cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specificity of arsenite in potentiating cytogenetic damage induced by the DNA crosslinking agent diepoxybutane.

In the present study, the induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and chromosomal aberrations were measured in normal human lymphocytes treated with low concentrations of arsenite alone (0.5-2.0 [mu]M) and arsenite in combination with the potent DNA crosslinking agent diepoxybutane (DEB). Experiments were carried out with lymphocytes from blood donors with different sensitivities to SCE induction by DEB. Arsenite, beginning at concentrations as low as 1 [mu]M, increased SCE frequencies; chromosomal aberration frequencies were increased at 2 [mu]M of arsenite. DEB treatments alone increased SCE frequencies and chromosomal aberrations. The yields of chromatid deletions and exchanges in lymphocytes exposed to both arsenite and DEB were markedly increased above the levels expected if the effects of the two agents had been simply additive. The frequencies of chromatid deletions were 4- to 8-fold greater than expected and chromatid exchanges were increased 7- to 40-fold. Chromatid exchanges detected in cells treated with arsenite and DEB were predominantly incomplete exchanges. The most dramatic increases in chromatid aberrations were observed in lymphocytes from an individual sensitive to SCE induction by DEB, indicating that individuals may vary in their sensitivity to the co-clastogenic effects of arsenite. At concentrations that dramatically affect aberrations, arsenite had no effectmore » on the induction of SCEs by DEB. These studies suggest a specific interaction of arsenite with the induction or repair of DNA damage produced by DEB that leads to chromosomal aberrations but not to SCEs. Based on the selective chemical reactivity of low concentrations of arsenite with proteins containing vicinal dithiols and the occurrence of these groups within DNA repair proteins, it is proposed that the specific co-clastogenic effects of arsenite may be mediated by its interference with DNA repair activities. 39 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less
Architecture description languages for programmable embedded systems

Embedded systems present a tremendous opportunity to customise designs by exploiting the application behaviour. Shrinking time-to-market, coupled with short product lifetimes, create a critical need for rapid exploration and evaluation of candidate architectures. Architecture description languages (ADL) enable exploration of programmable architectures for a given set of application programs under various design constraints such as area, power and performance. The ADL is used to specify programmable embedded systems, including processor, coprocessor and memory architectures. The ADL specification is used to generate a variety of software tools and models facilitating exploration and validation of candidate architectures. The paper surveys the existing ADLs in terms of (a) the inherent features of the languages and (b) the methodologies they support to enable simulation, compilation, synthesis, test generation and validation of programmable embedded systems. It concludes with a discussion of the relative merits and demerits of the existing ADLs and expected features of future ADLs.
Aim-An Automated Inspection Microscope For Measuring Critical Dimensions

An automated system for measuring critical dimensions of hard disk heads in a production environment has been developed and put to use successfully in manufacturing. It measures features ranging in size from less than a micron to more than half a millimeter. The Automated Inspection Microscope (AIM), makes reliable measurements of these dimensions seven to nine times faster and with about twice the precision than the conventional methods which it replaced. A special purpose region building and merging algorithm produces results which are very dependable when contaminants, scratches or chips are present along with the feature to be measured. The system inspects loads of ninety six heads at a time with little or no operator intervention. This paper discusses the hardware components of the system, its programming, and its role as part of a parts tracking and inspection system. Particular attention will be given to the algorithms and techniques used in measuring the head gaps, which are are in the micron size range.
Differential Reproduction of the Mite, Varroa jacobsoni (Mesostigmata: Varroidae), on Africanized and European Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Recent surveys of honey bee colony mortality due to the external parasite Varroa jacobsoni (Oudemans) suggest that the virulence of this mite pest may be affected by climate or honey bee race. The latter possibility was tested by examining the effect of varroa infestation on colonies of Africanized and European bees in Brazil. Infestation of varroa on colonies of both bees was similar, but there were significant differences between percentages of mites that reproduced. In European bee colonies, 75% of infested brood cells had immature mites compared with only 49% of infested brood cells in colonies of Africanized bees. Decreased rate of varroa reproduction on Africanized honey bee worker brood is one factor contributing to reduction of virulence of varroa in Africanized bee colonies. The role of a second factor, length of honey bee pupal state, also is discussed. Honey bee race rather than differences in climate appears to play a crucial role in resistance to varroa.
Organic bases in NAPLs and their impact on wettability

