cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of an extruder‐feeder for biomass direct liquefaction

A new type of feeding system by an extruder-feeder was utilized to pump high concentrations of slurries into an advanced biomass liquefaction reactor operating at pressures of up to 25 MPa and temperatures of up to 400°C. The operability of such an extruder-feeder and the design criteria for this type of unit operation are described, and operational data are reported. Three types of extruder-feeders were used, and many different types of feedstocks were tested. The extruder-feeder proved to be effective in the biomass direct liquefaction process and could prove applicable in many other processes where high concentrations of solids are to be pumped, thus reducing drastically the size of the plant and the need for recycle of large amounts of liquid carriers for the solids. Typical experimental data and results of the flow rates and pressure generation for the various extruder-feeders and their operational conditions for several feedstocks are reported. The theoretical models developed for plasticating extruders were found to be acceptable also for the extruder-feeder of biomass feedstock, applying appropriate drag and pressure flow coefficients. On a utilise un nouveau systeme d'alimentation-extrusion pour pomper des concentrations elevees de boues dans un reacteur de liquefaction de biomass perfectionne et fonctionnant a des pressions allant jusqu'a 25 MPa et des temperatures jusqu'a 400°C. On decrit les capacites de fonctionnement de tels systemes ainsi que les criteres de conception s'appliquant a ce type d'operation fondamentale et on presente les donnees de fonctionnement. Trois systemes d'alimentation-extrusion differents ont ete utilises et de tres nombreux produits d'alimentation testes. Le systeme s'est avere efficace dans le procede de liquefaction directe de la biomasse et pourrait ětre applicable dans beaucoup d'autres procedes necessitant le pompage d'importantes concentrations de solides, permettant ainsi de reduire considerablement la taille de l'installation et le besoin de recyclage de quantites importantes de transporters liquides pour les solides. On presente des donnees experimentales typiques et des resultats sur les debits et la generation de pression pour les differents systemes d'alimentation-extrusion et les conditions de fonctionnement sont decrites pour plusieurs produits d'alimentation. On a trouve que les modeles theoriques mis au point les extrudeuses de plastification convenaient egalement au systeme d'alimentation-extrusion de biomasse, en appliquant les coefficients de traǐnee et de circulation forcee appropries.
The Independent Prediction of General Intelligence by Elementary Cognitive Tasks: Genetic and Environmental Influences

Current theories of intelligence have, in some cases, begun to include elementary cognitive tasks. Behavioral genetic studies of intelligence have not taken these theories into account. The current study includes 135 MZ and 128 DZ twin pairs from the Western Reserve Twin Project. The 11 WISC-R subtests as well as 6 elementary cognitive tasks were employed. Using a Schmid-Leiman (1957) transformation, analyses indicate a four-group factor model, supported by a second-order general factor at both phenotypic and biometric levels. Results indicate that the general factor, group factors, and specific residuals are necessary when examining additive genetic variance. Common environmental variance can be collapsed into a single general factor.
Toxicity and Metabolism of Ortho-, Meta-, and Para-Terphenyls

Abstract A study of the acute oral toxicity of ortho-, meta-, and para-terphenyl in rats resulted in LDW values of 1900, 2400 and greater than 10,000 mg/kg, respectively. Thirty day feeding studies suggest that continued ingestion of these compounds may produce liver and kidney damage. Metabolic studies indicate that the major metabolites of ortho-and meta-terphenyl are glucosiduronic acids and phenols. Para-terphenyl was poorly absorbed and a large portion is excreted unchanged in the feces.
Impact to Spinal Cord Stimulator Lead Integrity with Direct Suture Loop Ties

Background. Lead migration of spinal cord stimulators (SCS) is a significant problem, and experience suggests that anchoring sutures directly around the SCS lead may reduce migration. Such practices have been limited by concerns about potential damage to the lead and impairment of performance. Objective. This study sought to determine the extent of overt damage following maximal tension from tying sutures directly around SCS leads. Design. Twenty-eight SCS leads were prospectively exposed to 56 suture knots that were tightened under controlled conditions to the suture's breaking point. Outcome Measures. Lead damage was evaluated by high power microscopy and assessment of lead impedance. Results. None of the leads had evidence of substantial physical damage or electrical impairment. Conclusions. This small study suggests that anchoring directly to the lead appears to produce minimal damage, but these preliminary data must be confirmed and expanded.
The Allison Turboprop Aircraft Engine as an Industrial Prime Mover

At the 1962 ASME meeting in Houston, Allison submitted a paper describing the possibilities of industrializing the T56 aircraft engine. Since that time, Allison has modified the engine for gas burning and is operating one as a prime mover for a 2000-kw generator at the Indianapolis Plant. In addition, two additional units are to be installed in the gas-transmisson field driving centrifugal gas compressors. This paper gives a description of the units and a status report on the installation and operation. Photographs of the installation and performance data, as necessary to complete the report, are included.Copyright © 1964 by ASME
The genome-linked protein of picornaviruses. IV. Difference in the VPg's of encephalomyocarditis virus and poliovirus as evidence that the genome-linked proteins are virus-coded.

