cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gene therapy: Primed for take-off

Gene therapy is finally getting a bumper crop of data that show clinical efficacy after fine-tuning of key parameters that control safety and potency. Supporting evidence comes from treatment of two life-threatening human diseases.
Formation of rapidly-sinking, oil-associated marine snow

Abstract Significant amounts of oil accumulated at the sea surface and in a subsurface plume during the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) in 2010. A substantial fraction of this oil was removed from the marine environment by mechanical recovery or burning, or it reached shorelines, whereas another fraction remained within the marine environment, where it dispersed (chemically or naturally), emulsified or sedimented. After the DwH accident the sedimentation of hydrocarbons to the seafloor via rapidly sinking, oil-associated marine snow has become a focus of attention, and it has been hypothesized that marine snow formation significantly impacted the distribution of the oil from the DwH spill. Here, roller table experiments are presented that investigated the conditions inducing the formation of oil-associated marine snow, focusing especially on the effects of oil type, photochemical aging of oil, and the presence of phytoplankton or dispersant. Large, mucus-rich marine snow, termed microbial marine snow, formed in treatments incubated with the oil that had accumulated at the sea surface. This bacteria-mediated formation of up to cm-sized marine snow in the absence of particles >1 µm, represents a unique formation pathway different from that of the physical coagulation of particles. Microbial marine snow, albeit smaller, also formed in the presence of crude oil that had been aged for ≥3 weeks in sunlight, but no particles formed in the presence of unaltered crude. The dispersant Corexit 9500A (Corexit:oil ratio=1:100) impeded the formation of microbial marine snow, requiring a re-evaluation of the benefits and detriments of Corexit 9500A as a mediating measure. Phytoplankton aggregates also incorporated fossil carbon, providing an alternate pathway for the formation of oil-associated marine snow. The ubiquitous formation and rapid sedimentation of oil-rich marine snow can explain the high accumulation rate of flocculent material at the seafloor and on corals observed after the DwH spill. These results may raise awareness that oil spill response and assessment need to include sedimentation of hydrocarbons via marine snow as a significant distribution mechanism and may guide future modeling efforts and budget calculations.
Proposed Catalog of the Neuroanatomy and the Stratified Anatomy for the 361 Acupuncture Points of 14 Channels

Abstract Background In spite of the extensive research on acupuncture mechanisms, no comprehensive and systematic peer-reviewed reference list of the stratified anatomical and the neuroanatomical features of all 361 acupuncture points exists. This study creates a reference list of the neuroanatomy and the stratified anatomy for each of the 361 acupuncture points on the 14 classical channels and for 34 extra points. Methods Each acupuncture point was individually assessed to relate the point's location to anatomical and neuroanatomical features. The design of the catalogue is intended to be useful for any style of acupuncture or Oriental medicine treatment modality. The stratified anatomy was divided into shallow, intermediate and deep insertion. A separate stratified anatomy was presented for different needle angles and directions. Results The following are identified for each point: additional specifications for point location, the stratified anatomy, motor innervation, cutaneous nerve and sensory innervation, dermatomes, Langer's lines, and somatotopic organization in the primary sensory and motor cortices. Acupuncture points for each muscle, dermatome and myotome are also reported. Conclusion This reference list can aid clinicians, practitioners and researchers in furthering the understanding and accurate practice of acupuncture. Additional research on the anatomical variability around acupuncture points, the frequency of needle contact with an anatomical structure in a clinical setting, and conformational imaging should be done to verify this catalogue.
Reduced toxicity and superior cellular response of preosteoblasts to Ti‐6Al‐7Nb alloy and comparison with Ti‐6Al‐4V

There are serious concerns on the toxicity of vanadium in Ti-6Al-4V alloy. In this regard, we describe the biological footprint of Ti-6Al-4V and compare with a viable alternate Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy, in terms of novel experimentation pertaining to cellular activity that include qualitative and quantitative analysis of Feret's diameter of cells, area, and perimeter, and proteins—actin, vinculin, and fibronectin. Interestingly, Ti-6Al-7Nb was characterized by superior cell attachment, proliferation, viability, morphology, and spread, which were significantly different from Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Additionally, immunofluorescence studies demonstrated stronger vinculin signals associated with actin stress fibers in the outer regions of the cells and cellular extensions in Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy. These striking observations suggest enhanced cell–substrate interaction and activity on the surface of niobium-containing titanium alloy. The significant differences in the cellular response between the two alloys clearly point to the determining role of alloying element (Nb versus V) in a conclusive manner. Based on this study, next generation of titanium alloys is proposed to focus on niobium-containing alloy. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.
Application of experimental design methods to assess the effect of uncertain boundary conditions in inverse heat transfer problems

