cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of thromboxane receptor activation in the bronchospastic response to endothelin.

Abstract The selective TxA 2 /PGH 2 (TP) receptor antagonist, SQ 30, 741, was used to test the hypothesis that TP-receptor activation contributes to the reactivity of airways and isolated trachea to endothelin-1 (ET-1). Dose-dependent contractions of guinea pig tracheal strips to ET-1 in vitro were unaffected by either SQ 30, 741 (1 μM) or indomethacin (2.8 μM). In contrast, maximal bronchospastic responses (increases in airways resistance and decreases in dynamic lung compliance) of anesthetized guinea pigs to ET-1 (.05 and 1.5 nmole/kg i.v.) in vitro were blocked >90% by SQ 30, 741 (1 mg/kg i.v.). Concurrent increases in arterial blood pressure and decreases in leukocyte counts induced by ET-1 were unaffected by SQ 30, 741. In rats, ET-1 (1.5 nmole/kg i.v.) did not affect lung mechanics, but did cause biphasic blood pressure and leukopenia responses which were unaltered by SQ 30, 741. These data demonstrate that there is considerable species variability in the bronchospastic response to ET-1, and that in guinea pigs, this repsonse is caused predominantly by the activation of TP-receptors.
Periictal SPECT localization verified by simultaneous intracranial EEG.

Summary: Purpose: We investigated whether blood-flow changes measured by ictal or immediate postictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) reflect with accuracy the actual location of ictal discharge as measured by simultaneous intracranial EEG. In addition, we evaluated the reliability of ictal SPECT obtained with implanted electrodes by comparing results with those of ictal SPECT performed during scalp EEG monitoring in selected patients. Methods: Eleven patients with intractable partial epilepsy who had both ictal and interictal SPECT scans during invasive EEG monitoring were studied. We analyzed perfusion differences based on registration, normalization, and subtraction of peructal and interictal SPECT images. SPECT results were interpreted in relation to location and evolution of ictal EEG change, as reflected by simultaneous intracranial EEG. In five patients, we also compared ictal SPECT results that were obtained during both scalp and intracranial EEG monitoring. Results: In 10 of 11 patients, localized increases or decreases in blood flow or both were identified in regions of ongoing or prior seizure discharge, respectively, at the time of SPECT brain perfusion. In one patient, SPECT localization could not be verified by the available electrode array. Conclusions: Localization of ictal discharge during or before SPECT injection accurately determines increase or decrease in perfusion, respectively, and both are of equal validity in reflecting the region of epileptic discharge. SPECT perfusion changes can be reliably obtained during intracranial monitoring.
Single-Hop Connectivity in Interference-Limited Hybrid Wireless Networks

We consider a hybrid wireless network, in which the low-power nodes collect data and pass it to the data aggregation nodes (base stations). The low-power nodes are assumed to form a Poisson point process and communicate to the base stations using spread spectrum. We derive bounds to the probability of sensor node isolation, when the base stations are arranged randomly or in a regular fashion.
Understanding horizontal Bridgman shelf growth of cadmium telluride and cadmium zinc telluride. I. Heat and momentum transfer

Heat and momentum transport during the horizontal Bridgman (HB) growth of cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) are investigated using a large-scale numerical model. The model employs the Galerkin finite element method to calculate two-dimensional, quasi-steady thermal and velocity fields in the presence of a free boundary, the solidification interface. Of particular interest in this study is the exploration of the shelf growth morphology during the HB growth of CdTe and CdZnTe. Our calculations clearly show that shelf growth naturally arises from simple heat transfer effects in the low-gradient system studied here. We also demonstrate how the shelf shape can be altered by process modifications. These results lend important insight to the benefits of shelf growth for production of CdTe and CdZnTe.
Auxin action on proton influx in corn roots and its correlation with growth

At concentrations inhibitory to the elongation of corn (Zea mays L.) roots, the auxins, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (α-NAA), cause an increase in the pH of the bathing medium; this increase occurs with an average latent period shorter than the latent period for the inhibitory effect of these auxins on elongation. Indole-2-carboxylic acid, an inactive structural analogue of IAA, and β-naphthaleneacetic acid, an inactive analogue of α-NAA, affect neither growth nor the pH of the medium. Since acid pH is known to promote and basic pH to inhibit root elongation, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that hormone-induced modification of cell-wall pH plays a role in the control of elongation of roots, as has been proposed for elongation of stems and coleoptiles.
Adrenergic regulation of c-fos expression in cultured BC3H1 muscle cells

