cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of the East Pacific Rise from an Ocean Bottom Seismometer Survey

Summary Three seismic refraction profiles have been recorded on the East Pacific Rise near the Siqueiros fracture zone. These profiles have been interpreted using both travel-time analysis and waveform and amplitude studies with the aid of synthetic seismograms. For the profile at the Rise Crest a pronounced low velocity zone has been found at about 2 km below the seabed. The P-wave velocities increase quite rapidly from about 5 km s-' at the sea floor to 6.7 km s-' at the lid of the low velocity zone. Mantle arrivals from below this zone indicate a low P-wave velocity of 7-7 km s-'. A second profile, on 2.9 My old crust shows a shallow region of strong velocity gradients which grades into velocities typical of the ' oceanic ' layer without any clear stratification. The mantle velocity is again low at 7.6 km s-'. The third profile situated on 5 My old crust, shows more distinct layering but velocity gradients exist within the stratification. The velocities here are more typical for Pacific refraction profiles and we have a mantle velocity of 8 km s-'. The results show that radical changes occur in the structure of the oceanic crust within a few million years in this region and that stratification becomes more pronounced with age. The most rapid change in seismic velocity with age appears to occur in the top 2 km of the structure and the low velocity zone is certainly absent for crustal ages greater than 1 - 5 My.
Analysis of RNA stability and (-) strand content in viral infections using biotinylated RNA probes.

Abstract Non-radioactive biotinylated RNA probes specific for plus (+) and minus (−) sense RNAs of brome mosaic virus (BMV) were synthesized in vitro from a plasmid bearing a 200 base pair fragment complementary to the 3' terminus of each of the three genomic RNAs of the virus. Using virion RNAs isolated from BMV infected barley plants, the sensitivity of biotinylated RNAs as hybridization probes was compared with that of 32 P-labeled probes in Northern hybridization assays. Although the sensitivity of biotinylated and 32 P-labeled probes is similar (∼5 pg), the time required to detect the RNA bands was much less than for autoradiography; (−) sense RNAs could be detected in 30 min whereas 48 h or more were required by autoradiography. The value of biotinylated probes for following RNA stability was exemplified by the detection of supplied inocula in protoplasts 24 h post-inoculation. Quantitation of relative accumulation of progeny (+) and (−) sense RNAs by densitometry of the Northern blots probed with biotinylated RNAs paralleled that of radiolabeled probes. The application of these probes was extended to the detection of RNAs in barley protoplasts and BMV infected plant sap by dot hybridization. In these tests, viral RNAs were detected in as few as 250 protoplasts and sap dilutions up to 1:2000. The merits of these non-radioactive probes in monitoring the replication events by the detection and quantitation of mutant progeny RNAs of BMV are discussed.
Real Time Control Of Spindle Runout

An example of a physical system whose mechanical accuracy can be improved by feedback control is a motor-driven spindle. Such a system is being used as a test-bed to study measurement and actuation systems as well as control algorithms. The specific apparatus reported utilizes an eddy-current probe for runout error measurement, a piezo-electric crystal to move the spindle to reduce the error, and a minicom-puter using a FORTRAN program for the feedback controller. The spindle runout before correction is in the 2.5 itm (100 gin.) range; with the error correction system in place, this error is reduced to less than 0.25 um (10 pin.)-an order of magnitude improvement. While the corrected runout figures for this spindle are still above those of a precision air-bearing spindle, the technique presents new possibilities for precision spindle performance including correction for wear, thermal deformations, and unbalanced loads.
Pathogenesis and management of hypoparathyroidism and other hypocalcemic disorders

Hypocalcemia frequently presents as an acute medical emergency or a chronic disorder which is difficult to control. Occasionally, it is found in routine blood screening tests when it is not anticipated. Recent developments in basic endocrine science have contributed greatly to our understanding and treatment of hypocalcemic disorders. The maintanance of a normal serum calcium concentration depends on the balanced actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, and, to a lesser extent, calcitonin, Recent work on PTH secretion has defined the factors controlling its secretion in normal and abnormal states. In primary hypoparathyroidism, hormone secretion is decreased or absent, while in most other forms of hypocalcemia, secretion is stimulated secondarily by the hypocalcemia. However, acute or chronci disorders associated with hypomagnesemia may also decrease effective PTH secretion. Patients with the rare disorder, pseudohypoparathyroidism, have defects of hormone action and usually have elevated levels of PTH prior to therapy. Several forms of pseudohypoparathyroidism have been recognized, each representing a defect as a different site of PTH action. Calcitonin excess, as noted in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, could theorectically cause hypocalcemia, but rarely does so. Vitamin D undergoes a series of two carefully controlled hydroxylation reactions leading to the final active metabolite, 1,25-hihyroxycholecalciferol. Chronic ingestion of certain drugs can lead to osteomalacia and hypocalcemia by potentiating the metabolism of vitamin D to inactive compounds. At least one form of rickets has been shown to result from a specific enzyme defect in the vitamin D pathway. Severe renal damage limits the conversion of vitamin D to its active form and contributes to vitamin D resistance. Current progress in the area depends on the development of procedures for the measurement of the metabolites in plasma and assessing the role of the vitamin (hormone) in normal and abnormal physiology. Although the therapy of acute hypocalcemia is usually readily accomplished, chronic hypocalcemia remains a very difficult therapeutic problem. Vitamin D, the hallmark of therapy, is a long-acting drug with a narrow therapeutic range. The complications of the disease and therapy are sometimes irreversible. The unraveling of vitamin D metabolism has led to the development of new therapeutic agents which might provide better relief of chronic hypocalcemic states. This review related new information about calcium homeostasis to the clinical situation encountered in the patient with hypocalcemia.
Flux Sampling Errors for Aircraft and Towers