Abstract Organic bases in crude oil have been linked to complex interfacial phenomena that could affect the multiphase flow of these fluids in subsurface systems. Little information is available, however, to correlate the strength and concentration of organic bases in nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) to interfacial properties. The specific objectives of this paper were: (1) to evaluate and apply titration techniques employing nonaqueous solvents to quantify the acid neutralizing capacity and characterize the strength of the organic base constituents in complex NAPL mixtures; and, (2) to relate these characteristics to the wetting properties of quartz minerals exposed to environmentally significant NAPLs. The selection of a suitable organic solvent is critical for nonaqueous titration. Mixtures of known organic bases were used to verify the capability of three different solvent systems for quantifying the concentration and strength of organic bases. Methyl iso-butyl ketone was identified as the best solvent for the nonaqueous titration—providing both accurate measurement of the total concentration of bases as well as providing a means of differentiating between strong and weak base constituents. The NAPLs tested showed a wide range of base concentrations and were found to contain only weak organic bases. All of the NAPLs with a base number greater than two significantly altered the system wettability at pH=4.6. Only a few, however affected the wettability at pH=7.2. These observations confirm the characterization of the organic bases as weak bases. The titration techniques, however, cannot characterize the strength of the bases precisely enough to predict the aqueous phase pH at which a NAPL–water–quartz system would become oil wetting.
High Speed Adaptive Signal Progressing Using the Delta Operator

Fan, H., and De, P., High Speed Adaptive Signal Progressing Using the Delta Operator, Digital Signal Processing11 (2001), 3?34.In this paper the use of the delta operator, i.e., a scaled difference operator, in adaptive signal processing with fast sampling is presented. It is recognized that most discrete-time signals and systems are the result of sampling continuous-time signals and systems. When sampling is fast, all resulting signals and systems tend to become ill conditioned and thus difficult to deal with using the conventional algorithms. The delta operator based algorithms, as will be developed in this paper, are numerically better behaved under finite precision implementations for fast sampling. Therefore, they provide many improvements in terms of numerical accuracy and/or convergence speed. Furthermore, the delta operator based algorithms can in most cases be shown to have meaningful continuous-time limits as the sampling becomes faster and faster. Thus they function as a bridge in unifying discrete-time algorithms with continuous-time algorithms. This enhances our insight into and overall understanding of these various algorithms. In this paper, several well-known algorithms in statistical and adaptive signal processing will be cast into their delta operator counterparts. Some new delta operator based algorithms will also be developed. Whenever applicable, corresponding continuous-time limits of these delta operator based algorithms will be pointed out. Computer simulation results using finite precision implementation will also be presented for some of the new algorithms, which generally show much improvement compared with the results from using traditional algorithms.
Numerical evaluation of the fidelity error threshold for the surface code

We study how the resilience of the surface code is affected by the coupling to a non-Markovian environment at zero temperature. The qubits in the surface code experience an effective dynamics due to the coupling to the environment that induces correlations among them. The range of the effective induced qubit-qubit interaction depends on parameters related to the environment and the duration of the quantum error correction cycle. We show numerically that different interaction ranges set different intrinsic bounds on the fidelity of the code. These bounds are unrelated to the error thresholds based on stochastic error models. We introduce a definition of stabilizers based on logical operators that allows us to efficiently implement a Metropolis algorithm to determine upper bounds to the fidelity error threshold.
Lakes in a new light: Indirect effects of ultraviolet radiation

Stratospheric ozone concentrations are not expected to recover to pre-ozone hole levels until the mid-21st century and, even after ozone recovery, climate and other anthropogenic changes will continue to alter ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure regimes in aquatic ecosystems. Although our understanding of the ecology of UV continues to move towards a new paradigm that emphasises complex interactive and indirect effects of UV on communities of organisms, rather than simple direct negative effects on individuals, considerable uncertainty remains regarding the impacts of sustained or changing UV stress on aquatic ecosystems. In this synthesis we examine the importance of indirect UV effects for some key ecosystem level characteristics and processes in lakes. We draw particular attention to the implications of UV for disease dynamics, contaminant toxicity, biodiversity, and carbon cycling in lakes. Although UV has strong lethal mutagenic and chronic physiological effects on organisms, we suggest that indirect effect pathways, including UV effects on animal behaviour, food quality, and trophic interactions are likely to be important in lake ecosystem dynamics.
How quasi-rational are you?: A behavioral interpretation of a two form which measures non-integrability of a system of demand equations

Abstract The symmetrized Slutsky matrix is used to provide an income measure of non-integrability. This matrix, used as a two-form by Arnold to measure non-integrability of an exterior differential system, measures how far quasi-rational (systematic but not utility maximizing) demand is from being rational.
Prevalence of obstructive airway disease among self-reporting county and state fair attendees in Iowa

