cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 43Gb/s full-rate clock transmifter in 0.18/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS technology

A 43-Gb/s full-rate clock transmitter chip for SONET OC-768 transmission systems is reported. The IC is implemented in a 0.18pm SiGe BiCMOS technology featuring 120GHz f T and 100GHz f max HBTs. It consists of a 4:1 multiplexer, a clock multiplier unit and a frequency lock detector. The IC features a clock jitter generation of 260fs rms and dissipates 2.3W from a -3.6V supply voltage. Measurement results are compared to previously reported half-rate clock transmitter designed using the same technology.
Age‐Related Macular Degeneration: A Practical Approach to a Challenging Disease

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in older North Americans. The clinical spectrum, risk factors, pathophysiology, and potential therapeutic options for AMD warrant a careful review. Despite the growth in treatment options for this disease, there is no current curative therapy. Of critical importance is attention to modifiable risk factors--improvements in cardiovascular status, including smoking cessation, and routine ophthalmic monitoring for opportunities to provide early intervention. In addition, a low-vision assessment to investigate the potential use of visual assistive devices may be beneficial to any patient who has experienced a decrease in vision. Finally, education regarding the clinical course of age-related macular degeneration and accurate information with respect to the known benefits of available treatments will impart a better understanding of this disease to patients.
Re-envisioning the health information-seeking conversation: Insights from a community center

Abstract This chapter discusses insights gained about the information-seeking behaviors of a health disparities population served by a community center in North Philadelphia, based on focus groups conducted with members of that community. The findings suggest that participants' information seeking behaviors fell into three general categories: “Caregiver,” “Sufferer,” and “Surfer.” Examples of responses in each category of information seeking are given in the participants' own words. Building on an extensive literature review, this exploratory research provides real-life examples of how underserved populations interact with health-related information on the Internet. These examples teach us that successful information services need to be designed with the users' information-seeking preferences and habits in mind.
Functional Analysis of Masculine Copulatory Behavior in the Rat

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the analysis the masculine copulatory behavior of the rat, and focuses over the behavioral elements, the temporal patterning of the elements, and the functional relations among the elements. Many measures of copulatory behavior, initiation latencies, copulatory rate, or number of intromissions, are found to vary rather independently of each other, and this evidence is taken as support for the view that sexual arousal is not unitary. The chapter explains how this functional analysis speaks to some of the models that have been developed. The data presented in the chapter explains that some or all of the arousal systems have inhibitory counterparts. This is particularly clear with respect to the absolute and relative post-ejaculatory refractory periods, but probably it is also true of systems controlling behavior prior to ejaculation. The evidence that the number of intromissions needed for ejaculation is substantially independent of the speed of this copulatory clock is also addressed. The chapter relates the behavioral analysis to a number of theoretical models of copulatory behavior. The primary concern in this chapter is to describe how the elements of copulatory behavior are wired together, rather than how the nervous system controlling that behavior is wired together. Nevertheless, behavioral and physiological analysis must proceed in parallel, and the consideration of the physiological evidence reminds us forcefully how little is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying sexual behavior.
Regulation of Expression of Cloned Bacteriophage T4 Late Gene 23

Abstract The parameters governing the activity of the cloned T4 gene 23, which codes for the major T4 head protein, were analyzed. Suppressor-negative bacteria carrying wild-type T4 gene 23 cloned into plasmid pCR1 or pBR322 were infected with T4 gene 23 amber phage also carrying mutations in the following genes: (i) denA and denB (to prevent breakdown of plasmid DNA after infection) and (ii) denA, denB, and, in addition, 56 (to generate newly replicated DNA containing dCMP) and alc/unf (because mutations in this last gene allow late genes to be expressed in cytosine-containing T4 DNA). Bacteria infected with these phage were labeled with 14C-amino acids at various times after infection, and the labeled proteins were separated by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis so that the synthesis of plasmid-coded gp23 could be compared with the synthesis of other, chromosome-coded T4 late proteins. We analyzed the effects of additional mutations that inactivate DNA replication proteins (genes 32 and 43), an RNA polymerase-binding protein (gene 55), type II topoisomerase (gene 52), and an exonuclease function involved in recombination (gene 46) on the synthesis of plasmid-coded gp23 in relation to chromosome-coded T4 late proteins. In the denA:denB:56:alc/unf genetic background, the phage chromosome-borne late genes followed the same regulatory rules (with respect to DNA replication and gp55 action) as in the denA:denB genetic background. The plasmid-carried gene 23 was also under gp55 control, but was less sensitive than the chromosomal late genes to perturbations of DNA replication. Synthesis of plasmid-coded gp23 was greatly inhibited when both the type II T4 topoisomerase and the host's DNA gyrase are inactivated. Synthesis of gp23 was also substantially affected by a mutation in gene 46, but less strongly than in the denA:denB genetic background. These observations are interpreted as follows. The plasmid-borne T4 gene 23 is primarily expressed from a late promoter. Expression of gene 23 from this late promoter responds to an activation event which involves some structural alteration of DNA. In these respects, the requirements for expressing the plasmid-borne gene 23 and chromosomal late genes are very similar (although in the denA:denB:56:alc/unf genetic background, there are significant quantitative differences). For the plasmid-borne gene 23, activation involves the T4 gp46, a protein which is required for DNA recombination. However, for the reasons presented in the accompanying paper (Jacobs et al., J. Virol. 39:31-45, 1981), we conclude that the activation of gene 23 does not require a complete breakage-reunion event which transposes that gene to a later promoter on the phage chromosome. Ways in which gp46 may actually be involved in late promoter activation on the plasmid are discussed.
A complex chromosome rearrangement with at least five breakpoints studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

