cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in QCLs, high finesse optical cavities and robotic instrumentation: Addressing climate change with new experimental strategies

Te key irrefutable evidence for irreversible change in the Earth's climate structure lies in the high Arctic. Specifcally, the observed loss of permanent foating ice in the Arctic Ocean, which has decreased from 16 × 103 km3 in 1979 to 3 × 103 km3 in 2012, represents an onset of climate change that was not predicted to occur at anything like the observed rate — even as late as the 2007 IPCC report. Te rapid loss of permanent ice is still not quantitatively understood in terms of the mechanisms controlling the fow of thermal energy into the system, yet both the rate of loss and the increasing rate of that loss place the time scale for the loss of all permanent foating ice to be within this decade. Te remarkable consistency of the quantitative loss in ice volume, as thermal energy fowed into the ice structure, is demonstrated by both the absolute volume as a function of time and the steepening curvature in the time dependence of volumetric loss as shown in Figure 1. Tis increasing curvature is a clear refection of the feedbacks that are accelerating further loss as the Arctic Ocean foating ice recedes.
Boryl-metal bonds facilitate cobalt/nickel-catalyzed olefin hydrogenation.

New approaches toward the generation of late first-row metal catalysts that efficiently facilitate two-electron reductive transformations (e.g., hydrogenation) more typical of noble-metal catalysts is an important goal. Herein we describe the synthesis of a structurally unusual S = 1 bimetallic Co complex, [(CyPBP)CoH]2 (1), supported by bis(phosphino)boryl and bis(phosphino)hydridoborane ligands. This complex reacts reversibly with a second equivalent of H2 (1 atm) and serves as an olefin hydrogenation catalyst under mild conditions (room temperature, 1 atm H2). A bimetallic Co species is invoked in the rate-determining step of the catalysis according to kinetic studies. A structurally related NiINiI dimer, [(PhPBP)Ni]2 (3), has also been prepared. Like Co catalyst 1, Ni complex 3 displays reversible reactivity toward H2, affording the bimetallic complex [(PhPBHP)NiH]2 (4). This reversible behavior is unprecedented for NiI species and is attributed to the presence of a boryl–Ni bond. Lastly, a series of ...
Note: On cyclically orientable graphs

Graph G is called cyclically orientable (CO) if it admits an orientation in which every simple chordless cycle is cyclically oriented. This family of graphs was introduced by Barot et al. [Cluster algebras of finite type and positive symmetrizable matrices, J. London Math. Soc. (3) 73 (2006) 545-564]. The authors obtained several nice characterizations of CO-graphs, being motivated primarily by their applications in cluster algebras. Here we obtain several new characterizations that provide algorithms for recognizing CO-graphs and obtaining their cyclic orientations in linear time. We show that the edge maximal CO-graphs are 2-trees; that is, G=(V,E) is a 2-tree if and only if G is CO and G^'=(V,E^') is not CO whenever E is a proper subset of E^'.
The de-standardization of high-school tracking hypothesis: A case study

Abstract We examine a highly focused case of the de-standardization hypothesis presented by Lucas in his work: Tracking Inequality: Stratification and Mobility in American School. Lucas argues that during the late 1960s and early 1970s, high schools in the U.S. underwent a ‘unremarked revolution’ in which highly institutionalized, rigidly defined course taking tracks gave way to more flexible less standardized pathways through high school. We apply a latent class analysis to four cohorts of high school students from a single school that span from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s to find evidence that such a transformation indeed occurred. Evidence for a transformation would include: (1) models specifying fewer latent pathways would better fit earlier cohorts, (2) with the number of latent pathways held constant, classification of individuals to pathways would be easier in the earlier cohort, (3) with number of latent pathways held constant, students in the same track in earlier cohorts would have higher levels of concordant course-taking than students in later cohorts. We do not find support for any of these three expectations. In short, in this case study, we find no evidence to support the de-standardization hypothesis.
Gonadotropin dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Gonadotropin abnormalities are common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Interpretation of LH values depends on body weight, time of last ovulation, assay used, and the precision of the normative data against which a value is compared.
A combinatorial ledge: reverse transcriptase fidelity, total body viral burden, and the implications of multiple-drug HIV therapy for the evolution of antiviral resistance

The chronicity, high mutation rates, and high circulating titers of HIV during the 'stable' phase of infection make rapid evolution of resistance mutations a key predictor of antiretroviral efficacy. Recent advances in measurement of viral RNA titers, turnover dynamics and the in vivo spectrum of resistance mutations allow realistic in vivo estimates of important kinetic parameters of within-patient evolution of viral resistance. First-order estimates of the frequency of viral genotypes necessary for resistance to many antiretroviral combination regimens indicate that many such genotypes pre-exist in patients prior to initiation of therapy. The combinatorial nature of observed multiply-resistant genotypes, however, along with current estimates of total-body viral load and viral turnover dynamics, imply a strikingly sharp transition associated with the change from two-drug to three-drug antiretroviral regimens: pre-existing resistance being near-certain in the first instance but highly unlikely in the second. This abrupt change, a 'combinatorial ledge', carries with it a number of important implications for the understanding and control of HIV infection and other potential targets of antiviral therapy.
Internal Wave Reflection by a Velocity Shear and Density Anomaly

