cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Flow of Passive Neutrophils Into a 4 μm Pipet and Measurement of Cytoplasmic Viscosity

Neutrophils from five different individuals are isolated with a density separation technique. A total of 151 unactivated (passive) cells are rapidly aspirated at constant suction pressure and at room temperature into a pipet with a diameter of 4 microns. The suction pressures in excess of an initial yield threshold are 0.5, 1 and 2 kPa and are comparable to those encountered in the microcirculation. These pressures are well in excess of the small suction pressure of approximately 20 Pa that is required to form a static hemispherical bump on the cell. At a given aspiration pressure, the leading edge of an individual cell is "tracked" as it flows into the pipet. A theory based on the flow of a Newtonian liquid from either a hemisphere or a spherical segment into a cylinder is used to model the entry process. Both theory and experiment show that during most of the entry process the leading edge of the cell moves at a nearly constant velocity with a rapid acceleration at the end. For cells from five different individuals at the three different excess aspiration pressures, Newtonian theory gives a cytoplasmic viscosity of 135 +/- 54 Pa.s and overall entry times of 3.3s (0.5 kPa), 1.6s (1 kPa) and 0.82s (2 kPa). These results and those of Evans and Yeung at lower aspiration pressures indicate that the complex cytoplasm inside unactivated neutrophils behaves as a nearly Newtonian fluid with a viscosity on the order of 10(2) Pa.s over almost a two order of magnitude range in aspiration pressure and, thus, rate of deformation.
Dynamic response of tertiary systems in structures subjected to base excitation

Abstract The dynamic response of very lightweight equipment (tertiary subsystem) attached to light equipment (secondary subsystem) which in turn is attached to a heavier structure (primary subsystem) that is subjected to ground shock or earthquake excitation is investigated. Both the single-degree-of-freedom and multi-degree-of-freedom subsystem models are considered. The systems are damped as well as undamped, completely detuned (all natural frequencies of the subsystems well spaced), singly tuned (one natural frequency of each subsystem equal or close to one another), or multiply tuned (more than one natural frequency of the subsystems close to each other). Efficient techniques for the determination of the tertiary subsystem response that avoid a computationally intensive numerical integration of the combined system equations are presented.
Piston Assembly Design for Improved Thermal-Tribological Performance

The tribological system in the piston assembly of an internal combustion engine includes contacts at interfaces of piston/piston ring/cylinder liner, piston skirt/cylinder wall, and piston/piston pin/ connecting rod. The thermal and tribological properties of the piston, piston rings, and cylinder wall are critical to the life and quality of the engine. Severe wear and scuffing failure, especially at the ring/ring groove and ring/liner interfaces, may present a major problem if the piston temperature is too high. Temperature considerations for the piston often limit the effort to increase the engine power. A new engine piston incorporating the heat pipe cooling technology has been developed for reducing the piston temperature, especially in the ring land and along the piston wall. The current work aims at investigating the effect of reciprocating heat pipes on heat conduction in the piston, and thus the tribological behavior of the piston assembly. Due to the high thermal conductance of the reciprocating ...
Studies of biological polyphosphate through the use of phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance.

Abstract Preparations from electron-dense particulate structures of Micrococcus lysodeikticus gave a single sharp signal in the middle PO 4 region of the 31 P nmr spectrum identical in chemical shift and resolution to that of added high molecular weight synthetic polyphosphate. Interaction between this material and other particle constituents was reflected by the appearance and disappearance of this signal.
Hall and Drift Mobility in High-Resistivity Single-Crystal Silicon

Room-temperature Hall and drift mobilities have been measured for samples of single-crystal silicon ranging in resistivity from about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ ohm cm to nearly intrinsic. The Hall mobility figures indicated for lattice scattering are 1560 and 345 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/volt sec for electrons and holes respectively, whereas drift mobility values of 1360 and 510 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/volt sec for electrons and holes, respectively, are found.
Crayon lighting: sketch-guided illumination of models

An interactive and intuitive way of designing lighting around a model is desirable in many applications. In this paper, we present a tool for interactive inverse lighting in which a model is rendered based on sketched lighting effects. To specify target lighting, the user freely sketches bright and dark regions on the model as if coloring it with crayons. Using these hints and the geometry of the model, the system efficiently derives light positions, directions, intensities and spot angles, assuming a local point-light based illumination model. As the system also minimizes changes from the previous specifications, lighting can be designed incrementally. We formulate the inverse lighting problem as that of an optimization and solve it using a judicious mix of greedy and minimization methods. We also map expensive calculations of the optimization to graphics hardware to make the process fast and interactive. Our tool can be used to augment larger systems that use point-light based illumination models but lack intuitive interfaces for lighting design, and also in conjunction with applications like ray tracing where interactive lighting design is difficult to achieve.
Use of agarose in purification of deoxyribonucleic acid from sunflower.

