cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of high intensity resistance training on arterial stiffness and wave reflection in women

Background Cross-sectional studies reported that chronic resistance training is associated with arterial stiffening in men. These findings are in marked contrast to those found with aerobic exercise and may have important clinical relevance with regard to cardiovascular disease risk. However, the effect of resistance training on arterial stiffness has not been confirmed by interventional studies nor has this relation been investigated in women. Methods To determine whether a strength training program increases regional and central arterial stiffness in women, 23 healthy young women (29 ± 1 years; mean ± SD) participated in a high-intensity strength and power training program for 11 weeks. Ten other women (27 ± 2 years) served as time controls. Results In the intervention group, one repetition maximal strength increased 12% to 17% (P Conclusions We concluded that a high-intensity resistance training program increases arterial stiffness and wave reflection in young healthy women. Our present interventional results are consistent with the previous cross-sectional studies in men in which high-intensity strength training is associated with arterial stiffening.
Control-Based Modeling and Simulation of the Chemical-Looping Combustion Process

In this study, we develop a model for the chemical-looping combustion system with a goal of determining the system behavior and the effect of important physical and operating parameters. We propose a model based on system invariants under thermodynamic equilibrium to obtain a computationally inexpensive model that can be utilized for advanced control studies. The system is represented by coupling the mole and energy balances of the system invariants along with the population balance of the particles and the shrinking-core mechanism. The model results are validated based on the experimental data from the literature. The simulated results show that the model is flexible enough to be used for different types of gaseous fuels and metal oxides. In the area of looping combustion, this work is the first in the proposal of a control-oriented model.
Perceived Difficulty of Performing Selected HIV/AIDS Preventive Behaviors and Life Satisfaction: Is there a Relationship for African American Adolescents?

Research on the relationship between adolescent health risk behaviors, sexual risk behaviors in particular, and perceived life satisfaction is emerging. Some researchers suggest that life satisfaction has been a neglected component of adolescent health research. African American adolescents aged 13–18 (n = 1,658) from four matched, mid-sized cities in the northeastern and southeastern USA, completed a self-report questionnaire via Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview. Analyses were conducted to examine relationships between perceived difficulty in performing HIV/AIDS preventive behavior and perceived life satisfaction, while controlling for socioeconomic status. Results suggest that perceived life satisfaction is related to perceived difficulty in performing HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors, for both males and females, with variability in the magnitude of associations by gender. Further research is necessary to identify the particular characteristics of youth and specific aspects of adolescent life satisfaction associated with perceived difficulty in performing HIV/AIDS preventive behavior to develop gender-appropriate and culturally-sensitive quality of life/health promotion programs.
The prognostic implications of low serum CA 125 levels prior to the second-look operation for stage III and IV epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract Second-look laparotomy is performed to evaluate response to chemotherapy and to determine the need for additional treatment. The relationship between absolute levels of serum CA 125
Double header: (1) quark nugget; (2) quinton radiation

Abstract (1) Quark nugget . Twenty years ago, Witten pointed out that matter made of up, down and strange quarks is (by the Pauli Principle) more likely to be stable than matter made of just up and down. If stable, it could exist in macroscopic nuggets of nuclear densities. We searched about a million seismic reports to the US Geological Survey (1990–1993) for evidence of such (multi-ton) nuggets passing through the Earth. We found one set of 9 reports with first signal timing and directions and subsequent wave forms all consistent with nugget passage, but not consistent with point events such as Earthquakes, nor with statistics of random reports. Others, however, showed that our results were incorrect because of a problem with the clock of one reporting station. (2) Quinton radiation . If the accelerating expansion of the universe is due to a quintessence field, radiation of quintessence quanta (or “quintons” I like to call them) could be an energy loss mechanism for binary systems. We calculated its strength assuming only the minimal interaction required by general covariance. We considered both the case in which the zero order field varies only over cosmic times and distances and that in which it is modified my nearby masses. For the former, the effect is too small to be observable. For the latter , we bound a parameter in the quintessence field solution in the presence of a large mass by requiring that the effect be small for the Hulse–Taylor pulsar.
Characterization of highly-oriented ferroelectric PbxBa1−x TiO3 thin films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

PbxBa1−xTiO3 (0.2 ⩽ x ⩽ 1) thin films were deposited on single-crystal MgO as well as amorphous Si3N4/Si substrates using biaxially textured MgO buffer templates, grown by ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD). The ferroelectric films were stoichiometric and highly oriented, with only (001) and (100) orientations evident in x-ray diffraction (XRD) scans. Films on biaxially textured templates had smaller grains (60 nm average) than those deposited on single-crystal MgO (300 nm average). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) has been used to study the microtexture on both types of substrates and the results were consistent with x-ray pole figures and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs that indicated the presence of 90° domain boundaries, twins, in films deposited on single-crystal MgO substrates. In contrast, films on biaxially textured substrates consisted of small single-domain grains that were either c or a oriented. The surface-sensitive EBSD technique was used to measure the tetragonal tilt angle as well as in-plane and out-of-plane texture. High-temperature x-ray diffraction (HTXRD) of films with 90° domain walls indicated large changes, as much as 60%, in the c and a domain fractions with temperature, while such changes were not observed for PbxBa1−xTiO3 (PBT) films on biaxially textured MgO/Si3N4/Si substrates, which lacked 90° domain boundaries.
Enaminones 11. An examination of some ethyl ester enaminone derivatives as anticonvulsant agents

