cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systemic Infection of Avocado, Persea americana, by Raffaelea lauricola, Does Not Progress Into Fruit Pulp or Seed

Avocado, Persea americana, is an important fruit crop in the tropics and warm subtropics. Laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, is a systemic vascular wilt of avocado that spread recently to Florida, an important producing state in the USA. As fruit and seed of avocado produced in Florida are sold in other states and countries where this crop is produced, there is concern that commerce in these commodities might spread this disease. Potted, fruit-bearing trees were artificially inoculated with R. lauricola, and plants were systemically colonized by the fungus. In no instance did infection progress further than the hilum (87 total fruit), as determined by re-isolation of R. lauricola on a semi-selective medium or its detection, with qPCR and high fidelity PCR, of diagnostic small subunit (SSU) 18s rDNA. Thus, it would apparently be safe to propagate avocado with seed from trees affected by this disease. Pedicels/peduncles and hila associated with these fruit were colonized by the pathogen. The latter tissues would be associated with/attached to marketed fruit, but they do not harbour the pathogen’s ambrosia beetle vector, Xyleborus glabratus. Thus, commerce in avocado fruit appears to be a negligible risk for expanding the geographic range of laurel wilt.
Erfahrungen mit Dixon‐Ringen

Dixon-Ringe sind Fullkorper aus Drahtgewebe. Die Eigenschaften solcher Fullringe beim Rektifizieren werden an Hand von Meswerten diskutiert. Sodann wird uber Erfahrungen bei der Verwendung in technischen Kolonnen berichtet.
Prospective schemes for next generation X-ray lasers

Two novel schemes for efficient x-ray laser generation from laser-produced plasma and capillary discharge-driven plasmas are described. The combination of nano-structured targets with the high energy ultrashort pulse lasers can result in the generation of laser-produced plasmas that could lead to high brightness sources of incoherent multi-KeV radiation and x-ray lasers of short pulse duration at shorter wavelengths. The generation of 0.5-1 keV x-ray laser radiation from a Ni-like U plasma created using excitation from a Petawatt laser is analyzed. The efficient excitation of capillary discharge plasmas in micro-capillary discharge channels is discussed.
Linear Arrays of Microchannel Plasmas in Monolithic $ \hbox{Al/Al}_{2}\hbox{O}_{3}$ Sheets

Linear microplasmas have been produced within rectangular channels, 75 × 75 μm2 in cross section and 7 cm in length. Arrays of such channels have been fabricated in single sheets of 127-μm-thick aluminum foil by a photolithographic step and an electrochemical process. Arrays comprising 20 parallel channels have been operated in the rare gases, N2, and air at pressures in the 100-760-Torr interval.
Factors That Control the Chemistry of the LOV Domain Photocycle

Algae, plants, bacteria and fungi contain Light-Oxygen-Voltage (LOV) domains that function as blue light sensors to control cellular responses to light. All LOV domains contain a bound flavin chromophore that is reduced upon photon absorption and forms a reversible, metastable covalent bond with a nearby cysteine residue. In Avena sativa LOV2 (AsLOV2), the photocycle is accompanied by an allosteric conformational change that activates the attached phototropin kinase in the full-length protein. Both the conformational change and formation of the cysteinyl-flavin adduct are stabilized by the reduction of the N5 atom in the flavin’s isoalloxazine ring. In this study, we perform a mutational analysis to investigate the requirements for LOV2 to photocycle. We mutated all the residues that interact with the chromophore isoalloxazine ring to inert functional groups but none could fully inhibit the photocycle except those to the active-site cysteine. However, electronegative side chains in the vicinity of the chromophore accelerate the N5 deprotonation and the return to the dark state. Mutations to the N414 and Q513 residues identify a potential water gate and H2O coordination sites. These residues affect the electronic nature of the chromophore and photocycle time by helping catalyze the N5 reduction leading to the completion of the photocycle. In addition, we demonstrate that dehydration leads to drastically slower photocycle times. Finally, to investigate the requirements of an active-site cysteine for photocycling, we moved the nearby cysteine to alternative locations and found that some variants can still photocycle. We propose a new model of the LOV domain photocycle that involves all of these components.
The Nazi doctors and the Nuremberg Code: relevance for modern medical research.

(1990). The Nazi doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Relevance for modern medical research. Medicine and War: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 120-123.
Acute-onset persistent olfactory deficit resulting from multiple overexposures to ammonia vapor at work.