Abstract DNA from sunflower plants can be freed of contaminating plant pigments by molecular sieve chromatography on agarose using 0.05 M Na borate-0.01 M ethylenediaminetetraacetate buffer, pH 9.0. The DNA is of relatively high molecular weight (4–5 × 10 6 ), with a buoyant density of 1.696 gm/cm 3 in cesium chloride (=37.5% guanosine plus cytosine) and protein and RNA content of less than 0.01% and 0.6%, respectively.
Hypoxic wetland tributaries as faunal refugia from an introduced predator

– The introduction of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) into the Lake Victoria basin of East Africa has coincided with the decline or disappearance of hundreds of indigenous species. To mitigate additional biodiversity loss, we must learn what limits the spread of Nile perch and what habitats serve as refugia for prey species. Heavily vegetated wetlands may protect fishes from Nile perch predation by providing both structural and low-oxygen refugia for prey species tolerant of hypoxia. To examine the potential of wetlands as refugia we quantified the composition, persistence, and stability of fish assemblages in a wetland tributary of Lake Nabugabo, a satellite lake of Lake Victoria in which Nile perch have been introduced. Nile perch were extremely rare in the wetland, and nine of the 18 species that have disappeared from the open waters of the satellite lake were captured in the tributary in this study. Dissolved oxygen was chronically low in the river and may be important in shaping fish community characteristics. Faunal attenuation occurred as the dry season progressed and oxygen levels dropped; however, the most common species remained through seasonal changes. The chronically low oxygen conditions in the werland tributary may permit persistence of only hypoxia-tolerant species. However, wetland conditions seem to limit exploitation by Nile perch providing critical refugia for a subset of the basin fauna.
Decoherence of a superposition of macroscopic current states in a SQUID

We show that fundamental conservation laws mandate parameter-free mechanisms of decoherence of quantum oscillations of the superconducting current between opposite directions in a superconducting quantum interference device---emission of phonons and photons at the oscillation frequency. The corresponding rates are computed and compared with experimental findings. The decohering effects of external mechanical and magnetic noises are investigated.
Performance modeling of an upgraded NIRSPEC on Keck

NIRSPEC is a high-resolution near-infrared (1-5 micron) echelle spectrometer in use on the Keck II telescope. We are designing an upgrade to the spectrometer, and here we present modeling for the expected performance of the upgraded system. The planned upgrade will (1) replace the Aladdin III science detector with a Teledyne H2RG, (2) update the slitviewing camera (SCAM) detector to an H1RG and replace the optics, and (3) upgrade the instrument control electronics. The new spectrometer detector has smaller pixels but a larger format, and its improved noise characteristics will provide a dramatic increase in sensitivity, especially between OH lines in H-band and shorter wavelengths. Optical modeling shows that the upgraded system is expected to achieve higher spectral resolution and a larger spectral grasp. Also, preliminary modeling of the SCAM optical design aims to permit operation from 1-5 μm, overcoming a limitation with the existing system.
Detection of lithocholic acid in multiple sclerosis brain tissue.

By methods previously employed for detecting lithocholic acid in brains of guinea pigs afflicted with experimental allergic encephalitis, the same acid was detected in a coronal specimen of human brain obtained on autopsy of a multiple sclerosis patient. The specimen contained several well-defined demyelinated plaque areas. No lithocholic acid was detected in a somewhat larger coronal specimen of normal human brain.
Floquet description of multiphoton processes in Li.

We have made several different types of measurements of the three-photon ionization of Li produced by 3-ps laser pulses and describe the results using a Floquet picture. Over the photon frequency range 15 000 to 15 800 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, Li represents a strongly coupled three-state system with the 2s ground state coupled to the 2p and 3d states by one and two photons, respectively. Energy analysis of the photoelectrons allows the measurement of the intensity dependent shift of the 2s Floquet state during the laser pulse. The shift shows a strong frequency dependence that is not predicted by first-order perturbation theory. We have also measured the total ionization spectrum over several ranges of frequency, as well as the angular distribution of the ionization and the first above-threshold ionization peak for frequencies where the ground state is near resonance with the 4s and 4d excited states. Calculations based on the Floquet Hamiltonian indicate that all of these processes may be understood in terms of a Floquet description.
Astronomical and Atmospheric Fourier Transform Spectroscopy at Submillimeter Wavelengths

A Fourier Transform Spactrometer based at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory on Mauna Kea, HI (4100 m. above sea level) has now been operational for several years. The broadband spectra acquired with this instrument are complementary to the very narrowband heterodyne spectra more typical of astronomical and atmospheric observations at such long wavelengths. Although less sensitive than heterodyne observations, the broadband FTS approach has allowed a number of unique observations to be acquired in fields as diverse as atmospheric spectroscopy, planetary spectroscopy, and observations of the interstellar medium. Given the broadband nature of the spectra, accurate calibration for atmospheric and beam coupling effects are possible, allowing high precision to be achieved in the measurements both of our atmosphere's longwave opacity, and of planetary continuum brightness temperatures.
1636 THE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN E ON THE PRODUCTION OF PROSTACYCLIN IN THE HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME

