cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bisphenol A impairs decidualization of human uterine stromal fibroblasts.

Abstract This study examined the effect of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on human uterine stromal fibroblast cells (HuF) undergoing decidualization. HuF cells were isolated and cultured for eight days in the presence of a decidualization-inducing cocktail, while concurrently exposed to physiological and supra-physiologic doses of BPA (1 ng/mL, 10 ng/mL, 0.5 μg/mL, 10 μg/mL and 20 μg/mL). Decidualization markers, steroid hormone receptors and cell cycle gene expression were detected by qRT-PCR and cellular proliferation was assessed by KI-67 immunofluorescent staining and MTS assay. BPA impaired decidualization at 10 μg/mL and 20 μg/mL, but not at lower doses. Additionally, BPA at 20 μg/mL decreased progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor-alpha compared to controls. The highest dose of BPA also reduced cellular proliferation and cyclin D2 expression compared to controls. These findings demonstrate that BPA disrupts in vitro decidualization of uterine stromal fibroblasts by altering steroid hormone receptor expression at higher concentrations but not at lower physiological doses.
Lithosphere Stress and Deformation

After several decades of investigation, a surprisingly simple view of the lithospheric state of stress has emerged. Broad regions of the lithosphere (scales up to thousands of kilometers) are characterized by remarkably uniform stress fields, in terms of both orientations and relative magnitudes. There is a strong correlation between observed intraplate stress orientations and orientations predicted by models of the plate-driving forces acting on the plate geometry, suggesting that the same forces that drive the plates also stress their interiors. Lateral variations in density and thickness of the crust and lithosphere give rise to gravitational potential energy differences that locally induce forces comparable in magnitude to plate-driving forces. In addition, mantle density inhomogeneities may also influence lithospheric stresses through the linkage of mantle flow. Direct measurements of stress magnitudes at depth indicate that the brittle crust is in a state of ‘frictional faulting equilibrium,’ that is, the stress differences are close to, and limited by, the stress levels required to induce slip on the most well-oriented preexisting planes. This characteristic of ‘critically stressed crust’ stress applies equally well to active plate boundary regions as well as ‘stable’ intraplate regions, indicating that stress differences at depth are comparable in these very distinct tectonic provinces. The difference in deformation between the two provinces is simply the rate of deformation, primarily controlled by the integrated strength of the lithosphere. Warmer, weaker lithosphere (such as along plate boundaries) will deform about eight orders of magnitude more rapidly than old, cold lithosphere in the interior of plates.
Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems

Anesthesia and surgery directly affect the musculoskeletal and integumentary systems and expose the patient to potential risks of nerve injury, pressure ulcers, and surgical site infection. Older age is a risk factor for all of them. Aging is accompanied by changes to the structure and function of the skin that negatively impact the three stages of incisional wound healing, inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling, leading to an increased risk of surgical wound infection. Surgical wound infection is associated with considerable suffering and leads to an increase in costs, morbidity, and mortality. Anesthesiologists provide clinical interventions that can improve wound healing and reduce the risk of surgical site infections. Interventions include preoperative consulting for smoking cessation and physical activity, administration of antibiotics and oxygen, and management of blood glucose, body temperature, and fluids. It is also possible that choice of anesthetic technique and drugs may also influence wound healing. Aging is also associated with sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and osteoarthritis, which are important to recognize in order to reduce the incidence of perioperative pressure ulcers and nerve injuries.
Intracochlear pressure in response to high intensity, low frequency sounds in chinchilla.

Abstract Exposure to high intensity (blast) sounds can result in both conductive and sensorineural damage to hearing. This includes rupture of the tympanic membrane and dislocation of the middle ear ossicles, as well as damage to the inner and outer hair cells in the cochlea. A clearer understanding of how the hearing system responds to blast could help us better prevent auditory trauma, and support those who have been exposed to such sounds. Chinchillas are often used in studies of hearing due to the similarity between the chinchilla and human audiograms. The suitability of their use in research on auditory trauma from blast noise will depend on the extent to which cochlear pressures generated in chinchillas compare to those in humans. In order to gain a more detailed understanding of the response of the ear to high intensity sounds, a custom built sound concentrating horn was used to expose chinchilla cadaveric ears to a series of single frequency tones between 10 and 1280 Hz, with varying intensities from 90 to 194 dB SPL while intracochlear pressures were measured simultaneously in the scala vestibuli and scala tympani. These results were then compared to similar, previously published data from human cadavers. In both human and chinchillas, intracochlear pressures increased with applied sound pressure up to about 120 dB SPL, but began to saturate at higher intensities. The exact saturation point and the saturation pressures showed a strong frequency dependence. Intracochlear pressure magnitudes in chinchillas show some similarities with those measured in humans, but also significant differences, particularly at very high intensity levels such as those found in a blast. These differences should be taken into account when conducting blast studies in chinchillas.
A Comparison of Vickers and Knoop Indentations in Soda-Lime Glass

