cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cellular quantitation of hemoglobin transition during natural and thyroid-hormone-induced metamorphosis of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana.

Abstract Hemoglobin (Hb) transition in Rana catesbeiana was quantitated by separating larval and adult red blood cells (RBCs) on Renografin continuous density gradients. The mean densities of larval and adult RBCs are 1.243 and 1.176 g/cm3, respectively. No adult cells were found in young tadpoles (TK stages V–XV). The production of adult RBCs began prior to metamorphic climax (stages XVIII–XIX). The adult RBC population replaced the larval RBC population by the end of the climax (stage XXV). Adult RBCs were produced at a rate of 1.08 × 107 cells per day, while larval RBCs disappeared at a rate of 2.09 × 107 cells per day. Young tadpoles (stages III–XIV) produce adult RBCs when immersed in 2.5 × 10−8 M l -thyroxine. Adult RBCs appeared 22 days after the initiation of hormone treatment. After 71 days of immersion, over 90% of the circulating RBCs were adult RBCs. Adult RBCs were produced at a rate of 0.17 × 107 cells per day, while larval cells disappeared at a rate of 0.22 × 107 cells per day. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of hemoglobin solutions and the in vivo incorporation of thymidine and amino acids into the adult RBC population indicated a selective production of adult RBCs during metamorphic climax. Kinetic studies showed that during natural and thyroid-hormone-induced metamorphic climax, the half-life of the larval RBC is dramatically reduced. The present findings prove that during metamorphic climax a separate adult RBC population is produced in response to thyroid hormone, and that the destruction of the larval RBC population is also related to thyroid hormone.
The greening of Chicago: environmental leaders and organisational learning in the transition toward a sustainable metropolitan region

Urban sustainability literature calls for new governance relations to support green urban agendas. Privileging non-hierarchical relations, this literature fails to address the means by which organisations create these capacities. The author interviewed public, private and community environmental leaders in metropolitan Chicago regarding their disposition toward creating boundary spanning organisations (BSOs) in addressing the City's Environmental Action Agenda. Their responses reflect engaged efforts to enhance cross-boundary sharing of information, resources, and power. However, they also reflect the decisive role of central authority in initiating this process. These findings suggest the complexity of urban governance in transitions toward sustainability and the opportunities they provide to explore the implications of on-the-ground practice.
Influence of prenatal maternal stress on the immunocompetence of the offspring.

Abstract To evaluate the effects of prenatal maternal stress on the development of humoral immunocompetence in the offspring and on their hormonal and immunologic responses to postnatal stress, gravid Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed daily on gestational days 15–21 to prenatal environmental stress [(PES) 15 unsignaled, inescapable electric foot-shocks (0.05 mA for 0.5 s)] or prenatal psychological stress [(PPS) pregnant rats were placed in the nonelectrified section of the apparatus and allowed to see, hear, and smell a nonpregnant partner being environmentally stressed]. Pregnant controls (PC) were placed in the apparatus for 30 min. Serum corticosterone (CCS) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were measured in the offspring every 7 days from birth to postnatal day (PND) 28. On PND 29–33, offspring were environmentally stressed; hormonal and immune status were determined on PND 34. Levels of IgG were reduced in PES and PPS offspring on PND 0 and in PES offspring on PND 7 and 28. These changes were unrelated to differences in CCS and did not reflect altered maternal-pup interactions or nutritional factors. Postnatal stress was immunosuppressive in PC pups but did not alter immune parameters in PPS offspring. In PES females, postnatal stress was also immunosuppressive. However, in PES males with alreadu reduced IgG levels postnatal stress enhanced immuno function. These data provide the first experimental evidence that prenatal maternal stress can alter immune parameters in the rat offspring.
Lessons from Grand Forks: Planning Structural Flood Control Measures

In the spring of 1997, the Red River VAlley experienced a traumatic flood event that inundated 80% of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and arguably inflicted the largest economic damage per capita ever suffered by an American city and certainly far greater losses that cannot be measured in dollars. By probing what happened, this study found that the losses were made much larger by sequential surprises. For reducing surprises, integrated physically based weather-hydrologic-hydraulic modleing can quantify maximum flows and stages as well as extreme scenarios during floods in real time to provide "worst case" as well as "most probable" stages. It can also be used tostructure forcasts around thresholds used in flood fighting decisions and to structure hazard mapping around option configurations of structural measures and building patterns. It is particularly important to implement contingency planning for levee failure. Stochastic hydrologic modeling can be used to stimulate preparedness and reduce surprise.
The effect of geomagnetic disturbances on the electric grid and appropriate mitigation strategies

Geomagnetic induced currents (GICs) generated by space weather, such as solar storms, currently pose a threat to North American electric grids. GICs enter the power grid through the neutral connection of high voltage transformers causing unusual megawatt and megavar flows, voltage fluctuation, frequency shifts, undesired relay operations, high third harmonic currents, and telemetry and supervisory alarm failures in the power grid. A storm on the order of 5000 nT/min is believed to occur in the not too distant future. Once this storm occurs, widespread damage to the power grid of unprecedented proportions will take place. Mitigation strategies must be considered. Systems involved in restoration and reinstitution of the power grid need to be prioritized, and the effectiveness of existing black-start procedures need to be evaluated. This paper explores the effects of GICs on high voltage power transformers and presents a 37-bus critical infrastructure case. In the event of a geomagnetic disturbance, it is not plausible to protect all the high voltage transformers in the power grid, but by protecting critical transformers, and bypassing others, the grid's integrity can be maintained.
Beam charge dependence of ion-surface scattering.