Abstract A protein (EMC-VPg) covalently attached to EMC RNA has been found whose properties are distinct from those of the genome-linked protein of poliovirus (polio-VPg). EMC-VPg isolated from virus grown in HeLa cells is identical to EMC-VPg from virus grown in L cells, as determined by urea sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In contrast, polio-VPg isolated from virus grown in HeLa cells migrates more rapidly in these gels indicating a lower apparent molecular weight. These data show that the physical properties of the genome-linked proteins of two picornaviruses depend upon the nature of the viral genome rather than what proteins are available in the host cells. The most straightforward explanation for this phenomenon is that VPg is virus-coded. Evidence is presented which suggests that, as in poliovirus, VPg is attached to the EMC genome at the 5′ terminus via the nucleotide pUp.
Process study of thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition of diamond, part I: Substrate material, temperature, and methane concentration

Effects of process parameters on diamond film synthesis in DC thermal plasma jet reactors are discussed including substrate material, methane concentration and substrate temperature. Diamond has been deposited on silicon, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, copper, nickel, titanium, and stainless steel. The adhesion of diamond film to the substrate is greatly affected by the type of substrate used. It has been found that the methane concentration strongly affects the grain size of the diamond films. Increased methane concentrations result in smaller grain sizes due to the increased number of secondary nucleations on the existing facets of diamond crystals. Substrate temperature has a strong effect on the morphology of diamond films. With increasing substrate temperature, the predominant orientation of the crystal growth planes changes from the (111) to the (100) planes. Studies of the variation of the film quality across the substrate due to the nonuniformity of thermal plasma jets indicate that microcrystalline graphite formation starts at the corners and edges of diamond crystals when the conditions become unfavorable for diamond deposition.
Polyvalent interactions of HIV-gp120 protein and nanostructures of carbohydrate ligands

This paper presents the initial effort in anti-HIV infection using glycosphingolipid-based nanostructures. HIV infection of CD4 negative cells is initiated by the binding of the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 to galactosylceramide (GalCer), a glycosphingolipid that serves as the cellular receptor for viral recognition. A series of nanostructures of GalCer are designed and produced using an AFM-based lithography method known as nanografting. The geometry dependence of recombinant gp120 binding to these nanostructures is monitored using high-resolution AFM imaging. Gp120 molecules are found to favor binding sites that allow for polyvalent interactions. Increased adsorption at the intersection of two lines, or between two parallel lines with matching separation for trimeric binding, strongly suggests that trivalent interactions are dominant in gp120-GalCer nanostructure interactions. Systematic distance-dependence studies, using parallel nanolines with various separations, reveal a separation of 4.8 nm, matching the separation of V3 loops in gp120 trimers. This investigation demonstrates that nanotechnology provides a powerful tool for investigating and guiding polyvalent interactions among biological systems.
Current management of primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic, cholestatic autoimmune liver disease characterized by inflammation and progressive destruction of interlobular bile ducts, ultimately leading to biliary cirrhosis. Population based studies have estimated the incidence of PBC as 19.1–251/ 1 000 000 in the general population [1,2]. The etiology of PBC is attributed to autoimmunity mainly due to the association with antimitochondrial antibodies, present in 95% of PBC patients, but genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute as well. In a large epidemiologic study conducted in the United States a survey was sent to 241 patients with PBC using standardized questions drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in an attempt to identify risk factors for the disease; 83.3% of the patients returned the questionnaires [3]. Surveys were also sent to siblings and friends of the cases. The female -to-male ratio among cases was 10:1, and the mean age of respondents was 53 years, accurately reflecting the general knowledge on epidemiology of PBC. The investigators identified that autoimmune diseases (Sjogren’s syndrome, Raynaud’s syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease) were 3–15 times more frequent among PBC cases than their siblings or cases and there was a 6% prevalence of PBC in first degree relatives of cases. In addition, several illnesses were seen in association with PBC, such as urinary tract infection, tonsillectomy, cholecystectomy and shingles, raising the possibility that an infectious agent may also be involved in the pathogenesis of PBC. Symptoms begin insidiously. Fatigue is the most common symptom, present in up to 70% of patients [4], followed by pruritus, which can be quite distressing for the patient. Jaundice develops later, usually associated with progression of the disease. Other symptoms are related to portal hypertension and other sequelae of advanced cholestatic liver disease. There are several prognostic models for predicting survival, with the serum bilirubin level being the only variable common to all of them. The prognosis is noticeably different for asymptomatic or symptomatic patients, but it is clearly documented that even asymptomatic patients have a shorter survival compared to the general population [5]. The overall survival rate ranged from 5.5 to 11.9 years in the pre-transplant era [6]. A Kaplan–Meier graphic of the estimated survival in PBC is shown in Fig. 1. Therapy is aimed at preventing disease progression as well as treating or preventing its complications, namely osteoporosis, fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, pruritus and portal hypertension.
The primary structure of guinea pig β2-microglobulin

