cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Environmental Stressors and Food Security in China

This article considers the immediate forces influencing China’s food system and food security. By immediate is meant events of the reform period, from the late 1970s to 2008. It begins by asking the question that has preoccupied specialists since the publication of Lester Brown’s Who Will Feed China? in 1995: How much arable land does China have? Is that land area sufficient to insure grain sufficiency? To insure food security? The article focuses on the human pressures on the food production environment, and then treats the effects of socioeconomic change: land, air, and water degradation. The core of the article examines six responses of the state to both perceived and actual environmental stressors: policy restricting arable land conversion, China’s one-child policy, investment in irrigation systems, the South–North Water Diversion Project, large-scale afforestation and reforestation campaigns, and the program to convert marginal agricultural lands to forests and grasslands.
Influence of a Tangential Force on the Fracture of Two Contacting Elastic Bodies

The problem of fracture initiation at two elastically contacting structural components, subject to applied normal and tangential forces, was analyzed. The fracture initiation load was predicted to depend sensitively on the magnitude of the applied tangential force and the interfacial friction coefficient, and to exhibit important dependencies on the fracture toughness, elastic modulus, and curvature of the contacting bodies. Experimental results obtained on glass and Si3N4 conform with the trends predicted by the analysis.
CHARACTERISTICS OF NANO-SCALE COMPOSITES AT THz AND IR SPECTRAL REGIONS

Electronic characteristics are difficult to monitor in nanocomposites. Here we describe indirect assessments of these characteristics using THz, Raman and IR spectroscopy. Specifically we seek to gain understanding of the electron mobility in semiconductive and conductive nanostructures for electronic, electrooptic and nonlinear optical purposes.
J=1 even-parity autoionization in xenon

The even-parity np′[1/2]1 and np′[3/2]1 autoionizing Rydberg series in xenon have been studied to n = 17 by one-photon laser spectroscopy from the metastable 6s′[1/2]0 state in an atomic beam. Accurate position and width data have been obtained, and we have also studied possible line-broadening mechanisms. The question of the appropriate line shape in this multichannel stituation is discussed.
Nuclear spreads: I. Visualization of bipartite ribosomal RNA domains

Visualization of nuclear architecture is key to the understanding of the association between RNA synthesis and processing. This architecture is obscured by the high density of components in most nuclei. We have developed a method of spreading nuclei and nucleoli that reduces overlap of weakly associated components. Strong interactions among nuclear components are not disrupted by this method. Spread nucleoli remained structurally distinct and functionally competent in ribosomal RNA synthesis. Nascent ribosomal RNA colocalized with RNA polymerase I and fibrillarin, a protein required for processing of ribosomal RNA. Colocalization of nascent transcripts and fibrillarin was seen in nucleoli spread over several microns, suggesting a strong interaction. These data suggest that nucleoli are superassemblies of bipartite domains, each composed of a ribosomal RNA synthesis center tightly associated with areas likely to be involved in ribosomal RNA processing.
Direct Real Time Observation of Base Flipping by theEcoRI DNA Methyltransferase

DNA methyltransferases are excellent prototypes for investigating DNA distortion and enzyme specificity because catalysis requires the extrahelical stabilization of the target base within the enzyme active site. The energetics and kinetics of base flipping by the EcoRI DNA methyltransferase were investigated by two methods. First, equilibrium dissociation constants (K DDNA) were determined for the binding of the methyltransferase to DNA containing abasic sites or base analogs incorporated at the target base. Consistent with a base flipping mechanism, tighter binding to oligonucleotides containing destabilized target base pairs was observed. Second, total intensity stopped flow fluorescence measurements of DNA containing 2-aminopurine allowed presteady-state real time observation of the base flipping transition. Following the rapid formation of an enzyme-DNA collision complex, a biphasic increase in total intensity was observed. The fast phase dominated the total intensity increase with a rate nearly identical to k methylation determined by rapid chemical quench-flow techniques (Reich, N. O., and Mashoon, N. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 9191–9193). The restacking of the extrahelical base also revealed biphasic kinetics with the recovered amplitudes from these off-rate experiments matching very closely to those observed during the base unstacking process. These results provide the first direct and continuous observation of base flipping and show that at least two distinct conformational transitions occurred at the flipped base subsequent to complex formation. Furthermore, our results suggest that the commitment to catalysis during the methylation of the target site is not determined at the level of the chemistry step but rather is mediated by prior intramolecular isomerization within the enzyme-DNA complex.
CUDA and MPI performances on the computation of Rossi-α distribution from pulsed neutron sources

Abstract This study presents the methodology to calculate the Rossi-α distribution for a subcritical assembly driven by an external pulsed neutron source through MCNP6 computer simulations. The Rossi-α distribution is obtained from the signal (e.g., 3 He(n,p) reactions) of a neutron detector placed in one experimental channel of the subcritical assembly. The detector signal is obtained from MCNP6 computer simulations modeling a single pulse of the external neutron source. The MCNP6 output data for a single pulse of the external neutron source must be processed to take into account the effect of delayed neutrons born in all previous source pulses. The calculation of the Rossi-α distribution from a pulsed neutron source is time consuming because of the huge amount of processed data. Consequently, the algorithms introduced in this work use parallel computing platforms, e.g., CUDA or MPI, to reduce the computing time.
Antioxidants and oxidants regulated signal transduction pathways.

