cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opposing roles of D1 and D2 receptors in appetitive conditioning.

Previous studies have shown that D1receptor blockade disrupts and D2 receptor blockade enhances long-term potentiation. These data lead to the prediction that D1 antagonists will attenuate and D2 antagonists will potentiate at least some types of learning. The prediction is difficult to test, however, because disruptions in either D1 or D2 transmission lead to reduced locomotion, exploration, and response execution and are therefore likely to impair learning that requires behavioral responding (including exploration of an environment) during the learning episode. Under a paradigm that minimizes motor requirements, rats were trained to enter a food compartment during pellet presentation. Animals then received tone–food pairings under the influence of D1antagonist SCH23390 (0, 0.4, 0.8, and 0.16 mg/kg) or D2antagonist raclopride (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg/kg). An additional group received unpaired presentations of tone and food. On a drug-free test day 24 hr later, animals that had been under the influence of SCH23390 (like animals that had received unpaired presentations of tone and food) showed reduced head entries in response to the tone, whereas animals that had been under the influence of raclopride showed increased head entries in response to the tone compared with vehicle controls. These data demonstrate that, under a conditioned approach paradigm, D1 and D2 family receptor antagonists disrupt and promote learning, respectively, as predicted by the effects of D1 and D2 receptor blockade on neuronal plasticity.
Hypogammaglobulinemia and Thymic Hypoplasia in Horses: a Primary Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder

A severe combined immunodeficiency disorder was demonstrated in two Arabian foals which were full siblings. The defect in the B-lymphocyte system was shown by hypogammaglobulinemia, lymphopenia, and absence of germinal centers. The almost total absence of thymic tissue in one foal and the lack of thymic dependent lymphocytes in the spleens of both foals demonstrate a T-lymphocyte defect. In a retrospective study of total available Arabian foal cases, 4 of 15 had evidence of immunodeficiency. Images
An improved version of the HULLAC code

Accurate and detailed atomic structure codes are needed for simulation of of spectrally resolved x-ray output of laser driven target. As such, the HULLAC code [1] has already been presented several times. Recently, cooperation was proposed to anyone interested in extending/developing the code. Until now, however, it needed to be worked on before distribution. We present here this development and the new added possibilities. HULLAC is now ready to be distributed on a basis of collaboration.
Effects of pentoxifylline in experimental acute renal failure.

Effects of pentoxifylline in experimental acute renal failure. The beneficial effects of post-insult administration of pentoxifylline, a novel hemorheologic agent experimentally studied in various ischemic diseases, were evaluated in two models of acute renal failure (ARF): direct nephrotoxicity (mercuric chloride 4 mg/kg via femoral vein) and hemoglobinuria (glycerol 10 ml/kg i.m.). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated at baseline and following drug administration by creatinine clearances; tubular function was assessed by renal fractional and absolute electrolyte excretions. The incidence of mortality was decreased with a single dose of pentoxifylline 45 mg/kg (21.4%) compared to control rats (71.4%) 48 hours following induction of ARF with mercuric chloride. Although GFR and renal electrolyte excretion were significantly greater in rats given pentoxifylline compared to saline, the magnitude of difference was minimal. A return to baseline GFR was observed in the glycerol group administered a single i.p. dose of pentoxifylline 45 mg/kg (100.8 ± 54.8%) compared to saline controls (45.6 ± 22.7%; P
Esterification of Cholesterol by Homogenates of Rat Adrenal Tissue

Although the ability of the rat adrenal gland to esterify cholesterol has not previously been demonstrated, we have found that cholesterol esterifying activity is present in homogenates of that tissue. This activity was found largely in that fraction of the homogenate sedimenting between 20,000 and 85,000 ×g. The reaction required ATP, coenzyme A, Mg++ and reduced glutathione for optimal activity, and could be abolished by n-ethylmaleimide or by preheating the homogenized tissue. The pattern of fatty acids esterified to cholesterol by homogenized rat adrenal tissue resembles the pattern found in vivo in the gland, while both these patterns differ markedly from that found in cholesterol esters in the sarum. It is suggested that a significant amount of the cholesterol esters of the rat adrenal is formed in situ.
Modal Analysis of In-Use Emissions from Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines: On-Board Measurement

This paper reports the results of modal analysis performed to determine the episodic nature of events and emissions for engine operation within the not-to-exceed (NTE) zone, for each of the selected routes. West Virginia University developed a portable emissions measurement device called the mobile emissions measurement system to obtain engine operating conditions, vehicle speed, and in-use brake-specific emissions of CO 2 and NO.( from heavy-duty vehicles, tested on specific routes, which included a mix of highway and city driving patterns. The contribution of each mode to variations in emissions rates has been documented. The average brake-specific emissions of NO x and CO 2 show a strong dependence on the driving modes and were the highest when the engine operated in the cruise mode. The amounts of time that the engine spends in the NTE region and also over continuous 30 s windows of NTE operation for the different routes were calculated. Results indicate that longer operation in the NTE region produced higher brake-specific emissions of NO x compared with their shorter operating counterparts. The primary implication of this work is that emission control strategies and policies should be focused on the mode of operation of the vehicle during on-road operation, in addition to existing procedures.
Quantum theory of neutral-atom scattering at long range from solid cylinders

