cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling dislocation evolution in irradiated alloys

Neutron irradiation of structural materials leads to such observable changes as creep and void swelling. These effects are due to differential partitioning of point defects. Although most radiationproduced point defects recombine with an antidefect, a very small fraction of the defects survives. The surviving defect fraction is directly related to the density and type of extended defects that act as point defect sinks. Defect partitioning requires the presence of more than one type of sink and that at least one of the sinks has a capture efficiency for either vacancies or interstitials that is different from that of the other sink(s). For example, dislocations provide the interstitial “bias” that drives swelling, and the ratio of the dislocation to cavity sink strength determines the swelling rate. These sink strengths change during irradiation, and an explicit model of their evolution is required to simulate swelling or creep. Such a model has been developed; the influences of various model assumptions and parameters are discussed. The model simulates the evolution of Frank faulted interstitial loops, providing a dislocation source and the glide/climb of the dislocation network leading to annihilation of dislocation segments. Good agreement is found between model predictions and experimental data. Swelling simulations are shown to be quite sensitive to the dislocation model.
Chemical Reaction in a Hot‐Pressed Al2O3‐Glass Composite

The effects of hot-pressing variables on a chemical reaction within a two-phase system were studied. The reaction between alumina and sodium disilicate glass to form nephelite (Na2O·-Al2O3·2SiO2) was investigated using X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, and petrographic techniques. The nephelite nucleated at the surface of the alumina and grew into the glass matrix.
Machine recognition of hand printing

The problem of pattern recognition as applied to line drawings has been studied and a generalized method developed which is based on a hierarchical sequence of classification stages. Recognition proceeds in two steps: First the individual pen strokes are abstracted into straight line segments; then the normalized pattern of lines is identified with one member of the possible pattern set. The procedures used to abstract the line segments are reasonably invariant to size, position, line width, noise, and certain small topographic variations. This line recognition stage produces normalized, quantized measurements of each segment's length and angle, and its bearing direction and distance from the pattern's centroid. These data are presented in a matrix form which is convenient to manipulate both for the recognition programs and for certain topographic preprocessing procedures. Recognition is accomplished by comparing the unknown matrix with a catalog of arrays which are formed by accumulating statistics on known samples. The classification process makes use of two measures of the unknown against the arrays: The first is the correlation coefficient which yields a provisional identification. The second is an insignificance index which, by providing a measure of the reliability of the correlation coefficient, serves to improve the identification. The method was tested on hand printed letters. The identification was correct for 93.5% of the unknown samples. Using the insignificance index resulted in a reduction of the error rate over that of the unmodified correlation-based identification by a factor of 2.5. The operation of the entire system was simulated on a general purpose digital computer.
A 76-Year-Old Man With Macular Degeneration

DR SHIP: Dr G is a 76-year-old semiretired surgeon. He is married, lives in the New York metropolitan area, and has indemnity insurance and Medicare. Dr G’s ophthalmologic history was notable for mild myopia, bilateral drusen, and an episode of self-limited central serous retinopathy in the left eye at the age of 38 years. Approximately 3 years ago, he noted subtle vision changes. These symptoms progressed over a 2-month period and he saw his general ophthalmologist. He was found to have mild nuclear sclerotic cataracts (right greater than left), corrected visual acuity of 20/40 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye, and an exudative retinal detachment in the right eye. He was referred to a retinal specialist that day. Since that time, Dr G has received photodynamic therapy (PDT) to the right eye 5 times, twice with the experimental addition of intraocular triamcinolone. His visual acuity in the right eye initially showed some interval improvement, but has ultimately worsened to “count fingers” vision. His course has been complicated by chronic dry eyes, for which he has been unsuccessfully treated with artificial tears and cyclosporine drops, as well as bilateral nuclear sclerotic cataracts. Cataract surgery for the left eye was aborted 3 months ago when he sustained an intraorbital hemorrhage during anesthesia that required treatment by lateral canthotomy. Dr G’s loss of visual acuity has dramatically altered his life. While he continues to teach, he stopped performing surgery when he lost depth perception (stereopsis) because of changes in the right eye. He does not feel he has adequate binocular vision to drive safely, so has become reliant on family, friends, and public transportation with the attendant loss of autonomy. He finds variable but occasionally profound difficulty seeing well enough to do small household repairs, to play the piano, and to read, all activities that used to occupy his time. He has become depressed. Dr G’s past medical history is significant for hypertension, osteopenia, mild anemia, and migraine. Fifteen years ago his purified protein derivative test converted to positive and he took a course of isoniazid. His surgical history is notable for a prostatectomy and thymectomy. His current medications include the following: alendronate (35 mg every week), hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg daily), amlodopine (10 mg daily), aspirin (80 mg every other day), as well as naproxen and misoprostol (200 μg as needed for migraine). He has no drug allergies. He has a remote history of pipe smoking and drinks alcohol socially. At his most recent ophthalmologic examination, his visual acuity in the right eye was 20/400, in the left eye 20/ 30. The left fundus showed large soft drusen larger than 125 μm, mild pigmentary mottling, but no evidence of subretinal fluid or hemorrhage. Dr G wonders what he can do to avoid developing similar sight-threatening changes in his left eye and asks if there are any other treatments for his right eye that he might consider.
Phosphofructokinase activity in particulate-free extracts of Trypanosoma (trypanozoon) rhodesiense

