cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contrasting effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on IL-2 activity in spleen and lymph node cells of mice of different ages.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on spleen and lymph node cells of adult and young mice. When plant mitogen (Con A or PHA) stimulated cells were treated with varying doses of THC, the proliferation of spleen and lymph node cells of adult and young mice was suppressed. This suppression was found to be compatible with a decrease in number of Tac positive cells as well as a down-regulation of IL-2 activity. In contrast, when these cells were stimulated with anti-CD3 antibody in combination with THC, the pattern of the immunomodulation as well as the absolute effects of the drug differed with the age of the mice as well as the organ of origin of the cells. In this regard, anti-CD3 antibody stimulation in combination with low doses of THC stimulated proliferation of splenocytes obtained from adult mice. The stimulation was found to reflect an increase in the number of both suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (Ly2 cells) as well as Tac positive cells. IL-2 activity was found to be enhanced under these conditions. This upregulation of responsiveness was not seen in either lymph node cells of adult or young mice or in spleen cells of young mice. The THC modulating activity is directly related to its effect on both IL-2 activity and generation of Tac positive cells in spleen and lymph node cells of both adult and young mice. It appears, therefore, that not only age, but also lymphoid organ system differences are important factors in terms of considering the effects of drugs abuse.
Attenuation of longitudinal sound waves in potassium in an oblique magnetic field

Abstract The absorption edge for Doppler shifted cyclotron resonance of longitudinal sound waves in potassium is found to agree with the prediction of the free electron model, demonstrating that the ground state of this material does not possess a spin density wave aligned parallel to the magnetic field.
Differential Effects of Low-Dose Endotoxin on the Cerebral Circulation During Pregnancy

It is well-known that the pregnant state is associated with increased sensitivity to endotoxin in renal and uterine circulations; however, the effects on the cerebral circulation are not known. Intravenous infusion of low-dose lipopolysaccharide ([LPS]; 1.5 μg/kg) to pregnant Wistar rats on day 15 of pregnancy caused significantly decreased myogenic tone of posterior cerebral arteries on day 20, which was not seen in similarly treated nonpregnant rats. Pregnancy alone was associated with a 2-to 4-fold increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) messenger RNA (mRNA) in cerebral arteries compared to nonpregnant, suggesting that the cerebral circulation is in a state of inflammation during pregnancy. After LPS treatment, cerebral arteries from pregnant animals had increased iNOS and TNF-α compared to LPS-treated nonpregnant animals, but decreased interleukin 10 (IL-10) and IFN-γ. These results demonstrate that pregnancy enhances sensitivity to the effects of LPS in the cerebral circulation, which may be due to an enhanced inflammatory state during pregnancy.
Touch target optimization technique using virtual finger-tip library

Touch functionality is the latest mantra for consumers buying new smartphones or mobile devices. With devices screens becoming more compact, providing a user interface with easy navigation and effective usage is becoming increasingly difficult. Typically, the screens are designed using relevant design guidelines and work well for the general majority of people. However, every user is different. The way they handle the touch screen, the size of their finger-tips, everything is different. A single common UI design then fails to satisfy all the different users. Hence, there is a need to bridge the existing gap between the device UI screen design and the variances attached with users' touch inputs.Our latest work1, discussed in this paper, solves this challenge to a significant extent by providing a library of virtual finger-tip entries. Each finger-tip entry in the library is pre-attached with a specific surface area attached to it. These finger-tips, although virtual, are provided with the functionality that they act as wearable objects for a device user. Once worn, the device owner need not worry about their actual finger-tip size (that is, the surface area of user's finger on the device screen). Irrespective of a user's actual finger-tip size, when you place your finger on any icon on the screen, it uses exactly the same surface area that the virtual finger-tip uses. Virtual finger-tip sizes are calculated dynamically based on the relative size interpretations from the actual finger-tip size and the touch inputs to the device. Multiple virtual finger tips options are listed in the library enabling a device user to select the most appropriate one depending on the touch target they plan to work on.
Linking Communication Competence With Call Center Agents’ Sales Effectiveness:

Scholars have conducted studies to uncover the knowledge, skills, and abilities that successful salespeople demonstrate on the job. However, much of this research focuses on face-to-face, and not mediated, sales environments. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by using an expert panel of judges who develop a 10-item scale that measures call center agents’ sales communication competence. Then, the author uses sales conversion rates to stratify the total employee population (45 agents who work in a service plus sales-type account) into a smaller sample that consists of two groups: the top 75% quartile of agents (First-in-Metric) and the bottom 25% quartile of agents (Last-in-Metric). The First-in-Metric group included 8 agents and the Last-in-Metric group included 10 agents. The results of the study suggest that 5 of the 10 Sales Communication Instrument items distinguish the First-in-Metric from the Last-in-Metric agent groups. More precisely, First-in-Metric agents on the account: spok...
Patterns of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria underscore importance of data collection from private health care facilities in India

Background This study describes patterns of falciparum and vivax malaria in a private comprehensive-care, multi-specialty hospital in New Delhi from July 2006 to July 2008.
Central location of the motoneurons that supply the cucullaris (trapezius) of the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria.