Qualitative arguments suggest that diffraction effects might be important for the interpretation of the experiments of Shih et al. We derive a tractable quantum theory to describe the scattering of neutral atoms at long range by van der Waals forces from solid cylinders. The theory is based on an angular-momentum expansion and evaluates the scattered intensity close to the cylinder in the geometrical shadow region. The formal quantum theory indicates that one is far from the conventional classical limit, in the sense that WKB and stationary-phase approximations are not valid. Yet an essentially exact evaluation appears to agree with the classical prediction, at least over the range of deflections that have been experimentally studied. This surprising classical-quantum correspondence is clarified by a Regge-pole analysis. Finally we also set limits on the extent of specular reflection from the cylinder surfaces. The discrepancy between theory and experiment remains unresolved.
Growth enhancement of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings by silicon

Summary The effect of silicon on growth and water status of Pinus taeda L. seedlings was studied under normal growth conditions and during induced water-stress. Seedlings were grown either on a sand or a fritted clay medium supplemented with nutrient solutions containing 0, 60 and 100 mg l −1 K 2 SiO 3 . Silicon-treated seedling fascicles accumulated 3 times more silicon than did controls. Fresh and dry weights of seedlings were enhanced by silicon; the percentage increase in growth compared with the controls was greater under water-stress conditions. The enhanced growth was associated with higher water and osmotic potentials, a greater symplastic water volume, increased tissue elasticity, and less turgor. These data suggest that silicon enhances pine seedling growth by increasing cell expansion.
Characterization of sol-gel deposited niobium pentoxide films for electrochromic devices

Abstract Niobium pentoxide films, fabricated by the sol-gel process, were spin coated onto conductive indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass, and microscope slides. These films were cycled in a 1 M LiC104 propylene carbonate (PC) solution, and exhibited electrochromic behavior upon the electrochemical insertion (reduction) and extraction (oxidation) of lithium. In-situ optical transmittance measurements were investigated in the ultra-violet/visible near-infrared wavelength regions (250–2100 nm). Niobium pentoxide films showed reversible optical switching from 320 to 870 nm, but were found electrochromically inactive in the infrared region. Surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated little difference in the chemistry of Nb2O5 films as deposited and lithiated Lix,Nb2O5 films, as XPS binding energies of Nb and O showed no appreciable shifts. These films were found to be amorphous by X-ray diffraction. Optical transmittance measurements combined with cyclic voltammograms and XPS spectra, revealed that the electrochromic behavior of these films occurs due to the insertion of Li+ cations into niobium pentoxide films. The bronze coloration of the niobium pentoxide films could make them useful as an electrochromic counter electrode for electrochromic devices.
A New High-Temperature Superconductor: Bi2Sr3-x Cax Cu2O8+y.

A new superconductor that displays onset behavior near 120 K has been identified as Bi2Sr3-xCaxCu2O8+y, with x ranging from about 0.4 to 0.9. Single crystal x-ray diffraction data were used to determine a pseudo-tetragonal structure based on an A-centered orthorhombic subcell with a = 5.399 A, b= 5.414A, and c = 30.904 A. The structure contains copper-oxygen sheets as in La2CuO4 and YBa2Cu3O7, but the copper-oxygen chains present in YBa2Cu3O7 do not occur in Bi2Sr3-xCaxCu2O8+y. The structure is made up of alternating double copper-oxygen sheets and double bismuth-oxygen sheets. There are Ca2+ and Sr2+ cations between the adjacent Cu-O sheets; Sr2+ cations are also found between the Cu-O and Bi-O sheets. Electron microscopy studies show an incommensurate superstructure along the a axis that can be approximated by an increase of a factor of 5 over the subcell dimension. This superstructure is also observed by x-ray diffraction on single crystals, but twinning can make it appear that the superstructure is along both a and b axes. Flux exclusion begins in our samples at about 116 K and is very strong by 95 K. Electrical measurements on a single crystal of Bi2Sr3-xCaxCu2O8+y show a resistivity drop at about 116 K and apparent zero resistivity at 91 K.
Subcritical closed string field theory in less than 26 dimensions.