Various errors and influences leading to differences between tower- and aircraft-measured fluxes are surveyed. This survey is motivated by reports in the literature that aircraft fluxes are sometimes smaller than tower-measured fluxes. Both tower and aircraft flux errors are larger with surface heterogeneity due to several independent effects. Surface heterogeneity may cause tower flux errors to increase with decreasing wind speed. Techniques to assess flux sampling error are reviewed. Such error estimates suffer various degrees of inapplicability in real geophysical time series due to nonstationarity of tower time series (or inhomogeneity of aircraft data). A new measure for nonstationarity is developed that eliminates assumptions on the form of the nonstationarity inherent in previous methods. When this nonstationarity measure becomes large, the surface energy imbalance increases sharply. Finally, strategies for obtaining adequate flux sampling using repeated aircraft passes and grid patterns are outlined.
Abnormalities of Water Homeostasis in Aging

Findley first proposed the presence of age-related dysfunction of the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal-renal axis more than 50 years ago. His hypothesis was based on clinical observations and occurred well in advance of the first assays for arginine vasopressin. Since then, the evolution of more sophisticated scientific methodologies has resulted in a corroboration of Findley's suspicion and has revealed many aspects of the physiology that underlies this manifestation of the aging process. It is now clear that many perturbations in water homeostasis occur commonly with aging. This article summarizes the distinct points along the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal-renal axis where these changes have been characterized.
High Reliability Organizations: Unlikely, Demanding and At Risk

The HRO project is cast within a broader socio-political context, by first, reviewing its practical origins, its conceptual/logical framework, and a summary of the project's provisional findings, including a brief observation about the importance of a ‘culture of reliability.’Then some socio/political implications for HROs are explored as they assume the status of large technical systems (LTSs) and become quasi-public institutions. This paper ends with a reflection on the challenges of institutional trustworthiness that confront HRO operators, managers, and overseers.
Adhesional wetting on modified soda-lime glass surfaces

Abstract Water contact angles and contact angle variation with temperature on chemically modified glass microscope slide surfaces are given. A contact angle measurement technique for obtaining data from the diameter of known volume drops is described. Adhesion energies are calculated and adhesion entropies estimated.
Probing the heterologous metabolism supporting 6‐deoxyerythronolide B biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

Heterologous biosynthesis offers a new way to capture the medicinal properties presented by complex natural products. In this study, production of 6-deoxyerythronolide B (6dEB), the polyketide precursor to the antibiotic erythromycin, was used to probe the heterologous pathways needed for Escherichia coli-derived biosynthesis. More specifically, the heterologous proteins responsible for 6dEB production were varied by adjusting their respective gene dosage levels. In this way, heterologous components required for posttranslational modification, 6dEB biosynthesis, and substrate provision were adjusted in expression levels to observe the relative effect each has on final heterologous biosynthesis. The results indicate that both the biosynthetic and substrate provision heterologous proteins impact 6dEB formation to a greater extent when compared with posttranslational modification and suggest these components for future protein and metabolic engineering.
IQ patterns in affective disorder, lateralized and diffuse brain damage

Meta-analysis of 38 studies compared Wechsler IQ scores in affective disorder (A), lateralized right (RH), left (LH) and bilateral/diffuse (BI) brain damage. A, RH, and BI had lower PIQ than VIQ. In A and BI groups the PIQ/VIQ ratio was identical, whereas each differed significantly from the RH group which revealed a much lower PIQ/VIQ ratio. Similarity of neuropsychological profiles of A and RH patients is often interpreted as indicating predominant right-hemisphere involvement in affective disorder. The present findings suggest an alternative interpretation is possible: i.e., the presence of bilateral/diffuse CNS involvement in affective disorder. We do not believe that our findings strongly support one interpretation over the other. In future research, both possibilities should be considered.
Evaluation of optical brightener photodecay characteristics for detection of human fecal contamination.