Abstract Rationale The increased incidence and mortality of asthma have been attributed to the “hygiene hypothesis”. Another contributing factor could be related to a lack of recognition of symptoms by patients and providers. Here we report the incidence of asthma in fair attendees who stopped by asthma screening booths. Methods From July 2000 through July 2003, eight screening sessions were held at both local (Johnson County, IA) and state fairs (Des Moines, IA). During these sessions, volunteers performed spirometry and filled out a questionnaire. Results Of 525 volunteers (28 were ≤7 years-old, 122 were 8-14 years-old, and 375 were ≥15 years-old), 112 (21.3%) (Males=40/Females=72) reported that they had been previously diagnosed with asthma. Of these, 17 (15.2%) (Males=10/Females=7) had an FEV1 ≤75% predicted. Of these 17, 13 were treated by a primary care physician, 2 by an allergist, and 2 reported no treating physician. Of the 95 volunteers with asthma history and normal FEV1, 48% were treated by a primary care physician, 36% reported no treating physician, 8% were treated by an allergist, and 5% by a pulmonologist. Of the remaining 413 people who had no previous diagnosis of asthma, 56 (13.6%) (Males=25/Females=31) had an FEV1 ≤75% predicted. We found a total incidence of obstructive airway disease in this population, as defined by an FEV1 Conclusions Based on this population of self-reporting fair attendees, a large percentage had potentially undiagnosed asthma as well as asthma that was poorly controlled.
Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Valuation Database (GecoServ): Gathering ecosystem services valuation studies to promote their inclusion in the decision-making process

Abstract The main goals of the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Service Valuation Database (GecoServ), an inventory of ecosystem services (ES) valuation studies applicable to the Gulf of Mexico, are to allow for the distribution and sharing of information about said studies and to identify current gaps in the ES valuation literature. The utility of GecoServ ( http://www.gecoserv.org ) lies in that it fills a void left by non-ES specific environmental databases, highlights the lack of studies for some ecosystems and associated services, and provides background information for future ES valuation studies. GecoServ functions as a uniquely centralized source of information for both researchers and natural resource managers. Researchers can find information for different study sites to be used in value transfer methods. For managers, instead, GecoServ is a tool that provides them with ES values to inform their decision-making process.
Expected part delays as a secondary layout criterion in automated manufacturing systems

Abstract Delays in the internal movement of parts can directly influence throughput performance in some manufacturing systems. A part delay model for single-vehicle material handling systems is formulated and used to link the problems of facility layout and throughput maximization in automated manufacturing systems. The model is applied through a two-phase algorithm where a vehicle scheduling procedure bounds the level of expected part delays associated with alternative layout designs. A series of test problems is used to illustrate the performance and examine the robustness of the modelling procedure.
A high performance focusing silicon monochromator

Abstract The concept of high resolution neutron powder diffraction (HRNPD) that emerged in 1975 at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) is based on flat mosaic crystal monochromators at large take-off angles (typically 20Θ ≈ 120°) and Soller collimators of narrow angular divergence [l]. Because of the unavoidable heavy losses at high resolution with tight collimation, this concept has mainly been implemented at high flux research reactors [2–31. Its advantage is that the resolution does not depend on the sample size, so that one can gain intensity with large samples. Disadvantages are high cost and complexity. The HRNPD instrument at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has been pushed to the the technical limit in every respect [3], but has thus become quite a mammoth. Much work has been done to develop its monochromator: a high stack of flat mosaic plates, each a soldered packet of thin wafers of squashed germanium, with vertical focusing by tilting [4–51.
An alternative explanation for evidence that xenon depletion, pore formation, and grain subdivision begin at different local burnups

Abstract In order to interpret the recent observation that xenon depletion, pore formation, and grain subdivision occur successively at increasing local burnups, a rate-theory-based model is used to investigate the nucleation and growth of cavities during low-temperature irradiation of UO 2 in the presence of irradiation-induced interstitial-loop formation and growth. Consolidation of the dislocation structure takes into account the generation of forest dislocations and capture of interstitial dislocation loops. The loops accumulate and ultimately evolve into a low-energy cellular dislocation structure. The cell walls have been previously identified as recrystallization nuclei. The calculations indicate that nanometer-size bubbles are associated with this cellular dislocation structure while the observed micron-size bubbles are presumed to be either preexisting pores deformed by adjacent grains and/or new pores formed in the new recrystallized grain-boundary junctions. Subsequent to recrystallization, gas released from the recrystallized grains feeds the preexisting pores and the recrystallized grains may appear to form a preferential concentration of subdivided grains around the growing pores. This picture is illustrated in a sequence of photomicrographs of irradiated U 3 O 8.
Spatial dynamics of overbank sedimentation in floodplain systems