Impaired olfaction (a functional decrement in the sense of smell) is not uncommon. It is estimated that at least 2 million Americans suffer from an impaired sense of smell, although the actual number is probably higher. 1 The importance of this primary sense should in no way be minimized, since its absence can result in profound consequences. Both personal protection and quality of life can be compromised by impaired olfaction. Intact olfaction provides an excellent warning system for detection of hazardous conditions including smoke from fires, ingestion of spoiled foods, and hazardous materials encountered on the job. An employee lacking intact olfaction could be seriously impaired in certain settings, and indeed might be precluded from selected duties as a result. Even appropriate respiratory protection (ie, air-purifying respirators) might not offer sufficient assurance against toxic exposures because the impaired person would not be able to detect respirator leaks or cartridge breakthrough.2 The senses of taste and smell are intertwined; loss of smell can adversely affect gustatory pleasure or, more importantly, can lead to anorexia. Despite the frequency of irritant upper airway exposures occupationally,3 published cases of work-related residual olfactory impairment have frequently lacked documentation of sensory testing. Recognition of the link between irritant exposure and upper airway functional loss is thus important to occupational and general health practice. We report a case in which persistent hyposmia (reduction in the sense of smell) occurred following an acute industrial exposure to ammonia.
Validation of protocols for assessing early pregnancy failure in the rat: Clomiphene citrate☆

A battery of protocols for the assessment of maternally mediated toxicity during early pregnancy in the rat is being evaluated for its utility in detecting and defining mechanisms of early pregnancy failure. In this report, clomiphene citrate (CC), an estrogen agonist/antagonist, was used as a model compound in this evaluation process. The protocols involve dosing rats with CC during, and evaluation of multiple endpoints following, (a) the first 8 days of pregnancy; (b) early pseudopregnancy, accompanied by decidual induction; and (c) the pre- and postimplantation intervals of early pregnancy. In addition, the effect of CC on embryo transport rate was assessed. Eight days of dosing with CC during early pregnancy produced a dose-dependent reduction in the number of implantation sites seen on Day 9, concomitant with alterations in maternal hormonal parameters. No effect on the decidual cell response was found, indicating that the mechanism of fertility reduction was not mediated via compromised uterine decidualization. The preimplantation period was highly vulnerable to the toxic effects of CC while no postimplantation resorptions were seen. When embryo transport rate was measured, a statistically significant embryo transport rate acceleration was detected, but this was insufficient to account for all of the observed preimplantation loss. The data suggest an effect of CC on embryo viability, on the embryo's ability to implant, or on the reproductive tract resulting in compromised embryo survival as the potential mechanism(s) mediating CC-induced early pregnancy failure. The battery of protocols was thus successful in identifying CC as a reproductive toxicant and in elucidating the causes of the observed early pregnancy failure.
Perfect images of spaces with a δθ-base and weakly θ-refinable spaces

Abstract The main result shows that the class of spaces with a δθ-base is invariant under perfect mappings. By using related techniques it is also shown that the class of weakly θ-refinable spaces is preserved by perfect images.
Controllers for Tracking Reference Inputs with Slow and Fast Frequencies

In this paper singular perturbation methods are used to provide a basis for the design of tracking controllers for a class of reference inputs exhibiting a wide separation in its frequency spectrum. The design is accomplished via the realization of two lower order controllers known as the "slow" and the "fast."
The use of a multichannel scaling method to detect radioactive species in spread monolayers.

Abstract This study describes a simple and inexpensive method for monitoring radioactive species spread as monolayers at the air/water interface. The combination of a discriminator and multichannel scalar counter with a personal computer functions to unify all measurements, to simplify the operational process and data acquisition, and to provide a real-time display of the data. Its use is demonstrated by following the hydrolysis of l -α-[1-14C]dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine by the enzyme, phospholipase A2, isolated from the porcine pancreas.
POLY(ADP-RIBOSE) POLYMERASE AND KU AUTOANTIGEN FORM A COMPLEX AND SYNERGISTICALLY BIND TO MATRIX ATTACHMENT SEQUENCES

Genomic sequences with a cluster of ATC sequence stretches where one strand consists exclusively of well mixed As, Ts, and Cs confer high base unpairing propensity under negative superhelical strain. Such base unpairing regions (BURs) are typically found in scaffold or matrix attachment regions (SARs/MARs) that are thought to contribute to the formation of the loop domain structure of chromatin. Several proteins, including cell type-specific proteins, have been identified that bind specifically to double-stranded BURs either in vitro or in vivo. By using BUR-affinity chromatography to isolate BUR-binding proteins from breast cancer SK-BR-3 cells, we almost exclusively obtained a complex of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Both PARP and DNA-PK are activated by DNA strand breaks and are implicated in DNA repair, recombination, DNA replication, and transcription. In contrast to the previous notion that PARP and Ku autoantigen, the DNA-binding subunit of DNA-PK, mainly bind to free ends of DNA, here we show that both proteins individually bind BURs with high affinity and specificity in an end-independent manner using closed circular BUR-containing DNA substrates. We further demonstrate that PARP and Ku autoantigen form a molecular complexin vivo and in vitro in the absence of DNA, and as a functional consequence, their affinity to the BURs are synergistically enhanced. ADP-ribosylation of the nuclear extract abrogated the BUR binding activity of this complex. These results provide a mechanistic link toward understanding the functional overlap of PARP and DNA-PK and suggest a novel role for these proteins in the regulation of chromatin structure and function.
Partial saturation under ebb and flow irrigation suppresses Pythium root rot of ornamentals

