cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HEMERA Couples the Proteolysis and Transcriptional Activity of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs in Arabidopsis Photomorphogenesis

Phytochromes (phys) are red and far-red photoreceptors that control plant development and growth by promoting the proteolysis of a family of antagonistically acting basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, the PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs). We have previously shown that the degradation of PIF1 and PIF3 requires HEMERA (HMR). However, the biochemical function of HMR and the mechanism by which it mediates PIF degradation remain unclear. Here, we provide genetic evidence that HMR acts upstream of PIFs in regulating hypocotyl growth. Surprisingly, genome-wide analysis of HMR- and PIF-dependent genes reveals that HMR is also required for the transactivation of a subset of PIF direct-target genes. We show that HMR interacts with all PIFs. The HMR-PIF interaction is mediated mainly by HMR’s N-terminal half and PIFs’ conserved active-phytochrome B binding motif. In addition, HMR possesses an acidic nine-amino-acid transcriptional activation domain (9aaTAD) and a loss-of-function mutation in this 9aaTAD impairs the expression of PIF target genes and the destruction of PIF1 and PIF3. Together, these in vivo results support a regulatory mechanism for PIFs in which HMR is a transcriptional coactivator binding directly to PIFs and the 9aaTAD of HMR couples the degradation of PIF1 and PIF3 with the transactivation of PIF target genes.
Reduction of Azides to Primary Amines in Substrates Bearing Labile Ester Functionality. Synthesis of a PEG-Solubilized, “Y”-Shaped Iminodiacetic Acid Reagent for Preparation of Folate-Tethered Drugs1

Anhydride 3 is a useful reagent for the synthesis of triply linked drug conjugates. Examples using paclitaxel are provided. Conversion of the azido moiety to a primary amine in the presence of substrates bearing labile ester functionality requires the use of a tin/mercaptan reducing system which includes methanol exchange equilibration to effect nitrogen−tin bond scission.
Atmospheric transfer of a radio-frequency clock signal with a diode laser

Remote transfer of a radio-frequency clock signal over a 60 m open atmospheric link has been experimentally investigated using a diode laser as the clock carrier. Phase-noise spectra and Allan deviations are both measured to characterize the excess clock instability incurred during the transfer process. Different detection schemes are used to assess the contributions from different noise sources. With an 80 MHz clock frequency, the total root-mean-square noise amplitude is measured to be about 5×10(-3) rad, with fractional frequency instability on the order of 1×10(-10) at 1 s. The majority of this excess noise is attributed to the transmitter noise, with the amplitude fluctuations of the diode laser identified as the main source. The excess phase noise caused by air turbulence is at the level of 10(-4) rad under the current experimental conditions. Our finding suggests that suppressing the transmitter noise is critical for improving the clock-transfer fidelity.
A predictive model of archaeological potential: An example from northwestern Belize

Abstract Binary Logistic Regression is used to identify areas of high archaeological potential in a portion of northwestern Belize. The predictive modeling process involves remotely sensed imagery, Geographic Information System (GIS) data and techniques, and multivariate statistical approaches. Predictive variables represent both the pre-historic current landscape of the ancient Maya and the present day physical landscape. An optimal predictive model obtained using logistic regression includes one variable derived from a Landsat image representing contemporary vegetation patterns associated with Maya settlement and two variables derived from a digital elevation model (DEM) and an analog hydrography map representing resource endowments relevant to the ancient Maya. The predictive model identifies several areas of high archaeological probability as well as areas that are unlikely to contain any archaeological remains. Results can be used to inform future field surveys in a more cost efficient manner. Prior research has utilized remote sensing and GIS approaches for Maya site identification in the southern lowlands region of the Mexican Yucatan peninsula and the northern lowlands of Peten, Guatemala. This research represents the first landscape archaeological approach using satellite imagery for the Maya region in northwestern Belize.
New species of Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from the Andes of Bolivia and Peru

Eight new Ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Bolivia and Peru are described, illustrated, and discussed: Orthaea madidiensis, Themistoclesia geniculata, Themistoclesia idiocalyx, Themistoclesia siranensis, Themistoclesia tunquiniensis, Themistoclesia woytkowskii, Thibaudia acacioides, and Thibaudia yungensis.
A revised fluorometric assay for Gaucher's disease using conduritol-beta-epoxide with liver as the source of Beta-glucosidase.