1. 1. Phosphofructokinase (PFK) from bloodstream-form Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) rhodesiense, like the analogous enzyme from other sources, efficiently phosphorylated fructose-6-phosphate but not fructose-1-phosphate; it required Mg2+ or Mn2+ as a co-factor, and was inhibited by supraoptimal concentrations of ATP. 2. 2. Trypanosomal PFK was less sensitive than was PFK from Schistosoma mansoni to the inhibitory action of organic trivalent antimonials and arsenicals, and in both cases the inhibitory potency of arsenicals but not antimonials could be reversed in the presence of the sulfhydryl inhibitor, 2-mercaptoethanol. 3. 3. The estimated molecular weight of trypanosomal PFK, based on its behavior during Sephadex G-200 filtration, was 185,000 ± 10 per cent; that of mouse heart PFK was 300,000 ± 10 per cent. Although schistosomal PFK was rather unstable when passed through Sephadex G-200, its elution profile indicated that its molecular weight was in the range of 350,000−450,000.
Career Choices of Recent Doctorates in Special Education: Their Implications for Addressing Faculty Shortages:

The insufficient supply of special education doctorate recipients to meet the demand for higher education faculty has been a chronic problem. One reason for the continued shortfall has been the low proportion of new graduates who pursue academic careers. In order to explore the factors underlying the career choices of recently trained leadership personnel, a survey of individuals who earned their doctorates between 1994 and 1998 was conducted in fall 1999. The results revealed that there has been no sign of growth in the proportion that moved into faculty positions. In sharp contrast to the estimated 85% of individuals who earned their degrees in the 1960s and took faculty appointments, approximately 36% of 1994-98 doctorate recipients were employed full-time in tenure-line positions. Although several reasons contribute to this situation, the most influential involved the age at beginning doctoral study, the career aspirations of beginning doctoral students, the extent to which they received institutional support to finance their training, and their ability to relocate after graduation. These factors point to the need for doctoral programs to vigorously recruit new doctoral students at a younger age, provide them with adequate financial support during their training, and streamline the educational process so as to reduce the time between receipt of the baccalaureate and awarding of the doctorate.
Satellite remote sounding of mid-tropospheric CO2

Human activity has increased the concentration of the earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide, which plays a direct role in contributing to global warming. Mid-tropospheric CO_2 retrieved by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder shows a substantial spatiotemporal variability that is supported by in situ aircraft measurements. The distribution of middle tropospheric CO_2 is strongly influenced by surface sources and large-scale circulations such as the mid-latitude jet streams and by synoptic weather systems, most notably in the summer hemisphere. In addition, the effects of stratosphere-troposphere exchange are observed during a final stratospheric warming event. The results provide the means to understand the sources and sinks and the lifting of CO_2 from surface layers into the free troposphere and its subsequent transport around the globe. These processes are not adequately represented in three chemistry-transport models that have been used to study carbon budgets.
Cities and states in geohistory

In his last major work, Charles Tilly presents a schematic history of the development of cities, states, and trust networks over the past five millennia. I reconfigure his “look across history” from a more assertively spatial perspective, pushing back the starting point of the geohistory of cities another 5,000 years to what is presented as the first of three “urban revolutions.” From this geohistorical viewpoint, cities and states do not emerge together de novo in Sumeria but the state is seen as being generated from earlier urbanization processes or what can be described as the stimulus of urban agglomeration. The generative power of cities or urban spatial causality, rarely addressed in the social science literature, is being re-discovered today as a primary source of societal development, technological innovation, and cultural creativity. In my schematic geohistory, the stimulus of urban agglomeration is traced over 10,000 years from its early role in the development of full-scale agriculture and the remarkable artistic creativity emanating from Catalhoyuk, the largest of the earliest urban settlements; through the formation of politically charged city-states and city-based empires; to the city-generated Industrial Revolution and the origins of urban industrial capitalism; ending in a look at the contemporary reconfiguration of cities and states and the shift from metropolitan to regional urbanization.
Population structure and genetic diversity in four tropical tree species in Costa Rica

Despite intensified interest in conservation of tropical forests, knowledge of the population genetics of tropical forest trees remains limited. We used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data to evaluate trends in genetic diversity and differentiation for four tropical tree species, Alchornea latifolia, Dendropanax arboreus, Inga thibaudiana and Protium glabrum. These species occur at contrasting population densities along an elevational gradient and we use RAPD and ecological data to examine natural levels of genetic diversity of each species, trends in genetic variability with population density and structure, genetic differentiation along the elevation gradient, and the relationship between genetic diversity and such factors as seed dispersal and pollination syndrome. At the distances we examined (plot distances ranging from 0.8 to 8.6 km) there was very little genetic structuring at any distance along the gradient. All four species exhibited levels of variation expected for spatial distribution, mating system and pollinator syndrome; greater than 96% of the genetic variation occurred within plots for Inga thibaudiana, Protium glabrum and Dendropanax arboreus. Alchornea latifolia only occurred in a single plot. The results of this study contribute to a growing database of genetic diversity data that can be utilized to make predictions about the effect of disturbance and subsequent reductions in population size on genetic variation and structure in tropical tree species.
Fuzzy logic approach to placement problem

