cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrophysiological Evidence that Abnormal Early Visual Experience Can Modify the Human Brain

Visual resolution in humans is nearly equal for vertically and horizontally oriented detail, but for some subjects there is a substantial difference in resolving power for these orientations. Although subjects who exhibit this difference invariably have ocular astigmatism, optical explanations of the effect can be ruled out. Direct evidence has been found for an electrophysiological correlate to the psychophysical finding. Subjects who have reduced resolution for a pattern of a particular orientation also show a decreased evoked potential response elicited by a target of the same orientation. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that a deficiency of specific features in the early visual input can alter the organization of the visual pathways.
Autophagy is required for preconditioning by the adenosine A1 receptor-selective agonist CCPA

We have shown that the cellular process of macroautophagy plays a protective role in HL-1 cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated ischemia/reperfusion (sI/R) (Hamacher-Brady et al. in J Biol Chem 281(40):29776–29787). Since the nucleoside adenosine has been shown to mimic both early and late phase ischemic preconditioning, a potent cardioprotective phenomenon, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adenosine on autophagosome formation. Autophagy is a highly regulated intracellular degradation process by which cells remove cytosolic long-lived proteins and damaged organelles, and can be monitored by imaging the incorporation of microtubule-associated light chain 3 (LC3) fused to a fluorescent protein (GFP or mCherry) into nascent autophagosomes. We investigated the effect of adenosine receptor agonists on autophagy and cell survival following sI/R in GFP-LC3 infected HL-1 cells and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The A1 adenosine receptor agonist 2-chloro-N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) (100 nM) caused an increase in the number of autophagosomes within 10 min of treatment; the effect persisted for at least 300 min. A significant inhibition of autophagy and loss of protection against sI/R measured by release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), was demonstrated in CCPA-pretreated cells treated with an A1 receptor antagonist, a phospholipase C inhibitor, or an intracellular Ca(+2) chelator. To determine whether autophagy was required for the protective effect of CCPA, autophagy was blocked with a dominant negative inhibitor (Atg5K130R) delivered by transient transfection (in HL-1 cells) or protein transduction (in adult rat cardiomyocytes). CCPA attenuated LDH release after sI/R, but protection was lost when autophagy was blocked. To assess autophagy in vivo, transgenic mice expressing the red fluorescent autophagy marker mCherry-LC3 under the control of the alpha myosin heavy chain promoter were treated with CCPA 1 mg/kg i.p. Fluorescence microscopy of cryosections taken from the left ventricle 30 min after CCPA injection revealed a large increase in the number of mCherry-LC3-labeled structures, indicating the induction of autophagy by CCPA in vivo. Taken together, these results indicate that autophagy plays an important role in mediating the cardioprotective effects conferred by adenosine pretreatment.
Protein dynamics to optimize and control bacterial photosynthesis

Proteins function by sampling conformational sub-states within a given fold. How this configurational flexibility and the associated protein dynamics affect the rates of chemical reactions are open questions. The difficulty in exploring this issue arises in part from the need to identify the relevant nuclear modes affecting the reaction rate for each characteristic time-scale of the reaction. Proteins as reaction media display a hierarchy of such nuclear modes, of increasingly collective character, that produce both a broad spectrum of static fluctuations and a broad spectrum of relaxation times. In order to understand the effect of protein dynamics on reaction rates, we have chosen to study a sub-nanosecond electron transfer reaction between the bacteriopheophytin and primary quinone cofactors of the photosynthetic bacterial reaction center. We show that dynamics affects the activation barrier of the reaction through a dynamical restriction of the configurational space sampled by the protein–water solvent on the reaction time-scale. The modes which become dynamically arrested on the reaction time-scale of hundreds of picoseconds are related to elastic motions of the protein that are strongly coupled to the hydration layer of water. Several mechanistic consequences for protein electron transfer emerge from this picture. Importantly, energy parameters used to define the activation barrier of electron transfer reactions lose their direct connection to equilibrium thermodynamics and become dependent in a very direct way on the relative magnitudes of the reaction and nuclear reorganization time-scales. As a result, the energetics of protein electron transfer need to be defined on each specific reaction time-scale. This perspective offers a mechanism to optimize protein electron transfer by tuning the reaction rate to the relaxation spectrum of the reaction coordinate.
Auditory structure and function in the bird middle ear: an evaluation by SEM and capacitive probe

