cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by the ER- α variant, ERΔ3

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis in estrogen responsive tissues. Estrogen receptors alpha and beta regulate production of VEGF in both breast and endometrial cancer cells. Alternative splicing of ER-alpha mRNA generates a mixture of transcripts with various exon deletions in normal breast and breast cancer cells and some of these variants are overexpressed in breast cancer. We analyzed the role of exon-deleted variants of ER-alpha in regulation of VEGF production by simultaneous transient transfection of CHO and MDA-MB-231 cells with a VEGF promoter luciferase construct. Estrogen (10 nM) treatment resulted in a 6-fold increase in luciferase activity in cells transfected with the exon 3 deleted variant (ERDelta3) compared to a 2-fold activity induction in cells transfected with wild type ER-alpha. Exon 5 and exon 7 deleted variants were unable to induce activation of the VEGF promoter. Using specific deletion constructs of the VEGF promoter linked to luciferase, we showed that the majority of activation by ERDelta3 was restricted to the -70 to -88 bp fragment that contains two Sp1 sites. Site-directed mutagenesis of both Sp1 sites indicated that ERDelta3 activates the VEGF promoter through interaction with Sp1 proteins. ERDelta3, a variant frequently overexpressed in breast cancer, may significantly contribute to the production of VEGF thus resulting in enhanced tumor growth in vivo.
Sandwich module prototype progress for space solar power

Abstract Space solar power (SSP) has been broadly defined as the collection of solar energy in space and its wireless transmission for use on earth. This approach potentially gives the benefit of provision of baseload power while avoiding the losses due to the day/night cycle and tropospheric effects that are associated with terrestrial solar power. Proponents have contended that the implementation of such systems could offer energy security, environmental, and technological advantages to those who would undertake their development. Among recent implementations commonly proposed for SSP, the modular symmetrical concentrator (MSC) and other modular concepts have received considerable attention. Each employs an array of modules for performing conversion of concentrated sunlight into microwaves or laser beams for transmission to earth. While prototypes of such modules have been designed and developed previously by several groups, none have been subjected to the challenging conditions inherent to the space environment and the possible solar concentration levels in which an array of modules might be required to operate. The research described herein details our team's efforts in the development of photovoltaic arrays, power electronics, microwave conversion electronics, and antennas for microwave-based “sandwich” module prototypes. The implementation status and testing results of the prototypes are reviewed.
Studies on opponent status and steroid mediation of aggression in female mice.

The first experiment explored the effects of testosterone or estradiol-17 β on the aggressive behavior of adult female mice paired against olfactory bulbectomized male opponents. Ovariectomized females implanted with Silastic capsules containing testosterone repeatedly attacked their opponents, but females implanted with estradiol remained nonaggressive. In a second experiment, females implanted with testosterone were highly aggressive toward intact male opponents. These females were less aggressive toward intact females, but they did not distinguish behaviorally between male and female opponents as distinctly as intact males did. This suggests that androgen-treated females are less responsive than are males to “aggression-inhibiting” stimuli from female opponents.
Top quarks and electroweak symmetry breaking in little Higgs models

Little Higgs models, in which the Higgs particle arises as a pseudo-Goldstone boson, have a natural mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking associated with the large value of the top quark Yukawa coupling. The mechanism typically involves a new heavy SU(2){sub L} singlet top quark, T. We discuss the relationship of the Higgs boson and the two top quarks. We suggest experimental tests of the Little Higgs mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking using the production and decay of the T at the Large Hadron Collider.
SMARTS: exploiting temporal locality and parallelism through vertical execution

In the solution of large-scale numerical prob- lems, parallel computing is becoming simultaneously more important and more difficult. The complex organization of today's multiprocessors with several memory hierarchies has forced the scientific programmer to make a choice between simple but unscalable code and scalable but extremely com- plex code that does not port to other architectures. This paper describes how the SMARTS runtime system and the POOMA C++ class library for high-performance scientific computing work together to exploit data parallelism in scientific applications while hiding the details of manag- ing parallelism and data locality from the user. We present innovative algorithms, based on the macro -dataflow model, for detecting data parallelism and efficiently executing data- parallel statements on shared-memory multiprocessors. We also desclibe how these algorithms can be implemented on clusters of SMPS.
A description of the Rubisco large subunit gene and its transcript in Olisthodiscus luteus

The nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequence of the Rubisco large subunit gene (rbcL) from the chromophytic (chlorophyll a,ccontaining) alga Olisthodiscus luteus I is presented in Fig. 1. The gene is 1467 nucleotides long and encodes a protein of 489 amino acids. An intergenic spacer of 54 nucleotides separates the rbcL open reading frame from that of rbcS [3]. The sequence G G A G G (located ten nucleotides upstream from the rbcL initiating methionine codon) is complementary to a region at the 3' terminus of the O. luteus 16S rRNA, and may thus serve as a ribosome-binding site. Sequence alignment and a phylogenetic analysis of O. luteus rbcL indicate that this gene, like rbcS [3, 7], is most closely related to the chemoautotrophic purple bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus (Delaney, Hardison and Cattolico, in preparation). Five regions of the Rubisco large subunit protein have been identified in Rhodospirillum rubrum, Chlamydomonas, and spinach that are involved in maintaining enzyme conformation or in catalysis. In a broad spectrum of evolutionarily divergent species, including O. luteus, there is extensive sequence similarity within the five regions (Fig. 1, underlined). However, when deviations from the consensus sequence occur in these regions, O. luteus shows identity with Alcaligenes eutrophus and non-chlorophyll b-containing algae (Delaney et al., in preparation). An interesting divergence in amino acid sequence in O. luteus occurs at residues 334 and 345, which flank the conserved region 336-341. In chlorophytic plants, the amino acids at the equivalent sites (residues 331 and 342) are valine and threonine. This pair of residues forms van der Waal's contact and is thought to affect the positioning of a catalytically essential lysine residue (G. Lorimer, personal communication). A Chlamydomonas mutant in which alanine replaced valine at position 331 has a specificity factor (ratio of carboxylase to oxygenase activity) reduced by 37~o [4]. This defect was partially suppressed by a compensating mutation changing threonine 342 to an isoleucine residue. It is speculated [4] that this double mutation restores the amino acid interactions found in wild type. While the rbcL proteins of all organisms examined except
The hyperspherical-harmonics expansion method and the integral-equation approach to solving the few-body problem in momentum space

The Faddeev and Faddeev-Yakubovsky equations for three- and four-body systems are solved by applying the hyperspherical-harmonics expansion to them in momentum space. This coupling of two popular approaches to the few-body problem together with the use of the so-called Raynal-Revai transformation, which relates hyperspherical functions, allows the few-body equations to be written as one-dimensional coupled integral equations. Numerical solutions for these are achieved through standard matrix methods; these are made straightforward, because a second transformation renders potential multipoles easily calculable. For sample potentials and a restricted size of matrix in each case, the binding energies extracted match those previously obtained in solving the Schrodinger equation through the hyperspherical-harmonics expansion in coordinate space.
UNIQUE INFORMATION CONTRIBUTED BY MULTISPECIES SYSTEMS: EXAMPLES FROM THE STANDARDIZED AQUATIC MICROCOSM

Single-species toxicity tests are inadequate to predict the effects of chemicals in ecological communities although they provide data on the relative toxicity of different chemicals, and on the relative sensitivity of different organisms. Only multispecies studies can provide demonstrations of: (1) indirect trophic-level effects, including increased abundances of species via increased food supply through reduced competition or reduced predation; (2) compensatory shifts within a trophic level; (3) responses to chemicals within the context of seasonal patterns that modify water chemistry and birth and death rates of populations; (4) chemical transformations by some organisms having effects on other organisms; and (5) persistence of parent and transformation products. Multispecies laboratory studies, such as the Standardized Aquatic Microcosm, have much to offer, with advantages of statistical power, speed of analyses, demonstrated reproducibility among laboratories, and modest expense (compared to field stu...
Central projections of peripheral mechanosensory cells with increased excitability in Drosophila mosaics.

