cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microscopic Observations of the Cholesteric Blue Phase in Mixtures of Varying Pitch

Abstract Theories for the blue phase proposed recently by Brazovskii and Dmitriev and by Hornreich and Shtrikman predict that this phase can exist only for cholesterics of sufficiently short pitch. In this article we demonstrate this dependence upon pitch through microscopic observations of three sets of binary mixtures, one set consisting of mixtures of cholesterics of opposite chirality and the other two consisting of cholesteric-nematic mixtures. In the course of these studies we have developed techniques for growing particularly large platelets of the blue phase. We present photographs of these platelets demonstrating, for the first time, the optical anisotropy of the blue phase, which is evident when the platelets are sufficiently large. Characteristic twinning patterns are also evident in the photographs.
Ethanol feeding produces deficiencies in left ventricle total RNA, total DNA and mitochondrial ribosomal RNA.

Abstract Chronic alcoholism causes a variety of ultrastructural, biochemical and functional alterations in the myocardium, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Molecular changes that developed in the left ventricles of rats fed for 1 to 24 weeks on liquid diets containing ethanol as 36% of total calories were analyzed. Total tissue RNA and DNA were chemically extracted and measured by spectroscopic methods; mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrially-coded ribosomal RNA were measured at the 12s rRNA region by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method; mitochondrial protein and enzyme activities were assayed. Ethanol-fed rats had 83.9±2.9% (mean±S.E.M.) as much DNA/g tissue and 74.7±3.9% as much total left ventricle DNA as pair-fed controls (P
Anharmonic Contributions to the Debye-Waller Factor

A method is presented for calculating anharmonic contributions to the Debye-Waller factor in the high-temperature limit in terms of direct-space sums. These sums are simpler quantities than those resulting from the phonon technique, in that there are no multiple integrals in reciprocal space and the frequencies and polarization vectors do not appear. They also have the advantage that no extreme assumptions about the form or range of the coupling parameters need be made. Calculations of anharmonic contributions to the Debye-Waller factor and the free energy are carried out for four models of copper. The values obtained for the mean-square displacement are compared with experimental values and with the calculations of others.
The relevance of small molecule crystal growth theories and techniques to the growth of biological macromolecules

Abstract Over the past 40 years scientists and engineers working on the crystal growth of small molecule materials have developed a strong theoretical background and an impressive array of crystal growth technologies to aid in the growth of a wide variety of materials having extremely diverse properties. One of the major issues brought up at the First International Conference on Protein Crystal Growth at Stanford University in August 1985 was whether these pre-existing theories and techniques would be applicable to the crystal growth of biologically active macromolecules such as peoteins. This lecture explores some of the similarities and differences between the properties of small and large molecule materials and their growth behavior, and looks for any common denominators which may exist and how they can serve as a bridge between the two fields to help facilitate cross-fertilization.
Zu abhängigen abgangsprozessen einliniger verlustsysteme

For one server loss systems Ep /M/1/0/ (1≦k≧+∞) and special hyperextend loss systems the dependence structure of the output process of served costumers is described.
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors mediate the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by NMDA in a hypothalamic GnRH neuronal cell line (GT1-1)

Previous studies demonstrated that an excitatory amino acid analog, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), stimulates GnRH secretion in the rat, prepubertal primate, and ovine fetus at the hypothalamic level. It is not known if this stimulatory effect of NMDA is mediated directly on the GnRH neurosecretory neuron. A hypothalamic GnRH neuronal cell line (GT1-1) provided a useful model system to study the effect of NMDA on GnRH release by both superfusion and static incubation techniques. Studies with GT1-1 cells indicate that GnRH neurons exhibit spontaneous autorhythmicity and function intrinsically as a neuronal oscillator for the synchronous discharge of GnRH pulses. In static incubation studies, 10(-4) and 10(-3) M NMDA increased GnRH release, whereas 10(-6), 10(-5), and 10(-2) M NMDA had no effect. A competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, AP-5 (10(-4)-10(-2) M), and a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801 (10(-12)-10(-5) M), inhibited the action of NMDA. Superfusion of GT1-1 cells after a 90-min contro...
A random-fuzzy analysis of existing structures

Abstract Two approaches are proposed to estimate the reliability of existing structures by considering both the randomness in some of the design parameters and the fuzzy imprecision in some other parameters representing the in-place condition of the aged structures. In the first approach, the fuzzy imprecision is transformed into random uncertainty using the entropy concept, and the reliability of existing structures is estimated using well-established theories of probability. In the second approach, a hybrid approach in the random-fuzzy domain is used to evaluate the reliability using an α-level concept. The multiple fuzzy variables case is also considered. Both discrete and continuous fuzzy variables are considered. The results obtained from the proposed approaches are compared with other techniques available in the literature whenever possible. Both methods are applied to civil structural engineering problems in this paper. The results obtained are very encouraging and demonstrate the applicability and robustness of the algorithms.
Phase-Matched Generation of Coherent Soft X-rays