Abstract The anatomic features of the middle ear in five avian species were identified in the scanning electron microscope. Various aspects of the conductive apparatus were quantitatively measured in a number of specimens from each species. These included the tympanic membrane, columella footplate and oval window area; the length of the columella, extra-stapedius and Platner's ligament: and the angular relations between the columella and the tympanic membrane, extra-stapedius and footplate. The velocity vs frequency response curve, measured from the tip of the concave tympanic membrane, and corrected lo a constant stimulus level of 100 dB SPL, was obtained for the neonatal chick and parakeet for frequencies between 0.2 and 10.0 kHz with a capacitive probe. In both species this curve resembled a bandpass filter whose best frequency was in the range of 1.5–3.0 kHz. The low and high frequency roll-off was 6 and 16 dB per octave, respectively. Displacement of the TM in the chick was measured at several frequencies between 70 and 120 dB SPL and was found to be linear. The results of displacement measured from the tip of the tympanum and from a location 1.0 mm more central on the drum membrane revealed a large difference in displacement over all frequencies. A comparison between the shape of the audibility curve and the tympanic membrane velocity function in the parakeet revealed that both curves were nearly the same for the mid-range frequency region. These findings add to our understanding of middle-ear function in the avian ear.
The Assessment of Sultriness. Part I: A Temperature-Humidity Index Based on Human Physiology and Clothing Science

Abstract Using as bases the amount of clothing needed to achieve thermal comfort and the reduction in the skin's resistance needed to obtain thermal equilibrium, the relative sultriness of warm-humid and hot-arid summer climates is assessed. Conditions of equal sultriness are referred to a vapor pressure of 1.6 kPa in order to prepare a table of apparent temperature corresponding to summer temperatures and humidities.
A computer simulation study on the number of loci and trees required to estimate genetic variability in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Current methods for measures of genetic diversity of populations and germplasm collections are often based on statistics calculated from molecular markers. The objective of this study was to investigate the precision and accuracy of the most common estimators of genetic variability and population structure, as calculated from simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker data from cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Computer simulated genomes of replicate populations were generated from initial allele frequencies estimated using SSR data from cacao accessions in a collection. The simulated genomes consisted of ten linkage groups of 100 cM in length each. Heterozygosity, gene diversity and the F statistics were studied as a function of number of loci and trees sampled. The results showed that relatively small random samples of trees were needed to achieve consistency in the observed estimations. In contrast, very large random samples of loci per linkage group were required to enable reliable inferences on the whole genome. Precision of estimates was increased by more than 50% with an increase in sample size from one to five loci per linkage group or 50 per genome, and up to 70% with ten loci per linkage group, or equivalently, 100 loci per genome. The use of fewer, highly polymorphic loci to analyze genetic variability led to estimates with substantially smaller variance but with an upward bias. Nevertheless, the relative differences of estimates among populations were generally consistent for the different levels of polymorphism considered.
Isomerization and oxidation of linear hexenes with methanolic Pd(II)

Abstract 1-Hexene, cis -2-hexene and trans -2-hexene all oxidize at the same rate at 30°C to yield 60–62% 2-hexanone along with 3-hexanone and hexanal. trans -3-Hexene reacts similarly, with the product mixture only slightly enriched (by ≈ 5%) in 3-hexanone. Under typical oxidation conditions with 0.010 M of PdCl 2 and CuCl 2 present these hexenes are shown to isomerize rapidly to an equilibrium mixture. The overall oxidation turnover number (TN) is ≈ 10, while for 1-hexene the isomerization TN under these conditions is approximately 3100.
Dynamic modulation of short-term synaptic plasticity in the auditory cortex: the role of norepinephrine.

Norepinephrine (NE) is an important modulator of neuronal activity in the auditory cortex. Using patchclamp recording and a pair pulse protocol on an auditory cortex slice preparation we recently demonstrated that NE affects cortical inhibition in a layer-specific manner, by decreasing apical but increasing basal inhibition onto layer II/III pyramidal cell dendrites. In the present study we used a similar protocol to investigate the dependence of noradrenergic modulation of inhibition on stimulus frequency, using 1s-long train pulses at 5, 10, and 20 Hz. The study was conducted using pharmacologically isolated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) evoked by electrical stimulation of axons either in layer I (LI-eIPSCs) or in layer II/III (LII/III-eIPSCs). We found that: 1) LI-eIPSC display less synaptic depression than LII/III-eIPSCs at all the frequencies tested, 2) in both type of synapses depression had a presynaptic component which could be altered manipulating [Ca
A technique for the adjustment of castings in a remount procedure

Abstract A technique for the adjustment (by grinding) of castings in remount procedures has been presented. The importance of maintaining ridge and groove direction, the desired occlusal anatomic form, vertical dimension of occlusion, and proper function without disturbing the functional cusps has been stressed.
A histochemical study of immune destruction of the lymphopoietic system.

Eine auffallende Zunahme von β-Galactosidase kommt im lymphoetischen Sauger-Gewebe im Zusammenhang mit der immunologischen Auflosung dieses Systems vor. Die hernach auftretende Proliferation retikularer Zellen steht im Zusammenhang mit der Regeneration dieses Organs. Diese Zellen enthalten eine reichliche Anzahl lysosomatischer Enzyme (z.B. β-Galactosidase).
Genetic linguistics and genetic creolistics: A Response to Sarah G. Thomason’s “Creoles and Genetic Relationships”

is likewise used for those thatdeveloped in trade colonies of the same European nations, where contactsbetween Europeans and non-Europeans were originally sporadic. Those in-clined to invoke pidgin or creole (PC) prototypes – to which I return below –are likely to identify them within this group, as did McWhorter (1998). Re-gardless of disagreements we may have about what counts, or does not count,as a PC, we certainly have fewer disagreements about this restricted set, onwhich I base my discussion below.
Noble gases in CO2 well gas, Harding County, New Mexico

