cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dedifferentiation of iris epithelium during lens regeneration in newt larvae

Early stages in lens regeneration from the pigmented epithelium of the dorsal iris were studied in larval Notophthalmus viridescens by means of transmission electron microscopy. Normal iris epithelium is composed of two layers of low cuboidal cells. packed with melanosomes and surrounded by a basal lamina. Scattered desmosomes attach adjacent cells. Following lens removal, the intercellular spaces enlarge and the epithelial cells increase in size. Some irregular microvilli from these cells extent into the intercellular spaces. Macrophages invade the iris epithelium and phagocytize melanosomes discharged from the pigmented cells. These invading macrophages have numerous microprojections and are often separated from the surface by a very thin layer of iris epithelial cell cytoplasm. In the iris cells, nucleoli become more prominent and granular, polyribosomes increase greatly in number, melanosomes gradually disappear, mitochondria become more numerous, and mitotic activity is greatly augmented. Fine cell processes of adjacent interdigitate near the external surface, where numerous micropinocytotic vesicles can be seen. Over the external surface, the basal lamina may be disrupted or duplicated in places where pseudopodia project from iris cells or a macrophage has entered an intercellular space. It is lacking on the lumenal surface. Sloughed membranes are often found in these intercellular spaces.
Echocardiographic and anatomic correlation of ventricular septal defect morphology in newborn Yucatan pigs

With the use of a Yucatan micropig strain with a high incidence of ventricular septal defects (VSDs), results of two-dimensional and color-flow Doppler echocardiography of VSD morphology in newborn piglets were correlated with autopsy findings. A spectrum of perimembranous, muscular outlet, and doubly committed subarterial VSDs was found. Echocardiography was performed in 29 piglets weighing 1.2 to 4.4 (mean 2.8) kg, studied at age 4 to 18 (mean 8) days. VSD was diagnosed by means of echocardiography in 16 of 29 subjects; morphologic findings included perimembranous defects in 12, muscular outlet in two, and doubly committed subarterial defect in two. At autopsy the presence and location of defects were confirmed in all pigs. No additional defects were found. VSD diameters were 1.0 to 5.0 (mean 3.94) mm on echocardiography and 1.0 to 6.0 (mean 2.84) mm at autopsy. After aortic valve diameter was used as an internal control for tissue shrinkage during fixation, echocardiography/color Doppler imaging tended to overestimate VSD diameter by 21% (0.6 mm). In conclusion, echocardiography/Doppler imaging accurately identified the presence, morphology, and size of even the smallest VSDs in newborn Yucatan micropigs. Echocardiographic classification of VSD morphology in vivo will facilitate future research on specific types of VSDs in this animal model.
Growing season greenhouse gas flux from switchgrass in the northern great plains

Abstract Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) is being evaluated as a bioenergy crop for the northern Great Plains. Field measurements of CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O flux are needed to estimate the net greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of this biofeedstock. The study objective was to determine effects of recommended Nitrogen (N) fertilization (67 kg ha −1 of N applied) and unfertilized switchgrass on growing season soil-atmosphere CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O flux using static chamber methodology. Mean hourly CO 2 flux was greatest during periods of active switchgrass growth and was similar between N fertilizer treatments ( P = 0.09). Mean hourly N 2 O flux was consistently greater under N fertilization than without N throughout the growing season. Overall, N fertilization of switchgrass affected cumulative growing-season N 2 O flux (27.6 kg ha −1 ± 4.0 kg ha −1 vs. 86.3 kg ha −1 ± 14.3 kg ha −1 as CO 2 equivalents (CO 2 eq) for 0 kg ha −1 and 67 kg ha −1 of N applied, respectively; P 2 or CH 4 flux ( P = 0.08 and 0.51, respectively). Aboveground biomass production was greater with N application (6.8 Mg ha −1 ± 0.5 Mg ha −1 dry matter) than without N (3.2 Mg ha −1 ± 0.5 Mg ha −1 ) ( P − 1 harvest yield as CO 2 eq) for switchgrass production was similar between N treatments (0.71 vs. 0.44 for 0 kg ha −1 and 67 kg ha −1 of N applied, respectively; P = 0.18).
The EROI of U.S. offshore energy extraction: A net energy analysis of the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract In 2004, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service estimated that 49% of the oil and 57% of the natural gas yet to be discovered offshore in the United States are located in the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf region. While the existence of these energy resources is critical to the nation's future economic well being, of equal importance is the amount of already extracted energy that will be required to deliver the new fuel to society in a useful form. The difference between the two energy quantities is the net supply. In many respects, net energy is the most relevant measure of fuel supply because it represents the energy available to produce final-demand economic goods and services. Unfortunately, there currently exists no standard procedure for determining net energy, and so the data are extremely limited and inconsistent. In this paper, we present an “energy return on investment”, or “EROI”-based approach. EROI is defined as the ratio of gross energy produced by an energy supply process to the total, direct plus indirect, energy cost of its production. If the EROI of an energy supply process is known, then it's net energy output can be derived easily given gross production data. Below, we specify an empirical computer model programmed to simulate the productivity dynamics of offshore energy extraction in the Gulf of Mexico and estimate the EROI of the "offshore process" over a twenty-year period (1985–2004). At the conclusion of the simulation, the model calculates the EROI of the process to range from 10 to 25, depending on how energy costs have been defined. In comparison, it has been estimated that the EROI of U.S. domestic petroleum extraction in the 1930s was approximately 100.
Construction of a bilayered dermal equivalent containing human papillary and reticular dermal fibroblasts: use of fluorescent vital dyes.