In this paper, we investigated the previously synthesized anticonvulsant enaminone ethyl ester analogs using the computational gaussian 03 programs. The significant chemical features of the enaminone compounds that lead to positive anticonvulsant activity were identified. From our analyses, we believe that the neutrality of the phenyl ring may be important for binding in the hydrophobic pocket of the active site and that the binding of the phenyl substituent is the main reason why some analogs are active and others are inactive.
QUANTITATION OF IMMUNOREACTIVE GH (IBGH) IN URINE

The output of IRGH was measured in timed urine collections obtained from children with normal and abnormal growth. This information was compared to data obtained from determinations of plasma GH during pharmacologic stimulation. 86 children (ages 2-17 years) collected 12 hour overnight urine specimens. Group I included healthy controls. Group II comprised children with height >−2 SIX, growth 8 ng/ml to stimuli. Group III consisted of GH deficient children. 50 ml aliquots of urine were dialyzed and consentrated 50 fold by lyophylization using a modification of the method of Hansen. Recovery of added GH ranged from 80-100% TRGH was measured by a routine double antibody radio-immunoassay. The quantity of IRGH excreted was standardized for weight (ng/kg). Conclusion: Pathologically short children who are GH deficient or GH sufficient by standard provocative tests, excrete less urine IRGH than central subjects. Sex steroids do not appear to augment urine IRGH. Urine IRGH measurements may prove useful for monitoring compliance during GH treatment.
Validation of the SF-6D Health State Utilities Measure in Lower Extremity Sarcoma.

Aim. Health state utilities measures are preference-weighted patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments that facilitate comparative effectiveness research. One such measure, the SF-6D, is generated from the Short Form 36 (SF-36). This report describes a psychometric evaluation of the SF-6D in a cross-sectional population of lower extremity sarcoma patients. Methods. Patients with lower extremity sarcoma from a prospective database who had completed the SF-36 and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) were eligible for inclusion. Computed SF-6D health states were given preference weights based on a prior valuation. The primary outcome was correlation between the SF-6D and TESS. Results. In 63 pairs of surveys in a lower extremity sarcoma population, the mean preference-weighted SF-6D score was 0.59 (95% CI 0.4–0.81). The distribution of SF-6D scores approximated a normal curve (skewness = 0.11). There was a positive correlation between the SF-6D and TESS (, ). Respondents who reported walking aid use had lower SF-6D scores (0.53 versus 0.61, ). Five respondents underwent amputation, with lower SF-6D scores that approached significance (0.48 versus 0.6, ). Conclusions. The SF-6D health state utilities measure demonstrated convergent validity without evidence of ceiling or floor effects. The SF-6D is a health state utilities measure suitable for further research in sarcoma patients.
LeadLine: Interactive visual analysis of text data through event identification and exploration

Text data such as online news and microblogs bear valuable insights regarding important events and responses to such events. Events are inherently temporal, evolving over time. Existing visual text analysis systems have provided temporal views of changes based on topical themes extracted from text data. But few have associated topical themes with events that cause the changes. In this paper, we propose an interactive visual analytics system, LeadLine, to automatically identify meaningful events in news and social media data and support exploration of the events. To characterize events, LeadLine integrates topic modeling, event detection, and named entity recognition techniques to automatically extract information regarding the investigative 4 Ws: who, what, when, and where for each event. To further support analysis of the text corpora through events, LeadLine allows users to interactively examine meaningful events using the 4 Ws to develop an understanding of how and why. Through representing large-scale text corpora in the form of meaningful events, LeadLine provides a concise summary of the corpora. LeadLine also supports the construction of simple narratives through the exploration of events. To demonstrate the efficacy of LeadLine in identifying events and supporting exploration, two case studies were conducted using news and social media data.
Biological requirements for occupation in primates: An exploratory study and theoretical analysis

Abstract To explore the meaning of biological requirements for occupation, this study systematically investigated shifts in zoo chimpanzees’ patterns of time‐use as a function of changing environmental states of occupational enrichment versus impoverishment. The chimpanzees were found to demonstrate ethological needs, or needs that are rooted in innate motivations for action, to use tools imaginatively, involve themselves in sustained foraging challenges, build nests, groom, play, and manipulate objects. In that these activities possess both evolutionary survival value and long phylogenetic histories in the primate order, the concept of root occupations was proposed. Rather than viewing root occupations as emanating from an innate drive for environmental mastery, or as suggesting the validity either of biological or cultural determinism, it was argued that diverse cultural elaborations upon root occupations remain salient in the daily occupational behavior of modern humans. Moreover, it was proposed that ...
The effect of sodium on the catalytic activity of ZnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5 and SnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5 for the transesterification of vegetable oil with methanol

