cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GATA Depletion Impacts Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 mRNA and Protein Levels in Luteinizing Porcine Granulosa Cells

GATA4 and GATA6 are zinc-finger transcription factors that regulate specific genes involved in steroidogenesis. Using RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated reduction of GATA4 and/or GATA6 with microarray analysis, we aimed to identify novel GATA target genes in luteinizing porcine granulosa cells under vehicle- and cAMP-treated conditions. Microarray analysis identified IGF1 mRNA to be cAMP- and GATA-responsive, and real-time PCR demonstrated that the cAMP-induced increase in IGF1 mRNA was reduced under conditions of GATA6 depletion and GATA4 plus GATA6 depletion, but not GATA4 depletion. Insulin-like growth factor 1 protein levels in media were also decreased by GATA6 or GATA4 plus GATA6 reduction. IGFBP2 and IGFBP4 mRNAs were increased and IGFBP5 mRNA decreased with vehicle and cAMP treatment under GATA4 plus GATA6 RNAi conditions. GATA6 reduction alone increased basal IGFBP4 and decreased IGFBP5 with both vehicle and cAMP, and GATA4 reduction alone lowered cAMP IGFBP5 levels with cAMP. No changes in IGFBP3 mRNA were observed with GATA reduction relative to the control RNAi condition. Levels of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins 2–5 in media as assessed by Western ligand blotting were not altered by GATA reduction. Electromobility gel shift assays with two GATA-containing oligonucleotides of the IGF1 5′-regulatory region showed GATA4 and GATA6 could bind the more proximal GATA-B site. These studies indicate that although GATA4 and GATA6 can bind the porcine IGF1 5′-region, GATA6 is functionally most important for cAMP-stimulated mRNA levels. Using microarray analysis, we identified other mRNAs that were altered by GATA-reduced conditions, including ALDH1, DIO2, and EDNRB. Our findings further support GATA as a coordinator of endocrine/paracrine/autocrine signals in the ovary.
Nontraditional Students: How Postsecondary Institutions Are Meeting the Challenge

This study surveyed 226 private, four-year institutions in the Southeastern United States, and to the extent that these findings may be generalized, it appears that adults make up a significant and growing minority segment of the student population on a majority of campuses. Many institutional planners and policy makers have shown sensitivity to the unique needs of nontraditional students through the number and variety of support services available for these students. It appears that it will become increasingly necessary to continue to design new programs and servics and restructure existing policies for the recruitment and retention of nontraditional students.
Using umbilical cord blood for the initial blood tests of VLBW neonates results in higher hemoglobin and fewer RBC transfusions.

Using umbilical cord blood for the initial blood tests of VLBW neonates results in higher hemoglobin and fewer RBC transfusions
Water Relations in Pulvini from Samanea saman: I. Intact Pulvini.

The movement of Samanea leaflets depends upon changes in the curvature of the pulvinus at the base of each leaflet. Pulvinar bending and straightening, in turn, are driven by the movement of water between opposing (extensor and flexor) sides of the pulvinus. Although water movement depends on water potential (Ψ) and thus on osmotic potential (π) and hydrostatic pressure (P), none of these parameters have been measured in Samanea. In this investigation, Ψ and π were measured and P was calculated for extensor and flexor tissues of excised, whole pulvini that were open in the light and closed in the dark. In fully open pulvini, π in the extensor was generally between 800 and 1000 milliosmol per kilogram and exceeded π in the flexor by 300 to 450 milliosmol per kilogram. In fully closed pulvini the reverse was true, with π in the flexor between 800 and 1000 milliosmol per kilogram, exceeding π in the extensor by 300 to 450 milliosmol per kilogram. To obtain approximate values of Ψ of pulvinar tissues, shallow cuts in extensor and flexor sides of oil-covered pulvini were filled with droplets of polyethylene glycol solutions of known Ψ. Droplets maintaining constant size were assumed to have the same Ψ as the tissue. Extensor and flexor halves of open pulvini had very different Ψ (extensor, about −1.4 MPa; flexor, about −0.3 MPa), but both sides of closed pulvini had similar Ψ (about −0.3 MPa). Measurements of Ψ and π and calculations of P indicate: (a) In open pulvini, P is about the same in extensor and flexor. The large Ψ gradient is caused by a large osmotic gradient. (b) In closed pulvini, P is approximately 50% higher in the flexor than in the extensor. This difference in P compensates for differences in π such that the Ψ gradient is small. (c) Pulvini close as P increases in the flexor and reopen as flexor P decreases; extensor P values are similar in open and closed pulvini.
Multifunctional Peptide-PEG Intercalating Conjugates: Programmatic of Gene Delivery to the Blood-Brain Barrier

Purpose To enhance transfection efficacy of pDNA through the application of multifunctional peptide-PEG-tris-acridine conjugates (pPAC) and the formation of biodegradable core-shell polyplexes for gene delivery to the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
The magnetic phases of face-centred-cubic iron