Abstract Floodplains provide valuable social and ecological functions, and understanding the rates and patterns of overbank sedimentation is critical for river basin management and rehabilitation. Channelization of alluvial systems throughout the world has altered hydrological and sedimentation processes within floodplain ecosystems. In the loess belt region of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of the United States, channelization, the geology of the region, and past land-use practices have resulted in the formation of dozens of valley plugs in stream channels and the formation of shoals at the confluence of stream systems. Valley plugs completely block stream channels with sediment and debris and can result in greater deposition rates on floodplain surfaces. Presently, however, information is lacking on the rates and variability of overbank sedimentation associated with valley plugs and shoals. We quantified deposition rates and textures in floodplains along channelized streams that contained valley plugs and shoals, in addition to floodplains occurring along an unchannelized stream, to improve our understanding of overbank sedimentation associated with channelized streams. Feldspar clay marker horizons and marker poles were used to measure floodplain deposition from 2002 to 2005 and data were analyzed with geospatial statistics to determine the spatial dynamics of sedimentation within the floodplains. Mean sediment deposition rates ranged from 0.09 to 0.67 cm/y at unchannelized sites, 0.16 to 2.27 cm/y at shoal sites, and 3.44 to 6.20 cm/y at valley plug sites. Valley plug sites had greater rates of deposition, and the deposited sediments contained more coarse sand material than either shoal or unchannelized sites. A total of 59 of 183 valley plug study plots had mean deposition rates > 5 cm/y. The geospatial analyses showed that the spatial dynamics of sedimentation can be influenced by the formation of valley plugs and shoals on channelized streams; however, responses can vary. Restoration efforts in the region need to have basinwide collaboration with landowners and address catchment-scale processes, including the geomorphic instability of the region, to be successful.
The linguistic advantage of the intellectually gifted child: An empirical study of spontaneous speech

This study compares the linguistic development of a gifted bilingual child from birth to 7 with that of subjects in first language acquisition research. The aspects analyzed are phonology, morpholo...
Bortezomib as a Potential Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Androgen ablation and chemotherapy provide effective palliation for most patients with advanced prostate cancer, but eventually progressing androgen-independent prostate cancer threatens the lives of patients usually within a few years, mandating improvement in therapy. Proteasome inhibition has been proposed as a therapy target for the treatment of solid and hematological malignancies. The proteasome is a ubiquitous enzyme complex that is a hub for the regulation of many intracellular regulatory pathways; because of its essential function, this enzyme has become a new target for cancer treatment. Studies with bortezomib (VELCADE, formerly known as PS-341) and other proteasome inhibitors indicate that cancer cells are especially dependent on the proteasome for survival, and several mechanisms used by prostate cancer cells require proteasome function. Bortezomib has been studied extensively in vitro and in vivo, and anticancer activity has been seen in cell and animal models for several solid tumor types, including prostate cancer. A Phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose of once-weekly bortezomib has been completed. This trial included a large fraction of patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. The maximum tolerated dose was reached at 1.6 mg/m(2). A correlation was seen among bortezomib dose, proteasome inhibition, and positive modulation of serum prostate-specific antigen. There was also evidence of down-regulation of serum interleukin 6, a downstream nuclear factor kappaB effector. This Phase I trial and preclinical studies support additional testing of bortezomib in combination with radiation or chemotherapy for androgen-independent prostate cancer.
General pediatrics: a study of practice in the mid-1960's.

The office practices of a random representative sample of 19 of 51 private general pediatricians in Monroe County, New York, were studied. During winter and spring, 1966, 357 patients were interviewed in the 19 offices. Both physician and patient data were collected, analyzed, and correlated. The data obtained are compared with that in the literature. The applicability of this type of study to over-all health-manpower investigations is suggested. Proposals and plans for child health care in the future are made.
Why the Affirmative Action Debate Persists: The Role of Moral Disagreement

This article concerns an issue that often remains implicit within the public debate about affirmative action and related race-conscious education policies: What role do contested moral ideals play in the disagreement about affirmative action? As background, the article first outlines what a moral disagreement is and then goes on to examine the roots of the disagreement about affirmative action. A case is made for the importance of illuminating and understanding the moral disagreement about affirmative action to inform the public deliberation about related race-conscious education policies, especially given that affirmative action policies are being challenged once again in the public political arena.
Development of a new tacaribe arenavirus infection model and its use to explore antiviral activity of a novel aristeromycin analog.

Background A growing number of arenaviruses can cause a devastating viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) syndrome. They pose a public health threat as emerging viruses and because of their potential use as bioterror agents. All of the highly pathogenic New World arenaviruses (NWA) phylogenetically segregate into clade B and require maximum biosafety containment facilities for their study. Tacaribe virus (TCRV) is a nonpathogenic member of clade B that is closely related to the VHF arenaviruses at the amino acid level. Despite this relatedness, TCRV lacks the ability to antagonize the host interferon (IFN) response, which likely contributes to its inability to cause disease in animals other than newborn mice. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we describe a new mouse model based on TCRV challenge of AG129 IFN-α/β and -γ receptor-deficient mice. Titration of the virus by intraperitoneal (i.p.) challenge of AG129 mice resulted in an LD50 of ~100 fifty percent cell culture infectious doses. Virus replication was evident in the serum, liver, lung, spleen, and brain 4–8 days after inoculation. MY-24, an aristeromycin derivative active against TCRV in cell culture at 0.9 µM, administered i.p. once daily for 7 days, offered highly significant (P<0.001) protection against mortality in the AG129 mouse TCRV infection model, without appreciably reducing viral burden. In contrast, in a hamster model of arenaviral hemorrhagic fever based on challenge with clade A Pichinde arenavirus, MY-24 did not offer significant protection against mortality. Conclusions/Significance MY-24 is believed to act as an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, but our findings suggest that it may ameliorate disease by blunting the effects of the host response that play a role in disease pathogenesis. The new AG129 mouse TCRV infection model provides a safe and cost-effective means to conduct early-stage pre-clinical evaluations of candidate antiviral therapies that target clade B arenaviruses.
The Role Path: A Concept and Procedure for Studying Migration to Urban Communities

