cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of desmosines in elastin-related skin disorders by isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract Abnormalities in the amount of skin elastin occur in several cutaneous disorders. The number of elastic fibers is increased in elastotic disorders such as pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) and cutis rhomboidalis nuchae (actinic elastosis, AE) and is decreased in elastolytic disorders such as cutis laxa (CL). We describe a procedure to quantify desmosines and elastin in small amounts of skin using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Biopsies were obtained from normal, nonsolar exposed skin and from the lesional skin of patients with PXE, cutis rhomboidalis nuchae, and CL. Specimens were subjected to hot alkali treatment and the desmosines were released by acid hydrolysis and quantified by HPLC. The mean value for normal skin was 252 ± 28 ng desmosines per milligram wet weight (SD, n = 5). The disorders of elastosis (PXE and AE) demonstrated a two-to fivefold increased content of desmosines. In contrast, the elastolytic disorder (CL) had only 20% of the normal content of esmosines. Furthermore, PXE and normal skin elastins had the same amount of desmosines per milligram purified elastin. This method could be used to evaluate the extent of elastosis or elastolysis in a particular lesion.
Effects of food deprivation and metabolic fuel utilization on the photoperiodic control of food intake in Siberian hamsters

Abstract Unlike rats, Siberian hamsters exhibit seasonal changes in energy balance that are controlled by the photoperiod (daylength). In Siberian hamsters, body weight and fat, and food intake peak in long, summer-like days and reach nadirs in short, winter-like days. The purpose of the present experiments was to test whether metabolic challenges that increase food intake in laboratory rats also increase feeding in Siberian hamsters. Specifically, we asked the questions: (a) Is food intake increased following a fast?; (b) Is food intake increased following treatments that block metabolic fuel utilization, such as the glucose utilization blocker 2-deoxy- d -glucose (2 DG), or that enhance storage of metabolic fuels such as short acting insulin (regular insulin)?; (c) Does the combination of food deprivation and decreased metabolic fuel utilization increase food intake?; and (d) Does the photoperiod affect the feeding and physiological responses to metabolic challenges? Food intake was measured in response to fasting, insulin or 2 DG treatment in adult female Siberian hamsters housed in long photoperiods. Following exposure to a short photoperiod, these hamsters were tested for their response to insulin and 2 DG, but not to fasting. Food intake did not increase following fasts of 12, 24, or 48 h. Food intake was increased in long day-housed hamsters given the lowest dose of 2 DG tested (125 mg/kg) 2, 4, and 6 h after treatment, but not in short days nor in long days with larger doses of the 2 DG. Similarly, food intake was increased by treatment with regular insulin in long days, but not short days. The most effective dose of insulin to stimulate food intake was 50 U/kg body weight. Combining fasts in long days with insulin or 2 DG treatment did not increase food intake. Instead the stimulatory effects of these treatments on food intake were negated. Finally, although insulin decreased plasma glucose and gastric contents in both photoperiods, it did so to greater relative degrees in long than in short days. Collectively, these data compliment our previous report that the effectiveness of some satiety peptides (i.e., cholecystokinin and bombesin) also are photoperiod dependent. These data suggest that the physiological and behavioral systems underlying these treatments that stimulate or inhibit food intake exhibit complementary responses to the naturally occurring, photoperiod-induced seasonal cycle of energy intake in Siberian hamsters.
Endometrial adenocarcinoma. A multiparameter clinicopathologic analysis including the DNA profile and the sex steroid hormone receptors.

With endometrial adenocarcinoma, several factors, such as stage and histologic grade, are well recognized as having prognostic significance. Other variables, e.g., nuclear grade, probably are also important clinically. A preliminary investigation of the prognostic value of the ploidy, cell cycle kinetics, and sex steroid receptor contents of these tumors has been conducted and compared with more conventional prognostic factors such as stage, grades, and depth of invasion. As analyzed by flow cytometry, the proliferative activities of the carcinomas were significantly associated with prognosis. Tumors with lower levels of proliferative activity were related to improved survivals. Two thirds of the carcinomas were diploid; ploidy did not carry prognostic weight in the series. Both the estrogen and progesterone receptor status were related to survival. Patients whose tumors were positive for these receptors had a better prognosis than did those in which the receptors were not present in significant quantities.
Survey results: characterization of direct thrombin inhibitor use in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this multicenter survey is to characterize the use of direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) in the pediatric population. The results of this survey may be used to design a p...
Redox Processes of Sulfur and Manganese in a Constructed Wetland

