cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Template-directed synthesis on the oligonucleotide d(C7-G-C7)

Abstract When the deoxynucleotide template d(C 7 -G-C 7 ) is incubated with the activated nucleotides 2-MeImpG † and 2-MeImpC, a series of oligomers of G up to the sevenmer and a series of copolymers of composition G n C with n = 3 to 13 are formed. Oligomers G n C with n > 7 are completely degraded by pancreatic ribonuclease, establishing that they contain a 3′ to 5′ internucleotide bond between 5′-C and 3′-G within a sequence of the form (pG) i pC(pG) j . As expected, (pG) 7 -Cp and (pG) 6 -Cp are major hydrolysis products. Detailed analysis of the product distribution shows that a substantial fraction of the oligomeric products are of the type (pG) i pC(pG) j with i
Loss of circadian organization of sleep and wakefulness during hibernation.

We investigated circadian and homeostatic regulation of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in golden-mantled ground squirrels during euthermic intervals between torpor bouts. Slow-wave activity (SW...
Design of graded index flat lenses with integrated antireflective properties

We describe a new methodology for designing graded index lenses at microwave wavelengths with integrated antireflective properties. The method leads to a flat lens with minimal reflection losses at a frequency of interest. Both numerical and experimental results for two different design goals are shown to demonstrate the capabilities of the methodology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2774–2781, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27198
Tribochemical Mechanism of Alumina With Water

Water has been found to exhibit significant effects on the tribological behavior of alumina. A film-like substance was found on the surfaces of water lubricated alumina wear surfaces, suggesting the possibility of tribochemical reaction between water and alumina in the contact junction. This paper describes an investigation of the alumina/water tribosystem to determine the chemical interaction between these two materials under rubbing conditions. A combination of x-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has been used to investigate the kinetics of alumina/water reactions. These experiments have determined that transition (gamma) alumina reacts with water to form hydroxides of aluminum. At high temperature (≊ 200°C) aluminum oxide hydroxide (boehmite—AlO(OH)) is formed, while at lower temperature (≊ 100°C) the formation of aluminum trihydroxide (bayerite—Al(OH)3) is favored. Aluminum trihydroxide (bayerite) was found in the wear debris from water lubricated wear tests. A mechanism for ...
Microstructure of ion irradiated ceramic insulators

Abstract Cross-section transmission electron microscopy was utilized to examine the radiation-induced microstructural changes in Al2O3, MgO, Si3N4 and MgAl2O4 after irradiation with a wide variety of energetic ion beams. The relative influence of ionizing and displacive radiation was studied by systematically varying the mass and energy of the bombarding ions between 1 MeV H+ and 4 MeV Zr3+ ions. The measured ion ranges were between 1 and 15% greater than the ranges calculated by the TRIM code, with the largest discrepancies occurring for intermediate mass ions. The implanted ions exerted a strong influence on the overall microstructural evolution of the irradiated ceramics. Numerous microstructural features (e.g., amorphization, colloids) were produced in the implanted ion regions which could not be produced in irradiated regions that were well separated from the implanted ions. The microstructural evolution in regions well separated from the implanted ions was found to depend strongly on the mass and energy of the bombarding ion. Light ion irradiation produced a significant enhancement in point defect diffusion (evidenced by defect-free zones at the surface and adjacent to internal defect sinks) compared to heavy ion irradiation at the same damage rate. Similarly, irradiation with a given ion at a higher flux generally produced an increased amount of observable diffusion. In some cases such as 1 MeV proton irradiation, observable defect clusters did not form. This suppression in defect cluster formation may be due to the high amount of point defect recombination associated with ionization enhanced diffusion that occurs during energetic light ion irradiation.
Interaction between plates in a polymer melt

The effect of confining a polymer melt between two parallel plates has been investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. As soon as the distance between the plates becomes comparable to twice the radius of gyration of the polymer molecules in the bulk, the shape of all molecules is affected. Reducing the separation even more reduces the actual number of deformed molecules while the remaining molecules become on the average more deformed. The deformation of the molecules is due to those sections which are very near one of the two plates. The excess number of bonds parallel to the plates with respect to the bulk isotropic contribution is nearly independent of the distance between the plates. The correlation length is estimated to be of the order of the lattice spacing. All observations are in agreement with the predictions of de Gennes that no long‐range force between plates in a melt should exist.
Measurement of the Curvature in a Two-Dimensional Universe

The usual definition of the curvature of space involves concepts, such as the measurement of the metric tensor or parallel displacement, which have no direct physical counterpart. The question of obtaining the curvature of a two-dimensional space by means of measurements which are possible, at least in principle, is reviewed and a formula given before is corrected and generalized.
[Bis(2-methyl-1-pyridyl)phenylphosphine-κ2N,P,N′]trichlorochromium(III) acetonitrile solvate