In this paper we construct the second-quantized action for subcritical closed string field theory with zero cosmological constant in dimensions 2[le][ital D][lt]26, generalizing the nonpolynomial closed string field theory action proposed by the author and the Kyoto and MIT groups for [ital D]=26. The proof of gauge invariance is considerably complicated by the presence of the Liouville field [phi] and the nonpolynomial nature of the action. However, we explicitly show that the polyhedral vertex functions obey BRST invariance to all orders. By point-splitting methods we calculate the anomaly contribution due to the Liouville field, and show in detail that it cancels only if [ital D][minus]26+1+3[ital Q][sup 2]=0, in both the bosonized and unbosonized polyhedral vertex functions. We also show explicitly that the four-point function generated by this action reproduces the shifted Shapiro-Virasoro ampltiude found from [ital c]=1 matrix models and Liouville theory in two dimensions. This calculation is nontrivial because the conformal transformation from the [ital z] to the [rho] plane requires rather complicated third elliptic integrals and is hence much more involved than the ones found in the usual polynomial theories.
Status of Systemic to Pulmonary Arterial Collateral Flow After the Fontan Procedure

The investigators recently validated a method of quantifying systemic–to–pulmonary arterial collateral flow using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging velocity mapping. Cross-sectional data suggest decreased collateral flow in patients with total cavopulmonary connections (TCPCs) compared with those with superior cavopulmonary connections (SCPCs). However, no studies have examined serial changes in collateral flow from SCPCs to TCPCs in the same patients. The aim of this study was to examine differences in collateral flow between patients with SCPCs and those with TCPCs. Collateral flow was quantified by 2 independent measures from 250 single-ventricle studies in 219 different patients (115 SCPC and 135 TCPC studies, 31 patients with both) and 18 controls, during routine studies using through-plane phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. Collateral flow was indexed to body surface area, aortic flow, and pulmonary venous flow. Regardless of indexing method, SCPC patients had significantly higher collateral flow than TCPC patients (1.64 ± 0.8 vs 1.03 ± 0.8 L/min/m 2 , p
Modifications to the Fermilab Booster-Main Ring Beam Transfer Phase Lock Circuit

Modifications have been made to the circuit which phase locks the Booster Accelerator beam to the Main Ring Accelerator RF oscillator used during injection time. The improvement in the transient response allowed the Booster RF voltage amplitude to be lowered to match the bucket shape to the Main Ring bucket shape. Effects of the RF cavity bandwidth and the delay time in the Booster RF system are discussed.
Small high-bandwidth ATM switch

The tiny tera is an all-CMOS 320 Gbps, input-queued ATM switch suitable for non-ATM applications such as the core of an Internet router. The tiny tera efficiently supports both unicast and multicast traffic. Instead of using optical switching technology, we achieve a high switching-bandwidth by using less expensive and proven CMOS technology. Because of limitations in memory and interconnection bandwidths, we believe that to achieve such a high-bandwidth switch requires an innovative architecture. By using virtual output queuing (VOQ) and novel scheduling algorithms, the tiny tera will achieve a maximum throughput close to 100% without the need for internal speedup.
Multimode size exclusion chromatography with poly(divinylbenzene)/N-methylpyrrolidinone for the characterization of coal-derived mixtures

Abstract Multimode size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was investigated for the characterization of pyridine extracts of coal-derived materials. A system consisting of a poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) column with a mobile phase of N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP) was evaluated. Model compounds covering a wide polarity range were studied to shed light on the separation mechanism. For neutral to moderately polar compounds, elution proceeded in order of decreasing molecular weight. Compounds showing predominantly size-dependent elution include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polyphenyls and azaarenes. For polar compounds, retention was largely independent of size effects and was governed mainly by polarity. In general, increasing polarity decreased the elution volume. Some polyfunctional polar compounds gave markedly decreased elution volumes compared with their neutral parent compounds. Increasing the extent of alkylation led to increased elution volumes for all compound types. Results are presented for pyridine extracts of Pittsburgh No. 8 bituminous, Montana Rosebud No. 10 subbituminous and Zap ND lignite. Chromatograms of raw coal extracts were characterized by a dominant, early-eluting peak consisting of highly-polar species whose retention was independent of size. The use of NMP as mobile phase permitted the dissolution and separation of highly polar material found in raw coal extracts. Also, it made possible the size-dependent separation of unsubstituted PAC, compounds that are abundant in extensively pyrolysed coal products.
Sample systems in process near infrared spectroscopy, Part 2

The previous installment of the Process Pages discussed the issues to be addressed in designing an extractive sampling system for applications requiring high precision, accuracy and reliability; modern necessities for regulatory compliance and product custody transfer. Octane number and other Clean Air Act parameters for fuel and fuel blend components were identified as examples of measurements requiring 2 or 3 parts per thousand agreement with standard reference laboratory methods. This installment describes specific implementation routes for addressing process NIR sampling problems.
Cytokinin Effects on Creeping Bentgrass Responses to Heat Stress