Abstract Administration of adrenergic agonists induced c-fos mRNA in the salivary glands of the mouse and in the heart of the mouse, rat, and hamster (Barka et al., 1986, Mol. Cell Biol. 6, 2984–2989; 1987; Oncogene 1, 439–443). To further analyze transcriptional and post-transcriptional control of c-fos expression by adrenergic receptors and the putative role of fos in replication and differentiation pathways, we have examined c-fos expression in BC3H1 cells, a tumor-derived nonfusing muscle cell line. BC3H1 cells possess α1- and β2-adrenergic receptors as well as receptors for histamine and acetylcholine. Furthermore, rapidly proliferating BC3H1 cells undergo differentiation toward muscle phenotype when exposed to low serum-containing culture media. Both α- and β-drenergic agonists and the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate caused a rapid, transient increase in the steady-state level of c-fos mRNA. This induction was essentially independent of whether the cells were in the proliferative, relatively quiescent, or differentiated state. Protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide and anisomycin also increased markedly the concentration of c-fos mRNA, and in the presence of anisomycin c-fos mRNA was superinduced by the α-adrenergic agonist norepinephrine. Run-on transcription assays indicated that the c-fos gene is expressed in both proliferating and differentiated cells, although the steady-state levels of c-fos mRNA were low, or even undetectable, in such cells. The adrenergic agonists and the tumor promoter stimulated the transcription of the c-fos gene in both proliferating and differentiated cells. This stimulation, however, was modest, two- to three-fold compared to controls, in contrast to the marked elevation of the level of c-fos mRNA they caused. Neither the proliferation nor the expression of muscle type creatine kinase activity was influenced by adrenergic agonists. It is suggested that activation of the c-fos gene is a consequence of adrenoreceptor stimulation in diverse cell types, and thus it is involved in pleiotropic cellular responses to adrenergic agonists. Catecholamines may be one of the physiologic regulators of the c-fos gene.
Self-interstitial transport in vanadium

Abstract We study the diffusion of self-interstitial atoms (SIAs) and SIA clusters in vanadium via molecular dynamics simulations with an improved Finnis–Sinclair potential (fit to first-principles results for SIA structure and energetics). The present results demonstrate that single SIAs exist in a 〈1 1 1〉-dumbbell configuration and migrate easily along 〈1 1 1〉 directions. Changes of direction through rotations into other 〈1 1 1〉 directions are infrequent at low temperatures, but become prominent at higher temperatures, thereby changing the migration path from predominantly one-dimensional to almost isotropically three-dimensional. SIA clusters (i.e., clusters of 〈1 1 1〉-dumbbells) can be described as perfect prismatic dislocation loops with Burgers vector and habit planes of 1/2〈1 1 1〉{2 2 0} that migrate only along their glide cylinder. SIA clusters also migrate along 〈1 1 1〉-directions, but do not rotate. Both single SIAs and their clusters exhibit a highly non-Arrhenius diffusivity, which originates from a combination of a temperature dependent correlation factor and the presence of very low migration barriers. At low temperature, the diffusion is approximately Arrhenius, while above room temperature, the diffusivity is a linear function of temperature. A simple model is proposed to describe these diffusion regimes and the transition between them.
A Stochastic Approach to Surface Reconstruction

Shape reconstruction, a process to compute non-discrete mathematical shape description from discrete points, has been widely used in a variety of applications such as reverse engineering, quality inspection, and topography modeling. However, current shape reconstruction approaches, often based on deterministic techniques, face two fundamental challenges: 1) in noise handling, i.e. how to properly handle the data noise variance and outliers in order to reconstruct a robust surface; 2) in model selection, i.e. how to automatically select a surface model adapting to data cloud and to local shape change in order to avoid under-fit and over-fit. This paper aims to address these two issues by developing a novel stochastic surface reconstruction approach: multilevel Kalman filter. The core idea of this approach is to use a state-space model to relate data noise with the surface model, to adopt a multilevel surface representation to address the under-fit and over-fit issue, and to use Kalman filter to produce the optimal estimates and surface uncertainty. Experimental results from the prototype implementation demonstrate that multilevel Kalman filter produces better quality surface than the traditional least-squares method and is robust against noisy data, adapts well to shape changes in complex parts, and can handle incomplete data.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
A note on scaled variance ratio estimation of the Hurst exponent with application to agricultural commodity prices

Abstract The measure of long-term memory is important for the study of economic and financial time series. This paper estimates the Hurst exponent from a Scaled Variance Ratio model for 17 commodity price series under the efficient market null H0:H=0.5. The distribution about the estimates of H are obtained from 90%, 95% and 99% confidence intervals generated from 20,000 Monte Carlo replications of a geometric Brownian motion. The results show that the scaled variance ratio provides a very good and stable estimate of the Hurst exponent, but the estimates can be quite different from the measure obtained from rescaled range or R–S analysis. In general commodity prices are consistent with the underlying assumption of a geometric Brownian motion.
Amyloid-β Membrane Binding and Permeabilization are Distinct Processes Influenced Separately by Membrane Charge and Fluidity