Bilayered dermal equivalents were constructed by seeding human papillary and reticular dermal fibroblasts into separate layers of type I collagen and allowing these layers to gel into a single enti...
The Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) Registry Study

Some population-based studies of the risks of gestational medication use are limited by differential recall or enrollment of mothers of children with abnormalities. Prospective acquisition of exposure information, before knowledge of pregnancy outcome, is the most unbiased manner in which to obtain denominator-based outcome information. The Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) Registry Study will prospectively evaluate pregnancy outcomes in relation to exposures to asthma medications. Patients will be enrolled by participating Teratology Information Services. Information regarding medication exposure, asthma severity, and other important medical events will be assessed during pregnancy by means of standardized interviews, supplemented by medical records. Outcome information will be obtained from copies of the pediatric records. Data analysis will evaluate relative risks of adverse outcomes in exposed compared with unexposed asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects.
RNA Double Helix and the Evolution of the 3′,5′ Linkage

I WISH to call attention to a simple but important structural feature of the RNA double helix1, the implications of which have not been noticed previously and which seems to provide an evolutionary advantage for the exclusive use of the 3′, 5′-internucleotide linkage in naturally occurring RNA. A related observation can account for the production of the wrong linkage (2′,5′) in non-enzymatic polymerization of template-bound adenosine-2′,3′-cyclic phosphate2.
Effect of halothane anesthesia on extravascular mobilization of neutrophils

The ability of neutrophil leukocytes to extravasate into the peritoneal cavity in response to an intraperitoneal injection of bacterial endotoxin was studied in mice. The normal response of a marked accumulation of intraperitoneal neutrophils was completely abolished by halothane anesthesia. It was further shown that such abolition depended upon the presence of halothane duringthe time the extravasation would normally be occurring. The evidence points toward an effect on either the leukocyte or the vessel rather than a non-specific “stress” effect. It is suggested that the effect is on the neutrophil, rendering it less deformable and, hence, less able to undergo trans-vascular diapedesis.
Backside-thinned CCDs for keV electron detection

This paper presents preliminary results on the performance of n-channel, backside-thinned charge-coupled devices (CCDs) as electron-bombarded-semiconductor (EBS) imagers for the detection of 1-10 keV electrons. The devices exhibit average EBS gains ranging from approximately 50 at 1 keV to 1600 at 10 keV. Device radiation tolerance has been investigated by exposing normally-clocked devices to 6 keV electron doses up to 0.01 Coulombs/cm2. Room temperature pre- and post-irradiation results are presented for these key device parameters: full well capacity, dark current, and charge transfer efficiency (CTE). At the maximum dose of 0.01 Coulombs/cm2, full well capacity decreases 9 from an initial value of 680,000 e-, and dark current increases from 2 to approximately 50 nA/cm2. There are no measurable changes in large signal CTE up to the maximum dose. Radiation damage at energies other than 6 keV is estimated by measurement of the x-ray generation efficiency of silicon as a function of electron energy. Device stability after temperature cycling has been studied by subjecting packaged devices to vacuum bakes of 24 hours at 300 degree(s)C. Full well, CTE, EBS gain, and output amplifier performance are unchanged after the extended temperature cycle, while dark current decreases slightly by 15. In summary, these initial results indicate that the CCD can function as both an efficient and robust electron imager.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Deletion of CD4 and CD8 Coreceptors Permits Generation of αβT Cells that Recognize Antigens Independently of the MHC

The thymus generates major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted alphabetaT cells that only recognize antigenic ligands in association with MHC or MHC-like molecules. We hypothesized that MHC specificity might be imposed on a broader alphabetaTCR repertoire during thymic selection by CD4 and CD8 coreceptors that bind and effectively sequester the tyrosine kinase Lck, thereby preventing T cell receptor (TCR) signaling by non-MHC ligands that do not engage either coreceptor. This hypothesis predicts that, in coreceptor-deficient mice, alphabeta thymocytes would be signaled by non-MHC ligands to differentiate into alphabetaT cells lacking MHC specificity. We now report that MHC-independent alphabetaT cells were indeed generated in mice deficient in both coreceptors as well as MHC ("quad-deficient" mice) and that such mice contained a diverse alphabetaT cell repertoire whose MHC independence was confirmed at the clonal level. We conclude that CD4 and CD8 coreceptors impose MHC specificity on a broader alphabetaTCR repertoire during thymic selection by preventing thymocytes from being signaled by non-MHC ligands.
A Multi-Scale Distribution Model for Non-Equilibrium Populations Suggests Resource Limitation in an Endangered Rodent

