cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-molecule telomere length characterization by optical mapping in nano-channel array: Perspective and review on telomere length measurement

In humans, the telomere consists of tandem 5'TTAGGG3' DNA repeats on both ends of all 46 chromosomes. Telomere shortening has been linked to aging and age-related diseases. Similarly, telomere length changes have been associated with chemical exposure, molecular-level DNA damage, and tumor development. Telomere elongation has been associated to tumor development, caused due to chemical exposure and molecular-level DNA damage. The methods used to study these effects mostly rely on average telomere length as a biomarker. The mechanisms regulating subtelomere-specific and haplotype-specific telomere lengths in humans remain understudied and poorly understood, primarily because of technical limitations in obtaining these data for all chromosomes. Recent studies have shown that it is the short telomeres that are crucial in preserving chromosome stability. The identity and frequency of specific critically short telomeres potentially is a useful biomarker for studying aging, age-related diseases, and cancer. Here, we will briefly review the role of telomere length, its measurement, and our recent single-molecule telomere length measurement assay. With this assay, one can measure individual telomere lengths as well as identify their physically linked subtelomeric DNA. This assay can also positively detect telomere loss, characterize novel subtelomeric variants, haplotypes, and previously uncharacterized recombined subtelomeres. We will also discuss its applications in aging cells and cancer cells, highlighting the utility of the single molecule telomere length assay.
Selective volatile organic compound gas sensor based on carbon nanotubes functionalized with ZnO nanoparticles

This paper describes the theory and results for a new class of low-cost chemoresistive gas sensors designed for selective hydrocarbon gas detection. The sensors utilize a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) backbone functionalized with metal oxide nanocrystals. Specifically, nanoparticles were grown on the surface of the MWCNTs using atomic layer deposition. The crystallinity of the ZnO-MWCNTs’ heterostructure was examined by using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The structure of the ZnO/MWCNTs was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x ray. The Hall effect measurement shows p-type characteristics of the MWCNTs, supporting the typical PN junction formation with n-type ZnO nanocrystals. The electron-donating ability of ZnO provided a strong response to the ppm levels of toluene at room temperature (25 °C) and showed strong selectivity with other volatile organic compound gases such as benzene, methane, and formaldehyde.
New Aspects of Vortex Dynamics Relevant to Coherent Structures in Turbulent Flows

Vortex dynamics offers a tractable avenue for explaining the dynamics of coherent structures, which appear to be the dominant features of turbulent shear flows and are the key to predicting and controlling turbulence phenomena such as mixing, entrainment, chemical reaction, drag, and aerodynamic noise. With this in mind, a series of investigations have been undertaken in our group; herein we provide a summary of these studies to date. In particular, we survey coherent structure eduction in free and wall-bounded shear flows, our new generic definition of a vortex, incompressible and compressible vortex reconnection, internal core dynamics within vortices, core dynamics-induced mixing layer transition, helical wave decomposition to extract polarized vorticity wavepackets from turbulent flows, and dynamical coupling of coherent structures with fine-scale turbulence. In addition to reviewing specific contributions in these topics, the results are discussed in context of their generic relevance to turbulence physics.
New Grasses And Legumes For Soil And Water Conservation

Publisher Summary The programs developed under the Soil Conservation Service have more directly encouraged the planting of soil conserving grasses and legumes and the improvement of pasture and meadows than perhaps any other factor in recent years. Other workers found that grasses and legumes, singly or together, effectively reduced erosion and runoff when combined with grain, fiber, vegetable, and other cultivated crops in well-designed rotations. Strip cropping and terracing were found to increase the effectiveness of rotations on some lands. Luker and Christ described the problems of soil deterioration on irrigated lands. Among the most important are erosion, water logging, leaching, and increase in salinity and alkalinity. Grass and legume crops are important in designing conservation practices to prevent or correct these conditions.
Pegfilgrastim use and bone pain: a cohort study of community-based cancer patients:

PurposeBone pain is a common adverse effect of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factors filgrastim and pegfilgrastim. However, the incidence of reported bone pain varies and therapies to mitigate this adverse effect are limited to case reports and one randomized controlled trial. The purpose of this study was to describe pegfilgrastim use, the incidence and treatment of bone pain, and rate of severe or febrile neutropenia among cancer patients receiving pegfilgrastim at a metropolitan, hospital-based, community cancer center.MethodsThis retrospective chart review included the first 100 adult oncology patients who received at least one dose of pegfilgrastim from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012. Descriptive analyses were used to evaluate the primary and secondary outcomes.ResultsOf the identified cases, 69 cancer patients were evaluable. Most patients (74%) received pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis. Pegfilgrastim-associated bone pain occurred in 19% and loratadine was the most common medication us...
Micro hydraulic pressure sensing stent