Abstract Many drugs and xenobiotics induce signal transduction events leading to gene expression of either pharmacologically beneficial effects, or unwanted side effects such as cytotoxicity which can compromise drug therapy. Using dietary chemopreventive compounds (isothiocyanates and green tea polyphenols), which are effective against various chemically-induced carcinogenesis models in animals studies, we studied the signal transduction events and gene expression profiles. These compounds have typically generated cellular “oxidative stress” and modulated gene expression including phase II detoxifying enzymes GST and QR as well as cellular defensive enzymes, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and GSTvia the antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE/EpRE). Members of the bZIP transcription factor, Nrf2 which heterodimerizes with Maf G/K, were found to bind to ARE, and transcriptionally activate ARE. Additionally the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK; ERK, JNK and p38) were differentially activated by these compounds, and involved in the transcriptional activation of ARE-mediated reporter gene. Transfection studies with various cDNA encoding for wild-type of MAPK and Nrf2 showed synergistic response during co-transfection and to these agents. However, by increasing the concentrations of these xenobiotics, caspase activities and apoptosis were observed which were preceded by mitochondria damage and cytochrome c mitochondria release. Further, increased concentrations led to rapid cell necrosis. DNA microarray analyses were performed to ascertain the gene expression profiles elicited by these compounds at low concentrations as well as at higher concentrations. Thus, we have proposed a model, that at low concentrations, these compounds activate MAPK pathway leading to activation of Nrf2 and ARE with subsequent induction of phase II and other defensive genes which protect cells against toxic insults thereby enhancing cell survival, a beneficial homeostatic response. At higher concentrations, these agents activate the caspase pathways, leading to apoptosis, a potential cytotoxic effect if it occurred in normal cells. The studies of these signaling pathways may yield important insights into the pharmacodynamic and toxicodynamic effects of drugs and xenobiotics during pharmaceutical drug discovery and development.
Binding and Mobility of Atomically Resolved Cobalt Clusters on Molybdenum Disulfide

We present the results of an ultrahigh vacuum, low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of cobalt clusters adsorbed on the surface of single-crystal molybdenum disulfide. This system is of interest as a model for understanding industrial hydrotreating catalysts. We observe small metal clusters that bind on the MoS2 basal plane, and determine from atomically resolved images that these clusters are composed of cobalt atoms bound exclusively atop surface sulfur atoms. Small clusters are also observed nucleated near surface defects. Larger cobalt clusters are observed primarily bound at MoS2 surface defects, and are additionally observed near and on surface steps. Cobalt clusters on the MoS2 surface are extremely labile and change their size and shape on the time scale of imaging. Individual atoms are observed to adjoin to and detach from clusters, possibly under the influence of the probe tip; under appropriate tunneling conditions, the tip will sweep all clusters from a scanned area. The ...
The comparative effects of dietary α-linolenic acid and fish oil on 4- and 5-series leukotriene formationin vivo

The comparative effects of dietary α-linolenic acid and fish oil on eicosanoid metabolism was studiedin vivo. Resident murine peritoneal cells were stimulatedin vivo with opsonized zymosan in animals maintained on diets containing increasing amounts of α-linolenic acid or fish oil concentrate with projected n−3/n−6 ratios of 0.2, 0.4 and 1.0. While fish oil feeding resulted in significant changes in eicosapentaenoate tissue levels, α-linolenic acid was preferentially metabolized to docosahexaenoate. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis revealed the formation of leukotriene E5 (LTE5) in all the fish oil groups (19.8±3.5 ng/mouse to 83.3±13 ng/mouse), but only in the highest linolenic acid group (6.0±3.2 ng/mouse). Concomitantly, the 4-series sulfidopeptide leukotrienes and PGI2 were significantly reduced in the two highest fish oil containing dietary groups. Similar reductions were observed in the highest linolenic acid group, but the changes were not statistically different from the control values. In summary, this paper reports thede novo synthesis of 5-series sulfidopeptide leukotrienes in animals consuming α-linolenic acid. It also reveals that dietary fish oil is 2.5 to 5 times more effective than α-linolenic acid in modulating eicosanoid metabolism and altering tissue phospholipid fatty acid composition.
Malnutrition after vascular surgery: are patients with chronic renal failure at increased risk?

