cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flows around moving bodies using a dynamic unstructured overset-grid method

In this article, a computational fluid dynamics algorithm is presented for simulations of complex unsteady flows around rigid moving bodies using an unstructured overset-grid method. For this purpose, a highly automated, three-dimensional, tetrahedral, unstructured overset-grid method is developed with one-cell-width overlapping zone in order to model the arbitrary geometries for steady and unsteady flow simulations. A method has been described to obtain the inter-grid boundaries of the one-cell-wide overlapping zone shared by a background grid and a minor grid. In the overset-grid methodology, vector intersection algorithm and bounding box techniques have been utilised. The mesh refinement and overset-scheme conservation studies proved the accuracy and efficiency of the method developed here. The applications of the developed algorithms were also performed through simulations that included complex internal flows around a flow-control butterfly valve as well as flows in an internal combustion engine with a moving piston. Lastly, validations with experimental data were conducted for both steady and unsteady flows around rigid bodies with relative motions.
RUPTURE OF INHOMOGENEOUS SPHERICAL CLUSTERS BY SIMPLE FLOWS

We extend models for the rupture of particle clusters developed by a number of authors to the case of the rupture of inhomogeneous spherical clusters of low porosity having a single strength-limiting flaw. With a view toward the design of mixing equipment, we examine the tendency of these clusters to break in 4 prototypical flow geometries: simple shear, pure elongation, uniaxial extension and biaxial extension
Arousal and Cognition: Memory for Color Versus Black and White Multimedia Presentation

Summary It was hypothesized that the incidence of reminiscence over one week would be greater for color as opposed to black and white multimedia presentation. This hypothesis was tested in 52 undergraduate nursing students (50 female, two male, age 19–25 years), who were randomly assigned to a slide-tape presentation in either color or black and white followed by an immediate versus seven day retention (comprehension) measure. Results supported the prediction (p < .05), with greater incidence of reminiscence being obtained in the color over black/white presentation condition. The results may be contrasted with previous work showing little or no effect of color on such complex learning. It is argued that the present approach to color and media effects emphasizing arousal and information processing may be fruitful and might well be extended to individual difference analyses, including a proposal for the individualization of instruction through arousal X treatment interactions.
New Nanotech from an Ancient Material: Chemistry Demonstrations Involving Carbon-Based Soot

Carbon soot has been known since antiquity, but has recently been finding new uses as a robust, inexpensive nanomaterial. This paper describes the superhydrophobic properties of carbon soot films prepared by combustion of candle wax or propane gas and introduces some of the optical absorption and fluorescence properties of carbon soot particles. Multiple demonstrations, appropriate for a variety of educational backgrounds, are presented.
Helium solubility and bubble formation in a nanostructured ferritic alloy

Abstract The response of a nanostructured ferritic alloy to He implantation and post-irradiation annealing (PIA) at 750 °C was characterized by atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. The supersaturated He concentration in the ferrite at a dose of ∼2.1 displacements per atom was similar for the as-implanted, 75 ± 7 appm, and a 10 h PIA treatment, 71 ± 7 appm, but decreased to 38 ± 2 appm after a 100 h PIA treatment. Approximately 91–97% of the He bubbles were present as isolated bubbles in the ferrite and ∼1–5% on the surface of the nanoclusters in the ferrite. The remainder were associated with the grain boundaries with a small fraction on the surface of Ti(N,C,O) precipitates. Their average size and number density were similar for the as-implanted and 10 h PIA treatment with a small increase in the size and a significant increase in the number density after the 100 h PIA treatment. Swelling in the high dose region increased from ∼1% in the as-implanted and 10 h PIA conditions to ∼5% after the 100 h PIA treatment but the estimated number of He atoms per unit volume in the He bubbles decreased by an order of magnitude. Number densities increased from ∼8 × 10 23 m −3 in the as-implanted to ∼15 × 10 23 m −3 in the 10 h PIA condition, with little change (to ∼12 × 10 23 m −3 ) in the 100 h PIA condition. This trend may indicate nucleation of new bubbles up to 10 h, with growth and possible consumption of the smaller bubbles between 10 and 100 h.
Integrating High Performance File Systems in a Cloud Computing Environment

This paper outlines our ongoing efforts to effectively integrate a parallel file system in a cloud environment. We investigate how a parallel file system (PFS) can be effectively integrated and provided as a service to cloud users running High Performance Computing (HPC) applications, and what would be the performance and security implications of such a service. A critical requirement of running today's dataintensive HPC applications is the availability of a parallel high performance storage system. The objectives of our work are two-fold: first, to identify and evaluate the possible ways to deploy a PFS in a cloud infrastructure, and second, to design a framework to provide the PFS as a service inside a cloud-management framework which would allow users to provision and configure PFS storage dynamically and securely, in much the same way they can provision instances and volumes. Initial results indicate that among the options evaluated, the best filesystem performance can be obtained by providing a native parallel file-system installation as a service and using file-system passthrough from the virtual machine instances to access the files directly.
The development of neuropeptide Y immunoreactive neurons in cat visual cortical areas.