Abstract The complete primary structure of guinea pig β2-microglobulin has been determined. It is 99 residues long and shares approximately 70% of its sequence with human and rabbit β2m. Heterogeneity at the carboxyl-terminus gives rise to two forms of the molecule: one bearing a COOH-terminal lysyl residue and one which lacks this residue. Evidence suggests that the two forms arise due to proteolysis, but multiple forms of β2m are not ruled out. A model of the three-dimensional structure is presented and used to evaluate amino acid substitutions among microglobulins. A high degree of conservation is seen among residues responsible for maintenance of β-structure. This is especially true for residues occurring in a presumptive four-chain layer and suggests that this is the face which interacts with histocompatibility antigens.
Robust M-estimators on spheres

Abstract We introduce M-estimators for location and concentration parameters of von Mises-Fisher distributions on unit spheres. These include the directional mean, normalized spatial median, spherical median, and the mle of the concentration parameter. We find the influence functions and asymptotic distributions of such estimators and give necessary and sufficient conditions under which the M-estimators become SB-robust. SB-robust M-estimators, which are optimal in a sense similar to Hampel, are proposed. We discuss both simultaneous estimation of location and concentration and estimation of one parameter when the other is known. The behavior of the optimal estimators, together with several alternatives, under extreme contamination and moderate sample sizes is studied using simulation. An example, previously studied by Fisher, Lewis, and Embleton (1987, Analysis of Spherical Data , Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK), dealing with remanent magnetization is reanalyzed using these techniques.
Performance on Color Tasks in Kindergarten Children

Summary One hundred and fifty-four kindergarten children were given a battery of color tasks including color vision (pseudo-isochromatic plates and yarn sorting and matching), intra-verbal (answering questions involving color names conventionally associated with certain items), and associative (pointing to colors and naming colors, first untimed and then repeatedly and rapidly). A small nursery school group (N = 16, mean age 59.3 months) was also tested. Most were found to be highly competent in all three types of color tasks. 78% of the kindergarten children named the 50-stimulus color chart in less than 95 seconds with fewer than 3 errors and made no more than one error in answering 8 questions requiring a color name. Of greatest interest were 9 children (6%) who were neither color-blind nor verbally unfamiliar with color names but were unusually hesitant and inconsistent in color-naming. Only one child, because of “point-to” errors and spectacular color-naming difficulty, resembled the picture of “visual disconnexion syndrome,” as discussed by Geschwind (1966). Rapid color-naming norms established for kindergarten children (70 months, S.D. ± 5) by this study for the test available in the Mental Examiner's Handbook (Wells and Ruesch, 1945) are mean time 70 seconds (S.D. ± 24), mean errors 2 (S.D. ± 1.2).
A Randomized Walking Trial in Postmenopausal Women Effects on Physical Activity and Health 10 Years Later

Background It is important to determine if permanent lifestyle changes may result from physical activity interventions and whether health may be affected by these changes. Objective To conduct a 10-year follow-up of physical activity and self-reported health status in participants of a randomized clinical trial of walking intervention. Methods Of the original 229 volunteer postmenopausal women who participated in the original clinical trial, 196 (N=96 intervention and 100 controls) completed the 10-year follow-up telephone interview. The interview protocol included questions on self-reported walking for exercise and purposes other than exercise, the Paffenbarger sport and exercise index, functional status, and various chronic diseases and conditions. Results The median values for both usual walking for exercise and total walking were significantly higher for walkers compared with controls (for both,P=.01), with median differences of 706 and 420 kcal/wk, respectively. After excluding women who reported heart disease during the original trial, 2 women in the walking group (2%) and 11 women in the control group (12%) reported physician-diagnosed heart disease over the last 10 years (P=.07). There were also fewer hospitalizations, surgeries, and falls among women in the walking group, although these differences were not statistically significant (P>.05). Conclusions Although limited by self-report, this study may be the first to demonstrate long-term exercise compliance to a randomized control trial in older women and to suggest that health benefits may have ensued as a result of these increased activity levels.
Large-transducer measurements of wavefront distortion in the female breast.