Abstract The timing of ebb and flow cycles for flooded floor irrigation systems was manipulated to alter the water content of the root medium. Ornamental species were grown under the different irrigation regimes to determine if the spread and severity of Pythium root rot was affected by altered sub-irrigation delivery practices. One floor delivered and drained water quickly to achieve a partial saturation of the root medium (approximately 25% less soil water) so that minimal leachates drained from the pot. The other floor operated more slowly as a standard commercial delivery system allowing the pots to imbibe more water. During 2007–2009, poinsettia, geranium or chrysanthemum crops were grown on each floor in five separate experiments. For each experiment, 15 plants were artificially inoculated with Pythium aphanidermatum or Pythium ultimum and set on the floor in a line immediately adjacent to a row of drainage ports. Disease was monitored by evaluating foliar symptoms and by rating the root systems for percent root rot. In three of the five experiments, disease was significantly reduced under partial saturation as compared to the standard saturation. In some instances, root infection as evidenced by re-isolation of the pathogen on agar, was less on plants receiving partial saturation than on standard saturation. Plants were smaller, more compact and of higher horticultural value under partial saturation than with standard saturation. These findings should encourage growers to adopt partial saturation management practices when using ebb and flow irrigation in order to reduce damage from disease after Pythium inoculum is present.
Multi-table search for B-tree files

A new method of organizing index entries in nodes of a B-tree is presented. The method is designed specifically to work with variable length keys. Thus it is particularly suited to take advantage of the variable length entries that result when key compression techniques are used. The paper analyses the characteristics of compressed keys. Based on this analysis, it is shown that the method results in significant space savings, leading to reduced disk accesses during random searches of a B-tree organized file. The search algorithms are shown to be competitive with the best of previous methods for treating variable length entries.
Characterization of Escherichia coli expressing an Lpp’OmpA(46-159)-PhoA fusion protein localized in the outer membrane

The Lpp′OmpA(46-159) hybrid protein can serve as an efficient targeting vehicle for localizing a variety of procaryotic and eucaryotic soluble proteins onto the E. coli surface, thus providing a system for several possible biotechnology applications. Here we show that fusions between Lpp′OmpA(46-159) and bacterial alkaline phosphatase (PhoA), a normally periplasmic dimeric enzyme, are also targeted to the outer membrane. However, protease accessibility experiments and immunoelectron microscopy revealed that, unlike other periplasmic proteins, the PhoA domain of these fusions is not exposed on the cell surface in cells having an intact outer membrane. Conditions that affect the formation of disulfide bonds and the folding of the PhoA domain in the periplasm not only did not facilitate targeting to the cell surface but led to lethality when the fusion was expressed from a high-copy-number plasmid. Furthermore, E. coli expressing the Lpp′OmpA(46-159)-PhoA fusion exhibited strain- and temperature-dependent alterations in outer-membrane permeability. Our results are consistent with previous studies with other vehicles indicating that PhoA is not displayed on the surface when fused to cell-surface expression vectors. Presumably, the enzyme rapidly assumes a tightly folded dimeric conformation that cannot be transported across the outer membrane. The large size and quaternary structure of PhoA may define a limitation of the Lpp′OmpA(46-159) fusion system for the display of periplasmic proteins on the cell surface. Alkaline phosphatase is a unique protein among a group of five periplasmic proteins (β-lactamase, alkaline phosphatase, Cex cellulase, Cex cellulose-binding domain, and a single-chain Fv antibody fragment), which have been tested as passengers for the Lpp′OmpA(46-159) expression system to date, since it was the only protein not displayed on the surface.
A model describing pesticide bioavailability and biodegradation in soil

A model is proposed for describing pesticide-substrate bioavailability and rates of biodegradation in soil. The model accounts for sorption to soil surfaces, diffusion into the internal matrix of soil organic matter or aggregates, and microbial growth. Rates of sorption and diffusion are approximated by first-order kinetics while microbial growth is approximated by Monod kinetics. Model verification was performed using 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) degradation data from high and low organic matter soils inoculated with pure cultures of 2,4-D degrading bacteria. Estimates of sorption, diffusion, and Monod constants were obtained sequentially by fitting the defining differential equations to the data using nonlinear regression techniques. Independent estimates of initial biomass (X 0 ) and growth yield (Y) were required, although X 0 could be approximated from the number of colony-forming units assuming a bacterial weight of 0.1 pg cell -1 . The model could account for the partitioning of 2,4-D between soluble and sorbed phases and provided estimates of the Monod constants, μ max and K s , which were generally consistent with values previously determined in pure culture. In conjunction with pest toxicology data, the model may be useful in predicting the time between application and loss of efficacy (i.e., window of efficacy) for biodegradable pesticides.
Which ties matter when? the contingent effects of interorganizational partnerships on IPO success

