cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct infusion analysis of nucleotide mixtures of very similar or identical elemental composition.

The challenges posed by the analysis of mono-nucleotide mixtures by direct infusion electrospray ionization were examined in the context of recent advances of mass spectrometry (MS) technologies. In particular, we evaluated the merits of high-resolution mass analysis, multistep gas-phase dissociation, and ion mobility determinations for the characterization of species with very similar or identical elemental composition. The high resolving power afforded by a linear trap quadrupole-orbitrap allowed the complete differentiation of overlapping isotopic distributions produced by nucleotides that differed by a single mass unit. Resolving 12C signals from nearly overlapped 13C contributions provided the exact masses necessary to calculate matching elemental compositions for unambiguous formulae assignment. However, it was the ability to perform sequential steps of gas-phase dissociation (i.e. MSn-type analysis) that proved more valuable for discriminating between truly isobaric nucleotides, such as the AMP/dGMP and UMP/ΨMP couples, which were differentiated in the mixture from their unique fragmentation patterns. The identification of diagnostic fragments enabled the deconvolution of dissociation spectra containing the products of coexisting isobars that could not be individually isolated in the mass-selection step. Approaches based on ion mobility spectrometry-MS provided another dimension upon which isobaric nucleotides could be differentiated according to their distinctive mobility behaviors. Subtle structural variations, such as the different positions of an oxygen atom in AMP/dGMP or the glycosidic bond in UMP/ΨMP, produced detectable differences in the respective ion mobility profiles, which enabled the differentiation of the isobaric couples in the mixture. Parallel activation of all ions emerging from the ion mobility element provided an additional dimension for differentiating these analytes on the basis of both mobility and fragmentation properties. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Siblings and the new baby: changing perspectives.

Abstract Increasingly nurses are called on to provide services to siblings in childbearing families. An overview of the broad, interdisciplinary research on siblings and newborns that is available to guide nursing practice is provided in this article. Studies tend to fit into three categories: (a) sibling responses to the newborn, (b) sibling participation in birth, and (c) sibling visiting in the hospital. Although nurses may have only short-term contact with families during the childbearing cycle, the author emphasizes the importance of having a longitudinal, family-oriented understanding of sibling relationships based on current research. Suggestions for applying this research to practice during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods are noted.
Construction of coset-based low rate convolutional codes and their application to rate turbo-like code design

In this paper, we propose a novel method to construct low rate recursive convolutional codes. The 'overall' convolutional code has a block code and a simple recursive convolutional code as building blocks. The novelty of this type of convolutional code is that it uses coset leaders in order to distinguish the signals that originate from different states. Several of these codes are then used to construct low rate turbo-like codes. Apart from being bandwidth efficient, simulation results show that these codes outperform the best known low rate turbo-like codes, the turbo-Hadamard codes (THC), in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel for interleaver sizes of practical interest.
Modulation of Intracellular Signalling Pathways by Carotenoids

Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the most common causes of death in developed countries. A high dietary intake of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a decreased risk of developing such chronic diseases [1,2]. It has been suggested that carotenoids may play a key role in these beneficial effects of fruit and vegetable consumption. Some observational epidemiological studies (Chapters 10, 13 and 14) have indicated that carotenoids may act as protective agents against some lung cancers and a variety of other chronic diseases [3]. These epidemiological data have been supported by several studies performed in vivo and in vitro [4, 5, 6] in which inhibitory effects of carotenoids on tumour growth and cardiovascular diseases have been observed. Some intervention trials, though, in which β-carotene (3) was administered as a supplement to individuals at high risk, such as smokers and asbestos workers, have shown no preventive effects or indeed have indicated enhanced incidence of lung cancer [7,8]. In others, however, supplementation with β-carotene was reported to exert beneficial effects [9]. Open image in new window
Tensor restricted isometry property for multilinear sparse system of genomic interactions

Research scientists in the biomedical sciences perform large scale experiments referred to as high throughput research. High throughput methods enable research involving large data (e.g. the human genome) to investigate the effects of individual genes and to eventually answer fundamental questions. These large scale experiments allow scientists to investigate the effects of individual genes, i.e. identifying genes involved in a specific function. By studying each single-deletion strain, biologists are able to deduce the relevance of a particular gene to a specific function or functions. However, studies with single gene suppression at a time have shown a weak correlation between the genes and the functions due to redundancy in the genome [5, 4]; i.e. a similar gene or backup copies can perform the function of the deleted one [5].
Cellular and molecular aspects of human CD34+ CD38- precursors: analysis of a primitive hematopoietic population.