Flaw and strength characteristics of Vickers and Knoop indentations in soda-lime glass were studied over a wide range of indenter loads. Vickers indentation produced ideal, well-developed deformation/crack patterns over the entire load spectrum; whereas, Knoop indentation patterns contained significant amounts of extraneous surface damage and radial cracks were consistently well-developed only at high indenter loads. Despite these complications, both Knoop and Vickers results showed very good fit to the indentation fracture mechanics model. However, unlike results reported for silicon nitride and glass-ceramic materials, Vickers and Knoop radial cracks on soda-lime glass were of comparable length for the same indentation load and equivalent crack lengths yielded equivalent fracture strengths independent of indenter geometry. Strength behavior of annealed flaws suggests that the flaw shape parameter for Knoop indentations is less than for Vickers indentations (0.21 vs. 0.28). Aging test results indicate greater relief of the indentation-generated residual stress in Knoop flaws than in Vickers flaws.
Application of Coupled Ultrasonic Plate Modes for Elastic Constant Reconstruction of Anisotropic Composites

Recently there have been intensive studies [1,2,3] of the coefficient of reflection of ultrasonic waves from fluid-loaded composite plates. Attention has been given mainly to the loci of the reflection coefficient (RC) zeroes as functions of frequency and angle of ultrasonic wave incidence. Interest in the RC zeroes (maxima of the transmission coefficient) arose originally from their association with the leaky Lamb waves in the plate which is valid only for low fluid densities [4]. Independently of the physical meaning of the RC zeroes the spectrum carries important information on the properties of the composite and may be used for reconstruction of the elastic constants from the experimental data [5,6].
Reply to Colussi: Microdroplet interfacial pH, the ongoing discussion

We thank Colussi for his interest (1) in our article “Aerosol microdroplets exhibit a stable pH gradient” (2). Over the course of many years, Colussi and his colleagues have made numerous contributions to our understanding of the complicated chemistry of the air/water interface, and one of the goals of our research was to further contribute to this discussion. In his letter, Colussi raises three points to which we want to respond: [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: pvikes{at}vt.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Stress impacts the fidelity but not strength of emotional memories

Psychological stress during memory encoding influences resulting memory representations. However, open questions remain regarding how stress interacts with emotional memory. This interaction has mainly been studied by characterizing the correct identification of previously observed material (memory "hits"), with few studies investigating how stress influences the endorsement of unobserved material as remembered (memory "false alarms"). While hits can provide information about the presence or strength of a memory representation, false alarms provide insight into memory fidelity, indicating to what extent stored memories are confused with similar information presented at retrieval. This study examined the effects of stress on long-term memory for negative and neutral images, considering the separate contributions of hits and false alarms. Participants viewed images after repeated exposure to either a stress or a control manipulation. Stress impaired memory performance for negative pictures and enhanced memory performance for neutral pictures. These effects were driven by false alarms rather than hits: stressed participants false alarmed more often for negative and less often for neutral images. These data suggest that stress undermines the benefits of emotion on memory by changing individuals' susceptibility towards false alarms, and highlight the need to consider both memory strength and fidelity to characterize differences in memory performance.
Development of an Efficient Compressor for Ocean Compressed Air Energy Storage

Utilization of intermittent ocean energy resources can be improved by integrating them with an energy storage system. Ocean compressed air energy storage (OCAES) is a promising large-scale energy storage system in the proximity of ocean energy resources. Efficient compressors and expanders are needed to achieve a high roundtrip efficiency of OCAES systems. In this paper, the development of an efficient liquid piston compressor is discussed. Heat transfer enhancement techniques such as aqueous foam and spray cooling are tested in a liquid piston compressor to achieve a highly efficient near-isothermal compression. It is observed that both aqueous foam and spray cooling are highly effective in abating the rise of air temperature during compression and improve the isothermal efficiency of compression. The use of aqueous foam in a liquid piston compressor shows an isothermal efficiency up to 91% whereas spray cooling results in an isothermal efficiency up to 96%. Efficiency analysis of liquid piston based OCAES systems with aqueous foam and spray cooling indicate the potential improvement of 4-14% in roundtrip efficiency of OCAES with the use of aqueous foam and 10-20% improvement with the spray cooling.
Two-phase equation of state for lithium fluoride.

We present an equation of state for the solid and liquid phases of lithium fluoride that covers a wide range of conditions from ambient pressure and temperature to the high pressures and temperatures exhibited in shock- and ramp-compression studies. The particular solid phase we have focused on in this work is the B1 phase. We have followed an approach where the pressure and heat-capacity functions of both phases are fit to experimental data and our own quantum molecular dynamics simulations and are then integrated in a thermodynamically consistent way to obtain the corresponding free-energy functions. This approach yields a two-phase equation of state that provides better overall agreement with experimental data than other equations of state for lithium fluoride, such as SESAME 7271v3, LEOS 2240, and the model presented by Smirnov. The last of these is a three-phase equation of state that predicts a B1–B2 transition along the shock Hugoniot at a pressure of about 140 GPa. This solid–solid transition has been a topic of speculation and debate in the literature for over 50 years, culminating in the work of Smirnov, who has developed the only potentially viable equation of state that allows for this transition. We explain why the proposed B1–B2 transition at 140 GPa is not consistent with recent velocimetry data.
Why Do Some Crystals Grow in Filamentary Shapes

