cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrate-Induced Genes in Tomato Roots. Array Analysis Reveals Novel Genes That May Play a Role in Nitrogen Nutrition,

A subtractive tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum ) root cDNA library enriched in genes up-regulated by changes in plant mineral status was screened with labeled mRNA from roots of both nitrate-induced and mineral nutrient-deficient (−nitrogen [N], −phosphorus, −potassium [K], −sulfur, −magnesium, −calcium, −iron, −zinc, and −copper) tomato plants. A subset of cDNAs was selected from this library based on mineral nutrient-related changes in expression. Additional cDNAs were selected from a second mineral-deficient tomato root library based on sequence homology to known genes. These selection processes yielded a set of 1,280 mineral nutrition-related cDNAs that were arrayed on nylon membranes for further analysis. These high-density arrays were hybridized with mRNA from tomato plants exposed to nitrate at different time points after N was withheld for 48 h, for plants that were grown on nitrate/ammonium for 5 weeks prior to the withholding of N. One hundred-fifteen genes were found to be up-regulated by nitrate resupply. Among these genes were several previously identified as nitrate responsive, including nitrate transporters, nitrate and nitrite reductase, and metabolic enzymes such as transaldolase, transketolase, malate dehydrogenase, asparagine synthetase, and histidine decarboxylase. We also identified 14 novel nitrate-inducible genes, including: (a) water channels, (b) root phosphate and K + transporters, (c) genes potentially involved in transcriptional regulation, (d) stress response genes, and (e) ribosomal protein genes. In addition, both families of nitrate transporters were also found to be inducible by phosphate, K, and iron deficiencies. The identification of these novel nitrate-inducible genes is providing avenues of research that will yield new insights into the molecular basis of plant N nutrition, as well as possible networking between the regulation of N, phosphorus, and K nutrition.
Associative learning: Hebbian flies.

Fruit flies can learn to associate an odor with an aversive stimulus, such as a shock. New findings indicate that disrupting the expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in flies impairs olfactory conditioning. The findings provide support for a critical role for NMDA receptors in associative learning.
In vivo skeletal imaging of 18F-fluoride with positron emission tomography reveals damage- and time-dependent responses to fatigue loading in the rat ulna

Abstract The skeletal response to damaging fatigue loading is not fully understood. We used 18F-fluoride PET to describe the time course of the skeletal response following the creation of increasing levels of in vivo, fatigue-induced damage. The right forelimbs of 40 adult rats were loaded in vivo in cyclic compression to four levels of subfracture, fatigue displacement: 30, 45, 65, or 85% of fracture displacement. Rats were injected with a bone-seeking radionuclide (18F-fluoride) on days 0 (4 h), 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 18, 24, and 30, and imaged using a small animal positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. We quantified fluoride uptake in the central 50% of the right (loaded) and left (control) forelimbs. There were significant increases in fluoride uptake in loaded forelimbs compared to control on day 0 for all displacement groups. Normalized uptake (loaded/control) reached peak levels 4 to 9 days after loading. Normalized uptake depended significantly on the level of fatigue displacement. Normalized uptake increased progressively from the 30 to the 45% displacement level (P
Bayesian forecast combination and Kalman filtering

A bayesian model for one-step ahead forecasts is derived by allowing the forecasters to be biased and correlated. It is shown that this general bayesian forecast combination model is equivalent to the Kalman filter, and this correspondence is used to give a k-step ahead forecast combination model.
Degeneration of Long-Term Fetal Neostriatal Allografts in the Rhesus Monkey: An Electron Microscopic Study

Abstract Primate fetal neostriatal neurons were implanted into the ibotenic acid-lesioned primate striatum and the animals were allowed to survive for 8 months. Light microscopic examination of the transplanted tissue demonstrated that the grafts were between 1.0 and 1.5 mm in diameter. The transplants were highly gliotic, but contained both normal appearing and degenerating neurons. At the electron microscopic level, the transplanted neurons displayed ultrastructural features identical to those of medium spiny, medium aspiny, and large aspiny striatal neurons. However, the majority of the grafted neurons showed evidence of degeneration. The grafts' neuropil demonstrated numerous glial processes, as well as mature axodendritic and axospinous synapses, Although this study was limited to only two graft recipients, the degenerative changes seen in the long-term primate allografts suggest that extension of these techniques into the clinical selling may be premature at the present time.
Purification, Gene Cloning, and Reconstitution of the Heterotrimeric Single-stranded DNA-binding Protein from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

