cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous expression of melanoma‐associated antigens and HLA‐A2 in metastatic melanoma in vivo

MART-1/MelanA and Pmel17/gp100 are melanoma-associated antigens (MAAs) that can be recognized by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) capable of mediating successful adoptive therapy in vivo. Analysis of melanoma cell lines in vitro has demonstrated that heterogeneous antigen expression in the context of class I MHC is a significant co-factor in determining the recognition of melanoma targets by cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs). In this study, 217 specimens from 103 patients with metastatic melanoma were examined for the expression of MART-1/MelanA (monoclonal antibody [MAb] M27C10) and Pmel17/gp100 (HMB45 MAb) by immuno-histochemistry. Marked heterogeneity in the expression of both MAAs was confirmed by analysis of the percentage of positively staining tumor cells or the average intensity of tumor staining. We also noted heterogeneity of expression among multiple lesions taken from different anatomic sites within a patient. A dissociation was noted in the detection of MART-1 and gp100 in some lesions, with gp100 being undetectable in 24% of the lesions and MART-1 being undetectable in 11%. In several cases, loss of one MAA was not associated with loss of the other MAA, suggesting that MART-1 can represent a useful additional marker for the diagnosis of melanoma in gp100 (HMB45)-negative lesions. Of the 217 specimens, 155 were obtained from HLA-A*0201 patients, of which 6% were negative for HLA-A2, 8% were negative for MART-1/MelanA and 21% were negative for Pmel17/gp100. The potential significance of our findings is illustrated by a case study in which a patient with melanoma experienced rapid tumor progression in association with loss of either MAA or HLA expression in several lesions.
Childhood aggression, depressive symptoms, and peer rejection: The mediational model revisited:

The goals of the current study were to investigate whether peer rejection mediated the relation between aggression and depressive symptoms in childhood, and if so, whether this mediational pathway ...
Oxidative conversion of phosphorothiolates to phosphinyloxysulfonates probably via phosphorothiolate s-oxides

Abstract Phosphorothiolate S -oxides and their phosphinyloxysulfenate rearrangement products are probable intermediates in the facile conversion of phosphorothiolates to phosphinyloxysulfonates on peracid oxidation. They may also be intermediates in the biological oxidation of phosphorothiolates.
Partial Hepatectomy in the Mouse: Technique and Perioperative Management

Hepatic surgery in mice is challenging because of the delicate nature of the liver, lack of intravenous access, and risk of hemorrhage. In order to study the ability of the liver to regenerate afte...
A multivariable analysis of spatial abilities by sex

Abstract This article presents a series of studies investigating the influence of experimental factors and the personological variables of age and sex upon spatial abilities. It was hypothesized that the overall equivocal findings typical of spatial research may be partially due to the use of different factors across studies. The experimental variables of spatial factor, task demands, spatial information type, information-processing mode, and response mode were systematically manipulated across the eight studies. In each individual analysis of data collected in a specific study, no significant main effect sex differences were detected. However, when a meta-analytic review of the studies was conducted, both spatial information dimensionality and information dimensionality × spatial factor assessed proved to be influential on male and female spatial performances. Female performance was superior when the dimensionality of stimulus and response variables was invariant. Males had the advantage when dimensionality crossing was necessitated. The discrepancy between the sexes was particularly dramatic when the spatial orientation factor was tapped.
Mathematical String Sculptures: A Case Study in Computationally-Enhanced Mathematical Crafts.

Mathematical string sculptures constitute an extremely beautiful realm of mathematical crafts. This snapshot begins with a description of a marvelous (and no longer manufactured) toy called Space Spider, which provided a framework with which children could experiment with string sculptures. Using a computer-controlled laser cutter to create frames for weaving string, not only can we recreate the original toy, but we can also experiment with a variety of new frame geometries. This snapshot concludes with a discussion of additional ways in which computational tools and output devices can enhance the practice of this particular mathematical craft.
Thermal tolerance and preference of the freshwater shrimp Palaemonetes kadiakensis

Abstract 1. 1.|Freshwater shrimp, acclimated to a fluctuating room temperature regime (20–28°C) and five different constant temperatures (24, 26, 28, 30 and 32°C), were tested to characterize their upper tolerance limits and to assess their abilities to thermoregulate behaviourally within a horizontal thermal gradient. 2. 2.|Specimens tested to determine the upper temperature survival limits manifested five distinct responses to thermal stress: initial disorientation, complete disorientation, onset of tail fold, end of tail fold and total loss of movement. 3. 3.|The upper temperature survival limit for each group (expressed as the critical thermal maximum temperature —CTM) ranged from 37 to 40°C. CTM values were found to vary directly with the acclimation temperature. 4. 4.|Specimens tested in a horizontal gradient (18—36°C) selected temperatures ranging from 28 to 32°C. Preferred tempertures did not vary according to acclimation. .
Parameter estimation for analysis of vapor diffusion in polymers

