cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Picosecond photophysics of covalently linked pyrochlorophyllide a dimer. Unique kinetics within the singlet manifold

The excited state absorption and fluorescence characteristcs of the folded configuration of bis(pyrochlorophyllide a) ethylene glycol diester were studied on a picosecond time scale. This model for the primary photochemical electron donor in photosystem I of green plants displayed photophyscial properties that were found to depend strongly on both solvent and temperature. First, at 290 K the fluorescence lifetime and the lifetime of the excited state absorbance changes following an 80-ps flash at 528 nm varied dramatically with a change in solvent, CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/ vs. CCl/sub 4/. At 290 K the absorbance changes of the dimer in CCl/sub 4/ showed a large positive optical density change at 660 nm and bleaching at 700 nm. The 660-nm positive optical density change was absent for the folded dimer dissolved in CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/. Second, similar dramatic lifetime variations were observed for folded dimer in CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/ as a function of temperature. Both fluorescence lifetimes and absorption change decay rates were very similar with a lifetime at 290 K of 110 ps increasing to 4.6 ns at 200 K. However, the quantum yield for fluorescence of the dimer remained relatively constant in the 290 to 200 K temperature range. As themore » sample of folded pyrochlorophyll a dimer in Ch/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/ was cooled from 290 to 270 K the bleaching centered at 700 nm broadened somewhat and a new positive optical density change appeared at 660 nm. This spectrum was completely analogous to that obtained for the folded dimer in CCl/sub 4/ at 290 K. These results were interpreted in terms of a dual excited singlet state model with one singlet state fluorescent while the other remains nonfluorescent. Initial excitation of the dimer into the nonfluorescent state followed by a kinetically controlled population distribution between both excited states was shown to account for the data. 8 figures, 1 table.« less
Interface structure and thermal stability of epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films on Si (001)

We have used medium energy ion scattering, temperature programmed desorption, and atomic force microscopy to study the interface composition and thermal stability of epitaxial strontium titanate thin films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on Si (001). The composition of the interface between the film and the substrate was found to be very sensitive to the recrystallization temperature used during growth, varying from a strontium silicate phase when the recrystallization temperature is low to a Ti-rich phase for a higher recrystallization temperature. The films are stable towards annealing in vacuum up to ∼550°C, where SrO desorption begins and the initially flat film starts to roughen. Significant film disintegration occurs at 850°C, and is accompanied by SiO and SrO desorption, pinhole formation, and finally titanium diffusion into the silicon bulk.
Suppressing normal mode excitation by quantum interference in a cavity-atom system

Collective coupling of multiple atoms with a cavity mode produces two normal modes that are separated in energy by Vacuum Rabi splitting. We show that the normal mode excitation of the cavity-atom system can be suppressed by coupling a control laser to the atomic system from free space. The control laser splits the normal mode of the cavity-atoms system and opens two excitation channels. The destructive quantum interference between the two channels renders the cavity-atoms system opaque to the light coupled to the cavity-atom system. We demonstrate suppression of the normal mode excitation by the destructive quantum interference in an experiment using cold Rb atoms confined in an optical cavity.
Phosphodiesterase Type 4 Inhibition Does Not Restore Ocular Dominance Plasticity in a Ferret Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Background: There is growing evidence that deficits in neuronal plasticity account for some of the neurological problems observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Recently, we showed that early alcohol exposure results in a permanent impairment in visual cortex ocular dominance (OD) plasticity in a ferret model of FASD. This disruption can be reversed, however, by treating animals with a Phosphodiesterase (PDE) type 1 inhibitor long after the period of alcohol exposure. Aim: Because the mammalian brain presents different types of PDE isoforms we tested here whether inhibition of PDE type 4 also ameliorates the effects of alcohol on OD plasticity. Material and Methods: Ferrets received 3.5 g/Kg alcohol i.p. (25% in saline) or saline as control every other day between postnatal day (P) 10 to P30, which is roughly equivalent to the third trimester equivalent of human gestation. Following a prolonged alcohol-free period (10 to 15 days), ferrets had the lid of the right eye sutured closed for 4 days and were examined for ocular dominance changes at the end of the period of deprivation. Results: Using in vivo electrophysiology we show that inhibition of PDE4 by rolipram does not restore OD plasticity in alcohol-treated ferrets. Conclusion: This result suggests that contrary to PDE1, PDE4 inhibition does not play a role in the restoration of OD plasticity in the ferret model of FASD.
Triplet exciton spectral line shapes in molecular crystals: 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene

Abstract Triplet exciton optical absorption line shapes, widths, and positions have been measured as a function of temperature in the molecular crystal 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (TCB). At temperatures above 20 K the absorption line has a gaussian shape and increases in width with temperature. At 14 K the line becomes lorentzian. This change in line shape with temperature is discussed in terms of a model first suggested by Toyozawa. The lorentzian line is taken to be evidence of a delocalized exciton state, while the gaussian high temperature line shape implies the localization of the exciton by lattice phonons. The nature of the difference between the optical line width and the previously reported TCB ESR line width is also briefly discussed.
Comparison of high-dose rate prostate brachytherapy dose distributions with iridium-192, ytterbium-169, and thulium-170 sources.