The 40 and 42 residue amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides are major components of the proteinaceous plaques prevalent in the Alzheimer's disease-afflicted brain and have been shown to have an important role in instigating neuronal degeneration. Whereas it was previously thought that Abeta becomes cytotoxic upon forming large fibrillar aggregates, recent studies suggest that soluble intermediate-sized oligomeric species cause cell death through membrane permeabilization. The present study examines the interactions between Abeta40 and lipid membranes using liposomes as a model system to determine how changes in membrane composition influence the conversion of Abeta into these toxic species. Abeta40 membrane binding was monitored using fluorescence-based assays with a tryptophan-substituted peptide (Abeta40 [Y10W]). We extend previous observations that Abeta40 interacts preferentially with negatively charged membranes, and show that binding of nonfibrillar, low molecular mass oligomers of Abeta40 to anionic, but not neutral, membranes involves insertion of the peptide into the bilayer, as well as sequential conformational changes corresponding to the degree of oligomerization induced. Significantly, while anionic membranes in the gel, liquid crystalline, and liquid ordered phases induce these conformational changes equally, membrane permeabilization is reduced dramatically as the fluidity of the membrane is decreased. These findings demonstrate that binding alone is not sufficient for membrane permeabilization, and that the latter is also highly dependent on the fluidity and phase of the membrane. We conclude that binding and pore formation are two distinct steps. The differences in Abeta behavior induced by membrane composition may have significant implications on the development and progression of AD as neuronal membrane composition is altered with age.
Generation of Bubbly Suspensions in Low Gravity

Generation of a uniform monodisperse bubbly suspension in low gravity is a rather difficult task because bubbles do not detach as easily as on Earth. Under microgravity, the buoyancy force is not present to detach the bubbles as they are formed from the nozzles. One way to detach the bubbles is to establish a detaching force that helps their detachment from the orifice. The drag force, established by flowing a liquid in a cross or co-flow configuration with respect to the nozzle direction, provides this additional force and helps detach the bubbles as they are being formed. This paper is concerned with studying the generation of a bubbly suspension in low gravity in support of a flight definition experiment titled "Behavior of Rapidly Sheared Bubbly Suspension." Generation of a bubbly suspension, composed of 2 and 3 mm diameter bubbles with a standard deviation <10% of the bubble diameter, was identified as one of the most important engineering/science issues associated with the flight definition experiment. This paper summarizes the low gravity experiments that were conducted to explore various ways of making the suspension. Two approaches were investigated. The first was to generate the suspension via a chemical reaction between the continuous and dispersed phases using effervescent material, whereas the second considered the direct injection of air into the continuous phase. The results showed that the reaction method did not produce the desired bubble size distribution compared to the direct injection of bubbles. However, direct injection of air into the continuous phase (aqueous salt solution) resulted in uniform bubble-diameter distribution with acceptable bubble-diameter standard deviation.
Utility of surgical margins in the radiotherapeutic management of soft tissue sarcomas.

Seventy-four adult patients with localized soft tissue sarcomas were treated with radiation therapy following surgery between 1965 and 1988. Fifty-three were treated after the first excision of their tumor with 6 (11.3%) local recurrences. Twenty-one received radiation after excision of recurrent disease with 11 (52.4%) local failures (P less than .0005). Metastatic disease occurred in 14 (26.4%) of the primary tumors and 8 (38.1%) with multiple previous excisions (P less than .48). Of those patients treated for primary sarcoma, there were no local failures with pathologically wide margins or if a single margin was microscopically positive. Local failure occurred in 4 of 26 (15.4%) if the tumor was merely enucleated and in 2 of 11 (18.2%) who had grossly positive surgical margins (P not significant). Local failure was also more common in truncal locations (33.3%) as compared with extremity locations (8.7%, P = .1359). Additional factors analyzed which adversely affected prognosis included tumor grade, stage, and inadequate radiation dose.
Prediction of Terminal-Area Weather Penetration on the Basis of Operational Factors

Convective weather is known to reduce airspace capacity, but the extent of the impact is not well understood. Understanding how weather affects terminal area capacity is essential for quantification of the uncertainty in weather forecasts and, in particular, the degree of accuracy of the forecast. With this foundation, the question emerges as to the feasibility and possible effectiveness of an optimal mitigation strategy. Research has focused on the overlap between convective weather cells and air routes but has not sufficiently analyzed the differences that arise from factors such as aircraft types and pilot behavior. This paper examines the interactions between convective weather and aircraft trajectories in the arrival airspace surrounding Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Illinois. Case studies based on operational data are used to determine potentially relevant operational factors, and a predictive model is built with these factors to forecast whether a flight will pass through hazardous weathe...
Utilizing findings from a gender-based analysis to address chronic disease prevention and management among African-American women in a Michigan community

This research note underscores the importance of including strategies to address gender-based disparities when planning and implementing community health improvement programs. Working in collaboration with the Inkster Partnership for a Healthier Community (IPHC), the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan conducted a gender-based analysis as part of its broader community health needs assessment efforts in Inkster, MI. The findings from these studies revealed significant challenges impacting women that were not being adequately addressed within the community. In response to these findings, the IPHC created a strategic action plan to respond to the highest priority needs by increasing community awareness of and linkages to resources that provide supportive services for low-income African-American women.
Forecasting the exchange rate PPP versus a random walk

Abstract Forecasts of error-correction models based on PPP are compared to a random walk. The results are mixed. However, for two out of four currencies imposing PPP on the error correction term generates a specification that outperforms a random walk.
The neurobiology of anxiety in children and adolescents

