cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acrolein-induced injury to cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

We evaluated the specific effects of acrolein on sulfhydryl status and plasma membrane-dependent functions of cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Acrolein exposure caused a dose-dependent increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and decreases in reduced glutathione (GSH) and protein sulfhydryl (P-SH) content, whereas oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content was not altered. Exposure to 4.5 μM, but not 1.5 or 3.0 μM, of acrolein caused significant (p < 0.05) LDH release. With increasing concentrations (25 μM) of acrolein, LDH release was increased to 66% (p < 0.001). Acrolein (3.0-25 μM) resulted in 36 to 100% reductions in GSH content, whereas reductions in P-SH content at these concentrations of acrolein ranged from 11 to 37%. Uptake of amino acids (cystine, glycine, and glutamic acid) and incorporation of valine into the protein fraction were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent fashion in acrolein (1.5-4.5 μM)-exposed cells. Reductions in cystine, glycine, and glutamic acid uptakes were maximal in cells exposed to 3 and 4.5 μM acrolein (p < 0.001). Similarly, maximum reductions (p < 0.001) in both uptake and incorporation of valine into the protein fraction were observed at 3.0 and 4.5 μM acrolein. Acrolein (1.5 μM) also resulted in significant loss of plasma membrane-specific Na+/K+-ATPase as well as plasma membrane P-SH content (p < 0.05 for both). When cells were treated with ouabain, reductions in amino acid uptake were observed, and this appeared to mimic the effect of acrolein exposure. When isolated plasma membranes were exposed to a known SH-alkylating agent, N-ethylmaleimide, losses of Na+/ K+-ATPase and P-SH content were observed and were similar to the effects following exposure to acrolein. These results demonstrate that acrolein exposure results in alterations of plasma membrane-dependent transport in pulmonary artery endothelial cells, leading to reduced availability of precursor amino acids used in GSH and protein synthesis. This plasma membrane injury is accompanied by reductions in the GSH and PSH contents of these cells. Loss of the plasma membrane P-SH appears to be associated with specific inactivation of Na+/K+ATPase.
Alterations in RNA and protein synthesis associated with steroid hormone-induced sexual morphogenesis in the water mold Achlya

Abstract The addition of physiological concentrations of the steroid hormone antheridiol to cultures of a strong male strain of the water mold Achlya ambisexualis results in the synchronous development of antheridial branches. Development is transiently dependent on continued transcription and translation and is accompanied by increased rates of synthesis of ribosomal RNA, polyadenylic acid-containing RNA, and protein. However, the quantitative changes in RNA and protein synthesis are most likely secondary effects of the hormone which are the result of a process sensitive to inhibitors of both RNA and protein synthesis.
Turbulence in a Convective Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

The structure and kinetic energy budget of turbulence in the convective marine atmospheric boundary layer as observed by aircraft during a cold air outbreak have been studied using mixed layer scaling. The results are significantly different from those of previous studies under conditions closer to free convection. The normalized turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent transport are about twice those found during the Air Mass Transformation Experiment (AMTEX). This implies that for a given surface heating the present case is dynamically more active. The difference is mainly due to the greater importance of wind shear in the present case. This case is closer to the roll vortex regime, whereas AMTEX observed mesoscale cellular convection which is closer to free convection. Shear generation is found to provide a significant energy source, in addition to buoyancy production, to maintain a larger normalized turbulent kinetic energy and to balance a larger normalized dissipation. The interaction between turbulent pressure and divergence (i.e., pressure scrambling) is also found to transfer energy from the vertical to the horizontal components, and is expected to be stronger in roll vortices than in m esoscale cells. The sensible heat flux is found to fit well with a linear vertical profile in a clear or subcloud planetary boundary layer (PBL), in good agreement with the results of Lenschow et al., (1980). The heat flux ratio between the PBL top and the surface, derived from the linear fitted curve, is approximately -0.14, in good agreement with that derived from the lidar data for the same case. Near the PBL top, the heat flux profiles are consistent with those of Deardoff (1979) and Deardorff et al. (1980).
An alternative approach for chaos: A plane pendulum with oscillating torque

Abstract The shooting method is applied to obtain chaotic motions for a pendulum with a oscillatory torque excitation on its support. It shows that if the pendulum is placed at certain spots, the corresponding motion will become chaotic. It proves the coexistence of uncountably many non-periodic motions and countably many periodic motions of the pendulum.
Use of frozen-hydrated axonemes to assess imaging parameters and resolution limits in cryoelectron tomography.

