cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rediscovering Antiquity: Karl Weber and the Excavation of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae, by C.C. Parslow. Cambridge University Press, 1995

Rediscovering Antiquity is an example of the genre of historical writing which seeks to recast the careers of little-known figures who have fallen into obscurity. This is typically intended to move them and their work into the proper "lineage," that is, the select group of ancestral figures from which modern practices are derived. Parslow is interested in the 18th century excavations of the Vesuvian cities, which, he argues, have been misunderstood by historians of archaeology. Indeed, common sources, such as Daniel (1981:55), describe the initial explorations of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae, sponsored by the Bourbon kings of Naples as "...treasure hunts and not serious excavations." While the Roman artifacts removed from the sites are credited with spurring interest in antiquity in Enlightenment Europe, modern scholars have until now devoted little attention to the means through which they were recovered.
Control of interchain contacts, solid-state fluorescence quantum yield, and charge transport of cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes by choice of anion.

Simple procedures are provided for exchanging charge-compensating ions in conjugated polyelectrolytes by progressive dilution of the original species and for determining the degree of ion exchange by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By using these methods, the bromide ions in poly[(9,9-bis(6‘-N,N,N-trimethylammoniumbromide)hexyl)fluorene-co-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] were exchanged with BF4-, CF3SO3-, PF6-, BPh4-, and B(3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)4- (BArF4-). Absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and PL quantum yields (Φ) were measured in different solvents and in solid films cast from methanol. Examination of the resulting trends, together with the spectral bandshapes in different solvents, suggests that increasing the counteranion (CA) size decreases interchain contacts and aggregation and leads to a substantial increase of Φ in the bulk. Size analysis of polymers containing Br- and BArF4- in water by dynamic light scattering techniques indicates suppression of aggregation by BArF4-. Nanoscale current-v...
Renal Physiology of Pregnancy

Pregnancy involves remarkable orchestration of physiologic changes. The kidneys are central players in the evolving hormonal milieu of pregnancy, responding and contributing to the changes in the environment for the pregnant woman and fetus. The functional impact of pregnancy on kidney physiology is widespread, involving practically all aspects of kidney function. The glomerular filtration rate increases 50% with subsequent decrease in serum creatinine, urea, and uric acid values. The threshold for thirst and antidiuretic hormone secretion are depressed, resulting in lower osmolality and serum sodium levels. Blood pressure drops approximately 10 mmHg by the second trimester despite a gain in intravascular volume of 30% to 50%. The drop in systemic vascular resistance is multifactorial, attributed in part to insensitivity to vasoactive hormones, and leads to activation of the renin-aldosterone-angiostensin system. A rise in serum aldosterone results in a net gain of approximately 1000 mg of sodium. A parallel rise in progesterone protects the pregnant woman from hypokalemia. The kidneys increase in length and volume, and physiologic hydronephrosis occurs in up to 80% of women. This review will provide an understanding of these important changes in kidney physiology during pregnancy, which is fundamental in caring for the pregnant patient.
Effect of depressurization on reactor vessel inventory in the absence of ECCS injection

A series of tests were performed to evaluate inventory depletion as a reactor vessel undergoes depressurization in the absence of any emergency core coolant system injection (ECCS). These tests were carried out in a scaled representation of a reactor vessel which was initially filled with saturated water up to the elevation of the hot legs. Depressurization valves installed on take-off lines from the hot legs were opened and level swell ensued in the reactor vessel initiating a two-phase blowdown. This was followed by subsequent single-phase discharge transient which in some cases led to core uncovery. A combined model encompassing the two-phase and single-phase discharge portions of the transient is proposed. The inventory-versus-pressure traces obtained from the model compare well with the experimental results. These traces are discussed as bounding trajectories for a large class of small break loss of coolant accident (LOCA) transients which otherwise must be considered individually.
Comparison of Scoring Methods for the Participation Assessment With Recombined Tools–Objective

Abstract Bogner JA, Whiteneck GG, Corrigan JD, Lai J-S, Dijkers MP, Heinemann AW. Comparison of scoring methods for the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools–Objective. Objective To develop and compare 2 scoring algorithms for a measure of participation, the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools–Objective (PART-O) based on the assumption that more participation is better versus an alternative that reflects balance in domains of participation. Design Survey. Setting Community settings. Participants Three groups of participants under the age of 65 years were included: (1) persons with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and other disorders who are commonly treated in acute rehabilitation settings (n=220), and (2) participants from the general population who did (n=366) or (3) did not (n=284) self-report limitations indicative of a disability who participated in the 2006 Colorado Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N=870). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure PART-O. Results We developed PART-O subscores using a consensus process and then evaluated them empirically. We combined subscores using 2 contrasting algorithms, one using average scores and the other reflecting the amount of participation and variation in participation across 3 domains. The algorithms for the total scores yielded normal distributions in all 3 samples and were equally sensitive to the impact of disability. While strongly correlated, about 30% of the variance of the 2 total scores was not shared. Conclusions Two scoring algorithms for the PART-O illustrate contrasting perspectives of the construct of participation. The 2 algorithms may be used in future studies to expand our understanding of the construct of participation.
On the synthesis of advertising and relocation decisions for a facility