It is now necessary to turn from “metal deposition” studies—the study of the mechanism by which ions move from the solution to the growth sites on the metal surface—and study the growth itself. This is a more complex task and it is convenient to begin with the single example in which the situation is fairly well understood, i.e., that of systems which grow in a dendritic manner. Open image in new window Fig. 18 Electromicrograph of an Ag dendrite, grown from 0.1 M AgNo3 at 100 mA/cm2 (Matthews, Mutucumarana, and Wilman 158) the solution- to the growth sites on the metal surface-and study the growth itself. This is a more complex task and it is convenient to begin with the single example in which the situation is fairly well understood, i.e., that of systems which grow in a dendritic manner.
Investigation of Aging’s Effect on the Conduction and Switching Loss in SiC MOSFETs

The long-term device and package degradations in SiC MOSFETs can affect the power converter’s performance. In this paper, the aging’s effect on the device’s conduction and switching loss is evaluated experimentally. A DC power cycling test is implemented to age the commercial SiC MOSFETs. From the experimental results, the conduction loss is observed to increase by ~9.7%. Both the gate trap induced threshold voltage shift and package degradation contribute to the on-resistance increase. In terms of the switching loss, the turn-on loss also increases after aging, and the increment depends on the operating conditions. Specifically, at high current level and low gate resistance, the turn-on loss increase is more significant. In the experimental result with 0 Ω gate resistance, more than 36% turn-on loss increase is observed at 600 V/ 20 A. From the switching transient waveforms, the turn-on loss variation mainly occurs during the turn-on current rise period and is caused by the package degradation. During the voltage falling period, a slight turn-on loss increase is observed because of the positive V th shift. In contrast, the turn-off loss variation after aging is not significant.
Odor Perception Interactions between Free Monoterpene Isomers and Wine Composition of Pinot Gris Wines

Monoterpenes are aromatic compounds that are of great interest to wine as they are related to the quality of varietal wines. However, there is little information available about the impact of monot...
Predicting Tasks from Task-fMRI Using Blind Source Separation

Signal estimation from functional magnetic resonance imaging data (fMRI) is a difficult and challenging task that involves carefully chosen models that can be validated by domain experts. Blind source separation (BSS) techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), and tensor decomposition have been proposed for estimating the task-fMRI signals. However, few studies have investigated their efficacy for classifying different tasks. This paper proposes yet another novel method to validate the signal estimation using predictive performance of the methods. Three commonly used BSS techniques are used for estimating signals (spatio-temporal maps) from task-fMRI. The dataset (consisting of 4 tasks) is taken from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). The extracted temporal signals are used to train a classifier that classifies two different tasks. For a binary classification, a Constrained-PARAFAC tensor decomposition achieves 92% accuracy for differentiating gambling vs. relational tasks. In addition, results for other binary task classifications are also presented. Overall, the proposed Constrained-PARAFAC performs better in prediction performance compared to PCA and ICA.
For a Better Society, Teach Philosophy in High School

Our diseased political system is in dire need of a hefty dose of philosophy, and the best way to inject this dose into American society is to start at the stem — to raise our children to have a philosophic mindset by teaching philosophy in schools.
Aprender a Dudar es Aprender a Pensar

“The author Sandra Cisneros,” Jessica is telling the class, “is someone whose work makes me feel like I am not alone with my feelings of being trapped between two worlds and the traditions and values of two different cultures.” Jessica is Mexican American, and what she said in this brief presentation resonated all semester long in English 200: Advanced Composition. She spoke about the complex nature of identity and the difficulty of moving between the different worlds of her Mexican ancestry and her new American life. “To this day, I am made to feel not ‘Mexican enough’ when around my Mexican family members and not ‘American enough’ when I am around the American side of my family or friends.” This chapter features an essay by a student in this class about the subject of identity and moving between cultures inspired by Jessica’s presentation.
Human-Level Control without Server-Grade Hardware.

Deep Q-Network (DQN) marked a major milestone for reinforcement learning, demonstrating for the first time that human-level control policies could be learned directly from raw visual inputs via reward maximization. Even years after its introduction, DQN remains highly relevant to the research community since many of its innovations have been adopted by successor methods. Nevertheless, despite significant hardware advances in the interim, DQN's original Atari 2600 experiments remain costly to replicate in full. This poses an immense barrier to researchers who cannot afford state-of-the-art hardware or lack access to large-scale cloud computing resources. To facilitate improved access to deep reinforcement learning research, we introduce a DQN implementation that leverages a novel concurrent and synchronized execution framework designed to maximally utilize a heterogeneous CPU-GPU desktop system. With just one NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU, our implementation reduces the training time of a 200-million-frame Atari experiment from 25 hours to just 9 hours. The ideas introduced in our paper should be generalizable to a large number of off-policy deep reinforcement learning methods.
Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of How Variability in Neurobiology Shapes Individual Differences in Behavior