Summary There have been a number of advances in the understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders in recent years. Most of these advances have involved the study of adults, but advances have also been made in the understanding of pathologic anxiety in children. This article reviews the anatomy of normal fear and pathologic anxiety. In addition, developmental and temperamental predisposition to anxiety is also reviewed. Finally, the neurobiology of specific anxiety disorders is reviewed including data from the study of children and adults.
Fresh water, energy, and food from the sea and the sun

Abstract Surface waters of tropic and sub-tropic seas hold most of the solar energy retained by the earth; but the heat therein may be increased even more by heat which can be added by intensive solar heaters. The sea water so heated naturally or additionally by the sun, when flash evaporated, gives vapors which may be passed through a heat engine to give power, then condensed at a lower pressure to give fresh water, which may be much more valuable than the power produced. Heat of condensation is removed by circulating cold sea water from a depth of a few thousand feet. This water from the deep also has considerable nutrients for sea plants and animals coming from the degradation of former sea life; and these nutrients may be used in well studied mariculture systems to grow commercial food fish in ponds adjacent the land-based plant. Various arrangements of flows of the several liquid streams are presented to illustrate variations to the process which will produce fresh water and/or electric power, also food fish. These modifications may be optimized with various component systems, some of which are well known and evaluated in this usage, including the use of a second thermodynamic fluid, conventional multistage flash evaporation, also two of its variations: Controlled Flash Evaporation and Vapor Reheat. Calculations indicate that even without the use of intensive solar heaters, a profitable desalination and mariculture operation may be expected which would pay for its substantial cost in two or three years of profits; however, the incorporation of certain intensive solar heaters may increase the profitability significantly.
Extrahepatic synthesis of FVII in human atheroma and smooth muscle cells in vitro.

: The present series of experiments provide evidence that FVII is synthesized outside of the liver and is found in a variety of cells in normal and atherosclerotic vessels. In normal vessels FVII was localized to the endothelial cell layer and in adventitial fibroblasts at sites where tissue factor (TF) is also found. In early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions, FVII was mostly found in macrophage- rich regions colocalized with TF. Foam cells and macrophages in the necrotic core adjacent to the cholesterol clefts and foamy macrophages in early intimal thickenings all showed strong cytoplasmic staining with FVII antibodies. Although it is possible that FVII protein staining found in normal and atherosclerotic vessels originated from the blood, the finding of FVII mRNA by both in situ hybridization and RT-PCR suggests that these tissues are sites of FVII synthesis. Additional work demonstrated synthesis of FVII in a variety of tissues and smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts in vitro. The distribution of FVII synthesis in extrahepatic tissues and more recent data regarding thrombin-independent signaling as a consequence of FVII/TF binding may suggest the possibility of other cellular functions for this coagulation factor.
Reef Creek Detachment Fault, Northwestern Wyoming

The Reef Creek fault is in northwestern Wyoming, a few miles east of the northeast border of Yellowstone National Park. It lies within the area covered by the more extensive Heart Mountain fault. Like that fault, it is a decollement or detachment fault in which strata became detached along a basal shearing plane and moved laterally on a slightly inclined fault surface. At the most northwesterly exposures the Reef Creek fault parallels the bedding; southeastward it cuts upward across the bedding as a transgressive fault and becomes a fault in which the allochthonous blocks moved on the surface of the ground. The fault blocks consist chiefly of the Madison Limestone of Mississippian age and volcanic tuffs and breccias of the Cathedral Cliffs Formation of early or middle Eocene age. The Reef Creek fault blocks are scattered over a 7- by 14-mile area, but a considerable part of the scattering is due to “piggy-back” transportation on the Heart Mountain fault blocks. The Reef Creek fault is younger than the Cathedral Cliffs Formation and older than the middle Eocene early basic breccia. Consequently, the rocks transported by it were emplaced either in late early Eocene or in early middle Eocene time. Both the Reef Creek fault and the South Fork fault are older than the principal movement along the Heart Mountain fault. The movement of all three fault masses was southeastward, and the mechanics of their emplacement is believed to have been similar. Movement was due in part to gravity, but considering the low slope involved, gravity alone seems to be inadequate. The shaking motion of many earthquakes is suggested as a contributing force which acted in conjunction with the constant force of gravity.
Smoking bans and acute myocardial infarction incidence

This article examines the effect of statewide smoking bans on Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) incidence. After controlling for endogeneity between smoking ban status and AMI incidence, an econometric model indicates that smoking bans exerted no significant effect over 2005–2009 in the 50 states. The evidence thus suggests that findings from previous studies that bans lowered AMI incidence from 6% to 47% were the result of possible sampling bias and/or from examining periods too short with which to fully evaluate the longer term effects from bans.
A note on the “value” of bounds on EVPI in stochastic programming

The existing literature concentrates on determining sharp upper bounds for EVPI in stochastic programming problems. This seems to be a problem without an application. Lower bounds, which we view as having an important application, are only the incidental subject of study and in the few instances that are available are obtained at an extremely high cost. In order to suggest a rethinking of the course of this research, we analyze the need for bounds on EVPI in the context of its significance in decision problems.
The Molecular Field and Atomic Order in Ferromagnetic Crystals and in Hydrogenised Iron