Hematopoiesis is a complex, highly regulated process in which a small number of primitive stem cells produce all the mature blood and immune cells required by an animal throughout its life. In this review, we summarize current understanding of human CD34+CD38- cells, a small subclass of hematopoietic cells, which is enriched for primitive precursors, including stem cells. This review emphasizes functional, molecular and immunophenotypic characteristics of the cells and includes some of the factors which are believed to regulate the survival, growth and differentiation of this important class of cells.
Natural frequencies of coils and windings

KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL frequencies of air-core and iron-core coils and of transformer and generator windings is of essential theoretical and practical importance. The transient response of coils and windings subjected to impulse waves has been determined in the literature by two different methods, the “standing wave” and the “traveling wave” approach. The values of the natural frequencies enter into the analytical expressions of both these methods of calculation.
Sacred Healing Stories Told at the End of Life

Introduction: Cancer is a challenging disease to diagnose and treat, and oftentimes even with the best medical intervention, it spreads and is deemed incurable, requiring a shift from cure to end-o...
Plasma condensation and the one component plasma model

Abstract Dusty plasmas can form ordered crystalline structures under the proper conditions. This crystallization can occur if the ratio (known as Γ) of the average Coulomb or Yukuwa potential energy divided by the average kinetic energy is larger than a given constant value. Recently, such plasma condensation has been observed leading to both liquid and crystalline system states. In order to accurately study colloidal plasma ‘phase’ transitions, a better understanding of the manner in which Γ is affected by the fact that such a system is not well described by the one component plasma theory is needed. To accurately model such systems, it is necessary to keep track of a large number of particles. This is accomplished in the current work using a Barnes-Hut tree code known as “Box_Tree.” This code is used to simulate systems with varying plasma and dust grain densities. Simulations of recently discovered Mach cone development are also presented.
Aristotle on the magnetosphere

If yours is one of 3000 family names listed in a current glossy magazine two-page ad (Abbot to Zimmerman—no Siscoe), $30 brings you a “GENEALOGICAL and HISTORICAL study of (your) family from earliest times.” (Prompt orders get a specially designed Ancestry Chart, free!) We have a built-in thirst to know our pedigree; how else could genealogy pay? Why else would people visit ancestral homesites? And what else let Alex Haley parlay a scholarly study of ship manifests and slave transactions into a best selling novel? Roots symbolizes a literary genre, which includes Oliver Twist and The Prince and the Pauper, that exploits deep emotions evoked by issues of heritage. The genre admits humor; the Mikado's Pooh-Bah traces his ancestry back to a “protoplasmic primordial atomic globule.”
Bordetella pertussis fimbriae are effective carrier proteins in Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C conjugate vaccines

Serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccines generally use diphtheria or tetanus toxoids as the protein carriers. The use of alternative carrier proteins may allow multivalent conjugate vaccines to be formulated into a single injection and circumvent potential problems of immune suppression in primed individuals. Bordetella pertussis fimbriae were assessed as carrier proteins for Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C polysaccharide. Fimbriae were conjugated to the polysaccharide using modifications of published methods and characterised by size exclusion chromatography; co-elution of protein and polysaccharide moieties confirmed conjugation. The conjugates elicited boostable IgG responses to fimbriae and serogroup C polysaccharide in mice, and IgG:IgM ratios indicated that the responses were thymus-dependent. High bactericidal antibody titres against a serogroup C strain of N. meningitidis were also observed. In a mouse infection model, the conjugate vaccine protected against lethal infection with N. meningitidis. Therefore, B. pertussis fimbriae are effective carrier proteins for meningococcal serogroup C polysaccharide and could produce a vaccine to protect against meningococcal disease and to augment protection against pertussis.
Lakes and community: the importance of natural landscapes in social research.

Your community is the lake you live on. Where you from? Well I live on Rabbit Lake. I live on Gull Lake. I live on Mille Lacs. [For a lot of people] their communities have now been formed more alon...
Hagen's gland morphology and chemical content analysis for three species of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

The morphology and chemical content analysis of Hagen's glands of the braconid waspsBiosteres longicaudatus, B. tryoni, andB. arisanus were shown to be useful taxonomic markers.B. longicaudatus glands contain two components tentatively identified as (3aα,5β,6aα)-5-butyltetrahydro-furo[3,2-b]furan-2(3H)-one and a corresponding 5-hexyl derivative, whileB. tryoni glands contained dodecan-4-olide andB. arisanus glands contained ethyl octanoate, ethylZ-4-octenoate, and octan-4-olide.
Targeted therapies for malignant glioma: Progress and potential

Malignant gliomas represent one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Recent advances in the understanding of the deregulated molecular pathways of gliomas have brought about targeted therapies that have the ability to increase therapeutic efficacy in tumors while decreasing toxicity. Multi-targeted kinase inhibitors, novel monoclonal antibodies, and new vaccines have been developed. Standard treatments and current development of new therapies for malignant gliomas are reviewed, focusing specifically on growth factors and their receptors (e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor), as well as the intracellular effector molecules that are downstream of these growth factors (e.g. Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin, and protein kinase C). The efficacies of other novel targeted inhibitors such as deacetylase inhibitors and heat shock protein 90 inhibitors in the treatment of gliomas are also discussed, as well as new combination therapies. In order for new agents to increase treatment efficacy, new targets need to be developed, drug delivery efficiency needs to be improved, and new biomarkers need to be discovered. All of these goals can be accomplished with time through innovative experimental designs.
Acceleration of Ureteral Peristalsis by Adrenal Compression