Heat stress injury may involve inhibition of cytokinin biosynthesis in roots. The objective of this study was to examine whether application of a synthetic cytokinin, zeatin riboside (ZR), to the root zone would enhance tolerance of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris L.) to high soil temperature or in combination with high air temperature. Grasses were exposed to three air and soil temperature regimes for 56 d in growth chambers: (i) optimum air and soil temperature (control), 20/20°C; (ii) optimum air but high soil temperature (20/35°C); and (iii) high air and soil temperatures (35/35°C). Four concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 μmol) of ZR or water (control) were injected into the 0–5 cm root zone on the day before heat stress (0 d) and 14 d after. Turf visual quality, canopy net photosynthetic rate (Pₙ), leaf photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), and vertical shoot extension rate decreased, whereas root mortality and root electrolyte leakage increased at 20/35 and 35/35°C, and to a greater extent at 35/35°C. Applications of 1 and 10 μmol ZR mitigated heat stress injury to shoots and roots during most of the experimental period, with 10 μmol ZR being more effective when applied at either 0 or 14 d of heat stress. Application of 0.1 μmol ZR was less effective than 1 and 10 μmol ZR. Application of 0.01 μmol ZR had no effects on shoot and root responses to high soil temperature alone or combined with high air temperature. Endogenous cytokinin content in both shoots and roots increased with the application of 1 and 10 μmol ZR. These results demonstrated that applying ZR at 1 or 10 μmol concentration to the root zone could alleviate heat stress injury of creeping bentgrass.
Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared analysis of lipid-protein interactions involving the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Abstract Lipid-protein interactions were studied using Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor (AChR) as a model system by reconstituting purified AChR into dielaidoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC, 18:1 trans -9,10) membranes. The structural and thermodynamic behavior of lipids in the vicinity of the protein were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effects of AChR on the thermodynamic parameters associated with lipid phase transitions were to reduce the enthalpy change, lower the transition temperature and reduce the cooperative behavior of the lipid molecules. A stoichiometry of approx. 95 lipids per AChR molecule was found by simulating the decrease in enthalpy in terms of a simple model in which a fixed number of lipid molecules are prevented from undergoing a cooperative phase transition. In parallel, the vibrational spectra of pure DEPC and AChR reconstituted in DEPC membranes at various lipid to protein ratios were examined. Profiles of the 3000-2800 cm −1 C-H stretching region and 1350-950 cm −1 characteristic of the headgroup region of the lipid exhibit little sensitivity to protein/lipid ratio reflecting weak interaction of AChR with DEPC. The lipid carbonyl on the other hand appear to be increasingly hydrogen bonded in the presence of AChR. The results provide new information about the size and physical state of the motionally restricted lipid environment that surrounds the acetylcholine receptor. The results are discussed in the context of lipid-mediated alterations in acetylcholine receptor function.
Morphogenetic experiments in facial asymmetry: the nasal cavity.

An experiment was designed to test the response of the nasal cavity and associated structures to maxillary deformity. Forty young M. mulatta were surgically produced in 20 animals, and the small maxillary segments moved medialward. Intrapair observation tests were applied to selected measurements and indices of symmetry relationships. Deformity of the surgically undisturbed nasal septum occurred in response to the maxillary deformation. The lateral walls were moved medially with the maxilla, but in six months symmetry relationships were similar to those found in the control animals. The lateral walls of the nasal cavity appeared to be relatively independent of the shape and position of the tooth carrying part of the maxilla. The development and use of primate models can contribute to understanding the extent of the adaptational response systems in facial morphogenesis.
General Ellipsoidal Model for Deformable Drops in Viscous Flows

In honor of Professor Bill Schowalter, we present a study which builds on his pioneering work on emulsion flows of deformable drops. Each drop is approximated as an ellipsoid, with its orientation and the lengths of its axes varying because of its time history in an imposed flow. The ordinary differential equations governing the time dependence of the ellipsoidal shape at small Reynolds number are derived based on volume conservation and a least-squares minimization of the difference between the ellipsoidal approximation and the exact boundary-integral description of normal velocities over the entire drop surface. Two-dimensional tables for interpolation of the coefficients in the resulting linear system are introduced to avoid solving the boundary-integral equation at each step, thereby greatly reducing the calculation expense for describing the drop behavior, from O(N2) (where N is the number of triangular elements for the discretized drop surface) to O(1). For single drops in steady shear, time-depende...
5-HT6 receptors: a novel target for cognitive enhancement.

Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the role of serotonin 6 (5-HT6) receptors in higher cognitive processes such as memory. Polymorphisms of the 5-HT6 receptor have been implicated in syndromes that affect cognition, such as schizophrenia and dementia. Manipulation of 5-HT6 receptor activity alters the transmission of several neurotransmitters important in memory: acetylcholine and glutamate, as well as dopamine, a-aminobutyric acid (GABA), epinephrine (E), and norepinephrine (NE). Several 5-HT6 antagonists have been developed, advancing the understanding of the relationship between 5-HT6 blockade and memory consolidation in diverse learning paradigms. There is also evidence that 5-HT6 receptor activity affects anxiety behaviors and may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Several clinically useful atypical antipsychotics and antidepressants have 5-HT6 affinity, but recently developed selective 5-HT6 receptor antagonists may present attractive, new therapeutic options for several types of disease states.
Painful Preauricular Mass

In early January 199 1, a 22-year-old white woman presented to the Facial Pain Clinic at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with a l-month history of increasing swelling and tenderness in the left preauricular area. The patient denied any history of trauma to the region but had recently been treated with antibiotics for an external ear infection and an episode of conjunctivitis. The patient’s past medical history was remarkable for an ovarian cyst, removed in 1986, and intermittent temporomandibular disorders. She admitted to being under unusually high amounts of stress recently, and had been taking ibuprofen for headaches, fever, and general malaise, which she believed were residual symptoms from the flu. Present symptoms included constant headaches in the anterior temporal regions bilaterally, which the patient described as throbbing and more common in the afternoon. The patient also complained of left preauricular pain that was constant and worse in the mornings. Pain was also present in the cervical and trapezius regions bilaterally, which was constant and most intense in the mornings. The patient limited her diet to soft foods because of the facial pain and she perceived an inability to open her mouth as wide as normal. She denied any systemic signs and symptoms, but acknowledged sleep disruption for the past 6 months. The patient had experienced an episode of extreme trismus 1 year earlier, which occurred on awakening. She reported facial muscle soreness every morning and was aware of diurnal clenching. Her pain improved with moist heat and simple analgesics and worsened with eating. The patient denied having joint sounds or ear pain. Physical examination revealed a rubbery, mobile, erythematous, tender mass in the left preauricular area measuring 3 X 2 cm, and an ipsilateral granulomatous lesion extending from the medial palpebral commissure onto the side of the nose (Fig 1). The patient stated that the preauricular lesion had begun approximately 2 weeks earlier and had be-
SU-E-T-310: Micro-Dosimetry Study of the Radiation Dose Enhancement at the Gold-Tissue Interface for Nanoparticle-Aided Radiation Therapy.

Purpose:Goldnanoparticles (AuNP) have been proposed to be utilized for local dose enhancement in radiation therapy. Due to a very sharp spatial fall‐off of the effect, the dosimetry associated with such an approach is difficult to implement in a direct measurement. This study is aimed at establishing a micro‐dosimetry technique for experimental verification of dose enhancement in the vicinity of gold‐tissue interface. Methods: The spatial distribution of the dose enhancement near the gold‐tissue interface is modeled with Monte Carlo(MC) package MCNP5 in a 1‐dimentional approach of a thin gold slab placed in an ICRU‐4 component tissue phantom. The model is replicating the experiment, where the dose enhancement due to gold foils having thicknesses of 1, 10, and 100μm and areas of 12.5×25mm2 are placed at a short distance from clinical HDR brachytherapy (Ir‐192) source. The measurements are carried out with a thin‐film CdTe‐based photodetector, having thickness <10μm, allowing for high spatial resolution at progressively increasing distances from the foil. Results: Our MC simulation results indicate that for Ir‐192 energy spectrum the dose enhancement region extends over ∼1 mm distance from the foil, changing from several hundred at the interface to just a few percent. The trend in the measured dose enhancement closely follows the results obtained from MC simulations.Conclusions: AuNP's have been established as promising candidates for dose enhancement in nanoparticle‐aidedradiation therapy, particularly, in the energy range relevant to brachytherapy applications. Most researchers study the dose enhancement with MC simulations, or experimental approaches involving biological systems, where achievable dose enhancements are difficult to quantify. Successful development of micro‐dosimetry approaches will pave a way for direct assessment of the dose in experiments on biological models, shedding some light on apparent discrepancy between physical dose enhancement and biological effect established in studies of AuNP‐aided radiation therapy. No conflict of interest
Regulation of RNA Polymerase II Elongation by c-Myc

The genome-wide mapping presented in this issue by Rahl et al. (2010) demonstrates how the transcription factor c-Myc interfaces with the machinery that controls RNA polymerase II elongation. These findings account for the ability of c-Myc to activate the expression of a large number of genes that promote rapid proliferation.
CONGENITAL HYPERTHYROIDISM DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE SECRETION OF THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE

The Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of TSH is a rare disease and has been described as a heterogenous group of disorders in juvenile and adult patients who show elevated TSH levels in the presence of elevated thyroid hormone levels.
Vicariance and dispersal form a ring distribution in nightsnakes around the Gulf of California.