Abstract The development of NPY-ir neurons and fibers in cat striate and extrasiate cortex was studied to determine whether temporal changes in the morphology, distribution and density of NPY-ir neurons during development would provide clues to the emergence of specific cortical areas. No differences in the number or distribution of NPY-ir neurons were observed at any age aong the five visual cortical areas examined, area 17, 18, 19, posteromedial lateral suprasylvann and posterolateral lateral suprasylvian cortex. The number of NPY-ir neurons in cat visual cortical areas was higher in adult animals than in kittens. The proportion of NPY-ir neurons found in layer VIb was constant throughout life, suggesting than NPY immunreactivity is not a marker for the transient neurons of the subplate. NPY-ie neuronal morphology was seen to ‘flatten’ in older animals with the development of sulci and increasing density of the brain. In contrast to the pattern observed with NPY-ir neurons, NPY-ir processes exhibited area-dependent differences during development. NPY-ir fibers grew into area 17 earlier and with a radial orientation which was not consisyently observed laterally. This radial orientation was still apparent in adult brains in layer IV of area 17, though there was no orientation of fibers in the other laminae or other visual areas of the adult.
Which factors influence preservation of the osteonecrotic femoral head

Background Although surgeons use many procedures to preserve the femoral head in patients with hip osteonecrosis, there is no consensus regarding the best procedure.
Guaranteed navigation with an unreliable blind robot

We consider a navigation problem for a robot equipped with only a map, compass, and contact sensor. In addition to the limitations placed on sensing, we assume that there exists some bounded uncertainty on rotations of our robot, due to precision errors from the compass. We present an algorithm providing guaranteed transitions in the environment between certain pairs of points. The algorithm chains these transitions together to form complete navigation plans. The simplicity of the robot's design allows us to concentrate on the nature of the navigation problem, rather than the design and implementation of our robotic system. We illustrate the algorithm with an implementation and simulated results.
Oxalate ions and calcium oxalate crystals stimulate MCP-1 expression by renal epithelial cells

Oxalate ions and calcium oxalate crystals stimulate MCP-1 expression by renal epithelial cells. Background Crystals of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and excess oxalate ions (OX) stimulate an array of responses inducing localized injury and inflammation in the kidneys. These inflammatory responses are key regulators of development of nephrolithiasis. We propose that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a chemokine with potent chemotactic activity for monocytes/macrophages, is a mediator of local inflammatory responses to COM and OX-induced injury. To test this hypothesis, the effects of COM and OX on the expression of MCP-1 mRNA and protein by NRK52E rat renal tubular cells were investigated. Methods Confluent cultures of NRK52E cells were exposed to COM (33 to 267 μg/cm 2 ) or OX (125 to 1000 μmol/L, estimated free oxalate levels of 65.8 to 540 μmol/L) and catalase (400 or 2000 U/mL), a free radical scavenger that protects the cells against detrimental effects of COM and OX, for 1 to 48 hours under serum free conditions. The conditioned media were collected and total cellular RNA isolated from the cells and subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the expression of MCP-1 protein and mRNA, respectively. Results NRK52E cells express MCP-1 mRNA and protein, and the level of their expression significantly increases following treatments with COM and OX in a time and concentration dependent manner. MCP-1 mRNA expression and protein production increased more significantly after exposure to COM than to OX. These responses were significantly reduced following treatments with catalase (2000 U/mL). Conclusions NRK52E cells express MCP-1 mRNA and protein, and their levels are altered following COM and OX exposure. Since catalase treatment reduced MCP-1 expression, free radicals may be involved in the up-regulation of MCP-1 production by the epithelial cells. The results suggest that elevated expression of MCP-1, which is often associated with local inflammatory response, may mediate similar reactions including attraction of macrophages seen around the interstitial crystals during the early stages of nephrolithiasis.
Object-level parallelism in a virtual environment architecture

We describe a virtual environment architecture (VEA) that incorporates an object-oriented design approach. VEA emphasizes fine-grained multiprocessing, which takes advantage of the processing power available on today's multiprocessor workstations. Inter-object communications are supported primarily through events. VEA allows objects to process events simultaneously, subject to processor availability and data consistency constraints. Device abstraction layering is important for isolating assumptions, and for removing dependencies on certain I/O devices or modes of interaction. Finally, VEA provides facilities for loading and saving virtual environment configuration files, which allow a session to be saved and restarted.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
What are DNA sequence motifs

Sequence motifs are becoming increasingly important in the analysis of gene regulation. How do we define sequence motifs, and why should we use sequence logos instead of consensus sequences to represent them? Do they have any relation with binding affinity? How do we search for new instances of a motif in this sea of DNA?
Skin cancer viruses: bench to bedside – HPV, HHV8 and Merkel cell carcinoma virus