The authors apply fuzzy reasoning to the placement of sea-of-gate arrays. Fuzzy logic is used to optimize a process of decision making in physical design. Multiple objectives such as utilization of area, routability, and timing were considered simultaneously and balanced by fuzzy logic algorithms. The experiments demonstrated that solutions obtained by fuzzy logic were of much better quality than those achieved by standard techniques. >
Hematopoietic stem cell gene replacement therapy.

Human gene therapy trials have begun, and by early reports are a success [1]. The initial clinical trial which demonstrated the safety of infusing genetically marked lymphocytes into humans was reported in 1990 [2]. This paved the way for researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) :o begin the first therapeutic trials of treating adenosine deaminase deficient patients with genetically modified lymphocytes. Like the
Distribution of Vibrio vulnificus phage in oyster tissues and other estuarine habitats.

Phages lytic to Vibrio vulnificus were found in estuarine waters, sediments, plankton, crustacea, molluscan shellfish, and the intestines of finfish of the U.S. Gulf Coast, but no apparent relationship between densities of V. vulnificus and its phages was observed. Phage diversity and abundance in molluscan shellfish were much greater than in other habitats. V. vulnificus phages isolated from oysters did not lyse other mesophilic bacteria also isolated from oysters. Both V. vulnificus and its phages were found in a variety of oyster tissues and fluids with lowest densities in the hemolymph and mantle fluid. These findings suggest a close ecological relationship between V. vulnificus phages and molluscan shellfish.
Experimental investigations of Smith–Purcell radiation

We present experimental investigations of Smith–Purcell radiation and Salisbury’s model and emphasize the amplification mechanism and efforts to build a resonator operating in the visible wavelength region. The first experiment demonstrated that electrons can be reflected from a rough surface owing to crystal-lattice diffraction. The second experiment showed that the radiation output increases exponentially as the beam thickness increases, indicating a possible occurrence of lasing action; the results were consistent with Salisbury’s model. The last experiment yielded inconclusive results; the use of a more stable electron beam and a blazed grating is suggested for future experiments.
Rowing locomotion by a stonefly that possesses the ancestral pterygote condition of co-occurring wings and abdominal gills

A leading hypothesis for the origin of insect wings is that they evolved from thoracic gills that were serial homologues of the abdominal gills present in fossil pterygotes and in the nymphs of some modern mayflies, damselflies and stoneflies. Co-occurrence of thoracic wings and abdominal gills is the primitive condition for fossil pterygote insects, whereas the winged stage of modern insects almost exclusively lacks abdominal gills. Here we examine the locomotor behaviour and gill morphology of a stonefly, Diamphipnopsis samali (Plecoptera), which retains abdominal gills in the winged adult stage. This species can fly, but also uses its forewings as oars to accomplish rowing locomotion along the surface of water. The abdominal gills are in contact with both air and water during rowing, and their elaborately folded surface suggests an ability to contribute to gas-exchange. D. samali nymphs also have behaviours that place them in locations where their gills are exposed to air; they forage at night at the stream margin and within bubble curtains in rapids. These traits may exemplify an early pterygote condition in which gill and protowing function overlapped in an amphibious setting during a transition from aquatic to aerial locomotion and gas exchange. Rowing locomotion provides a novel and mechanically intermediate stage for the wings-from-gills and surface-skimming hypotheses for the origin of insect wings and flight. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 79, 341–349.
Building a Transfer-Receptive Culture at Four-Year Institutions.

This chapter reviews a four-year university's role in developing and implementing a transfer-receptive culture. In particular, it focuses on the first element of a transfer-receptive culture by highlighting a series of visits by the chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles, to community colleges within California.
Diagnostic uncertainty of Takotusbo cardiomyopathy in a woman with cardiovascular risk factors hijacked at gunpoint: a case report.

Background: Left ventricular apical ballooning (LVAB) is a type of cardiomyopathy precipitated by emotional or physiological stress, which results in transient left ventricular dysfunction and electrocardiographic (ECG) changes with relatively normal coronary arteries. Case presentation: We present a case describing the complexity of the diagnosis of LVAB in a patient with cardiovascular risk factors. We also review the literature from the initial discovery of this condition to the new developments. Conclusion: In patients with cardiovascular risk factors, diagnosis of LVAB is a challenge due to the similarities in symptoms with acute coronary syndrome. Such patients should be managed as an acute coronary syndrome until the definitive diagnosis is made. However, LVAB must still be maintained as a differential diagnosis in those patients to avoid unnecessary therapy.
Laser-fabricated low-loss single-mode waveguiding devices in GaAs

