cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alzheimer’s disease and the fornix

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative dementia. Researchers have long been focused on the cortical pathology of AD, since the most important pathologic features are the senile plaques found in the cortex, and the neurofibrillary tangles and neuronal loss that begin in the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus. In addition to these gray matter structures, histopathological studies indicate that the white matter is also a good target for both the early diagnosis of AD and for monitoring disease progression. The fornix is a white matter bundle that constitutes a core element of the limbic circuits, and is one of the most important anatomical structures related to memory. Functional and anatomical features of the fornix have naturally captured researchers’ attention as possible diagnostic and prognostic markers of AD. Indeed, neurodegeneration of the fornix has been histologically observed in AD, and growing evidence indicates that the alterations seen in the fornix are potentially a good marker to predict future conversion from mild cognitive impairment to AD, and even from cognitively normal individuals to AD. The degree of alteration is correlated with the degree of memory impairment, indicating the potential for the use of the fornix as a functional marker. Moreover, there have been attempts to stimulate the fornix using deep brain stimulation (DBS) to augment cognitive function in AD, and ongoing research has suggested positive effects of DBS on brain glucose metabolism in AD patients. On the other hand, disease specificity for fornix degeneration, methodologies to evaluate fornix degeneration, and the clinical significance of the fornix DBS, especially for the long-term impact on the quality of life, are mostly unknown and need to be elucidated.
Correlation of chemical reactivity of Nudaurelia capensis ω virus with a pH-induced conformational change

Nudaurelia capensis ω virus, which undergoes one of the largest known structural changes of icosahedral viruses in response to its environment, exhibits chemical reactivity which depends on its conformational state.
A Problem Concerning the Notion of Definability

We are inclined to believe that, by means of an argument entirely analogous to that which leads to the Richard antinomy,1 the notion of definability as applied to entities discussed in a formal system can easily be shown not to be itself definable in this system. It will be seen from this discussion that actually the situation is not quite so simple as it would appear at first glance. Our discussion will have a rather sketchy and informal character.2 To fix the ideas we consider a formal system e which is assumed to be consistent and to provide an adequate basis for the formalization of "classical" mathematics. e may be thought of as a system close to that of Principia mathematical but based upon the simple theory of types (though our discussion applies as well to various axiomatic systems of set theory known from the literature). Thus, each variable occurring in R has a definite order. Variables of the zeroth order are interpreted as representing natural numbers (in other words, the range of these variables is the set of all natural numbers); variables of the first order represent real numbers-which are identified here, as it is often done, with sets of natural numbers; variables of the second order represent sets of real numbers, and so on. In general we shall refer to entities represented by variables of the nth order as elements of the nth order. Among constants occurring in ( we find logical constants such as sentential connectives "", "v", "A", and "a", the universal quantifier "A", the identity symbol "=", and the membership symbol "e"; in addition, e contains some specifically mathematical constants, for instance, the symbols "+" and "-" of operations on natural numbers. We shall not describe the formalism of e in detail.3 Let us now consider the notion of definability in A. Given an element a of the nth order and a formula (sentential function) 4 in e which contains a certain variable of the nth order as the only free variable, we can ask the question whether or not a satisfies f.4 If a proves to satisfy 4 and if nothing else satisfies this formula, we say that 4 defines a. Thus, for instance, if "x" and "y" are variables
RSVP: an investigation of remote shared visual presence as common ground for human-robot teams

This study presents mobile robots as a way of augmenting communication in distributed teams through a remote shared visual presence (RSVP) consisting of the robot's view. By giving all team members access to the shared visual display provided by a robot situated in a remote workspace, the robot can serve as a source of common ground for the distributed team. In a field study examining the effects of remote shared visual presence on team performance in collocated and distributed Urban Search & Rescue technical search teams, data were collected from 25 dyadic teams comprised of US&R task force personnel drawn from high-fidelity training exercises held in California (2004) and New Jersey (2005). They performed a 2 x 2 repeated measures search task entailing robot-assisted search in a confined space rubble pile. Multilevel regression analyses were used to predict team performance based upon use of RSVP (RSVP or no-RSVP) and whether or not team members had visual access to other team members. Results indicated that the use of RSVP technology predicted team performance ( s= -1.24, pRSVP may depend on the user's domain experience and team cohesion.
Lovastatin treatment decreases mononuclear cell infiltration into the CNS of Lewis rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Mononuclear cell infiltration into the CNS and induction of inflammatory cytokines and iNOS in diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) have been implicated in subsequent disease pathogenesis and progression. We report that Lovastatin treatment blocks the clinical disease and induction of inflammatory cytokines and iNOS in spinal cords of MBP induced EAE rats. A significant number of the infiltrating cells in CNS were ED1+ cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. To understand the mechanism of efficacy of Lovastatin against EAE, we examined the effect of Lovastatin on the transmigration of mononuclear cells into EAE spinal cord. The data presented here documents that Lovastatin treatment attenuates the transmigration of mononuclear cells possibly by down regulating the expression of LFA-1, a ligand for ICAM, in endothelial-leukocyte interaction. These results indicate that Lovastatin treatment prevents infiltration by mononuclear cells into the CNS of rats induced for EAE, thereby lessening the histological changes and clinical signs and thus ameliorating the disease. These observations indicate that Lovastatin treatment may be of therapeutic value against inflammatory disease process associated with infiltration of activated mononuclear cells into the tissue. J. Neurosci. Res. 66:155–162, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An LES Study of the Impacts of Land Surface Heterogeneity on Dispersion in the Convective Boundary Layer