Phase-matched harmonic conversion of visible laser light into soft x-rays was demonstrated. The recently developed technique of guided-wave frequency conversion was used to upshift light from 800 nanometers to the range from 17 to 32 nanometers. This process increased the coherent x-ray output by factors of 10(2) to 10(3) compared to the non-phase-matched case. This source uses a small-scale (sub-millijoule) high repetition-rate laser and will enable a wide variety of new experimental investigations in linear and nonlinear x-ray science.
The effect of hemolysis on the van den Bergh reaction for serum bilirubin

Summary In the van den Bergh reaction, hemolysis in serum samples results in decreased azobilirubin color development and hence in measured bilirubin levels which are falsely low. The reduction in measured bilirubin content of serum samples ranged from 5 to 15 per cent at discernable levels of hemolysis depending on the volume of serum used in the reaction. No adequate explanation for the effects of hemolysis on the van den Bergh reaction could be found. Qualitative as well as quantitative differences in the effects in individual serum samples make correction of the van den Bergh type of reaction for the presence of hemolysis uncertain at the present time.
Effects of indomethacin on fetal rat lungs: a possible cause of persistent fetal circulation (PFC).

Effects of Indomethacin on Fetal Rat Lungs: A Possible Cause of Persistent Fetal Circulation (PFC)
Spatial variations in the salinity of pore waters in northern deep water Gulf of Mexico sediments: implications for pathways and mechanisms of solute transport

Geofluids (2010) 10, 83–93 Abstract Spatial variations in the salinity of pore waters in sedimentary basins can provide important insight into basin-scale hydrogeologic processes. Although there have been numerous studies of brine seeps in the deep water Gulf of Mexico, much less is known about porewater salinities in the vast areas between seeps. A study has been made of spatial variation in pore water salinities in sediments in an approximately 500 km by 200 km area of the northern deep water (water depth >500 m) Gulf of Mexico sedimentary basin (GOM) to provide insight into pathways and mechanisms of solute transport in this portion of the basin. A second objective was to document salinities in the upper 500 m of the sedimentary section, the approximate depth to which methane hydrates, a potential future energy resource, may be stable. Elevated salinities would reduce the P–T stability range of hydrates. Salinities were calculated from borehole logs using a dual electrical conductivity model. Even though much of the northern GOM is underlain by allochthonous salt most of the undisturbed shallow sedimentary section has not been permeated by hypersaline waters. These waters are limited to areas near brine seeps. Hypersaline waters having salinities in excess of 100 g l−1 become more common at subseafloor depths of 2 km and greater. A field study at Green Canyon 65 and published numerical simulations of fluid flow above tabular salt bodies suggest that brines produced by salt dissolution migrate laterally and pond above salt and/or within minibasins and that the dominant mechanism of vertical solute transport is a combination of compaction-driven advection and diffusion, not large-scale thermohaline overturn. Superimposed on this diffuse upward flux of dissolved salt is the more focused and localized expulsion of saline fluids up faults.
On the conservative nature of the gill filaments of sharks

Gill filaments of one highly active and two less active shark species exhibit a conservative morphological scheme including such features as branchial canopies, marginal lamellar projections, and enlarged, discrete outer marginal lamellar channels and lateral lamellar sinuses. The specific spatial orientation of the secondary lamellae respective to one another, the gill filaments, and the interbranchial septa create what appears as one-way interfilament water channels, suggesting the presence of an efficient branchial countercurrent system. It is proposed that the fortified structure of shark gills allows many shark species to ventilate passively without having evolved gill filament modifications as apparently did some highly active teleosts. This in turn may have expedited the evolution of lamnid shark species through pre-adaptation to a swift oceanic lifestyle.
Tool-assisted Optimization of Shared-memory Accesses in UPC Applications

UPC is designed to improve user productivity when programming distributed-memory machines. Yet the shared-memory abstraction also makes performance analysis hard as it introduces extra overhead with local accesses and implicit communication with remote ones. As far as we know, there are no mature software utilities for systematic analysis and tuning of shared-memory access performance in UPC programs. We develop a mechanism to track shared memory accesses and correlate them to the UPC source lines, functions, and data structures. We then apply tool-assisted analysis to a set of UPC programs. For the NAS UPC benchmark we achieve dramatic performance improvement over the unoptimized implementation as well as up to two times speedups over the fully hand-tuned implementation. We expect our approach effective in tuning a wide range of UPC programs.
Micro Mechanical Properties of Model Alzheimer's Beta Amyloid Fibrils