There is speculation that the antioxidant Vitamin E might be helpful in treating the Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) by virtue of its ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and promote PGI2 production. Even though we have previously reported normal vitamin E levels and normal Vitamin E/Total Lipid ratios in 15 children with HUS, we decided to see if the in vitro addition of pharmacologic amounts of vitamin E to HUS sera would stimulate cultured endothelial cells to increase their production of PGI2-PGI2 production was assessed by radioimmunoassay of its stable metabolite, 6-keto PGF1α. The following results (mean±SD) were obtained before and after the addition of either 5mg/dl of Vitamin E (n=8) or the Vitamin E vehicle (alcohol) (n=7) to HUS sera: Increasing the concentration of Vitamin E in HUS sera to approximately six times normal had no effect on the ability of HUS sera to stimulate cultured endothelial cells to produce PGI2. While higher doses of Vitamin E might be effective, and while the results of this ex vivo study do not necessarily apply to in vivo situations, these results, plus our earlier finding of normal Vitamin E levels in HUS patients, fail to support a role for Vitamin E in the pathogenesis or treatment of HUS.
Both Layers of the COPII Coat Come into View

Anterograde transport in the early secretory pathway is mediated by COPII-coated vesicles. Stagg et al. (2008) have now visualized the double-layered COPII coat using electron cryomicroscopy, providing insight into how coats are assembled to accommodate cargo of different sizes.
MEASUREMENT OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR VOLUME BY CINEANGIOFLUOROGRAPHY.

Abstract A method for measuring the volume of both ventricles in dogs over several cardiac cycles is available; it demonstrates significant differences, from moment to moment, in ejection patterns of the two ventricles but confirms the fact that stroke volumes are usually identical. The volume of the interventricular septum was found to be relatively large at rest; it amounts to about 50 per cent of the stroke volume under the conditions of the experiments.
INACCURACIES AND VARIABILITY OF INDIRECT PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS DURING CARDIOPLEGIA ADMINISTRATION

This study shows cardioplegic delivery requires direct measurement of intravascular pressure, rather than its estimation by calibration of individual delivery systems or by aortic palpation. The effects of temperature, hematocrit, flow rate, and cannula type were tested in vitro after recording intravascular pressure during routine cardiac operations. Inaccuracies were introduced by estimating intravascular pressure, as changes in blood viscosity are affected by hematocrit and temperature, and delivery system pressure varied in relation with the type of cannula, direction of perfusion, and flow rate. Additionally, clinical delivery introduces the variable of intravascular resistance. The variability of direct intravascular pressure versus predicted pressure increased as flow rate was raised. These inaccuracies were overcome completely by directly monitoring intravascular pressure from the side ports of antegrade and retrograde cannulas. We conclude that (1) monitoring cardioplegic delivery device pressure is useful primarily to detect potential obstruction in the delivery system that must be corrected intraoperatively and (2) predicted pressure (by either palpation or in vitro calibration) is an unreliable method of determining intravascular pressure during cardioplegic delivery.
Animal Trademark Emblems on Fashion Apparel: A Semiotic Interpretation: Part I. Interpretive Strategy

Animal trademark emblems on fashion apparel are proposed as signs representing conditions of American life and culture. In Part I an interpretive strategy which synthesizes semiotic theory with analytic and interpretive methods common to the visual arts is developed Peirce's triad of icon, index, and symbol is described as the framework for analysis. Panofsky's classic model for interpreting visual works of high art is the method through which the emblems are interpreted; the application is justified through popular culture theory. In Part II animal trademark emblems are interpreted as icon, index, and symbol of American culture, and the potential value of Peirce's trichotomy to semiotic analysis in broader areas of dress is suggested
Chemical whitings and chlorophyll distributions in the Great Lakes as viewed by Landsat

A chemical precipitation of calcium carbonate, or whiting, was first observed by satellite in Lake Michigan during August 1973. Since that initial observation similar events have been noted in Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario with imagery from Landsat, Skylab, and NOAA satellites. By the use of Landsat multispectral data together with NOAA thermal infrared data, it has been observed that whitings occur several meters below the lake surface in relatively warm water. They are most vividly displayed during and after periods of upwelling. As the epilimnetic waters become supersaturated with Ca(+2) ions during summer, a triggering mechanism (presumably biological or physical) initiates the whiting, which may continue for several months. The effects on the biota of the euphotic zone when this milky cloud is present in the upper layers are poorly understood. However, Great Lakes circulation studies are taking advantage of these natural dye tracers.
Response of hybrid bermudagrass to sulfur application

Abstract The S requirement of crops has traditionally been meet by using S‐containing fertilizers and the S in rainfall. With the reduction of S in these sources, S deficiencies are becoming more widespread. Over four million hectares of the genus Cynodon are grown in the southeastern U. S. for forage. The primary objective of this study was to measure the response of ‘Coastal’ and ‘Alicia’ bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] to S application. Sulfur was applied to established stands in May annually for three years. Soil type was Marietta fine sandy loam (fine‐loamy, silicious, thermic Fluvaquentic Eutrochrept). Yield data were collected by clipping a swath through the length of each plot when the forage on the lowest yielding plot had reached a height of approximately 30 cm. A response to S application was obtained each year for the first clipping only. Regression analyses indicated that maximum yield of Coastal and Alicia cultivars was obtained with 13 and 16 kg S/ha, respectively. The maximum yi...
Photovoltaic Module Reliability Improvement through Application Testing and Failure Analysis