Abstract Using a 400-kV cryoelectron microscope, we have obtained tomographic reconstructions of frozen-hydrated sea urchin axonemes with 8–10-nm resolution, as assessed by detection of characteristic components including doublet microtubules, radial spokes, central sheath projections, and outer dynein arms. We did not detect the inner dynein arms or the microtubule lattice. The 1/(8 nm) and 1/(16 nm) layer lines are consistently present in power spectra of both projection images and tomographic reconstructions. Strength and detection of the layer lines are dependent upon total electron dose and defocus. Both layer lines are surprisingly resistant to electron doses of up to 11 000 electrons/nm2. We present a summary of resolution considerations in cryoelectron tomography and conclude that the fundamental limitation is the total electron dose required for statistical significance. The electron dose can be fractionated among the numerous angular views in a tomographic data set, but there is an unavoidable fourth-power dependence of total dose on target resolution. Since higher-resolution features are more beam-sensitive, this dose requirement places an ultimate limit on the resolution of individual tomographic reconstructions. Instrumental and computational strategies to circumvent this limitation are discussed.
Decentralized Resource Coordination across Service Workflows in a Cloud Environment

As Cloud computing becomes one of the mainstream distributed computing paradigms, cloud users are generating more intricate business processes and scientific jobs which involve the use of service workflows. Efficient management of those workflows' resources can help save cost and improve QoS. In this paper, we investigate the problem of coordinating resources beyond the boundary of a single workflow. An agent-based decentralized algorithm is proposed to match resource supply and demand from different workflows. The proposed algorithm uses multiple phases of information exchange and local adjustments to produce conflict free resource reallocation decisions. Experiments are conducted using simulation programs and synthetic data. Comparisons with a centralized method demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
The Description of Formative Judaism: The Social Perspective of the Mishnah's System of Civil Law and Government

The Judaism which predominated from the early centuries of the Common Era to the present time, called "rabbinic," or "Talmudic," or simply "Normative" and "Classical," takes shape in the first and second centuries, to be sure drawing heavily upon the heritage of the antecedent millennium, beginning with Scripture itself. In its formative period, documented in particular by the Mishnah (ca. A.D. 200), however, that kind of Judaism for which the Mishnah is the first canonical document after the Scriptures is hardly Talmudic (by definition, the Talmuds coming three centuries later) or rabbinic. While the Mishnaic compilations are rich in allusions to teachings bearing names of people with rabbinical title, in fact those substantive and characteristic interests of rabbinism, in the study of Torah, the interplay between the exegesis of Torah and the doctrines of their own day; the principal institutions of rabbinism, the court-system and the master-disciple circle; the evocative symbols of rabbinism, Moses "our rabbi," "study of Torah," and the like-none of these is materially represented in the constructions of the Mishnah itself. Indeed, the Mishnah's picture of the Israelite government is centered
Constant temperature molecular dynamics simulations of energetic particle-solid collisions: comparison of temperature control methods

Appropriate temperature control methods must be incorporated into simulations that maintain constant temperature. A specific role played by these methods in modeling energetic particle-solid collisions is to absorb the excess energy wave generated by the collision that, if left unchecked, propagates through the material and reflects from the system boundaries. In this study, five temperature control methods are investigated for use in molecular dynamics simulations of carbon cluster deposition on diamond surfaces. These five methods are the Nose-Hoover thermostat, the generalized Langevin equation (GLEQ) approach, the Berendsen method, a modified GLEQ approach where an extra damping mechanism is introduced, and a combination of the GLEQ and Berendsen methods. The temperature control capability and the effectiveness of these methods at reducing the amplitude of the reflected energy wave produced in these systems are compared and discussed. It is found that the realistic performance of these methods depends on the specifics of the system, including incident energy and substrate size. Among the five methods considered, the Berendsen method is found to be effective at removing excess energy in the early stages of the deposition process, but the resultant final temperatures are relatively high in most cases. Additionally, the performance of the Nose-Hoover thermostat is similar to that of the Berendsen method. If the diamond substrate is large enough and the incident energy is not too high, the GLEQ approach is found to be sufficient for removal of excess energy. However, the modified GLEQ approach and the new, combined thermostat perform moderately better than the other approaches at high incident energies.
Epigenetic gene regulation: early environmental exposures.

Environmental epigenetics Traditional research on the combined effects of genetics and the environment investigates how individuals differ in susceptibility to disease and how susceptibility changes over time. The majority of these gene–environment interaction studies focus on genetic sequence variants, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which influence toxicant uptake, metabolism and subsequent disease susceptibility. Others hold genetics constant to evaluate the effects of differential nutritional, environmental and occupational exposures on health and disease. However, it has become clear that while genetics and the environment play an important role in the manifestation of many disorders, they do not fully explain all variation in human disease susceptibility. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that epigenetic gene regulation, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, are also influenced by the environment and may play a role in the fetal basis of adult disease [1]. Specifically, the ‘early origins hypothesis’ postulates that nutrition and other environmental factors during prenatal and early postnatal development program the risks for adverse health outcomes in adult life [2–4]. Developmental plasticity occurs when environmental influences affect cellular pathways during gestation, enabling a single genotype to produce a broad range of adult phenotypes [1]. Recently, human epidemiologic and animal model data have suggested that developmental plasticity is influenced by persistent epigenetic adaptations that occur early in development in response to environmental factors [5–8].
Adenocarcinoma of the uncinate process of the pancreas: MDCT patterns of local invasion and clinical features at presentation.