This paper reports both the novel configuration and the operation principle of a pressure sensing stent (medical mesh tube) that (1) completely incorporates a micro pressure sensor into the stent wire structure and (2) achieves 75 times amplification in output signals of capacitive sensing via micro-scale hydraulic movement. A fabrication method was developed for wafer-level manufacture of the ‘on-wire’ pressure sensors, by grafting and processing multiple wires onto a silicon wafer. The fabricated pressure sensor on a stent successfully (1) detected the full cardiovascular pressure range of 60∼260mmHg with a resolution of 0.24µm/mmHg; (2) produced 114fF of capacitive signal outputs, which is x75 times amplified compared to conventional measurement without hydraulic mechanism; and (3) demonstrated a frequency-based-sensing resolution of 0.4 kHz/mmHg at a resonance of 13.89MHz. The fabricated on-wire sensor held a tiny footprint of 8000×100µm2, engraved on a 260µm-diameter copper wire, still enabling measureable outputs.
Partisan Ambition and Scapegoat Theory: U.S.-China Relations in Political Perspective

In this paper, we show that leaders frequently use foreign policy to solve domestic problems, but they do so in ways that traditional diversionary war or scapegoat theories of international politics do not predict. In contrast to scapegoat theory, which assumes that leaders use foreign crises and threats to rally and unify their publics, we argue that leaders use foreign policy to divide and segment domestic opinion. Moreover, we show that often it is the party-out-of-power, not the party-in-power, that manipulates foreign crises and threats for electoral gain. We develop this argument through an analysis of three cases involving U.S. foreign policy toward China. In each case, leaders of the party-out-of-power used China as a “wedge issue” to divide and weaken the party-in-power – sometimes at considerable cost to America’s geopolitical interests and domestic civil liberties. We discuss the implications of these cases for theorizing about domestic politics and foreign policy-making.
If it's not worth doing, it's not worth doing well.

To the Editor .— In their article on the usefulness of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for identifying youths with hypercholesterolemia, O'Loughlin et al1 conclude that the AAP parental history criteria offer little improvement over random population screening. This is consistent with multiple previous studies showing that family history is a poor predictor of elevated cholesterol levels in children. …
The Effect of NATO Partnerships on Alliance's Smart Defense

Partnerships have become an important mechanism to foster closer cooperation between international institutions and countries that are interested to develop closer relations with these institutions. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) introduced a number of initiatives in the last two decades including Partnership for Peace (PfP), Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperative Initiative, and others. These forms of international cooperation constitute an important element of NATO’s cooperative security and play a crucial role in the promotion of smart defense, i.e. one that “provides greater security with fewer resources but also needs higher level of coordination and coherence.”The literature recognizes some inherent advantages of NATO partnerships as they engage non-members to work closely with the Alliance in areas where there are mutual benefits of such cooperation. Nonetheless, current studies fail to address the extent to which NATO is able to persuade it partners to accomplish two specific goals: (1) manage more effectively their limited resources (e.g. personnel and military equipment); and (2) increase partner contributions to overseas operations. This paper explores the extent to which NATO partnerships can be an effective tool that persuades participating nations to modify their own security policies and expand their involvement in international operations. The paper offers theoretical and policy findings about the impact of security cooperation with nations from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa about the benefits of smart defense.
Soothing the sleeping giant: improving skeletal muscle oxygen kinetics and exercise intolerance in HFpEF

Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have similar degrees of exercise intolerance and dyspnea as patients with heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF). The underlying ...
Circulating MicroRNA and Long Noncoding RNA as Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Diseases

Although >85% of the human genome is transcribed, only 200 nucleotides). It is now clear that these RNAs fulfil critical roles as transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators and as guides of chromatin-modifying complexes. Although not translated into protein, noncoding RNAs can regulate cardiac function through diverse mechanisms and their dysregulation is increasingly linked with cardiovascular pathophysiology. Furthermore, a series of recent studies have discovered that noncoding RNAs can be found in the bloodstream and some species are remarkably stable. This has raised the possibility that such noncoding RNAs may be measured in body fluids and serve as novel diagnostic biomarkers. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of noncoding RNAs' function and biomarker potential in cardiac diseases, concentrating mainly on circulating miRNAs and lncRNAs. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 751-755, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A systems analysis & design course sequence

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Management Computer Systems (MCS) Major1 includes a two course sequence, Systems Analysis and Design 1 and Systems Analysis and Design 2. In the ACM Information Systems Curriculum2 there is also a two course sequence in systems analysis and design. The managers of information systems departments who hire our graduates frequently express the opinion that this sequence is especially important.The progression of the courses begins with three weeks of 100% “theory” with artificial homework assignments before the students are assigned their projects. From the fourth week of the first course to almost the end of the second course the projects are carried through the successive phases of the systems development life cycle. The overall balance between theory and project is evenwith the theory coming earlier so as to illuminate the practice which follows.
The Impact of Religion on Women Empowerment as a Millennium Development Goal in Africa