Abstract Background The deleterious effects of perioperative malnutrition on recovery after general surgery are established. Since the effects of perioperative malnutrition on recovery after vascular surgery are not known, we examined the effects of nutritional status, and risk factors predictive of malnutrition, on outcome after vascular surgery. Methods The records of all open index vascular cases (abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA] repair, carotid endarterectomy [CEA], lower extremity bypass) performed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut between July 2004 and June 2005 were reviewed. The primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes included infection and nutritional risk index (NRI) scores. Results Sixty-eight open vascular cases were performed during the study period. Nutritional depletion developed in 55% of patients and was more likely in patients undergoing AAA (85%) or bypass (77%) than CEA (30%; P = .0005). Patients who developed malnutrition had similar mortality as patients who did not develop postoperative malnutrition (6.1% vs. 3.7%; P = .68); however, malnourished patients had higher rates of postoperative infection (24.2% vs. 3.7%; P = .03). Chronic renal failure was the only patient-associated risk factor predictive of postoperative nutritional depletion (odds ratio 5.9, confidence interval 1.0 to 33.6; P = .04). Conclusions Patients undergoing major open vascular surgery have high rates of postoperative malnutrition, with patients undergoing AAA repair having the highest rates of postoperative malnutrition and infection. Patients with chronic renal failure undergoing vascular surgery are associated with increased risk for postoperative malnutrition and may be a group to target for perioperative risk factor modification and nutritional supplementation.
Centrosome repositioning in T cells is biphasic and driven by microtubule end-on capture-shrinkage

T cells rapidly reposition their centrosome to the center of the immunological synapse (IS) to drive polarized secretion in the direction of the bound target cell. Using an optical trap for spatial and temporal control over target presentation, we show that centrosome repositioning in Jurkat T cells exhibited kinetically distinct polarization and docking phases and required calcium flux and signaling through both the T cell receptor and integrin to be robust. In “frustrated” conjugates where the centrosome is stuck behind the nucleus, the center of the IS invaginated dramatically to approach the centrosome. Consistently, imaging of microtubules during normal repositioning revealed a microtubule end-on capture-shrinkage mechanism operating at the center of the IS. In agreement with this mechanism, centrosome repositioning was impaired by inhibiting microtubule depolymerization or dynein. We conclude that dynein drives centrosome repositioning in T cells via microtubule end-on capture-shrinkage operating at the center of the IS and not cortical sliding at the IS periphery, as previously thought.
Studies on the antioxygenic properties of wheat germ phosphatides

1. In accelerated stability tests wheat germ phosphatides were shown to prevent the accumulation of peroxides in both fresh and partially oxidized wheat germ oil.
IL-27 induction of IL-21 from human CD8+ T cells induces granzyme B in an autocrine manner.

Interleukin (IL)-27 exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on human and mice CD4(+) T cells by inducing IL-10-producing T regulatory 1 cells through induction of IL-21. However, the role of IL-27 and how it regulates IL-21 from human CD8(+) T cells is unclear. Here, we show that the IL-27 receptor is expressed on human CD8(+) T cells and stimulation of human naive CD8(+) T cells in the presence of IL-27 leads to an increase in IL-21 and interferon (IFN)-γ production. IL-21 induction in IL-27-stimulated human CD8(+) T cells correlates specifically with expression of the transcription factor T-bet. IL-27 stimulation of naive CD8(+) T cells induces a double-positive T-bet(+) IL-21(+) expressing CD8(+) T-cell population. Furthermore, IL-27 stimulation of human naive CD8(+) T cells greatly increases expression of granzyme B. Antibody-mediated neutralization of IL-21 abrogates IL-27-induced granzyme B expression. Moreover, direct addition of IL-21 greatly amplifies granzyme B expression in human naive CD8(+) T cells. Our findings identify IL-27-induced IL-21 as a key autocrine regulator of granzyme B expression in human CD8(+) T cells.
Leaf elemental analysis in mycorrhizal post oak seedlings

Growth and element assimilation was investigated in the leaves of post oak seedlings exposed to four different treatment combinations of fertilization and ectomycorrhizal inoculation. Element concentration was analyzed via particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE). PIXE detected 10 of the 13 essential macro and micronutrients: P, S, Mg, Ca, K, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cl. Mean growth and dry weight was significantly different across the treatment groups as well as the mean concentration of Mg, Al, S, K, Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn. The data suggest that fertilization rather than mycorrhizal inoculation had a stronger influence on nutrient uptake. This study is the first to analyze element concentration in post oak and to investigate the potential benefits of mycorrhizal symbiosis in post oak seedlings in terms of nutrient uptake.
PHOTIC STIMULATION AND LEG MOVEMENTS IN THE CRAYFISH

When Cambarus clarkii is exposed to a source of light so that both eyes are equally illuminated, leg movements of the two sides are equal in frequency and amplitude. On covering one eye and exposing the uncovered eye to light, leg movements on the side of the uncovered eye are more frequent and are of greater amplitude than on the side of the covered eye. On covering the exposed eye also the leg movements on the two sides again tend to become equal in frequency and amplitude. When one eye is lost and the other remains functional, the leg movements on the side of the lost eye will be similar to those on the side of a normal, covered eye.
Failure of woven carbon–polyimide laminates under off-axis compression loading

