cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Protein Synthesis in Chick Oviduct: III. MECHANISM OF OVALBUMIN “SUPERINDUCTION” BY ACTINOMYCIN D

Abstract "Superinduction" is a phenomenon frequently observed in eukaryotic cells, whereby the inhibition of RNA synthesis (usually with actinomycin D) results in an increase in the concentration (activity) of a specific protein. This paper shows that actinomycin D can superinduce the major egg white proteins synthesized in chick magnum. After actinomycin D treatment, ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovomucoid, and lysozyme became an increased percentage of the total protein synthesized regardless of whether (a) the drug was administered to chicks or added to magnum explants in culture; and (b) protein synthesis was measured in vivo or in culture. Whereas the rate of nonsecretory protein synthesis declined with a half-life of about 5 hours after actinomycin D treatment of magnum explants, the rates of ovalbumin and conalbumin synthesis declined with half-lives of 14 and 8 hours, respectively. Furthermore, actinomycin D increased the absolute rate of ovalbumin and conalbumin synthesis compared to untreated controls, despite a small decrease in the number of polysomes and the concentration of total ovalbumin mRNA. Polypeptide elongation normally limits the rate of protein synthesis in the estrogen-stimulated magnum. Two independent methods reveal that actinomycin D treatment increased the rate of elongation 10 to 40%. The average polysome size, and the size of ovalbumin-synthesizing polysomes in particular, was maintained when actinomycin D was administered to estrogen-stimulated chicks indicating that there was a corresponding increase in the rate of initiation. During hormonal withdrawal, when initiation limits the rate of protein synthesis, actinomycin D treatment resulted in larger polysomes and an increased rate of elongation compared to untreated controls, suggesting that actinomycin D enhanced the rate of polypeptide initiation more than elongation. We propose a model to explain superinduction in this system which is based on (a) differential stability of mRNAs; and (b) competition of mRNAs for rate-limiting factors common to the translation of all mRNAs. Hence, after inhibiting RNA synthesis, the long lived mRNAs increase in proportion to the total mRNA population remaining, and can be translated at an increased rate because of more favorable competition for the rate-limiting factors.
Gene encoding the 5.7-kilodalton chlorosome protein of Chloroflexus aurantiacus: regulated message levels and a predicted carboxy-terminal protein extension.

The major light-harvesting pigment of the green filamentous bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus is bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) c, localized in chlorosomes attached to the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. Chlorosomes consist of four polypeptides and associated pigments and lipids. Previous studies of the inducible assembly of the photosynthetic apparatus had indicated that the major chlorosomal polypeptides are present as high-molecular-weight aggregates before the appearance of mature chlorosomes, and a mechanism for posttranslational processing of a polyprotein had been proposed. We have isolated the gene (csmA) encoding the 5.7-kilodalton chlorosomal polypeptide from C. aurantiacus in order to determine whether this protein is synthesized as part of a polyprotein. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of csmA indicates that the gene is not large enough to encode more than one known chlorosome polypeptide. Transcriptional analysis indicates that csmA is transcribed as a small message whose abundance is regulated in response to oxygen, so that no csmA message is detectable in cells grown aerobically in the dark. Comparison of the sequence predicted by csmA with the peptide sequence of the Bchl c binding protein purified from chlorosomes indicates that this protein is synthesized with a carboxy-terminal extension of 27 amino acids. We discuss possible roles for this carboxy-terminal extension in the assembly of chlorosomes. Images
Picturing Theology: A Primer on Early Christian Art

For the religionist, the benefits of delving into early Christian art are quite tangible. Images from different eras of Christian history elucidate significant developments in the tradition, greatly enhancing the understanding of theological and historical movements. Christian art is a useful and effective medium to shed light on different aspects of Christian history, as students and observers can readily witness and make connections between images and architecture created centuries ago to more contemporary art. The study of Christian art is a truly interdisciplinary endeavor that yields positive results. However, it is important to understand the origins and development of the Christian visual tradition and to review the existing scholarship in the field. Christian art did not arrive ex nihilo; it derived from the rich tapestry of the existing visual language in antiquity which included influences from outside Christianity. In this essay, I will trace the development of early Christian art and demonstrate that Christian images arose from their Greco-Roman environment. The study of early Christian art is useful in recognizing how art and imagery conveyed theological concepts and reflected historical circumstances pertinent to Christian origins. The development of a Christian visual language testifies to the larger human desire to see and witness elements of faith. To ‘see’ God with the eyes of the spirit, early Christians wanted to see their faith in paint, glass, gold and stone; a desire that is not ‘early’ or ‘modern’ but timeless.
Ester-splitting activity of the electroplax