The study examines the impact of religion on women empowerment. Three religions, indigenous African, Islam and Christianity, comprising Africa’s triple heritage, are considered. The hypothesized relationships are confirmed. Christianity correlates with each of the four Development Targets specified for women empowerment under the third of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including raising the: (1) percentage of school-aged girls in school, (2) female adult literacy rates, (3) female share of non-agricultural employment, and (4) female representation in government. African indigenous religion correlates with Target #3. Islam is inversely linked to each of the four Targets. A composite index incorporating values on these Targets was developed and employed as the dependent variable in a multiple regression model. The model is statistically significant, and confirms the hypothesis of a link between women empowerment and religion. Therefore, any meaningful effort to promote women empowerment in Africa must account for the continent’s three main religions.
Coextrusion drawing of reactor powder of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Certain nascent polymers have been shown to have unusual thermal and morphological properties that are irretrievably lost once the polymer has been melted or otherwise reduced to the isotropic state. We show further that nascent ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene “reactor powder” exhibits a remarkable ductility when uniaxially drawn by coextrusion techniques after initial compaction in film form at 100°C. When drawn at a temperature of 110°C, draw ratios of 56 have been obtained, resulting in an enhanced tensile modulus of 58 GPa. Thermal analyses and dynamic mechanical measurements were also made towards understanding the initial and final morphologies.
Scheduling two parallel semiautomatic machines to minimize machine interference

We consider the problem of scheduling two parallel semiautomatic machines sharing the same server for setting up jobs with the objective of minimizing the machine idle time resulting from the unavailability of the server. The problem is shown to be strongly NP-hard and a reduction procedure is developed to transform it into a smaller one with all consecutive job completions alternating between the two machines. In the latter problem, regeneration points are identified for simplifying the idle time computations, leading to the development of an efficient beam search heuristic. Computational results indicate that the beam search performs very favourably when compared with local search on a wide variety of problems.
REACTION OF INCONEL WITH OXYGEN-CONTAINING SODIUM.

Abstract Metallographic, electron microprobe and X-ray powder diffraction data were employed to establish the products formed in the reaction band between oxygencontaining sodium and Inconel 600 (Ni-76.13, Cr-15.39, Fe-7.71, Si-0.32, Mn-0.21, C-0.04 wt%). Hexagonal sodium chromite, NaCrO 2 , is the principal corrosion product formed at temperatures of 650, 750 and 850 °C. The reaction bands show evidence of grain boundary penetration and internal oxidation; the chromite phase contains little or no iron or nickel while the adjacent metallic phase is highly depleted of chromium.
Verbal/Visual Processing for Males Disabled in Print Acquisition

Fourteen males disabled in print acquisition were studied over time to determine their patterns of verbal and spatial processing. Comparing results of WISC-R and WAIS scales using a Bonferroni correction for t-values, it was found that the Similarities subtest scores significantly increased while the Vocabulary subtest scores and Acquired Knowledge category significantly decreased. Hemispheric specialization was suggested as a possible cause for differences in verbal and nonverbal processing.
Airport expansions and property values: the case of Chicago O'Hare Airport

Abstract The paper adds to the empirical literature by providing up-to-date estimates of the effect of airport noise on property values around one of the world's busiest airports, Chicago O'Hare. The results indicate that home values were about 9% lower within a 65 dB noise contour band of O'Hare in 1997. Opponents of airport expansions argue that increased noise will reduce property values and lower tax bases. The results of this paper suggest that aircraft are becoming so much quieter that the airport can be expanded without causing a drop in local property values or tax bases. Estimates suggest that house prices may rise by as much as $284.6 million in the densely populated area around O'Hare after a new runway is added to the airport.
Efficacy of an alcohol-free chlorhexidine mouthrinse as an antimicrobial agent☆☆☆★★★♢♢♢