Abstract Purpose Recent studies have identified that among different available radionuclides, the dose characteristics and shielding properties of ytterbium-169 ( 169 Yb) and thulium-170 ( 170 Tm) may suit high–dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy needs. The purpose of this work was to compare clinically optimized dose distributions using proposed 169 Yb and 170 Tm HDR sources with the clinical dose distribution from a standard microSelectron V2 HDR iridium-192 ( 192 Ir) brachytherapy source (Nucletron B.V., Veenendaal, The Netherlands). Methods and materials CT-based treatment plans of 10 patients having prostate volumes ranging from 17 to 92 cm 3 were studied retrospectively. Clinical treatment of these patients involved 16 catheters and a microSelectron V2 HDR 192 Ir source. All dose plans were generated with inverse planning simulated annealing optimization algorithm. Dose objectives used for the 192 Ir radionuclide source were used for the other two radionuclides. The dose objective parameters were adjusted to obtain the same clinical target (prostate) volume coverage as the original 192 Ir radionuclide plan. A complete set of dosimetric indices was used to compare the plans from different radionuclides. A pairwise statistical analysis was also performed. Results and conclusions All the dose distributions optimized with specific 192 Ir, 169 Yb, and 170 Tm sources satisfied the standard clinical criteria for HDR prostate implants, such as those for the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group clinical trial 0321, for combined HDR and external beam treatment for prostate adenocarcinoma. For equivalent clinical target volume dose coverage, the specific 169 Yb and 170 Tm sources resulted in a statistically significant dose reduction to organs at risk compared with microSelectron V2 HDR 192 Ir source. This study indicates that a 170 Tm or 169 Yb radionuclide source may be an alternative to the 192 Ir radionuclide sources in HDR brachytherapy.
STUDIES ON THE BIO ASSAY OF HORMONES: THE USE OF RADIOSODIUM FOR THE DETECTION OF SMALL QUANTITIES OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE1

In a previous study we assayed the concentrations of chorionic gonadotrophin in human pregnancy urine by the response of the uterus of the immature rat (Rubin, Dorfman, and Miller, 1946). The method has been studied further in some detail using a different experimental design. Previously we determined the regression line of the international standard of pregnancy urine gonadotrophin by relating the logarithm of the dose to the response (expressed as the ratio of the uterus in milligrams to body weight in grams) and referred the response of the unknown to the standard curve. One striking disadvantage of such a method is the possibility of some change in the variables of the assay from the time of the determination of the standard curve to the time at which the unknown responses are determined. A second disadvantage arises since no check on the qualitative response can be made.
Fluidized bed steam retorting of Kentucky oil shale

Abstract A three-inch (7.6-cm) diameter fluidized bed reactor has been used at the Kentucky Center for Energy Research Laboratory (KCERL), operated by the Institute for Mining and Minerals Research (IMMR), to investigate the fluidized bed retorting characteristics of Kentucky oil shales. Because steam has been indicated to be a reactive pyrolysis gas for both Eastern and Western U.S. oil shales by many, a main objective of the fluidized bed investigation was to determine the effects of steam as a fluidizing medium. This was accomplished by comparing the yields and compositions of the products from steam and N2 retorting under otherwise equivalent fluidized bed conditions. Oil yields obtained from steam fluidization were approximately 2% greater than oil yields obtained from N2 retorting. Steam retorting released significantly more pyritic sulfur from the shale, providing evidence that reduced hydrogen scavenging from the kerogen for H2S production was a possible mechanism for the increased oil production. Steam fluidization resulted in increased oil collection efficiency, and represented the most significant difference between the steam and nitrogen systems. Liquid product quality was similar for both steam and N2 fluidization and the oils were more aromatic, more viscous, higher in density, higher in nitrogen content, and lower in volatility than Fischer Assay oil derived from the same shale.
Influence of Environmental and Nutritional Factors on Problem Solving in the Rat

Rat pups were randomly cross-fostered to lactating dams which were maintained on either 21% casein diet or a 12% casein diet by weight. At 21 days of age the pups fostered with dams receiving 21% casein continued on the high protein diet. The pups fostered with the dams receiving the 12% casein diet were placed either on a low protein diet consisting of 5% casein by weight or on a 21% casein diet provided in restricted amounts in order to maintain their weight equal to that of the animals weaned to the 5% casein diet. Throughout the 8-wk. period in which the dietary regimes were imposed, the pups were housed individually either in spatially, tactually, and visually enriched, or impoverished environments. At 11 wk. of age all of the animals were rehabilitated and maintained on the 21% high protein diet for the remainder of the experiment. When problem-solving ability was measured by performance in the Hebb-Williams maze, the low-protein animals reared in impoverished environments exhibited the greatest lat...
Concerns with low-level ionizing radiation.