Viral infection in cancer is common. Although there is still debate whether viruses alone can cause tumors, the discovery of tumor viruses has enlightened many fields of tumor biology and viral oncogenesis. With the advances of biotechnology, the list of tumor viruses will grow in the coming decades. However, to determine if a candidate virus causes cancer, the key is to combine epidemiological and molecular biologic data. Recently, promising viral targeted therapies include anti-latent viral drugs and immunological therapies. In this article, we review the current knowledge of the role of human papillomavirus, human herpesvirus 8, and Merkel cell polyomavirus in skin cancer carcinogenesis, with a focus on recent literature.
Identification of the temperature gradient instability as the source of decameter-scale ionospheric irregularities on plasmapause field lines

[1] Recent observations with the new mid-latitude SuperDARN HF radar located at Wallops Island, Virginia have identified a class of ionospheric irregularities that is prevalent in the nightside sub-auroral ionosphere under low-to-moderate Kp conditions. These irregularities can be observed for many hours and generally exhibit very low Doppler velocities. A recent collaborative experiment using the Wallops radar and the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar has determined that these irregularities are located at the ionospheric footprint of the plasmapause and in a region of opposed electron density and electron temperature gradients. We conclude that the irregularities are produced by the temperature gradient instability (TGI) or by turbulent cascade from primary irregularity structures produced from this instability. This is the first experimental confirmation that the TGI is effective in producing decameter-scale ionospheric irregularities.
Spectacle Independence after Cataract Extraction in Post-Radial Keratotomy Patients Using Hybrid Monovision with ReSTOR® Multifocal and TECNIS® Monofocal Intraocular Lenses

Background: We report 2 patients who have undergone radial keratotomy (RK) preceding ReSTOR® multifocal intraocular lens (IOL; Alcon, Fort Worth, Tex., USA) implantation in their nondominant eyes and TECNIS® monofocal IOL (Abbott Medical Optics, Abbott Park, Ill., USA) in their dominant eyes. Methods: Retrospective review of 2 patients who underwent hybrid monovision with ReSTOR® multifocal and TECHNIS® monofocal IOLs at the time of cataract surgery after a remote history of RK. Results: Implantation of the ReSTOR® multifocal and the TECHNIS® monofocal IOLs was successful, with no reported adverse events. The patients were able to achieve spectacle freedom. Conclusion: We report a novel technique for the management of post-RK patients to optimize their chances for spectacle independence.
An objective climatology of mobile troughs in the northern hemisphere

This paper introduces a technique to identify and track midtropospheric mobile troughs. Mobile troughs are objectively identified as maxima in the transport of geostrophic curvature vorticity. A 20-year climatology of mobile trough genesis and termination regions is constructed by applying the method to National Meteorological Center 500 mb geopotential height data. The objective tracking results are compared to Sanders' (1988) climatology of mobile troughs on the 552 dam contour. The objective method was shown to be more consistent and accurate than Sanders' subjective method, and therefore, determined to be superior in tracking mid-tropospheric mobile troughs. The mean lifespan of troughs over the 20-year dataset was 5.3 days and the maximum lifespan was 44 days. The geographical shape of the trough genesis and termination regions are associated with the orography. The three preferred genesis regions are north-central North America, the Mediterranean Sea, and southeast Asia. The three preferred termination regions are the extreme eastern Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and southwest Asia. Trough genesis regions tend to be well upstream of major areas of wintertime surface cyclogenesis. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1995.00110.x
A Study of Mitosis in the Mold Blastocladiella with a Ribonuclease-aceto-orcein Staining Technique

By combining a ribonuclease digestion of the basophilic constituents in the persistent nucleolus with a subsequent aceto-orcein staining, the mitotic evolution of chromatin in vegetative cells of Blastocladiella was studied.The following sequence of stages was described: a beaded, chromatin ring, succeded by a “prophase-metaphase” chromatic crescent (both around a spherical nucleolus); and then an anaphase-like figure, followed by a “telophase” arrangement (around an elongating and a constricted, spindle-shaped nucleolus, respectively).Neither metaphase plates nor individually recognizable chromosomes were observed. The suggestion was made that endomitotic reproduction of the hereditary material in this fungus is normally, but not necessarily, followed by pseudo-amitotic, intranuclear division.
Design of a Gas Turbine Based Air Start Unit for Larger Aircraft Engine

A novel Air Start Unit powered by gas turbine engine is developed. The feature of this unit is that it can start various aircraft engines, including the hundred thousand pound thrust class engine like GE90, with different air flow rate in a compact design. This paper introduces the complete design and development of large centrifugal compressor, digital engine control system, testing of gas turbine system.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Reproductive disorders in the periparturient dairy cow.

