cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Bi-Layer Anode with Gadolinia-Doped Ceria for Utilization of Solid Carbon Fuel

Abstract Pyrolytic carbon was used as fuel in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte and a bi-layer anode composed of nickel oxide gadolinia-doped ceria (NiO–GDC) and NiO–YSZ. The common problems of bulk shrinkage and emergent porosity in the YSZ layer adjacent to the GDC/YSZ interface were avoided by using an interlayer of porous NiO–YSZ as a buffer anode layer between the electrolyte and the NiO–GDC primary anode. Cells were fabricated from commercially available component powders so that unconventional production methods suggested in the literature were avoided, that is, the necessity of glycine–nitrate combustion synthesis, specialty multicomponent oxide powders, sputtering, or chemical vapor deposition. The easily-fabricated cell was successfully utilized with hydrogen and propane fuels as well as carbon deposited on the anode during the cyclic operation with the propane. A cell of similar construction could be used in the exhaust stream of a diesel engine to capture and utilize soot for secondary power generation and decreased particulate pollution without the need for filter regeneration.
Quantitative Description of Fracturability Changes in Puffed Corn Extrudates Affected by Sorption of Low Levels of Moisture

ABSTRACT Fracturability is a defining textural characteristic of extruded and crunchy products such as puffed snacks and cereals. Even low levels of moisture can significantly affect deformation properties and texture due to changes in the distribution of fracture intensities. The fracturability of puffed corn extrudates produced at two specific mechanical energy (SME) levels, which greatly influenced extrudate structure and deformation behavior, was measured by compression testing before and after equilibration of samples at 33% rh. Significant changes in fracturability due to moderate moisture sorption were manifest in a reduced total number of fractures occurring during compression, an indication of plasticization that was confirmed independently by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies as reductions in glass transition temperature (Tg). However, in both instances, mean fracture intensity and average compressive resistance increased after equilibration, indicating a qualitative toughening or ...
Preparation and Characterization of Head-to-Head Polymer. I. Head-to-Head Poly(methyl cinnamate)

Preparation and Characterization of Head-to-Head Polymer. I. Head-to-Head Poly(methyl cinnamate)
Supermodels for early LHC

Abstract We investigate which new physics signatures could be discovered in the first year of the LHC, beyond the expected sensitivity of the Tevatron data by the end of 2010. We construct “supermodels”, for which the LHC sensitivity even with only 10 pb −1 useful luminosity is greater than that of the Tevatron with 10 fb −1 . The simplest supermodels involve s -channel resonances in the quark–antiquark and especially in the quark–quark channels. We concentrate on easily visible final states with small standard model backgrounds, and find that there are simple searches, besides those for Z ′ states, which could discover new physics in early LHC data. Many of these are well-suited to test searches for “more conventional” models, often discussed for multi-fb −1 data sets.
Synaptic target contact enhances presynaptic calcium influx by activating CAMP-dependent protein kinase during synaptogenesis

Abstract Individual dissociated supralateral radular tensor (SLT) muscle fibers were manipulated into contact with fura-2-filled neurites of presynaptic buccal motoneuron 19 from Helisoma in cell culture. Within 30 min of contact, action potential-evoked calcium accumulation was reversibly augmented from 228 ± 82 nM to 803 ± 212 nM, an action that was blocked by H-7 (40–100 KM). Calcium accumulation was not augmented when buccal motoneuron 19 contacted muscle or neuronal targets with which it does not form chemical synapses. Addition of pCPTcAMP (500 μM) to cultures reversibly enhanced calcium accumulation. Injection of IP 20 , a peptide inhibitor of CAMP-dependent protein kinase, prevented pCPT-cAMP and SILT muscle from enhancing calcium accumulation. These data demonstrate that SILT muscle target retrogradely regulates calcium accumulation in presynaptic nerve terminals by locally activating presynaptic cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
Afrocentricity: Implications for Higher Education

The concept of cultural diversity in higher education in the United States has been significantly restricted. Discussions and debates have focused primarily on enhancing the presence of students and faculty of color, with a special emphasis on recruitment and retention (Blackwell, 1987, 1988; Carter & Wilson, 1994; Epps, 1989; Oliver & Brown, 1988; Pettigrew, 1991). In other words, cultural diversity has been conceptualized primarily as the diversification of racial characteristics of students and faculty. A more important dimension of cultural diversity that has received scant attention is the diversification of the philosophical foundation of higher education. Although there appears to be considerable diversity in the knowledge base of higher education in the United States, the philosophical underpinnings of higher education are shaped primarily by one dominant worldview. That is, to the extent that a society's institutions of higher education reflect the predominant values found in that society, it is reasonable to assume that the predominant values undergirding the philosophical foundation of higher education in the United States are Eurocentric in nature. Eurocentric means that these values emanate exclusively from a European-American view of the world. Thus, by being Eurocentric, the philosophical base of higher education in the United States has become ethnocentric and uninclusive. This has resulted in the omission of worldviews of other ethnic groups found in the United States and, more specifically, in institutions of higher education. To diversify the philosophical foundation of higher education, alternative worldview or philosophical models' need to be consid-
Patterns of leukemia incidence in the United States by subtype and demographic characteristics, 1997–2002