Field experience obtained through photovoltaic test and application experiments sponsored by the US Department of Energy has offered an opportunity for solar cell module reliability assessment and improvement. Through a formal problem/failure reporting and analysis system, field problems have been identified and characterized. The causes of field failures have been analyzed with respect to environmental and operational stresses and to induced degradation mechanisms. On the basis of these results, manufacturers have improved the reliability of later generations of modules through changes in design, material selection, and manufacturing controls. This paper summarizes field experience, describes key failure modes, and evaluates industry progress in addressing such problems.
A note on some languages in uniform ACC 0

`ACC'' IS THE CLASS OF LANGUAGES RECOGNIZED BY CIRCUIT FAMILIES WITH POLYNOMIAL SIZE, CONSTANT DEPTH, AND UNBOUNDED FAN-IN, WHERE GATES MAY CALCULATE THE `AND'', `OR'', OR `MOD C'' FUNCTION FOR CONSTANT `C''. ROBUST UNIFORMITY DEFINITIONS FOR `ACC'' AND RELATED CLASSES WERE GIVEN BY BARRINGTON, IMMERMAN, AND STRAUBING [3]. HERE WE SHOW THAT UNIFORM `ACC'' CONTAINS ALL SEMI-LINEAR OR RATIONAL SETS OF INTEGER VECTORS, USING BINARY NOTATION (SHARPENING A RESULT OF IBARRA, JIANG, RAVIKUMAR, AND CHANG [10]).
More DD difference sets

Dillon and Dobbertin proved that if L := GF(2 m ), gcd(k, m) = 1, d := 4 k ? 2 k + 1 and Δ k (x) := (x + 1) d + x d + 1, then B k := L\Δ k (L) is a difference set in the cyclic multiplicative group L × of L. Used in the proof were the auxiliary functions $$c_k^{\gamma}(x) := b_k(\gamma x^{2^k+1})$$ , where ? is in L × and b k is the characteristic function of B k on L. When m is odd $$c_k^{\gamma}$$ is itself the characteristic function of a cyclic difference set which is equivalent to B k . In this paper we point out that when m is even and ? is not a cube in L then $$c_k^{\gamma}$$ is the characteristic function of a difference set in the elementary abelian additive group of L; i.e. $$c_k^{\gamma}$$ is a bent function.
A Simple Novel Method for Determining Mortality Rates in HIV Treatment Programs Worldwide

In this Perspective, Gregory Bisson discusses a new article by Matthias Egger and colleagues that introduces a simple method for HIV treatment programs to more accurately estimate the proportion of patients dying in the first year after ART initiation.
Constrained Codes that Mitigate Inter-Cell Interference in Read/Write Cycles for Flash Memories

Inter-cell interference (ICI) is one of the main obstacles to precise programming (i.e., writing) of a flash memory. In the presence of ICI, the voltage level of a cell might increase unexpectedly if its neighboring cells are programmed to high levels. For q-ary cells, the most severe ICI arises when three consecutive cells are programmed to levels high - low - high, represented as (q-1)0(q-1), resulting in an unintended increase in the level of the middle cell and the possibility of decoding it incorrectly as a nonzero value. ICI-free codes are used to mitigate this phenomenon by preventing the programming of any three consecutive cells as (q-1)0(q-1). In this work, we extend ICI-free codes in two directions. First, we consider binary balanced ICI-free codes which, in addition to forbidding the 101 pattern, require the number of 0 symbols and 1 symbols to be the same. Using combinatorial methods, we determine the asymptotic information rate of these codes and show that the asymptotic rate loss due to the imposition of the balanced property is approximately 2%. Extensions to q-ary cells, for q>2 are also discussed. Next, we consider q-ary ICI-free write-once-memory (WOM) codes that support multiple writes of a WOM while mitigating ICI effects. These codes forbid the appearance of the (q-1)0(q-1) pattern in any codeword used in any writing step. Using properties of two-dimensional constrained codes and generalized WOMs, we characterize the maximum sum-rate of t-write ICI-free WOM codes or, equivalently, the t-write sum-capacity of an ICI-free WOM.
NOTE ON THE ROLE OF NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY IN UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SELF-REPORTS OF EXERCISE AND SICK LEAVE

Previous research indicates that observed correlations between self-reports of job stress and self-reports of strain may be reduced after partialling out the variance due to the personality trait of negative affectivity. The present study examined the effect of negative affectivity on the relationships between self-reports of exercise and strain in a sample of 128 governmental employees. While the magnitudes of the bivariate correlations between exercise and strain were small, the results of semipartial correlation analyses were somewhat consistent with expectations that the magnitudes of bivariate correlations between exercise participation and self-reports of strain would be reduced after controlling for negative affectivity in measures of strain. The implications of these findings for incorporating a measure of negative affectivity in studies of exercise-strain relationships involving self-reports are discussed.
Oral Traditions as Historical Sources in Ethiopia: The Case of the Beta Israel (Falasha)*

