cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of airframe noise

A component method of airframe noise prediction is used to predict levels of operational and proposed aircraft airframe noise to assess the contribution of airframe noise to community noise levels. This is done after first evaluating the prediction method using newly acquired detailed measurements from full-scale aircraft and models. In the course of the evaluation, modeling techniques of airframe noise sources are examined with attention to scaling. Finally, when used to predict approach airframe EPNLs, the levels fell about 10 EPNdB below current noise regulations and about 5 EPNdB below proposed noise regulations.
Countercurrent Separation of Natural Products

An assessment of the technology and method development in countercurrent chromatography (CCC) and centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), collectively referred to as countercurrent separation (CS), is provided. More than six decades of CS theory and applications are critically reviewed and developed into a practical guide to CS for natural products research. The necessary theoretical foundation is given for better use of CS in the separation of biological molecules of any size, small to large, and from any matrix, simple to complex. The three operational fundamentals of CS—instrumentation, biphasic solvent systems, and theory—are covered in a prismatic fashion. The goal of this review is to provide the necessary background and references for an up-to-date perspective of CS and to point out its potential for the natural products scientist for applications in natural products chemistry, metabolome, and proteome research involving organisms from terrestrial and marine sources.
House sparrow preferential consumption of pesticide granules with different surface coatings

House sparrows were given choices among granules of a single carrier type (gypsum or cellulose complex) but with different surface coatings. The three surface coatings included graphite, a black pigment, and uncoated. An outdoor aviary equipped with a video recording system was used to document bird visits to, and pecks within, a tray setup containing the granules. The house sparrows preferred uncolored gypsum granules (50% of the trips and 92% of the pecks) over granules darkened with either graphite or pigment ; pigmented granules were avoided the most. Sparrow use did not differ significantly between uncoated cellulose-complex granules and those with either a 0.4 or 0.7% graphite coating. Bird visitation to the granule tray setup was influenced by weather conditions ; more visits occurred on days with cooler temperatures and/or greater amounts of precipitation. Knowledge of how birds respond to granule surface coatings may be useful in developing pesticide formulations that are less attractive to birds.
Crystal Structure of the VIBRIO Cholerae Cytolysin Heptameric Pore

Many pathogenic bacteria secrete pore-forming toxins (PFTs) that specifically kill host cells. These toxins may strategically target human immune cells or more generally release materials necessary to sustain colonization of the host. PFTs are secreted as water-soluble protein molecules, bind to susceptible cells, oligomerize into ring-like pre-pore structures, and insert aphipathic channels into the membrane. In sufficient numbers, these channels are capable of lysing cells. PFT channels are characterized as α or β depending on whether the transmembrane region forms an α-helical or β-barrel structure.The human pathogen Vibrio cholerae secretes a β-PFT, Vibrio cholerae cytolysin (VCC), which targets cholesterol and sphingolipid-containing membranes. We developed a technique for assembling milligram quantities of oligomeric VCC on asolectin/cholesterol liposomes and purified the detergent-solubilized complex by size exclusion chromatography. We crystallized and solved the high-resolution structure of the 450 kDa VCC heptamer by X-ray crystallography to 2.9 A. This structure, together with our previous water-soluble monomer structure of VCC, represent endpoints in the assembly process and provide a detailed account of the conformational changes that occur upon channel formation. This includes substantial reorganization of the channel-forming loop and accessory lectin domains. Our structures represent the first high-resolution pair of water-soluble and assembled states for a β-PFT, and provide insight into unresolved questions regarding the mechanism of channel assembly and membrane specificity.
Metabolic fate of exogenous 15NH4Cl in the gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta)

This study was undertaken to determine whether gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) could metabolize ammonia from their environment into other, less toxic products. To this end, gulf toadfish were exposed to 3.8 mM 15NH(4)Cl in seawater for 24 and 48 h. Liver, kidney, gill, brain and muscle samples were analyzed for distribution of 15N within the tissue and among various nitrogen-containing metabolites (ammonia, amino-N, glutamine-N, urea and protein). The data reported here show that the toadfish can indeed take up and metabolize ammonia. Analysis of individual metabolic products of ammonia indicates that the toadfish can convert this toxic chemical into other less toxic metabolites. Ammonia enrichment is significantly different over controls in the kidney, brain and muscle. Urea enrichment is most significant in the brain, with less significant enrichment occurring in the liver and muscle. While accumulation of ammonia into an amino acid pool was not a significant metabolic fate, protein synthesis was significantly enriched in all tissues (with the highest levels occurring in the gill) indicating that amino acid synthesis may be a pathway of ammonia detoxification en route to protein synthesis, and that environmental ammonia can be 'fixed' into protein. Finally, it was found that glutamine-N synthesis occurs at significant levels in the liver, brain and muscle.
Probing Ag nanoparticle surface oxidation in contact with (in)organics: an X-ray scattering and fluorescence yield approach.