Abstract Ultrasonic waves propagating through soft tissue experience wavefront distortion. Refraction occurs at boundaries between tissue beds having different sound speeds; scattering occurs within a tissue bed, caused by local impedance variations. This paper describes measurements of wavefront distortion in the human female breast that indicate that refraction is the dominant distortion mechanism when the ultrasonic phased array is very large. The determination that refraction dominates the wavefront distortion is based upon studies of multiple image artifacts that result from a single source radiated through in vivo breasts and breast phantoms. The receiving apertures used were 4.65 and 9.6 cm. Such image artifacts are repeatedly observed in the 10 young subjects reported in this paper, and also in older subjects. An understanding of the in vivo observations is obtained by phantom studies.
Spectroscopic observation of vibrational Feshbach resonances in near-threshold photoexcitation of X−·CH3NO2 (X−=I− and Br−)

We report the observation of resonance structure in the absorption and X−/NO2− photofragment action spectra of the X−·CH3NO2 (X−=I− and Br−) complexes in the region above the electron detachment threshold. The resonance structure corresponds to peaks which appear at the onsets for vibrational excitation of the –NO2 wag, scissors, and stretch modes of neutral CH3NO2, the modes which most strongly distort upon electron capture into its π* lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. We attribute the peaks to excitation of vibrational Feshbach resonances of the CH3NO2− transient negative ion, where near-threshold excitation of X−·CH3NO2 spectroscopically accesses states of the free electron–CH3NO2 system.
Studies of the effects of 4'4"-bis-(1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-pyrimidinyl)-terephthalanilide dihydrochloride on oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria of rat kidney and liver.

Abstract The effects of 4′,4″-bis(1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-pyrimidinyl)-terephthalanilide (NSC 57153) on oxidative phosphorylation in liver and kidney mitochondria of rat have been determined after daily intravenous administration of the drug for various periods up to 27 days, and after exposure to the drug in vitro . In all cases, phosphorylation and the oxidation of succinate were inhibited in proportion to drug concentration up to a limiting value. Inhibition of phosphorylation never exceeded about 60%, but it was always greater than the inhibition of oxidation. Although NSC 57153 caused equivalent inhibition of mitochondria from kidney and liver when added in vitro , the effects on liver mitochondria after exposure to drug in vivo were minimal because little drug was localized in the liver. It is estimated from the data that a higher drug concentration is required to produce an equivalent inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation after brief exposure to drug in vitro than after days of exposure to drug in vivo . Possible reasons for this findings are discussed.
Relationship Between [18F]FDOPA PET Uptake, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC), and Proliferation Rate in Recurrent Malignant Gliomas.

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 6-[18F]fluoro-l-dopa ([18F]FDOPA) positron emission tomography (PET) are used to interrogate malignant tumor microenvironment. It remains unclear whether there is a relationship between [18F]FDOPA uptake, diffusion MRI estimates of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and mitotic activity in the context of recurrent malignant gliomas, where the tumor may be confounded by the effects of therapy. The purpose of the current study is to determine whether there is a correlation between these imaging techniques and mitotic activity in malignant gliomas. We retrospectively examined 29 patients with recurrent malignant gliomas who underwent structural MRI, diffusion MRI, and [18F]FDOPA PET prior to surgical resection. Qualitative associations were noted, and quantitative voxel-wise and median measurement correlations between [18F]FDOPA PET, ADC, and mitotic index were performed. Areas of high [18F]FDOPA uptake exhibited low ADC and areas of hyperintensity T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) with low [18F]FDOPA uptake exhibited high ADC. There was a significant inverse voxel-wise correlation between [18F]FDOPA and ADC for all patients. Median [18F]FDOPA uptake and median ADC also showed a significant inverse correlation. Median [18F]FDOPA uptake was positively correlated, and median ADC was inversely correlated with mitotic index from resected tumor tissue. A significant association may exist between [18F]FDOPA uptake, diffusion MRI, and mitotic activity in recurrent malignant gliomas.
A note on topological matrices and characteristic polynomials of fourth-magnitude drainage net maps

I suggest that a connection matrix and a characteristic polynomial, which can be formed for any drainage net, using Shreve link magnitudes, may be used in studying drainage nets. I show how the matrix and the polynomial can be formed, using selected drainage nets as examples.
Rod photoreceptor transduction is affected in central retinal vein occlusion associated with iris neovascularization

Patients with central retinal vein occlusion who later develop iris neovascularization show changes in the amplitude, the timing, and the sensitivity of the electroretinogram b wave. We determined the extent to which rod photoreceptor dysfunction contributes to these changes by recording single-flash electroretinograms from both eyes of 52 patients with unilateral central retinal vein occlusion and fitting the leading edges of a waves with a model of rod phototransduction. Eyes with central retinal vein occlusion showed reductions in photoreceptor gain but no changes in photoreceptor amplitude when compared with the fellow eyes. The reductions were larger in eyes that developed iris neovascularization and were predictive of this complication. Photoreceptor gain reductions accounted for only part of the b-wave timing delays and sensitivity loss; the remainder is attributed to functional loss in the inner nuclear layer.
Neutron reflectivity studies of polymers adsorbed at solid-air and solid-liquid interfaces (Invited Paper)

Over the last ten years, neutron reflectivity has emerged as a powerful technique for the investigation of surface and interfacial phenomena in many different fields. In this paper, a short review of some of the work on neutron reflectivity form polymer films performed at NIST reactor is presented. Specific examples of ordering in diblock copolymer films as well adsorbed polymer brushes are presented.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The interaction of bromodeoxyuridine with ribosomal RNA cistron redundancy in Drosophila