Incidence, predisposing factors, and implications of various reproductive disorders (dystocia, twinning, stillbirth, retained placenta, cystic ovaries, anovulation, infections of the reproductive tract, metritis, and abnormal health status) are reviewed as to their interrelationships and collective impact on reproductive performance, milk yield, and predisposition to other diseases or disorders in the periparturient dairy cow. All reproductive disorders reviewed reduce reproductive performance either directly or indirectly. Concurrent milk yield was reduced marginally in a few studies as a consequence of twinning, retained placenta, cystic ovaries, metritis, or other uterine disorders, and in cows with an abnormal health status. There is strong evidence for associated losses in milk yield following surgical delivery of a stillborn calf. We conclude that most periparturient disorders occur as a complex, rather than as a single abnormality. Cows with one disorder are at increased risk for other disorders, including metabolic ones. In contrast, actual milk yield or potential for high production generally does not predispose cows to increased risk for any of the reproductive disorders. The literature suggests that prophylactic measures to prevent occurrence of the one disorder might decrease the risk and incidence of other related disorders, either directly or indirectly.
Role of glucose metabolism in acid formation by isolated gastric glands

Abstract The role played by glucose in providing energy for acid formation was studied in isolated gastric glands from rabbit. The widely-used inhibitors of glycolysis, iodoacetic acid and iodoacetamide were found to inhibit glucose oxidation as well as the indicators of acid formation, respiration and accumulation of aminopyrine. However, the potent inhibition of acid formation was found to involve a nonspecific mechanism other than the simple inhibition of glycolysis. An alternative approach involved use of the glucose transport inhibitor, phloretin. Phloretin blocked glucose oxidation and also inhibited functional responses. Acid formation was restored easily by the addition of pyruvate or various other oxidizable substrates. Measurement of lactate formation in the absence of exogenous glucose showed that the gastric glands contain very little glycogen. Addition of external glucose resulted in a 10-fold increase in lactate formation and this rate was stimulated further by histamine and rotenone. Rotenone also inhibited both respiration and aminopyrine accumulation; however, the inhibition was not complete. Phloretin treatment resulted in total inhibition of the residual aminopyrine accumulation after rotenone treatment. The results are interpreted to indicate that gastric glands are dependent almost totally on external substrate supply to support acid formation; and, that while anaerobic glucose metabolism can sustain a very low level of acid formation, the major role of glucose is to yield pyruvate equivalents for subsequent oxidation.
Detection of borna disease virus-reactive antibodies from patients with affective disorders by western immunoblot technique

Borna disease (BD) virus is a partially characterized neurotropic agent with a predilection for neurons and astrocytes in the limbic system and cerebrum of infected hosts. Although it usually causes a fatal encephalitis, some laboratory animals which have been experimentally inoculated can develop a persistent non-fatal infection characterized by a neuro-behavioral syndrome akin to human manic-depression. Using immunofluorescent techniques, we previously observed BD virus-specific antibodies in the sera of 4.5% of affectively ill patients, with the highest titers present in bipolar patients. More recently, we have developed a sensitive Western blot assay for the detection of anti-BD virus antibodies to a 38/40 kDa and 24 kDa protein in human serum. In the present study, we screened 138 affectively ill patients and 117 healthy controls and observed a significantly great proportion of patients with antibodies to the 38/40 kDa protein (P<0.0001), the 24 kDa protein (P<0.05) and both the 38/40 kDa and 24 kDa proteins (P<0.025). These data extend prior reports on the presence of BD virus-specific antibodies in psychiatric patients, and suggest that a BD virus-like agent may be associated with affective illness in humans.
Seizure Resistance of Aluminum-Lead-Silicon Connecting Rod Bearings and Nodular Cast Iron Shafts

Seizure failure of aluminum-lead-silicon crankshaft bearings and nodular cast iron shafts has been studied experimentally. Bearings and shafts of different materials with different surface texture have been tested and compared. Results show that seizure can occur on micro, local and failure scales. Larger silicon particles in the bearing alloy give better seizure resistance. Bored bearings have higher seizure loads than broached bearings. Fertile in cast iron decreases the seizure resistance of the shaft. Surface quality of the shaft also has an apparent effect on the seizure limit. Hypotheses are proposed to explain seizure behaviors and mechanisms. Presented at the 50th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois May 14–19, 1995
A Mediated Vision, a Measured Voice: Culture and Criticism in Whitman's Prose

Examines a broad range of Whitman's prose--from his early journalism through Democratic Vistas and Specimen Days--and stresses how Whitman's "voices or visions alternate in his literary and cultural criticism"; concludes that in his prose Whitman "found a form to fit his microscopically attuned eye and his castigating voice--both of which had little, if any, place in his poetry."
Task allocation for minimum system power in a homogenous multi-core processor

In this paper we address the impact of task allocation to the system power consumption of a homogenous multi-core processor with a main focus on its impact on the leakage power and fan power. Although the leakage power is determined by the average die temperature and the fan power is determined by the peak temperature, our analysis shows that the overall power can be minimized if a task allocation with minimum peak temperature is adopted together with an intelligent fan speed adjustment technique that finds the optimal tradeoff between fan power and leakage power. We further propose a multi-agent distributed task migration technique that searches for the best task allocation during runtime. By choosing only those migration requests that will result chip maximum temperature reduction, the proposed framework achieves large fan power savings as well as overall power reduction. Experimental results show that, our agent-based distributed task migration policy can save up to 37.2% fan power and 17.9% system overall power compared to the random mapping policy when the temperature constraint is tight. When the temperature constraint is loose, the overall system power is insensitive to the task allocation.
Three-dimensional joint range of motion measurements from skeletal coordinate data.