Abstract Demand to a typical service industry facility is known to be sensitive to the number of advertisement dollars spent in promoting the business at the facility, as well as being sensitive to the distance of the facility from potential customers. The dynamic nature of demand may lead the company to consider investing money in both relocation and promotion so as to enhance business. We analyze a relocation promotion model so as to capture these two objectives while assuming that the company is operating under a budget constraint. Exponential decay of demand with distance, and a decreasing marginal return on advertisement dollars in promoting demand is utilized. Polygonal, planar regions for facility relocation, together with a region specific fixed charge is assumed. A Manhattan travel metric is used for distance calculations. Properties of the model are developed, and a globally convergent algorithm is reported. The results of the paper is illustrated via a simple numerical example. An extension to the case of relocation promotion in the presence of other non-competing facilities is discussed. Finally, the incorporation of barriers to travel and forbidden zones for facility location into the basic model framework are discussed.
Temperature requirements for thermal modulation in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Temperature requirements for trapping and release of compounds in a cryogenic gas loop-type GC x GC modulator were determined. Maximum trapping temperatures on the uncoated, deactivated modulator capillary were determined for compounds from C4 (bp -0.5 degrees C) to C40 (bp 522 degrees C). The liquid-nitrogen cooled gas flow rate was reduced from a high of 15.5 to 1.5 SLPM over the range to achieve the required trapping temperature. Excessive cold jet flow rates caused irreversible trapping and peak tailing for semi-volatile compounds above C26. Alternate cold jet coolants were investigated. An ice water-cooled jet was able to trap compounds with boiling points from C18 (bp 316 degrees C) to C40 and a room temperature air-cooled jet was able to trap compounds from C20 (bp 344 degrees C) to C40. The hot jet produced launch temperatures approximately 40 degrees C hotter than the elution temperature with heating time constants of 8 to 27 ms. Modulated compound peaks were symmetrical with half-height peak widths of 43 to 56 ms for compounds with little second column retention, and 70 to 75 ms for compounds with more second column retention. The liquid nitrogen-cooled loop modulator with gas flow programming was used to produce a GC x GC chromatogram for a crude oil that contained compounds from C7 to C47.
Indicants of response strength hierarchies in continued word association

One minute of continued word association was shown to yield both the Noble (1952) and Noble & Parker (1960) indicant of meaningfulness, m, and the Bilodeau & Howell (1965) indicant of probability of response occurrence. The probability values (proportion of Ss giving particular responses) were determined over the entire period of response production as well as for the initial group of three responses. The median ordinal position of response occurrence was also calculated. The probability values of the present study correlated positively with those obtained by Bilodeau & Howell. Over the restricted range studied, these p values did not correlate significantly with median ordinal position.
Mouse alcohol dehydrogenase 4: kinetic mechanism, substrate specificity and simulation of effects of ethanol on retinoid metabolism

Abstract Mouse ADH4 (purified, recombinant) has a low catalytic efficiency for ethanol and acetaldehyde, but very high activity with longer chain alcohols and aldehydes, at pH 7.3 and temperature 37°C. The observed turnover numbers and catalytic efficiencies for the oxidation of all-trans-retinol and the reduction of all-trans-retinal and 9-cis-retinal are low relative to other substrates; 9-cis-retinal is more reactive than all-trans-retinal. The reduction of all-trans- or 9-cis-retinals coupled to the oxidation of ethanol by NAD+ is as efficient as the reduction with NADH. However, the Michaelis constant for ethanol is about 100 mM, which indicates that the activity would be lower at physiologically relevant concentrations of ethanol. Simulations of the oxidation of retinol to retinoic acid with mouse ADH4 and human aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1), using rate constants estimated for all steps in the mechanism, suggest that ethanol (50 mM) would modestly decrease production of retinoic acid. However, if the Km for ethanol were smaller, as for human ADH4, the rate of retinol oxidation and formation of retinoic acid would be significantly decreased during metabolism of 50 mM ethanol. These studies begin to describe quantitatively the roles of enzymes involved in the metabolism of alcohols and carbonyl compounds.
Identification of 12 EST-derived SSR markers in Lumbricus rubellus

Abstract While many species of earthworms are globally distributed, very little is known about the genetic population dynamics of this diverse group. We present the characterization of novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, including primer information, number of alleles, repeat motif, and approximate size ranges, to be used in population genetic analyses of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister 1843. Specifically, we designed and characterized 12 novel, polymorphic markers derived from published expressed sequence tags (EST) for amplification in L. rubellus. The mean number of alleles per locus was 6.25 ± 1.91, indicating these markers will be sufficiently polymorphic for population genetic studies of this species.
The evaluation of hyperspectral imaging for the detection of person-borne threat objects over the 400nm to 1700nm spectral region