We have purified a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) from Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp) and have shown that it is composed of three subunits of 68, 30, and 12 kDa. The SpSSB supports T antigen-dependent unwinding of SV40 ori containing DNA, but is not functional in the SV40 in vitro replication reaction. All three genes that encode the SpSSB subunit have been isolated. The cloned cDNA of the ssb1(+), encoding the p68 subunit, contains 609 amino acids (68.3 kDa), while that of the ssb2(+), encoding the p30 subunit, contains a 279 amino acids (30.3 kDa). The genomic DNA clone of the p12 subunit gene (ssb3(+)) has 2 introns and an open reading frame of 104 amino acids (11.8 kDa). Significant homology is observed among the largest and middle subunits of eukaryotic SSBs, but there is poor homology among the smallest subunits. In addition, we have reconstituted the SpSSB complex by coexpression of all three subunits in Escherichia coli. The reconstituted complex is active in single-stranded DNA binding and the T antigen-dependent unwinding of SV40 ori DNA. Finally, we observed a cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation pattern of the p30 subunit of SpSSB, which is similar to that observed for the human and Saccharomyces cerevisiae SSB.
The Effects of Unilateral Naris Occlusion on Gene Expression Profiles in Mouse Olfactory Mucosa

Unilateral naris occlusion has been the method of choice for effecting stimulus deprivation in studies of olfactory plasticity. Early experiments emphasized the deleterious effects of this technique on the developing olfactory system while more recent studies have pointed to several apparently "compensatory" responses. However, the evidence for deprivation-induced compensatory processes in olfaction remains fragmentary. High-throughput methods such as microarray analysis can help fill the deficits in our understanding of naris occlusion as a mode of stimulus deprivation. Here we report for young adult mice the effects of early postnatal naris occlusion on the olfactory mucosal transcriptome using microarray analysis with RT-PCR confirmation. The transcripts of key genes involved in olfactory reception, transduction, and transmission were up-regulated in deprived-side olfactory mucosa, with opposite effects in non-deprived-side mucosa, compared to controls. Results support the hypothesis that odor environment triggers a previously unknown homeostatic control mechanism in olfactory receptor neurons designed to maximize information transfer.
The Nb3Sn grain structure evolution in bronze-processed multifilamentary superconducting wire☆

Abstract Two schemes have been proposed to explain the observed Nb3Sn layer morphology in bronze-processed superconducting wire. One scheme attributes the morphology to the competition between nucleation and growth of Nb3Sn grains at the niobium interface while the other ascribes it to a breakup of the columnar grains. Microstructural observations show that the latter scheme operates. Columnar grains develop very early during layer growth. With subsequent layer growth they retain approximately constant length. Since the layer continues to grow this requires that the columnar grains formed earlier in the reaction break-up. This process is responsible for the observed equiaxed grain morphology. The few dislocations observed in the columnar or equiaxed grain regions are present to accommodate the crystallographic mismatch between grains. Recrystallization is not indicated since fine grains are not observed. The specific mechanism for the columnar grain break-up remains unclear; however, two classes of processes have been excluded, polygonization and recrystallization.
Biogeochemistry of dissolved arsenic in the temperate to tropical North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract The biogeochemical cycle of arsenic was examined in the water column across the North Atlantic from 39° to 17°N as part of the US GEOTRACES North Atlantic study (GEOTRACES Section GA03). Results show limited nutrient-like distribution of As5+, and upper ocean maxima in As3+ and methylated As as found in many other studies In the oligotrophic water masses, microbial communities, i.e. phytoplankton, appear to favor the reduction to As3+ instead of methylation as detoxification of As5+ taken up during phosphorus (P) limitation due to their chemical similarities. The depth-integrated average concentrations in the mixed layer depth of As3+ in the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean were 1.30±1.14 nmol L−1 (n=4) and 0.65 (n=2), respectively, and rose to 3.30 nmol L−1 (n=2) in the Central Atlantic Ocean. No pattern was observed for As5+ (15.7±2.8 nmol L−1, n=8) and methylated species were detected occasionally below 0.41 nmol L−1 in the mixed layer. Based on significant correlations between phosphate, alkaline phosphate activity (APA), a conventional proxy for P limitation, and As3+, we conclude that As3+ is a good proxy for P limitation within the upper water column similar to our earlier evaluation of surface data. Mass balances for the mixed layer show that atmospheric inputs of As5+ can compensate for the losses via export fluxes and microbial reduction to As3+. The cycling of As3+ is more complex, with sources from As5+ reduction and losses due to photochemical and microbial-induced oxidation. The resulting residence time of As3+ with respect to these processes can be as short as 0.7–3 days. Unlike As5+, atmospheric inputs of As3+ cannot balance the oxidative losses and the short residence time further limits horizontal and vertical advective/diffusive inputs. It appears that reduction of As5+ coupled with detoxification and general microbial reduction are the sources of As3+ in the oceanic mixed layer. While As3+ production during As5+ detoxification has been well studied, the generic microbial reduction of As5+ to As3+ requires a more thorough investigation.
The Earth's Plasmasphere with Contributions from D. L. Carpenter and V. Bassolo

The plasmasphere is a region of enduring scientific interest and considerable practical importance. A number of communications, navigation, and military satellites that are becoming indispensable to routine human activities are stationed in this region. To ensure the reliability of these assets, it is important to understand the plasmaspheric environment comprehensively Recently, there has been renewed interest in the plasmasphere as evidenced by a number of imaging missions, such as the NASA/Imager for Magnetopauseto-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE), the U.S. Department of Defense/Advanced Research & Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS), and the proposed Magnetospheric Imager (MI), whose objectives include imaging the plasmasphere. To fully use the information obtained by remote sensing, we must develop more accurate models of the plasmaspheric structure than are currently available. Hence, an emphasis on plasmaspheric research is particularly timely.
Molecular Basis of T Cell Inactivation by CTLA-4

