cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Albumin macroaggregates and measurements of regional blood flow: validity and application of particle sizing by Coulter counter.

Macroaggregates of albumin (MAA), most commonly labeled with 131I, have been used to evaluate the distribution of blood flow in a variety of organs, both in experimental animals and in man. Under clinical conditions, most workers have been concerned with a qualitative determination of regional pulmonary blood flow by external scintiscanning of the lungs after intravenous injection.1–6 MAA introduced into the inflow of an organ are assumed to mix uniformly in the bloodstream and to be distributed according to the regional flow. Ideally, all the injected particles should be trapped in the organ under study, they should be of such a size that they deposit in the capillaries or precapillary arterioles, and there should be no particles so small that they immediately traverse the capillary bed or so large that they block larger vessels to regions of physiologically significant size. Although deposition of MAA in the brain after intra-arterial injection has apparently produced no clinical or pathologic changes,5–7 avoidance of this last problem is particularly important in clinical studies of organs with an impaired blood supply. In practice, aggregate sizes vary widely, and this reduces their usefulness for the measurement of regional blood flow. Tow and co-workers1 reported that 25 per cent of injected radioactivity passed immediately through the lungs after intravenous injection of labeled MAA and through the brain after internal carotid artery injection.7 However, Taplin and associates8 reported that initial extraction of radioactivity by the lungs is between 80 and 95 per cent when particles with diameters in the range of 10 to 100 µ are injected. The disparity between these reports may be due to variation within and between batches of MAA and suggests that the distribution of particle sizes should be determined. In the present study, MAA were sized and counted with the Coulter counter, an instrument widely used for studying blood cells. This application of the Coulter counter has been briefly reported before.1 A further aim of the study was to determine which sizes of macroaggregates traverse the capillary bed immediately. During the period in which this investigation was undertaken, the conditions under which the MAA were synthesized underwent changes designed to improve homogeneity between batches, and an attempt was made to achieve a narrow and more satisfactory distribution of particle sizes.
The microelectronics manufacturing engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The authors describe a series of curricula at the Master's level that have been developed at Rensselaer over the last three years. The curricula are aimed at producing graduates who have both a working knowledge of microelectronics manufacturing, and the general background necessary to conceive and implement process or product improvements. The description includes both the content of the curricula developed in terms of course work and laboratory experiences, and the means of delivery and delivery options developed to maximize access to the program by students from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances. The authors assess the results of this program, both in terms of the program output and in terms of the relation of this program to the graduate program at Rensselaer in general. >
Phase Effects in Two-Color Multiphoton Processes

There has been considerable interest over the past few years in the interactions of atoms and molecules with intense, short pulsed lasers. Measurements and calculations of ionization rates and photoemission rates have been reported for many wavelengths and intensities for single frequency laser fields. More recently, the effects of the presence of a second, intense laser field have been considered. Predictions that ionization dynamics can be controlled using two lasers with a fixed phase relationship between the them have been realized in experiments by Chen and Elliot1 and by Muller, et al.2 In both experiments the rate for multiphoton ionization was shown to depend on this phase. Muller, et al. also showed that the ATI (above threshold ionization) photoelectron energy distributions were also affected. Here we report calculations of the two-color ionization of hydrogen that reproduce these observed phase sensitive effects. We also present angular distributions for the photoelectrons and their variation with the relative phase between the lasers. In addition these calculactions address the question of the magnitude of the ponderomotive shift of the ionization potential caused by the combined laser fields.
An ontological analysis of states: Organizations vs. legal persons

The purpose of this paper is to argue states are not organizations, but rather the objective legal persons of international law. The ontological similarities and differences between states and organizations are examined, but, by drawing upon literature in political geography and international law, ultimately shows that states cannot be organizations based in large part on the fact that states can survive the destruction of their organizational structures. Bottazzi and Ferrario's DOLCE-based ontology of organizations is of specific interest because it provides “The State of Italy” as an example of an organization that fits their ontological structure. This claim is evaluated and challenged. It is argued that while a state's government may be an organization, the state must be an entity independent from its government or broader socio-political and economic structure. It is argued that when a certain set of conditions is satisfied, a new non-physical legal person is brought into being that is independent of any existing entity. Finally, placement of the state as a legal person within the DOLCE ontology is considered, especially with the inclusion of Bottazzi and Ferrario's ontology of organizations.
Modeling the stretching of wormlike chains in the presence of excluded volume.

