cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A frequency step-up cycloconverter using power transistors in inverse-series mode

The paper describes and evaluates power transistor a.c. switch in inverse-series configuration for power control and conversion applications. Although many circuit configurations are possible with the switch, a cycloconvertor has been described in the paper which takes three-phase, 60 Hz power and directly converts it to variable voltage, variable frequency power up to 25 kHz. The circuit is simple, reliable and has higher efficiency than with other conventional techniques. A complete cycloconvertor has been designed and experimentally evaluated in the laboratory.
The Effect of Testing Geometry on the Measurement of Cell Performance in Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: The Effect of Cathode Area

A simple, approximate analysis of the effect of different cathode and anode areas on the measurement of cell performance on anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells, wherein the cathode area is smaller than the anode area, is presented. It is shown that the effect of cathode area on cathode polarization, on electrolyte contribution, and on anode resistance, as normalized on the basis of the cathode area, is negligible. There is a small hut measurable effect on anode polarization, which results from concentration polarization. Effectively, it is the result of a greater amount of fuel transported to the anode/electrolyte interface in cases wherein the anode area is larger than the cathode area. Experiments were performed on cells made with different cathode areas and geometries. Cathodic and anodic overpotentials measured using reference electrodes, and the measured ohmic area specific resistances by current interruption, were in good agreement with expectations based on the analysis presented. At 800°C, the maximum power density measured with a cathode area of ∼1.1 cm 2 was ∼1.65 W/cm 2 compared to ∼1.45 W/cm 2 for cathode area of ∼2 cm 2 , for an anode thickness of 1.3 mm, with hydrogen as the fuel and air as the oxidant. At 750°C, the measured maximum power densities were ∼1.3 W/cm 2 for the cell with a cathode area ∼1.1 cm 2 , and ∼1.25 W/cm 2 for the cell with a cathode area ∼2 cm 2 .
Crustal structure beneath the Galápagos Archipelago from ambient noise tomography and its implications for plume‐lithosphere interactions

[1] To constrain the seismic velocity structure of the crust beneath the Galapagos Archipelago, we conducted a tomographic study using high-frequency Rayleigh waves obtained from cross correlations of ambient noise. We analyzed waves with periods between 5 and 8.5 s, sensitive to shear wave velocity (VS) structure between about 3 and 10 km depth, after accounting for the effect of water depth. Crustal velocities are up to 25% lower than those of very young crust at the East Pacific Rise and are comparable to those of Hawaii. We attribute the lower than normal velocities to the combined effect of heating and the presence of melt in the crust above the Galapagos plume as well as the construction of a highly porous volcanic platform emplaced atop preexisting oceanic crust. On average, VS between 3 and 10 km depth beneath the western archipelago is up to 15% lower than beneath the eastern archipelago. We attribute the west-to-east velocity increase to a decrease in porosity of the volcanic platform and to cooling of the crust after its passage above the Galapagos plume. The results of this study, in combination with previous work, indicate that many of the unusual aspects of the Galapagos Archipelago are the result of variations in the thickness and internal structure of the chemical and thermal lithospheres. Our findings indicate that observed variations in the flexural response to loading observed in the Galapagos cannot be explained by the current thermal state of the lithosphere. Instead, the flexural response likely represents varying elastic strength at the time of loading. We also propose that the northwest and northeast trending alignments of volcanic centers found throughout the archipelago (the Darwinian lineations) may be associated with preexisting zones of weakness in the lithosphere formed during earlier episodes of ridge jumping and ridge propagation that were later reactivated by stresses generated by plume-lithosphere interactions.
Pre- and postpuberal medial preoptic area lesions and maternal behavior in the rat

The ability of female rats to express maternal behavior following pre- or postpuberally-administered lesions of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) was investigated. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were electrolytically or sham-lesioned at either 28-30 days of age or 65-70 days of age and housed together in groups of 6-8 in "enriched" environments. Subsequently, the animals were mated and moved to individual cages just prior to parturition. Indices of maternal proficiency included nest ratings, pup retrieval time, percentage of pups with milk in their stomachs, and percentage of pup mortality. All animals in which lesions had substantially damaged the MPOA demonstrated significant deficits in all indices. Age at which the lesion was administered had no effect. In contrast to the recovery of male sexual behavior that has been reported for rats following prepuberally administered MPOA lesions, no recovery of maternal behaviors was seen in this study. Reasons for this lack of recovery may include the greater complexity of physiological and behavioral processes involved in maternal behavior in comparison to the rather stereotypical response patterns of male sexual behavior.
Evidence that E-cadherin may be a target for cadmium toxicity in epithelial cells.