This paper presents a general method for estimation of diffusion coefficient and other relevant parameters for the analysis of vapor diffusion in polymers. Sorption curves generated by the constants estimated using the parameter estimation method presented here are in closer agreement with experimental curves than curves generated by other conventional methods.
Valence-instrumentality-expectancy model validation using selected accounting groups

Abstract This study evaluates the predictive validity of a Valence-Instrumentality-Expectancy (VIE) model by comparing migrator and non-migrator groups found in large public accounting firms. The model variable measures are obtained from 216 current CPA firm employees. The model's predictive accuracy is substantiated using discriminant analysis and a split sample validation procedure. However, the tests of the model's construct validity are inconclusive. The study concludes that the VIE model contains theoretical constructs that are important determinants of CPA firm employee migration intentions and a content analysis using the model can aid in understanding and controlling employee migration. The findings are significant both as an extension of the current VIE research and an example of how the theoretical constructs can be applied to accounting problems.
DSCWeaver: Synchronization-Constraint Aspect Extension to Procedural Process Specification Languages

BPEL is emerging as an open-standards language for Web service composition. However, its procedural style can lead to inflexible and tangled code for managing a crosscutting aspect ? synchronization constraints that define permissible sequences of execution for activities in a process. In this paper, we present DSCWeaver, a tool that enables a synchronization-aspect extension to BPEL. It uses DSCL, a synchronization expression language, to specify constraints. DSCL has the desirable features of declarative syntax, fine granularity, and validation support. A designer can use DSCL to describe and validate the synchronization behavior and rely on DSCWeaver to generate BPEL code. We demonstrate the advantages of our approach in a service deployment process and evaluate its performance using two metrics: Lines of Code (LoC) and Places to Visit (PtV). Evaluation results show that our approach can effectively reduce development effort of process designers while providing performance competitive to un-woven BPEL code.
Disinhibition of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus increases mean circulatory filling pressure in conscious rats

Abstract Venous capacitance plays an important role in the control of cardiac output. However, the central nervous system sites and neurochemical signals involved in modulating venous function remain to be fully elucidated. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is an important site modulating autonomic outflow to the cardiovascular system. The present study tested the hypothesis that removal of tonic GABAergic tone in the PVN would increase peripheral venous tone. Mean circulatory filling pressure was used as an index of venous tone. Arterial pressure, venous pressure, heart rate, and mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP) were monitored in conscious male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were challenged with microinjections of bicuculline methiodide (BMI) (25 ng) or vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid) into the PVN. In one group of rats, BMI injections were performed before and after ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg) and atropine (0.4 mg/kg) given subcutaneously. In a second group, BMI injections were performed in chlorisondamine-treated rats whose blood pressure had been returned to control with an infusion of norepinephrine. Injection of bicuculline into the PVN increased MAP (14±2 to 18±2 mmHg) and HR (49±12 to 74±14 bpm). MCFP also increased significantly by 1.00±0.17 to 1.39±0.18 mmHg, indicating an increase in the driving pressure for venous return. Injection of the vehicle did not affect these variables. In both groups, ganglionic blockade significantly attenuated the bicuculline-induced increases in MAP, HR and MCFP. These data indicate that sympathetic drive from the PVN to the venous system is under tonic GABAergic control.
Electrical conductivity of multi-layered metallic thin films

Multi-layered metallic thin films have quite unique properties such as electrical conductivity because of their enhanced interactions at the interfaces between different metals. A theoretical solution has been derived for the distribution functions of the conduction electrons, through Boltzmann's equation and certain interface boundary conditions. The solution of the electrical conductivity for the multi-layered metallic thin films is given.
Cochlear implantation in children with chronic suppurative otitis media

Chronic otitis media was previously a contraindication to cochlear implantation. In recent years, potential benefits of implantation in deaf children with chronic suppurative otitis media has fueled new approaches to this treatment dilemma. We review the current and historical literature, analyze the risk and benefits, and perioperative treatments and operative techniques to improve outcomes and minimize complications of cochlear implantation in children with chronic suppurative otitis media. We conclude that cochlear implantation in children with chronic suppurative otitis media is a viable therapy if adequate and meticulous preoperative and perioperative management is undertaken.
A COMPARATIVE ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC AND KINESIOGRAPHIC STUDY OF DELIBERATE AND HABITUAL MASTICATION IN MAN

Summary-Twelve healthy, fully-dentate subjects participated in experiments which included the continuous recording of surface electromyography and jaw movement during habitual and deliberate right-sided or left-sided chewing of a coherent bolus. Analogue data streams were converted to digital values. Root-mean-square (r.m.s.) muscle-activity traces were computed from raw electromyographic data. The working side was defined as the side from which the mandible approached the position of occlusal stoppage when in the most cranially directed part of the chewing cycle. In any,given muscle, greater mean peak r.m.s. activities were found with ipsilateral than contralateral bolus replacement (p < 0.01, s); such differences were more pronounced for the masseter than the anterior temporal muscles. During habitual chewing, mean peak r.m.s. activities exceeded the value established by deliberate mastication with ipsilateral bolus placement in 27 of 48 muscles; this may be because of more vigorous chewing during habitual performance. No subject was strictly unilateral in their preference for bolus placement and in 6 of the 12 subjects, there was a timed side-switching of the bolus within the masticatory sequence. The results also indicated that any averaging of data based upon time-amplitude alone would be inappropriate for habitual chewing because of the call for different working sides within a particular masticatory sequence. Thus a new data format based upon numerical representation of the electromyographic activity against time was introduced.
DEVELOPMENT OF ENDOPHYTIC FRANKIA SPORANGIA IN FIELD- AND LABORATORY-GROWN NODULES OF COMPTONIA PEREGRINA AND MYRICA GALE