Constructed wetlands are very popular in terms of wastewater treatment today. Formation of redox potential gradients inside such a system strongly influences the wastewater-treatment efficiency. Individual oxidation forms of sulfur, and dissolved and precipitated manganese forms were determined in the vegetation bed of the constructed wetland. The aim of the speciation analysis was to contribute to the characterization of its redox properties. Sulfur was mostly oxidized at the inflow. The concentration of sulfates at the inflow varied from 25 to 55 mg/l, while concentration of sulfides was always lower than 6.0 mg/l and mostly even lower than 1.0 mg/l. However, sulfates were reduced during the pretreatment and the wastewater flow through the vegetation bed. The concentration of total manganese varied from 0.2 to 0.8 mg/l. Approximately 60% of Mn was precipitated at the inflow. The content of precipitated Mn forms declined to ca. 40-50% at the inflow zone, this content was almost constant across the vegetation bed to the outflow when water was sampled from 60-cm depth. However, the content of precipitated Mn forms increased to ca. 74% for samples from 20-cm depth. With respect to the aeration of the system, manganese can be precipitated as MnO2 in these samples.
LAND USE, PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY, AND LAKE AREA AS DESCRIPTORS OF ZOOPLANKTON DIVERSITY

Two major ecological generalizations are that species richness increases monotonically with habitat size and that it is often a unimodal function of primary productivity. We performed a meta-analysis to test hypotheses that, in 41 well-studied lakes of the world, these patterns are an artifact of combining data from pristine and developed lakes. The monotonic species–area relationship was found in lakes in developed watersheds but not in pristine lakes. The richness–productivity relationship was significantly positive linear (not unimodal) for pristine lakes (typically low productivity) and marginally significant negative linear for developed lakes (typically high productivity). The previously reported unimodal relationship appeared only when data from pristine and developed lakes were combined. Watershed development (quadratic model) was the best single descriptor of richness for all lakes and for developed lakes. Our best regression model for all lakes included linear lake area, quadratic productivity, and quadratic development terms. In pristine lakes, species richness was best described by a positive linear function of lake productivity. In developed lakes, richness was best described by positive linear lake area, negative linear productivity, and linear and quadratic development terms. Our results raise the possibility that two fundamental biodiversity relationships in lakes are influenced by land use.
Maintenance of wakefulness test in military personnel with upper airway resistance syndrome and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea

Background Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and the associated symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in military personnel has influential consequences in both the garrison and the deployed environments. The maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) is a daytime study used to evaluate the tendency to stay awake. We evaluated consecutive patients diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) to provide an objective measure of their EDS using the MWT.
Achieving ‘handoff’ traceability of complex system improvement

This paper presents an ontology for performance that is also the basis for an enterprise modeling and measurement framework for managing complex systems through improved traceability. The treaceability is achieved in the context of hand-offs that are typical of discovery in service-oriented environments. Examples in the health care industry illustrate the value of traceability in highly dynamic information technology services.
Married women's work status: The influence of parents and husbands

Abstract The working or nonworking status of married women free of the financial need to work was studied in relation to the balance between their instrumental and expressive needs and in relation to their own and their husbands' attitudes towards women's roles. Also studied were women's needs and attitudes towards women's roles in relation to their parents' child-rearing practices, needs, and attitudes towards women's roles. These variables were rated by 67 working and 48 nonworking women on three sets of scales, each set composed of items reflecting instrumental (I) and expressive (E) orientations. A single score for each set of scales reflected the balance between the sum of the I and E ratings, or (I-E). In 10 of 13 possible correlations, the subjects' I-E needs and attitudes towards women's roles were significantly related to their parents' I-E child-rearing practices, needs, and attitudes towards women's roles. The work status of the subjects was significantly related to their own I-E needs, to their own and their husbands' attitudes towards women's roles, and to whether their mothers worked.
Chasing Friendship: Acceptance, Rejection, and Recess Play

This is a post-print; the final typeset version is available on the Taylor & Francis website for the journal Childhood Education.
SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC STUDIES OF PENETRATION : V. RESEMBLANCES BETWEEN THE LIVING CELL AND AN ARTIFICIAL SYSTEM IN ABSORBING METHYLENE BLUE AND TRIMETHYL THIONINE.

The rate of diffusion through the non-aqueous layer of the protoplasm depends largely on the partition coefficients mentioned above. Since these cannot be determined we have employed an artificial system in which chloroform is used in place of the non-aqueous layer of the protoplasm. The partition coefficients may be roughly determined by shaking up the aqueous solutions with chloroform and analyzing with the spectrophotometer (which is necessary with methylene blue because we are dealing with mixtures). This will show what dyes may be expected to pass through the protoplasm into the vacuole in case it behaves like the artificial system. From these results we may conclude that the artificial system and the living cell act almost alike toward methylene blue and azure B, which supports the notion of non-aqueous layers in the protoplasm. There is a close resemblance between Valonia and the artificial system in their behavior toward these dyes at pH 9.5. In the case of Nitella, on the other hand, with methylene blue solution at pH 9.2 the sap in the artificial system takes up relatively more azure B (absorption maximum at 650 mmicro) than the vacuole of the living cell (655 mmicro). But both take up azure B much more rapidly than methylene blue. A comparison cannot be made between the behavior of the artificial system and that of the living cell at pH 5.5 since in the latter case there arises a question of injury to cells before enough dye is collected in the sap for analysis.
Joint Domain Localized Adaptive Processing Using Nonorthogonal Steering Vectors

