cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of 4(5)-phenylimidazole-based analogues of sphingosine-1-phosphate and FTY720: Discovery of potent S1P1 receptor agonists

Abstract The novel immunosuppressant FTY720 has been demonstrated to elicit immunomodulating effects via interaction with the G-protein coupled receptor S1P1. FTY720 induced agonism at the S1P3 receptor, however, has been shown to result in mild bradycardia, a minor side-effect of initial FTY720 therapy. This report describes the synthesis of several potent 4(5)-phenylimidazole-based S1P1 receptor agonists that are accompanied by poor agonist activity at S1P3. For instance, compound 20 displayed an EC50 = 4.7 ± 1.3 nM at the S1P1 receptor and EC50 = 780 ± 1.3 nM at the S1P3 receptor using a [γ-35S]GTP-binding assay as compared to phospho-FTY720 (S1P1: EC50 = 1.3 ± 1.3 nM, S1P3: EC50 = 2.0 ± 2.4 nM).
Decoding the Representation of Multiple Simultaneous Objects in Human Occipitotemporal Cortex

Summary Previous work using functional magnetic resonance imaging has shown that the identities of isolated objects viewed by human subjects can be extracted from distributed patterns of brain activity [1]. Outside the laboratory, however, objects almost never appear in isolation; thus it is important to understand how multiple simultaneously occurring objects are encoded by the visual system. We used multivoxel pattern analysis to examine this issue, testing whether activity patterns in the lateral occipital complex (LOC) evoked by object pairs showed an ordered relationship to patterns evoked by their constituent objects. Applying a searchlight analysis [2] to identify voxels with the highest signal-to-noise ratios, we found that responses to object pairs within these informative voxels were well predicted by the averages of responses to their constituent objects. Consistent with this result, we were able to classify object pairs by using synthetic patterns created by averaging single-object patterns. These results indicate that the representation of multiple objects in LOC is governed by a response normalization mechanism similar to that reported in visual areas of several nonhuman species [3–6]. They also suggest a population coding scheme that preserves information about multiple objects under conditions of distributed attention, facilitating fast object and scene recognition during natural vision.
Venus: Atmospheric rotation

Photographs of Venus taken in ultraviolet light from Sept. 29, 1963, to May 29, 1971, indicate a general planet-wide circulation in the upper atmosphere of that planet having velocities which varied with time from -87 to -127m/sec at the equator. Positional measurements on 67 pairs of photographs which show the recurrence of similar patterns after intervals of one to three rotations suggest an asymmetric bimodal distribution of these velocities. The ultraviolet markings appear to be randomly distributed and quite ephemeral in nature, rarely enduring in a recognizable pattern for more than 20 days and usually much less. Attention is directed to an apparent but fictitious mean sidereal rotation period of approximately 4.06 days derived from observations which are made at a single station and span many months or years. Under such conditions this fictitious value for the rotation period is produced by the commensurability of the one-day period of earth and the assumed four-day period of the atmosphere of Venus.
Procedural Fairness and Work Group Responses to Performance Evaluation Systems

In a variety of settings, procedures that permit predecision input by those affected by the decision in question have been found to have positive effects on fairness judgments, independent of the favorability of the decision. Two major models of the psychology of procedural justice make contrary predictions about whether repeated negative outcomes attenuate such input effects. If such attenuation occurs, it would lessen the applicability of procedural justice findings to some real-world settings, such as organizations, where procedures often provide repeated negative outcomes. The present laboratory investigation examined the procedural and distributive fairness justments produced by high- and low-input performance evaluation procedures under conditions of repeated negative outcomes. Thirty-five three-person groups of male undergraduates participated in a three-round competition. Groups either were or were not allowed to specify the relative weights to be given to two criteria used in evaluating their performance. All groups received negative outcomes on each of the three rounds. A second experimental factor varied whether or not the group learned after losing the second round that it could not possibly win the third and final round of the competition. Measures of procedural and distributive fairness showed that the high-input procedure led to judgments of greater procedural and distributive fairness across all three rounds. The input-based enhancement of fairness occurred regardless of whether reward was possible. The implications of these findings for theories of procedural justice and for applications of procedural justice to organizational settings are discussed.
The Role of Rac2 in Regulating Neutrophil Production in the Bone Marrow and Circulating Neutrophil Counts

