cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity in the size and stability of transmembrane channels produced by whole complement

Abstract The functional size of complement (C) lesions produced by treatment of EAIgM with human or guinea pig C was studied. In all cases, a distribution of stable C lesions differing in size could be distinguished. Differences between the distribution of differing-sized lesions were observed depending on whether EAIgM were lysed with human (Hu) or guinea pig (GP) C. This difference appeared to be related to the kinetics of transformation of E ∗ precursor to Eghosts; E ∗ precursor prepared with HuC lysed more slowly than those prepared with GPC. The significance of these findings to the wide range of estimates reported for the size of the C lesion is briefly discussed.
Development of the AVEC model for associating mixtures using NMR spectroscopy

Common models for excess Gibbs energy account primarily for physical forces and do not represent strong specific interactions. However, purely chemical models neglect strong nonspecific forces and combined chemical-physical treatments involve an unreasonable number of adjustable parameters. One way to ameliorate this limitation is to make independent measurements of the parameters by a nonther-modynamic technique. We report an investigation of hydrogen bonding, a localized and very directional specific interaction, conducted in various alcohol mixtures using Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance to measure the number of complexed species in solution. A chemical-physical association model with variable equilibrium constants has been developed. The distinguishing feature of this model is that the species in solution do not have equal probability of forming yet require only a single chemical interaction parameter determined from fitting NMR data and a physical interaction parameter determined from infinite dilution activity coefficients. The AVEC model successfully predicts vapor-liquid equilibrium and excess enthalphy as well as liquid-liquid equilibrium, an especially stringent test.
Measurements of Elasticity in Multigrade Motor Oil at Elevated Pressure

It has been recognized for about 50 years that the addition of polymer to motor oil will result in shear-dependent viscosity at relatively low shear stress. This shear-thinning can be shown to reduce the elastohydrodynamic film thickness and there has been an expectation of a reduced film in hydrodynamic lubrication as well. The expected associated increase in the journal bearing wear, however, has not been observed. The load-supporting benefit of the elastic properties contributed by the polymer has been used as an explanation for the success of the polymer blended oils in this application. The available measurements of elasticity in the form of normal stress differences have been inconclusive regarding their contribution to load support. These measurements have all been at atmospheric pressure, however, and at a very high shear rate. The oil in the load-carrying region of a bearing is at elevated pressure and the elevated pressure may enhance the elasticity. A new experimental technique for the measurem...
Subsurface imaging of glass fibres in a polycarbonate composite by acoustic microscopy

Using reflection acoustic microscopy at 800 MHz, we have imaged 10 μm diameter glass fibres embedded in an optically opaque Makrolon™ (polycarbonate) matrix. Maximum depth of acoustic waves contributing to image formation was 105 μm, with imaging resolution of several microns at shallower depths. The areal fibre distribution, lengths, and orientations were readily determined non-destructively from the acoustic images. Additionally, marked differences were observed between known normally bonded samples with high strengths, and poorly bonded samples from parts which exhibited fracturing and premature failures. In addition to acoustic microscopy, bulk sound velocity measurements were made and used to compute focus aberration for subsurface imaging. Results were correlated with destructive SEM techniques.
3D ultrasonic signal compression algorithms for high signal fidelity

Ultrasonic signal processing applications require huge amounts of data to be processed. Further, high computational performance is essential to meet the real-time requirements. Compression of the signal helps to reduce the data size and storage requirements as well as allow for rapid transmission of data to remote locations. High signal fidelity is significant in many of practical applications like ultrasound medical imaging and nondestructive testing. In this study, we discuss two methods for ultrasonic signal compression which offer high signal fidelity - Discrete Wavelet Transform and signal decimation with the Nyquist rate limit. The compression algorithm is implemented on a reconfigurable system-on-chip platform using programmable hardware logic as well as in software using an embedded processor. The implementation details and the performance of the compression algorithms on both the hardware and software are analyzed in this paper.
Assessment of Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony by Speckle Tracking Strain Imaging Comparison Between Longitudinal, Circumferential, and Radial Strain in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Abstract. Objectives. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of each type of strain for left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony assessment and its predictive value for a positive response after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Furthermore, changes in extent of LV dyssynchrony for each type of strain were evaluated during follow-up. Background. Different echocardiographic techniques have been proposed for assessment of LV dyssynchrony. The novel 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking strain analysis technique can provide information on radial strain (RS), circumferential strain (CS), and longitudinal strain (LS). Methods. In 161 patients, 2D echocardiography was performed at baseline and after 6 months of CRT. Extent of LV dyssynchrony was calculated for each type of strain. Response to CRT was defined as a decrease in LV end-systolic volume ≥15% at follow-up. Results. At follow-up, 88 patients (55%) were classified as responders. Differences in baseline LV dyssynchrony between responders and nonresponders were noted only for RS (251±138 ms vs 94±65 ms; P<.001), whereas no differences were noted for CS and LS. A cutoff value of radial dyssynchrony ≥130 ms was able to predict response to CRT with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 80%. In addition, a significant decrease in extent of LV dyssynchrony measured with RS (from 251±138 ms to 98±92 ms; P<.001) was demonstrated only in responders. Conclusions. Speckle tracking RS analysis constitutes the best method to identify potential responders to CRT. Reduction in LV dyssynchrony after CRT was noted only in responders.—Delgado V, Ypenburg C, van Bommel RJ, et al. Assessment of left ventricular dyssynchrony by speckle tracking strain imaging comparison between longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain in cardiac resynchronization therapy. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51;1944–1952.
Alcohol injury to gastric mucosa in mice and its potentiation by stress.