Species distributions are known to be limited by biotic and abiotic factors at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Species distribution models, however, frequently assume a population at equilibrium in both time and space. Studies of habitat selection have repeatedly shown the difficulty of estimating resource selection if the scale or extent of analysis is incorrect. Here, we present a multi-step approach to estimate the realized and potential distribution of the endangered giant kangaroo rat. First, we estimate the potential distribution by modeling suitability at a range-wide scale using static bioclimatic variables. We then examine annual changes in extent at a population-level. We define “available” habitat based on the total suitable potential distribution at the range-wide scale. Then, within the available habitat, model changes in population extent driven by multiple measures of resource availability. By modeling distributions for a population with robust estimates of population extent through time, and ecologically relevant predictor variables, we improved the predictive ability of SDMs, as well as revealed an unanticipated relationship between population extent and precipitation at multiple scales. At a range-wide scale, the best model indicated the giant kangaroo rat was limited to areas that received little to no precipitation in the summer months. In contrast, the best model for shorter time scales showed a positive relation with resource abundance, driven by precipitation, in the current and previous year. These results suggest that the distribution of the giant kangaroo rat was limited to the wettest parts of the drier areas within the study region. This multi-step approach reinforces the differing relationship species may have with environmental variables at different scales, provides a novel method for defining “available” habitat in habitat selection studies, and suggests a way to create distribution models at spatial and temporal scales relevant to theoretical and applied ecologists.
Thermal inactivation of pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, and peroxidase in tomato juice.

Thermal inactivation kinetics have been determined for pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), and peroxidase (POD) in tomato juice. Two parameters, the inactivation rate constant (k) at a reference temperature and the activation energy for inactivation (Ea), were determined for each enzyme. For PME and PG, the k and Ea values reported here do not agree with those in several previously published reports. These differences can be explained either by the differences in pH values used for inactivation determinations or by inadequacies in the heating methods used in some previous studies. POD showed simple first-order inactivation kinetics and was less thermally stable than either PME or PG. When different cultivars of tomatoes were evaluated, there was no difference in the thermal inactivation kinetics of these enzymes.
Effect of suture material on postoperative astigmatism

Two hundred patients were enrolled in a randomized, prospective clinical trial comparing the use of 10-0 nylon, 10-0 polypropylene (Prolene), 11-0 polyester (Mersilene), and 10-0 polyethylene (Novafil) suture materials on the amount and decay curves of surgically induced astigmatism following intraocular lens (IOL) surgery. Patients with Mersilene and nylon sutures had the highest amounts of induced with-the-rule (WTR) cylinder (significantly more than Prolene) at one day after surgery. However, the WTR cylinder decayed rapidly for nylon during the first three months but more slowly for Mersilene because of its lack of stretchability. The Prolene group had the lowest level of induced WTR cylinder at one day, but against-the-rule (ATR) drift occurred, leaving cases with ATR astigmatism by a year. The nylon group had the second highest amount of induced WTR cylinder at one day, which had decayed to ATR cylinder by five months. Between one and two years postoperatively, the nylon group experienced a significant ATR shift. The amount of early induced WTR cylinder seemed to be related to the knot-tying technique and tissue gripping characteristics, whereas the shape of the decay curve was related to the material characteristics of the suture.
Intragastric infusion and intraperitoneal injection of 0.15 M lithium chloride (LiCl) produce equivalent suppression in the conditioning of a taste aversion

In a standard conditioned taste-aversion methodology, rats (Rattus norvegicus) ingested a novel saccharin solution and then received intragastric infusions or intraperitoneal injections of lithium chloride (LiCl) after a delay of either 0, 30, or 60 min. The two methods of administration of LiCl were found to produce equivalent aversions as assessed over three extinction trials. Both methods of administration showed a delay of reinforcement effect, that is, both of the zero-delay conditions resulted in enhanced suppression of drinking on the first extinction trial relative to the 30-and 60-min-delay conditions, which did not differ according to delay or method of administration.
Expression of 70 kDa heat shock proteins in antarctic and New Zealand notothenioid fish.

Abstract The cold and constant water temperature of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica provides a natural laboratory to address questions of temperature adaptation in marine organisms. In this study, endogenous levels and the number of isoforms of the 70 kDa heat shock protein multigene family ( hsp70 ) of Antarctic and cold temperate notothenioid fishes were determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. Tissues from three Antarctic Trematomus congeners had significantly lower levels of 70 kDa Hsp isoforms than their temperate confamilial from New Zealand waters. However, these two thermally disparate sets of fish did not differ in number or pattern of 70 kDa Hsp isoforms expressed under normal physiological conditions. Additionally, levels of 70 kDa Hsp isoforms in specimens of one Antarctic species, Trematomus bernacchii , acclimated to 4°C were significantly higher than non-acclimated conspecifics, indicating a direct effect of temperature on Hsp expression in this species. This study shows that constitutive expression of some members of the 70 kDa Hsp multigene family have been maintained, despite the absence of environmental heat stress for at least 2.5 million years.
Hydraulic conductivity of gravel and sand as substrates in rock-reed filters

