cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MOLECULAR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION BY UROPORPHYRIN AND COPROPORPHYRIN: A MODEL FOR THE ORIGIN OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC FUNCTION

— Since life originated when the earth's atmosphere was still chemically reducing, the photooxidation of the prevalent reduced organic compounds and the emission of molecular hydrogen would have been a useful form of photosynthesis. If the biosynthetic pathway to chlorophyll recapitulates the evolutionary history of photosynthesis, then uroporphyrin served an early photosynthetic function. In the present study, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid was oxidized by photoexcited uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin to produce molecular hydrogen in aqueous solution in the presence of colloidal platinum catalyst. In the presence of methyl viologen, a one-electron carrier, the reaction is cyclic and hydrogen gas is produced at a constant rate. The evidence suggests that porphyrin radical intermediates rather than hydroporphyrin are active in the formation of molecular hydrogen. A coproporphyrin-polyvinyl alcohol-colloidal platinum polymer was used as a model for the evolving biological system for photosynthesis in which reactants are held in close proximity.
An efficient and accurate calculation of traction in elastohydrodynamic contacts

Traction calculation is an important step in the design and lubrication optimization of machine components with elastohydrodynamic (EHD) contacts. The availability of an accurate and robust method of calculation can be a valuable tool for the machine designer. This paper presents a method of traction calculation that combines the key features of the full numerical approach and previously reported approximation methods. Specifically, the contact pressure and the film thickness are approximated by closed-form expressions while the temperature distribution is numerically calculated using a finite difference method. This scheme of calculation largely eliminates the numerical instability problem that frequently occurs in the full numerical approach while yielding results much more accurate than those obtained by previous approximation methods. The method is robust and allows the use of any rheological models for the lubricant. It is relatively easy to implement on a computer to efficiently calculate traction in both line and point EHD contacts.
Effect of composition of air on the growth and mortality of the chick embryo

The fertilized hen's eggs of known origin were incubated under predetermined, standardized, and uniform conditions of all physical factors except air, the composition of which in respect to the carbon dioxide and oxygen varied in each experiment. The growth and mortality of the embryo were studied daily, with, on an average, four observations. The experimental data show that the continuous exposure to about 0.4 per cent of carbon dioxide in the air of the incubator stimulated growth during the first part of embryonic life. A high content of carbon dioxide and at the same time a slightly reduced content of oxygen resulted in diminishing of the size and increasing of mortality of the embryo. The maximum combined proportions of these gases possible for growth of the embryo were about 22.0 and 16.3 per cent, respectively. A temporary exposure (twenty-four and forty-eight hours) to a large amount of carbon dioxide resulted in diminishing the size of the embryo without apparent deformities or increase of mortality.
Multiple critical points for square-well potential with repulsive shoulder

Abstract A global renormalization procedure used recently to calculate thermal volumetric properties near and to far from the critical point for several simple square-well and Lennard–Jones fluids for which comparison could be made with Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic simulations is here applied to a square-well with repulsive shoulder of width and height that gives ratios of first and second critical point temperatures and pressures similar to ones proposed recently as possibilities for water, if indeed water has a second critical point below which, briefly, before ice forms, it has separate low density and high density liquid phases. Thermal behavior at and below the second critical point is found to be quite sensitive to choices of height and width of the shoulder relative to the depth and width of the well, with, for some choices, a subsequent closing of the liquid–liquid coexistence curve as temperature drops, and emergence at a yet lower temperature of what appears to be a third critical point.
Uptake and metabolism of alpha-aminoadipic acid by Penicillium chrysogenum Wis 54-1255

The uptake of 1-14C-DL-alpha-aminoadipate in resting mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum Wis 54-1255 and its metabolism during benzylpenicillin formation were studied. The pH optimum for uptake at 25 degrees C was 6.4. Over a range of concentrations from 0.01--1.0 mM, approximately 45% of 1-14C-DL-alpha-aminoadipate was taken up by carbon-starved mycelium. 14CO2 was formed at a low rate, and the total formed amounted to only 1--3% of the 1-14C-DL-alpha-aminoadipate supplied. The intracellular pool of alpha-aminoadipate appears to be expandable, depending on the concentration of alpha-aminoadipate in the medium. The rate of penicillin synthesis depended on the intracellular concentration of alpha-aminoadipate. Penicillin biosynthesis achieved half of the maximum rate at an intracellular concentration of 0.06 nmol alpha-aminoadipate/mg dry cell weight. This low concentration, the result of adding 0.01 mM DL-alpha-aminoadipate to the medium, was sufficient to reverse the inhibition of penicillin biosynthesis caused by 10 mM extracellular L-lysine. Aminoadipate appears to be recycled during penicillin formation. Labeled alpha-ketoadipate was formed from alpha-aminoadipate to the extent of about 25%.
On degeneracy in linear complementarity problems