A newborn infant with multiple congenital anomalies was diagnosed with an unbalanced translocation of chromosomes 1 and 5. Studies of parental chromosomes revealed a complex rearrangement in the patient's mother involving the exchange of terminal long arms between chromosomes 1 and 5 and the insertion of an interstitial segment from the same chromosome 5q into chromosome 2q by high-resolution G-banding. Further study of the mother's chromosomes by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) detected an additional insertion between the rearranged chromosomes 2 and 5, which was not revealed by G-banding. This led to the identification of a complex translocation-insertion between 3 chromosomes with at least 5 breaks [t(1;5;2)(1pter--> 1q42.3::5q23.2-->5qter;5pter-->5q21.2:: 2q33--> 2q35::1q42.3-->1qter;2pter-->2q33::5q21 .2--> 5q23.2::2q35-->2qter)] and illustrates the value of FISH as an adjunct to standard cytogenetics, particularly in cases of complex rearrangements.
Development and characterization of high-performance polybenzoxazine composites

To develop high-performance composites with high temperature resistance, two newly synthesized polybenzoxazines were successfully cured with carbon fiber to obtain composites with 60 vol% fiber. Results from differential scanning calorimetry studies were used to modify the benzoxazine monomers to improve processability in terms of melting point and solubility. The density and void content of these composites were measured. Dynamic mechanical tests were performed to determine the glass transition temperature (T g ) and the activation enthalpy of the glass transition process for these two composites. The effect of cure temperature on the T g of the composites was investigated. Thermal characteristics were studied by means of dynamic mechanical analysis in terms of isothermal aging, decomposition temperature from thermogravimetric analysis, and storage moduli change at high temperatures. Mechanical evaluations of these composites were conducted by flexural and interlaminar shear tests. The mechanical and thermal properties of these two composites exceed bismaleimide composites and compete with polyimide composites, while exhibiting easier processability than polyimides.
216: A maternal high fat diet reprograms the histone code to modulate fetal thyroid gene expression and thyroid associated proteins in a primate model of obesity

to modulate fetal thyroid gene expression and thyroid associated proteins in a primate model of obesity Melissa Suter, Aishe Chen, Min Hu, Lori Showalter, Cynthia Shope, Kathleen Brown, Kevin Grove, Robert Lane, Kjersti Aagaard Baylor College of Medicine, ObstetricsG pregnant rats with saline drinking water and weekly injections of desoxycorticosterone acetate (PDS; preE rat model, n 9); and NP rats injected with MBG (7.65 microgram/kg/d, NPM, n 8). Plasma and urinary levels of Aldo were assayed in all groups using ELISA. (2) The effect of MBG on Aldo secretion was evaluated using cultured adrenal cells treated with DMSO (vehicle), 0.1, 1, 10 or 100 nM MBG. Aldo levels in culture media and cell lysates of MBG-treated adrenal cells were measured. (3) We recruited 17 PreE and 23 pregnant patients from the Scott & White Memorial Hospital. Aldo and MBG levels were assayed in patients plasma. RESULTS: (1) Rat plasma and urinary levels of Aldo were significantly lower in PDS and NPM compared to NP (NP: 578.5 / 152.4, PDS: 379.5 / 89.6, NPM: 348.7 / 91.3 g/mL for plasma; NP: 86.7 / 10.7, PDS: 52.0 / 5.2, NPM: 58.9 / 6 for urine, p 0.05 for each comparison). (2) Concentrations of MBG 1 nM significantly decreased Aldo secretion in cultured adrenal cells. (3) Mean plasma Aldo (398.6 / 115.8 g/mL) in PreE patients was significantly suppressed compared to NP women (548.4 / 137.5 g/mL), while, plasma MBG was significantly higher in preE compared to NP (preE: 59 / 17 & NP: 12 / 2 pg/mL) subjects. CONCLUSION: These data confirm that Aldo is reduced in preE model and women with preE. The inverse relationship of MBG and Aldo in the preE rat model and in adrenal cells in vitro and also in women with preE suggests that MBG may play a key role in the suppression of Aldo in PreE. Poster Session I Clinical Obstetrics, Medical-Surgical-Disease, Neonatology, Physiology-Endocrinology www.AJOG.org
Policing the homeless: policy, practice, and perceptions