Abstract The abundance and isotopic composition of noble gases were determined in samples of CO2 well gas from Harding County, New Mexico. Our results confirm the presence of radiogenic129Xe and fissiogenic131–136Xe. Relative to noble gases in air, the CO2 gas is selectively depleted in the lighter weight, nonradiogenic noble gases, except at neon. It is suggested that loss of atmospheric neon into space could account for an apparent excess of neon in juvenile gases.
Transposition of Tn4351 inPorphyromonas gingivalis

Abstract Genetic analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis , an obligately anaerobic gram-negative bacterium, has been hindered by the apparent lack of naturally occurring bacteriophages, transposable elements, and plasmids. Plasmid R751:: * Ω4 has previously been used as a suicide vector to demonstrate transposition of Tn 4351 in B. uniformis . The erythromycin resistance gene on Tn 4351 functions in Bacteroides and Porphyromonas . Erythromycin-resistant transconjugants were obtained at a mean frequency of 1.6 × 10 −7 from matings between Escherichia coli HB101 containing R751:: * Ω4 and P. gingivalis 33277. Southern blot hybridization analysis indicated that about half of the erythromycin-resistant P. gingivalis transconjugants contained simple insertions of Tn 4351 and half contained both Tn 4351 and R751 sequences. The presence of R751 sequences in some P. gingivalis transconjugants most likely occurred from Tn 4351 -mediated cointegration of R751, since we were unable to detect autonomous plasmid in these P. gingivalis transconjugants. The P. gingivalis -Tn 4351 DNA junction fragments from different transconjugants varied in size. These results are consistent with transposition of Tn 4351 and with insertion at several different locations in the P. gingivalis chromosome. Tn 4351 may be useful as a mutagen to isolate well-defined mutants of P. gingivalis .
Plasma protein C and antithrombin III levels in polycythemic newborns.

Thromboembolic complications have been reported in association with neonatal polycythemia, the primary cause of hyperviscosity in the newborn. Although there are some studies on coagulation in polycythemic neonates, the situations that predispose these newborns to thrombosis are still not clear.1 One of the causes may be the reduction in blood flow within the microcirculation, which favors coagulation. As protein C (PC) and antithrombin III (AT III) are important coagulation inhibitors, we decided to study them in polycythemic newborns.
B7-Dc, a New Dendritic Cell Molecule with Potent Costimulatory Properties for T Cells

Dendritic cells (DCs), unique antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with potent T cell stimulatory capacity, direct the activation and differentiation of T cells by providing costimulatory signals. As such, they are critical regulators of both natural and vaccine-induced immune responses. A new B7 family member, B7-DC, whose expression is highly restricted to DCs, was identified among a library of genes differentially expressed between DCs and activated macrophages. B7-DC fails to bind the B7.1/2 receptors CD28 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen (CTLA)-4, but does bind PD-1, a receptor for B7-H1/PD-L1. B7-DC costimulates T cell proliferation more efficiently than B7.1 and induces a distinct pattern of lymphokine secretion. In particular, B7-DC strongly costimulates interferon γ but not interleukin (IL)-4 or IL-10 production from isolated naive T cells. These properties of B7-DC may account for some of the unique activity of DCs, such as their ability to initiate potent T helper cell type 1 responses.
Assessment of the Thermodynamic Values for PuO1.5 and High‐Temperature Determination of the Values for PuC1.5

Thermodynamic values for PUO1.5 were assessed using an improved method for estimating fef° <PuO1.5 and new data for S°298 <PuO1.5. Based on the assessment, a value of ΔH°298, <PuO1.5=–828 kJ/mol is recommended. Measurements of (CO) pressure over the nominal equilibrium <PuO1.5+ <PuO1.5+ C were performed between 1348 and 1923 K, yielding pressures between 0.644 and 11600 Pa. Second- and third-law analyses were used to obtain a value for ΔH°298 <PuO1.5=–93.3°3.3 kJ/mol.
Review of Jo Ann Hackett, A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew

Bernard M. Levinson's review of Jo Ann Hackett, A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2010 pp. 25-30.A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: Linguistics expert and long-time educator Hackett offers a robust introduction to biblical Hebrew grammar and the Masoretic text. The graded exercises from Hebrew to English are intended to introduce the student to the many possibilities of biblical Hebrew prose. Later lessons include texts taken from the Masoretic text of the Old Testament with footnotes to explain unusual or advanced formations. Classroom tested and suitable for self-study as well, this quick-moving one-semester course (30 lessons) features clear, readable explanations, exercises, and examples that provide students with an effective foundation in original language usage. This textbook is also suitable for an entire first-year's study of Biblical Hebrew conducted at a slower pace. Course work includes an overview of the history of the Hebrew Bible; deductive lessons on recognition, drawing, and pronunciation of consonants and vowels; memorization and recitation of the alphabet; and proper spelling of words; as well inductive experience in translating biblical passages.
Revisiting the work of Maurice Goldenhar—an overview of Goldenhar syndrome