Abstract Statement of problem. Antimicrobial mouthrinses have become an important part of comprehensive dental care. However, mouthrinses that contain alcohol have been shown to be detrimental to patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, to some immunocompromised patients, to families with small children, and to persons sensitive to alcohol. Purpose. This study evaluated the effectiveness of alcohol-free, 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthrinse in reducing microbial levels when compared with commercially available 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) and essential oils mouthrinses. Material and methods. This study consisted of both in vitro and in vivo investigations. The double-blind study included 32 subjects randomly assigned to 3 groups, equalized according to the indices tested. One group (n = 11) received essential oils rinse; the second group (n = 11) received CHX; and the last group (n = 10) received the alcohol-free CHX. Subjects were asked not to use any mechanical means of oral hygiene for 21 days. The in vitro part of the study consisted of Streptococcus mutans strip tests. Results. Mean plaque scores for both CHX products decreased after 21 days, whereas the mean for the essential oils increased. Bleeding and gingival index scores for all 3 groups increased, which may be due to the initially healthy tissues of the participants. Relative microbial growth for S mutans for both the CHX products decreased to 0 after 21 days, whereas the counts for the essential oils group remained varied.(J Prosthet Dent 1998;80:685-90.)
Hate Narratives and Ethnic Conflict

In his recent article, Stuart Kaufman subjects a set of rationalist theories of ethnic conflict to strong criticism and proposes his theory of "symbolic politics" as a superior alternative.' Drawing on his earlier work,2 Kaufman argues that violence between ethnic groups is best understood not as a consequence of security dilemmas, informational asymmetries, commitment problems, or elite manipulation, but instead as a consequence of the content of ethnic groups' identities, which he calls "myth-symbol complexes."3 These complexes are basically mythologized narratives of an ethnic group's culture and history, which also contain depictions of certain target groups as victimizers or inferiors (pp. 50-51). Feelings of enmity are the result of such narratives, according to Kaufman, and violence is the result of such feelings. Kaufman tests this theory against the aforementioned rationalist theories in the context of the conflicts in southern Sudan and Rwanda. He concludes that the evidence
CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS PRESENTING AS SICK SINUS SYNDROME AND RECURRENT VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA

Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis is often under-diagnosed. It may present as recurrent arrhythmias, heart failure or conduction block. High dose corticosteroids, when instituted early, can halt myocardial damage. A 69-year-old Caucasian man presented with six months of recurrent ventricular tachycardia
Potassium/sodium selectivity in wheat and the amphiploid cross wheat X Lophopyrum elongatum

The early response of K(+) and Na(+) net fluxes to different external NaCl and KCl levels has been studied in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the amphiploid cross wheat X Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) Love in culture solution experiments. We found that during the first 24 h of exposure to 100 or 200 mM NaCl, at low K(+) levels, the amphiploid absorbed, translocated and allocated to the youngest leaf less Na(+) than the wheat parental line. During that period, the amphiploid retained more K(+) than wheat. Short-term uptake studies with 86Rb and 22Na showed that K(+)(86Rb) and Na(+) influxes were not involved in genotypic differences in K(+)(86Rb) and Na(+) net uptake observed after 6 h of exposure to salt stress. Differences in K(+)(86Rb) net uptake could be attributed to differences in K(+)(86Rb) efflux and/or to K(+)(86Rb) accumulation by root vacuoles. The possibility that differential shrinkage of protoplast volume plays a role in the genotypic difference in K(+) retention cannot be ruled out. On the other hand, Na(+) efflux did not contribute significantly to differences in Na(+) net uptake between these genotypes. Hence, differences in Na(+) net uptake were attributed to differences in the transport of Na(+) to the shoot. The presence in the amphiploid of fast acting mechanisms able to enhance Na(+)/K(+) selectivity at different plant levels minimizes the early build-up of Na(+) concentration, and K(+) substitution by Na(+), in the growing tissue of the leaf.
Cell-cell recognition and interaction

Abstract A theory is proposed for the basic mechanism related to cell-cell interaction and call recognition. A conceptual model-system is developed containing an enzyme system synthesized by a group of genes containing four operons. Activity of operons is controlled by regulatory metabolites derived from adjacent cells. Cellular recognition arises from ‘metabolic decoding’ external substrates produced by exoenzyme system. Mathematical formulation of the model-system is carried out and analyzed or, analog computer. Kinetics of operational processes are presented for isotypic and macrophage type of cellular interactions.
Vitamin E and vitamin C supplement use and risk of incident Alzheimer disease

Oxidative stress may play a role in neurologic disease. The present study examined the relation between use of vitamin E and vitamin C and incident Alzheimer disease in a prospective study of 633 persons 65 years and older. A stratified random sample was selected from a disease-free population. At baseline, all vitamin supplements taken in the previous 2 weeks were identified by direct inspection. After an average follow-up period of 4.3 years, 91 of the sample participants with vitamin information met accepted criteria for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. None of the 27 vitamin E supplement users had Alzheimer disease compared with 3.9 predicted based on the crude observed incidence among nonusers (p = 0.04) and 2.5 predicted based on age, sex, years of education, and length of follow-up interval (p = 0.23). None of the 23 vitamin C supplement users had Alzheimer disease compared with 3.3 predicted based on the crude observed incidence among nonusers (p = 0.10) and 3.2 predicted adjusted for age, sex, education, and follow-up interval (p = 0.04). There was no relation between Alzheimer disease and use of multivitamins. These data suggest that use of the higher-dose vitamin E and vitamin C supplements may lower the risk of Alzheimer disease.
Chalk Slope Failure at Gainesville Lock, Alabama