This investigation was initiated to separately evaluate the roles of dose and concentration of ethanol ingestion in the development of acute gastric mucosal injury and to determine the significance of stress as a potentiating factor in ethanol damage. A total of 423 mice were used in this study. Alcohol at the low concentration of 10% and at any of the doses used (1–5 g/kg wt) did not cause gastric mucosal lesions. Similarly, alcohol at the low dose of 1 g/kg wt at any of the concentrations used (10–50%) did not produce any gross injury to the stomach. A single oral administration of ethanol, given at doses of 2–5 g/kg wt and at concentrations of 25–50%, resulted in hyperemia and multiple fundic erosions and, less frequently, antral erosions. The incidence, number, and severity of these lesions rapidly increased with increase in ethanol concentration, ethanol dose, or both. Healing was rapid; at best, lesions were only barely visible 72 hours after alcohol ingestion. Repeated daily doses of ethanol given for 3–5 days did not increase the incidence and number of lesions, probably due to their capacity for rapid healing. Mild stress, in the form of 1-hour restraint in the cold room at 8°C, by itself caused very little mucosal injury in mice, but significantly potentiated the injurious effect of 35% ethanol administered in a 3 g/kg dose. Stress following alcohol intake potentiated gastric mucosal injury much more than if the stress preceded the alcohol ingestion. The incidence, number, and severity of erosions was here 3, 4 and 11 times, respectively, greater than the additive effect of alcohol and stress together (P<0.001). Thus, the extent of ethanol damage to the stomach related both to the concentration and dose of ethanol ingested. Stress, especially when following excessive ethanol intake, was a highly significant factor in the potentiation of acute alcoholic gastric mucosal injury.
Bombardment as a Cause of the Lunar Asymmetry

A comparison of the lunar frontside gravity field with topography indicates that low-density (∼ 2.9 g cm−3) types of rock form a surface layer or crust of variable thickness: 40-60 km beneath terrae; 20-40 km beneath non-mascon maria; 0-20 km beneath mascon maria. The observed offset between lunar centers of mass and figure is consistent with farside crustal thicknesses of 40-50 km, similar to frontside terra thicknesses.
Influence of Schedule and Mode of Administration on Effectiveness of Podofilox Treatment of Papillomas

We investigated the timing of podofilox delivery to see how it correlated with papilloma size. We looked at times ranging from once per week (morning and afternoon) to five times per week (morning and afternoon). We also looked at delivery systems that might enhance the effectiveness of the drug by increasing penetration of the overlying cutaneous horn. These included soaking prior to drug administration, the use of a grooved needle subsequent to drug administration, and the various possible combinations of these techniques. We found that the timing of treatments had relatively little effect on the size of the papillomas. For example, at the end of ten weeks, the geometric mean diameter (GMD) (mm) of the papillomas treated five times per week and induced by a 10-1 dilution of the virus (group B) was 18. Likewise, the GMD (mm) of papillomas treated once per week was 18 (group D). On the other hand, we found that soaking plus the use of a grooved needle plus podofilox resulted in the curing of all lesions induced by a 10-2 virus dilution and of most induced by the 10-1 dilution, whereas soak plus podofilox or podofilox alone were not as effective in curing the lesions. Podofilox plus needle approached the soak plus podofilox plus needle in effectiveness. Treatment schedule was not a critical determinant of podofilox effectiveness. Therapeutic benefits were enhanced by hydration of the overlying cutaneous horn and penetration with a grooved needle.
Research of Kinematics Simulation of TBM Segment Erector Based on Virtual Prototype

In order to solve the problems such as more restriction conditions, complicated interference and longer design periods in the design process of segment erector for Tunnel Boring Machine, it is necessary to study on the kinematics simulation of TBM segment erector. First of all, the kinematics characteristics of segment erector are analyzed; the 3-D model is designed in Pro/E environment; the model is imported into ADAMS and the dynamic simulation is finished finally. After the analysis of simulation of this mechanism, the curves of the speed for the driving parts are obtained and the maximum speeds of driving parts are identified with the method of space search technology. The kinematics characteristics of TBM segment erector are obtained. The simulation results provide an important reference for the mechanism design and type selection design for the power system and design cycle is shortened for TBM segment erector.
Effect of actinomycin D on mice infected with the lactate dehydrogenase virus.