Abstract Plate tectonics can have profound effects on organismal distribution and is often the driving force in speciation. Through geologic processes, the Baja California Peninsula depicts two faunal patterns: one through southern vicariance with Cape separation, and the other through dispersal onto the northern peninsula, referred to as a ‘dual-peninsular effect.’ Here we apply a hierarchical sampling strategy that combines population-level sequence data (∼800 bp, nad4 region) with complete mt-genome data (aligned 15,549 bp) and 5 nuclear protein encoding loci (3315 bp), to test whether both patterns have occurred in one group of nightsnakes (Hypsiglena). The geologic formation of the peninsula is thought to have occurred in three stages: (1) Cape separation from mainland Mexico; (2) the northern peninsula separated, forming the northern Gulf of California; and (3) the peninsula was united through volcanic activity, while moving northward causing collision with southern California. However, the timing of events is debated. We explore phylogenetic relationships and estimate dates of divergence for nightsnakes using our hierarchical sampling strategy. Our data support both ‘southern-vicariance’ and ‘northern-dispersal’ have occurred in nightsnakes, forming a ring distribution around the Gulf of California. Two divergent forms are sympatric on the southern half of the peninsula with no indication of hybridization. Nightsnakes represent the first group to depict the ‘dual-peninsular effect’ with extensive overlap on the Baja California Peninsula.
Motor Nucleus of the Trigeminal Nerve

This report contains a summary of expression patterns for genes that are enriched in the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve (V) of the pons. All data is derived from the Allen Brain Atlas (ABA) in situ hybridization mouse project. The structure's location and morphological characteristics in the mouse brain are described using the Nissl data found in the Allen Reference Atlas. Using an established algorithm, the expression values of the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve were compared to the values of its larger parent structure, in this case the pons, for the purpose of extracting regionally selective gene expression data. The highest ranking genes were manually curated and verified. 50 genes were then selected and compiled for expression analysis. The experimental data for each gene may be accessed via the links provided; additional data in the sagittal plane may also be accessed using the ABA. Correlations between gene expression in the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve and the rest of the brain, across all genes in the coronal dataset (~4300 genes), were derived computationally. A gene ontology table (derived from DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 2007) is also included, highlighting possible functions of the 50 genes selected for this report.
Serum lipid peroxides in rats treated chronically with adriamycin

Rats treated chronically with the anticancer agent adriamycin exhibited lipid peroxides in the serum and hyperlipidemia. Independent assay methods based on thiobarbituric acid reactivity and iodometric titration confirmed the presence of both lipid endoperoxides and hydroperoxides. Fractionation studies indicated that lipid peroxides were mainly associated with neutral lipids, including triglycerides, cholesterol esters and cholesterol, rather than with phospholipids. The lipid peroxides were distributed throughout the major serum lipoprotein classes. Although the origin of the lipid peroxides has not been established, the dose dependence for elevation of serum lipid peroxides approximately corresponds to that required for the development of cardiomyopathy. These findings support the conclusion that lipid peroxides are formed in vivo in rats treated chronically with adriamycin.
100 gigabit Ethernet transport: Part 2 [Guest editorial]

In this third installment of our series on 100GbE, we continue our investigation, contributing articles on network design issues, access technology, digital signal processing requirements, and more field trial results. We also explore technology trends for next-generation systems beyond 100 Gb/s per wavelength.
Air Piston Calibrator for Microflow Delivery and Measurement Systems

In view of the increasing need of microflow measurement and calibration, this paper presents a liquid flow measurement device to verify the performance of microflow sensors and pumps. The measurement principle of the air piston calibrator was based on the volumetric, time-of-flight approach. The device consisted of a micro-fabricated flow channel mounted on a base chip deployed with electrodes. A gas-liquid interface was introduced in the microchannel and moved along with the liquid flow. Upon passing by the electrodes, the interface brought about resistance variations due to the different permittivity of the gas and liquid. The time period between a pair of signal detected by the electrodes and the corresponding channel volume were then used to determine the flow rate. By the combination of different sized microchannels, a capability of measuring flow rates from 10 nL/min to 1 mL/min was demonstrated. The detection electrodes were optimized prior to their fabrication by numerical simulation. To provide a desired traceability, the volume in the channel between electrode nodes was corrected by the standard flow rate delivered by the calibrated syringe pump. Results showed that, for flow rates from 0.1 μ L/min to 1 mL/min, the mean absolute relative error and standard deviation of relative error of the measurements were lower than 1.1% and 4%, respectively.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Comparison of Cosmo-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X data for the retrieval of land hydrological parameters

The backscattering coefficient variations of Cosmo-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X SAR sensors have been investigated. When possible, the data of the two sensors have been compared and a quantitative analysis was carried out. The comparison of SAR data has been also performed taking into account the temporal variations, in order to quantify potential changes of surface parameters. A series of both Cosmo-SkyMed (CSK) and TerraSAR-X (TSX) images were collected on both mountain and agricultural areas. The potentials of X-band backscattering in estimating hydrological parameters of the surface were investigated.
Systematic approaches for incorporating control spots and data quality information to improve normalization of cDNA microarray data.

