahn, Matthew L. Meyerson, Laura E. MacConaill, Paul Van Hummelen. Improved FFPE DNA extraction for next generation sequencing using adaptive focused acoustics technology. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4286. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4286
Petroleum hydrocarbon toxicity studies: XIII. Animal and human response to vapors of Toluene Concentrate

Abstract The suggested hygienic standard for human inhalation of Toluene Concentrate, based upon results of these inhalation studies with rats and dogs and the sensory response of human subjects, is 1.9 mg/liter (480 ppm). The LC50 for rats that inhaled Toluene Concentrate for 4 hr was 35 (31 to 38) mg/liter or 8800 (7800 to 9600) ppm. Rats tolerated 6.8 mg/liter (1700 ppm) for 4 hr and dogs 3.0 mg/liter (760 ppm) for 6 hr without any signs of discomfort. Four cats that inhaled 31 mg/liter (7800 ppm) for 6 hr developed signs suggestive of central nervous system effects, including mydriasis, mild tremors, prostration in 80 min, and light anesthesia after 2 hr. One of four died as a result of pneumonic infection within 14 days. Rats and dogs that inhaled 3.9, 1.9, or 0.95 mg/liter of Toluene Concentrate for 13 weeks, 6 hr/day, were not statistically significantly different from their air-exposed controls in any of the criteria of injury that were monitored including hematology, clinical chemistry, and micropathology. The odor threshold as determined by a sniff test involving two trials with six human subjects is approximately 0.01 mg/liter (2.5 ppm). Six of six people indicated their willingness to work in a concentration of 1.9 mg/liter (480 ppm) which is equivalent to 0.87 mg/liter or 220 ppm of contained toluene, the limiting concentration recommended for the hygienic standard. Only the response of people in the workplace can determine whether the toxic and irritative effects of the components of this mixture are additive or less than additive, as the evidence presented suggests to us that they are not greater than additive.
Transgenic Mouse Production By Zygote Injection

This unit describes methods for the production of transgenic mice by injection of DNA into zygotes, including fertilized-egg isolation, zygote injection, and oviduct reimplantation. Methods for the preparation of plasmid and BAC DNA suitable for microinjection are also presented.
Channel estimation and demodulation of asynchronous CDMA signals in frequency-selection fading channels

In this paper, we propose an iterative scheme for joint tracking of fading channels and demodulation of multiuser CDMA signals operating asynchronously over multipath fading channels. We use the expectation maximization algorithm to track the time-varying channel and as a by-product we also achieve estimates of the input signals. We show that the maximum a posteriori estimates of the fading channels is iteratively computed by the Kalman smoother. The input signals are demodulated using a hidden Markov model smoother. Our scheme has computational complexity and memory requirement that grow linearly with the data length. Computer simulations illustrate the performance of our proposed detection and estimation method.
Flecainide suppresses defibrillator-induced storming in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an inherited condition associated with ventricular tachycardia (VT) triggered by exercise or sympathetic stress. Incessant VT may develop due to defibrillator-induced storming—a condition where implantable cardioverter-defibrillator discharges result in a hyperadrenergic state, provoking further VT and defibrillator discharge. We describe the case of a 14-year-old boy with CPVT caused by a calsequestrin-2 mutation, who presented with defibrillator-induced storming refractory to β-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, amiodarone, and dronedarone. Flecainide and β-blocker use suppressed incessant VT and defibrillator-induced storming. (PACE 2012;XX:e1–e4)
Effect of puromycin aminonucleoside on HSPG core protein content of glomerular epithelial cells

It has been suggested that the glomerular basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) is an important determinant of the glomerular permselectivity barrier. Derangements in the content of basement membrane heparan sulfate have been implicated in alterations in glomerular permselectivity seen in many glomerular diseases such as aminonucleoside nephrosis. The cellular origin and metabolism of the glomerular basement membrane HSPG have not been studied in detail. We have detected the expression of the proteoglycan by cloned glomerular visceral epithelial cells of the rat by employing a specific antibody against the core protein of HSPG isolated from the rat glomerular basement membrane. These findings suggest that in the rat in vivo glomerular visceral epithelial cells are one source of heparan sulfate present in the glomerular basement membrane. The effect of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) on the HSPG core protein content of the cloned glomerular epithelial cells was studied. By a quantitative immunoperoxidase method, the aminonucleoside caused a 28% reduction in the core protein content of the epithelial cells (P less than 0.01) following 72 h of incubation. However, the content of Heymann nephritis-related antigen, Fx1A was unchanged. Studies employing [3H]leucine incorporation showed that PAN was a weak inhibitor of de novo protein synthesis at 24 h of incubation, with complete recovery at 48 and 72 h. These data suggest that PAN effect on heparan sulfate core protein cannot be attributed to generalized inhibition of protein synthesis. The precise mechanism underlying the aminonucleoside effect on heparan sulfate core protein remains to be elucidated.
Tillage and Residue Management Effects on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Under Irrigated Continuous Corn