Objective Efforts to prevent leukemia have been hampered by an inability to identify significant risk factors. Exploring incidence patterns of leukemia subtypes by sex and race/ethnic group may generate new etiologic hypotheses and identify high-risk groups for further study.
Patterns of Conflict About Risky Technologies

This paper examines taxonomies for classifying risks and conflicts about risky technologies. First, we describe six levels of conflict that represent various “ shades of gray” between purely factual and purely value laden conflicts in technology disputes. Subsequently, we survey several recent taxonomies of risks and hazards that were at least partly intended to clarify the nature of the public conflicts about technologies and their risks. After pointing out that non-risk features frequently shape technology debates, we develop a taxonomy of the disputes themselves, based on a collection of 162 cases. Our taxonomy of technological controversies is related to the recent risk taxonomies and to the different levels of conflict. It turns out that the different technological disputes create quite different levels of conflict ranging from mainly factual (consumer products, drugs) to extremely value laden (nuclear power, genetic engineering). Depending on the type of controversy and level of conflict we suggest alternative conflict management strategies.
Acoustooptic digital filter.

Digital filters have three components: (1) unit delays, (2) multipliers, and (3) adders. These components can be implemented by using (1) a Bragg cell as a tapped delay line, (2) optical multiplication using the Bragg cell transmittance, and (3) photodetectors. Multiplexing techniques are shown to increase geometrically the data handling capacity of such filters. An architecture for a 2-D digital filter using such techniques is presented.
Improved atmospheric soundings and error estimates from analysis of AIRS/AMSU data

The AIRS Science Team Version 5.0 retrieval algorithm became operational at the Goddard DAAC in July 2007 generating near real-time products from analysis of AIRS/AMSU sounding data. This algorithm contains many significant theoretical advances over the AIRS Science Team Version 4.0 retrieval algorithm used previously. Three very significant developments of Version 5 are: 1) the development and implementation of an improved Radiative Transfer Algorithm (RTA) which allows for accurate treatment of non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE) effects on shortwave sounding channels; 2) the development of methodology to obtain very accurate case by case product error estimates which are in turn used for quality control; and 3) development of an accurate AIRS only cloud clearing and retrieval system. These theoretical improvements taken together enabled a new methodology to be developed which further improves soundings in partially cloudy conditions, without the need for microwave observations in the cloud clearing step as has been done previously. In this methodology, longwave C02 channel observations in the spectral region 700 cm-' to 750 cm-' are used exclusively for cloud clearing purposes, while shortwave C02 channels in the spectral region 2195 cm-' to 2395 cm-' are used for temperature sounding purposes. The new methodology for improved error estimates and their use in quality control is described briefly and results are shown indicative of their accuracy. Results are also shown of forecast impact experiments assimilating AIRS Version 5.0 retrieval products in the Goddard GEOS 5 Data Assimilation System using different quality control thresholds.
Early events following radiolytic and photogeneration of radical cations in hydrocarbons

Abstract Real-time studies in hydrocarbons have revealed a richness of chemistry involving the initial ionic species produced in radiolysis and photoionization. A modified radical cation mechanism patterned after the core mechanism for alkane radiolysis - formation of radical cations and their disappearance via ion-molecule reactions - is capable of explaining a wide range of observations in high-energy photochemistry, and thus unifies two high-energy regimes. Fundamental studies of radical cations suggest strategies for mitigating radiation effects in materials.
Representations of the S Matrix in Terms of Its Angular Momentum Poles

The asymptotic distribution of poles of the nonrelativistic S matrix for potential scattering in the complex angular momentum plane is investigated, and so is the nature of the pole trajectories near E = 0. As a consequence of the behavior of the distant poles and of their residues the S matrix is shown to be representable in the form of an infinite (Weierstrass-Hadamard) product as well as in the form of a (Mittag-leffler) series of partial fractions. (auth)
Actin dynamics and endocytosis in yeast and mammals

Tight regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for many cell functions, including various forms of cellular uptake. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is one of the main methods of uptake in many cell types. An intact and properly regulated actin cytoskeleton is required for CME in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast CME requires the proper regulation of actin polymerization, filament cross-linking, and filament disassembly. Recent studies also point to a role for F-BAR and BAR-domain containing proteins in linking the processes of generating and sensing plasma membrane curvature with those regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Many of these same proteins are conserved in mammalian CME. However, until recently the requirement for actin in mammalian CME was less clear. Several recent studies in mammalian cells provide new support for an actin requirement in the invagination and late stages of CME. This review focuses on the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton during CME in yeast and the emerging evidence for a role for actin during mammalian CME.
Brooding and the evolution of parthenogenesis: strategy models and evidence from aquatic invertebrates