The detection of person-borne threat objects, such as improvised explosive devices, at a safe distance is an ongoing challenge. While much attention has been given to other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, very little is known about what potential exists to detect clothing obscured threats over the ultraviolet through the shortwave-infrared spectral region. Hyperspectral imaging may provide a greater ability to discriminate between target and non-target by using the full spectrum. This study investigates this potential by the collection and analysis of hyperspectral images of obscured proxy threat objects. The results of this study indicate a consistent ability to detect the presence of concealed objects. The study included the use of VNIR (400 nm to 1000 nm) and SWIR (1000 nm to 1700 nm), as defined here, hyperspectral imagers. Both spectral ranges provided comparable results, however, potential advantages of the SWIR spectral region are discussed.
anti-Tricyclo­[4.2.1.12,5]deca-3,7-diene-9,10-dione

The title compound, C10H8O2, is a precursor to an unusual bis-homoaromatic dication and to heterodiamantanes and other oxa-cage compounds. Two independent mol­ecules, each of which is situated on a center of symmetry, comprise the unit cell. Both mol­ecules are in nearly identical chair conformations.
Kinematics of the Narrow-Line Region in the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 1068: Dynamical Effects of the Radio Jet*

We present a study of high-resolution long-slit spectra of the narrow-line region (NLR) in NGC 1068 obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The spectra were retrieved from the Multimission Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute obtained from two visits and seven orbits of HST time. We also obtained MERLIN radio maps of the center of NGC 1068 to examine the dependence of the NLR cloud velocities on the radio structure. The radial velocities and velocity dispersions of the bright NLR clouds appear to be unaffected by the radio knots, indicating that the radio jet is not the principal driving force on the outflowing NLR clouds. However, the velocities of the fainter NLR clouds are split near knots in the jet, indicating a possible interaction. Biconical outflow models were generated to match the data and for comparison to previous models done with lower dispersion observations. The general trend is an increase in radial velocity roughly proportional to distance from the nucleus followed by a linear decrease after roughly 100 pc similar to that seen in other Seyfert galaxies, indicating common acceleration and deceleration mechanisms.
CLINAL RESISTANCE STRUCTURE AND PATHOGEN LOCAL ADAPTATION IN A SERPENTINE FLAX–FLAX RUST INTERACTION

Because disease resistance is a hallmark signature of pathogen-mediated selection pressure on hosts, studies of resistance structure (the spatial distribution of disease resistance genes among conspecific host populations) can provide valuable insights into the influence of pathogens on host evolution and spatial variation in the magnitude of their effects. To date few studies of wild plant‐pathogen interactions have characterized resistance structure by sampling across the host’s biogeographic range, and only a handful have paired such investigations with studies of disease levels under natural conditions. I used a greenhouse crossinoculation experiment to characterize genetic resistance of 16 populations of California dwarf flax (Hesperolinon californicum )t o attack by multiple samples of the rust fungus Melampsora lini. I documented a latitudinal cline in resistance structure, manifest across the host’s biogeographic range, which mirrored almost identically a cline in infection prevalence documented through field surveys of disease in study populations. These results provide empirical evidence for clinal patterns of antagonistic selection pressure, demonstrate that such patterns can be manifest across broad biogeographic scales, and suggest that rates of disease prevalence in wild plant populations may be tightly linked to the distribution of host resistance genes. Tests for local adaptation of the fungus revealed evidence of the phenomenon (significantly greater infection in sympatric plant‐fungal pairings) as well as the potential for substantial bias to be introduced into statistical analyses by spatial patterns of host resistance structure.
Reflex testing I: Algorithm for lipid and lipoprotein measurement in coronary heart disease risk assessment

Abstract We reviewed the current literature in order to construct a reflex testing algorithm that maximizes clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of lipid and lipoprotein testing. The algorithm was based on the 2nd Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel guidelines for use of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, and LDL-C, and published reports describing the clinical use of apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein (a). The success of this algorithm was tested in a low-risk general and a high-risk hyperlipidemic patient population. Lipid data and non-lipid risk factors were obtained from a national database and from patients seen at two lipid clinics. A total of 16 968 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III database comprised the low-risk group, and 239 patients examined in the Hartford Hospital and Washington University Lipid Clinics comprised the high-risk group. We found a solid scientific base to support the NCEP guidelines and reasonable support for limited testing of apoB and Lp(a). According to the algorithm, the direct LDL-C assay was deemed unnecessary in 98% and 91% of low- and high-risk subjects, respectively, if one assumes that the Friedewald equation is adequate with TG≤4.00 g/l. With a more conservative cutoff of TG≤2.50 g/l, the algorithm canceled 92% and 81% of direct LDL tests, respectively. The algorithm also limited TG to 20 and 64%, apoB to 6 and 20%, and Lp(a) to 15 and 56%, of low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Use of a comprehensive, reflex algorithm for coronary heart disease risk assessment will substantially reduce the utilization of laboratory services without diminishing the clinical value of these tests. The algorithm will prevent the overuse of certain expensive tests (direct LDL) while promoting the limited use of underutilized tests [apoB and Lp(a)].
In situ infrared spectroscopy of the electrode-electrolyte interface