Chez la souris traitee avec de l'actinomycine d, 1 h apres injection de virus LDH, la quantite de l'enzyme LDH dans le plasma sanguin et le taux de virus sont eleves. Ces resultats sont discutes au point de vue d'une inhibition possible d'interferone et du mechanisme responsable de l'augmentation de la quantite de l'enzyme LDH.
The heterodox interpretation of reference talk

Once upon a time philosophers treated meaning as a relation between words and things. Now philosophers generally agree such a notion of meaning was a terribly bad mistake. Philosophers now treat reference as the relation between words and things that meaning was formerly supposed to be. Where once philosophers took the things to be the meanings of the words, philosophers now take the things to be the referents of the words. Of course there are those who deny that reference and its kissing kin (denotation, designation, etc.) are dyadic relations between words and things in order to assert that they are triadic relations among words, things, and language-users. There is a point to this, just as there is a point to the claim that it is not guns that kill people but people who use guns to kill people. But for my purposes the notion of reference and its kin as triadic relations is of the same orthodox cloth as the simpler notion of dyadic relations. Wilfred Sellars has, I believe, correctly denied the orthodox interpretation of reference talk in favor of a heterodox notion according to which reference statements rejoin meaning statements in doing jobs of translation.
Treatment of Bladder Diverticula, Impaired Detrusor Contractility, and Low Bladder Compliance

Bladder diverticula are common enough to be encountered by most urologists in practice but are reported less frequently in the literature than they were 50 years ago. Some patients can be managed nonoperatively, whereas others will need surgical intervention consisting of bladder outlet reduction and possibly removal of the diverticulum itself. In addition to the decision to operate, the timing of each intervention deserves careful consideration. Cystoscopy, computed tomography with contrast, urodynamic studies, cytology, and voiding cystourethrography play important roles in informing the clinician. Many new techniques for treatment of the bladder outlet and the diverticulum are available, such as laparoscopy and robotic surgery.
Lipoprotein(a) and the Risk of Stroke

To the Editor: Despite a number case-control studies in the literature suggesting that lipoprotein(a) is a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, both the recent article by Glader et al1 and the report from the Physicians Health Study by Ridker et al2 failed …
Design Retrieval by Fuzzy Neurocomputing

Abstract The need to automate parts of a design process has generated a variety of software packages, such as computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE) and others, that have become conventional engineering tools. The new generation of modern three-dimensional geometric modelling systems can indeed assist designers during the conceptual or creative phase of the design process. However, the capabilities of these tools can be highly enhanced by incorporating an intelligent design retrieval system that can automatically retrieve an existing design from the database of design solutions to solve the problem. This paper examines the feasibility of utilizing fuzzy associative memory in design retrieval and illustrates the concept by applying it to a sample problem of selecting an appropriate design for a solar heating system. In particular, a technique in which a design can be automatically retrieved based on how well it satisfies the desired functional requirements or in...
Charge-exchange contribution to the Kr K -vacancy cross sections for Cl 1 5 + , 1 6 + , 1 7 + -Kr collisions

The empirically scaled Brinkman-Kramers expression for charge exchange is found to account for the enhancement in target $K$ x-ray production for fully stripped projectiles over that for two-electron projectiles even for collision partners as heavy as Cl on Kr.
Development of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) in cultures of dissociated embryonic rat medulla oblongata

Abstract The adrenergic phenotypic marker, phenylethanolamine N -methyltransferase (PNMT) is expressed in a subgroup of catecholaminergic neurons in the brain, as well as in the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Although PNMT in the rat adrenal is regulated by glucocorticoids, PNMT in the rat brainstem appears not to be regulated by glucocorticoids. Furthermore, little is known about factors required for the differentiation of this specific class of central neuron. The identification of such factors has been hampered not only by the heterogeneity of cell types in the brainstem, of which only a smaller number express PNMT, but also by the lack of a well characterized in vitro system in which the development of these neurons can be studied under defined conditions. The present study addresses this issue by establishing and characterizing a culture system for the study of adrenergic neurons. Dissociated cultures were prepared from embryonic rat medulla oblongata and the expression and development of PNMT was studied using immunocytochemistry and radioisotopic assay of PNMT activity. The survival of PNMT-immunoreactive (IR) neurons in vitro was found to be critically dependent on embryonic age. Numerous PNMT-IR neurons were observed in cultures prepared only from embryos of 46–51 somites (embryonic day E13–13.5). In contrast, cultures containing numerous neurons immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, could be successfully established from medulla oblongata of any age between E13 and E16. In cultures of the E13 rat, PNMT was found to be catalytically active at 4 days in vitro and the levels of PNMT activity per neuron, as estimated from the number of PNMT-IR neurons in sister cultures, increased 2-fold in cultures grown for 8 days in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum and 1.5-fold in defined, serum-free conditions. Treatment of cultures with either corticosterone or dexamethasone had no effect on PNMT activity, supporting previous studies suggesting that PNMT in central neurons is not regulated by glucocorticoids. These studies provide a convenient and defined in vitro system for studying factors that influence the development of central adrenergic neurons. The differential development of PNMT-IR and TH-IR neurons in these cultures suggests that the factors involved in adrenergic neuron survival and/or differentiation are not common to catecholaminergic neurons in general.
Design automation scheme for wirelength analysis of resonant clocking technologies