Abstract In order to elucidate the effect of sodium on the activity of ZSM-5 supported metal oxides catalysts (ZnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5 and SnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5) for the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol, ZSM-5 supported metal oxides were prepared with and without sodium hydroxide by impregnation. The metal compositions of the ZSM-5 supported metal oxide catalysts and the metal concentrations dissolved from the catalysts to the methylester phase were measured by SEM-EDS and inductive coupled plasma spectroscopy, respectively. The catalytic activity of ZnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5 and SnO–Al2O3/ZSM-5 containing sodium did not originate from surface metal oxides sites, but from surface sodium sites or dissolved sodium leached from the catalyst surface.
Generalized Riccati equations arising in stochastic games

Abstract We study a class of rational matrix differential equations that generalize the Riccati differential equations. The generalization involves replacing positive definite “weighting” matrices in the usual Riccati equations with either semidefinite or indefinite matrices that arise in linear quadratic control problems and differential games-both stochastic and deterministic. The purpose of this paper is to prove some fundamental properties such as comparison, monotonicity and existence theorems. These properties are well known for classical Riccati differential equations when certain matrices are assumed definite. As applications, we obtain conditions for the existence of solutions to the algebraic Riccati equation and to equations with periodic coefficients.
The SIOD disorder protein SMARCAL1 is an RPA-interacting protein involved in replication fork restart

The integrity of genomic DNA is continuously challenged by the presence of DNA base lesions or DNA strand breaks. Here we report the identification of a new DNA damage response protein, SMARCAL1 (SWI/SNF-related, matrix associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a-like 1), which is a member of the SNF2 family and is mutated in Schimke immunoosseous dysplasia (SIOD). We demonstrate that SMARCAL1 directly interacts with Replication protein A (RPA) and is recruited to sites of DNA damage in an RPA-dependent manner. SMARCAL1-depleted cells display sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents that induce replication fork collapse, and exhibit slower fork recovery and delayed entry into mitosis following S-phase arrest. Furthermore, SIOD patient fibroblasts reconstituted with SMARCAL1 exhibit faster cell cycle progression after S-phase arrest. Thus, the symptoms of SIOD may be caused, at least in part, by defects in the cellular response to DNA replication stress.
Jar Lids: Effect of Diameter, Gripping Materials and Knurling:

In Exp. 1, 10 female subjects each twisted six jar lids vs a torque meter with a bare hand, rubber gripper and a cotton cloth. The torques of 3.17 Nm for the 48 mm dia, 5.02 for the 67 mm dia, and ...
Cardiomyopathy associated with ephedra-containing nutritional supplements.

with both S3 and S4 gallops. The lungs were clear, and extremities were without edema. The remainder of the results of the physical examination were normal. Laboratory findings included normal complete blood cell count, serum chemistry, and liver function test results. Serum ferritin and thyroid function test findings were normal. Immunologic testing for Toxoplasma species, Lyme disease, and Ehrlichia species were negative. Chest radiography showed cardiomegaly, and electrocardiography revealed sinus tachycardia. Two-dimensional echocardiography demonstrated left ventricular dysfunction with severe global hypokinesia and an estimated left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 10% to 15%. Right heart catheterization revealed a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 24 mm Hg and mild pulmonary hypertension. Left heart catheterization revealed an LVEF of 10% with severe global hypokinesia, a left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 7 mm Hg, and a left dominant coronary system with normal coronary arteries. Right ventricular biopsy revealed minimal changes and probable idiopathic cardiomyopathy. The patient was advised to stop taking the ephedra-containing dietary supplement, and medical treatment was started with aspirin, a b-blocker, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, with subsequent symptom improvement. The patient could not tolerate spironolactone therapy because of hyperkalemia. Repeat echocardiography performed 3 years later showed marked improvement in left ventricular systolic function, with an estimated LVEF of 45% to 50%.
Relation of duration of morbid obesity to left ventricular mass, systolic function, and diastolic filling, and effect of weight loss

Longer duration of morbid obesity is associated with higher LV mass, poorer LV systolic function, and greater impairment of LV diastolic filling. Weight loss-induced decreases in LV mass and improvements in LV systolic function and diastolic filling are due in part to favorable alterations in LV loading conditions.
Preputial epidermoid cyst: an atypical case of acquired pseudoclitoromegaly.