Goldenhar syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder resulting in craniofacial and vertebral malformations. Due to its low prevalence and extreme phenotypic variation, there is limited published literature on the disorder. The aim of this paper is to provide an updated review of the literature in order to improve awareness of Goldenhar syndrome and to guide physicians in their diagnosis and treatment plans. Goldenhar syndrome is a multifactorial disorder with most cases being sporadic, though autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive cases have been reported. Due to the high degree of phenotypic variation, Goldenhar syndrome is considered to be part of the oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum. Although there are no minimal diagnostic criteria, patients typically present with varying degrees of microtia, ear tags, craniofacial microsomia, eye anomalies, and diverse vertebral anomalies. For optimal outcomes, a multidisciplinary approach is required to best address ocular, auricular, vertebral, craniofacial, dental, and psychological manifestations. This paper reviews the etiology, risk factors, screening procedures, clinical features, and treatment for Goldenhar syndrome in order to aid in the early diagnosis of affected individuals and improve treatment outcomes. Level of Evidence: Not ratable
The Future Challenge of Infectious Disease

The infectious disease community can point to many successes in the past. In the late 1970s some felt we had the right to be complacent, as we believed we had virtually eliminated such dreaded diseases as smallpox, reduced the burden of schistosomiasis and malaria, and had begun to attack some venereal diseases. Indeed, we could be proud of the accomplishments and satisfied with the state of scientific knowledge that led to them, but nothing remains static. New infectious diseases are appearing as are more highly resistant strains of known diseases. Fortunately, at the same time, we find ourselves in the midst of an exciting technological revolution. Although new technologies require new ways of doing business. I am confident that the infectious disease community is capable of meeting the challenge.
Fixing the Broken Windows of Online Privacy Through Private Ordering: A Facebook Application

Building on a growing body of contract-based privacy scholarship, Professor Patricia Sanchez Abril has advanced a creative, concededly ambitious proposal for people to privately order their online interpersonal privacy: a system of standardized click-wrap-type confidentiality agreements in which social network users would be required to accept a content provider’s personal privacy preferences to access their online information. The contracts would be legally binding, enforceable through traditional means, although Abril suggests that most breaches would be minor and could be addressed by a self-policed online complaint and perhaps eBay-type rating system administered by the social network host. This reply to Abril’s article imagines how her proposal might function, or be adapted to function, in a real-world context, using Facebook as an example. Abril’s proposal is not limited to Facebook, but it is focused on online social networks. The omnipresent force that is Facebook comes readily to mind when reading her article. With more than 500 million members as of 2010, Facebook is the undisputed heavyweight world champion of personal information-sharing. If any single entity holds the power to change the context of online social network privacy, it’s Facebook. Thinking about how Abril’s proposal might work with Facebook highlights some obstacles to it, but also illustrates the great potential of her ideas. In the end, using Abril’s idea, the author suggests that Facebook could significantly alter the context of online privacy even without binding contracts, through a system of simple non-binding user-privacy preference icons (linked to short descriptions) that would run with all posted content.
Unisexual and Heterosexual Meiotic Reproduction Generate Aneuploidy and Phenotypic Diversity De Novo in the Yeast Cryptococcus neoformans

Aneuploidy is known to be deleterious and underlies several common human diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders such as trisomy 21 in Down's syndrome. In contrast, aneuploidy can also be advantageous and in fungi confers antifungal drug resistance and enables rapid adaptive evolution. We report here that sexual reproduction generates phenotypic and genotypic diversity in the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, which is globally distributed and commonly infects individuals with compromised immunity, such as HIV/AIDS patients, causing life-threatening meningoencephalitis. C. neoformans has a defined a-α opposite sexual cycle; however, >99% of isolates are of the α mating type. Interestingly, α cells can undergo α-α unisexual reproduction, even involving genotypically identical cells. A central question is: Why would cells mate with themselves given that sex is costly and typically serves to admix preexisting genetic diversity from genetically divergent parents? In this study, we demonstrate that α-α unisexual reproduction frequently generates phenotypic diversity, and the majority of these variant progeny are aneuploid. Aneuploidy is responsible for the observed phenotypic changes, as chromosome loss restoring euploidy results in a wild-type phenotype. Other genetic changes, including diploidization, chromosome length polymorphisms, SNPs, and indels, were also generated. Phenotypic/genotypic changes were not observed following asexual mitotic reproduction. Aneuploidy was also detected in progeny from a-α opposite-sex congenic mating; thus, both homothallic and heterothallic sexual reproduction can generate phenotypic diversity de novo. Our study suggests that the ability to undergo unisexual reproduction may be an evolutionary strategy for eukaryotic microbial pathogens, enabling de novo genotypic and phenotypic plasticity and facilitating rapid adaptation to novel environments.
The relationship between the abnormalities in electroencephalogram and blood levels of parathyroid hormone in dialysis patients.