CTLA-4, a negative regulator of T cell function, was found to associate with the T cell receptor (TCR) complex zeta chain in primary T cells. The association of TCRzeta with CTLA-4, reconstituted in 293 transfectants, was enhanced by p56(lck)-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Coexpression of the CTLA-4-associated tyrosine phosphatase, SHP-2, resulted in dephosphorylation of TCRzeta bound to CTLA-4 and abolished the p56(lck)-inducible TCRzeta-CTLA-4 interaction. Thus, CTLA-4 inhibits TCR signal transduction by binding to TCRzeta and inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation after T cell activation. These findings have broad implications for the negative regulation of T cell function and T cell tolerance.
The innate immune response to tumors and its role in the induction of T‐cell immunity

Recent genetic studies have resurrected the concept that the adaptive and innate immune systems play roles in tumor surveillance. Natural killer (NK) cells recognize many tumor cells but not normal self cells, and they are thought to aid in the elimination of nascent tumors. Two main strategies are employed by NK cells to recognize tumor targets. Many tumor cells down-regulate class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, thus releasing the NK cell from the inhibition provided by class I MHC-specific inhibitory receptors ('missing self recognition'). More recently, it has become clear that a stimulatory receptor expressed by NK cells, T cells and macrophages (NKG2D) recognizes ligands (MHC class I chain related [MIC], H6O, retinoic acid early inducible [Rae1] and UL16 binding proteins [ULBP]) that are up-regulated on tumor cells and virally infected cells but are not expressed well by normal cells. Ectopic expression of these ligands on tumor cells leads to the potent rejection of the tumors in vivo. Importantly, mice that previously rejected the ligand+ tumor cells develop T-cell immunity to the parental (ligand-) tumor cells. The recognition of induced-self ligands as a strategy to recognize abnormal self sets a precedent for a new immune recognition strategy of the innate immune system.
Monitoring planktivorous seabird populations: validating surface counts of crevice-nesting auklets using mark–resight techniques

Least Auklets (Aethia pusilla (Pallas, 1811)) are the most abundant species of seabird in the Bering Sea and offer a relatively efficient means of monitoring secondary productivity in the marine environment. Counting auklets on surface plots is the primary method used to track changes in numbers of these crevice-nesters, but counts can be highly variable and may not be representative of the number of nesting individuals. We compared average maximum counts of Least Auklets on surface plots with density estimates based on mark–resight data at a colony on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, during 2001–2004. Estimates of breeding auklet abundance from mark–resight averaged 8 times greater than those from maximum surface counts. Our results also indicate that average maximum surface counts are poor indicators of breeding auklet abundance and do not vary consistently with auklet nesting density across the breeding colony. Estimates of Least Auklet abundance from mark–resight were sufficiently precise to meet manageme...
Weight loss treatment influences untreated spouses and the home environment: evidence of a ripple effect

To examine whether a weight loss program delivered to one spouse has beneficial effects on the untreated spouse and the home environment. We assessed untreated spouses of participants in three sites of Look AHEAD, a multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of intentional weight loss on cardiovascular outcomes in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes. Participants and spouses (n=357 pairs) were weighed and completed measures of diet and physical activity at 0 and 12 months. Spouses completed household food and exercise environment inventories. We examined differences between spouses of participants assigned to the intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) or to the enhanced usual care (DSE; diabetes support and education). Spouses of ILI participants lost −2.2±4.5 kg vs −0.2±3.3 kg in spouses of DSE participants (P<0.001). In addition, more ILI spouses lost ⩾5% of their body weight than DSE spouses (26 vs 9%, P<0.001). Spouses of ILI participants also had greater reductions in reported energy intake (P=0.007) and percent of energy from fat (P=0.012) than DSE spouses. Spouse weight loss was associated with participant weight loss (P<0.001) and decreases in high-fat foods in the home (P=0.05). The reach of behavioral weight loss treatment can extend to a spouse, suggesting that social networks can be utilized to promote the spread of weight loss, thus creating a ripple effect.
Health Knowledge of Predominantly Mexican American High School Students

Abstract The health knowledge of 237 predominantly Mexican American adolescents was assessed using the HKI-Alpha. The mean test score was 47.1 out of 110. Results revealed that a high percentage of students knew weight loss recommendations and the diagnostic test for breast cancer. However, a high percentage of the students did not know that myocardial infarction was a heart attack, maternal German measles could cause fetal deformity, or barbiturates, with alcohol, were potentially lethal. Over 50 percent did not know a positive HIV test meant a person would get AIDS. Less than 50 percent of the questions for 10 of the 11 subscales were answered correctly. Nutrition subscale scores were slightly better; 60 percent of the answers were correct. Significant gender differences were found on two of the tests' subscales. Test results suggest that improved health education for Mexican American students is needed.
Restructuring the introductory physics lab with the addition of computer-based laboratories

Nowadays, data acquisition software and sensors are being widely used in introductory physics laboratories. This allows the student to spend more time exploring the data that is collected by the computer hence focusing more on the physical concept. Very often, a faculty is faced with the challenge of updating or introducing a microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) at his or her institution. This article will provide a list of experiments and equipment needed to convert about half of the traditional labs on a 1-year introductory physics lab into MBLs.
Direct conversion of bio-ethanol to isobutene on nanosized Zn(x)Zr(y)O(z) mixed oxides with balanced acid-base sites.