Detection of optical brighteners by fluorometry combined with ultraviolet light (UV) exposure has been proposed as an inexpensive method for detection of human fecal contamination, but has received limited testing. This study evaluated the approach in southern California by applying it to a variety of detergents, sewage and septage samples from the region, as well as to natural stream water as a negative control. The concept of using UV exposure to differentiate fluorescence from natural organic matter proved valid, as the method produced no false positives. However, the method failed to detect half of the detergents tested in natural stream water at 5 μL/L, due to its conservative thresholds. This study identified a method modification that provides greater sensitivity by taking advantage of differences in the shape of photodecay curves between optical brighteners and natural organic matter. This method modification resulted in detection of all detergents, sewage at 1:10 dilution and septage at 1:100 dilution. Several caveats for its use remain, including our observation that the optical brightener signal degraded rapidly in strong sunlight. Additionally, there was low sensitivity for some environmentally friendly detergents, which does not present a problem on a community basis where a mix of detergents are used, but could be of concern for assessing septic inputs from individual homes. Still, the method is simple to employ in the field, yields rapid results and is useful as a low-cost initial screening tool.
Site and Duration of Bronchodilation in Asthmatic Patients After Oral Administration of Terbutaline

We compared pulmonary function in 15 asthmatic subjects before and after ingestion of 5 mg terbutaline and placebo. Measurements of maximal expiratory flow ( E max), density-dependence of E max (Δ E max 50 ), volume of isoflow (Viso ), residual volume (RV), and closing capacity (CC) were performed before and 15, 135, 255, and 375 minutes after both treatments. After placebo, E max improved mildly (P E max 50 , Viso , RV, or CC. After terbutaline, E max increased significantly and Viso , RV, and CC decreased significantly at all time periods studied. In addition ΔV B max 50 increased compared to baseline at 15 and 135 minutes (P
An evaluation of computing paradigms for N-body simulations on distributed memory architectures

The efficiency of HPF with respect to irregular applications is still largely unproven. While recent work has shown that a highly irregular hierarchical n-body force calculation method can be implemented in HPF, we have found that the implmentation contains inefficiencies which cause it to run up to a factor of three times slower than our hand-coded, explicitly parallel implementation. Our work examines these inefficiencies, determines that most of the extra overhead is due to a single aspect of the communication strategy, and demonstrates that fixing the communication strategy can bring the overheads of the HPF application to within 25% of those of the hand-coded version.
Highways, People, and Places: Past, Present, and Future

America's highways have developed dramatically over the last century, evolving into an extensive system of interconnected motorways. Lessons learned during this evolution suggest some future directions and challenges. Federal-aid highway programs played a major role in highway development. Since 1916, cooperative federal-state partnerships and funding arrangements have evolved, continually broadening in scope to address new challenges, including environmental and urban concerns. The 21st century will experience accelerating change and mobility demands. As in the past, more people driving more cars and occupying more land will necessitate better roads and improved public transport. While land use and traffic management policies might reduce demands for highways, they will not substitute for needed investments. While there will be more high-occupancy vehicle toll (HOT) lanes, it will still be necessary to complete missing road links and to alleviate major bottlenecks. Good land management will be needed to maintain environmental quality and control suburban congestion. Limiting strip commercial development, establishing urban growth boundaries, and keying future office development to areas with good transit service will be important. Maintaining future livability and mobility will call for new forms of metropolitan governance, greater public support of transportation, and strong transportation leadership.
Retransplantation in hepatitis b—a multicenter experience

Hepatitis B has become one of the most challenging diseases in liver transplantation. Infection of the allograft with subsequent graft failure is common and may prompt consideration of repeat liver transplantation. The aims of this study were to examine the experience in the United States with retransplantation in hepatitis B patients with recurrent disease as well as for other reasons. Questionnaires were mailed to adult liver transplant centers in the United States, requesting information on retransplantation in HBV patients. Responses were received from 71% of the centers. Thirty-eight patients were retransplanted, 20 for recurrent HBV and 18 for other reasons. The survival rate following retransplantation for HBV was poor. Nine patients (55%) died within 60 days. Eleven patients survived 60 days or longer, though eight died at a mean of 4.1 +/- 2 months, one required a third transplant for recurrent HBV infection at 4 months, and one died at 35 months. Only a single (5%) long-term survivor exists. Recurrent histologic disease occurred earlier in the second transplant at 2.8 +/- 2.9 months versus 6.1 +/- 5.2 months in the first allograft, though this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .058). Patients transplanted for other reasons (primary non-function [9], hepatic artery thrombosis [6], persistent rejection [2], and a Pseudomonas graft infection [1]) had a better survival rate. Four patients survived less than 60 days. Of the 14 surviving longer than 60 days, 11 patients are alive at a mean of 21.2 +/- 14.8 months. Retransplantation for recurrent HBV appears to be contraindicated due to a high mortality. Retransplantation in HBV patients with graft failure due to other causes, however, should be considered, since over 60% of these patients appear to have good long-term survival. Additional studies examining risk factors for recurrent disease should be considered.
Interaction of Lipids with the Plasma Membrane of Sperm Cells. II. Evidence of a Membrane Thermotropic Transition

Cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine uptake from dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine liposomes by rabbit spermatozoa showed a complex dependence on temperature in these experiments. At 5° and 20°C, the rate of lipid uptake correlated with temperature. However, from 20° to 37°C uptake did not evidently increase. The result is interpreted as evidence of a thermotropic transition in the sperm plasma membrane. Data are presented showing incorporation of these lipids, especially that of cholesterol, into sperm plasma membrane.
Left and Right, Right and Wrong

Haidt offers a provocative account of the psychological foundations of morality and how they lead to political conflicts.
Serum biomarker modulation following molecular targeting of epidermal growth factor and cyclooxygenase pathways: A pilot randomized trial in head and neck cancer

Summary Objective Targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) erlotinib has demonstrated activity in aerodigestive tract malignancies. Co-targeting of the G-protein-coupled receptor cyclooxygenase (COX) with EGFR inhibitors has shown promise in preclinical models and early phase clinical studies. Materials and Methods We studied the modulation of serum proteins after neoadjuvant treatment with erlotinib with or without sulindac in head and neck cancer patients. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial, paired serum samples were obtained before and after neoadjuvant treatment in three groups of patients ( n = 23 total), who were randomized to receive 7–14 consecutive days of erlotinib alone, erlotinib plus sulindac, or placebo. Two separate multiplexed ELISA systems (SearchLight™ or Luminex™) were used to measure serum biomarkers. HGF and IL-6 levels were tested on both systems, and validated using single analyte ELISAs. Results Several analytes were significantly altered (generally decreased) post-treatment, in patients who received erlotinib (with or without sulindac) as well as in the placebo groups. No single analyte was differentially altered across the three treatment groups using either multiplex platform. Single HGF ELISA suggested a nonspecific decrease in all patients. Conclusion These results demonstrate the importance of a placebo group when assessing changes in expression of serum biomarkers. While multiplex platforms can provide quantitative information on a large number of serum analytes, results should be cautiously compared across platforms due to their intrinsic features. Furthermore, the dynamic range of expression of a single analyte is constrained in multiplex versus standard ELISA.
H-2 linked genetic control of immune responsiveness to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in mice

Recent data suggest that genes involved in the control of (1) immune responses of humans to HBsAg and (2) the susceptibility to the development of chronic hepatitis B are linked to the major HLA histocompatibility complex. Studies on the genetic regulation of anti-HBs responses and on the possible abrogation of nonresponsiveness to HBsAg in humans are difficult. In an attempt to develop a relevant animal model system, the anti-HBs response of inbred and congenic strains of mice was investigated. A great variation in anti-HBs responses among individual mice belonging to the same strains was observed. Nevertheless, it was possible to rank the inbred mouse strains studied according to their decreasing anti-HBs responses as follows: BALB/c[d] congruent to SWR/J[q] greater than C57BL/6J[b] congruent to DBA/2J[a] greater than AKR/J[k] greater than A/J[a] greater than CBA/CaJ[k] greater than SJL/J[s]. (Letters in brackets indicate H-2 haplotype). Only a small proportion of SJL mice had an anti-HBs response. Therefore, this strain may serve as a model for human nonresponders. Studies with the congenic strains B10.D2[d] and B10.S[s] indicated that genes conferring responsiveness to HBsAg are linked to the H-2 histocompatibility complex. However, genes not linked to H-2 also probably play a role in regulating anti-Hbs responses.
Characterization of Coal Oxidation and Coal Wetting Behavior by Film Flotation

The distribution of wettability of as-received and oxidized coal particles was determined by film flotation with a series of aqueous methanol solution of different surface tensions. The mean critical wetting surface tension of coal particles (y¯) obtained from the distribution shows that in general the hydrophobicity of coal particles decreases upon oxidation and that low-rank coals are more susceptible to oxidation than high-rank coals. The increase in y¯ can be correlated quite well with the oxygen uptake during oxidation and the acidic oxygen function group concentration on coal surface, and with the water retention capacity and the salt flotation yield of coals. This study further demonstrates that y¯c of coal can be used as a reliable parameter for correlating the wetting behavior of coals with their composition, rank and degree of oxidation and for predicting the behavior of coal particles in fine coal beneficiation.
Reflections on a systems programming language

A particular systems implementation language, Bliss, has been in active use at Carnegie-Mellon for over two years. At this point the language has been used for several compilers, a conversational programming system, an i/o support system, a discrete event simulation system, and other diverse applications. The authors, together with others, have been responsible for the design, implementation, evolution, and evaluation of the language. Drawing on the past two years' experience this paper attempts a critical evaluation of the language - its failures as well as its successes - with an eye toward the development of future systems implementation languages.
Overview of the Volume

