cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deposition of Rare-Earth Doped Nanophosphors on Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotube Surfaces: A New Approach in Cancer Diagnosis

In biomedical science and nanotechnology, it often requires surface multi funcationalization of a nanoparticle or a nanotube. In cancer diagnosis for instance, not only does the nanoparticle need a cavity structure for storage and delivery of drugs, but also be luminescent for diagnosis. Europium doped Y2 O3 were deposited on the multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) surface by a novel solution method. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) experiments were carried out to study the surface morphologies of the deposited rare-earth doped nanophosphors on MWCNTs. The crystal lattice structures of the surface deposits were identified by using selected area electron diffraction. The optical properties of the surface functionalized MWCNTs were characterized by using a fluorescent spectrometer.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Design Automation for Synthetic Biological Systems

Through principled engineering methods, synthetic biology aims to build specialized biological components that can be modularly composed to create complex systems. This article outlines bio-design automation using two complementary design approaches, bottom-up modular construction from biological primitives and pathway-based approaches. The article also highlights future challenges for both.
Requirement for Metalloproteinase‐dependent ERK and AKT Activation in UVB‐induced G1‐S Cell Cycle Progression of Human Keratinocytes

UVB (280-315 nm) in natural sunlight represents a major environmental challenge to the skin and is clearly associated with human skin cancer. Here we demonstrate that low doses of UVB induce keratinocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression of human HaCaT keratinocytes. Different from UVA, UVB irradiation induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and AKT activation and their activation are both required for UVB-induced cell cycle progression. Activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was observed after UVB exposure and is upstream of ERK/AKT/cyclin D1 pathway activation and cell cycle progression following UVB radiation. Furthermore, metalloproteinase (MP) inhibitor GM6001 blocked UVB-induced ERK and AKT activation, cell cycle progression, and decreased the EGFR phosphorylation, demonstrating that MPs mediate the EGFR/ERK/AKT/cyclin D1 pathways and cell cycle progression induced by UVB radiation. In addition, ERK or AKT activation is essential for EGFR activation because ERK or AKT inhibitor blocks EGFR activation following UVB radiation, indicating that EGFR/AKT/ERK pathways form a regulatory loop and converge into cell cycle progression following UVB radiation. Identification of these signaling pathways in UVB-induced cell cycle progression of quiescent keratinocytes as a process mimicking tumor promotion in vivo will facilitate the development of efficient and safe chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies for skin cancer.
Dog exposure in infancy decreases the subsequent risk of frequent wheeze but not of atopy.

Abstract Background: Influence of household pets in the development of childhood asthma or atopy has been controversial. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pet exposure in early life decreases the subsequent risk of frequent wheezing and/or allergic sensitization. Methods: This was a prospective observational birth cohort study. The setting was a large health maintenance organization in Tucson, Ariz; the subjects were a population sample of 1246 newborns enrolled at birth and followed prospectively to age 13 years. The main outcome measures were as follows: time to first report of frequent wheezing (>3 episodes in the past year), skin prick test reactivity at 6 years and 11 years of age, and total serum IgE at 9 months, 6 years, and 11 years of age. Results: Children living in households with ≥1 indoor dogs at birth were less likely to develop frequent wheeze than those not having indoor dogs ( P = .004). This inverse association was confined to children without parental asthma (hazard ratio=0.47; P P = .87). Adjustment by potential confounders did not change the results. Indoor cat exposure was not significantly associated with the risk of frequent wheezing. Neither cat exposure in early life nor dog exposure in early life was associated with skin prick test reactivity or total serum IgE at any age. Conclusion: Dog exposure in early life might prevent the development of asthmalike symptoms, at least in low-risk children with no family history of asthma. Nevertheless, early pet exposure does not seem to significantly influence the development of allergic sensitization. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;108:509-15.)
Diet, Body Water, and Hemolymph Content in the Blister Beetle Lytta polita (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Microscopic analysis of gut contents of freshly caught Lytia polita Say usually revealed an abundance of pollen exclusively from the genus Pinus . The overwhelming preference of these blister beetles for staminate pine cones was confirmed in laboratory feeding trials. Body water content in wild L. polita was significantly greater than in laboratory-reared Epicauta pestifera Werner, a meloid used as a reference (71 versus 52% total mass, respectively), but the two species contained equivalent amounts of hemolymph (27% total mass). These results were surprising because staminate pine cones eaten by L. polita were very dry in comparison with the artificial diet of E. pestifera (33 versus 83% total mass, respectively). L. polita beetles readily drank water in the laboratory, so in the wild they probably gain water by ingesting rain or dew.
Retinoic acid alters the expression of pattern‐related genes in the developing rat lung