We propose an interpolation formula (the EV-WLC relation) for the force–extension behavior of wormlike chains in the presence of hard-core excluded volume interactions, analogous to the classic interpolation formula from Marko and Siggia for ideal wormlike chains. Using pruned-enriched Rosenbluth method (PERM) simulations of asymptotically long, discrete wormlike chains in an external force, we show that the error in the EV-WLC interpolation formula to describe discrete wormlike chains is systematically smaller than the error in the Marko–Siggia interpolation formula, except for the saturation region in which both formulas have the same limiting behavior. We anticipate that the EV-WLC interpolation formula will prove useful in the coarse-graining of wormlike chain models for dynamic simulations. Related results for the excess free energy due to excluded volume provide strong support for the physical basis of the Pincus regime.
Utilizing parallel plate waveguide modes for terahertz sensing

Parallel-plate waveguide sensors are investigated by characterizing TM and TE modes when filled with inhomogeneous and homogeneous samples. Effects of multi-mode TE propagation within PPW and radiation patterns are investigated. Lactose detection is demonstrated by TDS and CW-VNA techniques.
Evolutionary themes in the neurobiology of social cognition

Remarkable examples of social cognition have been described across a diverse range of species, yet surprisingly little is known about the neurobiological underpinnings of these behaviors. Recent studies suggest that the molecular pathways and neural networks that mediate social behavior have been relatively conserved across vertebrate evolution, suggesting that shared mechanisms may drive adaptive behavioral responses to social stimuli. Here, we review recent advances in the neurobiology of flexible and context-dependent social behaviors across vertebrate taxa, focusing on female mate choice, pair-bonding, and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, we highlight the outstanding opportunities for uncovering the mechanisms mediating cooperative behavior, an exemplar of social cognition. We suggest a framework for investigating context-dependent neural organization and the evoked neural response to social stimuli.
Genetics of photoreceptor degeneration and regeneration in zebrafish

Zebrafish are unique in that they provide a useful model system for studying two critically important problems in retinal neurobiology, the mechanisms responsible for triggering photoreceptor cell death and the innate stem cell–mediated regenerative response elicited by this death. In this review we highlight recent seminal findings in these two fields. We first focus on zebrafish as a model for studying photoreceptor degeneration. We summarize the genes currently known to cause photoreceptor degeneration, and we describe the phenotype of a few zebrafish mutants in detail, highlighting the usefulness of this model for studying this process. In the second section, we discuss the several different experimental paradigms that are available to study regeneration in the teleost retina. A model outlining the sequence of gene expression starting from the dedifferentiation of Muller glia to the formation of rod and cone precursors is presented.
Degradation of pesticides applied to banana farm soil: Comparison of indigenous bacteria and a microbial mat

Indigenous bacteria from St. Vincent (West Indies) banana farm soil, enriched cultures of three isolates, and a microbial mat were tested for their ability to degrade carbofuran, chlordane, paraquat, and prophos. In single-pesticide application experiments, only 35.0% of the parent carbofuran was recovered after 21 d; paraquat recovery was 40.0%, and chlordane, 91.0%. In a mixture containing each pesticide, 42.0% of the parent carbofuran was recovered, and paraquat and chlordane recoveries were 52.0% and 94.0%, respectively. A microbial mat and the isolates were shown to mineralize [ 14 C]carbofuran. Best results (93.11 μg [ 14 C]carbofuran/kg dry microbial mat) were from a 15-d dark soil experiment. In field trials, the concentration of carbofuran decreased 82% with microbial mat treatment, and control plot concentrations actually increased 26%. The concentration of prophos decreased significantly after 4 d (0-6 mg/kg) in the plots with a microbial mat, whereas in control plots it increased from 7 to 12 mg/kg at day 0 to 180 mg/kg at day 4. After 60 d prophos was not detected in any microbial mat plot, whereas all but one control plot had it (0-12 mg/kg) in the soil.
Glutamine enhances gut glutathione production

Background: The gastrointestinal tract is recognized as having important metabolic functions. This study examined gut glutathione (GSH) extraction and the effect of supplemental oral glutamine (GLN) on gut GSH fractional release. Methods: Healthy female Fisher-344 rats weighing approximately 150 to 200 g were pair-fed chow and supplemented by gavage with 1 g/ kg/d GLN or an isonitrogenous amount of Freamine (McGaw, St Louis, MO). Rats were sacrificed at 6 weeks. Arterial and portal blood was assayed for GLN and GSH content. The gut GLN and GSH extractions were calculated. Results: The gut GLN fractional uptake was increased by approximately 50%, and there was a near threefold increase in gut GSH fractional release in the GLNsupplemented group. Conclusions: The discovery of gut's role as a major producer of GSH may give insight into why feeding via the gut rather than by the venous route is so important. Supplemental oral GLN further enhances GLN extraction as well as GSH fractional release in the gut. (Jo...
Shoreline Mapping using an Omni-directional Camera for Autonomous Surface Vehicle Applications

Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) have the potential to operate for extended periods of time in coastal, estuarine, and riverine environments for a variety of scientific, environmental, and military applications. However, these environments are often highly dynamic and unstructured, and present new challenges for autonomous operations. Toward the goal of achieving truly autonomous long-term operations in highly unstructured maritime environments, we present a new approach to create a shoreline map with an ASV in real-time by combining the analysis of images from a single omni-directional camera and knowledge of the vehicle's location and motion information.
The Reaction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations with Hydrogen Atoms: The Astrophysical Implications