Abstract Inverse methods are often used in heat transfer analysis to determine parameters which are difficult or impossible to measure directly, from carefully selected experimental measurements which can be more easily carried out. In this type of procedure, there are of ten a large number of boundary conditions which can affect the outcome. Of ten it is impractical, or even impossible, to accurately measure all influential boundary conditions, and thus estimates are employed. However, the question naturally arises, how sensitive are the results of the inverse analysis to the assumed boundary conditions? A statistical method, employing an orthogonal array matrix designed experiment, which was used to estimate the effect of the uncertain boundary conditions on the results of the analysis, is described in detail and the results are given.
Signals for Parent‐Offspring Recognition: Strong Sib‐Sib Call Similarity in Cliff Swallows but not Barn Swallows

We tested the prediction that the calls of sibling cliff swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota) chicks are more similar than those of sibling barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) chicks. This prediction was derived from the hypothesis that the call of the colonial cliff swallow, but not the call of the noncolonial barn swallow, has been selected for signature function (i.e., for individual distinctiveness). In Study 1 we examined the calls of 22 cliff swallow sibling pairs and 23 barn swallow sibling pairs. The intraclass correlations for 4 of the 5 cliff swallow variables were significantly different from zero, and each of the 4 was approximately 0.5. Only one of the 4 barn swallow call variables was significantly different from zero. In a discriminant-function analysis of these data, cliff swallow chick calls were correctly identified as to sibship in 82 % of the cases, barn swallow chick calls in only 46 % of the cases. In Study 2 we cross-fostered eggs between cliff swallow nests to create foster sibships (all chicks in a nest were unrelated). We found no similarities among foster sib calls, and thus no evidence for call imitation of the calls of sibs or parents, suggesting that genetic differences are the main source of variance in cliff swallow chick calls.
Origin and evolution of the earth-moon system

The origin and evolution of the Earth-Moon system is studied by comparing it to the satellite systems of other planets. The normal structure of a system of secondary bodies orbiting around a central body depends essentially on the mass of the central body. The Earth with a mass intermediate between Uranus and Mars should have a ‘normal’ satellite system that consists of about half a dozen satellites each with a mass of a fraction of a percent of the lunar mass. Hence, the Moon is not likely to have been generated in the environment of the Earth by a normal accretion process as is claimed by some authors. Capture of satellites is quite a common process as shown by the fact that there are six satellites in the solar system which, because they are retrograde, must have been captured. There is little doubt that the Moon is also a captured satellite, but its capture orbit and tidal evolution are still incompletely understood. The Earth and the Moon are likely to have been formed from planetesimals accreting in particle swarms in Kepler orbits (jet streams). This process leads to the formation of a cool lunar interior with an outer layer accreted at increasingly higher temperatures. The primeval Earth should similarly have formed with a cool inner core surrounded in this case by a very strongly heated outer core and with a mantle accreted slowly and with a low average temperature but with intense transient heating at each individual impact site.
Physiological action of Loxosceles reclusa (G&M) venom on insect larvae☆

Larvae of Musca domestica (L.) and Heliothis virescens (F.), normal and envenomized by Loxosceles reclusa (GM monoamine oxidase activity was questionable. Hemolymph samples taken from envenomized larvae showed lysis, coagulation, and disc-sphere transformation of hemocytes.
Enhanced near-infrared response of CdS/CdTe solar cell using Tm3+ and Yb3+ co-doped upconverting glass phosphors

Tm 3+ and Yb 3+ co-doped upconverting (UC) glass phosphors were used to converting near-infrared to visible light and input to a CdS/CdTe solar cell, therefore to enhance solar cell’s response in the near-infrared of the sub-bandgap region. Current-voltage measurements were performed on the solar cell with a UC glass phosphor. A short-circuit photocurrent enhancement of 31 μA was obtained using a Tm 3+ and Yb 3+ co-doped glass UC phosphor, illuminated by a 980 nm diode laser at 100 mW. This photocurrent response corresponds to external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.04 % at 980 nm. For full collection of the UC light in 4π solid angle, the EQE value is expected to reach 1.6 %. The photo-current observed was proportional to the effective UC light intensity from glass UC phosphor. A non-linear relation between the output photo-current and the incident power of the infrared light was observed, similar to the relation between UC intensity and the incident power. UC efficiency of the glass phosphor was calculated using EQE values at both UC wavelengths and at 980 nm.
Production of trace levels of carbon monoxide during methanogenesis on acetate and methanol

Production of trace levels of carbon monoxide was consistently observed in the off-gas of a laboratory anaerobic digester fed Waste Activated Sludge. Inocula from this digester was enriched for acetate and methanol utilizing methanogenic populations. These enriched inocula were then monitored in batch assays for carbon monoxide and hydrogen production. Results demonstrated that carbon monoxide is produced during methanogenesis on both substrates. Subsequent utilization of CO was observed to occur after methane production was essentially complete for the assays conducted with methanol. Carbon monoxide evolution during methanogenesis on acetate displayed a markedly different trend from that observed from methanol.
Assessment of the effects of high-pressure operation on the liquid-solid mass-transfer coefficient in trickle-bed reactors

