cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Prostaglandins and Other Arachidonic Acid Metabolites in the Differentiation of HL-60

Recently, there has been interest in the possibility that “differentiation inducers” may have utility in the treatment of some malignancies. This concept is predicated on the belief that some malignancies are a result of a block in differentiation which if relieved would result in a more differentiated and therefore more benign malignancy. As a concept for therapy this approach holds the further promise that induction of differentiation could not only relieve the tumor burden but also increase the number of functional cells, the absence of which at least for some malignancies, is a major complication. HL-60 has been a useful model system in the search for substances that are active as inducers of differentiation. HL-60 is induced to differentiate to granulocyte-like cells by incubation with retinoic acid (RA), N,N-dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide or into monocyte/macrophage-like cells by incubation with l,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, butyrate, and 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Of the many compounds that induce differentiation of HL-60, RA has probably the most promise of being of use in the clinic. This is because it is active at physiological concentrations in vitro; has been shown to induce differentiation of fresh human leukemia cells in primary culture; and has been reported to be effective on patients with some leukemias. To the extent that it is possible, results in vitro should suggest treatments in vivo. To this end we have been interested in determining which induction conditions result in the most “normal” mature HL-60. The studies to be presented indicate that combinations of RA and PGE2 synergistically induce the differentiation of HL-60 and that differentiated HL-60 cells are functional in producing cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products from arachidonic acid.
Anthropological Foundations of Public Health;the Case of COVID 19

Abstract Objectives The complex societal spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. indicates a need to recognize sociocultural forces to best understand and respond to the pandemic. This essay describes four principles of anthropology and sister disciplines that underlie the theory and practice of public health. Methods Research following anthropological and related approaches is reviewed to provide examples of the four principles from COVID-19 in the U.S. Results 1. What counts as sickness, disease, injury, pathology, is fundamentally a matter of historically situated social ideas and values. 2. The ways in which societies are organized is a fundamental source of pathologies and their distributions within societies. 3. Conversely, health conditions can substantially alter the organization of societies. 4. Public health responses are social processes that affect intervention outcomes. Conclusions Anthropological approaches are recommended to address several facets of public health practice: problem analysis, intervention design, evaluation, and the public health enterprise itself.
Foreward to Symposium: Evaluation of the Civil Justice Reform Act

Empirical research is of growing importance to the governance of federal courts. As such, rulemakers have long pined for organized and systematized gathering and study of data. Because of this need, two of the greatest influences of the Civil Justice Reform Act may be the ordering of the RAND study of judicial practices and the turning of the considerable energies of bench, bar, and academy to the management of an increasingly complex judicial system. In this there are two intertwined ideas. First, there is a harnessing of bench, bar, and the academy, and the synergism of this harnessing is powerful, independent of its service values of wide based participation in manners of administering justice. Second, there is the near consensus that this process must include systematized gathering and study of data. The rulemaker faces the difficult task of peering around corners, of predicting the effect of a rule change. Locating the dimensions of a problem, including its causes, and tailoring an appropriate response will always be a judgment rooted on the considered experience of all participants. However, it can be better informed by use of investigative techniques, such as those provided for by the Civil Justice Reform Act.
Wal-Mart, Immigration Workers and the U.S. Government–A Case of Split Personality?

Congress adopted employer sanctions as a way to combat unlawful migration into the United States in 1986. Employers were prohibited from employing unauthorized workers subject to civil and criminal penalties. Government enforcement of such sanctions, however, has been sporadic, inconsistent and ultimately unsuccessful at deterring migration. The government’s enforcement record communicates ambivalence about employment of unauthorized workers, moreover, the government’s policies on unauthorized workers, worker protection laws and employer sanctions, exacerbate the exploitability of this group of workers. Rather than deter unauthorized migration, the government’s policies facilitate and encourage a substantial number of employers like Wal-Mart to hire unauthorized workers. The author uses the Wal-Mart employer sanctions case to argue that employer sanctions should be abolished. In addition, the author argues that the total number of immigration visas available for lower-skill workers needs to be substantially increased.
Amelioration of post-traumatic osteoarthritis via nanoparticle depots delivering small interfering RNA to damaged cartilage.

The progression of osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation triggered by the enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix in injured cartilage. Here we show that a locally injected depot of nanoparticles functionalized with an antibody targeting type II collagen and carrying small interfering RNA targeting the matrix metalloproteinase 13 gene (Mmp13), which breaks down type II collagen, substantially reduced the expression of MMP13 and protected cartilage integrity and overall joint structure in acute and severe mouse models of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. MMP13 inhibition suppressed clusters of genes associated with tissue restructuring, angiogenesis, innate immune responses and proteolysis. We also show that intra-articular injections of the nanoparticles led to greater reductions in disease progression than either a single injection or weekly injections of the steroid methylprednisolone. Sustained drug retention by targeting collagen in the damaged extracellular matrix of osteoarthritic cartilage may also be an effective strategy for the treatment of osteoarthritis with other disease-modifying drugs. An intra-articularly injected depot of nanoparticles targeting collagen and delivering small interfering RNA for matrix metalloproteinase 13 protects cartilage integrity and joint structure in mice with post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
Is There an App for That? A Review of Popular Apps for Depression, Anxiety, and Well-Being