Abstract This paper reports the failure mechanisms in a woven 0/90 carbon–polyimide laminate under 45° off-axis compression loading. The stress carried by the composite increased linearly with increasing levels of applied displacements and, at about 188 MPa, the load dropped suddenly to 172 MPa and remained constant thereafter till about 8.9% strain, at which point the load reduced drastically and resulted in the ultimate failure of the sample. The damage started with the nucleation of several in-plane cracks which split both the wrap and fill yarns completely, and ran diagonally across the sample’s entire width. Upon further loading, the cracking progressed in bundles towards the sample’s interior, and eventually, at a strain of about 5%, a saturation cracking state was reached with each bundle split by at least three-to-four longitudinal cracks. The sample was able to accommodate further strain via nucleation of additional cracks formed at the edges of the longitudinal cracks with their planes parallel to the loading axis and orthogonal to those occupied by the longitudinal cracks. Essentially, these new cracks separated the longitudinally-split bundles in the sample’s thickness direction and resulted in the creation of three-to-four independent bundles from the original well-bonded warp or fill bundle. At this stage, the compressive load carrying capacity of the original bundle was largely compromised and the sample failed through gross delaminations, resulting in the bulging of the sample normal to its largest faces. The above deformation was remarkably different from that observed under bundle-aligned compression loading where the samples failed at an average stress of 588 MPa [1] [Grape, J. and Gupta, V. Composite Materials , 1995, 29, 1850] in more or less brittle catastrophic manner after undergoing only 1.5% strain.
What Undergraduates Misunderstand about Stem Cell Research

As biotechnology‐related scientific advances, such as stem cell research (SCR), are increasingly permeating the popular media, it has become ever more important to understand students’ ideas about this issue. Very few studies have investigated learners’ ideas about biotechnology. Our study was designed to understand the types of alternative conceptions students hold concerning SCR. The qualitative research design allowed us to examine college students’ understandings about stem cells and SCR. More specifically, we addressed the following questions: How can alternative conceptions about stem cell topics be categorized? What types of alternative conceptions are most common? Participants included 132 students enrolled in a biotechnology course that focused on the scientific background of biotechnology applications relevant to citizens. In this study, we used an inductive approach to develop a taxonomy of alternative ideas about SCR by analyzing student responses to multiple open‐ended data sources. We identi...
Native language experience influences the perceived similarity of second language vowel categories.

Most studies of L2 speech perception seek to characterize—at least implicitly—how the similarity among L2 speech sound categories is shaped by L1 experience. Intercategory similarity for native language speakers is rarely considered, however. Here, we derive two indices of graded intercategory similarity for a front vowel series (pin, pen, and pan): One from an off‐line perceptual similarity judgment task and a second from online measures of arm‐movement trajectories in a word recognition task. Both tasks revealed graded effects of intercategory similarity, but the similarity spaces differed between language groups. Both groups perceived /ae/ and /E/ to be most similar, but the native Italian speakers perceived /I/ to be equally similar to /E/ and /ae/, whereas English speakers perceived the /I/ and /E/ to be more similar than /I/ and /ae/. The Italian speakers’ performance in both tasks suggests a similarity space that is dominated by dimensions that are contrastive for /I/ with respect to the other vowels. This may reflect a compensatory strategy for L2 vowel perception that may derive from experience with the distributional properties of their native vowels.
The Postforeclosure Experience of U.S. Households

Despite the recent flood of foreclosures on residential mortgages, little is known about what happens to borrowers’ households after their mortgages have been foreclosed. We study the postforeclosure experience of U.S. households using a unique data set based on the credit reports of a large panel of individuals from 1999 to 2010. Although foreclosure considerably raises the probability of moving, the majority of postforeclosure migrants do not end up in substantially less desirable neighborhoods or more crowded living conditions. These results suggest that, on average, foreclosure does not impose an economic burden large enough to severely reduce housing consumption.
Studies to link the basic radiation physics and chemistry of liquid water

Abstract Collaborative work between radiation physicists and chemists is described, leading to a Monte Carlo model of the detailed events that occur when ionizing radiation interacts with water in the liquid state. The model treats explicitly the initial physical changes produced by radiation, the formation of chemically active species, and the subsequent diffusion-controlled chemical reactions that take place along the path of a charged particle. Several examples of calculated tracks and chemical yields are presented. The calculated time decay of the hydrated electron and OH radical are in good agreement with measurements from electron pulse radiolysis. The effect of dissolved oxygen on the computed chemical yields is presented. While many uncertainties necessarily exist in such an endeavor, the basic model linking the physics and chemistry of irradiated water appears to be consistent with existing experimental and theoretical data.
Methods for measurement of development parameters in the manufacturing line for use in photolithography modeling

One of the outstanding problems of photolithography is the measurement of development parameters, particularly in one's own manufacturing line. We present an inexpensive practical method for obtaining values of development parameters for use in photolithography modeling. The method utilizes the actual production equipment used in the fab, as well as the computer modeling package for which the development parameters are being collected. In addressing experimental geometries with which one may carry out such data collection, we discuss the critical issue of standing waves and their impact on measurement accuracy. Two techniques are presented for solving the problem of standing waves and their extreme impact on the quality of collected data. One involves creating a photoactive component latent image in which there are no standing waves. The other is a means by which development parameters may still be obtained for situations such as photolithography of thin film magnetic recording heads, where the standing waves may not necessarily be deconvolved from the development process or data collection. Development parameters using 1.15 /spl mu/m of AZ 4110 resist on a NiFe substrate were measured using the latter technique.
Activation Of Human Clc-2 Cl– Channels: Implications For Cystic Fibrosis