We demonstrate that Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-induced reductions of the ribosomal RNA cistrons (rDNAs) are observed in Drosophila virilis, and Drosophila busckii, but not in karyotypically normal adults or larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. However, BrdU does reduce the redundancy of the rDNAs of XO D melanogaster males, in which a compensatory response is evidenced in the untreated XO sibling controls. These results suggest that the BrdU-rDNA interaction is specific to events which modulate rDNA redundancy. Further, both thymidine and deoxycytidine “reverse” the BrdU effect in D virilis, an observation which is inconsistent with current working hypotheses describing the mechanisms of BrdUs effects.
Stressors, Coping Resources, and Depressive Symptoms among Rural American Indian Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of physical health stressors and coping resources with depressive symptoms among American Indian older adults age 50 years or older. The study used a convenience sample of 227 rural American Indian older adults. A hierarchical multiple regression tested three sets of predictors on depressive symptoms: (a) sociodemographics, (b) physical health stressors (functional disability and chronic medical conditions), and (c) coping resources (social support and spirituality). Most participants reported little difficulty in performing daily activities (e.g., eating, dressing, traveling, and managing money), while presenting over two types of chronic medical conditions. Depressive symptoms were predicted by higher scores on perceived social support and lower scores on functional disability; women and those having no health insurance also had higher levels of depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that social work practitioners should engage family and community support, advocate for access to adequate health care, and attend to women's unique circumstances and needs when working with American Indian older adults.
What Is the Use of Imaging Before Referral to an Orthopaedic Oncologist? A Prospective, Multicenter Investigation

Background Patients often receive advanced imaging before referral to an orthopaedic oncologist. The few studies that have evaluated the value of these tests have been single-center studies, and there were large discrepancies in the estimated frequencies of unnecessary use of diagnostic tests.
Selectivity in gas purification: film theory, semi-infinite medium

Abstract A film theory model describing simultaneous transport of two gases into a reactive liquid has been used in an examination of the conditions that optimize selectivity. One component reacts instantaneously, the other at a finite rate. The resulting unstable two point boundary value problem was solved numerically for a range of the dimensionless numbers that characterize an important application for this system. Selectivity is shown to be favored by low interfacial concentrations of both gases but particularly of the component reacting instantaneously; it is also favored by high concentrations of the non-volatile liquid reactant. Selectivity can be high while the rate of transfer of the selective component can also be large. Good mixing can further help the selectivity if this does not significantly reduce the bulk concentrations of the non-volatile reactant. A boundary condition of the film theory often imposed on such systems is shown to be unnecessary.
Peroxinectin catalyzed dityrosine crosslinking in the adhesive underwater silk of a casemaker caddisfly larvae, Hysperophylax occidentalis

Aquatic caddisfly larvae use sticky silk fibers as an adhesive tape to construct protective composite structures under water. Three new silk fiber components were identified by transcriptome and proteome analysis of the silk gland: a heme-peroxidase in the peroxinectin (Pxt) sub-family, a superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) that generates the H2O2 substrate of the silk fiber Pxt from environmental reactive oxygen species (eROS), and a novel structural component with sequence similarity to the elastic PEVK region of the muscle protein, titin. All three proteins are co-drawn with fibroins to form silk fibers. The Pxt and SOD3 enzymes retain activity in drawn fibers. In native fibers, Pxt activity and dityrosine crosslinks are co-localized at the boundary of a peripheral layer and the silk fiber core. To our knowledge, dityrosine crosslinks, heme peroxidase, and SOD3 activities have not been previously reported in an insect silk. The PEVK-like protein is homogeneously distributed throughout the fiber core. The results are consolidated into a model in which caddisfly silk Pxt-catalyzed dityrosine crosslinking occurs post-draw using H2O2 generated within the silk fibers by SOD3. The ROS substrate of caddisfly silk SOD3 occurs naturally in aquatic environments, from biotic and abiotic sources. The radially inhomogeneous dityrosine crosslinking and a potential titin-like PEVK protein network have important implications for the mechanical properties of caddifly silk fibers.
COMPUTER SIMULATIONS OF MAGNETIZATION REVERSAL DYNAMICS

Computer simulations of a two-dimensional lattice of magnetic dipoles are performed on the massively parallel Connection Machine Supercomputer. These lattices constitute a discrete model for thin films of amorphous rare earth-transition metal (RE-TM) alloys, used in erasable optical data storage systems. The simulated dipoles follow the dynamic equation of Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert. Using mean-field theory, we have calculated the temperature dependence of the subnetwork magnetizations, the effective fields, the gyromagnetic coefficient, and the Gilbert damping parameter. These results are then used in the simulation of the thermomagnetic recording process, where a focused laser beam creates a hot spot and allows an external magnetic field to reverse the direction of local magnetization. Reversed domains are seen to nucleate during cooling of a heated spot with Gaussian spatial profile. In the absence of defects of the size of a domain wall, these nuclei are seen to collapse in low external fields. In contrast, samples with patches of uniform anisotropy and weakened inter-patch exchange form stable reversed domains. Color visualizations of the magnetization distribution show local pinning of the cooling reverse domain on patch boundaries.
Multiple attribute evaluation of landscape management