Abstract Smartphone apps for mental health (MH apps) and wellness reach millions of people and have the potential to reduce the public health burden of common mental health problems. Thousands of MH apps are currently available, but real-world consumers generally gravitate toward a very small number of them. Given their widespread use and the lack of empirical data on their effects, understanding the content within MH apps is an important public health priority. An overview of the content within these apps could be an important resource for users, clinicians, researchers, and experts in digital health. Here, we offer summaries of the content within highly popular MH apps. Our aim is not to provide comprehensive coverage of the MH app space. Rather, we sought to describe a small number of highly popular MH apps in three common categories: meditation and mindfulness, journaling and self-monitoring, and AI chatbots. We downloaded the two most popular apps in each of these categories (respectively: Calm, Headspace; Reflectly, Daylio; Replika, Wysa). These six apps accounted for 83% of monthly active users of MH apps. For each app, we summarize information in four domains: intervention content, features that may contribute to engagement, the app’s target audience, and differences between the app’s free version and its premium version. In the years ahead, rigorous evaluations of highly popular MH apps will be needed. Until then, we hope that this overview helps readers stay up-to-date on the content within some of the most widely used digital mental health interventions.
A Review of Fatal Vision

Jeffrey MacDonald, M.D., was convicted of murder because it was shown at the trial that his wife and children were brutally killed. There was no conclusive evidence presented that he committed these murders. The prosecutor merely claimed that his account and the physical evidence were inconsistent. Such discrepancy is significant but certainly is not proof of murder.
David v. Goliath: How the Record Industry is Winning Substantial Judgments Against Individuals for Illegally Downloading Music

In “David v. Goliath: How the record industry is winning substantial judgments against individuals for illegally downloading music,” author Kate Cross describes developments in the field of copyright law that institute damages for copyright violations. She discusses the Copyright Acts of 1790, 1909, 1976, 1988 and 1999. Cross then examines the rise of excessive damages of both a statutory and punitive nature. Next, Cross compares the Williams and Gore standards for analyzing statutory damages and presents arguments for each method. Finally, she proposes that the guideposts presented in Gore are the appropriate guidelines to use for analyzing the amount of damages that should be assessed for the level of infringement that occurred.
Nonlinear optical effects of liquid droplets

A micrometer-size transparent droplet acts as a lens which concentrates the incident intensity at two main locations within and outside the shadow face of the droplet. The internal high intensity along with the nearly total internal reflections at the spherical liquid–air interface can give rise to nonlinear optical effects such as lasing,1 stimulated Raman scattering,2 multiorder Stokes emission,3 and phase-modulation-induced linewidth broadening.4 Four-wave mixing processes such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and coherent Raman gain have also been observed in single water and ethanol droplets.5
Sensitivity of Herpes Simplex Virus, Vaccinia Virus, and Adenoviruses to Deoxyribonucleic Acid Inhibitors and Thiosemicarbazones in a Plaque Suppression Test

Herpes simplex and vaccinia viruses and adenovirus types 1, 2, 5, and 7 were tested by plaque suppression methods for sensitivity to halogenated deoxyuridines (5-iodo-, 5-bromo-, 5-chloro-, and 5-fluoro-), cytosine arabinoside, isatin-β-thiosemicarbazone, and N-methylisatin-β-thiosemicarbazone. After incubation for 12 days in HeLa cell cultures, vaccinia virus plaques were still readily suppressed by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) inhibitors and thiosemicarbazones. Herpes simplex virus plaques were likewise suppressed by at least three DNA inhibitors. Adenovirus plaques were not suppressed by DNA inhibitors or thiosemicarbazones. 5-Fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine could not be shown to have any antiviral activity, but it did produce a substantial lethal action on the cells.
Maze Learning and Recall in a Weakly Electric Fish, Mormyrus rume proboscirostris Boulenger (Mormyridae, Teleostei)1

Mormyrus rume proboscirostris, African weakly electric fish, were trained to seek shelter in a meander maze, and following path acquisition released into the empty arena with all maze cues removed, either from the original start box or from a novel site (recall). We demonstrate that fish use their active electrosense, sight, and lateral line synergistically in maze acquisition and recall. In the presence of an electric roadmap consisting of an array of aluminum and Plexiglas objects, fish employed landmark orientation. But fish ignored visual markers and relied on internalized motor routines, which was inconsistent with evidence for cognitive mapping.
Nutritional Influences on Aging of Fischer 344 Rats: I. Physical, Metabolic, and Longevity Characteristics