THE molecular field postulated by Weiss to explain ferromagnetism is regarded by Becker1 as mechanical in origin, representing the control exerted by strain within any portion of a crystal upon the direction in which that portion may retain its magnetisation in the absence of externally applied magnetic fields. More recently, Becker and Kirsten2 have discussed some interesting experiments upon the magnetisation of nickel under tension. They arrive at the conclusion that, at least for applied fields much larger than the coercive force—which becomes as small as one or two gauss under their extreme conditions—the magnetisation may be predicted quantitatively from the maximal magnetostrictive shortening of well annealed metal and the saturation intensity of magnetisation, both of which quantities are sufficiently well known from previous experiments by others. Their account of the effect of internal stresses over the cross-section of a wire specimen upon its magnetisation is also very satisfactory. They point out, in the second footnote to p. 660, that the “extremely irreversible processes” observed in weak applied fields are not correctly represented by Becker's theory, magnetic changes being observed at field values which are less than the theory predicts as necessary for their occurrence.*
Chemistry in Environmentally Benign Media. 7.1 Chelating Hydroxymethyl-Functionalized Bisphosphines as Building Blocks to Water-Soluble and in-Vitro-Stable Gold(I) Complexes. Synthesis, Characterization, and X-ray Crystal Structures of [Au{(HOH2C)2PC6H4P(CH2OH)2}2]Cl and [Au2{(HOH2C)2PCH2CH2P(CH2OH)2}2]Cl2

The reactions of water-soluble bisphosphines (HOH2C)2PC6H4P(CH2OH)2 (1) and (HOH2C)2PCH2CH2P(CH2OH)2 (2) with NaAuCl4, in aqueous media, or AuClPPh3, in biphasic media (aqueous/organic), produced the water/alcoholic-soluble Au(I) complexes [Au{(HOH2C)2PC6H4P(CH2OH)2}2]Cl (3), [Au{(HOH2C)2PCH2CH2P(CH2OH)2}2]Cl (4), and [Au2{(HOH2C)2PCH2CH2P(CH2OH)2}2]Cl2 (5) in near quantitative yields. Stability and cysteine-challenge studies of 3 indicate the kinetic inertness of these new complexes. Complex 5 is luminescent in the solid state at room temperature. When excited at 280 nm in non-degassed water at room temperature, the emission spectrum shows a high-energy band at 310 nm and a low-energy band at 560 nm. The large Stokes shift for the low-energy band implies that the emission is phosphorescence. The X-ray structures of 3 and 5, reported in this paper, confirm the gold(I) structures of this new generation of water-soluble transition metal complexes. All compounds were characterized by 31P and 1H NMR spectrosc...
In vitro skin decontamination model: comparison of salicylic acid and aminophylline.

AbstractObjective: This study compared three model decontaminant solutions (distilled water, 10% distilled water and soap and methanol) for their ability to remove salicylic acid and aminophylline from an in vitro skin model.Materials and methods: Human abdominal skin was dosed with 20 µL of either [14C]-aminophylline or [14C]-salicylic acid on 1 cm2 per skin. After each exposure time (5, 30 and 60 min post-dosing, respectively), surface skin was washed three times with each solution and tape stripped 10 times. Wash solutions, tape strips, receptor fluid and remaining skin were then analyzed with liquid scintillation counting to quantify the amount of salicylic acid and aminophylline.Results: Total mass balance recovery for each chemical at three time exposure points was between 73.6 and 101.5%, except at 60 min where aminophylline was only 42.5%. Majority of salicylic acid and aminophylline were recovered from washing solution when compared to stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis, surrounding skin and rece...
Mapping Phonological Information from Auditory to Written Modality during Foreign Vocabulary Learning

Learning to read in a foreign language often entails recognizing the printed form of words learned by sound. In the current study, the ability to map novel phonological information from the auditory modality onto the written modality was examined at different levels of overlap between the native language and an artificially constructed foreign language. In this study, monolingual English-speaking adults learned novel foreign words in the auditory modality. Recognition testing was first conducted in the auditory modality and then in the written modality. Participants who learned foreign words that matched English phonology showed similar accuracy rates when tested in either modality. Participants who learned foreign words that mismatched English phonology showed decreased recognition accuracy when tested in the written modality. Results indicate that cross-linguistic matching in phonology facilitated mapping of phonological information to the written modality. In addition, at different levels of cross-linguistic overlap, specific cognitive skills were found to correlate with the ability to map phonological information across modalities. This finding suggests that the cognitive skills required for acquisition of a foreign language may vary depending upon degree of cross-linguistic similarity.
Motor Performance of Certain Categories of Mental Patients