Resonant clocking technologies have been gaining increased attention due to their superiority of clock frequency, power dissipation, and variation tolerance. Two of the resonant clocking technologies, standing wave and rotary clocking, require specialized clock routing procedures to accommodate grid-type distribution topologies and the tapping of registers onto these grids. The total tapping wirelength for both technologies are significant due to the impacts on power dissipation and routing congestion. A quantitative study is performed to compare the total tapping wirelengths for equivalent implementations of these two resonant clocking technologies. Experiments demonstrate that the standing wave technology (with mobius implementation) requires on average 3.99X less tapping wirelength compared to the rotary resonant clocking technology.
Cannabinoid receptor 2 agonist attenuates pain related behavior in rats with chronic alcohol/high fat diet induced pancreatitis

Background: Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) is a complex and multifactorial syndrome. Many contributing factors result in development of dysfunctional pain in a significant number of patients. Drugs developed to treat a variety of pain states fall short of providing effective analgesia for patients with chronic pancreatitis, often providing minimal to partial pain relief over time with significant side effects. Recently, availability of selective pharmacological tools has enabled great advances in our knowledge of the role of the cannabinoid receptors in pathophysiology. In particular, cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) has emerged as an attractive target for management of chronic pain, as demonstrated in several studies with inflammatory and neuropathic preclinical pain models. In this study, the analgesic efficacy of a novel, highly selective CB2 receptor agonist, LY3038404 HCl, is investigated in a chronic pancreatitis pain model, induced with an alcohol/high fat (AHF) diet. Results: Rats fed the AHF diet developed visceral pain-like behaviors detectable by week 3 and reached a maximum at week 5 that persists as long as the diet is maintained. Rats with AHF induced chronic pancreatitis were treated with LY3038404 HCl (10 mg/kg, orally, twice a day for 9 days). The treated animals demonstrated significantly alleviated pain related behaviors after 3 days of dosing, including increased paw withdrawal thresholds (PWT), prolonged abdominal withdrawal latencies (ABWL), and decreased nocifensive responses to noxious 44°C hotplate stimuli. Terminal histological analysis of pancreatic tissue sections from the AHF chronic pancreatitis animals demonstrated extensive injury, including a global pancreatic gland degeneration (cellular atrophy), vacuolization (fat deposition), and fibrosis. After the LY3038404 HCl treatment, pancreatic tissue was significantly protected from severe damage and fibrosis. LY3038404 HCl affected neither open field exploratory behaviors nor dark/light box preferences as measures of higher brain and motor functions. Conclusion: LY3038404 HCl, a potent CB2 receptor agonist, possesses tissue protective and analgesic properties without effects on higher brain function. Thus, activation of CB2 receptors is suggested as a potential therapeutic target for visceral inflammation and pain management.
An Exploration of the Path-Goal Theory of Leadership in a Health Care Environment

Relationships between leader behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance, unmoderated and moderated by a subordinate's role ambiguity, were studied at multiple occupational skill levels i...
Rapid prototyping for fuzzy systems

One of the common problems for fuzzy system implementation arises from the complications of the fuzzy inference process. Extra computations are required to deduce a consequence due to nature of fuzzy sets. Furthermore, considerable simulations need to be performed to verify system functions. In order to reduce the prototyping time, the fuzzy system is partitioned into hardware and software portions. The model, called Fuzzy Rule-based Automata (FRA), is proposed to simplify fuzzy rule base. Since most rule base are rarely changed, they can be implemented in hardware to speedup the running time. Special computations for inference process is taken care by software to reduce hardware complications which yields prototype flexibility.
Saline Infusion Sonohysterography

Saline infusion sonohysterography is a useful adjunct to transvaginal ultrasonography for the evaluation of the endometrial cavity. Patients who may benefit from this technique include pre- and postmenopausal women who have abnormal endometrial thickening, women who have submucosal fibroids, and women undergoing screening before in vitro fertilization.
The Gaussian PRM Sampling for Dynamic Configuration Spaces