Objective To compare the multidetector CT (MDCT) patterns of local invasion and clinical findings at presentation in patients with adenocarcinoma of the uncinate process of the pancreas to patients with adenocarcinomas in the non-uncinate head of the pancreas.
Gestational Exposure to the AhR Agonist 2,3,7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Induces BRCA-1 Promoter Hypermethylation and Reduces BRCA-1 Expression in Mammary Tissue of Rat Offspring: Preventive Effects of Resveratrol

Studies with murine models suggest that maternal exposure to aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists may impair mammary gland differentiation and increase the susceptibility to mammary carcinogenesis in offspring. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these perturbations remain largely unknown. Previously, we reported that the AhR agonists 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induced CpG methylation of the breast cancer-1 (BRCA-1) gene and reduced BRCA-1 expression in breast cancer cell lines. Based on the information both the human and rat BRCA-1 genes harbor xenobiotic responsive elements (XRE = 5'-GCGTG-3'), which are binding targets for the AhR, we extended our studies to the analysis of offspring of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats treated during gestation with TCDD alone or in combination with the dietary AhR antagonist resveratrol (Res). We report that the in utero exposure to TCDD increased the number of terminal end buds (TEB) and reduced BRCA-1 expression in mammary tissue of offspring. The treatment with TCDD induced occupancy of the BRCA-1 promoter by DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT-1), CpG methylation of the BRCA-1 promoter, and expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK4). These changes were partially overridden by pre-exposure to Res, which stimulated the expression of the AhR repressor (AhRR) and its recruitment to the BRCA-1 gene. These findings point to maternal exposure to AhR agonists as a risk factor for breast cancer in offspring through epigenetic inhibition of BRCA-1 expression, whereas dietary antagonists of the AhR may exert protective effects.
Notes on linear image restoration by maximizing the a posteriori probability

A distinction is made between the minimum mean-square error estimate derived for the linear case of maximum a posteriori restoration and the common Wiener estimate. The linear MAP filter is shown to produce good results with less a priori knowledge than is required for the Wiener filter.
Seasonal and diurnal dynamics of glucocorticoids and behavior in giant pandas

Abstract Because of the suppressive effect of stress on reproduction and health, it is important to evaluate potential stressors that may compromise captive breeding programs for endangered species. However, behavioral and physiological measures of stress are sometimes difficult to interpret, and their relationship to stress can be obscured by factors unrelated to stress, such as seasonal and diurnal patterns. Here we present findings for daily and seasonal variation in glucocorticoid (GC) secretion and behavior from a 6-year study of 2 giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). In the American black bear (Ursus americanus), seasonal patterns of corticoid secretion are putatively linked to metabolic demands of hibernation. Although pandas do not hibernate, we have found a similar pattern of GC dynamics. Using radioimmunoassay of urinary GC metabolites, we found seasonal variation in GC levels in an adult female and an adult male panda. As in black bears, winter and spring GC levels were significantly higher t...
A driving scheme to reduce AC LED flicker

Light flicker is a common but unwelcome phenomenon in conventional lighting applications. In solid-state lighting, driving or dimming methods also give rise to light flicker. AC LED products in today’s marketplace suffer from flicker, which stems from the arrangement of the micro-LEDs and the driving method. Research has shown that light flicker can be a health hazard to humans. Several solutions have been proposed to reduce light flicker in solid-state lighting applications; however, most have drawbacks in terms of power and other performance. This paper proposes a circuit design to reduce light flicker from AC LEDs while maintaining a normal power factor and high power efficiency. The circuit is composed of one resistive branch and one capacitive branch, and each branch drives a load which is made up of high-voltage LEDs. Percent flicker, power factor, and power efficiency were selected as three metrics, and their benchmarks were set to evaluate the performance of this circuit. Phase shift between the two branches was selected as a factor that could determine the circuit performance. The variations of percent flicker, power factor, and power efficiency as a function of phase shift were identified by theoretical analysis and were verified by experiments. The experimental results show that an optimal solution can be achieved for this circuit design at proper phase shift, where the benchmarks of the three metrics are reached.
The role of late/slow replication of the FRA16D in common fragile site induction

The FRA16D, at 16q23, spans the WWOX gene and is one of the most highly expressed common fragile sites observed when DNA replication is perturbed by aphidicolin. Several lines of evidence suggest that fragile sites are regions of DNA that are unusually sensitive to interference during replication. We have determined that the FRA16D alleles replicate in a synchronous fashion and that replication of these sequences occurs primarily in late S phase extending into G2 phase. Exposure to aphidicolin, an inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha, results in a modest increase in cells with replication of FRA16D sequences in early S phase. This may represent initiation of replication in early S phase coupled with slow replication progression, or, alternatively, these cells may have passed through mitosis, entered the G1-S phase of the next cell cycle, and initiated replication/repair. Our results support a model in which common fragile sites are sequences that may initiate replication in early-mid S phase but are slow to complete replication, and the chromosomal breaks and gaps observed in metaphase cells result from unreplicated DNA.
Cold hardiness of the fly pupal parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis is enhanced by its host Sarcophaga crassipalpis.