Abstract The joint domain localized (JDL) processing adaptive algorithm significantly speeds up space-time adaptive processing by working within a localized processing region in the angle–Doppler domain. The two-dimensional data collected in space and time domains are transformed to the angle–Doppler domain using the spatial and temporal steering vectors. However, the algorithm depends on the assumption that the steering vectors form an orthogonal set. In practice, due to the mutual coupling between antenna elements, the spatial steering vectors are nonorthogonal. This paper presents a modification of the JDL algorithm to account for the nonorthogonality of the spatial steering vectors. The modification is extended to allow for the use of windows in transforming from the space-time to the angle–Doppler domain. Improvements in detection capability are demonstrated using examples from the MCARM database.
Reliable storage and querying for collaborative data sharing systems

The sciences, business confederations, and medicine urgently need infrastructure for sharing data and updates among collaborators' constantly changing, heterogeneous databases. The ORCHESTRA system addresses these needs by providing data transformation and exchange capabilities across DBMSs, combined with archived storage of all database versions. ORCHESTRA adopts a peer-to-peer architecture in which individual collaborators contribute data and compute resources, but where there may be no dedicated server or compute cluster.
Suppression of Gastric Acid Production by Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment Facilitates Colonization of the Large Intestine by Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Clindamycin-Treated Mice

Proton pump inhibitor treatment of clindamycin-treated mice elevated the gastric pH and facilitated the establishment of colonization of the large intestine by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (75 to 80%, versus 20 to 25% for saline-treated controls) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (90%, versus 30% for saline-treated controls). These findings demonstrate a mechanism by which proton pump inhibitor therapy could contribute to the dissemination of nosocomial pathogens.
ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF CHEMICAL SPECIES TO POLAR SNOW

Particles and gases can deposit from the atmosphere to polar snow by several mechanisms. Dry deposition can be considered to consist of three steps: aerodynamic transport from the free atmosphere to the viscous sublayer near the surface, boundary layer transport across the sublayer, and interactions with the surface. The particle dry deposition mass flux is dominated by the largest particles present in a size distribution. Wet deposition includes in-cloud and below-cloud scavenging, where the former refers to uptake of particles during nucleation of cloudwater as well as scavenging of particles and gases by existing droplets and ice crystals. Of all the wet deposition mechanisms, nucleation scavenging is often the most important mechanism for particles in the polar regions. Finally, incorporation of particles and gases into fog droplets and subsequent settling of the fog to the snow surface can be an important removal process in regions of frequent fog. For Summit, Greenland, the total deposition of MSA, ...
Properties of 19 Ne (7.07 MeV) and its mirror in 19 F

The astrophysically important $l=0$ resonance that occurs at an excitation energy of 7.07 MeV in ${}^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ has an appreciable fraction of the $2s\frac{1}{2}$ single-proton strength. Hence, the excitation energy in ${}^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ should be considerably lower than for its mirror in ${}^{19}\mathrm{F},$ which we predict at ${E}_{x}=7.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$ MeV.
Reversal of the light inhibition of pea stem growth by the gibberellins

Gibberellin A (isolated by Yabuta and Hayashi(1)) and gibberellic acid (isolated by Cross(2)) represent a group of compounds which are rapidly coming to be recognized as of major importance in the physiology of higher plants. Phinney(3) has shown that the application of gibberellins will restore single-gene dwarf mutants of Maize to the normal phenotype, extending the results of Brian and Hemming,(4) who found that the application of gibberellic acid to dwarf varieties of Pisum resulted in growth rates equivalent to that of normal varieties. Lang(5) has shown that gibberellin will replace the vernalization requirement of biennial Hyoscyamus niger and, at higher doses, will replace the long-day requirement for flowering in this plant as well. Thus the gibberellins are active in promoting a response to at least two separate physiological phenomena which have, in the past, been inaccessible to chemical regulation.
Potato processing: Past, present and future

From the time of the Incas, man has dehydrated potatoes to alleviate famine and feed its warriors. After the Spaniards brought potatoes to Europe, the same became true there. During the Industrial Revolution, drying processes emerged in Germany and England for dried pieces, extruded mash filaments and, finally, thin layers of mash on heated surfaces. During the 19th century, fermentation of potatoes for alcohol, starch manufacture and, finally, fried potato chips emerged. In the 20th century, the requirements of two world wars created a rapid increase in drying technology and led to the development of quickrehydrating dried mashed potatoes. The post-WWII era of convenience foods and development of freezing technology converted the “french fries” American GIs had seen on street corners in Belgium to the largest worldwide outlet for potatoes: retail and institutional frozen fried products. Recent trends in technology and usage are cited for dehydrated products, including dehydrated mashed potatoes (flakes, granules and agglomerates), dried dice and slices, flour, and frozen products, including specialty products made from smaller potatoes and pieces. Miscellaneous products such as pre-peeled potatoes, potato starch, alcohol and canned products are examined. The author and a number of collaborators then look toward the future. The general trends stress the importance of improvements in ecology, reduction of waste, improvement in product wholesomeness and development of new varieties with improved processing characteristics. Trends in dehydration technology include more sophisticated drying techniques, less energy use, improved flavor, better utilization and development of simpler processes for third world countries. Trends in frozen products include development of improved microwaveable products, more flexible manufacturing techniques, improved defect removal and reduction in fat content of fast-serve products.
Antibacterial Action of Tetracycline Comparisons with Oxytetracycline and Chlortetracycline.