Abstract Numerical solutions are obtained for the reflection of upward propagating internal waves by simple pycnocline and current shear models. Results for a simple monotonic shear and a velocity jet, with and without a pycnocline, lead to the conclusions that: 1) significant portions of an internal wave spectrum generated in the deep ocean can be reflected back downward by changing Brunt-Vaisala frequency and shear, even in situations not involving critical layers; 2) reflections by shear usually reinforce those from density variations; and 3) under some propagation conditions, a portion of the wave energy is leaked through the velocity jet, even when the fluid within the jet will not support wave motion of the impinging, frequency.
Growth and differentiation of hamster tracheal epithelial cells in culture.

The purpose of these studies was to define culture conditions that support growth and differentiation of normal epithelial cells obtained from hamster tracheas. Epithelial cells from tracheas of adult hamsters were collected using enzymatic procedures and cultured under various conditions. The medium used consisted of a 1:1 mixture of medium 199 and Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 2% fetal bovine serum, which was conditioned by mouse 3T3 cells before use. Insulin, transferrin, hydrocortisone, epidermal growth factor, and an extract from bovine hypothalamus were used as supplements. When seeded on uncoated or collagen-coated tissue culture dishes, the hamster cells grew only poorly. When the cells were seeded on collagen gels, however, rapid and prolonged growth ensued. The cultures had a population doubling time of 20 hr and a colony-forming efficiency of 7–10%, and they could be grown for up to three passages. Growth was dependent on the presence of transferrin, insulin, epidermal growth factor, ...
Effects of spinal cord and substrate on acetylcholinesterase in chick embryonic skeletal muscle

Abstract The developmental changes in the specific activities of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cholinesterase (ChE) in embryonic chick skeletal muscle have been determined from the seventh day of incubation to hatching. Evidence was presented by means of denervation studies that prior to the sixteenth day of development the AChE of this muscle tissue is myogenic in origin. A definite change in the shape of the developmental curve of AChE after the fifteenth day was interpreted in terms of motor end plate formation in the muscle fibers. Acetyl-β-methylcholine (methacholine), a substrate of AChE, was shown to raise the activity of the enzyme over that of controls in primary monolayer cultures of 8-day embryonic muscle cells, but this effect cannot be regarded as a true “inductive” response. Only after the level of the enzyme had dropped to a low level in the cultures, after 3–4 serial transfers, did this substrate induce AChE, and the response was small. Spinal cord from 4-day chick embryos added to monolayer cultures of muscle tissue enhanced growth slightly, but depressed the specific activity of AChE. This depression was partially overcome by adding the substrate methacholine. It is concluded that substrate induction is not a primary mechanism for the control of AChE in embryonic chick skeletal muscle and that embryonic spinal cord exerts its influence upon developing muscle by factors other than stationary levels of acetylcholine.
Goldfish color vision sensitivity is high under light-adapted conditions.

The wavelength discrimination threshold of three goldfish was examined in a series of behavioral experiments. Using an auto-shaping technique, detection thresholds were established for 531 and 648 nm spectral increments presented on a 6.6 cd m−2 white background. Next, discrimination between the wavelengths was established at equal, suprathreshold, intensities. Finally, the intensities of the two stimuli were reduced to establish the intensity threshold for the wavelength discrimination. The results indicate that goldfish, like several mammalian species, can discriminate wavelength at detection threshold intensity. This finding suggests that high color sensitivity is not confined to mammals or dependent upon a very high percentage of wavelength opponent ganglion cells. Rather, high color vision sensitivity may be based upon an inherent sensitivity advantage of wavelength opponent receptive fields compared to non-wavelength opponent receptive fields and be an important selective advantage of wavelength opponency and color vision.
Origin of immunoreactive lymphocytes in rats.

Abstract The results of these studies show that in rats both thymus-derived and bone marrow-derived lymphocytes are required for the production of anti-SRBC immunoglobulin, and that the antibody-forming cells are derived from the bone marrow. On the other hand, bone marrow-derived cells are apparently not required for reactivity in mixed lymphocyte interaction (MLI) and approximately 90% of the cells reactive to histocompatability antigens in the MLI or to phytohemagglutinin are thymus-derived.
The justification of political conformism: The mythology of Soviet intellectuals

Only during a brief period in the aftermath of the revolution was a portion of the Soviet intelligentsia eager sincerely to cooperate with the Soviet system. Soon, with Stalin's repressions, the intelligentsia, and especially its elite — the intellectuals, or those involved in creative activities such as science, literature and the arts, became locked in permanent conflict with the government.
Interlacing and nonorthogonality of spectral polynomials for the Lamé operator

Polynomial solutions to the Heine-Stieltjes equation, the Stieltjes polynomials, and the associated Van Vleck polynomials have been studied since the 1830's in various contexts including the solution of the Laplace equation on an ellipsoid. Recently there has been renewed interest in the distribution of the zeros of Van Vleck polynomials as the degree of the corresponding Stieltjes polynomials increases. In this paper we show that the zeros of Van Vleck polynomials corresponding to Stieltjes polynomials of successive degrees interlace. We also show that the spectral polynomials formed from the Van Vleck zeros are not orthogonal with respect to any measure. This furnishes a counterexample, coming from a second order differential equation, to the converse of the well-known theorem that the zeros of orthogonal polynomials interlace.
Analytic Photonic Crystal Cavity Design

In this work, the authors extend a previously reported one-dimensional method to the full plane of the photonic crystal, and apply it to photonic crystal cavity design. The authors started with a desired field which, for cavities, is chosen according to a simple radiation-density expression to minimize total internal reflection losses.
The kinetics of change in cytokine production by CD4 T cells during conventional allergen immunotherapy.