Abstract A method for handling degeneracy in linear complementarity problems is presented. It uses a sequential version of Lemke's algorithm [1] which, in the absence of degeneracy and in the case of copositive-plus matrices, finds an optimal solution or shows that none exists. The degeneracy phenomenon is overcome by modifying some constraining equations, without altering the feasible region of the problem.
New approach to treatment of AIDS and AIDS related complex

Abstract A new approach for treatment of AIDS is suggested. This is to isolate the patient's blood, to remove anti-T-cell substance from the plasm, and treat the cells with an anti-viral agent. And then return it into the patient.
A Model of the Summer Progression of the Cold-Pool Temperature in the Middle Atlantic Bight

Abstract A simple one-dimensional model (in the alongshelf direction) that incorporates spatially non-uniform heating, advection and initial temperature field is proposed to explain the summer progression of the cold-pool temperature in the Middle Atlantic Bight. The observed local cooling is shown to require an upstream cold water source at the onset of the heating season. The observed secondary temperature minimum that stagnates at the Hudson Shelf Valley and the observed thermal front in the New York Bight can be explained by the alongshelf variation of the heating rate which is attributed mainly to the varying shelf width and hence the heat capacity of the cold pool. Although the model is highly idealized, a crude simulation using the input functions inferred from data has reproduced all the gross features observed in the thermal field.
Systemic and local administration of cyclosporine in the treatment of psoriasis

Since 1984, cyclosporine has been used increasingly for indications other than in prophylaxis of transplant rejection. Current awareness that psoriasis is, at least in part, a T cell-mediated condition has led to the initiation of several studies of cyclosporine's role in the treatment of this disease. The remarkable efficacy of systemically administered cyclosporine, even in severely refractory cases of psoriasis, has not only provided us with a new therapeutic option but also has helped further our understanding of the pathophysiology of psoriasis. Although it has been hailed as a breakthrough, systemic cyclosporine usage is associated with undesirable sequelae, principally hypertension and decreased renal function. These effects limit its more widespread use. This review assesses current knowledge of the capabilities and prospects of systemic cyclosporine in the treatment of psoriasis, as well as the status of topical preparations.
An adenine-resistant mutant of poliovirus.

used for viral growth. The modifications were (a) change of concentration of Lcystine, (b) addition of adenine, adenosine, adenosine-5'-phosphate, cytosine, guanine, thymine, or uracil, and (c) some combination of (a) and (b). The following concentrates were used for preparing the modified media: 10 mM L-cystine in 0.15 N HCl; 10 mM adenine sulfate in water (equivalent to 20 mM adenine); 20 mM adenosine in water; 15 mM adenosine-5'-phosphate in water; 50 mM cytosine in water; 15 mM guanine hydrochloride in 0.6 N HCl; 40 mM thymine in water; and 25 mM uracil in water. The concentrates were stored at 4 C. When solute precipitated during storage at 4 C, it was redissolved by warming before media were prepared. The Brooks strain of antigenic type 2 poliovirus was used in all experiments. The Mabie strain of antigenic type 3 poliovirus was used in experiments such as that in figure 2. During viral action the tissue cultures were kept at 36 to 37 C.
Nanostructured arrays of semiconducting octahedral molecular sieves by pulsed-laser deposition.

Cryptomelane-type manganese oxide (OMS-2) has been widely used to explore the semiconducting and catalytic properties of molecular sieves with mixed-valent frameworks. Selective synthesis of patterned thin films of OMS-2 with hierarchical nanostructures and oriented crystals is challenging owing to difficulties in preserving the mixed valence, porosity and crystalline phase. Here, we report that pulsed-laser ablation of OMS-2 in an oxygen-rich medium produces a three-dimensional nanostructured array of parallel and inclined OMS-2 fibres on bare substrates of (001) single-crystal strontium titanate. Both parallel and inclined OMS-2 fibres elongate along the [001](OMS-2) direction. The parallel fibres interact strongly with the substrate and grow epitaxially along (STO) with lattice misfits of less than 4%, whereas the inclined fibres are oriented with (301) parallel to the substrate surface. The spontaneous orientation of the crystalline OMS-2 domains over the STO surface opens up a new avenue in lattice-engineered synthesis of multilayer materials.
High Developmental Competence of Pig Oocytes after Meiotic Inhibition with a Specific M-Phase Promoting Factor Kinase Inhibitor, Butyrolactone I