Abstract 1. 1. The hydrolysis of acetylcholine, dl -acetyl-β-methylcholine, ethyl chloroacetate, triacetin and butyrylcholine by intact and homogenized isolated single cells and by the connective tissue between electroplax has been tested. Some connective tissue remains attached to the electroplax; a correction for this extracellular esterase was therefore applied to evaluate esterase activity of the electroplax proper. 2. 2. The electroplax enzyme displays the characteristics of acetylcholinesterase. The connective tissue enzyme has neither the characteristics of acetylcholinesterase, human-serum cholinesterase, aliesterase nor arylesterase. In some respects, however, it resembles the cholinesterase of certain piscine plasmas. 3. 3. Hydrolysis of low concentrations of acetylcholine by intact cells is mainly by acetylcholinesterase of the electroplax, whereas high concentrations of acetylcholine are mainly hydrolyzed by the connective tissue esterase. Both enzymes are inhibited by physostigmine. Ethyl chloroacetate is hydrolyzed by at least 2 enzymes in the electroplax, only one of which is inhibited by physostigmine. 4. 4. There is a strong permeability barrier to the penetration of acetylcholine to the interior enzyme of the intact electroplax. This barrier is less strong for dl -acetyl-β-methylcholine, ethyl chloroacetate, triacetin and butyrylcholine. 5. 5. Concentrations of physostigmine which block electrical activity markedly depress acetylcholine hydrolysis. Tetracaine even in much higher concentrations than required to block electrical activity only slightly inhibits acetylcholine hydrolysis. Inhibition by neostigmine is intermediate between that of tetracaine and physostigmine.
Spectral element approximation of convection—diffusion type problems

Abstract A spectral element implementation of the discontinuous Galerkin method is examined for convection–diffusion type problems. The computational domain is subdivided into non-overlapping subdomains, and a high order, Legendre polynomial approximation is constructed on each subdomain. A variational formulation is used, and the flux across the subdomain interfaces is approximated using a van Leer flux splitting scheme for the convective terms and a penalty type method for the viscous terms.
Angiographic Quantification of Angiogenesis

Therapeutic angiogenesis is the attempt to increase vascular density by means of an exogenously administered proangiogenic agent and offers a potential treatment for diseases associated with tissue ischemia. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressed by gene therapy has been shown to be a potent stimulator of angiogenesis and to improve the function of ischemic tissues in patients [Isner, 1998]. Unregulated gene therapy is disconcerting since there is no assurance that the treatment will target the ischemic territory. A new regulated adeno-associated viral vector expressing VEGF165 that is conditionally silenced has been developed by one of the authors (KAW). The transgene expression is regulated by silencing the genes in the absence of the disease and at the same time having strong and local activation in the presence of the disease. The purpose of this work is to establish protocols and techniques to quantify the efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis. The initial phase of this research involves assessment of angiogenesis using an unregulated, adenoviral vector that is encoded to express VEGF165 . Using the rabbit hind limb ischemia model, angiography was performed on animals that were given the proangiogenic treatment and on a sham group, in which phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was injected. Angiographic contrast intensity curves were obtained, modeled, and the optimized model parameters provided insight into flow characteristics within the targeted vascular bed. In the second phase of the project the conditionally silent vector will be employed using the developed protocols and methods of the first phase to afford comparisons with the previous groups.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Multiconfiguration Self-Consistent-Field Theory for Localized Orbitals. I. The Orbital Equations

Variational equations are derived for the optimum orbitals for constructing a multiconfiguration expansion of the wave function for a many-electron system. Both the case where all Slater determinants are constructed from a common set of orbitals and the case where each determinant is constructed from an independent set of orbitals are considered. An equation with a single orbital operator is obtained in the former case; a separate operator for each determinant in the latter. The latter case corresponds to a physical picture in which the orbitals fluctuate as the system makes virtual transitions from one Slater determinant to another. The invariance properties of the wave function and of the variational equations with respect to linear transformations of the orbitals are analyzed, and various procedures are given for obtaining equations which select a unique set of orbitals. A prescription of Adams can be used in either case to localize the orbitals at a selected physical subsystem (an atomic shell, an atom, or a group of atoms). Another prescription can be used with a common set of orbitals to obtain an equation for natural spin orbitals.
Induced Charges on a Cylinder Excited by Standing and Traveling Waves in an EMP Simulator

The measured distributions of the charge density induced on a tubular cylinder at successively different locations in the standing-wave pattern in -the parallel-plate region of an EMP simulator are compared with the theoretical distributions when the exciting field is an ideal traveling plane wave. The measurements have been made specifically at the "notch" frequency when an extremely deep minimum exists in the standing wave in the simulator. Substantil differences are observed and discussed.
Purification and characterization of a microsomal cytochrome P-450 IIB enzyme from sheep lung.