Abstract To date, enzymatic diagnosis of Gaucher's disease via a fluorometric assay procedure which utilizes 4-methylumbelliferyl-β- d -glucopyranoside as a substrate has not been possible when liver serves as the source of enzyme since currently employed fluorometric procedures cannot adequately differentiate between a broad-specificity β-glucosidase and lysosomal glucocerebrosidase activities in crude extracts of liver. Incorporation of conduritol-β-epoxide into the incubation medium for the fluorometric assay allows one to selectively measure the glucocerebrosidase activity present in a given liver extract. In five cases of Gaucher's disease this revised fluorometric procedure proved as effective as the assay procedure which utilizes authentic, radiolabeled glucocerebroside as the substrate in demonstrating a deficiency of glucocerebrosidase activity in liver.
Multilinear interactions in high-resolution spectra

Abstract The most general interaction of a collection of nuclear magnetic moments, invariant under the operations of the pure rotation group in three dimensions, is shown to be a linear combination of basic invariants that are multilinear in the components of the nuclear spin vectors. For an even number of spins each basic invariant is proportional to a product of scalar products, whereas for an odd number of spins each basic invariant is proportional to a scalar triple product multiplied by a product of scalar products. Representation theory for the group of proper rotations is used to determine the exact number of independent basic invariants for a given number of spins. The implications of time-reversal invariance and the consequences of including multilinear interactions in the Hamiltonian are investigated. In particular, the high-resolution spectrum of the AA′XX′ system when quadrilinear interactions are included is examined.
3 Intraparticle diffusion effects in the methanation reaction

Abstract Though much of the theoretical literature on reactions in porous catalyst pellets is concerned with special cases, such as binary mixtures at the Knudsen diffusion limit, in situations of industrial interest the reaction mixture usually contains several substances. There is often more than one independent chemical reaction, and pore sizes may correspond to a diffusion law anywhere between the extremes of Knudsen diffusion and bulk diffusion. A method of calculating the behavior of porous catalyst pellets in these more difficult but realistic circumstances has recently been developed, and its practicability has been demonstrated by applying it to an isothermal catalyst pellet. In the present paper this method is extended to deal with non-isothermal pellets and is applied to the industrially important SNG-process (low temperature, high pressure methanation on a shift-type catalyst). The computed results are compared with those obtained when a simple Knudsen type diffusion model is used.
Soil Type Affected Cowpea Forage Nutritive Value

) and other annual forages often exhibit micronutrient deficiency in some high pH, high Ca, low P soils (4,5) common to the southwestern USA. Zaiter et al. (5) related iron chlorosis visual ratings to seed yield of edible dry beans. While the effects of Zn deficiency are less pronounced on cowpea straw and sorghum (
Feedback control of an underactuated planar bipedal robot with impulsive foot action

A planar underactuated bipedal robot with an impulsive foot model is considered. The analysis extends previous work on a model with unactuated point feet of Westervelt et al. to include the actuator model of Kuo. The impulsive actuator at each leg end is active only during the double support phase, which results in the model being identical to the model with unactuated point feet for the single support phase. However, the impulsive foot actuation results in a different model for the double support map. Conditions for the existence of a hybrid zero dynamics for the robot with foot actuation are studied. A feedback design method is proposed that integrates actuation in the single and double support phases. A stability analysis is performed using a Poincare return map. As in Kuo's model, a more efficient gait is demonstrated with an impulsive foot action.
On the preparation of 80Br- or 82Br-biomolecules via excitation labelling methods.

The direct decay induced 82Br (or 80Br) labelling by exposing the solid substrate molecules, such as deoxyuridine, L-tyrosine, guanosine, deoxycytodine, phenylalanine and acetic acid, to gaseous CF382mBr (or CF380mBr) was studied. The radiochemical yields of the brominated products are relatively small and range from 1% in the case of bromo deoxyuridine to 11% for bromoacetic acid. The modification of this technique by adding Cl2 gas to the reaction mixture improves the yields in several cases drastically (up to 80% for bromo-guanosine and bromo-L-tyrosine). Similar improvement can be achieved by exposing crystalline KBrO3 for some time to CF382mBr (or CF380mBr) and dissolving subsequently the KBrO3 in an acidic solution of the substrate.
Segmenting B2B Technology Markets via Psychographics: An Exploratory Study

This article examines how marketing executives employ psychographics as part of their target marketing strategy in business technology markets. In spite of the increased attention in the recent business-to-business segmentation literature, psychographics is not used as a major segmentation dimension (only one in five companies used this base). Psychographic thinking without formal analysis, however, was a commonly used strategy evidenced by 59% of the companies. While there was no difference in target marketing success found between formal and informal psychographics, both approaches fared significantly better than firms not bringing a psychographic mindset to their segmentation strategy. Firmographic and demographic variables did not impact the use of organizational psychographics. Motivation, relationship and risk variables were used by marketing managers as psychographic inputs. Implications for management practice and a research agenda for segmentation scholars are presented.
Cultivating the “higher law” in American jurisprudence: John Quincy Adams, neo‐classical rhetoric, and the Amistad case

Working from the assumption that John Quincy Adams brought to his address in United States v. Amistad (1841) the precepts of rhetoric he had taught at Harvard, this essay offers a reading of the speech that is grounded in neo‐classical rhetoric and informed by our current understanding of rhetoric's constitutive function. The reading reveals that Adams used the precepts of neo‐classical rhetoric to cultivate a “higher law” in American jurisprudence and, in so doing, sketched a rhetoric of American law.
Rate of DNA synthesis during the division cycle of Escherichia coli B/r☆