Developmental defects are expected to be common and severe in the early evolution of parthenogenesis, and they could help to explain the predominance of sexual forms of reproduction. It is difficult, however, to see how such defects might explain the ecological and phylogenetic correlates of sex. Here we suggest that internally fertilized animals that brood their young may be more susceptible to invasion by parthenogenetic mutants. The reason is that brooders could establish 'selective arenas' in which developmentally defective embryos are competitively displaced. Brooders could also selectively abort defective embryos, and replace them with minimal cost. Consistent with these ideas, we found a striking association between brooding and parthenogenesis in aquatic invertebrates. For example, in the Cnidaria and Mollusca, parthenogenesis is significantly more common in lineages that retain their young through the early stages of development. Hence brooding and ecological factors (such as escape from parasites) might combine to explain the initial spread, long-term persistence, and phylogenetic distribution of parthenogenetic reproduction.
Physics at HERA

On May 31st this year, the two HERA experiments H1 and ZEUS observed for the first time electron - proton collisions in their central detectors. This feat was the culmination of eight years of prototjrping, construction and commissioning of the machine 1 and the detectors 2,3.
Computer Buses a Tutorial

The major issues of bus design are illuminated in this easy-to-understand introduction to computer buses?the communication paths that are revolutionizing interactions between microprocessor systems.
Integral Data Testing of ENDF/B-VII.1 Files - Success Stories and Need to Improve Stories

Abstract We review the results of ENDF/B-VII.1 cross section data testing with International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) benchmark assemblies. Comparisons with the previous, ENDF/B-VII.0, file are made, noting where the new data perform better and also noting areas of continuing weakness that require further experimental and theoretical work.
Analyzing the Use of Race and Ethnicity in Biomedical Research from a Local Community Perspective

Lost in the debate over the use of racial and ethnic categories in biomedical research is community-level analysis of how these categories function and influence health. Such analysis offers a powerful critique of national and transnational categories usually used in biomedical research such as "African-American" and "Native American." Ethnographic research on local African-American and Native American communities in Oklahoma shows the importance of community-level analysis. Local ("intra-community") health practices tend to be shared by members of an everyday interactional community without regard to racial or ethnic identity. Externally created ("extra-community") practices tend to be based on the existence of externally-imposed racial or ethnic identities, but African-American and Native American community members show similar patterns in their use of extra-community practices. Thus, membership in an interactional community seems more important than externally-imposed racial or ethnic identity in determining local health practices, while class may be as or more important in accounting for extra-community practices.
Matrix mediated alignment of single wall carbon nanotubes in polymer composite films

Abstract Alignment of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in liquid crystalline (LC) polymer matrix imparting orientation to the nanotubes along the nematic director was studied by atomic force microscopy, measurements of electrical conductivity and Raman spectroscopy of the composite in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the nematic director. The composites were prepared through dispersion of SWNT with LC monomer in a common solvent, their alignment in nematic monomer and consequent UV polymerization of the monomer. The anisotropy of electrical and optical properties of the system depends strongly on the concentration of the nanotubes in the range of 1–10% SWNT being especially strong for smaller concentrations and negligible at higher loads. A simple semi-quantitative model is suggested to account for the orientational behavior of nanotubes in nematic matrices. It successfully describes the observed anisotropy of physical properties at microscale (up to 200 μm) in terms of anchoring of the polymer chains to the nanotubes surface and adjustment of the nanotubes orientation to the nematic direction due to such coupling. The increasing disorientation of the nematic domains at higher nanotubes loads is explained as a development of larger number of LC defects induced by the nanotubes in the nematic matrix due to their intrinsic nature of aggregation. The anisotropy of physical properties at macro scale (several millimeters) is much smaller and less dependable on SWNT concentration because differently oriented LC domains effectively wash out the anisotropy.
Prediction of protein solubility in E. coli

Gene synthesis is a key step to convert digitally predicted proteins to functional proteins. However, it is a relatively expensive and labor-intensive process. About 30–50% of the synthesized proteins are not soluble, thereby further reduces the efficacy of gene synthesis as a method for protein function characterization. Solubility prediction from primary protein sequences holds the promise to dramatically reduce the cost of gene synthesis. This work presents a framework that creates models of solubility from sequence information. From the primary protein sequences of the genes to be synthesized, sequence features can be used to build computational models for solubility. This way, biologists can focus the effort on synthesizing genes that are highly likely to generate soluble proteins. We have developed a framework that employs several machine learning algorithms to model protein solubility. The framework is used to predict protein solubility in the Escherichia coli expression system. The analysis is performed on over 1,600 quantified proteins. The approach successfully predicted the solubility with more than 80% accuracy, and enabled in depth analysis of the most important features affecting solubility. The analysis pipeline is general and can be applied to any set of sequence features to predict any binary measure. The framework also provides the biologist with a comprehensive comparison between different learning algorithms, and insightful feature analysis.
Release of atrial natriuretic factor after pericardiectomy for chronic constrictive pericarditis.