A maskless laser etching technique was used to fabricate novel waveguides and waveguiding structures directly into the surface of GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. The modal and loss properties of these groove-defined structures have been measured as a function of waveguide geometry, and low-loss single-mode waveguides have been produced. The technique was used to fabricate various passive optical devices in a single processing step. Waveguide bend and branch losses were measured and are comparable to those in conventionally fabricated devices. Experimental results are described by simple theoretical models. The technique is attractive as a prototyping tool for developing and testing new integrated optic circuits. >
Light Regulation of Fed-1 mRNA Requires an Element in the 5′ Untranslated Region and Correlates with Differential Polyribosome Association

Light regulation of Fed-1 mRNA abundance in the leaves of green plants is primarily a post-transcriptional process. Previously, we have shown that the Fed-1 mRNA light response requires an open reading frame, indicating that the light regulation of the mRNA depends on its concurrent translation. We now show that light-induced increases in Fed-1 mRNA abundance are associated with increases in polyribosome association that require both a functional AUG and a normal Fed-1 translational start context. We also present evidence that light regulation of Fed-1 mRNA levels requires more than efficient translation per se. Substitution of the efficiently translated tobacco mosaic virus Ω 5′ untranslated region resulted in a loss of Fed-1 light regulation. In addition, we identified a CATT repeat element located near the 5′ terminus of the Fed-1 5′ untranslated region that is essential for light regulation. We introduced two different mutations in the CATT repeat element, but only one of these substitutions blocked the normal light effect on polyribosome association, whereas both altered dark-induced Fed-1 mRNA disappearance. The element may thus be important for Fed-1 mRNA stability rather than polyribosome loading. We propose a model in which Fed-1 mRNA is relatively stable when it is associated with polyribosomes in illuminated plants but in darkness is not polyribosome associated and is thus rapidly degraded by a process involving the CATT repeat element.
Performance of Windows Multicore Systems on Threading and MPI

We present performance results on a Windows cluster with up to 768 cores using MPI and two variants of threading – CCR and TPL. CCR (Concurrency and Coordination Runtime) presents a message based interface while TPL (Task Parallel Library) allows for loops to be automatically parallelized. MPI is used between the cluster nodes (up to 32) and either threading or MPI for parallelism on the 24 cores of each node. We use a simple matrix multiplication kernel as well as a significant bioinformatics gene clustering application. We find that the two threading models offer similar performance with MPI outperforming both at low levels of parallelism but threading much better when the grain size (problem size per process) is small. We find better performance on Intel compared to AMD on comparable 24 core systems. We develop simple models for the performance of the clustering code.
The high-pressure, single-crystal elasticity of pyrope, grossular, and andradite

High-pressure Brillouin scattering experiments were conducted on three natural, singlecrystal garnets with near end-member compositions: pyrope (Mg3Al2Si3O12), grossular (Ca3Al2Si3O12), and andradite (Ca3Fe 31 2Si3O12). Acoustic velocities of the samples were measured from the samples at pressures to 10 GPa in a diamond-anvil cell with a methanolethanol-water pressure medium. Elastic stiffness constants ( Cij) and their pressure dependencies (]Cij/]P) were calculated, as were aggregate elastic moduli (KS and G) and their respective pressure derivatives. The Cauchy relations changed with pressure for both grossular and andradite, suggesting that assuming these are constant is not valid for extrapolation to high pressures for these and possibly other minerals. The variation in ]KS /dP and ]G/]P was sensitive to composition and required a complex mixing model for extrapolation of end-member elasticity values from garnets of intermediate compositions.
Observation of nitrate ions at the air/water interface by UV-second harmonic generation

Nitrate ions have been observed by resonant second harmonic generation in the air/water interface of sodium nitrate solutions when the nitrate mole fraction exceeds ∼0.02 at ambient conditions. The surface propensity of nitrate is weak compared to those of other small anions determined by the same methodology, in qualitative agreement with recent simulations, experiments, and the position of nitrate in the Hofmeister anion series. The presence of nitrate ions in the interface of aqueous solutions has potential implications for chemical processes occurring in both natural and anthropogenic aqueous systems.
Role of seminal plasma in the anti-HIV-1 activity of candidate microbicides