A systematic analysis of the impacts of heat patches and topographical features on the dispersion of passive materials in a shear-free convective boundary layer (CBL) was performed. Large eddy simulations and a Lagrangian particle dispersion model were used for that purpose. Over a homogeneous, flat terrain, the dispersion statistics produced by the model are in agreement with convection tank data and other model results. The horizontal pressure gradients created by surface heat flux heterogeneities generate atmospheric circulations, which impede vertical mixing and, as a result, have a remarkable influence on particle dispersion in the CBL. For a near-surface release, the particles are advected horizontally rather than ‘‘lifted-off,’’ maintaining a high concentration near the ground surface. Particles released at higher elevations reach the ground surface more slowly than when released above a flat, homogeneous domain. In a shear-free CBL, hilly terrain has little impact on lift-off, dimensionless crosswind-integrated concentration, mean particle height, particle spread, and nearground-level concentration of particles released near the ground surface. This is true even with hills as high as 25% of the height of the CBL. However, it has a noticeable effect on the dispersion statistics of particles released from higher elevations. In particular, the locus of the maximum in crosswind-integrated concentration of particles released from a source located about 25% of the height of the CBL descends to the surface of an even moderate hill noticeably slower than above a flat, homogeneous domain.
WDM-based high-speed optical dual-bus LAN

In this paper, a novel dual-bus WDM ring network is proposed, its medium access protocol is discussed, and the system performance is analyzed. Compared with some existing network architecture and protocols, the proposed network can achieve high throughput with moderate delays. We also proposed a slightly revised 10Gb/s WDM Ethernet using the ringshaped dual bus with 4 wavelength channels. Simulation result shows that the proposed 10Gb/s WDM Ethernet has a better throughput and delay performance than a conventional Ethernet based on CSMA.
Microflora changes in peanuts (groundnuts) stored under modified atmospheres

Abstract These pilot scale experiments were designed to determine if long-term storage of U.S. No. 1 peanuts (groundnuts) is practical in modified atmospheres with minimal deterioration through molding, aflatoxin contamination, and insect infestation, without use of refrigeration or pesticides. Two lots of U.S. No. 1 peanuts (248 kg) were stored at 26±2°C for 1 year, in 1978–79 and in 1980–81, in atmospheres either of ca. 60% CO2, simulated burner gas, ca. 99% N2 or in refrigerated and non-refrigerated ambient air. In two larger tests, the CO2 atmosphere was used with 1996 and 6451 kg of peanuts in different non-refrigerated bins. When the CO2 was not recirculated in the 1996 kg bin the humidity and moisture increased and moisture migration occurred. The peanuts at the top molded, predominantly with yeast species and Penicillium roqueforti Thom. Species of the genus Eurotium (Aspergillus glaucus group), the A. flavus group and various other Penicillium spp. were also isolated. These mycofloral changes were different from those seen in ambient air or refrigerated storage when moisture increases occurred. No molding and only minor change in the microflora was observed in the bin with 6451 kg of peanuts with CO2 recirculation and humidity control. Only minor changes in the microflora occurred in the other treatments. No aflatoxins accumulated in any treatment.
Theoretical studies of the methyl rotational barrier in toluene

Abstract We report computations of the rotational barrier of the methyl group in toluene. The computations are based on the use of the gaussian 92 Program Package with the 6-311G∗∗ basis set. The results are 2.69 wavenumbers at the HF level of approximation and 5.02 wavenumbers at the MP2 level. These results compare favorably with the experimental value of 4.9 wavenumbers. It is shown that inclusion of the vibrational zero-point energy in the calculations is necessary for obtaining satisfactory results.
The impact of the U.S. war on terrorism upon U.S.-China relations

Using a framework of geopolitical analysis. Oliver Lee argues that the fundamental geopolitical relationships between the United States and China, namely the relationship between the world’s strongest naval and air power and the world’s strongest land power, would not be upset even after the American military presence in central Asia since September 11, 2001. The relationship would remain essentially unaltered because — American initiation of the use of nuclear weapons against China being ruled out for fear of Chinese retaliation — China would be able to withstand any U.S. military offensive conducted with conventional land, sea, and air forces, regardless of whether the U.S. possesses permanent air bases in Central Asia or not, and regardless of how many troops it may station on them.
Yellow nail syndrome