Trickle-bed reactors are used widely in industry and are usually operated at high pressure. All the studies on liquid−solid mass transfer in such reactors were performed under atmospheric pressure and, hence, the empirical correlations for liquid−solid mass-transfer coefficients (kls and klsa) were developed based on atmospheric data. However, these correlations incorporate one or more of the parameters affected by pressure (e.g., liquid holdup, catalyst wetting efficiency, pressure drop, gas density). In this work the effects of high pressure and high gas flow rates on the predicted coefficients using some of these correlations are evaluated. It is shown that there are discrepancies in the prediction of these correlations, and the use of them at high operating pressure is unjustified. This work is an attempt to bring to the attention of the industrial practitioners the fact that the atmospheric liquid−solid mass-transfer correlations do not exhibit the same trends with increased pressure and some of them...
A molecular dynamics quantum Kramers study of proton transfer in solution

We present a quantum study of a proton transfer reaction AH–B⇌A−–H+B in liquid methyl chloride, where the AH–B complex corresponds to phenol-amine. We use the same intramolecular potentials that were used in two earlier studies of this system [H. Azzouzz and D. Borgis, J. Chem. Phys. 98, 7361 (1993); S. Hammes-Schiffer and J. C. Tully, J. Chem. Phys. 101, 4657 (1994).] The former study employed a Landau-Zener approach and a molecular dynamics centroid method, while the latter a surface-hopping method. These studies obtained results that differ by an order of magnitude. In the present work, we first performed a molecular dynamics simulation to obtain the spectral density, which was then used as an input to the method we have developed for the study of the quantum Kramers problem [S. D. Schwartz, J. Chem. Phys. 105, 6871 (1996)]. Thus, in this work both the reaction coordinate and the bath are treated quantum mechanically.
An Observing System Simulation Experiment for the Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS).

The present observing system-simulation experiments evaluate the potential of a Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) instrument for 5-day forecasting, using a primitive-equation multilevel spectral global circulation model. A 55-deg-inclined and a 98-deg sun-synchronous orbit are examined, by adding LAWS wind profiles into a global 4D data-assimilation system, and comparing both the analyses and forecasts to a control experiment. The 4D data-assimilation system consists of a multivariate optimum interpolation analysis and a nonlinear, normal-mode intialization, using the aforementioned global circulation model.
How Sex in Advertising Varies by Product Category: An Analysis of Three Decades of Visual Sexual Imagery in Magazine Advertising

This study documents the presence and prevalence of visual sexual imagery in advertising for different product categories through an analysis of 3,232 ads in six mainstream magazines from the years 1983, 1993, and 2003. Ads were coded for sexual imagery on two visual dimensions, model dress and physical contact, and for product category using the Rossiter–Percy Planning Grid (RPPG) as a theoretical framework. Findings revealed that visual sexual imagery increased from 1983 (15%) to 2003 (27%), with much of that growth driven by increases in alcohol, entertainment, and beauty advertising. Of 18 product categories, those containing the highest percentage of visual sexual content included health/hygiene (38%), beauty (36%), drugs/medicine (29%), and clothing (27%). Overall, visual sexual imagery was most prevalent in ads for low-involvement products. As predicted, ads for informational/high-involvement products (e.g., financial, appliances, computers) contained the lowest proportion of visual sexual stimuli.
The use of motion cues in the haptic sense of circularity

We tested the hypothesis that speed cues are used to haptically identify changes in the curvature of the hand's trajectory. Subjects grasped the handle of a robotically-controlled manipulandum that was moved in the horizontal plane along various elliptical arcs following one of three different speed profiles. In one profile, a circular arc was traced at a constant speed whereas in the other two speed was constant for ellipses whose aspect ratios differed from unity. A two-alternative forced choice procedure was used to identify the ellipse that was sensed to be circular in each of the three experimental conditions. In unconstrained movements, speed varies with the radius of curvature. If speed cues are used to identify curvature during passive movements, one would expect that subjects' responses should be biased towards the ellipse traced at a constant speed. The results did not support this hypothesis, indicating that speed cues are not a major contributor in the haptic sensing of shape.
Sclerotinia Stem and Crown Rot of Corn-Salad Caused by Sclerotinia minor in California