E-cadherin is a Ca(2+)-dependent cell adhesion molecule that plays an important role in the development and maintenance of epithelial polarity and barrier function. This commentary describes the results of recent studies showing that the environmental pollutant Cd(2+) can damage the E-cadherin-dependent junctions between many types of epithelial cells and reviews the evidence indicating that this effect results from the direct interaction of Cd(2+) with the E-cadherin molecule. In addition, the implications of these findings with respect to the mechanisms of Cd(2+) toxicity in specific target organs such as lung, kidney, bone, and the vascular endothelium are discussed.
Disaster-Aware Dynamic Content Placement in Optical Cloud Networks

Content placement in cloud networks should be resilient to data loss due to disaster-driven failures. We propose a disaster-aware dynamic content placement scheme to reduce the expected content loss while satisfying resource constraints and QoS.
Nonlinear circuits with hysteresis

Abstract The complete solution of the dynamical equations is obtained for lumped electrical circuits containing iron-cored inductors subject to magnetic hysteresis, as described by Preisach. The states of the system are shown to be continuous piecewise smooth functions of time if the applied voltages and currents are likewise smooth, whatever the initial magnetic histories of the inductors may have been. Sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of periodic, particularly subharmonic, forced solutions for the states of the circuits, not only for the Preisach model but also for a wide class of other models of hysteresis.
The effect of thrombocytopenia on dermal wound healing

The immediate appearance of platelets in wounds and the ability of platelets to release growth factors suggest that platelets are an important trigger of the tissue repair process. To examine the effect of systemic thrombocytopenia on both the inflammatory and proliferative aspects of wound healing, adult mice were rendered thrombocytopenic by intraperitoneal administration of a rabbit antimouse platelet serum. Full-thickness excisional dermal wounds were prepared and analyzed for inflammatory cell content, growth factor production, reepithelialization, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis at multiple time points after injury. Compared to control mice, thrombocytopenic mice exhibited significantly altered wound inflammation. Wounds of thrombocytopenic mice contained significantly more macrophages and T cells, yet exhibited neutrophil content similar to wounds from control mice. Surprisingly, thrombocytopenic mice exhibited no delay in the reparative aspects of wound healing. The rate of wound reepithelialization, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis was nearly identical for thrombocytopenic and control mice. Analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, transforming growth factor pi, keratinocyte growth factor, and epidermal growth factor revealed no difference in the levels of these growth factors in the wounds of control and thrombocytopenic mice. Taken together, the results suggest that the presence of platelets may influence wound inflammation, but that platelets do not significantly affect the proliferative aspects of repair, including wound closure, angiogenesis, and collagen synthesis.
Early Metastasizing Spindle Epithelial Tumor With Thymus-like Differentiation (SETTLE) of the Thyroid

Spindle epithelial tumor with thymus-like elements is a rare thyroid lesion of children and young adults thought to be derived from branchial pouch remnants or foci of ectopic thymus. The lesion is poorly understood, and although it was originally believed to follow an indolent clinical course, its potential for late metastasis is becoming generally acknowledged. We have recently seen a unique case of this rare tumor in an 11-year-old boy, in which an unexpected and salient feature is the presence of a micrometastasis in a single lymph node at presentation. With the exception of 1 case with extensively infiltrative tumor and metastatic disease at the time of onset, in all other cases dissemination occurred years after surgical resection of the primary lesion. We review all previously reported cases and provide a detailed study of the histologic and ultrastructural appearances of this lesion.
Bound analysis of closed queueing networks with workload burstiness

Burstiness and temporal dependence in service processes are often found in multi-tier architectures and storage devices and must be captured accurately in capacity planning models as these features are responsible of significant performance degradations. However, existing models and approximations for networks of first-come first-served (FCFS) queues with general independent (GI) service are unable to predict performance of systems with temporal dependence in workloads.To overcome this difficulty, we define and study a class of closed queueing networks where service times are represented by Markovian Arrival Processes (MAPs), a class of point processes that can model general distributions, but also temporal dependent features such as burstiness in service times. We call these models MAP queueing networks. We introduce provable upper and lower bounds for arbitrary performance indexes (e.g., throughput, response time, utilization) that we call Linear Reduction (LR) bounds. Numerical experiments indicate that LR bounds achieve a mean accuracy error of 2 percent.The result promotes LR bounds as a versatile and reliable bounding methodology of the performance of modern computer systems.
Correlations between Title Keywords and LCSH Terms and Their Implication for Fast-Track Cataloging

Budget pressures and increased workloads are causing cataloging departments to look for ways to capitalize on the resources they have. This study applied a rubric to books in the areas of religion, theology, and biblical studies to determine if content-level designation or publisher are good indicators of which books could be fast-tracked through cataloging without compromising quality. Findings indicated that while neither content-level nor publisher were indicators of materials suited to fast-track cataloging, Bible commentaries had a 97% match rate giving a higher level of confidence to fast-track cataloging of these materials.
The Expression of Depressive Symptomatology in Korean American Undergraduates: Sex and Generational Differences