Characterizing interfacial reactions is a crucial part of understanding the behavior of nanoparticles in nature and for unlocking their functional potential. Here, an advanced nanostructure characterization approach to study the corrosion processes of silver nanoparticles (Ag-Nps), currently the most highly produced nanoparticle for nanotechnology, is presented. Corrosion of Ag-Nps under aqueous conditions, in particular in the presence of organic matter and halide species common to many natural environments, is of particular importance because the release of toxic Ag+ from oxidation/dissolution of Ag-Nps may strongly impact ecosystems. In this context, Ag-Nps capped with polyvinolpyrrolidone (PVP) in contact with a simple proxy of organic matter in natural waters [polyacrylic acid (PAA) and Cl− in solution] has been investigated. A combination of synchrotron-based X-ray standing-wave fluorescence yield- and X-ray diffraction-based experiments on a sample consisting of an approximately single-particle layer of Ag-Nps deposited on a silicon substrate and coated by a thin film of PAA containing Cl revealed the formation of a stable AgCl corrosion product despite the presence of potential surface stabilizers (PVP and PAA). Diffusion and precipitation processes at the Ag-Nps–PAA interface were characterized with a high spatial resolution using this new approach.
Normal Patterns and Variants in PET Brain Imaging.

One of the most important aspects for the evaluation of PET brain scans for research or clinical purposes is to be able to identify normal variants. For functional brain imaging in general, it is not always easy to characterize the term ‘‘normal’’ because many normal brain functions and mental activities might affect brain activity as measured by PET scans. This article reviews issues pertaining to the technical and neurophysiologic aspects of functional brain imaging that might alter ‘‘normal’’ activity as evaluated by PET imaging. This includes an evaluation of various types of radiopharmaceuticals that measure cerebral blood flow, cerebral metabolism, and neurotransmitter activity. The baseline state of the brain and normal activity patterns associated with cognitive, sensory, and emotional processes are discussed in this article. In addition, the changes in the brain that occur during the life span of normal individuals are also considered because there is a different ‘‘normal’’ for each stage of life. Tomographic brain imaging was first developed in the 1960s by Kuhl and Edwards, 1 using singlephoton emission computed tomography (SPECT), and was used to obtain the first transaxial reconstructions of radionuclide distribution in the brain. This technique was used to study several neurologic and psychiatric disorders and their effect on radionuclide distribution in the central nervous system (CNS). 2 SPECT was the first functional imaging modality that was used in the study of the CNS, and these early studies met with much success. 3 The SPECT studies used single-photon
Standard setting and the entity-proprietary debate

Abstract This study identifies the proprietary theory as the predominant viewpoint of surveyed certified public accountants (CPAs). The findings establish a relationship between accounting information and the behavior of accounting information attestors and disclose a determinant of the processes influencing CPAs' reactions to accounting standard setting. Further, given that general agreement among practitioners is necessary for the successful implementation of accounting standards, the proprietary theory could provide a normative basis from which to derive authoritative pronouncements that are acceptable to practising accountants.
Nociceptive visceral stimulation modulates the activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells

The cerebellum is a system with various input and output functions that influence motor, sensory, cognitive, and other processes. In a previous study, we showed that cerebellar cortical stimulation increases spinal neuronal responses to visceral noxious stimulation by colorectal distension (CRD). However, the neuronal network underlying the cerebellar modulation of nociceptive phenomena is largely unknown. Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex receive ascending and descending inputs and exert a major inhibitory control over neurons in the underlying cerebellar nuclei that constitute the cerebellar output. Therefore, in this study, we tested the effect of CRD and other somatic stimuli on the firing rate of Purkinje cells using in vivo extracellular recording techniques. The results suggest that Purkinje cells respond to nociceptive visceral and somatic stimulation in the form of early and delayed changes in activity. Based on these and previous findings, we propose a negative feedback circuitry involving the cerebellum for the modulation of peripheral nociceptive events.
Thermodynamic Characteristics of Surface Diffusion in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography

The thermodynamic properties of surface diffusion in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) were analyzed in connection with the thermodynamics of surface diffusion in gas chromatography systems and of phase equilibrium in RPLC. The results suggest that the activation energy of surface diffusion in RPLC consists of only two contributions, corresponding to a hole-making and a bond-breaking process. The former is close to the activation energy of the mobile phase viscosity; the latter is correlated with the isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst), by a numerical coefficient between 0.5 and 0.6. The validity of these results was proved by the analysis of correlations between the surface diffusion coefficient (Ds) and the adsorption equilibrium constant (linear free energy relation), between Ds and the boiling point of the sample components, and between the ratio of Ds to the molecular diffusivity and Qst. These results support a restricted diffusion model, proposed earlier as an approximation of the mass tra...
Amino Acid Additives Effects on Sweet Potato Starch Thermal Properties