Exogenous retinoids alter pattern formation and differentiation in many developing systems, such as limb, vertebrae, and central nervous system. Many of these effects are mediated by changes in expression of patterning genes such as Hox genes and Sonic hedgehog. We have previously shown that exogenous retinoic acid, administered to the embryonic rat lung in culture alters the structural pattern of the developing lung, suppressing formation of distal lung and favoring growth of proximal tubules. To determine whether these retinoic acid-induced changes in lung development were linked to alterations in pattern-related genes, we characterized the expression of Hoxa-2, Hoxb-6, and Sonic hedgehog mRNAs in vivo and in vitro, with or without 10(-5)M retinoic acid, by in situ hybridization and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Each of these genes demonstrated unique timing and distribution of expression that was similar in vivo and in control cultured embryonic lungs. Hoxb-6 and Sonic hedgehog mRNAs both decreased during lung development in vivo or in vitro. From the patterns of mRNA expression we propose that Hoxb-6 is involved in distal airway branching while Hoxa-2 is involved in differentiation of proximal mesenchymal derivatives and vasculogenesis in the lung. RA upregulated all three genes, changing their developmental pattern of distribution and preventing the developmental decrease in Sonic hedgehog expression. We propose that RA acts to maintain high levels of expression of these and likely other pattern-related genes in a fashion that is characteristic of the immature lung, promoting continued formation of proximal lung structures and preventing formation of typical distal lung structures of the mature lung.
Marketed Surpluses of Agricultural Households in Sierra Leone

An agricultural household model is used with household level data from Sierra Leone to estimate elasticities of marketed surplus for several outputs and for labor with respect to price and nonprice variables. Positive own-price elasticities are found, with magnitudes considerably above own-price output elasticities. Changes in household characteristics and production technology also affect marketed surpluses but not always in anticipated directions. Elasticities are reported for households when grouped by their total expenditure, not just for the sample mean. The differences are important, showing that low expenditure households respond as much as high expenditure households.
Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum Friese (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): the elusive “dwarf bee” of the Galápagos Archipelago?

The endemic large carpenter bee, Xylocopa darwini Cockerell, was the only known pollinator to the Galapagos Archipelago but as early as 1964 locals also spoke of the “dwarf bee of Floreana”. We report the presence of the wool carder bee, Anthidium vigintiduopunctatum Friese, on the island of Floreana and use a species distribution model to predict its distribution in the archipelago. We found that this species has the potential to invade almost one-third the surface area of the Galapagos Archipelago, primarily in low arid areas. Given that wool carder bees are uncommonly collected, we discuss whether this species is a previously undetected native bee or a recent adventive species to the Galapagos.
Synthesis of Zirconium Aryloxide Complexes Containing Pendent Vinyl Groups.

The attachment of pendent olefin groups to oxygen-ligated zirconium complexes using olefin-substituted phenols and alcohols and readily accessible zirconium reagents is described. Syntheses of three crystallographically characterizable complexes isolable in 55−90% yield are reported. Eugenol, HOC6H3(OMe-2)(CH2CHCH2-4) (HOAr) reacts with [Zr(OiPr)4(HOiPr)]2 in toluene to form [(iPrO)2(ArO)Zr(μ-OiPr)]2, 1. CH2CHCH2OH reacts with [Zr(NMe2)4]2 in the presence of 2,6-dimethylphenol to form the mixed ligand salt, {Me2NH2}{[(2,6-Me2C6H3O)3Zr]2(μ-OCH2CHCH2)3}, 2. The potassium salt derived from eugenol, KOAr, reacts with “Zr(OEt)4” in THF to form [K2Zr(OAr)4(OEt)]2(O), 3.
Simulated influence of altitude on photosynthetic Co2 uptake potential in plants

Abstract. A simulation of the quantitative influence of altitude on photosynthetic CO2 uptake capability (AP) included the effects of predicted changes (1) in air temperature (lapse rate) and (2) leaf temperature, (3) ambient pressure and CO2 concentration, and (4) the diffusion coefficient for CO2 in air. When a dry lapse rate (0.01°C m−1) in air temperature was simulated, significant declines (up to 14%) in AP were predicted from sea level to 4km altitude. A moist lapse rate of 0.003°C m−1 resulted in less than a 4% decrease in AP over the same altitude range. When natural leaf temperatures (predicted from heat balance analyses) were simulated, AP was significantly greater (∼20%) than when leaf temperatures were considered equal to air temperature for all lapse conditions. There was virtually no change in AP with altitude when predicted leaf temperatures and moist lapse conditions were simulated. There was a significant (∼10%) increase in AP with altitude when leaf temperature was held constant at 30°C (regardless of altitude) under moist lapse conditions. Future studies evaluating the effects of elevation on photosynthesis could benefit from the above considerations of the effects of natural leaf temperature regimes and prevailing lapse conditions on CO2 uptake potential.
A PROBLEM FOR GUIDANCE CONTROL