The reaction of the naphthalene cation, C10H+8, with H atoms is exothermic by about 60 kcal mol-1 and yields the 1-hydronaphthalene cation C10H+9. The addition of a second H atom is exothermic by about 45 kcal mol-1, leading to the 1, 2-dihydronaphthalene cation C10H+10, which has less aromatic character than the parent naphthalene cation. Such products have been identified from the C—H stretching modes of the unidentified infrared bands. The abstraction of H from the 1-hydronaphthalene cation is found to have little, if any, barrier. This suggests that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) cations can catalyze the recombination of H atoms in the gas phase. Since the barrier to abstracting a deuterium is larger than hydrogen, reactions of hydrogen with PAH cations could enhance the degree of deuterium enrichment in PAHs.
A review of autoimmune skin diseases in domestic animals: I – Superficial pemphigus

In humans, the pemphigus denomination encompasses a group of autoimmune blistering skin diseases with intraepidermal separation resulting from cell-cell detachment by acantholysis. Entities are classified based on the level of blistering in the epidermis, and both superficial (pemphigus foliaceus, IgA pemphigus) and deep (pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus vegetans and paraneoplastic pemphigus) variants are recognized. In domestic animals, subsets of pemphigus have been recognized since the mid-1970s, and the disease classification resembles that used for human patients. This article reviews up-to-date knowledge on the epidemiology, clinical signs, histopathology, immunopathology and treatment outcome of superficial pemphigus in domestic animals. Detailed information on canine, feline, equine and caprine pemphigus foliaceus, canine and feline pemphigus erythematosus and canine panepidermal pustular pemphigus is provided.
Development of Wilt in Mint in Response to Infection by Two Pathotypes of Verticillium dahliae and Co-infection by Pratylenchus penetrans

Two isolates of Verticillium dahliae in vegetative compatibility group (VCG) 2B and one isolate in VCG 4A were tested for aggressiveness on peppermint, Scotch spearmint, and native spearmint alone and in combination with the lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans. The VCG 2B isolates were more aggressive than the VCG 4A isolate on all three mint species. Severity of wilt was greatest on peppermint and scotch spearmint with the VCG 2B isolates, and CFU of V. dahliae recovered from infected stems were greater in Scotch spearmint when inoculated with V. dahliae and P. penetrans than when inoculated with VCG 2B alone. Wilt severities and CFU in peppermint and Scotch spearmint were not increased when inoculated with VCG 4A and P. penetrans compared with VCG 4A alone. These data indicate that V. dahliae isolates from VCG 2B but not VCG 4A interact synergistically with P. penetrans on Verticillium isolate-susceptible mints. The resistance to Verticillium isolates in native spearmint was not affected by the presence of lesion nematodes.
Insight into photocarcinogenesis.

Advances in phototherapy have led to significant improvement in the care of patients with a variety of skin disorders, ranging from psoriasis to vitiligo. The use of narrow-band ultraviolet radiation B (NB-UVB), with peak fluence at 311 nm, has been one such advance. Superior in efficacy to broad-band UVB (BB-UVB), it combines added efficacy similar to that of photochemotherapy (PUVA), with less inconvenience (van Weelden et al., 1988; Coven et al., 1997; Gathers et al., 2002). However, experimental data suggest that the use of NB-UVB is not without cost. Several investigative studies have determined that NB-UVB possesses greater potential for skin carcinogenesis (Flindt-Hansen et al., 1991; Wulf et al., 1994; Gibbs et al., 1995) than BB-UVB, already a known carcinogen (Kraemer, 1997).
A Chlamydia trachomatis UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase selective for myristoyl-acyl carrier protein. Expression in Escherichia coli and formation of hybrid lipid A species.

Chlamydia trachomatis lipid A is unusual in that it is acylated with myristoyl chains at the glucosamine 3 and 3′ positions. We have cloned and expressed the gene encoding UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 3-O-acyltransferase ofC. trachomatis (CtlpxA), the first enzyme of lipid A biosynthesis. C. trachomatis LpxA displays ∼20-fold selectivity for myristoyl-ACP overR/S-3-hydroxymyristoyl-ACP under standard assay conditions, consistent with the proposed structure of C. trachomatislipid A. CtLpxA is the first reported UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase that prefers a non-hydroxylated acyl-ACP to a hydroxyacyl-ACP. When CtlpxAwas expressed in RO138, a temperature-sensitive lpxA mutant of Escherichia coli, five new hybrid lipid A species were made in vivo after 2 h at 42 °C, in place ofEscherichia coli lipid A. These compounds were purified and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry. In each case, a myristoyl chain replaced one or both of the ester linked 3-hydroxymyristoyl residues ofE. coli lipid A. With prolonged growth at 42 °C, all the ester-linked 3-hydroxymyristoyl residues were replaced with myristate chains. Re-engineering the structure of E. coli lipid A should facilitate the microbiological production of novel agonists or antagonists of the innate immunity receptor TLR-4, with possible uses as adjuvants or anti-inflammatory agents.
Two stochastic mean-field polycrystal plasticity methods