Field-collected nodules of Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult. and Myrica gale L. (Myricaceae), infected by the nitrogen-fixing actinomycete Frankia sp., were of two types: those that lacked sporangia entirely, designated sporef-), and those that showed extensive sporangial development, designated spore(+). In spore(+) nodules of C. peregrina, sporangia began to develop after the differentiation of endophytic vesicles and the concomitant onset of nitrogenase activity. At the onset of sporangial differentiation, infected host cells appeared healthy. However, endophytic vesicles and host cell cytoplasm and nuclei began to senesce rapidly as sporangia developed. Staining of sectioned material with the fluorescent stain Calcofluor White suggested that vesicles, hyphae and young sporangia were enclosed within a host-derived encapsulation layer, but mature sporangia were no longer encapsulated. In both C. peregrina and M. gale, vesicles were more short-lived in spore(+) than in sporef-) nodules. Field-collected spore(+) M. gale nodules exhibited a pronounced seasonality of sporangial formation. Sporangia began to differentiate in June, after the formation of vesicles and became more prominent in late summer. Inter- and intraspecific cross-inoculations suggest that the ability to form sporangia in the symbiotic state is controlled by endophytic strain type rather than host genotype or host/ endophyte combination. The host may, however, influence the number and seasonal appearance of sporangia formed. MEMBERS of the genus Frankia, soil-inhabiting actinomycetes, are capable of infecting the roots of woody plants belonging to eight dicotyledonous families, and of inducing the formation of nodules (Bond, 1976; Torrey, 1978). These nodules are specialized symbiotic organs in which the endophyte, Frankia, fixes atmospheric nitrogen which is then available to the host in reduced form. That Frankia is a pleomorphic organism capable of diffierentiating both vesicles and sporangia from its hyphae, was known long before it was first successfully isolated from nodules (Callaham, Del Tredici and Torrey 1978) or characterized as an actinomycete. Schaede (1933) first noticed that nodules ob
Amyloid precursors and amyloidosis in inflammatory arthritis.

Recent data demonstrating the multifunctional role of serum amyloid A (SAA) in the pathogenesis of amyloidosis have yielded important insights into this potentially fatal consequence of chronic inflammation. SAA has been shown to participate in chemotaxis, cellular adhesion, cytokine production, and
LINKING STUDY BEHAVIORS AND STUDENT CULTURE TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS AMONG HISPANIC STUDENTS

Hispanic students are less likely to persist at community colleges than white students. The study reported in this article suggests that students with appropriate study behaviors are more likely to persist. The study investigated the study behaviors of Spanish-speaking Hispanic students at one Hispanic-serving community college using the Inventario de Comportamiento de Estudio and at two Mexican universities. Community college students' response patterns were more like those of Mexican public university students and unlike Mexican private university students. This suggests that student culture, rather than institutional culture, determines students' study behaviors.
A conceptual model for the longitudinal distribution of wood in mountain streams.

Wood load, channel parameters and valley parameters were surveyed in 50 contiguous stream segments each 25 m in length along 12 streams in the Colorado Front Range. Length and diameter of each piece of wood were measured, and the orientation of each piece was tallied as a ramp, buried, bridge or unattached. These data were then used to evaluate longitudinal patterns of wood distribution in forested headwater streams of the Colorado Front Range, and potential channel-, valley- and watershed-scale controls on these patterns. We hypothesized that (i) wood load decreases downstream, (ii) wood is non-randomly distributed at channel lengths of tens to hundreds of meters as a result of the presence of wood jams and (iii) the proportion of wood clustered into jams increases with drainage area as a result of downstream increases in relative capacity of a stream to transport wood introduced from the adjacent riparian zone and valley bottom. Results indicate a progressive downstream decrease in wood load within channels, and correlations between wood load and drainage area, elevation, channel width, bed gradient and total stream power. Results support the first and second hypotheses, but are inconclusive with respect to the third hypothesis. Wood is non-randomly distributed at lengths of tens to hundreds of meters, but the proportion of pieces in jams reaches a maximum at intermediate downstream distances within the study area. We use these results to propose a conceptual model illustrating downstream trends in wood within streams of the Colorado Front Range. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using population-based data to examine preventive services by disability type among dually eligible (Medicare/Medicaid) adults.