Central to Fischer and Ravizza's theory of moral responsibility is the concept of guidance control, which involves two conditions: (1) moderate reasons-responsiveness, and (2) mechanism ownership. We raise a worry for Fischer and Ravizza's account of (1). If an agent acts contrary to reasons which he could not recognize, this should lead us to conclude that he is not morally responsible for his behaviour; but according to Fischer and Ravizza's account, he satisfies the conditions for guidance control and is therefore morally responsible. We consider ways in which the account of guidance control might be mended.
Stock Transfer Patterns in the Hudson's Bay Company: A study of the English Capital Market in Operation, 1670–1730

In recent years, there has been expanding interest in the growth, structure and integration of the early English securities market. However, much of the research on this market has focused on overall market data or the larger chartered companies. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative approach to studying the issue of market activity and development, utilising the stock ownership and transfer records of the Hudson's Bay Company. As a successful smaller chartered company it is possibly more representative of the majority of firms utilising the London financial market of the time. The records provide evidence of an organised and efficient market that was accessible to a variety of large and small investors, including a network of stockbrokers. The volume of transfers also indicates a dynamic pattern of market activity rather than a closely held firm which only obtained its initial capitalisation through the market.
Automating test case definition using a domain specific language

Effective test cases are critical to the success of a development effort but their creation requires large amounts of critical resources such as domain expertise. This study explores an approach to automating test case definition in the context of applying a model driven approach to the development of a software product line. In this study, test cases are automatically extracted from use cases, which are specified using a domain specific language (DSL). DSLs are easier for domain experts to use than formal specification languages and are more narrowly focused than natural languages making it easier to build tools. The task is further simplified by restricting the DSL to the scope of the software product line under development. The structure of the DSL and proven patterns of test design provide the clues necessary to be able to automatically extract the test cases. A chain of model-driven tools is used to automate the system test process, which begins with a use case model and ends with automatic execution of system tests.
Characterization of benzodiazepine receptors in primary cultures of fetal mouse brain and spinal cord neurons

Primary cultures of fetal mouse brain and spinal cord were examined for the presence of binding sites for [3H]diazepam. Both brain and spinal cord cultures contain high affinity binding sites which resemble benzodiazepine receptors found in mammalian CNS with respect to both pharmacologic profile and response to exogenously applied GABA. These observations, coupled with the electrophysiologic properties of these cells suggest that primary cultures of fetal mouse brain and spinal cord may be valid models for studying the role and regulation of the benzodiazepine receptor.
Cuticular pheromones and water balance in the house fly, Musca domestica

Epicuticular lipids serve two major roles in insects. Their waterproofing properties are crucial to survival in terrestrial environments, and they serve as contact pheromones in a wide array of taxa. Both functions may be affected by the physical properties of the surface lipids. This provides the opportunity for natural selection on water conservation, mediated by lipid phase behavior, to interact with and perhaps conflict with sexual selection on communication and mate recognition. We used the common house fly, Musca domestica, as a model for these interacting selective forces. Male house flies preferred female models treated with a high melting-point lipid mixture, suggesting that sexual and natural selection may both act to favor longer-chain, more saturated hydrocarbons. However, higher melting points did not result in lower rates of water loss. We propose a working model in which phase separation between the unsaturated female pheromone and saturated hydrocarbons results in areas of melted, pheromone-rich lipids and regional variation in cuticular permeability.
Demystifying the Equity Premium

We provide an explanation for the high equity premium, the low risk free rate, and related puzzles based on a unifying theme: identifying the risks that firms and households really face. Our main explanation for the high equity premium is that there is a small per- sistent component to changes in dividend growth, which makes equity prices very volatile, and hence a poor insurance instrument. Our main explanation for the low risk free rate is that individuals face not only aggregate risk, but also significant idiosyncratic risk, which in- creases their desire for precautionary saving. These are our only two departures from the model of Mehra and Prescott. As in Mehra and Prescott, preferences are standard; so individuals' desire for consump- tion smoothing remains the main explanatory factor. The model also explains the extreme volatility of stock prices: the price-dividend ratio predicted by the model based on U.S. consumption data from 1891- 2001 has a correlation of 72% with the actual price-dividend ratio in the S&P 500. The model succeeds in explaining the puzzles without assuming unrealistically high risk aversion: relative risk aversion can be ten or less.
Localization of the metJBLF gene cluster of Escherichia coli in λmet transducing phage

The position of the metJBLF gene cluster in the transducing phage λdmet102 was determined by ligation of its leftmost EcoRI fragment (102-1) to the λBCDEF (nin5) EcoRI fragment of λgtl (λBC) and characterization of the resultant recombinant phage. The new transducing phage carries about 6kb of bacterial DNA which contains the entire met gene cluster including the promoter of its rightmost member metF. Reasonable estimates of the coding capacity required for the four genes indicate that most of the bacterial DNA of the recombinant phage is occupied by the met gene cluster.
Converge, Version 3.0