This study examined the influence of acculturation and perception of the university environment on the depressive symptomatology of 228 Korean American undergraduates, with a focus on sex and generational differences. Perceptions of the university environment and perceived barriers were positive predictors of depressive symptomatology in respective regression equations by sex and generation. Study limitations and counseling practice implications are discussed.
Structural Basis for Capping Protein Sequestration by Myotrophin (V-1)

Capping protein (CP) is a ubiquitously expressed, heterodimeric 62-kDa protein that binds the barbed end of the actin filament with high affinity to block further filament elongation. Myotrophin (V-1) is a 13-kDa ankyrin repeat-containing protein that binds CP tightly, sequestering it in a totally inactive complex in vitro. Here, we elucidate the molecular interaction between CP and V-1 by NMR. Specifically, chemical shift mapping and intermolecular paramagnetic relaxation enhancement experiments reveal that the ankyrin loops of V-1, which are essential for V-1/CP interaction, bind the basic patch near the joint of the α tentacle of CP shown previously to drive most of the association of CP with and affinity for the barbed end. Consistently, site-directed mutagenesis of CP shows that V-1 and the strong electrostatic binding site for CP on the barbed end compete for this basic patch on CP. These results can explain how V-1 inactivates barbed end capping by CP and why V-1 is incapable of uncapping CP-capped actin filaments, the two signature biochemical activities of V-1.
A Numerical Model Study of Hypoxia in the Tidal Rappahannock River of Chesapeake Bay

Hypoxia, even anoxia, has persisted during summer in the bottom water of the lower portion of the tidal Rappahannock River, a western shore tributary of Chesapeake Bay. A laterally integrated, two-dimensional, real-time model consisting of linked hydrodynamic and water quality models was developed and applied to the tidal Rappahannock River. The model was calibrated and verified using field data collected in 1987 and 1990. The model reproduced the observed hypoxia very well. The model was used to study the effects on hypoxia of the physical processes (gravitational circulation and vertical mixing), oxygen demand (both in sediment and water column), and the quality of incoming bay water. Sensitivity analysis using the model provided further insight to the understanding of the processes contributing to hypoxia. This paper presents the model application with emphasis on the sensitivity analysis for hypoxia.
Lectins: endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins from vertebrate tissues: functional role in recognition processes?

Abstract An attempt will be made to survey the recent literature which reports the identification of “endogenous lectins”, carbohydrate-binding proteins, in a variety of vertebrate tissues. The function of lectins from cellular slime molds, plants and various microorganisms will be briefly reviewed. The paucity of functional information concerning lectins from vertebrate tissues will allow speculation on possible functions which relate to intercellular and intracellular recognition processes in development, by analogy to work done in simpler systems. Comparisons of the chemical and physical properties of these interesting vertebrate lectins will be made. We will also review studies from our laboratory which concern a developmentally regulated carbohydrate-binding protein in mammalian brain.
Structure of single and double stranded dna solutions as studied by ultracentrifugation

The osmotic pressure of dense solutions of DNA fragments in aqueous 0.2-2 M salt (NaCl, etc.) solutions were easily obtained from equilibrium ultracentrifugation data. Short, helical double stranded DNA fragment solutions showed a well defined ordering transition. The osmotic pressure of these helical solutions could be explained by the scaled particle theory of rigid sphero-cylinders. On the other hand, dense solutions of (single stranded) etheno-DNA derivatives (of about 100 nucleotides) showed no ordering phase transition. The osmotic pressure as a function of the e-DNA concentration verifies a scaling prediction for random coils in the semi-dilute regime. Good fits to the reduced osmotic pressure are obtained by using the Kleintjens and Koningsveld modified mean field lattice gas equations of state. As inferred from the Zimm clustering function, essentially all intermolecular interactions at high ionic strength are purely repulsive.
Evaluating Iran's missile threat

The proposed European missile defense system is intended to guard against a missile attack originating from Iran—yet Iran's missile capabilities are relatively limited.
The need for orienting new teachers

BROADER PROGRAMS NEEDED The orientation of new teachers, an area of educational administration and supervision very often neglected, is recently attracting more attention in the field of education. Not many years ago, orientation of new teachers was a thing passed over lightly. Today, however, the attitude of leaving the teacher to his self adjustment is being replaced by a more friendly spirit of help and a realization that many persons can help the novice teacher become well adjusted in his personal, social, and professional life. The new teacher, no matter how thorough his preparation or how varied his experience, has to meet and solve many perplexing problems during his first year in a particular school community. Supervisors, and staff members, should be constantly seeking better ways and means to bring about a successful and fruitful orientation program for new teachers.
Diffuse-reflectance model for smooth dielectric surfaces