1. The CIC-2 Cl- channels are present in the adult human lung epithelia and, therefore, are a potential target for therapy in cystic fibrosis. 2. Activators of CIC-2 Cl- channels that may have physiological relevance include activation by reduced external pH, protein kinase A and arachidonic acid. 3. Activators of CIC-2 Cl- channels that have therapeutic potential include amidation and omeprazole and, perhaps, effectors of arachidonic acid metabolism.
Compton scattering overview

An overview of linear and nonlinear Compton scattering is presented, along with a comparison with Thomson scattering. Two distinct processes play important roles in the nonlinear regime: multiphoton interactions, leading to the generation of harmonics; and radiation pressure, yielding a downshift of the radiated spectral features. These mechanisms, their influence on the source brightness, and different modeling strategies are also briefly discussed.
Development of interest and enjoyment in adolescence. Part I. Attentional capacities

The first part of this two-part article argues that significant changes in both the capacity and the content of attention emerge in adolescence. Part I reviews evidence from behavioral and biological studies that the capacity for interested attention develops from late childhood into adolescence.
Linguistic Structured Sparsity in Text Categorization

We introduce three linguistically motivated structured regularizers based on parse trees, topics, and hierarchical word clusters for text categorization. These regularizers impose linguistic bias in feature weights, enabling us to incorporate prior knowledge into conventional bagof-words models. We show that our structured regularizers consistently improve classification accuracies compared to standard regularizers that penalize features in isolation (such as lasso, ridge, and elastic net regularizers) on a range of datasets for various text prediction problems: topic classification, sentiment analysis, and forecasting.
Cell biology of the future: Nanometer-scale cellular cartography

Understanding cellular structure is key to understanding cellular regulation. New developments in super-resolution fluorescence imaging, electron microscopy, and quantitative image analysis methods are now providing some of the first three-dimensional dynamic maps of biomolecules at the nanometer scale. These new maps—comprehensive nanometer-scale cellular cartographies—will reveal how the molecular organization of cells influences their diverse and changeable activities.
Incorporation of (n-3) Fatty Acids in Foods: Challenges and Opportunities

The health benefits of long-chain (n-3) PUFA have been widely reported in the literature. Despite the potential benefits, consumption of these fatty acids continues to fall below recommendations from various health and regulatory agencies. Incorporation of long-chain PUFA in foods represents a considerable challenge due to the increased risk of lipid oxidation resulting in the development of off-flavors and reduced shelf life. As a result, new sources of (n-3) fatty acids are needed that are more efficiently converted to long-chain (n-3) fatty acids than a-linolenic acid (ALA) and can be more easily incorporated into food. Stearidonic acid [SDA, 18:4 (n-3)] is an intermediate in the desaturation of ALA to EPA. Soybeans have been modified to contain SDA. Clinical studies have demonstrated a significant increase in EPA levels when SDA is consumed. Being more stable, SDA has been added to a variety of foods and has demonstrated equal consumer acceptance compared to a regular soybean oil control. SDA-enhanced soybean oil can provide to food companies and consumers an option to increase (n-3) fatty acid consumption in foods consumers typically eat. J. Nutr. doi: 10.3945/ jn.111.149328.
From Rhetoric to Practice: How High-Profile Politics Impeded Community Consultation in Madagascar's New Protected Areas

When Madagascar's former president announced at the 5th World Parks Congress his intention to triple the country's protected areas, he underscored that the new parks would engage local communities. Donors and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have since touted the program's commitment to community involvement. However, research in Madagascar's eastern rainforest revealed how a series of political decisions at multiple scales impeded village consultation. While the high-profile announcement successfully mobilized biodiversity conservation funds, it also drew attention toward meeting the demands of capital city-based politicians, foreign donors, and international NGOs and away from effectively engaging rural communities, thereby reinforcing nonlocal decision-making power. By revealing how conservation projects are embedded in and productive of politics in and among sponsoring organizations, the article responds to calls for greater analysis of the political, economic, and social contexts of conservation ...
Genetic signal maximization using environmental regression

Joint analyses of correlated phenotypes in genetic epidemiology studies are common. However, these analyses primarily focus on genetic correlation between traits and do not take into account environmental correlation. We describe a method that optimizes the genetic signal by accounting for stochastic environmental noise through joint analysis of a discrete trait and a correlated quantitative marker. We conducted bivariate analyses where heritability and the environmental correlation between the discrete and quantitative traits were calculated using Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 (GAW17) family data. The resulting inverse value of the environmental correlation between these traits was then used to determine a new β coefficient for each quantitative trait and was constrained in a univariate model. We conducted genetic association tests on 7,087 nonsynonymous SNPs in three GAW17 family replicates for Affected status with the β coefficient fixed for three quantitative phenotypes and compared these to an association model where the β coefficient was allowed to vary. Bivariate environmental correlations were 0.64 (± 0.09) for Q1, 0.798 (± 0.076) for Q2, and −0.169 (± 0.18) for Q4. Heritability of Affected status improved in each univariate model where a constrained β coefficient was used to account for stochastic environmental effects. No genome-wide significant associations were identified for either method but we demonstrated that constraining β for covariates slightly improved the genetic signal for Affected status. This environmental regression approach allows for increased heritability when the β coefficient for a highly correlated quantitative covariate is constrained and increases the genetic signal for the discrete trait.
COMPARISON OF NEUTRON EMBRITTLEMENT OF STEEL IN DIFFERENT REACTOR SPECTRA