In the study of electrochemical processes, it is important to have a means for characterizing the molecular and ionic species at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Various types of optical vibrational spectroscopy are being used to do this in situ. Of these, Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) has seen rapid progress and is in wide use. A review of the techniques used in our laboratory and examples of recent measurements are presented. The adsorbed species discussed are CO, CN-, SO42-, and HSO4- and the electrodes are, in most cases, polycrystalline noble metals. It is shown how the interpretation of the infrared spectra is greatly aided by comparison with ab initio molecular orbital computations of ions and molecules on metal clusters. Some of the difficulties in the interpretation of the infrared spectra are illustrated, and the future development of optical vibrational spectroscopy for studying electrode-electrolyte interfaces is discussed.
Hepatocytes as cytotoxic effector cells can induce cell death by CD95 ligand‐mediated pathway

The liver plays an increasingly recognized role in the host's immune responses. The direct contribution of hepatocytes as effector cells to local immunity, pathogen containment, and liver disease is not determined. This in vitro study examined whether hepatocytes can eliminate other cells via a CD95 ligand (CD95L or FasL)/CD95 (Fas)-mediated mechanism and whether this cytotoxic activity can be modulated by cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). We have found that normal woodchuck and human hepatocytes, both cultured and primary freshly isolated, as well as human HepG2 cells, intrinsically transcribe not only CD95 but also CD95L when examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays. The functional competence of CD95L, which was detectable in hepatocytes and HepG2 cells by Western blotting, was confirmed in bioassays by induction of apoptosis of CD95-bearing P815 and LS102.9 cell targets and validated by inhibition of the cell killing with CD95 antagonistic antibody or with a general caspase inhibitor. Furthermore, exposure of cultured hepatocytes to IFN-gamma or their stable transfection with IFN-gamma cDNA or TNF-alpha cDNA increased hepatocyte CD95L/CD95-mediated cell killing. In conclusion, hepatocytes express both CD95L and CD95 and they can induce death of other cells by a CD95L-dependent mechanism. IFN-gamma and, to a lesser extent, TNF-alpha can enhance hepatocyte CD95L-mediated cytotoxicity. This suggests that the local cytokine environment may modulate the hepatocyte contribution to liver immunity.
Stratigraphic Correlation and Reservoir Distribution in Mid-Atlantic Part of Atlantic Coastal Plain-Continental Shelf Geosyncline: ABSTRACT

Analyses of stratigraphic correlation, reservoir distribution, and facies change in Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments in the subsurface of the Salisbury embayment can be used as a model for stratigraphic projection into the submerged part of the geosyncline. The sediments studied are unlithified with a thickness greater than 7,700 ft near the coast. Onshore Cretaceous marine and nonmarine sand and clay correlate with a published geophysically identified semiconsolidated sediment unit as thick as 14,000 ft. Paleocene, Eocene, and Miocene sediments project into a zone of up to 5,000 ft of unconsolidated sediment. A thin veneer of Quaternary marine and nonmarine sediments covers almost the entire coastal plain-shelf area. Limited onshore evidence suggests that lithified Triass c or Jurassic sediments comprise a significant deeper part of the offshore basin. Correlations range from simple, long-range correlations of widespread, uniform, marine units to difficult, short-distance correlations where abrupt facies changes in marine and nonmarine sediments take place. Identification of the Upper-Lower Cretaceous boundary is in doubt and previously has been placed at different levels within a stratigraphic interval 3,000 ft thick. The diversified and complex terminology applied to sediments on the northwest geosynclinal flank demonstrates the complexity of correlation in this area of abrupt facies change. Detailed geophysical log correlations also suggest the presence in the subsurface of this area of abrupt facies changes in marine and nonmarine stratigraphic units. Local minor unconformities may be common in the margin of the geosyncline. A salt-water wedge protrudes to within 20 mi of the basin edge and commonly is found at depths greater than 1,000 ft. Excellent reservoir conditions occur throughout the onshore stratigraphic section. End_of_Article - Last_Page 727------------
The Short Supply of Saints: Limits on Replication of Models That “Beat the Odds”

Researchers have identified effective practices that allow schools to “beat the odds” and close the reading achievement gap. Although identifying these practices is important, researchers have paid little attention to the work it takes to implement them. Through interviews with teachers who work at schools identified as beating the odds, this research documents the amount of work it takes to implement effective practices and demonstrates that this extraordinarily time-consuming work is difficult to sustain and not easily replicated. Therefore, experts must not rely on these practices alone to close the reading achievement gap.
Effect of Metal on the Stereospecificity of 2-Arylindene Catalysts for Elastomeric Polypropylene