Yellow nail syndrome was first described in 1964 by Samman and White 1 , The full syndrome consists of the triad yellow nails, lymphedema, and pleural effusions with associated respiratory tract involvement. However, yellow nails alone or with any combination of the triad is termed yellow nail syndrome . We are describing a patient with yellow nails and pulmonary disease, whose nails cleared after resolution of his pulmonary condition. Although various therapeutic approaches have been used, the treatment of pulmonary disease was important in our patient.
Ureyite, NaCrSi2O6: A New Meteoritic Pyroxene.

The new mineral NaCrSi 2 0 6 (ureyite) has been found as rareemeraldgreen grains in the iron meteorites Coahuila, Toluca, and Hex River Mountains. X-ray studies of the natural and synthetic material have established that the mineral is isostructural with jadeite, NaAlSi 2 0 6 . Indexed data for powder patterns obtained by x-ray diffraction and precise cell dimensions are given for the Cr, Fe, and Al members of the jadeite group. Unlike jadeite, a high-pressure phase, ureyite can be synthesized from melts at 1-atmosphere pressure.
NPY and MC4R signaling regulate thyroid hormone levels during fasting through both central and peripheral pathways

Fasting-induced suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is an adaptive response to decrease energy expenditure during food deprivation. Previous studies demonstrate that leptin communicates nutritional status to the HPT axis through thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. Leptin targets TRH neurons either directly or indirectly via the arcuate nucleus through pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and agouti-related peptide/neuropeptide Y (AgRP/NPY) neurons. To evaluate the role of these pathways in vivo, we developed double knockout mice that lack both the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and NPY. We show that NPY is required for fasting-induced suppression of Trh expression in the PVN. However, both MC4R and NPY are required for activation of hepatic pathways that metabolize T(4) during the fasting response. Thus, these signaling pathways play a key role in the communication of fasting signals to reduce thyroid hormone levels both centrally and through a peripheral hepatic circuit.
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scale for kidney injuries predicts nephrectomy, dialysis, and death in patients with blunt injury and nephrectomy for penetrating injuries

Background:Despite broad clinical use of the American Association of the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) injury scale for kidney, it has only been found to predict the need for renal surgery in single institution series. We sought to validate this scheme for morbidity and mortality in a national cohort of
INFRARED INTERFEROMETRY FOR ROUGH SURFACE MEASUREMENTS : APPLICATION TO FAILURE CHARACTERIZATION AND FLAW DETECTION

A real-time, full-field, noncontacting infrared Twyman-Green interferometer for performing deformation measurements has been developed. The choice of the wavelength offers the advantage of using the interferometer with structural components with little or no surface preparation. The limitation on the surface roughness/texture commonly encountered when using visible light is circumvented through a favorable roughness-to-wavelength ratio. Planar objects with a surface roughness up to ?a?1 ?m (or surfaces prepared using fixed abrasives with mean grit sizes up to 250?m) have been examined. Capability of the interferometer for quantifying deformations when dealing with rough surface measurements is demonstrated. Examples of defect detection as well as elastoplastic crack-tip-field mapping are provided.
Spectra and structure of organophosphorus compounds LIX: conformational stability from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of xenon solutions and ab initio calculations for ethyldifluorophosphine

Abstract The mid-infrared spectra (3200−400 cm−1) of ethyldifluorophosphine, CH3CH2PF2, dissolved in liquified krypton as a function of temperature (− 105 to − 150°C) have been recorded. Using the conformer pairs (gauche/trans) observed at 679 651 , 749 499 , 679 499 , and 749 651 cm −1 , the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 80 ± 7 cm−1 (228 ± 20 cal mol−1) with the trans (methyl group trans to the phosphorus lone pair) conformer being more stable than the high energy gauche form. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios, and vibrational frequencies are reported for both conformers from RHF 6-31 G ∗ and/or MP 2 6-31 G ∗ ab initio calculations. The trans form is predicted to be the more stable conformer from both ab initio calculations in agreement with the experimental results. The other calculated quantities are compared with the experimentally determined values where applicable and with corresponding results obtained for some similar molecules.
A medical burden of proof: Towards a new ethic