Abstract In this work, we develop two mean-field polycrystal plasticity models in which the crystal velocity gradients L c are approximated stochastically. Through comprehensive CPFEM analyses of an idealized tantalum polycrystal, we verify that the L c tend to follow a normal distribution and surmise that this is due to the crystal interactions. We draw on these results to develop the stochastic Taylor model (STM) and the stochastic no-constraints model (SNCM), which differ in the manner in which the crystal strain rates D c = 1 2 ( L c + L c T ) are prescribed. Calibration and validation of the models are performed using data from tantalum compression experiments. Both models predict the compression textures more accurately than the fully constrained model (FCM), and the SNCM predicts them more accurately than the STM. The STM is extremely computationally efficient, only slightly more expensive than the FCM, while the SNCM is three times more computationally expensive than the STM.
Comparison Study of the Kinetics of Ceftizoxime Penetration into Extravascular Spaces with Known Surface Area/Volume Ratio In Vitro and In Vivo in Rabbits

The extravascular kinetics of ceftizoxime were studied both in an in vitro kinetic model and in an in vivo rabbit model. Visking tubing chambers were used in both models to provide extravascular spaces with large or small volumes and surface areas, but identical surface area/volume ratios. Four rabbits, each implanted with two large Visking chambers and four small chambers, received 50 mg of ceftizoxime per kg intramuscularly every 3 h for eight doses. In the in vitro model, 80 mg of ceftizoxime was infused over 30 min every 3 h for eight doses. Intravascular and extravascular spaces were sampled in both models after the eighth dose. Ceftizoxime had similar intravascular kinetics in both models, i.e., the peak levels, the peak-to-trough fluctuations, and the half-life were comparable. The area under the curve (AUC) for the extravascular spaces was also similar in the two models. Large and small chambers having identical surface area/volume ratios demonstrated identical kinetics. The extravascular Visking chamber spaces achieved equilibrium with the intravascular spaces in both models, i.e., the AUC for the extravascular spaces was the same (P > 0.2) as that for the serum (rabbit model) or the test chamber (in vitro model). This study illustrates (i) that our modified in vitro model is a potentially valid model for studying extravascular kinetics; (ii) that extravascular spaces with identical surface area/volume ratios show similar penetration kinetics with a freely diffusible drug, such as ceftizoxime, despite differences in size; and (iii) that the Visking chamber extravascular-space model permits the free diffusion of the antimicrobial agent and reaches equilibrium (equivalent AUC) with the intravascular space.
Internationalizing Public Policy Courses

Stephen Colbert's provocative claims offer a starting point to consider whether and how to broaden the international perspective within undergraduate public policy courses and curriculum. This article discusses whether an absence of international perspectives within public policy courses should be a concern, considers an alternative framework for incorporating a broader international perspective into an introduction to public policy course, and identifies potential assignments and pedagogical tools.I wish to thank Karen Mossberger and Frank Lebo for their help in pulling together information used in this paper.
Overall and Cancer-Specific Survival of Patients With Breast, Colon, Kidney, and Lung Cancers With and Without Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A SEER Population-Based Study

Purpose Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is associated with an increased risk of developing second cancers. However, it is unknown whether CLL alters the disease course of these cancers once they occur. Patients and Methods All patients with cancers of the breast (n = 579,164), colorectum (n = 412,366), prostate (n = 631,616), lung (n = 489,053), kidney (n = 95,795), pancreas (n = 82,116), and ovary (n = 61,937) reported to the SEER program from 1990 to 2007 were identified. Overall survival (OS; death resulting from any cause) and cancer-specific survival were examined, comparing patients with and without pre-existing CLL. Cancer-specific survival was evaluated for each tumor type in a site-specific manner (eg, death resulting from breast cancer in a patient with breast cancer). Results Patients with cancers of the breast (hazard ratio [HR], 1.70; P < .001), colorectum (HR, 1.65; P < .001), kidney (HR, 1.54; P < .001), prostate (HR, 1.92; P < .001), or lung (HR, 1.19; P < .001) had inferior OS if they ...
A combined experimental and theoretical approach to grain boundary structure and segregation

Abstract Recently, the scanning transmission electron microscope has become capable of forming electron probes of atomic dimensions. Through the technique of Z-contrast imaging, it is now possible to form atomic resolution images with high compositional sensitivity from which atomic column positions can be directly determined. An incoherent image of this nature also allows atomic resolution chemical analysis to be performed, by locating the probe over particular columns or planes seen in the image while electron energy loss spectra are collected. Such data represent either an ideal starting point for first-principles theoretical calculations or a test of theoretical predictions. We present several examples where theory and experiment together give a very complete and often surprising atomic scale view of complex materials.
SU‐FF‐J‐55: Cumulative Dose Calculation Using Deformable Image Registration