1. Cytochrome P-450 was purified to apparent homogeneity from pulmonary microsomes of female sheep.2. Sheep lung P-450 was isolated in the low spin state with a λmax in the CO-reduced vs CO difference spectrum of 450 nm with no detectable absorbance at 420 nm.3. The minimum mol. wt, determined by SDS-PAGE, was 51 400 daltons. Examination of substrate specificity of sheep lung P-450 indicated N-demethylation of benzphetamine, cocaine and N-dirnethylnitrosamine. Nicotine was also metabolized by sheep lung P-450, but little turnover was observed with benzo[a]pyrene.4. The amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence was highly similar to rat or rabbit members of the P-450 IIB gene subfamily. Antibodies raised in rabbit to sheep lung P-450 cross-reacted on Western blots with rabbit lung P-450 IIB4.5. The P-450 isolated in this study comprises 75% of total P-450 in sheep pulmonary microsomes. Small amounts of this isozyme were also detected in sheep liver. These results show that, as is the case in rabbit an...
Taking Steps Together A Family- and Community-Based Obesity Intervention for Urban, Multiethnic Children

Objectives. Successful childhood obesity intervention models that build sustainable behavioral change are needed, particularly in low-income, ethnic minority communities disparately affected by this problem. Method. Families were referred to Taking Steps Together (TST) by their primary care provider if at least one child had a body mass index ≥85%. The TST intervention comprised 16 weekly 2-hour classes including educational activities, group cooking/eating, and physical activities for parents and children. TST’s approach emphasized building self-efficacy, targeting both children and parents for healthy change, and fostering intrinsic motivation for healthier living. Pre–post intervention data were collected on health-related behaviors using a survey, and trained staff measured weight and height. Results. Adults (n = 33) and children (n = 62) were largely Hispanic/Latino and low-income. Adults and children significantly increased their fruit and vegetable consumption and weekly physical activity, and adul...
The human vestibulo-ocular reflex during linear locomotion

During locomotion, there is a translation and compensatory rotation of the head in both the vertical and horizontal planes. During moderate to fast walking (100 m/min), vertical head translation occurs at the frequency of stepping (2 Hz) and generates peak linear acceleration of 0.37 g. Lateral head translation occurs at the stride frequency (1 Hz) and generates peak linear acceleration of 0.1 g. Peak head pitch and yaw angular velocities are approximately 17 degrees/s. The frequency and magnitude of these head movements are within the operational range of both the linear and angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (IVOR and aVOR). Vertical eye movements undergo a phase reversal from near to far targets. When viewing a far (>1 m) target, vertical eye velocity is typical of an aVOR response; that is, it is compensatory for head pitch. At close viewing distances (<1 m), vertical eye velocity is in phase with head pitch and is compensatory for vertical head translation, suggesting that the IVOR predominantly generates the eye movement response. Horizontal head movements during locomotion occur at the stride frequency of 1 Hz, where the IVOR gain is low. Horizontal eye movements are compensatory for head yaw at all viewing distances and are likely generated by the aVOR.
Superquadrics-based object representation of complex scenes from range images

This paper investigates the superquadrics-based object representation of complex scenes from range images. The issues on how the recover-and-select algorithm is incorporated to handle complex scenes containing background and multiple occluded objects are addressed respectively. For images containing backgrounds, the raw image is first coarsely segmented using the scan-line grouping technique. An area threshold is then taken to remove the backgrounds while keeping all the objects. After this pre-segmentation, the recover-and-select algorithm is applied to recover superquadric (SQ) models. For images containing multiple occluded objects, a circle-view strategy is taken to recover complete SQ models from range images in multiple views. First, a view path is planned as a circle around the objects, on which images are taken approximately every 45 degrees. Next, SQ models are recovered from each single-view range image. Finally, the SQ models from multiple views are registered and integrated. These approaches are tested on synthetic range images. Experimental results show that accurate and complete SQ models are recovered from complex scenes using our strategies. Moreover, the approach handling background problems is insensitive to the pre-segmentation error.
On the nucleation of the martensite transformation

THE standard description of the austenite–martensite transformation includes the statement that once the material reaches the martensite start temperature, or below, then the transformation occurs immediately1. Hence, if a nucleus is present in the material, then growth occurs to an extent determined by the transformation temperature. We expect, therefore, that there should be no time delay in this transformation and that the amount of martensite should depend on the transformation temperature, for a given grain size and composition2. If there is a time delay in the appearance of martensite, again at a temperature at or below the martensite start temperature (Ms), then it is important to show this by establishing that no growth of martensite occurs while a specimen is held at or below Ms. We show here that the nucleation event and not the growth behaviour of martensite can be affected by a common metallurgical treatment. The experiment is carried out at a constant grain size and composition with the result that we can unambiguously relate the change in nucleation rate to the present procedure.
Web accessible databases for electronic resource collections: a case study and its implications