In current medical practice, innovators, drug and device companies often debut new interventions before they have shown benefit in robust clinical trials. Practitioners readily use these new therapies, in many cases because the practice is financially rewarding and the intervention makes sense within practitioners’ scientific worldview. Oftentimes, years after a practice was introduced, the medical community puts it to the test in large, well done randomized trials. Empirical evidence suggests that when this happens, nearly half of those practices are contradicted. We call this phenomenon ‘medical reversal’. What are the implications of reversal on our current system of hasty adoption and widespread use of new therapies? Here, we outline the concept of burden of proof in medicine. In the era of evidence-based medicine, who has the burden of proof to show that a therapy works? Currently in clinical practice, innovators and manufacturers are not carrying the burden. Instead, third parties and brave researchers are often required to challenge medical standards years after their introduction. Here, we argue that such a system is untenable. The burden of proof to show that an intervention works must be held by those who develop a new therapy, and by practitioners who profit from the therapy before it is introduced. Here, we promote this as a new physician ethic.
Glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor–levodopa interactions and reduction of side effects in parkinsonian monkeys

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) stimulates the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway and improves motor functions in animal models of parkinsonism. Sinemet is currently the most widely used drug for treating Parkinson's disease. The present study has evaluated GDNF-Sinemet interactions in parkinsonian rhesus monkeys. Both GDNF and Sinemet, when given alone, significantly improved total parkinsonian scores. The response to Sinemet did not change after intracerebroventricular vehicle injections. In contrast, there was a functional interaction between GDNF and levodopa. When comparing the levodopa dose response before and after GDNF treatment, significant behavioral improvements were seen after trophic factor administration at every levodopa dose level except 500 mg. Adverse responses to Sinemet treatment alone in parkinsonian animals included vomiting, dykinesias, dystonias, and stereotypic movements. Combined GDNF-Sinemet treatment significantly reduced the occurrence of these levodopa-induced side effects, with a >90% decrease in adverse responses seen at the mid-Sinemet (250 mg levodopa-25 mg carbidopa) dose level. The only side effect from GDNF treatment was a transitory weight loss. Thus, combined GDNF-Sinemet treatment could be of therapeutic value in treating parkinsonism, by producing a greater functional response and by mitigating adverse responses to Sinemet treatment.
Lithium wetting of stainless steel studied via scanning auger microscopy

Interest in liquid metal plasma facing components has grown in recent years as they may offer a revolutionary solution to handling the extreme heat loads in the divertor of magnetic fusion devices. At the same time an increasing number of magnetic fusion devices have reported remarkable performance improvements with lithium conditioning [1,2]. Ensuring continuous wetting of a solid container by the liquid metal is a critical issue in the design of liquid metal plasma facing components. Recently measurements of the contact angle between liquid drops of lithium and fusion relevant surfaces have been reported [3].
Determinants of parental attempts to deter their children's cigarette smoking

Abstract Prevention programs targeting child and adolescent cigarette smoking have primarily focused on the social influence of peers, to the neglect of parents. The limited success of these programs and the consistent evidence linking parenting practices to cigarette smoking and other substance use has sparked interest in the role parents play in their children's decision to smoke. Using cross-sectional data from participants in an ongoing longitudinal project, the present study examined possible determinants of two smoking-specific parenting behaviors: parent activism (how much a parent discourages, talks about, and monitors/controls child smoking) and parental permissiveness about the child smoking at home. Several health, addiction, and stress variables were hypothesized to promote or undermine these parenting behaviors. Results suggested that parental values on their child's nonsmoking (particularly for fathers) significantly predicted both parenting behaviors. However, the relation between parents' values and their actions was weakened for parents with less negative health beliefs about smoking and for parents under higher levels of environmental stress. Parental beliefs about the health consequences of smoking were associated with activism but not permissiveness, whereas parental beliefs about the addictive nature of smoking predicted neither outcome. Parental smoking predicted only permissiveness, but smoking status was involved in several interesting interactions. The present findings suggest that cigarette smoking prevention programs may be improved by increasing parents' values on their children's non-smoking, increasing parents' beliefs about the health risks of smoking, helping parents cope with stress, and being particularly aware of the differential effect that these factors can have on mothers and fathers and on parents who smoke cigarettes themselves or who have smoked in the past.
Titanium silicates, M3HTi4O4(SiO4)3·4H2O (M=Na+, K+),with three-dimensional tunnel structures for the selective removal of strontium and cesium from wastewater solutions

Abstract The ion exchange behavior of a sodium and a potassium titanosilicate towards Cs+ and Sr2+ was studied. The materials of interest in this study are titanium and silicon structural analogs of the mineral pharmacosiderite. Pharmacosiderite is a non-aluminosilicate molecular sieve with the framework composition [Fe4(OH)4 (AsO4)3]−.5H2O. For the titanosilicate analogs, the framework arrangement of silicate tetrahedra and titanium octahedra create three-dimensional structures with water molecules and charge-neutralizing cations located in the face-centers. Distribution coefficient (Kd) measurements showed that the potassium titanosilicate removed at least 97% of the Sr2+ from a groundwater simulant that also contained ppm levels of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Cs+ and Na+. Similarly, the sodium phase removed about 98% Cs+ from the groundwater solution. These preliminary Kd values provide an indication that these exchangers may act as potential Cs+ and Sr2+ sorbers for groundwater remediation applications. The sodium and potassium phases were also tested as potential exchangers for Cs+ and Sr2+ in different nuclear waste simulants. While the sodium phase showed little to no preference for Cs+ in highly acidic or basic solutions containing large concentrations of NaNO3, the potassium phase yielded a Sr2+ Kd of around 7100 ml g−1 in 2.5 M NaNO3/l M NaOH solutions, and a Kd of 3500 ml g−1 for a solution containing 5 M NaNO3/l M NaOH.
The Moderating Role of Centrality on Associations between Ethnic Identity Affirmation and Ethnic Minority College Students' Mental Health.