In this introductory chapter, we provide a brief summary of the successes and remaining challenges in understanding the solar flare phenomenon and its attendant implications for particle acceleration mechanisms in astrophysical plasmas. We also provide a brief overview of the contents of the other chapters in this volume, with particular reference to the well-observed flare of 2002 July 23.
The application of sorption hysteresis in nano-petrophysics using multiscale multiphysics network models

Abstract Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of organic-rich mudrock (shale) samples show a wide distribution of pore sizes (commonly between 1 nm and 1 μm) and complex pore spatial configurations (Loucks et al., 2012). Pore size and pore connectivity are important parameters in that they have first order impact on macroscopic flow properties of a porous medium. However, given the significant difficulty in capturing multiscale pores within a single three-dimensional image, and the possible uncertainties in the existence or absence of original throats in an acquired image, it is imperative to explore indirect methods to quantify the pore structure. In this paper, we simulate sorption in heterogeneous pore network models and study sorption and permeability hysteresis analyses as indirect methods for rock characterization. Three network types are introduced to represent the multiscale pore topology of shale rocks; specifically: regular (type 1), series (type 2) and parallel (type 3). We conclude that, in appropriate size ranges, sorption hysteresis can distinguish the three types whereas permeability hysteresis can only separate parallel from series and regular. Furthermore, the simulations show that sorption hysteresis is sensitive to compaction/cementation (closing of throats) in all network types whereas permeability hysteresis is sensitive to the diagenesis in parallel networks only.
Characterization of genome-wide association-identified variants for atrial fibrillation in African Americans.

Background Despite a greater burden of risk factors, atrial fibrillation (AF) is less common among African Americans than European-descent populations. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for AF in European-descent populations have identified three predominant genomic regions associated with increased risk (1q21, 4q25, and 16q22). The contribution of these loci to AF risk in African American is unknown.
Microbial cooxidation of naphthalene for the production of 1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene

Abstract A microbial cooxidation process for 1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene from naphthalene has been demonstrated. A Pseudomonas putida it119 mutant strain grown with glucose as the sole carbon and energy source was used to oxidize naphthalene. Growth characteristics of the P. putida mutant strain were studied in both batch and continuous fermentation experiments. The rate of product formation was found to depend on naphthalene particle sizes, initial naphthalene and glucose concentrations. Kinetic models were developed to quantify the microbial cooxidation process and a two-stage fermentation process is proposed for further studies.
Melt infiltration of selected intermetallics into SiC

On etudie la formation de composites resistant aux hautes temperatures et resistant a l'oxydation par infiltration de SiC recristallise avec des composes intermetalliques fondus (Fe 3 Si, Fe 3 Si+Al, Fe 3 Si+Ti, Ni 3 Al+Si, TiAl). On examine les proprietes de rupture des materiaux obtenus
Analysis of models for grain-impingement compensation and their effect on recrystallization kinetics

Compensation for grain impingement is essential in kinetic relations for recrystallization, but impingement geometry is sufficiently complex that impingement compensation can only be approximated. Impingement compensation has been treated in two different models: the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami extended-volume concept and the empirical Speich-Fisher parabolic relation between the area of the interface that separates recrystallized and unrecrystallized material and the volume fraction of recrystallized material. Although much uncertainty has existed on the efficacy of these models, their accuracy and limitations can now be analyzed in computer simulations. The simulations reveal that both models provide reasonable impingement compensation, but their limitations must be carefully defined. In the past, deviations from predicted kinetic behavior often were attributed to approximations introduced by the impingement models, but computer simulations now reveal that limitations imposed by the time dependence used to model growth are often ignored and can be a major source of confusion.
Early Response of Bone Marrow Osteoprogenitors to Skeletal Unloading and Sclerostin Antibody

Sclerostin functions as an antagonist to Wnt signaling and inhibits bone-forming activity. We studied the effects of skeletal unloading and treatment with sclerostin antibody (Scl-Ab) on mesenchymal stem cell, osteoprogenitor and osteoclast precursor pools, and their relationship to bone formation and resorption. Male C57BL/6 mice (5-months-old) were hind limb unloaded for 1 week or allowed normal ambulation and treated with Scl-Ab (25 mg/kg, s.c. injections on days 1 and 4) or placebo. Unloading decreased the serum concentration of bone formation marker P1NP (−35 %), number of colony-forming units (CFU) (−38 %), alkaline phosphatase–positive CFUs (CFU-AP+) (−51 %), and calcified nodules (−35 %); and resulted in a fourfold increase in the number of osteoclast precursors. The effects of Scl-Ab treatment on unloaded and normally loaded mice were nearly identical; Scl-Ab increased serum P1NP and the number of CFU, CFU-AP+, and calcified nodules in ex vivo cultures; and increased osteoblast and bone mineralizing surfaces in vivo. Although the marrow-derived osteoclast precursor population increased with Scl-Ab, the bone osteoclast surface did not change, and the serum concentration of osteoclast activity marker TRACP5b decreased. Our data suggest that short-term Scl-Ab treatment can prevent the decrease in osteoprogenitor population associated with skeletal unloading and increase osteoblast surface and bone mineralizing surface in unloaded animals. The anabolic effects of Scl-Ab treatment on bone are preserved during skeletal unloading. These findings suggest that Scl-Ab treatment can both increase bone formation and decrease bone resorption, and provide a new means for prevention and treatment of disuse osteoporosis.
Ovalbumin injected with complete Freund's adjuvant stimulates cytolytic responses