The aims of this research were (a) to compare food restriction initiated in adult life of male Fischer 344 rats with that limited to early life or involving most of the life span on physical, metabolic, and longevity characteristics and (b) to study a similar level of protein restriction without caloric restriction on these characteristics. Food restriction (60% of the ad libitum intake) initiated at 6 months of age markedly increased life span as did a similar restriction started at 6 weeks of age, but food restriction limited to early life (6 weeks to 6 months of age) and protein restriction caused only a small increase in longevity. Food restriction does not act by reducing the intake of calories or other nutrient per gram of body mass, a finding not in accord with classic views. A progressive decrease in spontaneous locomotive activity with age occurred in ad libitum fed but not restricted rats.
Threshold Values for Identification of Contamination Predicted by Reduced-Order Models

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) Project is developing reduced-order models to evaluate potential impacts on underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) if CO2 or brine leaks from deep CO2 storage reservoirs. Threshold values, below which there would be no predicted impacts, were determined for portions of two aquifer systems. These threshold values were calculated using an interwell approach for determining background groundwater concentrations that is an adaptation of methods described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Unified Guidance for Statistical Analysis of Groundwater Monitoring Data at RCRA Facilities [1].
Urban Effects on Severe Local Storms at St. Louis

Abstract As part of METROMEX, a five-year study of how St. Louis affects summer weather, studies were made of possible urban effects on severe local storm phenomena. Localized (within 40 km of the city) increases were found in various thunderstorm characteristics (about +10 to +115%), in hailstorm conditions (+3 to +330%), in various heavy rainfall characteristics (+35 to +100%) and strong gusts (+90 to +100%). No indication of effects on tornado activity was found. The more substantial percentage increases were found in the expressions of storm intensity (very frequent thunder, hailfall impact energy and high rainfall rates). Urban-related increases in severe local storm conditions appeared at midday, were greatest in the evening and ended by midnight. Urban-induced increases occurred with all synoptic weather types but were most frequent and intense with squall lines and cold fronts. Results suggest that urban-induced factors alter the microphysical and dynamic properties of clouds and storms.
The effect of impedance contrast upon surface motion due to scattering of plane harmonic P, SV, and Rayleigh waves by a randomly corrugated elastic inclusion

Scattering of a plane harmonic P, SV, or Rayleigh wave by a corrugated elastic inclusion completely embedded in a two-dimensional isotropic half space is investigated by using a direct boundary integral equation method. The corrugated scatterer is generated by superimposing a random perturbation of arbitrary amplitude to a smooth elliptical shape. The probability density function for the randomly corrugated inclusions is assumed to be of uniform or normal types. The displacement fields are evaluated along the half-space surface for a range of impedance contrasts, frequencies, five incident waves for circular- and elliptic-based rough inclusions. Subsequently, the roughness factor is introduced in terms of the surface response for the rough and the corresponding smooth inclusions. The results clearly show that this factor strongly depends upon the impedance contrast of the materials, the basic inclusion geometry, the type of incident wave, and the frequency. The peak values of the roughness factor are observed for the near-grazing SV incidence. Furthermore, the impedance contrast of the materials has a non-uniform effect upon the surface motion. While the smallest roughness factor is consistently observed for the minimal impedance contrast the peak values of the same factor may take place for different non-minimal impedance contrasts. For the range of frequencies considered here, the type of the random interface corrugation (random-uniform vs. random-normal) has a minimal effect upon the roughness factor.
Biochemical abnormality associated with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome in an infant with features of Rutledge multiple congenital anomaly syndrome confirms that the latter is a variant of the former.

We describe a female infant with morphologic features of Rutledge multiple-congenital-anomaly syndrome (RM-CAS) and biochemical features of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). She had microcephaly w...
"Ambiguous carcinogens"--another look.

The Biology Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory discusses Weinberg and Storer's controversy about the proper use of data about ''carcinogens'' in the setting of public policy. The paper focuses attention on both the complexity of the environmental cancer problem, and on the simplistic, though practical way it is currently being handled by the health risk establishment. Weinberg and Storer suggest that because of the existence of ''ambiguous carcinogens'', regulatory rulemaking should be modified to focus less on the demonstration that an agent is or is not a ''carcinogen'' in a particular test system, and more on the total incidence of all cancers after an exposure. The author predicts that the carcinogen controversies will become more complex before the problem of regulating carcinogens can be solved.
Computational comparison of two methods for constrained global optimization

For constrained concave global minimization problems, two very different solution techniques have been investigated. The first such method is a stochastic mulitstart approach which typically finds, with high probability, all local minima for the problem. The second method is deterministic and guarantees a global minimum solution to within any user specified tolerance. It is the purpose of this paper to make a careful comparison of these two methods on a range of test problems using separable concave objectives over compact polyhedral sets, and to investigate in this way the advantages and disadvantages of each method. A direct computational comparison, on the same set of over 140 problems, is presented.
Indomethacin antagonism of ethanol-induced sleep time: sex and genotypic factors.

Pretreatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors (PGSI) significantly decreases the CNS effects of ethanol across the entire ethanol dose-response curve. PGSIs do not significantly affect ethanol metabolism. These effects have been shown in HS/Ibg, LS/Ibg, and SS/Ibg males and females. These strains of mice are useful in alcohol research but are not widely available. The present study examined the possibility of similar effects in C57BL/6 and C3H/2 mice of both sexes. PGSI pretreatment significantly reduced ethanol sleep time across both sexes and genotypes in a dose-dependent manner. Females of both strains required more PGSI to antagonize ethanol's actions relative to males. Within sex, mice with greater sensitivity to ethanol required more PGSI to optimally reduce sleep time than less sensitive mice. These results extend previous findings, and support out hypothesis that one of ethanol's primary mechanisms of action in the CNS is to increase the synthesis of prostaglandins.
Myocardial volume and organization are changed by failure of addition of secondary heart field myocardium to the cardiac outflow tract.

Cardiac neural crest ablation results in primary myocardial dysfunction and failure of the secondary heart field to add the definitive myocardium to the cardiac outflow tract. The current study was undertaken to understand the changes in myocardial characteristics in the heart tube, including volume, proliferation, and cell size when the myocardium from the secondary heart field fails to be added to the primary heart tube. We used magnetic resonance and confocal microscopy to determine that the volume of myocardium in the looped heart was dramatically reduced and the compact layer of myocardium was thinner after neural crest ablation, especially in the outflow tract and ventricular regions. Proliferation measured by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation was elevated at only one stage during looping, cell death was normal and myocardial cell size was increased. Taken together, these results indicate that there are fewer myocytes in the heart. By incubation day 8 when the heart would have normally completed septation, the anterior (ventral) wall of the right ventricle and right ventricular outflow tract was significantly thinner in the neural crest-ablated embryos than normal, but the thickness of the compact myocardium was normal in all other regions of the heart. The decreased volume and number of myocardial cells in the heart tube after neural crest ablation most likely reflects the amount of myocardium added by the secondary heart field.
Nephron segment and calcium as determinants of anoxic cell death in renal cultures.

Nephron segment and calcium as determinants of anoxic cell death in renal cultures. Proximal tubules of the S 1 , S 2 and S 3 segments, medullary thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop (MAL) and cortical collecting tubules (CCT) were individually microdissected from rabbit kidneys and cultured for seven days in hormonally defined media. Anoxia was induced by incubation of cultures in normal medium for 45min at 25°C in an atmosphere of nitrogen (N 2 ), and cell death was measured by nigrosine dye uptake. Immediately after anoxia, cell death was highest in S 3 and MAL segments > S 2 > S 1 = CCT. The combined effects of anoxia and substrate (glucose, vitamins, amino acid) omission determined after incubation of cultures in phosphate buffered saline containing Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ (PBS) for 45min in N 2 also showed differential killing dependent on segment of origin: MAL > S 3 > S 2 CCT > S 1 . The effects of in vitro "reflow" were tested by returning cells to their normal oxygenated culture media at 37°C. After the 45min of anoxia and four to six hr of reflow in normal calcium–containing media, all cells from each segment were dead. Reflow in media lacking calcium for two hr immediately after anoxia then followed by return to normal calcium–containing media was associated with the survival of a significant percentage of cells for 48 hr: S 1 (35.3 ± 2.0%), S 2 (30.0 ± 2.0%), S 3 (46.2 ± 3.0%), MAL (38.7 ± 3.0%), CCT (28.2 ± 2.0%). These results indicate that cells from different nephron segments have different intrinsic susceptibilities to anoxia and that the catastrophic effect on cell survival induced by "reflow", that is, return of oxygen and substrates, can be significantly attenuated by removal of calcium from the environment for the initial two hr after the insult.
Use of loop double-lumen drainage system to prevent postoperative urinary diversion leaks.

Une sonde de Malecot est enfoncee jusqu'a la base de l'anse et une seconde sonde (tube d'alimentation pour enfant 8F) est introduite dans la sonde de Malecot sans atteindre son extremite. La sonde de Malecot est mise en drainage par percuteur et le tube d'alimentation est soumis a une aspiration constante
SPONTANEOUS MEIOTIC CHROMOSOME BREAKAGE IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF PAEONIA CALIFORNICA