The energy bands and magnetic moments of the magnetic phases of face-centred-cubic iron are calculated from first principles with the augmented spherical wave method and the fixed-spin-moment procedure. An antiferromagnetic phase that requires a four-atom cell to exist is added. This phase is the current ground state of the bulk layers of Fe film epitaxial on Cu(001). A ferrimagnetic phase and a very-low-spin phase are also found and compared with previous work. In a narrow range of volume that includes the bulk layers of the Fe films on Cu(001) at least eight magnetic phases exist.
Colonization and Infection with Trichosporon Species in the Immunosuppressed Host

Trichosporon beigelii and Trichosporon capitatum have recently been recognized as systemic pathogens in the immunosuppressed host. We studied the incidence of colonization and systemic infection with these organisms in 353 highly immunocompromised patients over a 37-month period. Thirteen patients (3.7%) had positive surveillance cultures for Trichosporon species in stool, skin, or urine. Three of the 13 patients developed systemic infections after having positive surveillance cultures. In two of these three patients, urine cultures were positive near the time of systemic infection. The route of entry appeared to have been enteric in two patients and cutaneous in one patient. Both colonizing and infecting organisms showed in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B and nystatin. This study suggests that positive surveillance cultures for Trichosporon species may correlate with systemic infection in the severely immunocompromised patient and that repeated positive urine cultures may indicate dissemination.
Width of Three-Pion Resonances

A model of three-pion resonances is constructed taking into account only $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\rho}$ intermediate states. The $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\rho}$ interaction is replaced by a simple pole. The calculated $\ensuremath{\omega}$-resonance width is approximately 10-20 MeV, depending on the range of the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\rho}$ interaction. These values of the width are consistent with present experimental data.
Solution of Turán's problem on divergence of Lagrange interpolation in Lp with p > 2☆

Abstract Existence of weight functions for which the Lagrange interpolating polynomials associated with the zeros of the corresponding orthogonal polynomials diverge in every L p space with p > 2 for some continuous function is proved.
Some syntactic determinants of sentential complexity

The perceptual complexity of three lists of self-embedded sentences was evaluated in terms of the accuracy and time required for their paraphrase. The lists differed by the presence of relative pronouns in one list, their absence in a second and by the addition of adjectives to the third. It was predicted that the presence of the relative pronouns would effect the only significant change in performance. In both auditory and visual presentations of the sentence lists, the presence of the relative pronouns proved to be facilitating, while the presence of the adjectives produced no significant changes.
Linking Sustainable Agriculture and Community Development: The Lowcountry Food Bank's Use of Locally Grown Foods

Food banks throughout the South have historically helped meet the nutritional needs of low income families, but are not often involved in community development efforts aimed at creating sustainable agricultural situations. In this paper we seek to critically evaluate a food bank's efforts to enhance small- scale farm operations, increase the quality and quantity of their products, and enhance distribution and use of their product to the emergency food assistance system in Lowcountry South Carolina. The discussion is organized by reviewing the results of the project according to the three primary goals of sustainable agricultural programs.
Neurotoxic aspects of porphyrinopathies: lead and succinylacetone.

Abstract Neurotoxic effects of heavy metals and polyhalogenated hydrocarbons frequently occur at low levels of exposure, in some cases below those levels where direct toxic actions of these compounds have been demonstrated. Since alterations in heme synthesis are effects common to many of these compounds, the potential role of altered heme synthesis in producing or contributing to their neurotoxicity was studied. Rats with acute and chronic lead exposure were compared to rats whose heme synthesis was inhibited by succinylacetone, as a semichronic model of the hereditary heme synthesis disorder, acute intermittent porphyria. Both treatments produce significant inhibition in activity of the enzyme δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydrase and elevations in the heme precursor δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in tissues and urine. Associated with increased ALA is a significant inhibition of neurotransmission utilizing the amino acid γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), expressed chemically and behaviorally. The results suggest that in addition to their direct molecular neurotoxicity, porphyrinopathic compounds such as lead may, through altering heme synthesis, adversely affect the brain at low levels of exposure.
Electromagnetic Inverse Scattering for Stratified Media

Assume that the permittivity e and the permeability μ depend on z , i.e. e= e6(z) , μ = μ(z). For perpendicular polarization the electric and magnetic fields are determined by Ex , the x-component of the electric field. For this polarization let μ = Ex , μ = μ(z) and c(z) = 1 / /6(z)μ(z) . For parallel polarization the electric and magnetic fields are determined by Hx , the x-component of the magnetic field. For this polarization let μ = Hx and μ = 6(z) and c(z) = 1 / /6 (z)μ (z) Suppose that in the half-space z 0. In this paper it is shown how to determine 6(z) and p(z) using the trace method which itself is discussed. The following assumptions are necessary. (1) c(z), μ(z) approach cp1 as z -co and cp1 as z +co where c2'p2 are not known but it must be known that c2 > c1 . (2) certain smoothness assumptions on c(z) and p(z). Suppose a point harmonic source with angular frequency and w is located in the region z 0 , under the assumption that the point source excites only the continuous spectrum. Numerical examples are presented.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Infrared Semiconductor laser based trace gas sensor Technologies: Recent Advances and Applications