We report the design and synthesis of nanosized ZnxZryOz mixed oxides for direct and high-yield conversion of bio-ethanol to isobutene (∼83%). ZnO is addded to ZrO2 to selectively passivate zirconia’s strong Lewis acidic sites and weaken Bronsted acidic sites, while simultaneously introducing basicity. As a result, the undesired reactions of bio-ethanol dehydration and acetone polymerization/coking are suppressed. Instead, a surface basic site-catalyzed ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde, acetaldehyde to acetone conversion via a complex pathway including aldol-condensation/dehydrogenation, and a Bronsted acidic site-catalyzed acetone-to-isobutene reaction pathway dominates on the nanosized ZnxZryOz mixed oxide catalyst, leading to a highly selective process for direct conversion of bio-ethanol to isobutene.
Fiber-optic Raman probe based on single-crystal sapphire fiber

We demonstrate a fiber-optic Raman probe based on single-crystal sapphire fibers to overcome the large background signal of Raman probes based on standard glass fibers. Using 514.5 nm and 785 nm excitation lasers, Raman spectroscopy was performed on samples of calcite, aqueous sodium carbonate solution, and silicon wafer using a single crystal sapphire fiber and a silica fiber of similar lengths and numerical apertures. The single-crystal sapphire fiber exhibits narrow Raman peaks and low background signal, allowing for the detection of weaker Raman signals or Raman signals located in the lower wavenumber region, while the traditional silica fiber has a strong broadband Raman spectrum of its own.
Wound Care in the Wilderness: Is There Evidence for Honey?

Honey is one of the most ancient remedies for wound care. Current research has shown promising results for its use in wound care. This review is intended to inform readers of the physiological properties of honey and the evidence that exists to support its clinical use. When compared with evidence for current wound treatment, honey has proven to be a safe, effective, and sometimes superior treatment for various wounds. There are currently US Food and Drug Administration-approved medical-grade honey products available in the United States. Although there have been no clinical trials exploring the use of honey in wilderness environments, it may be a safe, improvisational wound treatment. More robust studies are needed for definitive conclusions of its efficacy and safety.
Two Parallel Traditions Automatic Writing and Free Writing

We review automaticity, effortless writing that comes with freedom from excessive conscious interference, in terms of its origins in automatic writing and its growth into contemporary techniques such as free writing. We characterize automaticity (a) as a form of dissociation from consciousness, (b) as an aid to spontaneity and creativity, and (c) as a key to understanding why some writers block more readily than others. Conclusion: All forms of automaticity resemble hypnosis and, so, should be used with carefully planned structures and cautions.
Effects of formaldehyde treated soybean meal on nutrient use, milk yield and composition, and free amino acids in the lactating bovine

Abstract Sixteen lactating cows were assigned to two groups in a 28-day switchback design to compare the nutritive value of water treated and .9% formaldehyde treated soybean meal. During the last 7 days of each period four cows from each group were used in total collection digestibility and nitrogen balance trials. Intake of dry matter and nitrogen, and milk production and composition for control and treated groups were: dry matter, 13.9 and 13.9 kg/day; nitrogen intake, 288 and 277 g/day; 4% fat-corrected milk, 17.2 and 17.1 kg/day; milk fat, 3.84 and 3.90%; and milk protein, 3.51 and 3.43%. Apparent digestibility coefficients, total digestible nutrients, and productive nitrogen (milk nitrogen + retained nitrogen) for control and treated groups were: dry matter, 67.3 and 65.1%; organic matter, 68.3 and 66.2%; crude protein, 64.2 and 57.2%; acid detergent fiber, 41.9 and 38.9%; ether extract, 62.0 and 62.0%; nitrogen-free extract, 77.0 and 75.7%; total digestible nutrients, 67.5 and 65.7%; and productive nitrogen, 108 and 96 g/day. Feeding a diet containing formaldehyde treated soybean meal to lactating cows did not significantly increase free amino acid concentrations in arterial or venous plasma or amino acid uptake by the lactating mammary gland as compared to feeding water treated soybean meal in the same basal diet. From amino acid uptake by the mammary gland and output in milk protein, histidine, phenylalanine, methionine, lysine, and threonine were the five essential amino acids used most completely for milk protein synthesis. Therefore, these amino acids may be the most critical in limiting production of milk protein. Feeding formaldehyde treated soybean meal to lactating cows had no beneficial effect on milk production or milk protein synthesis; however, the protein may have been overtreated with formaldehyde.
Effect of certain nor-steroids on creatine excretion.