Butyrolactone I specifically inhibits M-phase promoting factor activation and prevents the resumption of meiosis. These experiments were conducted to examine effects of butyrolactone I on pig oocytes in a serum-free maturation system. The first experiment was conducted to determine the effect of butyrolactone I (0-100 microM) on nuclear maturation. At concentrations of > or =12.5 microM, germinal vesicle breakdown was prevented in >90% of the oocytes after 24 h of culture. In the second experiment, the kinetics of in vitro maturation of butyrolactone I-treated oocytes was investigated. Oocytes were treated with 0 or 12.5 microM butyrolactone I and FSH for 20 h and then cultured with LH in the absence of butyrolactone I for another 24 h. Fewer butyrolactone I-treated oocytes reached MII stage at 36 h compared with controls (5.8% vs. 62.4%, P 0.05) were found between controls and treated groups in cleavage rate, blastocyst rate, or mean number of cells per blastocyst. Effects of butyrolactone I on mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and localization of microfilaments and active mitochondria were examined by Western blot analysis and laser scanning confocal microscopy, respectively. The results suggested that although butyrolactone I reversibly inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, it did not affect mitochondrial and microfilament dynamics. Butyrolactone I is a potent inhibitor of nuclear maturation of porcine oocytes, and the inhibition is fully reversible.
Elitism not revolution: Social media's broken promise

Web 2.0 was supposed to be a radical game-changer that would level playing fields. What went wrong asks Alice Marwick
Evaluation of two different metabolic hypotheses for dichloromethane toxicity using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling for in vivo inhalation gas uptake data exposure in female B6C3F1 mice

Abstract Dichloromethane (DCM, methylene chloride) is a lipophilic volatile compound readily absorbed and then metabolized to several metabolites that may lead to chronic toxicity in different target organs. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models are useful tools for calculation of internal and target organ doses of parent compound and metabolites. PBPK models, coupled with in vivo inhalation gas-uptake data, can be useful to estimate total metabolism. Previously, such an approach was used to make predictions regarding the metabolism and to make subsequent inferences of DCM's mode of action for toxicity. However, current evidence warrants re-examination of this approach. The goal of this work was to examine two different hypotheses for DCM metabolism in mice. One hypothesis describes two metabolic pathways: one involving cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and a second glutathione (GSH). The second metabolic hypothesis describes only one pathway mediated by CYP2E1 that includes multiple binding sites. The results of our analysis show that the in vivo gas-uptake data fit both hypotheses well and the traditional analysis of the chamber concentration data is not sufficient to distinguish between them. Gas-uptake data were re-analyzed by construction of a velocity plot as a function of increasing DCM initial concentration. The velocity (slope) analysis revealed that there are two substantially different phases in velocity, one rate for lower exposures and a different rate for higher exposures. The concept of a “metabolic switch,” namely that due to conformational changes in the enzyme after one site is occupied – a different metabolic rate is seen – is also consistent with the experimental data. Our analyses raise questions concerning the importance of GSH metabolism for DCM. Recent research results also question the importance of this pathway in the toxicity of DCM. GSH-related DNA adducts were not formed after in vivo DCM exposure in mice and DCM-induced DNA damage has been detected in human lung cultures without GSH metabolism. In summary, a revised/updated metabolic hypothesis for DCM has been examined using in vivo inhalation data in mice combined with PBPK modeling that is consistent with up-to-date models of the active site for CYP2E1 and suggests that this pathway is the major metabolizing pathway for DCM metabolism.
Midkine concentrations in fine‐needle aspiration of benign and malignant thyroid nodules

CONTEXT The primary preoperative method for distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid nodules is fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, but it is frequently inconclusive. Midkine (MDK) is a heparin-binding growth factor, which is overexpressed in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). OBJECTIVE We measured MDK concentrations in FNA samples from benign and malignant thyroid nodules to explore the possibility that MDK measurement might aid in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. DESIGN 35 subjects underwent preoperative FNA of 45 thyroid nodules, followed by thyroidectomy, providing a histological diagnosis. FNA needle contents were first expressed for cytology, and then, the needle was washed with buffer for immunoassay. In 46 subjects without preoperative FNA samples, FNA was performed ex vivo on 62 nodules within surgically excised thyroid tissue. MEASUREMENTS MDK was measured using a high-sensitivity sandwich ELISA and normalized to thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration in the sample to adjust for tissue content in the aspirate. RESULTS The MDK/Tg ratio was higher in 18 PTCs than in 87 benign nodules (204 ± 106 vs 1·2 ± 0·3 ng/mg, mean ± SEM, P < 0·001). Using a threshold of 10 ng/mg, the sensitivity and specificity of the MDK/Tg ratio for diagnosis of PTC were 67% and 99%, respectively. All follicular variant PTCs had a MDK/Tg ratio <10 ng/mg. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that, in FNA samples, the MDK/Tg ratio in PTC is greater than in benign thyroid nodules, raising the possibility that this approach might provide adjunctive diagnostic or prognostic information to complement existing approaches.
19.3: Demystifying relaxation in the gun code algorithm

The relaxation parameter affects the convergence rate of a gun code simulation, and hence its accuracy or speed. Yet the parameter is a mystery to many gun code users. This work removes some of the relaxation parameter's mystique by providing some useful explanations and guidance derived from 1-d studies but also checked in 2-d and 3-d MICHELLE simulations. With this knowledge a user could, for example, significantly reduce the computational cost of an expensive finely-resolved 3-d sheet beam gun simulation.
Ducted auroral kilometric radiation