Recent advances in the development of trace gas sensors based on the use of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for the sensitive, selective detection, quantification and monitoring of small molecular gas species with resolved spectroscopic features will be described. High detection sensitivity at ppbv and sub-ppbv concentration levels require detection sensitivity, enhancement schemes such as multipass absorption cells, cavity enhanced absorption techniques, or quartz enhanced photo-acoustic absorption spectroscopy (QEPAS). These three spectroscopic methods can achieve minimum detectable absorption losses in the range from 10-8 to 10-11 cm-1/√Hz. Two recent examples of real world applications of field deployable PAS and QEPAS based gas sensors will be reported, namely the monitoring of ammonia concentrations in exhaled human breath and major urban environments.
Hypersensitivity to Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin in an Islet Transplant Recipient: A Case Report

Objective The aim was to describe a case of hypersensitivity to rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) occurring in the context of islet transplantation.
Quantum-noise: protected data encryption for WDM fiber-optic networks

We demonstrate high data-rate quantum-noise{protected data encryption through optical fibers using coherent states of light. Specifically, we demonstrate 650Mbps data encryption through a 10Gbps data-bearing, in-line amplified 200km-long line. In our protocol, legitimate users (who share a short secret-key) communicate using an M-ry signal set while an attacker (who does not share the secret-key) is forced to contend with the fundamental and irreducible quantum-measurement noise of coherent states. Implementations of our protocol using both polarization-encoded signal sets as well as polarization-insensitive phase-keyed signal sets are experimentally and theoretically evaluated. Different from the performance criteria of the cryptographic objective of key generation (quantum key generation), the performance criteria of data encryption are established and carefully considered.
Diagnosis of occult meat aspiration by fiberoptic bronchoscopy

Cytologic examination of bronchial washings from a patient with a persistent localized pulmonary infiltrate revealed large numbers of striated muscle fibers. The patient died shortly after bronchoscopy, and postmortem examination provided evidence of recurrent aspiration pneumonias. Since skeletal muscle fibers are not likely to enter the tracheobronchial tree from any endogenous source, it is proposed that this unusual cytologic finding is virtually diagnostic of recent food aspiration.
Concurrent stimulus matching and color discrimination

Three pigeons were trained on a stimulus matching discrimination in which the matching stimuli were red or violet and the nonmatching combinations were yellow and blue. Three other pigeons were trained with a matching red stimulus and the nonmatching combinations were red and violet. In both cases, generalization tests indicated that the birds learned to discriminate between the positive and negative stimuli on the basis of absolute color and not on the basis of the relation between the matching and nonmatching colors.
A comparison of the alkali light chain subunits of vertebrate skeletal muscle myosin in free and heavy chain associated states.

Abstract The conformations of the alkali light-chain subunits A1 and A2 of vertebrate fast-twitch muscle myosin have been compared for these chains both in their free state and their heavy-chain-associated states by examining the fluorescence parameters of the extrinsic probe 2-(4′-maleimidylanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid attached covalently to the two light chains. The effect of temperature, salt concentration, and ligands such as Mg 2+ ions, MgADP, and MgATP has also been investigated. In spite of the extensive sequence homology between the two light chains the data indicate that in their free states the fluorophore in the A2 chain resides in a considerably higher hydrophobic environment. It was also found that the presence of the bulky fluorophore on these light chains does not adversely affect their ability to hybridize with Subfragment 1 heavy chains to form ATPase active hybrids. This association to the heavy chains is accompanied by significant changes in the quantum yields of the 2-(4′-maleimidylanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid label indicating that conformational changes do occur during this transition. Mg 2+ ions were found to cause either an enhancement or a decrease in fluorescence intensity depending on whether the alkali light chains were free or combined to the heavy chains, respectively. Fluorescence perturbation by nucleotide was only observed for the heavy-chain-associated state.
Selective Feeding of Red Phalaropes on Zooplankton of Arctic Ponds

Food preferences and feeding rate coefficients were estimated for five Red Phalaropes (Phalaropusfulicarius) eating zooplankton. Birds were captured in the Barrow, Alaska, area and put into enclosures containing a known amount of zooplankton. Predation preference and intensity was calculated from the rate of disappearance of zooplankton from the cages. Results indicate phalaropes are size-selective predators on zooplankton, and reaffirm the size-selection predation model previ- ously applied to fish and salamander populations.
CHOLESTEROL TRANSFORMATIONS IN SOLANUM TUBEROSUM.