Abstract A complex of three muscles (one lateral, one intermediate and one medial in position) in the clearnose skate,Raja eglanteria, is believed to be wholly, or in part, homologous to the cucullaris (trapezius). The retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase was used to discover the central location of the motoneurons that supply each of these muscles. Motoneurons that project to the lateral muscle occupy the caudal part of the ventral nucleus of X. This nucleus is situated ventrolateral to the dorsal vagal motor column at caudal medullary levels, and lateral to the main ventral motor column of the rostral spinal cord. The axons of these motoneurons exit the medulla within the caudal vagal rootlets and course peripherally within the intestinal (visceral) ramus of the vagus nerve. Motoneurons that innervate the intermediate and medial muscles are located along the ventral border of the ventral column of gray at spinal cord segments 10–15. Their axons course peripherally within the ventral roots of spinal nerves. The caudal ventral nucleus of X, the nerve that supplies the lateral muscle, and the lateral muscle are likely homologues of the accessory nucleus, accessory nerve, and cucullaris (trapezius), respectively, among other fishes and tetrapods. Intermediate and medial muscles, based on the central location of motoneurons that supply them, are part of the longitudinal epaxial musculature and are not part of a trapezius complex.
Action spectroscopy in complex organisms: potentials and pitfalls in predicting the impact of increased environmental UVB

Abstract Evaluating the effects of broad spectrum sources, including sunlight, on humans and their environment requires knowledge both of the effects of various wavelengths of radiation in those sources on biological systems and of the kinds and magnitude of changes in those sources. Action spectroscopy - the determination of the effect of radiation on an organism as a function of wavelength - provides a major method for evaluating the effects of a source, including that of changes in its intensity and wavelength distribution. Although action spectra for UV radiation damage to higher organisms can give useful information, inappropriate analyses can lead to misleading or even incorrect results. It is thus essential to consider carefully methods of analyzing action spectra and their consequences for evaluating the effects of changes in the solar spectrum.
Similarity of the product of the Drosophila neurogenic gene big brain to transmembrane channel proteins

Cells in the neurogenic region of Drosophila embryos are initially bipotential; they can become either neuroblasts or epidermoblasts. Cell-cell interaction seems to play an important part in this developmental decision, which involves the function of a group of genes (the neurogenic genes). Loss-of-function mutations in any of the neurogenic genes result in nervous system hyperplasia and epidermal hypoplasia. Of the six known zygotic neurogenic genes, big brain (bib) is unique in several aspects. Most notably, all the other known neurogenic genes seem to fit into a cascade defined by genetic interactions, whereas bib does not show any detectable interaction with them. To understand how bib functions, we have now cloned the bib genomic and complementary DNAs. The predicted bib product shows significant sequence similarity to a family of transmembrane proteins, some of which form channels permeable to small molecules. Together with genetic studies, our results indicate that the bib product may mediate intercellular communication in a pathway separate from the one involving the products of the other neurogenic genes.
Raman scattering of vibrational overtones in deuterium at high pressures

We report observations of the Raman-active vibrational overtone in normal deuterium at 77K and pressures up to 36.4 GPa (1 GPa = 104 bar). We observed a sharp Q2(J) line corresponding to the v=2←0, ΔJ=0, k=0, Δk=0 transition and a broad Q1(J)+Q'1(J) band corresponding to v,v'=1←0, ΔJ=0, k≈-k' transitions. The selection rules for the Q1(J)+Q'1(J) manifold allowed us to measure the joint density of states of the manifold which we compared to a theoretical density of states for the v=1 vibrational band.
Blood group MN precursors as human breast carcinoma-associated antigens and “naturally” occurring human cytotoxins against them

Blood groups MN active substances were found in benign and malignant human mammary glands. However, the precursor T (Thomsen-Friedenreich) antigen, as determined with human sera, occurred in all cancerous breast tissues tested but not in the benign mammary glands. Anti-T antibody, which is present in all human sera, was severely depressed in 21.16% of 189 breast carcinoma patients, compared with 3.62% of 470 persons of similar age without cancer. Of 720 persons tested approximately 85% of those with severely depressed anti-T had carcinoma; their IgG, IgM and IgA concentrations were of normal range. A greater than 25%-90% increase in anti-T titer score was found in 65.6% of 32 patients bled 1-14 months after mastectomy for carcinoma as compared with 3.1% of 32 patients with breast biopsy who had no carcinoma. All differences in anti-T titer score changes reported are statistically highly significant. Injection of T antigen from human erythrocytes increased anti-T titer scores.
Antitumor and toxic effects of combination chemotherapy with bleomycin and a phenothiazine anticalmodulin agent.