ConclusionsThe antibacterial action of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetra-cycline in vitro appeared to be very similar although significant quantitative differences are noted in the action of these 3 analogues on individual strains and under certain cultural conditions.
Change in pattern of muscle activity following botulinum toxin injections for torticollis

Twenty patients with torticollis had electromyographic studies of their neck muscles performed before and after a series of local injections of botulinum toxin. The pattern of muscle activity changed after the injections, and this effect persisted even after head position had returned to baseline. Patients who did not experience any clinical benefit from the injections also demonstrated a change in the pattern of muscle activity. These results suggest that the underlying abnormality in torticollis usually involves a general motor program for head position, rather than the activity of individual neck muscles.
High protein diet attenuates histopathologic organ damage and vascular leakage in transgenic murine model of sickle cell anemia.

Previous reports have shown that a high protein diet improves weight gain and decreases expression of inflammatory markers in weanling Berkeley transgenic sickle cell mice. The effect of this diet ...
Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity prevents increases in myocardial tumor necrosis factor-α

Abstract TNF-α is known to cause adverse myocardial remodeling. While we have previously shown a role for cardiac mast cells in mediating increases in myocardial TNF-α, however, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation of TNF-α may also be contributory. We sought to determine the relative roles of MMPs and cardiac mast cells in the activation of TNF-α in the hearts of rats subjected to chronic volume overload. Interventions with the broad spectrum MMP inhibitor, GM6001, or the mast cell stabilizer, nedocromil, were performed in the rat aortocaval fistula (ACF) model of volume overload. Myocardial TNF-α levels were significantly increased in the ACF. This increase was prevented by MMP inhibition with GM6001 ( p ≤ 0.001 vs. ACF). Conversely, myocardial TNF-α levels were increased in the ACF + nedocromil treated fistula groups ( p ≤ 0.001 vs. sham). The degradation of interstitial collagen volume fraction seen in the untreated ACF group was prevented in both the GM6001 and nedocromil treated hearts. Significant increases in LV myocardial ET-1 levels also occurred in the ACF group at 3 days post-fistula. Whereas administration of GM6001 significantly attenuated this increase, mast cell stabilization with nedocromil markedly exacerbated the increase, producing ET-1 levels 6.5 fold and 2 fold greater than that in the sham-operated control and ACF group, respectively. The efficacy of the MMP inhibitor, GM6001, to prevent increased levels of myocardial TNF-α is indicative of MMP-mediated cleavage of latent extracellular membrane-bound TNF-α protein as the primary source of bioactive TNF-α in the myocardium of the volume overload heart.
Ab initio modeling of water–semiconductor interfaces for photocatalytic water splitting: role of surface oxygen and hydroxyl

We perform extensive density-functional theory total-energy calculations and ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations to evaluate the structure, stability, and reactivity of oxygen- and hydroxyl-decorated InP(001) surfaces for photoelectrochemical water cleavage. Surface oxygen is adsorbed in one of two primary local bond topologies: In-O-P and In-O-In. We show that the chemical activity of the oxygen-decorated surface toward water dissociation can be connected to the local oxygen bond topology, with In-O-In bridges promoting spontaneous water dissociation. Surface hydroxyl groups tend to form either In-OH-In bridges, though the second of the two In-OH bonds is easily broken. Dynamics simulations of the full water-semiconductor interface show surface proton transfer when the surface is hydroxylated, facilitated by strong hydrogen bonding between atop OH groups and with interfacial water molecules. Implications for understanding the reaction dynamics at InP(001)-water interfaces are discussed.
Synergistic effects of hemoglobin and tumor perfusion on tumor control and survival in cervical cancer.

Purpose The tumor oxygenation status is likely influenced by two major factors: local tumor blood supply (tumor perfusion) and its systemic oxygen carrier, hemoglobin (Hgb). Each has been independently shown to affect the radiotherapy (RT) outcome in cervical cancer. This study assessed the effect of local tumor perfusion, systemic Hgb levels, and their combination on the treatment outcome in cervical cancer. Methods and Materials A total of 88 patients with cervical cancer, Stage IB2-IVA, who were treated with RT/chemotherapy, underwent serial dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) before RT, at 20–22 Gy, and at 45–50 Gy. The DCE-MRI perfusion parameters, mean and lowest 10th percentile of the signal intensity distribution in the tumor pixels, and the Hgb levels, including pre-RT, nadir, and mean Hgb (average of weekly Hgb during RT), were correlated with local control and disease-specific survival. The median follow-up was 4.6 years. Results Local recurrence predominated in the group with both a low mean Hgb ( p = .001) and a disease-specific survival rate of 41% vs. 72% ( p = .008), respectively. In the group with both high mean Hgb and high perfusion, the 5-year local control rate and disease-specific survival rate was 100% and 78%, respectively. Conclusion These results suggest that the compounded effects of Hgb level and tumor perfusion during RT influence the radioresponsiveness and survival in cervical cancer patients. The outcome was worst when both were impaired. The management of Hgb may be particularly important in patients with low tumor perfusion.
Effects of tissue conductivity variations on the cardiac magnetic fields simulated with a realistic heart - torso model