Abstract Cholesterol-4-C14 and Δ4-cholesten-3-one-4-C14 were incubated with leaves from Solanum tuberosum in an aqueous medium. Radioactive transformation products were studied by thin-layer chromatography and microchemical reactions. One of the major transformation products of cholesterol was shown to be Δ4-cholesten-3-one. One product of radioactive Δ4-cholesten-3-one incubation has been identified as cholestan-3β-ol, and on the basis of Chromatographic and microchemical evidence, a second product appears to be cholestan-3α-ol.
Selective Isolation and Screening of Soil Microorganisms for Metabolites with Herbicidal Potential

Summary Crop losses from weeds worldwide average 10% annually. Herbicide application is almost essential in modern agriculture to maintain high productivity. Increased awareness of the environmental damage caused by continued use of conventional synthetic herbicides has aroused great interest in biodegradable, selective and environmentally friendly herbicides. The increasing incidence of herbicide resistance in weeds has stimulated research for herbicidal compounds with new or novel sites and modes of action. Microbial metabolites have become the focus of attention of researchers searching for natural product alternatives to conventional herbicides. Two well-known commercial herbicides of microbial origin are anisomycin (commercial analogue, methoxyphenon) and bialaphos. Both were isolated from members of actinomycetes. Several phytotoxins have been isolated from microbial metabolites, e.g., herbicidins A and B, herbimycins A and B, nigericin, tentoxin and others. The list of microbial phytotoxins continu...
Violations of dominance in pricing judgments

The dominance principle states that the judged price of gamble A should be equal to or greater than the judged price of gamble B whenever A's outcomes are equal to or better than the corresponding outcomes of B, holding everything else constant. Subjects often violate the dominance principle by assigning a higher price to a gamble with some probability of winning a positive amount, Y, otherwise zero, than to a superior gamble with the same chances of winning Y, otherwise winning X. Violations also occur with losses. Results are consistent with a configural-weight theory in which the decision weight for each outcome depends on the rank of the outcome with respect to the other outcomes in the lottery and the value of the outcome (zero vs. nonzero).
Magnesium isotope fractionation by chemical diffusion in natural settings and in laboratory analogues

Abstract Laboratory experiments are used to document isotopic fractionation of magnesium by chemical diffusion in a silicate melt and the results compared to the magnesium isotopic composition across contacts between igneous rocks of different composition in natural settings. The natural samples are from transects from felsic to mafic rocks at Vinal Cove in the Vinalhaven Intrusive Complex, Maine and from the Aztec Wash pluton in Nevada. Two laboratory diffusion couples made by juxtaposing melts made from powders of the felsic and mafic compositions sampled at Vinal Cove were annealed at about 1500 °C for 22.5 and 10 h, respectively. The transport of magnesium in the diffusion couples resulted in easily measured magnesium isotopic fractionations at the interface (δ26Mg∼1.5‰). These isotopic fractionations provide a distinctive isotopic “fingerprint” that we use to determine whether chemical gradients in natural settings where melts of different composition were juxtaposed were due to chemical diffusion. The magnesium isotopic fractionation along one profile at Vinal Cove is exactly what one would expect based on the fractionations found in the laboratory experiments. This is an important result in that it shows that the isotope fractionation by chemical diffusion found in highly controlled laboratory experiments can be found in a natural setting. This correspondence implies that chemical diffusion was the dominant process responsible for the transport of magnesium across this particular contact at Vinal Cove. A second Vinal Cove profile has a very similar gradient in magnesium concentration but with significantly less magnesium isotopic fractionation than expected. This suggests that mass transport at this location was only partly by diffusion and that some other mass transport mechanism such as mechanical mixing must have also played a role. The magnesium isotopic composition of samples from Aztec Wash shows no resolvable isotopic fractionation across the contact between the mafic and felsic rocks. The different degrees of magnesium isotopic fractionation associated with otherwise similar composition gradients in natural settings show that kinetic isotope fractionations provide a key discriminator for establishing whether or not molecular diffusion was the process responsible for an observed elemental gradient. In the one case of a contact at Vinal Cove where we are confident that the magnesium elemental and isotopic gradients were produced by diffusion, we deduced a cooling rate of about 1.5 °C per day.
Construction of hexanuclear macrocycles by a coupling strategy from polyfunctionalized bis(terpyridines)

The construction of a heteronuclear (Ru4Fe2) hexameric metallomacrocycle with methyl- and carbonyl-functionalized bis(terpyridyl) moieties was achieved by a self-assembly of a dinuclear trimer, which was prepared in high yield viaPd(0) coupling of a bis-iodo functionalized dinuclear complex with a terpyridine possessing an acetylene group.
Effects of calcium salts of fatty acids and proportion of forage in diet on ruminal fermentation and nutrient flow to duodenum of cows.

Abstract Four Holstein cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square to investigate the effects of calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (fat) and proportion of forage in diet on ruminal fermentation, flow of nutrients to the small intestine, and animal performance. Treatments, arranged in a 2 × 2 (fat × forage) factorial, were 1) low (50%) forage, no fat; 2) low forage, fat; 3) high (67%) forage, no fat; and 4) high forage, fat. Feeding fat decreased OM intake and OM truly digested in the rumen. Feeding high forage diets decreased intakes of OM and starch and increased intakes of ADF and NDF. Ruminal pH and ratio of acetate to propionate were increased with high forage diets compared with low forage diets. Feeding fat and different amounts of forage to cows did not alter the flows of NAN and microbial N to the duodenum or efficiency of microbial growth. Production of milk and 4% FCM and percentage of fat in milk were increased by feeding fat. Feeding high forage diets decreased milk production, increased percentage of fat in milk, increased the yield of fat, and caused no change in 4% FCM production. The percentage of protein in milk was decreased by feeding high forage diets and fat, but yield of milk protein was decreased only by feeding high forage diets to cows.
Crimes Against Humanity in International Criminal Law