Purpose – The homeless are a common sight in many cities and their actions frequently bring them into contact with the police. However, little is known about police policy and the homeless. The aim of this research was to examine policy, practices, and perceptions of the police and the homeless.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was mailed to 100 police departments in the United States to gather information about their policies, resources, and amount of contact with the homeless. A Chi square statistical analysis was conducted to assist in comparing departments on key issues. In addition, interviews were conducted with police officers and homeless individuals to gain further insight into their perceptions and experiences.Findings – Policing issues with the homeless were examined by size of the department, municipality, and size of the population served. Law enforcement agencies of all sizes and jurisdictions encountered homeless individuals. Large municipal agencies had the most frequent contact, and ...
Carbon nanotube assembly at near-industrial natural-fiber spinning rates

Abstract A large number of carbon nanotube (CNT) applications require that CNTs be assembled into fibers and films at speeds viable for industrial production processes. Most of the state-of-art CNT thread formation techniques of CNT fiber production in meters per second (m/s) are still an order of magnitude lower than typical industrial processes. Here, we report a modified dry spinning process with improved drawing rates, where catalyst-free CNT films can be drawn at 15.93 m/s, an order of magnitude higher than most similar dry spinning processes reported in literature. We achieved this speed by using spinnable CNT arrays that are completely detached from the substrate and the corresponding catalyst nanoparticles. The detached drawable CNT arrays are free-standing and they can be transferred onto other flat substrates. This allows the formation of CNT threads with higher diameter uniformity; also the Si substrates can be re-used. Additionally, we successfully attached single-layer CNT ribbons from different batches in order to produce arbitrarily long CNT fibers and threads.
Inorganic phosphate determination in the presence of a labile organic phosphate: assay for carbamyl phosphate phosphatase activity

Abstract An assay was developed for carbamyl phosphate phosphatase (CAP phosphatase) activity. This enzyme activity is difficult to assay because of the chemical instability of carbamyl phosphate (CAP). We chose to measure CAP phosphatase activity by monitoring release of inorganic phosphate (Pi). This entailed preparing CAP with low endogeneous Pi, constructing enzyme incubation and deproteination conditions for minimal chemical hydrolysis of CAP and employing a Pi assay designed for use with labile organic phosphates. With Ehrlich ascites tumor cell homogenate, CAP phosphatase assay was linear with time and increments of protein. In developing this procedure, the most critical aspect was the definition of reliable conditions for measuring Pi. The Pi assay used is a modification of the method of Baginski, Foa, and Zak [Clin. Chim. Acta15, 155–158 (1967)] which is insensitive to hydrolysis of organophosphates after the last reagent is added. Color development in the Pi assay is significantly inhibited by cold and by >0.3 mmol of trichloroacetic acid or >1.5 μmol of CAP. However, under conditions utilized for measuring CAP phosphatase activity there is no interference. Absorbance in the Pi assay is stable and linear from 5 to 300 nmol of Pi. The assay is also suitable for measurement of ATPase activity and Pi determinations in general.
A coarsened multinomial regression model for perinatal mother to child transmission of HIV

In trials designed to estimate rates of perinatal mother to child transmission of HIV, HIV assays are scheduled at multiple points in time. Still, infection status for some infants at some time points may be unknown, particularly when interim analyses are conducted. Logistic regression models are commonly used to estimate covariate-adjusted transmission rates, but their methods for handling missing data may be inadequate. Here we propose using coarsened multinomial regression models to estimate cumulative and conditional rates of HIV transmission. Through simulation, we compare the proposed models to standard logistic models in terms of bias, mean squared error, coverage probability, and power. We consider a range of treatment effect and visit process scenarios, while including imperfect sensitivity of the assay and contamination of the endpoint due to early breastfeeding transmission. We illustrate the approach through analysis of data from a clinical trial designed to prevent perinatal transmission. The proposed cumulative and conditional models performed well when compared to their logistic counterparts. Performance of the proposed cumulative model was particularly strong under scenarios where treatment was assumed to increase the risk of in utero transmission but decrease the risk of intrapartum and overall perinatal transmission and under scenarios designed to represent interim analyses. Power to estimate intrapartum and perinatal transmission was consistently higher for the proposed models. Coarsened multinomial regression models are preferred to standard logistic models for estimation of perinatal mother to child transmission of HIV, particularly when assays are missing or occur off-schedule for some infants.
Analysis of simulation methodology for calculation of the heat of transport for vacancy thermodiffusion

Computation of the heat of transport Qa* in monatomic crystalline solids is investigated using the methodology first developed by Gillan [J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 11, 4469 (1978)] and further developed by Grout and coworkers [Philos. Mag. Lett. 74, 217 (1996)], referred to as the Grout-Gillan method. In the case of pair potentials, the hopping of a vacancy results in a heat wave that persists for up to 10 ps, consistent with previous studies. This leads to generally positive values for Qa* which can be quite large and are strongly dependent on the specific details of the pair potential. By contrast, when the interactions are described using the embedded atom model, there is no evidence of a heat wave, and Qa* is found to be negative. This demonstrates that the dynamics of vacancy hopping depends strongly on the details of the empirical potential. However, the results obtained here are in strong disagreement with experiment. Arguments are presented which demonstrate that there is a fundamental error m...
Charge carrier trapping in poly(N-vinylcarbazole)-trinitrofluorenone films