Phenothiazines and structurally related calmodulin antagonists acted synergistically with bleomycin in killing malignant cells in culture. For exploration of the potential clinical importance of this observation, the effects of administering the combination of chlorpromazine and bleomycin in vitro and in vivo against the transplantable B16 melanoma were studied. The toxicity of the combination to bone marrow and lungs was also determined. Combined chlorpromazine and bleomycin therapy reduced the concentration of chlorpromazine required to inhibit cellular growth of B16 melanoma cells by greater than half (25 vs. 60 microM). Against the transplanted tumor, after 3 weeks of treatment the tumor sizes (in cubic millimeters) were 540 +/- 100 (vehicle), 520 +/- 120 (chlorpromazine), 170 +/- 10 (bleomycin), and 80 +/- 20 (bleomycin + chlorpromazine, P less than .01 vs. bleomycin alone). The median time required to reach a tumor size of 100 mm3 was 15 days for vehicle and chlorpromazine, 17 days for bleomycin, and 26 days for chlorpromazine and bleomycin together. The doubling time of the tumor was also increased 3.5-fold above control with the two-drug combination. At doses of bleomycin and chlorpromazine that increased antitumor activity, no pulmonary fibrosis, measured histologically and biochemically, was detected. At higher doses of bleomycin, the addition of chlorpromazine diminished lung fibrosis. The combination of drugs was not more toxic to hematopoietic precursors than chlorpromazine alone. These studies suggested that the addition of a phenothiazine to bleomycin can augment the therapeutic efficacy of bleomycin in vivo without substantially increasing its toxicity.
Dropsonde Observations in Low-Level Jets over the Northeastern Pacific Ocean from CALJET-1998 and PACJET-2001: Mean Vertical-Profile and Atmospheric-River Characteristics

Abstract Dropsonde observations are used to document the mean vertical profiles of kinematic and thermodynamic conditions in the pre-cold-frontal low-level-jet (LLJ) region of extratropical cyclones over the eastern Pacific Ocean. This is the region within storms that is responsible not only for the majority of heavy rainfall induced by orography when such storms strike the coast, but also for almost all meridional water vapor transport at midlatitudes. The data were collected from NOAA’s P-3 aircraft in 10 storms during the California Land-falling Jets Experiment (CALJET) of 1998 and in 7 storms during the Pacific Land-falling Jets Experiment (PACJET) of 2001. The mean position of the dropsondes was 500 km offshore, well upstream of orographic influences. The availability of data from two winters that were characterized by very different synoptic regimes and by differing phases of ENSO—that is, El Nino in 1998 and La Nina in 2001—allowed examination of interannual variability. The composite pre-cold-fron...
Scaling theory of hydrodynamic turbulence

A phenomenological scaling theory for incompressible fluid turbulence in the limit of infinite Reynolds number is proposed. The local vorticity and local dissipation are taken as scaling variables with scaling dimensions $\frac{2}{3}\ensuremath{-}\frac{\ensuremath{\zeta}}{2}$ and $\frac{\ensuremath{\mu}}{2}$, respectively. The 1941 Kolmogorov theory corresponds to $\ensuremath{\mu}=\ensuremath{\zeta}=0$. Experimentally, $\ensuremath{\zeta}$ is small and $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{2}$. This choice of scaling variables gives immediate and simple predictions about measured or readily measurable scaling exponents. An additional dimensionality-dependent scaling relation, $\ensuremath{\mu}=d\ensuremath{-}\frac{8}{3}+2\ensuremath{\zeta}$, is proposed and supported by a physically plausible argument. This relation, which is consistent with experiment, suggests that the 1941 Kolmogorov theory is exact for $2ldl\frac{8}{3}$ and has small corrections for $d=3$. Dynamical reasons for this behavior are suggested. The relation of scaling behavior to intermittency of the dissipation is briefly discussed.
Radiation Widths of Levels in Nuclei near Closed Shells

An experimental investigation has been made of the variations in the radiation widths of nuclear energy levels for isotopes in the regions of the neutron magic numbers, where fluctuations in level spacing and neutron binding energy are largest. Neutron transmission measurements were made using the Brookhaven fast chopper, and the Breit-Wigner level parameters were obtained for resonances in the following target isotopes: ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{87}$, ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{121}$, ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{123}$, ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{135}$, ${\mathrm{La}}^{139}$, ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{145}$, and ${\mathrm{Pt}}^{195}$. Other elements around closed neutron shells, namely, Rb, Zr, Nb, Ce, and Tl, were examined but no accurate measurements could be made of the radiation widths for these elements. Results show that the fluctuations in the measured radiation widths are small compared to the large fluctuations in neutron scattering widths, and that they are related to the level spacing and the effective level excitation energy. An effect arising from the closed shells at 82 and 126 neutrons is observed. Analysis of all the available "good" data indicates that the essential features of the theory of Blatt and Weisskopf are generally valid; that is, radiation widths are strongly dependent on the effective level excitation energy and weakly dependent on the level spacing. Experimental results are compared with predictions from semiempirical formulas.
Impaired regulatory function in circulating CD4+CD25highCD127low/− T cells in patients with myasthenia gravis