This paper investigates the contingent value of interorganizational relationships at the time of a young firm's initial public offering (IPO). We compare the signaling value to young firms of having ties with two types of interorganizational partnerships: endorsement relationships such as those with venture capital firms and investment banks, and strategic alliance partnerships. We propose that, under different equity market conditions, potential investors in an issuing firm attend to different types of uncertainty; attention to these different types of uncertainty affects investors' perceptions of the relative value of a young firm's different kinds of endorsements and partnerships and, hence, IPO success. Results from a sample of young biotechnology firms show that ties to prominent venture capital firms are particularly beneficial to IPO success during cold markets, while ties to prominent investment banks are particularly beneficial to IPO success during hot markets; a firm's strategic alliances with major pharmaceutical/health care firms did not have such contingent effects. Implications for understanding the contingent value of interorganizational ties are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adsorption of surfactants and polymers at the solid-liquid interface

Abstract Surfactants, polymers and their mixtures are widely used in several important industrial processes such as dispersion-flocculation, flotation, dewatering, paints and pigments and oil recovery. Many types of surfactants (anionic, cationic or non-ionic) and polymers (charged and otherwise) are used individually or in combination to achieve desireb surface modifications. The adsorption of these molecules at the solid-liquid interface depends on several factors such as the nature of the substrate, solvent, adsorbate species, the presence of secondary competing-cooperative species, temperature and even mode of mixing. The nature of the adsorbed layer determines the surface modification achieved and this in turn depends on the adsorption mechanisms and the conditions prevailing during and after adsorption. Several spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence, electron spin resonance and Raman spectroscopy have been employed to investigate the structure of various adsorbed layers and to obtain correlations with observed changes in the dispersion properties. In this paper, we review our previous work on adsorption of various ionic and non-ionic surfactants, polymers and their mixtures and mechanisms involved, in aqueous and non-aqueous media.
Studies on the regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase using permeabilized HEP G2 cells: evidence that both active and inactive enzyme are membrane-bound.

To obtain more insight into the mechanisms regulating CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT), we determined the effect of oleate treatment on the rate of CT release from permeabilized Hep G2 cells and the distribution of the CT remaining in the permeabilized cells. When we permeabilized untreated cells in pH 7.5 buffer containing 0.15 M KCl, the rate of CT release was much slower than the release of lactate dehydrogenase. Oleate treatment caused a further decrease in CT release from cells. In untreated cells, 70-80% of the CT remaining in cells 10 min after permeabilization was recovered as soluble CT. Oleate treatment increased the amount of bound CT but over 50% of the CT in cells 10 min after permeabilization was recovered as soluble CT. In both control and oleate-treated cells, the increase in CT release with time correlated with a decrease in the amount of CT recovered from permeabilized cells as soluble CT. These results suggested that CT existed in a form that was not immediately available for release from permeabilized cells, but was recovered in the soluble fraction after cell disruption. When cells were permeabilized in 10 mM imidazole-20% glycerol-5 mM Mg2+ pH 6.5, over 80% of CT in control and over 90% of CT in oleate-treated cells was recovered bound to the particulate fraction. Essentially no CT was released from the cells. The recovery of CT in the particulate fraction required Mg2+ to be present when permeabilization was initiated. The addition of Mg2+, after cells were disrupted, did not increase CT in the particulate fraction. In untreated cells, 50% of bound CT was active. Oleate treatment increased the amount of active CT in the particulate fraction to over 70% of total. About 50% of particulate CT in untreated cells but only 15% in oleate-treated cells was extracted with 0.15 M KCl. Inactive CT was preferentially extracted by KCl. The bound CT was recovered in isolated nuclei. Overall, the results suggested that both inactive and active CT are bound to nuclear membranes, and that the activation of CT involves conversion of CT loosely bound to membrane to a form more tightly bound to membranes perhaps by hydrophobic interaction with phospholipids. This model does not involve translocation from a soluble pool.
Computational Studies of Possible Transition Structures in the Insertion and Windowing Mechanisms for the Formation of Endohedral Fullerenes

The possible structures involved in the ring penetration and windowing mechanisms for the formation of endohedral fullerenes are reported. Results for X@C 6 0 relaxed transition structures and energy barriers are reported, where X = H, He, N, NO, P, and As. The applicability of a mechanism to formation of a particular endohedral species is readily judged on the basis of these barriers, with only hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen as likely participants in direct insertion. Windowing was shown to be feasible only for hydrogen or nitrogen atoms under the adiabatic conditions of the calculations.
Synthesis and structural characterization of 2,5-dihalo-3,4-dinitrothiophenes