Abstract Economic approaches to the valuation of ecological services have several limitations. Some of these limitations can be overcome using the multiple attribute decision-making model developed in this paper. The model postulates that a private or public decision-maker selects a site/landscape management plan based on the biophysical and economic attributes of alternative management plans, the decision-maker’s preferences for attributes, and constraints on the selection of a management plan. Two cases are examined. Case A is a watershed consisting of publicly owned land that is managed at the site, management unit and landscape scales. Management is based on the philosophy of ecosystem management. Case B is a watershed composed of several privately owned units that are managed at the site scale by decision-makers whose primary motivation is economic profit. The preferred management plan in both cases is determined using a two-stage procedure. The first stage uses a stochastic programming model to identify the most efficient management plans for a site/landscape. The second stage determines which efficient management plan for a site/landscape is preferred by maximizing an expected utility function that is additive in the attributes and assumes that the decision-maker is risk neutral. Whether a land-management plan results in strongly or weakly sustainable resource conditions is evaluated. Strong sustainability requires the probability of exceeding the minimum acceptable value of an attribute to be greater than or equal to a pre-determined reliability level for each attribute. Weak sustainability requires the same condition except that it applies to a composite index of the attributes rather than each attribute. Bayes theorem is used to evaluate uncertainty about whether the state of a landscape is sustainable.
Evidence for complex formation in the reactions of CH+ 3 and CD+ 3 with CH3OH, CD3OD, and C2H5OH

Abstract Product distributions for the reactions of CH+3 and CD+3 with methanol, methanol-d4, and ethanol studied in a tandemion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer are reported. The major reaction pathways may be rationalized in terms of an intermediate species having a protonated ether structure.
Cardiac Masses on Cardiac CT: A Review.

Cardiac masses are rare entities that can be broadly categorized as either neoplastic or non-neoplastic. Neoplastic masses include benign and malignant tumors. In the heart, metastatic tumors are more common than primary malignant tumors. Whether incidentally found or diagnosed as a result of patients’ symptoms, cardiac masses can be identified and further characterized by a range of cardiovascular imaging options. While echocardiography remains the first-line imaging modality, cardiac computed tomography (cardiac CT) has become an increasingly utilized modality for the assessment of cardiac masses, especially when other imaging modalities are non-diagnostic or contraindicated. With high isotropic spatial and temporal resolution, fast acquisition times, and multiplanar image reconstruction capabilities, cardiac CT offers an alternative to cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in many patients. Additionally, cardiac masses may be incidentally discovered during cardiac CT for other reasons, requiring imagers to understand the unique features of a diverse range of cardiac masses. Herein, we define the characteristic imaging features of commonly encountered and selected cardiac masses and define the role of cardiac CT among noninvasive imaging options.
Normal chicken cells (chf-) express a surface antigen which cross-reacts with determinants of the major envelope glycoprotein (gp85) of avian myeloblastosis virus.

Abstract Using rabbit antisera raised against the purified major envelope glycoprotein (gp85) of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV), we were unable to differentiate between normal chicken cells carrying the chicken-helper factor (chf+) from those lacking this endogenous virus information (chf−) in several serological assays, including competition radioimmunoassay and membrane immunofluorescence. Radioimmunoprecipitation analysis of the material recognized in uninfected chf(+) and chf(-) chicken cells by the rabbit anti-AMV gp85 antisera revealed the presence in immune precipitates of both cell types of a high molecular weight glycoprotein (∼125,000), while low amounts of gp85 were precipitated only from the chf(+) cells. In contrast, antisera raised against the gp85s of three other avian oncornaviruses did not recognize the 125,000-dalton molecule in either cell type, although gp85 was again precipitated from the chf(+) chicken cells. The high molecular weight glycoprotein (denoted NCG) appears to represent a normal chicken cell surface glycoprotein which is antigenically cross-reactive with unique determinants of AMV gp85, presumably dependent on the carbohydrate portion of the molecules. The significance of this cross-reactivity is discussed, as well as the interpretation of previous results obtained through the use of these rabbit anti-AMV gp85 antisera.
The effect of pup presence and intruder behavior on maternal aggression in rats

Maternal aggression was not affected by a brief (1 min) interval of pup separation and was not dependent upon the behavior of male intruders. Dams’ latency to attack increased significantly within 4 h of pup removal. Duration of offense was decreased by 8 h of separation and all aggression was abolished after 24 h of separation. The results demonstrate that the short-term maintenance of maternal aggression does not depend on pup stimulation or the behavior of male intruders. Maternal aggression decreases systematically, however, when pups are absent for longer intervals.
Epidemiologic studies of glyphosate and non-cancer health outcomes: a review