Objective To clarify the effects of ionizing radiation and to dispel fear associated with the use of radioactivity in medical diagnosis and therapy. Design Studies of populations in geographic areas of increased cosmic radiation and high natural background radiation, radiation-exposed workers, patients with medical exposure to radioactivity, and accidental exposure are reviewed. Results No reproducible evidence shows harmful effects associated with increases in background radiation of 3 to 10 times the usual levels. American military personnel who participated in nuclear testing had no increase in leukemia or other cancers. Among 22,000 patients with hyperthyroidism treated with 131 I (mean dose, 10 rem), no increased incidence of leukemia was found in comparison with 14,000 similar patients who received other treatment. A 20-year follow-up of 35,000 patients who underwent 131 I uptake tests for evaluation of thyroid function revealed that those studied for other than a suspected tumor had only 60% of the thyroid cancers expected in a control group. Although early studies showed that high exposures of miners to radon and its daughters resulted in a substantial increase in lung cancer, no evidence exists for an increase in lung cancer among nonsmokers exposed to increased radon levels in the home. Conclusion Perhaps the association of radiation with the atomic bomb has created a climate of fear about the possible dangers of radiation at any level; however, no evidence indicates that current radiation exposures associated with medical usage are harmful.
A New Stochastic Price Fluctuation Model: Comment

In a recent note in this Review [1], R. A. Agnew derives some results about mixtures of normal variables and suggests that his new model may be useful as a representation of observed price series in speculative markets. Although his stability result for "mixed" normal variates is formally correct, it is somewhat tangential to the issue that is generally discussed as stability, and may therefore need clarification.
Touch for Socioemotional and Physical Well-Being: A Review.

Abstract This review briefly summarizes recent empirical research on touch. The research includes the role of touch in early development, touch deprivation, touch aversion, emotions that can be conveyed by touch, the importance of touch for interpersonal relationships and how friendly touch affects compliance in different situations. MRI data are reviewed showing activation of the orbitofrontal cortex and the caudate cortex during affective touch. Physiological and biochemical effects of touch are also reviewed including decreased heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol and increased oxytocin. Similar changes noted following moderate pressure massage appear to be mediated by the stimulation of pressure receptors and increased vagal activity. Increased serotonin and decreased substance P may explain its pain-alleviating effects. Positive shifts in frontal EEG also accompany moderate pressure massage along with increased attentiveness, decreased depression and enhanced immune function including increased natural killer cells, making massage therapy one of the most effective forms of touch.
Effect of human serum on alkaline phosphatase induction in cultured human tumor cells.

The continuous cell lines T 24 and HT-29, derived from human bladder and colon carcinomas, produce term-placental and intestinal alkaline phosphatase, respectively. Growth in hyperosmolar medium or exposure to prednisolone or sodium butyrate induces increased enzyme levels, and combinations of inducers elicit synergistic activity increases. The effect of the inducing agents is strikingly diminished when cells are grown in the presence, of high concentrations of human serum, and the synergistic increases are essentially abolished. Major human serum protein fractions do not affect alkaline phosphatase induction.
Effect of delaying the feeding of high sulfur until 28 days after adaptation to finishing diet on cattle intake, gain, and ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentrations

Abstract The incidence of polioencephalomalacia and concentrations of ruminal hydrogen sulfide ([H 2 S]) in feedlot cattle appear to be greatest during the first 30 days of being fed a high sulfur (S) finishing diet. It was hypothesized that delaying exposure to high-S until cattle are fully adapted to a high-concentrate diet would reduce the peak [H 2 S], thus reducing potential for S-induced polioencephalomalacia. Sixty Angus crossbred-steers were moved into the feedlot and fed a moderate S (0.3% S) step-up diet for 7 days. Then steers were weighed (443±12.8 kg), blocked by weight, and randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments: (1) two moderate-S (0.3% S) step-up diets fed for 7 d each (days 1–14) followed by a moderate S finishing diet (days 15–98; MS), (2) two high-S (0.6% S) step-up diets fed for 7 d each (days 1–14) followed by a high S finishing diet (days 15–98; HS), or (3) two moderate-S (0.3% S) step-up diets fed for 7 d each (days 1–14) followed by a moderate S finishing (0.3% S) diet for the first 28 days of the finishing period (days 15–42), followed by the high-S diet (0.6% S) for the remainder of the trial (days 43–98; Delayed S; DS). Ruminal [H 2 S] and pH were measured 6 h post-feeding on days 15, 21, 28, 42, 49, 56, 70, 84, and 98. The numerically greatest [H 2 S] (4948 mg/L) occurred in HS-steers on day 42 (28 d on the finishing ration) and on day 70 (28 d after starting high-S) for DS-steers (3690 mg/L). The maximum [H 2 S] of HS-steers tended to be greater ( P =0.09) than DS-steers, despite S intake not differing ( P =0.75). The elevated ruminal [H 2 S] of HS-steers on day 42, was likely not due to a decreased ruminal pH during adaptation to the finishing diet as pH did not differ due to treatment ( P =0.40) or day ( P =0.16). Overall, HS-steers had a 15% decrease (P=0.02) in average daily gain compared to MS-steers whereas gain of DS-steers was intermediate, not differing from MS ( P =0.13) or HS ( P =0.26) steers. These findings suggest that there may not be any additional increase in steer gains by delaying S inclusion in the diet until after the first 28 days of finishing, though it may decrease the maximum ruminal H 2 S concentration.
Biosynthesis of poly(A)-RNA and differentiation in chick erythrocytes