Abstract Background: Prior literature has shown that ethnic affirmation, one aspect of ethnic identity, is positively associated with mental health. However, the associations between ethnic affirmation and mental health may vary depending how much importance individuals place on their ethnic group membership (ie, centrality). Methods: Using path analysis, the current study examined the relations between ethnic affirmation and indices of mental health problems (ie, anxiety and depressive symptoms), and tested whether the process was moderated by ethnic centrality among 3,659 college students representing 3 ethnic groups (41% Latino/a, 35% Asian American, and 24% African American) who participated in a large, multisite university study. Results and Conclusions: Results suggested that the associations between ethnic affirmation and mental health were stronger for Latino/a and Asian American students who reported higher levels of ethnic centrality. For African Americans, higher levels of ethnic affirmation pr...
Steady-state operability characteristics of idealized reactors

Abstract Operability analysis is one of the bridges that links process design and control. In this paper, we analyze the steady-state operability characteristics of classical reactors (CSTR and PFR) in the framework of Vinson and Georgakis (DYCOPS-5, Fifth IFAC Symposium on Dynamics and Control of Process Systems, 1998, pp. 700–709; J. Proc. Control 10 (2000) 185). Reaction schemes vary from simple first-order A→B to industrially relevant competing reactions. The nonlinear nature of reactors requires the use of special computational techniques for the determination of the operability index (OI). This study clearly brings out the potential of the OI framework. In addition to measuring the servo, regulatory, and overall operability of the systems studied, we were able to identify safe operating regions and tolerable disturbances with the available inputs. This analysis also points to optimized process conditions.
The Relationship Between Task-Specific Self-Efficacy Egalitarianism and Career Indecision for Females

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between task-specific self-efficacy as measured by the Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (Osipow & Rooney, 1989) and career indecision as measured by the Career Decision Scale—3rd Rev. (Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico, & Koschier, 1976) for females classified as possessing high or low egalitarian sex-role attitudes. Subjects were 168 female college students who were classified as high or low egalitarian according to their scores on the Sex-role Egalitarianism Scale form KK (Beere, King, Beere, & King, 1984). Pearson-product moment correlations were computed between self- efficacy scores and career indecision scores for the two groups. The results provide minimal support for the hypothesis that there would be a significant relationship between career indecision and self- efficacy as moderated by sex-role orientation. These results are limited due to a negatively skewed distribution on the egalitarianism measure.
A multi-institutional analysis of the socioeconomic determinants of breast reconstruction

Introduction: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network Oncology Outcomes Database contains uniquely rich sociodemographic and clinical data on over 9,000 breast cancer patients from 12 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers. This prospective, multi-institutional database was used to evaluate determinants of breast reconstruction and whether socioeconomic factors influence who receives reconstruction. Methods: Data were previously collected by chart abstraction and continuous follow-up for stage 0, I, II, III patients undergoing mastectomy from July 1997- June 2002. Rates of reconstruction were determined. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate which socioeconomic characteristics are associated with reconstruction. We controlled for age, body mass index, number of comorbidities, stage and neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment modality. Results: Of 2,326 patients undergoing mastectomy, 45% received reconstruction. Of the reconstructions, 42% were implants, 21% rotational TRAM flaps, 31% free TRAM flaps, and 6% other. 90% of all reconstructions were immediate. By multivariate analysis, Medicaid (OR = 0.56, p = 0.03) and Medicare (OR = 0.56, p = 0.005) patients were less likely to receive reconstruction than those with managed care; however, there was no significant difference for indemnity versus managed care insurance. Homemakers (OR = 0.68, p = 0.006), unemployed (OR = 0.57, p = 0.02) and retired (OR = 0.55, p = 0.003) patients received significantly fewer reconstructions than those employed outside the home. Patients with a college education received more reconstructions than those who did not attend college (OR = 1.38, p = 0.008). Race and ethnicity were not found to be statistically significant predictors of reconstruction. Conclusion: The reconstruction rate in this study (45%) is markedly higher than previously reported rates. While this may be due to the institutions included, it also likely reflects changes in reimbursement and subsequent practice patterns. Differences in insurance, education, and employment status, but not race or ethnicity, appear to influence receipt of breast reconstruction. Further investigation of these differences is warranted to determine if they represent patient preference or provider bias.
New Aspects of the Phosphatase VHZ Revealed by a High-Resolution Structure with Vanadate and Substrate Screening.