Purpose: To use deformable image registration to calculate cumulative dose distributions received by a radiotherapy patient in order to evaluate the dosimetric impact of anatomical variations during the course of treatment. Method and Materials: An intensity-based deformable registration algorithm was developed to register the anatomy between the planning CT image and the daily CT images acquired from an in-room CT-on-rails system. After the transformation from daily CT to planning CT was found, daily treatment doses delivered to an organ can be meaningfully accumulated. For one head-and-neck patient, the treatment plan was transferred to 15 daily CT scans using bony registration, and the dose distributions were calculated for the daily anatomy without daily setup errors. Using deformable image registration, these daily dose distributions were mapped back to the planning CT image. The cumulative dose was calculated and compared to the original plan using dose-volume histograms (DVHs). Results: The dose delivered to the patient had minimal changes from the plan. Dose coverage for clinical target volumes at 70Gy, 63Gy, and 56Gy, left and right parotids at 25Gy, and mandible at 70Gy were evaluated. At these dose levels, the DVHs showed less than 1% difference, except for the left parotid, which had a 6% volume difference. The maximum dose in brainstem was 1.4% less than planned, the maximum dose in spinal cord was 2.2% higher than planned. The mean doses in left and right parotid were 4.4% higher and 2.5% lower than planned. Conclusion: In this case, we found little dosimetric differences due to changing anatomy during the course of treatment. Future studies will include daily setup errors. Deformable image registration is proven to be an effective approach for calculating cumulative dose distributions delivered to the patient, which can be used to evaluate the quality of treatment execution.
Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q) biosynthesis in Escherichia coli: identification of the ubiF gene

Ubiquinone (coenzyme Q; abbreviation, Q) plays an essential role in electron transport in Escherichia coli when oxygen or nitrate is the electron acceptor. The biosynthesis of Q involves at least nine reactions. Three of these reactions involve hydroxylations resulting in the introduction of hydroxyl groups at positions C-6, C-4, and C-5 of the benzene nucleus of Q. The genes encoding the enzymes responsible for these hydroxylations, ubiB, ubiH, and ubiF are located at 87, 66, and 15 min of the E. coli linkage map. The ubiF encoded oxygenase introduces the hydroxyl group at carbon five of 2-octaprenyl-3-methyl-6-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinol resulting in the formation of 2-octaprenyl-3-methyl-5-hydroxy-6-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinol. An ubiF mutant failed to carry out this conversion. Based on the homology to UbiH, an open reading frame (orf391) was identified at the 15 min region of the chromosome, amplified using PCR, and cloned into pUC18 plasmid. The ubiF mutants, when complemented with this plasmid, regained the ability to grow on succinate and synthesize Q.
Oceanographic applications of color-enhanced satellite imageries

Using color-enhanced infrared imagery from satellites for displaying temperature gradients and differences of ocean surface
The effectiveness of adjustment by subclassification in removing bias in observational studies.

In some inivestigationls, comparison of the means of a variate y in two study g;roups may be biased because y is related to a variable x whose distribution differs in the two groups. A frequently used device for trying to remove this bias is adjustment by subclassification. The range of x is divided into c subclasses. Weighted means of the subclass means of y are compared, using the same weights for each study group. The effectiveness of this procedure in removing bias depends on several factors, but for monotonic relations between y and x, an analytical approach suggests that for c = 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 the percentages of bias removed are roughly 64%, 79%, 86%, 90%, and 92%, respectively. These figures should also serve as a guide when x is an ordered classification (e.g. none, slight, moderate, severe) that can be regarded as a grouping of an underlying continuous variable. The extent to which adjustment reduces the sampling error of the estimated difference between the y means is also examined. An interesting side result is that for x normal, the percentage reduction in the bias of x2-xl due to adjustment equals the percentage reduction in its variance. Under a simple mathematical model, errors of measurement in x reduce the amount of bias removed to a fraction 1/(1 + h) of its value, where h is the ratio of the variance of the errors of measurement to the variance of the correct measurements. Since ordered classifications are often used becauLse x is difficult to measure, h may be substantial in such cases, though more information is needed on the values of h that are typical in practice.
Tear film lipids.