Access to online research databases and full text e‐journals is a core element of academic library Web sites. This case study describes one such site that implemented a data‐driven integrated interface for its online research collection. The project raises several issues that should be considered by libraries engaged in developing these applications. This article also addresses next steps that would enhance access to a library’s online research collection.
Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age

Eating on the run has a long history in America, but it was the automobile that created a whole new category of dining: "fast food." In the final volume of their "Gas, Food, Lodging" trilogy, John Jakle and Keith Sculle contemplate the origins, architecture, and commercial growth of fast food restaurants from White Castle to McDonald's. Illustrated with 217 maps, postcards, photographs and drawings, "Fast Food" makes clear that the story of these unpretentious restaurants is the story of modern American culture. The first roadside eateries popularized once-unfamiliar foods - hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, milkshakes, burritos - that are now basic to the American diet. By the 1950s, drive-ins and diners had become icons of rebellion where teenagers sought freedom from adult authority. Like the gas station and the motel, the roadside restaurant is an essential part of the modern American landscape - where intentional sameness of design "welcomes" every interstate driver.
Laboratory diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis using buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar for the isolation of Acanthamoeba from clinical specimens. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed laboratory records of patients with ocular acanthamebic infection from October 1993 to September 1997 to compare the recovery of Acanthamoeba from clinical specimens inoculated onto various media. We then compared the experimental recovery of 10 corneal isolates of Acanthamoeba on buffered charcoal-yeast extract and blood agars. RESULTS: Paired data for buffered charcoal-yeast extract and blood agars were available from 24 cultures performed in 13 cases of ocular acanthamebic infection. Acanthamebic trails were detected on both buffered charcoal-yeast extract and blood agars in nine cultures, only on buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar in nine cultures, and only on blood agar in one culture ( P = .027). In the experimental study, all 10 clinical isolates produced trails on buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar, and the mean recovery after 10 days of incubation ranged from 38% to 95% of the original inoculum number. For seven of the 10 isolates, more than 70% of the original inoculum was recovered on buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar. Only two of the 10 strains produced persistent trails on the blood agar, and the mean recoveries after 10 days of incubation were 0.67% and 1.17%. Recovery was significantly better on buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar than blood agar ( P ≤ .0003). CONCLUSION: Buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar is an excellent commercially available culture medium for the recovery of Acanthamoeba .
A low-power temperature-compensated CMOS relaxation oscillator

A relaxation oscillator with integrated voltage and current reference generation circuitry is presented in this paper for on-chip clock signal generation in low-power applications. Designed and simulated in 0.11 μm CMOS technology, the oscillator provides a clock signal at the frequency of 20 kHz with a temperature coefficient of 314 ppm/ °C over a range from −20 to 80 °C. The oscillator’s output signal frequency has a standard deviation of 7.9 % under the influence of device mismatches. It operates with a supply voltage of 1.2 V and has a dynamic power consumption of 4.9 μW at room temperature. An integrated voltage and current reference generator was developed to provide two reference voltages at 484.6 and 663.5 mV with simulated temperature coefficients of 7.5 and 16 ppm/ °C over a range from −20 to 80 °C respectively, as well as a reference current of 26.84 nA with a temperature coefficient of 166 ppm/ °C over the same temperature range.
X-ray diffraction studies of thin films and multilayer structures

Abstract Analytical methods for the nondestructive characterization of thin epitaxial films, multilayers and superlattices by x-ray diffraction that have been developed in the last decade are reviewed in three sections: 1. I. Description of the strain state by the strain tensor and determination of homogeneous strains and stresses by double-crystal diffractometry in Bragg case reflection; 2. II. Determination of inhomogeneous strains, such as strain gradients or periodic strain modulations, by double-crystal diffractometry in Bragg case reflection; 3. III. Characterization parallel to the surface by grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction.
Experimental studies of low-voltage, grating TWT amplifiers

Recent results are presented from experimental studies of spontaneous emission and linear gain in a low-voltage, sheet-beam-compatible, grating TWT amplifier. A round "probe" beam from a 10 kV, 0.25 A Pierce gun electron source is utilized for 14 GHz amplifier experiments. From the spontaneous emission measurements we obtain the following valuable informations:(a) measurements of the grating-induced spontaneous emission spectrum which can be correlated with the theoretically predicted linear gain curves, (b) measurements of broad-band noise emission which are critical for amplifier sensitivity characterization, and (c) measurements of spontaneous emission in the backward-wave regime to correlate with start oscillation predictions. The noise emission spectra have been correlated with the most dominant experimental factors including guide magnetic field intensity and body currents. Measurements of linear gain are also compared with the theoretical prediction in both forward and backward-wave regimes. The slow-wave structure consists of a uniform grating that adiabatically tapers to a smooth wall at both ends for impedance matching between the conventional TE/sub 10/ rectangular guide mode and the TE/sub x10/ hybrid slow-wave mode of the grating circuit. Small loop antennas are inserted at each end in smooth-walled rectangular guide sections for input and output signal coupling with the TE/sub 10/ mode. Broadband, high-vacuum-compatible, SiC waveguide attenuator fins provide excellent suppression of unwanted end reflections and prevent the system from self-oscillation in the forward-wave regime.
A procedure for evaluating young children suspected of being sexually abused