Abstract Background: The effect of conventional allergen immunotherapy on allergen-specific T lymphocyte cytokine production is incompletely understood, particularly during the initial phase of treatment. Objective: The purpose of this study was to prospectively follow the kinetics of change in CD4 + T cell cytokine secretion during the course of conventional immunotherapy. Methods: Six allergic individuals were treated with extracts of Dermatophagoides farinae/Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or with rye grass pollen (Lolium perenne) allergen, but not both, by using an internally controlled conventional immunotherapy protocol. CD4 + T cells from peripheral blood were examined in vitro at varying intervals after the initiation of immunotherapy by stimulation with D farinae or L perenne group I antigen. The quantity of IL-4 and IFN-γ produced and its relationship to clinical improvement was determined. Results: The ratio of allergen-specific IL-4/IFN-γ production by CD4 + T cells from 4 of 6 individuals receiving immunotherapy greatly increased during the period when the dose of allergen was increasing. However, after high-dose maintenance therapy was achieved, this ratio decreased in subjects responding clinically to, but not in those failing, immunotherapy. In addition, late-phase skin reactions and allergen-specific IgE levels in responding, but not in nonresponding, subjects diminished over the course of immunotherapy. Conclusion: Conventional immunotherapy may initially exacerbate allergic disease by increasing allergen-specific IL-4 and allergen-specific IgE production. Later clinical improvement is associated with a reduction in allergen-specific IL-4 production and in allergen-specific serum IgE. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:468-75.)
Effect of Ball Milling on Magnetic Properties of Nb Substituted R2Fe16Nb1 (R: Gd and Er) Alloys

In this work, we report the effect of high energy ball milling (HEBM) on Nb doped R2Fe16Nb1 (R= Gd, Er) compounds. The focus of the work is to bring enhancement in magnetic properties of R2Fe17 (2:17) compounds with the ball milling. Specifically, we find that the ball milling increases saturation magnetization, coercivity, and Curie temperature. The increase in the magnetization and Curie temperature upon ball milling is related to the lattice expansion and microstrains while the increase in coercivity is related to the grain refinement.
American Slavery in Recent Brazilian Scholarship, with Emphasis on Quantitative Socio-economic Studies

There is little question that the most dynamic, extensive, voluminous and interesting research on African slavery in any part of the Americas is now being done by Brazilian scholars. Nothing like this activity has been seen in North American historiography since the 1970s as any review of journals and dissertations will show. In contrast, since the centenary celebration of abolition of slavery in Brazil in 1988, there has been an ever-increasing flow of theses, dissertations, articles and books on all aspects of slavery and the Afro-American experience in Brazil. From Para to Rio Grande do Sul there is a continuous production of local and regional studies, of both an economic and social nature. The aim of this essay will be to review this new research primarily in the area of quantitative social and economic analysis, which of course is only one part of this extensive new research agenda on slave studies.1
Analysis of aggregation effects in vehicular emission estimation

In the United States, most emissions modeling is done using the MOBILE suite of programs. One of the inputs required is vehicle kilometers of travel (VKT) for each vehicle class as a function of average speed. This information traditionally has been obtained from macroscopic planning models whereby the average speed on a given length of roadway is the same for all vehicle classes. During the past 10 years, however, there has been a definite shift away from macro-level transportation modeling to a more simulation-based approach. In addition to the advances in modeling techniques, the advent of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) has opened numerous possibilities for capturing detailed transportation-related information. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the trade-offs involved under different aggregation scenarios for estimating vehicular emissions using data sets produced by microsimulation models and ITS. A 22-km section of Interstate 10 in Houston, Texas, was used as the test bed in this s...
Atomic-scale simulation of 50 keV Si displacement cascades in β-SiC