In the title mol­ecular structure, [CrCl3{PPh(2-CH2C5H4N)2}]·CH3CN, the CrIII atom exhibits an octa­hedral coordination geometry, with a tridentate ligand capping one face of the octa­hedron and three Cl− ions occupying the opposite face.
The effect of pressure on meta-Cresol Purple protonation and absorbance characteristics for spectrophotometric pH measurements in seawater

Abstract The sulfonephthalein indicator meta-Cresol Purple (mCP) is well suited to direct spectrophotometric pH measurements throughout the oceanic water column. In prior work the molar absorbance and proton exchange characteristics of purified mCP were characterized over a wide range of salinities and temperatures, allowing use of the indicator over a broad range of oceanic conditions in the surface ocean. Modern spectrophotometric instrumentation allows direct in situ measurements of seawater pH at depths that create substantial pressure-dependent changes in the physical chemical behavior of mCP. In order to allow use of purified mCP for quantitative pH measurements over essentially the full range of ocean depths, prior calibrations of mCP for measurements of seawater pH were extended to include pressures up to 827 bar. Using purified mCP, seawater pH is measured using the equation pH T = − log K 2 e 2 + log R − e 1 1 − R ⋅ e 3 e 2 where e 1 = − 0.007762 + 4.5174 × 1 0 – 5 T + 1.7 × 1 0 – 6 P e 3 / e 2 = − 0.020813 + 2.60262 × 1 0 – 4 T + 1.0436 × 1 0 – 4 S – 35 + 4.6 × 1 0 – 6 P – log K 2 e 2 = a + b / T + c ln T − d T − 0.05645 / T × P and a = 246.64209 + 0.315971S + 2.8855 × 10− 4S2 b = 7229.23864 − 7.098137S − 0.057034S2 c = 44.493382 − 0.052711S d = 0.0781344. P and T are gauge pressure (bar) and Kelvin temperature, and the coefficients a, b and c are salinity dependent coefficients determined in previous work. The influence of pressure on the properties of mCP is sufficient to cause easily measureable effects at depths less than 100 m.
Geological, geochemical, stable isotope, and fluid inclusion characteristics of epithermal gold mineralization, Velvet District, Nevada

Abstract Gold mineralization in the Velvet District occurs in an eastward dipping sequence of late Tertiary rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs, flows, and tuffaceous sediments in northwestern Nevada. Minor gold and silver concentrations are associated with irregular zones of brecciation, argillic alteration, and quartz veining along north-northeast trending normal faults. Reaction of mineralizing fluids with wallrock produced an argillic alteration assemblage of illite, mixed-layer clays, smectite, and kaolinite. Illite alteration and highest gold concentrations appear to be associated with zones of high water/rock ratios. Kaolinite, smectite, alunite, and opal are postulated to have formed during a steam-dominated episode of alteration. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that the quartz veins were deposited in the temperature range 230 to 280°C from fluids which had salinities equivalent to 0.2–0.8 weight percent NaCl. δ 18O of quartz veins varies from −2.5 to +6.7 ‰ and indicates that the ore fluid must have been Tertiary meteroric water. Stable isotope data appear to define a zone of concentrated fluid flow and potential subsurface mineralization in the southeastern part of the district. Fluid inclusion and isotope studies can be used in combination with more standard geochemical, geophysical, and geological information to provide site-specific targets for epithermal metal concentrations.
Presence and genetic polymorphism of an epithelial mucin in milk of the goat (Capra hircus)

1. Analysis of individual samples of goat's milk by SDS-PAGE confirmed that they contain a polymorphic, high molecular weight (M(r) greater than 205 kDa) glycoprotein. 2. On SDS-gels, the polymorphism takes the form of two bands of variable mobility which usually stain with equal intensity. This polymorphism resembles that detected in milk mucins of other species and is best explained by an expression of codominant genes containing variable numbers of a tandemly repeated 60-base segment. 3. Analysis of milk fractions provided evidence that the goat mucin is exclusively a membrane protein, and that it can be purified from other fat globule proteins by gel filtration and peanut lectin affinity chromatography. 4. Among proteins in the goat milk fat globule, the mucin appears to be a strong immunogen but the resulting antibodies applied to Western blots only stained the cow's milk mucin mildly and the guinea pig and human milk mucins not at all.
Surface wave model of electrohydrodynamically coupled minimum film boiling

Abstract Strong uniform or non-uniform electric fields enhance film boiling heat transfer in insulating and conducting dielectric liquids. One mechanism proposed in explanation of this effect is electrohydrodynamic coupling at the vapor/liquid interface. This coupling is predicted to manifest itself in decreased film boiling wavelengths, increased bubble release rates, and increased heat flux at the minimum film boiling point. Wavelength and heat flux data for pure highly insulating Freon-113 and for a conducting mixture of Freon-113 and methanol with ac electric fields are compared to the predictions of an existing electrohydrodynamic surface wave model. The pure Freon-113 data correlate with some success to a perfectly insulating theoretical model, and the Freon-113/methanol mixture data correlate reasonably to a perfectly conducting model. In general, the predicted dependence of wavelength and heat flux at the minimum film boiling point on applied voltage are verified by the experimental data. More specifically, the order-of-magnitude differences in the voltages required for strong electrohydrodynamic coupling for the insulating and conducting liquids, as predicted by consideration of charge relaxation, are borne out by experiment. The failure of similar arguments in predicting the magnitude of the surface wave coupling for insulating liquids with dc applied electric fields is also discussed.
Current and Future Pharmacological Treatment for Overactive Bladder