When an adult migrates from from a rural community to the city, he enters a world of unfamiliar roles, new social relationships, and different patterns of behavior. Through socialization into the culture and social organization of the rural community, he develops an understanding of that community with its recognized social positions, and the role prescriptions and behavior associated with these positions. In the city, a process of resocialization must occur if the migrant is to become an effective participant in urban life. Through interaction with others in the urban setting, he will be enabled to acquire a greater or lesser understanding of the city's social structure and of the role prescriptions and behavior associated with these new and different positions.
Analyses of alignment measurement error

Summary form only given. In this article, the alignment patterns that are subject to have some large alignment measurement errors are discussed. Secondly, FFO (FIA focus optimization) is discussed. FFO is an optical alignment technique, which greatly improves the accuracy of FIA (Field Image Alignment) sensor of Nikon's NSR series.
State Estimation and Voltage/VAR Control in Distribution Network With Intermittent Measurements

Reactive power injection in smart grid distribution networks via distributed generators is envisioned to play a vital role in voltage/VAR support. In this paper, we integrate the three aspects of voltage/VAR support: modeling, state estimation and network control in a single framework. Firstly, we develop an input to state nonlinear dynamic model that incorporates power flow equations along with load and distributed generation (DG) forecasts. Then, considering an extended Kalman filter (EKF) approach for nonlinear state estimation, we analyze the impact of dropped packets on stability of estimation process. Finally, we apply separation principle locally around some known state estimates, to design a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) based voltage/VAR support strategy. The control problem aims to minimize the aggregate reactive power injected by DG with the following constraints: 1) voltage regulation; 2) phase imbalance correction; and 3) maximum and minimum reactive power injection by individual generators. Considering computational complexity incurred in search for the optimal solution for large scale nonlinear control problems, we propose a successive time varying linear (STVL) approximation to our voltage/VAR control problem. The control framework approach and the analytical results presented in this paper are validated by simulating a radial distribution network as an example.
Reemergence of the maxi K+ as a K+ secretory channel.

To the Editor: A recent publication by Bailey et al.1 resurrected the micropuncture technique to address a long-standing question regarding the ion channels responsible for K+ secretion in the distal nephron. In this study, the investigators demonstrated that the large, Ca2+-activated K+ channel (maxi K+) has an important role to secrete K+ when demand is high. The history of the maxi K+ (now genetically termed slowpoke or slo) as a renal K+ secretory channel began in 1984 when the maxi K+ in the rabbit cortical collecting duct was the first renal epithelial channel described at the single channel level by the patch-clamp technique.2 However, the maxi K+ was soon discarded as a K+ secretory channel because of its low open probability at physiological intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and membrane potentials. The maxi K+ gave way to a small conductance K+ channel (SK), open 80% of the time in physiological conditions.3
Secretion of recombinant proteins by Gram-negative bacteria

During the past few years, significant progress has been made towards our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing the translocation of proteins through bacterial cell membranes. Successful attempts in promoting the secretion of recombinant proteins by employing this knowledge and by empirical efforts have been registered. However, a further in-depth understanding of membrane-translocation mechanisms is required before predictable manipulations of secretion systems can be made to secrete native recombinant proteins that are not naturally targeted to the extracellular compartment.
Vibrational spectroscopy of protonated imidazole and its complexes with water molecules : Ab initio anharmonic calculations and experiments