Practice was for 2 min. without knowledge of scores on each of five tests. Dotting.-This was based on the McDougall Doming Test. The device consisted of an insulated drum around which was rolled an electrically charged brass ribbon with a continuous irregular line of small cirdes (each 3.5 mm. in diameter). The drum rotated at a constant rate of four rpm. A wooden box covered the drum with a slot (1 in. wide x 1% in. long) cut through the centre of the top surface in such a way that as the drum rotated, each circle presented itself to full view. Four to five cirdes could be seen at one time; there being 95 in all. An electric-contact stylus was used to hit the centres of the cirdes. Each time the stylus missed the centre and hit the brass ribbon the circuit was completed and an error was recorded on moving.upe. This form. was felt to be intermediate in complexicy between those of McDougall and Cattell (1), and is scorable by electric counters (2, p. 86). Ring.-The apparatus consisted of an electrified wire of 20 standard wire gauge and 7 in. in length, supported by two wooden stands. An electric-contact ring of M in. diameter was placed around the wire. A touch of the ring on the wire completed the circuit and an error was recorded. Maze.-Also devised by E to measure conunuous tracing, this device had an irregular 7-cornered star-like groove cut on a metal plate. The corners were rounded, with a distance of 644 in. between any corner and its opposite. The groove was 4/16 in. wide. The floor of the groove was insulated by an ivorine sheet underneath and the sides were electrified. An electric-contact stylus with a blunted head was used to trace the path. Touching the sides of the groove completed the circuit, resulting in an error. Steadiness.-Whipple's test (3) with only one 3-mm. hole was used. S tried to keep the electric-contact stylus half-way inside the hole without touching the sides. The arm and hand had to be kept free of support. Tapping.-This consisted of a square metal plate, 2% X 295 in., mounted on a wooden board (14 x 7 in.). Circles of 3.5 mm. diameter were punched in the plate and formed irregular rows in this order: 3, 5, 6, 5, 3 (28 in all). The whole pattern appeared circular in outline. Each time the stylus missed a circle centre and touched the electrified plate the circuit was completed and an error was recorded.
The capability for regulation of insulin secretion by somatostatin in purified pancreatic islet B cells during aging

SUMMARY Pancreatic islet B cells from Sprague-Dawley and Fisher 344 rats aged 3 27 months were separated from A and D cells by centrifugation over a linear percoll density gradient. and incubated in vitro with various concentrations of glucose and somatostatin. Elevation of glucose concentration in the incubation medium from 2.6 to 16.7 mM provokes an insulin secretory response that is independent of rat donor age. Inhibition of the insulin secretory response by somatostatin is independent of rat donor age beyond 12 months. These data indicate that the impaired regulation of insulin secretion during aging observed previously in vivo and in vitro in intact islets may not be intrinsic to the B cells, but instead reflect changes in islet paracrine regulatory mechanisms that relate to the quality and/or quantity of endogenous somatostatin and/or glucagon.
Effects of concentration and of vibrational relaxation on the induction period of the H2−O2 reaction

Molecular oxygen or hydrogen vibrational relaxation affecting induction period of high temperature reaction as shown by shock tube data
Jane Eyre: Now and Forever; or, the Strange Afterlife of Gothic

This paper examines the recent fascination the Broadway musical has had with Victorian gothic, focusing both on the transition from opera seria to Disneyesque musical and on one specific cultural product, Paul Gordon and John Caird’s 2000 Broadway production, Jane Eyre: The Musical. The paper claims that this particular hybrid of two notoriously hybrid nineteenth-century forms (the novel and opera) defangs both of its source genres, but nevertheless still allows its middle-class audience to participate in the spectacle of their own self-definition as consumers of “culture.” The production also allows that audience to congratulate itself for having escaped the bourgeois repressions that arguably made the gothic such a viable genre in the Romantic and Victorian periods. The fact is, though, that contemporary viewers of the Broadway gothic musical do still experience the frisson of a repressed terror: the return to a postmodern world that scripts our camp appreciation of such kitsch entertainments.
IRAK-mediated Translocation of TRAF6 and TAB2 in the Interleukin-1-induced Activation of NFκB

The interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) is required for the IL-1-induced activation of nuclear factor κB and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. The goal of this study was to understand how IRAK activates the intermediate proteins TRAF6, TAK1, TAB1, and TAB2. When IRAK is phosphorylated in response to IL-1, it binds to the membrane where it forms a complex with TRAF6; TRAF6 then dissociates and translocates to the cytosol. The membrane-bound IRAK similarly mediates the IL-1-induced translocation of TAB2 from the membrane to the cytosol. Different regions of IRAK are required for the translocation of TAB2 and TRAF6, suggesting that IRAK mediates the translocation of each protein separately. The translocation of TAB2 and TRAF6 is needed to form a TRAF6-TAK1-TAB1-TAB2 complex in the cytosol and thus activate TAK1. Our results show that IRAK is required for the IL-1-induced phosphorylation of TAK1, TAB1, and TAB2. The phosphorylation of these three proteins correlates strongly with the activation of nuclear factor κB but is not necessary to activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase.
Self-dual Maxwell field on a null surface. II

The canonical formalism for the Maxwell field on a null surface has been revisited. A new pair of gauge-independent canonical variables is introduced. It is shown that these variables are derivable from a Hamillon-Jacobi functional. The construction of the appropriate C*algebra is carried out in preparation for quantization. The resulting quantum theory is similar to a previous result. It is then shown that one can construct the T-variables of Rovelli and Smolin on the null surface. The Poisson bracket algebra exhibits causal relations along the null rays, but is nonsingular if the loops are restricted to those whose projections along the null rays are not tangent and one-to-one. Finally, there is a brief discussion of the relevance of this work to general relativity.
Causes of Color Change in Blue-Green Algae.