Evidence is presented that ions retain no information about the incident charge state after they have been scattered from a clean surface. Measurements of oxygen-silicon surface scattering, under conditions which favor binary collisions with individual surface atoms, were found to give the same ratio of negative to positive scattered ions under identical scattering conditions for both an incident ${\mathrm{O}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ion beam and an incident ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ ion beam.
Pneumoperitoneum—Physiology and Nursing Interventions

ABSTRACT Gaseous insufflation of the abdomen (ie, pneumoperitoneum) is used routinely during laparoscopic surgery to allow the surgical team members to view the patient's viscera and to perform indicated procedures. Pneumoperitoneum has varying effects on the patient. The initiation and maintenance of pneumoperitoneum causes most of the complications seen with laparoscopic surgery. The perioperative nurse must understand the physiologic effects of pneumoperitoneum on the patient to plan appropriate nursing interventions that ensure safe patient care.
High photo-electrochemical activity of thylakoid–carbon nanotube composites for photosynthetic energy conversion

Spinach thylakoids were immobilized onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes using a molecular tethering chemistry. The resulting thylakoid–carbon nanotube composites showed high photo-electrochemical activity under illumination. Multiple membrane proteins have been observed to participate in direct electron transfer with the electrode, resulting in the generation of photocurrents, the first of its kind reported for natural photosynthetic systems. Upon inclusion of a mediator, the photo-activity was enhanced. The major contributor to the photocurrent was the light-induced water oxidation reaction at the photosystem II complex. The thylakoid–MWNT composite electrode yielded a maximum current density of 68 μA cm−2 and a steady state current density of 38 μA cm−2, which are two orders of magnitude larger than previously reported for similar systems. The high electrochemical activity of the thylakoid–MWNT composites has significant implications for both photosynthetic energy conversion and photofuel production applications. A fuel cell type photosynthetic electrochemical cell developed using a thylakoid–MWNT composite anode and laccase cathode produced a maximum power density of 5.3 μW cm−2, comparable to that of enzymatic fuel cells. The carbon based nanostructured electrode has the potential to serve as an excellent immobilization support for photosynthetic electrochemistry based on the molecular tethering approach as demonstrated in this work.
High Throughput Wear Debris Detection in Lubricants Using a Resonance Frequency Division Multiplexed Sensor

With a long time goal of detecting signs of potential machine failure, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle multiplexed, multichannel, inductive pulse sensor based on resonant frequency division multiplexing for high throughput detection of micro-scale metallic debris in lubricants. In the four-channel sensor, each sensing coil is connected to a specific external capacitance to form a parallel LC circuit that has a unique resonant frequency. Only one combined sinusoidal excitation signal consisting of four frequencies components that are close to the 4 sensing channels’ resonant frequencies was applied to the sensor, and only one combined voltage response was measured. Because each sensing channel exhibited a peak amplitude at its resonant frequency, the signals for each individual channel were recovered from the combined response by taking the spectrum components at each resonant frequency with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Inductance change for each channel was then calculated from signals of individual channels. Testing results show that the use of resonant frequency division multiplexing allows simultaneous detection of debris in lubricants using only one set of detection electronics; for the four-channel sensor, there is a 300 % increase in throughput. The resonant frequency division multiplexing concept can be potentially applied to a multichannel oil debris sensor with a large number of sensing channels to achieve a very high throughput, which is necessary for online health monitoring of rotating and reciprocal mechanical components.
Semiquantitative analysis of types I and III collagen from tendons and ligaments in a rabbit model.