Abstract An investigation of hole and electron photo-injection in films of the poly(N-vinylcarbazole)-trinitrofluorenone charge transfer complex by the time-of-flight technique revealed the presence of deep carrier traps. The hole trap density was estimated to be (6–13) × 1019m-3 in films where poly(N-vinylcarbazole) is mixed with trinitrofluorenone in a 1:0.2 mole ratio with respect to the monomer unit. In 1:1 mole ratio films, the electron trap density was estimated to be (10–29) × 1019m-3. In the film samples typically investigated the number of carriers injected per sample normally exceeded the number of deep traps in the sample. The fraction of injected charge that became trapped was small under these circumstances, and the majority of charge carriers were transported through the film.
The rhetoric of hypermedia: some rules for authors

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY that employs electronically linked blocks of words and images requires rhetorical and stylistic rules different from those for one employing physically isolated pages set in a fixed sequence. After discussing the reader’s need for arrival, departure, and navigation information in hypermedia, the essay examines various system solutions to these needs and then proposes rules of hypermedia rhetoric concerning the creation of overview or directory files, placement and labeling of link markers, and relation of visual to verbal information.
Communication: Energy-dependent resonance broadening in symmetric and asymmetric molecular junctions from an ab initio non-equilibrium Green's function approach

The electronic structure of organic-inorganic interfaces often features resonances originating from discrete molecular orbitals coupled to continuum lead states. An example is molecular junction, individual molecules bridging electrodes, where the shape and peak energy of such resonances dictate junction conductance, thermopower, I-V characteristics, and related transport properties. In molecular junctions where off-resonance coherent tunneling dominates transport, resonance peaks in the transmission function are often assumed to be Lorentzian functions with an energy-independent broadening parameter Γ. Here we define a new energy-dependent resonance broadening function, Γ(E), based on diagonalization of non-Hermitian matrices, which can describe resonances of a more complex, non-Lorentzian nature and can be decomposed into components associated with the left and right leads, respectively. We compute this quantity via an ab initio non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) approach based on density functional theory (DFT) for both symmetric and asymmetric molecular junctions, and show that our definition of Γ(E), when combined with Breit-Wigner formula, reproduces the transmission calculated from DFT-NEGF. Through a series of examples, we illustrate how this approach can shed new light on experiments and understanding of junction transport properties in terms of molecular orbitals.
In Situ MTBE Biodegradation Supported by Diffusive Oxygen Release

Microcosm studies with sediments from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, suggest that native aerobic methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)-degrading microorganisms can be stimulated to degrade MTBE. In a series of field experiments, dissolved oxygen has been released into the anaerobic MTBE plume by diffusion through the walls of oxygen-pressurized polymeric tubing placed in contact with the flowing groundwater. MTBE concentrations were decreased from several hundred to less than 10 μg/L during passage through the induced aerobic zone, due apparently to in situ biodegradation: abiotic MTBE loss mechanisms were insignificant. Lag time for initiation of degradation was less than 2 months, and the apparent pseudo-first-order degradation rate was 5.3 day-1. Additional MTBE was added in steps to raise the influent concentration to a maximum of 2.1 mg/L. With each step, MTBE was degraded within the preestablished aerobic treatment zone at rates ranging from 4.4 to 8.6 day-1. Excess dissolved oxygen suggested that even hi...
Aeration prevents methyl mercury production in dental wastewater

Although research has demonstrated that Hg is methylated in the reducing conditions of the dental clinic wastewater collection system, studies are inconclusive as to whether further methylation occurs in the aeration basin of activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which typically treats this waste. Given the high levels of methyl Hg reported in dental wastewater (DWW), it is important to determine whether additional methylation occurs once it enters the WWTP. To achieve this objective, we incubated DWW under conditions designed to mimic the oxidized conditions of the activated sludge aeration basin in a WWTP. Duplicate bioreactors were charged with raw DWW collected from a 12-chair dental clinic and incubated both with and without aeration. Aeration was continued for 15 days, consistent with the typical mean cell residence time (MCRT) necessary for both heterotrophic carbon oxidation (typically 5–6 days) and nitrification (typically 12–15 days), thus ensuring that incubation time exceeded thos...
Effects of Toxoplasma gondii (Gleadle strain) on the host-parasite relationship in trichinosis

Abstract The effects of concurrent infection with Toxoplasma gondii on the host-parasite relationship in trichinosis were studied. Infected mice showed a delay in expulsion of Trichinella spiralis adults from the gut. Persisting adult female worms were fecund but the numbers of larvae recovered from the muscles were not increased. Increased resistance to the systemic phase of trichinosis was shown by reduced numbers of muscle larvae after intravenous injection of newborn larvae in animals with toxoplasmosis as compared with control mice. There were no differences in small bowel pathology of trichinous mice with and without toxoplasmosis but inflammation around muscle cysts of T. spiralis was reduced in mice with toxoplasmosis. The eosinophilia which normally develops in mice with trichinosis was suppressed by concurrent toxoplasmosis. Trichinella infection did not alter the numbers of T. gondii cysts recovered from the brain 4 weeks after infection. It is suggested that the delay in expulsion of adult worms, decrease in muscle inflammation around T. spiralis cysts, and inhibition of eosinophilia result from immune suppression, while the reduction in numbers of muscle larvae after intravenous injection of newborn larvae reflects enhanced nonspecific resistance to infection in toxoplasmosis.
Single-dose, placebo-controlled comparative study of ibuprofen and acetaminophen antipyresis in children