Circulating neutrophils are persistently higher in mice deficient in the small GTPase Rac2 than in wild-type (WT) mice. Therefore, we examined the mechanisms through which the small GTPase Rac2 regulates neutrophil production and release. Lethally irradiated WT mice reconstituted with a 50:50 mixture of WT and Rac2−/− fetal liver cells were protected from neutrophilia, suggesting that neutrophilia is primarily because of extrinsic defects that can be corrected by WT leukocytes. However, the differential counts and numbers of leukocyte subtypes differed between Rac2−/− and WT cells, suggesting that Rac2 modulates leukocyte lineage distribution. Kinetic studies suggest Rac2 modulates the release of neutrophils into the circulation and does not prolong their circulating half life. The percentage of bone marrow cells that expressed the neutrophil marker Gr-1 in lethally irradiated WT or Rac2−/− recipients of Rac2−/− stem cells was greater than in recipients of WT stem cells; however, circulating neutrophil counts were higher only in Rac2−/− recipients of Rac2−/− stem cells. Rac2 mRNA was expressed in the bone marrow of WT recipients of Rac2−/− stem cells and in human mesenchymal stem cells. The data presented here suggest that Rac2 in hematopoietic cells regulates leukocyte lineage distribution and Rac2 in nonhematopoietic cells might contribute to regulating circulating neutrophil counts.
Listeriolysin O enhances cytoplasmic delivery by Her-2 targeting liposomes

To enhance cytoplasmic delivery of liposomal contents to breast cancer cells, the authors have attached the pore-forming protein, listeriolysin O (LLO), to thermosensitive liposomes. The antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) was also conjugated with the outer surface of the liposomes, resulting in highly specific binding and internalization into mammary epithelial cells that overexpress the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). The liposomes were preloaded with a marker fluorescent dye, and the effect of LLO on the distribution of dye within the cells was monitored using fluorescence microscopy. Owing to the thermosensitive nature of the liposomes, hyperthermia at 42 degrees C triggered the release of the encapsulated fluorescent calcein from the endocytosed liposomes into the interior of the endosomes. LLO, when conjugated to these liposomes, subsequently formed pores in the endosomal membrane, allowing calcein to flow out of the endosomal compartment into the cytoplasm. Her-2-targeted liposomes bearing LLO delivered a 22-fold greater concentration of calcein to mammary epithelial cells that overexpress Her-2 compared to cells with normal Her-2 expression. Thus, the addition of LLO to preformed liposomes offers a method for significantly enhancing delivery of liposomal contents to the cytoplasm of targeted cells.
Auditory pattern recognition and brief tone discrimination of children with reading disorders.

Abstract Auditory pattern recognition skills in children with reading disorders were investigated using perceptual tests involving discrimination of frequency and duration tonal patterns. A behavioral test battery involving recognition of the pattern of presentation of tone triads was used in which individual components differed in either frequency or duration. A test involving measurement of difference limens for long and short duration tones was also administered. In comparison to controls, children with reading disorders exhibited significantly higher error rates in discrimination of duration and frequency patterns, as well as larger brief tone frequency difference limens. These results suggest that difficulties in the recognition and processing of auditory patterns may co-occur with decoding deficits in children with reading disorders. Learning outcomes (1) As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to identify a relationship between reading and temporal processing. (2) As a result of this activity, the reader will be able to discuss the difference between sight–word decoding and phonological decoding. (3) As a result of this activity, the reader will be able to explain a relationship between reading skills and the identification of auditory patterns.
5‘-(p-Fluorosulfonylbenzoyl)-2‘(or 3‘)-(methylanthraniloyl)adenosine, Fluorescent Affinity Labels for Adenine Nucleotide Binding Sites: Interaction with the Kinase Active Site of the Receptor for Epidermal Growth Factor†

We have found that the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase can utilize the fluorescent ATP derivative, methylanthraniloyl ATP, as a substrate. On the basis of this observation, together with our previous studies that showed that 5‘-(p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl)adenosine (5‘-FSBAdo) is a highly specific affinity label for the ATP site of the kinase domain of the EGF receptor, we prepared new derivatives of 5‘-FSBAdo, 5‘-(p-fluorosulfonyl)-2‘(or 3‘)-(methylanthraniloyl)adenosine (FSBMantAdo), as fluorescent affinity labels for adenine nucleotide binding sites, and in particular for the ATP site of the EGF receptor. The two products were purified by HPLC and were characterized by UV−Vis absorbance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Incubation of membrane vesicles containing the EGF receptor with either the 2‘ or 3‘ derivative resulted in irreversible inhibition of the receptor kinase activity, as assessed by autophosphorylation assay...
Sequential Fractionation of Cottonseed Meal to Improve Its Wood Adhesive Properties