Abstract Long-term use of a constructed wetland to treat landfill leachate requires that the saturated hydraulic conductivity be maintained and clogging avoided to prevent overland flow, which bypasses the treatment process. This paper describes the application of an equation developed for prediction of cumulative drainage volume from hillslopes to measure the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of substrates used in rock-reed filters. Outflow was measured at five intervals during the first 26 months of operation. The values of Ks) obtained by the drainage equation compared favorably with values calculated from a more dificult method based on Darcy's law. Results indicate that the finest substrate (a sand-and-gravel mixture) became almost completely clogged, and that the presence of reeds (Phragmites australis) did not maintain or increase the conductivity. Hydraulic conductivity of pea-gravel (0.5-cm diameter) and coarse-gravel (3-cm diameter) substrates with reeds did decrease in the 26-month period.
The effectiveness of supply-side tax cuts under alternative political models

Unless a supply-side tax cut is accompanied by a genuine limit on government spending, there are two relative price effects that need to be taken into consideration. The case for a supply-side tax cut has been based on the relative price shift between consumption versus investment goods. However, investment incentives created by this change in relative prices may be completely stymied by the political response to an accompanying relative price shift between publicly and privately supplied goods. It is the conclusion of this paper that the latter relative price effect will be more important in a political process controlled by the median voter than in one controlled by special interests. Based on the conclusion, it is interesting to speculate that those who model government as responsive to the median voter, [e.g., Meltzer and Richard (1981)] will be less enthusiastic about supply-side tax cuts not accompanied by spending limits than those who model government as controlled by special interests [e.g., Niskanen (1971)]. Another, and possibly safer, conjecture is to reverse directions and conclude that enthusiastic supply-siders will be those who believe that government size is largely determined by the demands of special interests and as a consequence is excessive.
Characterization of Dimeric Chiral Lithium Amide Structures Derived from N-isopropyl-O- triisopropylsilyl Valinol

The dimeric structure is characterized for a chiral amide base complex consisting of an (S)-N-isopropyl-O-triisopropylsilyl valinol ligand and lithium. The complex is characterized by a variety of NMR techniques, including multinuclear one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments and diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) as well as diffusion coefficient-formula weight (D-fw) correlation analyses. Spartan calculations are presented which support the structural assignment. This structural characterization leads to an explanation of the behavior and the reactivity of these complexes in solution.
A novel technique for quantitative measurement of free Ca2+ concentration in rat heart mitochondria

Recent progress in the technique of measuring free mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]m) in living cells has drawn much attention to investigation of the physiological role of mitochondrial Ca2+ transport (Rizzuto et al. 1992; Sheu & Jou, 1994; Hajnoczky et al. 1995; Babcock et al. 1997; Simpson & Russell, 1998; Duchen, 1999). With only a few exceptions, most publications have shown that the mitochondrial Ca2+ transport systems participate actively in shaping the duration and frequency of physiological oscillations of the free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c). Despite this prolific literature on mitochondrial Ca2+ signalling however, due to the limitations of the techniques available to measure [Ca2+]m, very few studies have addressed a simple but important question, namely, what is the resting [Ca2+]m under a physiological environment? Moreover, the more widely accepted view that mitochondria can respond dynamically to physiological [Ca2+]c pulses is still very controversial in cardiac muscle cells. Some reports have shown that mitochondria respond to [Ca2+]c changes on a beat-to-beat basis (Chacon et al. 1996) while others show that mitochondria respond minimally until mean resting [Ca2+]c has exceeded 300-500 nM (Miyata et al. 1991). We describe a novel technique here which allowed us to measure quantitatively the rat heart [Ca2+]m without contamination of fura-2 fluorescence signals from the cytosol and intracellular organelles. This was achieved by injecting isolated rat heart mitochondria loaded with fura-2 initially into Xenopus oocytes. [Ca2+]m, [Ca2+]c and the relationship between these two parameters were then investigated. A preliminary report of this work has appeared in abstract form (Sheu & Sharma, 1997).
Caesium zirconium uranium pentatelluride, CsZrUTe5

CsZrUTe5 is isostructural with CsTiUTe5. In the asymmetric unit, the site symmetries of the Cs, U, Zr, Te1, Te2 and Te3 atoms are mm2, mm2, .2/m., m.., .2. and mm2, respectively. CsZrUTe5 has a layered structure that contains UTe8 bicapped trigonal prisms sharing a common edge with ZrTe6 octa­hedra. Cs cations separate the layers. The structure contains an infinite linear Te–Te chain, with Te atoms separated by 3.1551 (4) A.
Solubility of Anthracene in Binary Alkane + Chlorocyclohexane and Alkane + 1-Chlorooctane Solvent Mixtures at 298.2 K