Summary 1. Urinary creatine excretion was studied in 5 children following the administration of normethandrolone and 6 children following the administration of norethandrolone. 2. Both normethandrolone and norethandrolone induce reversible creatinuria in children. 3. Administration of normethandrolone and norethandrolone is associated with a slight increase in urinary excretion of the creatine precursor, guanidoacetic acid. 4. The mechanism of action of these compounds on creatine metabolism is possibly not identical with that of methyltestosterone and requires additional study in order to elucidate the mechanism of action.
On pancyclic representable matroids

Bondy proved that an n-vertex simple Hamiltonian graph with at least n^2/4 edges has cycles of every length unless it is isomorphic to K"n"/"2","n"/"2. This paper considers finding circuits of every size in GF(q)-representable matroids with large numbers of elements. A consequence of the main result is that a rank-r simple binary matroid with at least 2^r^-^1 elements either has circuits of all sizes or is isomorphic to AG(r-1,2).
Electrochemically Controlled Conductance Switching in a Single Molecule: Quinone-Modified Oligo(phenylene vinylene)

Reversible conductance switching in single quinone-oligo(phenylene vinylene) (Q-OPV) molecules was demonstrated using electrochemical STM. The switching was achieved by application of electrochemical potential to the substrate supporting the molecule. The ratio of conductances between the high- and low-conductivity states is over 40. The high-conductivity state is ascribed to strong electron delocalization of the fully conjugated hydroquinone-OPV structure, whereas the low-conductivity state is characterized by disruption of electron delocalization in the quinone-OPV structure.
Heteroepitaxial growth and switching behaviors of PZT(53/47) films on LaNiO3-deposited LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 substrates

Abstract Epitaxial thin films of Pb(Zr 0.53 Ti 0.47 )O 3 (PZT) and LaNiO 3 (LNO) have been grown by sol-gel method on (100)LaAlO 3 and (100)SrTiO 3 substrates. Structural, surface morphological, and ferroelectric properties of PZT deposited on LNO electrode were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns including phi-scan exhibit that epitaxial PZT and LNO thin films can be grown at an annealing temperature as low as 700°C with good crystallinity and no presence of secondary phases. The ferroelectric properties of the PZT films are observed through the P-E hysteresis loop and C-V curves. The average P r and E c were 28 μC/cm 2 and 35 kV/cm, respectively at an applied electric field of 300 kV/cm. The films exhibited good fatigue characteristics under bipolar stressing. The piezoelectric coefficient of the films was 270 pC/N by a single beam interferometer technique.
Immunotherapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

A major effort has been on-going to develop immunotherapies to prevent and/or treat type 1 diabetes (T1D). This autoimmune disease is characterized by the selective loss of the insulin-producing beta cells via the cumulative effects of autoantigen-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, autoantibodies, and activated antigen-presenting cells. To be applicable in a clinical setting, immunotherapies must suppress established beta-cell autoimmunity. Preclinical studies and recent clinical findings suggest that antigen-specific and systemic-based strategies can be effective in this regard. However, either approach alone may not be sufficient to block the diabetogenic response and establish long-term protection in the clinic. In this review, we will discuss the importance of both strategies and how a combinatorial approach to treat T1D is appealing.
Dependence of silica particle sizes on network chain lengths, silica contents, and catalyst concentrations inin situ-reinforced polysiloxane elastomers

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks were prepared by tetrafunctionally end-linking hydroxyl-terminated chains with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Molecular composites were then prepared by in situ sol–gel reactions on additional TEOS swelled into the networks, resulting in the formation of reinforcing silica fillers within the host elastomers. The amount of filler generated generally increased linearly with an increase in the TEOS swelling ratio, as expected. The silica particles formed were examined by small-angle X-ray scattering. Of particular interest were the relationships between particle size and molecular weight Mc of the network chains (mesh sizes), amount of filler introduced, and catalyst concentration. Particle sizes were smallest for the smallest values of Mc, possibly demonstrating constraining effects from the very short network chains. At fixed Mc and filler concentrations, higher catalyst concentrations gave larger particles. Increase in filler concentration generally had little effect on particle size at low and high loadings, but markedly increased sizes at intermediate levels (10–20 wt %), presumably caused by coalescence of the scattering entities into considerably larger aggregates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1421–1427, 1999
Reconstruction of the temporalis muscle for pterional and cranio-orbital craniotomies.