Protein nanofibrils are the ordered end product in the protein self-association process. Firstly recognized as linked to amyloid diseases, including Alzheimer's, they are currently identified as remarkably stable states accessible to almost any polypeptide chain. Interestingly enough, protein nanofibrils made of the same polypeptide building blocks adopt different ordered three dimensional structures. The purpose of this study is to investigate via all-atom molecular dynamics simulations the micromechanical properties of model Alzheimer's B(9-40)-amyloid fibrils that display different quaternary structure. These structures consisted of a three-fold symmetric model1 and a striated-ribbon pattern2. We found that the Young's modulus value of the model fibril structures both fall in the range of 108 Pa, consistent with values found in the literature, with the striated-ribbon structure being more flexible than the three-fold symmetric model. We propose possible relationships between the geometry of the fibril and the interactions that govern structure stability.Footnotes1 Paravastu AK, Leapman RD, Yau WM, Tycko R. Molecular structural basis for polymorphism in Alzheimer's beta-amyloid fibrils. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Nov 25;105(47):18349-54.2 Petkova AT, Yau WM, Tycko R. Experimental constraints on quaternary structure in Alzheimer's beta-amyloid fibrils. Biochemistry. 2006 Jan 17;45(2):498-512.
Allergic Responses to the BiopesticideMetarhizium anisopliaein Balb/c Mice

Abstract Metarhizium anisopliae is used as a microbial pesticide to control cockroaches and other insects. M. anisopliae has demonstrated neither infectivity nor toxicity in mammals. However, allergenicity has not been assessed. M. anisopliae is a prototype for other organisms released into the environment for pesticide or other beneficial applications. Hence this study is part of an effort to develop methods for screening such organisms for allergenic potential. Soluble factors from fungal components were combined in equal protein amounts to form a crude fungal antigen (MACA). Balb/c mice were intratracheally (IT) challenged with 25 μg fungal antigen 13 days post intraperitoneal sensitization with the fungal antigen in alhydrogel adjuvant. Additionally, mice were sensitized with adjuvant alone or chitin media in adjuvant as experimental controls. Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were harvested prior to challenge and at 1 and 7 days post IT challenge (DPIT). These mice exhibited immune and pulmonary inflammatory responses to MACA characteristic of allergy. Total serum IgE for antigen-sensitized animals increased 7.6- and 14.7-fold over that for chitin media and adjuvant controls, respectively, at 7 DPIT. Less striking increases were seen at 24 DPIT and prior to challenge. BALF IL-4 was dramatically elevated only in MACA-sensitized and challenged mice and only at 1 DPIT. Additionally, there was a dose-dependent increase in BALF eosinophils from MACA-sensitized mice at both 1 and 7 DPIT. While lymphocyte counts were increased for all treatment groups at 1 DPIT, by 7 DPIT lymphocyte counts for MACA-sensitized mice only were significantly elevated compared to controls. Pulmonary inflammation, edema, and cell damage were apparent at 1 DPIT (25 μg MACA), as indicated by a neutrophilic influx and elevated levels of total protein and LDH, in both sensitized and control groups. These effects were significantly decreased, but not eliminated by reduction of the challenge dose to either 10 or 5 μg MACA. While BALF IL-4 was also reduced at the lower challenge doses, eosinophilia and total IgE were unchanged. The data suggest that the crude fungal extract MACA contains one or more potent allergens and that total IgE may be useful in the identification of the allergen(s).
e-PCP: A robust skew detection method for scanned document images

We present here an enhanced algorithm (e-PCP) for skew detection in scanned documents, based on the work on Piecewise Covering by Parallelogram (PCP) for robust determination of skew angles [C.-H. Chou, S.-Y. Chu, F. Chang, Estimation of skew angles for scanned documents based on piecewise covering by parallelograms, Pattern Recognition 40 (2007) 443-455]. Our algorithm achieves even better robustness for detection of skew angle than the original PCP algorithm. We have shown accurate determination of skew angles in document images where the original PCP algorithm fails. Further, the increased robustness of performance is achieved with reduced number of computation compared to the originally proposed PCP algorithm. The e-PCP algorithm also outputs a confidence measure which is important in automated systems to filter cases where the estimated skew angle may not be very accurate and thus can be handled by manual intervention. The proposed algorithm was tested extensively on all categories of real time documents and comparisons with PCP method is also provided. Useful details regarding faster execution of the proposed algorithm is provided in Appendix.
Exporting Jobs? The Impact of Import Competition on Employment and Wages in U. S. Manufacturing

This paper investigates the effect of increased import competition on U. S. manufacturing employment and wages, using data for a panel of manufacturing industries over the 1977–1987 period. The empirical analysis uses previously unavailable industry import price data and an instrumental variables estimation strategy. The estimates suggest that changes in import prices have a significant effect on both employment and wages. The dramatic appreciation of the dollar between 1980 and 1985 is estimated to have reduced wages by 2 percent, and employment by 4.5–7.5 percent on average in this sample of trade-impacted industries.
The equivalence and learning of probabilistic automata

It is proved that the equivalence problem for probabilistic automata is solvable in time O((n/sub 1/+n/sub 2/)/sup 4/), where n/sub 1/ and n/sub 2/ are numbers of states of two given probabilistic automata. This result improves the best previous upper bound of coNP. The algorithm has some interesting applications, for example, to the covering and equivalence problems for uninitiated probabilistic automata, the equivalence and containment problems for unambiguous nondeterministic finite automata, and the path-equivalence problem for nondeterministic finite automata. Using the same technique, a polynomial-time algorithm for learning probabilistic automata is developed. The learning protocol is learning by means of queries. >
Neonatal outcomes and quality of care in level II perinatal centers supported by a children's hospital-medical school level III program.