ABSTRACTPurpose: Urinary incontinence and overactive bladder are important and common conditions that have received little general medical attention. We reviewed the magnitude and impact of these conditions, and discuss pharmacotherapy as well as new drugs under investigation.Materials and Methods: The main emphasis of this review is pharmacological therapy for the bladder. We discuss currently available agents, drugs under development and pharmacological targets that would be suitable targets for treating overactive bladder. Drugs such as duloxetine that target not bladder smooth muscle, but rather central nervous system control of the micturition reflex are undergoing clinical trials. We also discuss intravesical therapy and alternative drug delivery methods, such as intravesical capsaicin and botulinum toxin, with special emphasis on approaches to modulate bladder afferent nerve function for preventing overactive bladder.Results: There are many advantages to advanced drug delivery systems, including lo...
Adaptation of the Na+/Glucose Cotransporter Following Intestinal Resection

Following massive small bowel resection, the remaining intestine adapts to compensate for lost absorptive capacity. Although the Na+/glucose cotransporter plays a critical role in nutrient, fluid, and electrolyte transport in the small intestine, its role in adaptation following resection has not been defined. To examine this, we sought to determine whether there were changes in the expression of the Na+/glucose cotransporter, SGTL1, at the messenger RNA level. Lewis rats underwent either transection or 70% small bowel resection and reanastomosis. The animals were sacrificed at intervals following operation. Jejunum proximal to the anastomosis and ileum and colon distal to the anastomosis were harvested and analyzed for Na+/glucose mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot. Blots were semiquantitated by 32P labeling and standardized to beta-actin. Histologic sections and analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein content revealed hyperplastic changes. Following resection, mRNA for the Na+/glucose cotransporter in the jejunum increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 1 week and remained elevated. In the ileum, an almost fivefold increase occurred at 6 hr and persisted throughout the study (P < 0.05). The early response was greater in the ileum, distal to the reanastomosis, than that in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no change in the small amount of transporter mRNA detected in the colon. These results suggest that, in addition to mucosal hyperplasia, the intestinal response to resection involves upregulation of transporter mRNA by the individual enterocyte. This transcriptional increase in the Na+/glucose cotransporter appears to be an early response by the intestine and may be important in maintaining overall intestinal transport capacity following resection.
Directed hydroxyl radical probing of 16S rRNA using Fe(II) tethered to ribosomal protein S4

Abstract Localized hydroxyl radical probing has been used to explore the rRNA neighborhood around a unique position in the structure of the Escherichia coli 30S ribosomal subunit. Fe(II) was attached to ribosomal protein S4 at Cys-31 via the reagent 1-(p-bromoacetamidobenzyl)-EDTA. [Fe-Cys31]S4 was then complexed with 16S rRNA or incorporated into active 30S ribosomal subunits by in vitro reconstitution with 16S rRNA and a mixture of the remaining 30S subunit proteins. Hydroxyl radicals generated from the tethered Fe resulted in cleavage of the 16S rRNA chain in two localized regions of its 5' domain. One region spans positions 419-432 and is close to the multihelix junction previously placed at the RNA binding site of S4 by chemical and enzymatic protection (footprinting) and crosslinking studies. A second site of directed cleavage includes nucleotides 297-303, which overlap a site that is protected from chemical modification by protein S16, a near neighbor of S4 in the ribosome. These results provide useful information about the three-dimensional organization of 16S rRNA and indicate that these two regions of its 5' domain are in close spatial proximity to Cys-31 of protein S4.
Introduction to microcomputer hardware and software

Although general purpose computers have been available for more than 40 years, the dramatic plunge in the cost of electronics in the past 10 years has finally made significant computing power affordable to almost anyone. However, a large number of people including professionals have little idea of how a computer really works or what it can and cannot do.
The effect of information on voting behavior and electoral outcomes: An experimental study of direct legislation