Abstract Supercooling points (SCPs) and low temperature survival were determined for diapausing and nondiapausing larvae of the ectoparasitoid Nasonia vitripennis. Neither nondiapausing nor diapausing larvae could survive tissue freezing. The SCP profiles were nearly identical for nondiapause-destined (−27°C) and diapausing larvae (−25°C), but these values were not indicative of the lower limits of tolerance in either type of larvae: larvae were killed by chilling at temperatures well above the SCP. Diapausing larvae could withstand low temperature exposures 3–8 times longer than their nondiapausing counterparts. Low temperature survival was enhanced in diapausing and nondiapausing larvae by their encasement within the puparium of the host flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis: the LT50s determined for nondiapausing and diapausing larvae enclosed by fly puparia were 2–3 times higher than values calculated for larvae removed from the puparia. Additional low temperature protection was gained through acquisition of host cryoprotectants during larval feeding: nondiapausing parasitoid larvae that fed on diapausing flesh fly pupae with high levels of glycerol were able to survive exposure to a subzero temperature 4–9 times longer than wasps reared on nondiapausing fly pupae that contained lower quantities of glycerol. Alanine may also contribute to the cold hardiness of N. vitripennis, as evidenced by the fact that larvae feeding on diapausing fly pupae both contained higher concentrations of alanine and exhibited greater cold hardiness. The results thus demonstrate that several critical features of cold hardiness in the wasp are derived from biochemical and physical attributes of the host.
Spontaneous coherent pulsations in standing-wave laser oscillators: simplified models

A series of simplifications and approximations is introduced into a recently described model for spontaneous pulsations in standing-wave laser oscillators. To the extent that these simplifications are valid they can lead to significant reductions in computation time and sometimes also to a better understanding of the relative importance of various physical effects. Of special interest is the number of spatial harmonics required to represent adequately the effects of longitudinal spatial hole burning. Other approximations investigated include neglect of spectral cross relaxation, neglect of multiple-energy-level equations, neglect of electric-field derivatives, and neglect of polarization derivatives. In addition, a detailed discussion is included that concerns the most efficient numerical implementation of the model.
Amino Acids Regulate Retrieval of the Yeast General Amino Acid Permease from the Vacuolar Targeting Pathway

Intracellular sorting of the general amino acid permease (Gap1p) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on availability of amino acids such that at low amino acid concentrations Gap1p is sorted to the plasma membrane, whereas at high concentrations Gap1p is sorted to the vacuole. In a genome-wide screen for mutations that affect Gap1p sorting we identified deletions in a subset of components of the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) complex, which is required for formation of the multivesicular endosome (MVE). Gap1p-GFP is delivered to the vacuolar interior by the MVE pathway in wild-type cells, but when formation of the MVE is blocked by mutation, Gap1p-GFP efficiently cycles from this compartment to the plasma membrane, resulting in unusually high permease activity at the cell surface. Importantly, cycling of Gap1p-GFP to the plasma membrane is blocked by high amino acid concentrations, defining recycling from the endosome as a major step in Gap1p trafficking under physiological control. Mutations in LST4 and LST7 genes, previously identified for their role in Gap1p sorting, similarly block MVE to plasma membrane trafficking of Gap1p. However, mutations in other recycling complexes such as the retromer had no significant effect on the intracellular sorting of Gap1p, suggesting that Gap1p follows a genetically distinct pathway for recycling. We previously found that Gap1p sorting from the Golgi to the endosome requires ubiquitination of Gap1p by an Rsp5p ubiquitin ligase complex, but amino acid abundance does not appear to significantly alter the accumulation of polyubiquitinated Gap1p. Thus the role of ubiquitination appears to be a signal for delivery of Gap1p to the MVE, whereas amino acid abundance appears to control the cycling of Gap1p from the MVE to the plasma membrane.
The role of a guessing strategy in the Bransford-Franks paradigm

Abstract Within the framework of the Bransford-Franks paradigm, variations of two memory models and a guessing strategy hypothesis were evaluated using concepts that differed in the number of atomic units each contained (‘concept size’). Results showed that, though the precise patterns of recognition for concept size were not completely consistent with any of the explanations, the changes in the patterns across concept size agreed with the guessing strategy hypothesis. It was argued that the subject's interpretation of the guessing strategy is likely to be a similar but simpler version of the experimenter-theorist's formal model, with the consequence that, while less sensitive to the finer details of the formal model, it will still reflect coarser differences.
Improved detection of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by flow cytometric immunophenotyping-Effect of tissue disaggregation method