AbstractObjective.Clitoromegaly and pseudoclitoromegaly are rare conditions with both congenital and acquired causes. Acquired causes of adult onset have most frequently been reported to occur in the setting of female genital cutting or neurofibromatosis.Materials and Methods.Case report.Results.We
Flexible Photonics Based Optofluidic Photobioreactors

In this work we demonstrate a novel optofluidic photobioreactor that can help address two major challenges in algae derived biofuel production. For the first time, we have demonstrated and characterized the growth of photosynthetic organisms (S. elongatus) using the evanescent field on a slab waveguide. We also have demonstrated that the energy efficiency of evanescent field illumination is at least as efficient as the direct illumination method used in current photobioreactors. The stackable structure of our photobioreactor may allow 12 fold improvement in the volumetric productivity compared to the direct illumination method.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
An inertial decomposition and related range results

Abstract With quasicommutative n-square complex matrices A1,…,As and s-square hermitian G=(gij), relationships are given between the image Σ s i,j=1 g ij A i HA ∗ j of a linear transformation on H n being positive definite and the action of H on generalized inertial decompositions of C n.
Nano-volume plates with excellent optical properties for fast, inexpensive crystallization screening of membrane proteins

A simple convenient and low-cost glass-based plate for high-throughput screening of membrane protein crystallization is described. The plates are robust and reduce dramatically the amount of protein and precipitant solution used per crystallization trial, while offering excellent optical properties for the detection of micro-crystals and crystals of colorless proteins. The plates were developed primarily for crystallization of membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases. They can also be used in batch crystallization of soluble and membrane proteins.
A note on the nonequivalence of import barriers and voluntary export restraints

Abstract This paper uses a general equilibrium approach to analyze the consequences of import barriers and voluntary export restraints with respect to international prices and domestic prices under the assumption of perfect competition in all markets. It shows that the final outcome with respect to domestic prices depends on the way in which governments allocate the revenue arising from the restrictions. The equivalence result, obtained by using partial equilibrium, is only one of the possible outcomes.
A new character recognition scheme with lower ambiguity and higher recognizability

The concepts of degrees of recognizability, learnability and ambiguity for handwritten characters are investigated. It is shown that ambiguity plays a key role as a criterion of recognizability as well as learnability. Two experiments using two different categories of recognition schemes have been conducted. It is shown that the one with a lower degree of ambiguity possesses an inherent advantage of recognition. Several topics of future research are also discussed.
Further Reduction of Zero-One Polynomial Programming Problems to Zero-One linear Programming Problems

This paper gives rules that enable the transformation of a 0-1 polynomial programming problem into a 0-1 linear programming problem to be effected with reduced numbers of constraints. Rules are also given that provide reduced numbers of variables when the true variables of interest are not individual cross-product terms, but sums of such terms or polynomials of the form âxjp.
Magnetic petrology of deep crustal rocks—Ivrea Zone, Italy

Abstract Magnetic petrology is an extension of petrology, integrating magnetic property studies with conventional petrology for the purpose of understanding the development and modification of the magnetization in rocks. The magnetic properties of a suite of samples from the Ivrea Zone, northern Italy, are described with the aim of developing a magnetic petrology for deep crustal rocks. Samples studied include a variety of metamorphosed mafic (granulites, granofelses, plagioklasfelse, amphibolite, pyriclasite) and pelitic/quartzo-feldspathic rocks (acid granulites, stronalite and kinzigite gneisses, schists), and representative ultramafic rocks (phlogopite peridotite, pyroxenite, hornblendite). Ilmenite is the chief oxide mineral in a majority of the samples, but in a few mafic rocks, magnetite is the principal oxide constituent. Cr,Al-spinel is common in ultramafic samples and rutile is present in some metapelites. Sulfides are generally subordinate in abundance to oxide minerals. The mafic rocks in the Ivrea section have the broadest range of magnetic properties and include the most strongly magnetic samples. The Ivrea ultramafic rocks are moderately magnetic—the magnetite present appears to be secondary and is associated with crustal alterations—while pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic lithologies are dominantly paramagnetic or only weakly magnetic. The main ferromagnetic mineral in all strongly magnetic samples is magnetite that is nearly pure Fe3O4 in composition. Consequently, Curie temperatures are 565–580°C for these rocks. Pyrrhotite contributes to the magnetism in several ultramafic and mafic rocks, and it is the sole ferromagnetic mineral in the pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic samples. The results of our study indicate that certain mafic rock types (amphibolites, mafic granulites, pyriclasites) are the most likely source of the Ivrea Zone's regional scale magnetic anomalies. If the Ivrea Zone represents a tectonically exposed cross section of continental crust, the geographic distribution of these rock types suggests the presence of multiple and variably thick, strongly magnetic layers, with magnetite Curie temperatures, in the deep crust. Petrographic evidence suggests, however, that the magnetic mineralogy of the sampled Ivrea rocks might have been changed subsequent to peak metamorphic conditions. Therefore, considerable care must be taken in evaluating the magnetic record in these crustal cross sections, particularly if they are to be used to model the magnetic characteristics of the lower crust.
High performance thin layer chromatographic screening for aflatoxins in poultry feed by using silica Sep-Paks.