The formation and maintenance of the central projections of identified bristle mechanosensory neurons with altered excitability were examined in Drosophila mosaics. Two mutants, eag (ether a go-go) and Sh (Shaker), are known to increase excitability of both nerve and muscle cells and enhance synaptic transmission by affecting different types of K+ currents. The eag Sh double mutant produces a synergistic effect, resulting in a greatly increased level of spontaneous neuronal activity and extreme behavioral phenotypes. By constructing mosaic flies containing small patches of doubly mutant cuticle, it was possible to alter the excitability of only one or two identified sensory cells without affecting the surrounding tissue. In these mosaic flies, the doubly mutant sensory cells were more responsive to tactile stimulation. A CoCl2 backfilling technique was utilized in staining the sensory cell projections. Both qualitative and quantitative comparisons were made between projections of cells having normal and increased levels of excitability. The length, branching characteristics, and number of terminal varicosities were analyzed for each sensory cell projection. Results indicate that, at the light microscopy level, these characteristics were not obviously altered by an increased level of excitability.
High Frequency ZnO Thin Film Transistors

Thin film transistors (TFT) are the essential elements of flat panel display electronics. The current technology for this application based on amorphous or polycrystalline Si films has speed limitations due to low mobility of such films. As the demand for higher speed electronics increase with display size and complexity, alternative technologies are being developed based on heavy metal oxide compounds such as ZnO. The increased mobility offered by this technology together with its robustness to environmental conditions, make it a suitable candidate for future applications.
A phased approach to policy-based Spectrum operations

The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently engaged in a broad set of research and development efforts relating to the technical, operational, regulatory, and standardization of Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) capabilities for mission related applications. DoD is converging on the use of a policy-based management approach as the fundamental source of situational awareness for DSA radios to base their transmission decisions. Digital Spectrum Policy (DSP) can represent something as simple as a frequency assignment, all the way to a complex policy which describes conditions for advanced sharing scenarios. This paper investigates the role of Policy Based Spectrum Management (PBSM) in the DoD's spectrum management transformation. It looks at the current spectrum management lifecycle activities which guide joint task force (JTF) operations in the electromagnetic battlespace (EMB). As the use of Policy-Based Spectrum Dependent Systems (SDSs) extends across the JTF, the impact of PBSM will be felt across the different activities in the spectrum management lifecycle. Viewed from this perspective, a phased introduction of PBSM is expected to take place as policy-based SDS technology matures and is deployed.
The electrocardiogram in the contracted type of primary endocardial fibroelastosis

Abstract Two newborn infants with the contracted type of primary endocardial fibroelastosis of the left ventricle are presented. At necropsy, both had marked hypertrophy of the left ventricle and normal-sized left ventricular cavities lined with sclerotic endocardium. One patient had partial overgrowth of the aortic orifice by this sclerotic tissue and showed left ventricular hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram. The sclerotic process partially obstructed the mitral orifice in the second patient, contributing to electrocardiographic findings of right ventricular hypertrophy.
A study of the 16O(3He, n) and 12C(3He, n) stripping reactions and a comparison of analogous (3He, n), (3He, p) and (t, p) transitions

Abstract The 16O(3He, n) and 12C(3He, n) reactions were studied at incident energies between 9 and 13.5 MeV using a time-of-flight neutron spectrometer. Neutron angular distributions were obtained at several different bombarding energies from both reactions, and fitted with DWBA calculations. The intensities and shapes of the angular distributions of analogue (t, p), (3He, p) and (3He, n) transitions are compared with DWBA predictions. With a few exceptions, the theory is able to reproduce the shapes of the angular distributions fairly well and gives relative strengths to ±25 %. Excited states of 18Ne were observed at 1.89, 3.38, 3.56, 3.61, 4.51, 4.57 and 5.14 MeV. Spins and parities of 2+, 4+, (0+) and 2+ were found for the first four excited states.
Use of the lambda Red recombinase system to rapidly generate mutants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The Red recombinase system of bacteriophage lambda has been used to inactivate chromosomal genes in various bacteria and fungi. The procedure consists of electroporating a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragment that was obtained with a 1- or 3-step PCR protocol and that carries an antibiotic cassette flanked by a region homologous to the target locus into a strain that expresses the lambda Red recombination system. This system has been modified for use in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Chromosomal DNA deletions of single genes were generated using 3-step PCR products containing flanking regions 400–600 nucleotides (nt) in length that are homologous to the target sequence. A 1-step PCR product with a homologous extension flanking region of only 100 nt was in some cases sufficient to obtain the desired mutant. We further showed that the P. aeruginosa strain PA14 non-redundant transposon library can be used in conjunction with the lambda Red technique to rapidly generate large chromosomal deletions or transfer mutated genes into various PA14 isogenic mutants to create multi-locus knockout mutants. The lambda Red-based technique can be used efficiently to generate mutants in P. aeruginosa. The main advantage of this procedure is its rapidity as mutants can be easily obtained in less than a week if the 3-step PCR procedure is used, or in less than three days if the mutation needs to be transferred from one strain to another.
Physical activity during pregnancy is associated with reduced fasting insulin-the Pilot Pregnancy and Active Living Study