Article discussing the solubility of anthracene in binary alkane + chlorocyclohexane and alkane + 1-chlorooctane solvent mixtures at 298.2 K.
The use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction in community hospitals

Background: Previous studies documenting underutilization of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been limited to Medicare populations. Hypothesis: This study examines ACEI prescription rates and predictors in a community sample of hospitalized patients with AMI. Methods: The charts of 1163 community patients with AMI, prospectively identified at admission between January 1, 1994, and April 30, 1995, were reviewed. Results: Only 64 of 158 (40%) patients considered ideal candidates for ACEI prescription were discharged with a prescription for an ACEI. In a multivariate logistic regression model, prior ACEI utilization [adjusted odds ration (OR) = 3.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.05–5.20], presence of congestive heart failure (OR = 2.33; CI = 1.50–3.61) and black race (OR = 2.20; CI = 1.34–3.64) were identified as positive predictors of ACEI prescription. Conversely, lack of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measurement (OR = 0.46; CI = 0.28–0.75), LVEF > 40 (OR = 0.27; CI = 0.18–0.40), and acute renal failure (OR = 0.08; CI = 0.01–0.44) were negative predictors. Women were also less likely to be discharged with an ACEI prescription (OR = 0.71; CI = 0.48–1.05). Furthermore, women were significantly less likely to have LVEF measured prior to discharge than were males (77 vs. 85%, p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study underscores the need for improvement in the utilization of ACEI in eligible patients with AMI. It also identifies opportunities for improvement in prescription rates, especially in women.
Effect of moricizine hydrochloride in reducing chronic high-frequency ventricular arrhythmia: Results of a prospective, controlled trial

The antiarrhythmic efficacy of moricizine HCI (Ethmozine®), a new oral phenothiazine derivative, was evaluated in 20 patients with chronic high-fre-quency ventricular arrhythmia confirmed by multiple ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings. Comparison with 72 ± 24 hours (± standard de-viation) of ambulatory recordings on moricizine treatment (average dose 295 ± 58 mg 3 times daily or 9.8 ± 1.0 mg/kg/day) was made. Maximal treadmill exercise provocation of arrhythmia and echocardiographic studies to detect effects on left ventricular function were also compared. The group had an average of 378 ± 97 ventricular premature beats (VPBs) per hour while receiving placebo, with a mean VPB grade of 3.4 ± 1.1 (modified Lown). When the patients received moricizine HCI, VPB frequency was reduced 53% (p < 0.01), to a mean VPB grade of 2.2 ± 1.4 (p < 0.05). Seventy percent of the patients (14 of 20) showed a reduction in VPB frequency that exceeded the maximal expected variation; in 3 the frequency did not change and in 3 it increased with moricizine HCI. Resting elec-trocardiographic changes consisted of modest prolongations of PR interval (0.03 second) and QRS duration (0.02 second); however, QT prolongation was not observed. Heart rate and blood pressure at rest and peak exercise, exercise-related arrhythmia, exercise durations and echocardiographic measures of left ventricular function were unchanged by mo-ricizine HCI compared with placebo. Side effects of morcizine HCI at these dosages were minimal (di-arrhea in 1 patient, dizziness in 1 and diaphoresis in 1 ), although 2 patients tested at higher dosages had sustained ventricular tachycardia that may have been related to moricizine HCI. Moricizine HCI was found to be an effective and unusually well tolerated antiarrhythmic agent when administered orally 3 times daily at dosages of approximately 10 mg/ kg/day.
WayMarkr: acquiring perspective through continuous documentation

The WayMarkr system turns a mobile device into a self-documenting wearable device with virtually unlimited disk space. WayMarkr uses a mobile device's camera to take continuous photographs from the vantage point of the wearer. The ubiquity of mobile devices makes WayMarkr unobtrusive, and the first image based Memex device widely available to the general public. Collected photographs create a personal narrative as a set collected in context. Captured photographic narratives give users perspective, insight, and an alternative access to memory recollection of their daily lives.
Utilization of Prosodic Information in Syntactic Ambiguity Resolution.

Two self paced listening experiments examined the role of prosodic phrasing in syntactic ambiguity resolution. In Experiment 1, the stimuli consisted of early closure sentences (e.g., “While the parents watched, the child sang a song.”) containing transitive-biased subordinate verbs paired with plausible direct objects or intransitive-biased subordinate verbs paired with implausible direct objects. Experiment 2 also contained early closure sentences with transitively and intransitive-biased subordinate verbs, but the subordinate verbs were always followed by plausible direct objects. In both experiments, there were two prosodic conditions. In the subject-biased prosodic condition, an intonational phrase boundary marked the clausal boundary following the subordinate verb. In the object-biased prosodic condition, the clause boundary was unmarked. The results indicate that lexical and prosodic cues interact at the subordinate verb and plausibility further affects processing at the ambiguous noun. Results are discussed with respect to models of the role of prosody in sentence comprehension.
A characterization of certain excluded-minor classes of matroids