The need for a convenient, sensitive and highly selective method to test for aflatoxins in poultry feed samples led to the development of a method based on the CB procedure. The CB procedure requires large volumes of solvents, the preparation of silica gel of a specified moisture content and the use of large TLC plates, which have long development times. The desirability of running fortified control samples to monitor aflatoxin recovery and to serve as reference standards doubles the already high volume of solvents required. To overcome these difficulties, a number of changes in the CB method were explored. Sample size reduction was used in an attempt to decrease the volume of solvents required. The practicality of using commercially available silica Sep-Paps was investigated. The use of high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) plates with preadsorbent zones was tested to decrease spotting and development time. The capability of readily detecting aflatoxins B/sub 1/, G/sub 1/, B/sub 2/ and G/sub 2/ at 10, 10, 5 and 5 ppb (10/sup 9/), respectively, was set as the goal.
cdc25 is a specific tyrosine phosphatase that directly activates p34cdc2

cdc25 controls the activity of the cyclin-p34cdc2 complex by regulating the state of tyrosine phosphorylation of p34cdc2. Drosophila cdc25 protein from two different expression systems activates inactive cyclin-p34cdc2 and induces M phase in Xenopus oocytes and egg extracts. We find that the cdc25 sequence shows weak but significant homology to a phylogenetically diverse group of protein tyrosine phosphatases. cdc25 itself is a very specific protein tyrosine phosphatase. Bacterially expressed cdc25 directly dephosphorylates bacterially expressed p34cdc2 on Tyr-15 in a minimal system devoid of eukaryotic cell components, but does not dephosphorylate other tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins at appreciable rates. In addition, mutations in the putative catalytic site abolish the in vivo activity of cdc25 and its phosphatase activity in vitro. Therefore, cdc25 is a specific protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates tyrosine and possibly threonine residues on p34cdc2 and regulates MPF activation.
Nitrone spin-traps block calcium channels and induce pulmonary artery relaxation independent of free radicals

Free radicals react with nitrones to form stable nitroxides which can be identified by ESR spectroscopy. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the pharmacological properties of these compounds. In this study, three commonly used nitrones, 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), α-phenyl-tert-butylnitrone (PBN), and α-(4-pyridyl 1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN), were found to induce relaxation of preconstricted isolated rat pulmonary artery rings. Additional experiments with PBN indicated that vasorelaxation could not be attributed to production of endothelial derived factors, prostaglandins, or free radicals. Patch-clamp techniques revealed reversible calcium channel blockade with PBN at a concentration below that needed to detect free radicals. Calcium channel blockade probably accounts for the vasorelaxation observed in the isolated ring preparations described here, and should be considered when using nitrone spin-traps both in in vivo and clinical studies.
Ice-Tank and Numerical Study of Frazil Ingestion by Submerged Intakes

This paper addresses the problem of frazil ingestion by submerged water intakes located offshore in frigid water. It is well known that intakes under such conditions are prone to blockage by frazil, small ice crystals that commonly occur when water, agitated by wind or current, supercools. However, little quantitative information exists delineating how intake shape and size influence intake ingestion of frazil ice. Presented herein are insights and quantitative trends associated with those influences. The insights and trends were obtained from observations of frazil in a set of unique ice-tank experiments of a common intake configuration. The experiments were extended through numerical simulation. The essential intake layout considered herein comprises a conical inlet connected by pipe to an onshore pump station, and fitted with an elevated cap. The study's findings show how either a cap or larger intake-rim diameter reduce the rate of frazil ingestion. Reducing the rate of frazil ingestion may enable an intake to operate longer during periods of water supercooling, and thereby reduce the possibility of blockage by frazil.
Chemotactic steering of bacteria propelled microbeads

Flagellated bacteria have been embraced by the micro-robotics community as a highly efficient microscale actuation method, capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical actuation for microsystems that require a small payload and high rate of actuation. Along with being highly motile, Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens), our bacterium species of interest, is a highly agile biomotor capable of being steered via chemotaxis. In this paper, we attached S. marcescens bacteria to polystyrene microbeads towards creating biohybrid that can propel themselves towards an attractive chemical source. Using a three-channel microfluidic device, linear chemical gradients are generated to compare the behavior of bacteria-propelled beads in the presence and absence of a chemoattractant, L-aspartate. We tested and compared the behavior of three different bacteria-attached bead sizes (5, 10 and 20 μm diameter) using a visual particle-tracking algorithm, and noted their behavioral differences. The results indicate that in the presence of a chemoattractant, the S. marcescens-attached polystyrene beads exhibit a clear indication of directionality and steering control through the coordination of the bacteria present on each bead. This directionality is observed in all bead size cases, suggesting potential for targeted payload delivery using such a biohybrid micro-robotic approach.
Growth response of the alpine shrub, Linanthus pungens, to snowpack and temperature at a rock glacier site in the eastern Sierra Nevada of California, USA