Abstract The rate of DNA synthesis during the division cycle of Escherichia coli B/r has been measured in exponentially growing cultures. This was accomplished by pulse-labeling exponential phase cultures with [ 14 C]thymidine and measuring the amount of label incorporated into cells of different ages in the cultures. The amount of label in cells of different ages was found by binding the bacteria to the surface of a membrane filter at the end of the labeling period and counting the radioactivity in the cells which were eluted continuously from the membrane. Since primarily new-born cells are eluted from a membrane-bound culture of E. coli B/r, the radioactivity per effluent cell during each generation of elution was a measure of the amount of [ 14 C]thymidine incorporated into the oldest through the youngest cells in the exponential phase culture. This experimental approach was considered to be superior to those employing synchronized cells for these studies, because all manipulations were carried out after, rather than before, the incorporation took place. It was found that there is an abrupt increase in the rate of DNA synthesis during the division cycle of cells growing in glucose, glycerol, succinate or acetate minimal medium which occurs at a cell age, in fractions of a generation, of 0.4, 0.8, 0.9 and 0.9, respectively. In suecinate- and acetate-grown cells, this increase is preceded by a pronounced minimum in the rate of [ 14 C]thymidine incorporation during the last half of the division cycle. It is suggested that the period of reduced thymidine incorporation corresponds to a gap between rounds of DNA replication, and that the abrupt increase corresponds to the start of a new round of DNA replication.
Comparison of intraoperative versus delayed enteral feeding tube placement in patients undergoing a Whipple procedure

Background The intraoperative placement of an enteral feeding tube (FT) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is based on the surgeon's perception of need for postoperative nutrition. Published preoperative risk factors predicting postoperative morbidity may be used to predict FT need and associated intraoperative placement.
Analysis of Idealized Tropical Cyclone Simulations Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: Sensitivity to Turbulence Parameterization and Grid Spacing

Abstract The Weather Research and Forecasting Advanced Research Model (WRF-ARW) was used to perform idealized tropical cyclone (TC) simulations, with domains of 36-, 12-, and 4-km horizontal grid spacing. Tests were conducted to determine the sensitivity of TC intensity to the available surface layer (SL) and planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations, including the Yonsei University (YSU) and Mellor–Yamada–Janjic (MYJ) schemes, and to horizontal grid spacing. Simulations were run until a quasi-steady TC intensity was attained. Differences in minimum central pressure (Pmin) of up to 35 hPa and maximum 10-m wind (V10max) differences of up to 30 m s−1 were present between a convection-resolving nested domain with 4-km grid spacing and a parent domain with cumulus parameterization and 36-km grid spacing. Simulations using 4-km grid spacing are the most intense, with the maximum intensity falling close to empirical estimates of maximum TC intensity. Sensitivity to SL and PBL parameterization also exists...
Sulfur-mediated electron shuttling during bacterial iron reduction

Microbial reduction of ferric iron [Fe(III)] is an important biogeochemical process in anoxic aquifers. Depending on groundwater pH, dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria can also respire alternative electron acceptors to survive, including elemental sulfur (S0). To understand the interplay of Fe/S cycling under alkaline conditions, we combined thermodynamic geochemical modeling with bioreactor experiments using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Under these conditions, S. oneidensis can enzymatically reduce S0 but not goethite (α-FeOOH). The HS– produced subsequently reduces goethite abiotically. Because of the prevalence of alkaline conditions in many aquifers, Fe(III) reduction may thus proceed via S0-mediated electron-shuttling pathways.
Design of an optimal-weighted MACE filter realizable with arbitrary SLM constraints

A realizable optimal weighted minimum average correlation energy (MACE) filter with arbitrary spatial light modulator (SLM) constraints is presented. The MACE filter can be considered as the cascade of two separate stages. The first stage is the prewhitener which essentially converts colored noise to white noise. The second stage is the conventional synthetic discriminant function (SDF) which is optimal for white noise, but which uses training vectors subjected to the prewhitening transformation. So the energy spectrum matrix is very important for filter design. New weight function we introduce is used to adjust the correlation energy to improve the performance of MACE filter on current SLMs. The action of the weight function is to emphasize the importance of the signal energy at some frequencies and reduce the importance of signal energy at some other frequencies so as to improve correlation plane structure. The choice of weight function which is used to enhance the noise tolerance and reduce sidelobes is related to a priori pattern recognition knowledge. An algorithm which combines an iterative optimal technique with Juday's minimum Euclidean distance (MED) method is developed for the design of the realizable optimal weighted MACE filter. The performance of the designed filter is evaluated with numerical experiments.
Seismic anisotropy of shales