Corn-salad or lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is a specialty leafy green vegetable that is grown commercially in California and is harvested fresh for use in salads. In 2001, field plantings of corn-salad in coastal California showed symptoms and signs of a previously undescribed disease. Initial symptoms consisted of a light tan discoloration at the crown and lower leaf attachment areas. Once this discoloration was observed, the crown rapidly developed a soft rot, attached leaves wilted, and the entire plant collapsed. White mycelium and small (0.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter), irregularly shaped, black sclerotia formed on the crowns and lower leaves. Isolations from symptomatic crowns, mycelium, and sclerotia produced colonies of Sclerotinia minor (1). Seven-week-old corn-salad plants grown in a peat moss-based rooting medium in pots were used to test pathogenicity. Sclerotia from six corn-salad isolates from the Salinas Valley were inserted into slots made in the potting mix adjacent to the crowns of plants. Sclerotia were not placed in slots for control corn-salad. All test plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 21 to 23°C. After 4 weeks, inoculated corn-salad plants wilted and collapsed, and S. minor was reisolated from necrotic crown and stem tissues. Uninoculated plants were asymptomatic. Using the same method, sclerotia from one lettuce (Lactuca sativa) isolate were used to inoculate corn-salad plants that produced similar symptoms. All experiments were repeated and results were similar. To our knowledge, this is the first report of corn-salad as a host of S. minor in California and the United States. The susceptibility of corn-salad to S. minor from lettuce indicates that this crop might contribute to inoculum levels and lettuce drop incidence for the extensive lettuce plantings in the Salinas Valley. Reference: (1) C. L. Patterson and R. G. Grogan. Plant Dis. 72:1046, 1988.
Assay of cytosine and cytidine by means of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for cytosine and cytidine deaminases, based upon the chromatographic separation and subsequent ultraviolet detection of enzymatically liberated uracil and uridine, was developed. Using cell-free extract from Escherichia coli the enzymes can be assayed with incubation times of 30 min or less. Reversed-phase separation of products from substrates was accomplished by isocratic elution with monobasic ammonium phosphate buffer at pH 3.5. The assay is fast and reproducible with little or no interference from competing reactions in cell extracts. It is sensitive and can concomitantly detect nanomole changes in the concentration of substrate and product. It is faster, more sensitive, and requires fewer sample manipulations than standard spectrophotometric and radiometric methods of analysis.
Lowest Energy Electronic Transition in Aqueous Cl(-) Salts: Cl(-) → (H2O)6 Charge Transfer Transition.

We use UV resonance Raman spectroscopy to probe the lowest energy allowed electronic transitions of aqueous solutions containing Cl(-) salts. We show that the waters hydrating the Cl(-) are involved in charge transfer transitions that transfer electron density from Cl(-) to the water molecules. These charge transfer transitions cause significant change in the H-O-H bond angle in the excited state, which results in a strong enhancement of the preresonance Raman intensity of the water bending modes. Our work gives the first insight into the lowest allowed electronic transition of hydrated Cl(-).
The probe dependence of solvation dynamics and rotation in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate

Abstract Solvation and rotational dynamics were measured using several solvatochromic probes in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ( [ bmim + ] [ PF 6 - ] ) to determine the sensitivity of these dynamics to the choice of probe. In all solutes an unresolved ultrafast component (
Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer during Microwave Heating of Magnetite

Numerical simulation of heat transfer during the microwave heating process of a one-dimensional (1-D) magnetite slab subjected to convective, radiative boundary conditions was performed. The governing equations representing the heating process in the slab were discretized using an explicit finite-difference approach, and a computer code was developed to predict the temperature distributions inside the slab. The heat generation from microwave irradiation dominates the initial temperature rise in the heating and the heat radiation heavily affects the temperature distribution, giving rise to a temperature peak in the predicted temperature profile. As heating continues, the temperature peak migrates inward. The microwave power level is crucial to obtain a high temperature increase rate in the initial heating period (i.e. < 60 s for magnetite). Microwave heating at 915 MHz exhibits better heating homogeneity than 2450 MHz due to larger microwave penetration depth. To minimize/avoid temperature non-uniformity during the microwave heating the optimization of the object dimension should be considered.
Perepiska [Letters], Mikhail Lifschitz and György Lukács, Moscow: Grundrisse, 2011; Pisma V. Dostalu, V. Arslanovu, M. Mikhailovu [Letters to V. Dostal, V. Arslanov, M. Mikhailov], Mikhail Lifschitz, Moscow: Grundrisse, 2011

Abstract The two volumes of letters by Mikhail Lifschitz, recently published in Russian, reveal for the first time certain aspects of his relationship with Gyorgy Lukacs and his general intellectual and cultural role in the long history of Soviet aesthetics. The first volume contains all the known letters between Lifschitz and Lukacs; the second volume contains the letters from Lifschitz to three of his younger colleagues. Both volumes throw considerable light on the development of Marxist aesthetics in the Soviet Union from the 1930s to the 1980s. The extensive commentaries and notes provide context for the various discussions in the letters and situate the main issues under consideration within the wider historical and social context of the period.
On improvement rates for renewable energy technologies: Solar PV, wind turbines, capacitors, and batteries

Abstract An important issue in various domains of renewable energy is the use of technological improvement trends to project future capabilities of energy technologies. This paper analyzes two pairs of renewable energy technologies and finds that the annual improvement rate of cost/investment is quite different for the four technological domains: namely, solar photovoltaics (PV) (9.0% per year), wind turbines (2.9%), batteries (3.1%) and capacitors (21.1%). While these trends have been reasonably consistent over long time frames, projecting these trends into the future without a better understanding of the underlying causes of the improvements is not at all reliable. This paper establishes theoretical fundamentals for explaining the differences in such rates and a framework for empirically probing such explanations using patent data. Employing this framework, this study collects and analyzes a set of highly representative patents for each of the four domains, allowing measurement of: patenting rates, reliance on scientific literature and other characteristics of the different fields. Our study of the inventions, while not establishing an indisputable causal relationship for the differing rates, establishes a broader theoretical basis for why such rates differ so greatly and why they might be stable over time. Among many possible effects, this study indicates that the age of knowledge utilized in the patents and the percentage of very important inventions in the field are the most likely significant contributors to higher rates of advance.
Inhibition of caveolar uptake, SV40 infection, and β1-integrin signaling by a nonnatural glycosphingolipid stereoisomer