Evaluation of microbicides for prevention of HIV-1 infection in macaque models for vaginal infection has indicated that the concentrations of active compounds needed for protection by far exceed levels sufficient for complete inhibition of infection in vitro. These experiments were done in the absence of seminal plasma (SP), a vehicle for sexual transmission of the virus. To gain insight into the possible effect of SP on the performance of selected microbicides, their anti-HIV-1 activity in the presence, and absence of SP, was determined. The inhibitory activity of compounds against the X4 virus, HIV-1 IIIB, and the R5 virus, HIV-1 BaL was determined using TZM-bl indicator cells and quantitated by measuring β-galactosidase induced by infection. The virucidal properties of cellulose acetate 1,2-benzene-dicarboxylate (CAP), the only microbicide provided in water insoluble, micronized form, in the presence of SP was measured. The HIV-1 inhibitory activity of the polymeric microbicides, poly(naphthalene sulfonate), cellulose sulfate, carrageenan, CAP (in soluble form) and polystyrene sulfonate, respectively, was considerably (range ≈ 4 to ≈ 73-fold) diminished in the presence of SP (33.3%). Formulations of micronized CAP, providing an acidic buffering system even in the presence of an SP volume excess, effectively inactivated HIV-1 infectivity. The data presented here suggest that the in vivo efficacy of polymeric microbicides, acting as HIV-1 entry inhibitors, might become at least partly compromised by the inevitable presence of SP. These possible disadvantages could be overcome by combining the respective polymers with acidic pH buffering systems (built-in for formulations of micronized CAP) or with other anti-HIV-1 compounds, the activity of which is not affected by SP, e.g. reverse transcriptase and zinc finger inhibitors.
Saturation Mutagenesis of Toluene ortho-Monooxygenase of Burkholderia cepacia G4 for Enhanced 1-Naphthol Synthesis and Chloroform Degradation

Directed evolution of toluene ortho-monooxygenase (TOM) of Burkholderia cepacia G4 previously created the hydroxylase α-subunit (TomA3) V106A variant (TOM-Green) with increased activity for both trichloroethylene degradation (twofold enhancement) and naphthalene oxidation (six-times-higher activity). In the present study, saturation mutagenesis was performed at position A106 with Escherichia coli TG1/pBS(Kan)TOMV106A to improve TOM activity for both chloroform degradation and naphthalene oxidation. Whole cells expressing the A106E variant had two times better naphthalene-to-1-naphthol activity than the wild-type cells (Vmax of 9.3 versus 4.5 nmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1 and unchanged Km), and the regiospecificity of the A106E variant was unchanged, with 98% 1-naphthol formed, as was confirmed with high-pressure liquid chromatography. The A106E variant degrades its natural substrate toluene 63% faster than wild-type TOM does (2.12 ± 0.07 versus 1.30 ± 0.06 nmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1 [mean ± standard deviation]) at 91 μM and has a substantial decrease in regiospecificity, since o-cresol (50%), m-cresol (25%), and p-cresol (25%) are formed, in contrast to the 98% o-cresol formed by wild-type TOM. The A106E variant also has an elevated expression level compared to that of wild-type TOM, as evidenced by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Another variant, the A106F variant, has 2.8-times-better chloroform degradation activity based on gas chromatography (Vmax of 2.61 versus 0.95 nmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1 and unchanged Km) and chloride release (0.034 ± 0.002 versus 0.012 ± 0.001 nmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1). The A106F variant also was expressed at levels similar to those of wild-type TOM and 62%-better toluene oxidation activity than wild-type TOM (2.11 ± 0.3 versus 1.30 ± 0.06 nmol · min−1 · mg of protein−1). A shift in regiospecificity of toluene hydroxylation was also observed for the A106F variant, with o-cresol (28%), m-cresol (18%), and p-cresol (54%) being formed. Statistical analysis was used to estimate that 292 colonies must be screened for a 99% probability that all 64 codons were sampled during saturation mutagenesis.
Lower dimensional gravity

Gravity theory on a line and in the plane is reviewed. The triviality of the planar Einstein model is avoided by adding sources and a topological mass term. A constant curvature model for two dimensional space-time, analogous to the theory in three dimensional space-time, is proposed.
Overstory Composition and Stand Structure Influence Herbaceous Plant Diversity in the Mixed Aspen Forest of Northern Minnesota

Abstract The relationship of herbaceous plant diversity to overstory composition and stand structure in the mixed aspen forest of northern Minnesota was investigated on 23 study sites that contained aspen in monoculture or in mixture with boreal conifers or northern hardwood species. On each site overstory species were placed into species groups: conifers, aspen and hardwoods other than aspen. Each site was then placed in one of three cover-type groups based on proportion of the overstory species groups: Aspen (>0.9 basal area in aspen), Aspen-Conifer (>0.15 basal area in conifer species) and Aspen-Hardwood (>0.15 basal area in hardwood species other than aspen). The relationships between diversity of herbaceous vegetation and the following factors were tested: (1) overstory composition, defined as the proportion of basal area by species group in the overstory and (2) stand structure. Stand structure was described by the vertical position and horizontal arrangement of balsam fir within the stand. In addit...
Autologous Vascularized Tissue-Engineered Liver Replacement

METHODS: A segment of jejunum from a 6-week-old, 6.4-kg Yucatan miniature swine was mechanically and enzymatically digested to form organoid units (OU) consisting of epithelium and mesenchyme. These were loaded onto a biodegradable scaffold and implanted into either the omentum or subcutaneous tissue of the autologous animal. After 4 weeks, TESI was harvested and analyzed by histology and immunofluorescence for epithelium (villin, e-cadherin, Muc2, chromogranin A), lamina propria (PDGFRa), smooth muscle (a-SMA), nerves (Tuj), and progenitor cells (Sox9).
The unsolvable problem of abortion.