For better understanding of the adhesive properties of different fractions of cottonseed protein, cottonseed meals from both glanded and glandless cotton varieties were separated into several fractions. Each meal was sequentially extracted with water and 1 M NaCl solution, or with phosphate buffer and NaCl solution. Adhesives were prepared from the recovered fractions and hot-pressed onto maple veneer strips and tested for their properties. The adhesive strength of the water- and buffer-washed solid fractions (i.e., the un-extractable residues of the meals) from the glanded seed ranged from 1.32 to 1.62 MPa and were unchanged or increased compared with the adhesive strength of the original meal that varied from 0.98 and 1.49 MPa. Soaking the wood specimens bonded at 80 °C revealed that the water resistance of these water- and buffer-washed adhesives was significantly improved in that they exhibited no delamination during soaking compared with the meal adhesive that showed some delamination (20–30 % of the samples). Furthermore, the water resistance of these fractions with wet shear strength around 1.5 MPa was comparable to that of cottonseed protein isolate (>90 % protein) when the joints were bonded at 100 °C. The preparations from glandless cottonseed meals showed similar adhesive performances. Additional extraction of the meals with NaCl solution reduced adhesive performance. The results suggest that water- or buffer-washed cottonseed meal fractions can be used as wood adhesives and would be less costly to prepare than cottonseed protein isolates.
First‐Pass Metabolism of Ethanol Is Negligible in Rat Gastric Mucosa

Controversy exists concerning whether first-pass metabolism of imbibed ethanol occurs in the gastric mucosa or liver. We assessed ethanol metabolism in rat gastric mucosa by determining to what extent intact [ 14 C]ethanol in body water plus hepatic metabolism could account for [ 14 C]ethanol absorbed from the pylorus-ligated stomach. Intact [ 14 C]ethanol in systemic body water accounted for 84 ± 1.9% of the [ 14 C]ethanol absorbed from the stomach over a 30-min period. Assuming a 15 ml/min hepatic blood flow, the predicted hepatic metabolism of [ 14 C]ethanol over the 30 min of the study was 18% of the dose. The sum of intact [ 14 C]ethanol and predicted hepatic metabolism accounted for 100% of the ethanol absorbed from the stomach. We conclude that negligible metabolism of ethanol occurred in the gastric mucosa.
A Comparison of Two Shallow-Water Models with Nonconforming Adaptive Grids

Abstract In an effort to study the applicability of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) techniques to atmospheric models, an interpolation-based spectral element shallow-water model on a cubed-sphere grid is compared to a block-structured finite-volume method in latitude–longitude geometry. Both models utilize a nonconforming adaptation approach that doubles the resolution at fine–coarse mesh interfaces. The underlying AMR libraries are quad-tree based and ensure that neighboring regions can only differ by one refinement level. The models are compared via selected test cases from a standard test suite for the shallow-water equations, and via a barotropic instability test. These tests comprise the passive advection of a cosine bell and slotted cylinder, a steady-state geostrophic flow, a flow over an idealized mountain, a Rossby–Haurwitz wave, and the evolution of a growing barotropic wave. Both static and dynamics adaptations are evaluated, which reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the AMR techniques. Overa...
Dietary calcium and physical activity — Implications for osteoporosis

This review has focused on two of the most important etiologic factors relating to bone health, specifically dietary calcium and physical activity. In general, these two lifestyle variables have been shown to influence, each in a positive way, skeletal development during childhood and adolescence and peak bone mass optimization during premenopausal adulthood. If females can maximize bone mass prior to themenopause, they are likely to track at a higher level of bone mass during the inexorable postmenopausal period of bone loss, perhaps almost independently of the rate of bone loss. The greater bone mass of women entering the menopause should help to delay, or possibly, to prevent entirely hip fractures. The promotion of good bone health, especially for the purpose of preventing hip fractures, should become national goals built into school and public health programs at federal and local levels.
12-0-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate induced alterations in mouse epidermal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase

Abstract Topical application of the tumor promoter 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetase to the mouse skin resulted in a significant initial increase (at 2 h) in the activity of epidermal hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase followed by a significant decrease by 24 h. Phorbol and phorbol diacetate, which do not cause hyperplasia or promote skin tumor formation, has no effect on this enzyme. Ethylphenylpropiolate, a strong inducer of hyperplasia but a non-tumor promoter, also showed no effect on the reductase activity. Topical application of the products of hydroxymethylgutaryl CoA reductase viz. mevalanolactone or isopentenyl adenosine caused a decrease while cholesterol produced no change in hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase activity. It is speculated that isopentenyladenosine or a closely related product, formed by the initial increase in hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA reductase activity following TPA application, might exert feedback inhibition.
Spermatogenesis associated retrogenes are expressed in the human ovary and ovarian cancers.

Background Ovarian cancer is the second most prevalent gynecologic cancer in women. However, it is by far the most lethal. This is generally attributed to the absence of easily detectable markers specific to ovarian cancers that can be used for early diagnosis and specific therapeutic targets. Methodology/Principal Findings Using end point PCR we have found that a family of retrogenes, previously thought to be expressed only in the male testis during spermatogenesis in man, are also expressed in normal ovarian tissue and a large percentage of ovarian cancers. In man there are at least eleven such autosomal retrogenes, which are intronless copies of genes on the X chromosome, essential for normal spermatogenesis and expressed specifically in the human testis. We tested for the expression of five of the known retrogenes, UTP14C, PGK2, RPL10L, RPL39L and UBL4B in normal human ovary and ovarian cancers. Conclusions/Significance We propose that the activation of the testis specific retrogenes in the ovary and ovarian cancers is of biological significance in humans. Because these retrogenes are specifically expressed in the ovary and ovarian cancers in the female they may prove useful in developing new diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
A correlation study between barrier film performance and shelf lifetime of encapsulated organic solar cells