Research has begun to identify how variability in brain function contributes to individual differences in complex behavioral traits. Examining variability in molecular signaling pathways with emerging and established methodologies such as pharmacologic fMRI, multimodal PET/fMRI, and hormonal assays are beginning to provide a mechanistic understanding of how individual differences in brain function arise. Against this background, functional genetic polymorphisms are being utilized to understand the origins of variability in signaling pathways as well as to efficiently model how such emergent variability impacts behaviorally relevant brain function and health outcomes. This chapter provides an overview of a research strategy that integrates these complimentary levels of analysis; existing empirical data is used to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach in illuminating the mechanistic neurobiology of individual differences in complex behavioral traits. This chapter also discusses how such efforts can contribute to the identification of predictive risk markers that interact with unique environmental factors to precipitate psychopathology.
pIAA, A Virulence Plasmid in Pseudomonas Savastanoi

Bacteria are responsible for many diseases of plants; however, only a few of the many species encountered are capable of establishing a pathogenic relationship with plants. Certain specialized functions therefore, must allow such bacteria to become pathogenic in plants. One component of pathogenicity of bacteria is expression of virulence which can be assessed on plants by the severity of the primary systems produced. Virulence, therefore, is used here as a quantitative term to describe the factor(s) responsible for production of primary symptoms in diseased plants. In the case to be discussed, the primary symptom of the disease is formation of tumorous outgrowths by the infected plant. Virulence, therefore is assessed by the size of the plant tumors incited by different strains of the pathogen. The aim of these studies is the development of concepts on virulence and its expression by the bacterium, Pseudomonas syringae p.v. savastanoi, (p. savastanoi), which causes tumors to form on oleander and olive plants. Expression of virulence is associated with genes borne on a plasmid in this bacterium.
Advancements in multi scale modeling: Adaptive resolution simulations and related issues

Adaptive resolution methods are becoming increasingly important in the study of complex systems by multi scale modeling. In this paper we present a brief overview of the method and highlight some questions that in our opinion are relevant for the future development of the method, and more in general of the field of multiscale modeling.
Group Images and Possible Selves Among Adolescents: Linking Stereotypes to Expectations by Race and Ethnicity

The study is motivated by the differential alignment of educational achievement and aspirations along race and ethnic lines. Specifically, black and Hispanic students have comparable educational aspirations relative towhites, yet earn much lower grades and test scores. On the other hand, compared to white students, Asian youth overperform in their grades and test scores given their aspirations. Focus groups and interviews of high school students reveal prevalent stereotypes that link ethnic group membership to academic ability as well as other skills. Specifically, Asian youth are believed to be especially gifted in their academic abilities, while blacks are seen as less successful in academic endeavors. Stereotypes about Hispanics focused less on their academic performance and more on their occupational concentration in manual labor. These images form the reference point for the construction of success among ethnic youth; specifically, blacks speak of academic goals in terms of avoiding failure, Hispanic youth aim primarily to avoid factory or manual labor, and Asians focus on keeping up with high expectations of their academic pursuits. Hence, I argue that adolescents define their goals primarily in terms of the stereotypical images attached to their ethnic group. Specifically, minority youth focused on avoiding failure defined by prevalent group stereotypes. Moreover, these images maintain racially and ethnically segregated extracurricular activities that reinforce segregated peer groups. Finally, socialization with same-race peers promote comparable conceptions of success within racial groups.
Beehive: A Framework for Graph Data Analytics on Cloud Computing Platforms

Beehive is a parallel programming framework designed for cluster-based computing environments in cloud data centers. It is specifically targeted for graph data analysis problems. The Beehive framework provides the abstraction of key-value based global object storage, which is maintained in memory of the cluster nodes. Its computation model is based on optimistic concurrency control in executing concurrent tasks as atomic transactions for harnessing amorphous parallelism in graph analysis problems. We describe here the architecture and the programming abstractions provided by this framework, and present the performance of the Beehive framework for several graph problems such as maximum flow, minimum weight spanning tree, graph coloring, and the PageRank algorithm.
Fast Inference in Phrase Extraction Models with Belief Propagation

Modeling overlapping phrases in an alignment model can improve alignment quality but comes with a high inference cost. For example, the model of DeNero and Klein (2010) uses an ITG constraint and beam-based Viterbi decoding for tractability, but is still slow. We first show that their model can be approximated using structured belief propagation, with a gain in alignment quality stemming from the use of marginals in decoding. We then consider a more flexible, non-ITG matching constraint which is less efficient for exact inference but more efficient for BP. With this new constraint, we achieve a relative error reduction of 40% in F5 and a 5.5x speed-up.
Texture Evolution within the Thermomechanically Affected Zone of an Al-Li Alloy 2195 Friction Stir Weld