A result of Walton and the author establishes that every 3-connected matroid of rank and corank at least three has one of five six-element rank-3 self-dual matroids as a minor. This paper characterizes two classes of matroids that arise when one excludes as minors three of these five matroids. One of these results extends the author's characterization of the ternary matroids with no M(K4)-minor, while the other extends Tutte's excluded-minor characterization of binary matroids.
Frost reduces western spruce budworm populations and damage in Montana

Abstract Unseasonal temperatures, as low as −6°C, were recorded in western Montana in mid-June 1969, a period when western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) larvae were actively feeding on newly developing foliage of coniferous host trees. Studies in progress at that time provided circumstantial evidence that the freeze reduced: (1) budworm populations on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) over 90%; and (2) budworm damage to young larch 54–71%.
New building blocks for crystal engineering.Syntheses and crystal structures of oxime-substituted pyridines

The syntheses and crystal structures of a family of oxime-substituted pyridine ligands [py-C(R)NOH, where R = H, Me, Ph, or NH2] are presented. The compounds are all prepared in good yields by allowing a suitably substituted pyridine to react with hydroxylamine. Their solid-state structures show that the dominating hydrogen bond, a head-to-tail O–H⋯N interaction between the oxime O–H moiety and the pyridine nitrogen atom, is present in each of the seven reported cases. This intermolecular interaction generates infinite chains that are crosslinked into 2D or 3D assemblies by weaker C–H⋯N or C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
High precision Os isotopic measurement using N-TIMS: Quantification of various sources of error in 186Os/188Os measurements

Abstract The 190 Pt– 186 Os system could be useful to study a number of different geologic processes. Over the last decade, this system has received considerable attention owing to its potential to detect core–mantle signatures in plume-derived lavas. Additionally, this system may also be useful as a proxy for melt depletion, examining the role of pyroxenites/sulfides in mantle melting and for dating of Platinum Group Element (PGE) based ores. The total natural variation of 186 Os/ 188 Os is limited (~ 150 ppm in the mantle), which thus requires extremely high levels of accuracy and precision to discern natural variations. 186 Os/ 188 Os ratios were measured in laboratory standards and natural samples to examine and quantify the sources of error affecting high precision 186 Os/ 188 Os measurements and a set of refined analytical procedures to minimize and reduce these various sources of error were recommended. Inter and intra-run variations in oxygen isotopic composition used in oxide correction of OsO 3 − peaks can produce systematic shifts in 186 Os/ 188 Os. Useful analysis time is wasted in measuring O isotopic composition line-by-line and it is sufficient to utilize pre- and post-run determination of O isotopic composition for performing oxide correction. Although the use of 189 Os/ 188 Os as a normalizing ratio for mass fractionation results in lower uncertainty in Os isotopes from oxide correction, this benefit is overwhelmed by the increased error propagation from mass fractionation. Instead, usage of the 192 Os/ 188 Os normalization generates the least propagated error due to mass fractionation and is recommended. Earlier studies have variably used different O isotopic compositions for oxide correction and different normalizations for mass fractionation correction, which can generate systematic shifts in the reduced data. Use of mutually consistent normalizing values for mass fractionation largely reduces the offsets between reduced data using different normalizing schemes, thus improving data comparison across laboratories. For the quantities of Os and beam intensities of 186 Os utilized in previous 186 Os/ 188 Os studies (several 10's of ng Os, 80–250 mV of 186 Os with a 10 11 Ω resistor), the largest source of analytical error is derived from Johnson noise on baseline integrations. Increasing the duration of baseline measurement significantly reduces the Johnson noise error, allowing to achieve maximum external precision for a given sample size. Several 186 Os/ 188 Os analyses reported in the literature seem to have been compromised by an interference, which may be WO 3 − , organics or some other unidentified species that affects both the 186 Os/ 188 Os and the 184 Os/ 188 Os ratios. This makes it extremely critical to monitor and correct PtO 2 − interferences, which could mask other potential interferences that directly affect 186 Os/ 188 Os measurements.
Inhibition of ethanol metabolism by fructose in alcohol dehydrogenase-deficient deer mice in vivo

The purpose of this work was to compare the roles of a newly described mitochondrial dehydrogenase and catalase in ethanol elimination in deer mice deficient in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-). Fructose was used because of its well-known ability to stimulate dehydrogenase-dependent ethanol metabolism. Rates of ethanol metabolism in vivo were decreased significantly by about 60% in a dose-dependent manner by fructose in deer mice fed an ethanol-containing or a corn oil control diet. In addition, rates of metabolism of methanol, a selective substrate for catalase in rodents, were similar to rates of ethanol elimination and were decreased from 6.9 +/- 1.0 to 1.7 +/- 0.5 mmol/kg/h by fructose, supporting the hypothesis that catalase and not a mitochondrial dehydrogenase predominates in ethanol oxidation in ADH-deer mice. Glycolate, a substrate for peroxisomal H2O2 generation, reversed the inhibition of alcohol metabolism by fructose completely, indicating that fructose did not inhibit catalase directly. As expected, the ATP/ADP ratio was decreased by fructose significantly from 4.2 +/- 0.4 to 2.4 +/- 0.4 in deer mouse livers. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that fructose decreases catalase-dependent ethanol metabolism in vivo by inhibiting hepatic H2O2 generation.
Environmental politics in Japan: An integrated structural analysis