It is axiomatic that historians should use all available sources. African historiography has been on the cutting edge of methodological innovation for the last three decades, utilizing written sources, oral traditions, archeology, linguistics, ethnography, musicology, botany, and other techniques to bring respect and maturity to the field.But the use of such a diverse methodology has brought controversy as well, particularly regarding oral traditions. Substantial criticisms have been raised concerning the problems of chronology and limited time depth, variations in different versions of the same events, and the problem of feedback between oral and written sources. A “structuralist” critique deriving from Claude Levi-Strauss's study of Amerindian mythology has provided a useful corrective to an overly-literal acceptance of oral traditions, but often went too far in throwing out the historical baby with the mythological bathwater, leading some historians to reject totally the use of oral data. A more balanced view has shown that a modified structural approach can be a useful tool in historical analysis. In Ethiopian historiography some preliminary speculations were made along structuralist lines,5 although in another sense such an approach was always implicit since the analysis of Ethiopie written hagiographies and royal chronicles required an awareness of the mythological or folk elements they contain.Two more difficult problems to overcome have been the Ethiopie written documents' centrist and elitist focus on the royal monarchy and Orthodox church. The old Western view that “history” required the existence of written documents and a state led to the paradigm of Ethiopia as an “outpost of Semitic civilization” and its historical and historiographical separation from the rest of Africa. The comparatively plentiful corpus of written documentation for Ethiopian history allowed such an approach, and the thousands of manuscripts made available to scholars on microfilm in the last fifteen years have demonstrated the wealth still to be found in written sources. However, such sources, although a starting point for research on Ethiopian history, no longer seem adequate in themselves because they focus primarily on political-military and religious events concerning the monarchy and church.
DEP®ESSION AND CONSUM♀TION: PSYCHOPHARMACEUTICALS, BRANDING, AND NEW IDENTITY PRACTICES

As pharmaceuticals are moving from private patient–doctor conversations to public television and print advertisements, best-selling books, and top TV shows, as well as into everyday conversations around risk and illness, how people understand health, sickness, and their own identity is also changing. This paper explores some of these changes by unpacking some of the social, political, and personal layers that are complicating the production and marketing of prescription drugs, and that are transforming the identity practices around contested illness. I focus on Sarafem and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (the illness Sarafem was marketed for) as a case study.
The Exonuclease Activity of Human Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease (APE1) BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND INHIBITION BY THE NATURAL DINUCLEOTIDE Gp4G

Human DNA apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1) plays a key role in the DNA base excision repair process. In this study, we further characterized the exonuclease activity of APE1. The magnesium requirement and pH dependence of the exonuclease and endonuclease activities of APE1 are significantly different. APE1 showed a similar K(m) value for matched, 3' mispaired, or nucleoside analog beta-l-dioxolane-cytidine terminated nicked DNA as well as for DNA containing a tetrahydrofuran, an abasic site analog. The k(cat) for exonuclease activity on matched, 3' mispaired, and beta-l-dioxolane-cytidine nicked DNA are 2.3, 61.2, and 98.8 min(-1), respectively, and 787.5 min(-1) for APE1 endonuclease. Site-directed APE1 mutant proteins (E96A, E96Q, D210E, D210N, and H309N), which target amino acid residues in the endonuclease active site, also showed significant decrease in exonuclease activity. Gp(4)G was the only potent inhibitor to compete against the substrates of endonuclease and exonuclease activities among all tested naturally occurring ribo-, deoxyribo-nucleoside/nucleotides, NAD(+), NADP(+), and Ap(4)A. The K(i) values of Gp(4)G for the endonuclease and exonuclease activities of APE1 are 10 +/- 0.6 and 1 +/- 0.2 microm, respectively. Given the relative concentrations of Gp(4)G, 3' mispaired, and abasic DNA, Gp(4)G may play an important role in regulating APE1 activity in cells. The data presented here suggest that the APE1 exonuclease and AP endonuclease are two distinct activities. APE1 may exist in two different conformations, and each conformation has a preference for a substrate. The different conformations can be affected by MgCl(2) or salt concentrations.
Surface functions during mitosis I: Phagocytosis, pinocytosis and mobility of surface-bound ConA