Certain discrete, intense wave signals attributed to auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) were observed with ISEE-l while it was within the plasmaspheric shadow zone for direct propagation. It is believed that wave ducting by thin depletions of the plasma density aligned with the magnetic field accounts for such signals, and that their discrete nature is caused by the satellite intercepting individual ducts. These ducts, which were also observed as coincident decreases of the upper hybrid resonance frequency, appeared to be twenty-percent depletions roughly one hundred kilometers across. The AKR, which is emitted approximately perpendicular to the magnetic field, apparently entered these ducts equatorward of the source after the waves had been refracted parallel to the duct axis. A diffuse background was also observed which is consistent with the leakage from similar ducts at lower L-values. These observations establish the existence of ducted AKR, its signature on the satellite wave spectrograms, and new evidence for depletion ducts within the plasmasphere.
Density, Home Range, Habitat Use, and Reproduction in Feral Pigs on Santa Catalina Island

A feral pig population on Santa Catalina Island, California, was studied for 17 months beginning in July 1980. A total of 136 pigs was marked and 188 recaptured during capture-recapture studies at two sites. Density was estimated to be 21 to 34 pigs/km2 (95% confidence interval). Dry season home ranges determined from radio-telemetry data were small and differed significantly between boars (2.04 ± 0.20 km2—95% ellipse; 2.44 ± 0.30 km2— harmonic mean method) and sows (0.90 ± 0.23 km2—95% ellipse; 1.46 ± 0.14 km2—harmonic mean method). During the dry season, pigs preferred cool moist canyon bottoms, the result of both a physiological need for free water and behavioral responses to high environmental temperatures. Patterns of utilization during the wet season appeared to be primarily a function of food availability. Seasonality in time of birth was evident, with piglets born in winter and spring (1980) or spring and summer (1981). Litter size as measured by fetal counts was 5.00 ± 0.36 and sows averaged 0.86 ± 0.17 litters over a 12-month period. Most sows were older than 1 year when they first conceived, and litter size increased from puberty and peaked at 2–3 years of age. Intrauterine mortality of fetuses averaged 25% and piglet mortality was estimated to be 58% prior to weaning. Mortality rates appeared to be higher for piglets born in summer than in winter or spring.
Tests for normality in stable laws

A question of considerable interest is whether a stable distribution is Gaussian or has infinite variance. Three statistics, the kurtosis, the ratio of one half the range to the sample stan-dard deviation, and a regression-type estimator of the characteristic exponent α are compared in a Monte Carlo power study. In addition, the asymptotic distribution of the third statistic is examined and the powers obtained by using approximate normal theory are compared to the Monte Carlo findings in large samples.
A comparison of 18-MV and 6-MV treatment plans using 3D dose calculation with and without heterogeneity correction

Homogeneity of the dose distribution in irradiation of the intact breast for stage I and II cancers is an important factor, particularly for larger breasts. In the present work, we have studied dose homogeneity for 6- and 18-MV treatment plans in 10 patients, typically with larger breasts. For each patient, 6 3-dimensional (3D) dose distributions were calculated using patient computed tomography data and the ADAC Pinnacle3 treatment planning system. First, a dose distribution was calculated, assuming the patient was water, with the 6-MV beam parameters used to treat the patient. Second, the calculation was repeated using the actual patient anatomy. Comparison of these 2 distributions showed how patient heterogeneity affected dose. Third, individual beam weights were optimized, and the dose calculation was repeated. Each of these 3 dose calculations was repeated at 18 MV. Results showed that: (1) at 6 MV, the ratio of mean dose in the target volume calculated with heterogeneity considerations to that without was 1.014 +/- 0.006, and the ratio of the standard deviation of dose in the target volume was 0.919 +/- 0.042; (2) at 18 MV, the ratio of mean dose to the target volume calculated with heterogeneity considerations to that without was 1.001 +/- 0.005, and the ratio of the standard deviation of dose in the target volume was 1.15 +/- 0.09; and (3) the dose homogeneity, measured by the standard deviation of the dose distribution in the target volume, was 25% less for the 18-MV treatment plan for patients with breast volumes greater than 1600 cm3. We conclude that: (1) 3D, heterogeneity-corrected dose calculation is necessary to fairly evaluate any advantage of 18 MV over 6 MV; (2) excluding the dose buildup region, 18 MV produces a significantly more homogeneous dose distribution for breast volumes greater than 1600 cm3; and (3) when prescribing dose using heterogeneity-corrected dose distributions, dose prescriptions should be increased by 1.5% at 6 MV, but no increase is needed for 18 MV.
Mineralization of a sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in two soils using catalyzed hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) catalyzed by soluble iron or naturally occurring soil minerals, (i.e., modified Fenton's reagent) was investigated as a basis for mineralizing sorbed and NAPL-phase benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a hydrophobic and toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in two soils of different complexity. 14C-Benzo[a]pyrene was added to silica sand and a silt loam soil, and mineralization was investigated using three-level central composite rotatable experimental designs. The effects of H2O2 concentration, slurry volume, and iron(II) amendment were investigated in the silica sand systems. In a Palouse loess silt loam soil, the variables included H2O2 concentration, slurry volume, and pH, with H2O2 catalyzed by naturally occurring iron oxyhydroxides. Regression equations generated from the data were used to develop three-dimensional response surfaces describing BaP mineralization. Based on the recovery of 14C-CO2, 70% BaP mineralization was achieved in the sand within 24 h using 15 M H2O2 and an iron(II) concentration of 6.6 mM with a slurry volume of 0.3×the field capacity of the sand. For the silt loam soil, 85% mineralization of BaP was observed using 15 M H2O2, no iron amendment, and a slurry volume of 20×the soil field capacity. The balance of the radiolabeled carbon remained as unreacted BaP in the soil fraction. Gas-purge measurements over 5 d confirmed negligible desorption under nontreatment conditions. However, oxidation reactions were complete within 24 h and promoted up to 85% BaP mineralization, documenting that the natural rate of desorption/dissolution did not control the rate of oxidation and mineralization of the BaP. The results show that catalyzed H2O2 has the ability to rapidly mineralize sorbed/NAPL-phase BaP and that partitioning, which is often the rate-limiting factor in soil remediation, does not appear to limit the rate of vigorous Fenton-like treatment.
Four ARF GAPs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have both overlapping and distinct functions.