This study assessed the effects of amino acid additives, aspartic acid, leucine, lysine, and methionine, on the thermal characteristics of white-fleshed and orange-fleshed Beauregard sweet potato starches. The orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSPS) starch began to gelatinize at a lower temperature (56.8°C) than the white-fleshed sweet potato starch (WFSPS) (70.1°C), but the two starches needed the same amount of energy to gelatinize. Lysine increased the gelatinization temperature of the OFSPS. The addition of leucine, aspartic acid, and methionine had no apparent impact on the OFSPS. The addition of lysine or aspartic acid increased the gelatinization temperatures of the WFSPS. Overall, the two starches used were more affected by charged amino acids than by the neutral ones.
TDMA-Based Dual-Mode Communication for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Small highly mobile robots, and in particular micro air vehicles (MAVs), are well suited to the task of exploring unknown indoor environments such as buildings and caves. Such a task imposes a number of requirements on the underlying communication infrastructure, with differing goals during various stages of the mission. This work addresses those requirements with a hybrid communications infrastructure consisting of a stationary mesh network along with the mobile nodes. The combined network operates in two independent modes, coupling a highly efficient, low duty cycle, low throughput mode for routing and persistent sensing with a burst mode for high data rate communication. By strategically distributing available frequency channels between the mobile agents and the stationary nodes, the overall network provides reliable long-term communication paths while maximizing data throughput when needed.
Volcanic development of small oceanic central volcanoes on the flanks of the East Pacific Rise inferred from narrow-beam echo-sounder surveys

Abstract Narrow-beam bathymetric surveys of about 30 volcanoes on young crust of the Cocos plate were collected in order to help determine the origin and evolution of oceanic central volcanoes. The volcanoes are located on ocean crust 1.5–7.5 m.y. in age and range in size from to ∼600 km 3 . These volcanoes differ greatly in shape, development of linear features, small scale morphologic characteristics and crater development. We conclude that these large differences in morphologic characteristics are due to the complex interaction of many factors in their development such as: conduit geometry, magma ascent rates, eruption rate history, tectonic activity, crater formation and filling and others. Elongation directions of individual volcanoes and clear linear bathymetric features near these volcanoes are among the lines of evidence that strongly suggest these volcanoes originate and evolve on and near oceanic fracture zones. Their origin and morphologic evolution is thus closely tied to the tectonic processes and thermal regimes at fractures. We speculate that these volcanoes on fast-spreading lithosphere are generated by episodic pulses of melt production beneath ridge crests in the vicinity of fracture zones. Petrologic evidence shows that these volcanoes cannot be fed from sub-axial magma chambers beneath the East Pacific Rise. Instead, they tap the same mantle source as the ridge crest at mantle depth.
The Just Use of Propaganda (?): Ethical Criteria for Counter-Hegemonic Communication Strategies

In the face of an entrenched corporate ideological apparatus that has captured our state institutions, mainstream media, and the governing classes, this article identifies an ethical problem for critical rhetoric. To what extent are democratic communities justified in utilizing the ‘master's tools’ of strategic communication to fight the vast political machinery of the corporate state? The debate in rhetoric studies on the ethics of persuasion and the debate in communication theory launched by Lippmann's critique of mass communication serve to open up areas of concern for considering the just use of propaganda. An ethical criteriology based on Michel de Certeau's concept of “making do” is developed to guide thinking about appropriate responses to the stranglehold of postmodern hegemony over the political economy. The Wisconsin Scott Walker repeal campaign of 2011 is used as an extended example to test this criteriology.
The silicone syndrome

Abstract:Silicone syndrome results from migration of free liquid silicone into the pulmonary capillaries following subcutaneous injection. Such injections are often performed illegally by nonmedical personnel for cosmetic reasons, such as breast and gluteal augmentation. Once the free silicone reach
Fluency Gains in Struggling College Readers from Wide Reading and Repeated Readings

Effects of wide reading and repeated readings were examined on struggling college readers' silent reading rate and reading comprehension relative to a vocabulary study control condition. Randomly assigned to a condition, community college students (N = 30) completed 25-min sessions individually in class three times a week for three weeks. Significant gains were made by wide reading (Cohen's d = 1.05) and repeated readings (Cohen's d = 0.72) in silent reading rate. No other effects were significant. Repeated readings appeared to encourage skimming whereas wide reading appeared to encourage careful processing of print. Instructional implications and future directions are discussed.
Net and gross production in the Ross Sea as determined by incubation experiments and dissolved O2 studies

Abstract We report net and gross production rates for samples from three JGOFS cruises to the Ross Sea during spring–autumn 1996–1997. We summarize continuous electrode measurements of mixed-layer O2 supersaturation taken during January 1997, and use these to calculate air-sea O2 fluxes and upper ocean net production. We also calculate net production rates from changes in the 0–80 m inventories of dissolved nitrate. Net C production rates during summer (January–February 1997), inferred from bottle incubations and O2 supersaturation, are 60 and 56 mmol m−2 day−1, respectively. These values agree well with net production values from November 1 to February 6 estimated from the decrease in the nitrate inventory of the upper water column, 108 mmol m−2 day−1. Depth-integrated gross C production measured on the summer cruise averaged 185 mmol m−2 day−1. High values of net C production, gross C production, and net/gross ratio (0.32) confirm earlier studies (e.g., Smith and Gordon, Geophysical Research Letters 24 (1997) 233–236) concluding that net and gross rates of carbon production are very high during the spring and summer. δ18O values of dissolved O2 also demonstrate that C and O2 are rapidly cycled metabolically even when mixed-layer O2 concentrations are close to saturation.
Model predictive control of a solar-thermal reactor