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) recognize antigens (Ag) associated with class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Endogenously synthesized protein Ag are processed into peptides in the cytoplasm and transported to the endoplasmic reticulum where they are bound by class I proteins. Exogenous Ag do not enter the class I processing pathway of most cells and thus do not activate CD8+ CTL. Nevertheless, several investigators have reported that immunization with exogenous Ag can activate CD8+ T cells that have immunoregulatory activity. To determine how exogenous Ag entered the class I pathway in vivo and whether immunosuppressive CD8+ T cells were cytolytic, we have shown in this report that injection with OVA emulsified in the complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) primed CD8+, class I MHC-restricted, OVA-specific CTL in mice. These CTL recognize the OVA257-264 epitope, produce tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma upon activation. Both oil and mycobacteria components in CFA were required for inducing CTL responses. Priming was not attributed to direct sensitization of class I-bearing cells by contaminating peptides. Rather, phagocytic cells, but not CD4+ helper T cells, were required for priming CD8+ CTL by OVA-CFA. Thus, OVA in CFA is taken up by antigen-presenting cells and processed into the class I pathway by phagocytic cells in vivo. In addition, CTL induced by OVA-CFA suppressed the antibody response to OVA in adoptive recipients. These results suggest that CD8+ CTL specific for exogenous proteins might be routinely stimulated by injecting proteins in conventional adjuvants and that such cells have the potential to regulate immune responses in vivo.
Three dimensional passive sensing, imaging, and visualization (Keynote Address)

In this paper, we present an overview of 3-D image sensing, formation, and visualization using integral imaging (II). As 2-D sensors and 2D display panel technologies advance rapidly, real-time 3D sensing and imaging have shown great promise for 3-D sensing, 3D TV and 3D visualization.
On fuzzy compactness

Abstract The modelling of General Topology by Fuzzy Topology is illustrated by fuzzy compactness. This is done through a discussion of its history, leading up to the present position.
Embryonic Stem Cell Patents and Human Dignity

This article examines the assertion that human embryonic stem cells patents are immoral because they violate human dignity. After analyzing the concept of human dignity and its role in bioethics debates, this article argues that patents on human embryos or totipotent embryonic stem cells violate human dignity, but that patents on pluripotent or multipotent stem cells do not. Since patents on pluripotent or multipotent stem cells may still threaten human dignity by encouraging people to treat embryos as property, patent agencies should carefully monitor and control these patents to ensure that patents are not inadvertently awarded on embryos or totipotent stem cells.
The Social and Political Meaning of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Abstract In this paper we argue that the Exxon Valdez oil spill gained so much attention because of its setting in Alaska. Alaska symbolizes for many Americans the wilderness or frontier that has long been part of American thought. At the same time, American national development has largely depended on the discovery and use of the nation’s abundant natural resources. The setting of the Valdez spill in the seemingly pristine waters of Prince William Sound brought the tension between our national identification with wilderness and our national need for further natural resource exploitation into sharp focus. In the aftermath of the spill, a legislative deadlock was passed and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 was passed. The Valdez accident had longer-term consequences as well, most prominent of which is related to the ongoing debate over whether to open up the coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to further development.
Complications of Coronary Bypass Surgery

In the past three years, among 170 patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery, 11 (6%) developed acute myocardial infarction within 24 hours after surgery. An additional four patients (2%) developed myocardial infarction within three months after discharge. Clinically, acute myocardial infarction was suspected because of sudden, transient hypotension associated with dysrhythmia, angina, or cardiac arrest which responded to conventional therapy. Elevation of serum enzymes with acute ECG changes was also observed. Three of the 15 patients developing myocardial infarction died. In 12 patients cardiac catheterization studies were performed within two to ten weeks after the incident. Eleven of the 20 grafts were found occluded, and progression of coronary occlusive disease was seen in five. There was a marked decrease in left ventricular function, contractility, and compliance in all patients with left ventricular aneurysm formation or dyskinesia. Eight of these patients were asymptomatic. The results indicate that after coronary surgery a combination of sudden arrhythmia and transient hypotension is diagnostic of graft closure or development of acute myocardial infarction. Also, in spite of depressed cardiac function, most surviving patients remain angina free.
On some natural complete operators