Probabilistic roadmap planners (PRMs) are widely used in high dimensional motion planning problems. However, they are less effective in solving narrow passages because feasible configurations in a thin space can rarely be sampled by random. Although some approaches have been proposed, they are either involved in complicated geometrical computations or requiring much information of obstacles. Moreover, if the configuration spaces are dynamic instead of fixed, some solutions may be failure in some unexpected situations. In this work, we provide a novel approach to replace the randomized sampler with the Gaussian PRM sampler. For dynamic configuration spaces, we also invite a machine learning technique to dynamically classify the pre-built samplers for different spaces.
Microwave Observations and Modeling of a Lunar Eclipse

Abstract Microwave observations of the Moon during the eclipse of November 28-29, 1993, are reported. Observations were made at 1.327 mm wavelength with a 12-m-aperture radio telescope. Points observed were at the lunar equator and 42° north and south lunar latitude, all near the sub-Earth meridian of lunar longitude. Brightness temperature (TB) was observed to decrease a maximum of 25% below the pre-eclipse value of TB. Comparisons are made between our observations and previous data sets collected under similar circumstances. A thermal model has been constructed with which we calculate eclipse cooling curves that agree with our observations. From this model inferences are made about the porosity of the lunar regolith necessary to produce the observed changes in brightness temperature throughout the eclipse. The effect of rocks resting on top of the regolith on theoretical eclipse cooling curves is examined. The data are well fit with a regolith-only model that assumes a density of 1.4 g cm-3 (porosity of 59%) for the top 1 cm of regolith. Comparison of lunar high latitude with equatorial observations suggests that regolith density increases with depth within this top 1 cm. Inclusion of rocks in the model increases the amplitude of the eclipse cooling curve for a fixed regolith density, so that a regolith + rocks model fitting the data must have a lower regolith density than a regolith-only model. The regolith model described here to explain observed eclipse cooling curves is shown to be consistent with observed diurnal cooling curves reported by Low and Davidson (1965, Astrophys. J. 142, 1278-1282).
Registration of planar bioluminescence to magnetic resonance and x-ray computed tomography images as a platform for the development of bioluminescence tomography reconstruction algorithms

The procedures we propose make possible the mapping of two-dimensional 2-D bioluminescence image BLI data onto a skin surface derived from a three-dimensional 3-D anatomical modality magnetic resonance MR or computed tomography CT dataset. This mapping allows anatomical information to be incorporated into bioluminescence tomography BLT reconstruction procedures and, when applied using sources visible to both optical and anatomical modalities, can be used to evaluate the accuracy of those reconstruc- tions. Our procedures, based on immobilization of the animal and a priori determined fixed projective transforms, should be more robust and accurate than previously described efforts, which rely on a poorly constrained retrospectively determined warping of the 3-D anatomi- cal information. Experiments conducted to measure the accuracy of the proposed registration procedure found it to have a mean error of 0.36±0.23 mm. Additional experiments highlight some of the con- founds that are often overlooked in the BLT reconstruction process, and for two of these confounds, simple corrections are proposed.
Sintering and Crystallization of Glass at Constant Heating Rates

The densification and shear behavior of glass powder compacts were determined by measuring their axial strain and radial strain during uniaxial compression. The experiments were conducted nonisothermally at constant rates of heating. The densification and the shear strain were plotted as a function of temperature. Both showed sigmoidal behavior, reaching a plateau at high temperature. The density saturated because the powder compact had sintered to completion, but the shear strain saturated because of the onset of crystallization. The technique offers a method for studying the interaction between densification and crystallization of glass powders.
A general hierarchical circuit modeling and simulation algorithm

This paper proposes a new hierarchical circuit modeling and simulation technique in s-domain for linear analog and interconnect circuits. The new method is based on a graph-based symbolic hierarchical circuit decomposition scheme. It can derive the exact or approximate admittances in the reduced circuit matrix and compute the circuit characteristics in rational function forms for very large linear analog and interconnect circuits. We show that the exact symbolic expressions of a circuit can be obtained by finding the cancellation-free expressions from the same circuit with hierarchical definitions. Some theoretical results are characterized for the presence and conditions of cancellations in the symbolic expressions from the subcircuit reduction. A novel decancellation strategy based on a graph-based hierarchical decomposition process is proposed and canceling terms are removed both symbolically and numerically to obtain the order-reduced circuit models. The proposed method can be used for modeling and simulation of any passive or active linear circuit, which makes our method very attractive for modeling both analog circuits and resistance-capacitance-inductance interconnect circuits in both frequency and time domain. An example RC circuit is illustrated and experimental results with some large analog and interconnects circuits are presented to validate the proposed method. Our experimental results also show that subcircuit (multiple-node) reduction scheme in general is better than one-node reduction methods such as Y-/spl Delta/ transformation in terms of CPU time and memory usage.
The relationship between income inequality and inequality in schooling

Children of affluent parents get more schooling than children of poor parents, which seems to imply that reducing income inequality would reduce inequality in schooling. Similarly, one of the best predictors of an individual’s income is his educational attainment, which seems to imply that reducing inequality in schooling will reduce income inequality. Economic theory predicts that all else being equal an increase in income inequality will lead to an increase in inequality of educational attainment. Empirical estimates suggest that when income inequality increased in the United States so did inequality in educational attainment. But changes in government education policies reduced the impact of the increase in income inequality on inequality in schooling. Economic theory also predicts that all else being equal an increase in inequality of educational attainment will result in greater inequality of earnings. But unequal schooling does not account for much of the variance in income, so equalizing schooling ...
Spatial normalization of one-dimensional electrophoretic gel images.