Friction stir welding (FSW) of Al-Li alloy 2195 plate produces strong texture gradients. The microstructural characteristics evolve from the base plate, through the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ), to the weld nugget interface. In the current study, electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analyses were employed to quantify the spatial distribution of texture gradients associated with the evolution of texture within the TMAZ. The strong texture of the base plate enabled the texture evolution to be characterized as a function of location. Systematic partitioning of EBSD data relative to the degree of lattice rotation at each point accurately captured the crystallographic transitions across the advancing side TMAZ. Over a large section of this region, the texture evolves as a result of continuous rigid body rotations. The rigid body rotations were correlated with the complex material flow patterns commonly associated with the FSW process and prior observations of shear-related textures. Finally, a correlation between texture and fracture in a subscale tensile specimen is observed, where failure occurs within a visible band of low-Taylor factor grains.
Benefits of exposure

Purpose – This column aims to look at various aspects of search engine optimization (SEO) and the potential risks and rewards from exposing library-related content using techniques such as microdata and descriptive frameworks such as that outlined on schema.org. Design/methodology/approach – Regular column. Findings – This column explores concepts related to SEO and is speculative in nature. Originality/value – Academic libraries can greatly benefit from exploring the potential benefits of using SEO and microdata/microformats. The landscape for SEO has changed dramatically over the past decade, and the benefit to libraries who have in once sense seen themselves as competitors with the major search engines is significant.
Assessing model adequacy in integrated-curcuit simulation

A method for assessing the adequacy of transistor models in integrated-circuit simulation programs will be offered. For each transistor in a circuit the method yields the model of least complexity consistent with required accuracy.
The inhibition of apoptosis in swine brain by hyperbaric oxygen therapy following cardiopulmonary arrest

Study objectives: It has been demonstrated that 4 atmospheres of hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivered after a 25-minute cardiopulmonary arrest in swine has produced immediate and sustained (2 hours) spontaneous return of circulation. Recent studies have shown that hyperbaric oxygen can improve neurologic recovery in cerebral ischemia models, but the mechanism remains controversial. This study tested the hypothesis that hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation after a 25-minute cardiac arrest in swine would result in an attenuation of cerebral cortical apoptosis compared with animals resuscitated at surface pressure. Methods: Eighteen adolescent swine were anesthetized and underwent induced cardiac arrest for 25 minutes, producing a model of complete global ischemia. The animals were randomized to 3 groups, representing 3 pressures of oxygen ventilation provided during the cardiopulmonary resuscitation of the swine. Six animals per group received oxygen ventilation at surface pressure, 2 atmospheres, or 4 atmospheres. After 2 hours of resuscitation, the animals' brains were harvested and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. The degree of apoptosis in each sample of cerebral cortex was determined through the measurement of DNA laddering, caspase-3 activity, poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase (PARP) expression, and nucleosome cleavage. The average degree of apoptosis of the 3 groups was compared. Results: The relative density of PARP (caspase-3 substrate) was smaller in the group treated at surface depth (5.71) than in the 2-atmosphere group or the 4-atmosphere group (8.39 and 8.63, respectively; P =.04). There was no evidence of DNA laddering in any animals in group 3 (4 ATA), whereas 2 animals in group 1 (surface pressure) and 1 animal in group 2 (2 ATA) showed evidence of DNA laddering. Relative caspase-3 activity in the 4-ATA, 2-ATA, and surface-treated animals was 0.0327, 0.0402, and 0.0407 units/μg protein, respectively, whereas the relative quantity of nucleosome cleavage in the same groups was 0.108, 0.137, and 0.140 Abs[ 405 492 ], respectively (no statistical significance). Conclusion: The groups receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy showed less apoptosis than the group treated at surface pressure, as measured by PARP cleavage. A similar trend exists as measured by the other tests (DNA laddering, caspase-3 assay, nucleosome enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
Crystal structure of catena-poly[[potassium-tri-μ-di­methyl­acetamide-κ6O:O] iodide]

The structure of catena-poly[[potassium-tri-μ-di­methyl­acetamide-κ6O:O] iodide], {[K(C4H9NO)3]I}n, at 120 K has trigonal (P-3) symmetry. The structure adopts a linear chain motif parallel to the crystallographic c axis. Two crystallographically independent K+ cations are present in the asymmetric unit located on threefold rotoinversion axes at [0, 0, 0] and [0, 0, 1/2] and are bridged by the O atoms of the acetamide moiety. This is an example of a rare μ2-bridging mode for di­methyl­acetamide O atoms. The iodide counter-ion resides on a threefold rotation axis in the channel formed by the [K(C4H9NO)]+ chains.
Methodologies for the determination of adenosine phosphates

Abstract Measures of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and other adenosine phosphate compounds are useful indices of microbial biomass and microbiological activity. Various photometric procedures for the determination of these compounds are compared. A modification in the well-known hexokinase — glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase procedure for ATP, which permits a very sensitive kinetic measurement of ATP + ADP (∼3.1 pmol), is presented. The procedure utilizes phosphoenol pyruvate and pyruvate kinase to regenerate ATP (substrate in the preceding reaction) and thus is an amplification system. Longer reaction times and fluorimetric measurement of NADPH produced would further enchance the sensitivity of the procedure. Finally, a simple, rapid far-uv spectrophotometric procedure, previously believed to be specific for adenosine monophosphates, is demonstrated to provide quantitative estimates for adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and ATP as well.
Über das Randspektrum positiver Operatoren