A reflectance model that accurately predicts diffuse reflection from smooth inhomogeneous dielectric surfaces as a function of both viewing angle and angle of incidence is proposed. Utilizing results of radiative-transfer theory for subsurface multiple scattering, this new model precisely accounts for how incident light and the distribution of subsurface scattered light are influenced by Fresnel attenuation and Snell refraction at a smooth air–dielectric surface boundary. Whereas similar assumptions about subsurface scattering and Fresnel attenuation have been made in previous research on diffuse-reflectance modeling, the proposed model combines these assumptions in a different way and yields a more accurate expression for diffuse reflection that is shown to account for a number of empirical observations not predicted by existing models. What is particularly new about this diffuse-reflectance model is the resulting significant dependence on the viewing angle with respect to the surface normal. This dependence on the viewing angle explains distinctive properties of the behavior of diffuse reflection from smooth dielectric objects, properties not accounted for by existing diffuse-reflection models. Among these properties are prominent diffuse-reflection maxima effects occurring on objects when incident point-source illumination is greater than 50° relative to viewing, including the range from 90° to 180°, where the light source is behind the object with respect to viewing. For this range of incident illumination there is significant deviation from Lambertian behavior over a large portion of most smooth dielectric object surfaces, which makes it important for the computer vision community to be aware of such effects during incorporation of reflectance models into implementation of algorithms such as shape-from-shading. A number of experimental results are presented that verify the proposed diffuse-reflectance model.
A comparison of optimal FFTs on torus and hypercube multicomputers

Abstract In this paper we compare the optimum performance of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) on torus and hypercube multicomputers. The optimal number of floating point operations is architecturally invariant so the relative performance is determined by communication time. We compare the performance of known multiport communication algorithms that utilize the full bandwidth of the interconnection network on every cycle. Furthermore, data is routed unblocked over paths with minimum length. Specifically we compare FFT performance on the hypercube as well as two-, three- and four-dimensional torus architectures. On the hypercube we observe the somewhat surprising result that, in the limit, communication is ultimately negligible compared to computation. While the opposite is true of the torus, it is nevertheless possible to obtain comparable performance over a broad range of processors and problem sizes. As computers are built with increasing numbers of processors, torus performance can still be made comparable to the hypercube by gradually increasing the dimension of the interconnect. Any number of processors can be used to compute the FFT with efficiency that is theoretically bounded from zero.
Dual Oxidases Control Release of Hydrogen Peroxide by the Gastric Epithelium to Prevent Helicobacter felis Infection and Inflammation in Mice

Background & Aims Dual oxidases (DUOX) are conserved reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases that produce H 2 O 2 at the epithelial cell surface. The DUOX enzyme comprises the DUOX and DUOX maturation factor (DUOXA) subunits. Mammalian genomes encode 2 DUOX isoenzymes (DUOX1/DUOXA1 and DUOX2/DUOXA2). Expression of these genes is up-regulated during bacterial infections and chronic inflammatory diseases of the luminal gastrointestinal tract. The roles of DUOX in cellular interactions with microbes have not been determined in higher vertebrates. Methods Mice with disruptions of Duoxa1 and Duoxa2 genes ( Duoxa -/- mice) and control mice were infected with Helicobacter felis to create a model of Helicobacter pylori infection—the most common human chronic infection. Results Infection with H felis induced expression of Duox2 and Duoxa2 in the stomachs of wild-type mice, and DUOX protein specifically localized to the apical surface of epithelial cells. H felis colonized the mucus layer in the stomachs of Duoxa -/- mice to a greater extent than in control mice. The increased colonization persisted into the chronic phase of infection and correlated with an increased, yet ineffective, inflammatory response. H felis colonization also was increased in Duoxa +/- mice, compared with controls. We observed reduced expression of the H 2 O 2 -inducible katA gene in H felis that colonized Duoxa -/- mice, compared with that found in controls ( P = .0002), indicating that Duox causes oxidative stress in these bacteria. In vitro, induction of oxidative defense by H felis failed to prevent a direct bacteriostatic effect at sustained levels of H 2 O 2 as low as 30 μmol/L. Conclusions Based on studies of Duoxa -/- mice, the DUOX enzyme complex prevents gastric colonization by H felis and the inflammatory response. These findings indicate the nonredundant function of epithelial production of H 2 O 2 in restricting microbial colonization.
The incorporation of 3H-fucose and 3H-mannose into the photopigment of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii

Isolated crayfish retinas were incubated for 8 h in the light in a medium containing either 3H-fucose or 3H-mannose. Following this incubation, the rhabdom membranes were isolated, the pigment reduced with boranedimethylamine, and extracted with SDS detergent. The membrane-protein extract was separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The photopigment band on the gels was identified by its fluorescence upon exposure to long wavelength ultraviolet light. Determination of the distribution of radioactivity in the gels indicated that both fucose and mannose labeled the photopigment and other glycoproteins. Hydrolysis of the sugars from the labeled photopigment bands, followed by thin layer chromatography, further confirmed that both sugars were incorporated into newly synthesized photopigment without modification. These results provide the first reported data on the partial composition of the carbohydrate moiety of an invertebrate photopigment. These findings on the crayfish photopigment are compared with data from vertebrate rhodopsin and photopigment of other invertebrates.
Patient Safety in the Operating Room