Abstract An operator is a mapping from integer functions to integer functions. It is known, from a result by Baker, Gill and Solovay (1975), that there exists an operator computable in polynomial time by a nondeterministic oracle Turing machine (called an NP operator) but not computable in polynomial time by any deterministic oracle Turing machine. We investigate several natural operators which share similar properties. We use the concept of completeness to give a precise classification of the complexity of these operators. For example, the question of finding maximum values of polynomial-time computable functions can be formulated as an operator complete for the class of NP operators.
Microstructural studies of irradiated mixed-oxide fuels subjected to multiple, mild thermal transients

Abstract Microstructural changes and swelling were examined in irradiated mixed-oxide fuels subjected to multiple, mild (maximum fuel temperature ~2600°C) thermal transients in a direct-electrical-heating apparatus. Simulant quartz “cladding” was used during these tests. Significant intra- and intergranular fission-gas porosity was developed as a result of the transients; the intergranular porosity accounted for the majority of the swelling. The data analysis suggests that during thermal transients (particularly under cyclic conditions), the thermal-shock-induced cracking of grain boundaries and grain edges contributes significantly to the fuel swelling and fission-gas release behavior. It is recommended that such phenomena be included in the transient fuel-swelling and gas-release modeling efforts, which, to date, include only the mass-transport processes to account for the fuel swelling and the gas-release behavior. The data analysis also indicated that under mild transient conditions, the maximum volume swelling should not exceed 20%. However, in cases where the fuel temperature is >2600° C, the swelling may be greater.
Fluorine Substituted Analogs of Nucleosides and Nucleotides

Abstract The synthesis and 19F NMR spectra of dTMP and TpT analogues in which the phosphate group is replaced by a difluoromethylphosphonate group are described.
Action, perception, and the realization of design

Abstract Two approaches to user-responsive designing are reviewed. Firstly, activity-centred environmental design is introduced. With this approach potential design users evolve form gradually on the basis of their activities through use of modular scale models. Secondly, perceptually based designs are discussed. With designs of this type, experience itself becomes the focus of the designing; physical form may or may not be a part of the outcome of the design process in this case, but in any event forms are of secondary importance to the perceptual effects which they give rise to. The implications of this somewhat radical transformation in design thinking are discussed.
Non-physiological amino acid (NPAA) therapy targeting brain phenylalanine reduction: pilot studies in PAHENU2 mice.

Transport of large neutral amino acids (LNAA) across the blood brain barrier (BBB) is facilitated by the L-type amino acid transporter, LAT1. Peripheral accumulation of one LNAA (e.g., phenylalanine (phe) in PKU) is predicted to increase uptake of the offending amino acid to the detriment of others, resulting in disruption of brain amino acid homeostasis. We hypothesized that selected non-physiological amino acids (NPAAs) such as DL-norleucine (NL), 2-aminonorbornane (NB; 2-aminobicyclo-(2,1,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid), 2-aminoisobutyrate (AIB), and N-methyl-aminoisobutyrate (MAIB), acting as competitive inhibitors of various brain amino acid transporters, could reduce brain phe in Pah enu2 mice, a relevant murine model of PKU. Oral feeding of 5 % NL, 5 % AIB, 0.5 % NB and 3 % MAIB reduced brain phe by 56 % (p < 0.01), -1 % (p = NS), 27 % (p < 0.05) and 14 % (p < 0.01), respectively, compared to untreated subjects. Significant effects on other LNAAs (tyrosine, methionine, branched chain amino acids) were also observed, however, with MAIB displaying the mildest effects. Of interest, MAIB represents an inhibitor of the system A (alanine) transporter that primarily traffics small amino acids and not LNAAs. Our studies represent the first in vivo use of these NPAAs in Pah enu2 mice, and provide proof-of-principle for their further preclinical development, with the long-term objective of identifying NPAA combinations and concentrations that selectively restrict brain phe transport while minimally impacting other LNAAs and downstream intermediates.
Hydrodynamic planetary thermosphere model: 2. Coupling of an electron transport/energy deposition model

[1] An electron transport/energy deposition model is expanded to include atomic nitrogen and is coupled with a 1 -D hydrodynamic thermosphere model. The coupled model is used to investigate the response of the Earth's thermosphere under extreme solar EUV conditions and is compared with previous studies. It is found that (1) the parameterization of Swartz and Nisbet (1972) underestimates the ambient electron heating by photoelectrons significantly in the upper thermosphere of the Earth under conditions with greater than 3 times the present solar EUV irradiance; (2) the transition of the Earth's thermosphere from a hydrostatic equilibrium regime to a hydrodynamic regime occurs at a smaller solar EUV flux condition when enhanced, more realistic, and self-consistent, ambient electron heating by photoelectrons is accounted for; (3) atomic nitrogen becomes the dominant neutral species in the upper thermosphere (competing against atomic oxygen) under extreme solar EUV conditions, and the electron impact processes of atomic nitrogen are important for both the chemistry and energetics in the corresponding thermosphere/ionosphere; (4) N + remains a minor ion compared to O+, even when atomic nitrogen dominates the exobase; and (5) adiabatic cooling does not play an important role in electron gas energy budget. These findings highlight the importance of an electron transport/energy deposition model when investigating the thermosphere and ionosphere of terrestrial planets in their early evolutionary stages.
Feeling for Stones But Not Crossing the River: China's Rural Land Tenure After Twenty Years of Reform