Shales are a major component of sedimentary basins, and they play a decisive role in fluid flow and seismic-wave propagation because of their low permeability and anisotropic microstructure. Shale anisotropy needs to be quantified to obtain reliable information on reservoir fluid, lithology and pore pressure from seismic data, and to understand time-to-depth conversion errors and non-hyperbolic moveout. A single anisotropy parameter, Thomsen's δ parameter, is sufficient to explain the difference between the small-offset normal-moveout velocity and vertical velocity, and to interpret the small-offset AVO response. The sign of this parameter is poorly understood, with both positive and negative values having been reported in the literature. δ is sensitive to the compliance of the contact regions between clay particles and to the degree of disorder in the orientation of clay particles. If the ratio of the normal to shear compliance of the contact regions exceeds a critical value, the presence of these regions acts to increase δ, and a change in the sign of δ, from the negative values characteristic of clay minerals to the positive values commonly reported for shales, may occur. Misalignment of the clay particles can also lead to a positive value of δ. For transverse isotropy, the elastic anisotropy parameters can be written in terms of the coefficients W 200 and W 400 in an expansion of the clay-particle orientation distribution function in generalized Legendre functions. For a given value of W 200 , decreasing W 400 leads to an increase in δ, while for fixed W 400 , δ increases with increasing W 200 . Perfect alignment of clay particles with normals along the symmetry axis corresponds to the maximum values of W 200 and W 400 , given by W max 200 = √10/8π 2 and W max 400 = 3√2/8π 2 . A comparison of the predictions of the theory with laboratory measurements shows that most shales lie in a region of the (W 200 ), W 400 )-plane defined by W 400 /W 200 ≤ W max 400 /W max 200 .
Four pairwise balanced designs

We construct pairwise balanced designs on 49, 57, 93, and 129 points of index unity, with block sizes 5, 9, 13, and 29. This completes the determination of the unique minimal finite basis for the PBD-closed set which consists of the integers congruent to 1 modulo 4. The design on 129 points has been used several times by a number of different authors but no correct version has previously appeared in print.
A short-lived effect of 2,5-hexanedione on thermal perception in mice.

Abstract Mice exposed to 1.0% 2,5-hexanedione (HD) in drinking water exhibited an hyperalgesia which persisted from experimental Day 7 through Day 19. Despite continued exposure to HD, no other neurological signs were detected throughout the 18-week experiment. The hyperalgesia was not mediated through an inhibition of endorphins since pain perception per se appeared to be increased while the emotional response to pain was not. The narcotic antagonist, naloxone, increased the emotional response to pain but not the initial perception. The inability of HD to produce major signs of peripheral neuropathy in mice appeared to be mediated through the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Prolonged exposure to HD significantly reduced the duration of hexobarbital induced sleep and resulted in a progressively decreasing serum concentration of HD. The measurement of pain perception may offer a means of detecting early neuropathies in laboratory animals; however, the mouse is a species of doubtful utility.
Modulation of avian responsiveness to chemical irritants: Effects of prostaglandin E1 and analgesics

Chemical irritation appears to be modulated by similar mechanisms in birds and mammals, despite an apparent difference between the two taxa for what constitutes a chemical irritant. Prostaglandin E1, a well-described mammalian pain modulating substance, was not itself aversive to starlings, although it did sensitize birds to the effects of the avian irritant oaminoacetophenone. Aspirin and aspirin-like drugs tended to desensitize starlings to the aversive effects of acetophenone bird repellents. Because the modulation mechanisms for the perception of pain appear to be similar in birds and mammals, the taxonomic differences in the perception of stimuli as irritating is inferred to be due to differences in receptor mechanism. The differences in sensory perception of chemical irritants has important implications for vertebrate foraging ecology and the evolution of plant-animal interactions. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc. 1 .
Vapor permeation studies of membranes made from molecular squares

Abstract Thin-film membranes have been made from cavity-containing supramolecular building blocks known as molecular squares and evaluated for simple test separations. Permeation properties of single components and binary gas mixtures were measured through membranes made of several different molecular squares. For a small square with pyrazine edges, permeation increased in the order cyclohexane
The Connections Between Self-Esteem and Psychopathology