The characteristic colors of the different classes of algae and the striking changes in color of individuals (especially among the Cyanophyceae) have compelled the attention of botanists for many years. Engelmann (1883) observed the rate of assimilation of a number of kinds of algae in the different parts of the spectrum. He concluded that they assimilated fastest in light of a color complementary to their own, and suggested that this effect controlled their distribution in nature. Gaidukov (1902) cultivated Cyanophyceae in light from different parts of the spectrum and found that they assumed a color complementary to that of the incident light. This phenomenon he called "complementary chromatic adaptation." However, Oltmanns (1893) grew marine algae in light of different colors and light of different intensities and concluded that the differences in color of the algae depended principally on differences in intensity. A third proposal was made by Schindler (1913) on the basis of experiments on the cultivation of Oscillatoriaceae. He decided that the color of the algae depended primarily on the supply of essential food materials, especially nitrogen compounds, and that the intensity of light influenced only the rate of color change by influencing the rate of the organisms' growth and hence of exhaustion of the medium. A large amount of work has appeared supporting each of the three doctrines. The best discussions of the literature are to be found in Schindler (1913) and Harder (1923). Much of the work done hitherto has been accomplished under unfavorable circumstances. The organisms used have grown slowly or not at all or have died during the experiments (Harder 1922). The color changes have often been slight or have affected only some of the individuals studied (Gaidukov 1902). The experimenters have usually been satisfied to work at low light intensities or in the varying and interrupted light of day (v. Richter 1912, Boresch 1921, Harder 1923). The experiments of which a preliminary report is given below were conducted in the course of developing a standard technique of cultivation which would produce uniform material for work on the photosynthesis of a blue-green alga. The organism used develops vigorously and uniformly under the conditions devised, but if the illumination is varied in the ways described, it exhibits striking color changes. In my opinion the relation of the color changes to changes in the illumination is so clear that the conflicting theories of the past may be judged in its light.
Deletion and tandem duplication of exons 2–7 in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene of a human malignant glioma

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene is frequently amplified and rearranged in malignant gliomas with expression of oncogenic deletion mutants (DM). The most common mutant EGFRvIII, which contains a deletion of exons 2–7, is constitutively autophosphorylated and inefficiently downregulated. Other less common EGFR mRNA species in gliomas contain tandem duplication of exons, which encode the tyrosine kinase (TK) and calcium mediated receptor internalization (CAIN) domains of the molecule. We examined a panel of human malignant gliomas and found one tumor that expressed four related EGFR proteins, including 125-, 140-, 170-, and 180-kDa species. This tumor also contained four EGFR-related mRNA species, including both wild type EGFR and EGFRvIII transcripts. A third transcript contained a deletion of exons 2–7 and 12–13 corresponding to the 125-kDa protein. A fourth transcript contained an in-frame, tandem duplication of exons 2–7 (EGFR.TDM/2–7). The 180-kDa, tandem duplication mutant (TDM) exhibited enhanced basal phosphorylation and impaired downregulation. In contrast to the 140-kDa EGFRvIII; however, phosphorylation of the 180-kDa EGFR.TDM/2–7 was strongly induced by ligand. Expression of both deletion and tandem duplication mutants in the same tumor suggests that the mechanisms responsible for DM and TDM formation might be closely related.
Rapid Activation of ATR by Ionizing Radiation Requires ATM and Mre11

The ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinases are crucial regulatory proteins in genotoxic stress response pathways that pause the cell cycle to permit DNA repair. Here we show that Chk1 phosphorylation in response to hydroxyurea and ultraviolet radiation is ATR-dependent and ATM- and Mre11-independent. In contrast, Chk1 phosphorylation in response to ionizing radiation (IR) is dependent on ATR, ATM, and Mre11. The ATR and ATM/Mre11 pathways are generally thought to be separate with ATM activation occurring early and ATR activation occurring as a late response to double strand breaks. However, we demonstrate that ATR is activated rapidly by IR, and ATM and Mre11 enhance ATR signaling. ATR-ATR-interacting protein recruitment to double strand breaks is less efficient in the absence of ATM and Mre11. Furthermore, IR-induced replication protein A foci formation is defective in ATM- and Mre11-deficient cells. Thus, ATM and Mre11 may stimulate the ATR signaling pathway by converting DNA damage generated by IR into structures that recruit and activate ATR.
Use of Retarded Green's Functions in Exciton Theory

It is pointed out that the usual treatment of excitons in interaction with radiation with spatial dispersion does not obviously satisfy causality in all cases, and it is shown explicitly that certain paradoxes and ambiguities can appear even in simple cases. In particular, it is shown for a simple special case that an apparently reasonable choice of boundary condition leads to a reflection coefficient greater than unity; and also that in some cases one must make rather arbitrary and inconsistent requirements in order to get the right number of boundary conditions to determine a solution. The theory is reformulated in a way that is manifestly causal, with both field and polarization being generated by retarded Green's functions. Umklapp processes are also included. This formulation confirms the results of the usual treatment in the cases in which the latter are unambiguous and acceptable, but avoids the difficulties mentioned above. The model used is essentially classical and one dimensional, but nevertheless sufficiently general for the treatment of these problems.
Photoluminescence spectroscopy of CdTe grown by photoassisted MBE