Abstract The rates of synthesis of poly(A)-containing RNA species in the nuclei of erythrocytes from 4- to 9-day-old chick embryos were determined by poly(T)-cellulose chromatography and were found to vary according to the developmental stages of the chick embryos. The rate appeared to increase 1 day prior to the onset of hemoglobin differentiation. The enzymatic activities of ATP polymerization in the nucleus of these erythrocytes were also examined. The enzymatic activity was resolved into two fractions on O-(diethylaminoethyl) cellulose. The ratio of the two enzymatic activities remained relatively constant in erythrocytes from 4- to 19-day-old embryos. However, a threefold increase in the total poly(A) polymerase activities was observed 1 day prior to the onset of hemoglobin differentiation. These results indicate that hemoglobin differentiation in these erythrocytes is associated with an increase in the rate of synthesis of poly(A)-containing RNA and in the activities of poly(A) polymerases.
Low molecular weight plasma proteins isolated from preparations of human immunoglobulin

Abstract Low molecular weight proteins co-purified with IgG constitute 0.22% of the total protein purified from human plasma by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. We have found that these low molecular weight proteins were obtained free of immunoglobulin by ultrafiltration in 5 M guanidinium chloride. Electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels demonstrated that this fraction of low molecular weight proteins is remarkably heterogeneous. Chromatography of an Mr 6000 to 12 000 fraction on hydroxyapatite resolved fourteen discrete protein peaks. Three of the peaks contained proteins which appeared to be homogeneous on acid-urea polyacrylamide gels. Two of these proteins were similar in composition to B2 globulin and may represent degradation products of some larger protein. The third protein was found to have an amino-terminal sequence identical to C3a. This population of low molecular weight plasma proteins has previously been shown to contain the cystic fibrosis mucociliary inhibitor and is here shown to contain two proteins similar to B2 globulin, C3a and many proteins remaining to be characterized. The presence of these low molecular weight proteins in measurable concentrations may be insufficiently appreciated in studies using ‘purified’ immunoglobulins as biological or chemical probes.
Two hemoglobin-binding proteins identified in the plasma of the amphibian Taricha granulosa.

Abstract 1. 1. The plasma of the amphibian newt Taricha granulosa has been shown to be devoid of haptoglobin. 2. 2. Upon hemolysis, Taricha albumin and another protein associate with hemoglobin. 3. 3. The acute-phase response to inflammation observed in birds and mammals appears to be absent in Taricha . 4. 4. Taricha hemoglobin failed to bind to human haptoglobin. 5. 5. Taricha hemoglobin not only failed to dissociate into αβ dimers as did human Hb, but formed αβ octamers.
Low viscosity cyanate ester resin for the injection repair of hole-edge delaminations in bismaleimide/carbon fiber composites

M. Thunga, K. Larson, W. Lio, T. Weerasekera, M. Akinc, M. R. Kessler: Low Viscosity Cyanate Ester Resin for the Injection Repair of Hole-edge Delaminations in Bismaleimide/Carbon Fiber Composites, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2013, 52, 31-37. doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2013.05.001.
TU-G-BRB-08: IMRT Optimization with Fixed Point Iteration

Purpose: In IMRToptimization, dose‐deposition coefficient (DDC) matrix is needed to parameterize the contribution of each beamlet to each dose voxel. However, due to the limitation of computer memory and the requirement on computational efficiency, small matrix elements are usually truncated, compromising the resulting plan's quality. Besides, the practice of ignoring multileaf collimator(MLC) transmission in IMRT planning also introduces inaccuracy into the resulting plan. Therefore an IMRToptimization algorithm with fixed point iteration is developed. Methods: For truncation problem, IMRToptimization is implemented as the inner‐loop with truncated DDC matrix. Fixed point iteration, as the outer‐loop, is to recalculate the actual dose with complete DDC matrix and use the difference between the optimized dose and the actual dose as the input for the optimization at the next iteration. MLC transmission can also be incorporated into IMRT planning, by adding this fixed point iteration to optimize the intensity of the already optimized apertures. The convergence and feasibility of this algorithm are mathematically studied using a simplified model. Results: Two head‐and‐neck IMRT cases are used to test our algorithm. It is mathematically proven and experimentally validated on the simplified model that with proper DDC matrix splitting, the fixed point iteration converges, although not to the solution obtained using the complete DDC matrix, but to a solution much closer to it than that from the truncated DDC matrix, in terms of the resulting dose distribution. The experimental results on the patient cases also demonstrate that our algorithm could handle both DDC matrix truncation and MLC transmission problems and give us good plans with comparable dose‐volume histograms and dose distributions. Conclusions: This fixed point iteration scheme can effectively take the DDC matrix truncation and MLC transmission into account during IMRToptimization, and thus solve the efficiency and memory issue while maintaining a reasonable accuracy. This work is supported by Varian Medical Systems through a Master Research Agreement.
Is AZT/3TC therapy effective against FIV infection or immunopathogenesis