OBJECTIVE: Eight Level II perinatal centers developed contracts with the children's hospital to provide consultative neonatal patient care, education, and administrative support. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate infant outcomes and quality of care during a 3-year period of the program, 1994 to 1996. STUDY DESIGN: Neonatal mortality rates were determined for the 18,703 live births. Quality of care was assessed for 30 infants who died at the Level II centers and 315 infants transferred to the children's hospital. RESULTS: The neonatal mortality rate was 2.2/1000 live births. Quality-of-care issues primarily involved 80 “drop-in” deliveries ≤32 weeks' gestation and seven-term infants with perinatal asphyxia. Enhanced neonatal care at the Level II special care nurseries was evident from procedures performed and the clinical course of 1382 infants not transferred. CONCLUSION: Further improvement is possible with comprehensive prenatal care avoiding deliveries <32 weeks' gestation and improved response to acute intrapartum emergencies.
Time Responses to Single Intramuscular Doses of ACTH in Chickens

Abstract IN A study of factors which modify responses to ACTH in chickens, a preliminary experiment was initiated to determine the responses over time to a single intramuscular injection of corticotropin. Weight changes of the adrenal, spleen and bursa of Fabricius, and changes in the concentrations of adrenal cholesterol, plasma cholesterol, glucose and non-protein nitrogen were observed over a 36-hour period. METHODS Forty Athens-Canadian Randombred × White Plymouth Rock males were grown in batteries to 46 days of age. At that time, 4 were randomly designated as pre-injected controls. The remainder were randomly divided into 2 groups of 18 birds each, which were designated as injected controls and experimentals. At hour zero, all chicks of the experimental group received 3 U.S.P. units of corticotropin (ACTH)* per 100 g. of body weight in a 16% aqueous gelatin solution (w/v) injected into the pectoralis area. At the same time, the injected controls received …
Three new species of the bee genus Caenaugochlora from Central America and Colombia (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Three distinctive new species of the augochlorine bee genus Caenaugochlora Michener (Halictinae: Augochlorini) are described and figured as Caenaugochlora ( Caenaugochlora ) leoi Engel, new species, from Costa Rica, C . ( C .) hestia Engel, new species, from Panama, and C . ( C .) gonzalezi Engel, new species, from Colombia. The new species are distinguished from among their congeners and the diversity of Caenaugochlora tabulated. In addition, a third subgenus is established within the genus and a revised key to the subgenera proposed. Metaugochlora Engel, new subgenus, is based on two species described earlier from the Andes of Ecuador and exhibiting traits intermediate between Caenaugochlora s.str . and Ctenaugochlora Eickwort. It is possible that these groups would be more suitably treated as individual genera in the future and as our knowledge of the total diversity is refined.
DISTRIBUTION OF SURFACE STRAIN IN PAIRED HUMAN FEMORA.

A NUMBER of different techniques, including mathematical analysis of bone sections1, photo-elastic, load deformation, and strain lacquer study of bone models2, and extensometer and strain gauge measurements on intact bones3 have been used in the past in an attempt to establish relationships between the structure of long bones and the various forces believed to be acting on them. However, until Marique's observations in 1945, which were accurate to only 100 µin./in., no actual observations had been made on the strains which result from forces applied to human or animal bones.
Some histochemical observations on periodic acid-amino-acid mechanisms.

THE periodic acid Schiff technique has been used histochemically primarily as a means of localizing the 1,2 glycol linkage in tissue sections1. It is known, however, that periodic acid is also capable of cleaving the 1,2 hydroxylamino linkage with the production of some aldehyde radicals, and although the exact reaction mechanism is not understood, it is believed by some to react in a somewhat similar manner with a number of amino-acids possessing structurally neither of these linkages. The amino-acids serine and threonine, as well as the “hydroxylysine” of Van Slyke, fall into the first category, whereas cystine, methionine, tryptophane, glycine, alanine, tyrosine, histadine, aspartic and glutamic acids fall into the latter group2. This investigation was initiated to study specifically this phase of the periodic acid Schiff mechanism, and although the results were not conclusive, it was felt that a brief description of the experiments might be of interest to others working in this particular field.
Microhardness of extruded high density polyethylene fibers