Caveolar endocytosis is an important mechanism for the uptake of certain pathogens and toxins and also plays a role in the internalization of some plasma membrane (PM) lipids and proteins. However, the regulation of caveolar endocytosis is not well understood. We previously demonstrated that caveolar endocytosis and beta1-integrin signaling are stimulated by exogenous glycosphingolipids (GSLs). In this study, we show that a synthetic GSL with nonnatural stereochemistry, beta-D-lactosyl-N-octanoyl-L-threo-sphingosine, (1) selectively inhibits caveolar endocytosis and SV40 virus infection, (2) blocks the clustering of lipids and proteins into GSLs and cholesterol-enriched microdomains (rafts) at the PM, and (3) inhibits beta1-integrin activation and downstream signaling. Finally, we show that small interfering RNA knockdown of beta1 integrin in human skin fibroblasts blocks caveolar endocytosis and the stimulation of signaling by a GSL with natural stereochemistry. These experiments identify a new compound that can interfere with biological processes by inhibiting microdomain formation and also identify beta1 integrin as a potential mediator of signaling by GSLs.
Intranasal tolerance and histopathologic effects of a novel synthetic interferon, rIFN-αCon1

In a double-blind trial 119 adults were randomly assigned to receive daily sprays of placebo (N = 30) or rIFN-alpha Con1 3 MU (N = 29), 9 MU (N = 30), or 30 MU (N = 30) per day for 25 consecutive days. Fifty-nine subjects were removed from treatment because of abnormal nasal exams (N = 56) or irritative symptoms (N = 3). The fraction of drop-outs in the placebo group (30%) was significantly different (P less than 0.05) from that in the 3 MU (55%), 9 MU (57%), or 30 MU (67%) groups. Nasal mucosal biopsies collected 1-2 days after completing spray use detected moderate or marked lymphocytic infiltration in 10% of placebo (N = 10), 90% of 3 MU (N = 9), 85% of 9 MU (N = 13), and 70% of 30 MU (N = 10) subjects (P less than 0.05, placebo vs each rIFN-alpha Con1 group). All 3 dose levels of rIFN-alpha Con1 were associated with significant clinical and histopathologic signs of nasal irritation. The findings suggest that intranasal rIFN-alpha Con1 does not have a more favorable therapeutic index than rIFN-alpha 2 and that the risk of nasal irritation relates more closely to the anti-viral activity than the protein content of the rIFN-alpha administered.
Water Quality Gradients across Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System: Seasonal Variations and Model Applications

Abstract The seasonal variations of water quality parameters as nitrite plus nitrate (NO−;x), total phosphate (PO3−4), chlorophyll a (chl a), and dissolved oxygen (DO) are analyzed across the Croatan-Roanoke-Albemarle-Pamlico-Core Sounds estuarine system (CAPES). Overall, several patterns are observed: The Chowan-Roanoke-Albemarle system is generally phosphorous limiting for phytoplankton growth, whereas both the Tar-Pamlico and the Neuse Rivers are generally nitrogen limiting. The largest PO3−4 gradients exist in the upstream portion of the Albemarle Sound, and the largest NO−x gradients exist in the lower Neuse and the Tar-Pamlico Rivers. Dissolved oxygen appears to have the strongest seasonal signal among the water quality variables, with highest DO values observed during winter (within the CAPES and in the nearshore area) or spring (in the continental shelf and deeper ocean) and lowest during summer. Chlorophyll a concentrations are highest during spring (within the CAPES) or winter (offshore). In con...
Amperometric biosensing of cinnamic acid using a spinach-based biocatalytic electrode

Abstract A new amperometric bioelectrode for cinnamic acid, based on the cinnamic acid hydroxylase activity of spinach leaves, is described. Such a bioelectrode addresses the commercial unavailability and instability of the pure enzyme. The incorporation of spinach leaves within a carbon paste matrix thus results in a fast response ( t 95% = 12s) to dynamic changes in the substrate concentration. The effect of various experimental parameters, such as pH, applied potential, flow rate or paste composition, is explored. Flow injection measurements yield a detection limit of 2 × 10 −4 M, with linearity up to 4 × 10 −3 M, and a relative standard deviation of 2.0% ( n = 25). Analogous measurements of dopamine, based on the polyphenol oxidase activity of spinach leaves, are also reported.
OBSERVATIONS ON THROMBIN INACTIVATION BY HUMAN SERUM