Background: Normalization and data quality control are two important aspects in microarray data analysis. Proper normalization and data quality control ensure that intensity ratios provide meaningful and accurate measurement of relative gene expression values. Control spots such as spikes and housekeeping genes with known concentrations in two channels are often used for calibrating experimental parameters. They provide valuable information about experimental variation which can be utilized for better normalization. They are also needed for proper normalization in cases that the most of the spots tend to change in one direction. In addition, it is desirable to include information on spot quality. Such information is available in a typical microarray data set, but is not fully utilized by existing normalization methods. Results: We propose two extensions of the two-way semi-linear model (TW-SLM) for appropriately combining control genes and spot quality information in normalization. The first extension (TW...
The Goulden-Jackson Cluster Method for Cyclic Words

The powerful Goulden?Jackson Cluster Method, which generates generating functions enumerating words that avoid, as factors, a prescribed finite set of “mistakes,” is adapted to handle cyclic words (with marked beginnings).
Enabling scientific workflows in virtual reality

To advance research and improve the scientific return on data collection and interpretation efforts in the geosciences, we have developed methods of interactive visualization, with a special focus on immersive virtual reality (VR) environments. Earth sciences employ a strongly visual approach to the measurement and analysis of geologic data due to the spatial and temporal scales over which such data ranges. As observations and simulations increase in size and complexity, the Earth sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing amounts of data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR requires us to tailor exploratory approaches to scientific problems. These applications build on the visualization method's strengths, using both 3D perception and interaction with data and models, to take advantage of the skills and training of the geological scientists exploring their data in the VR environment. This interactive approach has enabled us to develop a suite of tools that are adaptable to a range of problems in the geosciences and beyond.
Combinatorial synthesis of modular chiral cyclophanes

Abstract A new chiral cyclophane incorporating the 4,4′-bipyridinium dication and a dipeptide subunit forms complexes with amino acid derivatives and allows for the preparation of combinatorial libraries of hydrogen bonding, π-acidic chiral selectors.
Soy isoflavones and prostate cancer: A review of molecular mechanisms

Soy isoflavones are dietary components for which an association has been demonstrated with reduced risk of prostate cancer (PCa) in Asian populations. However, the exact mechanism by which these isoflavones may prevent the development or progression of PCa is not completely understood. There are a growing number of animal and in vitro studies that have attempted to elucidate these mechanisms. The predominant and most biologically active isoflavones in soy products, genistein, daidzein, equol, and glycetin, inhibit prostate carcinogenesis in some animal models. Cell-based studies show that soy isoflavones regulate genes that control cell cycle and apoptosis. In this review, we discuss the literature relevant to the molecular events that may account for the benefit of soy isoflavones in PCa prevention or treatment. These reports show that although soy isoflavone-induced growth arrest and apoptosis of PCa cells are plausible mechanisms, other chemo protective mechanisms are also worthy of consideration. These possible mechanisms include antioxidant defense, DNA repair, inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis, potentiation of radio- and chemotherapeutic agents, and antagonism of estrogen- and androgen-mediated signaling pathways. Moreover, other cells in the cancer milieu, such as the fibroblastic stromal cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells, may be targeted by soy isoflavones, which may contribute to soy-mediated prostate cancer prevention. In this review, these mechanisms are discussed along with considerations about the doses and the preclinical models that have been used.
Ionization by line photons and its effect on hydrogen line ratios

Inside a line-emitting cloud the density of trapped photons could be so high that they ionize hydrogen atoms from excited levels far more efficiently than electronic collisions. Such ionizations can reduce the population of high-level hydrogen and consequently reduce the Balmer line emissivity by a factor of 3 or more. As a result, the Balmer line emission is not enhanced as significantly in the partially ionized zone as predicted by current models unless an exceptionally large column density is assumed.
Knotted DNA from bacteriophage capsids