High-density polyethylene of high tensile modulus has been produced by solid state extrusion using an Instron capillary rheometer. Microhardness measurements on these ultraoriented fibers have been made to assess their perfection from values of the tensile elastic modulus and shear strength. The microhardness tests were measured using a Vickers square diamond. The microhardness increased with the common temperature for crystallization and extrusion, likely due to improvement in the lateral packing of microfibrils. The variation of microhardness with draw ratio is also illustrated.
UV Graft Polymerization of Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Plugs in Microfluidic Channels

It has been recently demonstrated that single-stranded DNA, modified on the 5‘ end with an acrylic acid functionality, can be incorporated into a polyacrylamide hydrogel matrix. These types of DNA-containing gels have recently been spatially immobilized in plastic microfluidic channels by photopolymerization, creating selective DNA three-dimensional capture elements. The DNA oligomers retain activity and are able to bind complementary target strands as they migrate through the gel plug under electrophoretic conditions. One problem that has compromised the performance of the DNA hydrogels is gel plug breakdown under continuous electrophoretic operation. When gel plugs fail, the gel delaminates from the microchannel wall and electroosmotic flow occurs between the plug and the microchannel wall. Past measurements have shown that the lifetime of the polyacrylamide gel plugs rarely exceeds 25 min under continuous use. Here we report a method to increase the stability of the polyacrylamide gel plugs by the intr...
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2: a new player in central sympathetic regulation?

See related article, pages 729–736 There is a “new kid on the block” in the control of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The discovery of angiotensin (Ang)-converting enzyme (ACE)2, a catabolic enzyme, that cleaves the octapeptide, Ang II into a septapeptide, Ang-(1-7),1,2 has opened up new vistas in the way we think about the regulation and biological effects of Ang II. ACE 2 was originally discovered in yeast3 as a gene product that codes for a protein that is a homolog of the more widely known protease ACE. ACE2 cleaves the C-terminal amino acid from Ang II and other peptides. For many years, the work of Ferrario and Chappel4 provided evidence that Ang-(1-7) operated in the central nervous system, as well as in the peripheral circulation to produce effects that were, in general, opposite to that of Ang II. Recently, the discovery that Ang-(1-7) binds to a specific membrane receptor, the mas receptor,5–7 suggests that this metabolite may play a regulatory role in cell signaling and organ function. Clearly, the balance between the classic ACE and ACE2 will determine the physiological effect of activation of the RAS. Furthermore, the potential for therapeutic targeting of ACE2 and its role in the …
Elliptic flow in the Gaussian model of eccentricity fluctuations

Abstract We discuss a specific model of elliptic flow fluctuations due to Gaussian fluctuations in the initial spatial x and y eccentricity components { 〈 ( σ y 2 − σ x 2 ) / ( σ x 2 + σ y 2 ) 〉 , 〈 2 σ x y / ( σ x 2 + σ y 2 ) 〉 } . We find that in this model v 2 { 4 } , elliptic flow determined from 4-particle cumulants, exactly equals the average flow value in the reaction plane coordinate system, 〈 v RP 〉 , the relation which, in an approximate form, was found earlier by Bhalerao and Ollitrault in a more general analysis, but under the same assumption that v 2 is proportional to the initial system eccentricity. We further show that in the Gaussian model all higher order cumulants are equal to v 2 { 4 } . Analysis of the distribution in the magnitude of the flow vector, the Q-distribution, reveals that it is totally defined by two parameters, v 2 { 2 } , the flow from 2-particle cumulants, and v 2 { 4 } , thus providing equivalent information compared to the method of cumulants. The flow obtained from the Q-distribution is again v 2 { 4 } = 〈 v RP 〉 .
Realizing Conflict, Negotiation, and Cooperation Concepts in the Context of International Water Courses

In this paper we offer a negotiation and cooperative game theory application to international water in the classroom. A simulation game was developed for the Aral Sea water dispute as part of a textbook prepared for teaching a diverse group of students a graduate-level International Water course. A condensed version of the Aral Sea Basin water dispute and hydrology was prepared. The game allows students to realize the complexity of hydrology and geography, the linkage between hydrology and conflict and cooperation, and the impact of external factors, such as climate change, on the extent of the conflict and its likely resolution. The game was used to simulate negotiations between a subset of the basin riparians, demonstrating the value of information in negotiation. Various cooperative game theory concepts were demonstrated and applied by students through a set of assignments representing a variety of likely states of nature and various development interventions.
Tools for clinical toxicology on the World Wide Web: review and scenario.

Clinical toxicologists are entrusted with the health and safety of humans and animals exposed to toxic substances. To do their jobs well they need a solid knowledge of toxicological principles, an ability to handle emergent situations, a “bedside” manner that results in a good rapport with patients, and the ability to access current and accurate information in order to properly care for the afflicted. An information armamentarium that is increasingly digital and Web-based is becoming a necessity. This article reviews Web resources that can assist the toxicologist. A case scenario is presented to provide a practical perspective to the information tools outlined.
Recollections of 40 years of hospitalization of children.