Abstract This paper presents the application of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) system to a solar-thermal reactor for carbon-steam gasification. The controller aimed at rejecting the disturbances in solar irradiation, caused by the presence of clouds, through the manipulation of the flow rates into the reactor. Simulations of a first-principles dynamic model were used to fit a linear, time-invariant model, to be used directly in the MPC algorithm. The MPC was tuned through simulations, until robust control was achieved. The proposed control system was compared to a fine-tuned multi-loop feedback control strategy. Simulations of the controlled reactor system showed that the linear MPC was capable of minimizing the effect of the disturbances within the entire operating region, outperforming a more conventional multi-loop feedback strategy. The results obtained suggest that the proposed controller is suitable for a real-world implementation.
DO TRANSIT-DEPENDENT NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVE INFERIOR BUS ACCESS? A NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS IN FOUR U.S. CITIES

Intrajurisdictional delivery of publicly provided services often results in observable service level differences that vary by spatial subunit (neighborhood). These variations are related to the soc...
Adaptive Prefiltering for Nonnegative Discrete Spectrum of Relaxations

Recent developments in the estimation of the discrete spectrum of relaxation frequencies (DSRFs) has opened doors to more robust subsurface target discrimination using electromagnetic induction measurements. In particular, a nonnegative least squares DSRF (NNLSQ-DSRF) estimation method has been shown to be robust and free from parameter tuning. In this letter, we propose an adaptive prefiltering process to complement the NNLSQ-DSRF where we attempt to linearly combine measurements and produce a filtered signal that is very likely to have a nonnegative DSRF, as well as an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio. Using synthetic and field data, we demonstrate that the proposed adaptive prefilter can effectively produce signals with nonnegative DSRFs.
The long-acting cholinesterase inhibitor heptyl-physostigmine attenuates the scopolamine-induced learning impairment of rats in a 14-unit T-maze.

Abstract Heptyl-physostigmine (heptyl-Phy), a new carbamate derivative of physostigmine (Phy), has been assessed for potential clinical value by evaluating its in vitro activity against human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), its duration of in vivo activity against rat plasma AChE, and its effects on attenuating a scopolamine-induced impairment in learning performance of young rats in a 14-unit T-maze. Heptyl-Phy demonstrated potent cholinesterase inhibition, with activity similar to that of Phy against AChE, IC 50 values 21.7±2.0 nM and 27.9±2.4 nM, respectively, and significantly greater than that of Phy against BChE, IC 50 values 5.0±0.1 nM and 16.0±2.9 nM, respectively. Heptyl-Phy achieved maximum AChE inhibition of 92.5% at 60 min and maintained a high and relatively constant inhibition for more than 8 h. For analysis of effects on learning performance, heptyl-Phy at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 or 3.0 mg/kg, or vehicle was administered i.p. to 52 3-month-old male Fischer-344 rats 60 min prior to maze training. Thirty minutes prior to training, each animal received either 0.9% NaCl or scopolamine hydrochloride (0.75 mg/kg). Only a 2.0 mg/kg dose of heptyl-Phy significantly reduced the number of errors in scopolamine-treated rats. The other doses did not improve any aspect of maze performance. Although the therapeutic window of heptyl-Phy did not appear wide enough for clinical use, the longer duration of action of heptyl-Phy would appear beneficial.
Functional Properties of Slow Skeletal Troponin T Isoforms in Cardiac Muscle Regulation

Since human slow skeletal troponin T (HSSTnT) mRNA expression has been shown to be upregulated in end-stage heart failure, it is important to understand its possible role in cardiac muscle regulation. At least three SSTnT isoforms have been found to exist in slow skeletal muscle: HSSTnT1 (+ Exons 5 and 12), HSSTnT2 (+5, −12), HSSTnT3 (−5, −12) and HSSTnT4 (−5, +12, only found at mRNA level). Porcine papillary skinned fibers displaced with HSSTnT1, 2 or 3 and reconstituted with HCTnI-TnC complex showed a decrease in the Ca2+ sensitivity of force development compared to adult human cardiac troponin T (HCTnT3). The extent of TnT displacement was analyzed by measuring the unregulated tension at pCa 8.0 after TnT treatment. The maximal recovered force was increased in fibers displaced with HSSTnT1 and 3. In contrast, HSSTnT4, showed an increase in the Ca2+ sensitivity of force development and no change in maximal force recovered compared to HCTnT3. Using a reconstituted system, actomyosin ATPase activity containing different HSSTnT isoforms was determined. None of the HSSTnTs were found to alter the ATPase activation in the presence of Ca2+. In contrast, HSSTnT2 and 3 showed an increase in the ATPase inhibition at 0.8 μM [Tn] in the absence of Ca2+. All of the HSSTnTs were less soluble than HCTnT3 at three different pHs, with the HSSTnT4 having the lowest solubility. Circular dichroism experiments performed in the presence of 1M KCl, revealed structural changes between HSSTnTs and HCTnT3. Proteolytic digestion assays are being carried out to determine the susceptibility of HSSTnTs to proteolysis. These results suggest that HSSTnT isoforms may play distinct functional roles in muscle regulation and the molecular mechanism may lie in their physical-chemical properties. Supported by NIH HL-042325 and AR-050199 and AHA 0825368E.
An application for semantic markup of biodiversity documents