Abstract A strategy for using processed, digitized images of one-dimensional electrophoretic gels to facilitate the analysis of large sets of overlapping clones is described. The images are acquired from fluorescently stained gels or from transilluminated gel photographs using a cooled, solid-state charge-coupled device camera. By employing sets of bands in the size-standard lanes as reference points, all the gel images are spatially normalized to a common reference template. After normalization, lane images from different gels can be compared as though the gels had been electrophoresed resed under identical, uniform-field conditions. Applications of this procedure to the analysis of a large set of overlapping λ clones from chromosome VII of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to the estimation of fragment sizes are illustrated.
The Art & Science of Micro-Sparging in High-Density Perfusion Cultures of Animal Cells

Sparging micron-sized gas bubbles in animal cell cultures is an effective means of obtaining a large gas-liquid interfacial area and thus enabling the high O2 transfer rate necessary to target high cell densities of 40–60 × 106 cells/mL. While the method is widely used, the key characteristics of microsparging are not systematically quantified. These include the size distribution of microbubbles in bioreactors, the long-term effects of microsparging rates on cells, the rate of CO2 accumulation, the effect of process conditions on k L a, and others. In this work, all these phenomena are analyzed and quantified. A novel in situ laser-imaging technique was employed to measure the distribution of microbubble size in a 15L stirred-tank bioreactor. The effect of spatger pore size, sparging rate, Pluronic F68, antifoam, cell density and culture age on bubble size was determined. Long-term correlation between microsparging rate and cell death was quantified for spargers with 0.5 and 15 μtm sintered steel pores. It was found that sparging above 0.025 vvm using the 0.5 μm sparger was detrimental, while 0.054 vvm was detrimental with the 15 μm sparger. The effect of sparging rate on cell death at the sparger surface proved insignificant. To avoid CO2 inhibition, a novel cascade method for dissolved CO2 (DCO2) control was developed. Continuous control of DCO2, DO and pH was achieved by simultaneously adjusting the total microsparging rate and the O2/N2/CO2 ratio. Overall, the optimization of microsparging resulted in the development of efficient continuous perfusion processes combining high cell densities of 40–60 × 106 cells/ml with high viability.
Imexon and gemcitabine are synergistic against human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 5884 Imexon (M.W. 111.1) is an iminopyrolidone aziridine which previously has shown activity against a variety of human cancer types, including multiple myeloma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Recently, mechanistic studies in MIA PaCa-2 cells have demonstrated binding to sulfhydryls, buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), perturbations in mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to cytochrome C release, activation of caspases 3, 8 and 9, and induction of apoptosis. Since imexon binds sulfhydryls and generates ROS, it was hypothesized that imexon may augment the effects of gemcitabine in two ways: 1) promoting increased oxidative stress in oxidatively challenged cells and 2) interacting with key sulfhydryl-dependent enzymes involved in gemcitabine metabolism. The mean IC50 values for imexon and gemcitabine in four human pancreatic cancer cell lines were 54.2 ± 6.7 μM and 9.2 ± 5.6 nM, respectively. Initially, interactions between imexon:gemcitabine were assessed at a fixed ratio of 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 using median effect analysis. The PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cell line demonstrated greater synergy at a fixed ratio of 1:1 of imexon:gemcitabine. When cells were pretreated with imexon or gemcitabine for 24 h, no significant difference was observed compared to concomitant dosing. SCID mice bearing PANC-1 cells were treated with imexon, gemcitabine, or a combination 24 h or 40 d after tumor inoculation. At day 100, the Tumor Growth Inhibition value (T/C) for combination treated mice was 24.4 % and 25.4 % for 24 h and 40 d post tumor inoculation, respectively. To better understand the molecular basis of synergy, cell lysates containing deoxcytidine deaminase (dCD) and ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) were obtained from PANC-1 cells. Imexon concentrations up to 1 mM had no effect on dCD activity, whereas the thiol oxidant, chloromercuri benzoate (CMB), significantly inhibited dCD activity at concentrations ≥ 10 μM. Thus, imexon does not enhance the major inactivation route of gemcitabine. In contrast, recent experiments show that imexon may augment the biochemical pathways which mediate gemcitabine’s cytotoxic activity. Overall, these data demonstrate that imexon is uniquely synergistic with gemcitabine in vitro and in vivo and support the rationale for combining the agents in clinical trials.
Harmful Output in the Antitrust Domain: Lessons from the Tobacco Industry