Polymerization of propylene with bis(2-phenylindenyl)zirconium dichloride and bis(2-[3,5-bistrifluoromethyl)indenyl]zirconium dichloride produces elastomeric polypropylene. The elastomeric properties of these polymers have been interpreted in terms of a stereoblock microstructure. Analysis of the microstructure by 13C NMR reveals isotactic pentad contents [mmmm] ranging from 6 to 74%. The hafnium derivatives were investigated to probe the influence of the transition metal on the polymerization behavior. The hafnium-based catalysts yield polypropylenes that are significantly less isotactic than the corresponding zirconium compounds, although molecular weights and productivities were similar for hafnium and zirconium derivatives. The X-ray crystal studies of these catalysts show nearly identical structures for corresponding zirconium and hafnium compounds. Variable temperature NMR of the metallocene dibenzyl analogues showed behavior consistent with rotation of indenyl ligands, where rotation of the indenyl...
High-resolution phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of yeast phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid. Metal ion effects and tentative partial assignment of signals.

The temperature and metal ion dependence of the 31P NMR spectra of yeast phenylalanine tRNA is presented, and a tentative assignment of some of the individual phosphate signals is offered. Signals A, C, F, P, and T have been assigned to the magnesium binding site of phosphates by monitoring the magnesium ion dependence in the 31P NMR spectra. In the presence of 10 mM Mg2+, specific paramagnetic line broadening effects are observed for signals A, D, E, and U upon addition of 0.001-0.1 Mn2+ ion per tRNA molecule. Through the combination of the above metal in experiments, X-ray studies, and earlier 1H and 31P NMR studies [particularly the tRNA modification 31P NMR experiments of Salemink et al. [Salemink, P..J.M., Swarthof T., & Hilbers, C.W. (1979) Biochemistry 18, 3477]], an initial assignment of some of these signals is attempted.
Multiplicity distributions from branching equations with constant vertex probabilities

We present multiplicity distributions which are solutions to branching equations, based on the assumption that the shapes and energy dependence of multiplicity distributions are principally determined by hard parton scattering and subsequent branching. We consider the four processes g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}gg, q\ensuremath{\rightarrow}qg, g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}qq\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}, and in a few cases g\ensuremath{\rightarrow}ggg. All vertex probabilities for these processes are taken to be constant. In this simple approximation, we find that Koba-Nielsen-Olesen scaling is systemically violated. We compare the properties of branching distributions with the properties of the widely used negative-binomial distribution and of the stochastic approach.
Ethics and the limits of principles.

In JACR’s December 2011 issue, a series of articles examined medical ethics. This focus on ethics represents a highly welcome initiative for several reasons. First, the topics of ethics and professionalism, although positively vital to our field, often do not receive the attention they deserve. Second, the articles gathered together in the issue raise anumberof importantquestionsabout the relationship between the care of individual patients and physicians’ broader obligations to society, including such timely topics as insurance and rationing. Third, the perspectives on ethics reflected in some of the articles provide an opportunity to revisit the seminal perspective of one of the most important moral philosophers of the latter half of the 20th century. I met Stephen Toulmin at the University of Chicago in the 1980s. Born in London in 1922, Toulmin earned his bachelor’s degree from King’s College, Cambridge, in 1942, worked for the British military during World War II, and then returned to Cambridge and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees. Subsequently, he held faculty and visiting posts at many colleges and universities in England, the United States, and elsewhere. It was while he was servingasa facultymember inChicago’s Committee on Social Thought that I first encountered him. The author of hundreds of scholarly essays and dozens of books, Toulmin was awarded the Jefferson Medal, the nation’s highest award in the humanities, in 1997. He died in Los Angeles in 2009. To understand Toulmin’s insights on ethics, we must see him in context. One of the most popular works in
Reactions of hydroxyl groups with tosylchloride-dimethylaminopyridine system. Direct synthesis of chlorides from hydroxycompounds

Abstract The reactions of various hydroxyl groups with tosylchloride-dimethylaminopyridine system were investigated and direct syntheses of allyl, alkyl and glycosyl chlorides are described.
Human sperm swimming in flow

To study the movement of human sperm, we have developed a microflow cell by miniaturizing our design for a preparative fractionation flow column. The microflow cell enabled us to view the movement of sperm over periods as long as 2 min. Sequential steps of filming, editing, and analysis revealed that the curved swimming patterns of sperm swimming in stagnant fluid become nearly straight tracks when the flow velocity is increased. However, the net swimming speed remained unchanged. Motile sperm accumulated near solid wall surfaces surrounding the fluid and oriented against the direction of the current; the velocity gradient was steepest in these regions. A laminar-flow preparative column separated motile sperm from dead sperm by carrying the nonmotile sperm and debris with the stream while leaving the motile sperm near the surrounding walls.
Third strand-mediated psoralen-induced correction of the sickle cell mutation on a plasmid transfected into COS-7 cells