Previous studies in yeast have revealed the presence of four proteins with a conserved, cysteine-rich, ARF GAP domain that share the ability to suppress the conditional growth defect of the arf1-3 mutant. Three of these proteins have been shown previously to be ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). We now demonstrate that the fourth also exhibits in vitro ARF GAP activity and correlates the suppressor and ARF GAP activities for all four. Because the four ARF GAP proteins are quite diverse outside the ARF GAP domain, a genetic analysis was undertaken to define the level of functional cross-talk between them. A large number of synthetic defects were observed that point to a high degree of functional overlap among the four ARF GAPs. However, several differences were also noted in the ability of each gene to suppress the synthetic defects of others and in the impact of single or combined deletions on assays of membrane traffic. We interpret these results as supportive evidence for roles of ARF GAPs in a number of distinct, essential cellular processes that include cell growth, protein secretion, endocytosis and cell cycling. The description of the specificities of the ARF GAPs for the different responses is viewed as a necessary first step in dissecting biologically relevant pathways through a functionally overlapping family of signalling proteins.
The low-grade lymphomas

The lymphomas comprise a spectrum of diseases with vast variation in histologic appearance, presentation and natural history, and response to therapy. At one end of the spectrum are the low-grade lymphomas (LGLs), indolent malignancies characterized by paradox. Despite an exceedingly low growth fraction, the LGLs are usually extensive at presentation, and yet they rarely involve privileged sites, such as cortical bone or central nervous system, and rarely destroy adjacent tissue. They are exquisitely responsive to many different therapeutic interventions, but responses to most agents are transient and similar. Finally, although survival of most LGL patients is measured in years, the course of the disease is punctuated by both transient and long-term responses to treatment, and also by spontaneous regression and transformation to more aggressive lymphomas in the absence of therapy, rendering the evaluation of the true impact of treatment quite difficult. The focus of this review is on the management of the LGLs, in particular the role of radiotherapy.
Time, voltage and ionic concentration dependence of rectification of h‐erg expressed in Xenopus oocytes

The rapid delayed rectifier, IKr is believed to have h-erg (human ether-a-go-go related gene) as its molecular basis. A recent study has shown that rectification of h-erg involves a rapid inactivation process that involves rapid closure of the external mouth of the pore or C-type inactivation. We measured the instantaneous current to voltage relationship for h-erg channels using the saponin permeabilized variation of the cut-open oocyte clamp technique. In contrast to C-type inactivation in other voltage-gated K+ channels, the rate of inactivation was strongly voltage dependent at depolarized potentials. This voltage dependence could be modulated independently of activation by increasing [K+]o from 2 to 98 mM. These results suggest that inactivation of h-erg has its own intrinsic voltage sensor.
Unrealistic desiccation of marine stratocumulus clouds by enhanced solar absorption

THE absorption of solar radiation by clouds affects the distribution of heat that drives atmospheric and ocean circulations. Many investigators have measured cloud solar absorption values exceeding theoretical estimates, although the discrepancies have been regarded as inconclusive1. But more recent measurements indicate that clouds absorb up to three times as much solar energy than conventional theory predicts2,3. Marine stratocumulus clouds are particularly sensitive to solar absorption because marine boundary-layer mixing is typically driven by cloud radiative processes. Here we present model simulations of a stratocumulus-topped marine boundary layer, incorporating different levels of solar absorption. With conventional absorption, the simulations reproduce observed cloud behaviour. But those with artificially enhanced absorption result in an unrealistic daytime depletion of cloud water, because a reduction in cloud radiative cooling results in decreased boundary-layer mixing. Moreover, we show that it is unlikely that liquid water or any plausible dissolved material can absorb the energy required by the recent measurements of solar absorption. Our results therefore indicate that either enhanced solar absorption occurs only in clouds other than marine stratocumulus, or the enhancement of cloud solar absorption indicated by recent measurements2,3 is overestimated.
Content, synthesis and collectability of amino acids in various structures of the brains of rhesus monkeys.