Abstract In this study, the overall barrier performance of multilayer thin-films and the shelf lifetime of encapsulated organic solar cells were correlated through the total amount of water vapor that permeated into the solar cell. Effective water vapor transmission rates were measured in both the transient and steady-state transport regimes for multilayer barrier films consisting of SiNx and parylene. The efficiency of pentacene/C60-based solar cells encapsulated with one or two pairs of SiNx/parylene dropped to 50% after permeation of about 1.63 g/m2 of water vapor regardless of effective transmission rate of the barrier. From these calculations, cells encapsulated with three dyads were predicted to maintain performance for at least 13,500 h while experiments up to 7500 h showed less than 10% degradation in performance.
Ascorbic acid modulates the production of fibronectin and laminin by cells from an eye tissue-trabecular meshwork.

Abstract Ascorbic acid is a significant component in the aqueous humor of the eye, in which trabecular meshwork cells are immersed. Using immunostaining and Western blot analysis, the effects of ascorbic acid on the extracellular matrix production by cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells were examined. It was found that, when the cultures were treated with 100, 250, and 500 μg/ml of ascorbic acid, the amount of fibronectin and laminin produced was enhanced. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantitation further showed that the fibronectin and laminin levels in ascorbate-treated cultures were higher than those found in control cultures. These results indicate that ascorbic acid promotes fibronectin and laminin production and suggest that this substance may be one of the factors modulating basal lamina assembly in the trabecular meshwork.
Quantum relays and noise suppression using linear optics

Probabilistic quantum nondemolition (QND) measurements can be performed using linear optics and postselection. Here we show how QND devices of this kind can be used in a straightforward way to implement a quantum relay, which is capable of extending the range of a quantum cryptography system by suppressing the effects of detector noise. Unlike a quantum repeater, a quantum relay system does not require entanglement purification or the ability to store photons.
Long-Term Agroecosystem Research in the Central Mississippi River Basin: Introduction, Establishment, and Overview

Many challenges currently facing agriculture require longterm data on landscape-scale hydrologic responses to weather, such as from the Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed (GCEW), located in northeastern Missouri, USA. This watershed is prone to surface runoff despite shallow slopes, as a result of a significant smectitic clay layer 30 to 50 cm deep that restricts downward flow of water and gives rise to a periodic perched water table. This paper is the first in a series that documents the database developed from GCEW. The objectives of this paper are to (i) establish the context of long-term data and the federal infrastructure that provides it, (ii) describe the GCEW/ Central Mississippi River Basin (CMRB) establishment and the geophysical and anthropogenic context, (iii) summarize in brief the collected research results published using data from within GCEW, (iv) describe the series of papers this work introduces, and (v) identify knowledge gaps and research needs. The rationale for the collection derives from converging trends in data from longterm research, integration of multiple disciplines, and increasing public awareness of increasingly larger problems. The outcome of those trends includes being selected as the CMRB site in the USDA–ARS Long-Term Agro-Ecosystem Research (LTAR) network. Research needs include quantifying watershed scale fluxes of N, P, K, sediment, and energy, accounting for fluxes involving forest, livestock, and anthropogenic sources, scaling from nearterm point-scale results to increasingly long and broad scales, and considering whole-system interactions. This special section informs the scientific community about this database and provides support for its future use in research to solve natural resource problems important to US agricultural, environmental, and science policy.
Reliability of GaAs MESFET Logic Circuits

Twelve depletion mode GaAs MESFET logic circuits were subjected to a step-stress life test. Each circuit consisted of an 11-stage ring oscillator with one buffer stage. Both BFL and SDFL circuits with Vp ? ?2.0 V and ?1.0 V were represented. The circuits were operated for 500 hours at each of eight temperature stress steps ranging between 25° and 200°C with 25°C increments. No chip failures occurred upon completion of the life test. Reasonable interpretation of these results suggests that GaAs MESFET logic circuits should be very reliable.
The geochemistry of uranium and thorium in coastal marine sediments and sediment pore waters