Maintaining patient safety in the operating room is a major concern of surgeons, hospitals, and surgical facilities. Circumventing preventable complications is essential, and the pressure to avoid these complications during elective cosmetic surgery is especially important. Traditionally, nursing and anesthesia staff have managed patient positioning and most safety issues in the operating room. As the number of office-based procedures in the plastic surgeon's practice increases, understanding and implementation of patient safety guidelines by the plastic surgeon is of increasing importance. Key aspects of patient safety in the operating room include thoughtful patient positioning, ocular protection, proper handling of electrocautery, and airway management. If performed correctly with attention to certain anatomic landmarks, preoperative positioning of the patient can prevent nerve injury and postoperative joint or muscle pain. In this article we discuss proper patient positioning with attention to protection against nerve palsy. Further, we discuss common patient positions on the operative table and highlight special concerns associated with each position. Other safety issues including prevention of ocular injury and proper management of electrocautery are discussed. Responsibility of postoperative complications ultimately lies with the surgeon. Careful attention to patient safety guidelines is of paramount importance to surgeons, especially during elective cosmetic procedures. Attention to detail in patient positioning, eye protection, and bovie use can help avoid unnecessary perioperative complications and significantly improve the patient's cosmetic surgery experience.
Medium effects on ESR spectra in studies of hydrogen-bonded transient solvent-solute complexes

Abstract The effect of solvent polarity on the observed hyperfine coupling constants of nitroxide radicals has been investigated both in the presence of and in the absence of hydrogen donors. With inert solvents, the observed hyperfine coupling constant increases linearly with (ϵ - 1)/(ϵ + 1). With hydrogen donors, the observed hyperfine coupling constants are much greater, in part because of the dielectric constant of the medium and in part because of the equilibrium between free and complexed radicals. Correcting for the effect of the dielectric constant of the medium on the observed hyperfine coupling constants in the determination of association constants of transient complexes is illustrated for the donors C3H7OH, C4H9OH, CF3CH2OH, C6H5OH, (CH3)3COH, and CHCl3. Association constants for these donors with TMPO at room temperature in benzene are found to be in the range from 0.68 to 2.04 M−1.
Privileged ESL University Students.

The TESOL Quarterly invites commentary on current trends or practices in the TESOL profession. It also welcomes responses or rebuttals to articles or reviews published in the Quarterly. Unfortunately, we are not able to publish responses to previous Forum exchanges.
PERSONAL CONTROL AS A MODERATOR VARIABLE OF LIFE STRESS: PRELIMINARY INQUIRY

In successful performance personal control includes both outcome expectations, the belief that the environment will be responsive to individual coping efforts and expectations of efficacy, the belief that one has the skills for specific tasks. This study examined the relationship between these two expectation factors and dependent measures of anxiety and depression. As predicted, there were sex differences. Depression in men was negatively correlated with outcome expectations. No relationship for either sex was found between expectations of efficacy and symptomatology. Possible reasons for these findings were presented.
On your mark, get set, GROW! LePRK2–LAT52 interactions regulate pollen tube growth

Recent discoveries show that LAT52 and LePRK2, two pollen-specific proteins, interact in what might be an autocrine signaling system. This exciting finding indicates that successful fertilization requires ligand-receptor kinase signals that regulate pollen-tube growth. The stage is now set to identify other components of this pathway and to explore their connections with the many signals exchanged between pollen and pistil.
Role of the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in enhancing the efficacy of siRNA-mediated gene silencing in neuroblastoma cells

Role of the adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in enhancing the efficacy of siRNA-mediated gene silencing in neuroblastoma cells
Canonical forms for labelled trees and their applications in frequent subtree mining

Tree structures are used extensively in domains such as computational biology, pattern recognition, XML databases, computer networks, and so on. In this paper, we first present two canonical forms for labelled rooted unordered trees–the breadth-first canonical form (BFCF) and the depth-first canonical form (DFCF). Then the canonical forms are applied to the frequent subtree mining problem. Based on the BFCF, we develop a vertical mining algorithm, RootedTreeMiner, to discover all frequently occurring subtrees in a database of labelled rooted unordered trees. The RootedTreeMiner algorithm uses an enumeration tree to enumerate all (frequent) labelled rooted unordered subtrees. Next, we extend the definition of the DFCF to labelled free trees and present an Apriori-like algorithm, FreeTreeMiner, to discover all frequently occurring subtrees in a database of labelled free trees. Finally, we study the performance and the scalability of our algorithms through extensive experiments based on both synthetic data and datasets from real applications.
IL‐13 induced increases in nitrite levels are primarily driven by increases in inducible nitric oxide synthase as compared with effects on arginases in human primary bronchial epithelial cells