This paper reports on the use of laboratory experiments to identify the effect of information on voting behavior and electoral outcomes in the direct legislation environment. I showed that when incompletely informed voters know that the setter has paid a certain amount to contest an election, they can use this information to increase the likelihood that they cast the same votes they would have cast had they possessed complete information. As a consequence of the way voter strategies were affected by information, the likelihood that the “incomplete information” electoral outcome was the same as the electoral outcome that would have been chosen by a completely informed electorate increases, as does the responsiveness of direct legislation outcomes to “complete information” voter preferences. While this research does not resolve long standing questions about the responsiveness of democratic institutions, it does add to what we understand about responsiveness by demonstrating conditions under which incompletely informed voters can generate the electoral outcomes that they would have if better informed. This research also informs the debate about the use of the referendum and initiative to determine policy. My answer to the question: “Is direct legislation is a useful mechanism for obtaining policy outcomes that correspond to the “will of the majority” or is it a way for small, wealthy interest groups to subvert the “popular will,”” is that direct legislation can be both. When voters are badly informed (or the electoral alternatives are reasonably complex), and there are no effective information cues available, small groups who have enough resources to obtain agenda control can use direct legislation to obtain preferred outcomes. When meaningful cues are available (or the effect of electoral alternatives are easy to understand), then direct legislation can be useful tool for the implementation of majority-preferred policies.
A local discontinuous Galerkin method for the second-order wave equation

Abstract In this paper we present new superconvergence results for the local discontinuous Galerkin (LDG) method applied to the second-order scalar wave equation in one space dimension. Numerical experiments show O ( h p + 1 ) L 2 convergence rate for the LDG solution and O(hp+2) superconvergent solutions at Radau points. More precisely, a local error analysis reveals that, at a fixed time t, the leading terms of the discretization errors for the solution and its derivative using p-degree polynomial approximations are proportional to the (p + 1)-degree right Radau and (p + 1)-degree left Radau polynomials, respectively. Thus, the p-degree LDG solution is O(hp+2) superconvergent at the roots of the (p + 1)-degree right Radau polynomial and the derivative of the LDG solution is O(hp+2) superconvergent at the roots of the (p + 1)-degree left Radau polynomial. These results are used to construct simple, efficient, and asymptotically correct a posteriori error estimates in regions where solutions are smooth. Finally, we present several numerical examples to validate the superconvergence results and the asymptotic exactness of our a posteriori errors estimates under mesh refinement.
Potential Leydig cell mitogenic signals generated by the wild-type and constitutively active mutants of the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHR).

Although chronic activation of the LHR by injection of hCG was shown to cause Leydig cell hyperplasia over 20 years ago (Christensen et al., 1980), the ability of the LHR to stimulate the proliferation of Leydig cells and to behave as a potential Leydig cell oncogene was not clearly recognized until recently, when the phenotypes individuals harboring naturally occurring activating of inactivating mutations of the hLHR were described (reviewed by Latronico et al., 1999; Themmen et al., 2000; Ascoli et al., 2002). 46XY individuals harboring germ line activating mutations of the hLHR are associated with Leydig cell hyperplasia whereas those harboring germ line inactivating mutations of the hLHR are associated with Leydig cell hypoplasia. Moreover, the finding of a somatic activating mutation of the hLHR in Leydig cell adenomas of several unrelated boys with precocious puberty (Liu et al., 1999; Canto et al., 2002; Richter-Unruh et al., 2002) suggests that the LHR may even be involved in the transformation of Leydig cells. The mitogenic and oncogenic potential of LH, CG and the LHR are also supported by several observations made in different mouse models. For example, targeted deletion of the LHR results in Leydig cell hypoplasia (Lei et al., 2001; Zhang et al., 2001) and LH induces the development of Leydig cell tumors in inhibin-deficient mice (Kumar et al., 1996) or in mice expressing an SV40 T-antigen transgene under the control of the inhibin α-promoter (Kananen et al., 1997). The LHR is also ectopically expressed in the adrenal cortex of these two transgenic models and these mice develop gonadotropin-dependent adrenocortical hyperplasia or adrenocortical tumors (Rilianawati et al., 1998; Kero et al., 2000). In addition, transgenic mice overexpressing a modified form of LHβ with a long circulatory half-life are characterized by an increased incidence of gonadal tumors (Risma et al., 1995) as do mice with high levels of LH induced by administration of 5α-reductase inhibitors (Prahalada et al., 1994). In this paper I (a) briefly review studies describing the mechanisms by which the LHR regulates a classical mitogenic pathway, the ERK1/2 cascade and (b) highlight the similarities in the signaling transduction pathways activated by the agonist-engaged LHR-wt and its constitutively active mutants.
IL-23 and IL-17 have a multi-faceted largely negative role in fungal infection.

The role of IL-23 and IL-17 in the response to fungal infection has been the focus of recent reports. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology there is an article that reports an important role for IL-23 and IL-17 in limiting fungal control, promoting neutrophillic inflammation and regulating the killing activity of neutrophils. In the fungal model it appears that IL-23 and IL-17 are counter-productive for protection. See accompanying article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji200737409
Evidence of Separator Reconnection in a Survey of X-Ray Bright Points

X-ray bright points are among the simplest coronal structures hypothesized to be powered by magnetic reconnection. Their magnetic field appears to consist of a simple loop of field lines connecting positive to negative photospheric sources. Quantitative three-dimensional models of reconnection in this geometry are therefore expected to apply directly to X-ray bright points. We assemble a survey from archival Solar and Heliospheric Observatory data of 764 X-ray bright points (EUV Imaging Telescope) along with their associated photospheric magnetic fields (Solar Oscillation Imager/Michelson Doppler Imager). Measurements are made of each quantity relevant to the simple three-dimensional reconnection model. These data support several predictions of a magnetic reconnection model providing further evidence in favor of the hypothesis that magnetic reconnection supplies heating power to the quiet solar corona.
Model Formulation Using Intermediate Systems.