Background Flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) is recognized as a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for diagnosis of B-cell lymphomas. We observed that FCI failed to identify the clonal B-cell population in several cases of large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) when tissue samples were prepared by a commercially available mechanical tissue disaggregation method. We tested a manual tissue disaggregation method and compared it with the mechanical method. Methods FCI findings from 51 cases of DLBCL processed with the mechanical tissue disaggregation method, 27 cases processed using the manual method, and 15 cases processed using a combination of both methods were compared. The histological and immunohistochemical findings in each case were reviewed. Results FCI detected a clonal B-cell population in 88.9% of cases processed by the manual tissue disaggregation method, 66.7% of cases processed by a combination of the manual and mechanical disaggregation methods, and in 62.7% of cases processed solely by the mechanical tissue disaggregation method (P < 0.01 Fisher exact). Manual processing yielded positive FCI results in 81.8% of the nodal tissue samples and 93.8% of the extra-nodal tissue samples, whereas mechanical disaggregation was particularly inefficient in preserving large lymphoma cells from extra-nodal tissue: 71.4% of the nodal and 56.8% of the extra-nodal tissue samples processed by the mechanical method showed clonal B-cells by flow cytometry (P < 0.006, Fisher exact). Conclusions The diagnostic yield of FCI in DLBCL can be significantly improved by utilizing a manual disaggregation method, particularly in extra-nodal tissue samples. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Estradiol increases ER-negative breast cancer metastasis in an experimental model

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer affecting women in the United States and metastatic breast cancer is the leading cause of death. The role estradiol plays in ER-positive BC is well-documented, but the way it contributes to ER-negative BC remains unclear. In the present study, we utilized an experimental model of BC metastasis into lung by injecting ER-negative murine 4T1 cells into mice via the lateral tail vein. A 56 % metastasis occurrence rate following the injection of 5 × 103 cells was observed, thus this cell number was selected to study the potential stimulatory effect of estradiol on ER-negative BC metastasis. Female ovariectomized mice were randomized into estradiol and control groups with 16 mice per group, and estradiol pellets were implanted subcutaneously in the estradiol group. Results demonstrated that estradiol accelerated BC metastasis as indicated by bioluminescent imaging. In addition, estradiol enhanced metastatic tumor colony formation and increased the size of tumor nodules in the lungs, which were due, in part, to the increase in proliferative cells in the metastatic tumors. In vitro, estradiol increased the motility and invasion of 4T1 cells, and the stimulatory effect on cell motility was not blocked by ICI 182, 780, confirming that ER was not involved in the process. Results from the present study suggest that estradiol plays a role in ER-negative BC metastasis in whole animals.
Gravitational instability of mantle lithosphere and core complexes

For a wide range of viscosity structures, convergent and downward flow of the mantle lithosphere during the growth of gravitational instability induces not only thickening of overlying crust but also concurrent horizontal extension in the upper crust. Such extension, if it occurred in the Earth, would include normal faulting of the upper crust above a region of horizontal shortening in the lower crust and uppermost mantle. Convergent flow in the lower crust would also create shear stress on horizontal planes and localized upward flow of the lower crust. These features—extension of upper crust and exhumation of strained lower crust—characterize metamorphic core complexes exposed in regions of normal to thick continental crust. Thus, convergent flow and downwelling mantle lithosphere might contribute to the development of core complexes, at least in some settings. If horizontal shortening and crustal thickening at depth do occur simultaneously with normal faulting at the surface of the Earth today, evidence of this process does not seem obvious, but perhaps it has occurred concurrently with widespread regional crustal extension in places like the Basin and Range Province, Tibet, the Pamir, or the Aegean. If such mantle flow does participate in the development of core complexes, a weak lower crust might not be a prerequisite for their formation.
Fast simulation of service availability in mesh networks with dynamic path restoration

A fast simulation technique based on importance sampling is developed for the analysis of path service availability in mesh networks with dynamic path restoration. The method combines the simulation of the path rerouting algorithm with a "dynamic path failure importance sampling" (DPFS) scheme to estimate path availabilities efficiently. In DPFS, the failure rates of network elements are biased at increased rates until path failures are observed under rerouting. The simulated model uses "failure equivalence groups," with finite/infinite sources of failure events and finite/infinite pools of repair personnel, to facilitate the modeling of bidirectional link failures, multiple in-series link cuts, optical amplifier failures along links, node failures, and more general geographically distributed failure scenarios. The analysis of a large mesh network example demonstrates the practicality of the technique.
Debrominations of vic-Dibromides with Diorganotellurides. 1. Stereoselectivity, Relative Rates, and Mechanistic Implications.