The present study presents a simple and reliable micro-method for the semiquantitative analysis of types I and III collagen in tendons and ligaments in a rabbit model. After pretreatment of the analytical material by homogenization, a double cyanogen bromide cleavage was performed and the peptide fragments were visualized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining. On the basis of this procedure, the method presented here can be used to analyze very small amounts of sample material (less than 10 μg) by electrophoresis. The results of the study showed that type I collagen is predominant in the ligaments and the tendons of the knee, e.g., medial and lateral collateral ligaments, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, patellar tendon, achilles tendon, and semitendinosus tendon. However, a markedly higher proportion of type III collagen was detected in the ligaments (approximately 10%) than in the tendons (approximately 5%). The ligaments differ markedly from the tendons in biochemical mapping; the ligaments are functionally and metabolically the more active tissue and have a higher adaptation potential.
Reevaluating the need for left subclavian artery revascularization with thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Background With increased utilization of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), the anatomic limitations of proximal device landing zones are being challenged. As our experience has grown with TEVAR involving exclusion of the left subclavian artery (LSA), the need for selective revascularization of the LSA appeared to be more common than we initially anticipated. We hypothesize that for patients undergoing TEVAR requiring coverage of the LSA, the need for LSA revascularization is higher than reported in the literature. Methods The charts of all patients undergoing TEVAR performed at a single tertiary care center from 1999 to 2006 were reviewed. The review included the preoperative radiographic evaluations, the assessment of comorbidities, the anatomic position of the proximal and distal landing zones, outcomes, complications, and the need for preoperative or postoperative subclavian artery revascularization. Results Sixty-four patients underwent TEVAR and 27 (42%) of these patients required exclusion of the LSA from the thoracic aorta. Seven of these 27 patients (25.9%) required preoperative LSA revascularization. Four patients developed late symptoms, necessitating LSA revascularization. No patients died or developed paraplegia, but three adverse neurological events occurred unrelated to the posterior fossa circulation. No patient developed any left arm disability. Conclusions The TEVAR coverage of the LSA with selective revascularization was safe for patients, but greater than 11 of 27 (40.7%) required either preoperative or postoperative LSA revascularization. Although this study represents our early experience with TEVAR, these data suggest that selective revascularization after TEVAR exclusion of the origin of the LSA may be required more frequently than previously reported.
Optical-to-microwave frequency chain utilizing a two-laser-based optical parametric oscillator network

A method for building an optical-to-microwave frequency chain and for measuring optical frequencies relative to the cesium primary frequency standard is described. Based on optical frequency division via parametric oscillators, the concept is to generate two known ratios (1/2 and 4/9) of an optical calibration frequencyf1 whose frequency difference is measured relative to the cesium clock. The (1/2) ratio is obtained by either a 2:1 frequency division off1 or second-harmonic generation of (l/2)f1. The (4/9) ratio off1 can be generated with a 3:1 frequency divider driven by a second laser atf2 that is chosen to be near (2/3)f1, which in turn is obtained with af1-pumped 3:1 frequency divider. A set of auxiliary Optical Parametric Oscillators (OPOs) with outputs centered at (1/2)f1 is used to facilitate the difference-frequency measurement between the two ratios. A practical configuration utilizing a YAG and a Ti: Al2O3 laser and its application to a number of precision measurements of interest are presented.
Distribution of lengths in the breakage of fibres or linear polymers

The distribution of fiber or polymer lengths during breakage is considered. It is shown that under certain conditions the distribution of lengths is given by a self-preserving form which is independent of the initial distribution and is not explicitly dependent on time. Some self-preserving distributions are calculated. The theory is compared with an experiment on the breakage of glass fibres caused by milling. On etudie la repartition des longueurs des fibres et des polymeres lors de leur rupture. On demontre que, dans certaines conditions, la repartition des longueurs apparait sous une forme automatiquement stable, laquelle est independante de la repartition initiale et ne varie pas explicitement avec le temps. On calcule certaines repartitions automatiquement stables et compare la theorie avec une experience sur le bris des fibres de verre par broyage.
The Dramatic Art of Athol Fugard: From South Africa to the World. By Albert Wertheim. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000; pp. 273. $39.95 hardcover.

One of the most celebrated African writers of a generation, Athol Fugard has come to be regarded as a great playwright throughout the world. This white South African playwright witnessed firsthand the tyranny and eventual transformation of his racially polarized country into a multicultural society. Beginning with his play No-Good Friday (1958) about black African township life, Fugard has created a large body of work which includes plays about the destructiveness of racial apartheid, the alienation within families, and the role of artists in society. Although Fugard often writes autobiographically, dramatizing scenes and characters from his past, he has refrained from documenting political events in a sweeping social allegory of South African repression. On the contrary, as Wertheim points out, Fugard emulates the minimalist staging and style of Samuel Beckett by letting his disenfranchised and alienated characters speak for themselves about their condition in an inhumane society.
Electrochemistry of nitric oxide and of nitrous acid at a mercury electrode

Summary The electrochemistry of nitric oxide and nitrous acid have been studied at a mercury electrode in buffered aqueous solutions using chronopotentiometry and controlled-potential coulometry. The reduction of NO is an irreversible one-electron process with α n a =0.40 and k s,h =10 −6 cm sec −1 . Gas chromatographic analyses establish that the only product is N 2 O. The electroactive species appears to be a slowly formed intermediate, HNO + , with a formation constant of 10 7 . Nitrous acid is irreversibly reduced at a mercury electrode by a one-electron process, the kinetic parameters for the rate-controlling electron transfer step having the values α n a =0.49 and k s,h =10 −7 cm sec −1 . The electroactive species appears to be a rapidly formed intermediate, H 2 NO 2 + . Controlled-potential coulometry for the reduction of nitrous acid indicates an overall three-electron process (at pH 3.00). Gas chromatography establishes that the major products are equivalent amounts of NH 2 OH and N 2 O. The actual electrochemical reduction of HNO 2 is an overall four-electron process to give NH 2 OH which reacts with HNO 2 to give N 2 O. Mechanisms consistent with the experimental data are proposed for the reduction of NO and of HNO 2 .
The Role of Performance in the Turnover Process