(1979). Model Formulation using Intermediate Systems. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 86, No. 4, pp. 299-303.
Quantum Zeno effect and quantum Zeno paradox in atomic physics

Itano and co-workers [Wayne M. Itano, D. J. Heinzen, J. J. Bollinger, and D. J. Wineland, Phys. Rev. A 41, 2295 (1990)] have recently reported the experimental verification of the quantum Zeno effect, which is the inhibition of a quantum transition by frequent measurements. In this article, we offer an alternative interpretation of the quantum Zeno effect. We show that an analysis of the dynamics of the full three-level system gives the same result. There is no need to assume explicitly that the wave function has collapsed, nor even to assume that an ideal measurement has been made. In addition, we differentiate between what has been referred to as the quantum Zeno effect and what has been termed the quantum Zeno paradox. The former is the inhibition of induced transitions, and the latter is the, as yet experimentally unobserved, inhibition of spontaneous decay. Our interpretation, which emphasizes the ``measurement''-induced interruption of atomic-state coherences as the cause of inhibited quantum transitions, suggests a resolution to the quantum Zeno paradox. The theoretical limit of continuous observation is discussed.
Nonlinear optimal semirecursive filtering

This paper describes a new hybrid approach to filtering, in which part of the filter is recursive but another part in non-recursive. The practical utility of this notion is to reduce computational complexity. In particular, if the non- recursive part of the filter is sufficiently small, then such a filter might be cost-effective to run in real-time with computer technology available now or in the future.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The effect of water potential on photosynthesis in whole lichens and in their liberated algal components.

Experiments were performed to determine whether the fungal component of the lichen thallus might enable the algal component to function under conditions of moisture stress at which it would be unable to function if free-living. Four lichens were used: Lepraria membranacea Ach., Cladonia submitis Evans, Usnea substerilis Mot. and Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue, collected from diverse geographical locations. Moisture stress was quantified using the water potential concept, and water potential was controlled both osmotically and matrically. The function of the alga was evaluated by measuring photosynthesis with a 14C technique. Photosynthesis of whole and ground lichen thalli was measured at different water potentials. Lowest water potentials permitting photosynthesis by whole lichen thalli ranged from-56 to-307 bar, and lowest potentials for the separated algal component ranged from-7 to-145 bar. In all cases the alga was able to photosynthesize at lower water potentials within the lichen thallus than when liberated. The grinding process did not harm the alga. It is suggested that one function of stored carbohydrate in the lichen fungus may be to increase internal osmotic pressure sufficiently so that the fungus thallus can absorb moisture from atmospheres of reduced humidity. If water secretion then occurred, some of this moisture could be made available to the alga.
Polymer Photovoltaic Performance and Degradation on Spray and Spin Coated Electron Transport Layer and Active Layer

Inverted polymer photovoltaic performance and degradation of a spray coated ZnO electron transport layer and active layer were studied in comparison with corresponding spin coated devices. The spray coated ZnO layer with a spin coated P3HT:PCBM active layer exhibited a higher efficiency (3.76%) than the device (3.11%) with the spin coated ZnO and active layer due to the increase in fill factor from 42.38% to 63.14%. This was a resultant of the tighter grain packing and lower root mean squared roughness in the spray coated ZnO film. The spray coated P3HT:PCBM layer with a spin coated ZnO layer also led to a higher efficiency (3.19%) than that (2.72%) of the spin coated P3HT:PCBM film. This increase in efficiency is due to a higher phase separation with more fibril structures in the active layer from spray coating. In addition, a degradation measurement was performed on both the spray and spin coated P3HT:PCBM layers. The spray coated P3HT:PCBM devices degraded much faster than the spin coated cells, which was possibly caused by oxygen trapping in the devices as the spray coating was performed in air, while the spin coating was conducted in the inert nitrogen environment. The spray coating was performed by a simple airbrush that can potentially be modified for large scale manufacturing of polymer solar cells at a much lower cost than other techniques.
Do firms become more conservative after financial restatements

We examine whether firms' earnings exhibit higher degrees of conservatism after restating their financial statements. Conservatism is defined as more timely recognition of gains than losses in earnings (Basu, 1997). Using a sample of restatements derived from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) database and four alternative measures of earnings conservatism, we find that overall the restating firms' earnings exhibit greater conservatism during the two years following restatements. This increase is more pronounced for firms that self-prompt their restatements than firms that are prompted to restate by external parties such as auditors or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We also find weak evidence suggesting that the post-restatement increase in conservatism is more pronounced after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) enactment in 2002.
Intranuclear crystalline inclusions in spermatozoa ofLumbricus terrestris