The recently discovered 150-residue human VHZ (VH1-related protein, Z member) is one of the smallest protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) known and contains only the minimal structural elements common to all PTPs. We report a substrate screening analysis and a crystal structure of the VHZ complex with vanadate at 1.1 A resolution, with a detailed structural comparison with other members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase family, including classical tyrosine-specific protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and dual-specificity phosphatases (DSPs). A screen with 360 phosphorylated peptides shows VHZ efficiently catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing peptides but exhibits no activity toward phosphoserine (pS) or phosphothreonine (pT) peptides. The new structure reveals a deep and narrow active site more typical of the classical tyrosine-specific PTPs. Despite the high degrees of structural and sequence similarity between VHZ and classical PTPs, its general acid IPD-loop is most likely conformationally rigid, in contrast to the flexible WPD counterpart of classical PTPs. VHZ also lacks substrate recognition domains and other domains typically found on classical PTPs. It is therefore proposed that VHZ is more properly classified as an atypical PTP rather than an atypical DSP, as has been suggested.
Determination of latex particle size by light scattering. I. Minimum intensity method

Abstract From Mie theory calculations it is shown that the angle, θ 1 , at which the first minimum in scattering intensity occurs is given by the relation D λ m sin θ 1 2 = 1.062 − 0.347 m where D is the diameter of the scattering spheres, λ m is the wave length of light in the medium, and m is the refractive index ratio of scattering particles to medium. This relation holds for m = 1.00 to 1.55, and applies to incident unpolarized light and the vertical component of the scattered radiation. Using this equation, particle diameters have been determined at several wave lengths for 23 synthetic latices ranging in D from 2080 to 10,100 A. The results show that D is independent of λ m when the systems are monodisperse. For polydisperse systems D increases with λ m , and only low λ m 's yield the weight average for D . The variation of D with λ m can be used as a qualitative index of size distribution. This method can be made very rapid, and under suitable conditions it can be used to measure diameters ranging from about 0.18 to 4 microns.
PDF modeling and analysis of thermal NO formation in turbulent nonpremixed hydrogen-air jet flames

Abstract A numerical model is developed based on the probability density function (pdf) approach to study the thermal NO formation in turbulent nonpremixed hydrogen jet flames. In particular, the effects of nonequilibrium chemistry and radiation heat loss on the thermal NO formation are examined. The numerical results indicate that when the NO x emission index is scaled with a properly defined flame residence time, it shows the negative one-half power dependence on the Damkohler number as observed by Chen and Driscoll [Twenty-Third Symposium (International) on Combustion]. An analysis is performed suggesting that the observed power dependence is due to the nonequilibrium chemistry effect, and it depends on the self-similar laws for jets. Comparisons of numerical results obtained with and without radiation heat loss show a significant impact on the thermal NO formation for jet flames with radiant franctions greater than 5%.
Phase transitions in gels and a single polymer

Abstract We describe phase transitions and critical behaviour of covalently crosslinked polyacrylamide gels, and a single polyacrylamide chain. In both samples, we observed discrete changes in size when the solvent underwent continuous transition from poor to good solvent. Critical divergence and slowing-down of network concentration fluctuations in the gels were observed using laser light scattering spectroscopy. These phenomena are analysed in terms of the Flory-type mean field theory, and the mode coupling theory.
Blast-wave driven Kelvin-Helmholtz shear layers in a laser driven high-energy-density plasma

The first successful high energy density Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) shear layer experiments (O.A. Hurricane et al. in Phys. Plasmas, 16:056305, 2009; E.C. Harding et al. in Phys. Rev. Lett., 103:045005, 2009) demonstrated the ability to design and field a target that produces, in a controlled fashion, an array of large diagnosable KH vortices. Data from these experiments vividly showed the complete evolution of large (∼400 μm) distinct eddies, from formation to apparent turbulent break-up in the span of about 75 ns. A second set of experiments, in which the density of a key carbon-foam material was varied, was recently performed. The new series showed a great deal of fine-structure that was not as apparent as in the original experiments. In this paper, the results of both experiments will be discussed along with supporting theory and simulation. An attempt is made to connect these observations with some turbulent scale-lengths. Finally, we speculate about the possible connection of these experiments to astrophysical contexts.
Competitive effects of non-native plants are lowest in native plant communities that are most vulnerable to invasion