Ibuprofen was evaluated as an antipyretic agent in 178 children (aged 3 months to 12 years) to compare dosage (5 vs 10 mg/kg), establish absolute efficacy (with a placebo control group), determine relative efficacy (ibuprofen vs acetaminophen), evaluate maximum efficacy, and identify potential confounding variables. Ibuprofen 5 mg/kg was minimally effective in children less than 6 years of age who had an initial temperature of at least 38.8°C (101.9°F). Ibuprofen 10 mg/kg was more effective for febrile children. The area under the curve for temperature (or change in temperature) captured the net effect of each drug and provided the best estimate for efficacy comparison during a defined period. A linear correlation between initial temperature and measures of efficacy was observed. A twofold increase in efficacy was observed for children with an initial temperature less than 38.8°C. A similar effect was noted for each treatment group. Age was also found to have confounding effects on antipyretic response. A complex interaction between antipyretic response, initial temperature, and age raises questions about the pharmacodynamics of the antipyretic response. We conclude that the most important variable in antipyretic study design is initial temperature. The influence of initial temperature on the magnitude of the response to an antipyretic drug is a previously unappreciated finding with potential impact on pharmacodynamic investigations of antipyretic medications. We describe this finding as nonlinear pharmacodynamics .
An examination of U.S. Latino identities as constructed in/through curricular materials

Abstract Drawing from the work of Davies (2000) I discuss how U.S. Latino/a identities are constructed in curricular materials by guiding narratives surrounding U.S. Latino/a literatures in commonly used teacher edition high school literature anthologies. In looking at the language used to situate U.S. Latino/a literatures within the selected anthologies, I discuss how language used affects their positionings within the textbooks affecting knowledge produced about U.S. Latino/a cultures and identities while maintaining and propagating stereotypical notions about what it may mean to be U.S. Latino/a. In contributing to this publication, I address the ways teacher edition textbooks perpetuate a status quo relative to conceptions of identities and cultures by the ways U.S. Latino/a literatures are situated within curricular materials. This article serves educators to interrogate stereotypical ideologies that construct curricular materials possibly affecting their practices, practices that shape the schooling experiences of all students, in particular those identifying as U.S. Latino/a.
Reciprocal relations between cyclotomic fields

Abstract We describe a reciprocity relation between the prime ideal factorization, and related properties, of certain cyclotomic integers of the type ϕ n ( c − ζ m ) in the cyclotomic field of the m-th roots of unity and that of the symmetrical elements ϕ m ( c − ζ n ) in the cyclotomic field of the n-th roots. Here m and n are two positive integers, ϕ n is the n-th cyclotomic polynomial, ζ m a primitive m-th root of unity, and c a rational integer. In particular, one of these integers is a prime element in one cyclotomic field if and only if its symmetrical counterpart is prime in the other cyclotomic field. More properties are also established for the special class of pairs of cyclotomic integers ( 1 − ζ p ) q − 1 and ( 1 − ζ q ) p − 1 , where p and q are prime numbers.
Simulation of high speed interconnects using a convolution-based hierarchical packaging simulator

A specialized packaging simulator is presented which uses an impulse response model of the interconnect network to model high speed digital systems. Behavioral models of drivers and receivers are used. A hierarchical strategy is developed which uses point modeling of discontinuities and the concept of coupling groups to facilitate tradeoffs between accuracy and run time. A new impulse response/convolution technique is developed to efficiently handle large distributed interconnect networks. With this technique, impulse response thresholding provides a smooth transition from delay modeling of interconnects to full distributed circuit simulation. >
Wide-range pulse height analyzer for satellite application

Abstract A wide-range pulse height analyzer with data compression readout has been developed for satellite application. The range of a basic low weight-low power drain 512-channel analyzer is greatly increased by use of multiple ranges and range selection. The readout consists of the basic pulse height analyzer count, plus a multiplying factor corresponding to the range selected. An effective overall range as wide as 25 000 is obtainable by this technique. While the detector driving the system operates over the full dynamic range, all elements of the system operate only within the limited dynamic range of the basic 512-channel analyzer. The system will accept pulses with rise times as fast as 200 ns. All circuitry was designed and developed to minimize power drain, weight and volume, and to maintain stable characteristics while unattended for periods as long as one year. The operating temperature range is −20°C to 60°C.
Herbs and liver injury: A clinical perspective

Despite a perception that herbal and dietary supplements are safe, devastating liver injury has been reported to result from their use. The difficulty in characterizing liver injury attributable to herbal and dietary supplements stems from the permissive regulatory environment, the complexity of marketed products, and underreporting by the patients who use them. Despite these limitations, researchers, clinicians, and regulators have increasing awareness of the need for study in this area.
Lithium effects on inositol phospholipids and inositol phosphates: evaluation of an in vivo model for assessing polyphosphoinositide turnover in brain.