Diagnostic criteria and empirical research suggests an intimate connection between low self-esteem and psychopathology. The purpose of the present work is to provide a review of the literature that focuses on the interconnections between self-esteem and psychopathology. The most prominent explanations for this link are explored including the vulnerability model (low self-esteem increases the probability of psychopathology) and the scar model (low self-esteem is a consequence of psychopathology rather than a cause). Recent advancements in the self-esteem literature concerning distinctions between secure and fragile forms of self-esteem are discussed in terms of their potential implications for psychopathology. Finally, the role of self-esteem in psychotherapeutic interventions is reviewed.
Abstract 2662: Racial disparities in the surgical outcomes after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Introduction: Despite advances in the management of esophageal cancer, African American patients continue to have poorer outcomes following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. The reasons for this are multifactorial, including access to care and cultural perceptions of treatments. For those patients who underwent esophagectomy, we sought to evaluate if there were disparities in outcomes for African American patients. Method: We identified African American and Caucasian patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer at a single, high volume institution. from 1974 to 2011. Using Chi-square and Fisher's exact test, we evaluated for differences in perioperative risk factors, postoperative complications and long term survival. Results: 2090 (2.7% African Americans, 97.3% Caucasians) patients were included in the study. No significant difference was seen in anastomotic leaks, chylothoraces, hoarseness, or other postop complications. However, more African Americans were sent to the intensive care unit during their postop hospitalization (62% versus 46%, p= 0.02). In addition, African Americans had a significantly longer hospitalization compared to their Caucasian counterparts (19 versus 12 days, p<0.0001). This difference persisted even after adjusting for histology, preoperative staging, age, gender, alcohol and tobacco use. Squamous cell cancer was more likely to be seen in African Americans than in Caucasians (79% versus 20% respectively, p<0.0001). Adenocarcinoma was more often seen in Caucasians than African Americans (78% vs 21%, p<0.0001) as were Barrett's changes (33% versus 10%, p=0.003). Despite the longer hospitalizations, there was no significant difference in the long term survival (weeks) between African Americans and Caucasians. Conclusion: African Americans have equal survival to Caucasians after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer at single, high volume institution. Despite having longer hospitalizations with more ICU admissions after surgery, there were no significant differences in postoperative complications or long term survival based on race. Differences in outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer may be related to initial access to care, but there doesn't appear to be a difference in outcomes once patients proceed to surgery at an experienced center. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2662. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2662
Use of the disk file on stretch

The paper begins by briefly describing the Stretch (IBM 7030) computer with special emphasis given to the organization and operation of its input-output equipment. Physical characteristics of the two-disk system (4,194,304 72-bit words, 8 µsec-per-word transmission rate, etc.) are noted. Timing limitations due to arm motion and disk rotation are discussed.Applications of disk usage are discussed separately for problem programs and for systems programs such as compilers and the supervisory program. Approximately 260,000 words of disk storage are reserved for the storage of systems programs and the subroutine library. Problem programs, however, are not currently filed on the disk.Certain programming techniques are discussed for transmitting words between disk and core storage with minimum delaying and interruption of the arithmetic unit. Dumps on disk are considered for both recovery from computer malfunction and for mathematical or physical developments during the calculation.
Morphological variation in Rhopalosiphum padi and R. insertum (Homoptera: Aphididae) related to host plant and temperature.

Despite the economic importance of many species of Rhopalosiphum and the considerable amount of research done on them, distinguishing between species is often difficult. This study improves characterization of and discrimination between Rhopalosiphum padi and R. insertum using morphological characters. Bivariate plots of length of antennal flagellum against length of body, length of hind tibia, and length of antennal segment III demonstrate the usefulness of this character in separating these two species. Discriminant functions for separating apterae and alatae of these two species are given. For both species, morphological variation in response to changes of temperature and host was found to be limited. Karyotype of both species was used to confirm species, and intraspecific chromosome variability was examined.
Hand ultrasound for osteoporosis screening in postmenopausal women.

There is a need for low-cost screening methods to detect low bone mass (osteopenia or osteoporosis) in postmenopausal women. The utility of quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) of the hand was assessed for osteoporosis screening using the WHO criteria. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 206 postmenopausal Mexican-American women at the total hip and lumbar spine by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) was measured in the phalanges by QUS. Subjects identified by DXA as having osteopenia or osteoporosis had significantly lower AD-SoS values in comparison with normals. Estrogen users had significantly higher spine and hip BMD and AD-SoS values compared with non-estrogen users. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) for AD-SoS to screen for osteoporosis (T-score ≤−2.5) at the spine or hip were 0.73 for all subjects, 0.74 for estrogen users and 0.68 for non-estrogen users. The AUC for non-estrogen users to screen for osteopenia (T-score −1 to −2.5) was 0.77. Performance comparisons of AD-SoS with SCORE (a risk factor questionnaire) and body weight showed AUC values of 0.73, 0.69 and 0.65, respectively. QUS was the superior screening test when considering both the AUC and the shape of the ROC curves. For non-estrogen users, the group at higher risk for osteoporosis, QUS correctly identified 31% as normal, and 62% as having low bone mass and needing DXA referral; and the remaining 7% were false negatives. These data suggest phalangeal QUS can be effectively used for screening osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Antioxidant assays for plant and food components.