We would like to demonstrate a machine-learning based semantic markup system that may be used to reformat free-text biodiversity documents in XML format for digital libraries. We named the system MARTT II. It is built on the MARTT engine described in [1], but with new components for example a parallel markup engine using the unsupervised learning algorithm described in [2]. The double Is in the name stand for Intuitive Interaction, which is our goal to make the system truly easy to use. They also mean the system supports two different automated markup engines, allowing the user to choose either one to use and make comparisons between the two.
Understanding the shape of sickled red cells.

To understand the physical basis of the wide variety of shapes of deoxygenated red cells from patients with sickle cell anemia, we have measured the formation rate and volume distribution of the birefringent domains of hemoglobin S fibers. We find that the domain formation rate depends on the ∼80th power of the protein concentration, compared to ∼40th power for the concentration dependence of the reciprocal of the delay time that precedes fiber formation. These remarkably high concentration dependences, as well as the exponential distribution of domain volumes, can be explained by the previously proposed double nucleation model in which homogeneous nucleation of a single fiber triggers the formation of an entire domain via heterogeneous nucleation and growth. The enormous sensitivity of the domain formation rate to intracellular hemoglobin S concentration explains the variable cell morphology and why rapid polymerization results in cells that do not appear sickled at all.
Total Ophthalmoplegia After Internal Maxillary Artery Ligation

• Total ophthalmoplegia is a serious complication of internal maxillary artery ligation. Although serious complications of transantral surgery of the pterygopalatine space are rare, they remain a very real possibility and should be considered before undertaking arterial ligation for treatment of posterior epistaxis. ( Arch Otolaryngol 1985;111:696-698)
Axial standing-wave illumination frequency-domain imaging (SWIF)

Despite their tremendous contribution to biomedical research and diagnosis, conventional spatial sampling techniques such as wide-field, point scanning or selective plane illumination microscopy face inherent limiting trade-offs between spatial resolution, field-of-view, phototoxicity and recording speed. Several of these trade-offs are the result of spatial sampling with diffracting beams. Here, we introduce a new strategy for fluorescence imaging, SWIF, which instead encodes the axial profile of a sample in the Fourier domain. We demonstrate how this can be achieved with propagation-invariant illumination patterns that extend over several millimeters and robustly propagate through layers of varying refractive index. This enabled us to image a lateral field-of-view of 0.8 mm x 1.5 mm with an axial resolution of 2.4 µm – greatly exceeding the lateral field-of-view of conventional illumination techniques (~100 µm) at comparable resolution. Thus, SWIF allowed us to surpass the limitations of diffracting illumination beams and untangle lateral field-of-view from resolution.
Qui Tam Claims: Threat to Voluntary Compliance Programs in Health Care Organizations

The Department of Justice (DOJ) reports that after violent crime, health care fraud is the department's top priority. The number of health care fraud investigations pending at the DOJ increased from 270 cases in 1992 to more than 4,000 in 1997. The DOJ's primary weapon in prosecuting health care fraud is the federal False Claims Act (FCA) of 1863 (31 U.S.C. secs. 3729-3733). Almost unique among federal antifraud provisions, the FCA may also be used by "private prosecutors" to file lawsuits on behalf of the federal government charging organizations with submitting false claims to the government. The FCA rewards such whistle-blowers with a share of any resulting recoveries as a bounty and protects them from discharge for filing false claims lawsuits against their employers. It also requires defendants to pay the costs and attorneys fees of successful claimants. Although the private "bounty hunter" features of the FCA date back to the Civil War, these so-called qui tam claims were nearly dormant until 1986, when Congress amended the FCA to revive their use. Following the 1986 amendments, and paralleling the rapid increase in federal reimbursements for health care costs, private qui tam claims have far expanded beyond their traditional purview of defense contracts into the field of health care. By 1997, health care providers were the targets of 54 percent of the 530 private qui tam lawsuits filed that year.
Preparation of Recombinant Peptides with Site- and Degree-Specific Lysine 13C-Methylation

Lysine methylation is an important post-translational modification that affects protein function; for example, the transcriptional activity of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. To facilitate structural characterization of complexes involving proteins and methylated targets by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we devised a simple method for preparing recombinant 15N/13C-enriched peptides with a 13C-methyl-labeled methylated lysine analogue. The method, which relies on the synthesis of 13C-enriched alkylating agents, was applied to the production of 15-residue p53 peptides variously methylated at lysine analogue 370. The peptides were used to probe the methylation state-dependent interactions of mono, di, and trimethylated p53 with three different proteins.
Feeding biomechanics of five demersal Antarctic fishes