Abstract Human meibomian gland secretions (MGS, or meibum) are formed from a complex mixture of lipids of different classes such as wax esters, cholesteryl esters, (O-acyl)-ω-hydroxy fatty acids (OAHFA) and their esters, acylglycerols, diacylated diols, free fatty acids, cholesterol, and a smaller amount of other polar and nonpolar lipids, whose chemical nature and the very presence in MGS have been a matter of intense debates. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent results that were obtained using different experimental techniques, estimate limitations of their usability, and discuss their biochemical, biophysical, and physiological implications. To create a lipid map of MGS and tears, the results obtained in the author's laboratory were integrated with available information on chemical composition of MGS and tears. The most informative approaches that are available today to researchers, such as HPLC–MS, GC–MS, and proton NMR, are discussed in details. A map of the meibomian lipidome (as it is seen in reverse phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry experiments) is presented. Directions of future efforts in the area are outlined.
Effect of Pore Size Distribution of Commercial Activated Carbon Fabrics on the Adsorption of CWA Simulants from the Liquid Phase

The use of hydrofluoroether liquid wetted wipes for the decontamination of sensitive equipment is attracting great interest. Contacting the contaminated equipment with such wipes results in the rap...
Experimental Results of Impulsive Synchronization Between Two Chua's Circuits

Impulsive synchronization of chaotic dynamic systems has some important applications to chaotic secure communication and chaotic spread-spectrum communication systems. In this paper we present some experimental results on impulsive synchronization between two Chua’s circuits. In our experiments, only one synchronizing impulse sequence is transmitted. The robustness of impulsive synchronization with respect to variations in the frequency and the width of impulses is studied. Experimental results show that robust impulsive synchronization can be achieved under noisy conditions and a 2% parameter mismatch between the driving system and the driven system. We also found that an amplied impulse sequence with a gain greater than unity can make the impulsive synchronization more robust. Moreover, we found that impulsive synchronization can be achieved with very narrow impulses.
The Diffusion and Permeation of CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-114, HCFC-22, and FC-14 through Polymer Films —The Relevance to Insulation Foams

The diffusion coefficients and permeabilities of CCl3F, CCl 2F2, C2Cl2F4, CHClF 2, and CF4 through thin films of Elvax® 3137 ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, Surlyn® 1652 ionomer, Alathon® PE 5753 polyethylene, and Mylar® LBT polyester were determined in the temperature range 0 to 40°C in a typical per meation cell. The degree of crystallinity of each polymer as determined by X-ray scattering was used to aid the interpretation of results. Activation energies for diffu sion and permeation in these systems were calculated. The two most important fac tors in determining diffusivities and permeabilities in these systems are the molecular interaction between polymer and penetrant and the degree of crystallinity of the polymer. The molecular size of the diffusing molecules is a lesser factor in the systems studied.
Location of autonomic cell bodies projecting to the extrathoracic smooth muscle of the canine trachea.

A study of the origin of the sympathetic postganglionic axons innervating the trachealis muscle of the dog was carried out using horseradish peroxidase as a retrograde neuronal marker. It was demonstrated that this technique is not fruitful in adult dogs, but in 12 puppies demonstrated that these neurons arise from the cervicothoracic, middle cervical and cranial cervical ganglia. Contributions of nucleus ambiguus, nucleus of the vagus nerve and the distal ganglion of the vagus nerve to innervation of the trachealis muscle were also demonstrated.
Restoration of proper trafficking to the cell surface for membrane proteins harboring cysteine mutations.

A common phenotype for many genetic diseases is that the cell is unable to deliver full-length membrane proteins to the cell surface. For some forms of autism, hereditary spherocytosis and color blindness, the culprits are single point mutations to cysteine. We have studied two inheritable cysteine mutants of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels that produce achromatopsia, a common form of severe color blindness. By taking advantage of the reactivity of cysteine’s sulfhydryl group, we modified these mutants with chemical reagents that attach moieties with similar chemistries to the wild-type amino acids’ side chains. We show that these modifications restored proper delivery to the cell membrane. Once there, the channels exhibited normal functional properties. This strategy might provide a unique opportunity to assess the chemical nature of membrane protein traffic problems.
Biaxial Cyclic Deformation and Creep-Fatigue Behavior of Materials for Solar Thermal Systems

Biaxial cyclic deformation and creep-fatigue data for Incoloy 800 and Type 316H stainless steel at elevated temperature are presented. Tubular specimens were subjected to constant internal pressure and strain-controlled axial cycling with and without hold times in tension as well as in compression. The results show that the internal pressure affects diametral ratchetting and axial stress range significantly. However, the effect of a relatively small and steady hoop stress on the cyclic life of the materials is minimal. A 1-min compressive hold per cycle does not seriously reduce the fatigue life of either material; a tensile hold of equal duration causes a significant reduction in life for Type 316H stainless steel, but none for Incoloy 800. Fracture surfaces of specimens made of both materials were studied by scanning electron microscopy to determine the reason for the difference in behavior.
Effect of gas pressure on thermal conductivity of zirconia thermal barrier coatings

Abstract The thermal diffusivity of thermal barrier coatings (zirconia stabilized with 7–8 wt% yttria) deposited by air plasma spraying has been measured by the laser flash method. Free-standing samples (0.5–0.6-mm thick) polished on both sides were coated with graphite. Deduced values of thermal conductivity (e.g., 1.5 W m −1 K −1 at 200 °C in 1 atm. of nitrogen) are in the range measured in other studies for this type of thermal barrier coating. The % increase in thermal conductivity in 1 atm. of gas compared to its value in vacuum was found to be about 10% in nitrogen at 500 °C, close to a calculated value of 7% using a model in the literature. A simple extension of the model to higher temperatures and gas pressures predicts a significant rise, so that by 10 atm. of gas pressure the % increase would be 30% (with little sensitivity to temperature).
On capital accumulation paths in a neoclassical stochastic growth model