The study examined performance, potential, aptitude, and career advancement differences between employees who voluntarily resigned from a natonal oil company and those continuing in the organizatio...
Continuous chromogenic tissue factor assay: Comparison to clot-based assays and sensitivity established using pure tissue factor

Abstract The continuous chromogenic tissue factor assay has been compared to one-stage and two-stage coagulation assays, and its sensitivity has been established using purified human placental tissue factor. Loglog plots of the clot-times versus A405/min2 are linear over the mutually useful ranges of tissue factor concentration. Using human placental tissue factor reconstituted into phosphatidylserine-phosphatidylcholine (30:70) vesicles, the chromogenic assay quantitatively detected tissue factor in dilutions containing from 3 femtomoles to less than 10 attomoles of protein.
Effect of amphenone upon steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex of the golden hamster.

In the golden hamster, amphenone does not produce the marked adrenomegaly or increase in adrenal cholesterol content seen in other species. In the hamster, too, there is no effect of amphenone on corticoidogenesis as measured by urinary steroid excretion. Administration of amphenone to the hamster results in the excretion of a metabolite that interferes with the Zimmermann test for 17-ketosteroids. It is postulated that the hamster, and perhaps other species with lipid-poor adrenals, may not utilize cholesterol as an adrenal steroid precursor, but may condense small metabolic units directly to a C21 steroid.
Quantifying architectural debts

In our prior research, we found that problematic architectural connections can propagate errors. We also found that among multiple files, the architectural connections that violate common design principles strongly correlate with the error-proneness of files. The flawed architectural connections, if not fixed properly and timely, can become debts that accumulate high interest in terms of maintenance costs over time. In this paper, we define architectural debts as clusters of files with problematic architectural connections among them, and their connections incur high maintenance costs over time. Our goal is to 1) precisely identify which and how many files are involved in architectural debts; 2) quantify the penalties of architectural debts in terms of maintenance costs; and 3) model the growth trend of penalties---maintenance costs---that accumulate due to architectural debts. We plan to provide a quantitative model for project managers and stakeholders as a reference in making decisions of whether, when and where to invest in refactoring.
Cellular and molecular aspects of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in the cardiac troponin I gene.

Mutations in the cardiac troponin I (CTnI) gene occur in ∼5% of families with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) and 20 mutations in this gene that cause FHC have now been described. The clinical manifestations of CTnI mutations that cause FHC are diverse, ranging from asymptomatic with high life expectancy to severe heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Most of these FHC mutations in CTnI result in cardiac hypertrophy unlike cardiac troponin T FHC mutations. All CTnI FHC mutations investigated in vitro affect the physiological function of CTnI, but other factors such as environmental or genetic factors (other genes that may affect the CTnI gene) are likely to be involved in influencing the severity of the phenotype produced by these mutations, since the distribution of hypertrophy among affected individuals varies within and between families. CTnI mutations mainly alter myocardial performance via changes in the Ca2+-sensitivity of force development and in some cases alter the muscle relaxation kinetics due to haemodynamic or physical obstructions of blood flow from the left ventricle. (Mol Cell Biochem 263: 99–114, 2004)
THERMODYNAMIC STUDY OF QUATERNARY SYSTEMS WITH PARTICIPATION OF AMMONIUM AND SODIUM ALUMS AND CHROMIUM ALUMS

The Pitzer ion-interaction model has been used for thermodynamic simulation of the ternary NaCl-NH&l-H,O, NaBr-NH,Br-H,O, Na,SO,-(NH,),SO,-H,O, NiSO,-Al,(SO,),-H,O, and CuSO,-Al,(SO,),- H,O systems at T=298.15 K. The mixing parameters have been chosen on the basis of the compositions of saturated ternary solutions taking into account the unsymmetrical mixing terms % and EO'. The sodium- ammonium systems have been simulated simultaneously with a view to preserving a constant value of the binary 6Na,~, mixing parameter. It was established that the zero values of &Me and \vM,M~,SO, describe the properties of the ternary aqueous mixtures of 2-2 and 3-2 electrolytes with a sufficient accuracy. Important thermodynamic characteristics (thermodynamic solubility product, standard molar Gibbs energy of formation) of the solid phases (simple and double salts) crystallizing in the systems under consideration are determined. The calculated thermodynamic functions have been used for a thermodynamic study of the quatemary NqSO,- (NH&SO,-Cr,(SOJ,-H,O, and Na$O,-NiSO,-Al,(SO,),-H,O systems. Good agreement between experimentally determined and calculated solubilities has been found. 0 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Enrichment of OBO ontologies