The inactivation of thrombin by serum follows a first order kinetics with thrombin concentrations of the order of 20 to 40 units per ml. of serum. With higher thrombin concentrations of 300 to 600 units per ml. of serum, the rate slows down and not the logarithm of the clotting time, but the clotting time itself increases proportionally with the incubation time. The antithrombic factor is stable at +4 degrees C. for a period of 2 weeks, or for 3 months at -15 degrees C. Heating over 58 degrees C. destroys it rapidly. The heat inactivation has an energy of activation of 121,000 cal. With low thrombin concentrations the rate of thrombin inactivation increases linearly with increasing serum concentration. The pH optimum of the inactivation is at 8.5. Increasing the temperature increases the rate. The energy of activation of the thrombin destruction by serum is 14,000 cal. Heparin increases the rate considerably with low thrombin concentrations, but does not affect the rate with high thrombin concentrations. The effect of heparin can be abolished with protamine or toluidine blue. Some other reagents were also tested with respect to their effect upon the rate of inactivation of thrombin by serum.
Cortical afferents modulate striatal gap junction permeability via nitric oxide.

Abstract Nitric oxide is a ubiquitous cellular messenger that plays a role in a variety of biological mechanisms. [3] Within the central nervous system, it is formed in glia and neuronal cells and can diffuse away from its site of origin to modulate membrane conductances, [8] neurotransmitter release, [27] behavior, [20] or to control the blood flow within its region of action. [2] Nitric oxide has been shown to modulate gap junction conductance in the retina [7, 19] and cortex, [26] an action it shares with a number of neurotransmitters. [21] In this study, we found that the activation of cortical afferents increased dye coupling between rat neostriatal neurons recorded in vitro . This effect was mimicked by a nitric oxide donor and prevented by a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, suggesting that activation of corticostriatal fibers may open putative gap junctions in the striatum via release of nitric oxide. This is the first report showing that synaptic modulation of gap junctions can be mediated by nitric oxide, and may provide a mechanism to explain cortical modulation of subcortical pattern formation within this highly integrative structure.
Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion of Zombies

The first decade of the new millennium saw renewed interest in popular culture featuring zombies. This essay shows that a comparative analysis of nightmares can be a productive method for analyzing salient themes in the imaginative products and practices of cultures in close contact. It is argued that zombies, as the first modern monster, are embedded in a set of deeply symbolic structures that are a matter of religious thought. The author draws from her ethnographic work in Haiti to argue that the zonbi is at once part of the mystical arts that developed there since the colonial period, and comprises a form of mythmaking that represents, responds to, and mystifies the fear of slavery, collusion with it, and rebellion against it. In turn, some elements of the Haitian zonbi figure can be found in patterns that haunt recent American zombie films. Zombies in these films are read as figures in a parable about whiteness and death-dealing consumption. This essay suggests that the messianic mood surrounding the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama was consistent with a pattern in zombie films since the 1960s where many zombie-killing heroes are figured as black American males. Zombies are used in both ethno-graphic and film contexts to think through the conditions of embodiment, the boundaries between life and death, repression and freedom, and the racialized ways in which humans consume other humans.
Low-dose ARA-C fails to enhance differentiation of leukaemic cells.

Summary Nine patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia were treated with low-dose ARA-C (10 mg/m2, q 12 h) for a planned 21 d. Complete remission was attained in only one patient (11.1%). Definite cytoreductive effect was seen in four additional patients. There was one treatment-related death. Haematologic toxicity occurred in all nine patients with severe thrombocytopenia most prominent. Severe hepatotoxicity precluded further ARA-C treatment in one patient. Because of toxicity only two patients were able to complete their scheduled 3 week courses of low-dose ARA-C. No evidence of ARA-C induced differentiation of leukaemic cells was noted on follow-up bone marrow examination during or shortly after the treatment course. The utility and indication for low-dose ARA-C therapy of AML remains to be determined.
Time-Jitter Reduction on the RF Buncher Signal for the los Alamos Proton Storage Ring (PSR)

The PSR at LAMPF will accumulate protons from the linear accelerator in both long-and short-bunch operational modes. Beam accumulation takes place for hundreds or thousands of turns. Ring buncher frequencies for these modes are 2.795 and 503.125 MHz, respectively. The bunching waveforms must be accurately correlated with the linac frequency standard so that the injected bunches fall into the ring rf buckets at precisely zero phase angle during accumulation. The PSR's rf wave also must have excellent phase stability. Long-term stability is assured by locking the PSR frequency reference to the linac's low-noise, temperature-stabilized crystal standard and by using delay-correction circuits in the transmission-line paths. However, the short-term stability of the rf reference signal is not as easily controlled because additive spurious signals can enter the long rf-signal transmission path (1-km linac-to-PSR), causing sideband energy increases very close to the carrier frequency. This increases time jitter. Also, some phase noise is spuriously developed by the signal-processing circuits providing frequency multiplication and division, the required processes for generating the necessary harmonic and subharmonic bunching frequencies at 503.125 and 2.795 MHz, respectively. The measure of control pursued by the described circuit design will provide rf references with timing uncertainty much less than the expected uncertainty in the micropulse time of arrival at the ring, ?T ? ±80 ps.
Basic strategy and expectation in casino Blackjack