Boldrin and Montrucchio [2] showed that any twice continuously differentiable function could be obtained as the optimal policy function for some value of the discount parameter in a deterministic neoclassical growth model. I extend their result to the stochastic growth model with non-degenerate shocks to preferences or technology. This indicates that one can obtain complex dynamics endogenously in a wide variety of economic models, both under certainty and uncertainty. Further, this result motivates the analysis of convergence of adaptive learning mechanisms to rational expectations in economic models with (potentially) complicated dynamics.
Affinity Selection of Compounds in a Fluoroquinolone Chemical Library by On-Line Immunoaffinity Deletion Coupled to Column HPLC

To demonstrate that members of a fluoroquinolone chemical library can be separated on the basis of relative affinities for an antibody, an automated column-switching system was used incorporating on-line immunoaffinity capture (IAC) coupled with hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). A monoclonal antibody against sarafloxacin (Mab Sara-95) was covalently cross-linked to a protein G column and used to capture injected fluoroquinolones. A pH gradient in the mobile phase eluted the fluoroquinolones from the IAC column to the HIC column according to their relative affinities for the antibody, and final separation of the fluoroquinolones was accomplished on the HIC column before fluorescence detection. Since the fluoroquinolones clearly eluted from the IAC column on the basis of their relative affinities for the antibody, compounds exhibiting higher or lower relative affinity for the antibody could be selectively deleted from the library by exploiting the column-switching capabilities of the system. The...
Apical junctional complexes and cell polarity.

Recent studies have greatly expanded our knowledge of initial events that lead to epithelial cell polarity. Epithelial polarity is defined, in part, by apical cell–cell tight junctions that separate the plasma membrane into the apical domain and the basolateral domain, as well as the zonula adherens that mediate intercellular adhesion. The process of epithelial polarization is closely coupled to the biogenesis of these junctions. Studies in mammalian epithelial cells and lower organisms have identified two evolutionarily conserved junctional complexes as important epithelia polarity regulators: the Crumbs complex and the partitioning defective complex. Disruption of the components of the two complexes leads to a disorder of epithelial cell polarity and defects in junction formation or maintenance. Recent discoveries have revealed more details of how the two junctional polarity complexes function to establish epithelial polarity. They also raised the question about the relationship between polarity and adhesion. Although it is widely accepted that cell–cell adhesion provides a landmark from which polarity can proceed, there are results pointing to the possibility that polarity complexes can regulate cell–cell adhesion. It seems likely that proteins that control cell adhesion and cell polarity work intimately together to establish final epithelial polarity.
A recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis induces potent bactericidal immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

New vaccine candidates are urgently needed for the control and prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Kari Sweeney and her colleagues now report that an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis expressing the esx-3 genes from Mtb induces effective CD4+ T cell dependent immunity against infection with Mtb in mice. The study offers a new avenue for the identification of protective immunogens in Mtb infection and a candidate vaccine platform warranting further study.
The treatment of impotence by behavior modification techniques: A review

Abstract The psychological literature on male sexual impotence is reviewed. Specifically, a description of and a learning theory analysis of male impotence are presented. Also, there is a review of behavior modification techniques used to treat male impotence. Such techniques include systematic desensitization using self‐induced and drug‐induced relaxation, relaxation in the sexual environment, and training in assertive sexual behavior. It is suggested that more research is needed to assess the relative importance of insight, re‐education in sexual behavior and techniques, encouragement, and expectancy, which are often used with strict behavioral treatment methods.
Quantifying a dynamic risk landscape: heterogeneous predator activity and implications for prey persistence

Spatial heterogeneity in predation risk can ameliorate impacts on prey populations, particularly for prey of generalists. Spatially heterogeneous risk implies the existence of refugia, and the spatial scale of those refugia and their persistence over time affect whether prey can avoid predation by aggregating therein. Our objective was to quantify the magnitude, spatial scale, and temporal persistence of heterogeneity in risk of predation by white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), an abundant generalist predator of gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar) and songbirds. We used track plates to measure white-footed mouse activity at .170 trees in each of three forest plots in upstate New York during summers of 2003-2005. We quantified the mean and coefficient of variation of track activity among trees by fitting the beta-binomial distribution to data from each plot and study period. We measured temporal persistence by disattenuated autocorrelation, and spatial scale by fitting exponential variograms. Mice were much less abundant in 2005 than the other two years, leading to lower overall track activity but higher coefficient of variation among trees. Mouse track activity at individual trees was positively autocorrelated between monthly study periods in 2003 and 2004, and even between the two years, whereas temporal autocorrelation in 2005 was much weaker. Track activity showed positive spatial autocorrelation over lag distances from ;30 to .1000 m. These findings indicate that mouse activity, and hence risk to their prey, varies substantially in space at spatial and temporal scales that appear responsive to mouse population dynamics. The spatial scale and temporal persistence of that variation imply that prey may benefit from returning to, or failing to disperse from, refugia.
NONLINEARITY AND MICROWAVE LOSSES IN CUBIC STRONTIUM-TITANATE