This paper describes a frame-based integration of the three GO subontologies, the Chemical Entities of Biological Interest ontology, and the Cell Type Ontology in which relationships are modeled in a way that better captures the semantics between biological concepts represented by the terms, rather than between the terms themselves, than previous frame-based efforts. We also describe a methodology for creating suggested enriching assertions by identifying patterns in GO terms, mapping these patterns to new, specific relationships, and matching term substrings to concepts. Using this methodology, a predicted assertion was made for 62% of GO terms that matched one of 31 patterns, and 97% of these predicted assertions were assessed to be valid, resulting in an initial set of over 4000 assertions. Furthermore, this methodology programmatically integrates assertions into an ontology such that each assertion is fully consistent with respect to higher (i.e., more general) relevant class and slot levels.
Adenoviral-mediated transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor 121 cDNA enhances myocardial perfusion and exercise performance in the nonischemic state.

Abstract Background Angiogenic gene therapy has been demonstrated to enhance perfusion to ischemic tissues, but it is unknown whether the administration of angiogenic growth factors will increase blood flow to nonischemic tissues. This study investigates whether enhanced myocardial perfusion can be mediated by adenovirus-mediated transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor 121 cDNA to nonischemic myocardium. Methods New Zealand White rabbits received adenovirus (5 × 10 10 particle units) encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (n = 14) or a control vector without a transgene (n = 13) or saline solution (n = 9) via direct myocardial injection. Fluorescent microsphere perfusion studies and histologic analyses were performed 4 weeks later. In a parallel study, exercise treadmill testing was performed to assess the functional effects of this therapy in Sprague-Dawley rats. Results Microsphere assessment of myocardial perfusion in rabbits 4 weeks after adenovirus-encoding vascular endothelial growth factor administration was greater than that for rats injected with control vector without a transgene or saline solution (3.2 ± 0.5 vs 2.7 ± 0.7 and 2.4 ± 0.4, respectively; P P = .12). Rats treated with adenovirus-encoding vascular endothelial growth factor also demonstrated prolonged exercise tolerance compared with rats injected with control vector without a transgene or saline solution (exhaustion time: 26 ± 5 minutes vs 19 ± 2 minutes and 20 ± 3 minutes, respectively; P = .006). Conclusions Adenovirus encoding–mediated transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor 121 induces an enhancement in regional perfusion in nonischemic myocardium that corresponds to changes in exercise tolerance. Adenovirus-encoding vascular endothelial growth factor therapy may be useful for inducing angiogenesis in the nonischemic state, such as for prophylactic therapy of early coronary artery disease.
Cardiogenesis of Embryonic Stem Cells is Modulated by Hydrodynamic Mixing Conditions

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the potential to differentiate into all somatic cell types and are uniquely capable of differentiating into functional cardiomyocytes; however, to effectively use ESCs for cell-based therapies to regenerate viable myocardial tissue, an improved understanding of mechanisms regulating differentiation is necessary. Currently, application of exogenous factors is commonly attempted to direct stem cell differentiation; however, progression towards controlling multiple environmental factors, including biochemical and mechanical stimuli, may result in increased differentiation efficiency for clinical applications. Additionally, current methods of ESC differentiation to cardiomyocytes are labor-intensive and produce relatively few cardiomyocytes based on initial ESC densities. Rotary suspension culture to produce embryoid bodies (EBs) has been shown to yield greater numbers of differentiating ESCs than static suspension cultures [1]. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine how the hydrodynamic mixing conditions imposed by rotary orbital culture modulate cardiomyocyte differentiation.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Children's Concepts of the Mentally III

One hundred sixty-eight children in grades three through six were asked to read vignettes describing the problematic behaviors of mentally ill children and adults. The schoolchildren then labeled the characters, attributed causes and motivations to their behaviors, and suggested possible treatments. Although only 27% of the children labeled vignette characters as mentally ill and 11% recommended psychiatric interventions, all the children recommended some kind of intervention. While slightly fewer than one-third (29%) of the children suggested that an adult intervene in some nonpsychiatric manner, 60% recommended some kind of child-initiated activity as an intervention. A developmental trend was evident in children's attribution of mental illness labels and recommendations for both psychiatric and adult nonpsychiatric interventions.
Relationships between cognitive behavioral techniques, temperament, observed distress, and pain reports in children and adolescents during lumbar puncture**

A limited number of studies have examined relationships between temperament and children's/adolescents' responses to painful procedures and have identified several different dimensions of temperament that are related to children's pain response. The focus of these studies was one-time, acute pain experiences, such as immunization and postoperative pain. In this study, children and adolescents' responses to a moderately painful procedure, lumbar puncture, were examined as they related to temperament. Nineteen children and adolescents, ages 4 to 18 years, who were receiving treatment for cancer, were participants in this study. Parents completed one of three age-appropriate temperament questionnaires at the beginning of the study and prior to the parent and child learning cognitive-behavioral techniques. Behavior during the procedure was videotaped at baseline, and for up to four visits after baseline and coded using the Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress (OSBD). Pain reports were collected after the procedure using the Oucher pain self-report scale. Improvement in the level of behavioral distress was determined by examining the differences between pre- and post-treatment OSBD scores and self-reported pain ratings. There was a significant improvement in pain reports over the 5-month period, but behavioral distress did not change significantly. At the baseline visit, the temperament dimensions of more positive mood, lower activity, less persistence, and lower distractibility were related to higher pain reports, but not behavioral distress. However, after 5 months, only the dimension of positive mood was significantly correlated with improvement in pain reports. The amount of time parents and children practiced the techniques, their comfort with the techniques and their perceived effectiveness also were correlated with positive mood.
Constitutive Presentation of a Natural Tissue Autoantigen Exclusively by Dendritic Cells in the Draining Lymph Node