Abstract A procedure has been developed for measuring and reporting neutron exposure for radiation damage studies. The neutron spectrum shape is calculated and its magnitude determined by the reaction Fe54 (n,p)Mn54. A unit, called RDU, is used for reporting exposure. To test this procedure, steel specimens were irradiated in three very different reactor spectra. The exposures were expressed in RDU's and the resulting embrittlement compared. Satisfactory agreement was obtained. The procedure proved to be easy to use. A new method for reducing a limited amount of irradiation data was devised to handle irradiations done in a facility where the neutron flux varied appreciably from place to place.
Justifying the Choice of Endpoints for Clinical Trials

correlating the effect size of the treatment on OS with the corresponding effect size on the surrogate endpoint. Strong congruence of the effect sizes of the two endpoints supports the premise that the surrogate endpoint is a valid replacement for OS, although the strength of the statistical measure can be strongly dependent on the range of effect sizes observed in the historical studies. The meta-analysis of Oba et al. demonstrates impressively close concordance of the effects of treatment on OS and DFS from 14 historical adjuvant trials of gastric cancer (5). These results exemplify the fact that in the adjuvant setting disease recurrence is a pivotal event in the natural history of the disease for most solid tumors. Recurrence predicts strongly ultimate death from disease. Indeed the rank correlation between DFS
Creases on the interface between two soft materials

Theory and experiment are presented to show that an interface between two soft materials under compression can form creases, a type of bifurcation distinct from wrinkles. While creases bifurcate from a state of flat interface by a deformation localized in space and large in amplitude, wrinkles bifurcate from a state of flat interface by a deformation nonlocal in space and infinitesimal in amplitude. The interfacial creases set in at a lower critical compression than interfacial wrinkles, but higher than surface creases. The condition for the onset of interfacial creases is scale-free, and is calculated in terms of elastic moduli, pre-strains and applied strains.
A role for magnesium in neonatal parathyroid gland function

Little is known of the factors regulating parathyroid function in the neonatal period. Twenty-seven term infants born after uncomplicated pregnancies, labors, and deliveries were studied to test the hypothesis that in normal newborns the amplitude of parathyroid hormone (PTH) response to decreasing serum ionized calcium (iCa) correlates with serum magnesium (Mg) concentrations. Serum iCa (ion selective electrode, Radiometer ICA 1), PTH (1-84 intact molecules, radioimmunoassay) and Mg (atomic absorption) were measured at birth (cord blood) and 24 hours of age. Repeated measures analysis of covariance showed decreasing serum iCa (p less than 0.01) and increasing serum Mg (p less than 0.01) and PTH (p less than 0.01) over time. The change in PTH over the first 24 hours was directly correlated with cord blood (r = 0.38, p less than 0.05) and 24-hr Mg concentrations (r = 0.53, p less than 0.01). We conclude that the ability of the parathyroid gland to respond to decreasing serum iCa after birth is directly related to Mg status. We speculate that neonatal hypomagnesemia may lead to a blunted PTH secretory response, thus contributing to early neonatal hypocalcemia.
New Thy-1- and H-2-Congenic Strains of Mice and Their Application in Studies on the Mechanism of Anti-Thy-1.1 Response

The magnitude of the primary humoral anti-Thy-1.1 responses was measured by the number of PFC in spleens of B10.S(7R) mice and some of their H-2 heterozygous F1 hybrids immunized with thymocytes of either AKR.TH or B10.S(7R)-Thy-1a strain. These two of the five newly developed strains are non-H-2 incompatible and non-H-2 compatible with B10.S(7R) mice, respectively. The low anti-Thy-1.1 responses of B10.S(7R) mice and their F1 hybrids after immunization with thymocytes from non-H-2 compatible B10.S(7R)-Thy-1a donors indicated that the I-As "allele" of B10.S(7R) mice and the I-A "alleles" of other parental strains tested did not produce a complementary effect that is required for non-H-2 compatible thymocytes to elicit a good anti-Thy-1 response.
5,5-Diphenylhydantoin antagonizes neurochemical and behavioral effects of p,p'-DDT but not of chlordecone.