When I first faced the realization that the honor of being President of this Society carried with it the awesome responsibility of a Presidential Address, one of my first thoughts went back to the days when I was a young resident, and old John Lovett Morse gave the house staff a preview of a paper he'd written entitled, “Recollections of 45 Years of Infant Feeding.” This was a wonderful bit of nostalgia and it gave me for the first time a concept of the progress that had been made in infant feeding, and why. It was my recollection that this was Doctor Morse's Presidential Address before this Society, but I was wrong; as a matter of fact, he was never even President of the Society. So you see, my memory is not so good and if you care to challenge me on some of the recollections I am about to make, you are welcome to do so.
Effect of Feed and Water Deprivation on Yolk Utilization in Chicks

Abstract Shipping baby chicks deprives them of feed and water for 24- or 48-hour periods, and flocks that do not have adequately placed water and feed containers presumably could include individual chicks deprived for longer periods of time. Libby (1955), while studying the calcium content of egg yolk, observed that egg yolk was utilized less rapidly when baby chicks were deprived of feed and water. Romanoff (1960) reported on yolk weight values at various days of age during the first week in chicks. Twenty-four battery brooder pens containing 10 broiler chicks each were arranged into 6 groups of 4 batteries per group. Chicks in the first pen of each group received water but no feed, those in the second pen feed but no water, the chicks in the third pen neither feed nor water, and the fourth pen of chicks a normal feed and water supply. The chicks in the first…
Scanning tunneling microscopy study of a Ag monolayer on Cu(111)

Abstract The structure of submonolayer Ag deposited on Cu(111) has been examined with scanning tunneling microscopy. The long diffusion length of Ag leads to the formation of large (111)-like islands nucleating from the “downhill” side of Cu step edges. The growth fronts of the Ag islands are mostly straight and lie along the 〈110〉 directions. The Ag overlayer is apparently slightly compressed relative to bulk Ag, and forms a mixture of superstructures rotated slightly relative to the substrate.
Location of ribosome binding sites on the right end of lambda DNA.

Abstract The locations of ribosome binding sites on the right end of bacteriophage lambda DNA were determined by measurement of the positions of ribosomes bound to single-stranded DNA visualized by electron microscopy. A total of ten ribosome binding sites were found between map co-ordinates 0.90 and 1.0. Four of these ribosome binding sites probably correspond to the polypeptide initiation sites for genes Q (0.910), S (0.928), R (0.936) and Rz (0.945). Six other ribosome binding sites were found which presumably indicate the presence of new lambda genes. Four of these ribosome binding sites (0.958, 0.967, 0.975, 0.995) are located to the right of Rz , which is the most rightward known lambda gene. A ribosome binding site is located at 0.923, between genes Q and S , in or near the 6 S RNA sequence. Another is located left of gene Q at 0.900.
Studies on the Synthesis of Apoptolidin: Progress on the Stereocontrolled Assembly of the Pseudo Aglycone of Apoptolidin

Progress on a stereocontrolled total synthesis of the pseudo aglycone of apoptolidin (2) starting from (S)-epichlorohydrin is reported. The lower C(12)–C(28) fragment (4) was derived by consecutive stereoselective aldol reactions and extended using a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. Studies on glycoyslation of the C9 hydroxy group are also described. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Opportunities and challenges in advanced biofuel production: the importance of synthetic biology and combustion science

Concerns around energy security, dependence on foreign oil, finite oil and gas resources, and the negative consequences associated with global warming due to continued greenhouse gas emissions have...
Fate of bound methyl parathion residues in soils as affected by agronomic practices

Abstract The fate of [ring-14C]methyl parathion in a silt loam soil was monitored during a 49-day incubation. After this period, 54% of the initial 14C remained in the soil; of this, 13% was soxhletextractable with methanol and 87% was bound residue. Soils were then treated with inorganic and organic amendments and incubated for an additional 70 days. Release of methyl parathion bound residues could not be demonstrated, but both bound and extractable 14C were mineralized to 14CO2, CO2 was evolved slowly and continuously by the controls and where soil was amended with H2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, NH4OH, chitin, oat seedlings or oat straw. Glucose and asparagine caused higher rates of 14CO2 production. HgCl2 gave very high initial rates of 14CO2 loss; the rate declined to that of the control only after 9–10 weeks. The lime treatment exceeded the controls after 1 week, declining only slightly with time. The effects of sewage sludge and dairy manure were similar to the controls except that: sludge caused a very high initial release of 14CO2, and both treatments gave an unaccountable loss of 14C, perhaps as 14CH4 resulting from the formation of anaerobic conditions. By 70 days, amounts of extractable 14C and bound 14C had both declined twice as rapidly in certain soils as in unamended controls. Studies carried out with soxhlet-extracted soils, containing only bound residues, indicated that the soil microflora able to mineralize bound residues without any appreciable buildup of 14C activity in the extractable phase.
Concanavalin A Interactions with Asparagine-linked Glycopeptides. The Mechanisms of Binding of Oligomannose, Bisected Hybrid, and Complex Type Carbohydrates