Despite widespread acknowledgment that disturbance favors invasion, a hypothesis that has received little attention is whether non-native invaders have greater competitive effects on native plants in undisturbed habitats than in disturbed habitats. This hypothesis derives from the assumption that competitive interactions are more persistent in habitats that have not been recently disturbed. Another hypothesis that has received little attention is whether the effects of non-native plants on native plants vary among habitats that differ in soil fertility. We documented habitat occurrences of 27 non-native plant species and 377 native plant species encountered in numerous study plots in a broad sample of ecosystems in MS (USA). We then reviewed experimental and regression-based field studies in the scientific literature that specifically examined potential competitive (or facilitative) effects of these non-native species on native species and characterized the habitats in which effects were the greatest. As expected, the non-native species examined here in general were more likely to be associated with severely disturbed habitats than were the native species as a group. In contrast, we found that non-native species with competitive effects on natives were more likely to be associated with undisturbed habitats than with disturbed habitats. When longer term studies involving more resident species were given more weight in the analysis, competitive effects appeared to be the greatest in undisturbed habitats with low soil fertility. These results reinforce the notion that invasion is not synonymous with impact. The environmental conditions that promote invasion may limit competitive effects of invaders on native plant communities following invasion.
LASTING BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES III. METABOLIC RESPONSES OF MICE TO NEONATAL INFECTION WITH A FILTERABLE WEIGHT-DEPRESSING AGENT

A lasting depression of body weight was consistently produced in SPF mice by infecting them orally 2 days after birth with a nonlethal, bacteria-free filtrate, prepared from the intestine of young SPF mice previously infected with an unidentified agent. Neonatal infection caused a decrease of muscle DNA and of muscle and brain protein in the adults. No other effect was detected in the chemical composition of various organs. Incorporation of (14)C-amino acid into the acid precipitable fractions of liver, kidney, muscle, and brain was lower in infected than in control animals. No difference in incorporation was recognized in the thymus and spleen. The free amino acid pool of adults, measured as blood levels of free amino nitrogen, was decreased by neonatal infection. Surprisingly, the food intake of young animals infected neonatally was higher than that of the controls, measured on the basis of body weight. Their fecal excretion of nitrogen was also higher. The comparative responses of infected and control adults to a stressful situation was measured by giving them intravenously the antituberculous vaccine BCG. Under these conditions, the mice infected neonatally excreted some 20% more nitrogen in their urine and 40% more in their feces than did the controls. The mechanisms through which neonatal infection caused a lasting weight depression are discussed in the light of these metabolic findings.
Focus on Technology: Creating and Using Podcasts Promotes Student Engagement and Learning

Providing students with well-designed podcasts or assigning them to create these audio files themselves can benefit pupils in many ways. This form of information and communication technology (ICT) ...
An animal model for measuring behavioral responses to anxiogenic and anxiolytic manipulations

Abstract A method for measuring behavioral responses of rats to both anxiolytic and anxiogenic manipulations, the open field drink test (OFDT), is described. This method utilizes the concept that in the open field, appetitive behavior is reduced because of the ambient level of fear experienced in such an environment. For the OFDT, rats were given restricted access to water for 1 h per day for 3 days, and then their behavior was assessed in an open field that contained a water spout at its center. Use of the open field permitted a number of measures to be taken; of these, “time spent drinking” was most sensitive in detecting differences. Three experiments showed that the OFDT: a) permitted dissociation between behavioral responses to anxiolytic c (diazepam) and an anxiogenic (FG7142) drug, b) detected a dose-response relationship for an anxiolytic drug (diazepam), and c) detected behavioral responses to environmental manipulations designed to increase fear (presence of an olfactory cue from rats that had received foot shock). Advantages of this test over previously described methods are outlined, and several guidelines are provided to aid investigators in using this behavioral test.
The role of arcuate ridges and gullies in the degradation of craters in the Newton Basin region of Mars

Abstract A survey of craters in the vicinity of Newton Basin, using high-resolution images from Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey, was conducted to find and analyze examples of gullies and arcuate ridges and assess their implications for impact crater degradation processes. In the Phaethontis Quadrangle (MC-24), we identified 225 craters that contain these features. Of these, 188 had gullies on some portion of their walls, 118 had arcuate ridges at the bases of the crater walls, and 104 contained both features, typically on the same crater wall. A major result is that the pole-facing or equator-facing orientation of these features is latitude dependent. At latitudes >44° S, equator-facing orientations for both ridges and gullies are prevalent, but at latitudes
On the physiological basis of masking with dotted visual noise1

In this paper, consideration is given to the physiological foundations of visual masking with successive stimuli. Three experiments are performed with dot patterns. The results indicate that none of the classic characteristics of lateral inhibitory interaction are obtained with this type of stimulus material. A rather informal demonstration is then described that suggests further that lateral inhibitory interaction may also not be a satisfactory explanation of metacontrast and other kinds of masking that use continuous figures.
Growth of continental crust: a balance between preservation and recycling