Unilateral adrenal compression resulted in bilateral acceleration of ureteral peristalsiswhich could be reversed by an injection of alpha adrenergic inhibitor, providing additional evidence for the presence of adrenergic receptors in the ureter.
Electrical pulse induced changes in cell population dynamics

Summary form only given. Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) are frequently used to permeabilize the cell membrane so that chemotherapeutics, DNA, and other molecules unable to enter the cell can traverse the cell membrane. Our laboratory recently used intense, ultrawideband (UWB) electrical pulses with chemotherapeutics to kill leukemia cells in numbers greater than predicted by simple addition of the killing effects for the individual modalities. Another group observed that applying UWB pulses to neoplastic mammary cells can actually increase cell proliferation. In these and other cancer treatment methods, the stage of the cell cycle targeted is crucial to the treatment's overall effectiveness because a method that targets proliferating cells has a greater probability of long-term success than one that targets the quiescent (resting) cells. We present results for a population study of Jurkat (human leukemia) cells exposed to multiple 400 mus, 1 kV/cm electrical pulses and various levels of bleomycin, a standard chemotherapeutic. We assess the cell stage targeted by these treatments by fitting the data to a simple mathematical model, which considers the cells as being either proliferating or quiescent. Based on the resulting parameters, we predict how the treatments alter the steady-state behavior and the transition rates between the cell states. We also discuss the possible implications of these results with respect to cancer treatment. The mathematical model used here is general and can also be applied to the population dynamics changes induced by other modalities, such as ultrashort PEFs
Isolation and characterization of TgVP1, a type I vacuolar H+-translocating pyrophosphatase from Toxoplasma gondii. The dynamics of its subcellular localization and the cellular effects of a diphosphonate inhibitor.

Abstract Here we report the isolation and characterization of a type I vacuolar-type H+-pyrophosphatase (V-PPase), TgVP1, from an apicomplexan,Toxoplasma gondii, a parasitic protist that is particularly amenable to molecular and genetic manipulation. The 816-amino acid TgVP1 polypeptide is 50% sequence-identical (65% similar) to the prototypical type I V-PPase from Arabidopsis thaliana, AVP1, and contains all the sequence motifs characteristic of this pump category. Unlike AVP1 and other known type I enzymes, however, TgVP1 contains a 74-residue N-terminal extension encompassing a 42-residue N-terminal signal peptide sequence, sufficient for targeting proteins to the secretory pathway of T. gondii. Providing that the coding sequence for the entire N-terminal extension is omitted from the plasmid, transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with plasmid-borne TgVP1 yields a stable and functional translation product that is competent in aminomethylenediphosphonate (AMDP)-inhibitable K+-activated pyrophosphate (PPi) hydrolysis and PPi-energized H+ translocation. Immunofluorescence microscopy of both free and intracellular T. gondii tachyzoites using purified universal V-PPase polyclonal antibodies reveals a punctate apical distribution for the enzyme. Equivalent studies of the tachyzoites during host cell invasion, by contrast, disclose a transverse radial distribution in which the V-PPase is associated with a collar-like structure that migrates along the length of the parasite in synchrony with and in close apposition to the penetration furrow. Although treatment of T. gondii with AMDP concentrations as high as 100 μm had no discernible effect on the efficiency of host cell invasion and integration, concentrations commensurate with the I50 for the inhibition of TgVP1 activity in vitro (0.9 μm) do inhibit cell division and elicit nuclear enlargement concomitant with the inflation and eventual disintegration of acidocalcisome-like vesicular structures. A dynamic association of TgVP1 with the host cell invasion apparatus is invoked, one in which the effects of inhibitory V-PPase substrate analogs are exerted after rather than during host cell invasion.
Dieting status and its relationship to eating and physical activity behaviors in a representative sample of US adolescents

Abstract Objective To determine whether adolescents engaging in extreme weight loss methods (ie, vomiting and diet pills) and those using more moderate methods differ from each other in dietary intake (fruits, vegetables, and higher-fat foods) and physical activity, and to compare these variables in dieting and nondieting adolescents. Design Data were obtained from the 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Subjects/settings The survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of 16,296 adolescents in grades 9 through 12in a school setting. Statistical analyses Data were analyzed for 16,125 adolescents. Associations between weight control behaviors and dietary intake and physical activity were examined using mixed-model logistic regressions, controlling for grade in school, race, parental education, region of the country, and urban vs nonurban residence. Results Differences in dietary and physical activity were found among adolescents who use extreme weight loss methods and moderate methods, and between dieters and nondieters. Adolescents using moderate methods of weight control engaged in more health-promoting eating and exercise behaviors than did extreme dieters or nondieters. Girls categorized as extreme dieters were less likely to eat fruits and vegetables than were moderate dieters (odds ratio [OR]=.56) or nondieters (OR=.75), and were more likely than more moderate dieters (OR=.76) to have consumed 2 or more servings of high-fat foods during the previous day. Applications/conclusions Our findings suggest the importance of distinguishing between different types of dieting behaviors in clinical settings and research studies. Adolescents engaging in extreme weight control behaviors may be at particular risk for inadequate nutritional intake. In contrast, adolescents using more moderate methods may be consuming a more healthful diet than are nondieters. For all adolescents, nutrition guidance on healthful and safe weight control strategies is needed. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:1127–1132,1135 .
Hyperfine structure of the 2/sup 3/S-5/sup 3/P transition in /sup 3/He by high-resolution uv-laser spectroscopy