Abstract Background Individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare constitute a small percentage of these program's populations but account for a disproportionately large percent of their total costs. While much work has examined high expenditures, little is known about their health and details of their health care utilization. Objective/hypothesis Utilize an important public health surveillance tool to better understand preventive service use among the dual eligible population. Methods This study involved descriptive and regression analyses of dual eligibles in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from pooled alternate years 2000–2008. We classified the sample into 4 mutually exclusive groups: cognitive limitations, physical disabilities, double diagnosis (cognitive limitations and physical disability), or neither cognitive limitations nor physical disability. Results For most groups, age was significantly associated with preventive services, though direction varies. Older age was linked to greater receipt of flu shots while younger age was associated with greater receipt of Pap tests, mammograms and dental services. Black women in all groups (except cognitive limitations) had an increased likelihood of receiving a Pap test and a mammogram. Conclusions A subset of dual eligibles drives the majority of expenditures. People with physical disabilities, regardless of whether they also have a cognitive limitation, are among the highest costing and sickest of our non-institutionalized dual eligible population. Efforts to understand and address the challenges faced by women with physical disabilities in accessing Pap tests or mammograms may be helpful in improving the overall health status for this disability group, but also for all dual eligibles.
An Assessment of TARP Assistance to Financial Institutions

Six years after the passage of the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program, commonly known as TARP, it remains hard to measure the total social costs and benefits of the assistance to banks provided under TARP programs. TARP was not a single approach to assisting weak banks but rather a variety of changing solutions to a set of evolving problems. TARP's passage was associated with significant improvements in financial markets and the health of financial intermediaries, as well as an increase in the supply of lending by recipients. However, a full evaluation must also take into account other factors, including the risks borne by taxpayers in the course of the bailouts; moral-hazard costs that could result in more risk-taking in the future; and social costs related to perceived unfairness. Our evaluation is organized in five parts: 1) What did policymakers do? 2) What are the proper objectives of interventions like TARP assistance to financial institutions? 3) Did TARP succeed in those economic objectives? 4) Were TARP funds allocated purely on an economic basis, or did political favoritism play a role? 5) Would alternative policies, either alongside or instead of TARP, and alternative design features of TARP, have worked better?
Neutrino-electron scattering and the choice between different MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem

We consider the scattering of solar neutrinos by electrons as a means for distinguishing between MSW solutions of the solar neutrino problem. In terms of the ratio R between the observed cross-section and that for pure electron-type neutrinos, we find that some correlation between the value R and the appropriate solution. 9 refs., 3 figs.
Preliminary studies of sperm cryopreservation in the mushroom coral, Fungia scutaria.

Abstract Coral species throughout the world are facing severe environmental pressures. Because of this, we began cryobiological studies on the sperm of the mushroom coral, Fungia scutaria . We determined that F. scutaria sperm had a mean length of 56 μm and head diameter of 2.5 μm, and a mean spontaneous ice nucleation temperature of −37.2 ± 1.7 °C. When the sperm were exposed to the cryoprotectant glycerol for 5 or 20 min (at 10% v/v), no fertilized larvae were produced. However, when sperm were exposed for 20 min to propylene glycol (10% v/v), fertilizations were produced at the same rate as untreated control eggs and sperm ( P > 0.05), but slightly less for dimethyl sulfoxide (10% v/v) ( P 95%) for coral sperm.
Neurotoxicology: From the whole animal to molecules

Neurotoxicity induced by a chemical in vivo is usually produced when the target site within the nervous system is exposed to a sufficient amount of the chemical or its toxic metabolite(s) for a duration of time that is sufficient to result in biological changes. These may be seen as changes in behavior, neurochemistry, neurophysiology, or neuropathology.
Resonance Raman studies of sterically hindered cyanomet "strapped" hemes. Effects of ligand distortion and base tension on iron-carbon bond.

We report resonance Raman studies of the iron-carbon bond stretching vibrations, nu(Fe-CN), in sterically hindered and unhindered heme (FeIII)-CN- complexes. The sterically hindred "strapped hemes" are equipped with a covalently linked 13-, 14-, or 15-atom hydrocarbon chain across one face of the heme; these are called FeSP-13, FeSP-14, and FeSP-15, respectively. These straps would presumably exert a sideway shearing strain to force the linear ligands (e.g., CN- and CO) to be tilted and/or bent. The shorter the chain length, the weaker the ligand binding affinity because of a greater steric hindrance. This study reveals that the nu(Fe-CN) frequency decreases as the chain length is decreased, in contrast with the CO complexes, where the nu(Fe-CO) frequency increases as the chain length is decreased. For the heme-CN- complexes (with N-methylimidazole as a base), the nu(Fe-CN) frequencies are: heme 5 (unhindered), 451 cm-1; FeSP-15, 447 cm-1; FeSP-14, 447 cm-1; FeSP-13, 445 cm-1. For the heme-CO complexes (with N-methylimidazole as a base), the nu(Fe-CO) frequencies are: heme 5, 495 cm-1; FeSP-15, 509 cm-1; FeSP-14, 512 cm-1; FeSP-13, 514 cm-1 (Yu, N.-T., E. A. Kerr, B. Ward, and C. K. Chang, 1983, Biochemistry, 22:4534–4540). We have also studied the cyanide complexes with three different bases (pyridine, N-methylimidazole and 1,2-dimethylimidazole), and found that the trans-effect of cyanide complex is different from that of CO complexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT) in MEMS/NEMS applications