Abstract In vitro and in vivo prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of AZT/3TC treatment was evaluated against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection. In vitro studies utilized FIV-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or FIV-infected T-cell lines treated with AZT (azidothymidine) alone, 3TC alone, or AZT/3TC combination and tested for anti-FIV activity and drug toxicity. AZT/3TC combination had additive to synergistic anti-FIV activities in primary PBMC but not in chronically infected cell lines. In vivo studies consisted of four treatment groups (n=15) of SPF cats receiving AZT/3TC combination (5–75 mg/kg/drug PO BID for 8 or 11 weeks) and one control group (n=9) receiving oral placebo. Group I (n=6, 150 mg/kg/drug/day) was treated starting 3 days pre-FIV inoculation, whereas Group II (n=3, 150 mg/kg/drug/day) and Group III (n=3, 100 mg/kg/drug/day) treatments were simultaneous with FIV inoculation. Group IV treatment (n=3, 100 mg/kg/drug/day) was initiated 2 weeks post-FIV inoculation. All cats were monitored for drug toxicity and FIV infection. Eighty-three percent of cats in Group I and 33% of cats in Groups II and III were completely protected from FIV infection. A significant delay in infection and antibody seroconversion was observed in all unprotected cats from Groups I, II and III. Group IV cats had only a slight delay in FIV antibody seroconversion. Adverse drug reactions (anemia and neutropenia) were observed at high doses (100–150 mg/kg/drug/day) were reversible upon lowering the dose (20 mg/kg/drug/day). In contrast, AZT/3TC treatment had no anti-FIV activity in chronically infected cats. Furthermore, severe clinical symptoms caused by adverse drug reactions were observed in some of these cats. Overall, AZT/3TC treatment is effective for prophylaxis but not for therapeutic use in chronically FIV-infected cats.
Light and electron microscopy of the meconium in the black carpet beetle, Attagenus megatoma, and its effect on the intestinal sporozoan, Pyxinia frenzeli

Abstract The meconium of Attagenus megatoma (= Attagenus piceus) is the most elaborate of all insect meconia previously described. It is a brown tube, tapered to a sharp point and closed on each end. Three layers form the tube: the outer shell is thin, transparent, and acellular; the middle sheath is brown, thin, and acellular; and the inside tube is thick, opaque, and open at each end. Electron microscopy showed the latter layer to be degenerating midgut epithelium of the larva. Formation of the meconium occurs in the larval midgut when the pupal cuticle has begun to form beneath that of the larva. At this time it is transparent and open on each end. Four hours later the meconium is a closed uniformly dark-brown tube. Defecation of the meconium begins 80 to 90 hr after emergence of the adult. The capsule enters the hindgut, collapses and fragments in the rectal area, and is defecated 86 to 96 hr after emergence of the adult. The meconium forms in larvae free of as well as those containing the midgut sporozoan Pyxinia frenzeli. Pyxinia frenzeli is not an intracellular gregarine but does remain attached to midgut cells of A. megatoma during its growing stage. When the meconium forms in an infected larva, all gregarines attached to the midgut as well as all sporonts and gametocyst stages of the sporozoan in the gut lumen are contained within the meconium. If the adult does not ingest spores, it is completely free of P. frenzeli after meconium defecation. Gregarine-free larvae do not become infected by ingesting meconia defecated by infected A. megatoma. In contrast to other insect-protozoan relationships of a nonparasitic, perhaps commensal nature, in which ecdysone secreted prior to molting induces formation of resistant stages, gametocyst formation in this protozoan is not favored when the meconium appears. The infectivity of this eugregarine is, therefore, greatly decreased by meconium formation. Another dermestid, Trogoderma parabile, was found to have a similar cycle of meconium formation and defecation.
Variability of physiological parameters of unacclimatized males during a two—hour cold stress of 5°C

The metabolic and temperature responses of 11 male Caucasians to a 2-hr exposure to 5 ± 1°C, 70 ± 2% RH were compared with control data obtained in an ambient environment of 28 ± 1°C, 45 ± 2% RH. The heat production increased during the cold exposure attaining an approximately stable level during the final 30 min. The group variability in response to the cold was greatest during the first 30 min and declined for the remainder of the cold exposure. All skin temperatures approached a stable value during the final 30 min of cold exposure. The correlation between mean skin temperature and thigh temperature was significant (p < 0.001) and the use of thigh temperature as an approximate mean skin temperature was suggested. The calculation of tissue conductance with or without the inclusion of heat exchanges due to changes in body heat content and respiratory losses was in agreement only during the final 30 min of cold exposure, thus indicating a stage of physiological equilibrium. All measured parameters except the toe and finger temperatures approached minimum variability of response during the final 30 min of cold exposure.
Glucocorticoid Induced Leucine Zipper inhibits apoptosis of cardiomyocytes by doxorubicin