: Administration of lithium chloride to rats injected intracerebrally with [3H]inositol led to time- and dose-dependent increases in levels of labeled inositol monophosphates in brain. Quantitative analysis of the inositol phosphates by ion chromatography revealed 37- and 20-fold increases in the mass of myo-inositol 1-phosphate and 4-phosphate, respectively, at 4 h intraperitoneal after injections of 6 mEq/kg of lithium chloride. Albeit to a much lesser extent, lithium administration also resulted in an increase in the level of myo-inositol 1,4-bisphosphate in brain. The lithium-induced increase in content of labeled inositol monophosphates was marked by a concomitant decrease in content of labeled inositol, and after injections of high doses of lithium, e.g., 10 mEq/kg, this was followed by a general decrease in labeling of the inositol phospholipids. In general, animals injected with [3H]inositol but not lithium did not reveal obvious differences in labeling of inositol monophosphates on stimulation by mecamylamine or pilocarpine. However, when animals were injected with [3H]inositol and then lithium, there were large increases in the levels of labeled inositol monophosphates on administration of these compounds. Administration of atropine to the lithium-treated mice led to a partial reduction in the amount of labeled inositol monophosphates accumulated due to the administration of lithium alone. Furthermore, atropine was able to block the pilocarpine-induced increase in level of labeled inositol monophosphates. These results demonstrate the suitable use of the radiotracer technique together with lithium administration for assessing the effects of drugs and receptor agonists on the signaling system involving polyphosphoinositide turnover in brain.
DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF HIGHWAY TRUCKS DUE TO ROAD SURFACE ROUGHNESS

Abstract Vehicle characteristics, vehicle speed and road surface roughness are major factors influencing bridge dynamic response. In order to improve the previous vehicle model studies, vehicle models with seven or twelve degrees of freedom were developed for H20–44 and HS20–44 trucks, respectively. Vehicle models were validated by comparisons with the real truck dynamic systems. The road surface roughness was generated from power spectral density (PSD) functions for very good, good, average, and poor roads. The impact factors of suspension and tire forces were obtained for vehicle models running on different classes of roads at various speeds. A comparison of computed and experimental impact results was also made.
Mouse models of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses: Useful pre-clinical tools to delineate disease pathophysiology and validate therapeutics

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL, also known as Batten disease) is a devastating neurodegenerative diseases caused by mutations in either soluble enzymes or membrane-associated structural proteins that result in lysosome dysfunction. Different forms of NCL were defined initially by age of onset, affected population and/or type of storage material but collectively represent the most prevalent pediatric hereditary neurovisceral storage disorder. Specific gene mutations are now known for each subclass of NCL in humans that now largely define the disease: cathepsin D (CTSD) for congenital (CLN10 form); palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) for infantile (CLN1 form); tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1) for classic late infantile (CLN2 form); variant late infantile-CLN5, CLN6 or CLN8 for variant late infantile forms; and CLN3 for juvenile (CLN3 form). Several mouse models of NCL have been developed, or in some cases exist sporadically, that exhibit mutations producing a progressive neurodegenerative phenotype similar to that observed in human NCL. The study of these mouse models of NCL has dramatically advanced our knowledge of NCL pathophysiology and in some cases has helped delineate the function of proteins mutated in human NCL. In addition, NCL mutant mice have been tested for several different therapeutic approaches and as such they have become important pre-clinical models for validating treatment options. In this review we will assess the current state of mouse models of NCL with regards to their unique pathophysiology and how these mice have helped investigators achieve a better understanding of human NCL disease and therapy.
Abrupt Climate Events 500,000 to 340,000 Years Ago: Evidence from Subpolar North Atlantic Sediments

Subpolar North Atlantic proxy records document millennial-scale climate variations 500,000 to 340,000 years ago. The cycles have an approximately constant pacing that is similar to that documented for the last glacial cycle. These findings suggest that such climate variations are inherent to the late Pleistocene, regardless of glacial state. Sea surface temperature during the warm peak of Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11) varied by 0.5° to 1°C, less than the 4° to 4.5°C estimated during times of ice growth and the 3°C estimated for glacial maxima. Coherent deep ocean circulation changes were associated with glacial oscillations in sea surface temperature.
Theoretical study of hydrogen adsorption on Ru(0001): Possible surface and subsurface occupation sites.

We have performed a first-principles calculation of the adsorption of hydrogen on the Ru(0001) surface. The adsorption energies associated with various hydrogen sites above and below the ruthenium surface layer are evaluated using ab initio pseudopotentials within the local-density-functional approximation. It is found that the surface threefold hollow site has the lowest energy and is likely to be the adsorption site for one monolayer coverage. The equilibrium position and vibrational frequency are also calculated. On the basis of energy consideration, the subsurface octahedral site is another likely adsorption site, which is separated by an energy barrier from the surface. The occupation of this site may explain the finding of two hydrogen binding states in the measurements of the work-function changes and sticking coefficients. Other electronic properties such as the hydrogen-induced states and work-function changes are also studied and comparisons with experiment are made.
Compression characteristics of basic tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4) 2, Ca(OH)2)