Display Omitted Synthesis methods of graphene and carbon nanotube (SWNT and MWNT).Application of graphene and CNT in NEMS/MEMS including FET, resonator, sensors and actuators.Integrate graphene/CNT nano structure with micro scale system.Local synthesis to construct graphene or CNT together with other components and electronics on the same wafer.Transfer high quality graphene or CNT onto different substrate for the integration with other components. Carbon based nanomaterials, including one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional graphene, have attracted great research interests in recent years for various potential applications using the unique mechanical, electrical, optical and chemical properties. Specifically, the large surface area-to-volume ratio of these carbon-based material make them prime candidates for sensing applications in MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) and NEMS (Nanoelectromechanical Systems) devices. Here, we review the key electrical and mechanical properties of graphene with the focuses on their applications in sensors and actuators. State-of-art synthesis processes for graphene and CNTs are discussed since continuous advancements in their fabrication process are vital for the commercialization of graphene- or CNT-based products. Examples of graphene and CNT in MEMS/NEMS applications such as electronic components, mass/gas sensors, supercapacitors, and others are introduced and the advantages and challenges for graphene and CNTs based devices are discussed. Before these materials can be successfully utilized in MEMS/NEMS systems, effective integration processes with high yield have to be established. Approaches and discussions and are briefed in the future prospects of the paper.
Lepton pair production from two-photon processes

An exact expression for the lepton-pair mass spectrum for an ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{4}$ two-photon process in lepton-lepton, lepton-hadron, and hadron-hadron scattering processes is derived. This result is applied to muon pair production in proton-proton scattering to show that such a process is an important background to the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2}$ one-photon process in certain energy ranges and can become physically significant by itself at very high energies. The general physical significance of such a two-photon process in hadron-hadron scattering is discussed, and comparison of our exact expression with some approximation schemes is made. The main differences between this work and earlier papers on the subject are that (1) exact calculations are given and (2) the inelastic contributions are included.
Macroprolactinemia as the cause of elevated serum prolactin in men

Arecently described cause of hyperprolactinemia is production of a circulating prolactin species with chemical and biologic properties different from native prolactin (macroprolactin) [l-7]. Patients with macroprolactin have been described as females, with regular menstrual periods, preserved fertility, and absence of pituitary abnormalities on computed tomographic (CT) or magnetic resonance (MRI) scans of the pituitary gland [l-7]. In contrast, women with the common form of hyperprolactinemia have menstrual disorders, infertility, and/or galactorrhea [g-lo]. Disorders of prolactin secretion are uncommon in males, in whom hyperprolactinemia may be associated with pituitary tumors or with a radiographically normal pituitary gland. Presenting symptoms of hyperprolactinemia in men include hypogonadism with impotence and decreased libido, rarely galactorrhea, headaches, and visual symptoms due to local effects of the pituitary tumor [B-14]. In the current report, we describe two men with hyperprolactinemia who had normal testicular function. Subsequent studies detected the presence of large amounts of macroprolactin in these subjects.
A Viral Genome Containing an Unstable Aflatoxin B1-N7-Guanine DNA Adduct Situated at a Unique Site

A problem that has hindered the study of the biological properties of certain DNA adducts, such as those that form at the N7 atoms of purines, is their extreme chemical lability. Conditions are described for the construction of a single-stranded genome containing the chemically and thermally labile 8,9-dihydro-8- (N7-guanyl)-9-hydroxyaflatoxin B1 (AFB1-N7-Gua) adduct, the major DNA adduct of the potent liver carcinogen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). A 13mer oligonucleotide, d(CCTCTTCGAACTC), was allowed to react with the exo-8,9-epoxide of AFB1 to form an oligonucleotide containing a single AFB1-N7-Gua (at the underlined guanine). This modified 13mer was 5'-phosphorylated and ligated into a gap in an M13 bacteriophage genome generated by annealing a 53mer uracil-containing scaffold to M13mp7L2 linearized by EcoRI. Following ligation, the scaffold was enzymatically removed with uracil DNA glycosylase and exonuclease III. The entire genome construction was complete within 3 h and was carried out at 16 degrees C, pH 6.6, conditions determined to be optimal for AFB1-N7-Gua stability. Characterization procedures indicated that the AFB1-N7-Gua genome was approximately 95% pure with a small (5%) contamination by unmodified genome. This construction scheme should be applicable to other chemically or thermally unstable DNA adducts.
Infrared spectrum and vibrational assignment for 1H-trifluorocyclopropene

Abstract 1 H -Trifluoro cyclo propene has been prepared, and twelve of its fifteen vibrational fundamentals have been assigned from the i.r. spectrum.
Effects of Temperature and Moisture Gradients on Slab Deformation for Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements

Slab curvature, which represents the response of concrete pavement slabs to environmental loads, influences the location and magnitude of critical slab stresses and affects long-term pavement performance. The purpose of this study was to measure the changes in temperature and moisture profiles in a newly constructed concrete pavement and to determine both the overall deformed shapes of the slabs as well as the relative contributions of built-in and transient environmental effects over time. Data were collected from an instrumented jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) over a 2-year period. Slab curvatures were computed or predicted using measurements of temperature and moisture conditions in the slab, static strain measurements, and pavement surface profile measurements. It was found that the additional restraint provided by the dowel and tie bars does not appear to significantly reduce slab curvature resulting from daily temperature fluctuations or from reversible drying shrinkage. It does have a substa...
The adsorption of sulfate on gold(111) in acidic aqueous media: adlayer structural inferences from infrared spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscope

The potential-dependent adsorption of sulfate on ordered Au(111) from acidic aqueous electrolytes has been examined in situ by means of IR reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and by atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in order to explore further the nature of the adsorbate bonding and the structural changes attending the formation of the ordered adlayer at high potentials, as observed recently using STM. Solution conditions that encompassed aqueous sulfuric acid, sulfuric acid/sulfate electrolytes of varying pH and dilute sulfate in excess perchloric acid were selected in order to facilitate comparisons with recent adsorbate compositional data extracted from chronocoulometric and radiotracer measurements which utilized the last mentioned type of electrolyte. Essentially the same ordered adlayer structures were deduced by STM to form at suitably high potentials (≳ 0.8 V/SCE) in both sulfuric acid and the mixed sulfate/excess perchloric acid media. The adlayer, which exhibits a (√3 × √7) symmetry, involves a fractional sulfate coverage of 0.2, in accordance with chronocoulometic and radiotracer data. The possibility that the ordered sulfate adlayer incorporates coadsorbed hydronium cations is discussed; such coadsorption is suggested by the presence of additional tunneling maxima in the STM images. The IRAS data display a prominent SO stretching band νso at 1155–1220 cm−1, the potential-dependent intensity of which correlates with sulfate surface concentrations reported earlier. The appearance of this νso feature is also insensitive to the electrolyte conditions, including pH, consistent with its assignment to adsorbed sulfate rather than bisulfate. The νso frequency exhibits only a slight (ca. 5 cm−1) downshift upon forming the ordered adlayer, indicating that adsorbate ordering incurs no marked changes in sulfate speciation or surface bonding.
The involvement of iron and ubiquinone in electron transfer reactions mediated by reaction centers from photosynthetic bacteria

Reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides strain R-26 were prepared with varying Fe and ubiquinone (Q) contents. The photooxidation of P-870 to P-870+ was found to occur with the same quantum yield in Fe-depleted reaction centers as in control samples. The kinetics of electron transfer from the initial electron acceptor (I) to Q also were unchanged upon Fe removal. We conclude that Fe has no measurable role in the primary photochemical reaction. The extent of secondary reaction from the first quinone acceptor (QA) to the second quinone acceptor (QB) was monitored by the decay kinetics of P-870+ after excitation of reaction centers with single flashes in the absence of electron donors, and by the amount of P-870 photooxidation that occurred on the second flash in the presence of electron donors. In reaction centers with nearly one iron and between 1 and 2 ubiquinones per reaction center, the amount of secondary electron transfer is proportional to the ubiquinone content above one per reaction center. In reaction centers treated with LiClO4 and o-phenanthroline to remove Fe, the amount of secondary reaction is decreased and is proportional to Fe content. Fe seems to be required for the secondary reaction. In reaction centers depleted of Fe by treatment with SDS and EDTA, the correlation between Fe content and secondary activity is not as good as that found using LiClO4. This is probably due in part to a loss of primary photochemical activity in samples treated with SDS; but the correlation is still not perfect after correction for this effect. The nature of the back reaction between P-870+ and Q-B was investigated using stopped flow techniques. Reaction centers in the P-870+ Q-B state decay with a 1-s half-time in both the presence and absence of o-phenanthroline, an inhibitor of electron transfer between Q-B and QB. This indicates that the back reaction between P-870+ and Q-A is direct, rather than proceeding via thermal repopulation of Q-A. The P-870+ Q-B state is calculated to lie at least 100 mV in free energy below the P-870+ Q-A state.
Printing and publication options for U.S. Government historical materials

Abstract Federal government historians who direct and write book-length histories of their agencies' activities have a number of publishing options available. Not all government histories are published by the Government Printing Office. A committee of the Society for History in the Federal Government recently investigated those options and enumerated the choices, decisions, and difficulties the different publication modes pose for historians and their programs. The committee concluded that there is no correct avenue for publication, but that the various approaches must be evaluated to fit a particular program. It recognized, however, that no matter what course of action is contemplated, the congressional Joint Committee on Printing has oversight and that authority must always be considered.
Simple Method for Quantitation of Capsaicinoids in Peppers Using Capillary Gas Chromatography