Abstract Phagocytosis, pinocytosis and the surface distribution of concanavalin A (ConA) have been analyzed during mitosis in several mammalian cell lines. Use of the bisbenzimidazole dye, Hoechst 33258, for chromosome staining after gentle fixation made possible the rapid identification and correlation of mitotic phase with surface properties. Phagocytosis of both opsonized and nonopsonized particles is markedly depressed in mitotic cells of the mouse macrophage cell line J774.1. The uptake of opsonized particles (IgG-coated erythrocytes) is Impaired from early prophase through early G1, whereas phagocytosis of non-opsonized particles (latex beads) is restored by telophase. Fluid pinocytosis, determined by the uptake of soluble horseradish peroxidase, is also inhibited during mitosis. Thus peroxidase-containing cytoplasmic vesicles were virtually absent from mid-prophase through telophase in both J774 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Adsorptive pinocytosis of ConA was determined from the different distributions of fluorescence in single cells incubated at 37°C with rhodamine-conjugated ConA (surface and cytoplasmic label), then fixed and further incubated with fluorescein-conjugated anti-ConA (surface only). The separate fluorescence of Hoechst, fluorescein and rhodamine could be optically isolated. In interphase J774 cells, ConA is rapidly internalized into cytoplasmic vesicles. In contrast, ConA is restricted to the plasma membrane from mid-prophase through telophase. In CHO, the depressed pattern of internalization is not fully established until metaphase. The surface distribution of ConA also varied dramatically as a function of mitotic phase. Between mid-prophase and early anaphase, the pattern of surface ConA-receptor complexes is diffuse. Once the cleavage furrow begins to develop, however, ConA moves into the region of the furrow. This was shown in J774, CHO and 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts, and is probably universal. ConA movement into the membrane that overlies the microfilaments of the contractile ring is analogous to similar movements that occur in interphase cells during ConA cap formation and during the development of phagocytic pseudopods. The analogy emphasizes the common functional consequences of microfilament-membrane organization. It is evident that membrane processes which depend upon endocytosis-for example, certain hormone-induced signals-may be interrupted during mitosis. Inhibition of endocytosis thus may be a significant element in the control of cellular activities during mitosis and a strong influence on the properties of the emergent post-mitotic cell.
Endocytosis-mediated downregulation of LIN-12/Notch upon Ras activation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The coordination of signals from different pathways is important for cell fate specification during animal development. Here, we define a novel mode of crosstalk between the epidermal growth factor receptor/Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and the LIN-12/Notch pathway during Caenorhabditis elegans vulval development. Six vulval precursor cells (VPCs) are initially equivalent but adopt different fates as a result of an inductive signal mediated by the Ras pathway and a lateral signal mediated by the LIN-12/Notch pathway1. One consequence of activating Ras is a reduction of LIN-12 protein in P6.p (ref. 2), the VPC believed to be the source of the lateral signal. Here we identify a ‘downregulation targeting signal’ (DTS) in the LIN-12 intracellular domain, which encompasses a di-leucine-containing endocytic sorting motif. The DTS seems to be required for internalization of LIN-12, and on Ras activation it might mediate altered endocytic routing of LIN-12, leading to downregulation. We also show that if LIN-12 is stabilized in P6.p, lateral signalling is compromised, indicating that LIN-12 downregulation is important in the appropriate specification of cell fates in vivo.
A Mechanism of Interference to Frequency-Hopping Receivers

When collocated with in-band transmitters, the performance of a frequency-hopping receiver may be substantially degraded due to unwanted energy received during frequency-changing periods. It is shown that such energy may cause "ringing" that extends well into the dwell time. A simple calculation procedure is provided for estimating the severity of the effect.
Mitochondrial dysfunction induces aberrant insulin signalling and glucose utilisation in murine C2C12 myotube cells

Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered a critical component in the development of diabetes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes through investigation of mitochondrial retrograde signalling. Mitochondrial function of C2C12 myotube cells was impaired by genetic (ethidium bromide) and metabolic (oligomycin) stress, and changes in target molecules related to insulin signalling were analysed. Concomitant with reductions in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and ATP synthesis, production of IRS1 and solute carrier family 2 (facilitated glucose transporter), member 4 (SLC2A4, formerly known as GLUT4) were reduced. Moreover, serine phosphorylation of IRS1 increased, resulting in decreased tyrosine phosphorylation. This indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction decreases insulin-stimulated SLC2A4 translocation and glucose uptake. Mitochondrial stress activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signalling in a Ca2+-dependent manner, and removal of free Ca2+ by BAPTA-AM, as well as inhibition of JNK and p38 MAPK, abrogated mitochondrial stress-induced reductions in IRS1 and SLC2A4 production. Mitochondrial dysfunction after oligomycin treatment significantly increased levels of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), which represses Irs1 promoter activity. Removal of the 5′ flanking region of Irs1 demonstrated that the promoter region within 191 bases from the transcription site may be involved in the transcriptional repression of Irs1 by mitochondrial stress. We show distinct mitochondrial retrograde signalling, where Irs1 is downregulated through ATF3 in a Ca2+-, JNK- and p38 MAPK-dependent manner, and IRS1 is inactivated. Therefore, mitochondrial dysfunction causes aberrant insulin signalling and abnormal utilisation of glucose, as observed in many insulin resistance states.
Preliminary optical design of a varied line-space spectrograph for the multichannel detection of Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectra in the 280- to 550-eV energy range

The optical design of a varied line-space spectrograph for the multi-channel recording of NEXAFS spectra in a single {open_quotes}snapshot{close_quotes} is proposed. The spectrograph is to be used with a bending magnet source on beamline 7.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). Approximately 20 volts of spectra are simultaneously imaged across a small square of material sample at each respective K absorption edge of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Photoelectrons emitted from the material sample will be collected by an electron imaging microscope, the view field of which determines the sampling size. The sample also forms the exit slit of the optical system. This dispersive method of NEXAFS data acquisition is three to four orders of magnitude faster than the conventional method of taking data point-to-point using scanning of the grating. The proposed design is presented along with the design method and supporting SHADOW raytrace analysis.
Monitoring Vegetation Phenological Cycles in Two Different Semi-Arid Environmental Settings Using a Ground-Based NDVI System: A Potential Approach to Improve Satellite Data Interpretation