The results of anharmonic frequency calculations on neutral imidazole (C3N2H4, Im), protonated imidazole (ImH+), and its complexes with water (ImH+)(H2O)n, are presented and compared to gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy (IRPD) data. Anharmonic frequencies are obtained via ab initio vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) calculations taking into account pairwise interactions between the normal modes. The key results are: (1) Prediction of anharmonic vibrational frequencies on an MP2 ab initio potential energy surface show excellent agreement with experiment and outstanding improvement over the harmonic frequencies. For example, the ab initio calculated anharmonic frequency for (ImH+)(H2O)N2 exhibits an overall average percentage error of 0.6% from experiment. (2) Anharmonic vibrational frequencies calculated on a semiempirical potential energy surface fitted to ab initio harmonic data represents spectroscopy well, particularly for water complexes. As an example, anharmonic frequencies for (ImH+)H2O and (ImH+)(H2O)2 show an overall average deviation of 1.02% and 1.05% from experiment, respectively. This agreement between theory and experiment also supports the validity and use of the pairwise approximation used in the calculations. (3) Anharmonic coupling due to hydration effects is found to significantly reduce the vibrational frequencies for the NH stretch modes. The frequency of the NH stretch is observed to increase with the removal of a water molecule or replacement of water with N2. This result also indicates the ability of the VSCF method to predict accurate frequencies in a matrix environment. The calculation provides insights into the nature of anharmonic effects in the potential surface. Analysis of percentage anharmoncity in neutral Im and ImH+ shows a higher percentage anharmonicity in the NH and CH stretch modes of neutral Im. Also, we observe that anharmonicity in the NH stretch modes of ImH+ have some contribution from coupling effects, while that of neutral Im has no contribution whatsoever from mode-mode coupling. It is concluded that the incorporation of anharmonic effects in the calculation brings theory and experiment into much closer agreement for these systems.
Contractile role of M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors in gastrointestinal, airway and urinary bladder smooth muscle

Both M(2) and M(3) muscarinic receptors are expressed in smooth muscle and influence contraction through distinct signaling pathways. M(3) receptors interact with G(q) to trigger phosphoinositide hydrolysis, Ca(2+) mobilization and a direct contractile response. In contrast, M(2) receptors interact with G(i) and G(o) to inhibit adenylyl cyclase and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels and to potentiate a Ca(2+)-dependent, nonselective cation conductance. Ultimately, these mechanisms lead to the prediction that the influence of the M(2) receptor on contraction should be conditional upon mobilization of Ca(2+) by another receptor such as the M(3). Mathematical modeling studies of these mechanisms show that the competitive antagonism of a muscarinic response mediated through activation of both M(2) and M(3) receptors should resemble the profile of the directly acting receptor (i.e., the M(3)) and not that of the conditionally acting receptor (i.e., the M(2)). Using a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches, we have identified two mechanisms for the M(2) receptor in contraction: 1) a high potency inhibition of the relaxation elicited by agents that increase cytosolic cAMP and 2) a low potency potentiation of contractions elicited by the M(3) receptor. The latter mechanism may be involved in muscarinic agonist-mediated heterologous desensitization of smooth muscle, which requires activation of both M(2) and M(3) receptors.
Perceptual learning in visual category acquisition

The attribute structure of a set of dot patterns was studied by having subjects segment (parse) the dots of each pattern into parts or subunits by drawing circles around groups of dots from each pattern. These parsing data were obtained for subjects who had no prior experience with the patterns and for subjects who had previously learned to identify the patterns as members of one of four categories. Analyses of the parsing data indicated that category learning increased the salience of large subunits that were similar in orientation for patterns that were members of the same category. This evidence for perceptual learning was obtained even when the category training procedure required learning to identify the patterns individually, suggesting that attribute abstraction and item learning are not incompatible. It was also obtained without an increase in overall intersubject agreement. The latter result led us to question the usefulness of intersubject agreement as an index of category knowledge.
Implementation of a full-envelope controller for a high-performance aircraft

The design, implementation, and evaluation of a full-envelope control system for the AIAA controls design challenge aircraft is presented. The control problem is divided into separate longitudinal and lateral/directional designs. The longitudinal controller is a Mach number and flight path angle command system, and bank angle is commanded through the lateral/directional autopilot. A cross-axis filter minimizes transient errors during coupled maneuvers. Proportional plus integral plus derivative structure is built into a linear quadratic synthesis problem to generate state feedback gains. An implementable output feedback solution is found through a linear transformation of the state feedback gain matrix. The control system is gain scheduled with dynamic pressure through polynomial curve fits of linear point design gains. Required maneuvers are demonstrated within design specifications except in cases where the physical limitations of the aircraft restrict achievable performance.
GRAZING HISTORY, DEFOLIATION, AND FREQUENCY‐DEPENDENT COMPETITION: EFFECTS ON TWO NORTH AMERICAN GRASSES

Agropyron smithii and Bouteloua gracilis plants from intensively grazed prairie dog colonies and from a grazing exclosure in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, were used to compare responses of conspecific populations with different histories of exposure to grazing and to competition for light. In separate experiments for each species, plants grown in monocultures and two-population replacement-series mixtures were used to examine effects of defoliation, frequency-dependent competition, and population on biomass and morphology. Colony and exclosure plants frequently responded differently. Defoliation more often adversely affected exclosure plants than colony plants, while interpopulation competition more often adversely affected colony plants. Defoliation frequently negated the competitive advantage of exclosure plants. Intrapopulation competition appeared to be greater among exclosure than colony plants. Our results indicate that conclusions based on studies of plants in long-term exclosures may not apply to plant populations having long histories of intensive grazing. While there were differences between species, in both, these experiments provide evidence ofpopulation differentiation, resulting in morphologically dissimilar populations which responded differently to defoliation and to inter- and intrapopulation competition.
Comparison of Ambulatory Electrocardiography and Exercise Testing