Clinical and experimental data indicate that both acute and chronic uremia with excess circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are associated with a marked abnormality of the electroencephalogram (EEG); the latter may be related to the degree of hyperparathyroidism. The present study examines this question in 20 dialysis patients. All had slowing of the EEG, evidenced by significant (P < 0.01) increases [10.7–23.1% mean, 16.1 ± 0.8% (SE)] in EEG frequency below 7 Hz (normal, 2.3 ± 0.3). There was no correlation between the degree of slowing of the EEG and serum calcium, phosphorus, or creatinine levels, age, or duration of dialysis, but a significant and direct relationship existed with serum levels of the N-terminal fragment of PTH (N-PTH; r = 0.61; P < 0.01), though not with serum levels of the C-terminal moiety (C-PTH). Six months of treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 produced a marked fall in NPTH from 4283 ± 614 to 1738 ± 487 pg/ml (normal, <250) in 6 of 8 patients; this fall was associated...
Error and Uncertainty Analysis of Inexact and Imprecise Computer Models

Computer simulations are routinely executed to predict the behavior of complex systems in many fields of engineering and science. These computer-aided predictions involve the theoretical foundation, numerical modeling, and supporting experimental data, all of which come with their associated errors. A natural question then arises concerning the validity of computer model predictions, especially in cases where these models are executed in support of high-consequence decision making. This article lays out a methodology for quantifying the degrading effects of incompleteness and inaccuracy of the theoretical foundation, numerical modeling, and experimental data on the computer model predictions. Through the method discussed in this paper, the validity of model predictions can be judged and communicated between involved parties in a quantitative and objective manner. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000233. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Optimization; Uncertainty principles; Parameters; Calibration; Validation; Errors; Computer models; Computer aided simulation. Author keywords: Optimization; Uncertainty propagation; Discrepancy bias; Parameter calibration; Bias correction; Model validation; Model form error; Test-analysis correlation.
An autoradiographic study of the descending connections of the mammillary nuclei of the rat.

The descending connections of the mammillary nuclei of the rat were studied using the autoradiographic technique to trace anterograde axonal connections. Injections of tritiated leucine or tritiated proline were stereotaxically aimed at either the medial or lateral mammillary nucleus. Label in the medial and lateral mammillary nuclei was rated as either high or low. With a rating of high in both medial and lateral mammillary nuclei (11 animals) three major projection sites were seen: the dorsal tegmental nucleus (DTN), the ventral tegmental nucleus (VTN) and a pontine region which included both the pontine grey and the tegmental reticular nucleus. In the nine animals in which the medial mammillary nucleus was rated high but the lateral mammillary nucleus was rated low, no label was present in DTN, although the other two regions were labeled. The one animal in which the lateral mammillary nucleus was high but the medial was low, had label in all three major projection sites; since fibers destined for the DTN pass through the VTN, it could not be determined whether or not lateral mammillary efferents were in synaptic contact with the VTN. Labeled fibers were present throughout a wide dorsal-ventral extent of the mesencephalon; these fibers are components of the mammillotegmental system and not part of the mammillary peduncle.
A very brief history of hydraulic technology during antiquity

Hydraulic technology began during antiquity long before the great works of such investigators such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), Evangelista Torricelli (1608–1647), Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), Isaac Newton (1642–1727), Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782), and Leonhard Euler (1707–1783). The history of hydraulic technology even began long before Archimedes (287–212 BC). It is amazing to see what was accomplished in the application of hydraulic technology during antiquity, millenniums before the development of the concepts of conservation of mass, energy, and momentum used in present-day hydraulic design. The first developments of hydraulic technology occurred with the development of irrigation for agriculture, followed by the development of urban centers. A brief history is given of the development of hydraulic technology during antiquity.
Reconstruction of metabolic networks using incomplete information

This paper describes an approach that uses methods for automated sequence analysis (Gaasterland et al. August 1994) and multiple databases accessed through an object+attribute view of the data (Baehr ete/. 1992), together with metabolic pathways, reaction equations, and compounds parsed into a logical representation from the Enzyme and Metabolic Pathway Database (Selkov, Yunus, ~z et.aL 1994), as the sources of data for automatically reconstructing a weighted pa~ial metabolic network for a prokaxyotic organiRm. Additional information can be provided interactivdy by the expert user to guide z~onstruction.
Maturation anomalies in sediments underlying thick volcanic strata, Oregon: Evidence for a thermal event