Demand for corn (L.) stover as forage or as a cellulosic biofuel has increased the importance of determining the effects of stover removal on biomass production and the soil resource. Our objectives were to evaluate grain yield, soil organic C (SOC), and total soil N (0–150 cm) in a 10-yr, irrigated, continuous corn study under conventional disk tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) with variable corn stover removal rates (none, medium, and high). Natural abundance C isotope compositions (δC) were used to determine C additions by corn (C–C) to the soil profile and to evaluate the retention of residual C–C. After 10 yr of management treatments, mean grain yields were 7.5 to 8.6% higher for NT when stover was removed compared with no stover removal, while grain yields were similar for CT in all stover removal treatments. Turnover of SOC occurred as C–C stocks were replaced by C–C in the 0- to 120-cm soil profile. Total SOC and N stocks changed mainly in surface soils (0–30 cm), with no detectable cumulative changes at 0 to 150 cm. Specifically, SOC declined after 10 yr under CT at 0 to 15 cm and was affected by residue management at 15 to 30 cm. Total soil N was greater when no stover was removed (= 0.0073) compared with high stover removal at 0 to 15 cm. Long-term NT ameliorated medium stover removal effects by maintaining near-surface SOC levels. Results support the need to evaluate SOC cycling processes below near-surface soil layers.
Chemoprevention of mammary carcinogenesis by 1α-hydroxyvitamin D5, a synthetic analog of Vitamin D

Numerous analogs of Vitamin D have been synthesized in recent years with the hope of generating a compound that retains the anticarcinogenic activity of Vitamin D without causing any toxicity. We synthesized such an analog, 1alpha-hydroxy-24-ethylcholecalciferol [1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(5) or 1alpha(OH)D(5)], and showed that it was tolerated by rats and mice at a much higher dose than 1alpha,25 dihydroxy cholecalciferol [1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)]. This property makes it a prime candidate for chemoprevention studies. In the mouse mammary gland organ culture (MMOC), 1alpha(OH)D(5) inhibited carcinogen-induced development of both mammary alveolar and ductal lesions. In vivo carcinogenesis study showed statistically significant reduction of tumor incidence and multiplicity in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-treated rats that were fed 25-50 microg 1alpha(OH)D(5)/kg diet. There were no adverse effects on plasma calcium concentrations. In order to determine if the effect of 1alpha(OH)D(5) would be selective in suppressing proliferation of transformed cells, its effects on cell growth and proliferation were compared between BT474 (cancer) and MCF12F (non-tumorigenic) human breast epithelial cells. Results showed that 1alpha(OH)D(5) induced apoptosis and cell cycle G1 phase arrest in BT474 breast cancer cells without having any effects on proliferation of the MCF12F cells. In addition, in MMOC it had no growth inhibitory effects on normal epithelial cell proliferation in the absence of carcinogen. Similarly, non-tumorigenic human breast epithelial cells in explant culture did not respond to 1alpha(OH)D(5), whereas treatment with 1alpha(OH)D(5) induced cell death in the explants of cancer tissue. These results collectively indicate that 1alpha(OH)D(5) selectively induced apoptosis only in transformed cells but not in normal breast epithelial cells. Interestingly, the growth inhibitory effects of 1alpha(OH)D(5) were observed in Vitamin D receptor positive (VDR(+)) breast cancer cells, but not in highly metastatic VDR(-) breast cancer cells, such as MDA-MB-435 and MDA-MB-231, suggesting that 1alpha(OH)D(5) action may be mediated, in part, by VDR.
Longitudinal Spread of pc 1 Micropulsations in the Magnetosphere

ONE of the important problems in the field of pc 1 micropulsation (pearl) research is to determine what portion of the magnetosphere is involved in the propagation of an individual structured pc 1 event. It is generally recognized1 that these micropulsations propagate back and forth in a dispersive medium2,3 between conjugate hemispheres guided by the Earth's magnetic field, but it is not known whether the waves are constrained to propagate along a single field line or whether they can spread out along an appreciable portion of a magnetic shell. Because energy is transferred back and forth between trapped particles and ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the cyclotron resonance interaction4, and because trapped particles undergo longitudinal drift, it is reasonable to assume that a structured pc 1 micropulsation may spread out along a magnetic shell even if it started on a particular field line. Dispersion measurements5–8 which have been used to locate the latitude where the field lines or shells intercept the surface of the Earth cannot be used to determine longitude, and hence one must resort to interstation comparison of data.
The effects of grain size distribution on cavity nucleation and creep deformation in ceramics containing viscous grain boundary phase