There is scant information available on the ecomorphology of Antarctic fishes, and especially on their feeding capabilities. We measured interspecific variation in mechanical advantage (MA), force-producing capability, and suction index for the jaws of the five dominant taxa of high-Antarctic fishes: the nototheniid Trematomus bernacchii; the zoarcids Pachycara brachycephalum, Lycodichthys dearborni, and Ophthalmolycus amberensis; and the liparid Paraliparis devriesi. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences in jaw metrics, and ordinations of morphological traits identified three loosely defined groups reflecting their family-level taxonomy. Principal component analyses showed distinct segregation between the nototheniid and the liparid, indicating that they are at the extremes of the feeding performance continuum. The zoarcids fell in the middle, suggesting that they utilize a combination of feeding modes to capture prey. The liparid had the lowest MA and bite force, but a large epaxialis implied a ram-suction-feeding mode. The large adductor mandibulae in the zoarcids P. brachycephalum and L. dearborni suggest that they are capable of grasping mobile prey and manipulating sedentary, hard-shelled macroinvertebrates. The zoarcids had a smaller epaxialis than the liparid and may not be as efficient as suction-feeders. Values for mechanical advantage ratios and suction indices in Antarctic fishes were within the range known for non-Antarctic fishes. The five Antarctic species do not possess dentition specialized for durophagous feeding; however, the high mechanical advantage ratio in the nototheniid and, to a lesser extent, in the zoarcids, suggests that durophagy may be possible.
Risk of need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia treated with inhaled nitric oxide.

BACKGROUND: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is often associated with severe pulmonary hypoplasia resulting in hypoxemic respiratory failure unresponsive to advanced medical management including the use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). For these patients, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) serves as the last potentially effective treatment choice. Since the efficacy of iNO in this patient population is not known and since most neonatal intensive care units using iNO for the treatment of these critically ill neonates do not provide ECMO, the ability to more accurately predict which patient is at risk for failing medical management with iNO and requires a timely transfer to an ECMO center can be life saving. Therefore, in this study, we sought to determine the risk factors for the need for ECMO in a cohort of 27 neonates with isolated left CDH and hypoxemic respiratory failure treated with iNO. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective study, 27 patients with left CDH were identified during a 2-year period. During the study period, strict clinical guidelines had been used to standardize iNO therapy, to provide adequate lung inflation and cardiovascular support, and to recognize treatment failures and the need for ECMO. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the relationship between the need for ECMO and a set of suspected risk factors. RESULTS: When subjected to logistic regression analysis, only the presence of a pneumothorax remained significantly associated with the need for ECMO (OR=22; 95% CI=2.18 to 222), while none of the other variables examined such as mean airway pressure, FiO2, PaO2, or PaCO2 were predictors for the need of ECMO after 6 hours of treatment with iNO. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that a prompt transfer to an ECMO center should be initiated for hypoxemic patients with CDH receiving medical management with iNO if they develop an air leak syndrome.
Genetic deletion of chemokine receptor Ccr7 exacerbates atherogenesis in ApoE-deficient mice

Aims Recent evidence suggests that both Ccr7 and its ligands, Ccl19 and Ccl21, are present in mouse and human atherosclerotic plaques; however, the role of Ccr7 in atherogenesis is still controversial. Here, we addressed this question by using the classic apolipoprotein E-deficient ( ApoE−/− ) mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods and results Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− double knockout mice and Ccr7+/+ApoE−/− littermates were generated and maintained on a high-fat Western diet for 8 weeks to induce atherosclerosis. Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− mice showed an ∼80% increase in atherosclerotic lesion size in the whole aorta and a two-fold increase in the aortic root compared with Ccr7+/+ApoE−/− mice. Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− mice had increased T cells in the blood, bone marrow, and spleen, as well as in atherosclerotic lesions. Competitive repopulation experiments revealed that T cells from Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− mice migrated poorly into lymph nodes but better into mouse aortas compared with T cells from Ccr7+/+ApoE−/− mice. Transplantation of the bone marrow from Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− mice into lethally irradiated Ccr7+/+ApoE−/− mice resulted in ∼60% more atherosclerotic lesions compared with Ccr7+/+ApoE−/− donor bone marrow, suggesting that exacerbation was mediated by a Ccr7+ bone marrow-derived cell(s). Furthermore, in Ccr7−/−ApoE−/− mice the serum level of IL-12 was markedly increased, whereas the level of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) was significantly decreased, suggesting an imbalance of T cell responses in these mice. Conclusion Our data suggest that genetic deletion of Ccr7 exacerbates atherosclerosis by increasing T cell accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions.
Late Effects of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Therapy in Patients Diagnosed at 0-20 Years of Age