Abstract A study has been made of the photoluminescence (PL) properties of p-type CdTe: As and undoped n-type CdTe grown by the photoassisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique. PL studies have been performed over the temperature range from 1.6 to 300 K. Acceptor and donor ionization energies are determined from temperature dependence studies of (D 0 , h) and (e, A 0 ) PL emissions. We find that the n-type behavior in the unintentionally doped films arises from two different donor levels, and is dependent on power density during film growth. In addition, the photoassisted MBE technique has allowed a lowering of substrate growth temperatures for both CdTe:As and undoped CdTe. High quality films with bright, sharp excitonic peaks can be grown at substrate temperatures as low as 125°C.
Crystal lattice tilting in prismatic calcite

We analyzed the calcitic prismatic layers in Atrina rigida (Ar), Haliotis iris (Hi), Haliotis laevigata (HL), Haliotis rufescens (Hrf), Mytilus californianus (Mc), Pinctada fucata (Pf), Pinctada margaritifera (Pm) shells, and the aragonitic prismatic layer in the Nautilus pompilius (Np) shell. Dramatic structural differences were observed across species, with 100-μm wide single-crystalline prisms in Hi, HL and Hrf, 1-μm wide needle-shaped calcite prisms in Mc, 1-μm wide spherulitic aragonite prisms in Np, 20-μm wide single-crystalline calcite prisms in Ar, and 20-μm wide polycrystalline calcite prisms in Pf and Pm. The calcite prisms in Pf and Pm are subdivided into sub-prismatic domains of orientations, and within each of these domains the calcite crystal lattice tilts gradually over long distances, on the order of 100 μm, with an angle spread of crystal orientation of 10-20°. Furthermore, prisms in Pf and Pm are harder than in any other calcite prisms analyzed, their nanoparticles are smaller, and the angle spread is strongly correlated with hardness in all shells that form calcitic prismatic layers. One can hypothesize a causal relationship of these correlated parameters: greater angle spread may confer greater hardness and resistance to wear, thus providing Pf and Pm with a structural advantage in their environment. This is the first structure-property relationship thus far hypothesized in mollusk shell prisms.
Laparoscopic or Open Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Although most patients with inflammatory bowel diseases may ideally be treated with laparoscopic surgery, challenges include inflammation and fragility of the bowel wall and the mesentery, difficulty identifying normal anatomic landmarks, and coexisting abscesses and fistulas. In addition, these diseases commonly require extensive resections while operating within limited spaces. In this article, we present current data regarding the techniques, advantages, and outcomes of laparoscopy for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Common indications for minimally invasive surgery are Crohn's disease of the terminal ileum, colectomy, total proctocolectomy, and stoma formation in patients with severe perianal disease. The literature supports laparoscopic bowel resection because of shorter time to first bowel movement, shorter hospitalization, and less morbidity compared with laparotomy. Laparoscopy can even be used with low morbidity in patients who have undergone surgery and/or who have abscesses and fistulas. The most common standard elective operations for ulcerative colitis are total abdominal colectomy with ileostomy and restorative proctocolectomy. Laparoscopy is preferentially used in these situations by experienced surgeons in major centers. Although the minimally invasive approaches to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are associated with some complications and contraindications, numerous studies have proven the efficacy, feasibility, and safety of these procedures for appropriately selected patients when undertaken by properly qualified surgeons.
The Influence of Obesity on the Pharmacokinetics of Oral Alprazolam and Triazolam

12 obese patients, pair-matched with 12 normal subjects, received a single 1 mg oral dose of alprazolam. Nine similar subject pairs received a single 0.5 mg oral dose of triazolam. Oral volume of distribution (Vd) was much greater in obese than control subjects for alprazolam (mean 114 vs 73L, p less than 0.001), but there was no difference between the 2 groups for triazolam (117 vs 116L). Apparent oral clearance (not corrected for body weight) of alprazolam was lower, although not significantly so, in obesity (66 vs 88 ml/min), but for triazolam it was much lower in the obese (340 vs 531 ml/min, p less than 0.005). Elimination half-life, which is dependent on both Vd and clearance, was prolonged in obesity for alprazolam (22 vs 11h, p less than 0.001) due to the increase in Vd, and also for triazolam (4.1 vs 2.6 h, p less than 0.025) because of the decreased clearance. Plasma protein binding was unchanged in obese compared with control subjects for both alprazolam and triazolam. During long term administration alprazolam should therefore take longer to reach steady-state concentrations in obese patients but the final levels achieved should be no different than for patients of normal bodyweight, provided dosage is adjusted for ideal rather than total bodyweight. In contrast, triazolam has impaired clearance in obesity. However, if given once-daily it still would not accumulate with long term dosing due to its short half-life relative to the interval between doses.