The mechanism by which atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is released has been variably attributed to a number of stimuli including atrial distension,1,2 stretch,3 compliance4 and atria1 hypertension.5,6 In constrictive pericarditis, atrial pressures are markedly elevated in conjunction with fluid retention and diminished myocardial distensibility. Release of pericardial constriction would therefore allow increased distensibility at the same time atrial pressures are lowered. We describe a patient with severe calcific constrictive pericarditis in whom for the first time ANF levels and physiologic parameters were measured before and after pericardiectomy.
ATM and MET kinases are synthetic lethal with nongenotoxic activation of p53

The p53 tumor suppressor orchestrates alternative stress responses including cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, but the mechanisms defining cell fate upon p53 activation are poorly understood. Several small-molecule activators of p53 have been developed, including Nutlin-3, but their therapeutic potential is limited by the fact that they induce reversible cell cycle arrest in most cancer cell types. We report here the results of a genome-wide short hairpin RNA screen for genes that are lethal in combination with p53 activation by Nutlin-3, which showed that the ATM and MET kinases govern cell fate choice upon p53 activation. Genetic or pharmacological interference with ATM or MET activity converts the cellular response from cell cycle arrest into apoptosis in diverse cancer cell types without affecting expression of key p53 target genes. ATM and MET inhibitors also enable Nutlin-3 to kill tumor spheroids. These results identify new pathways controlling the cellular response to p53 activation and aid in the design of p53-based therapies.
Development of the obstructive sleep apnea knowledge and attitudes (OSAKA) questionnaire

Abstract Study objectives : To develop and validate a questionnaire that assesses physicians' knowledge and attitudes about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitudes (OSAKA) questionnaire. Design : Questionnaire study. Setting : Physicians associated with the Washington University Physicians Network. Participants : Twenty physicians in the pilot testing and 115 physicians in the final testing of the instrument. Interventions : Physicians completed the OSAKA questionnaire containing sections regarding knowledge about OSA (18 items), attitudes about OSA (five items), and demographics of the study participants. Measurements and results : Knowledge scores ranged from 0 to 18 (mean±SD=13.3±2.8). Individual knowledge items did not differ significantly by gender or by whether or not respondents had completed subspecialty training. The five attitude items were significantly correlated with one another. Knowledge scores correlated with the 5-item attitude scale. There was a negative correlation between age and knowledge ( r =−0.368, P r =−0.198, P =0.036); thus, the older the respondent, the lower the knowledge score and the less confident they were in managing patients with OSA. Conclusions : The OSAKA appears to be a useful instrument to measure physicians' knowledge about OSA, their views on its importance as a clinical disorder, and their confidence in identifying and managing patients with this disorder.
A one-dimensional theory of strain-gradient plasticity : Formulation, analysis, numerical results

This study develops a one-dimensional theory of strain-gradient plasticity based on: (i) a system of microstresses consistent with a microforce balance; (ii) a mechanical version of the second law that includes, via microstresses, work performed during viscoplastic flow; (iii) a constitutive theory that allows • the free-energy to depend on the gradient of the plastic strain, and • the microstresses to depend on the gradient of the plastic strain-rate. The constitutive equations, whose rate-dependence is of power-law form, are endowed with energetic and dissipative gradient length-scales L and l, respectively, and allow for a gradient-dependent generalization of standard internal-variable hardening. The microforce balance when augmented by the constitutive relations for the microstresses results in a nonlocal flow rule in the form of a partial differential equation for the plastic strain. Typical macroscopic boundary conditions are supplemented by nonstandard microscopic boundary conditions associated with flow, and properties of the resulting boundary-value problem are studied both analytically and numerically. The resulting solutions are shown to exhibit three distinct physical phenomena: (i) standard (isotropic) internal-variable hardening; (ii) energetic hardening, with concomitant back stress, associated with plastic-strain gradients and resulting in boundary layer effects; (iii) dissipative strengthening associated with plastic strain-rate gradients and resulting in a size-dependent increase in yield strength.
Genitopatellar syndrome: expanding the phenotype.