Preface. Acknowledgments. Introduction. Table of Abbreviations. 1. Emergence in Positive International Criminal Law. 2. Sources: The Law of Armed Conflicts. 3. Threshold Issues of Legal Philosophy. 4. Principles of Legality and the Law of the Charter. 5. Post-Charter Legal Developments. 6. The International or Jurisdictional Element. 7. The Method of Identifying Specific Contents and the Contents of the Specific Crimes Formulated in the Charter and in Subsequent Formulations. 8. Ratione Personae and Elements of Criminal Responsibility. 9. Defenses and Exonerations. 10. Individual Criminal Responsibility and International Prosecutions. Concluding Assessment.
Understanding the relationship between mood and creativity: A meta-analysis

Abstract A meta-analysis of 62 experimental and 10 non-experimental studies was conducted to evaluate the positive-mood-enhances-creativity generalization. While the results demonstrate that positive mood enhances creativity, the strength of that effect is contingent upon the comparative or referent mood state (i.e., neutral or negative mood) as well as the type of creative task. Further, the pattern of effect sizes supports a curvilinear relationship between affective intensity and creative performance. In general, a contextual perspective of mood–creativity relations is supported.
The characterization of a chitin-associated D-glucan from the cell walls of Aspergillus niger☆

Abstract Exhaustive extraction of the cell walls of Aspergillus niger with 10% NaOH solution leaves an alkali-resistant residue containing chitin and glucan as the major components. The glucan in this residue comprises 58.7% of the total cell wall glucan and was characterized by permethylation, and identification of the resulting O- methyl- D -glucoses obtained after hydrolysis by gas-liquid chromagtography and mass spectrometry of the derived partially acetylated, partially methylated, [1- 2 H]alditols. The glucan was separated from the chitin by acetylation of the alkali-resistance material, a procedure which separates a large portion of the total glucan as a chloroformsoluble acetate, abd by treatment of the alkali-insoluble residue with nitrous acid, a procedure which was found to render the complex soluble in dimethylsulfoxide and amenable, therefore, to permethylation. The data collected suggests that the preparation is an essentially linear glucan containing 85–95% 1 → 3 linkages and 10–15% 1 → 4 linkages. An analysis of the glycosidic linkages using NMR spectroscopy indicate that both α and β linkages are present in the ratio of 4:1. An identical glucan appears to be present in the cell walls of Penicillium chrysogenum as well as the spore cell walls of both organisms, as evidenced by methylation studies.
Effect of through-wall stress gradients on piping failure probabilities

An approach has been developed that predicts leak and rupture probabilities of reactor piping in a structured parametric format. This approach applies the probabilistic fracture mechanics code pc-PRAISE (Piping Reliability Analysis Including Seismic Events) to address the mechanical and thermal fatigue life of piping. The probabilistic fracture mechanics model is applied to predict the relative effects of uniform stresses and through-thickness stress gradients on the reliability of stainless steel piping welds. Results generated using the numerical technique revealed that the calculated leak probabilities can be sensitive to the different types of stress gradients and to local stress concentrations.
Effects of rat adrenal homogenate on induction of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits

Virgin male Sprague-Dawley rats are resistant to atheroma formation. An adrenal homogenate from such rats delayed the increase in serum cholesterol concentrations in cholesterol-fed New Zealand white rabbits. More importantly, aortic atherosclerosis was markedly reduced when compared to a similar population fed cholesterol without adrenal homogenate for 14 weeks. The nature of the active constituent in this homogenate and its mode of action are unknown.
INHIBITION OF DNA SYNTHESIS BY PSORALEN‐INDUCED LESIONS IN XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM AND FANCONI'S ANEMIA FIBROBLASTS

Abstract— Exposure of human cells to psoralens and near-UV light produces a mixture of monoadducts and crosslinks in DNA, which inhibit DNA synthesis by blocking replicon initiation and chain elongation. 8-Methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) has a greater effect than angelicin in normal, xeroderma pigmentosum, and Fanconi's anemia cells. Recovery of DNA synthesis is not detectable up to 8 h after exposure. The average distance between lesions that block replication in individual replicons was measured by means of bromodeoxyuridine photolysis. After exposure to 10 μg/ml of 8-MOP and 7500 J/m2 of near-UV light, blocks were formed every 20 μm. Replicon initiation was inhibited by exposure to near-UV light alone in normal and xeroderma pigmentosum. Exposure to low concentrations of angelicin or 8-MOP plus near-UV light inhibited replicon initiation in normal and Fanconi's anemia cells, but not in xeroderma pigmentosum cells. Inhibition of initiation was not obvious after treatment with high concentrations of 8-MOP or angelicin because of the dominant effect of crosslinks in blocking chain elongation.
Periodic Homogenization for Nonlinear Integro-Differential Equations