Previous studies have reported alterations in numbers or function of regulatory T (Treg) cells in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients, but published results have been inconsistent, likely due to the isolation of heterogenous "Treg" populations. In this study, we used surface CD4, CD25(high), and CD127(low/-) expression to isolate a relatively pure population of Tregs, and established that there was no alteration in the relative numbers of Tregs within the peripheral T cell pool in MG patients. In vitro proliferation assays, however, demonstrated that Treg-mediated suppression of responder T (Tresp) cells was impaired in MG patients and was associated with a reduced expression of FOXP3 in isolated Tregs. Suppression of both polyclonal and AChR-activated Tresp cells from MG patients could be restored using Tregs isolated from healthy controls, indicating that the defect in immune regulation in MG is primarily localized to isolated Treg cells, and revealing a potential novel therapeutic target.
Treatment of varicose and telangiectatic leg veins: double-blind prospective comparative trial between aethoxyskerol and sotradecol.

background. One hundred twenty-nine patients were treated with either polidocanol (POL) or sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) to compare the efficacy and adverse sequelae of each agent. objective. To determine the safety and efficacy of two sclerosing solutions. methods. Each patient's leg veins that did not have incompetence from the saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) were divided into three categories by size (<1 mm, 1–3 mm, 3–6 mm). Each leg was randomly treated with either 0.25%, 0.5%, or 1.5% of STS or 0.5%, 1.0%, or 3% of POL respective of size. An independent, three-panel, blindly randomized photographic examination was obtained pretreatment and at 4 and 16 weeks. Patient satisfaction index and overall clinical improvement assessment were also obtained. results. All patients had an average of 70% improvement and were 70–72% satisfied in all vein categories treated with either solution. There was no significant difference in adverse effects between each group except for a decrease in ulcerations and swelling in the POL group. conclusion. Both STS and POL are safe and effective sclerosing solutions for varicose and telangiectatic leg veins.
Controller design for a morphing, perching aircraft

This article compares two feedback compensator strategies for the task of guiding a morphing aircraft along a perching trajectory. The aircraft model includes novel, actuated degrees of freedom that allow for bulk movement of some airframe structures. This morphing ability allows the aircraft to perform maneuvers in a manner similar to some birds. The control methods compared in this article are a multi-stage compensator and a linear quadratic regulator. Simulations test the effectiveness of the compensators for initial state error and a trajectory disturbance. In these simulations the linear quadratic regulator outperforms the multi-stage compensator by repeatedly producing smaller state errors and by having lower error standard deviations.
Candidate gene mutation analysis in idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia (refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts).

Abstract Background For most cases of idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia (IASA), the molecular pathogenesis is unknown, despite the consistent morphological signature of abundant pathological ringed sideroblasts with their characteristic iron-engorged mitochondria. Moderately elevated free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) levels have been described in IASA, suggesting that the activity of ferrochelatase, the enzyme that catalyzes the final step in heme biosynthesis (incorporation of ferrous iron into protoporphyrin), might be diminished in erythroid progenitor cells from IASA patients. Methods We confirmed FEP elevation in IASA, then pursued a candidate gene approach that included screening the gene encoding ferrochelatase, FECH , for promoter and coding region mutations and mRNA expression changes in bone marrow from 37 patients with IASA. Results The analytical techniques employed detected mutations in a test cohort of previously undiagnosed patients with biochemical evidence for erythropoietic protoporphyria, a condition resulting from germline mutations in FECH , but somatic missense mutations of FECH and its promoter were not observed in IASA patients. FECH was modestly overexpressed in progenitor cells from patients with IASA, compared with MDS patients without sideroblasts and healthy controls. In addition, we analyzed ABCB7 and PUS1 , genes implicated in congenital sideroblastic anemia syndromes, but again found no coding mutations in acquired cases. Conclusion We conclude that acquired mutations in the factors currently known to cause inherited sideroblastic anemias are uncommon in IASA.
Electroactive-Zone Extension in Flow-Battery Stacks

Abstract Flowable suspensions that conduct both electrons and ions can enable the use of energy-dense electroactive species in flow batteries [M. Duduta et al., Adv. Energy Mater. , 1 , 511 (2011); Z. Li et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. , 15 , 15,833 (2013); F. Fan et al., Nano Lett. , 14 , 2210 (2014)]. In comparison with conventional flow batteries where electrochemical reactions are confined to a fixed current-collector region, electronically conductive flow electrodes permit electrochemical reactions to extend outside of the physical confines of the stack. We have measured and modeled how mixed-conduction enables an electroactive zone (EAZ, in which electrochemical reactions occur) that is of greater spatial extent than current collectors, the extension being termed side zone, SZ. Electrochemical reactions in SZs can reduce coulombic and energetic efficiency. Here we show that for realistic suspension properties and operating conditions, the added inefficiency is small in practice, and can be further mitigated by using appropriate operating conditions and/or materials choices. For the specific example of a non-aqueous Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 suspension, we show that EAZ extension contributes less than 1% additional efficiency loss at C/10 rates for current collectors greater than 20 mm long.
Ultrafast wavelength-swept lasers