Abstract The grain size distribution in a polycrystalline ceramic material is not uniform. Such microstructural inhomogeneity may give rise to nonuniform local stress distributions. Here we investigate the effect of grain size distribution on the generation of local stress concentration in ceramic materials creeping by localized flow of a viscous grain boundary phase. A simple bimodal grain size distribution is first considered. The critical stress for cavity nucleation, calculated using classical Becker-Doring nucleation theory, is compared with the local stress concentration. The results show that, because of the inhomogeneity, the local stress in the grain boundary viscous phase at the locations of large grains can exceed the critical stress for cavity nucleation. The creep rate due to localized viscous flow of the grain boundary phase and cavity growth is evaluated. Although the creep behavior owing solely to viscous flow is linear with respect to applied stress, it can be highly nonlinear when cavitation occurs. Moreover, as an example, the model has been used to study creep behavior of a whisker-reinforced Si 3 N 4 matrix composite in which long whiskers are surrounded by small equiaxed ceramic grains.
The Role of Intensive Case Management Services in Reentry: The Northern Kentucky Female Offender Reentry Project

The Northern Kentucky Female Offender Reentry Project was designed to work with female state inmates returning to the Northern Kentucky area. The program specifically targets women who have substance abuse– and/or mental health–related reentry barriers, with the majority of the participants having a dual diagnosis. The program's mission is to provide intensive case management that starts during incarceration and continues after release, helping clients to successfully reenter their communities. The program's goals are to improve quality-of-life outcomes, such as education, employment, and housing; increase participation in mental health and substance abuse treatment after release; and reduce recidivism. Data were collected from program documents as well as the state of Kentucky's Department of Corrections database; CourtNet, a statewide database of the Kentucky Court of Justice and Administrative Office of the Courts; and the database for the Hamilton County (Ohio) Clerk of Courts. The findings suggested ...
On new characterizations of social influence in social networks

We propose new characterizations of social influence, which quantify both the transient and the steady-state propagation of beliefs across society. These characterizations are used to optimally choose a desired number of agents in a social network to serve as social leaders with maximal social impact. We then consider a framework for optimally creating new social links subject to resource constraints, in order to improve the influence of designated agents or social leaders. We show that the formulated optimization problems are convex with respect to the individual elements of the optimization variables. This motivates the use of the coordinate descent method, a simple but efficient algorithm well-suited to large-scale optimization problems. Finally, using demonstrative examples, we compare the ability of our proposed characterizations of social influence in identifying the most influential agents with that of other measures of influence developed in the social networks literature.
Hybrid optical computing: High accuracy, high data rate, electro-optical architecture

The technology base of digital optical computing is briefly described. An electrooptical processor that utilizes the inherent parallelism of optical processing is shown and applied to matrix-matrix multiplication. Symbolic logic processing is examined. Discrete linear transformations using optical processors are described.
Distribution and function of multiple anion transporter proteins in brain tumor cell lines in relation to glucose transport

The anion transport, "band 3," family of proteins in mammalian brain performs the same functions as that of erythroid band 3. These functions are anion transport, ankyrin binding, and generation of senescent cell antigen, an aging antigen that terminates the life of cells. The presence of 5-7 band 3 related proteins in brain tissue was suggested by the reaction of antibodies to synthetic peptides of erythroid band 3 with a number of bands in immunoblots. Since there are a number of different cell types in brain, tissue cultures of neural cell types were examined to determine whether multiple band 3 related proteins are present in each cell type or whether several band 3 related proteins are present in each cell type. The tumor cell lines exhibit anion transport and are inhibited by the anion transport inhibitors 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2' disulfonic acid (DIDS), phenylglyoxal, and furosemide. Glucose transport is inhibited by cytochalasin B and the anion transport inhibitor, phenylglyoxal, in these cell lines, but not by 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2' disulfonic acid. Furosemide gave partial inhibition of most, but not all, cell lines. Since phenylglyoxal inhibits anion transport by binding to an arginine near the transport site, inhibition of glucose transport by phenylglyoxal suggests that an arginine lies in the substrate binding site. The number of cytochalasin B and DIDS binding sites was quantitated on cell lines as an approximation of the number of glucose transporter and anion transporter sites, respectively.
Wave-induced velocities and turbulent Reynolds stresses above an air-water interface

Abstract The progressive, sinusoidal (1.0 Hz) water-wave-induced perturbations in a turbulent air flow above an air-water interface were studied in a large laboratory facility. The velocity field was measured in both fixed and wave-following reference frames with a cross hot-film probe. Both the magnitude and phase of the wave-induced velocities and turbulent Reynolds stresses were obtained across the turbulent boundary layer for different free stream velocities.
A facile synthesis of nitrophenyl oligosaccharides containing the O-α-l-fucopyranosul-( 1 → 3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl unit at their nonreducing end☆