Debrominations of vic-dibromides with diaryl tellurides 1−4 and di-n-hexyl telluride (9) are described. A mechanistic explanation of the debromination is offered which accounts for several key experimental observations: (1) the reaction is highly stereoselective with erythro-dibromides giving trans-olefins and threo-dibromides giving cis-olefins, (2) the reaction is accelerated by more electron-rich diorganotellurides, (3) the reaction is accelerated in a more polar solvent, (4) the reaction is accelerated by the addition of carbocation-stabilizing substituents to the carbons bearing the bromo substituents, and (5) erythro-dibromides are much more reactive than threo-dibromides. It is proposed that bromonium ion formation from the vic-dibromide is slow and rate-determining. Bromonium ion formation is followed by rapid scavenging of “Br+” by the diorganotelluride. The bromonium ion formation provides stereoselectivity and eclipsing interactions lower the reactivity of threo-dibromides. No intermediate spe...
Fire history and tree recruitment in the Colorado Front Range upper montane zone: implications for forest restoration

Forests experiencing moderate- or mixed-severity fire regimes are presumed to be widespread across the western United States, but few studies have characterized these complex disturbance regimes and their effects on contemporary forest structure. Restoration of pre-fire-suppression open-forest structure to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic stand- replacing fires is a guiding principle in forest management policy, but identifying which forests are clear candidates for restoration remains a challenge. We conducted dendroecological reconstructions of fire history and stand structure at 40 sites in the upper montane zone of the Colorado Front Range (2400-2800 m), sampled in proportion to the distribution of forest types in that zone (50% dominated by ponderosa pine, 28% by lodgepole pine, 12% by aspen, 10% by Douglas-fir). We characterized past fire severity based on remnant criteria at each site in order to assess the effect of fire history on tree establishment patterns, and we also evaluated the influence of fire suppression and climate. We found that 62% of the sites experienced predominantly moderate-severity fire, 38% burned at high severity, and no sites burned exclusively at low severity. The proportion of total tree and sapling establishment was significantly different among equal time periods based on a chi-square test, with highest tree and sapling establishment during the pre-fire-suppression period (1835-1919). Superposed epoch analysis revealed that fires burned during years of extreme drought (95% CI). The major pulse of tree establishment in the upper montane zone occurred during a multidecadal period of extreme drought conditions in the Colorado Front Range (1850-1889), during which 53% of the fires from the 1750-1989 period burned. In the upper montane zone of the Colorado Front Range, historical evidence suggests that these forests are resilient to prolonged periods of severe drought and associated severe fires.
Direct measurement of transverse wakefields in the SLC linac

The transverse wakefields that generate tails in the beam distribution of an off-axis bunch can be viewed as resonant dipole modes in the structure. These same dipole modes were responsible for beam break up of long bunch trains during the early operation of the SLAC linac. This paper describes the excitation of these modes by the single, high-intensity bunches used in SLC operation. Both time and frequency domain measurements were made of the beam induced signals to identify the dipole modes. The amplitude of the measured dipole mode signal is found to be proportional to the bunch's offset in the structure. The utility of this technique for obtaining alignment information of the linac structure is discussed for both the SLC and future linear colliders.
Polarizer miter bends for high-power microwave transmission: Ohmic loss and cooling

Abstract Waveguide miter bends with grooved mirrors are used to alter the polarization in oversized waveguides. The grooves increase the ohmic loss on the mirrors, and this increase is a function of the incident and output polarizations. In this paper, theoretical calculations of ohmic loss are compared with other available theory and experimental data. The optimum orientation and location of the polarizer miter bends for the lowest maximum ohmic loss is determined from the theory. Then the capability of polarizer miter bends to handle the heat loading at ITER is evaluated, using theoretical calculations of the ohmic loss and ANSYS modeling of the mirror cooling.
Retinal pigment epithelial cell transplantation after subfoveal membranectomy in age-related macular degeneration: clinicopathologic correlation

Abstract PURPOSE: To report the histopathology after retinal pigment epithelial cell transplantation and subfoveal membranectomy in age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: An 85-year-old white woman with bilateral choroidal neovascularization underwent subfoveal membranectomy combined with transplantation of a sheet of human adult retinal pigment epithelium (retinal pigment epithelium) under the foveal center in the right eye. The patient was immunosuppressed postoperatively with prednisone, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. The patient died from congestive heart failure 114 days after surgery. RESULTS: A patch of hyperpigmentation was visible at the transplant site under the foveola after surgery. Mound-like clusters of individual round, large densely pigmented cells were present in the subretinal space and outer retina in this area. There was loss of the photoreceptor outer segments and native retinal pigment epithelium in the center of the transplant bed, with disruption of the outer nuclear layer predominantly over regions of multilayered pigmented cells. Cystic spaces were present in the inner and outer retina. A residual intra-Bruchs membrane component of the original choroidal neovascular complex was present under the transplant site. CONCLUSIONS: The transplant site contained clusters of round, pigmented cells that did not form a uniform monolayer in most areas. The morphology at the transplant site is consistent with the lack of visual improvement seen after surgery in this patient.
Histamine H2 Receptor-Mediated Suppression of Intestinal Inflammation by Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri

ABSTRACT Probiotics and commensal intestinal microbes suppress mammalian cytokine production and intestinal inflammation in various experimental model systems. Limited information exists regarding potential mechanisms of probiotic-mediated immunomodulation in vivo . In this report, we demonstrate that specific probiotic strains of Lactobacillus reuteri suppress intestinal inflammation in a trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mouse colitis model. Only strains that possess the hdc gene cluster, including the histidine decarboxylase and histidine-histamine antiporter genes, can suppress colitis and mucosal cytokine (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and IL-1β in the colon) gene expression. Suppression of acute colitis in mice was documented by diminished weight loss, colonic injury, serum amyloid A (SAA) protein concentrations, and reduced uptake of [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([ 18 F]FDG) in the colon by positron emission tomography (PET). The ability of probiotic L. reuteri to suppress colitis depends on the presence of a bacterial histidine decarboxylase gene(s) in the intestinal microbiome, consumption of a histidine-containing diet, and signaling via the histamine H2 receptor (H2R). Collectively, luminal conversion of l-histidine to histamine by hdc + L. reuteri activates H2R, and H2R signaling results in suppression of acute inflammation within the mouse colon. IMPORTANCE Probiotics are microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer beneficial effects on the host. Supplementation with probiotic strains was shown to suppress intestinal inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and in rodent colitis models. However, the mechanisms of probiosis are not clear. Our current studies suggest that supplementation with hdc + L. reuteri, which can convert l-histidine to histamine in the gut, resulted in suppression of colonic inflammation. These findings link luminal conversion of dietary components (amino acid metabolism) by gut microbes and probiotic-mediated suppression of colonic inflammation. The effective combination of diet, gut bacteria, and host receptor-mediated signaling may result in opportunities for therapeutic microbiology and provide clues for discovery and development of next-generation probiotics.
The Federal Circuit as an institution

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a unique institution. Unlike other circuit courts, the Federal Circuit’s jurisdiction is bound by subject area rather than geography, and it was created to address a unique set of problems specific to patent law. These characteristics have affected its institutional development and made the court one of the most frequently studied appellate courts. This chapter examines this development and describes the evolving qualities that have helped the Federal Circuit distinguish itself, for better or worse, as an institution.This chapter begins with an overview of the concerns existing before creation of the Federal Circuit and then discusses the Federal Court Improvements Act of 1982, including what Congress was trying to achieve with the Federal Circuit and how the court was structured in terms of subject matter jurisdiction and the courts it replaced. Next, this chapter will describe the problem of not having a uniform patent law and how the Federal Circuit has impacted uniformity. It will describe how forum shopping was influenced and whether uniformity has affected the diversity and percolation of ideas related to patent law.This chapter then discusses how the Federal Circuit has impacted certainty and predictability of patent law. It begins by looking at where the pressure for certainty comes from. It then focuses on the Federal Circuit’s treatment of a few representative issues to determine whether the court has succeeded in providing it.Next, this chapter explores the quality of the Federal Circuit’s patent jurisprudence, including whether the Federal Circuit is too formalistic in its decisionmaking and if it pays enough attention to policy and technological considerations and scholarship.Given the focus on the Federal Circuit as an institution, this chapter will describe how the Federal Circuit is structured, the makeup of the individual judges on the court, and how these qualities affect the court as such. The role of individual judges and types of judges on the Federal Circuit are examined as well as how internal dynamics and en banc hearings play a role in the decisionmaking process. This chapter then explores the Federal Circuit’s interactions with other institutions and examines which institutions are and should be performing what role in the development of patent law. This section notes the interesting and dynamic interactions the Federal Circuit has had with the Supreme Court, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, district courts, the Solicitor General, and Congress. Finally, this chapter closes with concluding thoughts about empirical research on the Federal Circuit and suggests further areas of exploration.
Mark and His Readers: The Son of God among Jews

First, a few remarks about the audience of the Gospel according to Mark. This study is based on the premise that Mark was read aloud in gatherings of Christians in the late first and early second centuries that were not necessarily liturgical in a narrow sense. Further, those who listened were not all equally committed to the Christian faith and probably assimilated and interpreted the instruction that they received in various ways. Some in the audience, even if they were familiar with the Pauline understanding of Jesus as the Son of God, may have preferred to de-fine Jesus' divine sonship in another, more traditionally Jewish way, to be discussed below. Finally, even if the Gospel was written primarily for insiders, it is likely that copies were available to interested or critical outsiders. Celsus's knowl-edge of the Gospels shows that this happened at least by the second half of the second century.
Let Us Pledge Not to Use H-Bomb First!