: Rats were given 75 mg/kg of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin (phenytoin) or vehicle 30 min prior to 75 mg/kg of 1, 1, 1-trichloro-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p, p'-DDT) (p.o.) or chlordecone (i.p.) and tremor was measured 12 h later. Rats were then killed, and regional brain levels of biogenie amines and their acid metabolites and amino acids were determined. Pretreatment with phenytoin significantly attenuated the tremor produced by p, p'-DDT but enhanced that produced by chlordecone. p, p'-DDT had significant effects on the levels of asparate, glutamate, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), whereas chlordecone increased glycine, 5-HIAA, and MHPG levels. Pretreatment with phenytoin blocked p.p'-DDT-induced increases of aspartate in the brainstem and spinal cord, 5-HIAA in the hippocampus, and MHPG in the brainstem and hypothalamus. Phenytoin significantly enhanced chlordecone-induced increases of MHPG in the brainstem. These data indicate that organo-chlorine-induced increases in noradrenergic activity in the brainstem and spinal cord may be directly related to the tremorigenic effects of these chemicals.
Importance of thermodynamics and kinetics in the growth of thin film TlBaCaCuO superconductors

The importance of near-equilibrium thermodynamics in the growth of TlBaCaCuO materials is well-documented; i.e. the independent control of sample temperature, Tl-oxide partial pressure, and oxygen partial pressure. Here we demonstrate how this is accomplished using a simple version of the crucible process. In addition, we report the relevance of growth kinetics. Superconducting thin films are grown in a two-step process. First, /spl sim/2000 /spl Aring/ thick, amorphous Ba/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub x/ and Ba/sub 2/Ca/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ precursors are sputter-deposited onto LaAlO/sub 3/(100) substrates. Films are then thallinated and annealed using the crucible-pellet process. With this method, it is possible to grow essentially single-phase Tl-1212, Tl-1223, Tl-2212, and Tl-2223 thin films. Under similar thermodynamic conditions, we find that different phases dominate the film growth as a function of reaction time. For example, the Tl-x212 phases generally nucleate first, and then, depending on growth conditions, convert to the Tl-1223 or Tl-2223 phase with extended annealing times. We demonstrate that knowledge of both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of growth can yield high-quality films of each of the major Tl-superconducting phases.
A Neuronal Multisensory Processing Simulator

In general, simulation of brain function involves a serial process that includes conceptual definition and design, computational (or mathematical) modeling, testing the correlation between model output and the brain, and generation of biologically testable hypotheses. Processing simulators provide a specific simulation environment in which computational models can be custom built according to their conceptual model of interest, as well as evaluate the result of the simulation by using analytic tools in the simulator. In this paper we describe a new simulator, the Neuronal Multisensory Processing Simulator (NMPS) designed primarily to model the first requisite step of multisensory processing: multisensory convergence. The NMPS generated a network of spiking neurons and stimulated convergent inputs to those neurons. Analysis of both neurons and network revealed responses similar to biological multisensory processing, and provided insight into multisensory features currently inaccessible to observation or experimentation.
Atrial fibrillation is independently associated with senile, vascular, and Alzheimer's dementia.

Background The aging population has resulted in more patients living with cardiovascular disease, such as atrial fibrillation (AF). Recent focus has been placed on understanding the long-term consequences of chronic cardiovascular disease, such as a potential increased risk of dementia. Objective This study sought to determine whether there is an association between AF and dementia and whether their coexistence is an independent marker of risk. Methods A total of 37,025 consecutive patients from the large ongoing prospective Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study database were evaluated and followed up for a mean of 5 years for the development of AF and dementia. Dementia was sub-typed into vascular (VD), senile (SD), Alzheimer's (AD), and nonspecified (ND). Results Of the 37,025 patients with a mean age of 60.6 ± 17.9 years, 10,161 (27%) developed AF and 1,535 (4.1%) developed dementia (179 VD, 321 SD, 347 AD, 688 ND) during the 5-year follow-up. Patients with dementia were older and had higher rates of hypertension, coronary artery disease, renal failure, heart failure, and prior strokes. In age-based analysis, AF independently was significantly associated with all dementia types. The highest risk was in the younger group ( P = .01; SD: HR=1.41, P = .001; AD: HR=1.45; ND: HR=1.38, P Conclusion AF was independently associated with all forms of dementia. Although dementia is strongly associated with aging, the highest risk of AD was in the younger group, in support of the observed association. The presence of AF also identified dementia patients at high risk of death.
Harm to Others: The social cost of antibiotics in agriculture

It has become increasingly clear that the use of antibiotics in conventionally raised livestock contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this paper, I argue that the harm principle of classical liberalism should guide agricultural policy in general, and the regulation of antibiotics in livestock in particular. After developing an interpretation of the harm principle, and framing the choice to produce and consume animals treated with antibiotics as a classic prisoner's dilemma, I consider some policy responses to the problem, including a ban on the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics.
Slipping Through the Gate: Trusting Daubert to Reveal the 'Pseudo-Historian' - Troubling Lessons from Holocaust-Related Trials