Objective. To examine the relationship between physical activity during pregnancy and fasting plasma insulin measured in the second trimester.Study design and methods. We conducted a pilot prospective cohort study of 69 overweight or obese women who were enrolled before 20 weeks of gestation at an obstetric clinic in Columbia, South Carolina in 2006–2007. At 24–28 weeks of gestation, fasting blood samples were collected and physical activity from the 3 months prior to the visit was assessed using a validated Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire.Results. Total energy expenditure (EE) in this population was attributable to sedentary activities (24.4%) and to physical activities of different intensities (light: 44.8%, moderate: 30.2%, and vigorous: 0.6%). By type, total EE mainly came from household/caregiving activities (58.9%) with a small proportion from exercise (3.8%). After adjusting for confounders, the mean fasting insulin values across the quartiles of total EE (least to most) were 17.3, 13.0, ...
Eosinophilic gastritis in children: clinicopathological correlation, disease course, and response to therapy.

Eosinophilic Gastritis in Children: Clinicopathological Correlation, Disease Course, and Response to Therapy
Congruence lower semimodularity and 2-finiteness imply congruence modularity

We show that any congruence lower semimodular variety whose 2-generated free algebra is finite must be congruence modular.
Home Birth—A Manifestation of Aggression?

An increasing number of women today are choosing to have their babies at home. Health professionals concerned about the welfare of both mother and baby sometime tend to respond to these mothers by lecturing rather than listening. This tends to block communication. As a result, women become frustrated and often leave the health care system. This paper attempts to understand the behavior of women who seek a home birth and hypothesizes that these women are responding in a normal, healthy manner to threats imposed by present maternity care. Viewing women who seek home birth from this perspective would tend to facilitate communication. Through open communication the home birth option can be viewed not us a movement or fad, but as a growth period for women and maternity care.
Advances in targeting cell surface signalling molecules for immune modulation

The past decade has witnessed a surge in the development of immunomodulatory approaches to combat a broad range of human diseases, including cancer, viral infections, autoimmunity and inflammation as well as in the prevention of transplant rejection. Immunomodulatory approaches mostly involve the use of monoclonal antibodies or recombinant fusion proteins that target cell surface signalling molecules on immune cells to drive immune responses towards the desired direction. Advances in our understanding of the human immune system, along with valuable lessons learned from the first generation of therapeutic biologics, are aiding the design of the next generation of immunomodulatory biologics with better therapeutic efficacy, minimized adverse effects and long-lasting clinical benefit. The recent encouraging results from antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) and B7 homolog 1 (B7H1; also known as PDL1) for the treatment of various advanced human cancers show that immunomodulatory therapy has come of age.
Molecular characterization and post-transcriptional regulation of ME1, a type-I ribosome-inactivating protein from Mirabilis expansa