Abstract Fifty-three Blackjack gamblers in four Nevada casinos were unobtrusively observed, and scored according to whether their playing decisions corresponded to the optimal “Zero-Memory” Basic decision strategy. Of the 940 hands recorded, at least 16% were played differently from the Basic prescription; presumably as a result of this “nonoptimal” play, average losses at Blackjack were quite high, on the order of ten times the theoretical loss rate for Basic play. Also, by wagering small bets in a subfair game, Blackjack gamblers practically guaranteed loss of their betting capital to the casinos.
FULLERENES IN PHOTOCONDUCTIVE POLYMERS. CHARGE GENERATION AND CHARGE TRANSPORT

Fullerenes enhance the photoconductivity of photoconductive polymers. This paper studies the mechansim of enhancement both experimentally and theoretically. The effects of fullerene doping on the spectroscopic, charge generation, and charge transport properties of the polymer are reported. Electrical field effects and magnetic field effects are examined. On the basis of these data a charge generation mechansim involving a singlet of weak charge-transfer complex is proposed for fullerene-doped N-poly(vinylcarbazole). A new theoretical model combining both the Onsager and Marcus theory is developed to quantitatively account for the field-dependent charge generation efficiency in nonpolar medium.
Ordering of nonverbal items in children's recognition memory

Abstract In two experiments children of different ages were instructed to recognize certain items previously pointed out from nine simultaneously exposed nonverbal items. In Exp. 1, recognition conditions of two, three, or two out of three items were administered; in Exp. 2, children had to recognize three items either in the exact order shown or in any order. In both experiments type of material was a variable. The youngest children, CA 5 to 6, showed a significant amount of spontaneous ordering in easy conditions, while ordering in the hardest condition was low for these S s but increased with age. A major result was that the oldest S s, CA 10, recognized as many items correctly when they were requested to order items as when they were not; at CA 6 this finding held only for easy items. It is concluded that storage of order information is relatively independent from retention of item information in recognition memory.
Memristor in neuromorphic computing

As technology scaling down becomes more and more difficult, the traditional von Neumann computer architecture cannot satisfy people's unlimited demand on high performance computation. Consequently, the neuromorphic hardware systems providing the capabilities of biological perception and information processing at compact and energy-efficient platform have drawn people's attention. Realizing neural network algorithms requires a large volume of memory and being adaptive to environment, which results in high design complexity and hardware cost. Not mentioning its promising characteristics, such as non-volatility, low-power consumption, high integration density, and excellent scalability, the recently rediscovered memristor device also has the unique property to record the historical profile of the excitations on the device, making it an ideal candidate to realize the synapse behavior in electronic neural networks. In this tutorial, I will introduce the utilizations of memristors in dynamic reconfigurable systems and in hardware realization of neuromorphic algorithms. The memristor-based neuromorphic system can offer extremely high computation parallelism, high resilience to process variations and transient run-time errors, and high power efficiency with ultra-low hardware cost and small footprint. Moreover, our design is fully compatible to the present-day CMOS fabrication process, demonstrating an excellent scalability.
A quenched momentum prescription for large-N theories

Abstract A general quenched momentum prescription is presented for treating theories with a global, or local gauge, U( N ) symmetry, both on the lattice and in the continuum, in the limit of infinite N . It is shown that the quenched theory produces, to all orders in perturbation theory, the integrands of the standard Feynman diagrams for invariant Green functions. In the case of gauge theories the quenching of the momentum must be accompanied by a constraint on the eigenvalues of the covariant derivative. In ultraviolet finite theories integration over the values of the quenched momenta reproduces ordinary perturbation theory, and it is suggested that for theories with logarithmic ultraviolet divergences a quenched momentum cutoff can be used a gauge-invariant regularization. The quenched lattice gauge theory is shown to be equivalent to the quenched Eguchi-Kawai model, and is proven to be equivalent, to all orders in perturbation theory, to the standard model. The loop equations of this model are derived, shown to be true equations of the standard model, and are argued to have a smooth continuum limit. The coupling constant renormalization is calculated in the quenched continuum gauge theory to one-loop order, and the formal loop equations are derived. Application of the method to numerical calculations of continuum QCD are discussed, as well as the possibility of achieving a gauge-invariant continuum regularization of chiral gauge and supersymmetric theories.
Superfluid flow dissipation in two dimensions

A model is presented describing the onset of nonlinear dissipation in two-dimensional helium films for all T < T/sub KT/, where T/sub K/T is the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature. The superfluid velocity is included in the renormalization equations of Kosterlitz and Thouless, and it is shown that the model predicts a characteristic velocity for a given temperature, film thickness, and frequency where onset occurs. No ''critical velocity'' is predicted except at T = 0. The model neglects the effects of pinning, and preliminary measurements seem to substantiate this assumption.
Immunogenicity of foot-and-mouth disease virus type O1 replicated in either monolayer or suspended BHK cell system