The complex dielectric constant of single-crystal strontium-titanate has been measured from 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 230\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K at microwave frequencies. The real part of the dielectric constant consists of a large field-independent contribution which obeys a Curie-Weiss law over the entire range of measurement plus a smaller anisotropic field-dependent contribution. These results are shown to be in qualitative agreement with the theory of ferroelectricity in perovskite structures as proposed by Slater. The observed loss tangent consists of a contribution which is quadratic in an applied biasing field plus a field-independent contribution. The field-independent loss tangent goes through a minimum at about 170\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with a much steeper slope on the low-temperature side of the minimum than on the high-temperature side. The origin of the behavior of the field-independent loss tangent is discussed.
Comments on 'Energy and power orthogonality in isotropic, discretely inhomogeneous waveguides' (and reply)

The commenter contends with the conclusion of E.B. Manring and J. Asmussen in the above-titled paper (ibid., vol.3, no.3, p.78-9, Mar, 1993) that the cavity orthogonality equations given by R. Harrington (see Time-Harmonic Electromagnetic Fields, McGraw-Hill, 1961) are not valid in general. He points out that no contradiction exists between the waveguide orthogonality equations they derived and the cavity orthogonality equations given by Harrington. The authors, upon closer inspection of their work, concur. >
Preschoolers' changing conceptions of their mothers: A social‐cognitive study of mother–child attachment

The ability to agree on plans for reunion seems to be instrumental in facilitating comfortable separations between mothers and late-preschool–aged children. This development in patterns of separation behavior is interpreted in terms of symbolic-thought development and the increased sense of importance of abstract plans for behavior.
Is obesity associated with colorectal cancer screening for African American and Latino individuals in the context of patient navigation

Purpose The association between excess body weight and colorectal cancer screening is not well established. The purpose of this analysis was to explore, in the context of patients receiving navigation, whether obesity influences receipt of screening colonoscopy among lower-income Latinos and African Americans.
A Bayesian approach to sequence alignment algorithms for protein structure recognition

A theoretical basis for the alignment of a protein sequence to a set of protein structure templates is presented, based on a Bayesian statistical analysis. The optimal Hamiltonian for this threading is closely related to the Hamiltonian optimized for molecular dynamics based on spin-glass theory. The Bayesian theory provides the optimal penalty functions for insertions and deletions in the alignment, which can be put in the form of a chemical potential. In contrast to standard methods for determining gap penalties, these penalties involve the logarithm of the probability distribution of gaps in alignments against correct templates as compared to the probability distribution of gaps in alignments against random templates, as determined self-consistently. Sequences of unknown proteins can be aligned to known protein structures, identifying similar structural motifs and generating reasonably correct alignments. >
THYROID ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS WITH MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY

Myotonic dystrophy (MD) is a systemic genetic disorder predominantly affecting musculature. Although endocrine disturbances have been described, data relating to thyroid gland involvement are sparse and conflicting. To further investigate this aspect, twenty MD patients and twenty age-and sex-matched controls were studied. All were clinically euthyroid and there were no significant differences between circulating levels (mean +/- SD) of T4 (101 . 5 +/- 28.2 v. 103 . 8 +/- 27 . 7 nmol/l), T3 (1 . 86 +/- 0 . 57 v. 2 . 15 +/- 0 . 47 nmol/l), rT3 (0 . 39 +/- 0 . 14 v. 0 . 42 +/- 0 . 09) nmol/l) or TSH (2 . 6 +/- 0 . 5 v. 2 . 4 +/- 0 . 8 mu/l) or between T3 resin uptakes (97 +/- 8 v. 98 +/- 11%). TSH responses following TRH stimulation were significantly less in the MD patients (323 +/- 141 v. 529 +/- 240%; P less than 0.0025). The mean maximum TSH levels achieved were 6 . 7 +/- 3 . 6 mu/l (MD) and 17 . 1 +/- 7 . 2 mu/l (controls); P less than 0.005. Two patients had multinodular goitres (MNG) and one a single thyroid nodule. Thyroid scans were normal except for patchy uptake in the two MNG patients. There was no abnormal incidence of circulating thyroid microsomal or thyroglobulin antibodies, and thyrotrophin binding inhibitory immunoglobulin levels were normal in four patients. It is concluded that in MD: 1 palpable thyroid gland abnormalities occur with increased frequency, 15% (three/twenty) in the present study and 20% (twenty/102 case reports) from a review of the literature; 2 TSH responses to TRH are significantly reduced; 3 circulating thyroid hormone levels are usually normal.