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are N-glycosidases that remove a specific adenine from the sarcin/ricin (S/R) loop of the large rRNA, thus arresting protein synthesis at the translocation step. In the present study, ME1, a type-1 RIP, was cloned and sequenced from storage roots of Mirabilis expansa (Ruiz & Pavon). The full-length cDNA sequence of ME1 has 1,129 nucleotides with an open reading frame of 951 nucleotides representing 317 amino acids. Nucleotide analysis revealed that the N-terminal region of ME1 was cleaved, and the mature protein started at amino acid 34. ME1 showed very close similarities to MAP and MAP-4 from Mirabilis jalapa. Southern blot analysis revealed the presence of two homologous genes for ME1 cDNA in M. expansa. Northern blot analysis showed high levels of ME1 transcripts in primary and storage roots. Interestingly, jasmonic acid induced ME1 transcript expression in cell suspension cultures of M. expansa; however, the production of ME1 protein was not enhanced as observed by Western blot analysis. Our data suggest that ME1 has the ability to depurinate its own mRNA, thus inhibiting its translation. These observations suggest a possible mechanism by which ME1 protein levels are post-transcriptionally regulated.
Exogenous Glucose–Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Worsens Post prandial Hyperglycemia in T ype 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), unlike glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, lacks glucose-lowering properties in patients with type 2 diabetes. We designed this study to elucidate the underlying pathophysiology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twenty-two insulin-naive subjects with type 2 diabetes were given either synthetic human GIP (20 ng · kg −1 · min −1 ) or placebo (normal saline) over 180 min, starting with the first bite of a mixed meal (plus 1 g of acetaminophen) on two separate occasions. Frequent blood samples were obtained over 6 h to determine plasma GIP, GLP-1, glucose, insulin, glucagon, resistin, and acetaminophen levels. RESULTS Compared with placebo, GIP induced an early postprandial increase in insulin levels. Intriguingly, GIP also induced an early postprandial augmentation in glucagon, a significant elevation in late postprandial glucose, and a decrease in late postprandial GLP-1 levels. Resistin and acetaminophen levels were comparable in both interventions. By immunocytochemistry, GIP receptors were present on human and mouse α-cells. In αTC1 cell line, GIP induced an increase in intracellular cAMP and glucagon secretion. CONCLUSIONS GIP, given to achieve supraphysiological plasma levels, still had an early, short-lived insulinotropic effect in type 2 diabetes. However, with a concomitant increase in glucagon, the glucose-lowering effect was lost. GIP infusion further worsened hyperglycemia postprandially, most likely through its suppressive effect on GLP-1. These findings make it unlikely that GIP or GIP receptor agonists will be useful in treating the hyperglycemia of patients with type 2 diabetes.
RAD54 controls access to the invading 3′-OH end after RAD51-mediated DNA strand invasion in homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Rad51 is a key protein in homologous recombination performing homology search and DNA strand invasion. After DNA strand exchange Rad51 protein is stuck on the double-stranded heteroduplex DNA product of DNA strand invasion. This is a problem, because DNA polymerase requires access to the invading 3'-OH end to initiate DNA synthesis. Here we show that, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae dsDNA motor protein Rad54 solves this problem by dissociating yeast Rad51 protein bound to the heteroduplex DNA after DNA strand invasion. The reaction required species-specific interaction between both proteins and the ATPase activity of Rad54 protein. This mechanism rationalizes the in vivo requirement of Rad54 protein for the turnover of Rad51 foci and explains the observed dependence of the transition from homologous pairing to DNA synthesis on Rad54 protein in vegetative and meiotic yeast cells.
Shrub species as indicators of wetland sedimentation

Shrub cover was quantified by species for a 1.9-ha shrub carr adjacent to White Clay Lake near Shawano, WI, USA and related to soil properties and sedimentation rates. Principal components analysis of soil characteristics distinguished two distinct groups: alluvial surface soils having organic matter contents less than 30 g/100g and histic surface soils having organic matter contents averaging 56 g/100g. The alluvial surface soils were on slightly elevated natural levees along a relict stream bed that had received 1.3 cm/yr of silty sediments from agricultural runoff. Alluvial surface soils had twice the bulk density and organic P concentrations, nearly three times the reactive P, and 4.5 times the NO 3 -N concentrations of histic surface soils. Total shrub cover and shrub overlap was significantly greater on the alluvial surface soils, but there was no difference between the two soil groups in proportion of open space, suggesting that the increased total shrub cover on alluvial surface soils was due to increased shrub layering rather than infilling of canopy gaps. Shrub diversity was greater on the alluvial surface soils: average shrub species richness per 30.5 m line segment was five species on alluvial surface soils as opposed to three species on histic surface soils. Four willow species were strongly associated with the alluvial surface soils and may serve as indicators of sediment deposition: Salix discolor, S. eriocephala, S. interior, and S. lucida. The most common shrub species present, Cornus sericea spp. sericea and Salix petiolaris, were poor indicators of soil conditions within the wetland.
Does Foraging Activity Affect Foraging Success in the Western Harvester Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)?

Foraging behavior has been extensively studied in harvester ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae); however, there is little information about the determinants of foraging success. We developed a path analysis model to quantify the functional relationships among the components of foraging at the colony level (onset, duration, number of foragers) and foraging success. Variation in the onset of foraging among colonies directly influences the amount of time a colony has available for foraging, and contributes substantially to the total biomass of food retrieved. This difference in foraging effort provides a causal explanation for previously observed differences in colony growth rates.
Effects of Microstructure on the Erosion of WC-Co Alloys

The erosion of materials is recognized to be a serious problem in coal conversion plants, being responsible for approximately 21% of all component failures reported as of April 6, 1979, according to the National Bureau of Standards Failure Information Center summary report.1 The components which have been especially plagued by erosion problems are the control and let-down valves2,3 and slurry feed pumps.3
Establishment and comparison of delayed-type hypersensitivity models in the B₆C₃F₁ mouse.