Abortion is a church-state issue. Not in a narrow sense, however, and not in the sense that Roman Catholicism and certain Fundamentalists are trying to impose a theological doctrine upon the secular order, the state. There is some truth to that analysis, but not enough to account for the abortion controversy in which the United States is currently embroiled,1 much less the manifestations of the same phenomenon in Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, and elsewhere. No, abortion is a church-state issue in the most fundamental sense, and that is why it is not susceptible of solution.
Modified anelliptic approximations for qP velocities in transversely isotropic media

Anelliptic approximations for qP-phase and group velocities in transversely isotropic (TI) media have been widely implemented in various seismic data processing and imaging techniques. We revisit several successful anelliptic approximations and suggest two modifications. The first modification involves an alteration of the anelliptic parameter term to achieve better fitting along the non-symmetry axis. The second modification involves finding an empirical connection between anelliptic parameters along symmetry and non-symmetry axes, on the basis of laboratory measurements of anisotropy of rock samples from various sources. These modifications lead to new three-parameter approximations that are more accurate than the previous approximations and produce remarkably accurate four-parameter approximations for both velocities.
Disposition of propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in man after a single oral dose.

The disposition of propoxyphene and its major biotransformation product norpropoxyphene was studied in normal subjects following a single 130 mg oral dose. The concentration of propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in samples of plasma and urine was determined by use of gas-liquid chromatography. The peak plasma level of propoxyphene occurs at 2 hours followed by a rapid elimination with an average apparent half-life of 3.0 hours (range 1.6 to 4.1 hours). The plasma level of norpropoxyphene renches a peak at 4 hours and slowly decays with an apporent half-life of 16.8 hours (range 11.5 to 28.8 hours). For a given subject, the ratio of the concentration of propoxyphene over the norpropoxyphene in plasma at 4 hours after a 130 mg dose is well correlated with the apparent plasma half-life of propoxyphene. This suggests that this single plasma sample may provide an indication of the rewtive rate of N-demethylation in a population. The data indicate that individual ditJerences in absorption and biotransformation may be responsible for the substantial variation of the pklsma propoxyphene levels seen in subjects receiving the same dose.
New Rh2(II,II) Architecture for the Catalytic Reduction of H+

Formamidinate-bridged Rh2(II,II) complexes containing diimine ligands of the formula cis-[Rh2(II,II)(μ-DTolF)2(NN)2](2+) (Rh2-NN2), where DTolF = p-ditolylformamidinate and NN = dppn (benzo[i]dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-h]quinoxaline), dppz (dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine), and phen (1,10-phenanthroline), electrocatalytically reduce H(+) to H2 in DMF solutions containing CH3COOH at a glassy carbon electrode. Cathodic scans in the absence of acid display a Rh(III,II/II,II) reduction at -0.90 V vs Fc(+)/Fc followed by NN(0/-) reduction at -1.13, -1.36, and -1.65 V for Rh2-dppn2, Rh2-dppz2, and Rh2-phen2, respectively. Upon the addition of acid, Rh2-dppn2 and Rh2-dppz2 undergo reduction-protonation-reduction at each pyrazine-containing NN ligand prior to the Rh2(II,II/II,I) reduction. The Rh2(II,I) species is then protonated at one of the metal centers, resulting in the formation of the corresponding Rh2(II,III)-hydride. In the case of Rh2-phen2, the reduction of the phen ligand is followed by intramolecular electron transfer to the Rh2(II,II) core in the presence of protons to form a Rh2(II,III)-hydride species. Further reduction and protonation at the Rh2 core for all three complexes rapidly catalyzes H2 formation with varied calculated turnover frequencies (TOF) and overpotential values (η): 2.6 × 10(4) s(-1) and 0.56 V for Rh2-dppn, 2.8 × 10(4) s(-1) and 0.50 V for Rh2-dppz2, and 5.9 × 10(4) s(-1) and 0.64 V for Rh2-phen2. Bulk electrolysis confirmed H2 formation, and further CH3COOH addition regenerates H2 production, attesting to the robust nature of the architecture. The cis-[Rh2(II,II)(μ-DTolF)2(NN)2](2+) architecture benefits by combining electron-rich formamidinate bridges, a redox-active Rh2(II,II) core, and electron-accepting NN diimine ligands to allow for the electrocatalysis of H(+) substrate to H2 fuel.
Abstract 1570: Defective collagen production by mammary epithelia leads to increased breast cancer metastasis: a novel role of vacuolar ATPase