Political conflict poses questions about social cohesion, power, and change that culturalist and materialist theories answer very differently. Comparative sociology requires a method for the integrated and weighted use of their answers. The following case study of environmental politics in Japan develops and illustrates the use of such a method. The types of sanctions used to build influence relations, analyzed through graphs and network matrices, indicate the relative validity of different theories. In this case, a class structure determines the main direction of environmental politics, but cultural legitimations sometimes divert it to other tracks.
Lead and Arsenic Uptake by Leafy Vegetables Grown on Contaminated Soils: Effects of Mineral and Organic Amendments

To assess strategies for mitigating Pb and As transfer into leafy vegetables from contaminated garden soils, we conducted greenhouse experiments using two field-contaminated soils amended with materials expected to reduce metal phytoavailability. Lettuce and mustard greens grown on these soils were analyzed by ICP-MS, showing that some Pb and As transfer into the vegetables occurred from both soils tested, but plant Pb concentrations were highly variable among treatment replicates. Soil-to-plant transfer was more efficient for As than for Pb. Contamination of the leaves by soil particles probably accounted for most of the vegetable Pb, since plant Pb concentrations were correlated to plant tissue concentrations of the immobile soil elements Al and Fe. This correlation was not observed for vegetable As concentrations, evidence that most of the soil-to-plant transfer for this toxic metal occurred by root uptake and translocation into the above-ground tissues. A follow-up greenhouse experiment with lettuce on one of the two contaminated soils revealed a lower and less variable foliar Pb concentration than observed in the first experiment, with evidence of less soil particle contamination of the crop. This reduced transfer of Pb to the crop appeared to be a physical effect attributable to the greater biomass causing reduced overall exposure of the above-ground tissues to the soil surface. Attempts to reduce soil Pb and As solubility and plant uptake by amendment at practical rates with stabilizing materials, including composts, peat, Ca phosphate, gypsum, and Fe oxide, were generally unsuccessful. Only Fe oxide reduced soluble As in the soil, but this effect did not persist. Phosphate amendment rapidly increased soil As solubility but had no measurable effect on either soil Pb solubility or concentrations of Pb or As in the leafy vegetables. The ineffectiveness of these amendments in reducing Pb transfer into leafy vegetables is attributed in this study to the low initial Pb solubility of the studied soils and the fact that the primary mechanism of Pb transfer is physical contamination.
The effects of nonvolatile toxic substances on the yeast growth during ethyl alcohol fermentations

Nonvolatile toxins accumulated during alcohol fermentation reduce the yeast growth rate, but not the maximum cell concentration. Specific growth rates decline exponentially according to the increase in toxins. The accumulation of salts and proteins seem to be responsible for the inhibition.
The Role of Neuroticism and Extraversion in the Stress-Anxiety and Stress-Depression Relationships

Though there is a considerable amount of research supporting the association between stressful life events and major depression, there is a paucity of research concerning a range of other life stress constructs, non-depressive disorders, the role of stable personality traits, and gender differences. This study addresses these deficits by: (a) focusing on the association between interpersonal and non-interpersonal chronic life stress (CLS) and both depressive and anxiety disorders; (b) examining the roles of neuroticism and low extraversion in these associations; and (c) assessing gender differences. Participants were 603 adolescents from a study examining risk factors for emotional disorders. Depression and social phobia were associated with interpersonal CLS (IP-CLS), with neuroticism partially accounting for these associations. Low extraversion partially accounted for the association between social phobia and IP-CLS. Depression was also associated with non-interpersonal CLS (NI-CLS), but only in females. This study provides preliminary evidence for the importance of personality variables in explaining shared associations between stress and depression. Additionally, the stress-social phobia relationship is highlighted with no evidence supporting an association between other anxiety disorders and CLS.
Interfacially Confined Polymeric Systems Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

Within the last few years, a surface science technique, the atomic force microscopy (AFM), has evolved to be capable of simultaneously measuring tribological (friction, wear, adhesion) and rheological (elastic moduli, viscosity, hardness) properties and topography on the nanometer scale. Particularly for thin polymeric films, the AFM can be efficiently used for studying surface mechanical properties which are of fundamental importance to help predict stress and frictional behavior of interfacially confined ultrathin films. In this paper, the following aspects will be discussed: (a) mechanical properties of ultrathin homopolymer and copolymer films, (b) dewetting dynamics of interfacially confined phase-separated homopolymers, and (c) the influence of graft-copolymers on the wetting and dewetting characteristics of homopolymers.
A sensitivity study of changes in Earth's rotation rate with an atmospheric general circulation model