Research on the suggestibility of young children has shown that certain interviewer behaviors (e.g., leading questions and suggestive comments) may distort or contaminate a child's memory for the original event or induce the child to change his or her statement about the original event. In light of these research findings and the current legal and public scrutiny over interviewer methods in suspected cases of child sexual abuse, a procedure for reducing suggestibility effects is presented. Foremost in the procedure is the use of a two-person interview team: an intake person and an unbiased interviewer (i.e., an interviewer with no prior knowledge of case details or allegations). It is argued that such a procedure decreases evaluator bias and child suggestibility effects, and ultimately provides better legal protection for the child through increased statement validity. A case illustrating this procedure is presented.
STABILITY OF TEXTURE AND SHAPE OF CIRCULAR DOMAINS OF LANGMUIR MONOLAYERS

Finite domains of a Langmuir monolayer in a phase with tilted molecules can be modeled by a simple elastic free energy of an $\mathrm{XY}$ order parameter with isotropic and anisotropic line tension terms. The domains can and often do contain nontrivial textures, which in turn influence the shape of the domains. Herein we investigate the properties of a simplified isotropic model with a single elastic constant. For circular domains a first-order phase transition is found between two distinct textures: an exterior defect (or ``virtual boojum'') texture, and an interior defect texture. Starting with a circular domain and either of these two textures as a ground state, we find that shape instabilities develop which depend on the elastic constants and line tensions in the simplified model. In both cases a necessary but not sufficient condition for the onset of shape instabilities is the possibility for a local negative effective line tension to develop from the anisotropic line tension term.
Membrane proteins of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides III. Isolation, purification, and characterization of cell envelope proteins☆

Cell envelopes (cell wall and cell membrane) from aerobically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides were isolated and purified by a combination of differential centrifugation and centrifugation through 40% sucrose. Cell envelope protein from aerobically grown cells was resolved by dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Biochemical characterization of selected envelope membrane proteins demonstrated heterogeneity between different protein species. Amino acid analyses of individual proteins revealed between 50–60 mole% nonpolar residues. Envelope membranes derived from anaerobically grown cells were also isolated and purified by a combination of differential centrifugation, column chromatography on Sepharose 2B, and centrifugation in 40% sucrose. The dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel patterns of anaerobic and aerobic envelope membrane proteins were very similar and the results suggest a common protein structure.
Wavefunction stability analysis without analytical electronic Hessians: application to orbital-optimised second-order Møller–Plesset theory and VV10-containing density functionals

Wavefunction stability analysis is commonly applied to converged self-consistent field (SCF) solutions to verify whether the electronic energy is a local minimum with respect to second-order variations in the orbitals. By iterative diagonalisation, the procedure calculates the lowest eigenvalue of the stability matrix or electronic Hessian. However, analytical expressions for the electronic Hessian are unavailable for most advanced post-Hartree–Fock (HF) wave function methods and even some Kohn–Sham (KS) density functionals. To address such cases, we formulate the Hessian-vector product within the iterative diagonalisation procedure as a finite difference of the electronic gradient with respect to orbital perturbations in the direction of the vector. As a model application, following the lowest eigenvalue of the orbital-optimised second-order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory (OOMP2) Hessian during H2 dissociation reveals the surprising stability of the spin-restricted solution at all separations, with a...
Screw migration from total knee prostheses requiring subsequent surgery

Abstract Complications in total knee arthroplasty directly related to hardware failure other than polyethylene wear are rare. We report 2 cases of symptomatic screw migration into the joint space from total knee prostheses. In the first case, a screw disengaged from a constrained condylar knee prosthesis. Arthroscopy using standard arthroscopy portals and a small arthrotomy were performed to remove the screw. In the second case, symptomatic screw disengagement and posterior migration from the tibial component of a posterior-stabilized prosthesis occurred. Revision with replacement of the polyethylene insert and locking screw was required. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Separation of collagenase and peptidase activities of tadpole tissues in culture.