Survival rates for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have increased dramatically over the past 4 decades, with 5-year survival rates of > 90% in recent trials. With the increasing number of children and adolescents cured of ALL, identifying and characterizing the occurrence of long-term adverse late effects has become increasingly important. In this young population, successful treatment of ALL is associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes such as late mortality, second neoplasms, chronic health conditions, endocrine dysfunction, and psychological function. Research efforts conducted through large survivor cohorts, such as the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, are providing new and important insights into the very long-term consequences of ALL therapy, while providing direction for screening recommendations and intervention-based approaches for reducing late morbidity and mortality.
Solar and Net Radiation-Based Equations to Estimate Reference Evapotranspiration in Humid Climates

Two equations for estimating grass reference evapotranspiration (ET0) were derived using the Food and Agriculture Orga- nization Penman-Monteith ~FAO56-PM! method as an index. The first equation, solar radiation (Rs) based, estimates ET0 from incoming Rs and maximum and minimum air temperature, and the second equation, net radiation (Rn) based, uses Rn and maximum and minimum air temperature. The equations were derived using 15 years ~1980-1994! of daily ET0 values estimated from the FAO56-PM method using the measured and carefully screened weather data from near Gainesville, Florida. The performance of the derived equations was evaluated for 6 validation years ~1995-2000!, including dry and wet years, for the same site and for other humid locations in the Southeast United States. Comparisons of the performance of the derived equations with the other commonly used methods indicated that they estimate ET0 as good or better than those other ET0 methods. The Rs- and Rn-based equations resulted in the lowest 6 year average standard error of estimate ~SEE! of daily ET0 ~0.44 and 0.41 mm day 21 , respectively!. Both equations performed quite well for estimating peak month ET0 and had the lowest 6 year average daily SEE for the peak month ET0 ~0.24 mm day 21 for both equations!. Estimates for annual total ET0 were very close to those obtained from the FAO56-PM method. The 6 year average ratio of ET0 method to ET0 FAO56-PM were 1.05 and 1.03 for the Rs- and Rn-based equations, respectively. The derived equations were further evaluated in other humid locations in the Southeast United States, including two locations in coastal regions in Florida, one location in Georgia, and another location in Alabama. The comparisons showed that both equations are likely to provide good estimates of ET0 in humid locations of the Southeast United States. When the required input variables are considered, the Priestley-Taylor ~PT! method was the closest method to the second derived equation (Rn based!. Therefore, it was necessary to evaluate how the PT method would perform compared to the Rn-based equation relative to the FAO56-PM method after it is calibrated locally. Although the performance of the PT method improved slightly after the calibration, its performances for estimating daily and peak month ET0 remained poorer than the Rn-based equation in all cases. Consid- ering the limitations associated with the availability and reliability of the climatological data, especially in developing countries, the derived equations presented in this study are suggested as practical methods for estimating ET 0 if the standard FAO56-PM equation cannot be used because of the above-mentioned limitations. These equations are recommended over the other commonly used simplified temperature and radiation-based methods evaluated in this study for humid climates in the Southeast United States.
Factors affecting pH-dependent photo-inhibition of division in Euglena gracilis.

Visible light of moderate intensity (1200 ft-cd) can severely inhibit cell division of a non-photosynthetic mutant of Euglena gracilis when growth is supported by butanol, ethanol, or fumarate as sole carbon source. The degree of inhibition is pH dependent, being greatest at pH 4 to 5. A wide variety of other carbon sources permitted growth in the light without inhibition.
Numerical and experiment analysis of nanosecond pulsed laser drilling with dual frequency

Nanosecond pulsed laser drilling is one of the most common material removal processes. Dual focus laser micro drilling is high aspect ratio micro drilling techniques. Tan et al. (2003) proposed the concept of dual focus with dual frequency femtosecond laser micro drilling on PMMA. An investigation of dual frequency micro drilling with nanosecond pulsed laser on 500 μm silicon wafer has been reported in this paper with mathematical modelling supported with experimental results. Numerical modelling has been done to study the effect of dual frequency drilling with respect to intensity distribution and resultant effect on the focused spot size. Experiments were done with single and dual wavelengths with 532 nm and 1,064 nm at different pulse energies and the results were found in reasonable match with theoretical values.
Measurement of the ultrafast polarization dynamics of weak four-wave mixing signals by dual-channel femtosecond spectral interferometry

We demonstrate that a dual-beam version of spectral interferometry together with a well-characterized reference pulse can be used to measure accurately the temporal dynamics of the polarization state of weak ultrafast four-wave mixing emission from semiconductor multiple quantum wells. We completely determine the electric field, including its vectorial nature, by measuring the amplitude and the phase dynamics of two orthogonal components of the field. This technique directly measures quantities in the spectral domain, and the temporal information is obtained only after considerable processing. Nevertheless, we establish the accuracy of the technique by comparing the spectral interferometric results with the corresponding data obtained by direct time-resolved ellipsometry. The data reveal that the four-wave mixing polarization state changes its ellipticity and its orientation dramatically during a single emission. The latter attribute indicates the usefulness of this technique for studying manybody effects, because without them a constant linear polarization state would be expected.
Methods for Handling Dropouts in Longitudinal Clinical Trials