Summary Background Exhaled nitric oxide is increased in asthma, but the mechanisms controlling its production, including the effects of T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, are poorly understood. In mouse and submerged human epithelial cells, Th2 cytokines inhibit expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Arginases have been proposed to contribute to asthma pathogenesis by limiting the arginine substrate available to NOS enzymes, but expression of any of these enzymes has not been extensively studied in primary human cells. Objectives We hypothesized that primary human airway epithelial cells in air–liquid interface (ALI) culture would increase iNOS expression and activity in response to IL-13, while decreasing arginase expression. Methods iNOS and arginase mRNA (real-time PCR) and protein expression (Western blot and immunofluorescence) as well as iNOS activity (nitrite levels) were measured in ALI epithelial cells cultured from bronchial brushings of normal and asthmatic subjects following IL-13 stimulation. Results IL-13 up-regulated iNOS mRNA primarily at a transcriptional level in epithelial cells. iNOS protein and activity also increased, arginase1 protein expression decreased while arginase 2 expression did not change. The changes in iNOS protein correlated strongly with changes in nitrites, and inclusion of arginase (1 or 2) did not substantially change the relationship. Interestingly, iNOS mRNA and protein were not correlated. Conclusions These results contrast with many previous results to confirm that Th2 stimuli enhance iNOS expression and activity. While arginase 1 protein decreases in response to IL-13, neither arginase appears to substantially impact nitrite levels in this system.
Influence of temperature on the optimal hematocrit of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

The influence of temperature on blood viscosity and consequently on the potential for oxygen transport by blood was determined using a controlled flow, variable pressure tube viscometer, and blood from adult bullfrogs. Blood viscosity was determined as a function of hematocrit and temperature, and oxygen capacity was determined as a function of hematocrit. These data were used to describe 1) the potential for oxygen transport in the tube viscometer, and 2) the relation between the optimal hematocrit, the hematocrit which provided the greates oxygen transport, and temperature. The optimal hematocrit increased at a rate of 0.237% per °C increase in temperature. This value is close to the rate of change inin vivo hematocrit of 0.246 and 0.240% per °C increase in body temperature (Tb) observed in winter bullforgs acclimated to 5 and 20°C, respectively. During the summer the hematocrit ratio showed no consistent relation to Tb. These results suggest that in bullfrogs the cardiovascular adjustments to change in Tb involve the optimal hematocrit in winter, but not in summer.
The adsorption of liquid and vapor water on TiO2(110) surfaces : the role of defects

Abstract The adsorption of liquid and vapor water on defective and nearly defect-free TiO 2 (110) surfaces has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). The study focuses on examining electronic defects as created in vacuum and after exposure to both liquid and vapor water. Defective surfaces were prepared by electron-beam exposure and Ar + bombardment. With exposure up to 10 4 L low vapor pressure ( −5 Torr) water to defective surfaces, little change on Ti3d defect intensity was observed. However, defect intensities were greatly reduced after exposing defective surfaces to ∼ 10 8 L higher vapor pressure (0.2–0.6 Torr) water for 5 min. More significantly, XPS and UPS spectra showed that electron-beam induced defects were completely removed upon liquid water exposure, while defects created by Ar + bombardment were only partially removed. Surface defects created by Ar + bombardment were removed more readily than sub-surface defects. Water adsorption on the surface has been quantified using the OH signal from the O 1s photopeak. For a nearly defect-free surface, water coverage was ∼ 0.02 ML at 10 4 L exposure to low vapor pressure water, ∼ 0.07 ML at 10 8 L exposure to higher vapor pressure water, and ∼ 0.125 ML with liquid water exposure, respectively.
The Social Milieu of the Church and Religious Coping Responses: A Longitudinal Investigation of Older Whites and Older Blacks

The purpose of this study is to see if the social environment of the church influences the use of religious coping responses over time. The following theoretical relationships were embedded in the conceptual model that was developed to evaluate this issue: (a) People who go to church more often are more likely to feel their congregation is highly cohesive (e.g., share the same values and beliefs); (b) individuals who worship in highly cohesive congregations are more likely to receive spiritual support (i.e., encouragement to adopt religious teachings and principles) from their fellow church members; and (c) people who receive more spiritual support will be more likely to adopt religious coping responses. In the process of evaluating this model, tests were performed to examine the influence of racial culture. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older adults provide support for each link in the conceptual model. Pervasive racial cultural differences were also found: Older Blacks were more likely t...
Diapause induction and termination: north-south strain differences in Ostrinia nubilalis.