BACKGROUND Atrophy of the temporalis muscle can result after dissection and reattachment with pterional and cranio-orbital craniotomies. To prevent this sequel, a number of surgical modifications have been used to preserve the deep temporal nerve and artery, and also to allow for reconstruction of the temporalis muscle with minimal damage. In this report another surgical modification for reconstruction of the temporalis muscle is described that can be used in both pterional and cranio-orbital craniotomies. METHODS The subperiosteum of the temporalis muscle is dissected sharply away from the temporal fossa preserving the deep temporal arteries and nerves. After the intracranial procedure, the bone flap is resecured and attached to the bone, and then several small holes are made along the superior temporal line, to which the temporalis muscle is directly reattached with sutures. RESULTS We have used the technique described in over 100 cases without related cosmetic or temporalis atrophy. With this technique, muscle tension has been maintained with good stabilization and cosmetic appearance. CONCLUSION In our technique, the temporalis muscle is anatomically reconstructed to the bone with easy attachment to the superior temporal line. The muscle tension is maintained with good stabilization and cosmetic appearance.
The Significance of Thermodynamic Forcing by Cumulus Convection in a General Circulation Model.

Abstract To assess the effects of cumulus convection on the general circulation of the atmosphere, a medium-resolution, spectral general circulation model was integrated twice for 40 simulated days from identical initial conditions, with and without a version of a cumulus parameterization scheme developed by Kuo. The cumulus parameterization scheme allows cumuli to interact with the large-scale flow by condensation and cumulus flux convergences of entropy and moisture; cumulus friction is not included. Cumulus convection warms the upper troposphere and slightly cools the lower tropical troposphere; additional cooling occurs in the lower troposphere of the winter-hemisphere baroclinic zone. Cumulus convection also dries the lower troposphere, especially in the tropics and summer hemisphere, and weakens the Hadley cells. The zonal wind field responds geostrophically to cumulus-induced temperature changes. Condensation and cumulus vertical-flux convergence are both important in determining the interaction be...
Both RNA Polymerase III and RNA Polymerase II Accurately Initiate Transcription from a Human U6 Promoter in Vitro

The promoter of vertebrate U6 small nuclear RNA genes consists of a TATA box and a snRNA proximal sequence element (PSE), and the combination of these two elements directs RNA polymerase III transcription. We detected RNA polymerase II transcription as well as pol III transcription from the human U6 promoter in a HeLa nuclear extract. The pol II-specific transcription was independent of the PSE and dependent on the presence of the TATA box. Both pol III- and pol II-specific transcription were stimulated by addition of recombinant TATA-binding protein (TBP). We conclude that both pol III and pol II preinitiation complexes can assemble on the U6 promoter in vitro and could compete during the bona fide process in the cell.
Female Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to a single oral dose of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exhibit sustained depletion of aryl hydrocarbon receptor protein in liver, spleen, thymus, and lung

There is currently little information concerning the time-dependent relationship between 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) protein concentration in vivo. Therefore, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single oral dose of TCDD (10 micrograms/kg), and the AHR and ARNT protein concentrations in liver, spleen, thymus, and lung determined by Western blotting. In liver, the concentration of AHR protein was significantly reduced 8 and 24 h postdosing as compared to time-matched controls. In spleen and lung, the concentration of AHR protein was reduced 3, 8, 24, and 168 h posttreatment compared to time-matched controls but returned to control levels by 336 h. In thymus, reductions in AHR protein concentration were observed 8, 24, 168, and 336 h postdosing as compared to time-matched controls. Significant reductions in the concentration of ARNT protein were not observed in any of the TCDD-exposed tissues. Functional studies in cell culture showed that exposure of a mouse hepatoma cell line (Hepa-1c1c7) and a rat smooth muscle cell line (A-7) to TCDD (1 nM) for 12 days resulted in a 50% reduction in TCDD-inducible reporter gene expression following subsequent challenge by an additional dose of TCDD (1 nM). Collectively, these results show that (i) TCDD-mediated depletion of AHR occurs in vivo, (ii) AHR protein does not rapidly recover to pretreatment levels even though the tissue concentration of TCDD has fallen, and (iii) reduction in AHR protein concentration correlates with reduction in TCDD-mediated reporter gene expression in mammalian culture cells.
Congenital bronchobiliary fistula: Management of the involved hepatic segment

We present three children with congenital bronchobiliary fistula (CBBF). The first infant underwent resection of the fistula at age 3 weeks and was reported as a success. She returned 7 years later with bilious expectoration for which a second thoracotomy was performed. One year thereafter a bile collection in the right chest required open drainage. Subsequently, the left hepatic lobe was resected. The second child was initially diagnosed as suffering from gastroesophageal reflux. He underwent a fundoplication and a gastrostomy at age 9 months. Persistence of bilious sputum led to the diagnosis of CBBF at age 23 months. The fistula was excised through a right thoracotomy. The distal end was injected demonstrating an arborization involving the entire left hepatic lobe. Since there was no communication with the remaining biliary tree or the intestine, a left hepatectomy was performed. The third child was reported in a communication focusing on the diagnosis of CBBF by hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Her history is almost identical to the second patient. However, instead of a hepatectomy, she underwent a Roux-en-Y drainage of the fistula. The three children had uneventful recoveries and are well. We believe that an abnormal biliary tract should be studied by contrast injection. If no decompressing communication with the normal biliary ducts or the duodenum can be demonstrated, the involved hepatic segment should be resected or internally drained. Children who underwent simple fistula excision must have close long-term follow-up.
Past and present limits to plant distribution