Genitopatellar syndrome is a recently described disorder with characteristic facies, genital anomalies, absent patella, flexion contractures, microcephaly, renal anomalies, and mental retardation. The presence of affected siblings in two of the original families suggests autosomal recessive inheritance. We report a new patient that exhibits all of these cardinal features and is also the second case to have additional, more severe findings including a congenital heart defect, anal anomalies, and features of an ectodermal dysplasia, thus expanding the phenotype to include these manifestations.
Structural evidence for a common zinc binding domain in archaeal and eukaryal transcription factor IIB proteins.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been used to compare the metal coordination of the N-terminal zinc binding domain of eukaryal human transcription factor (TF) IIB to the previously reported structure of archaeal Pyrococcus furiosus (Pf) TFB. Full length and N-terminal fragments for both PfTFBand human TFIIB were cloned, expressed, and purified. The [C10H] variant of PfTFB was constructed to resemble the metal binding motif of higher eukaryal TFIIB proteins by mutating the second cysteine ligand to a histidine. All five proteins bind zinc in a 1 :1 ratio. Zn X-ray absorption spectroscopy of human TFIIB and [C10H]PfTFB mutant are consistent with ZnS3(N,O) ligation, and further suggest that the N/O ligand is an imidazole.
An approach to characterizing single- subunit mutations in multimeric prepores and pores of anthrax protective antigen

Heptameric pores formed by the protective antigen (PA) moiety of anthrax toxin translocate the intracellular effector moieties of the toxin across the endosomal membrane to the cytosol of mammalian cells. We devised a protocol to characterize the effects of individual mutations in a single subunit of heptameric PA prepores (pore precursors) or pores. We prepared monomeric PA containing a test mutation plus an innocuous Cys-replacement mutation at a second residue (Lys563, located on the external surface of the prepore). The introduced Cys was biotinylated, and the protein was allowed to cooligomerize with a 20-fold excess of wild-type PA. Finally, biotinylated prepores were freed from wild-type prepores by avidin affinity chromatography. For the proof of principle, we examined single-subunit mutations of Asp425 and Phe427, two residues where Ala replacements have been shown to cause strong inhibitory effects. The single-subunit D425A mutation inhibited pore formation by >104 and abrogated activity of PA almost completely in our standard cytotoxicity assay. The single-subunit F427A mutation caused ∼100-fold inhibition in the cytotoxicity assay, and this effect was shown to result from a combination of strong inhibition of translocation and smaller effects on pore formation and ligand affinity. Our results show definitively that replacing a single residue in one subunit of the heptameric PA prepore can inhibit the transport activity of the oligomer almost completely—and by different mechanisms, depending on the specific residue mutated.
The Absorption Spectra of Acetylene, Ethylene and Ethane in the Far Ultraviolet

An absorption spectrum of acetylene in the region 1520A to 1050A has been found. It appears at very low pressures. The analysis was made by obtaining the spectrum of acetylene made from about 50 percent heavy water. The small isotopic shifts of many bands revealed them to be vibrationless electronic transitions. These are arranged into two Rydberg series going to the same limit which corresponds to an ionization potential of 11.35 volts. The upper levels of the two series are designated as $\mathrm{np}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ and $\mathrm{np}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ levels. The excitation and ionization are from the CC bond and only vibrations affecting this bond appear. The character of the vibrations present is deduced from the magnitude of the isotopic shifts. Strong predissociation occurs around 1520A. This yields a value of about 187 Cal/mole for the strength of the triple CC bond. A similar set of bands appears in ethylene in the region 1750A to 1200A. The bands are more diffuse than those in acetylene, and only one strong Rydberg series was discovered. The limit of the series corresponds to an ionization potential of 10.41 volts. The vibrational analysis is similar to that in acetylene. The spectrum of ethane is extremely diffuse and no analysis of it could be made. It is concluded that, as in methane, all the upper states are unstable.
Human leukocyte antigen-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplant for a patient with histiocytic sarcoma

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare malignancy. The few favorable outcomes reported in the literature involved patients treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). None of the few publis...
Personal Computer Based Image Processing With Halftoning

A versatile and useful personal computer based procedure to generate halftone representation of digitized image data is presented. This feature provides limited interactive image processing capability for a basic personal computer work station without having to acquire a video monitor and a digital-to-analog converter board. The generated halftone images can be displayed on the standard dot-addressable graphics monitor, and/or they can be printed on regular paper via an associated printer. The halftoning procedure is based on an error diffusion technique in which dots are produced randomly, one at a time, based on both the local gray level value and some accumulated measure of the error due to previous assignments. The key elements in halftoning, such as dynamic, spatial, and display medium resolutions, are defined, and the mathematical correspondence among them is established.
Effect of sunlight on redox cycles of manganese in the southwestern Sargasso Sea