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an indispensable chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of various forms of neoplasia such as lung, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancers. Cardiotoxicity is a major concern for patients receiving Dox therapy. Previous work from our laboratory indicated that glucocorticoids (GCs) alleviate Dox-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Here we have found Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper (GILZ) to be a mediator of GC-induced cytoprotection. GILZ was found to be induced in cardiomyocytes by GC treatment. Knocking down of GILZ using siRNA resulted in cancelation of GC-induced cytoprotection against apoptosis by Dox treatment. Overexpressing GILZ by transfection was able to protect cells from apoptosis induced by Dox as measured by caspase activation, Annexin V binding and morphologic changes. Western blot analyses indicate that GILZ overexpression prevented cytochrome c release from mitochondria and cleavage of caspase-3. When bcl-2 family proteins were examined, we found that GILZ overexpression causes induction of the pro-survival protein Bcl-xL. Since siRNA against Bcl-xL reverses GC induced cytoprotection, Bcl-xL induction represents an important event in GILZ-induced cytoprotection. Our data suggest that GILZ functions as a cytoprotective gene in cardiomyocytes.
Cyanoscorpionates: Co(II), Mn(II), and Ni(II) complexes coordinated only through the cyano group

Abstract New complexes have been synthesized of scorpionate ligands with cyano substituents in the 4-positions of the pyrazoles and tert-butyl substituents in the 3-positions of the pyrazoles. Reaction of Co2+, Mn2+, and Ni(cyclam)2+ (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) with Tpt-Bu,4CN in a 1:2 ratio produced new octahedral metal complexes of the form (Tpt-Bu,4CN)2ML4 (L4 = (H2O)4, (H2O)2(MeOH)2, or cyclam). Unlike the sandwich complexes previously isolated with TpPh,4CN, the crystal structures showed none of the pyrazole nitrogen atoms coordinated to the metal. Rather, the metal is coordinated to one CN nitrogen atom from each ligand, with two Tp anions coordinated trans to each other around the metal center. This leaves the Tp pyrazole nitrogen atoms open for another metal to coordinate, which could to lead to heterometallic complexes, new coordination polymers, as well as the framework for supramolecular complexes.
Meaning and Action in Local Economic Development Strategies: A Comparison of Policies in Britain and the United States:

Examinations and assessments of different countries' local economic development strategies have tended to overlook the very different rationales for such activity in diverse politicoeconomic cultures. Differences in the meanings ascribed to locality, to development, and to different programmatic partnerships—and in the divergent patterns of associated local actions—are studied by examining the metaphors used in the development policy literatures in Britain and the United States. The dominant UK metaphors are found to be control, coordination, and centralization, whereas those for the USA emerge as conflict, competition, and change. Enterprise Zones and Urban Development Corporations in the two countries are then examined for differences in practice, and it is concluded that differences in the societal and political meanings attributed to the two programs underscore the difficulties of cross-national transfer of development approaches.
Selective photodestruction of alpha-amino acids.

A problem encountered in the analysis of amino acids in chemical evolution experiments and in extracts of meteorites is the large number present. A method for selectively destroying the alpha-amino acids, with only the beta- and gamma-amino acids remaining in the solution, is described. The amino acids used were racemic, with one milliliter of solution containing 0.0000025 mol of each acid irradiated in a 1-cm quartz cell having 254-nm monochromatic light in the presence of CuCl2. Excess H2S was added to precipitate the Cu (2+) as CuS. A gas chromatographic analysis was used to observe that irradiation with 254-nm light in the presence of Cu (2+) destroyed all the amino acids except the beta and the gamma types. It is concluded that with such a procedure, complex mixtures of amino acids can be simplified to make identification by GC mass spectrometry easier.
Inkjet Printing for Silicon Solar Cells

Inkjet printing of metal nanoparticles is an attractive method for front-side metallization of silicon solar cells. It is owing to noncontact, low-cost, low-waste, and simple process. In this work, we proposed the ink-jet printing and electroless technology to fabricate the seed layer and electrode layer, respectively. Furthermore, we used electroplating method to increase the electrode conductivity. In this way, the energy conversion efficiency up to 12.22% without AR coating can be obtained on 100 × 100 mm c-Si cell.
Dynamics of Flexible Bodies Using Generalized Newton-Euler Equations

In this paper, generalized Newton-Euler equations are developed for deformable bodies that undergo large translational and rotational displacements. The configuration of the deformable body is identified using coupled sets of reference and elastic variables. The nonlinear generalized Newton-Euler equations are formulated in terms of a set of time invariant scalars and matrices that depend on the spatial coordinates as well as the assumed displacement field
Sex-role stereotyping in the lower grades: Part of the solution

Abstract Twenty-one boys and twenty-one girls in grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 were tested on sex-role attitudes. The results demonstrated that the thinking of young children is typically sexist-oriented. However, evidence also indicates that children will accept the concept of people in nontraditional roles if models are visible in these roles.
Constituency Building in Multimember Districts: Collusion or Conflict?