In semi-arid environmental settings with sparse canopy covers, obtaining remotely sensed information on soil and vegetative growth characteristics at finer spatial and temporal scales than most satellite platforms is crucial for validating and interpreting satellite data sets. In this study, we used a ground-based NDVI system to provide continuous time series analysis of individual shrub species and soil surface characteristics in two different semi-arid environmental settings located in the Great Basin (NV, USA). The NDVI system was a dual channel SKR-1800 radiometer that simultaneously measured incident solar radiation and upward reflectance in two broadband red and near-infrared channels comparable to Landsat-5 TM band 3 and band 4, respectively. The two study sites identified as Spring Valley 1 site (SV1) and Snake Valley 1 site (SNK1) were chosen for having different species composition, soil texture and percent canopy cover. NDVI time-series of greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) from the SV1 site allowed for clear distinction between the main phenological stages of the entire growing season during the period from January to November, 2007. NDVI time series values were significantly different between sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) at SV1 as well as between the two bare soil types at the two sites. Greasewood NDVI from the SNK1 site produced significant correlations with chlorophyll index (r = 0.97), leaf area index (r = 0.98) and leaf xylem water potential (r = 0.93). Whereas greasewood NDVI from the SV1 site produced lower correlations (r = 0.89, r = 0.73), or non significant correlations (r = 0.32) with the same parameters, respectively. Total percent cover was estimated at 17.5% for SV1 and at 63% for SNK1. Results from this study indicated the potential capabilities of using this ground-based NDVI system to extract spatial and temporal details of soil and vegetation optical properties not possible with satellite derived NDVI.
Choline Requirement of Swim‐Up Rainbow Trout Fry

Abstract Triplicate 150-fish lots of first-feeding fry of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; initial mean weight, 0. 12 g) were fed casein–gelatin-based diets containing 0, 200, 400, 800, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, or 8,000 mg choline/kg of feed for 12 weeks to determine their need for dietary choline. Although the growth rates of fry were suboptimal, results showed that fry needed no more than 4,000 mg choline/kg casein–gelatin diet for maximum growth and 2,000 mg/kg for maximum body fat and minimum protein. Survival was significantly lower for fish fed 800 mg choline/kg of diet than for those fed greater amounts of the nutrient. These results suggest that the dietary choline requirement of early feeding salmonids is greater than that previously reported for older salmonids. The amount of choline needed by fishes apparently decreases with age or size.
Tissue-Specific Expression of the Human Brain Natriuretic Peptide Gene in Cardiac Myocytes

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac hormone constitutively expressed in the adult heart. To identify the cis-acting elements involved in regulation of the human BNP gene, we subcloned the full-length promoter (-1818 to +100) and deletions thereof upstream from a luciferase reporter gene and transiently transfected them into primary cultures of neonatal rat atrial and ventricular myocytes and myocardial fibroblasts. Luciferase activity of the full-length construct was higher in ventricular (39064 +/- 8488 relative light units, N=11) and atrial (11225 +/- 1907, N=17) myocytes than myocardial fibroblasts (329 +/- 113, n=5). Maximal promoter activity in ventricular and atrial myocytes was maintained by sequences positioned between -1818 and -1283 relative to the transcription start site. Deletion to -1175 resulted in a decrease, whereas further deletion to -500 effected an increase in reporter activity in both cell types. In ventricular and atrial myocytes, deletion from -500 to -40 reduced luciferase activity 20-fold and 2-fold, respectively, whereas in myocardial fibroblasts, deletion to -40 upregulated the BNP promoter 2-fold. Of note, deleting 16 bp between -127 and -111 reduced luciferase activity 7-fold and 4-fold in ventricular and atrial myocytes, respectively, but had essentially no effect on luciferase activity in fibroblasts. Placement of sequences lying between -127 and -40 upstream from a heterologous thymidine kinase promoter resulted in reporter expression that was 7.4-fold greater than the vector alone in ventricular myocytes, approximately 2-fold greater in atrial myocytes, and equivalent to the vector alone in fibroblasts. For study of activity of the human BNP promoter in adult myocytes, either 408 or 97 bp of 5' flanking sequence coupled to the luciferase reporter gene was injected into the apex of adult male Sprague-Dawley rat hearts. After 7 days, luciferase activity in the injected myocardium was 9.8-fold higher for the longer construct (70683 +/- 14744 versus 7223 +/- 3920, n=4, P < .01), consistent with our in vitro data. These data indicate that (1) the full-length human BNP promoter is more active in ventricular versus atrial myocytes and essentially inactive in fibroblasts, (2) the distal BNP promoter contains both positive and negative regulatory elements, (3) a region of the proximal BNP promoter located between -127 and -40 confers tissue specificity, and (4) the BNP promoter is active after injection into the adult rat heart.
Centrality in social networks conceptual clarification

Abstract The intuitive background for measures of structural centrality in social networks is reviewed and existing measures are evaluated in terms of their consistency with intuitions and their interpretability. Three distinct intuitive conceptions of centrality are uncovered and existing measures are refined to embody these conceptions. Three measures are developed for each concept, one absolute and one relative measure of the centrality of positions in a network, and one reflecting the degree of centralization of the entire network. The implications of these measures for the experimental study of small groups is examined.
ON THE APPLICATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND MOVING-RANGE CHARTS TO INSULATED WIRE PRODUCTION