The cycling of manganese between soluble Mn(II) and particulate manganese oxides was investigated in the upper 750 m at a station in the southwestern Sargasso Sea. Dissolved manganese was present at a maximum concentration (4.3 ± 0.6 nM) in the surface mixed layer (0–40 m) and decreased to 0.67 ± 0.19 nM at depths of 400–750 m. Particulate manganese, on the other hand, occurred at a minimum concentration (0.034 ± 0.012 nM) in the mixed layer and increased to a maximum of 0.41–0.48 nM at depths of 120–250 m. All of the increase in particulate manganese with depth occurred within the fraction that could be reductively dissolved by 0.3 mM ascorbic acid at ambient seawater pH, indicating that the rise resulted from an increase in the concentration of manganese oxides. Oxides were undetectable in the mixed layer, but a mean of 94% of the particulate manganese appeared to be associated with oxides at depths of 80–250 m. Radiotracer (54MnCl2) measurements of particulate formation rates and concomitant steady-state calculations of particulate turnover rates indicate that the low near-surface concentrations of particulate manganese resulted from both low formation rates and high turnover rates of particulate manganese. The formation of particulate manganese was sharply inhibited by sunlight, consistent with photoinhibition of manganese oxidizing microorganisms. Likewise, sunlight caused a 12-fold increase in the dissolution rate of 54Mn-labeled particulate manganese, which we attribute to photoreduction of manganese oxides. Both photo-effects appear to be important in sharply reducing the concentration of particulate manganese in near-surface seawater, and thereby minimizing the removal of manganese via particulate sinking. The resulting reduction in removal rates should be a major factor contributing to the surface maximum in manganese concentrations, which is a prominent feature of manganese profiles in much of the worlds ocean.
Lactate, glucose and energy metabolism in the ischemic brain (Review)

For many decades, lactate was considered to be an end product of anaerobic glycolysis in mammalian tissues with no other function in metabolism. As determination of lactate level became a routine in hospital blood work, fluctuations in its levels were associated with situations other than oxygen lack. It was just a matter of time before elevated lactate blood levels emerged as a 'red flag' for potential malaise and frequently was blamed as the of it. Lactate and its accompanying acidosis are still considered today to be major contributors to selective neuronal damage in cerebral ischemia despite the emergence of alternative, more compelling postulates as to the causes of this damage. The attitude, especially among clinicians, has been difficult to change despite recent findings that strongly indicate lactate to be a possible beneficial intermediate in brain energy metabolism. This review revisits briefly the annals that brought about the lingering negative attitude toward lactate and expands on the more recent findings and debates that have illuminated this monocarboxylate in a different, more positive light.
Individualizing memory strategies to improve medication adherence.

Abstract Changes in cognitive processes are well documented among even essentially healthy community-dwelling older adults. Although these changes do not produce the level of cognitive impairment associated with dementia, they do have the capacity to influence the degree to which elderly individuals self-manage chronic conditions. This pilot investigation tested the effect of an intervention to improve remembering to take medications and tracking if medications were taken as intended. Twenty-seven older adults (age range=67–89 years, M = 78 years) all self-managing prescribed medications had one medication electronically monitored for 8 weeks preintervention and then 8 weeks postintervention. The percentage of days the correct number of doses was taken increased from a mean of 64.5% to that of 78%. With the use of Wilcoxon's signed ranks test, this improvement in adherence is significant. When participants with dementia or mild cognitive impairment were eliminated from the analysis ( n = 6), the intervention continued to improve adherence (70.6% to 86%), suggesting that many older adults have the potential to improve adherence through individualized implementation of memory strategies.
Molecular Markers for Incidence, Prognosis, and Response to Therapy

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in the United States and worldwide. In 2011, it is estimated that more than 221,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer of the lung and bronchus. For patients with early-stage disease, 5-year survival approaches only 50%. Recent advances using molecular, genetic, and proteomic profiling of lung tumors have enabled refining the prognosis for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. With targeted therapies, there is an opportunity to enhance long-term survival. This article discusses several key molecular markers used in the prognostication and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.
Light-Harvesting Arrays with Coumarin Donors and MLCT Acceptors.

We present a light-harvesting strategy that utilizes organic donor molecules to achieve sensitized metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) based emission. In this scheme, coumarin dye molecules are covalently linked to the periphery of diimine ligands in Ru(II) inorganic complexes that display MLCT excited states. Our findings suggest that the singlet−singlet energy transfer strategies traditionally employed in artificial light-harvesting arrays can be adapted to incorporate MLCT excited states.
Novel Approaches to Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Breast Cancer: The Art of the Possible

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction in women with breast cancer has become an increasingly important clinical issue. To date, little is known about its incidence, exact characteristics, and exact pathophysiology. Likewise, no treatments have been shown to prevent or decrease cognitive changes thought to result from chemotherapy. However, ongoing scientific research might help us understand the mechanisms that will help patients maintain maximal cognitive function. Changes in cognition due to chemotherapy might result from indirect chemical toxicity and oxidative damage, direct injury to neurons, inflammation, or a type of autoimmune response. Based on these potential causes, and based on interventions that have been tested in dementia and Alzheimer's disease, there are a number of potential, novel interventions that could be tested in clinical trials as treatments for chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction. Possible anecdotal strategies to consider include hormonal interventions, antioxidants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, growth factors, dopamine agonists, cholinesterase inhibitors, antiinflammatory agents, and behavioral interventions
A rapid method for the electrophoresis of chromatin proteins.