In cancer cells, vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase), a multi-subunit enzyme, is expressed on the plasma as well as vesicular membranes and critically influences metastatic behavior. Recently, we have shown that by inhibiting a2 isoform of V-ATPase ‘a’ subunit (a2V) in cancer cells, in vivo tumor growth can be delayed through decreasing essential macrophage population in breast cancer. Here, we investigated whether the same tumor growth inhibition can be attain by deleting a2V in host tissue instead of cancer cell. For this purpose, we deleted a2V gene in the mouse mammary gland using MMTV-Cre lox system. Breast tumors were generated by inoculating E0771 mammary carcinoma in mammary fat pad of a2V knockout (KO) mice. We observed faster tumor growth in KO mice compared to wild type (WT). KO mice tumors showed more infiltration and metastasis of cancer cell as evident by the number of lung and liver lesions. KO mice did not display the characteristic solid tumor phenotype of breast cancer. Based on these observations, we evaluated expression and production of collagen protein which is an important component of the extra cellular matrix, in KO breast tissue. Trichrome staining showed less collagen protein in tumorous as well as in non-tumorous breast tissue of KO mice. Total collagen was measured by the hydroxyl proline assay and analysis showed that KO mice have significantly (P Citation Format: Gajendra K. Katara, Arpita Kulshrestha, Sahithi Pamarthy, Liqun Mao, Kenneth D. Beaman. Defective collagen production by mammary epithelia leads to increased breast cancer metastasis: a novel role of vacuolar ATPase. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1570.
Linear mass scans in quadrupole ion traps using the inverse Mathieu q scan.

Rationale Secular frequency scanning is a method of mass selectively scanning ions out of a quadrupole ion trap by linearly ramping the frequency of the resonance ejection signal through ion secular frequencies at constant rf amplitude and frequency. The method is electronically much simpler than resonance ejection but it requires a complex nonlinear calibration procedure to correlate mass-to-charge with time. Methods A method of secular frequency scanning in quadrupole ion traps is described in which mass-to-charge is linear with time. This method, termed an "inverse Mathieu q scan", contrasts with linear frequency sweeping which requires a complex nonlinear mass calibration procedure. In the current method, mass scans are forced to be linear with time by scanning the frequency of the supplementary ac so that there is an inverse relationship between the ejected ion's Mathieu q parameter and time. Results In all cases, excellent mass spectral linearity is observed. The rf amplitude is shown to control both the scan range and the scan rate, whereas the ac amplitude and scan rate influence the mass resolution. The scan rate depends linearly on the rf amplitude, a unique feature of this scan. Although changes in either rf or ac amplitude affect the positions of peaks in time, they do not change the mass calibration procedure since this only requires a simple linear fit of m/z vs time. Space charge effects are shown to give rise to significant changes in resolution as well as to mass shifts. Conclusions A method of secular frequency scanning which provides a linear mass scale has been demonstrated. The inverse Mathieu q scan offers a significant increase in mass range and power savings while maintaining access to linearity, paving the way for a mass spectrometer based completely on ac waveforms for ion isolation, ion activation, and ion ejection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plasma Lipoproteins: Structure and Metabolism

Essentially all of the lipids of mammalian plasma exist in intimate association with proteins, no doubt reflecting the requirement that lipids remain in a semidispersed state in order to preserve the patency of the capillary system. Unesterified (free) fatty acids (FFA) are bound to albumin whereas the remainder of the lipids of plasma are transported in one or more classes of complex macromolecules (lipoproteins) that contain specialized proteins (apolipoproteins).
Cerebellar Atrophy with Phenytoin and Epilepsy

Cerebellar size measured by MRI was studied in a group of 36 adults (21 to 54 years, mean age 34 years) with intractable partial epilepsy treated with phenytoin longer than 4 years at the Epilepsy Center of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY.
Seismic fragility analysis of concrete dams: A state-of-the-art review

Abstract Given the recent impetus for probabilistic based analyses of dams, and the limited previous attempts to address this timely question, there is a need for a comprehensive assessment of the disparate previous work. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive and comparative review of major (over twenty) publications addressing seismic fragility analyses of concrete dams. First, fundamental concepts are reviewed and clarified to facilitate comprehension of the later part. Then, papers are individually scrutinized, key figures redrawn to provide a uniform basis for comparison. When deemed necessary, additional clarifications and cross referencing with equations in the first part are provided. Next, tables summarizing the various methods are presented, on the basis of which the authors provide a set of minimum requirements for seismic fragility curve/surface development. It is noted that the vast majority of the papers still relied on linear analyses with simplified limit states. On the other hands few papers pursued a nonlinear approach and addressed the collapse mechanism and/or hybrid limit state definitions. Finally, the contextual framework within which fragility curves are used is presented within the scope of a performance based earthquake engineering analysis of a concrete dam.
Site-Specific Fluorescence Polarization for Studying the Disaggregation of α-Synuclein Fibrils by Small Molecules

Fibrillar aggregates of the protein α-synuclein (αS) are one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. Here, we show that measuring the fluorescence polarization (FP) of labels at several sites on αS allows one to monitor changes in the local dynamics of the protein after binding to micelles or vesicles, and during fibril formation. Most significantly, these site-specific FP measurements provide insight into structural remodeling of αS fibrils by small molecules and have the potential for use in moderate-throughput screens to identify small molecules that could be used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
Simulation of Lacrimal Gland Output: A Tear Jet for Replacing Eye Moisture in Sjögren’s Syndrome

In this paper a completely new method, called a tear jet, is presented for continuously adding moisture to the human eye. The tear jet functions as an artificial lacrimal gland, external to the eye, mounted on eyeglass frames. The essential part of the tear jet system is a micro pump taken from computer printing technology, which has the small size and output volume required for adding moisture to very dry eyes. The symptoms of ocular dryness can range from irritation and burning to intense discomfort and tissue damage. The symptoms can be eliminated by adding moisture to the eyes lo supplement or replace insufficient or absent tears.
Solvent-Independent Anharmonicity for Carbonyl Oscillators