Using new nitration protocols, we have been able to efficiently dinitrate 2,5-dihalothiophenes with yields of ∼80–95%. The resulting products 2,5-dibromo-3,4-dinitrothiophene (1), 2,5-dichloro-3,4-dinitrothiophene (2), 2-bromo-5-chloro-3,4-dinitrothiophene (3), as well as the analogous 2-bromo-3,4-dinitrothiophene (4), all crystallize easily allowing their characterization via X-ray crystallography. Crystallization of 1 occurs in the monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 14.547(3) A, b = 7.3534(15) A, c = 10.775(2) A, β = 128.89(3)°, and Z = 4. Crystallization of 2 occurs in the tetragonal space group I-42d with a = 9.9398(14) A, b = 9.9398(14) A, c = 16.866(3) A, and Z = 8. Crystallization of 3 occurs as a pseudo-merohedral twin in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 7.340(5) A, b = 8.094(5) A, c = 9.112(5) A, α = 82.059(5)°, β = 66.232(5)°, γ = 63.021(5)°, and Z = 2. Crystallization of 4 occurs in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 7.1787(14) A, b = 7.4092(15) A, c = 8.3151(17) A, α = 101.67(3)°, β = 96.00(3)°, γ = 116.13(3)°, and Z = 2. The structures of all compounds exhibit the formation of interesting solid-state assemblies due to halogen-bonding interactions between the halogen and nitro groups.
Experiments with a Slow Neutron Velocity Spectrometer

The apparatus previously used for the determination of neutron energy by time of flight method has been completely rebuilt with a view to increasing the accuracy of measurement as well as the high energy limit. The repetition frequency is obtained from a series of relaxation oscillators and a 50-kc oscillator and frequencies of 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2500 c.p.s. are available. Four detector channels have been built so that neutrons in four different time of flight groups can be counted simultaneously. When used with the highest repetition frequency, this decreases the time to obtain data by a factor of 24 and has thus made the present experiments feasible with the small Cornell cyclotron. The study of the transmission of Ag with a 1.35-g/cm^2 absorber shows a single strong resonance at 5.8 ev. A re-examination of In with considerably higher resolution than was previously used shows a single resonance at about 1.35 ev. The effective mean life of neutrons in several different sources was examined and a thin paraffin source with Cd backing devised for measurements in the thermal region. The absorption of B has been examined and found to be proportional to 1/v within the limits of error of the experiment, from 0.028 to 50 ev. An experiment to determine the B cross section of the Cd stopped neutrons gave 540×10^(−24) cm^2. The B absorption curve shows that the cross section of thermal neutrons (0.025 ev) is 708×10^(−24) cm^2. It is concluded that the effective energy of the Cd stopped neutrons is not that of kT at thermal energy, for the geometry used, but is 0.041 ev. This conclusion is confirmed by the measured resonances in Ag and In which are higher than the values obtained by the boron absorption method. Correction of these values, as measured by Horvath and Salant (reference 4) for the effective energy of the Cd stopped neutrons, leads to 1.32 ev for In and 5.2 ev for Ag, in agreement with the present results. It is concluded that resonances measured by the boron absorption method are in error by an amount which depends upon the geometry of the experiment, and are probably too low by a factor of 0.041/0.025 = 1.64.
Modeling of gearless wind power transfer

In this paper, a gearless hydraulic wind energy harvesting and transfer system is mathematically modeled and verified by experimental results. The energy is harvested by a low speed-high torque wind turbine connected to a high displacement hydraulic pump, which is connected to hydraulic motors. The quality of transferred power from the wind turbine to the generator is important to maintaining the systems power balance, and frequency droop control in grid-connected applications, and to ensure that the maximum output power is obtained. The gearless wind power transfer technology may replace the current energy harvesting system to reduce the cost of operation and increase the reliability of wind power generation.
Computation of fields and forces in magnetic force microscopy

In magnetic force microscopy (MFM), a sharp magnetic needle interacts with the field pattern established by the sample near its surface. A cantilever then converts the force on the needle to a displacement, which is measured interferometrically or otherwise. The author describes a model for the tip that takes full account of the micromagnetic interactions involved. The stray magnetic field for a thin film is computed, and the micromagnetic model of the needle is developed. An example calculation is given to illustrate the application of the model. >
The effect of aerosol reactor residence time distribution on product aerosol characteristics

Abstract A theoretical study of the performance of continuous stirred tank and tubular flow aerosol reactors is presented. In all reactors considered, the aerosol properties are determined by chemical reaction, nucleation and aerosol growth in the free molecule regime in the absence of coagulation. Three to five dimensionless groups, depending on reactor type, affect the product aerosol characteristics (polydispersity, concentration, average size, surface area and yield). The uniformity of the product aerosol can be substantially improved by seeding. Aerosol reactors can be used in powder production or in chemical vapor deposition.
Physicochemical Transport Processes Affecting the Removal of Residual DNAPL by Nonionic Surfactant Solutions

Aquifers contaminated with dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) are extremely difficult to remediate with standard pump-and-treat methods. Enhanced remediation methods, such as flushing with cosolvent or surfactant solutions, promise to reduce remediation times but result in complex physicochemical systems for which we still lack both fundamental understanding and reliable process-based models. The overall objective of this work was to observe and quantify various physicochemical transport processes acting during the removal of a typical residual DNAPL (tetrachloroethylene, PCE) by solutions containing a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100). To achieve this goal, we measured the phase behavior of the water/PCE/Triton X-100 system in batch systems and performed a set of glass bead column experiments to investigate residual PCE removal mechanisms, nonreactive tracer transport, and Triton X-100 transport. We observed and quantified removal of residual PCE by a number of processes (dissolution, micellar emul...
Water balance in the whipscorpion, Mastigoproctus giganteus (Lucas) (Arachnida, uropygi)