Cardiac magnetic fields with varying tissue conductivities are simulated. A high-resolution finite-element torso model composed of 19 tissue types and with a voxel resolution of 1.5 mm x 1.5 mm x 3 mm is used. It has a detailed description of tissue geometries and therefore is well suited for analysing the effects of tissue conductivities on the cardiac magnetic fields. The computed results show the greatest sensitivity of the magnetic fields to the changes in the conductivity of blood and myocardium, and less significant sensitivity to the conductivity of the lungs, muscle, fat and other tissues. These results are relevant to future modelling of magnetocardiograms and solving the inverse problem. They also emphasize the importance of careful modelling of the blood and heart regions, and suggest that less attention needs to be directed to bone or fat tissue.
Linkage of Pep-2 and Apk on mouse chromosome 10.

An ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced electrophoretic variant of mouse PEP-2, a tripeptidase, has been used to determine the location of the structural gene on chromosome 10. Gene order and recombination frequencies were estimated as Apk-21.8±3.9%-Pep-2-3.7±2.1%-Sl. Methods for rapid determination of Apk and Pep-2 alleles by cellulose acetate electorphoresis and a valuable linkage testing stock carrying the unique Apkm and Pep-2b alleles are described.
Validation of Distributed Real-Time and Embedded System composition in UniFrame

Distributed Real-Time and Embedded (DRE) Systems are widely applied to large scale and mission critical application domains such as avionics systems and medical imaging. Due to the rapid lifecycle and the complexity of design of the systems, there is an urgent demand to manage the development of robust, COTS, and effective software for vendors. The UniFrame project is a unified framework for seamless integration of distributed heterogeneous software components. This paper describes how the UniFrame approach is applicable to DRE software components. Leveraging the Two-Level Grammar (TLG) specification language and the Vienna Development Method (VDM), a formal methodology for developing DRE components and system code generation is developed for UniFrame.
Activation of β1 Integrins Induces Cell–Cell Adhesion

Integrins are highly regulated receptors that can function in both cell-substrate and cell-cell adhesion. We have found that the activating anti-beta1 mAb, 12G10, can specifically and rapidly induce both cell-substrate and cell-cell adhesion of HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma and other cell types. Binding of mAb 12G10 induced clustering of cell-surface integrins, and the preferential localization of beta1 integrins expressing the 12G10 epitope at cell-cell adhesion sites. Fab fragments of mAb 12G10 induced HT-1080 cell-cell adhesion as effectively as did intact antibodies, suggesting that integrin clustering was not due to direct antibody crosslinking. Latrunculin B, an inhibitor of F-actin polymerization, inhibited cell-cell adhesion but not the clustering of integrins. Results from a novel, two-color cell-cell adhesion assay suggested that nonactivated cells can bind to activated cells and that integrin activation-induced HT-1080 cell-cell adhesion minimally requires the interaction of activated alpha2beta1 with nonactivated alpha3beta1. These findings suggest that HT-1080 cell-cell adhesion induced by integrin activation require a signaling process involving integrin clustering and the subsequent organization of the cytoskeleton. Integrin activation could therefore play a key role in cell-cell adhesion.
Achieving long-term surveillance in VigilNet

Energy efficiency is a fundamental issue for outdoor sensor network systems. This article presents the design and implementation of multidimensional power management strategies in VigilNet, a major recent effort to support long-term surveillance using power-constrained sensor devices. A novel tripwire service is integrated with an effective sentry and duty cycle scheduling in order to increase the system lifetime, collaboratively. The tripwire service partitions a network into distinct, nonoverlapping sections and allows each section to be scheduled independently. Sentry scheduling selects a subset of nodes, the sentries, which are turned on while the remaining nodes save energy. Duty cycle scheduling allows the active sentries themselves to be turned on and off, further lowering the average power draw. The multidimensional power management strategies proposed in this article were fully implemented within a real sensor network system using the XSM platform. We evaluate key system parameters using a network of 200 XSM nodes in an outdoor environment, and an analytical probabilistic model. We evaluate network lifetime using a simulation of a 10,000-node network that uses measured XSM power values. These evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of our integrated approach and identify a set of lessons and guidelines, useful for the future development of energy-efficient sensor systems. One of the key results indicates that the combination of the three presented power management techniques is able to increase the lifetime of a realistic network from 4 days to 200 days.
The effect of solvent mixture on the properties of solvent cast polylactic acid (PLA) film