Annual ring chronologies in high-elevation and high latitude plants have numerous, but largely unexplored, climatic, ecological and geomorphologic applications. This paper presents the first shrub-ring chronology of Linanthus pungens (Torr.) J.M. Porter and L.A. Johnson at the above-treeline Barney Lake (BL) rock glacier (37.56466N, 118.96554W) on the eastern crest of the Sierra Nevada, USA, The L. pungens chronology is 77 years in length with sufficient sample replication (expressed population signal, EPS, >0.75) to capture a robust common signal from 1946 through 2007. Marker years in the BL chronology correspond to drought (wide rings) and persistent snowpack (narrow rings). Response function analysis indicates significant associations with July temperature maxima and previous years' November precipitation (PPT). Radial taproot growth has varied little over the past century and is significantly and positively correlated with temperature during the early portion of the chronology period and significantly and negatively correlated with both snowpack and PPT during the latter half of the chronology period. Predictions of decreasing snowpack and increasing temperatures for the alpine Sierra Nevada would therefore be expected to result in increased shrub growth and possible increases in shrub abundance and range expansion if unprecedented drought does not limit growth in the future.
Monolayer study of mixtures of diacetylenic phosphatidylcholine and phospholipids containing metal-chelating iminodiacetic acid headgroup

Abstract The mixing behavior of polymerizable diacetylenic phosphatidylcholine ( 1 ) with two diacetylenic phospholipids containing the iminodiacetic acid (IDA) functionality in the headgroup region was studied at the air-water interface. All three phospholipids contained tricosa-10,12-diynoyl acyl chains. In phospholipid 2 , the choline group (CH 2 CH 2 NMe 3 ) was replaced by an CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 2 COOH) 2 functionality. In phospholipid 3 , the IDA unit was linked to the phosphate headgroup via a sulfonate linker, CH 2 CH 2 OS(O 2 )OCH 2 CH 2 . Monolayers were prepared by mixing polymerizable 1,2 bis(tricosa-10,12-diynoyl)- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine ( 1 ) with metal-chelating IDA phospholipids ( 2, 3 ) on a 10 MM CuCl 2 subphase. Studies of monolayer properties of mixtures of 2 and 3 with 1 demonstrated that mixtures of 2 with 1 had better mixing behavior than mixtures of phospholipids 1 and 3 .
Experimental determination of fluence perturbation factors for five parallel-plate ionization chambers.

The calibration of parallel‐plate chambers for absolute dosimetry is an unsettled matter. The medical physics community has not yet agreed on a practical method of obtaining N gas, although several researchers are working on this problem. If the photon and electron fluence perturbation factors, K wall K comp, were known for chambers of standard construction with full buildup provision, then an in‐air Co‐60 calibration could be applied to these, as is done with cylindrical chambers. We have obtained such correction factors for five commercially available chambers based on measurements in air and in homogeneous phantoms relative to matched cylindrical chambers of known dosimetric parameters. For three of the chambers (Markus, Holt and Exradin) we find that K wall K comp=1.000±0.008, in excellent agreement with available results from Monte Carlo calculations. The values for the other two chambers (NACP and Capintec) are different than 1. Our results are compared to recently published values, both calculated and measured.
Structure of the porcine LH- and FSH-releasing hormone. II. Confirmation of the proposed structure by conventional sequential analyses

Abstract The proposed amino acid sequence of porcine LH- and FSH-releasing hormone (LH-RH/FSH-RH) was reinvestigated by Edman-dansyl degradation after the cleavage of N-terminal pyroglutamyl residue by pyrrolidonecarboxylyl (PCA) peptidase. A C-terminal fragment from chymotrypic digest of LH-RH/FSH-RH was found to be identical to synthetic Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH 2 . The results indicate that the structure initially proposed is correct. The amino acid sequence of porcine LH-RH/FSH-RH is thus (pyro)Glu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH 2 .
West Nile virus infection

Abstract West Nile virus was discovered in 1937 in the West Nile region of Uganda. The virus was found only in the Eastern Hemisphere until 1999. In 1999, West Nile virus was first identified in the Western Hemisphere in New York City. Since 1999, viremic birds have continued to spread the disease across the United States. West Nile virus is an arbovirus and is transmitted as part of a bird-mosquito-bird cycle. During 2002, newly recognized mechanisms of West Nile virus transmission were described. Epidemiologists have documented transmission of the West Nile virus to recipients of transplanted organs and blood transfusions, to laboratory workers, to fetuses, and to breast-fed infants. Approximately 20% of infected individuals will develop a mild febrile illness with symptoms lasting from 3–6 days. Roughly 1 in 150 infected persons will develop severe neurological disease. Recent outbreaks have been associated with meningoencephalitis and case fatality rates of 4–13%. Also, West Nile virus infection has been linked with acute flaccid paralysis. Acute flaccid paralysis is a polio-like syndrome with involvement of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord and motor axons. The most efficient way to diagnose West Nile virus is to detect IgM antibody in serum or cerebral spinal fluid within 8 days of onset of illness using IgM MAC-ELISA. Treatment of severe neurological disease requires hospitalization and intense supportive care. Effective prevention of West Nile virus infections is dependent on integrated arboviral surveillance and vector mosquito control programs, as well as public education.
The red face: Cutaneous lymphomas