Molecular dynamics (MD) methods with a modified Tersoff potential have been used to simulate high-energy (50 keV) displacement cascades in b-SiC. The results show that the lifetime of the thermal spike is on the order of 0.7 ps, 10 times shorter than that in metals, and the surviving defects are dominated by C interstitials and vacancies, which is similar to behavior for 10 keV cascades in SiC. Antisite defects are generated on both sub-lattices. Although the total number of antisite defects remaining at the end of the cascade is smaller than that of Frenkel pairs, the number of Si antisites is larger than the number of Si interstitials. Most surviving defects are single interstitials and vacancies, and only 19% of the interstitial population is contained in clusters. The size of the interstitial clusters is small, and the largest cluster found, among all the cascades considered, contained only 4 interstitial atoms, which is significantly different behavior than obtained by MD simulations in metals. It is observed that all clusters are created by a quenched-in mechanism directly from the collisional phase of the cascade due to the very short lifetime of the thermal spike. The initial Si recoil traveled about 65 nmmore » on average, generating multiple sub-cascades and forming a dispersed arrangement in the cascade geometry. These results suggest that in-cascade or direct-impact amorphization in SiC does not occur with any high degree of probability during the cascade lifetime of Si cascades, even with high-energy recoils, consistent with previous experimental and MD observations.« less
CANCER MORTALITY AMONG RUBBER WORKERS: AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY*

Several previous epidemiologic studies of the rubber industry--an industry that uses many chemicals--have identified excess mortality from certain specific cancers. In this study, four cohorts of active and retired workers, at four major rubber-tire plants, were identified historically and followed for the ten-year period from 1964 to 1973. The cancer mortality of these four population was compared, separately and combined, with that of the general community. For all cancers combined, there was a slight excess above the expected number of deaths, whereas for some specific cancers (stomach, colon, prostate, and neoplasms of the lymphatic and hematopoietic system) there was a marked excess of deaths. Proportional mortality analysis at other small plants revealed similar excesses for these cancers, and some excess for lung, bladder, and CNS cancers. Analysis of detailed individual work histories reveals an association of certain cancers with specific job exposures; in particular, lymphatic leukemia and solvent exposure, and lung cancer and curing-room exposure. For both bladder cancer and stomach cancer, preliminary analyses indicate an association with groups of jobs in adjacent production stages (handling and mixing raw ingredients, and processing the "green" precured rubber, respectively). Further analytic studies are currently under way to identify groups of rubber workers at increased risk of other specific cancers.
The C2H4/He reaction on Rh/MgO studied by transient methods

Abstract The reaction of a 0.5 mol% C 2 H 4 /He mixture with 2.5 wt% Rh/MgO at 310 and 533 K was studied by employing transient and temperature-programmed methods. The reaction of C 2 H 4 /He at 310 K gives CH 4 and C 2 H 6 in the gas phase, whereas the surface species formed desorb and decompose after programming the temperature in He flow. This procedure results in CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 and H 2 in the gas phase and carbon on the surface. The reaction of C 2 H 4 /He at 533 K produces CH 4 , C 2 H 6 and surface carbonaceous species, but the reaction is quenched after 5 min of continuous feed. The results indicate that this is due to accumulation of carbonaceous species (ϴ = 0.82) which prevent further chemisorption of ethylene.
Werner syndrome lymphoblastoid cells are sensitive to camptothecin-induced apoptosis in S-phase.

Werner Syndrome (WRN) is an autosomal recessive disorder showing an endogenous mutator phenotype in combination with an elevated risk of predominantly mesenchymal cancer. The gene mutated in WRN patients codes for 3’→5’ DNA helicase and 3’→5’ exonuclease activities. We have found similar S-phase arrest in both WRN and control cells after treatment with the DNA-topoisomerase-I-trapping drug camptothecin; this may be responsible for the drug-exposure-related growth inhibition seen in both cell types. A clearer phenotypic difference between WRN and control immortalized B-cell lines (LCLs) is obtained by examining cell death. The mechanism of camptothecin-induced cell death in WRN-deficient LCLs appears to be through apoptosis, a phenotype that strongly differentiates WRN-deficient from wild-type LCLs. We hypothesize that, in cells deficient for WRN function, a topoisomerase-I-DNA intermediate persists. Conflict with DNA replication may lead to apoptosis, increased mutation rates, and cancer in WRN.
Cost-effectiveness of Radiation vs. NSAID Administration for Prevention of Heterotopic Ossification After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Purpose/Objective(s): Heterotopic ossification (HO), or abnomal bone formation, is a common sequela of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Often, this abnormal bone can impair joint function. Once formed, abnormal bone must be surgically removed to restore mobility. HO can be prevented by postoperative NSAID use or radiation to the periarticular tissues. NSAIDs are associated with multiple toxicities including gastritis, bleeding events and renal impairment. Although radiation has been shown to be more efficacious than NSAID administration in randomized trials and a meta-analysis, its cost-effectiveness has been questioned. Materials/Methods: We performed an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of single fraction post-operative radiation therapy to the hip as compared to NSAID administration, taking into account the added costs of surgery for failure of HO prophylaxis, treatment induced morbidity, and productivity loss from missed work. We used the preferred societal perspective. The direct medical costs of radiation, surgical revision for recurrent HO, and treatment of NSAID toxicity were estimated using the 2007 Medicare Fee Schedule and pricer software for 2007 Medicare inpatient DRG codes. The frequencies of these toxicities were taken from published randomized trials and the package insert for indomethacin. The indirect costs of lost wages were estimated using 2005 median salary data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Results: Conclusions: If one considers only the direct medical costs of treatment, then radiation appears to be much more expensive than NSAID administration for prevention of HO ($899 vs. $34). However, if one considers the additional costs associated with treatment failure and treatment induced morbidity, these costs converge ($1,207 vs. $991). This analysis is limited in that it did not attempt to assign a monetary value to the impairment in quality of life associated with symptomatic HO recurrence and the risk of death associated with GI hemorrhage (estimated at 5-10% of all patients admitted with NSAID induced GI bleeding). These considerations lead the authors to recommend radiation as the preferred modality for use in prophylaxis against HO after THA, even when cost-effectiveness is taken into consideration.
Proton exchange in type II isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase.