The hyperfine structure of the 2/sup 3/S-5/sup 3/P transition in /sup 3/He at 294.5 nm was studied by Doppler-free intermodulated fluorescence spectroscopy with the frequency-doubled output of a cw dye laser. The experimental results for the 5/sup 3/P state are in good agreement with semiempirical calculations. The Fermi contact term for the 5/sup 3/P state was determined to be -4327.5 +- 5.0 MHz.
Earthquake source mechanisms from body-waveform inversion and intraplate tectonics in the northern Indian Ocean

Double-couple point-source parameters for 11 of the largest intraplate earthquakes in the northern Indian Ocean during the last 20 y were determined from a formal inversion of long-period P and SH waveforms. Nine of the events have centroid depths at least 17 km below the seafloor, well into the upper mantle; two have centroid depths as great as 39 km. Using the source mechanisms of these earthquakes, we distinguish two major intraplate tectonic provinces in the northern Indian Ocean. To the west of the Ninetyeast Ridge, in the southern Bay of Bengal, intraplate earthquakes have thrust-faulting mechanisms with P axes oriented N-S. The centroid depths of these earthquakes range from 27 to 39 km below the seafloor. Lithospheric shortening in this region is thus accomplished by thrust faulting in the strong core of the oceanic upper mantle, while other geophysical evidence suggests that shallow sedimentary and crustal layers apparently deform predominantly by folding. In the immediate vicinity of the Ninetyeast Ridge, earthquakes display strike-slip mechanisms with left-lateral motion on planes parallel to the ridge. This type of faulting occurs from at least 10°S to the northern end of the Ninetyeast Ridge near 10°N, where the ridge meets the Sunda Arc. Seismic activity diminishes to the east of the Ninetyeast Ridge, but is also characterized by strike-slip faulting. Despite these variations in deformational style, the inferred orientation of greatest compressive stress in the northern Indian Ocean displays a consistent long-wavelength pattern over a large portion of the Indian plate, varying smoothly from nearly N-S in the Bay of Bengal to NW-SE in the northeastern Indian Ocean. This plate-wide stress pattern and the high level of intraplate seismicity in the northern Indian Ocean are likely the results of substantial resistance, along the Himalayan continental collision zone, to the continued northward motion of the western portion of the Indian plate. Oceanic intraplate earthquakes in other regions, where the level of deviatoric stress associated with the long-wavelength part of the stress field is likely to be smaller, need not be comparably reliable indicators of the plate-wide stress field.
Nucleotide sequences and mapping of novel heterogenous 5′-termini of adenovirus 2 early region 4 mRNA

The major 5'-termini of human adenovirus type 2 early gene block 4 mRNA were sequenced. Poly(A+) polyribosomal RNA was isolated from Ad2 early infected cells, the 5'-terminal m7GPPP removed and the 5'-OH of the penultimate 2'-0-methylated nucleotide labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP using polynucleotide kinase. Ad2 E4 mRNA was purified by hybridization to the Ad2 EcoRI-C fragment and was digested with RNase T1. The resulting oligonucleotides were resolved by two dimensional paper electrophoresis-homochromatography. Four major and 3-4 minor 5'-terminal sequences were identified and characterized. The sequence of the 5'-terminal structures of the major four termini are: (1) m7GpppUmU(m)UUACACUGp, (2) m7GpppUmU(m)UACACUGp, (3) m7GpppUmU(m)ACACUGp, and (4) m7Gppp(m6)AmC(m)ACUGp. These major 5'-terminal sequences were aligned with nucleotide 325, 326, 327, and 329 from the righthand end of the known Ad2 DNA sequence (1) in the region mapped as the 5'-terminus of E4 mRNA by electron microscopy (2,3) and S1 nuclease-gel (4) mapping. Two potential ribosomal binding sites and an initiator codon were found at 40 to 65 nucleotides and about 80 nucleotides, respectively, from these heterogenous 5'-termini. Ad2 E4 major mRNA species appear to be unique since mRNA molecules initiate at a pyrimidine, perhaps by RNA polymerase stuttering, or they are products of an unusual type of RNA processing.
The source of carbon contamination for EUV mask production