Abstract A series of general circulation model simulations in which Earth's rotation rate has been increased is presented using the community climate model version 1 (CCM1) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The rotation rate has been altered in order to simulate day-lengths of 24-, 22-, 20-, 18-, 16- and 14-h Earth days. This is a plausible range of Earth's day-length during the last 4 billion years. In an earlier study with a simple energy balance ocean, which does not store heat (sometimes referred to as a swamp), it was shown that reducing the day-length to a 14-h day caused a 20% reduction in the global mean cloud fraction. In this study however, using fixed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) with January solar forcing, a slight increase in clouds occurs with faster rotation, although changes in relative humidity are similar to the earlier study. Furthermore, as in an earlier study, there is more sinking in the mid-latitudes. This sinking is most prominent over the Pacific and Atlantic storm tracks, indicating that the baroclinic eddies have been weakened. With faster rotation rates, the storm tracks are defined by shorter waves as compared to the control simulation. A significant change in the large-scale zonally averaged circulation occurs when the day-length is reduced to a values less than 18-hours. The effects of faster rotation rates on stationary eddy heat transport may help to explain high latitude glaciation of the Ordovician some 440 Ma years ago.
Molecular Characterization of Glioblastoma Cell Differentiation

OBJECTIVE Induction of cellular differentiation continues to be an attractive therapeutic strategy for malignant glioma. The purpose of this study was to develop a convenient in vitro model system for glioblastoma differentiation and to then characterize it using conventional techniques and flow cytometry. METHODS A subline of U138 MG cells ("U138B") was treated with 0 to 4 mmol/L sodium butyrate (or serum deprivation) for up to 96 hours. Cells were initially studied for effects on proliferation, morphology, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining. Northern blot and immunoblot analyses of c-myc expression were performed. Multiparameter flow cytometry was then used to analyze GFAP, c-myc protein, and total cellular protein fluorescence and to relate them to changes in cell cycle distribution. RESULTS Butyrate treatment produced a dose-dependent inhibition of cellular proliferation and changes in morphology, GFAP staining, and c-myc expression consistent with a differentiation response. Detailed flow cytometric studies, including subpopulation analysis, showed that during 72 hours of treatment with 2 mmol/L butyrate, mean GFAP fluorescence increased to 420%, whereas c-myc protein decreased to 45 +/- 13% and total cellular protein increased to 181 +/- 17%. The effects of butyrate were distinct from those of serum deprivation and were not simply the result of cells shifting into Gzero/G1. CONCLUSION The butyrate-induced responses of the U138B cell line provide a convenient model system for studying the molecular events accompanying the differentiation of glioblastoma cells. Multiparameter flow cytometry is a useful technique for characterizing such differentiation.
43. Chaotic childhood home environment is associated with heightened inflammatory markers in adult breast cancer survivors

Stress in early life, such as childhood home environments characterized by harsh or chaotic parenting, is strongly associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes. Previous studies suggest a link between early life stress and elevated inflammatory markers in later life, which may contribute to poor long-term health. However, it is unclear what aspect of the home environment might influence inflammatory processes, and whether these associations are evident in cancer patients, for whom elevated inflammation has particular health significance. This study examined the association between three aspects of a stressful childhood home environment (neglectful parenting, chaos/disorganized home, and abuse) and plasma inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1RA, sTNF-RII, and CRP) in a sample of 126 breast cancer survivors assessed one year after treatment with surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. Results showed that chaos and disorganization within the childhood home were associated with higher levels of IL-6 (B = .035, p = .035) and sTNF-RII (B = .013, p = .024), but neither neglectful parenting nor abuse were associated with any inflammatory markers. The associations held after controlling for age, BMI, endocrine therapy status, cancer treatment history, current depressive symptoms, and current perceived stress level. Results suggest that growing up in a chaotic and disorganized home may lead to chronic inflammation in breast cancer survivors, with potential relevance for long-term health and well-being.
Fabrication Of A Metal-Matrix Composite Mirror

There is an ongoing need for economical, lightweight, stable mirror substrates which are capable of high optical performance in the visible and the infrared. Metal matrix composite (MMC) materials were selected as one class of materials suitable for meeting such needs. The economical fabrication of MMC materials into lightweight mirror structures requires unique machining and heat treating methods. These methods were developed for the fabrication of a high quality MMC lightweighted mirror which is described below.
An ISY policy for developing and newly industrialized countries

Abstract One state policy for International Space Year (ISY) is to pay special attention to the needs of developing countries while planning ISY activities. This article provides a historical context for assessing ISY as an opportunity to turn this policy into practice. A survey of experts involved in ISY planning was undertaken and the results include six recommendations for overcoming the obstacles to developing countries' full participation in ISY: (1) funding from international organizations and national foreign assistance agencies must increase substantially; (2) more attention must be given to improving the flow of information and communication about ISY; (3) education and training opportunities must be made available to a wide audience of developing country participants; (4) steps must be taken now to relieve the political and socioeconomic tensions that exist between North and South, particularly as they relate to ISY; (5) inadequacies in infrastructure must be considered; and (6) data-related obstacles must be examined.