A facile approach towards the synthesis of 4-nitrophenyl O-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1----3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyra nos ide, 2-nitrophenyl O-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucop yra nosyl)- (1----6)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, 4-nitrophenyl O-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucop yra nosyl)- (1----6)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside, and 4-nitrophenyl O-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucop yra nosyl)-(1----6)-beta-D-galactopyranoside has been accomplished through the development and use of methyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-2-O-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-thio-beta-L-fucopyranoside as the glycosyl donor.
Sufficient conditions for uniqueness and local asymptotic stability for a class of distributed parameter systems: non-adiabatic plug-flow tubular reactors with recycle and feedback control

An analysis of the stability of a non-adiabatic tubular reactor with feedback control, modelled by a plug-flow reactor in which axial dispersion of heat and mass is accounted for by recycle, is presented, A sufficient condition for local stability is developed in terms of system parameters and steady-state profiles. This condition is extended to a condition which is in terms of system parameters and outlet temperature only. Also, a unique stable steady-state criterion, which is in terms of system parameters only, is obtained. These conditions show that under certain assumptions the stability can always be proved for a suitable choice of controller settings.
Secondary adaptation of memory-guided saccades

Adaptation of saccade gains in response to errors keeps vision and action co-registered in the absence of awareness or effort. Timing is key, as the visual error must be available shortly after the saccade is generated or adaptation does not occur. Here, we tested the hypothesis that when feedback is delayed, learning still occurs, but does so through small secondary corrective saccades. Using a memory-guided saccade task, we gave feedback about the accuracy of saccades that was falsely displaced by a consistent amount, but only after long delays. Despite the delayed feedback, over time subjects improved in accuracy toward the false feedback. They did so not by adjusting their primary saccades, but via directed corrective saccades made before feedback was given. We propose that saccade learning may be driven by different types of feedback teaching signals. One teaching signal relies upon a tight temporal relation with the saccade and contributes to obligatory learning independent of awareness. When this signal is ineffective due to delayed error feedback, a second compensatory teaching signal enables flexible adjustments to the spatial goal of saccades and helps maintain sensorimotor accuracy.
A New Type of Sodium Transport Inhibitor in the Toad Bladder

A new synthetic antimicrobial agent, CM-55, that inhibits lipid synthesis was found to inhibit the transepithelial transport of sodium in the isolated toad urinary bladder and to inhibit the response of this tissue to vasopressin. During the first 40 to 60 min after CM-55 addition, spontaneous transepithelial potential fell and resistance increased without significant change in urea or thiourea flux, bulk water flow or the hydroosmotic response to vasopressin. After 60 min, transepithelial potential and membrane resistance both fell to virtually zero; there was a marked increase in the flux of urea, thiourea and22Na, and the hydroosmotic response to vasopressin was inhibited. Tissue ATP concentration and the rate of protein synthesis were not altered, but fatty acid synthesis was reduced by 43 per cent. Thus, this agent has a biphasic effect upon this tissue: an initial inhibition of transcellular Na+ transport and a later increase in the permeability of the epithelial cells. The time course of the later effect coupled with the significant reduction in fatty acid synthesis produced by CM-55 raises the possibility that cellular permeability properties depend upon continual turnover of lipid components.
Description of a clinical stream of back-pain patients based on electronic medical records.

Abstract Back pain consists of a spectrum of conditions, with no common etiology and therefore no dominant method of treatment. The purpose of this study is to describe the complexity of a collection of 8000 back pain patients who appeared in an integrative medicine clinic, as a prelude to conducing comparative effectiveness research on CAM alternatives to conventional therapy. Approximately 23% of all clinic patients were diagnosed at some time with back pain. Nearly half had treatment periods of less than one month, while more than 25% were treated for back pain for more than two years. Women were represented more than twice as often as men. The initial diagnosis categories that occurred most frequently were lumbar symptoms, cervical symptoms, and a general category, with smaller numbers having lumbar anatomic, thoracic symptom, brachial neuritis, or sciatica diagnoses. There were few strong relationships between initial diagnosis pattern and length of back pain treatment period. While 77% of back pain patients presented with diagnoses in only a single category, there were many composite categories each of which was sparsely represented. Between 50% and 75% of patients used some CAM service, depending on their initial diagnosis pattern. Patients with complex initial diagnosis patterns strongly tended to chose CAM, and among CAM-users those with complex diagnoses tended toward chiropractic, as opposed to acupuncture or bodywork. The CAM usage patterns of men and women were highly similar. Again among CAM users, 82% used only a single type of CAM service, and multiple service uses tend to be combined at random. Between two-thirds and three-quarters of multiple CAM service users had very simple temporal patterns of use, dominated by use of one type of CAM at a time.
Blue luminescence and Zn acceptor in GaN