Frequently, joint range of motion is reported for a single plane (eg., sagittal, coronal, or transverse). However, the arc of joint motion during functional activities and many clinical tests encompasses motion in all three planes simultaneously. The purposes of this paper are to discuss a method to obtain relative joint three-dimensional angular displacement measurements using coordinates from skeletal landmarks and provide an analytical example of the method using three-dimensional angular displacement of the knee joint as a model. In order to calculate the three-dimensional relative motion, an orthogonal reference frame for each bone needs to be established. To establish the local reference frame, three noncollinear points are used to define unit vectors that are mutually perpendicular. Three-dimensional angles can be determined to describe the magnitude of the moving body rotation angles about the X, Y, and Z axes. These angles indicate the relative motion of body segments for abduction/adduction, fle...
Esophagitis dissecans superficialis and alendronate: case report.

AJ. Barium enema examination following biopsy of the recturn or colon. Radiology 1982;145:11-6. 9. Lappas JC, Miller RE, Lehman GA, Eskridge JM, Morton JA. Postendoscopy barium enema examinations. Radiology 1983; 149:655-8. 10. Eckardt VF, Kanzler G, Willems D. Same-day versus separate-day sigmoidoscopy and double contrast barium enema: a randomized controlled study. Gastrointest Endosc 1989;35:512-5.
Rules for Ribozymes

The selective inactivation of genes, in a tissue-specific or temporally controlled manner, is now an important requirement for the analysis of nervous system development and function. Hammerhead ribozymes--catalytic RNA enzymes that specifically bind to and then cleave target RNAs--may provide a way to meet this requirement, particularly for organisms in which gene inactivation by homologous recombination is not feasible. However, ribozyme application has to some extent been hampered by limited knowledge as to the base-pairing accessibility of RNA target sites in vivo. In an attempt to circumvent this limitation, we have used a computer program based on free energy minimization to predict secondary structures for 128 RNA sequences for which corresponding ribozymes or antisense oligonucleotides have been synthesized, tested, and reported in the literature. A comparative analysis of the predicted structures of these targets with the reported efficacy of their corresponding antisense reagents has allowed us to formulate a set of rules for the rational choice of hammerhead ribozyme flanking arms and cleavage sites.
Particle size effect on enantioselective hydrogenation of methylacetoacetate over silica-supported nickel catalyst

Abstract The effect of metal particle size on the enantioselective hydrogenation of methylacetoacetate (MAA) to methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate (MHB) in the gas and the liquid phases was studied over Ni/SiO2 modified with R,R tartaric acid. The Ni particle size of the catalyst at controlled Ni load was increased from 3.3 nm up to about 11 nm by Ostwald ripening, due to the formation and decomposition of gaseous Ni(CO)4. The experimental data showed no significant particle size effect on enantioselectivity within this size range. Atomic absorption analysis of the solution after modification showed that up to 50% of the Ni in the catalyst can be leached out during modification under severe conditions.
Effect of Long-Period Ocean Tides on the Earth's Polar Motion

The second-degree zonal tide raising potential is symmetric about the polar axis and hence can excite the Earth's polar motion only through its action upon nonaxisymmetric features of the Earth such as the oceans.
The impact of epilepsy on health status among younger and older adults.

Summary: Purpose: The incidence of epilepsy is highest among the elderly, yet our understanding of the impact of epilepsy is based predominantly on inferences from studies of younger adults. This study examines the impact of epilepsy on patients' subjective health status in a population that includes both younger and older adults. Methods: We used national administrative and survey databases from the Veterans Health Administration to examine health status as measured by a modification of the SF-36 (RV-36) in patients from three age cohorts: young adults (18–40 years), middle-aged adults (41–64 years), and older adults (65 years and older). Because chronicity of epilepsy may influence these outcomes, we compared scores for patients with new-onset epilepsy, chronic epilepsy, and no epilepsy by using analysis of covariance, controlling for patient demographic and clinical characteristics that may also affect health status. Results: With the exception of physical status measures, older adults appeared to cope better with their epilepsy than did middle-aged patients. Young adults with new-onset epilepsy reported poor general health and worse mental health, but high levels of physical function and physical activity. Middle-aged patients with new-onset epilepsy scored lowest in all domains, and their peers with chronic epilepsy also reported poor general physical health and emotional functioning. Conclusions: Although having fewer physiologic reserves, older adults appeared most resilient in facing this chronic illness, and middle-aged adults fared the worst. Interventions to improve quality of life among patients with epilepsy should be tailored to age and epilepsy chronicity.
Familial lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase: identification of heterozygotes with half-normal enzyme activity and mass.

Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) mass and activity were measured in a Canadian kindred of Italian and Swedish descent with familial LCAT deficiency. Four subjects had LCAT mass of 5.21±0.87 μg/ml (mean±SD) and LCAT activity of 98.8±12.0 nmol/h/ml, well within their respective normal ranges. Five family members, including the parents, the maternal grandmother, and two of four siblings of the LCAT deficient subjects, had enzyme mass (2.85±0.32 μg/ml) and activity (50.8±6.3 nmol/h/ml) approximately one-half that of normal levels. These presumed heterozygotes had normal levels of apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, B and D. The two subjects with LCAT deficiency had no detectable LCAT mass (below 0.1 μg/ml) or LCAT activity (below 0.76 nmol/h/ml), apolipoprotein A-I and D levels approximately 50% of normal, and apolipoproteins B and A-II levels only 30–35% of normal. LCAT deficiency in this family is determined by an autosomal recessive mode. Furthermore, LCAT levels and activity are determined by two autosomal codominant alleles, LCATn, the normal LCAT gene, and LCATd, the LCAT deficiency gene.
The effect of tray selection on the accuracy of elastomeric impression materials

This study evaluated the accuracy of reproduction of stone casts made from impressions using different tray and impression materials. The tray materials used were an acrylic resin, a thermoplastic, and a plastic. The impression materials used were an additional silicone, a polyether, and a polysulfide. Impressions were made of a stainless steel master die that simulated crown preparations for a fixed partial denture and an acrylic resin model with cross-arch and anteroposterior landmarks in stainless steel that typify clinical intra-arch distances. Impressions of the fixed partial denture simulation were made with all three impression materials and all three tray types. Impressions of the cross-arch and anteroposterior landmarks were made by using all three tray types with only the addition reaction silicone impression material. Impressions were poured at 1 hour with a type IV dental stone. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA with a sample size of five. Results indicated that custom-made trays of acrylic resin and the thermoplastic material performed similarly regarding die accuracy and produced clinically acceptable casts. The stock plastic tray consistently produced casts with greater dimensional change than the two custom trays.
Site-specific phasing in the chromatin of the rDNA in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract The rDNA in Dictyostelium discoideum is organized in linear, extrachromosomal, palindromic dimers of approximately 88 × 10 3 bases in length. The dimers are repeated about 90 times per haploid genome. Using indirect end-labeling, we have mapped micrococcal nuclease and DNAase I-sensitive sites in the chromatin near the rDNA telomeres. This region is 3′ to the 36 S rRNA coding region and contains a single 5 S rRNA cistron but is primarily non-coding. We have observed somewhat irregularly spaced but specific phasing of nuclease-sensitive sites relative to the underlying DNA sequence. Comparison of the sites in chromatin with those in naked DNA reveals an unusual and striking pattern: the sites in naked DNA that are attacked most readily by both nucleases, presumably because of the specificity of the nucleases for certain sequences or physical characteristics of the DNA. appear to be the same sites that are most protected in chromatin. This pattern extends over most of a 10 4 base region, from the sequence immediately distal to the 36 S rRNA coding region and extending to the terminus. Although much of the sequence-specific phasing is irregularly spaced, salt extraction data are consistent with the presence of nucleosomes. In addition, phasing in the terminal region may be directed partially by proteins that do not bind DNA as tightly as do core histones. We present a model for phasing in spacer regions in which the sequence preferences of nucleases such as micrococcal nuclease and DNAase I may be useful tools in predicting nucleosome placement.
Spontaneous mutagenesis: experimental, genetic and other factors.

Spontaneous mutations are "the net result of all that can go wrong with DNA during the life cycle of an organism" (Glickman et al., 1986). Thus, the types and amounts of spontaneous mutations produced are the resultant of all the cellular processes that are mutagenic and those that are antimutagenic. It is not widely appreciated that the types and frequencies of spontaneous mutations change markedly with subtle changes in experimental conditions. All types of mutations are produced spontaneously, i.e., base substitutions, frameshifts, insertions and deletions. However, very few papers have appeared that are devoted exclusively to the study of the mechanisms of spontaneous mutagenesis, and of the subtle experimental factors that affect the types and frequencies of spontaneous mutations. This is unfortunate because spontaneous mutagenesis appears to play a major role in evolution, aging, and carcinogenesis. This review emphasizes subtle experimental variables that markedly affect the results of a spontaneous mutation experiment. A thorough understanding of these variables eliminates the need for a theory of "directed" mutagenesis. The intrinsic instability of DNA, and the types of normal metabolic lesions that are produced in DNA that lead to mutations via errors made in replication, repair, and recombination are reviewed, as is the genetic control of spontaneous mutagenesis. As with spontaneous mutagenesis, spontaneous carcinogenesis can also be considered to be the net result of all that can go wrong with DNA during the life of an organism.
An intronic endogenous retrovirus-like sequence attenuates human haptoglobin-related gene expression in an orientation-dependent manner.