Diapause induction and termination responses of a northern strain (Minnesota [MN]) of Ostrinia nubilalis were compared with those of a southern strain (Georgia [GA]). A ther moperiod in constant light (12 hr at 25°C alternating with 12 hr at4°C) failed to induce diapause in GA larvae, but approximately 50% diapause induction was observed in the MN population. Moreover, the 50% of MN larvae that continued their development (i.e., underwent pupation and adult development) did so at a slower rate, as measured by days to pupation, than GA larvae.In the laboratory, diapausing MN larvae responded more slowly to the optimal light-dark (LD) cycle for terminating diapause, LD 16:8, than did GA larvae. In the field MN populations are univoltine (i.e., are characterized by one generation per year). A delayed termination response in the spring, coupled with a longer critical daylength for diapause induction as daylength decreases during late summer (earlier diapause) restricts the time during which development can oc...
Revision Strategies Employed by Middle Level Students Using Computers

This article discusses an intervention study designed to implement and evaluate an instructional program for middle level students in writing with computers over approximately one school year.The study employed a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design with two experimental groups and one control group. Sixty-nine sixth grade students were randomly assigned by race and gender to the three groups.A researcher-designed protocol was used during posttest to determine differences in revision strategies. The types of revision strategies reported by the students in the experimental groups differed significantly from those in the control group. The present study indicates that it may be possible to expand the complexity of revision strategies applied by students through explicit teaching and the use of the computer.
Roles of the six peptide-binding pockets of the HLA-A2 molecule in allorecognition by human cytotoxic T-cell clones.

Abstract To evaluate the contribution of the major histocompatibility complex class I pockets to the binding of self-peptides recognized by alloreactive cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) clones, we have constructed an extensive library of HLA-A2 mutants with different amino acid substitutions in each of the six pockets. When these mutants were tested in cytotoxicity assays with a panel of HLA-A2-specific alloreactive CTL clones, each CTL clone showed a unique pattern of reactivity, implying the different contributions of each pocket to binding individual peptides. We noted that the majority of the mutants in pocket B significantly affect recognition by the CTL clones. Unexpectedly, the mutations influencing allorecognition are found in all other pockets as well. Overall, this study demonstrates that each of the six peptide-binding pockets plays an important and distinct role in binding of self-peptides required for recognition of the HLA-A2 molecule by alloreactive CTLs.
Isolation of an aminoglycoside receptor from guinea pig inner ear tissues and kidney.

Affinity chromatography was used to isolate aminoglycoside receptors from inner ear tissues and kidney. Neomycin was immobilized on glass beads and served as the stationary phase in column chromatography. Fractionation of an organic tissue extract on this matrix demonstrated two components with high affinity for neomycin: phosphatidyl inositol phosphate and phosphatidyl inositol diphosphate. The toxicity of aminoglycosides is explained on the basis of a drug-interaction with these lipids.
High-voltage picosecond pulse generation using avalanche diodes

The generation ofkilovolt-level sub-lOOps wide pulses using the avalanche transit-time effect in abruptjunction P-i-NN+ silicon diodes is described and the basic theory for this " single-shot" mode of the microwave TRAPATF oscillator is discussed. We then present a computationally efficient SPICE model and compare simulations to lab data for two basic circuit configurations. 1.
Beta-Glycyrrhetinic Acid on the Adrenal Ascorbic Acid of Unstressed and Stressed Immature Female Rats

THE structural1 and pharmacological2–6 similarity between glycyrrhetinic acid and adrenal corticoids has been reported. Glycyrrhetinic acid resembles the corticoids in mineralocorticoid2,3, anti-inflammatory4,5, anti-œstrogenic5 and anti-leukaemic6 activity. Since the glycoside, glycyrrhizin, has an inhibitory action on the pituitary-adrenal system7–9, it was of interest to ascertain whether the aglycone, glycyrrhetinic acid, exerted similar action.
Contribution of "substrate shuttles" in the transport of extramitochondrial reducing equivalents by hepatic mitochondria from chronic alcohol-fed mice.

Effects of chronic alcohol treatment have been investigated on the rates of extramitochondrial NADH utilization by hepatic mitochondria in the presence or absence of “malate-aspartate shuttle,” oxidation of ethanol, α-glycerophosphate, and the activity of succinic dehydrogenase, along with the changes in the intrahepatic distribution of aspartate aminotransferase. The rates of blood alcohol clearance, hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activity, and NADPH-dependent microsomal ethanol oxidation were also studied after different time intervals of alcohol withdrawal from chronically alcohol-fed animals. Hepatic mitochondria from chronically ethanol-fed mice (ethanol withheld 20 hr before sacrifice) utilized extramitochondrial NADH at rates 25–40% higher than the corresponding pair-fed controls. Addition of malateaspartate shuttle components to mitochondria from control and ethanol-fed groups resulted in 70 and 90% stimulation of NADH utilization, respectively. Mitochondria from both groups showed respiratory control upon ADP addition (state 3). Preincubation with amino-oxyacetate or hydrazine, which inhibit aspartate aminotransferase activity, prevented the stimulatory effect of malate-aspartate shuttle on NADH utilization. Mitochondria from livers of chronic ethanol-fed mice in the presence of reconstituted malate-aspartate shuttle showed 30–40% higher utilization of ethanol than the corresponding pair-fed control animals. The rate of mitochondrial α-glycerophosphate utilization by alcohol-fed animals was significantly higher than the control group. Succinic dehydrogenase activity measured as an index of mitochondrial permeability in the absence of Ca2+ showed 85% higher activity in alcoholtreated group than the control animals. Chronic ethanol feeding for 4 weeks resulted in an increase in the activity of hepatic aspartate aminotransferase in the cytoplasmic fraction and a corresponding decrease in the mitochondrial fraction. Alcohol withdrawal from chronic alcohol-fed animals resulted in a decrease in the blood alcohol clearance rate after 10 days. Furthermore, a lack of correlation was observed between the rates of blood alcohol clearance and the activity of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase on one hand, and between the rates of blood alcohol clearance and the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing activity on the other.
Low-temperature, solution-processed molybdenum oxide hole-collection layer for organic photovoltaics