As the semiconductor industry requires lithography suitable for 32-nm node, extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) has the potential to provide this capability for the mass fabrication of semiconductor devices. But because an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography exposure system is operated in vacuum, during irradiation by EUV light, hydrocarbons are decomposed in vacuum1-3, for example, by the out-gassing from EUV mask, and contaminate the surface of imaging optics which is coated with Mo/Si multi-layers with carbon. Thus, this contamination not only reduces the reflectivity of the Mo/Si multi-layers of imaging optics and degrades the exposure uniformity, but also degrades the resolution of the imaging optics. In this study, as we examined the volume of the out-gassing and the species from EUV mask after every process for EUV mask production, we will control the carbon contamination of EUV mask. Keywords: EUV, carbon contamination, reflectance, out-gassing
Ion collection by a sphere in a flowing plasma: 3. Floating potential and drag force

The interaction of an ion-collecting sphere at floating potential with a flowing collisionless plasma is investigated using the particle in cell code SCEPTIC. The dependence of the floating potential on the flow velocity for a conducting sphere is found to agree very well with the orbital motion limited approximation, which ignores the asymmetry in the plasma potential. But the charge, even on conducting spheres and at zero flow, is not well represented by using the standard expression for capacitance. Insulating spheres become asymmetrically charged because of ion collection asymmetry, and their total (negative) charge is considerably increased by flow. The collection flux asymmetry is documented for both conducting and insulating spheres and is not greatly different between them. The drag force upon the sphere is obtained from the code calculations. It shows reasonable agreement with appropriate analytic approximations. However, numerical discrepancies up to 20% are found, which are attributed to uncertainties in the analytical values.
Radiotherapy and brachytherapy for recurrent colorectal cancer

Radical surgical excision of locoregional recurrence of colorectal carcinoma usually produces the best survival and should be attempted whenever possible. However, recurrences are often unresectable; hence palliative local therapy may be indicated. There are several options for the radiation therapy of local, unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic colorectal cancer. Whole pelvis irradiation of 4,000-5,000 cGy followed by a coned-down boost of 1,000-1,500 cGy generally provides good symptomatic palliation in 80-90% of patients, but long-term control or cure is rarely achieved. External beam irradiation of 2,000-3,000 cGy to the whole liver with or without concurrent chemotherapy may be used for palliation of metastatic disease to the liver. A combination of intraoperative radiation therapy applied directly to the tumor bed and external beam irradiation may improve local control and survival rates. Multiple options are available for the intraoperative use of brachytherapy which can deliver high radiation doses to the residual tumor, or tumor bed, sparing normal tissue.
Mali: The Disintegration of a "Model African Democracy"

This commentary examines how Mali entered its current crisis, tracing the fall of the regime of President Amadou Toumani Toure and the rise of armed Islamist groups in northern Mali, as well as the events that led to an armed intervention by France. The piece then discusses some of the conceptual frameworks that could impede effective policy formation in post-conflict Mali. The piece argues that Somalia does not offer a compelling model for Mali. The commentary closes by recommending that the Malian government and its partners should prioritize addressing humanitarian and security concerns in northern Mali over staging elections.
Critical Thermal Maxima in Small Mammals

Critical thermal maximum (CTM) was used to compare thermal tolerances of five species of small mammals ( Mus musculus, Rattus norvegiens, Peromyscus leucopus, Meriones unguiculatus , and Dipodomys ordii ). All experimental animals were acclimatized to 25 ± 1°C and a 12L:12D photoperiod. The CTM of D. ordii (45.03 ± 0.22°C) was significantly higher ( P < 0.01) than that of all other species. The CTM of M. musculus (42.62 ± 0.23°C) was significantly lower ( P < 0.01) than that for R. norvegicus (44.22 ± 0.30°C) and there were no differences between the CTMs of M. unguiculatus (44.00 ± 0.21°C) and R. norvegicus .
Rebuttal from James Howe