The objective of these studies was to establish and compare delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) models, using keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), sheep red blood cells (SRBC), and Candida albicans as sensitizing antigens, for their capability to assess a DTH response (utilizing footpad swelling as the endpoint) with minimal confounding factors resulting from antigen-specific antibody (Ab) production. The key elements of the DTH are the sensitization dose, time interval between sensitization and challenge [i.e. the challenge interval (CI)], and the challenge dose. Models were established by first determining the challenge dose, or the amount of antigen that produced no greater footpad swelling 24-h post-injection than the trauma induced by injection of physiological saline. Time-course studies determined the CI that produced a peak response for each antigen. Dose-response sensitization studies were conducted to determine the optimum sensitization concentration (i.e. maximum footpad swelling with minimal impact by antigen-specific Ab production). Footpad swelling decreased dose-responsively with increasing KLH sensitization concentration and corresponded to a dose-responsive increase in KLH-specific Ab levels. In the SRBC model, footpad swelling decreased at the high dose (1 x 10⁹ SRBC/mouse), and a corresponding increase in SRBC-specific Ab was observed at this dose level. A dose-responsive increase in footpad swelling was observed in the C. albicans model up to 3 x 10⁷ organisms/mouse, while antigen-specific antibody levels were not different from background (unsensitized) levels following sensitization with any concentration of C. albicans (up to 1.2 x 10⁸ organisms/mouse, the highest concentration tested). Finally, each model was evaluated for its ability to detect immunosuppression following exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), with the C. albicans model demonstrating greater sensitivity than the other models. These results indicate that, of the three models examined here, the C. albicans DTH model may be the most appropriate model for evaluating effects on cell-mediated immunity when conducting immunotoxicological investigations.
Calculating the Dim Light Melatonin Onset: The Impact of Threshold and Sampling Rate

The dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) is the most reliable circadian phase marker in humans, but the cost of assaying samples is relatively high. Therefore, the authors examined differences between DLMOs calculated from hourly versus half-hourly sampling and differences between DLMOs calculated with two recommended thresholds (a fixed threshold of 3 pg/mL and a variable “3k” threshold equal to the mean plus two standard deviations of the first three low daytime points). The authors calculated these DLMOs from salivary dim light melatonin profiles collected from 122 individuals (64 women) at baseline. DLMOs derived from hourly sampling occurred on average only 6–8 min earlier than the DLMOs derived from half-hourly saliva sampling, and they were highly correlated with each other (r ≥ 0.89, p 30 min from the DLMO derived from half-hourly sampling. The 3 pg/mL threshold produced significantly less variable DLMOs than the 3k thr...
The Probability of Causation: An Approach to the Problem of Toxic Torts, Especially with Respect to Exposures to Ionizing Radiation

During the past several years an important issue has arisen with respect to claims that exposure to ionizing radiation has, in individual cases, caused subsequent cancer. Such allegations are made in connection with suits for damages under what the lawyers in the United States, and I believe in Britain also, call “tort law”. Typically in such a case leukemia or other cancer has been diagnosed and a previous exposure to ionizing radiation can be more or less well documented. Over a thousand such suits have been filed against the government of the United States by persons who allege cancer caused by exposure to fallout from weapons tests at the Nevada test site during the 1950’s and who were then resident in the southwestern part of Utah or northern Arizona or southeastern Nevada. Other cases involve employees of national laboratories and of nuclear power plants. There is at least one case in which it is claimed that the cause of the cancer was exposure to releases from the nuclear electric generating plant at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.
Pathophysiology of the Rhesus Macaque Model for Inhalational Brucellosis