Abstract The term cutaneous lymphomas comprises a heterogeneous group of malignancies that preferentially involve the skin. Until the advent of immunohistochemical methods, identification of the cell of origin was based only on cytologic criteria, and considerable confusion has resulted. Most cutaneous lymphomas can now be divided into T- or B-cell proliferations and are usually classified by dermatopathologists based on the presence or absence of epidermotropism and the cell of origin. 1 The most common cutaneous lymphomas are epidermotropic and of T-cell origin. As a rule, they manifest on the face late in the course of the disease, whereas cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCL) and other cutaneous lymphomas present preferentially on the head and neck. 2 In this article, we focus mainly on epidermotropic cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs), which include mycosis fungoides (MF), its leukemic counterpart Sezary syndrome (SS), Woringer-Kolopp disease and acute T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and discuss nonepidermorropic cutaneous T- and B-cell lymphomas only briefly.
Effect of Tensile Twinning on Low Temperature Shear Formability of Mg-3Al-1Zn Alloy

Mg-3Al-1Zn (AZ31) alloy samples with different starting textures have been processed using Equal Channel Angular Processing (ECAP) at 150°C and 200°C. The common temperature limit for ECAP of wrought AZ31 alloys has been reduced from 200°C to 150°C by suppressing tensile twinning activity. Twinning activity was reduced by either changing the starting texture or increasing the temperature. A crystal plasticity model was utilized to gain a better insight into the operating deformation mechanisms during ECAP. Suppression of tensile twinning and pronounced prismatic slip activity resulted in a crack-free, homogeneous deformation at 150°C. In addition, twinning, when exists, was shown to have a significant effect on the promotion of DRX and shear band formation.
Construction of Process-Response Models for Ancient Epicontinental Seaway Depositional Systems Using Partial Analogs

Epicontinental seaways, such as those that existed during the Jurassic through the Cretaceous in North America, do not have modern counterparts. Thus, exact analogs are not available for use as sedimentologic models of ancient epicontinental seaway depositional systems. As a result, well-documented modern shoreline features traditionally have been used as physical analogs to describe most paleodepositional features. During the past decade, marine geologists have accumulated a sufficient amount of data concerning modern continental-shelf sedimentologic processes and resulting features to relate these to similar features recognized in epicontinental deposits. For example, studies along the Atlantic epicontinental margin of North America and the North Sea between Great Britain and Europe reveal the dynamics of sand movement in response to storm-generated and tidal currents. These processes interact with sediment-covered sea bottoms to form transverse and longitudinal bed forms. Transverse bed forms, which include sand waves and ripples, form in response to the opposing current couplets created by tidal circulation systems. Longitudinal bed forms, which include sand ribbons, longitudinal furrows, and large-scale sand ridges, are formed predominantly on storm-dominated sand-covered shelves. The mechanisms which create and maintain these features are poorly understood but sand ridges and related longitudinal features apparently may form in response to cellular flow structure in storm-generated currents. Similar processes probably operated within ancient epicontinental seaways. Using present-day continental-shelf environments as partial analogs, we can construct process-response models to explain the development of some epicontinental paleodepositional systems rather than relying solely upon shoreline physical models. This method of model construction consists of an empirical, or data-gathering phase, followed by an interpretive phase. The objective is to match sedimentary sequences to process elements, and then combine these elements with information concerning the regional geologic setting to make paleoenvironmental interpretations. In this way, interpretations are based upon possible processes within particular geologic settings rather than the physical comparison of stratigraphic sections and well-documented present-day depositional systems. The process- esponse approach to sedimentary models frees us from the constraints imposed by the lack of well-documented sedimentologic studies of offshore depositional systems. This method of model building has been used to recognize and delineate offshore depositional systems in the Jurassic and Cretaceous epicontinental seaways of North America. It is postulated that currents generated by tides, storms, and regional circulatory mechanisms played major roles in creating and distributing continental-shelflike depositional systems within the offshore portions of these and other ancient epicontinental seaways.
VCSEL-based microsensors for photonic proximity fuzing of munitions

This paper describes technologies developed at Sandia National Laboratories to create a compact, robust, and affordable photonic proximity sensor for munitions fuzing. The proximity fuze employs high-power vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays, resonant-cavity photodetectors (RCPDs), and refractive micro-optics that are integrated within a microsensor whose volume is approximately 0.01 cm 3 . Successful development and integration of these custom photonic components should enable a g-hard photonic proximity fuze that replaces costly assemblies of discrete lasers, photodetectors, and bulk optics. Additional applications of this technology include void sensing, ladar and short-range 3-D imaging.
Proton implanted singlemode holey vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Wedge-shaped holes have been fabricated in the top mirror of proton implant confined vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The index confinement and selective loss introduced by these patterns improved the performance by both increasing the singlemode power and reducing the threshold current of the lasers. A maximum single fundamental mode power of 3.5 mW with a simultaneous reduction of lasing threshold compared to an unmodified laser was observed. Multimode operation was suppressed over the entire laser operating range.
Regulation of the plasminogen activator activity of macrophage tumor cell lines