THE AMERICAN SPECIES of Paeonia, P. californica and P. brown,ii, show in natural populations a high degree of meiotic irregularity. They have evolved a cytogenetic system of which the most prominent feature is permanent translocation heterozygosity, comparable to that of Oenothera (Stebbins and Ellerton, 1939; J. Walters, 1942). They show in addition a great deal of inversion hybridity, revealed by the familiar bridge-and-fragment configurations of heterozygous paracentric inversions, and by the presence of heteromorphic chromosome pairs which have been interpreted as the result of heterozygosity for pericentric inversions (J. Walters, 1952). In the course of the previous studies of structural hybridity, occasional cells were noted which showed fragmentation in meiosis occurring in various degrees. A range of breakage has been observed from cells with a single fragment to cells in which not a single intact chromosome is present. As spontaneous fragmentation in meiosis is not common, and has not previously been reported to occur in a structural hybrid, a study was undertaken to determine the extent to which fragmentation occurs in P. californica, and whether any relationship can be shown with the other kinds of meiotic irregularity. The results of this study form the subject of the present paper. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-Flower buds of P. californica were collected in the field, fixed in Bradley's (1948) fixative, and stored in the fixative under refrigeration. The studies and photomicrographs were made from temporary and permanent iron-acetocarmine smears. In order to investigate the relationship between the extent of translocation heterozygosity and that of breakage, the plants selected for study included four pairing types: the translocation homozygote, with 511; an intermediate translocation heterozygote, with 06+2112; and two types of extreme heterozygote, with (I10 and 06 +04 respectively. In addition to the material collected in the wild, fixations were made from two plants that had been transplanted several years earlier into the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, to observe possible effects on breakage of growing a plant in other than its native habitat. In five plants, four stages of meiosis (metaphase and anaphase of the first and second divisions) were studied, to
Hydrocarbon binding by particles of bovine casein

Abstract Casein, isolated from milk by high-speed centrifugation, was washed with water and dehydrated by serial transfer through liquids of decreasing polarity to provide a system consisting of protein dispersed in anhydrous, liquid hydrocarbon. Heats of fusion of solvents associated with casein were measured to determine how much hydrocarbon is free and can be frozen and what fraction is bound to the protein and immobilized. Ring substitution decreased binding in the aromatic compounds studied, i.e. : 8.4 mmoles benzene, 4.7 mmoles p -xylene, and 3.3 mmoles mesitylene bound per gram casein. Binding of even n-paraffins was significantly less than that of the aromatic compounds and decreased with increasing chain length, i.e. : 2.0 mmoles C 8 H 18 , 1.9 mmoles C 10 H 22 , 1.6 mmoles C 12 H 26 , 1.1 mmoles C 14 H 30 , and 1.0 mmoles C 16 H 34 bound per gram casein. The observation of unfreezable hydrocarbon indicates that some solvents, commonly considered as hydrophobic, attain preferred orientation at the protein-solvent interface.
HALLUCINOGENS AND DROSOPHILA: LINKING SEROTONIN RECEPTOR ACTIVATION TO BEHAVIOR

The similarity of mode of action, behavior, and gene response between Drosophila melanogaster and mammalian systems, combined with the power of genetics, have recently made the fly an attractive system to study underlying mechanisms of drug abuse, addiction, and mental disorders. The present studies define the behavioral and molecular effects of the powerful hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide in Drosophila. Pharmacological activation of serotonin receptors in the fly by lysergic acid diethylamide induces behaviors not unlike those observed in mammalian systems. These include alterations in visual processing abilities, reduced locomotor activity, and altered gene expression within the brain. Many of these effects are due to activation of the same serotonin receptor subtypes that are thought to be the primary mediators of hallucinogenic drug effects in humans as well as the acute symptoms of schizophrenia.We suggest that Drosophila can be used as a genetically tractable model system to define the molecular events leading from serotonin receptor activation to behavior, possibly revealing new targets for hallucinogenic agents and for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.
SUB 45nm Low Power Design Challenges

The ever-increasing use of mobile devices and the constant desire for energy efficiency and long battery life have made low power design more important than ever. At the same time, continued technology scaling results in more devices per die, higher leakage current and power densities, and increased process variations.
The importance of moisture in ozone phytotoxicity

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effect of controlled levels of humidity and/ or free moisture on ozone toxicity to several plant species. The results indicated that increasing relative humidity caused a corresponding increase in plant injury when ozone concentration was not limiting. Similarly, the presence of free moisture on plant foliage caused toxicity when ozone concentration and relative humidity were not limiting.
The yeast telomere length regulator TEL2 encodes a protein that binds to telomeric DNA

TEL2 is required for telomere length regulation and viability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To investigate the mechanism by which Tel2p regulates telomere length, the majority (65%) of the TEL2 ORF was fused to the 3'-end of the gene for maltose binding protein, expressed in bacteria and the purified protein used in DNA binding studies. Rap1p, the major yeast telomere binding protein, recognizes a 13 bp duplex site 5'-GGTGTGTGGGTGT-3' in yeast telomeric DNA with high affinity. Gel shift experiments revealed that the MBP-Tel2p fusion binds the double-stranded yeast telomeric Rap1p site in a sequence-specific manner. Analysis of mutated sites showed that MBP-Tel2p could bind 5'-GTGTGTGG-3' within this 13 bp site. Methylation interference analysis revealed that Tel2p contacts the 5'-terminal guanine in the major groove. MBP-Tel2p did not bind duplex telomeric DNA repeats from vertebrates, Tetrahymena or Oxytricha. These results suggest that Tel2p is a DNA binding protein that recognizes yeast telomeric DNA.
RECONSTRUCTING CHARACTER EVOLUTION ON POLYTOMOUS CLADOGRAMS