Abstract Large amounts of the amino acids considered to be possible CNS transmitters, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, aspartate, glycine and cystathione, were detected in various structures of the brains of rhesus monkeys. Appreciable labelling of all these amino acids with the exception of cystathiomine and glycine, occured during perfusion of the brain structures with [14C]glucose. Newly-formed (labeled) GABA, aspartate, glutamate, α-alanine, glutamine and glycine were collected from the regions of the amygdala and caudate nucleus using a ‘push-pull’ technique. This method of collection of newly-formed amino acids may be useful in testing whether these substances are neurotransmitters as well as in elucidating metabolic correlates of behavior.
Elastic interaction of interstitial atoms in body-centered cubic crystals

Abstract The elastic distortions near interstitial atoms in body-centered cubic crystals are estimated by an atomistic relaxation process. Through knowledge of the local strains, the elastic binding energy of a pair of interstitial atoms is calculated and is found to agree satisfactorily with Powers' experimental value of about 2 kcal/mole. In the appendix, the magnitude of the local strain produced by an interstitial atom is determined from the tetragonality of martensite to be approximately 0.19, and it is shown that the influence of carbon in increasing the free-energy of α-iron (relative to γ-iron of the same composition) is largely accounted for by elastic strain energy.
Transganglionic degeneration in the gustatory system consequent to chorda tympani damage

The chorda tympani taste nerve is prone to damage in humans. Chorda tympani damage results in taste loss accompanied by altered taste sensations, e.g., phantom tastes. To understand taste alterations this study explores the central and peripheral anatomical consequences of taste nerve injury in an animal model. The chorda tympani was severed in the middle ear of hamsters and the animals were allowed to survive for 2-161 days when sections of the brain were stained for degenerating axons with the Fink-Heimer method. Degenerating axons were present in the chorda tympani termination zone in the nucleus of the solitary tract of every case. Thus, peripheral nerve damage in the taste system results in degeneration of central axonal endings as in other sensory systems (e.g., trigeminal, vestibular). To evaluate whether the central degeneration results from ganglion cell death, geniculate ganglion cells were labeled with Fast blue by tongue injections before neurotomy, and the cells were counted 13-48 days after neurotomy. Numbers of labeled cells from experimental ganglia did not differ significantly from those in control ganglia. Moreover, the experimental cells could be double-labeled by tongue injections with a second marker, diamidino yellow or nuclear yellow, after 40 days postneurotomy. We conclude that degeneration of central axons after taste nerve section represents a long-lasting transganglionic process that likely disrupts the synaptology of the central taste system. The altered synaptology could relate to taste phenomena of central origin reported for nerve-injured patients. Geniculate ganglion cells generally survive neurotomy and can regenerate axons to the tongue.
Sample average approximation methods for stochastic MINLPs

One approach to process design with uncertain parameters is to formulate a stochastic MINLP. When there are many uncertain parameters, the number of samples becomes unmanageably large and computing the solution to the MINLP can be difficult and very time consuming. In this paper, two new algorithms (the optimality gap method (OGM) and the confidence level method (CLM)) are presented for solving convex stochastic MINLPs. At each iteration, the sample average approximation method is applied to the NLP sub-problem and MILP master problem. A smaller sample size problem is solved multiple times with different batches of i.i.d. samples to make decisions and a larger sample size problem (with continuous/discrete decision variables fixed) is solved to re-evaluate the objective values. In the first algorithm, the sample sizes are iteratively increased until the optimality gap intervals of the upper and lower bound are within a pre-specified tolerance. Instead of requiring a small optimality gap, the second algorithm uses tight bounds for comparing the objective values of NLP sub-problems and weak bounds for cutting off solutions in the MILP master problems, hence the confidence of finding the optimal discrete solution can be adjusted by the parameter used to tighten and weaken the bounds. The case studies show that the algorithms can significantly reduce the computational time required to find a solution with a given degree of confidence.
Evaluation of cigarette smoking among adolescents: The Muscatine study