Abstract 1. 1. Water loss was exponentially related to body weight in Mastigoproctus giganteus . 2. 2. Transpiration demonstrated a marked increase in rate at 37.5°C which was independent of saturation deficit suggesting the presence of a wax-like material in the cuticle. 3. 3. Increased water loss above 37.5°C appeared to be the result of a change in cuticular permeability rather than highly increased respiratory transpiration. 4. 4. Specimens under 2.0 g were able to recover large proportions of water lost by pre-desiccation when maintained on saturated sponges. 5. 5. Uptake of water from moist substrates by M. giganteus appeared to be mostly an active process involving drinking and/or cuticular absorption.
Breaking cosmic strings without monopoles.

It is shown that topologically stable cosmic strings can, in fact, appear to end or to break, even in theories without monopoles. This can occur whenever the spatial topology of the universe is nontrivial. For the case of Abelian-Higgs strings, we describe the gauge and scalar field configurations necessary for a string to end on a black hole. We give a lower bound for the rate at which a cosmic string will break via black hole pair production, using an instanton calculation based on the Euclidean C-metric.
Thermodynamic destabilization and reaction kinetics in light metal hydride systems

Abstract Experimental approaches for altering the thermodynamics and kinetics of light element hydride systems are discussed. Equilibrium hydrogen pressures and reaction enthalpies can be varied with additives that form new alloy or compound phases upon dehydrogenation. The formation of new phases lowers the dehydrogenated state enthalpy and effectively destabilizes the component hydrides. This strategy is illustrated for LiBH 4 destabilized by MgH 2 , MgF 2 , MgS, and MgSe. The slow rates of hydrogen exchange in light element hydrides can be improved with catalysts and by reducing diffusion distances to the nanometer scale. The catalytic effects of a variety of transition metal sources on hydrogen exchange in the LiBH 4 /MgH 2 system are described. The effects of reduced diffusion distances are illustrated using LiBH 4 incorporated into a nanoporous carbon aerogel.
Polycystic Ovarian Disease: Current Insights into an Old Problem

Recent studies have led to significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as well as to improvements in the treatment of the commonly associated symptoms. New data continue to implicate etiologic alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, beginning in the perimenarcheal period, as well as derangements in insulin and insulin-like growth factor metabolism. Current observations also support a role for an increase in adrenal androgen production and an increase in adrenal sensitivity to trophic hormone stimulation in the development of PCOS. Therapeutic regimens for those patients unsuccessfully treated with traditional approaches have been further validated, including the use of flutamide or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist-steroidal "add back" for the treatment of hirsutism. Novel approaches to the treatment of infertility are likewise discussed.
Surface-grafted block copolymer gradients: Effect of block length on solvent response☆

Abstract We outline a method to fabricate gradient combinatorial libraries that explore architectural parameters of surface-grafted block copolymers (BCs). In addition, we demonstrate the utility of such libraries for the rapid, thorough assessment of the response of grafted BCs to solvent exposure. Our fabrication route uses surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization to produce a tethered polymer block with uniform length (in this case, poly(n-butyl methacrylate), PBMA), followed by a graded synthesis that adds a second block that varies in its length over the library (here, poly(2-(N,N′-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), PDMAEMA). Our demonstration study maps the response of PBMA and PDMAEMA blocks to hexane and water, and defines regimes of behavior to this respect. Moreover, our study illuminates a narrow BC composition window that exhibits the strongest possible response to water and hexane treatment.
Sharpening the measured quantum phase distribution by discarding data

Abstract In measurements of the phase difference between two weak coherent fields based on photon counting, it has been shown that discarding the outcomes with all-zero photon counts has the effect of sharpening the probability distribution of the phase difference. We show here that the distribution can be sharpened further by discarding even more data, such as those with fewer than two or three photon counts.
Ability of patients to accurately recall the severity of acute painful events.

Objective Pain studies require prospective patient enrollment to ensure accurate pain assessment. The authors correlated pain assessments of an acute painful episode over a one-week period and determined the accuracy of patient pain severity recall over time. Methods This was a prospective, descriptive, longitudinal study. Participants were a convenience sample of 50 emergency department patients with acute pain resulting from injuries or painful invasive procedures. A trained research assistant administered a structured pain survey containing demographic and historical features to all patients. Patients sequentially assessed their pain severity using a vertical 100-mm visual analog scale marked "most pain" at the top, a verbal numeric rating scale ranging from 0 to 100 from none to worst (NRS100), and a verbal numeric rating scale ranging from 0 to 10 from none to worst (NRS10). Patients were contacted by phone and asked to reassess their initial pain severity one and seven days later using the two verbal numeric rating scales. Analysis of pain assessments using the various scales at the three time intervals was performed with Pearson's and Spearman's coefficients and repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results There were 50 patients with a mean age of 41 years. Correlation between initial pain assessments on the three scales ranged from 0.83 to 0.92. Correlations between the initial and 24-hour assessments were NRS100-0.98 and NRS10-0.98. Correlations between the initial and one-week assessments were NRS100-0.96 and NRS10-0.97. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no significant change in pain assessments over time for both verbal numeric scales. Conclusions Pain severity assessments of acute painful events one and seven days later were similar and highly correlated with initial assessments using both verbal numeric scales. Patients accurately recall the severity of an acute painful episode for at least one week after its occurrence, which may allow retrospective pain assessments.
734-2 Prognostic Significance of Left Main Coronary Artery Disease Detected by Intravascular Ultrasound

Intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) has detected left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease that is silent by contrast angiography. The prognostic importance of ICUS detected LMCA disease is unknown. To determine the long-term outcome of LMCA disease detected by ICUS, long-term clinical followup was obtained in 30 consecutive patients. ICUS LMCA evaluation was performed immediately following successful PTCA of the LAD or LCX. Mean followup was 3 years (range 2–4 yrs). ICUS and quantitative angiography were analyzed for predictors of clinical outcome. Angiographically, 21 patients had normal LMCA and 9 were insignificantly abnormal; by ICUS 23 had g20% area stenosis. Major cardiovascular (CV) events occurred in 9, including 6 CABG, 2 cardiac deaths and 1 MI. No significant difference in age, LVEF, number or location of arteries involved were noted between those with and without events. Download : Download high-res image (115KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions ICUS may predict cardiovascular prognosis in patients with angiographically silent LMCA disease. Patients with ICUS determined left main area stenosis g20% appear to have a higher incidence of major clinical cardiovascular events at long-term followup.
A combinative technique to fabricate hot embossing master for PMMA tunneling sensors

A combinative approach of anisotropic bulk etching and modified plasma etching has been successfully employed in a single wafer to fabricate silicon masters for the hot embossing process. The masters hold both pyramid pits and positive profile sidewalls with smooth surfaces and steep angles. The SiO2 layer is utilized as a etching mask with the aid of photoresist in three steps of photolithography patterning. The first polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA)-based tunneling transducer with polymer membrane structures is fabricated by hot embossing replication with the silicon master. Consequently, the exponential relations between tunneling currents and applied deflection voltages are also reported.
Ethanol-stimulated serotonin release in the ventral hippocampus: an absence of rapid tolerance for the alcohol-preferring P rat and insensitivity in the alcohol-nonpreferring NP rat

This study examined the acute effects of intraperitoneal administration of ethanol on the extracellular levels of serotonin (5-HT) in the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) of adult, male alcohol-preferring P and -nonpreferring NP rats. Using in vivo microdialysis coupled with HPLC and electrochemical detection, the effects of acute administration of saline or 1.0, 1.75, or 2.5 g/kg ethanol on the extracellular levels of 5-HT in the vHIP were examined. Saline and 1.0 g/kg ethanol did not alter the extracellular levels of 5-HT. However, the 1.75-g/kg dose resulted in a transient increase in 5-HT levels in the vHIP of P rats only. Administration of 2.5 g/kg ethanol increased 5-HT levels to 180% of baseline in P rats (P<.05), but was without effect on NP rats. The 2.5-g/kg dose also significantly increased the extracellular levels of 5-HT in the vHIP of P rats, which had been pretreated with the same dose of ethanol 18-24 h earlier (P<.05). Comparison of the response of ethanol pretreated P rats with animals that had been pretreated with saline 24 h earlier did not reveal any significant differences in ethanol-stimulated increases in 5-HT levels between the groups. These data suggest that ethanol may activate terminals of the median raphe 5-HT system in P rats because the vHIP receives its 5-HT inputs primarily from the median raphe nucleus (MRN). Rapid tolerance does not develop to this activation of the system in the vHIP of P rats. In addition, the data suggest that the 5-HT system in the vHIP of NP rats may be relatively insensitive to the stimulating effect of acute ethanol of 5-HT release.
Asymptotic distribution of the empirical spatial cumulative distribution function predictor and prediction bands based on a subsampling method

A spatial cumulative distribution function F^∞ (say) is a random distribution function that provides a statistical summary of random field over a given region. This paper considers the empirical predictor of F^∞ based on a finite set of observations from a region in ℝ d under a uniform sampling design. A functional central limit theorem is proved for the predictor as a random element of the space D[−∞, ∞]. A striking feature of the result is that the rate of convergence of the predictor to the predictand F^∞ depends on the location of the data-sites specified by the sampling design. A precise description of the dependence is given. Furthermore, a subsampling method is proposed for integral-based functionals of random fields, which is then used to construct large sample prediction bands for F^∞.
Primary aldosteronism: observations on water and electrolyte changes during partial immersion.