An insulated wire production process is analyzed and a combination of individual-less-nominal and moving-range charts is proposed. These charts are designed to meet the objectives of simplicity in use, reasonable sensitivity, and formal data collection ..
Algebraic Quasi-Cyclic LDPC Codes: Construction, Low Error-Floor, Large Girth and a Reduced-Complexity Decoding Scheme

This paper presents a simple and very flexible method for constructing quasi-cyclic (QC) low density paritycheck (LDPC) codes based on finite fields. The code construction is based on two arbitrary subsets of elements from a given field. Some well known constructions of QC-LDPC codes based on finite fields and combinatorial designs are special cases of the proposed construction. The proposed construction in conjunction with a technique, known as masking, results in codes whose Tanner graphs have girth 8 or larger. Experimental results show that codes constructed using the proposed construction perform well and have low error-floors. Also presented in the paper is a reduced-complexity iterative decoding scheme for QC-LDPC codes based on the section-wise cyclic structure of their parity-check matrices. The proposed decoding scheme is an improvement of an earlier proposed reduced-complexity iterative decoding scheme.
The disposition of 6-deoxyacyclovir, a xanthine oxidase-activated prodrug of acyclovir, in the isolated perfused rat liver.

The antiviral drug, acyclovir, has been used in the treatment of chronic type B hepatitis. High serum concentrations of acyclovir are required to achieve inhibition of hepatitis B viral replication. Because only 15 to 20% of an oral dose is absorbed, it is necessary to administer acyclovir by intravenous infusion. 6-Deoxyacyclovir, an analog of acyclovir, is well absorbed when given orally, and is converted to acyclovir by xanthine oxidase which is present in the gut and liver. This study has examined the hepatic disposition of 6-deoxyacyclovir in a 100 ml recirculating (12 ml per min) perfused rat liver system. Following administration of a bolus dose of 5 μmoles 6-deoxyacyclovir to the reservoir, perfusate concentrations of 6-deoxyacyclovir declined monoexponentially, as the metabolite acyclovir appeared in the perfusate. Addition of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol (5 mg) to the perfusate reservoir prior to the administration of 6-deoxyacyclovir resulted in impaired hepatic metabolism of 6-deoxyacyclovir, as demonstrated by a 47% reduction in systemic clearance rate (4.5 ± 0.4 to 2.4 ± 0.9 ml per min; p < 0.05) (mean ± S.E., n = 6) and a 1.8-fold increase in terminal elimination half-life of 6-deoxyacyclovir (23.5 ± 2.7 to 42.7 ± 4.1 min; p < 0.05), accompanied by a 30% reduction in appearance of acyclovir. The efficient hepatic conversion of 6-deoxyacyclovir to the active antiviral drug, acyclovir, provides a rationale for trials of oral 6-deoxyacyclovir in the treatment of chronic type B hepatitis.
Depressive symptoms over first grade and their response to a developmental epidemiologically based preventive trial aimed at improving achievement

This article is about the course of depressive symptoms during a classroom-based randomized preventive field trial aimed at improving reading achievement among first-grade children in an urban population of mixed ethnicity and lower middle to low socioeconomic status. In the fall, children reported high levels of depressive symptoms, a risk factor for major depressive disorder. There was a linear relationship in the fall between depressive symptoms and achievement test scores. Among male children in intervention classrooms whose gain in achievement was at least the national average, depression from fall to spring was decreased, compared to those whose achievement gain was lower. Among female children both in the control and in the intervention classrooms, there was also a significant relationship between gain in achievement and the course of depression.
Tunable Surface-Plasmon Resonances in Strongly Coupled Metallo-Dielectric Multiple Layers

The coupling between semiconductor electron-hole pairs and surface plasmons in metallo-dielectric stacks is investigated experimentally and theoretically, showing that these heterostructures can be used to introduce geometrically tunable resonances in the photonic density of modes.
Optimization of wastewater microalgae saccharification using dilute acid hydrolysis for acetone, butanol, and ethanol fermentation.

Abstract Exploring and developing sustainable and efficient technologies for biofuel production are crucial for averting global consequences associated with fuel shortages and climate change. Optimization of sugar liberation from wastewater algae through acid hydrolysis was determined for subsequent fermentation to acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4. Acid concentration, retention time, and temperature were evaluated to determine optimal hydrolysis conditions by assessing the sugar and ABE yield as well as the associated costs. Sulfuric acid concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.5 M, retention times of 40–120 min, and temperatures from 23 °C to 90 °C were combined to form a full factorial experiment. Acid hydrolysis pretreatment of 10% dried wastewater microalgae using 1.0 M sulfuric acid for 120 min at 80–90 °C was found to be the optimal parameters, with a sugar yield of 166.1 g for kg of dry algae, concentrations of 5.23 g/L of total ABE, and 3.74 g/L of butanol at a rate of USD $12.54 per kg of butanol.