Abstract The Phytogeography of Northern Europe: British Isles, Fennoscandia and adjacent areas by E. Dahl Cambridge University Press, 1998. £60.00/$95.00 hbk (xii+297 pages) ISBN 0 521 38358 7
Dynamic Analysis of Subway Structures Under Blast Loading

Public transit systems have become one of the targets of terrorist attacks using explosives, examples of which are the 1995 attack on Paris subway and the 2004 attack on Moscow subway. Considering the intense threats of terrorist attacks on subway systems in metropolitan areas, explicit three-dimensional Finite Element method was used to investigate the dynamic response and damage of subway structures under internal blast loading. The study was motivated by the fact that explosion in subway structure may not only cause direct life loss, but also damage the subway structure and lead to further loss of lives and properties. The study based on the New York subway system, and investigated the influences of various factors on the possible damage of subway tunnel, including weight of explosive, ground media, burial depth and characteristics of blast pressure. A mitigation measure using grouting to improve ground stiffness and strength was also analyzed. Considering the amount of explosive terrorists may use, the present study focused on small-diameter single-track tunnels, which are more vulnerable to internal blast loading and are common in New York City. Blast pressure from explosion was applied to lining surface assuming triangle pressure–time diagram, and the elasto-plasticity of ground and lining as well as their nonlinear interaction was taken into account in the numerical model. It is found from the numerical study that maximum lining stress occurred right after explosion, before the blast air pressure reduced to the atmospheric one, and it was more dependent on the maximum magnitude of air pressure than on the specific impulse, which is the area below the pressure–time curve. Small tunnels embedded in soft soil, with small burial depth, might be permanently damaged even by modest internal explosion that may be perpetuated by terrorists.
The weakening role of science in the management of groundfish off the east coast of Canada

Shelton, P. A. 2007. The weakening role of science in the management of groundfish off the east coast of Canada. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 723-729.The link between science and decision-making for groundfish fisheries off Canada's east coast has weakened during the past two decades. The demand for a large degree of flexibility in the decision-making process by both the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, as well as the perceived low credibility of scientific knowledge, has resulted in an underutilization of science capacity to provide risk-based assessments and to evaluate management strategies for robustness to uncertainty and compliance with the precautionary approach. The transition from science-based to ad hoc fisheries management is described, and the potential impact of two new approaches, ecosystem-based fisheries management and shared stewardship, is considered.
Orbital volume in young and adult rabbits

One hundred and ninety-nine postnatal volumetric determinations were made of orbits from 159 young and adult rabbits (64 New Zealand, 95 Dutch) by means either of linear measurements or of removable permanent elastic rubber base imprints. The volumes were calculated from the weights and specific gravities of the orbital imprints. Orbital volume in the New Zealand albino rabbits ranged from 0.7 ml at 14 days to 7.8 ml at 302 days of age. By about 180 days of age orbital volume had reached about 6.5 ml, near its maximum, and was about nine times the size at 14 days of age.
Observation of an Aligned Gas - Solid "Eutectic" during Controlled Directional Solidification Aboard the International Space Station - Comparison with Ground-based Studies

Direct observation of the controlled melting and solidification of succinonitrile was conducted in the glovebox facility of the International Space Station (ISS). The experimental samples were prepared on ground by filling glass tubes, 1 cm ID and approximately 30 cm in length, with pure succinonitrile (SCN) in an atmosphere of nitrogen at 450 millibar pressure for eventual processing in the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI) apparatus in the glovebox facility (GBX) on board the ISS. Real time visualization during controlled directional melt back of the sample showed nitrogen bubbles emerging from the interface and moving through the liquid up the imposed temperature gradient. Over a period of time these bubbles disappear by dissolving into the melt. Translation is stopped after melting back of about 9 cm of the sample, with an equilibrium solid-liquid interface established. During controlled re-solidification, aligned tubes of gas were seen growing perpendicular to the planar solid/liquid interface, inferring that the nitrogen previously dissolved into the liquid SCN was now coming out at the solid/liquid interface and forming the little studied liquid = solid + gas eutectic-type reaction. The observed structure is evaluated in terms of spacing dimensions, interface undercooling, and mechanisms for spacing adjustments. Finally, the significance of processing in a microgravity environment is ascertained in view of ground-based results.
An Improved Method of Moments Estimator for TOA Based Localization

Estimation accuracy and computational complexity are two major areas of consideration for localization system design. For time-of-arrival based systems, the 1st-order method of moments (MOM) least-squares (LS) estimator is simple to implement, but its performance is much worse than that of some computationally more complex estimators such as the MOM weighted LS (WLS) and nonlinear weighted LS (NLLS-WLS) estimators. In this paper, we develop an improved 1st-order MOM estimator to efficiently utilize the variances of the range measurements and the target position that, as the NLLS estimator, has a performance also approaching the Crammer-Rao lower bound but is much simpler than MOM-WLS and NLLS-WLS estimators.
Adsorption of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons on AlPO4, Al2O3, and SiO2 catalysts