Vitrinite reflectance profiles from three drill holes in Oregon where sediments are mantled by thick sequences of volcanic rocks suggest that the sediments were subjected to an unusual diagenetic history. Anomalous, near-constant maturation profiles in sedimentary sequences more than 1300 m thick indicate that the levels of thermal maturity of organic matter in the sediments below the volcanic cover of the Pacific northwest were sufficiently high to have generated hydrocarbons. A hydrothermal mechanism appears to be the most effective form of thermal input, and supporting evidence can be found in the authigenic mineralization of the sediments. The occurrence of vertical maturation profiles in east-central Oregon may be associated with moderate-temperature geothermal systems resulting from a late Oligocene to early Miocene thermal event related to the incipient stages of basaltic volcanism of the Columbia River Group. The uniform maturation of the entire sedimentary column under the volcanic cover has broad implications for the exploration for oil and gas in the Pacific northwest because the presence of mature source rocks in these volcanically lidded basins provides some insight into the petroleum potential of the large volcanic-covered areas in Oregon, Washington, and California.
Chemistry and biological properties of onions and garlic

Abstract The fresh flavors of onions, garlic, and other members of the Allium genus are produced by enzymic decomposition of S‐alkyl‐ and S‐alkenyl‐L‐cysteine S‐oxides from which the primary products are thiolsulfinates containing alkyl and alkenyl substituents (alkyl‐ and alkenyl‐disulfide S‐oxides). The amino acid flavor precursurs of garlic are (+)S‐methyl‐, (+)S‐propyl‐, and (+)S‐(2‐propenyl)‐L‐cysteine S‐oxides, with the last amino acid predominant. The initial flavor of freshly chopped garlic is due mainly to the enzymic product 2‐propene‐2‐propenylthiolsulfinate. Small quantities of the corresponding methyl and propyl derivatives are also present. On standing, these compounds are converted to disulfides, trisulfides, and more complex sulfur‐containing compounds. The flavor precursors of the onion are (+)S‐methyl‐, (+)S‐propyl‐, and (+)S‐(l‐propenyl)‐L‐cysteine S‐oxide, with the last amino acid predominant. Enzymic decomposition of the propenyl derivative yields the characteristic transitory lachrym...
Timing of carotid artery endarterectomy after stroke

Carotid endarterectomy has been advocated to prevent further neurologic deterioration in patients who have had a stroke. Previous reports have shown that endarterectomy within 2 weeks of a stroke is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates presumably from hemorrhagic complications in the brain. Some recommend a 2- to 6-week waiting period after a stroke, but the safety of operation in the interval of time beyond 2 weeks has not been documented in the literature. The present study investigated the morbidity and mortality rates of 352 consecutive carotid endarterectomies. Three hundred three endarterectomies were performed on patients with symptoms other than stroke. Forty-nine endarterectomies were performed on patients with a deficit lasting more than 24 hours. Of these, 27 carotid endarterectomies were performed in an interval less than 5 weeks after initial stroke (early interval) and 22 operations were performed in a 5- to 20-week interval after stroke (late interval). Five strokes occurred in the 27 patients operated on within 5 weeks, an incidence of 18.5%; none of the patients operated on after 5 weeks exhibited worsening of their preoperative neurologic status. With the use of Fisher's exact test to compare these two intervals, the results were found to be significant (p less than 0.05). The cause of stroke in those operated on in the early interval was investigated by postoperative CT scans; in only one instance was there a hemorrhagic infarct of the ipsilateral hemisphere. The literature suggests that a variety of intracerebral vascular changes render the brain more susceptible to reinfarction soon after stroke. This study suggests an unstable situation in the 5-week interval following stroke that contraindicates carotid endarterectomy.
Longitudinal Vortices in Shear Flow

The effect of a trailing or longitudinal vortex on shear flow near a wall is investigated on the basis of exact equations. It is found that the vortex tunnels under and across the shear flow, lifting the flow away from the wall by an amount depending on the distance of the vortex from the wall but not on its strength. Some conjectures are made concerning the behavior of pairs and groups of longitudinal vortices. Der Einflus eines Langswirbels auf die Scherstromung an einer Wand wird auf Grund exakter Gleichungen untersucht. Es zeigt sich, das sich der Wirbel einen Weg unter der Scherstromung und quer zu ihr bahnt und dabei diese von der Wand um einen Betrag abhebt, der von der Entfernung des Wirbels von der Wand, jedoch nicht von seiner Starke abhangt. Es werden einige Vermutungen vorgebracht hinsichtlich des Verhaltens von Paaren und Gruppen von Langswirbeln.
Effects of CCR5-Delta32, CCR2-64I, and SDF-1 3'A alleles on HIV-1 disease progression: An international meta-analysis of individual-patient data

The burgeoning information on the human genome creates opportunities and challenges for studies of disease associations. Because genetic differences often produce modest effects, many patients must be studied to reach definitive conclusions. In the absence of a single large study, meta-analysis of individual-patient data (1 - 3) from smaller studies offers a way to assemble an adequate sample size. This approach is based on a unifying protocol that has standardized analytic definitions. When the protocol is applied to data contributed by most investigators working in a field, this method can provide more convincing results than a simple pooling of data or a meta-analysis of published reports (3). A meta-analysis of individual-patient data is also superior to a meta-analysis of published reports for examining differences in reported results.
Making It Personal: Regime Type and Nuclear Proliferation

Study after study has found that regime type has little or no effect on states� decisions to pursue nuclear weapons. We argue, however, that conventional approaches comparing the behavior of democracies to that of nondemocracies have resulted in incorrect inferences. We disaggregate types of nondemocracies and argue that leaders of highly centralized, �personalistic� dictatorships are particularly likely to view nuclear weapons as an attractive solution to their concerns about regime security and face fewer constraints in pursuing nuclear weapons than leaders of other types of regimes. Combining our more nuanced classification of regime type with a more theoretically appropriate empirical approach, we find that personalist regimes are substantially more likely to pursue nuclear weapons than other regime types. This finding is robust to different codings of proliferation dates and a range of modeling approaches and specifications and has significant implications for both theory and policy.
Personal Values and Pain Tolerance: Does a Values Intervention Add to Acceptance?