MacLean (2013) suggests an alternative approach to explain the effects of transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs), namely that TARPs may promote closed-cleft ligand binding domain (LBD) conformations that are distinct from those frequented without TARPs. Evidence for multiple closed LBD conformations exists (Birdsey-Benson et al. 2010; Landes et al. 2011), and if they are correlated with structural differences elsewhere in the receptor this might lead to changes in multiple rate constants. Mechanistically, such a scenario could be represented with tiered reaction mechanisms similar to those employed to describe features of NMDA receptor gating (Zhang et al. 2008b; Vance et al. 2012). Both MacLean and I agree that kinetic models provide a useful focus for thinking about mechanisms. Although structural data are required to lend physical reality to the discrete states in such models, relating functional kinetic data to explicit mechanisms gives insight into the temporal sequence of conformational changes the receptor undergoes and the energy landscape through which it transits. Such an approach also avoids the danger of drawing mechanistic conclusions from measurements of operationally defined changes in population responses. For example, everyone agrees that TARPs slow the rate at which ensemble currents decay in response to a rapid application of near-saturating glutamate, which by definition represents a slowing of desensitization. However, the available evidence argues strongly against a significant effect of TARPs on δ, the rate at which receptors enter desensitized states (Fig. 1 in Howe (2013). If this rate primarily reflects the rate at which the dimer interface separates (Sun et al. 2002), then by extension TARPs do not primarily act by stabilizing this interface. The T686 mutants MacLean refers to, which disrupt a molecular latch that engages when the LBD closes, are an interesting case in point in this regard. The mutations both slow the rate at which ensemble currents decay during a sustained application of glutamate and increase the amplitude of the steady-state current as a fraction of the initial peak current (Robert et al. 2005). However, single-channel data show that both effects result directly from destabilization of the closed-cleft LBD (increases in CO; Fig. 1 in Howe (2013)), which prolongs latencies-to-first-opening and desynchronizes activation (Zhang et al. 2008a). Desynchronizing activation both slows the decay of ensemble currents and substantially reduces peak Popen (Colquhoun & Hawkes, 1995), and the larger relative sustained currents in the T686 mutants are not due to an increase in open probability late in the application but rather a reduction in the amplitude of peak currents.
Towards a Vision of Thick Conversation: Explorations in Bioethics and Interfaith Deliberation

AbstractThis article suggests that we, as a political community, allow some normative thickness into our public deliberation by ensuring that space is available for thick convictions to be drawn on, appealed to, and brought into political and public conversation. Through an exploration of bioethical deliberation as undertaken in the Kass Council and interfaith interaction as encouraged through Scriptural Reasoning and the Interfaith Youth Core, it paints a picture of normatively thick conversation that encourages participants to honor differences and to learn from other participants through those differences, with the hope that such rich and deep interaction might benefit our communities of belief and society in general.
Zircon saturation in lunar basalts and granites

The saturation surface for zircon in late-stage lunar basalts and granites has been determined over the temperature range1400–1070°C. The saturation surface in the basalt shows a strong temperature dependence from 1400 to 1200°C. Below 1200° , the saturation surface turns down sharply and becomes nearly temperature independent. The saturation surface in the granitic composition is similar to the basaltic composition, although less Zr is required for saturation. At 1100°C, 9000 ppm Zr and 5000 ppm Zr are required for zircon saturation in the basalt and granite, respectively. If a magma with chondritic Zr content is assumed, then zircon saturation would not be reached until 99.96–99.92% crystallization. This precludes zircon crystallization playing a major role in the trace element evolution of lunar magmas.
Highly nonlinear solitary waves in chains of hollow spherical particles

We study the dynamic response of one- dimensional granular chains composed of uniform hollow spheres excited by an impulse, and we observe the formation and propagation of highly nonlinear solitary waves. We find that the dynamics of these solitary waves are different from the solitary waves forming in chains composed of uniform solid spheres, because of the changes in the contact interaction between particles. We study the quasi-static contact interaction between two hollows spheres using finite element (FE) simulations, and approximate their response as a power-law type function in the range of forces of interest for this work. The experimental data obtained by testing a chain of particles shows good agreement with theoretical predictions obtained using a long wavelength approximation, and with numerical simulations based on discrete particle and FE models. We also investigate the effect of hollow spheres’ wall thickness on the dynamic response of the chains.
Absolute photoemission cross sections of ultraviolet emissions produced by electron-impact dissociation of boron trichloride

We report absolute photoemission cross sections and appearance potentials for the most intense ultraviolet emissions produced by electron-impact dissociation of boron trichloride, ${\mathrm{BCl}}_{3}$. The emission features studied include two atomic boron emissions, the 2${\mathit{p}}^{2}$ $^{2}$D\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2p $^{2}$P\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} line at 208.9 nm and the 3s $^{2}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2p $^{2}$P \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} line at 249.8 nm, which is the strongest ultraviolet emission feature, as well as the BCl ${\mathit{A}}^{1}$\ensuremath{\Pi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}X $^{1}$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}$ system centered at 272.4 nm, whose previously reported cross section had to be revised upward by about 20% to 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ at 40 eV. The 249.8-nm boron line was found to have the largest emission cross section with a value of 5.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ at 75 eV. All cross sections displayed a prominent double onset structure with the second onset roughly 13 eV above the first one, which is very close to the ionization energy of atomic chlorine. This indicates the presence of a strong channel producing excited-state boron or boron chloride fragments simultaneously with ground-state chlorine ions. An attempt has been made to separate this ``ionic'' channel from the ``neutral'' channel in which neutral ground-state atoms are the only by-products accompanying the formation of the excited fragments.
Unusual contrast accumulations seen during percutaneous cholangiography.