Abstract— Algorithms to reconstruct character evolution on polytomous cladograms or phylogenetic trees have to date interpreted each polytomy literally, as if it were an event of multiple speciation, with multiple daughter species descending independently from a mother species, thus requiring any similarities shared by only some of these daughters to be accounted for by convergence. These algorithms are not appropriate when the polytomy is interpreted in the usual way, namely as representing uncertainty in the cladogram's resolution. New algorithms for both ordered and unordered characters are presented to reconstruct character evolution under the uncertain-resolution interpretation of polytomies. These algorithms allow the cladogram to resolve itself so as to be favourable for the character whose evolution is being reconstructed. Because different characters may have different favourable resolutions, it is not possible in general to use these algorithms to determine the total parsimony of a polytomous cladogram (the number of evolutionary steps required over all characters by the cladogram), for which the only adequate approach is to find a most parsimonious dichotomous resolution of the cladogram.
Scattering of Visible and Near Infrared Radiation by Layered Distributions of Small Metal Spheres

The effective scattering cross sections for metal spheres have been measured through the resonance region, using wavelengths between 0.45 and 15 microns. Spheres of iron and copper sorted into reasonably narrow diameter distributions between 2 and 20 microns were supported in layers on Pliofilm and silver chloride. The results are given in terms of the scattering area coefficient k (the ratio of scattering cross section to projected area of the spheres) as a function of α (the ratio of sphere circumference to the wavelength used). These results are in general accord with qualitative predictions based on the Mie theory. Detail in the resonance region is obscured by the finite diameter distributions of the samples.
Implantation blocking characteristics study of organic BARC materials

In this study, the four different types of ArF and KrF OBARC have been evaluated to know the implantation blocking and gap fill performance for 80nm node device application. The boron implantation conditions of 11B and 49BF2 are processed and the minimum energy for implantation blocking of these OBARC are obtained by SIMS analysis. The minimum energy of ArF and KrF OBARC are about 13.0KeV and 15.0KeV, respectively. The chemical density of each OBARC is also calculated from the minimum blocking energy. Their values of ArF and KrF OBARC are about 0.8g/cm 3 and 1.0g/cm 3 , respectively. The minimum energy trends among the tested materials show the almost similar results with those of chemical density as expected. Even though the OBARC are composed of the similar chemical structure, they induce the different chemical density because of their own molecular weight and other additional structure as like chromophore. Both of KrF and ArF OBARC show the good gap fill performance on 0.2um size of via substrate and real topology pattern without void. It seems that the gap fill property is not much affected by the chemical structure or molecular weight of OBARC. It is thought that OBARC is an effective material for gap fill application than other resists, especially for deep topology patterns. In general, the etch rate of OBARC is slightly faster than that of ArF resist or similar with that in this experimental condition. The OBARC having high chemical density shows the slower etch rate and that of OBARC is inversely proportional to the chemical density of it. Therefore, it is confirmed that the OBARC is able to apply for implantation blocking purpose without gap fill void in real device below 80nm, since they have the good characteristics for gap fill, reflectivity control from substrate and implantation blocking property at a certain coating thickness.
A Ca2+ binding cyclic peptide derived from the alpha-subunit of LFA-1: inhibitor of ICAM-1/LFA-1-mediated T-cell adhesion.

The objective of this work is to study the conformation of cyclic peptide (1), cyclo (1, 12) Pen1-Gly2-Val3-Asp4-Val5-Asp6-Gln7-+ ++Asp8-Gly9-Glu10-Thr11-Cys12, in the presence and absence of calcium. Cyclic peptide 1 is derived from the divalent cation binding sequence of the alpha-subunit of LFA-1. This peptide has been shown to inhibit ICAM-1-LFA-1 mediated T-cell adhesion. In order to understand the structural requirements for this biologically active peptide, its solution structure was studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD) and molecular dynamics simulations. This cyclic peptide exhibits two types of possible conformations in solution. Structure I is a loop-turn-loop type of structure, which is suitable to bind cations such as EF hand proteins. Structure II is a more extended structure with beta-hairpin bend at Asp4-Val5-Asp6-Gln7. There is evidence that alterations in the conformation of LFA-1 upon binding to divalent cations cause LFA-1 to bind to ICAM-1. To understand this mechanism, the cation-binding properties of the peptide were studied by CD and NMR. CD studies indicated that the peptide binds to calcium and forms a 1 : 1 (peptide: calcium) complex at low calcium concentrations and multiple types of complexes at higher cation concentrations. NMR studies indicated that the conformation of the peptide is not significantly altered upon binding to calcium. The peptide can inhibit T-cell adhesion by directly binding to ICAM-1 or by disrupting the interaction of the alpha and beta-subunits of LFA-1 protein. This study will help us to understand the mechanism(s) of action of this peptide and will improve our ability to design a better inhibitor of T-cell adhesion.
Biotechnology, Industrial Agriculture, and the Risk Society