Abstract Ambulatory electrocardiography and exercise testing are two noninvasive diagnostic procedures widely employed to evaluate patients for cardiac arrhythmias and S-T segment changes. This review addresses the differences and similarities of the two techniques, and examines the relative diagnostic and prognostic merit of the arrhythmia and S-T segment changes detected with each method. Ambulatory electrocardiography is more sensitive than exercise testing in detecting cardiac arrhythmias. The recording of ventricular arrhythmia is of value in predicting sudden death in survivors of myocardial infarction, whereas exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia has limited predictive value. Nevertheless, exercise-induced S-T depression is of great prognostic value in predicting mortaliy and sudden death in patients wlth acute and chronic coronary heart disease.
Effect of irradiation on bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in human colon cancer xenografts

Abstract Purpose: Although we have characterized the incorporation of the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) into human colon cancer xenografts under a wide variety of conditions, little is known about the effect of radiation on subsequent incorporation. Because clinical protocols include, as one component, BrdUrd administration after radiation, it was important to confirm that irradiation did not prevent subsequent BrdUrd incorporation. Therefore, we studied the effect of irradiation on BrdUrd incorporation into HT29 human colon cancer xenografts. Methods and Materials: Two types of experiments were performed. In the first, the effect of radiation on subsequent incorporation was measured. Tumors received doses of 0, 2, 8, and 12 Gy, animals were infused with BrdUrd for 4 days, and incorporation was assessed at the end of the infusion. In the second, the effect of radiation on the elimination of BrdUrd from tumors was determined. Animals were infused with BrdUrd, tumors were irradiated with either 0 or 12 Gy, and tumor incorporation of BrdUrd was measured 1 and 3 days later. Results: Radiation affected neither the incorporation into nor the elimination of BrdUrd from human tumor xenografts. Conclusions: These findings support the feasibility of clinical trials interdigitating BrdUrd infusion and radiation.
The anti-bone-resorptive agent calcitonin also acts in vitro to directly increase bone formation and bone cell proliferation.

The studies summarized in this report were intended to determine whether salmon calcitonin had direct effects on bone formation indices in vitro. The results of these investigations demonstrate acute effects of calcitonin on skeletal tissues derived from embryonic chickens to increase calvarial cell proliferation ([3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA) and bone matrix synthesis ([3H]proline incorporation into collagen, as [3H]hydroxyproline) in intact calvaria and tibiae. The effects of calcitonin on [3H]thymidine incorporation were significant at 1 mU/ml (0.08 nM; P < 0.05), additive with respect to the action(s) of F (calcitonin increased the maximum effect of F, and F increased the effect of low dose calcitonin; P < 0.01 for each), asssociated with an increase in total cell protein (r = 0.82; p < 0.02), and inversely dependent on osteoblastic differentiation (r = -0.96; p < 0.005). The effects of calcitonin to increase bone matrix synthesis ([3H]hydroxyproline incorporation, 139% and 155% of untreated c...
An introduction to the fiberoptic laryngoscope

The fiberoptic laryngoscope can make difficult or impossible tracheal intubations as easy as a routine procedure. Although this instrument has been available for many years it has never achieved the popularity it deserves because anaesthetists have abandoned it after a few unsuccessful attempts to use it. Detailed procedure for the successful use of this instrument and the reasons for failure are described. Facility with the instrument should be developed by practice with patients where no difficulty in intubation is anticipated rather than making first attempts when problems arise.
A Hyperspherical Variational Approach to the N-Fermion Problem

A variational treatment in hyperspherical coordinates is developed to describe the two-component normal Fermi gas with two-body zero-range interactions. We adopt a variational trial function that is a Slater determinant of noninteracting oscillator functions, multiplied by an unspecified function of the hyperradius. Optimization of the hyperradial function approximately reduces the many-body problem to a linear, one-dimensional Schrodinger equation in the hyperradius R of the N-atom system. Results from this variational treatment are compared with more conventional descriptions based on mean-field theory.
Angiotensin II Regulates Human Vascular Smooth Muscle α-Actin Gene Expression