A significant level of correction of the mutation responsible for sickle cell anemia has been achieved in monkey COS-7 cells on a plasmid containing a β-globin gene fragment. The plasmid was treated in vitro with a nucleic acid ‘third strand’ bearing a terminal photoreactive psoralen moiety that binds immediately adjacent to the mutant base pair. Following covalent attachment of the psoralen by monoadduct or diadduct formation to the mutant T-residue on the coding strand, the treated plasmid was transfected into the cells, which were then incubated for 48 h to allow the cellular DNA repair mechanisms to remove the photoadducts. Upon re-isolation and amplification of the transfected plasmid, sickle cell mutation correction, as determined by sequence analysis of both complementary strands, was established in a full 1%. This result encourages extension of the approach to correct the mutation directly on the chromosome.
Virtual Globes: An Overview of Their History, Uses, and Future Challenges

The fusion of the World Wide Web and spatial technologies has led to the emergence of a new and evolving geospatial Web. Multiple virtual globes, or geobrowsers such as Google Earth and National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s World Wind, have emerged and are positioned to proceed as the gateway to the geospatial Web. Virtual globes are presently used in such areas as education, scientific research and disaster response. Online discussions and conference presentations highlight the uses to which virtual globes may be put, but the peer-reviewed literature still contains relatively few examples of these applications. Technical advances, data availability and end-user expectations are driving the rapid development of virtual globes, making this an ideal time to explore the uses to which virtual globes can be put, ways to identify the challenges involved in their use, and highlight potential pitfalls and opportunities.
Plasma synthesis of group IV quantum dots for luminescence and photovoltaic applications

The unique ability of nonthermal plasmas to form high-quality nanocrystals (NCs) of covalently bonded semiconductors, including the group IV elements silicon (Si) and ger- manium (Ge), has been extensively demonstrated over the past few years. Recently, plasma processing was also extended to the surface functionalization of NCs, imparting further func- tionalities to plasma-produced NCs such as solution-processability or the passivation of elec- tronic surface states. This paper focuses on the synthesis and surface functionalization of Si- and Ge-NCs, and on their application in luminescent and photovoltaic devices.
Allele-specific Late Replication and Fragility of the Most Active Common Fragile Site, FRA3B

FRA3B at 3p14.2 is the most active of the common fragile sites in the human genome and is expressed when cells are exposed to the DNA replication inhibitor, aphidicolin. Several lines of evidence suggest that fragile sites are regions of late replication. To elucidate the relationship between the timing of replication across the FRA3B region and its corresponding fragility, we labeled cells with 5-bromo-24-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and adopted an immunofluorescent procedure to visualize late replicating DNA (BrdU-substituted DNA) in metaphase chromosomes. We also chose 21 markers along the FRA3B region and analyzed the timing of replication using BrdU-labeled DNA from different stages of the cell cycle sorted by flow cytometry. Our results show that there are two distinct alleles that replicate at different stages in the cell cycle and that breaks/gaps preferentially occurred on the chromosome 3 with the late replication allele. These results provide direct evidence that allele-specific late replication is involved in the fragility of the most active common fragile site, FRA3B.
CD4 and CD45 regulate qualitatively distinct patterns of calcium mobilization in individual CD4+ T cells

An early consequence of T cell activation is an increase in intracellular calcium concentration. Recent advances in video laser microscopic techniques enable the examination of individual cells over time following stimulation. Such studies have revealed that cells can undergo qualitatively distinct patterns of calcium mobilization, suggesting that different patterns of calcium flux may be associated with different signaling pathways and may differentially affect late events in cell activation. In this report, we identify distinct patterns of calcium mobilization in CD4+ T cells following the antibody-mediated cross-linking of either CD3 or CD4, or following the cross-linking of both CD3 and CD4 simultaneously. These effects can be further modified by the cross-linking of CD45. We find that antibody cross-linking of CD3 alone induces a single spike in the vast majority of cells shortly after the addition of the cross-linking antibody. In contrast, cross-linking CD4 alone induces a delayed pattern of repetitive calcium spikes which are decreased in amplitude compared to CD3 cross-linking. Simultaneous cross-linking of CD3 and CD4 induces a sustained increase in intracellular calcium mobilization which is dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. This sustained increase in intracellular calcium concentration is also seen following physiologic cross-linking of CD3 and CD4 after T cell interaction with specific antigen and antigen-presenting cells. Finally, the simultaneous cross-linking of CD45, CD3 and CD4 abrogates the sustained increase in calcium seen following CD3 and CD4 cross-linking. These results suggest that the qualitative nature of T cell receptor signaling can be modulated by the molecular association of other signaling molecules, which may be part of the T cell receptor complex or not.
Fluorene-Based Conjugated Oligomers for Organic Photonics and Electronics