Abstract Collagenase and peptidase activities in the crude powder obtained from the culture media of tadpole tissues have been separated from each other by three different procedures. The peptidase cleaves synthetic peptides which have been used in the assay of Clostridium histolyticum collagenase, but has no effect on native collagen, whereas the collagenase degrades native collagen but does not attack the synthetic peptides. It is concluded that synthetic peptides are not suitable substrates for identifying or assaying for collagenolytic activity in animal tissues, that only native collagen should be used for this purpose.
Apparatus for gel electrophoresis with continuous monitoring of individual DNA molecules by video epifluorescence microscopy

Apparatus for gel electrophoresis with continuous scanning by video epifluorescence microscopy was constructed and applied to measurements on individual DNA molecules in the size range of several hundred kilobase pairs. The gel electrophoresis apparatus comprises a horizontal glass cell and several commercially available components--an epifluorescence microscope, an image intensifier, two video cameras, a monitor, videotape recorder and voltmeter. Data in the form of videotapes can be subsequently analyzed on a computer graphics work station.
Numerical simulation of HgCdTe detector characteristics

We discuss analytic and numerical models for HgCdTe photodiodes and present examples of their application. Analytic models can account for the performance obtained by many device architectures. Numerical and analytic models agree in predicting several aspects of device performance, such as diffusion limited dark current, confirming the approximations used in deriving the analytic models. Areas are noted where improvement in the numerical models would allow application to a wider range of device simulations. Useful results are obtained from the numerical simulators that cannot be obtained from our analytic model. Flux dependent R0A products are shown to be a direct result of bias dependent quantum efficiency, a mechanism that is much more evident in heterojunction device architectures. Material compositional grading is demonstrated to lead to lower signal to noise ratio in devices designed to detect a particular infrared wavelength. We also show, particularly for high temperature operation, that heterojunction detectors can at best equal the performance of well-designed homojunction detectors; so, for photodetector design, heterojunctions do not offer any inherent performance advantages over homojunctions. Nevertheless, heterostructures, though ideally not required, may be helpful in achieving high performance in practice.
Opioid growth factor arrests the progression of clinical disease and spinal cord pathology in established experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Abstract An endogenous neuropeptide, opioid growth factor (OGF), chemically termed [Met 5 ]-enkephalin, arrested the progression of established disease in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS) called experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This study treated mice who demonstrated 2 consecutive days of behavioral decline following injections of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) with daily injections of OGF (10 mg/kg) or saline (0.1 ml) for 40 days. Within 6 days of OGF treatment, mice initially demonstrating clinical signs of EAE had significant reductions (45% reduction) in their behavioral scores relative to EAE mice receiving saline. Behavior was attenuated for the entire 40-day period with mice receiving OGF showing only limp tails and wobbly gait in comparison to saline-treated EAE mice who displayed paralysis of one or more limbs. Neuropathological studies revealed that OGF treatment initiated after the appearance of disease reduced the number of activated astrocytes and damaged neurons, decreased demyelination, and inhibited T cell proliferation. These results demonstrate that OGF can halt the progression of established EAE, return aberrant pain sensitivity to normal levels, inhibit proliferation of T cells and astrocytes, and prevent further spinal cord pathology. The data extend our observations that OGF given at the time of disease induction prevented disease onset, reduced the severity of clinical signs of disease, and reversed neurological deficits in a non-toxic manner. Our data substantiate the role of the OGF–OGFr axis in EAE and support the use of OGF as a biotherapy for MS.
U.S. Coast Guard Arctic pollution response research and development

The discovery of oil and gas along the Alaskan coast has led to development and exploration on shore; offshore drilling on the continental shelf is certain to increase rapidly in the near future. The Coast Guard has the legislated responsibility for insuring effective oil spill response in these waters which may be ice-infested during all or part of the year. The objective of the Arctic Pollution Response Research and Development Project is to understand and predict the behavior and movement of oil spilled in the Arctic, develop methods to detect and monitor these oil spills, and conduct investigative research into countermeasures and cleanup technology for ice-infested regions to insure Coast Guard expertise as federal On-Scene Coordinator.
Detailed analysis of crude oil group types using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Different HPLC methods were developed for characterizing the one-, two-, three- and four-ring aromatic compounds from crude oils. The crude oils are separated in five different fractions and these fractions are then analysed by reversed-phase HPLC. This method of analysing crude oil could be of help in evaluating the origin of the corresponding oil. The methods described were applied to some crude oils.
Ovipositional preference exhibited by Musca sorbens (Diptera: Muscidae) to feces of cows fed different rations.

Preferential selection of fecal pats for oviposition by Musca sorbens Wiedemann from cows fed different rations was studied. Caged ovipositing M. sorbens were overwhelmingly attracted to feces from cows fed concentrated feed supplements over feces from cows fed only grass. Gravid flies showed restraint in ovipositing on feces from cows fed on grass when confined in insect cages for protracted periods with no other breeding media available. Weight of fly puparia reared from preferred feces was 46.7% greater than that of puparia from feces ignored by ovipositing flies at the same dairy. Fresh samples of cow fecal pats were classified as either attractive or unattractive to ovipositing M. sorbens based on the presence or absence of egg clusters and were analyzed for differences in crude protein content. Results showing similar crude protein content in both samples indicated that protein residues were not responsible for ovipositional preference. These studies suggested that (1) M. sorbens refrains from ovipositing unless specific odors from digestive residues of concentrated feed supplements in cow feces are present; (2) fecal odors attracting ovipositing M. sorbens are related to nutritional needs of fly larvae; and (3) odors from digestive residues other than protein may be responsible for this attraction.
Liposome formation in microgravity.