Pore water profiles of uranium and thorium isotopes in the muddy sediments of Buzzards Bay, MA permit an assessment of the effect of diagenetic redox reactions on the geochemical behavior of these elements. Uranium shows a pronounced minimum pore water concentration (~ 1.2 dpm/kg) near the sediment water interface (0–3 cm) which coincides with the pore water Fe maximum. U concentrations increase with depth to a broad maximum which is greater than the overlying seawater value, then decrease. Laboratory sediment tank experiments maintained without macrofauna also show the near-interface minimum and increase, and sediment incubation experiments show removal of U from the pore water to a constant value by about 40 days. The 234U238U activity ratio is equal to the seawater value in all samples. Oxidation state separations of pore water U in HCl solution (using anion exchange) demonstrate that U is present in the pore water as U(VI). The coincidence of the pore water uranium and Fe maximum is consistent with the hypothesis of reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) and removal from solution at about the same depth (or pe) as Fe is reduced. Increases in pore water U with depth appear to be related to release of authigenic (seawater) U(VI) to solution, possibly as alkalinity and pH increase and organic matter with which the U is associated is oxidized. Lower concentrations at depth in the sediment column may be linked to increases of effective U reducing agents like hydrogen sulfide in the pore water or to the activities of macrofauna. In contrast, pore water profiles of the long-lived Th isotopes 232Th and 230Th show low activities (≲ .02 dpm/kg) and relatively little change with depth, although values are greater than those in the overlying water. Solid phase activities are similarly constant with depth, and the distribution may be controlled by a sorption equilibrium between pore water and the solid phase. The short-lived isotope 234Th shows greatest pore water activities in the upper 5 cm and is present at virtually zero activities elsewhere in the sediment column. The upper few centimeters of the sediment generally contain excess 234Th scavenged from the overlying water column and distributed by bioturbation, as well as pore water Fe and Mn profiles which show maxima indicating reduction and dissolution of Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides. The pore water 234Th profile can be explained by release of 234Th from the solid phase as FeMn oxide surface coatings are reduced and dissolved.
Method to Assess Economic Risk Applied to Environmental Control Options for Animal Housing

ABSTRACT THE utility of combining a stochastic model for mean daily temperature with a deterministic model to predict animal and building performance is presented. A major effect of the stochastic input is to incorporate random fluctuations such as are encountered during actual building operation that result in varying costs and income, hence net return, from the building. A method is presented to quantify the economic risk associated with different control options for different building life spans. A step by step statistical approach for evaluating the economic risk is demonstrated using data from stochastic simulations in the literature.
Clinical review of treatment options for select nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Abstract Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with a host of nonmotor symptoms, including psychosis, cognitive impairment, depression, sleep disturbance, swallowing disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, and autonomic dysfunction. The nonmotor symptoms of PD have the potential to be more debilitating than the motor features of the disorder. Objective: The aim of this article was to review treatment options for the nonmotor manifestations of PD, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. Methods: The PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched for articles published in English between January 1966 and April 2010, using the terms Parkinson's disease, nonmotor, psychosis, hallucination, antipsychotic, cognitive impairment, dementia, depression, sleep disturbance, sleepiness, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder, dysphagia, swallowing disorder, sialorrhea, gastrointestinal, constipation, autonomic dysfunction, orthostatic hypotension, gastroparesis, erectile dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and urinary dysfunction . Articles were selected for review if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, or evidence-based reviews of treatment of patients with PD, and/or expert opinion regarding the treatment of nonmotor symptoms of PD. Results: A total of 148 articles, including RCTs, meta-analyses, and evidence-based reviews, were included in this review. The treatment of hallucinations or psychosis in PD should include a stepwise reduction in medications for motor symptoms, followed by the use of quetiapine or clozapine. Dementia may be treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Evidence is lacking concerning the optimal pharmacologic treatment for depression in PD, with expert opinions indicating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the antidepressants of choice. However, the largest study to date found nortriptyline therapy to be efficacious compared with placebo, whereas paroxetine controlled release was not. A variety of sleep disturbances may plague a person with PD, and treatment must be individualized to the patient's specific sleep disturbance pattern and contributing factors. Swallowing disorders may lead to aspiration and pneumonia, and patients with dysphagia should be referred to a speech therapist for further evaluation and treatment. Orthostasis may be treated with nonpharmacologic interventions as well as pharmacologic treatments (eg, fludrocortisone, midodrine, indomethacin). Other autonomic symptoms are managed in a manner similar to that in patients without PD, although careful attention must be aimed at avoiding dopamine-blocking therapies in the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction and gastroparesis. Conclusions: Various pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies are available for the management of the nonmotor symptoms of PD. The challenges associated with nonmotor symptoms must not be forgotten in light of the motor symptoms of PD, and treatment of nonmotor symptoms should be encouraged.
Electrophoresis and electrofocusing of venom of Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik (Araneida: Scytodidae).