In this note, we prove the periodic homogenization for a family of nonlinear nonlocal “elliptic” equations with oscillatory coefficients. Such equations include but are not limited to Bellman equations for the control of pure jump processes and the Isaacs equations for differential games of pure jump processes. The existence of an effective equation and convergence of the solutions of the family of the original equations is obtained. An inf-sup formula for the effective equation is also provided.
Subsidy quantity and recipient community structure mediate plankton responses to autumn leaf drop

Although ecologists appreciate the important contributions of cross-ecosystem subsidies to a variety of ecological processes, relatively little is known about the ability of detrital subsidies from temperate forests (e.g., leaves and leaf leachates) to stimulate plankton in freshwater lakes and ponds, especially immediately after leaves fall. We hypothesized that subsidy quantity interacts with zooplankton community structure to determine how phytoplankton and zooplankton respond to leaf additions, predicting that phytoplankton would peak at intermediate levels of leaf addition due to a tradeoff between increasing nutrients and decreasing light, while Daphnia would continue to increase due to their ability to exploit increased microbes. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated the amount of freshly-abscised sugar maple leaves added to artificial pond mesocosms with contrasting zooplankton community structures (with vs. without added Daphnia) in a factorial experiment and then monitored the responses of water chemistry, phytoplankton, and zooplankton to treatments over the next four weeks. Leaf additions increased total phosphorus (TP) concentrations but decreased pH, water clarity, and total nitrogen (TN) to TP ratios; the increases in TP and decreases in TN:TP were smaller in ponds with added Daphnia. Consistent with expectations, chlorophyll a increased following modest leaf additions in the ponds without Daphnia and decreased in response to the largest leaf addition in both zooplankton treatments, probably due to a lack of light. Daphnia increased with increasing leaf quantity in the +Daphnia ponds, as predicted. Surprisingly, the dominant copepods (mainly diaptomids) also increased with leaf quantity in the ponds without Daphnia. We conclude that modest leaf additions can stimulate phytoplankton and zooplankton in autumn, especially in small lakes and ponds surrounded by forest, and suggest that this “hot moment” (sensu McClain et al. 2003) for cross-ecosystem studies be further evaluated in natural systems.
Sensitive micro determination of nonesterified fatty acids

Abstract A procedure is described in which an extremely sensitive copper ligand, TETD, is used as a substitute for DDC in the indirect determination of NEFA. The latter was isolated by extraction into chloroform as a copper soap followed by reaction between TETD and the copper in acid solution. This resulted in an approximate 3-fold increase in absorbance enabling determinations of NEFA to be carried out with a greater reaction sensitivity.
Belonging, beyond the nation: The significance and meaning of European identity for Latin American-origin youth in Spain

This article examines supranational European identity for children of immigrants – a topic relatively unexplored in literature on immigrant integration and on European identity development. It focuses on two key concerns: the potential significance of the link between children of immigrants and European identity, and children of immigrants' understandings of European identity. Findings suggest that European identity is of relevance to immigrant-origin individuals and indicate the importance of examining identification at multiple geopolitical levels, including the supranational level, in immigrant integration research. Findings also show that meanings attributed to European identity are varied but largely positive, and that they are often based on contrasts with the family's region of origin.
Surface dissolution: Minimizing groundwater impact and leakage risk simultaneously

Abstract Any substantive campaign to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions must involve sequestration of CO2 in geologic formations. For stakeholders to accept this technology, the risk of leakage from the storage formation must be balanced against the economics of capture and injection. The standard approach to geologic sequestration assumes that CO2 will be injected as a bulk phase into a saline aquifer. The primary driver for leakage in this approach is the buoyancy of CO2 relative to native brine under typical deep reservoir conditions. If no leakage occurs, the primary impact of storage will be the displacement of large volumes of groundwater, equal to the volume of CO2 injected at reservoir conditions. Here we investigate an alternative storage approach that alleviates these concerns. The incremental cost of this approach over the standard approach therefore sets an upper bound on reasonable costs for monitoring and verification of the standard storage scheme and for avoiding groundwater contamination. We analyze a prototypical process in which the brine to be used as solvent is extracted from the target aquifer. Captured CO2 is dissolved into this brine in a surface facility prior to injection into the aquifer. Wells are arranged in a line-drive pattern, i.e. a row of injectors separated from a parallel row of extraction wells. The CO2-laden brine is slightly denser than brine containing no CO2, so ensuring the complete dissolution of all CO2 at the surface eliminates the risk of buoyancy-driven leakage. The pairing of extraction/injection wells controls the plume movement and reduces the likelihood of exceeding pressure limits during injection. The volume occupied by saturated brine is about 5% greater than the volume of the original brine. This incremental volume results in a net displacement volume 40% smaller than the volume of water displaced in when bulk-phase CO2 is injected. Surface dissolution thus reduces the overall footprint of a storage project and reduces impact on groundwater resources. The process can be implemented at a greater range of depths than the standard approach. The operational costs of surface dissolution are estimated to be 20% greater than for the standard process if CO2 capture is accomplished with monoethanolamine. The capital costs are 50% greater, mainly because of the larger number of wells needed.
Trophic and size structure of West Indian bird communities