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-dependent presentation of processed tissue-specific self-antigens can contribute to either peripheral (extrathymic) tolerance or the differentiation of autoreactive T cells. Here, we have studied the MHC class II molecule presentation of gastric parietal cell (PC)-specific H+/K+-ATPase, which induces a destructive autoimmune gastritis in BALB/c mice lacking CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed physical association of CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) with PCs in the gastric mucosa. H+/K+-ATPase protein was found within vesicular compartments of a few CD11c+ DCs only in the draining gastric lymph node (LN) and these antigen-containing DCs increased markedly in number with the onset of tissue destruction in autoimmune animals. Both CD8αhi and CD8αlo gastric DCs, but not peripheral or mesenteric DCs, showed evidence of constitutive in vivo processing and presentation of H+/K+-ATPase. These data provide direct support for a widely held model of local tissue antigen uptake and trafficking by DCs in normal animals and demonstrate that DCs in the draining LN can present a tissue-specific self-antigen under noninflammatory conditions without fully deleting autoreactive T cells or inducing active autoimmunity.
Non-dipole fields and inclination bias: insights from a random walk analysis

Abstract The paleomagnetic assumption that the Earth’s magnetic field is reduced to a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) when sufficiently sampled has been called into question for Mesozoic and earlier times. It has been suggested, for example, that modest contributions from axial quadrupolar (10%) and octupolar (25%) fields are resolvable using inclination only data from paleomagnetic studies. The underlying assumption in inclination only studies is that considerable continental drift has occurred over a sufficiently long period of time to render paleomagnetic sampling random in a paleogeographic sense. This assumption was stated in all previous studies dating back to 1976, but was never tested. We have developed a random walk model designed to test this assumption. Our model uses three different configurations for the continents in the random walk and allows the user to vary parameters such as maximum velocity, sampling distribution, sampling frequency and frequency of directional change. The model generates large sample sizes that cannot be adequately evaluated using the standard χ2 statistical test and therefore we introduce two statistical parameters used in structural equation models. Our models indicate that the ‘random paleogeographic sampling’ assumption used in the previous studies is not valid due primarily to the lack of an adequate sample size and temporal distribution. We show, for example, that even the most robust dataset compiled in 1998 is severely undersampled. A series of model runs on a GAD earth with sampling over a 600 Myr period demonstrates that detailed sampling will, on average, produce a GAD-like distribution only 30% of the time. Other model runs demonstrate that inadequate sampling can produce false quadrupolar and octupolar effects. It is our conclusion that time-averaged inclination only studies using the extant paleomagnetic database should be viewed with extreme caution.
Infrared spectrum of the CH3-PtH complex in solid argon prepared in the oxidative C-H insertion of methane by laser-ablated Pt atoms.

Reactions of laser-ablated Pt atoms with CH4 during condensation in excess argon form CH3−PtH through oxidative C−H insertion show and that the late transition-metal atom Pt is an effective methane activation reagent, in agreement with gas phase investigations. Six observed infrared absorptions correlate with the six strongest calculated harmonic frequencies. The computed C−Pt bond length is slightly shorter than those of Pt complexes with large ligands. In addition, the strongest absorption of the CH2═PtH2 methylidene is detected.
Value relevance of earnings: Evidence from Middle Eastern and North African Countries

Abstract Researchers as well as regulators are increasingly more interested in enhancing their understanding of the factors that influence value relevance of reported earnings in financial statements. In the light of globalization and increased exposure to international accounting practices, a better comprehension of factors contributing to or reducing value relevance of earnings is essential. This paper investigates the value relevance of earnings and its components for a number of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries. Additionally, the paper examines how differences in levels of mandated disclosures, source of accounting standards, and legal systems moderate the informativeness of earnings to investors. We find that mandated disclosure and source of accounting standard, (especially non-governmental source) are positively associated with earnings informativeness. Additionally, MENA countries with French civil law and systems have lower value relevance relative to countries in our sample with English and related legal codes. Further, the firms that have adopted international financial reporting standards have higher value relevance than firms in MENA countries which adhere to local standards.
Antifungal Drug Discovery: Something Old and Something New