Recent advances in fluorene-based conjugated oligomers are surveyed, including molecular design, material synthesis and characterization, and potential application to organic photonics and electronics, such as light-emitting diodes, solid-state lasers, field effect transistors, and solar cells.
Psychological implications of abortion — highly charged and rife with misleading research

Abortion and its psychological implications are highly controversial, politically charged issues. Increasingly, scientific research on psychological responses to abortion is being cited as a basis for making policy decisions about access to abortion. In such a climate, it is essential that health
A new 1649-1884 catalog of destructive earthquakes near Tokyo and implications for the long-term seismic process

[1] In order to assess the long-term character of seismicity near Tokyo, we construct an intensity-based catalog of damaging earthquakes that struck the greater Tokyo area between 1649 and 1884. Models for 15 historical earthquakes are developed using calibrated intensity attenuation relations that quantitatively convey uncertainties in event location and magnitude, as well as their covariance. The historical catalog is most likely complete for earthquakes M ≥ 6.7; the largest earthquake in the catalog is the 1703 M ∼ 8.2 Genroku event. Seismicity rates from 80 years of instrumental records, which include the 1923 M = 7.9 Kanto shock, as well as interevent times estimated from the past ∼7000 years of paleoseismic data, are combined with the historical catalog to define a frequency-magnitude distribution for 4.5 ≤ M ≤ 8.2, which is well described by a truncated Gutenberg-Richter relation with a b value of 0.96 and a maximum magnitude of 8.4. Large uncertainties associated with the intensity-based catalog are propagated by a Monte Carlo simulation to estimations of the scalar moment rate. The resulting best estimate of moment rate during 1649–2003 is 1.35 × 1026 dyn cm yr−1 with considerable uncertainty at the 1σ level: (−0.11, + 0.20) × 1026 dyn cm yr−1. Comparison with geodetic models of the interseismic deformation indicates that the geodetic moment accumulation and likely moment release rate are roughly balanced over the catalog period. This balance suggests that the extended catalog is representative of long-term seismic processes near Tokyo and so can be used to assess earthquake probabilities. The resulting Poisson (or time-averaged) 30-year probability for M ≥ 7.9 earthquakes is 7–11%.
Remote Measurements of Currents in Cloud Lightning Discharges

Using measured wideband electric field waveforms and the Hertzian dipole (HD) approximation, we estimated peak currents for 48 located compact intracloud lightning discharges (CIDs) in Florida. The HD approximation was used because 1) CID channel lengths are expected to range from about 100 to 1000 m, and in many cases can be considered electrically short and 2) it allows one to considerably simplify the inverse source problem. Horizontal distances to the sources were reported by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), and source heights were estimated from the horizontal distance and the ratio of electric and magnetic fields. The resultant CID peak currents ranged from 33 to 259 kA with a geometric mean of 74 kA. The majority of NLDN-reported peak currents for the same 48 CIDs are considerably smaller than those predicted by the HD approximation. The discrepancy is primarily because NLDN-reported peak currents are assumed to be proportional to peak fields, while for the HD approximation, the peak current is proportional to the peak of the integral of the electric radiation field. An additional factor is the limited (400 kHz) upper frequency response of the NLDN.
Parental Perceptions of the Parent-Therapist Relationship: Effects on Outcomes of Early Intervention

ABSTRACTFederal law mandates that early intervention (EI) programs provide care using a family-centered model. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate (a) the relationship that develops between physical therapists and parents during EI and (b) a possible link between this relationship and EI outcomes. Thirty-nine parents of children with identified motor delays participated in this study. Data were collected through use of standardized measures and surveys developed for the study. Results of one-way ANOVA indicated that parents in the collaborative typology experienced significantly less stress and higher levels of parenting competence than parents in the distant typology. Parents in the collaborative typology also reported their EI program was more family centered. Child outcomes as related to the relationship typology were not significant, but the trend observed suggests further study is warranted. These findings suggest that measuring two specific relationship characteristics, satisfac...
Action’s Influence on Thought: The Case of Gesture:

Recent research has shown that people’s actions can influence how they think. A separate body of research has shown that the gestures people produce when they speak can also influence how they think. In this article, we bring these two literatures together to explore whether gesture has an effect on thinking by virtue of its ability to reflect real-world actions. We first argue that gestures contain detailed perceptual-motor information about the actions they represent, information often not found in the speech that accompanies the gestures. We then show that the action features in gesture do not just reflect the gesturer’s thinking––they can feed back and alter that thinking. Gesture actively brings action into a speaker’s mental representations, and those mental representations then affect behavior––at times more powerfully than do the actions on which the gestures are based. Gesture thus has the potential to serve as a unique bridge between action and abstract thought.
Lipid-lowering agent use at ischemic stroke onset is associated with decreased mortality