A wide spectrum of unusual contrast accumulations may be encountered during percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. They may be divided into 5 groups: (a) masses, (b) intravascular collections, (c) perivascular collections, (d) sub- and extracapsular collections, and (e) parenchymal stains. Recognition is important to avoid potential diagnostic pitfalls.
Responsive Pore Size Properties of Composite NF Membranes Based on PVDF Graft Copolymers

Abstract Uncharged nanofiltration (NF) membranes can potentially perform size-based separations of small molecules. Thin film composite (TFC) membranes, prepared by coating a porous support membrane with a thin layer of poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(oxyethylene) methacrylate (PVDF-g-POEM), were shown previously to have such capability, as well as exceptional fouling resistance and high pure water permeability (Macromolecules 2004, 37, 7663–7668). The selectivity and permeability of these membranes arises from the microphase separation of the PVDF backbone and polyethylene oxide (PEO) side chains into bicontinuous hydrophobic and hydrophilic phases, the PVDF domains providing mechanical integrity, and the PEO domains acting as “nanochannels” whose dimensions control molecular transport through the membrane. This study explores the influence of process and solution parameters on the permeability and selectivity of PVDF-g-POEM TFC NF membranes. By controlling the degree of swelling of the hydrated PEO...
Ground Truth: A Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Flash

Abstract We describe the circumstances and effects of a cloud-to-ground lightning flash that lowered positive charge and struck a residential home near Albany, New York. The characteristics of the flash were detected and recorded by a wide-band magnetic direction-finding system operating along the East Coast. The flash contained one stroke, had an estimated peak current of 70 kA and was apparently the only ground flash in the storm. A 70 mm2 hole in a section of iron roof flashing suggests that the charge transfer may have been between 25 and 150 coulomb, depending upon assumptions. Vertical shear in the horizontal wind at the time of the flash is estimated to have been 3 m s−1 km−1, a value consistent with previous observations of lightning lowering positive charge.
Intermittent Reinforcement, Guilt, and Crime:

75 inmates admitted to a 22:1 ratio of committed offenses to apprehension. Guilt was negatively correlated with number of criminal offenses, crimes of violence were negatively correlated with guilt over hostility, and sexual offenses were negatively correlated with sexual guilt.
Lead-isotopic compositions of diverse igneous rocks and ore deposits from southwestern New Mexico and their implications for early Proterozoic crustal evolution in the western United States

U-Pb zircon measurements from some of the basement rocks in southwestern New Mexico have ages that range from 1,650 to 1,450 m.y. The largest ore deposits occur near Silver City in the southwest part of the region studied. They are associated with Laramide alkali to calc-alkaline plutons, and their lead-isotopic compositions are the least radiogenic in the region. This lead exhibits lower-crustal-upper-mantle characteristics, and for the major producing porphyry copper deposits, the 206 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios are less than 18.0. Lead from more silicic mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks and associated ore deposits has somewhat higher 208 Pb/ 204 Pb ratios that reflect a greater crustal involvement in their origin. In a regional trend to the northeast, ore lead becomes more radiogenic, and at Hansonburg, 200 km from Silver City, lead in the Mississippi-type deposits is clearly derived from upper-crustal sources. On the 207 Pb/ 204 Pb- 206 Pb/ 204 Pb plot, data from all of the rocks and ores that we have analyzed form an array that lies below the average orogene curve of Doe and Zartman (1979). A common source is implied for the lead, the isotopic composition of which was similar to that found in 1,750-m.y.-old stratiform deposits as far apart as Pecos, New Mexico, and Jerome, Arizona. Such a composition indicates that over a large region of the southwestern United States, continental crust developed between 1,750 and 1,450 m.y. ago, possibly in an island-arc environment. Basement rocks that are ∼ 1,750 m.y. old extend northward through Colorado to Utah. Galena data obtained in previous studies show that the fraction of older sialic lead in those rocks increases toward the Archean craton in Wyoming. The crust apparently developed southward from Wyoming in stages at 2,400 m.y. ago or before, 2,100 m.y. ago, and 1,750 m.y. ago, with incorporation of older sialic material in each stage as far south as Milford, Utah.
The Proposed Bridge over the Forth

IT is no small evidence of the importance of this great undertaking, that the proposed scheme should have drawn from Sir George Biddell Airy such severe criticism as that which appeared in last week's NATURE. Coming from such a source, this criticism is sure, not only to receive the most careful consideration of those few who are sufficiently conversant with such matters to form their own opinion, but is sure to have great weight with the much larger class who accept the opinion of those they conceive best able to judge. It therefore behoves those who are responsible for this scheme, to make the best answer they can. Whether they will be able to remove altogether the impression adverse to the scheme, may well be doubted; but for my own part I do not anticipate that they will find much difficulty in meeting the objections raised, in so far as these are definite. It is not my present object to defend, or even to discuss the merits of the proposed bridge; what I wish to point out is that the knowledge of engineers as regards the theory of structures, is not so imperfect, or their methods of designing such guesswork as might be inferred from the tone of the criticism.
Ring-Shaped Sessile Droplet