Abstract In Muscatine, Iowa, the smoking behaviors and related factors were studied in 2,156 school children ages 12 through 18 years. Data were collected through a questionnaire, a “randomized question response,” and by saliva thiocyanate analyses. The proportion reporting smoking on the confidential questionnaire and the anonymous randomized question response were not significantly different. Those reporting the greatest frequency of smoking had the highest levels of saliva thiocyanate. No difference in self-reported smoking was observed in subjects who, prior to completing the questionnaire, were told their saliva would be analyzed for tobacco products and those who were not. These data suggest that children under certain circumstances may honestly and validly complete a questionnaire about their smoking behavior. Of respondents who report both parents as nonsmokers and whose best friends are nonsmokers, 80% have never smoked, and 3% are regular smokers. Of those with both parents and best friends who smoke, only 11% have never smoked and 74% are frequent smokers. Thus the smoking behaviors of parents and peers are important factors relating to children's smoking and nonsmoking decisions.
Upper extremity thrombolysis

Recognition and appropriate treatment of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis is critical because it may be associated with significant acute and chronic morbidity. Thrombolysis has been shown to be a safe and effective method of reestablishing venous patency in both primary and secondary axillosubclavian vein thrombosis. Thrombolysis is currently an important component of a multidisciplinary approach to treating upper extremity deep venous thrombosis. The technique of upper extremity thrombolysis and its role in the management of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis is discussed in this article. In addition, a simplified algorithmic approach to treating both primary and secondary axillosubclavian vein thrombosis is presented.
Physical aging of a polyetherimide: Volume recovery and its comparison to creep and enthalpy measurements

Volume recovery measurements have been used to study the physical aging behavior of a polyetherimide. Isothermal aging temperatures near Tg were studied with aging times ranging up to several days. The volume decreases during physical aging and levels off at equilibrium. For comparison purposes, the data are normalized to yield the departure from equilibrium which varies from unity at very short aging times to zero when equilibrium is reached. As the aging temperature decreases, the normalized curves are shifted to longer times without a significant change in shape. Hence, the data can be reduced by aging time—temperature superposition. The temperature dependence of the shift factors used to reduce the volume recovery data and the times to reach equilibrium for the volume recovery follow the WLF equation and agree within experimental error with the values from enthalpy and creep measurements obtained in previous work. However, the approach to equilibrium for volume appears to differ from that of enthalpy, with volume recovery being faster than the enthalpy recovery at short times. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 929–936, 1997
Upper Ocean Sensitivity to Wind Forcing in the South China Sea

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Layered Ocean Model (NLOM) has been used to investigate the sensitivity of the upper South China Sea (SCS) circulation to various atmospheric wind forcing products. A 1/16° 6-layer, thermodynamic Pacific Ocean north of 20°S version of NLOM has been integrated using observed climatological monthly mean winds (Hellerman and Rosenstein, 1983) and climatologies based on two atmospheric prediction models: the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). ECMWF products include the 10 meter winds (at both 1.125° and 2.5° resolution) and surface stresses (1.125°). The NCEP forcing (1.875°) is a surface stress product. Significant differences exist in the wind stress curl patterns and this is reflected in the upper ocean model response, which is compared to observational data. The model experiments suggest the generation of the West Luzon Eddy is controlled by positive wind stress curl. The degree of Kuroshio intrusion into the SCS, however, is not affected by wind stress curl but is governed by the coastline geometry of the island chain within Luzon Strait. The summertime offshore flow from the Vietnamese coast is present in all simulations but the dipole structure on either side of the jet is variable, even among experiments with similar wind stress curl patterns. The ECMWF surface stresses exhibit spurious coastal wind stress curl patterns, especially in locations with significant orographic features. This manifests itself in unrealistic small scale coastal gyres in NLOM. High resolution basin-scale and coastal models might be adversely affected by these stresses.
A constrained optimal control of nonlinear systems

A new method for optimal control of nonlinear systems with input constraint is discussed in this paper. The system is optimized by minimizing a quadratic performance index. Considering this problem as a nonlinear programming problem, the necessary and sufficient conditions for optimal control are derived, which are later simplified to an integral equation. This integral equation becomes a necessary condition. The existence of a solution of this integral equation is studied, and a method of solving it is discussed. A numerical example is worked out at the end.
Re-examining the correlation of complex solar type III radio bursts and solar energetic particles

Interplanetary radio observations provide important information on particle acceleration processes at the Sun and propagation of the accelerated particles in the solar wind. Cane et al. (2002) have drawn attention to a class of prominent radio bursts that accompany >20 MeV solar proton events. They call these bursts ‘type III-L’ because: they are fast drifting (like normal type III bursts associated with electrons accelerated at impulsive solar flares); they are Long-lasting compared to normal type III bursts; they occur Late compared to the onset of the related solar event; and, they commence at Lower frequencies (∼100 MHz) than normal type III bursts, suggesting that they originate higher in the corona at ∼0.5 Rs above the Sun. We report on an analysis of the correlated radio and SEP events during 1996-2006 using the Wind Waves and near-Earth SEP data sets, and discuss whether the characteristics of the complex type III bursts (at less than 14 MHz) will permit them to serve as proxies for SEP event occurrence and intensity.
Examination of structural changes of polymeric amino acid-based surfactants on enantioselectivity: effect of amino acid order, steric factors, and number and position of chiral centers.