Gainesville Lock was constructed in a 65-foot-deep excavation on the flood plain of the Alabama River. The upper 30 to 35 feet of the excavation was in flood plain alluvium and the remaining lower part was in the Mooreville Chalk Formation of Upper Cretaceous Age. Within a few weeks after the excavation was made, tension cracks started to develop behind a 20 to 24 foot vertical face in the chalk. After approximately 3 months, these cracks extended almost the entire length of the lock chamber area and had deepened to the point where failure occurred in two lock monolith areas. The entire vertical face was then scaled and sloped back to the tension crack, and the slope remained stable thereafter. The chalk is prominently exposed along the river banks in steep slopes up to 100 feet high and vertically excavated slopes up to 45 feet high have stood for over 30 years in similar material at a quarry approximately 25 miles from Gainesville Lock. Also, slope stability analyses using laboratory test values obtained during the exploration and design of the lock indicate the slope was theoretically stable with a very high safety factor. After the failure occurred, samples were taken from the failed slopes and additional laboratory tests performed. This report describes the studies to back analyze the failure to try and determine the reason and conditions which led to the failure.
TLR9 is important for protection against intestinal damage and for intestinal repair

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are innate receptors critical for host defense, and play a role in normal biological processes. For example, host DNA, a TLR9 ligand, stimulates epithelial repair following skin wounding. TLR signaling also plays a crucial role in regulating intestinal homeostasis. We therefore asked whether TLR9 is important for intestinal wound repair using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal damage and repair model. We showed that TLR9-deficient mice are more susceptible to DSS, and exhibited delayed wound repair at both the clinical and histologic levels. TLR9-deficient mice showed reduced gene expression of hairy enhancer of split 1, an intestinal progenitor cell differentiation factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor, a growth factor important for epithelial cell restitution. Therefore, we conclude that TLR stimulation may play a normal role in regulating intestinal homeostasis and could potentially be a novel therapeutic target to enhance intestinal wound repair in inflammatory bowel diseases.
RF field dependence of memory echoes in LiNbO3 and GaAs powder

Abstract Measurements of the rf electric field dependence of the amplitude of the “memory” echo in LiNbO3 and GaAs powders are reported. Consistent with the torque-rotation model, the dependence on each of the three applied rf pulses is linear in the low power regime. At high power, more complex behavior is found including an irreversible decrease in the echo amplitude when the third applied pulse is larger than the preceeding two pulses.
Multivariate analysis of standoff laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra for classification of explosive-containing residues

A technique being evaluated for standoff explosives detection is laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS is a real-time sensor technology that uses components that can be configured into a ruggedized standoff instrument. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory has been coupling standoff LIBS spectra with chemometrics for several years now in order to discriminate between explosives and nonexplosives. We have investigated the use of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for explosives detection. We have extended our study of PLS-DA to more complex sample types, including binary mixtures, different types of explosives, and samples not included in the model. We demonstrate the importance of building the PLS-DA model by iteratively testing it against sample test sets. Independent test sets are used to test the robustness of the final model.
Calculations of the evolution of the giant planets

Evolutionary calculations are presented for spherically symmetric protoplanetary configurations with a homogeneous solar composition and with masses of 1000, 1500, 28,500 and 42,000 solar masses. Recent improvements in equation-of-state and opacity calculations are incorporated. Sequences start as subcondensations in the solar nebula with densities of 10 to the -10th to 10 to the -11th g/cu cm, evolve through a hydrostatic phase lasting 100 thousand to 10 million years, undergo dynamic collapse due to dissociation of molecular hydrogen, and regain hydrostatic equilibrium with densities of about 1 g/cu cm. The nature of the objects at the onset of the final phase of cooling and contraction is discussed and compared with previous calculations.
d-Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from the cysts of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina leach. The effects of certain ions and coenzymes

Abstract 1. 1. An active preparation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase was obtained from Artemia salina cysts by suspension of the eggs in a 10 mM Tris buffer (pH 7.5) followed by freezing, thawing, homogenization and precipitation with ammonium sulfate. 2. 2. Varied concentrations of KCl and NaCl were found to have no appreciable effect upon the reaction rate. Sulfate, phosphate and bicarbonate anions inhibited the enzyme but magnesium and calcium cations were stimulatory. 3. 3. NAD + and NADP + served equally well as coenzymes and each of these enzyme systems were equally stimulated by magnesium cations.
Mimicking A Postprandial Increase In Glucose Has A Biphasic Action On Microvascular Function