Abstract Previous research suggests that acceptance is a promising alternative to distraction and control techniques in successfully coping with pain. Acceptance interventions based upon Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) have been shown to lead to greater tolerance of acute pain as well as increased adjustment and less disability among individuals with chronic pain. However, in these previous intervention studies, the ACT component of values has either not been included or not specifically evaluated. The current study compares the effects of an ACT-based acceptance intervention with and without the values component among individuals completing the cold-pressor task. Results indicate that inclusion of the values component (n = 34) of ACT leads to significantly greater pain tolerance than acceptance alone (n = 30). Consistent with previous research, both conditions were associated with greater pain tolerance than control (n = 35). Despite the difference in tolerance, pain threshold did not differ, and participants in the control condition provided lower ratings of pain severity. The findings from this study support the important role of values and values clarification in acceptance-based interventions such as ACT, and provide direction for clinicians working with individuals with chronic pain conditions. Perspective This article evaluates the additive effect of including a personalized-values exercise in an acceptance-based treatment for pain. Results indicate that values interventions make a significant contribution and improvement to acceptance interventions, which may be of interest to clinicians who provide psychological treatment to individuals with chronic pain.
Systemic Aspects of Precocious Advanced Alveolar Bone Destruction: Preliminary Report

case finding adjunct in a program of venereal disease control. Dentists are key individuals in this program because of their particular awareness of dental anomalies. Dental inspections for the study dis­ cussed were done at the rate of ioo per hour. The rapidity and ease of this tech­ nic, by which large numbers were screened, are among its chief merits. Ex­ amination of 2,156 Negro school chil­ dren resulted in 69 diagnoses of Hutch­ inson teeth. Of these 69, 53 had blood tests, of which 13 had positive reactions for syphilis, a percentage of 24.5. The occurrence of Hutchinson teeth was proportionately higher in the older children (13 to 18 years) than in the younger children (6 to 11 years) of the series. This trend is interpreted as a quantitative reduction of congenital syphilis in recent years indicating in­ creased effectiveness of venereal disease control. However, congenital syphilis will constitute a public health problem for some time, and it is imperative that den­ tists, particularly those in the field of public health, remain alert to the con­ tribution they can make toward its con­ trol.
Subtidal Sea Level Variations in the Chesapeake Bay and Relations to Atmospheric Forcing

Abstract Subtidal sea level variations in the Chesapeake Bay were examined over a one-year period for evidence of wind-driven barotropic circulation. The major transport occurred at time scales of 3–5 days, whose magnitude was larger than the river runoff. It was driven by the east-west wind, as part of the coupled coastal ocean-estuary response. At shorter time scales, there was also large barotropic motion which, however, was driven by the local, north-south wind. The variance of barotropic fluctuation was larger by a factor of 4 in winter than in summer, due to the increased cyclone activities. The coupled coastal ocean-estuary response was also more pronounced in winter. In contrast, the summer season was dominated by local forcing at time scales of 3–7 days. The results suggest that the barotropic motion is an important component of the net circulation. The corresponding subtidal sea level change contributes significantly to the storm surge. Thus, the nature of barotropic response, particularly the c...
Image Maps: Exploring Urban History through Digital Photography

This paper describes an integration of geographic information systems (GIS) and multimedia technologies to create opportunities for people to explore the history of their cities. We have augmented a digital camera with a global positioning system (GPS) and a digital compass to record its position and orientation when ordinary photographs are taken. The metadata are used to retrieve and present historical images of the photographed locations to photographers. Another set of tools allows students to annotate and compare these historical images to develop explanations of how and why their communities have changed over time. We describe the hardware and software architectures and learning outcomes that we expect to see in classroom use.
A wireless system for longitudinal assessment of tissue-electrode interface in biobots

Biobots are instrumented insects whose direction of movement can be controlled through strategic neural stimulation via implanted electrodes. Biobotic control has been reported to gradually degrade over time in the course of weeks. This can be attributed to changes in the tissue-electrode interface properties. The assessment of the interface would be possible using an equivalent circuit model derived from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy based characterization. We propose a wireless electronic backpack-based system for longitudinal impedance spectroscopic analysis for monitoring and subsequent analysis of the tissue-electrode interface in biobots.
The Dog Ate My Estate Tax Return