In this paper, we present a comparison of exchange-tuned hybrid density functional calculations with experimental data obtained for the Zn acceptor in GaN. Since this acceptor is one of the few reliably identified defects in GaN, we use Zn-doped GaN as a test case for the widely used HSE06 hybrid functional method of calculations of defect properties in semiconductors. Here, we present the experimental results of luminescence measurements in Zn-doped GaN from which we obtain Zn acceptor defect levels. They are compared with theoretically calculated defect thermodynamic and optical transition levels as well as the zero-phonon line associated with this acceptor. We also analyze the dependence of the results on the exchange-tuning procedure used in the HSE06 hybrid functional. Excellent agreement with the experiment is obtained when the amount of exact exchange in HSE06 is tuned to reproduce the GaN experimental band gap. This favorable comparison with the experimental results for a well-established defect suggests that the exchange-tuned HSE06 hybrid functional yields accurate defect properties in GaN and, therefore, has significant predictive power.
Concentration bands for uniformity plots

A graphical method for deciding whether a set of numbers may be considered to be observed values of a random sample of a uniform random variable on the unit interval consists of plotting the ranked values against the expected values of uniform order statistics. It is suggested here that curves called concentration curves drawn on the same or supplementary graphs are helpful in assessing the uniformity of the plotted points.
The alcohol skills training program: A group intervention for young adult drinkers☆

Development, content, and evaluation of the Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP) is described. Patterned after strategies for relapse prevention, the ASTP is a cognitive behavioral approach to the secondary prevention of alcohol problems. Format and context of the six group sessions are detailed, and process considerations are discussed. Results are summarized for two controlled investigations of the ASTP with young adult drinkers. The psychoeducational approach of the ASTP is recommended as an effective means for changing drinking patterns among young adults who are at risk for alcohol-related problems.
Raman spectroscopic study on the structure of ZnCl2ZnX2 and ZnCl2KX (X = Br, I) glasses

Abstract Raman spectra have been measured for ZnCl 2 ZnX 2 and ZnCl 2 KX (X = Br, I) glasses to investigate the structure of the glasses with varying composition. The assignment of each band was made, and the change of the spectra with composition was explained in terms of the bridging and non-bridging states of halide ions and the change of the tetrahedral units, ZnX n Cl 4− n 2− ( n = 0–4), formed in the glasses. As the content of ZnX 2 in ZnCl 2 ZnX 2 glasses increases (20 → 80 mol%), the peak frequency of the ZnCl stretching mode increases (238 → 248 cm −1 in X = I glasses, 238 → 259 cm −1 in X = Br glasses) while the ZnI and ZnBr stretching frequencies decrease (173 → 120 cm −1 for ZnI, 196 → 157 cm −1 for ZnBr). The decrease of the ZnI and ZnBr band frequencies was attributed to the increase of the number n of the ZnX n Cl 4− n 2− tetrahedra. The increase of the ZnCl frequency suggests the existence of the bonding state of Cl − ions which is intermediate between the bridging and the non-bridging states. In ZnCl 2 KX glasses, the ZnCl non-bridging band at about 300 cm −1 was observed in addition to the bands observed in ZnCl 2 ZnX 2 glasses. The addition of KX produces non-bridging anions while the tetrahedral units, ZnX n Cl 4− n 2− are also formed.
Wet oxidation of AlGaAs: the role of hydrogen

Wet oxidation of AlGaAs to form Al2O3 by the reduction of H+ from water to H produces intermediate As2O3. Reduction of As2O3 by H to elemental As enables the escape of arsenic from the oxidized film. Further reduction of As to AsH3 can provide another volatile As species. Formation of intermediate As is problematic for the use of wet oxidation in metal-insulator-semiconductor applications. The kinetic balance between As2O3 formation and As escape can explain the transition between the linear and parabolic time dependence of the wet oxidation of buried AlGaAs layers. The near-total suppression of wet oxidation by O2 is attributed to the suppression of volatile product formation through consumption of atomic hydrogen by reaction with O2 to form H2O in preference to the hydrogen reduction of As2O3.
Nuclear War Investigation Related to a Limited Nuclear Battle with Emphasis on Agricultural Impacts in the United States

A limited battle involving the nuclear arsenals of India and Pakistan would have significant climatic impacts upon agricultural crop production in the United States; corn, soybeans, and winter wheat yields would be significantly reduced in the Corn Belt region of the US. The most severe impacts would occur during the second year after the modeled nuclear battle.
Pregnancy Termination and Risk of Breast Cancer