Abstract A method for the electrophoresis of chromatin proteins in the presence of DNA is described. Total chromatin proteins can be separated under controlled conditions by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate without prior high-speed centrifugation to remove DNA. The method is rapid and yields good resolution of the chromatin nonhistone proteins. It allows the qualitative analysis of the chromatin nonhistone proteins and facilitates the comparison of these proteins within tissues of a species and among different species.
Phonon-assisted energy transfer within dimers in Pr3+:CaF2

Abstract Time-resolved, site-selective laser spectroscopy has been used to study the nonresonant energy transfer between inequivalent Pr 3+ ions in a well-defined dimer site in Pr 3+ :CaF 2 . The mechanism of the nonresonant energy transfer was determined from the temperature dependence of the energy transfer rate to be a one-phonon direct process at low temperatures and a combination of the one-phonon process and resonant, two-phonon processes (Orbach processes) at temperatures above 10 K. Application of a magnetic field had no discernible effect on the energy transfer rate because no significant Zeeman splittings occurred.
Valence and salience contribute to nucleus accumbens activation

Different accounts of nucleus accumbens (NAcc) function have emphasized its role in representing either valence or salience during incentive anticipation. In an event-related FMRI experiment, we independently manipulated valence and salience by cuing participants to anticipate certain and uncertain monetary gains and losses. NAcc activation correlated with both valence and salience. On trials with certain outcomes, NAcc activation increased for anticipated gains and decreased for anticipated losses. On trials with uncertain outcomes, NAcc activation increased for both anticipated gains and losses but did not differ between them. These findings suggest that NAcc activation separately represents both valence and salience, consistent with its hypothesized role in appetitive motivation.
Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

In the Malagasy region, 52 ant genera have been recorded, of which 48 are estimated to be indigenous. On the island of Madagascar, 41 out of 45 recorded genera are considered to be indigenous. Four genera are endemic to Madagascar and one to Mauritius. Currently, there are 383 names of described species-group taxa from the Malagasy region, and 320 from Madagascar. The level of endemism is high at the species level, >90%. The ant fauna of the Malagasy region, however, is poorly understood; an estimated two thirds of the ant species are undescribed. The diversity of ant genera on the island is comparable to that of other biogeographic regions. On the basis of generic and species level comparisons, the Malagasy fauna shows greater affinities to the Afrotropical region than to peninsular India and the Oriental region. The distinct gaps in the taxonomic and ecological composition of the fauna of Madagascar are evaluated in the context of island radiations and relict taxa. The absence of driver ants in Madagasc...
A meta-analytic review of sex differences in facial expression processing and their development in infants, children, and adolescents

Quantitative and qualitative reviews of the literature on sex differences in facial expression processing (FEP) have yielded conflicting findings regarding children. This study was designed to review quantitatively the literature on sex differences in FEP from infancy through adolescence and to evaluate consistency between the course of FEP development and predictions derived from preliminary theoretical models. Results, which indicate a female advantage at FEP, are consistent with predictions derived from an integrated neurobehavioral/social constructivist model. These findings suggest a need for research examining both neurological maturation and socialization as important factors in the development of sex differences in FEP and related skills. Possible directions for future study are discussed, with emphasis on the need to integrate the infant literature with research focused on older children and adults.
Effect of Ultrasonic Waves on the Extraction of Alkaloids

Cinchona bark, ipecac root, and jaborandi leaf were extracted with chloroform by means of a “step-horn” ultrasonic generator. Per cent total alkaloids extracted were plotted against time of extraction and results compared with conventional Soxhlet extraction. Results indicate that ultrasonic energy has an accelerating effect on the extraction of cinchona bark, ipecac root, and jaborandi leaf.
The effect of aging on the thermal behavior of sulfonated polystyrene

The thermal properties of an ionomer glass, lightly sulfonated polystyrene, was studied as a function of aging at room temperature after being cooled from the melt. An anomalous endothermic event below Tg was observed by differential scanning calorimetry; the intensity of this excess enthalpy was a function of time and sulfonate concentration. It is suggested that the origin of this relaxation may be due in part to morphological changes that occur as a consequence of electrostatic interactions of the sulfonate groups.
Activation of protein kinase C is required for protection of cells against apoptosis induced by singlet oxygen

We evaluated the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of apoptosis triggered by singlet oxygen. Activation of PKC by short-term 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) treatment inhibited apoptosis, whereas inhibition of PKC with several inhibitors potentiated this process. The antiapoptotic effect of TPA was accompanied by phosphorylation of extracelluar signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Pretreatment of cells with MEK inhibitor, PD98059, inhibited TPA-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the cytoprotective ability of TPA. These results suggest that activation of PKC in HL-60 cells confers protection against apoptosis induced by singlet oxygen and that ERK1/2 mediates antiapoptotic signaling of PKC.
Biophysical insights into how surfaces, including lipid membranes, modulate protein aggregation related to neurodegeneration.