This article evaluates the risk/reflexive society perspective empirically by examining debates surrounding agricultural biotechnologies and the relationships between concepts associated with this perspective and support for agricultural biotechnology applications, using data from a regional U.S. Southwest telephone survey (n = 432). The perspective aided in conceptualizing debates surrounding agricultural biotechnology applications. Proponents of biotechnology tend to promote arguments consistent with the industrial paradigm, whereas critics tend to espouse risk/reflexivesociety arguments. The survey findings were more difficult to interpret. Trust and items about industrial agriculture were significantly related to support for both plant and animal biotechnology applications. Perceived knowledge was only significantly related to plant applications, while perceived control and how foods are produced were not significantly related to support. As the debates surrounding biotechnology remain controversial an...
An empirical investigation of source term balance of small scale surface waves

[1] Phillips [1984] presents a method to derive the dissipation function (D) of the wave action density conservation equation from the functional dependence of the wave saturation spectrum (B) on wind friction velocity. The method is applied to field spectra of small scale waves (wavelengths between 0.02 and 6 m). The results indicate that D approaches asymptotically to B3 toward long gravity waves and to B2.3 for short gravity waves. In the middle wavelength range (0.16 to 2.1 m), the dependence is as strong as B10. This may suggest that the spectral property of wave breaking is localized in the wavenumber space, with strong signature in the 0.16 to 2.1 m wavelength scale.
Double pH optima of potato invertase.

Kartoffelinvertase scheint zwei pH-Optima zu haben; ein Optimum bei pH 6 und das andere bei oder unterhalb pH 3,5. Es scheint evident, dass das Phanomen nicht mit dem Vorhandensein von zwei Enzymen zusammenhangt. Untersuchungen uber die Kinetik des Enzyms lassen daran denken, dass das doppelte pH-Optimum mit einer amphoteren Hemmungssubstanz der Invertase in Beziehung steht.
Physiological benefits of exercise in artificial gravity: A broadband countermeasure to space flight related deconditioning

Abstract Current countermeasures to space flight related physiological deconditioning have not been sufficiently effective. We believe that a comprehensive countermeasure is the combination of intermittent centrifugation (artificial gravity) and exercise. We aim to test the long-term effectiveness of this combination in terms of fitness benefits. As a first-order determination of effectiveness, subjects participated in an eight-week exercise program. Three times per week, they exercised using a stair-stepper on a short-radius (2 m) centrifuge spinning at 30 RPM, maintaining a target heart rate that was systematically increased over the exercise period. During the sessions, foot forces and stepping cadence, heart rate, and perceived exertion were measured. Before and after the eight-week exercise program, measurements included: body fat percentage, bone mineral content, quadriceps extension strength, push-ups endurance, stepping cadence for a given heart rate, and maximum stepping endurance. We find that stair-stepping on a centrifuge is safe and comfortable. Preliminary fitness results indicate that stair-stepping on a centrifuge may be effective in improving aerobic fitness, body composition, and strength. These results indicate that such a combination may also be effective as a countermeasure to space flight deconditioning.
Controlled environment transmission electron microscopy.

The design of a controlled environment electron microscope is described and examples are presented to demonstrate the information that can be obtained by studying gas-solid interactions in real time and at high spatial resolution. Miscrosc. Res. Tech. 42:260–269, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermal stability of TiN/AlN superlattices

Abstract In this paper, the thermal study of a TiN/AlN superlattice was reported. The thermal stability of a superlattice structure and a crystal structure of cubic AlN in a TiN/AlN superlattice were evaluated by using in situ high temperature transmission electron microscopy (HTTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements and TEM observations after an annealing treatment in a hydrogen atmosphere, and semi in situ high temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) in a nitrogen atmosphere. It was confirmed that the superlattice structure remained up to 1473 K for a short time by HTTEM observation. HTXRD studies showed that the superlattice structure and c-AlN remained after 1273 K annealing for 3.5 h. According to the change of low angle diffraction intensity of HTXRD, two kinds of diffusion processes may operate. One was short range diffusion that improved the superlattice structure from 1073–1233 K and the other was long range diffusion that started at above 1233 K.
Measurement of polysaccharides and proteins in biofilm extracellular polymers

The structure of biofilm extracellular polymers (ECPs) was studied by measuring their polysaccharide and protein spatial distributions along biofilm depth. Biofilm was collected from two aerobic heterotrophic biofilm reactors, which were seeded with Sphingomonas sp. and Sphingomonas sp. plus mixed liquor, respectively, and operated under toxic organic (in this case, azo dye) degrading conditions. Complete mixing conditions in the two reactors were verified by measuring water content, and polysaccharide and protein quantities from three vertical sampling positions over time. Experimental results showed that: (1) the biofilm water content of either reactor did not change with sample position or biofilm age, with an average biofilm water content in both reactors of 97%; (2) polysaccharides and proteins in the ECPs did not change with sample position; (3) the profiles of polysaccharides and proteins along the biofilm depth showed a stratified biofilm structure, with their ratio (proteins/polysaccharides) being relatively stable over the depth. Oxygen and substrate transport and interactions among species were considered to be the main reasons for producing such a non-uniform biofilm structure; and (4) Sphingomonas sp. could not compete well with microorganisms derived from the mixed liquor of a wastewater treatment plant aeration basin.
Life and death: dividing the indivisible.