The affinity of concanavalin A (Con A) for simple saccharides has been known for over 50 years. However, the specificity of binding of Con A with cell-surface related carbohydrates has only recently been examined in detail. Brewer and coworkers [J Biol Chem (1986) 261:7306–10; J Biol Chem (1987) 262:1288–93; J Biol Chem (1987) 262:1294–99] have recently studied the binding interactions of a series of oligomannose and bisected hybrid type glycopeptides and complex type glycopeptides and oligosaccharides with Con A. The relative affinities of the carbohydrates were determined using hemagglutination inhibition measurements, and their modes of binding to the lectin examined by nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) spectroscopy and quantitative precipitation analyses. The equivalence zones (regions of maximum precipitation) of the precipitin curves of Con A and the carbohydrates indicate that certain oligomannose and bisected hybrid type glycopeptides are bivalent for lectin binding. From the NMRD and precipitation data, two protein binding sites on each glycopeptide have been identified and characterized. Certain bisected complex type oligosaccharides also bind and precipitate Con A, while the corresponding nonbisected analogs bind but do not precipitate the protein. The precipitation data indicate that the bisected complex type oligosaccharides are also bivalent for lectin binding, while the nonbisected analogs are univalent. The NMRD and precipitation data are consistent with different mechanisms of binding of nonbisected and bisected complex type carbohydrates to Con A, including different conformations of the bound saccharides.
Protein binding of progesterone in the peripheral plasma during pregnancy and labor

Abstract This study was designed to determine the plasma levels of free and protein bound progesterone during normal pregnancy and labor in women. The total progesterone concentration was determined by gas-liquid chromatography and the percent protein bound by equilibrium dialysis during weeks 8, 17, 21, 28, 34, 38 and 40 of pregnancy and in 2 serial studies 1 week before and during spontaneous labor (15 determinations). The steroid-protein binding percentages were obtained using equilibrium dialysis at 37°C with diluted plasma samples. The percent of progesterone which was protein bound remained constant at 90.5 ± 1.2% throughout pregnancy and labor. This was similar to a 91.1 ± 0.6% binding of progesterone in a normal menstrual cycle (6 determinations). Since the total progesterone was highest in late pregnancy and labor, the free or biologically active progesterone was also maximal at the onset of labor. This finding in the peripheral blood does not substantiate the concept that a “progesterone withdrawal” is associated with the institution of parturition.
Differential regulation of the behavioral effects of chlordiazepoxide.

Chronic administration of the benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor agonist chlordiazepoxide (CDP) produced tolerance to its motor-impairing effects but little or no tolerance to its hypothermic effects or to its amnesic effects in the radial arm maze. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated for 14 days with CDP (25 mg/kg, b.i.d., IP) or saline, and chronic treatment was maintained throughout the experiments. Tolerance was evaluated by constructing dose-response curves to CDP following chronic administration of either CDP or saline. Tolerance developed to only certain behavioral effects of CDP. Tolerance developed to the motor-impairing effects of CDP as assessed in three different procedures: rotarod, spontaneous locomotor activity, and acquisition of the step-through inhibitory avoidance response. In contrast, tolerance did not develop to the hypothermic effects of CDP. Tolerance to the amnesic effects of CDP was contingent upon the behavioral procedure. For example, tolerance developed to reductions of retention latency in the step-through inhibitory avoidance response, but not to impairment of the acquisition of radial arm maze performance. These results are consistent with the effects of chronic BZ administration in humans and demonstrate a parallel regulation of drug effects, potentially mediated by regional differences in BZ receptor subtype regulation or composition.
EPR and ENDOR study of radiation-induced radical formation in purines: sodium inosine crystals X-irradiated at 10 K.

X-irradiated single crystals of sodium inosine (Na+·Inosine-·2.5H2O), in which the hypoxanthine base is present as the N1-deprotonated anion, were investigated using K-band (24 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electron−nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), and ENDOR induced EPR (EIE) techniques at 10 K. At least five different radicals were present immediately after irradiation at 10 K. R1, which decayed upon warming the crystals to 50 K, was identified as the electron-loss product of the parent N1-deprotonated hypoxanthine base. Hyperfine couplings to HC8 and HC2 were fully characterized with ENDOR spectroscopy, and the identification was supported by DFT calculations. R2, which also decayed on warming to 50 K, exhibited nearly equal couplings to HC2 and HC8. Taken in combination with an extensive set of DFT calculations, the experimental results indicate that R2 is the (doubly negative) product of electron-gain by the initially anionic N1-deprotonated hypoxanthine parent. R3, which exhibited hype...
Self-organization of semiconductor nanocrystals by selective surface faceting