Invasive fungal infections are devastating. Despite state-of-theart antifungal therapy, the mortality rates for invasive infections with the three most common species of human fungal pathogens are Candida albicans, 20%–40% [1]; Aspergillus fumigatus, 50%–90% [1]; and Cryptococcus neoformans, 20%–70% [2]. Although invasive fungal infections can affect people with intact immune systems, the vast majority of disease occurs in the setting of an immunocompromised host. As discussed recently, the dismal outcomes for invasive fungal infections cannot be completely attributed to a lack of efficacious antifungal drugs [3]. However, because most patients with invasive fungal infections are immunocompromised, the immune system cannot effectively assist in the clearance of the infection, and consequently, the success of treatment is more dependent on the efficacy of the antifungal agent than in the setting of an immunocompetent host. Unfortunately, our repertoire of antifungal agents is limited, particularly in comparison to the number of agents available for bacterial infections. In fact, it took 30 years for the newest class of antifungal drugs, the echinocandins, to progress from bench-to-beside (Figure 1A). Furthermore, it is sobering to consider that the gold standard therapy for cryptococcal meningitis, a disease that kills more than 650,000 per year world-wide [2], is based on medications (amphotericin B and flucytosine) that were discovered nearly 50 years ago.
Steady, annual, and monthly recharge implied by deep unconfined aquifer flow

Abstract We consider the response of a deep unconfined horizontal aquifer to steady, annual, and monthly recharge. A groundwater divide and a zero head reservoir constrain the aquifer, so that sinusoidal monthly and aperiodic annual recharge fluctuations create transient specific discharge near the reservoir and an unsteady water table elevation inland. One existing and two new long-term data sets from the Plymouth-Carver Aquifer in southeastern Massachusetts calibrate and confirm hydraulic properties in a set of analytical models. [Geohydrology and simulated groundwater flow, 1992] data and a new power law for tritiugenic helium to tritium ratios calibrate the steady recharge that drives the classical parabolic model of steady hydraulics [Applied Hydrogeology, 2001]. Observed water table and gradient fluctuations calibrate the transient recharge models. In the latter regard, monitoring wells within 1 km of Buttermilk Bay exhibit appreciable specific discharge and reduced water table fluctuations. We apply [Trans Am Geophys Union 32(1951)238] periodic model to the monthly hydraulics and a recharge convolution integral [J Hydrol 126(1991)315] to annual flow. An infiltration fraction of 0.79 and a consumptive use coefficient of 1.08×10 −8 m/s °C relate recharge to precipitation and daylight weighted temperature across all three time scales. Errors associated with this recharge relation decrease with increasing time scale.
Global Self-Rating Validation of the Measurement of Extraversion and Neuroticism

To contribute to the estimation of the validity of Eysenck's major personality dimensions of extraversion and neuroticism, as measured by the newly developed P-E-N inventory (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1972), 122 university students completed the P-E-N as well as global self-ratings of these dimensions. The correlations between the two techniques were 0.61 and 0.67 for extraversion and neuroticism, respectively. Individuals identified by the personality inventory as extravert or introvert also differed significantly in the expected direction on the global self-ratings. This result also obtained for neuroticism. The two dimensions themselves were significantly correlated in the personality inventory, contrary to Eysenck's theory, but not in the global self-ratings. The results, which were in accord with previous work supporting the self-rating validation of these dimensions, extend that work to the most recently developed measures of extraversion and neuroticism.
Microstencils for the patterning of nontraditional materials.

A microfabrication technique that uses a photolithographically patterned film as a microstencil has been developed. This microstencil has a bilayer structure comprised of parylene and SU-8 films with thicknesses from 4 to 100 μm. The parylene layer enables the microstencil to be mechanically peeled from hydrophilic substrates. Since no chemicals are required to release the microstencil, this technique can be used to pattern chemically and biologically sensitive materials. The amount of material deposited can be automatically controlled by the height of the SU-8 structures or externally controlled by spin coating or other thin film deposition techniques. This patterning method is very versatile and has been used to pattern features as small as 25 by 25 μm on silicon, glass, and polymer substrates. As an initial demonstration, we have patterned wax, cells, proteins, sol, and CYTOP.
Growth of high purity AlN crystals

The problems associated with the growth of high purity crystals of AlN are reviewed. The impurities Be, C, Mg, Mn, O, S, and Si are discussed. From a review of the literature it appears to be possible to make both n-type and p-type AlN. A technique for producing high purity AlN powder from Al metal by use of AlF3 as an intermediate product is described. This AlN powder can be converted to single crystals by sublimation in a closed tungsten crucible or in an open tube with a gas flow. Crystals up to a few millimeters in size have been grown.
Single-molecule approach to understanding multivalent binding kinetics.