In the nuclei of atypical spermatids ofLumbricus terrestris granular or filamentous inclusions are surrounded by dense chromatin. Aggregation and condensation of chromatin in nuclei during spermatid differentiation coincide with increase in density, granularity, and the subsequent crystallization of the intranuclear inclusion. In mature spermatozoa, the crystalline inclusion displaying an irregular shape is composed of parallel repeating units measuring 50–80 A. The subunits sometimes possess a clear central cavity.
Treatment of sleep disturbances in post-traumatic stress disorder

Sleep disturbances are very common in patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and can have various negative sequelae, including worsening of perceived levels of stress, depression, and suicidal ideation. Although PTSD treatment can lead to improved sleep in some patients, there are a number of patients whose sleep disturbances do not remit even after treatment and can persist long after the original trauma. There are various non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment modalities that have been studied. Non-pharmacological therapies include image rehearsal therapy (IRT), cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), prolonged exposure (PE), and eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Pharmacological studies include alpha-1-adrenergic receptor antagonists, alpha-adrenergic agonists, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), other an...
Duality, marginal perturbations, and gauging.

We study duality transformations for two-dimensional $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ models with Abelian chiral isometries and prove that generic such transformations are equivalent to integrated marginal perturbations by bilinears in the chiral currents, thus confirming a recent conjecture by Hassan and Sen formulated in the context of Wess-Zumino-Witten models. Specific duality transformations instead give rise to coset models plus free bosons.
The Largest Act of Environmental Warfare in History

Although the destruction of oil fields in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 riveted public attention on war and the environment, this was neither the first nor the largest act of environmental warfare in history. In terms of loss of life and geographic area affected, probably the largest scale act of environmental warfare in history was the breaching of the Huang He (Yellow River) levees by the Nationalist Chinese in June 1938. Detailed information about this event has only recently become available in English, and even today information is sketchy. The breach was an attempt to slow down the westward advance of the Japanese army south of the Huang He. It was marginally successful from a military standpoint but caused enormous loss of life as a result of direct flooding, disease, and famine. Official Chinese figures place the death toll at over 800,000.
Model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) exception for uncommon hepatic tumors

Liver transplantation has been performed for a widevariety of rare hepatic tumors. The anecdotal nature ofthis experience makes evidence-based decisions re-garding suitability for transplantation very challenging.The largest reports of transplantation for tumors otherthan hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarci-noma have been for neuroendocrine tumors. Hepaticmetastases are present in approximately 75% of pa-tients at the time a neuroendocrine tumor is diagnosed,and cure by liver transplantation (LT) is rare.
Assessing School Climate Among Sexual Minority High School Students

ABSTRACT Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex (i.e., sexual minority) youth are often targets of aggression because of their sexual identity, both in and out of schools. Literature on school-related aggression toward sexual minority youth often relies on quantitative surveys or retrospective studies. Little non-retrospective research has been done with this population investigating the nature of bullying, school climate, and the effects of being a sexual minority youth in schools. Sixteen sexual minority high school youth participated in face-to-face, in-depth interviews. Results for the themes from these interviews are presented in four categories: Sexual minorities' overall perspective on their school climate, the nature of aggression in schools against sexual minorities when present, the characteristics of the victims and bullies, and the consequences of being a sexual minority in schools. These youth's perspectives provide support for existing literature on the nature of bull...
Stability and interface abruptness of In x Ga 1−x N/In y Ga 1−y N multiple quantum well structures grown by OMVPE

The abruptness of hetero-interfaces in InGaN multiple quantum well structures is shown to degrade when a high temperature growth follows growth of the multiple quantum well (MQW) region, as is generally required for the growth of full device structures. We have analyzed MQW samples both with and without high temperature GaN “cap” layers, using x-ray diffraction (XRD), grazing incidence x-ray reflection (GIXR), and photoluminescence. While all of these techniques indicate a degradation of the MQW structure when it is followed by growth at high temperature, GIXR is shown to be especially sensitive to changes of heterointerface abruptness. GIXR measurements indicate that the heterojunctions are less abrupt in samples that have high temperature cap layers, as compared to samples with no cap layer. Furthermore, the degree of roughening is found to increase with the duration of growth of the high temperature cap layer. The degradation of the heterointerfaces is also accompanied by a reduction in the intensity of satellite peaks in the x-ray diffraction spectrum.
Purification of limonoid glucosyltransferase from navel orange albedo tissues