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various solvents on the crystallinity and thermal expansion stability of PLA film. Three different PLA films were produced by the solvent casting technique; PLA in chloroform (PLA-C), PLA in methylene chloride (PLA-M), and PLA in methylene chloride: acetonitrile = 50: 50 (PLA-MA). The PLA-MA had higher % crystallinity, 46.15, than the PLA-C, 24.03, and the PLA-M, 14.25. With this increase in crystallinity, the PLA-MA had improved thermal expansion stability as shown by very low accumulated dimensional changes at 20 to 100°C. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction identified multiple crystalline structures for the PLA-MA. Film barrier properties were also measured. PLA-MA had the lowest oxygen permeability. However, there was no significant difference in water vapor permeability among the three PLA films. The mechanical property tests revealed that the PLA-C and PLA-M were ductile while the PLA-MA was brittle in behavior. The PLA-MA was very hazy as compared with the PLA-C and PLA-M. This work has shown that the PLA-MA had increased % crystallinity and, more importantly, it had improved thermal expansion stability which can be very beneficial for the flexible packaging industry. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Cognitive Dissonance, Media Illiteracy, and Public Opinion on News Media

During the past 20 years, increasing numbers of academic studies, industry studies, and public opinion polls have assessed relative levels of public learning from news media and public perceptions of U.S. news media’s accuracy, believability, credibility, bias, honesty, and other characteristics. From the early 1980s, if not earlier, until the mid- to late 1990s, local television outscored newspapers. Newspapers are now gaining because of decreasing quality in local television news, even if the public believes newspapers are getting better. The article suggests that cognitive dissonance and low media literacy were largely responsible for the intervening overrating of television.
Intrathyroidal parathyroid glands can be a cause of failed cervical exploration for hyperparathyroidism

Background The incidence of intrathyroidal parathyroid glands remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence in a series of patients with hyperparathyroidism. Methods Three hundred nine patients underwent parathyroidectomy. Patients were divided into two groups: uniglandular disease versus hyperplasia. Results Eighteen of 309 patients (6%) had abnormal intrathyroidal parathyroid glands. The incidence was 3% (7 of 222) in patients with uniglandular disease versus 15% (11 of 73) in those with hyperplasia. With a mean follow-up of 54 months, 12 patients are eucalcemic, 5 have persistent hypocalcemia, and 1 has recurrent hypercalcemia. There were no recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries. Conclusions These data suggest that an intrathyroidal adenoma is an uncommon cause of failure, whereas abnormal intrathyroidal parathyroid tissue may be a more common cause of failure in patients with hyperplasia.
High-Tc Superconducting Analog Circuits

Planar transmission line networks incorporating high-transition-temperature (Tc) superconductive thin films can potentially provide signal-distribution, signal-filtering, and signal-processing functions in analog monolithic integrated circuits at higher frequencies, wider bandwidths and larger scales of integration than possible by conventional technology. This paper discusses the materials progress, device concepts and applications prospects for such high-Tc superconducting circuits.
Delusions Following Hypnosis

Abstract Delusions occurring after a hypnotic state in the non-psychotic patient are usually a result of the interplay of three factors: (a) the heightening of transference fantasies due mainly to the regression of the hypnotic state; (b) the presence of major ego defects, projective defenses, or other predisposing factors in the patient's character structure; and (c) the occurrence of countertransference reactions on the part of the hypnotist which touch on a specific area of conflict within the patient. The presence of third parties or the use of tape recorders are not satisfactory for the prevention of delusion formation. Rather, the physician using hypnosis should focus upon: (a) preliminary psychological evaluation and selection of patients free from disposition to delusion formation; (b) awareness of his own emotional responses to the patient. Attention to these factors will minimize the chance of delusion formation after the use of hypnosis.
Euphausiopsin, a New Photosensitive Pigment from the Eyes of Euphausiid Crustaceans

THE eyes of euphausiid shrimps contain large quantities of vitamin A 1. Fisher et al. 1 found a particularly high concentration of the vitamin in the eyes of Euphausia pacifica. These observations have led to speculation that vitamin A may play a part in euphausiid vision.
Nevus simplex: A reconsideration of nomenclature, sites of involvement, and disease associations

Background Nevus simplex (NS) is a common birthmark on the forehead, glabella, upper eyelids, and nape. More widespread involvement can be confused with port-wine stains (nevus flammeus) and other vascular birthmarks. Objectives To further categorize the anatomic locations in infants with extensive NS and evaluate for any possible disease associations. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients with extensive NS seen at two tertiary care centers. Results Twenty-seven patients with extensive NS were identified. All had at least one typical site of involvement: glabella (77.8%), nape (59.3%), and eyelids (55.6%). Additional sites were the scalp, including the vertex, occiput, parietal (66.7%); nose (66.7%); lip (59.2%); lumbosacral skin (55.6%); and upper and mid back (14.8 %). Limitations Retrospective nature of the study and relatively small sample size. Conclusions We propose the term "nevus simplex complex" for NS with more widespread involvement beyond the typical sites. Consistent use of the term "nevus simplex" will aid in correct diagnosis and appropriate management of these birthmarks.
Efficient Mammalian Protein Synthesis Requires an Intact F-Actin System