Abstract It is shown that tricalcium phosphate obeys the Heckel equation only if a particle density of 1.92 g/cm 3 (rather than the true density of 3.1 g/cm 3 ) is used to determine the relative density of compacts. It is shown by comparing mercury intrusion porosimetry data with nitrogen adsorption data, that a large portion of the solid has pores of diameters of less than 60 A. It would appear that this part of the pore space is not compressible in conventional pressure ranges, and that it should not be considered part of the Heckel pore space. It is shown by hysteresis loops that (in as much as simple interpretations are permissible) there is a substantial amount of ink-bottle pores, and that both neck and cavity volumes decrease in a logical fashion with increased applied pressure.
The case for multi-user design for computer aided learning in developing regions

Computer-aided learning is fast gaining traction in developing regions as a means to augment classroom instruction. Reasons for using computer-aided learning range from supplementing teacher shortages to starting underprivileged children off in technology, and funding for such initiatives range from state education funds to international agencies and private groups interested in child development. The interaction of children with computers is seen at various levels, from unsupervised self-guided learning at public booths without specific curriculum to highly regulated in-class computer applications with modules designed to go with school curriculum. Such learning is used at various levels from children as young as 5 year-old to high-schoolers. This paper uses field observations of primary school children in India using computer-aided learning modules, and finds patterns by which children who perform better in classroom activities seat themselves in front of computer monitors, and control the mouse, in cases where children are required to share computer resources. We find that in such circumstances, there emerges a pattern of learning, unique to multi-user environments - wherein certain children tend to learn better because of their control of the mouse. This research also shows that while computer aided learning software for children is primarily designed for single-users, the implementation realities of resource-strapped learning environments in developing regions presents a strong case for multi-user design.
Photodissociation spectra of transition metal sulfides: Spin-orbit structure in charge transfer bands of FeS+ and NiS+

Abstract Photofragment spectra of FeS+ and NiS+ are reported. Analysis of the FeS+ spectrum reveals it to arise from a 6 Π← 6 Σ charge-transfer transition, and gives the vibrational frequency, ω e ′ =295 cm −1 , and spin–orbit constant, |A|=125 cm −1 , in the 6 Π state. The onset of the NiS+ spectrum appears to occur in the middle of a vibrational progression, thus giving a precise measurement of the Ni+–S bond strength, D 0 ( Ni + –S )=238±4 kJ mol −1 . Analysis of the spectrum for vibrational and spin–orbit structure leads to a tentative assignment of a 4 Δ ground state and suggests the spectrum is composed of overlapping transitions to two near-degenerate excited electronic states, most likely a 4 Π and 4 Φ pair.
Density functional theory study of hypotheticalPbTiO3-based oxysulfides

Using density functional theory (DFT) within the local density approximation (LDA), we calculate the physical and electronic properties of ${\text{PbTiO}}_{3}$ (PTO) and a series of hypothetical compounds ${\text{PbTiO}}_{3\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{S}}_{x}$ $x=0.2$, 0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 arranged in the corner-sharing cubic perovskite structure. We determine that replacing the apical oxygen atom in the PTO tetragonal unit cell with a sulfur atom reduces the $x=0$ LDA calculated band gap of 1.47 eV to 0.43--0.67 eV for $x=0.2$--1 and increases the polarization. PBE0 and $GW$ methods predict that the compositions $x=0.2$--2 will have band gaps in the visible range. For all values of $x$ 2, the oxysulfide perovskite retains the tetragonal phase of ${\text{PbTiO}}_{3}$, and the $a$ lattice parameter remains within 2.5% of the oxide. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that chemical routes using high-temperature gas, such as ${\text{H}}_{2}$S and ${\text{CS}}_{2}$, can be used to substitute O for S in PTO for the compositions $x=0.2$--0.5.
Conserved properties of human and bovine prion strains on transmission to guinea pigs.

The first transmissions of human prion diseases to rodents used guinea pigs (Gps, Cavia porcellus). Later, transgenic mice expressing human or chimeric human/mouse PrP replaced Gps, but the small size of the mouse limits some investigations. To investigate the fidelity of strain-specific prion transmission to Gps, we inoculated 'type 1' and 'type 2' prion strains into Gps, and we measured the incubation times and determined the strain-specified size of the unglycosylated, protease-resistant (r) PrP(Sc) fragment. Prions passaged once in Gps from cases of sporadic (s) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease caused by the P102L mutation were used, as well as human prions from a variant (v) CJD case, bovine prions from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and mouse-passaged scrapie prions. Variant CJD and BSE prions transmitted to all the inoculated Gps with incubation times of 367 ± 4 and 436 ± 28 days, respectively. On second passage in Gps, vCJD and BSE prions caused disease in 287 ± 4 and 310 ± 4 days, whereas sCJD and GSS prions transmitted in 237 ± 4 and 279 ± 19 days, respectively. Although hamster Sc237 prions transmitted to two of three Gps after 574 and 792 days, mouse-passaged RML and 301V prion strains, the latter derived from BSE prions, failed to transmit disease to Gps. Those Gps inoculated with vCJD or BSE prions exhibited 'type 2' unglycosylated, rPrP(Sc) (19 kDa), whereas those receiving sCJD or GSS prions displayed 'type 1' prions (21 kDa), as determined by western blotting. Such strain-specific properties were maintained in Gps as well as mice expressing a chimeric human/mouse transgene. Gps may prove particularly useful in further studies of novel human prions such as those causing vCJD.
A comment on Feldesman's analysis of the distal humerus

It is the combination of anatomy, behavior, and molecular biology that is necessary for the analysis. No one line of evidence is adequate.
Halogen photoreductive elimination from metal-metal bonded iridium(II)-gold(II) heterobimetallic complexes.