Abstract Much discussion has occurred in recent years on whether observed patterns of structure in island bird communities are the result of competitive interactions among species or independent rates of colonization and extinction. Here two patterns of structure are presented for birds on 12 West Indian islands. Each of four major foraging guilds shows a distinct species-area pattern on the islands and saturation of species within habitats on larger islands. Frugivores have the steepest species-area curve and highest species numbers at saturation while nectarivores are lowest in both values. Coexisting guild members in saturated habitats are generally of different sizes, with weight differences by a factor of 2 common. On smaller islands, small guild members are absent and size differences among coexisting guild members may increase. In many cases, birds have apparently shifted size to conform to the structural patterns. The consistency of the patterns and variation within component species is highly compatible to explanations invoking competition and complements previously described population and community characteristics of West Indian birds.
Study of photovoltaic properties and light absorption in poly-Si thin film solar cells grown by the metal-induced growth method

In our study, the polycrystalline Si thin films were grown for solar cell applications by using the metal-induced growth (MIG) process. In this process, the poly-Si heteroepitaxally grows from the NiSi 2 or CoSi 2 layers which were formed by the reaction of Ni or Co with Si. Usually, due to the low absorption of light in the crystalline Si, light confinement is an important issue in thin film poly-Si solar cells. The MIG poly-Si thin films have some intrinsic features which assist the light absorption and light trapping. First, the top surfaces of the poly-Si films are relatively rough and have grain facets which reduce the light reflectance. In comparison, the Ni-induced Si film has hemisphere-shaped grain tops while Co-induced Si films have pyramid-shaped grain tops. The Ni-induced Si film has a rougher top-surface, so it appears to be darker under the optical examination compared to the Co-induced sample. This implies that more light may be absorbed in the Ni-induced Si film than in the Co-induced one. Second, in the MIG process, a thin metallic layer under the Si film was formed as a seed-layer for Si growth. This metallic layer could serve as a back contact and a back surface reflector. The above top and back surface structures are naturally formed and will allow MIG poly-Si to absorb the light more efficiently than other techniques. So far, the Schottky solar cell which was fabricated for the intent of MIG poly-Si film property studies has shown a J sc of 12 mA/cm 2 . By considering the Si film thickness of 5 μm and the photon absorption of 60% at this thickness, these data are reasonable.
Ronald Greeley (1939–2011)

Ronald Greeley, Regent's Professor at Arizona State University, passed away on 27 October 2011 at his home in Tempe. Ron was one of the most prominent and productive planetary scientists of the past 40 years. He leaves behind a record of scientific understanding and numerous former students to carry on his legacy of discovery. Ron was educated in geology at Mississippi State University (B.S., 1962, and M.S., 1963) and the University of Missouri-Rolla (Ph.D., 1966)
Lead (Pb) in Tap Water and in Blood: Implications for Lead Exposure in the United States

Lead is widely recognized as one of the most pervasive environmental health threats in the United States, and there is increased concern over adverse health impacts at levels of exposure once considered safe. Lead contamination of tap water was once a major cause of lead exposure in the United States and, as other sources have been addressed, the relative contribution of lead in water to lead in blood is expected to become increasingly important. Moreover, prior research suggests that lead in water may be more important as a source than is presently believed. The authors describe sources of lead in tap water, chemical forms of the lead, and relevant U.S. regulations/guidelines, while considering their implications for human exposure. Research that examined associations between water lead levels and blood lead levels is critically reviewed, and some of the challenges in making such associations, even if lead in water is the dominant source of lead in blood, are highlighted. Better protecting populations at...
Selectivity of bond-breaking in electron-induced dissociation of hydrocarbon films on Au surfaces

Abstract Electron-induced dissociation (EID) processes in organic and polymer films are important in a variety of applications. One scientific issue concerns the selectivity of low-energy electron bombardment to cleave a single C–H bond in hydrocarbon condensed films or adsorbed layers. We have undertaken combined TPD and FT-IRAS studies to identify and determine the purity of the surface species produced by EID of cyclohexane and benzene films on Au(1 1 1). Experimental evidence strongly supports a conclusion that EID of cyclohexane and benzene monolayer and multilayer films using incident electrons with an energy of 30 eV can be used to cleave a single C–H bond and produce a single chemisorbed product with high selectivity. An important consequence of these observations is that a variety of adsorbed hydrocarbon intermediates on Au(1 1 1) and other metal surfaces can be prepared in this manner, spectroscopically characterized, and used in studies to advance the understanding of chemical bonding, reactions and catalysis at surfaces.
Determination of organic matter and organic matter to organic carbon ratios by infrared spectroscopy with application to selected sites in the IMPROVE network