Abstract Four murine monocyte-macrophage cell lines, WEHI-3, J774, RAW 264.10 and PU5-1.8, synthesize and secrete the proteolytic enzyme, plasminogen activator. Lymphocyte conditioned medium, 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate and Concanavalin A enhance the enzyme activity of these lines, while low concentrations of anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids and also cholera toxin reduce the enzyme activity. These observations are similar to these found for mouse peritoneal exudate macrophages. It is suggested, therefore, that these cell lines might be useful models to delineate the cellular mechanisms involved in the control of the synthesis and secretion of macrophage plasminogen activator and of other macrophage secretory products, particularly those resulting from lymphocyte—macrophage interaction.
Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy: Effective and Efficient End-to-End Patient-Specific Quality Assurance

Purpose: To explore an effective and efficient end-to-end patient-specific quality-assurance (QA) protocol for volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) and to evaluate the suitability of a stationary radiotherapy QA device (two-dimensional [2D] ion chamber array) for VMAT QA. Methods and Materials: Three methods were used to analyze 39 VMAT treatment plans for brain, spine, and prostate: ion chamber (one-dimensional absolute, n = 39), film (2D relative, coronal/sagittal, n = 8), and 2D ion chamber array (ICA, 2D absolute, coronal/sagittal, n = 39) measurements. All measurements were compared with the treatment planning system dose calculation either via gamma analysis (3%, 3- to 4-mm distance-to-agreement criteria) or absolute point dose comparison. The film and ion chamber results were similarly compared with the ICA measurements. Results: Absolute point dose measurements agreed well with treatment planning system computed doses (ion chamber: median deviation, 1.2%, range, -0.6% to 3.3%; ICA: median deviation, 0.6%, range, -1.8% to 2.9%). The relative 2D dose measurements also showed good agreement with computed doses (>93% of pixels in all films passing gamma, >90% of pixels in all ICA measurements passing gamma). The ICA relative dose results were highly similar to those of film (>90% of pixels passing gamma). The coronal andmore » sagittal ICA measurements were statistically indistinguishable by the paired t test with a hypothesized mean difference of 0.1%. The ion chamber and ICA absolute dose measurements showed a similar trend but had disparities of 2-3% in 18% of plans. Conclusions: After validating the new VMAT implementation with ion chamber, film, and ICA, we were able to maintain an effective yet efficient patient-specific VMAT QA protocol by reducing from five (ion chamber, film, and ICA) to two measurements (ion chamber and single ICA) per plan. The ICA (Matrixx Registered-Sign , IBA Dosimetry) was validated for VMAT QA, but ion chamber measurements are recommended for absolute dose comparison until future developments correct the ICA angular dependence.« less
Buffers in daphnid culture and bioassay

When an algal diet is employed, or precipitation of dissolved inorganics during autoclaving is likely, or test circumstances introduce pH changes, addition of a buffer to daphnid culture or bioassay media is appropriate. Glycylglycine, employed in our research for 20 years, is unsuitable for general use because it requires microbe-free cultures. In contrast, n-hydroxyethyl piperazine-n-2-propane sulfonic acid (HEPPSO) and N-2-hydroxyethyl piperazine-N′-2-ethane sulfonic acid (HEPES) offer safe and effective pH control at 300 ppm for animals, 400 ppm for algae (weight excludes Na), with no requirement for microbe-free cultures. No negative effects on fecundity, monitored in both single and multigeneration tests, or on vigor, measured by acute bioassay performance, were observed. The 48-h LC50 for glycylglycine is approximately 4,500 ppm. No deaths occur at or below 10,000 ppm of either HEPES or HEPPSO. When bioassayed against zinc (as chloride), animals reared in cultures buffered by HEPES, HEPPSO, or glycylglycine and tested in unfed acute bioassays performed similarly, allowing 100% survival in 1,000 ppb in 48 h with an LC50 of approximately 1,750 ppb.
Enabling synergy between psychology and natural language processing for e-Government: crime reporting and investigative interview system

We are developing an automated crime reporting and investigative interview system. The system incorporates cognitive interview techniques to maximize witness memory recall, and information extraction technology to extract and annotate crime entities from witness narratives and interview responses. Evaluations of the IE components of the system show that it captures 70 to 77% of information from witness narratives with 93 to 100% precision. Our development goal is for the system to approximate progressively the performance effectiveness of a human investigative interviewer and to generate graphical visualizations of crime report information.