Abstract UDP- d -glucose: limonoid glucosyltransferase was purified from albedo tissues of navel orange (Citrus sinensis) cultivars, Frost and Newhall, by a combination of (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, UDP-glucuronic acid affinity chromatography and DEAE ion exchange HPLC. This procedure resulted in a 452-fold increase in enzyme purification. This enzyme catalysed the glucosylation of both nomilin and limonin. SDS-PAGE showed a Mr, of 56–58 k for the enzyme. The enzyme displayed a peak of activity between pH 6.5 and 9.0 with an optimum at 8.0. Mn2+ stimulated enzyme activity by 66% over basal activity observed with EDTA. Activity was lost when the purified enzyme was frozen and stored in Tris-HCl buffer at pH 8.0. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
Sequential separation of Pu, Np, U and Am from highly radioactive Hanford waste by ion exchange methods

A simple, rapid method has been developed for the sequential separation of actinide elements from samples with high salt content such as those resulting from efforts to characterize Hanford storage tank waste. Actinides in 9M HCl solution are introduced into an anion exchange column. U(VI), Np(IV) and Pu(IV) are retained on the column while Am(III) passes through. Plutonium is eluted first, reductively; after which neptunium and then uranium are eluted with mixtures of HCl and HF. The Am(III) is purified by cation exchange in a nitric acid system.
Neural network model of dynamic form perception: implications of retinal persistence and extraretinal sharpening for the perception of moving boundaries

ABSTRACT While temporal properties of the visual system have been the subject of extensive research in psy-chology many computational theories are based on steady-state behavior. For example, Marr's theory26 requires early measurements to be instantaneous. Furthermore, optimizational type approaches toperception34 are designed around properties of equilibria, and very little attention is devoted to the relevance of trajectories to perceptual experience. Electrophysiological findings however show that visualneurons such as retinal ganglion cells possess strong transient components.'3 Therefore, a fundamentalissue in perceptual sciences is the understanding of the relevance of these transient components to visualperception. This study claims that adaptive, nonmonotonic transient properties of early visual units arecrucial components in visual processing. An extra-retinal feedback on-center off-surround anatomy isproposed to sharpen the "blurred output" from the retinal level. Based on theoretical studies of patterntransformation properties of recurrent networks for sustained inputs we propose a global model (includ-ing retina and extra-retinal areas) of visual processing where a reset from transient ganglion cells of theretina prevents smearing for moving images. The model provides a theoretical link between hyperacu-ity (achieved by denser extra-retinal packing and nonlinear contrast enhancement) and visual masking( resulting from inter-layer and intra-channel inhibition mechanisms).
An empirical assessment of competing styles of social control

Abstract Young offenders in New York state who received sentences of incarceration based on alternate rationales of social control were compared to determine differences in the custodial experiences under each disposition. One group of offenders received the disposition for primarily rehabilitative purposes whereas the other group received the disposition for a more punitive intent. The length of the maximum sentences imposed, the average length of time served prior to release from prison, and the conditions of confinement—facility assignment and services provided—were compared. Only minimal differences were found relative to each of these measures. Interestingly, those who received the disposition for primarily rehabilitative purposes served less time than their equally situated counterparts. This finding runs counter to today's conventional wisdom about treatment paradigms. Several explanations are offered to explain the lack of difference found for offenders receiving these dispositions imposed for such distinct rationales of social control.
Diagnosis and treatment of cervical radiculopathy using a clinical prediction rule and a multimodal intervention approach: a case series.

Study Design Case series. Objectives To describe an established method of diagnosing cervical radiculopathy (CR) using a clinical prediction rule (CPR), and to describe the management of 6 patients using intermittent cervical traction (ICT), thoracic thrust joint manipulation (TJM), and exercise. Background Many patients present with unilateral arm pain without having undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine. Using a CPR has demonstrated high levels of specificity to rule in cervical radiculopathy. ICT and manual therapy (including thoracic TJM) are widely used in clinical settings to treat cervical radiculopathy. Case description Six patients (3 men, 3 women) were diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy using the CPR. All patients were treated with ICT, thoracic TJM, and exercise. The Northwick Park Neck Questionnaire served as the outcome measure. Outcomes The CPR accurately identified CR (secondary to a disc herniation) in 4 out of 4 patients when compared to the results of a refe...
One-return Boundary Element Method And Salt Internal Multiples

A one-way and one-return boundary element method (BEM) is proposed to calculate the primary transmission/reflection arrivals for layered model or inclusion model with strong velocity contrast. The primaries are obtained by decoupling the interactions between the “top” and “bottom” of the inclusions defined for a given source-receivers configuration. Then the primaries are subtracted from the whole seismic records to obtain the internal multiples generated by the inclusion such as salt bodies. As numerical examples, the primary reflections from top and bottom interfaces of a salt-lens model and the multiples between these two interfaces are calculated. This method is applied to SEG-EAGE model to predict the internal multiples for acoustic wave in 2D case. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is efficient to obtain the primary transmission/reflections generated by internal interfaces with strong velocity contrast.
The psychosocial context of young adult sexual behavior in Nicaragua: looking through the gender lens.