Recent advances in swept lasers with scan speeds >1000 nm/ms, repetition rates >20 kHz, and tuning ranges >50 nm, primarily driven by new applications, are discussed.
Remarks on stopping power: Its connections with particle transport and with the electronic structure of matter

This article presents remarks on the meaning of stopping power and of its magnitude. More precisely, the first set of remarks concerns the connection of stopping power with elements of particle-transport theory, which describes particle transport and its consequences in full detail, including its stochastic aspects. The second set of remarks concerns the magnitude of the stopping power of a material and its relation with the material's electronic structure and other properties. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Advances in biological techniques for treatment of lumbar discogenic pain

Treatment of lumbar discogenic pain is based upon restoration of mechanical function and suppression of nociception within the intervertebral disc. The biophysical and pathologic basis of disc injury is reviewed with discussion of treatment modalities. Ablative intradiscal ethanol and restorative intradiscal fibrin appear promising. Intradiscal platelet-rich plasma is tantalizing, but unproven. Biochemical modification of anabolic-catabolic balance by intradiscal administration of growth factors including BMP-7 and GDF-5 in clinical trials, as well as multiple investigational pharmacologic moieties, is discussed. Successful use of intradiscal autologous and mesenchymal stem cells has been demonstrated for in animal models, but human experience is limited. Clinical considerations and risks of these treatments are discussed.
Transmission electron microscopy investigation of the damage produced in individual displacement cascades in GaAs and GaP.

Abstract The crystalline-to-amorphous transition induced by ion implantation has been investigated in GaAs and GaP using transmission electron microscopy, including experiments performed in situ and with, high-resolution TEM. Implantations have been made with Ar + , Kr + , Xe + , and Au + ions (energy 50 or 80 kV) at 30 and 300 K. The high-resolution experiments have confirmed the amorphous nature of the damage produced in individual displacement cascades. The in situ experiments at 30 K have shown that amorphous zones are produced within isolated cascades with high probability. This probability decreases for room-temperature implantations of GaAs but remains the same for GaP. Annealing experiments in the 30–300 K range have shown that there is significant damage recovery below 300 K in GaAs but none in GaP. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the deposited energy density within the cascade, which has been determined through Monte Carlo simulations developed from TRIM.
Test-retest reliability of the Donovan spinal cord injury pain classification scheme.

Study design: Videotape rating by independent viewers. Objective: To determine the test–retest reliability of the Donovan spinal cord injury (SCI) pain classification scheme. Setting: Rehabilitation Centre, Alabama, USA. Methods: A total of 28 individuals with SCI reported 60 pain sites. A structured interview and physical exam were used to illicit information to classify each pain site according to the Donovan criteria. All structured interviews and exams were videotaped. Three independent raters viewed the videotapes on two occasions, separated by a 3-month interval, and classified each pain site using the Donovan pain classification scheme. Results: Considering all three raters together, 78% of the pain sites were consistently classified from one period to the next. Within each rater, consistent classification ranged from 67 to 83%. However, inter-rater agreement for the classification of each pain site into the various types of pain was low for both periods (about 50–60%). Conclusions: Pain classification within each rater generally showed adequate test-retest reliability when using the Donovan SCI pain classification scheme. However, reliability estimates of agreement across raters highlight the ongoing need to exam and improve the psychometric characteristics of the various pain classification schemes.
Investigating Age-Related Changes in Fine Motor Control Across Different Effectors and the Impact of White Matter Integrity

Changes in fine motor control that eventually compromise dexterity accompany advanced age; however there is evidence that age-related decline in motor control may not be uniform across effectors. Particularly, the role of central mechanisms in effector-specific decline has not been examined but is relevant for placing age-related motor declines into the growing literature of age-related changes in brain function. We examined sub-maximal force control across three different effectors (fingers, lips, and tongue) in 18 young and 14 older adults. In parallel with the force variability measures we examined changes in white matter structural integrity in effector-specific pathways in the brain with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Motor pathways for each effector were identified by using an fMRI localizer task followed by tractography to identify the fiber tracts propagating to the midbrain. Increases in force control variability were found with age in all three effectors but the effectors showed different degrees of age-related variability. Motor control changes were accompanied by a decline in white matter structural integrity with age shown by measures of fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity. The DTI metrics appear to mediate some of the age-related declines in motor control. Our findings indicate that the structural integrity of descending motor systems may play a significant role in age-related increases in motor performance variability, but that differential age-related declines in oral and manual effectors are not likely due to structural integrity of descending motor pathways in the brain.
Use of quantum dot-labeled imprinted polymer microparticles for detection of nitroaromatic compounds