One of the major obstacles to our understanding of the growth of continental crust is that of estimating the balance between extraction rate of continental crust from the mantle and its recycling rate back into the mantle. As a first step it is important to learn more about how and when juvenile crust is preserved in orogens. The most abundant petrotectonic assemblage preserved in orogens (both collisional and accretionary) is the continental arc, whereas oceanic terranes (arcs, crust, melange, Large Igneous Provinces, etc.) comprise <10%; the remainder comprises older, reworked crust. Most of the juvenile crust in orogens is found in continental arc assemblages. Our studies indicate that most juvenile crust preserved in orogens was produced during the ocean-basin closing stage and not during the collision. However, the duration of ocean-basin closing is not a major control on the fraction of juvenile crust preserved in orogens; regardless of the duration of subduction, the fraction of juvenile crust preserved reaches a maximum of ~50%. Hafnium and Nd isotopic data indicate that reworking dominates in external orogens during supercontinent breakup, whereas during supercontinent assembly, external orogens change to retreating modes where greater amounts of juvenile crust are produced. The most remarkable feature of eNd (sedimentary rocks and granitoids) and eHf (detrital zircons) distributions through time is how well they agree with each other. The ratio of positive to negative eNd and eHf does not increase during supercontinent assembly (coincident with zircon age peaks), which suggests that supercontinent assembly is not accompanied by enhanced crustal production. Rather, the zircon age peaks probably result from enhanced preservation of juvenile crust. Valleys between zircon age peaks probably reflect recycling of continental crust into the mantle during supercontinent breakup. Hafnium isotopic data from zircons that have mantle sources, Nd isotopic data from detrital sedimentary rocks and granitoids and whole-rock Re depletion ages of mantle xenoliths collectively suggest that 570% of the continental crust was extracted from the mantle between 3500 and 2500 Ma.
Food Consumption, Water Intake and Growth Data on Rats Chronically Ewosed to a High-Intensity 60-Hz Field

Chronic exposure of rats, from conception to approximately 120 days of age, to an unperturbed, vertical, 60–Hz, 80 kV/m electric field was carried out with more than 350 male subjects. Weekly body weights, food consumption, and water intake patterns were analyzed. There were no statistically significant differences between the field-exposed and sham-exposed animals in food and water intake. However, there were statistically significant growth pattern differences from four to eight weeks of age, suggestive of a slight initial developmental delay in growth due to chronic exposure to the high-intensity electric field.
Time domain modeling of external systems for electromagnetic transients programs

A time domain method for accurate modeling of external power systems in electromagnetic transients programs (EMTPs) is presented. The time domain response of the external system to a multisine excitation signal is utilized to identify a discrete-time model for the external system. The identified model parameters are determined by least-squares estimation. The details of building both single-phase and multiphase equivalents are given. The validity of the equivalents is verified by comparing the electrical transients generated due to the energization of an open-ended line using the full and the equivalent external system. The method is being extended to multiport equivalents. >
Weak convergence and local stability properties of fixed step size recursive algorithms

A recursive equation that subsumes several common adaptive filtering algorithms is analyzed for general stochastic inputs and disturbances by relating the motion of the parameter estimate errors to the behavior of an unforced deterministic ordinary differential equation (ODE). The ODEs describing the motion of several common adaptive filters are examined in some simple settings, including the least mean square (LMS) algorithm and all three of its signed variants (the signed regressor, the signed error, and the sign-sign algorithms). Stability and instability results are presented in terms of the eigenvalues of a correlation-like matrix. This generalizes known results for LMS, signed regressor LMS, and signed error LMS, and gives new stability criteria for the sign-sign algorithm. The ability of the algorithms to track moving parameterizations can be analyzed in a similar manner, by relating the time varying system to a forced ODE. The asymptotic distribution about the forced ODE is an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, the properties of which can be described in a straightforward manner. >
Clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors

The points raised by Juurlink[1][1] in response to our article[2][2] are worthy of consideration. The release kinetics of the drugs as given in the COGENT trial may have attenuated the potential for a drug–drug interaction. However, in the absence of any further randomized clinical trial of
Novel hybrid carbon nanofiber/highly branched graphene nanosheet for anode materials in lithium-ion batteries.

The novel hybrid carbon nanofiber (CNF)/highly branched graphene nanosheet (HBGN) is synthesized via a simple two-step CVD method and its application as the anode material in a lithium-ion battery (LIB) is demonstrated. The CNFs offer a good electrical conductivity and a robust supporting structure, while the HBGNs provide increased Li storage sites including nanoporous cavities, large surface area, and edges of exposed graphene platelets. The hybrid material showed a reversible capacity of 300 mAh g–1 with excellent cycling stability. Our study provides a new avenue for design and synthesis of carbon–carbon hybrid materials for versatile applications.