Venom from Loxosceles reclusa was extracted by electrical stimulation and resolved by gel electrophoresis and gel electrofocusing techniques. Eight venom proteins were consistently resolved from male and female L. reclusa when electrophoretically analyzed. Qualitative and quantitative patterns were noted when the sexes were contrasted. Gel electrofocusing revealed 16–22 venom protein components in the females and 11–20 in the males. Gel electrofocusing was superior to electrophoresis in separation of L. reclusa venom proteins and thus provides an additional parameter in the enzymatic characterizationof the venom components.
Are chlorine atoms significant tropospheric free radicals

Free radicals drive chemical reactions in the atmosphere. The most important, and widely recognized, atmospheric free radical is the hydroxyl radical, ∙OH, which initiates the oxidation of many species and leads to their removal from the atmosphere (1). Therefore, ∙OH has been referred to as the “atmospheric detergent.” Indeed, it is responsible for removal of hydrocarbons, many climate-forcing gases, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and many other minor constituents. A byproduct of this ∙OH-initiated oxidation of hydrocarbons in the troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere, is often ozone, a significant air pollutant. Could there be other free radicals that contribute to tropospheric oxidation? In this issue of PNAS, Raff et al. (2) add to the possibility that chlorine atoms could be a free radical of significance in the troposphere and could enhance ozone pollution.
When the time is right: Time perspectives and emotion

Zimbardo’s theory of time perspective (TP) proposes that individuals differ in the orientations towards time. Present, past, and future orientations may be assessed as trait dimensions. We will review the implications of this theory for understanding mood and emotion. Data show that scales for TP predict wellbeing and emotion. Both experiential and strategic processes may mediate the affective impact of TP. A diversity of theories, including those of autobiographical memory, mood-regulation and coping may be necessary to understand TP. We will illustrate these themes with reference to two recent studies of TP and mood conducted at the University of Warsaw. Concurrent associations between TP and mood suggest that several dimensions of TP shape hedonic experience. A further, longitudinal study demonstrated relationships between TP and biases in affective forecasting and in recall of mood. Theoretical and clinical implications of studies of TP and affect will be reviewed.
Lymphocyte activation: A rapid test to predict allograft rejection

THE early detection of allograft rejection, before organ function deteriorates, is an important objective of clinical research in transplantation immunology. Because lymphocytes play a central part in graft rejection1,2, attention was focused on these cells in the circulation of graft recipients. We observed that the numbers of circulating lymphocytes that incorporate 3H-thymidine rise significantly during organ allograft rejection and may predict rejection crises by 24–48 h.
Induction of apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by vesicular stomatitis virus

Effective oncolytic virus (OV) therapy is dependent on the ability of replication-competent viruses to kill infected cancer cells. We previously showed that human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines are highly heterogeneous in their permissiveness to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), in part due to differences in type I interferon (IFN) signaling. Here, using 10 human PDAC cell lines and three different VSV recombinants (expressing ΔM51 or wild type matrix protein), we examined cellular and viral factors affecting VSV-mediated apoptosis activation in PDACs. In most cell lines, VSVs activated both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, and VSV-ΔM51 primarily activated the type II extrinsic pathway. In cells with defective IFN signaling, all VSV recombinants induced robust apoptosis, whereas VSV-ΔM51 was a more effective apoptosis activator in PDACs with virus-inducible IFN signaling. Three cell lines constitutively expressing high levels of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) were resistant to apoptosis under most experimental conditions, even when VSV replication levels were dramatically increased by Jak inhibitor I treatment. Two of these cell lines also poorly activated apoptosis when treated with Fas activating antibody, suggesting a general defect in apoptosis.
Evaluation of inverse gas chromatography for prediction and measurement of diffusion coefficients

The inverse gas chromatography (IGC) method has been evaluated as a method to determine diffusion coefficients in polymer–solvent systems near the glass transition temperature. The poly(vinyl acetate)–toluene system was used for this purpose. Diffusion and partition coefficients were measured over a wide range of temperature. At temperatures significantly above the glass transition of the polymer, the capillary column model developed by Pawlisch and co-workers1,2 was used. At temperatures near the glass transition temperature, the modification of the capillary column model, proposed by Vrentas et al.3 was used. A sensitivity analysis of the capillary column model was made to delineate the range of applicability of the model. The diffusion coefficients obtained from IGC were compared with those extrapolated from the gravimetric sorption technique. The values agree within the expected range of error. Finally, free-volume theory was evaluated for its ability to predict the temperature and concentration dependencies of diffusion coefficients at temperatures near the glass transition from high temperature IGC data. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1233–1240, 1997
Mutational Analysis of the SRC Homology 2 Domain Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase Corkscrew

The SRC homology 2 (SH2) domain protein-tyrosine phosphatase, Corkscrew (CSW) is required for signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases, including the Sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase (SEV), which directs Drosophila R7 photoreceptor cell development. To investigate the role of the different domains of CSW, we constructed domain-specific csw mutations and assayed their effects on CSW function. Our results indicate that CSW SH2 domain function is essential, but either CSW SH2 domain can fulfill this requirement. We also found that CSW and activated SEV are associatedin vivo in a manner that does not require either CSW SH2 domain function or tyrosine phosphorylation of SEV. In contrast, the interaction between CSW and Daughter of Sevenless, a CSW substrate, is dependent on SH2 domain function. These results suggest that the role of the CSW SH2 domains during SEV signaling is to bind Daughter of Sevenless rather than activated SEV. We also found that although CSW protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity is required for full CSW function, a catalytically inactive CSW is capable of providing partial function. In addition, we found that deletion of either the CSW protein- tyrosine phosphatase insert or the entire CSW carboxyl terminus, which includes a conserved DRK/GRB2 SH2 domain binding sequence, does not abolish CSW function.
Radiation dose calculations for CT scans with tube current modulation using the approach to equilibrium function