Although intended for college teachers/students, Converge presents a feature that may interest all scientists: it allows an easy export of graphic files to most known word processors, specifically to the &#120124; &#120143; ℙ , Version 2.1, a powerful WYSIWYG mathematical word processor.
Restoration of LDL receptor activity in mutant cells by intercellular junctional communication

Exchange of small molecules between cells through intercellular junctions is a widespread phenomenon implicated in many physiological and developmental processes. This type of intercellular communication can restore the activity of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors in mammalian cells that are deficient in the enzyme UDP-Gal/UDP-GalNAc 4-epimerase. Pure cultures of the 4-epimerase mutant are unable to synthesize normal carbohydrate chains on LDL receptors and many other glycoproteins and therefore do not express LDL receptor activity. When these cells are cocultivated with cells expressing normal 4-epimerase activity, the structure and function of LDL receptors are restored to normal by the transfer of this enzyme's products through intercellular junctions. The formation of functional junctions does not require normal glycosylation of membrane proteins. Because many convenient assays and selections for LDL receptor activity are available, this mutant can provide a powerful new tool for biochemical and genetic studies of intercellular junctional communication.
A programmable $25 thermal cycler for PCR

This article describes the construction of a safe, programmable, automatic thermal cycler for PCR that can be easily constructed by persons with basic soldering and mechanical skills for under $25 in parts and a modest computer such as IBM 486, all of which are readily available. The cycler relies on the heating provided by an incandescent light bulb and cooling by simple convection.
Grass Forage Response to Broadcast or Surface-Banded Liquid Dairy Manure and Nitrogen Fertilizer

Manure can provide valuable nutrients, especially N, for grass forage, but N availability is limited because of high NH 3 volatilization losses from standard surface-broadcast application. Field experiments were conducted for 2 yr at two sites in Vermont to evaluate effects of broadcast or banded liquid dairy manure and broadcast N fertilizer on grass yield and N utilization. Treatments were applied to orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) on a well-drained silt loam and to reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) on a somewhat poorly drained clay soil. Manure was applied three or four times per year at rates of 25 or 50 m 3 ha -1 either by broadcasting or by trailing-foot spreading in narrow bands. Fertilizer N was broadcast at 0, 28, 56, and 84 kg N ha -1 on separate plots at the same time as each manure application. Fertilizer N increased yields significantly to the medium rate (224 kg ha -1 yr -1 ) on orchardgrass and the high rate (252 kg ha -1 yr -1 ) on the reed canarygrass site. The high rate of banded manure produced 80 to 110% of the yields from the high N fertilizer rate. Yields from the trailing-foot, banded manure application were 6 to 14% higher than those from broadcast manure in the two site-years where method had a significant effect. Fertilizer N equivalence of manure averaged 44% with banded and 34% with broadcast application. We conclude that surface-banding manure with a trailing-foot applicator has the potential to provide benefits over conventional broadcast application by improving N utilization and increasing yield.
Seasonal variation of silicoflagellates in phytoplankton and varved sediments in the Gulf of California

Phytoplankton samples collected during two seasons (summer-autumn and winter-spring) in the Gulf of California were analyzed for their silicoflagellate species composition. Correlation of species abundances to measured temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, and distribution in high quality surface sediment samples revealed distinct correlation and distribution patterns for the following species: Distephanus pulchra is a central Gulf species being most common during increased productivity seasons, Dictyocha fibula var. robusta characterizes assemblages during decreased upwelling seasons (summer-autumn), and Dictyocha calida, D. californica and D. mandrai inhabit waters originating from outside the Gulf. The surface sediment distribution mirrors closely the averaged seasonal distribution as present in the phytoplankton with only minor indications of lateral displacement. The seasonal variability is best demonstrated in the importance and composition of factor 2 (Q-mode factor analysis): Dictyocha fibula var. robusta is important during the summer-autumn season, whereas Dictyocha californica dominates this factor during the winter-spring season. A temperature prediction equation based on silicoflagellate abundances was developed with a 1.14°C standard error of estimate over the temperature interval 20°–28°C.
Diel foraging in relation to available prey in an Adirondack Mountain stream fish community

The diets of the fish community of Trucka Brook, a small stream located in the central Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, were examined in relation to the bottom fauna and invertebrate drift. Measures of overlap were calculated between the diets of each fish species examined, brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus), creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) and pearl dace (Semotilus margarita). Overlap was also examined between the fish diets and bottom and drift samples. Blacknose dace, pearl dace and brook trout had the most similar diets which were closely associated with the benthos. Creek chub had the most distinctive diets which did not compare well with any other fish species during either diurnal or nocturnal periods. The mayfly nymph Litobranchia recurvata was the most abundant bottom invertebrate and was the major prey of benthic feeding fishes. The invertebrate drift did not compare favorably with any of the fishes' diets because of the predominance of large cased limnephilid larvae (primarily Psychoglypha sp.) which were not readily consumed by fish.
Stratigraphic evidence from the Appalachian Basin for continuation of the Taconian orogeny into Early Silurian time