A rapid, simple, safe, and inexpensive technique for extraction and quantitation of capsaicinoids from peppers is presented. Homogenized pepper tissue was extracted with acetone, and the extract was analyzed via capillary gas chromatography/thermoionic selective detection without need of capsaicinoid derivatization. Six of the eight capsaicinoids were positively identified in pepper extracts using gas chromatography/mass selective detection. Isomers for five of the six capsaicinoids were detected. Different varieties of peppers were analyzed for capsaicinoids, and the capsaicinoid concentrations as well as the corresponding Scoville heat values for the peppers are presented. Keywords: Peppers; capsaicinoids; chemical analysis
Thinking Theologically about Consumer Society

: To my knowledge, the first Christian theological monograph published in English on consumer society was John Kavanaugh's Following Christ in a Consumer Society, which appeared in 1982. Kavanaugh's groundbreaking text did not exactly open a floodgate. Sixteen years passed before the multi-authored The Consuming Passion: Christianity and the Consumer Culture appeared, edited by Rodney Clapp. The intervening decade has seen a modest flow of publications on the topic. Most influential in the general theological discussion have probably been Vincent Miller's Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture, and Tom Beaudoin's Consuming Faith: Integrating Who We Are with What We Buy. In view of the spiritual challenges of consumer society, and in comparison with the attention given to consumer society by theoreticians other than theologians, there is a pressing need for more theological reflection on the topic. Thus the current issue of Dialog is before you.
Gender differences among recreational gamblers: Association with the frequency of alcohol use.

This study examines the interactive effects of alcohol use and gender on health and gambling attitudes and behaviors in recreational gamblers. The Gambling Impact and Behavior Study (D. Gerstein et al., 1999) surveyed by telephone 2,417 adults targeted to be representative of the U.S. adult population. The authors compared male and female recreational gamblers (n = 1,471) who were stratified by frequency of alcohol use on measures of health and gambling. Significant Gender x Alcohol Use group interactions were observed such that moderate-to-high frequency alcohol consumption correlated with heavier gambling in men than in women, whereas such an association did not exist among abstinent or low frequency drinkers. There were few gender differences in the correlations between alcohol consumption and health. Future research should consider gender-related influences when examining alcohol use and gambling behaviors.
Effect of Degradation of Material Properties on the Dynamic Response of Large Space Structures

In this paper the effect of degradation of material properties on structural frequencies and mode shapes of Large Space Structures (LSS) is investigated. The difficulty and cost of maintenance of LSS make it a necessity to design these structures to operate with a certain amount of load-induced damage. This damage is commonly observed in fibrous composite media. Sensitivity studies conducted on representative space truss structures indicate that degradation of material properties may have a significant effect on the structural mode shapes and frequencies. For even small amounts of reduction in stiffness (lo%), frequencies and nodal locations may change significantly. It is clear that these effects must be taken into consideration when designing control systems for Large Space Structures.
Certificates and Computers: The Remaking of Wall Street, 1967 to 1971

Events in the late 1960s reshaped the securities industry. Trading volume increased sharply, with the number of shares changing hands on the New York Exchange growing from five million a day in 1965 to twelve million a day in 1968. This expansion overwhelmed the mechanisms brokers used to transfer securities and keep records, which relied heavily on paper and pen. They responded by purchasing computers, but these machines were expensive and demanded more sophisticated management than most firms could provide. Accordingly, many companies botched the process. Moreover, trading volume declined sharply in 1969 and 1970, cutting deeply into brokerage revenue. These factors combined to create a crisis that had, by the end of 1970, forced nearly a sixth of the nation's brokerage firms out of business. Yet this crisis also opened the way for large, integrated companies, which, by the 1990s, dominated the securities industry and conducted business on a scale unimagined thirty years earlier.
14-3-3θ facilitates plasma membrane delivery and function of mechanosensitive connexin 43 hemichannels

Intracellular signaling in osteocytes activated by mechanical loading is important for bone formation and remodeling. These signaling events are mediated by small modulators released from Cx43 hemichannels (HC). We have recently shown that integrin α5 senses the mechanical stimulation and induces the opening of Cx43 HC; however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Here, we show that both Cx43 and integrin α5 interact with 14-3-3θ, and this interaction is required for the opening of Cx43 HC upon mechanical stress. The absence of 14-3-3θ prevented the interaction between Cx43 and integrin α5, and blocked HC opening. Furthermore, it decreased the transport of Cx43 and integrin α5 from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane. Mechanical loading promoted the movement of Cx43 to the surface which was associated not only with an increase in 14-3-3θ levels but also its interaction with Cx43 and integrin α5. This stimulatory effect on forward transport by mechanical loading was attenuated in the absence of 14-3-3θ and the majority of the Cx43 accumulated in the Golgi. Disruption of the Golgi by brefeldin A reduced the association of Cx43 and integrin α5 with 14-3-3θ, further suggesting that the interaction is likely to occur in the Golgi. Together, these results define a previously unidentified, scaffolding role of 14-3-3θ in assisting the delivery of Cx43 and integrin α5 to the plasma membrane for the formation of mechanosensitive HC in osteocytes.
Interfacial energy states of moisture-exposed cracks in mica