Background and Objectives: The high morbidity and mortality associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are closely associated with an elevated incidence of cardiovascular disease. The importance of good glycaemic control for the reduction of risk, notably of microvascular disease, has been emphasised by the results from clinical trials such as the DCCT for type 1 diabetes and UKPDS for type 2 diabetes. Data from clinical studies also indicate that an oral glucose load results in a reduction in the forearm flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) that coordinates and sustains local blood flow. The reduction was greater and more prolonged in patients with diabetes, probably reflecting uncoupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase secondary to glucose metabolism and elevated oxidative stress. These data suggested that the hyperglycaemia associated with poor glycaemic control may reduce blood flow as a result of an endothelium-dependent reduction in FMD. However, the mechanisms whereby glucose may alter this and other aspects of microvascular function are unknown. In the current study, we designed protocols that allowed us acutely to change glucose concentration and compare endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation in mouse and rat microvessels from the mesenteric and gracilis circulation. Methods: Small mesenteric and rat gracilis arteries with resting lumen diameters of approximately 200-250 µm and 110-120 µm were used in the study. The vessels were mounted in a pressure myograph, pressurised to 60 mmHg and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (EDV) was assessed against agonist-mediated or myogenic tone. EDV was compared under normoglycaemic (11.0 mM for mouse and 5.5 mM for rat) versus hyperglycaemic conditions (25 or 40 mM - as based on rodent models of diabetes) with mannitol used as the osmotic control. Results: A short (10-15 minute) exposure to hyperglycaemia increased EDV in gracilis but reduced EDV in mesenteric arteries, whereas after 60-120 minutes EDV was reduced in both tissues, as indicated by both a reduced maximal response (EMAX) and reduced sensitivity (EC50) to agonist. Further analysis revealed that a 60-minute exposure to hyperglycaemia reduced both nitric oxide and non-nitric oxide-mediated EDV. Conclusion: These data indicate that an increase in glucose concentration has a biphasic effect on EDV and hence blood flow. Further studies are underway to determine the cellular mechanisms involved as well as the long-term effects hyperglycaemia on the regulation of microvascular function. Supported by NPRP 4-910-3-244
Annual Variation of Gas Supersaturation in Four Spring-Fed Oregon Streams

(1984). Annual Variation of Gas Supersaturation in Four Spring-Fed Oregon Streams. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 139-140.
Research Spotlight: Ozone‐destroying iodine measured in Arctic atmosphere

[1] Iodine in the atmosphere can destroy ozone and can also accelerate bromine-catalyzed ozone depletion. Iodine has been measured in the Antarctic atmosphere at levels that cause significant ozone depletion. Mahajan et al. now report detailed measurements of iodine in the Arctic lower troposphere above Hudson Bay. They observed episodes of elevated levels of iodine monoxide as well as other iodine compounds. They suggest that the iodine monoxide probably originated from organoiodine compounds released from ice and seawater algae in areas of open water surrounded by sea ice in Hudson Bay. The emissions of these iodinated compounds will probably grow if sea ice cover in the Arctic continues to decrease. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2009JD013665, 2010)
Probability plotting position formulas for flood records with historical information

Abstract For purposes of evaluating fitted flood frequency distributions or for purposes of estimating distributions directly from plots of flood peaks versus exceedance probabilities (either by subjective or objective techniques), one needs a probability plotting position formula which can be applied to all of the flood data available: both systematic and historic floods. Some of the formulas in use are simply extensions of existing formulas (such as Hazen and Weibull) used on systematic flood records. New plotting position formulas proposed by Hirsch and Stedinger (1986) and in this paper are based on a recognition that the flood data arises from partially censored sampling of the flood record. The theoretical appropriateness, bias in probability and bias in discharge of the various plotting position formulas are considered. The methods are compared in terms of their effects on flood frequency estimation when an objective curve-fitting method of estimation is employed. Consideration is also given to the correct interpretation of the historical record length and the effect of incorrectly assuming that record length equals the time since the first known historical flood. This assumption is employed in many flood frequency studies and may result in a substantial bias in estimated design flood magnitudes.
Investigation of modal power distribution in multimode fibers used in multiple in-line sensors

In this paper a straightforward method is proposed to determine the MPD within a given multimode fiber. The method combines Gloge's mode loss theory with new assumptions about the MPD, as well as a simple experiment which involves measuring the amount of power which survives a series of increasingly sharp bends. Using this technique, the most likely MPD within a fiber can be derived before and after the addition of a sensor.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A reinvestigation of the reaction of arylcalcium iodides with nitrous oxide