Abstract The human haptoglobin-related gene (HPR) gene codes for a haptoglobin-related protein (Hpr), a component of trypanosome lytic factor which circulates in plasma in small quantities. Except for the presence of a retrovirus-like element, RTVL-Ia, in intron 1, HPR is 92% identical in sequence to the closely linked human haptoglobin gene (HP) gene coding for haptoglobin. We have explored experimentally in tissue culture and in vivo in mice and in humans the influence of the retroviral-like sequence type Ia (RTVL-Ia) element on HPR expression. Transient expression in HepG2 cells of plasmids carrying the HPR promoter joined by a shortened version of intron 1 to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) vector showed that fragments containing the 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) had no significant effect. In contrast, a gag-pol related part and a pol-env-3′LTR related part of RTVL-Ia decreased expression to 20% and 40% of that in their absence but only when they were in naturally occurring orientation. The latter fragment that contains sequences reminiscent of elements essential for retrovirus viability, such as a splicing acceptor site, TATA box and polyA addition signal sequence, was further tested in site-specific transgenic mice. Similar to in vitro experiment, insertion of this fragment into an HPR transgene in mice reduced HPR expression to 50% compared to a transgene without the insert, but none of the viral sequence motifs appear to explain this effect. Instead, we found within the fragment two cryptic splicing donor sites whose products were present in transgenic mouse and in human liver RNA. Our data suggest that a combination of multiple small effects of RTVL-Ia including aberrant splicing accounts for the low (6%) expression of the present-day HPR relative to HP.
Orbital Fracture Evaluation by Coronal Computed Tomography

Coronal computed tomography produces orbital scans in a plane that is analogous to Caldwell-view x-ray films. Coronal computed tomography permits simultaneous visualization of the orbital walls and the orbital soft tissues, including all extraocular muscles. Using coronal computed tomography, we studied a series of patients with radiographically proven orbital floor fractures. We studied in detail three of these patients, one with a linear orbital floor fracture, one with a depressed orbital floor fracture, and one with a severely comminuted orbital floor. In two patients, coronal computed tomography showed inferior rectus muscle entrapment, which was confirmed at the time of surgery. In each patient, some bone fragments could be seen more discreetly on coronal computed tomography than on conventional polytomes. Coronal computed tomography may be used to help confirm extraocular muscle entrapment in patients with orbital floor fractures. Coronal computed tomography can also be used to examine patients with possible intraorbital foreign bodies, unexplained reduction of vision, or severely displaced bone fragments.
Bimetallic N-Heterocyclic Carbene−Iridium Complexes: Investigating Metal−Metal and Metal−Ligand Communication via Electrochemistry and Phosphorescence Spectroscopy

Bimetallic [Ir(COD)Cl] and [Ir(ppy)2] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; ppy = 2-phenylpyridyl) complexes bridged by 1,7-dimethyl-3,5-diphenylbenzobis(imidazolylidene) (1), in addition to their monometallic analogues supported by 1-methyl-3-phenylbenzimidazolylidene (2), were synthesized and studied. Electrochemical analyses indicated that 1 facilitated moderate electronic coupling between [Ir(COD)Cl] units (ΔE = ∼60 mV), but not [Ir(ppy)2]. The metal-based oxidation potentials for the bimetallic complexes were within 20 mV of those for their monometallic analogues. Furthermore, spectroscopic analyses of the [Ir(ppy)2] bimetallic and monometallic complexes revealed nearly identical phosphorescence profiles, indicating that carbene coordination does not affect the energy of the emissive states. Collectively, these results suggest that N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) such as 1 could link together two emissive fragments without altering their fundamental phosphorescence profiles. Ultimately, employing multitopic NHCs...
Strength properties of aged poled lead zirconate titanate subjected to electromechanical loadings

Electric field and aging time are two important factors that affect the mechanical strength and long-term reliability of lead zirconate titanate or PZT actuators. In the present work, a commercial PZT-5A aged four years was examined using ball-on-ring (BoR) mechanical testing under coupled electric fields. The electric field range of ?3Ec to +3Ec (Ec, coercive electric field) was studied (i.e., ?3Ec, ?Ec, 0, +Ec, +2Ec, and +3Ec) with a controlled electric loading path. A Weibull distribution was used to interpret the mechanical strength data. With an electric field preloaded from 0 to ?3Ec, it was found that subsequent increases in the electric field resulted in an asymmetrical V-shaped curve of mechanical strength against the electric field. The bottom of the V curve was located near the zero electric field level. Microscopy analysis showed that pores were the strength limiter for the tested PZT under electromechanical loadings.
Characterization of nitrogenous solutes in tissues and xylem sap of Leucaena leucocephala