Abstract Traditional interpretations of the Appalachian Basin during Silurian time suggest a period of tectonic stability between Taconian and Acadian orogenies. However, recent interpretations of evidence from deformation and igneous sources in the northern Appalachians indicate Silurian tectonism centered on and near the St. Lawrence promontory and that this tectonism probably effected sedimentation in parts of the Appalachian Basin during much of Silurian time. Of special interest is the tectonism that extended from latest Ordovician into Early Silurian time and the nature of its relationships with known orogenic events. Although evidence and interpretations from deformation and igneous sources have become increasingly well established, there has been little support from the stratigraphic record. Now, however, criteria based on the implications of flexural models, namely the nature and distribution of unconformities, the presence of flexural stratigraphic sequences, and the distribution in time and space of dark-shale-filled foreland basins, provide stratigraphic evidence from the Appalachian Basin that supports Early Silurian (Medinan; early Llandoverian) tectonism related to Taconian orogeny. In particular, the distribution and local angularity of the Ordovician–Silurian or Cherokee unconformity suggest major tectonic influence and a latest Ordovician to Early Silurian inception for that tectonism. An overlying flexural stratigraphic sequence represented by the Lower Silurian Medina Group and the presence of a dark-shale-filled foreland basin reflected by the Power Glen–lower Cabot Head shales support interpretations of flexural subsidence related to deformational loading. Moreover, the distribution in space and time of the foreland basin containing these shales indicates that the basin is more likely a continuation of the northwestwardly shifting trend of earlier Taconian basins than that of later Salinic basins. Although the kinematic regime may be different from that of earlier Taconian tectophases, the stratigraphic evidence supports a northeastward extension of the Taconian orogeny into present-day eastern Canada during Early Silurian time and illustrates the usefulness of flexure-based stratigraphic interpretations in understanding the timing and extent of some orogenies.
Microencapsulated antimicrobial compounds as a means to enhance electron beam irradiation treatment for inactivation of pathogens on fresh spinach leaves.

: Recent outbreaks associated to the consumption of raw or minimally processed vegetable products that have resulted in several illnesses and a few deaths call for urgent actions aimed at improving the safety of those products. Electron beam irradiation can extend shelf-life and assure safety of fresh produce. However, undesirable effects on the organoleptic quality at doses required to achieve pathogen inactivation limit irradiation. Ways to increase pathogen radiation sensitivity could reduce the dose required for a certain level of microbial kill. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using natural antimicrobials when irradiating fresh produce. The minimum inhibitory concentration of 5 natural compounds and extracts (trans-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, garlic extract, propolis extract, and lysozyme with ethylenediaminetetraacetate acid (disodium salt dihydrate) was determined against Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. In order to mask odor and off-flavor inherent of several compounds, and to increase their solubility, complexes of these compounds and extracts with β-cyclodextrin were prepared by the freeze-drying method. All compounds showed bacteriostatic effect at different levels for both bacteria. The effectiveness of the microencapsulated compounds was tested by spraying them on the surface of baby spinach inoculated with Salmonella spp. The dose (D10 value) required to reduce the bacterial population by 1 log was 0.190 kGy without antimicrobial addition. The increase in radiation sensitivity (up to 40%) varied with the antimicrobial compound. These results confirm that the combination of spraying microencapsulated antimicrobials with electron beam irradiation was effective in increasing the killing effect of irradiation. Practical Application: Foodborne illness outbreaks attributed to fresh produce consumption have increased and present new challenges to food safety. Current technologies (water washing or treating with 200 ppm chlorine) cannot eliminate internalized pathogens. Ionizing radiation is a viable alternative for eliminating pathogens; however, the dose required to inactivate these pathogens is often too high to be tolerated by the fresh produce without undesirable quality changes. This study uses natural antimicrobial ingredients as radiosensitizers. These ingredients were encapsulated and applied to fresh produce that was subsequently irradiated. The process results in high level of microorganism inactivation using lower doses than the conventional irradiation treatments.
"Just Another Brick in the Wall": Standardization and the Devaluing of Education

Standardization and curriculum alignment are the dominant curricular forces in education today. Due in part to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, education has become singularly focused on teaching towards the test in order to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), yet data has shown that using standardized testing does not result in increased student learning or development. This article discusses the current state of education in this country as well as the detrimental effects that standardization and strict curriculum alignment have, not only on students, but on educators as well.
N-benzylimidazole-mediated changes in hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme activities in Ah-responsive and Ah-non-responsive mice.