Abstract The adsorption of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons (normal series (R = Me, Et, n-Pr, and n-But) and α-methylated series (R = Me, Et, i-Pr, and t-But)) on AlPO4, Al2O3, and SiO2 catalysts have been studied using a gas-solid chromatographic technique. Adsorption heats at low (zero) coverage have been determined by measuring the retention volume of the adsorbate at different column temperatures while ΔG and ΔS values were calculated from the ΔH together with the adsorption constants (KΓp). The adsorption process was exothermic (ΔH 0). In both cases, the relative adsorption constants fit the Taft equation log (K Γp ) i (K Γp ) 0 = ρ ∗ σ ∗ + δE s , electrical effects being the primary influence in the α-methylated series while steric effects went into action only in the normal series.
On Multicomponent Molten Salt Systems And Their Contamination

Experimental determinations of new phase diagrams of molten salts are difficult, costly, and time consuming. To go around this problem, it is possible and necessary to use thermodynamics to predict the phase and temperature relations in almost any system under consideration, provided there is enough data available. After finding the areas of interest in each system in which trade-offs of physical and chemical properties can be made, one can again return to the experiment to verify the theory in a very short time. After checking the validity of our calculation method on two systems known from the literature, several new ternary and quaternary reciprocal systems were calculated. A continuous literature search for the basic thermodynamic data was the key to generate those systems. Several equations that help to estimate the missing data are given, and the importance of some particular data is emphasized. Contaminants, mainly water vapor (but also metal oxides, carbon dioxide and others), can have a profound effect on the properties of the salts. Some contaminants can be treated as reactive gases which interact with the molten salt solution. The theory, the references to experimental methods necessary, and the interpretation of interactions are the topics of the final part of the paper, and might constitute a contribution towards avoiding or reversing the contamination.
The Historical Jesus Question in North America Today

While the Jesus Seminar has occasioned renewed interest in the quest for the historical Jesus, which had been virtually abandoned by scholars since Bultmann, disagreements over both criteria and application of the criteria to the gospel materials should provoke reexamination of not only the goals the quest might have but even more the ideological presuppositions of those engaged in the quest. Social science approaches, especially cultural anthropology, hold out the prospect of such a thorough reexamination, which is needed to overcome mythological presentations of a Christ who not only appears to contradict Jesus of Nazareth but also permits the church to stand silent before or opposed to contemporary movements that embody the kingdom Jesus preached.
Design Of A Long Trace Surface Profiler

The design of a long-trace surface profiler for the non-contact measurement of surface profile, slope error and curvature on cylindrical synchrotron radiation (SR) mirror is pre-sented here. The optical system is based upon the concept of a pencil-beam interferometer with an inherent large depth-of-field. The key feature of the optical system is the zero-path-difference beam splitter, which separates the laser beam into two colinear, variable-separation probe beams. A linear array detector is used to record the interference fringe in the image, and analysis of the fringe location as a function of scan position allows one to reconstruct the surface profile. The optical head is mounted on an air bearing slide with the capability to measure 38" long aspheric optics, typical of those encountered in SR applications. A novel feature of the optical system is the use of a transverse "outrigger" beam which provides information on the relative alignment of the scan axis to the cylinder optic symmetry axis.
Repeatability of aerobic capacity measurements in Parkinson Disease

Purpose: Maximal or peak aerobic capacity (V?O2peak) during a maximal-effort graded exercise test is considered by many to be the �gold standard� outcome for assessing the effect of exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness. The reliability of this measure in Parkinson disease (PD) has not been established, where the degree of motor impairment can vary greatly and is influenced by medications. This study examined the reliability of V?O2peak during a maximal-effort graded exercise test in subjects with PD. Methods: Seventy healthy middle-aged and older subjects with PD Hoehn and Yahr stage 1.5�3 underwent a screening/acclimatization maximal-effort treadmill test followed by two additional maximal-effort treadmill tests with repeated measurements of V?O2peak. A third V?O2peak test was performed in a subset of 21 subjects. Results: The mean V?O2peak measurement was 2.4% higher in the second test compared with the first test (21.42 ± 4.3 vs 21.93 ± 4.50 mL·kg-1·min-1, mean ± SD, P = 0.03). The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for V?O2peak expressed either as milliliters per kilogram per minute or as liters per minute were highly reliable, with ICC of 0.90 and 0.94, respectively. The maximum HR (ICC of 0.91) and final speed achieved during the tests (ICC of 0.94) were also highly reliable, with the respiratory quotient being the least reliable of the parameters measured (ICC of 0.65). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that measurement of V?O2peak is reliable and repeatable in subjects with mild to moderate PD, thereby validating use of this parameter for assessing the effects of exercise interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness.
Mycotoxins: A review of biological effects and their role in human diseases

(1980). Mycotoxins: A review of biological effects and their role in human diseases. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 45-83.