To the Editor. —Dr Newcomb and colleagues 1 observed a weakly positive association between abortion and risk of breast cancer. The increase in risk of breast cancer was not significantly different if the abortion was induced or spontaneous. An allele of the estrogen receptor gene, called the B ' allele, contains a silent mutation in codon 87, part of the receptor's B domain. 2 Because of the association reported of the B ' allele, spontaneous abortion, and estrogen receptor—positive breast cancer, 3 a preliminary case-control study was performed to estimate the risk of breast cancer in women with the B ' allele. 4 Among BB ' heterozygote women with estrogen receptor—positive breast cancers (23 cases, 27 controls), the risk of breast cancer was associated with a history of spontaneous abortion; the age-adjusted odds ratios were 4.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95-18) after 1 spontaneous abortion and 9.7 (95% CI, 1.6-61) after 2 or more spontaneous abortions. No
Regulation of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid synthesis by acetyl-LDL in mouse peritoneal macrophages

Abstract The mechanism for the regulation of 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) production by cholesterol-rich macrophages was investigated. β-VLDL and acetyl-LDL, lipoproteins which result in cholesterol accumulation in macrophages, stimulated 12-HETE secretion. Lipoproteins which do not induce cholesterol accumulation, such as low- and high-density lipoproteins, did not. Cell-free homogenates from cholesterol-rich macrophages had significantly more 12-lipoxygenase activity than homogenates from unmodified cells. Preincubating homogenates prepared from unmodified macrophages with acetyl-LDL, LDL or multilamellar liposomes containing total lipids from acetyl-LDL but not apoproteins significantly increased 12-lipoxygenase activity. This stimulatory effect was caused by the phospholipid molety of the lipoprotein. 12-HETE synthesis was not increased in macrophages enriched 6-fold in unesterified cholesterol. Acetyl-LDL stimulated 12-HETE synthesis in macrophages in which cholesteryl ester accumulation was prevented by inhibiting acylcoenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase activity. When binding of acetyl-LDL to its receptor was decreased by increasing concentrations of dextran sulfate, or when lysosomal metabolism of the lipoprotein was prevented by chloroquine, 12-HETE production significantly decreased. Moreover, the combination of inhibiting acetyl-LDL binding and degradation completely blocked the stimulation of 12-HETE synthesis by acetyl-LDL. The data indicate that acetyl-LDL must enter the macrophage and be partially degraded to regulate 12-HETE synthesis. The regulation is independent of cholesterol accumulation but is related to the entering lipoprotein phospholipid.
FactBank: a corpus annotated with event factuality

Recent work in computational linguistics points out the need for systems to be sensitive to the veracity or factuality of events as mentioned in text; that is, to recognize whether events are presented as corresponding to actual situations in the world, situations that have not happened, or situations of uncertain interpretation. Event factuality is an important aspect of the representation of events in discourse, but the annotation of such information poses a representational challenge, largely because factuality is expressed through the interaction of numerous linguistic markers and constructions. Many of these markers are already encoded in existing corpora, albeit in a somewhat fragmented way. In this article, we present FactBank, a corpus annotated with information concerning the factuality of events. Its annotation has been carried out from a descriptive framework of factuality grounded on both theoretical findings and data analysis. FactBank is built on top of TimeBank, adding to it an additional level of semantic information.
Familial, atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome in a premature infant

The hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) typically presents in toddlers or older children after an episode of bloody diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli 0157:H7. However, numerous ’’atypical’’ presentations have been described, including familial cases. Here we describe what we believe to be the first report of familial HUS in a premature infant during the neonatal period.
Diffuse Gas and Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries in the Chandra Observation of the S0 Galaxy NGC 1553

We have spatially and spectrally resolved the sources of X-ray emission from the X-ray-faint S0 galaxy NGC 1553 using an observation from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The majority (70%) of the emission in the 0.3-10.0 keV band is diffuse, and the remaining 30% is resolved into 49 discrete sources. Most of the discrete sources associated with the galaxy appear to be low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). The luminosity function of the LMXB sources is well fitted by a broken power law with a break luminosity comparable to the Eddington luminosity for a 1.4 M☉ neutron star. It is likely that those sources with luminosities above the break are accreting black holes, and those below are mostly neutron stars in binary systems. Spectra were extracted for the total emission, diffuse emission, and sum of the resolved sources; the spectral fits for all require a model including both a soft and hard component. The diffuse emission is predominately soft, while the emission from the sources is mostly hard. Approximately 24% of the diffuse emission arises from unresolved LMXBs, with the remainder resulting from thermal emission from hot gas. There is a very bright source at the projected position of the nucleus of the galaxy. The spectrum and luminosity derived from this central source are consistent with it being an active galactic nucleus (AGN); the galaxy also is a weak radio source. Finally, the diffuse emission exhibits significant substructure with an intriguing spiral feature passing through the center of the galaxy. The X-ray spectrum and surface brightness of the spiral feature are consistent with adiabatic or shock compression of ambient gas but not with cooling. This feature may be due to compression of the hot interstellar gas by radio lobes or jets associated with the AGN.
Calibration of high-speed optical profiler