The mammalian protein synthesizing system is highly organized in vivo, and its substrate, tRNA, is channeled throughout the translation process. However, the cellular components responsible for this organization are not known. To examine this question a series of studies was carried out using intact and permeabilized Chinese hamster ovary cells. We show that cold shock dramatically reduces the protein synthetic capacity of these cells by as much as 95%. The loss of activity can be reversed by a short recovery period under conditions that allow energy metabolism to occur; transcription and translation during the recovery period are not needed. While individual components of the translation apparatus are not inactivated by the cold shock, the supramolecular organization of the system appears to be altered and F-actin levels are found to decrease. Resumption of protein synthesis during the recovery period coincides closely with the restoration of F-actin to normal levels. Moreover, disruption of actin filaments, but not microtubules, also leads to a major reduction in translation. These data support the conclusion that the cellular microfilament network plays an important role in the structure and function of the translation system and that perturbations of this network can have profound effects on protein synthesis.
A 102-cm balloon-borne telescope for far-infrared astronomy.

The Center for Astrophysics-University of Arizona balloon-borne, inertially-guided, 102 cm telescope was designed to perform photometry and high resolution mapping of far-infrared (40-250 micron) celestial sources. To date the telescope has now been flown and successfully recovered a total of ten times. Six of the flights have produced useful astronomical data, resulting in more than 40 hours of observations of numerous objects, such as HII regions, dark clouds, molecular clouds, galaxies, the galactic center, planets, and an asteroid. Maps with a resolution of 1 arcmin FWHM have been achieved with absolute position accuracies of plus or minus 10 arcsec. The rms noise equivalent flux density of the system is approximately 70 Jy/(Hz) to the 1/2. From the launch site in Texas, sources as far south as - 50 degrees declination have been observed.
Characterization of fluoroelastomer networks: II. SEC, FTIR, and ODR analysis

The role of an accelerator in the nucleophilic cure of fluorocarbon compounds was further examined by preparing materials without a crosslinker. Under the previously used curing conditions, ODR reveals the formation of a secondary, accelerator-induced network that is unstable at slightly higher temperature, i.e., ≥190°C. Increased crosslink density and color are observed with the cure time, indicating slow curing reactions and likely formation of conjugated unsaturation. SEC of selective solvent-soluble fractions derived from specimens obtained from the key cure stages shows initially a falling refractive-index response. However, this change is followed by a shift in MWDs toward lower average molecular weights. On the other hand, infrared examination shows a continuous increase in the 1718 cm−1 absorption, but no major presence for the 1680 cm−1 absorption seen in the previous study in the presence of a crosslinker. The concurrent increase in the 3114 cm−1 peak confirms the presence of a CFCH double bond. The solvent-soluble portions and bulk specimens have very similar infrared features. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
When two strands are better than one: The mediators and modulators of the cellular responses to double-stranded RNA

Double-stranded RNA is a potent inducer of interferon, a modulator of the expression of a number of other genes involved in the response of cells to virus infection, an activator of the interferon-induced antiviral state, and may be involved in differentiation, induction of apoptosis, and control of oncogenic transformation. This review will attempt to summarize what is known about the cellular proteins that act to mediate the response of cells to double-stranded RNA and the viral and cellular macromolecules that may be able to modulate these responses.
Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen-Carrying Solutions and Hemorrhagic Shock

T HERE have been only two reported uses, in 19491 and 50 years later in 1999, 2 of hemoglobin solutions for resuscitation of humans in hemorrhagic shock. In the first report, a woman suffering from postpartum hemorrhage was given 2.3 L of 9% hemoglobin solution in saline after all available compatible blood had been given. Consciousness returned, her blood pressure increased, and her heart rate decreased. However, the patient died 9 days later from renal failure. In the second report, 98 patients were given either diasprinlinked hemoglobin (DCLHb) (n=52) or saline solution (n=46) for treatment of hemorrhagic shock. The 48-hour and 28-day mortality and multiorgan dysfunction score were all significantly greater in those patients receiving DCLHb, and the multicenter study was terminated prematurely. The possible reasons for this adverse outcome included excess variability in the level of injury and study entry criteria that were too wide. Attempts to develop blood substitutes go back many hundreds of years 3 (Table 1). In 1916, hemoglobin solutions were given in small quantities to 33 subjects to determine the renal threshold for hemoglobin without adverse effects. 4 However, many studies using larger quantities of hemoglobin solutions had adverse effects, including hypertension, bradycardia, oliguria, and anaphylaxis. In 1957, Chang encapsulated hemoglobin, 3 and since then development of liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin has continued. 5 The problems associated with disposal of the encapsulated hemoglobin and stimulation of the reticuloendothelial system and macrophages have not been resolved. Clark showed that a mouse could survive while breathing liquid perfluorocarbons saturated with oxygen. 6 In 1972, Benesch 7 discovered reagents that could bind the 2,3-DPG binding site so that they could reduce hemoglobin affinity for oxygen. The most widely used agent is pyridoxal, 5 PO 4 (so-called pyridoxalation), which is used to.reduce oxygen affinity. The normal P50 (the partial pressure of oxygen when Hb is 50% saturated) of blood is 26.7 mm Hg. P50 is increased by pyridoxalation. Human stroma-free hemoglobin has a P50 of 12 to 15 mm Hg and therefore has a high oxygen affinity, and tends to hold onto the oxygen rather than give oxygen up at the tissue level.
Granulometric estimation of distorted shapes