Abstract Liposomes are artificial vesicles with a phospholipid bilayer membrane. The formation of liposomes is a self-assembly process that is driven by the amphipathic nature of phospholipid molecules and can be observed during the removal of detergent from phospholipids dissolved in detergent micelles. As detergent concentration in the mixed micelles decreases, the non-polar tail regions of phospholipids produce a hydrophobic effect that drives the micelles to fuse and form planar bilayers in which phospholipids orient with tail regions to the center of the bilayer and polar head regions to the external surface. Remaining detergent molecules shield exposed edges of the bilayer sheet from the aqueous environment. Further removal of detergent leads to intramembrane folding and membrane vesiculation, forming liposomes. We have observed that the formation of liposomes is altered in microgravity. Liposomes that were formed at 1-g did not exceed 150 nm in diameter, whereas liposomes that were formed during spaceflight exhibited diameters up to 2000 nm. Using detergent-stabilized planar bilayers, we determined that the stage of liposome formation most influenced by gravity is membrane vesiculation. In addition, we found that small, equipment-induced fluid disturbances increased vesiculation and negated the size-enhancing effects of microgravity. However, these small disturbances had no effect on liposome size at 1-g, likely due to the presence of gravity-induced buoyancy-driven fluid flows (e.g., convection currents). Our results indicate that fluid disturbances, induced by gravity, influence the vesiculation of membranes and limit the diameter of forming liposomes.
Judgment of distributional inequality in networks

Abstract Why is income inequality perceived and judged differently across a society? Following the social comparison theory, one reasonable explanation suggests that individuals are exposed to different local reference groups in social networks. We design a vignette experiment to study how income distributions are judged by individuals structured in networks. The experiment shows that perceptions of distributional inequality are high when network ties are unequally distributed across individuals, suggesting that network inequality contributes to distributional inequality. Beyond the network effect, inequality judgment is found to be driven by a mix of self-interest and other-regarding preference: people are in favor of group-beneficial income distributions wherein they rank high, but not extremely high, in the group. It shows that people care about not only their relative affluence, but also where others stand in the distribution.
Health care Passport: A population-based introductory pharmacy practice model for Medicare beneficiaries

Abstract The objective of the study was to describe the design and outcomes of a model to provide population-based, introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs). Community outreach events targeting Medicare beneficiaries were conducted. Screenings and services designed for adults 65 years and older were offered. Attendees were provided a business card known as the " Health care Passport " which identified screening stations and provided space to record results. Students participated in planning the events and providing health services. Students gained experience with population-based care, providing 2633 health screenings for 1013 attendees, and earned 2650 IPPE hours. Attendees received medication therapy management, assistance with the Medicare Part D plan review, and utilized an average of three stations, most commonly cardiovascular risk, immunizations, diabetes, and bone density. The Health care Passport is a reproducible model to provide extensive, population-based health screenings and services and effectively meet IPPE requirements for students.
Effect of Temperature, Exposure Duration, and Moisture Content on Color and Viscosity of Rice

ABSTRACT Rice yellowing is a problem for the rice industry. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of various temperatures and exposure durations at certain moisture content levels on yellowing in rice. Preliminary experiments were performed on stored Oryza sativa L. ‘Cypress’ rice. These experiments showed that exposure temperature and duration had a great effect on yellowing, but that the effect of moisture content was not significant (P > 0.15). With this information, similar experiments were performed on freshly harvested ‘Cypress’ and ‘Bengal’ rice. Color degradation, as measured by hue angle and chroma, was observed when at temperatures >50°C for exposure durations >12 hr. Temperatures >55°C with exposure durations >12 hr also resulted in dramatically lowered peak viscosity, but not all samples that showed yellowing had lowered viscosity. For the conditions of these experiments, temperature and exposure duration were the most important factors in color and viscosity change.
Evaluation of binding of fibrinogen and annexin V to equine platelets in response to supramaximal treadmill exercise

There is evidence that equine platelet reactivity is altered by strenuous exercise. Changes in platelet reactivity could impact haemostasis following exercise-induced injury and may play a role in the pathophysiology of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage. Interpretation of results of previous studies is hindered by potential in vitro-induced changes in platelet activity through the choice of anticoagulant and the use of platelet inhibitors. The present study was undertaken to re-evaluate the effect of exercise on equine platelets using methodologies that minimise in vitro-induced changes in platelet activation. The percentage of platelet-neutrophil aggregates increased significantly (P = 0.01) from mean +/- s.e. 3.5 +/- 0.6% at rest to 7.2 +/- 13% during exercise. There were no significant changes in binding of anti-fibrinogen antibody or annexin V to platelets in response to exercise. An inability to detect increased binding of fibrinogen or annexin V may be a result of poor test sensitivity or low statistical power. Alternatively, activated platelets may be quickly removed from the circulation and miss detection. The significance of increased numbers of platelet-neutrophil aggregates in association with exercise is currently unknown and warrants further investigation.
Review essay / rethinking criminal law