Halogen oxidation of [IrIAuI(dcpm)2(CO)X](PF6) (dcpm = bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane, X = Cl, Br) and [IrIAuI(dppm)2(CNtBu)2](PF6)2 (dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) furnishes the heretofore unknown class of d7—d9 compounds comprising an IrIIAuII heterobimetallic core. A direct metal−metal bond is evident from a 0.2 A contraction in the intermetallic distance, as determined by X-ray crystallography. The photophysical consequence of iridium−gold bond formation, as elucidated by experimental and computational investigations, is an electronic structure dominated by a σ → σ* transition that possesses significant ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) character. Accordingly, these compounds are non-emissive but photoreactive. Excitation of IrIIAuII complexes in the presence of a halogen trap prompts a net photoreductive elimination of halogen and the production of the two-electron reduced IrIAuI species with about 10% quantum efficiency. The IrIIAuII complexes add to a growing library of d7—d9 heterob...
The effects of level of processing on long-term recognition memory in retarded and nonretarded persons☆

Abstract Two experiments compared recognition memory of nonmentally retarded (NMR) and mildly mentally retarded (MR) adolescents immediately and 1 week following presentation of word stimuli with either semantic incidental, nonsemantic incidental, or intentional orienting instructions. In Experiment 1 the task was subject-paced. Recognition memory for all subjects improved following semantic encoding instructions; both intelligence-level groups performed comparably in all encoding conditions at both delay intervals. Encoding times for MR persons were approximately twice those of NMR persons. In Experiment 2 encoding times were equated for the two groups. Both groups recognized more words following semantic instructions; NMR persons recognized more words than MR persons in the semantic condition but not in the nonsemantic condition. Results suggest similar processing of words in MR and NMR persons; however, MR persons require longer encoding times in order to equalize recognition-memory performance of NMR persons when orienting instructions are semantic. There were no intelligence-level differences in long-term forgetting in either experiment.
Coping among adult female victims of domestic violence

This paper examines the current literature regarding coping among battered women. It considers a number of contextual factors that are related to women's choices in coping with partner abuse, including factors related to the relationship (e.g., frequency and severity of abuse, length of relationship) and women's resources (e.g., social support, financial resources). Relationships between different forms of coping and psychological outcomes are also examined. As the research in domestic violence coping is somewhat lacking in coherence, theories, and models from the broader coping literature are used to organize the findings from the domestic violence field. Methodological concerns, such as research methods, measurement issues, and sampling, are raised throughout the paper. Suggestions for future research are made.
Interaction Between Sedative Premedicants and Ketamine in Man and in Isolated Perfused Rat Livers

Premedication with diazepam, hydroxyzine or secobarbital significantly increased ketamine-induced sleep time (137 +/- 3.5 min, 135 +/- 9.2 min, 128 +/- 4.7 min) over that of unpremedicated controls (98.5 +/- 4.4 min) in man. The corresponding mean plasma half-lives (t1/2) of ketamine were longer in patients premedicated with diazepam or seconbarbital (57.8 +/- 4.9 min, 46 +/- 3.2 min) than in controls (36 +/- 1.8 min). Ketamine t1/2 in the perfusate of isolated, perfused rat livers was prolonged 30 to 50 per cent by addition of diazepam, secobarbital, or hydroxyzine. The data suggest that these commonly used premedicants decrease the rate of ketamine metabolism.
Serum Bisphenol A Pharmacokinetics and Prostate Neoplastic Responses following Oral and Subcutaneous Exposures in Neonatal Sprague-Dawley Rats

The present study examines BPA pharmacokinetics in neonatal rats following s.c. injection or oral delivery of 10 μg BPA/kg BW and compares susceptibility to estrogen-induced prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) following either exposure route. Serum BPA in PND3 rats was measured using HPLC-MS-MS. Free and total BPA at C(max) were 1.77 and 2.0 ng/ml, respectively following injection and 0.26 and 1.02 ng/ml, respectively following oral exposure. The AUC(0-2) for free and total BPA was 4.1-fold and 1.8-fold greater, respectively, in s.c. vs. oral delivery. While exposure route affected BPA metabolism, internal dosimetry following s.c. injection of 10 μg BPA/kg BW is similar to BPA levels observed in humans. Prostates from aged rats given s.c. or oral BPA neonatally and T+E implants as adults exhibited nearly identical, heightened susceptibility to PIN incidence and score as compared to neonatal oil-controls. These findings on prostate health are directly relevant to humans at current BPA exposure levels.