Antitrust enforcement in net-harm industries - those whose output causes greater harms than benefits - can be socially harmful by increasing the output and consumption of socially undesirable goods. This article examines the tobacco industry as the paradigm of a net-harm industry. It argues that antitrust enforcers and courts need not be agnostic about the harms of the relevant output but can structure their antitrust review and enforcement decisions to conform to other public policy considerations regarding the harms of consumption in the relevant market.
Identifying Crucial and Malleable Factors of Successful Science Learning from the 2012 PISA

This chapter aims to identify malleable factors contributing to the success of Asians in science learning as measured by the 2012 PISA science test. Numerous studies have been conducted with the goal of learning from the best practices of Asian education. However, most of these studies concentrate on specific areas only (e.g., affective factors, parenting style, teaching methods, etc.). Additionally, although several theories exist to explain why Asian students excel in science, some of them do not necessarily lead to practical applications. Hence, these authors adopted a new approach as follows: the 2012 PISA data of science test scores, student variables, home-environment variables, and school-environment variables of Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam (top performers in 2012 PISA science test) are analyzed by the bootstrap forest approach. When 399 variables are taken into account simultaneously, the most crucial predictors of success in science learning can be identified and ranked, resulting in a more parsimonious model. Next, each of these predictors will be evaluated with the criterion of malleability. Factors that are unlikely to yield practical implications were put aside. Then the reform efforts will be devoted to just a few manageable action items based on the findings. It was found that attitudinal variables of the students, home-environment variables, and technological variables outside of school are determining factors of PISA science test performance, but teacher variables and school variables were relatively unimportant.
Early lipid changes in acute kidney injury using SWATH lipidomics coupled with MALDI tissue imaging

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the leading causes of in-hospital morbidity and mortality, particularly in critically ill patients. Although our understanding of AKI at the molecular level remains limited due to its complex pathophysiology, recent advances in both quantitative and spatial mass spectrometric approaches offer new opportunities to assess the significance of renal metabolomic changes in AKI models. In this study, we evaluated lipid changes in early ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-related AKI in mice by using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical spectra (SWATH)-mass spectrometry (MS) lipidomics. We found a significant increase in two abundant ether-linked phospholipids following IR at 6 h postinjury, a plasmanyl choline, phosphatidylcholine (PC) O-38:1 (O-18:0, 20:1), and a plasmalogen, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) O-42:3 (O-20:1, 22:2). Both of these lipids correlated with the severity of AKI as measured by plasma creatinine. In addition to many more renal lipid changes associated with more severe AKI, PC O-38:1 elevations were maintained at 24 h post-IR, while renal PE O-42:3 levels decreased, as were all ether PEs detected by SWATH-MS at this later time point. To further assess the significance of this early increase in PC O-38:1, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) to determine that it occurred in proximal tubules, a region of the kidney that is most prone to IR injury and also rich in the rate-limiting enzymes involved in ether-linked phospholipid biosynthesis. Use of SWATH-MS lipidomics in conjunction with MALDI-IMS for lipid localization will help in elucidating the role of lipids in the pathobiology of AKI.
Effect of Particle Size on Low-Temperature Pyrolysis of Woody Biomass

When biomass is thermochemically processed, the size of the biomass particles affects processing time requirements and yields. This study investigates the effects of particle size at the centimeter scale on pyrolysis through both experimental and modeling approaches, with three types of woody biomass; poplar, pine sapwood, and pine heartwood. Large (D = 3.81 cm) and small (D = 2.54 cm) wood spheres were pyrolyzed under thermally thick conditions at three final pyrolysis temperatures in a reactor with turbulent gas flow; the same wood materials were also pyrolyzed in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), under kinetic control. The experiments were simulated using a previously published 1-dimensional pyrolysis model, which includes transport and kinetics of solid to vapor reactions for biomass components. Particle size had a strong effect on devolatilization timing and also affected the yields of some species. The model was successful at predicting the qualitative features and approximate magnitudes of quanti...
Lithology Differentiation Based on Inversion of Full Waveform Induced Polarization Data From Newmont Distributed IP Data Acquisition System (NEWDAS)

The induced polarization (IP) method is an established technique in mining geophysics. One of the major challenges facing mining geophysicists is the ability to differentiate between different lithologies based on geophysical data such as IP data. In this paper, we present a study that focuses on extracting useful information about lithology from the full waveform IP data acquired by Newmont Distributed IP Data Acquisition System (NEWDAS). We first invert the 4D IP data by performing a sequence of 3D inversions. We then propose a new 4D inversion algorithm with time regularization and time weighting function. Once the inversions are done, statistical analysis of these recovered chargeabilities on a regional basis reveals some important differences on how the chargeabilities of different lithologies decay with time, and consequently, helps differentiate between various rock types. We show in this paper that lithology differentiation based on IP data is possible by combining two components: advanced data acquisition system and powerful inversion algorithms.
Shifting the focus of validity for test use

The conventional focus of validity in educational measurement has been on intended interpretations and uses of test scores. Empirical studies of test use by teachers, administrators and policy-make...
A Fracking Fracas Demonstrates Movement Potential

A social movement against fracking is scoring victories in some states but not others. Why are some groups finding more success?
Na+-to-sugar stoichiometry of SGLT3.

Sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) mediate active transport of sugar across cell membranes coupled to Na+, by using the electrochemical gradient as a driving force. In the kidney, there is evide...
MO-DE-207A-02: A Feature-Preserving Image Reconstruction Method for Improved Pancreaticlesion Classification in Diagnostic CT Imaging

Purpose: To develop a feature-preserving model based image reconstruction (MBIR) method that improves performance in pancreatic lesion classification at equal or reduced radiation dose. Methods: A set of pancreatic lesion models was created with both benign and premalignant lesion types. These two classes of lesions are distinguished by their fine internal structures; their delineation is therefore crucial to the task of pancreatic lesion classification. To reduce image noise while preserving the features of the lesions, we developed a MBIR method with curvature-based regularization. The novel regularization encourages formation of smooth surfaces that model both the exterior shape and the internal features of pancreatic lesions. Given that the curvature depends on the unknown image, image reconstruction or denoising becomes a non-convex optimization problem; to address this issue an iterative-reweighting scheme was used to calculate and update the curvature using the image from the previous iteration. Evaluation was carried out with insertion of the lesion models into the pancreas of a patient CT image. Results: Visual inspection was used to compare conventional TV regularization with our curvature-based regularization. Several penalty-strengths were considered for TV regularization, all of which resulted in erasing portions of the septation (thin partition) in a premalignant lesion. At matched noise variance (50% noise reduction in the patient stomach region), the connectivity of the septation was well preserved using the proposed curvature-based method. Conclusion: The curvature-based regularization is able to reduce image noise while simultaneously preserving the lesion features. This method could potentially improve task performance for pancreatic lesion classification at equal or reduced radiation dose. The result is of high significance for longitudinal surveillance studies of patients with pancreatic cysts, which may develop into pancreatic cancer. The Senior Author receives financial support from Siemens GmbH Healthcare
Genome-Wide Analysis of MicroRNA Responses to the Phytohormone Abscisic Acid in Populus euphratica

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of noncoding small RNA with a regulatory function at the posttranscriptional level in plant growth development and in response to abiotic stress. Previous studies have not reported on miRNAs responses to the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) at a genome-wide level in Populus euphratica, a model tree for studying abiotic stress responses in woody plants. Here we analyzed the miRNA response to ABA at a genome-wide level in P. euphratica utilizing high-throughput sequencing. To systematically perform a genome-wide analysis of ABA-responsive miRNAs in P. euphratica, nine sRNA libraries derived from three groups (control, treated with ABA for 1 day and treated with ABA for 4 days) were constructed. Each group included three libraries from three individual plantlets as biological replicate. In total, 151 unique mature sequences belonging to 75 conserved miRNA families were identified, and 94 unique sequences were determined to be novel miRNAs, including 56 miRNAs with miRNA* sequences. In all, 31 conserved miRNAs and 31 novel miRNAs response to ABA significantly differed among the groups. In addition, 4132 target genes were predicted for the conserved and novel miRNAs. Confirmed by real-time qPCR, expression changes of miRNAs were inversely correlated with the expression profiles of their putative targets. The Populus special or novel miRNA-target interactions were predicted might be involved in some biological process related stress tolerance. Our analysis provides a comprehensive view of how P. euphratica miRNA respond to ABA, and moreover, different temporal dynamics were observed in different ABA-treated libraries.
An Evaluation of the Microbiological Safety of Reduced-Fat Cheddar-like Cheese.

This study was carried out to investigate microbiological safety of reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. This was done by studying the behavior of two strains of Listeria monocytogenes , (Scott A-4b and V7-1a) and two species of the genus Salmonella , ( Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella senftenberg ) during manufacture and aging of reduced or low-fat stirred curd Cheddar cheese made from milk containing 1.5 to 2.0% fat. The fat content of reduced-fat cheeses was between 20.03 and 21.13% while that of control cheeses was between 28.11 and 30.41%. Listeriae declined slowly in both cheeses and their rate of decline was not affected by fat reduction. During the 20-week aging period, the average (3 trials) log10 colony forming units (CFU)/g decline in Listeria population was 0.84 in control cheese and 0.62 in reduced-fat cheese. During the same period, the average log10 CFU/g decline in Salmonella population was 4.81 in control cheese and 5.16 in reduced-fat cheese. Salmonellae were affected by fat reduction, and during the entire aging period their population was lower in reduced-fat cheese than in control cheese. Thus, reduction of fat in the dry matter of cheese from 48 to 36% had no effect on listeriae but salmonellae declined faster in reduced-fat stirred curd Cheddar cheese.