Abstract The previously reported reaction of phenylcalcium iodide with N2O in ether to form products with aryl-N bonds has been reexamined with various solvents and methylated aryliodides. The yield of azobenzene is maximized using DME as the solvent, and the insertion reactions may involve diorganocalcium (Ar2Ca) intermediates.
EVALUATION OF HAITIAN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT WITH THE USE OF PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS

Considerable experimental agricultural development efforts have been undertaken in Haiti (Zurekas, 1978, pp. 80–120). Many of the Haitian programmes have been directed toward development through intensive extension efforts with the primary purpose of providing local producers with improved production and management techniques. Frequently such experiments are localised and designed to emphasise the development methods while giving less consideration to evaluating the overall project performance. The Haitian Bas Boen region development project is a case in point (Prires, 1978, p. 76). In this paper the Bas Boen project is considered with the primary objective to show the relationship between production responses to intensive agricultural development programmes. A statistical technique using principal components is used to link production responses to those inputs changed through the extension efforts.
Prostaglandin E2 cervical ripening without subsequent induction of labor.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether outpatient administration of intracervical prostaglandin (PG) E2 gel decreases the interval to delivery and duration of labor. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial compared the intracervical placement of 0.5 mg PGE2 gel with placebo in 61 pregnant women at 38 weeks’ or greater gestation with Bishop scores less than 9. Transvaginal cervical length, fetal fibronectin, and Bishop score were assessed before gel placement. Subjects were then allowed to go into spontaneous labor unless an indication for induction developed. Results: Thirty women were assigned to PGE2 and 31 to placebo. There were no significant demographic differences between the groups and there were no differences in cervical length, fetal fibronectin status, or Bishop scores. Fifteen women in the PGE2 group and five in the placebo group went into labor and delivered within the first 2 days after gel placement (P = .007). The median interval to delivery was significantly shorter in the PGE2 group, at 2.5 days, compared with placebo, at 7 days (P = .02). Nulliparas in the PGE2 group had a median interval to delivery of 2 days, compared with 7 days for nulliparas receiving placebo (P = .03). Active phases of labor were significantly shorter in the PGE2 group and for women with a negative fetal fibronectin test who received PGE2. Conclusion: Outpatient administration of intracervical PGE2 gel shortened intervals to delivery and shortened labor.
W-flows on Weyl manifolds and Gaussian thermostats

Abstract We introduce W-flows, by modifying the geodesic flow on a Weyl manifold, and show that they coincide with the isokinetic dynamics. We establish some connections between negative curvature of the Weyl structure and the hyperbolicity of W-flows, generalizing in dimension 2 the classical result of Anosov on Riemannian geodesic flows. In higher dimensions we establish only weaker hyperbolic properties. We extend the theory to billiard W-flows and introduce the Weyl counterparts of Sinai billiards. We obtain that the isokinetic Lorentz gas with the constant external field E and scatterers of radius r, studied by Chernov, Eyink, Lebowitz and Sinai, is uniformly hyperbolic, if only r|E|
Filaroides cebuellae sp. n. (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) from the lung of a pygmy marmoset, Cebuella pygmaea (Spix, 1823).

A new species, Filaroides cebuellae sp.n., is described from the lung of a pygmy marmoset, Cebuella pygmaea . F. cebuellae is the first lungworm of the genus to be recorded from this host.
On Transfer Function Zeros of General Colocated Control Systems With Mechanical Flexibilities

In our previous work, it was shown that for simple control systems with mechanical flexibilities such as spring-mass systems or uniform cross-section linear elastic beams, the complex conjugate transfer function zeros can be interpreted as the resonances of a sub-portion of the flexible structure with additional constraints imposed by the sensor and actuator. In this paper, the aforementioned intuitive physical observation is verified mathematically for general lumped and distributed parameter flexible control systems with colocated sensor/actuator
Side-chain entropy and packing in proteins.

What role does side-chain packing play in protein stability and structure? To address this question, we compare a lattice model with side chains (SCM) to a linear lattice model without side chains (LCM). Self-avoiding configurations are enumerated in 2 and 3 dimensions exhaustively for short chains and by Monte Carlo sampling for chains up to 50 main-chain monomers long. This comparison shows that (1) side-chain degrees of freedom increase the entropy of open conformations, but side-chain steric exclusion decreases the entropy of compact conformations, thus producing a substantial entropy that opposes folding; (2) there is side-chain "freezing" or ordering, i.e., a sharp decrease in entropy, near maximum compactness; and (3) the different types of contacts among side chains (s) and main-chain elements (m) have different frequencies, and the frequencies have different dependencies on compactness. mm contacts contribute significantly only at high densities, suggesting that main-chain hydrogen bonding in proteins may be promoted by compactness. The distributions of mm, ms, and ss contacts in compact SCM configurations are similar to the distributions in protein structures in the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. We propose that packing in proteins is more like the packing of nuts and bolts in a jar than like the pairwise matching of jigsaw puzzle pieces.
Application and demonstration of diffractive optics for head-mounted displays