At the close of the recent meeting of the Physical Society in New York, twelve of the country's prominent physicists issued the following statement:
Endomorphisms and null subalgebras of finite dimensional algebras

In [5] it was shown that a finite dimensional binary algebra without nilpotents over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero has only the trivial derivation and, consequently, a finite automorphism group. It is shown here that an m-ary algebra without nilpotents has only finitely many endomorphisms, with no assumptions on the characteristic of the base field. An upper bound on the dimension of the algebraic set of endomorphisms of a finite dimensional m-ary algebra, depending on the dimension of a maximal null subalgebra, is obtained if the base field is the complex field. The null subalgebras arising from a single derivation are examined for the case of an algebraically closed base field of characteristic zero.
Closed-End Fund IPO Considerations

While closed-end funds (CEFs) have a long history, relatively recent research in economics and finance has provided new insights about these funds. This essay explains the unique structure of CEFs and argues that absent a compelling reason, investors should generally avoid purchasing CEF shares in an initial public offering.
Enhanced moments in bcc Co 1−x Mn x on MgO(001)

Abstract A 40% enhancement of the Co magnetic moment has been found for thin films of bcc Co1−xMnx grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a 2 nm bcc Fe buffer layer on MgO(001). Although the bcc phase cannot be stabilized in the bulk, we confirm that it is stable as an epitaxial film in the composition range x=0–0.7. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we show that the Co moment is a maximum of 2.38 μB at x=0.24, while the net Mn moment remains roughly constant until x=0.24, then drops steadily. Mn is found to align parallel with Co for all ferromagnetic concentrations, up to x=0.7, where the total moment of the film abruptly collapses to zero, most likely due to the onset of the observed structural instability.
The Illusion of Security

This final chapter starts by examining how the regional security landscape is changing in response to non-traditional and longer-term challenges to stability. The large themes explored in this book, such as the internationalisation of the Gulf, increasingly must coexist alongside potent sources of insecurity stemming from state failure in Yemen, ongoing state weaknesses in Iraq, and the ideational and material threat from Iran. Since late 2010, the Arab Spring has injected powerful new pressures and highlighted the weaknesses of authoritarian regimes in regulating or stemming the flows of new ideas, methods of communication, or patterns of mobilisation. Thus, the rapid technological advances in information and communications pose a qualitatively different threat to Gulf rulers, who have responded with a series of technocratic measures that largely ignored or downplayed the social dimension of the Arab Spring.
2. Line Bundles and Elliptic Varieties

2.1 Mixed Cusp Forms and Line Bundles 2.2 Elliptic Varieties 2.3 Modular Symbols 2.4 Eichler-Shimura Relations
Deficits in episodic memory are related to uncontrolled eating in a sample of healthy adults.

Abstract Despite a substantial amount of animal data linking deficits in memory inhibition to the development of overeating and obesity, few studies have investigated the relevance of memory inhibition to uncontrolled eating in humans. Further, although memory for recent eating has been implicated as an important contributor to satiety and energy intake, the possibility that variations in episodic memory relate to individual differences in food intake control has been largely neglected. To examine these relationships, we recruited ninety-three adult subjects to attend a single lab session where we assessed body composition, dietary intake, memory performance, and eating behaviors (Three Factor Eating Questionnaire). Episodic recall and memory inhibition were assessed using a well-established measure of memory interference (Retrieval Practice Paradigm). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that memory inhibition was largely unrelated to participants' eating behaviors; however, episodic recall was reliably predicted by restrained vs. uncontrolled eating: recall was positively associated with strategic dieting (β = 2.45, p = 0.02), avoidance of fatty foods (β = 3.41, p = 0.004), and cognitive restraint (β = 1.55, p = 0.04). In contrast, recall was negatively associated with uncontrolled eating (β = −1.15, p = 0.03) and emotional eating (β = −2.46, p = 0.04). These findings suggest that episodic memory processing is related to uncontrolled eating in humans. The possibility that deficits in episodic memory may contribute to uncontrolled eating by disrupting memory for recent eating is discussed.
Politics and Entrepreneurial Activity in the U.S

There is a strong belief that Republicans are more pro-business than Democrats. In this paper, we investigate the causal impact of partisan allegiance of governors (Republican or Democratic) on business creation using entrepreneurship data constructed from the Census Population Surveys and establishment creation data from the Business Dynamics Statistics. By exploiting random variation in close gubernatorial elections in 50 states over the last three decades in a Regression Discontinuity design, we find, surprisingly, that Republicans are not different than Democrats in business creation. Our findings are robust to a number of different specifications, samples, and controls.