Purpose: The approach to equilibrium function has been used previously to calculate the radiation dose to a shift-invariant medium undergoing CT scans with constant tube current [Li, Zhang, and Liu, Med. Phys. 39, 5347–5352 (2012)]. The authors have adapted this method to CT scans with tube current modulation (TCM). Methods: For a scan with variable tube current, the scan range was divided into multiple subscan ranges, each with a nearly constant tube current. Then the dose calculation algorithm presented previously was applied. For a clinical CT scan series that presented tube current per slice, the authors adopted an efficient approach that computed the longitudinal dose distribution for one scan length equal to the slice thickness, which center was at z = 0. The cumulative dose at a specific point was a summation of the contributions from all slices and the overscan. Results: The dose calculations performed for a total of four constant and variable tube current distributions agreed with the published results of Dixon and Boone [Med. Phys. 40, 111920 (14pp.) (2013)]. For an abdomen/pelvis scan of an anthropomorphic phantom (model ATOM 701-B, CIRS, Inc., VA) on a GE Lightspeed Pro 16 scanner with 120 kV, N × T = 20 mm, pitch = 1.375, z axis current modulation (auto mA), and angular current modulation (smart mA), dose measurements were performed using two lines of optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters, one of which was placed near the phantom center and the other on the surface. Dose calculations were performed on the central and peripheral axes of a cylinder containing water, whose cross-sectional mass was about equal to that of the ATOM phantom in its abdominal region, and the results agreed with the measurements within 28.4%. Conclusions: The described method provides an effective approach that takes into account subject size, scan length, and constant or variable tube current to evaluate CT dose to a shift-invariant medium. For a clinical CT scan, dose calculations may be performed with a water-containing cylinder whose cross-sectional mass is equal to that of the subject. This method has the potential to substantially improve evaluations of patient dose from clinical CT scans, compared to CTDI vol, size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), or the dose evaluated for a TCM scan with a constant tube current equal to the average tube current of the TCM scan.
Property Pd,m and efficient design of reliable networks

For d ≥ 1 and m ≥ 1, a graph has property Pd,m if there exist at least m vertex-disjoint paths of length at most d between each pair of vertices. Property Pd,m, which has a strong connection to wide diameter, is one way of measuring the reliability of a network. In this article, we first examine the relationship of Pd,m to other similar properties and then we prove several results regarding the extremal number for property Pd,m (the minimum number of edges needed for a graph to have the property). In particular, we find (i) the extremal number for graphs of certain orders when d = 2, (ii) several extremal graphs when d ≥ 3, (iii) a new lower bound on the extremal number when d ≥ 3, m ≥ 3, and (iv) a new upper bound on the extremal number when d,m are even with d = 4k + 2(k ≥ 1) and m ≥ 4. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2012
Muscle force production with low and medium frequency burst modulated biphasic pulsed currents

AbstractObjective: Russian current, a medium frequency burst modulated alternating current (BMAC), is widely used for NMES, but has not been shown to elicit forces near voluntary maximum. In contrast, low frequency BMAC has been shown to produce greater force production than Russian and most recently, medium frequency burst modulated biphasic pulsed current (BMBPC) elicited greater force than Russian. Whether low frequency BMBPC yields greater force than medium frequency BMBPC is unknown. This study examined elicited forces using BMBPC with low and medium frequency carrier currents.Design: A cross-over design where percent maximal isometric knee extensor forces (%MVIF) elicited using BMBPC with low or medium kilohertz carrier frequencies were compared in 23 subjects. Perceived discomfort was also assessed. Data were compared using paired samples t-tests.Results: 98.4% of the MVIF was elicited with the low frequency BMBPC which was significantly greater (p < 0.001) than the 40.4% yielded by the medium freq...
PYY immunoneutralization does not alter lipid-induced inhibition of gastric emptying in rats