The IRS has heard every possible excuse for missed deadlines. Like teachers, IRS personnel inevitably listen to tales of dogs who eat important documents dogs, computers that crash and grandmothers who die (sometimes repeatedly). So when a taxpayer offers “my attorney got sick” as an excuse a late estate tax return, it is not surprising that the argument meets resistance. In Freeman v. United States, the executor of a decedent’s estate sought a refund of penalties paid for filing a late return. In a suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the estate argued that the illness of the estate’s attorney constituted “reasonable cause” for late filing, and thus any penalties under IRC § 6651(a) were improper. The court disagreed with the estate, and the penalty was upheld. The Freeman case is a clear reminder that executors have certain responsibilities that they cannot delegate to others.
Beauvoir on the Allure of Self-Objectification

In the past 20 years feminist philosophy has come to fetishize two metaphysics of gender: (1) gender reificationism, on which what it is to be a man or a woman is taken to be definable with precision, and (2) gender eliminativism, on which the notions of “man” and “woman” are understood as thoroughly political concepts. These two positions, which are not necessarily incompatible, both fail to take seriously the phenomenology of being a woman; and their popularity goes hand in hand with the increasing irrelevance of feminist philosophy in women’s lives. We find an antidote to the current state of affairs in Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. Beauvoir’s metaphysic of sex difference helps us to make sense of the experience of contemporary young women whose investment in their own professional success as “alpha girls” seems decidedly at odds with their apparently retrogressive roles in the current “hook-up culture.” The explanatory power of Beauvoir’s model makes attractive her insistence on the crucial grounding role that everyday experience must play in metaphysical reflection. It also suggests that to be a human being is, and always will be, to be tempted to objectify oneself.
On the Derivation of the Black–Scholes Formula

We clarify a few aspects of the original method of Black and Scholes for pricing a European call option, and at the same time make sure that each step is mathematically justified. In the process, we have to confront a novel free boundary problem for parabolic equations.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of United Launch Alliance Delta IV Hydrogen Plume Mitigation Strategies

During the launch sequence of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV launch vehicle, large amounts of pure hydrogen are introduced into the launch table and ignited by RadialOutward-Firing-Igniters (ROFIs). This ignition results in a significant flame, or plume, that rises upwards out of the launch table due to buoyancy. The presence of the plume causes increased and unwanted heat loads on the surface of the vehicle. A proposed solution to this problem is to add a series of fans and structures to the existing launch table configuration that are designed to inject ambient air in the immediate vicinity of the launch vehicle’s nozzles to suppress the plume rise. In addition to the air injection, secondary blockages and fan systems can be added around the launch table openings to further suppress the hydrogen plume. The proposed air injection solution is validated by computational fluid dynamics simulations that capture the combustion and compressible flow observed during the Delta IV launch sequence. A solution to the hydrogen plume problem will have direct influence on the efficiency of the launch vehicle: lower heat loads result in thinner vehicle insulation and thus allow for a larger payload mass. Current results show that air injection around the launch vehicle nozzles and air suppression around the launch table openings significantly reduces the size of the plume around the launch vehicle prior to liftoff.
Preparation of fluorescent Au–SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles and nanorods with tunable silica shell thickness and surface modification for immunotargeting

Gold–silica (Au–SiO2) core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) enable multifunctional properties for in vivo biomedical applications. However, scalable synthesis methods are lacking for the preparation of Au–SiO2 core–shell NPs less than 30 nm in overall diameter with a tunable silica shell less than 10 nm in thickness. Therefore, we prepared monodispersed Au–SiO2 core–shell NPs less than 30 nm in overall diameter with a uniform, tunable silica shell ∼1 to 14 nm in thickness using either citrate reduction followed by a modified Stober method or oleylamine reduction followed by a reverse microemulsion method. Oleylamine reduction enabled up to 80-fold greater concentration yield compared to the citrate reduction method currently used for synthesizing Au core NPs. The formation of a tunable silica shell less than 10 nm in thickness was facilitated by controlling the molecular weight of the priming polymer (modified Stober) or surfactant (reverse microemulsion) in addition to the concentration of the silane precursor, and was robust for encapsulating non-spherical morphologies such as Au nanorods. The reverse microemulsion method enabled several distinct advantages over the modified Stober method, including greater control over the silica shell thickness, ∼16-fold greater yield in core–shell NP concentrations for scalable synthesis, and the ability to encapsulate controlled concentrations of a molecular payload (e.g., fluorophores with four different emission profiles) in the silica shell. Au–SiO2 core–shell NPs were also bioconjugated with immunoglobulin-G (IgG) as a model antibody to demonstrate immunotargeting. Bioactivity of Au–SiO2–IgG core–shell NPs was confirmed by agglomeration in the presence of protein A. The presence and proper orientation of IgG on NP surfaces was verified by direct observation in electron microscopy after negative staining. Therefore, the methods in this study for preparing and modifying Au–SiO2 core–shell NPs provide a platform for engineering core–shell NPs with size-dependent functional properties for multispectral/multimodal imaging, drug delivery, and combined theranostics.