Seit dem Erscheinen der bekannten Memoire von Krein-Rutman ist das Studium in geordneten B-Raumen definierter, positiver Operatoren und ihrer Spektraleigenschaften systematisch betrieben worden und Gegenstand zahlreicher Untersuchungen gewesen; dabei handelt es sich in erster Linie um Eigenschaften des auf dem Spektralkreis {z: |z| = r(T)} gelegenen Teils des Spektrums, den wir als Randspektrum oder peripheres Spektrum bezeichnen wollen. Nachdem fur kompakte positive Operatoren schon von Krein und Rutman fast alle wesentlichen Eigenschaften enddeckt worden waren, sind in neuerer Zeit auch fur die schwerer zuganglichen nicht kompakten Operatoren Fortschritte erzielt worden; siehe z. B. [3], [4], [5], [6]. Wie einfache Beispiele [5] zeigen, ist dabei Beschrankung auf speziellere Ordnungsstrukturen geboten; als naturlicher Untersuchungsbereich erscheint die Kategorie der Banachverbande, und von diesen speziell Verbande vom Typus L p (μ) (1 ≦ p ≦ ∞) und C(X) (stetige reelle Funktionen auf einem kompakten Hausdorffraum). Die vorliegende Untersuchung soll einen weiteren Beitrag zur Theorie der positiven, nicht notwendig kompakten Operatoren liefern.
A transient decrease in reactive oxygen species in roots leads to root hair deformation in the legume-rhizobia symbiosis.

Summary • A possible role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in root hair deformation in response to Nod factor (NF) was investigated using Medicago truncatula nodulation mutants, and an inhibitor and precursors of ROS. • In wild-type roots, ROS efflux transiently decreased approximately 1 h after NF treatment. Transcript accumulation of two NADPH oxidase homologs, respiratory burst oxidase homolog 2 (MtRBOH2) and MtRBOH3, also transiently decreased at 1 h. However, in the nonnodulating mutant Nod factor perception (nfp), transcript accumulation did not change. • Exogenous application of ROS prevented root hair swelling and branching induced by NF. When accumulation of ROS was prevented by diphenylene iodonium (DPI), NF did not induce root hair branching. Root treatment with DPI alone reduced ROS efflux and induced root hair tip swelling. Transient treatment of roots with DPI mimicked NF treatment and resulted in root hair branching in the absence of NF. A transient DPI treatment did not induce root hair branching in the nonlegumes Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). • The results suggest a role for the transient reduction of ROS accumulation in governing NF-induced root hair deformation in legumes.
Efficient Characteristic Projection in Upwind Difference Schemes for Hyperbolic Systems

The standard construction of upwind difference schemes for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws requires the full eigensystem of the Jacobian matrix. This system is used to define the transformation into and out of the characteristic scalar fields, where upwind differencing is meaningful. When the Jacobian has a repeated eigenvalue, the associated normalized eigenvectors are not uniquely determined, and an arbitrary choice of eigenvectors must be made to span the characteristic subspace. In this report we point out that it is possible to avoid this arbitrary choice entirely. Instead, a complementary projection technique can be used to formulate upwind differencing without specifying a basis. For systems with eigenvalues of high multiplicity, this approach simplifies the analytical and programming effort and reduces the computational cost. Numerical experiments show no significant difference in computed results between this formulation and the traditional one, and thus we recommend its use for these types of problems. This complementary projection method has other applications. For example, it can be used to extend upwind schemes to some weakly hyperbolic systems. These lack complete eigensystems, so the traditional form of characteristic upwinding is not possible.
An Infrared Study of the Adsorption of Borazine, (BHNH)3, on the Pt(111) Surface

Abstract Borazine is a planar ring molecule with 20 fundamentals of 5 symmetry types. The most intense band in both gas phase (at 1465 cm −1 ) and chemisorbed (at 1462 cm −1 ) borazine is of E' symmetry in which the dynamic dipole lies in the molecular plane. Our observation of several E' bands suggests that the molecular plane is oriented perpendicular to the surface. A strikingly different borazine spectrum is observed when the Pt(111) surface is first coated with a monolayer of boron nitride. Then only one A 2 '' band at 920 cm −1 is observed, implying a parallel orientation.
Therapeutic flexible endoscopy replacing surgery: Part 1—Leaks and fistulas