Type II isopentenyl diphosphate:dimethylallyl diphosphate (IPP:DMAPP) isomerase from Synechocystis PCC 6803 catalyzes the interconversion of IPP and DMAPP. Upon incubation of the enzyme with IPP or DMAPP in 2H2O, one deuterium is incorporated into the C2 methylene of IPP, two deuteriums are incorporated at C4, and three deuteriums are incorporated into the (E)-methyl of DMAPP.
Endothelin-1 activation of ETB receptors leads to a reduced cellular proliferative rate and an increased cellular footprint

Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a vasoactive peptide which signals through two G-protein coupled receptors, endothelin receptor A (ETA) and B (ETB). We determined that ET-1 activation of its ETB receptor in stably cDNA transfected CHO cells leads to a 55% reduction in cell number by end-point cell counting and a 35% decrease in cell growth by a real-time cell-substrate impedance-based assay after 24 h of cell growth. When CHO ETB cells were synchronized in the late G1 cell cycle phase, ET-1 delayed their S phase progression compared to control by 30% as determined by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. On the other hand, no such delay was observed during late G2/M to G1 transit when cells were treated with ET-1 after release from mitotic arrest. Using the cell-substrate impedance-based assay, we observed that ET-1 induces opposing morphological changes in CHO ETA and CHO ETB cells with ETB causing an increase in the cell footprint and ETA a decrease. Likewise, in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, which express both ETA and ETB receptors, ET-1 induces an ETA-dependent contraction and an ETB dependent dilation. These results are shedding light on a possible beneficial role for ETB in diseases involving ET-1 dysfunction such as pulmonary hypertension.
An e-beam evaporated borosilicate glass thin film as an encapsulant for annealing Be-implant InP

Abstract An e-beam deposited borosilicate glass thin film has successfully been used as an encapsulant for annealing Be-implanted InP. The target material for e-beam deposition was commercially available glass tubing with the trade name Vycor. Thin films that were deposited at 250 °C and subsequently in-situ flash annealed at 350 °C were used to protect the InP surface during ion implantation and rapid thermal annealing. The activation efficiency was about 60%, with a carrier concentration in the 1 × 10 17 cm −3 . P-n junctions with low leakage current have also been fabricated. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of this thin film encapsulant. The full potential of this encapsulant technology, for diffusion masks and full 2-in. wafer processing, has been explored.
Review Article The View from Mount Uluda

(2002). Review Article The View from Mount Uluda < Edebiyat: Journal of M.E. Literatures: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 87-103.
Alterations in serum MMP-8, MMP-9, IL-12p40 and IL-23 in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon-β1b:

Background: Interferon-β1b (IFN-β1b), an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), lessens disease severity in MS patients. However, the mechanisms of its immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in MS remain only partially understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) are involved in blood brain barrier disruption and formation of MS lesions. Th1/Th17 cytokines e.g. interleukins IL-12p40, IL-17, and IL-23, are associated with MS disease activity and are significant players in pathogenesis of MS.Objective: During a 1-year prospective study, we serially measured serum MMP-8, MMP-9, TIMP-1, IL-12p40, IL-17, and IL-23 in 24 patients with relapsing—remitting MS. We compared the results to clinical course and to brain magnetic resonance imaging. IFN-β1b decreased serum MMP-8 and MMP-9 (not TIMP-1).Results: The sustained treatment with IFN-β1b attenuated the pro-inflammatory environment by significantly reducing the serum IL-12p40, IL-23, an...
Cognitive processes: Implications for assessing intelligence

(1983). Cognitive processes: Implications for assessing intelligence. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 22, Early Adolescence: A New Look, pp. 145-150.
Generation of antigen-specific immunity following systemic immunization with DNA vaccine encoding CCL25 chemokine immunoadjuvant.

A significant hurdle in vaccine development for many infectious pathogens is the ability to generate appropriate immune responses at the portal of entry, namely mucosal sites. The development of va...
Pain coping skills training in the management of osteoarthritic knee pain-II: Follow-up results *

This study examines six months follow-up data obtained from osteoarthritic knee pain patients participating in a study comparing pain coping skills training, arthritis education, and a standard care control condition. At the time of follow-up, patients receiving pain coping skills training had: 1) significantly lower levels of psychological and physical disability than patients receiving arthritis education, and 2) marginally lower levels of psychological disability (p
The fissioning isomer 237Npm

Abstract A spontaneously fissioning isomer of 237 Np with a half-life of 40±12 ns has been discovered. Threshold measurements indicate that the isomer excitation energy is 2.7 ± 0.3 MeV. It is concluded that spontaneous fission is not the principal decay mode for this shape isomer.
The mechanical properties of freestanding near-frictionless carbon films relevant to MEMS