1. The inductive effect of N-benzylimidazole (NBI) on hepatic microsomal and cytosolic drug-metabolizing enzyme activities in aryl hydrocarbon (Ah)-responsive C57BL/6N (B6) and Ah-non-responsive DBA/2N (D2) mouse strains was determined and compared with that caused by β-naphthoflavone (BNF).2. Relative Ah-responsiveness of the two strains was confirmed by measurement of BNF-induced ethoxyresorufin deethylase (EROD) activity and ELISA immunoquantification. BNF markedly induced EROD activity only in the Ah-responsive B6 mouse strain (65-fold increase).3. NBI (150mg/kg per day for 3 days) increased cytochrome P450 concentration similarly in both strains (40 and 60% in B6 and D2 strains, respectively). Compared with BNF treatment of the B6 strain, increases in EROD activity following NBI treatment were only minor. In addition, EROD activity increases were greater in the Ah-nonresponsive D2 strain (300%) than in the Ah-responsive B6 strain (100%) suggesting the possibility of an induction mechanism different f...
Particulate microembolism during cardiac operation.

Abstract In order to quantitate particulate microembolism during cardiac operations, particles 13 to 80 μ in size were measured, with a particle size analyzer, in the blood of patients before and during cardiopulmonary bypass. Venous particle measurements did not change. The volume of particles in arterial blood drawn from the bubble oxygenator (41.3 ± 4.4 × 10 3 μ 3 /mm. 3 , mean ± SE) was greater than that in venous blood (30.7 ± 4.1 × 10 3 μ 3 /mm. 3 1987, p 3 μ 3 /mm. 3 ). These microemboli remained elevated throughout the procedure, were most evident when extravasated blood was collected with the coronary suction line, and had a size distribution similar to platelet aggregates which could be induced in vitro in the patient's blood. The microemboli differed from platelet aggregates in that they were more resistant to deaggregation in vitro and a greater percentage (17%) floated into plasma after centrifugation. A Dacron wool filter removed 89% of these microemboli, while a 40 μ pore mesh filter and a polyurethane foam filter removed 58 and 64%, respectively. The data thus indicate that Dacron wool filtration of blood infused through the cardiotomy system would virtually eliminate particulate microembolism during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Kinetic properties of guinea pig liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was purified to apparent homogeneity from detergent-solubilized guinea pig liver microsomes. The reductase had a mol. wt of 78,000 and contained one mole each of FAD and FMN. Electron transfer activity to cytochrome c was optimal at a pH of 8.0 and an ionic strength of 0.43. The results of kinetic experiments were consistent with a ternary-complex mechanism for the interaction of the reductase with cytochrome c and NADPH. Km values for NADPH and cytochrome c were 3.1 and 26.7 microM, respectively. Inhibition by NADP+ and 2'-AMP was competitive with respect to NADPH; Ki values were 12.1 microM for NADP+ and 46.7 microM for 2'-AMP.
THE CURRENT STATUS OF HIGH ENERGY ELASTIC SCATTERING

The recent total cross section, σtot, and ρ-value results from the Fermilab Tevatron Collider experiments,1,2 presented at the 4th “Blois” Workshop on Elastic and Diffractive Scattering, held at Elba in May 1991, provide a natural springboard from which to launch a focused review of the field.
Collaborative dancing in tele-immersive environment

We present a study of collaborative dancing between remote dancers in a tele-immersive environment which features 3D full and real body capturing, wide field of view, multi-display 3D rendering, and attachment free participant. We invite two professional dancers to perform collaborative dancing in the environment. The coordination requires one dancer to take the lead while the other follows by appropriate movement. Throughout the experiment, the dancers are dancing at various motion rates to evaluate how well the collaborative dancing is supported with the current technical boundary. Our important findings indicate that 1) tele-immersive environments have strong potential impact on the concept of choreography and communication of live dance performance, 2) the presence of multi-view display, real body 3D rendering, audio channel, and less intrusiveness greatly enhances the immersive and dancing experience, and 3) the level of synchronization achieved by the dancers is higher than that expected from the video rate.
Radiation embrittlement of reactor vessel steels and suggestions for its control

Abstract The potential for neutron embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels as well as for the control of embrittlement or its consequences are reviewed. Operational procedures including the control of stress-temperature relationships or the use of heat treatment techniques for ductility restoration are shown to offer good potential for operating nuclear plants. Design procedures including higher temperature, greater vessel shielding, careful selection of, or the development of, radiation insensitive steels are available to minimize radiation embrittlement in reactor vessels of the future. Progress toward producing radiation insensitivity in current and higher strength versions of US pressure vessel steels is reviewed briefly.
Parameter Structure Identification in Groundwater Modeling: A Universal Parameterization Method