Amino acid profiles of leaf, stem, and root tissues from nodulated and nonnodulated Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit plants were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. High concentrations of mimosine and several other potentially toxic nonprotein amino acids, including pipecolic acid and two isomers of hydroxypipecolic acid, were identified in the tissues. Five metabolites remain unidentified. Of the foliar free amino acid nitrogen, 57-66% was associated with the potentially toxic amino acids. Major constituents in the leaf tissues of nonnodulated plants were mimosine and hydroxypipecolic acid (isomer 1). Mimosine was recovered in both the neutral plus basic and acidic amino acid fractions. Major differences between amino acid profiles of nodulated and nonnodulated roots were the low percentages of asparagine + aspartate (3.6% of the total pool compared to 33% in nodulated plants) and pipecolic acid in nonnodulated roots (1% of the total compared to 12.5% in nodulated plants). A novel plant betaine (dihydroxypipecolic acid betaine) was identified by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry in leaf tissues, albeit at relatively low concentrations (< 1 micro mol per gram fresh weight). Analyses of the xylem sap collected from nodulated plants confirmed that Leucaena is an asparagine transporter, as suggested by the high concentrations of asparagine and the low concentrations of ureides in its root nodules. Amino acid profiles of xylem sap from nonnodulated plants showed extremely low concentrations of asparagine + aspartate (0.12 micro mol ml(-1)), whereas asparagine + aspartate was the major constituent (4.38 micro mol ml(-1)) in the xylem sap of nodulated plants. Two nonprotein amino acids, pipecolic acid and hydroxypipecolic acid, were major constituents of the xylem sap of nodulated and nonnodulated plants, respectively. Three unidentified compounds detected in xylem sap samples from both nodulated and nonnodulated plants did not correspond with any of the peaks characterized from tissue samples.
Clinical Controversies in Thrombolytic Therapy for the Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Acute pulmonary embolism is a common complication in hospitalized patients, spanning multiple patient populations and crossing various therapeutic disciplines. Due to the heterogeneous clinical manifestations, the selection of management strategies for patients with acute pulmonary embolism is a challenge for clinicians, and a nuanced understanding of the relevant literature is required. Previous studies that evaluated thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism are limited and controversial. Thus, we sought to identify the clinical controversies related to thrombolytic therapy in acute pulmonary embolism and reviewed the recent literature that impacts clinical practice. To apply these controversies into daily clinical practice and decision making, we provide an overview of risk stratification and assessment of pulmonary embolism. Specific areas of controversies that are discussed relate to the impact of thrombolytic therapy on outcomes, specifically in submassive pulmonary embolism, including mortality, composite primary end points, and intensive care unit length of stay. Other controversies relate to the impact of the patient's sex on outcomes, the most safe and effective thrombolytic dose, optimal administration techniques including infusion duration or concurrent anticoagulation, and therapeutic strategies when thrombolytic therapy is unsuccessful. Despite published guidelines and review articles, select aspects of thrombolytic therapy for the management of pulmonary embolism remain controversial; therefore, clinical practice varies from institution to institution and from practitioner to practitioner. When making decisions about the role of thrombolytic therapy in patients with pulmonary embolism, clinicians must be knowledgeable about areas with limited evidence and the therapy's associated risks. In every situation, practitioners must consider the trajectory of the patient's status and the ability to intervene in an appropriate time frame.
NOTICE: An Architecture for the Notification of Traffic Incidents

We introduce NOTICE, a secure, privacy-aware architecture for the notification of traffic incidents. Using sensor belts embedded in the roadway, traffic-related messages and advisories are carried between belts by passing cars. NOTICE moves the responsibility for making decisions about traffic- related information dissemination to the infrastructure rather than leaving those decisions with the vehicles, which may have incomplete or incorrect knowledge. Extensive simulation showed that NOTICE can provide "up-to-the-minute" notification of road incidents.
Measurement and Modeling of Two-Phase Flow Parameters in Scaled 8×8 BWR Rod Bundle

Abstract The behavior of reactor systems is predicted using advanced computational codes in order to determine the safety characteristics of the system during various accidents and to determine the performance characteristics of the reactor. These codes generally utilize the two-fluid model for predictions of two-phase flows, as this model is the most accurate and detailed model which is currently practical for predicting large-scale systems. One of the weaknesses of this approach however is the need to develop constitutive models for various quantities. Of specific interest are the models used in the prediction of void fraction and pressure drop across the rod bundle due to their importance in new Natural Circulation Boiling Water Reactor (NCBWR) designs, where these quantities determine the coolant flow rate through the core. To verify the performance of these models and expand the existing experimental database, data has been collected in an 8 × 8 rod bundle which is carefully scaled from actual BWR geometry and includes grid spacers to maintain rod spacing. While these spacer grids are ’generic’, their inclusion does provide valuable data for analysis of the effect of grid spacers on the flow. In addition to pressure drop measurements the area-averaged void fraction has been measured by impedance void meters and local conductivity probes have been used to measure the local void fraction and interfacial area concentration in the bundle subchannels. Experimental conditions covered a wide range of flow rates and void fractions up to 80%.