Optical profilers that employ white-light interferometry (WLI) techniques are widely used in industry and research to map surface structures with precise sub-nanometer resolution. The accuracy, repeatability and consistency of these instruments depend mainly on the proper calibration of two parameters: the mean wavelength and the scanner speed. Equally important in industrial applications is high throughput of measuring devices; high throughput can be achieved by increasing the speed of the measurement, which in turn reduces the sampling rate of the interference signal. Again, exact calibration of the system is the key to obtaining accurate measurements. Our solution for calibrating the system involves inserting into the optical profiler a second, laser-based, reference signal interferometer that creates a primary length standard for calibration. This innovation allows for substantially improved performance and repeatability at different measurement speeds up to 100 microns per second and over an 8 millimeter scanning range.
Random porosity fields and their influence on the stability of granular media

It is well established that the mechanical behavior of granular media is strongly influenced by the media's microstructure. In this work, the influence of the microstructure is studied by integrating advances in the areas of geostatistics and computational plasticity, by spatially varying the porosity on samples of sand. In particular, geostatistical tools are used to characterize and simulate random porosity fields that are then fed into a nonlinear finite element model. The underlying effective mechanical response of the granular medium is governed by a newly developed elastoplastic model for sands, which readily incorporates spatial variability in the porosity field at the meso-scale. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of heterogeneities in the porosity field on the stability of sand samples. One hundred and fifty isotropic and anisotropic samples of dense sand are failed under plane-strain compression tests using Monte Carlo techniques. Results from parametric studies indicate that the axial strength of a specimen is affected by both the degree and orientation of anisotropy in heterogeneous porosity values with anisotropy orientation having a dominant effect, especially when the bands of high porosity are aligned with the natural orientation of shear banding in the specimen. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
When mediation fails: identifying and working with inappropriate surrogate decision makers

Patient autonomy and informed consent are cornerstones of medicine, though often clinicians interact directly with surrogate decision makers (SDMs) instead of patients when the latter is deemed incapacitated. Although most SDMs are able to fulfill their duty as proxies, incongruence between SDM role and behavior may occur, even after the best mediation efforts possible by various clinical teams. Instances in which SDMs act inappropriately in their role and fail to respond to such efforts by clinical teams warrant serious consideration of SDM replacement. We offer a case series of such instances, describe difficulties faced by SDMs in their role, and offer ethical and legal perspective regarding the challenging and removal of SDMs after thoughtful and collective deliberation.
ROBUSTNESS OF THE OFF-LINE A PRIORI STOCHASTIC DYNAMIC TRAFFIC ASSIGNMENT SOLUTION FOR ON-LINE OPERATIONS

Abstract This paper focuses on the off-line stochastic dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) problem as part of a hybrid framework that combines off-line and on-line strategies to solve the on-line DTA problem. The primary concept involves the explicit recognition of stochasticity in O–D demand and/or network supply conditions to determine a robust off-line a priori solution that serves as the initial solution on-line. This strategy ensures that the computationally intensive components, which exploit historical data, are executed off-line while circumventing the need for very accurate on-line O–D demand forecast models. Thereby, efficient on-line reactive strategies could be used to address unfolding traffic conditions. The paper investigates the robustness of the off-line a priori DTA solution under plausible on-line situations. The results illustrate the superiority of the a priori solution over the currently used mean O–D demand-based solution for on-line route guidance applications.
Dual-band infrared imaging to detect corrosion damage within airframes and concrete structures

We are developing dual-band IR (DBIR) imaging and detection techniques to inspect airframes and concrete bridge decks for hidden corrosion damage. Using selective DBIR image ratios, we enhanced surface temperature contrast and removed surface emissivity noise associated with clutter. Our surface temperature maps depicted defect sites, which heat and cool at different rates than their surroundings. Our emissivity-ratio maps tagged and removed the masking effects of surface clutter. For airframe inspections, we used time-resolved DBIR temperature, emissivity-ratio and composite thermal inertia maps to locate corrosion-thinning effects within a flash-heated Boeing 737 airframe. Emissivity-ratio maps tagged and removed clutter sites from uneven paint, dirt and surface markers. Temperature and thermal inertia maps characterized defect sites, types, sizes, thicknesses, thermal properties and material-loss effects from airframe corrosion. For concrete inspections, we mapped DBIR temperature and emissivity-ratio patterns to better interpret surrogate delamination sites within naturally- heated, concrete slabs and removed the clutter mask from sand pile-up, grease stains, rocks and other surface objects.
Buffer pH and pKa values as affected by added glycerol and sucrose