It is recognized that small liquid droplet placed on the solid substrate forms equilibrium contact angle that can be obtained from well-known Young’s law. Previously, deviations from Young’s law were demonstrated for the droplets exposed to external fields (gravity, electric, etc) and for the droplets on non-homogeneous substrates. This work reveals that the Young’s equilibrium contact angle can be altered by geometrical reasons only. We consider a ring-shaped droplet on a solid substrate as a test structure for our discussion. We use the global energy consideration for analysis of system equilibrium for the case of freely deposited liquid with no external forces applied. The theoretical analysis shows that steady ring-shaped liquid structure on a solid substrate does exist with contact angles on both contact lines to be different from the Young’s equilibrium contact angle.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
PROPAGATION OF REACTION FRONTS IN NONCATALYTIC NONISOTHERMAL GAS-SOLID FIXED BED REACTORS

This paper is devoted to the analysis of reaction fronts, in a noncatalytic nonisothermal gas-solid fixed bed reactor. A novel technique to obtain analytical approximate solutions by means of simple functions is presented. These analytical approximate solutions can be used to investigate the effect of various parameters in the reactor performance without resorting to numerical analysis. In addition, for adiabatic conditions and/or fast kinetics, the relationship between dependent variables can be investigated analytically. The technique is illustrated by analyzing the oxidation of ZnS in a fixed-bed reactor.
An Application of Design Load Generator to Predict Extreme Dynamic Bending Moments

Two important components of dynamic bending are wave-induced bending and impact-induced whipping. Traditionally, dynamic loading has been incorporated into design load estimations via rule-based design approaches, most of which are inherently empirical. However, rule-based approaches may not guarantee a robust design in an unconventional system where experience is limited or operational requirements are rather special. To address this limitation, a Design Load Generator (DLG) is applied to construct an ensemble of short input time series that will return target extreme events at a preset time. To calculate the target extreme events, the DLG utilizes optimized non-uniform Fourier phase distributions. For nonlinear simulations, the current DLG requires an additional nonlinear simulator. To account for the nonlinearity associated with the dynamics of ship motion and to calculate the whipping response due to hull bottom slamming, the Large Amplitude Motion Program (LAMP) developed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is used. A Joint High Speed Sealift (JHSS) concept of the U.S. Navy is chosen to illustrate the current DLG methodology. The target extreme midship bending moments from the DLG are compared with the results from a short-term Monte Carlo simulation in the Weibull space to demonstrate the potential of the methodology.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Absorption spectroscopy of radiatively-heated low-Z foils

Abstract High-resolution absorption spectra of radiatively-heated low-Z foils (CH and BN) have been recorded at the Nova II laser facility by a grazing-incidence spectrograph. Using a calibration curve for Kodak 101 photographic plates, the plate density was converted to relative intensity transmitted by the foil. Absorption spectra are presented for the elements B, C, and N. The absorption features near the nickel L edge in the wavelength region 11–15 A are also presented.
Impurity behaviour under puff-and-pump radiating divertor conditions

The effectiveness of the puff-and-pump technique to enrich a seeded impurity in the divertor relative to the core and, thereby, to maximize radiation in the divertor depends sensitively on both the magnetic geometry and the ion B ? ?B drift direction. In the puff-and-pump scenario used here, argon impurities injected into the private flux region are inhibited from accumulation in the core plasma by enhanced plasma flows to the divertor created by a combination of deuterium gas puffing upstream of the divertor targets and particle pumping near the divertor targets. Modelling of single-null, H-mode plasmas with the UEDGE fluid transport code indicates that particle drifts in the scrape-off layer and divertor strongly affect the locations where the argon seed impurity accumulates. It is also found in double-null cases that argon always shows a larger accumulation in the divertor out of which the ion B ? ?B drift is directed, regardless of the divertor into which the argon is injected. Experiments have shown that the degree to which the deuterium gas-puffing rate inhibits the escape of the seed impurity from the divertor(s) depends critically on the direction of the ion B ? ?B drift and on whether the plasma is single-null or double-null. The transition in behaviour from double-null to single-null character during puff-and-pump occurs for |dRsep| = 0.4?cm when the ion B ? ?B drift was pointing away from the dominant divertor. The lowest argon density buildup in the main plasma of any of the configurations studied during puff-and-pump was achieved in single-null plasmas with the ion B ? ?B drift direction away from the divertor.
Women in medicine

Abstract Career progression and opportunities for women in medicine have been under discussion in the media recently since the publication of a chapter called “Opportunity Blocks” in the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer in 2007. It has been suggested that there might be too many women at medical school and that workforce planning requires that action should be taken to redress the balance and attract more male students into medicine. This article explores some of the issues including possible reasons for the apparent lack of women ‘at the top’ in consultant posts, with particular reference to Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
How to Lose Your Charter.

In this scholarly commentary, the author examines the major reasons U.S. charter schools have closed since 1992. The commentary provides examples of charter school failures in high-frequency areas, such as financial and organizational mismanagement, and academic underperformance; it further identifies two subcategories of academic risk: high-school-only status, and independence from CMO affiliation. Finally, the author identifies two long-term risk factors for charter school failure: high teacher and leadership turnover, and unrepresentative student bodies.