This paper focuses on the monotone missing data patterns produced by dropouts and presents a review of the statistical literature on approaches for handling dropouts in longitudinal clinical trials. A variety of ad hoc procedures for handling dropouts are widely used. The rationale for many of these procedures is not well-founded and they can result in biased estimates of treatment comparisons. A fundamentally difficult problem arises when the probability of dropout is thought to be related to the specific value that in principle should have been obtained; this is often referred to as informative or non-ignorable dropout. Joint models for the longitudinal outcomes and the dropout times have been proposed in order to make corrections for non-ignorable dropouts. Two broad classes of joint models are reviewed: selection models and pattern-mixture models. Finally, when there are dropouts in a longitudinal clinical trial the goals of the analysis need to be clearly specified. In this paper we review the main distinctions between a ‘‘pragmatic’’ and an ‘‘explanatory’’ analysis. We note that many of the procedures for handling dropouts that are widely used in practice come closest to producing an explanatory rather than a pragmatic analysis.
Field-modulated packet forwarding chips for label-switched optical routing

We demonstrate a single-chip 40 Gb/s wavelength converter based on an SG-DBR laser and fieldmodulated optical gate. This device also performs 10 Gb/s label encoding for all-optical packet forwarding.
Projections of the Ganges–Brahmaputra precipitation—Downscaled from GCM predictors

Summary Downscaling Global Climate Model (GCM) projections of future climate is critical for impact studies. Downscaling enables use of GCM experiments for regional scale impact studies by generating regionally specific forecasts connecting global scale predictions and regional scale dynamics. We employed the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM) to downscale 21st century precipitation for two data-sparse hydrologically challenging river basins in South Asia—the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. We used CGCM3.1 by Canadian Center for Climate Modeling and Analysis version 3.1 predictors in downscaling the precipitation. Downscaling was performed on the basis of established relationships between historical Global Summary of Day observed precipitation records from 43 stations and National Center for Environmental Prediction re-analysis large scale atmospheric predictors. Although the selection of predictors was challenging during the set-up of SDSM, they were found to be indicative of important physical forcings in the basins. The precipitation of both basins was largely influenced by geopotential height: the Ganges precipitation was modulated by the U component of the wind and specific humidity at 500 and 1000 h Pa pressure levels; whereas, the Brahmaputra precipitation was modulated by the V component of the wind at 850 and 1000 h Pa pressure levels. The evaluation of the SDSM performance indicated that model accuracy for reproducing precipitation at the monthly scale was acceptable, but at the daily scale the model inadequately simulated some daily extreme precipitation events. Therefore, while the downscaled precipitation may not be the suitable input to analyze future extreme flooding or drought events, it could be adequate for analysis of future freshwater availability. Analysis of the CGCM3.1 downscaled precipitation projection with respect to observed precipitation reveals that the precipitation regime in each basin may be significantly impacted by climate change. Precipitation during and after the monsoon is likely to increase in both basins under the A1B and A2 emission scenarios; whereas, the pre-monsoon precipitation is likely to decrease. Peak monsoon precipitation is likely to shift from July to August, and may impact the livelihoods of large rural populations linked to subsistence agriculture in the basins. Uncertainty analysis of the downscaled precipitation indicated that the uncertainty in the downscaled precipitation was less than the uncertainty in the original CGCM3.1 precipitation; hence, the CGCM3.1 downscaled precipitation was a better input for the regional hydrological impact studies. However, downscaled precipitation from multiple GCMs is suggested for comprehensive impact studies.
Profound CD4+/CCR5+ T cell expansion is induced by CD8+ lymphocyte depletion but does not account for accelerated SIV pathogenesis

Depletion of CD8+ lymphocytes during acute simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques (RMs) results in irreversible prolongation of peak-level viral replication and rapid disease progression, consistent with a major role for CD8+ lymphocytes in determining postacute-phase viral replication set points. However, we report that CD8+ lymphocyte depletion is also associated with a dramatic induction of proliferation among CD4+ effector memory T (TEM) cells and, to a lesser extent, transitional memory T (TTrM) cells, raising the question of whether an increased availability of optimal (activated/proliferating), CD4+/CCR5+ SIV “target” cells contributes to this accelerated pathogenesis. In keeping with this, depletion of CD8+ lymphocytes in SIV− RMs led to a sustained increase in the number of potential CD4+ SIV targets, whereas such depletion in acute SIV infection led to increased target cell consumption. However, we found that the excess CD4+ TEM cell proliferation of CD8+ lymphocyte–depleted, acutely SIV-infected RMs was completely inhibited by interleukin (IL)-15 neutralization, and that this inhibition did not abrogate the rapidly progressive infection in these RMs. Moreover, although administration of IL-15 during acute infection induced robust CD4+ TEM and TTrM cell proliferation, it did not recapitulate the viral dynamics of CD8+ lymphocyte depletion. These data suggest that CD8+ lymphocyte function has a larger impact on the outcome of acute SIV infection than the number and/or activation status of target cells available for infection and viral production.