Abstract The majority of the DNA prepared from tailless capsids of bacteriophage P2 by the phenol extraction procedure consists of monomeric rings that have their cohesive ends joined. Electron microscopic and ultracentrifugal studies indicate that these molecules have a complex structure that is topologically knotted; they have a more compact appearance and a higher sedimentation coefficient when compared with regular nicked P2 DNA rings. Linearization of these rings by thermal dissociation or repair of the cohesive ends by DNA polymerase I in the presence of all four deoxynucleoside triphosphates gives molecules that are indistinguishable from normal P2 DNA that has been similarly treated. The knotted nature of the majority of P2 head DNA is further supported by analyzing the products when these molecules are treated with ligase and the ligase-treated molecules are subsequently nicked randomly with DNase I. The data are consistent with the notion that, if such a molecule is first converted to a form that contains only one single-chain scission per molecule, strand separation gives a linear strand and a highly knotted single-stranded ring. The results suggest that the DNA packaged in tailless P2 capsids is arranged in a way that leads to the formation of a complex knot when the ends join. In an intact phage particle, the anchoring of one terminus of the DNA to the head-proximal end of the tail [Chattoraj, D. K. & Inman, R. B. (1974) J. Mol. Biol. 87, 11-22] presumably diminishes or prevents this kind of joining. The novel knotted DNA can be used to assay type II DNA topoisomerases that break and rejoin DNA in a double-stranded fashion.
The impact of a video screen and rotational‐signage systems on satisfaction and advertising recognition

Examines the impact of a video screen on spectator satisfaction and the advertising effectiveness of rotational‐signage systems. A total of 181 spectators at a major college football game were interviewed during the half‐time of a regular season contest. Results demonstrate that the screen is a significant component of a stadium’s servicescape which can increase the satisfaction of fans and their intentions to attend future events. While fans recognized less than half the companies that were advertised, firms with the most exposure on rotational systems were more readily identified. Results also suggest that companies are likely to generate substantial goodwill if fans recognize them as sponsors of events. Implications, directions for future research, and limitations are discussed in conclusion.
Observation-level interaction with statistical models for visual analytics

In visual analytics, sensemaking is facilitated through interactive visual exploration of data. Throughout this dynamic process, users combine their domain knowledge with the dataset to create insight. Therefore, visual analytic tools exist that aid sensemaking by providing various interaction techniques that focus on allowing users to change the visual representation through adjusting parameters of the underlying statistical model. However, we postulate that the process of sensemaking is not focused on a series of parameter adjustments, but instead, a series of perceived connections and patterns within the data. Thus, how can models for visual analytic tools be designed, so that users can express their reasoning on observations (the data), instead of directly on the model or tunable parameters? Observation level (and thus “observation”) in this paper refers to the data points within a visualization. In this paper, we explore two possible observation-level interactions, namely exploratory and expressive, within the context of three statistical methods, Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis (PPCA), Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), and Generative Topographic Mapping (GTM). We discuss the importance of these two types of observation level interactions, in terms of how they occur within the sensemaking process. Further, we present use cases for GTM, MDS, and PPCA, illustrating how observation level interaction can be incorporated into visual analytic tools.
SOFTVU: a software package for multidimensional medical image analysis

SOFTVU is a collection of computer programs capable of performing several image manipulation tasks required to visualize and analyze multidimensional image data obtained from medical imaging scanners. In this paper we present some novel image segmentation, interpolation, and display techniques developed and implemented in the package. Our rule-based segmentation can automatically extract different structures of the brain from MR image data. The shape-based interpolation scheme presented here minimizes user involvement in interactive segmentation and enhances portrayal of dynamic as well as static objects. The rendering subsystem can render multiple objects with color and cut-away sections. The system as a whole provides efficient software solutions to several clinical image analysis tasks.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evolutionary dynamics of Polynucelotide phosphorylases.

Abstract Polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) is an evolutionarily conserved 3′ → 5′ phosphate-dependent exoribonucease belonging to the PDX family of proteins. It consists of two catalytic RNase PH domains (PNP1 and PNP2), an α-helical domain and two RNA-binding domains. The PNP1 and PNP2 domains share substantial sequence and structural homology with RNase PH (RPH), which is another PDX family member found in all the three major kingdoms of life, suggesting that these three domains originated from a common ancestor. Phylogenetic analysis (based on the PNPase/RNase PH sequence information for 43 vertebrate taxa) shows that PNP2 and RPH are sister taxa which arose through duplication of the ancestral PNP1 domain. Also, all three domains (PNP1, PNP2 and RPH), along with the KH and S1 domains have undergone significant and directional sequence change, as determined by branch and site-specific d N /d S analyses. In general, codons that show d N /d S ratios that are significantly greater than 1.0 are outside the ordered regions (α-helices and β-sheets) of these protein domains. In addition, sites that have been selected for mutagenesis in these proteins lie embedded in regions where there is a preponderance of codons with d N /d S values that are not significantly different from 0.0. Overall, this report is an attempt to further our understanding of the evolutionary history of these three protein domains, and define the evolutionary events that led to their refinement in the vertebrate lineage leading to mammals.