This research proposes a generalized parameterization method for parameter structure identification in groundwater modeling. Identification of distributed parameters invariably involves a large number of unknowns. Because of data limitation, the formulated inverse problem is inherently non-unique and unstable. Parameterization reduces the degrees of freedom of the unknown distributed parameter and defines the spatial attributes of a distributed parameter in terms of parameter dimension, parameter pattern and parameter values; thus, making parameter structure identification possible. Traditional parameterization methods include zonation, kriging, spline and other interpolation schemes. In this research, we develop a universal parameterization (UP) method that unifies various continuous and piecewise constant (zonation) structures through a set of weighting coefficients. By adjusting the weighting coefficients, UP will produce either a zonation structure, a continuous distribution structure, or a hybrid structure. The UP method shows greater flexibility not only in manipulating the highly complex spatial distribution but also in optimizing the parameter structure. When investigating a field with a high degree of discontinuity, UP outperforms other traditional parameterization methods. With UP, parameter structure identification seeks to identify the parameter dimension, parameter pattern, parameter values as well as the weighting coefficients. The developed methodology is demonstrated by a numerical example in which the distributed transmissivity in a two-dimensional confined aquifer is identified. We use the natural neighbor (NN) method for interpolation. The zonation structure is determined by Voronoi tessellation (VT). For each given level of parameter structure complexity as represented by the parameter dimension, we develop a sequential global-local optimization approach (genetic algorithm and quasi-Newton method) to search for the optimal transmissivity structure. The derivatives of head with respect to the basis point values and locations as well as the weighting coefficients are obtained by solving a set of sensitivity equations. For a given set of head observations and point-wise transmissivity measurements, we have successfully identified the transmissivity structure by finding the best fitting structure and parameter values.
David C. Baum Memorial Lecture: Why Excluding Same-Sex Couples from Civil Marriage Violates the Constitutional Law of the United States

Although the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Windsor (2013) was correct, the majority opinion (per Justice Kennedy) was confused and confusing. Moreover, the majority opinion was gratuitously insulting to many who oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage. Predictably, Justice Scalia, in his dissenting opinion, used the majority’s insulting opinion to good rhetorical effect.In this lecture, which I delivered at the University of Illinois College of Law, in November 2013, as the David C. Baum Memorial Lecture on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, I explain why the exclusion policy — excluding same-sex couples from civil marriage — violates the constitutional law of the United States. I argue, in the lecture, that the exclusion policy violates not the right to equal protection but, instead, a different constitutional right.I hope that readers interested in evaluating my argument in this lecture will read an essay that this lecture references and on which my argument in the lecture relies: Michael J. Perry, “Freedom of Conscience as Religious and Moral Freedom,” Journal of Law and Religion (forthcoming, 2014), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract= 2287436. That essay is a modestly revised version of a chapter in my new book, Human Rights in the Constitutional Law of the United States (2013), the introduction to which is available at http://ssrn.com/abstract= 2291173.
An eight-dimensional phase invariant trellis coded modulation scheme with constant envelope

An eight-dimensional trellis-coded-modulation (TCM) scheme which uses 512 points to transmit two information bits per signaling interval is presented. The system has constant envelope and, with only eight states on the trellis, yeilds an asymptotic gain of 6.02 dB without expanding the bandwidth over that of the equivalent uncoded system. The size of the coded constellation is doubled, but the minimum squared Euclidean distance (MSED) and the peak and average energies remain identical to those of the uncoded system, therefore avoiding the 3 dB loss in Ungerboeck's conventional codes. The novel constellation is formed by the union of an 8D QPSK and a rotated version of it. The new scheme achieves an effective gain of 5.64 dB and a small normalized redundancy of rho =0.25, has constant envelope, achieves spectral efficiency of 2b/s/Hz if Nyquist filtering is used, and uses simple and small constituent 2D constellation. >
Muscle heating with Megapulse II shortwave diathermy and ReBound diathermy.

Context: A new continuous diathermy called ReBound recently has been introduced. Its effectiveness as a heating modality is unknown. Objective: To compare the effects of the ReBound diathermy with an established deep-heating diathermy, the Megapulse II pulsed shortwave diathermy, on tissue temperature in the human triceps surae muscle. Design: Crossover study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Participants included 12 healthy, college-aged volunteers (4 men, 8 women; age = 22.2 ± 2.25 years, calf subcutaneous fat thickness = 7.2 ± 1.9 mm). Intervention(s): Each modality treatment was applied to the triceps surae muscle group of each participant for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, we removed the modality and recorded temperature decay for 20 minutes. Main Outcome Measure(s): We horizontally inserted an implantable thermocouple into the medial triceps surae muscle to measure intramuscular tissue temperature at 3 cm deep. We measured temperature every 5 minutes during t...
Molecular pathogenetic mechanism of maternally inherited deafness.

Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been shown to be one important cause of deafness. In particular, mutations in the mtDNA have been associated with both syndromic and nonsyndromic forms of sensorineural hearing loss. The deafness-linked mutations often occur in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene and in tRNA genes. Mutations in the 12S rRNA gene account for most of the cases of aminoglycoside ototoxicity. The other hot spot for mutations associated with hearing impairment is the tRNASer(UCN) gene, as five deafness-linked mutations have been identified in this gene. Nonsyndromic deafness-linked mtDNA mutations are often homoplasmic or at high levels of heteroplasmy, indicating a high threshold for pathogenicity. Phenotypic expression of these mtDNA mutations requires the contribution of other factors such as nuclear moduler gene(s), environmental factor(s), or mitochondrial haplotype(s).
"Mix-in-Place" anonymous networking using secure function evaluation

Anonymous communications systems generally trade off performance for strong cryptographic guarantees of privacy. However, a number of applications with moderate performance requirements (e.g., chat) may require both properties. In this paper, we develop a new architecture that provides provably unlinkable and efficient communications using a single intermediary node. Nodes participating in these Mix-In-Place Networks (MIPNets) exchange messages through a mailbox in an Oblivious Proxy (OP). Clients leverage Secure Function Evaluation (SFE) to send and receive their messages from the OP while blindly but reversibly modifying the appearance of all other messages (i.e., mixing in place) in the mailbox. While an Oblivious Proxy will know that a client participated in exchanges, it can not be certain which, if any, messages that client transmitted or received. We implement and measure our proposed design using a modified version of Fairplay and note reductions in execution times of greater than 98% over the naive application of garbled circuits. We then develop a chat application on top of the MIPNet architecture and demonstrate its practical use for as many as 100 concurrent users. Our results demonstrate the potential to use SFE-enabled "mixing" in a single proxy as a means of providing provable deniability for applications with near real-time performance requirements.
Vapor Pressure of Magnesium Fluoride

The vapor pressure of MgF2 was measured over the temperature range 1413° to 1614°K by the Knudsen effusion and torsion-effusion methods. Experimental data could be expressed by the equations log PKnudaen= 9.147 - 20,183/T and log PToraion= 8.311 - 18,960/T in the temperature range of solid magnesium fluoride (1413° to 1536°K) and by the equations log PKnudaen= 6.065 - 15,44O/T and log PToraion= 6.737 -16,480/T in the temperature range of liquid magnesium fluoride (1536° to 1614°K). The MgF2 vapor was shown to be essentially monomeric. The heat of vaporization (or sublimation) at 298°K was calculated to be 88.0 ± 1.0 kcal per mole. A continuous weighing procedure was devised for use with the Knudsen effusion method. An electromagnetic torque method of measurement was developed for use with the torsion-effusion method.
Screening of angiotensin II dependent hypertensive patients using a linear classifier.

The screening of renovascular hypertensive patients can be performed on the basis of the blood-pressure response of the patients to saralasin (Sarenin) infusion. A new approach is proposed here for the screening. The blood-pressure responses to the saralasin are modelled first, using autoregressive time series models. The constant parameters of the models are then used as the features for classifying the hypertensive patients. A linear classifier is constructed to perform the dichotomy between the angiotensin II dependent hypertensive and the rest of the hypertensive patients. Computational results on the testing of the method are presented. Although the sample size available for this study was small, the results are encouraging.Le depistage des malades souffrant d'hypertension renovasculaire peut ětre accompli base sur la tension arterielle repondant a une infusion de saralasine (Sarenine). Nous proposons ici une nouvelle methode de depistage. Les changements de la tension arterielle en reponse a la sara...
Climate change effects on stream and river temperatures across the northwest U.S. from 1980–2009 and implications for salmonid fishes

Thermal regimes in rivers and streams are fundamentally important to aquatic ecosystems and are expected to change in response to climate forcing as the Earth’s temperature warms. Description and attribution of stream temperature changes are key to understanding how these ecosystems may be affected by climate change, but difficult given the rarity of long-term monitoring data. We assembled 18 temperature time-series from sites on regulated and unregulated streams in the northwest U.S. to describe historical trends from 1980–2009 and assess thermal consistency between these stream categories. Statistically significant temperature trends were detected across seven sites on unregulated streams during all seasons of the year, with a cooling trend apparent during the spring and warming trends during the summer, fall, and winter. The amount of warming more than compensated for spring cooling to cause a net temperature increase, and rates of warming were highest during the summer (raw trend = 0.17°C/decade; reconstructed trend = 0.22°C/decade). Air temperature was the dominant factor explaining long-term stream temperature trends (82–94% of trends) and inter-annual variability (48–86% of variability), except during the summer when discharge accounted for approximately half (52%) of the inter-annual variation in stream temperatures. Seasonal temperature trends at eleven sites on regulated streams were qualitatively similar to those at unregulated sites if two sites managed to reduce summer and fall temperatures were excluded from the analysis. However, these trends were never statistically significant due to greater variation among sites that resulted from local water management policies and effects of upstream reservoirs. Despite serious deficiencies in the stream temperature monitoring record, our results suggest many streams in the northwest U.S. are exhibiting a regionally coherent response to climate forcing. More extensive monitoring efforts are needed as are techniques for short-term sensitivity analysis and reconstructing historical temperature trends so that spatial and temporal patterns of warming can be better understood. Continuation of warming trends this century will increasingly stress important regional salmon and trout resources and hamper efforts to recover these species, so comprehensive vulnerability assessments are needed to provide strategic frameworks for prioritizing conservation efforts.