We present an overview of diffractive optics technology and the advantages this technology offers when applied to head-mounted displays (HMD). We show especially the impact on weight reduction when diffractive elements are used to correct chromatic aberrations in full-color HMDs. We discuss the effect of higher diffractive orders on image quality and show how to model these effects. Finally, we present the results of a demonstration of a diffractive element in a conventional monochromatic HMD, compare the performance of the hybrid and conventional systems, and demonstrate the validity of our model.
Wall formation and cell division in fluorescence-labelled plant protoplasts

The successful culture of isolated protoplasts of tobacco in the presence of a vital fluorescence stain, Calcofluor White (CW), is reported. The method can be used in both liquid culture and with cells immobilized in agar. Wall formation seems to start at distinct points and can be observed as early as one hour after protoplast isolation. The material either spreads from these points over the entire surface, or the synthesizing apparatus moves in a manner which allows the formation of a continuous layer. The crystallization of the newly synthesized material seems to be hindered by CW, indicating that a rigid cell wall is not a prerequisite for cell division. On the other hand, no cytokinesis occurred unless the protoplasts were surrounded by material showing CW-fluorescence.
Autonomic oil reservoir optimization on the Grid

The emerging Grid infrastructure and its support for seamless and secure interactions is enabling a new generation of autonomic applications where the application components, Grid services, resources, and data interact as peers to manage, adapt and optimize themselves and the overall application. In this paper we describe the design, development and operation of a prototype of such an application that uses peer-to-peer interactions between distributed services and data on the Grid to enable the autonomic optimization of an oil reservoir. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The seasonal pattern of cell proliferation and neuron number in the dentate gyrus of wild adult eastern grey squirrels.

The dentate gyrus is one of two areas in the mammalian brain that produces neurons in adulthood. Neurogenesis (proliferation, survival, and differentiation of new neurons) is regulated by experience, and increased neurogenesis appears to be correlated with improved spatial learning in mammals and birds. We tested the hypothesis that in long-lived mammals that scatter-hoard food, seasonal variations in spatial memory processing (i.e. increased processing during caching season in the autumn) might correlate with changes in neurogenesis and neuron number in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (gcl DG). We investigated the rate of cell proliferation and the total number of neurons in the granule cell layer of wild adult eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) at three different times of the year (October, January and June). We found no seasonal differences in cell proliferation rate or in total neuron number in the granule cell layer. Our findings are in agreement with those of previous studies in laboratory mice and rats, and in free-ranging, food-caching, black-capped chickadees, as well as with current hypotheses regarding the relationship between neurogenesis and learning. Our results, however, are also in agreement with the hypothesis that neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus represents a maintenance system that may be regulated by environmental factors, and that changes in total neuron number previously reported in rodents represent developmental changes rather than adult plasticity. The patterns observed in mature wild rodents, such as free-ranging squirrels, may represent more accurately the extent of hippocampal plasticity in adult mammals.
Sedimentation time and other blood factors in the newborn infant

Summary Sedimentation time, serum albumin and globulin, erythrocyte andplatelet counts, cell volume, corpuscular constants and color, volume and saturation indices from birth to 10 days of life are reported.
Interconnect length impact investigation by measurements

The paper describes novel methodology for high frequency link/bus validation. For the first time the entire interconnect length range is covered. Frequency shmoo emulates PCB length change. The discovered resonance behavior correlates perfectly with theoretical prediction.
The role of antioxidants in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium and the nature of prooxidant-induced damage

Abstract The vertebrate retina has several features that make it vulnerable to damage from autoxidation. The photoreceptor membranes contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids; abundant mitochondria are present which may leak activated oxygen species; and light exposure of the retina may cause photoxidation. These features are analyzed in detail, and the various antioxidant mechanisms of the vertebrate retina are surveyed. The interplay among oxidant stress and antioxidant defenses is illustrated by review of situations where these variables are either artificially manipulated or changed naturally. Vitamin E deficiency damages the retina in a number of well-defined vertebrate model systems, and a lipid autoxidation mechanism for this damage is widely assumed. The retina is quite sensitive to damage by elevated or prolonged light exposure; however, a free-radical role in light damage to the retina has not been established. An alternative mechanism for damage due to vitamin E deficiency and light is considered, which involves elevated vitamin A levels and vitamin A toxicity. Evidence is reviewed that the primate retina requires both vitamin E and selenium. The puzzling role of ocular melanin in light damage and protection is reviewed. Possible contributions of autoxidative damage to aging of the human retina are discussed.