We have utilized a commercially available metal–organic precursor to develop a new, low-temperature, solution-processed molybdenum oxide (MoOx) hole-collection layer (HCL) for organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices that is compatible with high-throughput roll-to-roll manufacturing. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates complete decomposition of the metal–organic precursor by 115 °C in air. Acetonitrile solutions spin-cast in a N2 atmosphere and annealed in air yield continuous thin films of MoOx. Ultraviolet, inverse, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopies confirm the formation of MoOx and, along with Kelvin probe measurements, provide detailed information about the energetics of the MoOx thin films. Incorporation of these films into conventional architecture bulk heterojunction OPV devices with poly(3-hexylthiophene) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester afford comparable power conversion efficiencies to those obtained with the industry-standard material for hole injection and collection: poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The MoOx HCL devices exhibit slightly reduced open circuit voltages and short circuit current densities with respect to the PEDOT:PSS HCL devices, likely due in part to charge recombination at Mo5+ gap states in the MoOx HCL, and demonstrate enhanced fill factors due to reduced series resistance in the MoOx HCL.
Bending of promoter DNA on binding of heat shock transcription factor.

The Drosophila heat-shock transcription factor (HSTF) has been shown to bind to three domains of the heat shock protein 70 gene (hsp 70) control region1,2. The most critical of these for transcrip-tional activation appears to be the one closest to the TATA-homology region2–4. This domain, spanning sequences from −40 to −95, consists of two contiguous HSTF binding sites (sites 1 and 2) that are occupied in a cooperative manner2 (see Fig. 1). Recent alkylation interference and protection studies suggest a conformational change occurs in the protein-DNA complex at site 1 upon sequential HSTF binding at site 2 (ref. 5). We report here that HSTF binding to a single site or to both contiguous sites results in the introduction of a specific DNA bend within this domain of the hsp 70 promoter.
Cannabinoid receptors are localized to noradrenergic axon terminals in the rat frontal cortex

Cannabinoid agonists exert complex actions on modulatory neurotransmitters involved in attention and cognition. Previous studies have demonstrated that acute systemic administration of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist, WIN 55,212-2, increases norepinephrine efflux in the rat frontal cortex. In an effort to elucidate whether cannabinoid (CB1) receptors are positioned to presynaptically modulate norepinephrine release in the frontal cortex, immunocytochemical detection of the CB1 receptor and the catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) was performed using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy in rat brain. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of dually labeled tissue sections from the frontal cortex indicated that individual axonal processes exhibited both CB1 receptor and DbetaH immunoreactivities. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed that one-third of axon terminals containing CB1 immunolabeling also exhibited DbetaH labeling. Cortical neurons were also found to be targeted by separately labeled CB1- and DbetaH-containing axon terminals. In conclusion, the present neuroanatomical data suggest that cortical norepinephrine release may be modulated, in part, by CB1 receptors that are presynaptically distributed on noradrenergic axon terminals.
Foraging decisions: prey choice by pigeons

Abstract Four pigeons, Columba livia , served as subjects in a foraging analogue testing the predictions, both qualitative and quantitative, of the prey choice model. In experiment 1, the search cost between successive prey encounters was varied. In experiment 2, the proportion of rich to poor prey opportunities was varied. In experiments 3 and 4, both search cost and the proportion of rich to poor opportunities were varied in order to manipulate the encounter rate with only the rich prey type and only the poor prey type, respectively. In every experiment nearly all rich prey type opportunities were accepted when offered. Further, as the encounter rate with the rich prey type decreased, the subjects accepted more poor prey type opportunities (experiments 1–3). Both of these results conformed to the predictions of the prey choice model. The acceptance of the poor prey type often, but not always, approximated the all-or-none selection predicted. Selection of the poor prey type changed when the encounter rate with only the poor prey type was varied (experiment 4), in clear violation of the predictions of the prey choice model.
Assessment of a modified DSM-5 diagnosis of alcohol use disorder in a genetically informative population

Background Proposed changes to the upcoming DSM-5 include: i) combining criteria for DSM-IV alcohol abuse (AA) and alcohol dependence (AD) into one diagnostic category (alcohol use disorder, AUD); ii) exclusion of the “legal problems” (LP) criterion; and iii) addition of a “craving” criterion. Few published studies empirically assess the potential consequences of the proposed changes.