ABSTRACT Studies are reported of the effect of posture and immersion on fluid and electrolyte excretion in a 44-yr-old white male with primary aldosteronism. The patient exhibited excessive retention of sodium and water during a 4-hr period of ambulation after a water load of 15 ml/kg, but he excreted sodium and water normally after a second water load while recumbent for 4 hr. The effect of partial immersion of the patient (to the neck in water at 94 F) for 4 hr on electrolyte and aldosterone levels was studied preoperatively and 11 weeks after removal of an adrenalcortical adenoma. Preoperatively he exhibited the following changes during the 4-hr period of immersion: There was little or no change in plasma aldosterone; he excreted 187 mEq of sodium and 31 mEq of potassium in 2130 ml of urine; and the creatinine clearance increased normally. Postoperatively, the patient had a 50% decrease in plasma aldosterone into the normal range during immersion; he excreted 14 mEq of sodium, 17 mEq of potassium in 23...
How motivational constructs interact to predict elementary students' reading performance: Examples from attitudes and self-concept in reading

Abstract This study explored the factors underlying reading motivation measured in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and investigated the relations between those motivational factors and reading performance using U.S. data from PIRLS 2006. A special focus was given to interacting relations between different motivational facets in their prediction of reading performance. First, results revealed that PIRLS reading motivation items clustered under two facets within each of the two dimensions: extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation under the attitude dimension and self-referenced vs. peer-referenced perceived competence under the self-concept dimension. Second, different facets under the same motivational dimensions interacted with each other when predicting reading performance. Third, reading motivation was a strong predictor of reading performance even after controlling for other literacy-related variables. Results confirmed the multidimensional and multifaceted nature of reading motivation with emphasis on the predictive power of internally oriented motivation. Results also demonstrated that interacting relations among different motivational factors should not be neglected.
Distribution of certain 8-quinolinols and their copper(II) chelates in a series of organic solvent—aqueous pairs

The partition coefficients of 8-quinolinol and the 2- and 4-methyl analogues and their copper(II) chelates between water and a number of common water-immiscible solvents are reported. An attempt is made to relate the values with the dielectric constant, solubility parameter and mutual solubility of the organic and aqueous phases.
Functional significance for a heterogenous ribonucleoprotein A18 signature RNA motif in the 3'-untranslated region of ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) transcript.

The predominantly nuclear heterogenous ribonucleoprotein A18 (hnRNP A18) translocates to the cytosol in response to cellular stress and increases translation by specifically binding to the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of several mRNA transcripts and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4G. Here, we identified a 51-nucleotide motif that is present 11.49 times more often in the 3′-UTR of hnRNP A18 mRNA targets than in the UniGene data base. This motif was identified by computational analysis of primary sequences and secondary structures of hnRNP A18 mRNA targets against the unaligned sequences. Band shift analyses indicate that the motif is sufficient to confer binding to hnRNP A18. A search of the entire UniGene data base indicates that the hnRNP A18 motif is also present in the 3′-UTR of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) mRNA. Validation of the predicted hnRNP A18 motif is provided by amplification of endogenous ATR transcript on polysomal fractions immunoprecipitated with hnRNP A18. Moreover, overexpression of hnRNP A18 results in increased ATR protein levels and increased phosphorylation of Chk1, a preferred ATR substrate, in response to UV radiation. In addition, our data indicate that inhibition of casein kinase II or GSK3β significantly reduced hnRNP A18 cytosolic translocation in response to UV radiation. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first demonstration of a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism for ATR activity. hnRNP A18 could thus become a new target to trigger ATR activity as back-up stress response mechanisms to functionally compensate for absent or defective responders.
Computational model of the imaging process in scanning-x microscopy

STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscopy) and its variants, collectively called SXM (not including electron microscopy), are being increasingly used in electronics research and industry to study and inspect semiconductor surfaces. While it is possible to obtain quite high depth resolutions, lateral spatial resolution is chiefly determined by probe size and shape which is typically much larger than the depth resolution. Thus, an SXM image is not a reflection of the true surface shape but rather a 'convolution' of the surface and probe shapes. This paper reviews the theoretical and experimental work done in reconstructing surface shape from SXM images. The authors present a computational model of the SXM imaging process that encompasses previous models and show that the imaging process (convolution) is essentially a nonlinear operation and can be approximated mathematically by a morphological dilation between the surface and probe shape. The authors address the problem of inverting this process to estimate the true surface shape. A general method is developed by which a surface can be reconstructed from a composition of SXM images produced by different scanning probes. A multi-resolution version of this composite method is then described using a set of multiscaled probes that can recursively and efficiently reconstruct the entire surface as though it had been scanned entirely by the smallest probe. Some other useful and interesting results of our SXM imaging model are presented. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical importance of their computational model of SXM imaging process and directions for future work.
A Comparison of Fracture Mechanics and S–N Curve Approaches in Designing Drill Pipe

It is well known that the upper ball joint in a marine riser, in deep drilling, can cause fatigue damage in the drill pipe passing through it. A study of fracture mechanics and S–N curve approaches has been undertaken to determine the dynamic fatigue damage in the drill pipe. Miner’s rule is utilized in both methods to determine the total damage. The results of both methods are compared.