Abstract PYY is released from the distal ileum by fat and may be involved in mediating lipid-induced inhibition of gastric acid secretion and intestinal motility. The role of PYY in intestinal lipid-induced inhibition of gastric emptying in awake rats was investigated using a specific polyclonal antibody raised against PYY. Methods: Gastric emptying of liquids was measured in awake rats fitted with a Thomas gastric cannula. Intralipid (total dose 50 or 100 mg) was perfused for 10 min (0.05 ml/min) into a duodenal ( n =11) or mid-intestinal cannula (60 cm from Ligament of Treitz; n =8), and gastric emptying was measured over the 5–10 min period. Gastric emptying was measured 15 min after IP injection of PYY (1 nmol/rat). PYY antibody (20 mg) or a control antibody (anti-KLH; keyhole limpet hemocyanin) was injected ip 8–12 h before experiments. Results: Exogenous PYY (1 nmol) inhibited gastric emptying and administration of PYY antibody blocked this response. Perfusion of lipid (50 and 100 mg) into the proximal intestine produced a 46% and 66% inhibition of gastric emptying respectively. Inhibition of gastric emptying in response to 50 mg lipid in the proximal small intestine was unaffected by administration of PYY antibody but was abolished by administration of the CCK A receptor antagonist devazepide (0.1 mg/kg ip). Perfusion of lipid into the distal intestine (50 and 100 mg) inhibited gastric emptying by 10% and 32% respectively. Inhibition of gastric emptying in response to 100 mg lipid in the distal intestine was unaffected by PYY antibody. Conclusions: Lipid perfused into either the proximal or distal intestine inhibits gastric emptying via a PYY-independent mechanism. CCK is involved in proximal lipid induced inhibition of gastric emptying.
Well-Hidden Regularities: Abstract Uses of in and on Retain an Aspect of Their Spatial Meaning.

Prepositions name spatial relationships (e.g., book on a table). But they are also used to convey abstract, non-spatial relationships (e.g., Adrian is on a roll)—raising the question of how the abstract uses relate to the concrete spatial uses. Despite considerable success in delineating these relationships, no general account exists for the two most frequently extended prepositions: in and on. We test the proposal that what is preserved in abstract uses of these prepositions is the relative degree of control between the located object (the figure) and the reference object (the ground). Across four experiments, we find a continuum of greater figure control for on (e.g., Jordan is on a roll) and greater ground control for in (e.g., Casey is in a depression). These findings bear on accounts of semantic structure and language change, as well as on second language instruction.
The taxonomy and biogeography of the Cladocera

For a variety of reasons, including the analysis of a number of taxa having the same names on different continents, we have concluded overwhelmingly that the chydorid Cladocera are not cosmopolitan in distribution but instead are restricted to smaller regions by their specific ecological requirements for habitat type and also by long-term events in earth history. Recent study of Chydorus faviformis and species resembling it indicates there has been no effective exchange of genetic material between North America and South America, nor between Australia and Asia, nor even between China, Malaysia, and India in southern Asia. Moreover, the patterns of distribution are even narrower than this, as in North America, for example, taxa having the same names in the southern states as in the northern states are differentiated at the species level in some instances, possibly in most. Southern species push northward along the Atlantic Coast for varying distances, one species having reached Nova Scotia and Newfoundland probably during the warm interval in mid-Postglacial time. Thus, when species are studied closely to define their morphological limits, cosmopolitanism disappears, and patterns of distribution emerge that are very similar to those of other animals and plants.
Discriminative Illumination: Per-Pixel Classification of Raw Materials Based on Optimal Projections of Spectral BRDF

Classifying raw, unpainted materials--metal, plastic, ceramic, fabric, and so on--is an important yet challenging task for computer vision. Previous works measure subsets of surface spectral reflectance as features for classification. However, acquiring the full spectral reflectance is time consuming and error-prone. In this paper, we propose to use coded illumination to directly measure discriminative features for material classification. Optimal illumination patterns--which we call "discriminative illumination"--are learned from training samples, after projecting to which the spectral reflectance of different materials are maximally separated. This projection is automatically realized by the integration of incident light for surface reflection. While a single discriminative illumination is capable of linear, two-class classification, we show that multiple discriminative illuminations can be used for nonlinear and multiclass classification. We also show theoretically that the proposed method has higher signal-to-noise ratio than previous methods due to light multiplexing. Finally, we construct an LED-based multispectral dome and use the discriminative illumination method for classifying a variety of raw materials, including metal (aluminum, alloy, steel, stainless steel, brass, and copper), plastic, ceramic, fabric, and wood. Experimental results demonstrate its effectiveness.
Relighting from multiple color and depth images using matrix factorization

In this paper, we propose a novel relighting approach that takes advantage of the 3D shape information acquired from a depth sensor. Assuming distant illumination and Lambertian reflectance, we model the reflected light field in terms of spherical harmonic coefficients of the Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) and lighting. To estimate both the reflectance and illumination, different illumination samples can be generated through moving the object of interest in space while keeping the light source unchanged. The samples are registered onto the base view's coordinate frame using camera pose estimated from multiple depth maps. Our results indicate that we can successfully recover both illumination and diffuse BRDF (up to a global scaling ambiguity). Our method can be used to estimate complex illumination in indoor environments for applications such as lighting transfer.