The ability to detect high explosive compounds is a fundamental step in achieving the goal of creating devices capable of 'sniffing' out explosive devices. To detect high explosive compounds such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor was developed. This sensor consists of MIP microspheres prepared using methacrylic acid as the functional monomer in a precipitation polymerization reaction. The MIP microspheres are then combined with fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots, via a simple crosslinking procedure. To study the sensor's ability to detect nitroaromatic analytes, the fluorescent-labeled MIP particles were exposed to aqueous 2,4- dinitrotoluene (DNT), a nitroaromatic molecule very similar to TNT. Characterization of the MIP particles shows a uniform size distribution, with an average diameter of approximately 615 nm. Imaging of the particles also shows that spherical shapes are being produced by the precipitation polymerization reaction. Preliminary data indicate that the sensor is capable of detecting nitroaromatic compounds in an aqueous solution. These results illustrate the future application of the fluorescent-labeled MIP sensor for detecting high explosives, with the potential for use in detecting vapors from explosive devices and in an array of environmental conditions.
Tomorrow's environment is global

Abstract The coming century will increasingly be characterized by environmental challenges that transcend the borders and responsibilities of sovereign states. Despite the declining birthrates of the past decade, for most countries the greatest population increases will occur in the next half century. The sheer magnitude of production, resource exploitation, and consumer demand will place increasing strains on natural cycles and ecosystems upon which life depends. Already, such phenomena as the unexpected seasonal collapse of ozone over Antarctica, as well as the ominous growth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, signal the need for more intensive international cooperation among nations and peoples. Other potential issues are rising sea levels, changing weather patterns, jeopardized availability of fresh water, dozens of new megacities (exceeding five million inhabitants) in poorer countries, massive destruction of forests, habitat, and biological diversity, and widening diffusion of toxic chemicals and wastes. The historic 1987 Montreal Protocol on protection of the ozone layer provides many lessons for the coming century: new forms of international cooperation, new ways to stimulate technological innovation, and the inclusion of new participants at all levels of the decision-making process.
Three-dimensional diffusion tensor magnetic resonance microimaging of adult mouse brain and hippocampus.

The use of diffusion tensor information as an additional contrast in MR microimaging was investigated in ex vivo mouse brain and isolated hippocampus. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) provided unique contrast to identify many internal structures of the gray matter such as hippocampus, thalamus, and cortex. In hippocampus, stratum granulosum and stratum pyramidale could be identified using the isotropic water diffusion constant. Stratum moleculare and stratum radiatum were identified from their characteristic fiber architecture revealed by color-coded DTI. Identification of these structures allowed reconstruction of their 3-D volume. Thus, high-resolution DTI has excellent potential as a tool for 3-D characterization of murine brains.
Rapid Assay of Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (USP XVIII) via UV Spectrophotometry

Assay of hydrogen peroxide solution (USP XVIII) was accomplished by direct UV spectrophotometric analysis. This determination can be done in less than 30 sec. with a calibrated spectrophotometer and is comparable in accuracy to the USP XVIII titrometric procedure.
Relaxivity-iron Calibration in Hepatic Iron Overload: Probing Underlying Biophysical Mechanisms Using a Monte Carlo Model

Iron overload is a serious condition for patients with β-thalassemia, transfusion-dependent sickle cell anemia, and inherited disorders of iron metabolism. MRI is becoming increasingly important in noninvasive quantification of tissue iron, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional techniques (liver biopsy). Effective transverse relaxation rate (1/effective transverse relaxation time) rises linearly with iron while transverse relaxation rate (1/T2) has a curvilinear relationship in human liver. Although recent work has demonstrated clinically valid estimates of human liver iron, the calibration varies with MRI sequence, field strength, iron chelation therapy, and organ imaged, forcing recalibration in patients. To understand and correct these limitations, a thorough understanding of the underlying biophysics is of critical importance. Toward this end, a Monte Carlo-based approach, using human liver as a "model" tissue system, was used to determine the contribution of particle size and distribution on MRI signal relaxation. Relaxivities were determined for hepatic iron concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 40 mg iron per gram dry tissue weight. Model predictions captured the linear and curvilinear relationship of effective transverse relaxation rate and transverse relaxation rate with hepatic iron concentrations, respectively, and were within in vivo confidence bounds; contact or chemical exchange mechanisms were not necessary. A validated and optimized model will aid understanding and quantification of iron-mediated relaxivity in tissues where biopsy is not feasible (heart and spleen).
Evaluating Brief Structured Group Treatment of Depression

Objective: An evaluation of the effectiveness of an innovative brief group treatment model for depression. Method: Data were analyzed using seven outcome measures on 59 participants at an outpatien...
Metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene and (−)-trans-benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol by freshly isolated hepatocytes of brown bullheads