The formation and ordering of Si nanocrystals in dewetting and agglomeration of the thin single crystalline Si layer in silicon-on-insulator has been investigated using low-energy electron microscopy. The evolution of the Si dewetting and agglomeration is captured in real time, revealing the detailed process for the formation and ordering of the nanocrystals. A surface faceting mechanism governing this self-organized process is proposed and supported with first-principles calculations.
Pressure-shear waves in 6061-T6 aluminum and alpha-titanium

Abstract T he pressure-shear plate impact technique is used to study material behavior at high rates of deformation. In this technique, plastic waves of combined pressure and shear stresses are produced by impact of parallel plates skewed relative to their direction of approach. Commercially pure alpha-titanium and 6061-T6 aluminum are tested under a variety of pressure and shear tractions by using different combinations of impact velocities and angles of inclination. A laser interferometer system is used to monitor simultaneously the normal and transverse components of motion of a point at the rear surface of the target plate. The experimental results are compared with numerical solutions based on an elastic/viscoplastic model of the material. Both isotropic and kinematic strain hardening models are used in the computations. The results indicate that unlike the normal velocity profiles, the transverse velocity profiles are sensitive to the dynamic plastic response and, thus, can be used to study material behavior at high strain rates. For the materials tested the results suggest that the flow stress required for plastic straining increases markedly with increasing strain rate at strain rates above 104s−1. Hydrostatic pressure of the order that exists in the tests (up to 2 GPa) does not affect the plastic flow in 6061-T6 aluminum and appears to have at most a minor effect on the deformation of the titanium.
Composition of Fluoridated Dental Enamel Studied by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ESCA)

A combination of ESCA and argon-ion etching has been shown to be effective in determining the surface and subsurface composition of dental enamel. The heavy organic coating on enamel has been investigated. Beneath this coating, untreated enamel was found to have invariant phosphorus and calcuim concentrations over the region surface. The surface of enamel treated with an acid phosphate-fluoride gel was shown to be almost entirely connected to calcium fluoride. A phosphate species, noncalcium and possibly a sodium salt, was found to be present in the surface layer. At a depth lower than about 60 nm, there was a gradual increase in phosphorus concentration that approached the value for untreated enamel with increasing depth. The increasing phosphorus and decreasing fluorine concentrations were primarily caused by the increasing concentration of unreacted hydroxyapatite. These results have shown that ESCA coupled with argon-ion etching, can be used effectively to examine the surface and subsurface composition of dental enamel. The surface sensitivity, ability to strip thin layers of material, sensitivity to low atomic weight elements, and ability to differentiate between different oxidation states makes a combination of these two techniques extremely useful for dental research.
Peeking behind the page: using natural language processing to identify and explore the characters used to classify sea anemones

Abstract Although most phylogenetic investigations are motivated by questions about the evolution of morphological attributes, morphological data are increasingly rare as a source of characters for reconstructing phylogeny, in part because these attributes are time consuming to collect. Here we describe methods to mine the information contained in classifications as a source of phylogenetic characters, using the classification of actiniarian sea anemones (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) as our exemplar system. Our natural language processing pipeline recovers more than 400 characters in the most widely-used classification of sea anemones. However, the majority of these are problematic, reflecting semantic or logical inconsistencies or being scored for only a single taxon and thus inappropriate for phylogenetic reconstruction. Although the classification cannot be directly translated into a phylogenetic matrix, the exposure of the characters that underlie a classification provide important perspective into the basis and limits of a classification system and offer a valuable starting point for the creation of a phylogenetic matrix.
Structure dependence of free-charge transfer in charge-coupled devices

A detailed numerical analysis of charge-coupled-device (CCD) charge transfer is described and discussed. The analysis is based on solving the transport equation with a time-dependent surface field calculated from the actual device configuration. Devices with differento xide thicknesses and devices with electrode gaps are examined. The total fieldi s found to play an importanrt ole in charge transfer for all cases studied. The effective channel length is modulated by the net field present and is a function of time and electrode configuration. The transfer is found fastest and the effective channel length shortest when the charge is transferred from a region of low oxide capacitance into a region of high oxide capacitance. A low-capacitance electrode gap slows the charge transfer process.
Stria terminalis lesions alter the temporal pattern of copulatory behavior in the male golden hamster

The mating behavior of a group of male golden hamsters was observed before and after bilateral electrolytic lesions or knife cuts interrupting the stria terminalis (ST). Whereas males with bilateral lesions of the medial nucleus of the amygdala had previously been observed to stop mating, a majority of hamsters with bilateral ST destruction, whether by electrolytic lesions or knife cuts, continued to display mounts, intromissions, and ejaculations during tests over a two month postoperative period. ST-lesioned males did, however, display a distinctly altered pattern of copulation over the course of postoperative testing, consisting of an increase in mount latency during the first week, an increase in the inter-intromission interval during the second week, and an increase in the number of intromissions preceding ejaculation during the third and subsequent weekly tests. Males with bilateral lesions of the caudal amygdala, which damaged the amygdaloid exit of the ST, displayed alterations in copulatory behavior similar to those seen after bilateral ST destruction at a more rostral level.