The physical origins of vibrational frequency shifts have been extensively studied in order to understand noncovalent intermolecular interactions in the condensed phase. In the case of carbonyls, vibrational solvatochromism, MD simulations, and vibrational Stark spectroscopy suggest that the frequency shifts observed in simple solvents arise predominately from the environment’s electric field due to the vibrational Stark effect. This is contrary to many previously invoked descriptions of vibrational frequency shifts, such as bond polarization, whereby the bond’s force constant and/or partial nuclear charges are altered due to the environment, often illustrated in terms of favored resonance structures. Here we test these hypotheses using vibrational solvatochromism as measured using 2D IR to assess the solvent dependence of the bond anharmonicity. These results indicate that the carbonyl bond’s anharmonicity is independent of solvent as tested using hexanes, DMSO, and D2O and is supported by simulated 2D s...
Effect of X-Irradiation on Self-Stimulation of the Brain

RECENTLY it has been shown that the brain is sensitive to low doses of ionizing radiation1,2. Prolonged exposure to X-irradiation decreases lever-pressing by rats3. Conditional aversion to saccharin results from exposure of rats to γ-radiation4,5. Because radiation affects psychological tests based upon food or fluid intake, we studied the effects of X-irradiation on rats trained to press a lever for electrical stimulation of the brain6. A single electrode was permanently implanted in the posterior hypothalamus of 8 CFN rats. After a training period of 6 months, the rats received 600 r. acute whole-body X-irradiation. Radiation characteristics were : 250 kVp.; 15 m.amp.; focus-object distance 70 cm.; filters, 0.21 mm. copper inherent, 0.5 mm. copper parabolic and 1.0 mm. aluminium; half-value layer 1.92 mm. copper; 22.9 r./min. measured in air.
Dielectrophoretic Traps for Cell Manipulation

One of the goals of biology for the next fifty years is to understand how cells work. This fundamentally requires a diverse set of approaches for performing measurements on cells in order to extract information from them. Manipulating the physical location and organization of cells or other biologically important particles is an important part in this endeavor. Apart from the fact that cell function is tied to their three-dimensional organization, one would like ways to grab onto and position cells. This lets us build up controlled multicellular aggregates, investigate the mechanical properties of cells, the binding properties of their surface proteins, and additionally provides a way to move cells around. In short, it provides physical access to cells that our fingers cannot grasp.
Situational Influences on Condom Purchasing

Despite the well-documented role of condoms in safe sex, people frequently fail to use them. Embarrassment and other negative emotions that occur while acquiring condoms may make it less likely that people will consistently purchase condoms, subsequently decreasing condom use. It is important to examine how situational factors affect emotions related to condom purchasing behaviors. Two experiments examined the influence of different condom purchasing situations on emotions felt and willingness to purchase condoms. Participants imagined one of three condom purchasing scenarios: anonymously at a self-checkout counter, non-anonymously at a regular checkout counter, or asking for condoms from a locked display. Results revealed that participants’ self-reported willingness to purchase condoms increased as levels of anonymity increased. Similarly, participants reported more positive emotions as anonymity increased. A negative correlation between negative emotion and willingness to purchase condoms also emerged. Overall, results suggest a need for businesses to help provide anonymity to customers, perhaps through incorporating self-checkouts into their stores to potentially decrease negative emotion felt and increase condom sales and potentially consistent condom use.
RF-powered, backscatter-based cameras

RF-powered devices equipped with general-purpose microcontrollers face energy limitation constraints for performing arbitrarily complex sensing and computation tasks. While richer capabilities such as image capture and processing would enable many new RF-powered use-cases, this energy limitation narrows the application space. Enabling richer sensing tasks has two main challenges: efficiently retaining and utilizing harvested energy, and storing and communicating large quantity of sensor data. This paper reviews the WISPCam design, an RF-powered programmable camera. Taking into account both of the mentioned challenges, WISPCam integrates an off-the-shelf VGA camera which is a rich sensor example energy and data wise. The paper also presents an ultra-low power scheme that is able to provide periodic updates on charge state of the device before enough energy has been accumulated for the camera to capture an image. This paper presents a novel data storage and bi-directional communication scheme that enables reliable transfer of complete images to an RFID reader application even when packets are lost or the device runs out of energy.
Mutual Preservation of Entanglement

Article history: We study a generalized double Jaynes-Cummings (JC) model where two entangled pairs of two-level atoms interact indirectly. We show that there exist initial states of the qubit system so that two entangled pairs are available at all times. In particular, the minimum entanglement in the pairs as a function of the initial state is studied. Finally, we extend our findings to a model consisting of multi-mode atom-cavity interactions. We use a non-Markovian quantum state diffusion (QSD) equation to obtain the steady-state density matrix for the qubits. We show that the multi-mode model also displays dynamical preservation of entanglement. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.