Context: Understanding the nature and magnitude of gender differences in sexual norms among young adults in Nicaragua and how these differences affect sexual behavior is important for the design of reproductive health programs. Methods: A representative cross-sectional survey was conducted in six departments in the Pacific region of Nicaragua in 1998. A total of 552 never-married women and 289 never-married men aged 15-24 were interviewed about their perceptions of social pressure to engage in premarital sex; perceived social approval of and attitudes toward premarital sex and premarital pregnancy; perceived sexual activity among peers and siblings; communication with parents on sexuality issues; the psychosocial context of sexual debut; and preferred sources of information on sexuality issues. Results: Most young men (83%) reported that they had received direct encouragement from at least one person in the last year to engage in premarital sex and at least half perceived that their father siblings other relatives and friends approved of premarital intercourse. A significantly greater proportion of men than of women reported that curiosity or gaining experience motivated their sexual debut (61% vs. 21%). Men perceived themselves to have a higher risk of unplanned and unprotected sex than did women. In contrast women held more negative attitudes toward premarital sex were more often discouraged by parents or siblings from engaging in sex. Conclusions: Reproductive health programs for young Nicaraguans need to address gender-based double standards which raise the risk of unplanned unprotected sex and unintended pregnancy. (authors)
Providing Free Document Delivery Services to a Campus of 48,000 Library Users

In June 2002, the Texas A&M University Libraries implemented a new electronic document delivery service called deliverEdocs. The service uses ILLiad software. We began to offer free desktop delivery of any article, book chapters up to 50 pages (even those found on our own Libraries' shelves), to our entire campus. The service is well appreciated by our users. This paper reveals the initial reactions of the staff members in face of the challenge, discusses the resources needed to provide such a high profile service, details the workflow of the operation, shares the positive comments from the patrons, and illustrates the five key factors to the success of this service.
Research on Wet Tire Traction

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES EXPERIMENTS AND METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR THE GRADING OF WET TIRE TRACTION. DATA FROM INSTRUMENTED VEHICLE EXPERIMENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH INSTITUTE MOBILE TIRE TESTER ARE USED TO SUPPORT THE CONCLUSIONS. THREE TIRE FORCE MEASURES OBTAINED WITH THE MOBILE TIRE TESTER, THE PEAK LONGITUDINAL, PEAK FREE-ROLLING LATERAL, AND LOCKED-WHEEL LONGITUDINAL COEFFICIENTS OF FRICTION, ARE PRESENTED FOR A GROUP OF 90 PERCENT OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE SIZES IN USE ON AMERICAN CARS AND ARE RANK CORRELATED WITH VEHICLE RESULTS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEFINING MINIMUM WET TRACTION LEVELS FOR VARIOUS TIRE-ROAD INTERFACE PROPERTIES. /DOT/
The NNWSI Waste form Testing Program

A waste form testing program has been developed to ensure that the release rate of radionuclides from the engineered barrier system will meet NRC and EPA regulatory requirements. Waste form performance testing will be done under unsaturated, low water availability conditions which represent the expected repository conditions. Testing will also be done under conditions of total immersion of the waste form in repository-type water to cover the possibility that localized portions of the repository might contain standing water. Testing of reprocessed waste forms for CHLW and DHLW will use reaction vessels fabricated from Topopah Spring tuff. Chemical elements which are expected to show the highest release rates in the mildly oxidizing environment of the Topopah Spring tuff horizon at Yucca Mountain are Np and Tc. To determine the effect of residual canister material and of corrosion products from the canister/overpack, waste form testing will be done in the presence of these materials. The release rate of all radionuclides which are subject to NRC and EPA regulations will be measured, and the interactive effects of the released radionuclides and the rock reaction vessels will be determined. The testing program for spent fuel will determine the release rate from bare spent fuel pellets and from Zircaloy clad spent fuel where the cladding contains minor defects. A metal testing program for Zircaloy will establish the expected lifetime of the cladding material. Estimation of the state of cladding for fuel presently in reactor pool storage will provide baseline data for Zircaloy containment credit.
Delay, cost and infrastructure tradeoff of epidemic routing in mobile sensor networks

This paper studies the delay, cost and infrastructure tradeoff of epidemic routing in mobile sensor networks. We consider a mobile sensor network with M mobiles and B static base stations. The mobile sensors collect information when moving around and need to report the information to the base stations. Three different epidemic routing schemes --- target epidemic routing, uncontrolled epidemic routing and controlled epidemic routing --- are analyzed in this paper. For each of the three schemes, we characterize the scaling behaviors of the delay, which is defined to be the average number of time slots required to deliver a message, and the cost, which is defined to be the average number of transmissions required to deliver a message, in terms of the number of mobiles (M) and the number of base stations (B). These scaling results reveal the fundamental tradeoff among delay, cost and infrastructure in mobile sensor networks.
Outlines of the pore in open and closed conformations describe the gating mechanism of ASIC1

The pore gating mechanism of the proton-activated sodium channel ASIC1 is poorly understood. Canessa et al. study the shape of the ion pathway in the ASIC1 channel in its open and closed states, and reveal the opening, closing and desensitization mechanisms of the channel.