Abstract Many properties of foods and beverages depend upon being formulated to the proper pH. Should this pH shift unexpectedly, the stability and quality of the product could be affected. Although a pH-lowering effect of sucrose added to phosphate buffer has been observed, an explanation for the phenomenon has not been provided. The purpose of this study was to determine why the addition of non-ionic polyols changed buffer pH. Titration curves of citrate and phosphate buffers, with and without added sucrose or glycerol were constructed. Apparent p K a values were determined from titration curves and by measuring the pH values of equimolar buffer solutions. Sucrose appeared to lower the apparent p K a of phosphate buffer, but not citrate buffer. Glycerol appeared to have no effect on the apparent p K a value of phosphate buffer while causing a slight increase in the values for citrate buffer. These results parallel the effects of the polyols on buffer pH; the largest change was a pH decrease from adding sucrose to phosphate buffer. A p K a change appears responsible for this pH-lowering effect, possibly due to differences in solute–water interactions and changes to the hydration sphere around the buffer anions. Potential pH changes from food additives should be recognized during product development in order to optimize product quality and shelf life.
Effect of trypsinization and histone H5 addition on DNA twist and topology in reconstituted minichromosomes

Free DNA in solution exhibits an untwisting of the double helix with increasing temperature. We have shown previously that when DNA is reconstituted with histones to form nucleosome core particles, both the core DNA and the adjacent linker DNA are constrained from thermal untwisting. The origin of this constraint is unknown. Here we examine the effect of two modifications of nucleosome structure on the constraint against thermal untwisting, and also on DNA topology. In one experiment, we removed the highly positively charged histone amino and carboxy termini by trypsinization. Alternatively, we added histone H5, a histone H1 variant from chick erythrocytes. Neither of these modifications had any major effect on DNA topology or twist in the nucleosome.
Quantum reactive scattering in three dimensions using hyperspherical (APH) coordinates. tests on H+H2 and D+H2

Abstract Accurate CC calculations of 3D quantum reactive scattering using hyperspherical (APH) coordinates are reported for both zero and non-zero total angular momentum J and for both symmetric (H+H 2 ) and unsymmetric (D+H 2 ) mass combinations. Accurate 3D reactive scattering calculations are now possible for heavier systems and higher energies than ever before.
Emotion and deliberative reasoning in moral judgment.

According to an influential dual-process model, a moral judgment is the outcome of a rapid, affect-laden process and a slower, deliberative process. If these outputs conflict, decision time is increased in order to resolve the conflict. Violations of deontological principles proscribing the use of personal force to inflict intentional harm are presumed to elicit negative affect which biases judgments early in the decision-making process. This model was tested in three experiments. Moral dilemmas were classified using (a) decision time and consensus as measures of system conflict and (b) the aforementioned deontological criteria. In Experiment 1, decision time was either unlimited or reduced. The dilemmas asked whether it was appropriate to take a morally questionable action to produce a “greater good” outcome. Limiting decision time reduced the proportion of utilitarian (“yes”) decisions, but contrary to the model’s predictions, (a) vignettes that involved more deontological violations logged faster decision times, and (b) violation of deontological principles was not predictive of decisional conflict profiles. Experiment 2 ruled out the possibility that time pressure simply makes people more like to say “no.” Participants made a first decision under time constraints and a second decision under no time constraints. One group was asked whether it was appropriate to take the morally questionable action while a second group was asked whether it was appropriate to refuse to take the action. The results replicated that of Experiment 1 regardless of whether “yes” or “no” constituted a utilitarian decision. In Experiment 3, participants rated the pleasantness of positive visual stimuli prior to making a decision. Contrary to the model’s predictions, the number of deontological decisions increased in the positive affect rating group compared to a group that engaged in a cognitive task or a control group that engaged in neither task. These results are consistent with the view that early moral judgments are influenced by affect. But they are inconsistent with the view that (a) violation of deontological principles are predictive of differences in early, affect-based judgment or that (b) engaging in tasks that are inconsistent with the negative emotional responses elicited by such violations diminishes their impact.
Inducibility of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in BALB/c/ki mice exposed to urban air pollution.

In two separate experiments BALB/c/Ki mice were exposed to urban air pollution. Mice exposed to clean air served as controls. In both experiments there were no obvious quantitative or qualitative differences in lung or liver tissue examined by light microscopy. In both experiments higher aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities and higher trace metal concentrations were observed in the mice exposed to polluted urban air. These data are interpreted in terms of health hazards of urban air pollutants.
A computer program for Wiener filtering of evoked potential data.

Abstract We have developed a computer program for Wiener filtering of evoked potential data. The basic algorithm involves computation of the difference between the power spectrum of the sweep sum and the sum of power spectra of individual sweeps. Power spectra are computed by means of the discrete Fourier transform. The program is now being run on a LSI-11 computer in a neurophysiology research laboratory to analyze somatic evoked potential data from monkeys.