Assuming a random shape to be governed by a random generator and noise parameter vector, it is essential to optimally estimate the state of the generators given some set of extracted features based on the random shape. If the features used are analytically tied to shape and distortion parameters, the conditional densities involved in this Bayesian estimation problem are of a generalized nature and exist only on the manifold dictated by the particular probe. These generalized densities can be used in a conventional way to calculate the conditional- expectation estimates of the parameters. They may also be used to minimize the mean-square error on the manifold itself, thereby yielding an estimate of shape parameters consistent with the geometrical prior information provided by the observed feature set.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Evolution of Cell Lineage in Echinoderms

SYNOPSIS. Metazoan embryos in various phyla and classes often utilize quite different processes to specify cell fates during embryogenesis. These differences have been interpreted either as constraints, necessary for fabricating distinct adult body plans, or as adaptations for particular life history strategies. This paper analyzes the evolution of echinoderm cell lineage within a phylogenetic context as a means of testing these hypotheses. Several features of echinoderm cell lineage are probably over 550 million years old, and have persisted despite extensive transformations in adult morphology. Other features are much more variable evolutionarily, and have changed on many separate occasions. Importantly, even some of the most ancient and conservative features of echinoderm cell lineage can still evolve. These transformations are correlated with a particular life history transformation, the switch from feeding to nonfeeding larvae. The results suggest that adaptation has played a significant role in the evolution of cell lineage in echinoderms: some ancient features have been maintained for functional reasons rather than because of constraints, and some derived features have evolved in response to particular environmental challenges.
Pynchon, In His Absence

In a footnote to “Fast Learner: The Typescript of Pynchon's V. at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin,” Luc Herman and John Krafft note that the letters Corlies (Cork) Smith graciously provided them for their study of the transformation of the typescript of V. (1963) into the published novel “may be identical to those published in an unauthorized limited edition under the title Of a Fond Ghoul in 1990.” Sounding more confident in “From the Ground Up: The Evolution of the South-West Africa Chapter in Pynchon's V. ,” they write, “Originals of the Smith-Pynchon letters were apparently stolen from the offices of Harper & Row, and an unauthorized facsimile edition was published in 1990 under the title Of a Fond Ghoul (a phrase Pynchon proposes in the correspondence as one possible title for his novel). Smith later received photocopies of the letters in the mail.” Herman and Krafft were essentially correct in their assumption about the letters they have. Smith received a copy of the extant correspondence between him and Pynchon as it appears in Of a Fond Ghoul , but he did not get the book's entire contents. This piece provides archival information on the documents contained in Of a Fond Ghoul .
Promoter targeted small RNAs induce long-term transcriptional gene silencing in human cells

Small RNAs targeted to gene promoters in human cells can mediate transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) by directing silent state epigenetic modifications to targeted loci. Many mechanistic details of this process remain poorly defined, and the ability to stably modulate gene expression in this manner has not been explored. Here we describe the mechanisms of establishment and maintenance of long-term transcriptional silencing of the human ubiquitin C gene (UbC). Sustained targeting of the UbC promoter with a small RNA for a minimum of 3 days resulted in long-term silencing which correlated with an early increase in histone methylation and a later increase in DNA methylation at the targeted locus. Transcriptional silencing of UbC required the presence of a promoter-associated RNA. The establishment and maintenance of the TGS were shown to require distinct protein factors. Argonaute 1 (Ago1), DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) were required for the initiation of silencing, and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) was necessary for maintenance. Taken together the data presented here highlight the cellular pathway with which noncoding RNAs interact to epigenetically regulate gene expression in human cells.
Stress-driven MEMS assembly + electrostatic forces = 1mm diameter robot

As the size of the modules in a self-reconfiguring modular robotic system shrinks and the number of modules increases, the flexibility of the system as a whole increases. In this paper, we describe the manufacturing methods and mechanisms for a 1 millimeter diameter module which can be manufactured en masse. The module is the first step towards realizing the basic unit of claytronics, a modular robotic system designed to scale to millions of units.