(2006). Feeling for Stones But Not Crossing the River: China's Rural Land Tenure After Twenty Years of Reform. The Chinese Economy: Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 85-102.
The council for health and environmental safety of soils

Abstract The Council for Health and Environmental Safety of Soils (CHESS) was organized in 1987 to develop a consensus soil risk assessment methodology to be used as a framework for establishing standards for soil contamination to protect the environment and public health. The wide range of contaminating substances of possible health concern in soil is affecting land use and development, causing excessive economic expenditures, and the regulatory approaches for control are disperse. The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology agreed to sponsor the Council and through a Governing Board composed of experienced scientists from the federal government, state departments of public health and environmental protection, academia, and the private sector including industry and environmental organizations. The Board was created to support the goals of CHESS, its mode of operation, and to establish funding policies and directions. A technical council agreed to develop a peer-reviewed consensus methodology to assess public health risks from contaminated soil by technical committees composed of recognized experts in the area of soil contamination and other relevant disciplines. This methodology would then be made available to federal and state agencies, the private sector, and the scientific community at large. After extensive study, a final decision was made to develop a decision-tree framework to be used at the state and local levels for application to all types of soil contamination. Following extensive studies it was agreed the ubiquitous nature of petroleum contamination in soil has direct and immediate public health implications and CHESS therefore directed its first efforts to this area. Utilizing this model a report has been prepared that reviews 16 state-of-the-art methodologies, with documentation and critical analyses.
ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING SUPERSONIC JET SCREECH: REVIEW AND PERSPECTIVE

Abstract Screech tones are produced by imperfectly expanded jets under certain conditions. This paper provides an overview of developments in the field of supersonic jet screech. The overview includes a historical background, summary of recent developments, and a critical assessment of our current understanding of screech. The subject material has been categorized as described in the table of contents given below.
Atomic-free irregular computations on GPUs

Atomic instructions are a key ingredient of codes that operate on irregular data structures like trees and graphs. It is well known that atomics can be expensive, especially on massively parallel GPUs, and are often on the critical path of a program. In this paper, we present two high-level methods to eliminate atomics in irregular programs. The first method advocates synchronous processing using barriers. We illustrate how to exploit synchronous processing to avoid atomics even when the threads' memory accesses conflict with each other. The second method is based on exploiting algebraic properties of algorithms to elide atomics. Specifically, we focus on three key properties: monotonicity, idempotency and associativity, and show how each of them enables an atomic-free implementation. We illustrate the generality of the two methods by applying them to five irregular graph applications: breadth-first search, single-source shortest paths computation, Delaunay mesh refinement, pointer analysis and survey propagation, and show that both methods provide substantial speedup in each case on different GPUs.
Understanding money's limits: People's beliefs about the income – Happiness correlation

It is claimed that the correlation between income and happiness is considerably weaker than people expect and recent research supports that contention. However, an important lesson from judgment and decision-making research is that judgments are constructed in response to the prevailing context, leaving open the possibility that some elicitation procedures may reveal accurate intuitions about income and happiness. We examined whether this is so. Study 1 participants ranked a set of empirical relationships according to the strength of correlation and we examined whether they ranked the income–happiness link where it actually falls in the set. In Studies 2 and 3, participants estimated the probability that someone with a higher income than another is also the happier of the two. The estimates of the participants were then compared to the actual probability based on the documented income–happiness relationship. Results indicate that, using these elicitation procedures, people have an accurate understanding o...
The pathogenesis and imaging of the tuberous sclerosis complex

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by the formation of hamartomatous lesions in multiple organ systems. It is the second most common neurocutaneous syndrome after neurofibromatosis type 1 and has been recognized since the late 1800s. Although the disease has complete penetrance, there is also high phenotypic variability: some patients have obvious signs at birth, while others remain undiagnosed for many years. In addition to skin lesions, TSC patients develop numerous brain lesions, angiomyolipoma (AMLs), lymphangiomyomatosis (LAM) in the lungs, cardiac rhabdomyomas, skeletal lesions, and vascular anomalies, all of which are well seen with medical imaging. Our knowledge of TSC genetics and pathophysiology has expanded dramatically in recent years: two genetic loci were discovered in the 1990s and recent elucidation of TSC's interaction with the mTOR pathway has changed how we manage the disease. Meanwhile, medical imaging is playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of TSC. We provide an update on the genetics and pathophysiology of TSC, review its clinical manifestations, and explore the breadth of imaging features in each organ system, from prenatal detection of cardiac rhabdomyomas to monitoring rapamycin therapy to treatment of AMLs by interventional radiology.