Recently, research on natural antioxidants has become increasingly active in various fields. Accordingly, numerous articles on natural antioxidants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and volatile chemicals, have been published. Assays developed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of plants and food constituents vary. Therefore, to investigate the antioxidant activity of chemical(s), choosing an adequate assay based on the chemical(s) of interest is critical. There are two general types of assays widely used for different antioxidant studies. One is an assay associated with lipid peroxidations, including the thiobarbituric acid assay (TBA), malonaldehyde/high-performance liquid chromatography (MA/HPLC) assay, malonaldehyde/gas chromatography (MA/GC) assay, β-carotene bleaching assay, and conjugated diene assay. Other assays are associated with electron or radical scavenging, including the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) as...
A Probabilistic Graphical Model for Evaluating Variable Energy Consumption During the Use Stage of a Product’s Lifecycle

Although energy consumption during use can cause a majority of a product’s environmental impact, the relationship between a product’s usage context and its environmental performance is rarely considered in design evaluations. Probabilistic graphical models (PGMs) provide the capability of evaluating uncertainty and variability of product use in addition to correlating the results with aspects of the usage context. This research demonstrates a method for representing the usage context as a PGM through the use of a lightweight vehicle design example. The demonstration PGM is constructed from factors such as driver behavior, alternative driving schedules, and residential density, which are related to local conditional probability distributions derived from publicly available data sources. Unique scenarios are then assembled from sets of conditions on these factors to provide insight into sources of variance in lifetime energy use. The vehicle example demonstrates that implementation of realistic usage scenarios via a PGM can provide a much higher fidelity investigation of energy savings during use than commonly found in the literature and that distinct scenarios can have significantly different implications for the effectiveness of lightweight vehicle designs.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Wrong Turns from Worst Worries

Annas argues that the use of worst-case scenarios often distorts bioethics debates: restricting the options, justifying human rights abuses, or decreasing equality and social justice.
Realistic expectations of prepulse inhibition in translational models for schizophrenia research

Under specific conditions, a weak lead stimulus, or “prepulse”, can inhibit the startling effects of a subsequent intense abrupt stimulus. This startle-inhibiting effect of the prepulse, termed “prepulse inhibition” (PPI), is widely used in translational models to understand the biology of brain‑based inhibitory mechanisms and their deficiency in neuropsychiatric disorders. In 1981, four published reports with “prepulse inhibition” as an index term were listed on Medline; over the past 5 years, new published Medline reports with “prepulse inhibition” as an index term have appeared at a rate exceeding once every 2.7 days (n = 678). Most of these reports focus on the use of PPI in translational models of impaired sensorimotor gating in schizophrenia. This rapid expansion and broad application of PPI as a tool for understanding schizophrenia has, at times, outpaced critical thinking and falsifiable hypotheses about the relative strengths vs. limitations of this measure. This review enumerates the realistic expectations for PPI in translational models for schizophrenia research, and provides cautionary notes for the future applications of this important research tool. In humans, PPI is not “diagnostic”; levels of PPI do not predict clinical course, specific symptoms, or individual medication responses. In preclinical studies, PPI is valuable for evaluating models or model organisms relevant to schizophrenia, “mapping” neural substrates of deficient PPI in schizophrenia, and advancing the discovery and development of novel therapeutics. Across species, PPI is a reliable, robust quantitative phenotype that is useful for probing the neurobiology and genetics of gating deficits in schizophrenia.
Extraction of nonlinear features in MEG and fMRI data of human brain

Abstract We have determined a new method for quantifying the nonlinearities of brain imaging data sets to allow comparison of measures of nonlinearity across comparable experiments. We have an efficient algorithm for finding nonlinear features of high dimensional data from variations in two- dimensional projections and slices. By computing the second-order statistics of these features, we are able to construct an analogue of the Riemann Curvature Tensor, thereby describing the nonlinearity of the data set. We demonstrate the usefulness of this technique on real MEG and fMRI data.
An Overmoded W-Band Coupled-Cavity TWT

A 94-GHz overmoded traveling-wave tube (TWT) has been designed, fabricated, and successfully tested. The TWT operates in the rectangular TM31 mode of the cavity, while lower order modes are suppressed using selectively placed strips of lossy dielectric. The 87-cavity TWT circuit was directly machined from Glidcop, a dispersion-hardened copper. The TWT was tested in a 0.25 T solenoidal magnetic field in 3- $\mu \text{s}$ pulses. Operating at a voltage of 30.6 kV with 250 mA of collector current, the TWT was zero-drive stable and achieved 21 ± 2 dB linear device gain with 27-W peak output power. Taking into account 3 dB of loss in both the input and output coupling circuits, the gain of the TWT circuit itself is 27 ± 2 dB with 55 W of saturated circuit output power. Using the 3-D particle-in-cell code CST Particle Studio, the linear circuit gain was estimated to be 28 dB and the saturated output power 100 W, in good agreement with the experimental results. The measured bandwidth of 30 MHz was significantly smaller than the predicted value of 250 MHz. The overmoded TWT is a promising approach to high-power TWT operation at W-band and to the extension of the TWT to terahertz frequencies.
X-rays from synchrotron: New challenge for neutron scattering☆