Abstract The notion that death is easily definable is coming under scrutiny. The author suggests that death may be defined physically (both in biological or clinical terms), psychologically, socially, and sociologically. The implicit definitions of death may be important in determining reactions toward the dying person.
Development of a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber for Reducing Ship Superstructure Vibration

A vibration absorber (designated as the Super Dynamic Damper) for installation on ship superstructures, based on a tuned centrifugal pendulum concept, was developed through theoretical analyses followed by tests on units mounted on a vibrating platform and on actual ships. The tests confirmed the analytically estimated performance, and demonstrated that the vibrating amplitude would be reduced, to limit it to a constant low level independent of imparted exciting force. Results of analysis indicate the most important quality demanded of a tuned absorber to be the tuning accuracy. The tolerance permissible for the tuning accuracy is determined by the mass ratio: A smaller mass ratio calls for correspondingly higher tuning accuracy. The centrifugal pendulums are governed by Coulomb damping, which results in a damping behavior distinct from normal viscous damping. Both analysis and measurements attested to the importance of accurately controlling the absorber rotating speed, short of which the absorber risked becoming a vibration amplifier.
Intracranial Complications of Sinusitis

Intracranial suppurative complications of sinusitis remain a challenging and contemporary topic. To determine the prevalence of sinogenic sources in intracranial infectious complications, we reviewed the records at a large public hospital between 1985 and 1995. There were 203 patients with 212 suppurative intracranial infections. Sinogenic sources were identified in 12 patients with 19 infections. Most patients had ethmoid or frontal sinusitis. We discuss the presentation, microbiology, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical course of these 12 cases. The diagnosis of intracranial complications of sinusitis requires a high index of suspicion and radiographic imaging of the head and paranasal sinuses. The mean hospital stay was 31.4 days and all 12 patients survived, although three patients had significant neurologic sequelae.
The effect of focused ultrasound on human blood.

Abstract Experiments are described in which fresh human blood was exposed to non-cavitating focused 1MHz ultrasound. When the focus coincided with the blood surface a fountain was produced and the blood was haemolyzed. However, when, under otherwise identical conditions, the ultrasound was focused below the blood surface and the fountain was not present, no evidence of blood damage could be detected by in vitro or in vivo tests. It is suggested that this observation may be related to effects of ultrasound on blood reported by other observers in which blood damage was produced by vigorously vibrating air bubbles.
Effectiveness of some iron phosphates as sources of phosphorus for plants

Two well-characterized crystalline ferric phosphates, two colloidal ferric phosphates, and fluorapatite were tested under greenhouse conditions as sources of phosphorus for corn over a 3-cropping period. The selected compounds are representative of those expected to form in soils as reaction products from more soluble phosphate fertilizers.
Epitope Mapping of the α-Chain of the Insulin-like Growth Factor I Receptor using Antipeptide Antibodies

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I) is animportant mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The IGF I receptor (IGF IR) is a heterotetramer composed of two cross-linked extracellular α-chains and two membrane-spanning β-chains that contain a tyrosine-kinase domain. It has a high degree of sequence similarity to the insulin receptor (IR), and the putative ligand-specific binding site has been localized to a cysteine-rich region (CRR) of the α-chain. To obtain insights into antigenic determinants of the IGF IR, we raised a panel of site-specific polyclonal antibodies against short peptide sequences N-terminal to and within the CRR. Several antibodies raised against linear epitopes within the CRR bound to solubilized and native rat and human IGF IR by ELISA, did not cross-react with IR, but unexpectedly failed to inhibit 125I-IGF I binding. A polyclonal antibody directed against a 48-amino acid synthetic peptide, corresponding to a region of the CRR postulated to be essential for ligand binding, failed to react with either solubilized, reduced or intact IGF IR. Three antibodies specific for the N-terminus of the α-chain reacted with solubilized and native IGF IR. One of these, RAB 6, directed against amino acids 38-44 of the IGF IR, inhibited 125I-IGF I binding to rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASM) and to IGF IR/3T3 cells (overexpressing human IGF IR) by up to 45%. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed strong IGF IR staining in the medial smooth muscle cell layer of rat aorta. These findings are consistent with a model wherein conformational epitopes within the CRR and linear epitopes within the N-terminus of the α-chain contribute to the IGF I binding pocket. These antibodies should provide a valuable tool to study structure-function relationships and in vivo regulation of the IGF IR.