Abstract The efficacy of vaccines formulated from the 10th passage of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type O 1 in monolayer baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and the 8th passage in suspension BHK cells was compared in steers. The vaccines were inactivated with ethylenimine, contained an equal amount of antigen and were emulsified in oil-adjuvant. Six animals were vaccinated with each vaccine. During the challenge of immunity (91 days post-vaccination, DPV), one out of the six steers from the monolayer vaccine group became infected with the challenge virus while none of the six steers from the suspension vaccine group contracted the disease during the test period. The neutralizing antibody titers (means) of the serum samples taken at different DPV also did not suggest significant variation between these vaccines. In addition exposure to FMDV infected animals demonstrated that both vaccines elicited an immune state in the vaccinates.
Comparing the predictive validity of DUI risk screening instruments: development of validation standards.

Aims. This study compares the predictive efficacy of driving under the influence (DUI) screening instruments validated in previous studies, illustrates how variations in base rates of failure and selection ratios affect conclusions concerning the efficacy of different instruments, and develops evaluation standards to ensure valid comparisons of risk prediction instruments. Design. The study: (1) examines a sample of 4815 DUI offenders to illustrate how variations in base rates of failure and selection ratios affect traditional measures of predictive efficacy, (2) uses such measures to compare the predictive efficacy of 10 instruments validated in previous studies, and (3) demonstrates the use of a measure of predictive efficacy which is relatively insensitive to the aforementioned variations. Findings. While three instruments examined at specific cut-points consistently ranked highest on several measures of predictive efficacy, use of different evaluation standards produced substantively different conclusions regarding the efficacy of different instruments. Based on the analyses, standards for validation of risk prediction instruments were developed. Conclusions. The findings illustrate how failure to use equivalent standards have led to erroneous conclusions concerning the relative predictive efficacy of different risk prediction instruments. The standards developed in this study should facilitate equivalent comparisons of the predictive efficacy of risk prediction instruments.
A comparison of using icepak and flotherm in electronic cooling

Simulation software is a good tool to reduce design cycles and prototypes. The accuracy of the results depend on the users' inputs. Software can provide very accurate results when the inputs are reliable. Software can provide very poor results if the model, boundary conditions, or solution parameters are not represented properly. The user, not the software, is responsible for the accuracy of the results. To adequately use software, the user must become familiar with the built in hnctions and their limits of applicability. You must have a complete understanding of thermal theory so you can judge when a calculated result is in error based on an error in your input. Both Flothenn and Icepak are popular thermal analysis computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software packages in electronic cooling. The scope of this comparison is not to be used by the reader as the only basis for selecting a CFD tool. The frst thermal study was conducted using Icepak and Flotherm to calculate heat transfer fiom an aluminum plate due to natural convection and forced convection (turbulent flow, 300 fpm) environment. Three different types of mesh sizes were compared to theory and experimental data. The second study was to simulate the thermal performance of a RF power amplifier in a steady state forced convection environment. Both Icepak and Flotherm can provide almost the same level of performance. The quality of the prediction depends on the users' background and experience.
Short-term plasticity in a computational model of the tail-withdrawal circuit in Aplysia

The tail-withdrawal circuit of Aplysia provides a useful model system for investigating synaptic dynamics. Sensory neurons within the circuit manifest several forms of synaptic plasticity. Here, we developed a model of the circuit and investigated the ways in which depression (DEP) and potentiation (POT) contributed to information processing. DEP limited the amount of motor neuron activity that could be elicited by the monosynaptic pathway alone. POT within the monosynaptic pathway did not compensate for DEP. There was, however, a synergistic interaction between POT and the polysynaptic pathway. This synergism extended the dynamic range of the network, and the interplay between DEP and POT made the circuit responded preferentially to long-duration, low-frequency inputs.
Examining impacts of visibility and PM strategies before implementation.

ABSTRACT One of the major challenges facing the world today is defining paths to sustainable futures. Part of the challenge is developing a national energy strategy that promotes an adequate energy supply for the United States, while enhancing environmental quality and maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. To assist in this challenge, we have developed a screening technique to analyze the effectiveness of different proposed emissions reduction strategies. The technique, referred to as the visibility assessment screening technique (VAST), is designed to examine possible impacts on visibility of emission changes of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (i.e., SO2, NOx, and VOC) and fine and coarse particulate matter (PM). The influence of relative humidity, natural aerosols, and the chemical interconnections among sulfur and nitrogen components of aerosols in determining the effectiveness of Clean Air Act Amendment and other projected energy-related emissions changes on...
Coadsorption and reaction of sulfur and silver on a Ru(001) surface

Abstract We have investigated the interaction of Ag and S coadsorbed on a Ru(001) surface using high-resolution soft X-ray photoemission spectroscopy of the S 2p core level and valence region. The interaction of adsorbed sulfur and the first layer of Ag adatoms is weak. At ΘS + ΘAg 0.5 ML). At Ag coverages higher than one monolayer, the valence band and the S 2p spectra show formation of Silver sulfide at room temperature.