Multivalency results from the simultaneous binding of multiple ligands with multiple receptors. Understanding the effect of multivalency on binding kinetics in molecular and cellular systems may aid the development of new types of therapeutics or countermeasures to pathogen infection. Here, we describe a method using single-molecule dynamic force spectroscopy to determine the binding strength of antibody-protein complexes as a function of binding valency in a direct and simple measurement. We used the atomic force microscope to measure the force required to rupture a single complex formed by the MUC1 protein, a cancer indicator, and therapeutic antibodies that target MUC 1. We will show that nanomechanical polymer tethers can be used in a new manner to count the number of biological bonds formed. Mechanical work will disrupt these bonds and can be used to quantify the overall kinetics. This ability to form, count, and dissociate biological bonds with nanomechanical forces provides a powerful method to study the physical laws governing the interactions of biological molecules.
Circulation mechanisms of climate anomalies in East Africa and the equatorial Indian Ocean

Abstract The “Short Rains” at the coast of equatorial East Africa, concentrated around October–November, are highly variable and have an extremely tight concurrent correlation with the westerlies over the central equatorial Indian Ocean. The equatorial westerlies drive the Wyrtki Jet in the upper ocean and enhance the westward temperature gradient, and they are the surface manifestation of a powerful zonal-vertical circulation cell along the Indian Ocean Equator at this time of the year. With a strong equatorial circulation cell, the enhanced subsidence and cool surface waters in the West serve to reduce the rainfall over East Africa, and conversely the enhanced ascending motion and warm waters in the East favor precipitation in Indonesia. In the interannual variability over the second half of the 20th century, the years 1961, 1994 and 1997 stand out with particularly weak westerlies over the central equatorial Indian Ocean and disastrous floods in East Africa. At longer time scales, there is evidence of an enhancement of the equatorial westerlies accompanying the drop of lake levels and onset of glacier recession in East Africa in the last two decades of the 19th century. Despite the tight concurrent correlations, the prospects for seasonal forecasting are modest. Predictability decreased from the 1958–1977 to the 1978–1997 period, although the boreal autumn equatorial zonal circulation cell remained strong throughout.
Symmetric Ciphers Based on Two-Dimensional Chaotic Maps

In this paper, methods are shown how to adapt invertible two-dimensional chaotic maps on a torus or on a square to create new symmetric block encryption schemes. A chaotic map is first generalized by introducing parameters and then discretized to a finite square lattice of points which represent pixels or some other data items. Although the discretized map is a permutation and thus cannot be chaotic, it shares certain properties with its continuous counterpart as long as the number of iterations remains small. The discretized map is further extended to three dimensions and composed with a simple diffusion mechanism. As a result, a symmetric block product encryption scheme is obtained. To encrypt an N×N image, the ciphering map is iteratively applied to the image. The construction of the cipher and its security is explained with the two-dimensional Baker map. It is shown that the permutations induced by the Baker map behave as typical random permutations. Computer simulations indicate that the cipher has g...
Isotope effects on the fine structure parameters and phosphorescence spectra of triplet benzophenones

Abstract Isotope effects on the fine-structure parameters and phosphorescence spectra of 3 (nπ * ) benzophenones containing 1 H, 2 H, 12 C, 13 C, 16 O, and 18 O nuclei have been observed. A comparison of the data provides direct experimental evidence for the importance of Franck-Condon factors in determining the extent to which the lowest triplet state is mixed with nearby states via the spin-orbit interaction.
Function of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 1A (eIF1A) (Formerly Called eIF-4C) in Initiation of Protein Synthesis

We have used an efficient in vitro translation initiation system to show that the mammalian 17-kDa eukaryotic initiation factor, eIF1A (formerly designated eIF-4C), is essential for transfer of the initiator Met-tRNAf (as Met-tRNAf·eIF2·GTP ternary complex) to 40 S ribosomal subunits in the absence of mRNA to form the 40 S preinitiation complex (40 S·Met-tRNAf·eIF2·GTP). Furthermore, eIF1A acted catalytically in this reaction to mediate highly efficient transfer of the Met-tRNAf·eIF2·GTP ternary complex to 40 S ribosomal subunits. The 40 S complex formed was free of eIF1A indicating that its role in 40 S preinitiation complex formation is not to stabilize the binding of Met-tRNAf to 40 S ribosomes. Additionally, the eIF1A-mediated 40 S initiation complex formed in the presence of AUG codon efficiently joined 60 S ribosomal subunits in an eIF5-dependent reaction to form a functional 80 S initiation complex. In contrast to other reports, we found that eIF1A plays no role either in the subunit joining reaction or in the generation of ribosomal subunits from 80 S ribosomes. Our results indicate that the major function of eIF1A is to mediate the transfer of Met-tRNAf to 40 S ribosomal subunits to form the 40 S preinitiation complex.
Panama Canal expansion: alleviating global climate change

This paper quantifies likely changes in greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to anthropogenic climate change, resulting from the expansion of the Panama Canal and the consequent increase in ship-borne commercial transportation from east Asia to the US east coast. Ocean transportation offers higher fuel economy and lower pollutant emissions compared with land transport. Additionally, truck and train transportation of cargo along the US land bridge threatens to overwhelm existing highway and rail systems and limit economic growth. The alternate transportation route for easterly transit of the Panama Canal will reduce overland traffic congestion and enhance economic development by maintaining freight flow efficiency.