The metabolism of [3H]benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and (-)-trans-[14C]7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BP-7,8-diol) was studied in freshly isolated hepatocytes of the wild benthic fish, brown bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus). Bullhead hepatocytes incubated with 40 microM [3H]BP for 1 h metabolized BP to water soluble metabolites which were separated on silica gel t.l.c. plates to reveal conjugates with glucuronic acid, glutathione, and sulfate (51%, 14% and 4% of total metabolites, respectively). Additional metabolites that were extractable with ethyl acetate were separated by reversed phase HPLC to reveal only two major metabolites: BP-9,10-dihydrodiol and BP-7,8-diol (13% and 2.6% of total metabolites, respectively). Hepatocytes isolated from individual fish displayed an 11-fold variability in the rates at which they metabolized BP (756 +/- 167 pmol x mg dry wt-1 x h-1), which correlated negatively (r = -0.7, P less than 0.01) with an 18-fold variability in the glycogen content of the cells. Hepatocytes isolated from the same fish, in parallel incubations under the same optimum conditions, metabolized BP-7,8-diol 4.5-fold faster than they metabolized BP. The variability in the rate of BP-7,8-diol metabolism was about 7-fold. Major metabolites included glutathione conjugates, glucuronides and sulfates (35%, 25% and 30% of total metabolites, respectively). These conjugates, like those formed from BP, were degradable with gamma-glutamyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase and arylsulfatase, respectively. Ethyl acetate extractable metabolites were predominantly isomeric benzo-ring tetrahydrotetrols (9% of total metabolites). In summary, this study indicates that during short-term incubations bull-head hepatocytes metabolize BP and BP-7,8-diol primarily to conjugated derivatives. The usefulness of thin-layer chromatography for the convenient determination of the rate of BP-7,8-diol metabolism is demonstrated.
Beyond Thermodynamics: Drug Binding Kinetics Could Influence Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling

We modeled the kinetics of drug binding to protein kinases in the EGF signaling pathway relevant to non-small-cell lung cancer and found that binding kinetics could influence therapeutic potential, that fast binding kinetics was advantageous for most targets with a couple of exceptions, that targeting some protein kinases could enhance rather than attenuate the pathway, and that IC(50) could be sensitive to the kinetic parameters of drug binding.
Quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography.

This study introduces a new method for calculating actual left ventricular volumes and cardiac output from data recorded during a single transit of a radionuclide bolus through the heart, and describes in detail current radionuclide angiocardiography methodology. A group of 64 healthy adults with a wide age range were studied to define the normal range of hemodynamic parameters determined by the technique. The normal radionuclide cardiac index averaged 3.25 ± 0.75 liters/min/m2, the end-diastolic volume index was 62 ± 16 ml/m2, the stroke volume index was 40 ± 9 ml/m2, and the ejection fraction was 0.66 ± 0.07. Radionuclide angiocardiograms were performed in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization to validate the measurements. In 33 patients studied by both techniques on the same day, a close correlation was documented for measurement of ejection fraction (r = 0.89) and end-diastolic volume (r = 0.89). Determination of the linear regression equation for the end-diastolic volumes obtained by the two methods (EDVcath = 1.26 × EDVRN − 7.56) permitted correction of end-diastolic volume and provided an approach for calculation of stroke volume and cardiac output. To validate the method of volumetric cardiac output calculation, 33 simultaneous radionuclide and indocyanine green dye determinations of cardiac output were performed in 18 normal young adults and correlated closely over a range of 4–17 liters/min (r = 0.94). These independent comparisons of radionuclide measurements with two separate methods document that initial transit radionuclide angiocardiography accurately assesses left ventricular function.
Systematic behavior of mirror energy differences for Z=8,10 nuclei and the mass of 15Ne

Abstract I use a simple model to parameterize mirror energy differences for several nuclei with N = 8 or 10 and their mirrors with Z = 8 or 10. I then use the results of the fit to predict the energy of the ground state of the unbound nucleus 15 Ne: E 2 p = 2.68 ( 24 ) MeV .
Multi-domain job coscheduling for leadership computing systems

Current supercomputing centers usually deploy a large-scale compute system together with an associated data analysis or visualization system. Multiple scenarios have driven the demand that some associated jobs co-execute on different machines. We propose a multi-domain coscheduling mechanism, providing the ability to coordinate execution between jobs on multiple resource management domains without manual intervention. We have evaluated our mechanism based on real job traces from Intrepid and Eureka, the production Blue Gene/P system and a cluster with the largest GPU installation, deployed at Argonne National Laboratory. The experimental results show that coscheduling can be achieved with limited impact on system performance under varying workloads.
Satisfiability modulo counting: a new approach for analyzing privacy properties

Applications increasingly derive functionality from sensitive personal information, forcing developers who wish to preserve some notion of privacy or confidentiality to reason about partial information leakage. New definitions of privacy and confidentiality, such as differential privacy, address this by offering precise statements of acceptable disclosure that are useful in common settings. However, several recent published accounts of flawed implementations have surfaced, highlighting the need for verification techniques. In this paper, we pose the problem of model-counting satisfiability, and show that a diverse set of privacy and confidentiality verification problems can be reduced to instances of it. In this problem, constraints are placed on the outcome of model-counting operations, which occur over formulas containing parameters. The object is to find an assignment to the parameters that satisfies the model-counting constraints, or to demonstrate unsatisfiability. We present a logic for expressing these problems, and an abstract decision procedure for model-counting satisfiability problems fashioned after CDCL-based SMT procedures, encapsulating functionality specific to the underlying logic in which counting occurs in a small set of black-box routines similar to those required of theory solvers in SMT. We describe an implementation of this procedure for linear-integer arithmetic, as well as an effective strategy for generating lemmas. We conclude by applying our decision procedure to the verification of privacy properties over programs taken from a well-known privacy-preserving compiler, demonstrating its ability to find flaws or prove correctness sometimes in a matter of seconds.
Town meeting revisits priorities in the hydrologic sciences