Amorphous, diamond-like carbon films with a mixture of sp2 and sp3 hybridizations have exhibited excellent material properties such as chemical stability, wear resistance and optical transparency resulting in their wide use as protective coatings in numerous applications. The hydrogenated forms of these films, a-C:H, and specifically the near-frictionless carbon (NFC) films developed at Argonne National Laboratory have exhibited the lowest ever recorded friction coefficient, 0.001, and ultra-low wear rates of 10−11−10−10 mm3 N−1 m−1, even under dry sliding conditions and at very high contact pressures (Robertson 2002 Diamond-like amorphous carbon Mater. Sci. Eng. R 37 129). Application of these films to sliding or rotating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) would open up an entirely new class of commercialized MEMS devices. With this in mind, this paper reports on thin-film mechanical property measurements of the NFC films relevant to MEMS. The membrane deflection experiment was employed to subject microfabricated freestanding films to pure tension and measure mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, residual stress and fracture strength. Young's modulus was consistently measured at 35.13 ± 2.29 GPa. The fracture strength varied from 0.12 GPa to 0.90 GPa and the residual stress state was compressive and ranged from 79 MPa to 310 MPa. Width and thickness effects of the membranes were also observed in this work, where fracture strength increased with decreasing membrane width and thickness. Weibull analysis of the fracture strength is also presented in the paper.
The ploidy races of Atriplex confertifolia (Chenopodiaceae)

Previous accounts of polyploidy in the North American salt desert shrub Atriplex confertifolia (shad- scale) have dealt with the distribution of polyploidy and the morphological and secondary chemical differences between races. The present study amplifies these studies and reveals additional ploidy-flavonoid races, with ploidy levels known to extend from 2x to 12x, and all except 2x and 12x represented by races with and without 6-methoxylation of flavonol compounds. Results of this study show that diploids across their range have about 113% as much DNA per genome as do polyploids and that parallel variation in monoploid genome size between diploids and accompanying polyploids can be shown in different parts of the species' range. Polyploidy, therefore, appears to have developed independently in sev- eral areas of the western United States. Hexaploids are generally not as common as octoploids in shadscale, which could be an indication of diploidization of older tetraploid races. RESUMEN.—Informes anteriores sobre la poliploidia en el arbusto Atriplex confertifolia ("shadscale") del desierto de sal norteamericano, han tratado la distribucion de la poliploidia, las diferencias quimicas secundarias y las diferencias morfologi- cas entre razas. El presente estudio amplia los estudios previos y revela razas ploidia-flavonoides adicionales, con niveles de ploidia que se sabe que van de 2x a 12x, y todos, con excepcion de 2x y 12x, estan representados en razas con y sin 6-metoxi- lacion de compuestos de flavonoles. Durante el estudio descubri que los diploides a lo largo de su rango de distribucion tienen alrededor del 113% mas ADN por genoma que los polploides. Tambien descubri que la variacion paralela en el tamano del genoma monoploide entre los diploides y sus poliploides correspondientes, se puede manifestar en diversas partes del rango de distribucion de la especie. La poliploidia, por lo tanto, parece haberse desarrollado de forma independiente en varias regiones del occidente de los EE.UU. Los hexaploides son generalmente menos comunes que lo octoploides en el shadscale, lo cual podria ser indicio de diploidizacion de razas tetraploides mas antiguas.
Rheological behavior of Sn-15 pct Pb in the crystallization range

Rheological behavior of Sn-15 pct Pb alloy in the solidification range has been investigated using a Couette type viscometer. In samples partially solidified before shearing, deformation is localized and primarily intergranular. Samples containing more than about 0.15 fraction solid exhibit an “apparent yield point” which is on the order of 106 dyne per sq cm and increases with increasing fraction solid. When shearing is conducted continuously while the alloy is cooled from above the liquidus to the desired final fraction solid, shear stresses required for flow are reduced by about three orders of magnitude. The solid-liquid mixture now behaves as a fluid slurry. Structural examination shows that shear takes place throughout the cross section of the specimen and that the solid is present as a fine grained particulate suspension. Flow behavior can be described by a viscosity which depends on fraction solid, decreases with increasing shear rate and exhibits hysteresis when shear rate is changed. For shear rates of 200 sec−1, at 0.40 fraction solid, viscosity is about 5 poise which is equivalent to that of heavy machine oil at room temperature. The fact that the slurry is highly fluid at large fractions solid suggests potential applications in new and existing metal casting processes.
Meox2Cre-mediated Disruption of CSF-1 Leads to Osteopetrosis and Osteocyte Defects