Abstract Mass of ambient particulate organic matter (OM) is often estimated by multiplying the organic carbon (OC) mass by a fixed factor that typically ranges from 1.4 to 1.8. In this paper, we develop a non-destructive, mid-infrared spectroscopic (MIR) technique to measure OM in PM2.5 collected on PTFE filters (commonly called “teflon” filters). MIR techniques measure absorption by functional groups within organic molecules; that is, carbon atoms bonded to oxygen (O) or hydrogen (H), O bonded to H and other elements bonded together in organic molecules that comprise OM. We developed laboratory standards of atmospherically relevant organic compounds as the basis for calibrating the MIR absorption to the moles of functional groups. A multivariate regression technique was used to develop calibrations for quantifying alkane CH, alcohol OH, carboxylic acid OH, and carbonyl, which likely comprise the bulk of OM in most ambient samples. OM is estimated as the sum of masses attributed to these functional groups. The precision of the OM measurement is 6.9 μg (relative precision is 7%) and the minimum detection limit is 4.8 μg, corresponding to an ambient concentrations of 0.21 μg m−3 and 0.15 μg m−3 respectively, for the sampling protocol used here. The method was employed to estimate OM, OC (estimated as the sum of the mass of carbon in the alkane CH and carbonyl functional groups) and OM/OC from one year of routinely collected filters at seven Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) sites. In the IMPROVE network, OC is measured using a thermal optical method and OM is estimated for regional haze tracking simply as 1.8 × OC. Using the MIR technique on one year of samples from 7 IMPROVE sites, the median OM/OC ratio was 1.69 with the 10th and 90th percentiles of 1.46 and 2.01. Phoenix, AZ had the lowest annual-median value of 1.56 and Mesa Verde, CO had the highest of 1.83. For more than half of the sites, the lowest monthly-median OM/OC ratio occurred in winter. The sample, site median and seasonal median OM/OC ratios obtained from MIR analysis indicate that a single estimate of OM/OC does not represent the observed variability in OM/OC.
The crystal structure of tris(dimethylammonium) monochloride tetrachlorocuprate(II) [(CH3)2NH2]3Cl·CuCl4

Abstract The crystal structure of tris-dimethylammonium monochloride tetrachlorocuprate(II), [CH3)2NH2]3Cl·CuCl4 was determined using X-ray diffraction techniques. Crystals of the compound are orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with cell dimensions a=11.304, b= 15.638, and c=9.957. The crystal structure was refined to a conventional R of 0.106. The structure consists of a distorted tetrahedral CuCl42− ion, a lattice chloride ion, and three dimethylammonium ions. The D2d distortion of the CuCl42− ion is more pronounced than in previously reported structures. The CuCl bond distances are all 2.230±0.009 A, but two ClCuCl angles of 98± 0.7° and two of 136±0.8° were found. The dimethylammonium groups are all involved in hydrogen bonding of the type NH---Cl, and one bifurcated hydrogen bond was found. The lattice chloride ion and one dimethylammonium ion are disordered, as a result of hydrogen bonding.
On optimality of parallel MRI reconstruction in k‐space

Parallel MRI reconstruction in k-space has several advantages, such as tolerance to calibration data errors and efficient non-Cartesian data processing. These benefits largely accrue from the approximation that a given unsampled k-space datum can be synthesized from only a few local samples. In this study, several aspects of parallel MRI reconstruction in k-space are studied: the design of optimized reconstruction kernels, the effect of regularization on image error, and the accuracy of different k-space–based parallel MRI methods. Reconstruction of parallel MRI data in k-space is posed as the problem of approximating the pseudoinverse with a sparse matrix. The error of the approximation is used as an optimization criterion to find reconstruction kernels optimized for the given coil setup. An efficient algorithm for automatic selection of reconstruction kernels is described. Additionally, a total error metric is introduced for validation of the reconstruction kernel and choice of regularization parameters. The new methods yield reduced reconstruction and noise errors in both simulated and real data studies when compared with existing methods. The new methods may be useful for reduction of image errors, faster data processing, and validation of parallel MRI reconstruction design for a given coil system and k-space trajectory. Magn Reson Med, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TV mediation of disputes and injustice

The role of a TV action-line “troubleshooter” for dispute resolution is illustrated with viewers' letters and topics selected for broadcast. Focusing mainly on consumer complaints (non-auto retail), disputes selected for broadcast were more likely to be resolved in favor of the claimant than were requests handled off the air by the troubleshooter staff. Follow-up materials, however, suggest that obtaining a response from the trouble-shooter as well as a claimee was regarded positively by claimants. TV formats integrate “self-help” justice within a framework of informal justice, and thereby serve as an additional feature of the practical contexts of mediation, which include circumstance, situation, and biography and history.
Optimality principles and duality models for a class of continuous-time generalized fractional programming problems with operator constraints

Abstract Both parametric and parameter-free saddle-point- and stationary-point-type necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are established for a class of continuous-time generalized fractional programming problems with convex operator inequality and affine operator equality constraints. Based on the forms and contents of these optimality results, a parameter-free Lagrangian-type, two parametric, and four parameter-free Wolfe-type duality models are constructed and appropriate duality theorems are proved. Furthermore, some of these optimality and duality results are specialized and briefly discussed for an important particular case of the main problem investigated in this paper.
Multiple Bypass: Interposition Agents for Distributed Computing

Interposition agents are a well-known device for attaching legacy applications to distributed systems. However, agents are difficult to build and are often large, monolithic pieces of software which are suited only to limited applications or systems. We solve this problem with Bypass, a language and a tool for quickly building multiple small agents that can be combined together to create powerful yet manageable software.