The United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory agencies around the world have registered glyphosate as a broad-spectrum herbicide for use on multiple food and non-food use crops. To examine potential health risks in humans, we searched and reviewed the literature to evaluate whether exposure to glyphosate is associated causally with non-cancer health risks in humans. We also reviewed biomonitoring studies of glyphosate to allow for a more comprehensive discussion of issues related to exposure assessment and misclassification. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies on glyphosate and non-cancer outcomes evaluated a variety of endpoints, including non-cancer respiratory conditions, diabetes, myocardial infarction, reproductive and developmental outcomes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, and Parkinson's disease. Our review found no evidence of a consistent pattern of positive associations indicating a causal relationship between any disease and exposure to glyphosate. Most reported associations were weak and not significantly different from 1.0. Because accurate exposure measurement is crucial for valid results, it is recommended that pesticide-specific exposure algorithms be developed and validated.
Thermodynamic dissociation constants of some 1-hydroxycycloalkanecarboxylic acids at 25°C

Abstract The thermodynamic dissociation constants of 1-hydroxycyclopentane-, 1-hydroxycyclohexane-, and 1-hydroxycycloheptanecarboxylic acids were determined at 25·0°C by extrapolation of data obtained in KCl supporting electrolyte to μ = 0. The respective figures found were (7·00±0·03) × 10 −5 ,(6·94±0·05) × 10 −5 , and (6·17±0·03) × 10 −5 .
The role of cell proliferation and cellular shape change in branching morphogenesis of the embryonic mouse lung: Analysis using aphidicolin and cytochalasins

The formation of induced supernumerary buds in the embryonic mouse tracheal epithelium has been used as a model system to analyse the respective roles of cell proliferation and microfilament-mediated cell shape change during branching morphogenesis. In order to analyse the mitotic events associated with the formation of epithelial buds, the induction of supernumerary tracheal buds by mesenchymal grafts was carried out with the inhibitor of DNA synthesis, aphidicolin, present in the culture medium for varying intervals of time during the 16-hour inductive process. The presence of aphidicolin for 10 to 16 hours of the inductive period blocks the formation of induced tracheal buds, whereas the presence of the inhibitor for half of that time (either the first 8 hours or the last 8 hours) does not prevent this morphogenetic event from taking place, although smaller buds resulted from induction under these conditions. Both the inhibition of DNA synthesis and the recovery from 10 microM aphidicolin treatment, as measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation, were found to occur rapidly. The addition of 2 microM dihydrocytochalasin B (or cytochalasin B) together with aphidicolin during the second half of the inductive period inhibits the formation of supernumerary buds and upon removal of the cytochalasin rapid formation of buds takes place. We conclude that the formation of epithelial buds during branching morphogenesis occurs as a result of enhanced localized cell proliferation coupled with epithelial cell shape change (or preservation of cell morphology) mediated by microfilaments, which have been observed in both the apical and basal cytoplasm of the epithelial cells in the region where branching of the trachea is taking place.
Why the melting layer radar reflectivity is not bright at 94 GHz

[1] At 94 GHz, the highest radar frequency used for atmospheric research, no radar bright band is observed at the melting layer. In this study, simulations of a vertical profile of melting particles and their scattering properties for a variety of melting particle models are used to capture the basic features of the radar reflectivity structure at 94 GHz in the melting layer. Observations of stratiform precipitation from vertically pointing 3 GHz and 94 GHz radars are used for comparison with the model results. The simulations show good agreement with the observations. The melting of precipitating particles results in an abrupt increase in the radar reflectivity at 94 GHz without a subsequent decrease at the base of the melting layer. The simulations also captured a small decrease in the radar reflectivity at 94 GHz (dark band) often observed at the top of the melting layer.
Effects of low and high LET radiations on bystander human lung fibroblast cell survival

Purpose: This investigation is aimed to determine the role of low LET (linear energy transfer, γ-rays) and high LET (α-particles) radiations on bystander effect of using the same type of cells and its implications on colony-forming efficiency from a single cell.Materials and methods: Normal human fetal lung (MRC-5), immortalized repair deficient ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) (GM5849C) and normal (GM637H) fibroblast cells were used. Colony-forming efficiency in bystander cells (GM637H) was studied using the medium transfer technique from the two donor (MRC-5 and GM5849C) cells and the procedure followed for bystander treatment is presented schematically in . Evidence of change in colony formation in bystander cells, was assessed by scavenging nitric oxide (NO). Figure 1. Schematic representation of the technical procedure followed for the sham-treated control and bystander cells.Results: Enhancement of 10 – 30% in colony-forming efficiency was observed in bystander GM637H cells treated with irradiate...
Low-level arsenic exposure, AS3MT gene polymorphism and cardiovascular diseases in rural Texas counties.