CSF-1, a key regulator of mononuclear phagocyte production, is highly expressed in the skeleton by osteoblasts/osteocytes and in a number of nonskeletal tissues such as uterus, kidney and brain. The spontaneous mutant op/op mouse has been the conventional model of CSF-1 deficiency and exhibits a pleiotropic phenotype characterized by osteopetrosis, and defects in hematopoiesis, fertility and neural function. Studies to further delineate the biologic effect of CSF-1 within various tissues have been hampered by the lack of suitable models. To address this issue, we generated CSF-1 floxed/floxed mice and demonstrate that Cre-mediated recombination using Meox2Cre, a Cre line expressed in epiblast during early embryogenesis, results in mice with ubiquitous CSF-1 deficiency (CSF-1KO). Homozygous CSF-1KO mice lacked CSF-1 in all tissues and displayed, in part, a similar phenotype to op/op mice that included: failure of tooth eruption, osteopetrosis, reduced macrophage densities in reproductive and other organs and altered hematopoiesis with decreased marrow cellularity, circulating monocytes and B cell lymphopoiesis. In contrast to op/op mice, CSF-1KO mice showed elevated circulating and splenic T cells. A striking feature in CSF-1KO mice was defective osteocyte maturation, bone mineralization and osteocyte-lacunar system that was associated with reduced dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) expression in osteocytes. CSF-1KO mice also showed a dramatic reduction in osteomacs along the endosteal surface that may have contributed to the hematopoietic and cortical bone defects. Thus, our findings show that ubiquitous CSF-1 gene deletion using a Cre-based system recapitulates the expected osteopetrotic phenotype. Moreover, results point to a novel link between CSF-1 and osteocyte survival/function that is essential for maintaining bone mass and strength during skeletal development.
Soft Tissue Retention of Strontium-90 in the Beagle

PREVIOUS investigations1–4 have led us to conclude that in the beagle, strontium-90 is deposited almost exclusively in the skeleton. This report concerns the retention of strontium-90 by non-mineralized tissue. The tissues selected for analysis were limited to the liver, kidneys and spleen, paralleling the investigations of the soft tissue retention of radium-226 (ref. 5).
Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: sudden and unexpected death of a 45 year old woman.

Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: Sudden and unexpected death of a 45 year old woman
Work, Innovation, and Investment: The Impact of Return Migrants in Barbados

Most empirical studies of return migration have found that migrants contribute very little to the development of their homelands. Most studies, however, have been conducted in rural areas among peasant migrants, whose largely unskilled industrial work experience in foreign countries has little relevance to the agrarian economies to which they return. This article examines return migration to both urban and rural settings in the eastern Caribbean island of Barbados. It compares the impact of student migrants—that is, migrants who were college educated or received technical training abroad—with that of worker migrants. The results show that returning student-migrants, most of whom enter professional or other white collar occupations at home, often introduce new ideas and techniques into the workplace. The returning worker migrants have little impact: they are often employed at jobs that do not make use of their overseas work experience and they generally lack the position or authority to introduce changes i...
Distribution, elimination, metabolism and bioavailability of hexamethylenebisacetamide in rats

Hexamethylenebisacetamide (HMBA), an in vitro differentiating agent, was studied for its pharmaco-dynamic actions in animals. Plasma stability, organ distribution, excretion, oral bioavailability, and estimates of pharmacokinetic parameters and acute lethality were determined in rats. The single dose intraperitoneal LD50 was greater than 3000 mg/kg in both mice and rats. The drug was stable in plasma from several different species during an 8 h in vitro incubation at 37°C. Following a single intravenous (iv) bolus injection (1000 mg/kg) to rats, HMBA was removed from the plasma with a half time of 2.2 ± 0.5 h, and 65 ± 8% of the dose was excreted unchanged in the urine during the first 24 h after dosing. During an 8 h iv infusion, plasma concentrations of 4 mM were easily maintained with no apparent adverse effects. Drug was uniformly distributed, with highest concentrations found in thymus, kidney, liver, and lymph node throughout the first 24 h after a single iv bolus dose. In vivo metabolism was very small, and the presence of apparent metabolites was undetectable until 48 h after iv administration. Oral bioavailability was good (32%), with peak plasma concentrations of 2 mM achieved one hour after oral administration. After oral dosing urinary excretion and plasma decay were comparable to similar data obtained after iv dosing.
The effects of low body temperatures on deposition of tracers in the mammalian brain.

Abstract Different views of the “blood-brain barrier” are described, and the barrier is presented, not as a simple structural or functional barrier similar to a biological membrane, but as a series of structures and mechanisms which determine the rate of deposition of hematogenous substances in the brain. Reported effects of hypothermia and hibernation on this system are reviewed. The deposition of protein, ion and carbohydrate tracers was examined in euthermic and hypothermic rats as well as in euthermic, hypothermic, and hibernating bats, ground squirrels, and hamsters. Artifically hypothermic animals from all mammalian species in the study demonstrated increased uptake of the ion and carbohydrate tracers although not the protein tracer, but hibernating animals with equally low or lower core temperatures showed no increase in cerebral deposition of any of the tracers over that found in euthermic controls. In rats, the increased deposition of rubidium in the hypothermic brain was demonstrated to be independent of the duration of hypothermia, and evidence was gathered which was consistent with the alternate hypothesis that a critical temperature is reached before the change in rate of cerebral deposition of the tracer. Thermistors were implanted in rat brains, and data were gathered to suggest that this critical temperature in the brain is near 18.8 °C. Differential counting and autoradiography demonstrated that the rubidium tracer was fairly equally distributed in the brain. Neonatal rats and poikilothermic frogs did not show increased deposition of tracers in the hypothermic condition, in comparison to euthermic controls. High doses of dexamethasone lessened, but did not eliminate, the increased deposition of rubidium in the brain of hypothermic rats. Large intravenous doses of ouabain moderately increased the deposition of rubidium tracer in the brains of euthermic rats. These findings are discussed in terms of the effect of alterations in the barrier system on hypothermic animals, and the significance of intact barrier systems in hibernating, poikilothermic and neonatal animals.
Shame, anger, and conflict: Case study of emotional violence