The vast majority of what we know about building prospective electoral constituencies is confined to single-member district systems. However, most legislators are elected in multimember districts. Given that multiple incumbents represent the same voters, how do legislators decide whom they should target as prospective constituents? We build a general model of this decision and test it with travel data for 100 legislators elected in a single, nationwide district. We find that incumbents protect their existing supporters and avoid bailiwicks dominated by others. We conclude by deducing hypotheses about party system effects on incumbents' decision making and the level of electoral conflict.
Interlayer MEMS RF switch for 3D MMICS

A novel interlayer micromachined capacitive microwave switch sandwiched between two polyimide layers and two ground planes was designed and fabricated. The switch structure and the coplanar waveguide in the switch region were optimized for low insertion loss in the "on" state and high return loss and high isolation in the "off" state while satisfying other restraint conditions. Four serpentine beams were connected to the switch capacitance plate to reduce the actuation voltage.
Androgens Protect against Apolipoprotein E4-Induced Cognitive Deficits

Compared with apolipoprotein (apo) E2 and E3, apoE4 increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it remains unknown how apoE4 affects neuronal function. ApoE4 interacts with female gender, further increasing the risk of AD and decreasing treatment response. Female mice are also more susceptible to apoE4-induced impairments of spatial learning and memory than male mice. To assess the role of sex steroids in this process, we studied mice deficient in mouse apoE ( Apoe −/− ) and expressing human apoE4 or apoE3 in the brain at comparable levels. Even brief periods of androgen treatment improved the memory deficits of female apoE4 mice. Female apoE3 mice had no memory deficits and did not benefit from the treatment. ApoE4 male mice, which performed normally in a water-maze test at baseline, developed prominent deficits in spatial learning and memory after blockade of androgen receptors (ARs), whereas apoE3 male mice did not. Untreated apoE4 mice had significantly lower cytosolic AR levels in the neocortex than wild-type, Apoe−/− , and apoE3 mice. Improved memory in androgen-treated female apoE4 mice was associated with increased cytosolic AR levels. Our findings suggest that apoE4 contributes to cognitive decline by reducing AR levels in the brain, and that stimulating AR-dependent pathways can reverse apoE4-induced cognitive deficits.
Atmospheric correction of ocean color imagery: use of the junge power-law aerosol size distribution with variable refractive index to handle aerosol absorption.

When strongly absorbing aerosols are present in the atmosphere, the usual two-step procedure of processing ocean color data—(1) atmospheric correction to provide the water-leaving reflectance (ρw), followed by (2) relating ρw to the water constituents—fails and simultaneous estimation of the ocean and aerosol optical properties is necessary. We explore the efficacy of using a simple model of the aerosol—a Junge power-law size distribution consisting of homogeneous spheres with arbitrary refractive index—in a nonlinear optimization procedure for estimating the relevant oceanic and atmospheric parameters for case 1 waters. Using simulated test data generated from more realistic aerosol size distributions (sums of log-normally distributed components with different compositions), we show that the ocean’s pigment concentration (C) can be retrieved with good accuracy in the presence of weakly or strongly absorbing aerosols. However, because of significant differences in the scattering phase functions for the test and power-law distributions, large error is possible in the estimate of the aerosol optical thickness. The positive result for C suggests that the detailed shape of the aerosol-scattering phase function is not relevant to the atmospheric correction of ocean color sensors. The relevant parameters are the aerosol single-scattering albedo and the spectral variation of the aerosol optical depth. We argue that the assumption of aerosol sphericity should not restrict the validity of the algorithm and suggest an avenue for including colored aerosols, e.g., wind-blown dust, in the procedure. A significant advantage of the new approach is that realistic multicomponent aerosol models are not required for the retrieval of C.
On the Occurrence of (Mg, Fe)SiO3 in the Lower Mantle

Summary The purpose of this investigation involves the estimation of compression of the solid solution series (Mg, Fe)SiO, within a shock-wave induced high pressure phase, and the application of the results to an assessment of the gross chemical composition ofthe lower mantle. Raw data were provided in the form of Hugoniot measurements on several rocks of general ABO, bulk chemistry, which were available in the literature; corrections were applied according to Anderson’s ‘additivity of 0’ rule to compensate for the deviation in chemistry of each individual rock from that of an idealized (Mg, Fe)SiO, composition. The results are critically dependent upon the interpretation that the structural form of (Mg, Fe)Si03 in the high pressure modification appropriate for the lower mantle is most likely related closely to corundum or ilmenite. Reduction and analysis of the pertinent shock-wave data yield the following results for the isentropic bulk moduli of the end member compositions: KS(MgSiO,) = 2.55 Mb, and KS (FeSiO,) = 3.28 Mb; the estimated uncertainty in these values is 10 per cent. The results of the study were used to determine the composition of the lower mantle in terms of the relative proportions of pyroxene (Mg, Fe)SiO, and olivine (Mg, Fe)2Si04. Comparison of the seismic parameter @ and density for the high pressure phase of pyroxene considered in this investigation, with the elastic requirements of the lower mantle, indicate that the pyroxene component of the lower mantle, relative to olivine, must be minor. Therefore, in terms of this simple two-component model, a fundamental olivine (Mg, Fe),Si04 chemistry remains the most likely possibility for the bulk composition of the lower mantle.
Requirements for high-resolution displays in military systems

An evaluation is made of current trends in the introduction of increasingly high resolution display technologies into such military vehicles as tanks. These displays will be used to present maps, targeting images and information, and night-vision scenes. It is noted that higher resolution alone will not significantly contribute to military effectiveness; the acceptability of a given display system is strongly affected by the interactivity that it supports between its various operational modes and the user/operator.
Optimal new product positioning: A genetic algorithm approach