Abstract Most Americans living in rural areas use groundwater for drinking. Exposure to low-level (around the current U.S. standard 10 μg/L) arsenic in drinking water is associated with increased mortality of cardiovascular diseases. The current study was to determine if coronary heart disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were associated with low-level arsenic exposure and AS3MT gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) A35991G (rs10748835) in rural Texas. Subjects (156 men, 343 women, 40–96 years of age with a mean of 61) were residents from rural counties Cochran, Palmer, and Bailey, Texas. Groundwater arsenic concentration at each subject's home was estimated with ArcGIS inverse distance weighted interpolation based on the residential location's distances to surrounding wells with known water arsenic concentrations. The estimated groundwater arsenic concentration ranged from 2.2 to 15.3 (mean 6.2) μg/L in this cohort. Logistic regression analysis showed that coronary heart disease was associated with higher arsenic exposure (p
Notes on the Status of Species Assigned to the Subgenus Tanglha (Siphonaptera: Ischnopsyllidae)

The status of the 3 subspecies of Sternopsylla distincta is briefly reviewed, and attention is called to the erection of the subgenus Tanglha for 3 new Tibetan species assigned to Sternopsylla. These 3 species are transferred to the genus Mitchella, of which the subgenus Tanglha is considered a junior synonym, and diagnostic differences between Sternopsylla and Mitchella are discussed.
Reproductive response of mature ewes of different breeds to teasing prior to mating

Prior to two fall breeding seasons, a total of 202 crossbred ewes (Dorset, Finn or Barbados sires), 143 Suffolk and 151 Targhee purebred ewes were divided by parity into two groups to evaluate the influence of a 2-week exposure to vasectomized teaser rams on fertility and fecundity. In the first year, teased ewes (T) were maintained in pastures by breed, and vasectomized rams were rotated every 4 days. In the second year, all T ewes were managed in one pasture. The ram-to-ewe ratio during teasing was approximately 1:25 the first year and 1:16 the second year. The unteased ewes (C) were maintained in similar lots but were isolated from contact with rams for the same period. At mating, equal numbers of T and C ewes were exposed to fertile rams in single sire groups. During lambing, ewes were classified by lambing period: day 1–16, day 17–32, day 32-end and nonlambing. A great percentage (P<0.01) of T ewes lambed during the first 16 days. Even though the percentage of T ewes lambing during the second 16 days was not significantly lower than that of C ewes, most of the difference in early lambing due to teasing was attributed to ewes from this group. Reproductive response to teasing appeared to be more significant in the purebred ewes since a higher proportion of crossbred ewes (P<0.05) of both treatment groups lambed during the first 16 days. The percentage of ewes lambing later than 32 days and nonlambing ewes was not altered by teasing. Lambs born per ewe lambing was slightly higher for crossbred ewes than Suffolk and Targhee ewes (P<0.10). Teasing prior to fertile mating did not alter lambing rate.
East Central Europe on the eve of the changeover: the case of Poland

Abstract In contrast to the voluminous literature dealing with the post-communist transformation, much less attention has been paid to the circumstances that led to the communist collapse. The purpose of this paper is to redress the imbalance by trying to examine the socio-political and economic situation on the eve of the changeover and to determine which factors, taken collectively, produced a trigger which ignited the implosion of 1989. The focus will be on Poland, the country which—it is generally agreed—was the first one to launch the process of change and to initiate the “domino effect” which ultimately affected the entire region.
Plain Style and Scientific Style: The Influence of the Puritan Plain Style Sermon on Early American Science Writers:

Early American science writers used the Puritan plain style sermon as a readily available prose model. From the sermon they derived an organization divided into doctrine and uses, a format using se...
Progress in the search for neuronal mechanisms coupling type 2 diabetes to obesity.

Obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes are a tightly linked and increasingly common triad of metabolic disorders. A well-supported and widely accepted explanation for their association is that obesity-induced insulin resistance in tissues such as muscle, liver, and fat increases the demand for insulin, and that type 2 diabetes ensues when this heightened demand cannot be met by defective pancreatic β cells. Despite the undeniable importance of adipocytes in the regulation of insulin sensitivity (see refs. 1–3 for recent reviews and insights into this interaction), this understanding of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes may yet be incomplete. Growing evidence suggests that the CNS plays a key role in glucose homeostasis, via brain pathways that overlap with those controlling food intake and body weight. Advancing this notion a step further is the study by Obici et al., published in this issue of the JCI (4), implicating a specific hypothalamic neuronal pathway — the melanocortin pathway — in the control of insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. The recognition that neuronal melanocortin signaling also figures prominently in energy homeostasis, the process whereby energy intake is matched to energy expenditure over time, suggests an intimate coupling of neuronal mechanisms regulating body weight and glucose metabolism (Figure ​(Figure1).1). Disorders affecting key neuronal pathways can therefore be included among potential mechanisms linking obesity to type 2 diabetes (5). Figure 1 CNS regulation of glucose metabolism. (a) Neuronal pathways including the melanocortin system potentiate insulin’s ability to inhibit hepatic glucose production and to increase glucose uptake into muscle and fat. Insulin and leptin, which circulate ...