This paper proposes a new theory and method for understanding emotional violence: conflict results from threats to the social bond. Protracted conflict may be a result of social-emotional separation and unacknowledged shame. A single case is used to analyze the dynamics of marital conflict. Discourse is analyzed during an actual quarrel; sequences of emotion are traced prior to moments of escalation. The results indicate that not only did anger occur during conflict, but also it was preceded by unacknowledged shame. Sequences within and between spouses alternated from emotional separation and shame, to anger, to disrespect, to further separation and shame, and so on. Interaction in this couple was marked by alienation rather than solidarity.
Mouse Igg3 antibodies are highly protective against infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Carbohydrate and protein antigens have been shown to elicit the bulk of their antibodies in mutually exclusive IgG subclasses in humans, mice, rats and horses1–4. In the mouse, anti-protein antibodies are primarily of the IgG1 subclass, and anti-carbohydrate antibodies are primarily of the IgG3 subclass1,2. We have now demonstrated that mouse IgG3 antibodies to the phosphocholine (PC) determinant of pneumococcal C-carbohydrate5,6 and to type 3 pneumococcal polysaccharide are highly protective against experimental type 3 pneumococcal infection. This is the first demonstration that antibodies of the IgG3 subclass can protect against bacterial infection.
On unreliability polynomials and graph connectivity in reliable network synthesis

The analysis and synthesis of reliable large-scale networks typically involve a graph theoretic model. We give a survey of the graph theoretic notions which are relevant to the synthesis problem. It is shown how a number of unsolved graph extremal problems relate to the synthesis question.
Submicron Particle Sizing by Light Scattering and Sedimentation

Submicron particle sizing is complex, requiring careful interpretation of distribution data. Information gathered from laboratory use of a sedimentometer and a light scattering system are discussed in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
Preparative high-performance liquid chromatography purification of polyunsaturated phospholipids and characterization using ultraviolet derivative spectroscopy☆

Abstract A preparative reversed-phase HPLC system utilizing an isocratic mobile phase to purify up to 10-mg quantities of phospholipids is described. The method was developed to separate oxidation products of polyunsaturated phospholipids from intact, parent lipids. The method is useful for phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine on a preparative scale and for phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid on an analytical scale. Both intact phospholipids and oxidized phospholipids were monitored by absorbance at 206 nm. The oxidation products were simultaneously monitored at 234 nm where the intact phospholipids have only a very slight end absorption. Second-derivative uv spectroscopy proved to be extremely useful to identify the presence or to verify the absence of oxidation products in phospholipid samples. For autoxidized docosahexaenoic acid containing phospholipids, the absorbance maximum of dience oxidation products is 237 nm for the trans,trans (t,t) isomer and 246 nm for the cis,trans (c,t) isomers. Similarly, five classes of trience oxidation product stereoisomers have distinct absorbance maxima detected by second-derivative spectroscopy ranging from 269 to 292 nm.
THE EFFECT OF TIN-PROTOPORPHYRIN ON BILIRUBIN PRODUCTION IN NEWBORN RATS AFTER HEMATOMA FORMATION

THE EFFECT OF TIN-PROTOPORPHYRIN ON BILIRUBIN PRODUCTION IN NEWBORN RATS AFTER HEMATOMA FORMATION
Effects of chemical modification of a Bence Jones cryoglobulin.

Abstract 1. (1) A type K Bence Jones cryoglobulin was modified by a carbodiimide mediated addition of glycine methyl ester, L-tyrosine methyl ester and L-and DL-methionine methyl ester residues. All derivatives quanlitatively gave reactions of identity with a specific rabbit antiserum to type K light chains, but quantitative differences could be detected by micro-complement (C′) fixation. The untreated protein and the L-tyrosine methyl ester derivative were indistinguishable on micro-complement (C′) fixation analysis. On the other hand, the more highly substituted glycine and methionine methyl ester derivatives, as well as the derivative obtained by reaction with carbodiimide alone, yielded results demonstrating that a substantial number of their antigenic sites were either altered, masked, or affected by conformational changes in the protein molecules. 2. (2) The more hihly substituted derivatives appeared to exist primarily as monomers, whereas the parent cryobgbulin and the less highly substituted L-tyrosine methyl ester derivative had S 20, w values consistent with the dimer form. 3. (3) All derivatives of the Bence Jones cryoglobulin no longer exhibited cryoglobulin formation or the characteristics thermal properties of Bence Jones proteins on heating.