Abstract Identifying an optimal positioning strategy for new products is a critical and difficult strategic decision. In this research, we develop a genetic algorithm based procedure called GA SEARCH that identifies optimal new product positions. In two simulation comparisons and an empirical study, we compare the results from GA SEARCH to those obtained from the best currently available algorithm (PRODSRCH). We find that GA SEARCH performs better regardless of the number of ideal points, existing products, number of attributes or choice set size. Furthermore, GA SEARCH can account for choice set size heterogeneity. Results show that GA SEARCH outperformed the best current algorithm when choice set size varied at the individual level, an important source of consumer heterogeneity that has been ignored in current algorithms formulated to solve this optimization problem.
Global Phylogeny Determined by the Combination of Protein Domains in Proteomes

The majority of proteins consist of multiple domains that are either repeated or combined in defined order. In this study, we survey the combination of protein domains defined at fold and fold superfamily levels in 185 genomes belonging to organisms that have been fully sequenced and introduce a method that reconstructs rooted phylogenomic trees from the content and arrangement of domains in proteins at a genomic level. We find that the majority of domain combinations were unique to Archaea, Bacteria, or Eukarya, suggesting most combinations originated after life had diversified. Domain repeat and domain repeat within multidomain proteins increased notably in eukaryotes, mainly at the expense of single-domain and domain-pair proteins. This increase was mostly confined to Metazoa. We also find an unbalanced sharing of domain combinations which suggests that Eukarya is more closely related to Bacteria than to Archaea, an observation that challenges the widely assumed eukaryote-archaebacterial sisterhood relationship. The occurrence and abundance of the molecular repertoire (interactome) of domain combinations was used to generate phylogenomic trees. These global interactome-based phylogenies described organismal histories satisfactorily, revealing the tripartite nature of life, and supporting controversial evolutionary patterns, such as the Coelomata hypothesis, the grouping of plants and animals, and the Gram-positive origin of bacteria. Results suggest strongly that the process of domain combination is not random but curved by evolution, rejecting the null hypothesis of domain modules combining in the absence of natural selection or an optimality criterion.
Experimental evolution with yeast

Many of the difficulties of studying evolution in action can be surmounted using populations of microorganisms, such as yeast. A readily manipulated sexual system and an increasingly sophisticated array of molecular and genomic tools uniquely qualify Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an experimental subject. This minireview briefly describes some recent contributions of yeast experiments to current understanding of the evolution of ploidy, sex, mutation, and speciation.
DEVELOPMENTAL USE OF GENE PRODUCTS IN DROSOPHILA: THE MATERNAL-ZYGOTIC TRANSITION

Recent results suggest that activity of a large fraction of the Drosophila genome is needed at multiple developmental stages. The timing of the transition from dependence on maternally stored gene products to reliance on zygotically coded products has been examined for several zygotic-lethal mutations in the z-w region of the X chromosome. The mutants differ in zygotic sensitivity to reduced maternal activity, and they have a wide range of times of lethality. Nevertheless, both temperature shift experiments and clonal analysis indicate that all of the maternal-zygotic transitions occur around the time of blastoderm formation.
A study of the minimum wall thickness for an extruded aluminum vacuum chamber

Decreasing an ID vacuum chamber wall thickness is a way to achieve a smaller ID gap and a higher magnetic field without decreasing the clear beam aperture of the chamber. Multiple extruded aluminum ID vacuum chambers with 1-mm wall thickness were developed and fabricated at Argonne for the APS and several other synchrotron radiation facilities [1]. Thinner walls have been avoided due to fear that porosity and defects from the extrusion process would result in vacuum leaks. There were also concerns that thinner walls may have excessive deformation or may not withstand the stresses. Recently, several extrusions have been machined to a wall thickness of less than 1 mm to determine the practical limits. Using the extrusion for the insertion device vacuum chamber (ID VC) for the DESY FEL project with a 9.5-mm inner diameter and the LCLS test vacuum chamber extrusion, we decreased the wall thickness to 0.6, 0.5, and 0.4 mm to test the vacuum integrity for a thin wall in these extrusions. Structural analysis and test results are presented.
Traffic grooming in path, star, and tree networks: complexity, bounds, and algorithms

We consider the problem of traffic grooming in WDM path, star, and tree networks. Traffic grooming is a variant of the well-known logical topology design, and is concerned with the development of techniques for combining low speed traffic components onto high speed channels in order to minimize network cost. Our contribution is two-fold. In the first part of the paper we present a wealth of results which settle the complexity of traffic grooming in path and star networks, by proving that a number of variants of the problem are computationally intractable. Since routing and wavelength assignment in these two topologies is trivial, these results demonstrate that traffic grooming is itself an inherently difficult problem. Our results have implications for ring and other more general topologies, which we explore. In the second part we design practical grooming algorithms with provable properties. Specifically, for all three topologies, we obtain a series of lower and upper bounds which are increasingly tighter but have considerably higher computational requirements; the series of upper bounds forms an algorithm for the traffic grooming problem with strong performance guarantees. We also present corresponding heuristics with good performance. Our work is a first step towards a formal and systematic approach to the grooming problem in general topologies that builds upon results and algorithms for more elementary networks