Results of crack growth observations on mica in water-containing environments are described. The study focuses on equilibrium crack states for reversed loading cycles, i.e., for initial propagation through virgin solid and subsequent retraction-repropagation through healed or misoriented-healed interfaces. Departures from these equilibrium states are manifest as steady-state forward or backward crack velocities at specific applied loads. The equilibria are thereby interpreted as quiescent, threshold configurations G = WE, with G the Griffith mechanical-energy-release rate and WE the Dupre work of adhesion, on crack velocity (v-G) diagrams. Generally, WE is found to decrease with concentration of water, in accordance with a Gibbs formalism. Hysteresis is observed in the forward-backward-forward crack propagation cycle, signifying a reduction in the adhesion energy on exposure of the open interface to environmental species prior to healing. This hysteresis is especially marked for those interfaces that are misoriented before healing, indicating that the structure of the underlying solid substrate as well as of the intervening fluid is an important consideration in the interface energetics. The equilibrium states for different environments can be represented on a simple energy-level diagram, as differences between thermodynamic end-point states: initial, closed-interface states refer to crystallographic bonding configurations ahead of the crack-tip adhesion zone; final, open interface states refer to configurations behind the crack-tip zone. The significance of this diagram in relation to the fundamental atomic structure of interfaces in fracture and other adhesion geometries, including implications concerning kinetics, is discussed.
Synchrony, stability, and firing patterns in pulse-coupled oscillators

We study non-trivial firing patterns in small assemblies of pulse-coupled oscillatory maps. We find conditions for the existence of waves in rings of coupled maps that are coupled bi-directionally. We also find conditions for stable synchrony in general all-to-all coupled oscillators. Surprisingly, we find that for maps that are derived from physiological data, the stability of synchrony depends on the number of oscillators. We describe rotating waves in two-dimensional lattices of maps and reduce their existence to a reduced system of algebraic equations which are solved numerically.
Stator power factor adjustable direct torque control of doubly-fed induction machines

In this paper, a stator power factor adjustable direct torque control of doubly-fed induction machine is proposed. The selection of rotor voltage vectors is performed based on the torque and the stator inactive current. The control system is built and the rotor voltage vector table is given. The feasibility of the proposed control strategy is examined through Simulink simulation experiments. Good control behaviors are obtained
Effects of acute topiramate dosing on methamphetamine-induced subjective mood

Clinical studies have shown that topiramate, a sulphamate-substituted fructopyranose derivative, might be an efficacious treatment for alcohol dependence, smoking cessation within an alcohol-dependent population, and cocaine dependence. Mechanistically, topiramate's therapeutic effects have been hypothesized to be due to inhibition of cortico-mesolimbic dopamine function, the primary substrate that governs the acquisition, maintenance, and reinstatement of goal-directed behaviour towards seeking abused drugs. Predicated on this hypothesis, we tested in 10 methamphetamine-dependent individuals (three females) whether low- or high-dose (15 or 30 mg i.v.) methamphetamine-induced positive subjective effects and reinforcement can be antagonized by low- or high-dose (100 or 200 mg orally) topiramate using a placebo-controlled, cross-over, factorial design. Methamphetamine administration was associated with orderly, prototypical, and significant increases on measures of stimulation, euphoria, craving, and reinforcement; however, some dysphoric symptoms also emerged. Topiramate alone showed a non-significant trend towards mild reductions in positive mood and reinforcement; yet topiramate appeared to accentuate the appreciation of methamphetamine-induced stimulation and euphoria significantly, but not craving or reinforcement. The experimental combination of topiramate and methamphetamine appeared to be safe and well tolerated, with few adverse events. Acute dosing with up to 200 mg topiramate appears to enhance, rather than attenuate, the positive subjective effects of methamphetamine. Perhaps this indicates a partial inhibition of methamphetamine's reinforcing effects. Thus, testing chronically administered or higher doses, or both, of topiramate would be necessary to determine conclusively whether or not it can attenuate the positive subjective and reinforcing effects of methamphetamine.
Utility of the Spelling Sensitivity Score to analyze spellings of children with specific language impairment

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Spelling Sensitivity Score (SSS) beyond percentage correct scoring in analysing the spellings of children with specific language impairment (SLI). Participants were 31 children with SLI and 28 children with typical language in grades 2 through 4. Spellings of individual words were scored using two methods: (a) percentage correct and (b) SSS. Children with SLI scored lower than children with typical language when spelling was analysed with percentage correct scoring and with SSS scoring. Additionally, SSS scoring highlighted group differences in the nature of spelling errors. Children with SLI were more likely than children with typical language to omit elements and to represent elements with an illegal grapheme in words, whereas children with typical language were more likely than children with SLI to represent all elements with correct letters.