The Hydrology Section again sponsored a Town Hall Meeting at the 1999 AGU Fall Meeting, building upon the success of the previous years event [Hartmann etal, 1999] . That meeting focused on the priorities of US. federal agencies in hydrological research. This year, the scope was broadened to include international agency perspectives in addition to those of U.S. agencies. The format of the town hall meeting allowed for extended discussion between agency representatives and AGU members.
Why Do Some States Play the Federal Aid Game Better Than Others

This article is a study of variation in the rate of change in federal aid from 1985 to 1987 (the period influenced by the 99th Congress). The author finds that state-based variables like the governor's experience in Congress, intrastate conflict, and Washington lobbying presence are quite useful in explaining the rate of change in federal aid to the states. The findings suggest that a greater emphasis on these so-called demand-side variables is in order.
Richard Rorty: Philosophy by Other Means

Richard Rorty's argumentative strategy - variously termed pragmatist, postmodernist, and postphilosophical - is examined in some detail in the context of his treatment of philosophical issues in general and of the views of other philosophers in particular, for instance, Putnam, Davidson, Quine, Sellars, Dennett, and Frazer. Attention is paid particularly to the compatibility between pragmatist, analytic, and postmodernist modes of argument; Rorty's redescriptions of alternative philosophical views; and the philosophical import of Rorty's abandonment of philosophical argument.
Density-dependent habitat selection and performance by a large mobile reef fish

Many exploited reef fish are vulnerable to overfishing because they concentrate over hard-bottom patchy habitats. How mobile reef fish use patchy habitat, and the potential consequences on demographic parameters, must be known for spatially explicit population dynamics modeling, for discriminating essential fish habitat (EFH), and for effectively planning conservation measures (e.g., marine protected areas, stock enhancement, and artificial reefs). Gag, Mycteroperca microlepis, is an ecologically and economically important warm-temperate grouper in the southeastern United States, with behavioral and life history traits conducive to large-scale field experiments. The Suwannee Regional Reef System (SRRS) was built of standard habitat units (SHUs) in 1991-1993 to manipulate and control habitat patchiness and intrinsic habitat quality, and thereby test predictions from habitat selection theory. Colonization of the SRRS by gag over the first six years showed significant interactions of SHU size, spacing, and reef age; with trajectories modeled using a quadratic function for closely spaced SHUs (25 m) and a linear model for widely spaced SHUs (225 m), with larger SHUs (16 standardized cubes) accumulating significantly more gag faster than smaller 4-cube SHUs (mean = 72.5 gag/16-cube SHU at 225-m spacing by year 6, compared to 24.2 gag/4-cube SHU for same spacing and reef age). Residency times (mean = 9.8 mo), indicative of choice and measured by ultrasonic telemetry (1995-1998), showed significant interaction of SHU size and spacing consistent with colonization trajectories. Average relative weight (W(r)) and incremental growth were greater on smaller than larger SHUs (mean W(r) = 104.2 vs. 97.7; incremental growth differed by 15%), contrary to patterns of abundance and residency. Experimental manipulation of shelter on a subset of SRRS sites (2000-2001) confirmed our hypothesis that shelter limits local densities of gag, which, in turn, regulates their growth and condition. Density-dependent habitat selection for shelter and individual growth dynamics were therefore interdependent ecological processes that help to explain how patchy reef habitat sustains gag production. Moreover, gag selected shelter at the expense of maximizing their growth. Thus, mobile reef fishes could experience density-dependent effects on growth, survival, and/or reproduction (i.e., demographic parameters) despite reduced stock sizes as a consequence of fishing.
Divalent metal complexes of an amide-appended N3O-donor ligand: synthesis, structural and spectroscopic features, and amide methanolysis reactivity§

Divalent zinc, cobalt, and nickel complexes of an amide-appended N3O-donor ligand (mpppa, N-methyl-N-((6-pivaloylamido-2-pyridyl)methyl)-N-(2-pyridylethyl)amine) have been prepared and characterized. X-ray crystallographic studies indicate that [(mpppa)Zn(CH3CN)](ClO4)2 (1) exhibits a distorted square pyramidal geometry, whereas [(mpppa)M(CH3OH)(H2O)](ClO4)2 (M=Co (2·H2O), Ni (3)) exhibit distorted octahedral structures. Each complex was also characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods. Treatment of 1 with Me4NOH·5H2O in methanol-containing solutions results in amide methanolysis. This reaction proceeds via the initial formation of a deprotonated amide intermediate, [(mpppa−)Zn]ClO4 (4), which has been isolated and characterized. Kinetic studies performed as a function of the amount of methanol present revealed saturation behavior with respect to the alcohol concentration. Variable temperature kinetic studies yielded activation parameters (ΔH ‡=19.8kcal/mol; ΔS ‡=−3.8(1) eu) that are interesting...