Abstract A brief review is given of current developments in X-ray scattering techniques at synchrotron radiation facilities. Highly collimated, intense sources of white radiation open up new areas of research in condensed matter physics and challenge the traditional domains of neutron scattering. These include energy dispersive scattering, the use of anomalous dispersion, magnetic diffraction and direct energy analysis by backscattering. The relative merits of X-ray and neutron scattering techniques will be discussed. The unique advantage of neutron scattering is the capability of performing polarization analysis. We will discuss in some detail the current developments at Brookhaven in inelastic scattering of polarized neutrons. In addition, we will also discuss special technical problems associated with the search for phasons utilizing a high-resolution triple axis spectrometer.
High-dose immune suppression and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in refractory Crohn disease

Two patients with severe Crohn disease, defined by a Crohn Disease Activity Index (CDAI) higher than 250 despite anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), were treated by intense immune suppression and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Stem cells were mobilized from the peripheral blood using cyclophosphamide (2.0 g/m2) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 5 micro g/kg/d), enriched ex vivo by CD34+ selection, and reinfused after immune conditioning with cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) and equine anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG; 90 mg/kg). Patients have remained in remission (CDAI < 100) for 1 year since HSCT. We conclude that further HSCT studies for severe Crohn disease appear warranted.
Modification of the radiation response by the administration of exogenous genes

Gene therapy combined with radiotherapy represents a new approach for cancer treatment to selectively radiosensitize malignant cells or protect normal tissues. Examples of gene therapy strategies that modify the biological response to radiation include cytokinemediated gene therapy and virally directed enzyme/prodrug therapy (VDEPT). We have proposed the concept of gene therapy targeted by ionizing radiation, whereby a cDNA encoding a cytotoxin or an immunogenic protein that modifies the cellular radiation response is ligated downstream from a radiation inducible promoter. Protein is thus induced in response to irradiation. In this way, radiation acts as a molecular switch to activate transcription of a therapeutic gene. VDEPT incorporates a viral vector system to deliver a gene encoding a pro-drug activating enzyme to malignant cells. After intracellular expression of the enzyme, a nontoxic prodrug is converted to an active compound to selectively sensitize tumor cells to radiation. We will review current concepts of gene therapy and the studies that show its potential efficacy in the modification of radiation response.
Toughening behavior of ferroelectric ceramics under different poling directions

Mode I steady crack growth is analyzed to determine the toughening due to domain switching in poled ferroelectric ceramics. A multi-axial, electromechanically coupled, incremental constitutive theory is applied to model the material behavior of the ferroelectric ceramic. The constitutive law is then implemented within the finite element method to study steady crack growth. The effects of poling direction, either out of plane or in plane, and poling magnitude on the fracture toughness are investigated. Results for the predicted fracture toughness, remanent strain and remanent polarization distributions, and domain switching zone shapes and sizes are presented. Finally, the model predictions are discussed in comparison to experimental observations.
Purification and partial characterization of a putative thymidylate synthase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

A protein catalyzing the tritium exchange of [5-3H]deoxyuridine monophosphate ([5-3H]dUMP) for solvent protons and the dehalogenation of 5-bromo-deoxyuridine monophosphate (Br-dUMP) has been isolated from the methanogenic archaea Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. These two activities are well-established side reactions of thymidylate synthase and do not require cofactors. Sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme showed a single band with a molecular mass of 27 kDa. The suggested molecular mass of the native protein calculated from sedimentation equilibrium experiments was 33.5 kDa, indicating that the enzyme is a monomer. The pH optima were 9.0 and 7.0 for the exchange reaction and the dehalogenation, respectively. The effects of temperature, salt, reducing agent and inhibitors were determined. The apparent Km for the tritium exchange from [5-3H]dUMP was 7 μM and for the dehalogenation of Br-dUMP was 14 μM. However, thus far, the conditions for dTMP synthesis from dUMP have not yet been established. Incubation of the enzyme with dUMP, tetrahydromethanopterin, a folate analog present in methanogens, and formaldehyde did not yield dTMP. The first 30 amino acids of the amino terminus have been sequenced. However, there is no similarity with any of the thymidylate synthases. Surprisingly, the protein from M. thermoautotrophicum appears to be related to chitin synthases from several organisms.
Clinical Manifestations of Nutrient Deficiency

Background: Clinical manifestations of nutrient deficiencies are often overlooked by practitioners caring for patients receiving home nutritional therapies. Methods: Literature review was conducted placing priority on identifying practical history and physical examination elements that may represent clinical manifestations of nutrient deficiency. Results: Summary tables are presented that highlight key history and physical examination elements. Conclusions: Appropriate care of the patient receiving home enteral or parenteral nutrition therapies requires routine surveillance of these elements.
Problems and possibilities: The US academic profession