In light of the prominence of expert historians at trial, Part III explores federal courts' gate keeping role under the Supreme Court's Daubert gate keeping test, as applied to historians serving as expert witnesses. In Irving, a libel case brought by Holocaust denier David Irving against Professor Deborah Lipstadt based on statements in her book, Denying the Holocaust, much of the case focused on plaintiff David Irving's flawed historical methodology regarding Auschwitz (Irving believes Nazis did not use gas chambers to murder Jews at Auschwitz). In the Zundel trials (Zundel was tried and then retried on the same charge) the pseudo-historian threat was realized, as the defense called Irving to testify as an expert historian about gas chambers at Auschwitz, here under Canadian law, where admissibility focuses on credibility rather than reliability. In Irving, Judge Gray did not have to gather, analyze, and synthesize countless historical documents (many of which were in German) concerning Auschwitz because Robert Jan van Pelt and the other defense experts did this work for him. Procedures Should Be Altered for Presenting Historian Expert Testimony The following solutions are aimed at allowing a reliable historian expert sufficient latitude in the courtroom to express his opinion in a manner that comports with his craft.
Chemical Ototoxicity of the Fish Inner Ear and Lateral Line

Hair cell-driven mechanosensory systems are crucial for successful execution of a number of behaviors in fishes, and have emerged as good models for exploring questions relevant to human hearing. This review focuses on ototoxic effects in the inner ear and lateral line system of fishes. We specifically examine studies where chemical ototoxins such as aminoglycoside antibiotics have been employed as tools to disable the lateral line. Lateral line ablation results in alterations to feeding behavior and orientation to water current in a variety of species. However, neither behavior is abolished in the presence of additional sensory cues, supporting the hypothesis that many fish behaviors are driven by multisensory integration. Within biomedical research, the larval zebrafish lateral line has become an important model system for understanding signaling mechanisms that contribute to hair cell death and for developing novel pharmacological therapies that protect hair cells from ototoxic damage. Furthermore, given that fishes robustly regenerate damaged hair cells, ototoxin studies in fishes have broadened our understanding of the molecular and genetic events in an innately regenerative system, offering potential targets for mammalian hair cell regeneration. Collectively, studies of fish mechanosensory systems have yielded insight into fish behavior and in mechanisms of hair cell death, protection, and regeneration.
Normal Total Hemocyte Counts of Tenebrio Molitor

Tauber and Yeager have published total hemocyte counts of 739 individuals from 82 species in the orders Orthoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Homoptera (1935); and in Neuroptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera (1936). Included were counts of 104 insects from 19 species of Coleoptera; the lowest normal average count was 2,889 cells/mm3 (Lixus mucidus Lec.), and the highest normal average count was 68,328 cells/mm3 (Galerita janus Fab.). The pooled mean for the normal Coleoptera examined by these workers was 27,669 cells/mm3. Prior to these studies the same authors (1934) made 220 counts from larger nymphs and adults of the field cricket, Gryllus assimilis pennsylvannicus Burm. In this insect the normal total hemocyte count ranged from 15,000 to 275,000 cells/mm3, with an average of 70,118 cells/mm3.
Boundary crossing probabilities for (q,d)-Slepian-processes

Abstract For 0 q d fixed let W [ q , d ] = ( W t [ q , d ] ) t ∈ [ q , d ] be a ( q , d ) -Slepian-process defined as centered, stationary Gaussian process with continuous sample paths and covariance C W [ q , d ] ( s , s + t ) = ( 1 − t q ) + , q ≤ s ≤ s + t ≤ d . Note that 1 q ( B t − B t − q ) t ∈ [ q , d ] , where B t is standard Brownian motion, is a ( q , d ) -Slepian-process. In this paper we prove an analytical formula for the boundary crossing probability P ( W t [ q , d ] > g ( t ) for some t ∈ [ q , d ] ) , q d ≤ 2 q , in the case g is a piecewise affine function. This formula can be used as approximation for the boundary crossing probability of an arbitrary boundary by approximating the boundary function by piecewise affine functions.
Evidence for Cation-Controlled Excited-State Localization in a Ruthenium Polypyridyl Compound

The visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the four neutral ruthenium diimine compounds [Ru(bpy)2(dcb)] (B2B), [Ru(dtb)2(dcb)] (D2B), [Ru(bpy)2(dcbq)] (B2Q), and [Ru(dtb)2(dcbq)] (D2Q), where bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine, dcb is 4,4′-(CO2–)2-bpy, dtb is 4,4′-(tert-butyl)2-bpy, and dcbq is 4,4′-(CO2–)2-2,2′-biquinoline, are reported in the presence of Lewis acidic cations present in fluid solutions at room temperature. In methanol solutions, the measured spectra were insensitive to the presence of these cations, while in acetonitrile a significant red shift in the PL spectra (≤1400 cm–1) was observed consistent with stabilization of the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state through Lewis acid–base adduct formation. No significant spectral changes were observed in control experiments with the tetrabutylammonium cation. Titration data with Li+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Y3+, and La3+ showed that the extent of stabilization saturated at high cation concentration with magnitude...
The space infrared telescope facility (SIRTF)

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) is a one-meter class observatory for infrared astronomy that will be launched into high earth orbit by NASA in the late 1990's. SIRTF's three focal plane instruments will permit imaging and spectroscopy over most of the infrared spectrum with sensitivities of 100 to 10,000 times their predecessors. This paper briefly reviews SIRTF's capabilities, science objectives, and current status.