Background: 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins), the most frequently used lipid-lowering agents (LLAs) have neuroprotective effects in rodent models of ischemic stroke. The authors hypothesized that patients with ischemic stroke taking LLAs would have better outcomes than patients not taking LLAs. Methods: The Northern Manhattan Study is a population-based study designed to determine stroke incidence and prognosis in a multiethnic, urban population. Northern Manhattan residents age 40 years or older diagnosed with their first ischemic stroke were eligible. Patients or their proxies were interviewed regarding medications being taken at home before stroke onset. The NIH Stroke Scale was used to assess stroke severity, categorized as mild (≤5), moderate (6 to 13), or severe (≥14), and the Barthel Index at 6 months to assess functional outcome. Clinical worsening in hospital was recorded by trial neurologists. Odds ratios and 95% CIs for association of LLA use and stroke severity, mortality, and functional outcome were calculated using logistic regression. Results: Of 650 patients, 57 (8.8%) were taking LLAs. The majority (90.9%) of LLA users were taking a statin. Clinical worsening in hospital occurred less frequently among patients taking LLAs at stroke onset (6.3% vs 18.2%; p = 0.04). Ninety-day mortality was lower in those taking LLAs (1.8% vs 10.6%, p = 0.03). The proportion of patients with severe stroke among those taking LLAs was not lower (10.7% vs 16.8%, p = 0.39). Conclusion: Patients taking lipid-lowering agents (LLAs) at the time of an ischemic stroke may have lower poststroke mortality and a lower risk of worsening during hospitalization. Prospective studies are warranted to determine whether LLAs, and statins in particular, have neuroprotective properties or other beneficial effects in acute ischemic stroke.
What's in a claim? De jure versus de facto borders in interstate territorial disputes

This note uses a new data set on international territorial disputes and boundary agreements to explore whether and how legal commitments affect state behavior. Do border treaties reduce subsequent ...
A comparison of neural networks architectures for geometric modelling of 3D objects

This paper presents a critical comparison between three neural architectures for 3D object representation in terms of purpose, computational cost, complexity, conformance and convenience, ease of manipulation and potential uses in the context of virtualized reality. The models can be easily transformed in size, position and shape. Potential uses of the presented architectures in the context of virtualized reality are for the modeling of set operations and object morphing, for the detection of objects collision, for object recognition, object motion estimation and segmentation.
MEMS sensors on flexible substrates towards a smart skin

This paper reviews the most recent results on the fabrication and characterization of a variety of microelectromechanical (MEMS) based sensors fabricated on flexible polymer substrates without the loss of performance, towards the development of a smart skin. These sensors include amorphous silicon based temperature sensors; nichrome based piezoresistive, absolute pressure sensors, tactile sensors and force sensors; and capacitive accelerometers. The sensors are sandwiched between a polyimide substrate and superstrate, placing them at a low stress plane, thus packaged at device-level. The flexible sensor package is grown during the device fabrication process. This allows the sensors to be integrated directly with flexible circuit boards to maintain overall flexibility. Some notable features are the incorporation of a sealed vacuum cavity for the absolute pressure sensors and the formation of a hermetically sealed cavity to contain the accelerometers in a constant atmosphere.
Genetic Consequences of Selection During the Evolution of Cultivated Sunflower

We mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling differences in seed oil content and composition between cultivated and wild sunflower and used the results, along with those of a previous study of domestication-related QTL, to guide a genome-wide analysis of genetic variation for evidence of past selection. The effects of the seed oil QTL were almost exclusively in the expected direction with respect to the parental phenotypes. A major, oil-related QTL cluster mapped near a cluster of domestication-related QTL on linkage group six (LG06), the majority of which have previously been shown to have effects that are inconsistent with the parental phenotypes. To test the hypothesis that this region was the target of a past selective sweep, perhaps resulting in the fixation of the antagonistic domestication-related QTL, we analyzed simple sequence repeat (SSR) diversity from 102 markers dispersed throughout the sunflower genome. Our results indicate that LG06 was most likely the target of multiple selective sweeps during the postdomestication era. Strong directional selection in concert with genetic hitchhiking therefore offers a possible explanation for the occurrence of numerous domestication-related QTL with apparently maladaptive phenotypic effects.
Effects of age of introduction of complementary foods on iron status of breast-fed infants in Honduras.

To evaluate the effect of introducing complementary foods before 6 mo of age, we randomly assigned 164 infants who had been exclusively breast-fed for 4 mo to continue being exclusively breast-fed until 6 mo (EBF group) or to receive iron-fortified foods in addition to breast milk from 4 to 6 mo (BF+SF group). At 6 mo, the BF+SF group had higher mean iron intake (4 mg/d compared with 0.2 mg/d in EBF infants) and higher hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin values than the EBF group (P 3000 g had a low ferritin value at 6 mo. We conclude that the risk of iron deficiency is low among infants with birth weights > 3000 g who are exclusively breast-fed for 6 mo. Iron drops are recommended for low-birth-weight infants; for breast-fed infants with birth weights between 2500 and 3000 g, further research is needed to determine whether iron drops are more effective than complementary foods for preventing iron deficiency before 6 mo.