ABSTRACT The US professoriate is a large and differentiated group, numbering some 600,000 in more than 3000 colleges and universities. The profession is organized hierarchically, with scholars at the top 100 research-oriented universities wielding the most influence. Yet, faculty members at liberal arts college, comprehensive universities and the more than 25% of the profession who teach in the 2-year community college sector also constitute important segments of US academia. The academic profession faces difficult and, in some ways, unprecedented challenges in the final years of the century. Cutbacks in resources have been combined with steady or increasing enrollments. Research funds are more difficult to obtain. There are efforts to redefine the role of the professor and to place more emphasis on teaching and less on research. Despite these pressures, however, the US academic profession remains quite stable. The tenure system is firmly established and academic freedom is not in jeopardy. Yet, around th...
Comparison of the antitumor activity of bryostatins 1, 5, and 8

Bryostatin 1, a macrocyclic natural lactone isolated from a marine Bryozoan, has undergone phase I testing in humans. Side effects of treatment have included muscle pain and joint aches, a transient decrease in platelets, and the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and IL-6 into the blood stream. In animals, anticancer activity has been demonstrated against murine leukemias, lymphomas, melanomas, and sarcomas. The mechanism of action of this compound depends in part on its ability to activate protein kinase C. To determine the biologic activity and toxicity of other members of the family of bryostatin compounds, we studied the ability of bryostatins 5 and 8 to inhibit the growth of murine melanoma K1735-M2. Bryostatins 1, 5, and 8 induced equivalent inhibition of melanoma growth, but bryostatins 5 and 8 induced less weight loss than bryostatin 1 (P<0.001). Neither the injection of an antimurine TNFα antibody nor an adenovirus, which produces a mutated TNF receptor inhibiting TNFα activity, into mice had any effect on either bryostatin-induced weight loss or melanoma tumor growth inhibition. Using a novel competition assay, the levels of bryostatin in the plasma were measured. The approximate half-life (t1/2) of bryostatin was 8.62 min, the clearance (Cl) 3.53 ml/min and the AUC 322.20 nmol/l min. A similar result was obtained with each bryostatin analog. These results suggest that human testing of additional bryostatin analogs may yield compounds with similar antitumor activity but decreased side effects. A novel assay to measure the level of all bryostatins in the plasma of patients undergoing treatment is described.
Topical cyclosporine A inhibits the phorbol ester induced hyperplastic inflammatory response but not protein kinase C activation in mouse epidermis.

Abstract Cyclosporine A (CsA) is efficacious in the treatment of psoriasis. Although CsA is known to inhibit T-lymphocyte proliferation in vitro, whether this is its mode of action in psoriasis is uncertain. 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induces an inflammatory, hyperplastic response in mouse skin, with many of the biochemical and histologic aberrations that occur in psoriatic epidermis. Protein kinase C is the major cellular phorbol ester receptor, and most responses of cells to TPA are mediated by PK-C, which is directly activated by TPA. We therefore have investigated the effects of CsA on pleiotypic responses induced by TPA and whether CsA acts in vivo as a direct inhibitor of PK-C. Simultaneous application of CsA (1.7 μmol) and TPA (10 nmol) to mouse skin significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and increased epidermal thickness induced by TPA treatment alone. CsA had to be applied within 30 min of TPA application in order to have a significant inhibitory effect. Optimal doses of CsA inhibited TPA-induced ODC activity, TGase activity, arachidonic acid release, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mRNA to the same degree (approximately 80%), despite measurement at widely different times (30 min-12 h) required to obtain maximal induction by TPA. CsA did not, however, directly inhibit activation of PK-C by TPA. These data demonstrate that CsA blocks the pleiotypic responses of mouse skin to TPA treatment involving biochemical events, inflammatory cell infiltration, and epidermal hyperplasia. The molecular site(s) of action of CsA appears to be distal to the initial activation of PK-C by TPA and clearly inhibits PK-C inducible events. Furthermore, the above data suggest that CsA may directly affect keratinocytes in vivo.
Effects of Affective Orientation and Video Game Play on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors

This study examined the effects of playing a violent video game on aggressive thoughts and behaviors and the moderating role of affective orientation in the violent video game–aggression relationship. Approximately 2 weeks after having their affective orientation measured, 59 participants (plus 5 additional participants) played a violent or nonviolent video game for 10 minutes. Participants then performed a word completion task and judged the researcher's competence, courtesy, and deservedness of financial support. Results show that participants who played the violent video game rated the researcher as less courteous and less deserving of financial support than did participants who played the nonviolent video game, and affective orientation and video game condition interacted to predict evaluations of courtesy and deservedness of financial support.
Bounds on time-correlation functions via the infinite-order maclaurin expansion

Abstract An infinite-order partial summation of Maclaunn's expansion for the classical equilibrium time-autocorrelation function (TACF) provides readily calculable bounds on the TACF.