Angiotensin II (AII) has been shown to induce vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy and increased expression of vascular cytoskeletal proteins. We have studied basal and AII-induced expression of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene driven by three fragments of the human vascular smooth muscle (SM) alpha-actin promoter. We show basal CAT expression driven by the three fragments of the promoter when the constructs are transiently transfected into rat aortic VSMCs. AII in a concentration-dependent manner (1.0 nM to 10 microM) increased expression of the CAT gene driven by 896 bp fragment. When comparing the 896 bp fragment to fragments successively deleted at the 5' end (674 bp and 258 bp respectively), AII markedly stimulated CAT expression driven by the 896 bp fragment (257 +/- 31% over control, p < 0.01), stimulated CAT expression driven by 674 bp fragment to an apparently lesser degree (189 +/- 20% over control, p < 0.01), and tended to stimulate CAT expression driven by the 258 bp fragment, though not significantly greater than baseline (157 +/- 28% of control). These data suggest that AII exerts transcriptional regulation of human SM alpha-actin gene through activation of cis-acting element(s) in an upstream area localized between positions -258 and -896 of the SM alpha-actin promoter. Such findings help establish the role of AII in enhancement of expression of components of the contractile apparatus.
p19ARF directly and differentially controls the functions of c-Myc independently of p53.

Increased expression of the oncogenic transcription factor c-Myc causes unregulated cell cycle progression1. c-Myc can also cause apoptosis, but it is not known whether the activation and/or repression of c-Myc target genes mediates these diverse functions of c-Myc. Because unchecked cell cycle progression leads to hyperproliferation and tumorigenesis, it is essential for tumour suppressors, such as p53 and p19ARF (ARF), to curb cell cycle progression in response to increased c-Myc (refs 2, 3). Increased c-Myc has previously been shown to induce ARF expression, which leads to cell cycle arrest or apoptosis through the activation of p53 (ref. 4). Here we show that ARF can inhibit c-Myc by a unique and direct mechanism that is independent of p53. When c-Myc increases, ARF binds with c-Myc and dramatically blocks c-Myc's ability to activate transcription and induce hyperproliferation and transformation. In contrast, c-Myc's ability to repress transcription is unaffected by ARF and c-Myc-mediated apoptosis is enhanced. These differential effects of ARF on c-Myc function suggest that separate molecular mechanisms mediate c-Myc-induced hyperproliferation and apoptosis. This direct feedback mechanism represents a p53-independent checkpoint to prevent c-Myc-mediated tumorigenesis.
Entomophthora aquatica sp.n. infecting larvae and pupae of floodwater mosquitoes.

Abstract Entomophthora aquatica sp. n. is a pathogen of larvae and pupae of Aedes canadensis (Theobald) and larvae of Culiseta morsitans (Theobald). A description of the fungus, symptoms of the infection, and the histopathology of the diseased hosts are presented. The life cycle of E. aquatica and the possibilities of culturing it are discussed in relation to its potential as a microbial control agent.
Auxiliary field formalism for dilute fermionic atom gases with tunable interactions

We develop the auxiliary field formalism corresponding to a dilute system of spin-1/2 fermions. This theory represents the Fermi counterpart of the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) theory developed recently by F. Cooper et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 240402 (2010)] to describe a dilute gas of Bose particles. Assuming tunable interactions, this formalism is appropriate for the study of the crossover from the regime of Bardeen-Cooper-Schriffer (BCS) pairing to the regime of BEC in ultracold fermionic atom gases. We show that when applied to the Fermi case at zero temperature, the leading-order auxiliary field (LOAF) approximation gives the same equations as obtained in the standard BCS variational picture. At finite temperature, LOAF leads to the theory discussed by Sa de Melo, Randeria, and Engelbrecht [Phys. Rev. Lett. 71, 3202 (1993); Phys. Rev. B 55, 15153 (1997)]. As such, LOAF provides a unified framework to study the interacting Fermi gas. The mean-field results discussed here can be systematically improved on by calculating the one-particle irreducible action corrections, order by order.
RELOCATION AND PRIVACY REGULATION: A CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS

Abstract Although privacy needs may be universal, the exact mechanisms used to regulate privacy can vary considerably from culture to culture. Consequently, when individuals relocate across cultures, privacy regulation with new neighbours may involve an incongruity between previously-learned privacy mechanisms and those prescribed by the new culture of residence. These disruptions in ability to regulate privacy can be particularly problematic given that effective regulation may relate to place attachment and a sense of well-being. Survey responses made by Asian and American students in the U.S.A. support this hypothesis. Compared to U.S.A. students, Asians had more difficulty establishing contacts with their new neighbours. However, as interaction with family within the home is an 'intra-cultural' phenomenon, these students did not have difficulty regulating privacy with family. The possible universal importance of privacy regulation was supported for both U.S.A. and Asian students in that effective regulation was related to place attachment and this attachment was related to a subjective sense of well-being.
Achieving Secure Stealth Transmission via a Public Fiber-Optical Network

A spread spectrum based method is developed for performing secure stealth transmission over a public fiber-optical network. Secure channel is encrypted and hidden under the noise floor, hence providing enhanced cryptographic and steganographic security.