Flexible endoscopy has become an integral part of managing many surgical problems that in the past required open or laparoscopic surgical interventions. Stents, clips, suturing devices, glues, and vacuum systems can be used to control perforations, leaks, and fistulas in properly selected patients. Stents have gained place in the treatment algorithm for patients with esophageal perforation from various causes. Endoscopic clips are being used to close perforations in the gastrointestinal tract in addition to their use for bleeding. The technology is slowly evolving and larger clips are available for over-the-scope use. Early perforations and leaks can be managed with clips. Various suturing devices are available for endoscopic suturing mainly for upper gastrointestinal tract. Many of the devices were initially designed for antireflux procedures and are used for closure of perforations and fistulas. The research in closure techniques for enterotomies in natural orifice surgery has expanded its role in the management of iatrogenic perforations. In this article, we review the current literature and describe the role of flexible endoscopy for treatment of leaks and fistulas.
A Statewide Examination of Hunting and Trophy Nonhuman Animals: Perspectives of Montana Hunters

The purpose of this descriptive and exploratory study was to extend our understanding of the motivations for trophy hunting. Hunting is an important recreational activity and part of the culture in Montana. Placing specific emphasis on the importance of obtaining a trophy nonhuman animal when hunting, the study examined the attitudes of resident hunters and nonresident outfitter-sponsored hunters. The study used a qualitative approach to data collection and developed 2 surveys that contained mostly open-ended questions. Results from 1000 surveys mailed to resident elk hunters and 1000 surveys mailed to nonresident outfitter-sponsored elk hunters indicated that nonresident outfitter-sponsored hunters were more likely than resident hunters to seek trophy-class animals. Respondents provided statements about the importance of obtaining trophy animals.
Compact 2.4-THz 5-bit substrate-guided-wave photonic true-time-delay module for phased array antennas

ABSTRACT Photonic true-time-delay (TTD) lines offer many advantages over their electroniccounterparts and attract more and more research efforts. In this paper, we report the demonstration of a 32 TTD lines (5-bit) based on substrate guided wave propagationcombined with slanted photopolymer volume phase gratings on a quartz substrate. Thesystem design, device fabrication, optimization of fanout intensity uniformity, and deviceperformance evaluation are addressed as well. The fanout beam intensity uniformity iswithin The packing density is 2.5 delay lines/cm2. The device has a measuredbandwidth of up to 2.4 THz and a measured fanout delay step of 50 ps. A 50GHz opticallyheterodyned microwave signal is generated, sent through the device, and then detected atthe output end.Keywords Phased array antenna, True-time-delay, Hologram, Photopolymer,Substrate guided wave I. INTRODUCTION For phased array antennas (PAAs) with only phase shifters, rather than time delay, the antenna pointing direction changes with frequency change as[1 2]Lw = (Af
Drosophila Yurt is a new protein-4.1-like protein required for epithelial morphogenesis

Proteins of the 4.1 family play a key role in the integrity of the cytoskeleton and in epithelial tissue movement, as shown by the disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in human erythrocytes caused by genetic loss of protein 4.1, and the failure of epithelial tissue migration during Drosophila embryogenesis caused by genetic loss of the 4.1 homolog Coracle. Here we report the genetic characterization of Yurt, a novel protein 4.1 family member in Drosophila that is associated with the plasma membrane of epithelial cells. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in the yurt gene cause failure of germ-band retraction, dorsal closure, and head involution, associated with degeneration of the amnioserosa and followed by embryonic lethality. A mammalian homolog of Yurt is up-regulated in metastatic melanoma cells. These novel cytoskeletal proteins appear to play important roles in epithelial cell movements and in the morphogenetic tissue changes that depend on them.
Sensitization Development in Austenitic Stainless Steel: Correlation between STEM-EDS and EPR Measurements

Abstract Direct measurements of grain boundary chromium depletion by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) are compared to measurements of the degree of sensitization (DOS) using the electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) test technique. Results indicate that the EPR test attacks chromium-depleted regions in austenitic stainless steels (SSs) that contain less than about 12.5 to 13.5 wt% chromium. The amount of attack depends on the width and on the depth of the depleted region. Correlations are presented between STEM-EDS and EPR-DOS measurements and discussed based on the width and volume of chromium-depleted material in both AISI 304 and 316 SSs. Implications of such correlations on the ability to quantitatively model sensitization development are also discussed.
The N-terminal Peptide of Mammalian GTP Cyclohydrolase I Is an Autoinhibitory Control Element and Contributes to Binding the Allosteric Regulatory Protein GFRP

GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) is the rate-limiting enzyme for biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an obligate cofactor for NO synthases and aromatic amino acid hydroxylases. BH4 can limit its own synthesis by triggering decameric GTPCH to assemble in an inhibitory complex with two GTPCH feedback regulatory protein (GFRP) pentamers. Subsequent phenylalanine binding to the GTPCH·GFRP inhibitory complex converts it to a stimulatory complex. An N-terminal inhibitory peptide in GTPCH may also contribute to autoregulation of GTPCH activity, but mechanisms are undefined. To characterize potential regulatory actions of the N-terminal peptide in rat GTPCH, we expressed, purified, and characterized a truncation mutant, devoid of 45 N-terminal amino acids (Δ45-GTPCH) and contrasted its catalytic and GFRP binding properties to wild type GTPCH (wt-GTPCH). Contrary to prior reports, we show that GFRP binds wt-GTPCH in the absence of any small molecule effector, resulting in allosteric stimulation of GTPCH activity: a 20% increase in Vmax, 50% decrease in KmGTP, and increase in Hill coefficient to 1.6, from 1.0. These features of GFRP-stimulated wt-GTPCH activity were phenocopied by Δ45-GTPCH in the absence of bound GFRP. Addition of GFRP to Δ45-GTPCH failed to elicit complex formation or a substantial further increase in GTPCH catalytic activity. Expression of Δ45-GTPCH in HEK-293 cells elicited 3-fold greater BH4 accumulation than an equivalent of wt-GTPCH. Together, results indicate that the N-terminal peptide exerts autoinhibitory control over rat GTPCH and is required for GFRP binding on its own. Displacement of the autoinhibitory peptide provides a molecular mechanism for physiological up-regulation of GTPCH activity.
INTEGRATION OF POST-EXPOSURAL DIRECTIONAL SCANNING AND CEREBRAL DOMINANCE EXPLANATIONS OF LATERAL DIFFERENCES IN TACHISTOSCOPIC RECOGNITION

Post-exposural directional scanning and cerebral dominance are major postualtes which account for lateral differences in tachistoscopic perception. These ideas can be intergrated when tachistoscopic perception is viewed as a short-term memory task. Briefly exposed stimuli not only have to be scanned, but also rehearsed, subvocally, before they can be encoded. Since most Ss are left-hemisphere dominant for language, scanned information arriving in the right hemisphere has to be sent to the left hemisphere for rehearsal. This transmission effects a loss of scanned information because it is held in a rapidly dissipating storage. These ideas account for lateral differences found with vertically and horizontally oriented targets, but methodological considerations are discussed which indicate that these notions are more clearly demonstrable with the former than latter displays .
Satellite attitude control in the equivalent axis frame

Abstract An equivalent axis coordinate frame is found for the rest-to-rest reorientation maneuver of a satellite. This effectively transforms the nonlinear satellite control problem into a linear control problem. Within this frame, the satellite motion is a plane motion. Therefore, only one kinematic equation and one dynamic equation are needed. This approach is especially advantageous in the optimal control of the satellite attitude where all the iterative computation will use 2 × 2 matrices instead of 7 × 7 matrices, a two order of magnitude decrease in matrix operation.
Prevention of EBV lymphoma development by oncolytic myxoma virus in a murine xenograft model of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been associated with a variety of epithelial and hematologic malignancies, including B-, T- and NK cell-lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease (HD), post-transplant lymphoproliferative diseases (LPDs), nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas, smooth muscle tumors, and HIV-associated lymphomas. Currently, treatment options for EBV-associated malignancies are limited. We have previously shown that myxoma virus specifically targets various human solid tumors and leukemia cells in a variety of animal models, while sparing normal human or murine tissues. Since transplant recipients of bone marrow or solid organs often develop EBV-associated post-transplant LPDs and lymphoma, myxoma virus may be of utility to prevent EBV-associated malignancies in immunocompromised transplant patients where treatment options are frequently limited. In this report, we demonstrate the safety and efficacy of myxoma virus purging as a prophylactic strategy for preventing post-transplant EBV-transformed human lymphomas, using a highly immunosuppressed mouse xenotransplantation model. This provides support for developing myxoma virus as a potential oncolytic therapy for preventing EBV-associated LPDs following transplantation of bone marrow or solid organ allografts.
The effects of housing and preshock on activity-stress ulcer

Rats were either group-housed, four rats per cage, or housed singly for 6 weeks. Subgroups were subsequently exposed to a daily 3-min 1.25-mA grid shock for 5 days. The rats were then housed in running-wheel activity cages and, following a 4-day free-feeding period, were fed only 1 h daily for 20 days. Group-housed rats had more ulcers, but the previously reported protective effect of preshock was not observed in this study.
Principles for Architecting Adaptable Command and Control Systems

Abstract Command and Control (C2) systems are complex and require large capital investments, asynchronous design and test periods for different elements, and long deployment lifecycles of substituent elements. During the deployment, or evolution, of a C2 system, the larger operational context is likely to change. This has been observed to force costly and often suboptimal architectural changes at run-time as the C2 system struggles to adapt. Adaptability has been defined as a sy stem's ability to change itself in resp onse to changin g env ironment s; unfortunately, not all changes will be positive. It remains conceivable that some instances of adaptation can lead to sub-optimization or even global failures. These failures need be minimized. Traditional C2 systems design attempts to minimize these risks through highly detailed design specifications, rules, and testing requirements. Unfortunately, such methods may not enable an adaptive architecture. A principles based approach, consisting of a relatively small set of strategic outcome oriented concepts, could serve to guide the development of an adaptable C2 architecture while simultaneously minimizing the corresponding risk to the C2 system. This paper proposes and examines a set of principles for architecting adaptable systems and offers areas for further research.