There are a vast number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD), associated with the rearrangement of specific proteins to non-native conformations that promotes aggregation and deposition within tissues and/or cellular compartments. These diseases are commonly classified as protein misfolding or amyloid diseases. The interaction of these proteins with liquid/surface interfaces is a fundamental phenomenon with potential implications for protein misfolding diseases. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies indicate that significant conformational changes can be induced in proteins encountering surfaces, which can play a critical role in nucleating aggregate formation or stabilizing specific aggregation states. Surfaces of particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases are cellular and subcellular membranes that are predominately comprised of lipid components. The two-dimensional liquid environments provided by lipid bilayers can profoundly alter protein structure and dynamics by both specific and nonspecific interactions. Importantly for misfolding diseases, these bilayer properties can not only modulate protein conformation, but also exert influence on aggregation state. A detailed understanding of the influence of (sub)cellular surfaces in driving protein aggregation and/or stabilizing specific aggregate forms could provide new insights into toxic mechanisms associated with these diseases. Here, we review the influence of surfaces in driving and stabilizing protein aggregation with a specific emphasis on lipid membranes.
Characterization of a human corneal metalloproteinase inhibitor (TIMP-1).

The gradual corneal thinning seen in keratoconus may be due to altered degradation of the corneal extracellular matrix. Studies have shown that human keratocytes produce matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and two proteins (28 kDa and 21 ma) that are capable of inhibiting the activity of MMP-2. In the present study, the 28 kDa inhibitor from keratoconus keratocyte cultures has been characterized as it may be important to the elevated MMP-2 activity seen in these cultures. Biochemical analyses indicated that this keratoconus corneal inhibitor was similar to TIMP-1 from other sources. Oligonucleotides to the reported sequence of human tumor cell TIMP-1 were used for reverse-transcriptase PCR to generate a 700 bp clone of the 28 kDa ithbitor from keratoconus keratocyte cytoplasmic RNA. Sequence analysis verified that the clone was nearly identical to the reported human TIMP-1 with a single base substitution that did not affect the predicted amino acid sequence. In addition, protein translated from the clone c...
Validation of Hyperactive, Aggressive, and Mixed Hyperactive/Aggressive Childhood Disorders: A Research Note

Eighty-five non-referred school children were divided into four groups based upon the IOWA Conners Teacher's Questionnaire: pure hyperactive (HYP), pure aggressive (AGG), mixed hyperactive/aggressive (HYP/AGG), and normal controls. The groups were compared on neurobehavioral tests believed to assess inattention and impulsivity. A continuous performance test indicated that the HYP group was more inattentive than the other groups and the HYP/AGG group was most impulsive. The AGG group did not differ from controls. The data support the distinction between HYP, AGG and HYP/AGG groups of children selected by the IOWA Conners.
Energy Coupling in the PSI−LHCI Supercomplex from the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii†,‖

Energy transfer and trapping in the PSI-LHCI supercomplex from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii have been studied using femtosecond transient absorption and picosecond fluorescence spectroscopy at room temperature. Data suggest that excitations of the PSI-LHCI supercomplex at 700 nm have similar probabilities of excitation of either the primary donor in the PSI core (absorbing at 697 nm) or low-energy Chls in the LHCI (red pigments) that presumably absorb at this spectral region. Both transient absorption and picosecond fluorescence spectroscopy indicate a biphasic overall decay of the excitation in the PSI-LHCI. The process includes a photochemical trapping in the PSI core antenna occurring with a typical lifetime of 25 ′ 3 ps and a significantly slower excitation decay phase in the PSI-LHCI supercomplex occurring with a lifetime of 104 ′ 20 ps and maximum of absorption changes around 685 nm. The slow excitation decay process suggests presence of an energy transfer pathway from the LHCI to the PSI core, which introduces a diffusion-limited step, in contrast to optimized and energetically well coupled excitation dynamics in the PSI core and CP43-PSI supercomplexes from iron-stress-induced cyanobacteria. Although LHCI in green algae seems to be similar to those isolated from higher plants the data demonstrate apparent differences in the excitation dynamics suggesting differences in molecular organizations and causes of the red spectral shift associated with PSI. Data of time-resolved spectroscopy are discussed based on the available structural models of PSI-LHCI supercomplexes.