George P. Fletcher, Rethinking Criminal Law Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1978, xviii + 898 pp.
Group therapy for adult children of alcoholics: Case studies

Abstract The authors present case studies of two common roles of adult children of alcoholics (ACAs), those of hero and scapegoat, and demonstrate how ACAs interact in a mixed, heterogeneous therapy group
Reduction formulae for Kampé de Fériet functions Fq:1; 0p:2; 1

Abstract Several reduction formulae for Kampe de Feriet functions F q :1; 0 p :2; 1 are given in terms of a finite number of generalized hypergeometric functions.
A memory storage model utilizing spatial correlation functions.

A model of memory incorporating several unusual features is discussed. It is assumed that stored traces are added together in a common storage array. When the recovery system is presented with an input pattern, three reasonable demands may be made of the storage array for the memory system to be useful: has anything similar to the input pattern been stored previously (recognition); what are the significant differences between the input pattern and the stored pattern (reconstruction); what other stored patterns are similar to the input pattern (association). Methods of meeting these demands are discussed. A numerical example embodying these concepts is presented.
Comparative Analysis of Evolution in a Rodent Histone H2a Pseudogene

Sequences were obtained from five species of rodents that are orthologous to an H2a histone pseudogene from Mus musculus. The pseudogene is part of the cluster of replication-dependent histone genes found on Mus musculus chromosome 13. Comparative analysis of these five sequences together with the previously published sequence from M. musculus shows that this gene has likely been a pseudogene throughout the evolution of the genus Mus, while the gene from Rattus norvegicus is likely functional. Three large (>20 bp) deletions were found among the Mus pseudogenes, a feature that is very unusual compared to surveys of processed pseudogenes. In addition, there are two single-base deletions and one 4-bp insertion among the Mus pseudogenes. The species distributions of one of the large deletions and the 4-bp insertion require either independent insertions of an identical sequence, independent deletions with identical boundaries, or a deletion followed by precise reintegration of the original sequence. The evidence favors the hypothesis of multiple deletions with identical boundaries. The ``coding'' regions of the Mus pseudogenes show a much reduced level of among-species variability in the 3′ half of the pseudogene, compared both to the 5′ half and to flanking sequences. This supports a hypothesis that the 3′ end of the pseudogene is the target of frequent gene conversion by functional H2a genes.
Can’t the university be more like business?

Businesspeople sigh, Can’t the university be more like business. The faculty complain about business values crowding out academic values. The truth, I contend, lies in the muddy middle. In some respects the university is becoming more like business, and in other respects business is becoming more like the university. The university would do well to emulate business on some dimensions, and business would do well to emulate the university on other dimensions. The worst-case scenario is for the university to move away from those of its non-businesslike qualities that are worth preserving even while it apes business precisely on those qualities business is giving up.
A Comparative Evaluation of Early Stent Occlusion Among Biliary Conventional Versus Wing Stents

Conventional plastic stents with a lumen typically have limited patency. The lumenless wing stent was engineered to overcome this problem. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of early stent occlusion (symptomatic occlusion/cholangitis necessitating re-insertion within 90 days) for wing stents and conventional plastic stents. Patients with biliary pathology treated with plastic biliary stenting during the period 2003–2009 comprised the study cohort. Patients who had at least one biliary wing stent placed comprised the wing stent group, whereas patients who underwent only conventional stent plastic placement comprised the conventional stent group. Patients were stratified by indication: benign biliary strictures (group 1), malignant biliary strictures (group 2), or benign biliary non-stricture pathology (group 3). The association of stent type with the occurrence of primary outcome by indication was analyzed by use of multivariable logistic regression. Three-hundred and forty-six patients underwent 612 ERCP procedures with placement of plastic biliary stent(s). On multivariate analysis, early stent occlusion did not differ between the wing and conventional groups in groups 1, 2, and 3. Among patients who achieved primary outcome in group 2, significantly fewer patients in the wing group had cholangitis (6.7% vs. 39.1%, P = 0.03). Among patients who achieved primary outcome in group 3, significantly fewer patients in the wing group had cholangitis (10% vs. 50%, P = 0.03). Early stent occlusion was similar for wing stents and conventional plastic stents. Wing stents, however, were associated with a lower incidence of cholangitis in patients with malignant biliary obstruction and benign non-stricturing biliary pathology.