In this study, a large number of polymeric chiral surfactants were examined and their performances in terms of enantiomeric resolution compared for a variety of chiral analytes. The surfactants investigated in this study include all possible dipeptide combinations of the l-form of alanine, valine, leucine, and the achiral amino acid glycine (except glycine-glycine). Also included in this study were the single amino acid surfactants of alanine, valine, and leucine as well as the single chiral center dipeptide surfactant poly(sodium undecyl-l-leucine-β-alanine) (poly l-SULβA). Several different aspects of polymeric dipeptide surfactants, as they pertain to chiral separations, are examined. Some of the factors investigated in this report include the effect of position and number of chiral centers, amino acid order, and steric effects.
Quantum correlated electron dynamics in a quantum-dot sensitized solar cell: Keldysh function approach

In this work we study quantum dynamics of an electron transferred from a quantum dot (QD) to a semiconductor (SM) in a quantum-dot-semiconductor solar cell. The proposed theoretical description includes the following interactions: electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions in a QD, interaction with light, electron-phonon interaction in an SM, and interaction between the electronic states in a QD and an SM in the tunneling approximation. The interaction of a QD electron with light is considered in the dipole approximation. e-e interaction in a QD is important because electron transition takes place from a QD excitonic state; $e$-ph interaction is necessary to describe relaxation from a QD excitonic state to the valence band and also for the correct description of electron transfer to a semiconductor. $e$-ph interaction in an SM along with the tunneling term describe forward and backward electron transfers from a semiconductor to a quantum dot as well as electron relaxation from an SM conduction band to a valence one. The main goal of this work is to present a theoretical scheme for the calculation of photocurrent in a solar cell where all the interactions mentioned above are present. The expression for photocurrent is presented in terms of SM and QD Keldysh functions that can be found from the proper Dyson equations. If the SM $e$-ph interaction is not considered, the derived Dyson equations are exact. If the SM $e$-ph interaction is included, the Dyson equations for nonequilibrium Green's functions can also be derived only for wide-gap semiconductors where Migdal's theorem is valid, i.e., assuming that ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{D}/{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{F}\ensuremath{\ll}1$ (${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{D}$ is the Debye frequency and ${\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{F}$ is the Fermi energy in the semiconductor). Within the proposed computational scheme we are able to explain the effects of electron-electron and electron-phonon correlations and therefore describe multiexciton generation and hot carrier transitions as well.
Role of Growth Factors in the Nervous System

We are studying brain and stem cell plasticity. How do brain, mind, and cell change with environmental alteration? Combining molecular biology, cell culture, single cell electrophysiology, synaptic physiology, and whole animal experimentation, we have found that experience alters function.
Formation of chondritic refractory inclusions: The astrophysical setting

Abstract This study attempts to identify the astrophysical setting in which properties of the Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) found in chondritic meteorites are best understood. Importance is attached to the short time period in which most or all of the CAIs were formed ( 26 Al/ 27 Al about the canonical value of ∼5 × 10 −5 ), a constraint that has been overlooked. This period is dissimilar to the time scale of evolution of T Tauri stars, ∼10 Myr; it corresponds instead to the time scale of Class 0 and Class I young stellar objects, protostars as they exist during the massive infall of interstellar material that creates stars. The innermost portion of the sun’s rapidly accreting nebular disk, kept hot during that period by viscous dissipation, is the most plausible site for CAI formation. Once condensed, CAIs must be taken out of that hot zone rather promptly in order to preserve their specialized mineralogical compositions, and they must be transported to the radial distance of the asteroid belt to be available for accretion into the chondrites that contain them today. Though this paper is critical of some aspects of the x-wind model of CAI formation, something akin to the x-wind may be the best way of understanding this extraction and transport of CAIs.
Making Better Sense of Animal Disenhancement: A Reply to Henschke

In "Making Sense of Animal Disenhancement" Adam Henschke provides a framework for fully understanding and evaluating animal disenhancement. His conclusion is that animal disenhancement is neither morally nor pragmatically justified. In this paper I argue that Henschke misapplies his own framework for understanding disenhancement, resulting in a stronger conclusion than is justified. In diagnosing his misstep, I argue that the resources he has provided us, combined with my refinements, result in two new avenues for inquiry: an application of concepts from political theory to disenhancement, and an inquiry in to the mode of valuation that underlies industrial animal agriculture and disenhancement proposals.
The role of the oblique effect in the block -design selection process

When attempting to reproduce units of a stimulus pattern in block-design construction tasks, subjects take longer to find a correctly oriented, two-color, diagonally divided surface than a correctly oriented solid-color surface. To examine the possible contribution of the diagonal orientation judgment itself to this outcome, a delayed matching-to-sample task was employed in which subjects attempted to find a match for either a diagonally divided or a perpendicularly divided half-red/half-white square. Slower response times for the former provided evidence that the greater difficulty in matching the two-color portions of the stimulus patterns in standard block-design tasks may be partially attributable to the oblique effect.