The objective of this study was to characterize the rhesus macaque (RM) as a model for inhalational brucellosis in support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Animal Rule. The pathophysiology of chronic Brucella melitensis aerosol infection was monitored in two phases that each occurred over an 8-week time period; dose escalation (8 RMs; targeted doses of 5.0E+03, 5.0E+04, or 5.0E+05 CFU/animal or the unchallenged control) and natural history (12 RMs; targeted dose of 2.50E+05 CFU/animal or the unchallenged control). RMs given an aerosol challenge with B. melitensis developed undulating fevers (6/6 phase I; 8/9 phase II), positive enriched blood cultures (5/10; phase II), and bacterial burdens in tissues starting 14 to 21 days postchallenge (6/6 phase I; 10/10 phase II). In addition, 80% (8/10; phase II) of infected RMs seroconverted 14 to 21 days postchallenge. RMs developed elevations in certain liver enzymes and had an increased inflammatory response by 3 weeks postchallenge as shown by increases in C-reactive protein (6/8) and neopterin (4/8), which correlated with the onset of a fever. As early as 14 days postchallenge, positive liver biopsy specimens were detected (2/8), and ultrasound imaging showed the development of splenomegaly. Finally, histopathologic examination found lesions attributed to Brucella infection in the liver, kidney, lung, and/or spleen of all animals. The disease progression observed with the RMs in this study is analogous to human brucellosis pathophysiology. Thus, the results from this study support the use of the RM as an animal model for inhalational brucellosis to evaluate the efficacy of novel vaccines and therapeutics against B. melitensis.
Assessment of Diversity in Claviceps africana and Other Claviceps Species by RAM and AFLP Analyses.

ABSTRACT Genetic diversity among isolates of Claviceps africana, the sorghum ergot pathogen, and isolates of other Claviceps spp. causing ergot on sorghum or other hosts, was analyzed by random amplified microsatellite (RAM) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. Of the RAM primer sets tested, one revealed polymorphism in C. africana isolates, with Australian and Indian isolates possessing a unique fragment. AFLP analysis, in addition to clearly distinguishing Claviceps spp., revealed polymorphisms in C. africana. A group of isolates from the United States, Puerto Rico, and South Africa exhibited 95 to 100% similarity with one another. Several isolates from Isabela, Puerto Rico were 100% similar to an isolate from Texas, and another isolate from Puerto Rico was identical with one from Nebraska. Australian and Indian isolates showed greater than 90% similarity with isolates from the United States., Puerto Rico, and South Africa. A number of polymorphisms existed in the United States gr...
Use of time series SAR data to resolve ice type ambiguities in newly-opened leads

The backscatter signature of sea ice in newly-opened leads frequently overlaps with that of older and thicker ice types. This phenomenon limits the accuracy of backscatter based ice type classification in single date SAR images. The authors use ice motion data derived from successive SAR observations to identify areas of recent openings in the winter sea ice cover. With the assumption that the backscatter of a new lead adds to a nominally invariant backscatter histogram, one can calculate the area of new ice which has been created and record the temporal evolution of backscatter of the new ice. This temporal signature is related to atmospheric conditions during the rapid growth phase of the new ice. They illustrate the use of time series information with ERS-1 SAR data from the Alaska SAR Facility. >
Behavioral Effects of Alcohol in Sons of Alcoholics

This paper describes a search for genetically mediated biological factors that contribute to a predisposition toward alcoholism. Healthy, nonalcoholic, drinking men aged 21 to 25 who have a close alcoholic relative were selected as the family history positive (FHP) or higher risk subjects and matched with lower risk controls (family history negative, or FHN) on demography, drinking and smoking history, and height to weight ratio. Comparisons of this higher and lower risk population revealed no significant differences in selected personality attributes, and an alcohol challenge resulted in identical patterns of blood alcohol over time. However, the FHP men developed higher levels of the first breakdown product of ethanol, acetaldehyde, after drinking, demonstrated a less intense intoxication than the FHN controls despite identical blood alcohol concentrations, and tended to show a lower amplitude of a positive brain wave sent at about 300 msec in an event-related potential paradigm. These results may be clues to help investigators identify genetic markers of a predisposition toward alcoholism.
A Preliminary Study of Crossflow Transition on a Swept Wing by Spatial Direct Numerical Simulation

Crossflow instabilities in a laminar boundary layer on a swept wing are computed by spatial direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. For this initial investigation, a parallel mean flow of the Falkner-Skan-Cooke type is used. A disturbance is forced at the inflow of the computational domain by prescribing profiles obtained from linear stability theory. The disturbance amplitude and phase computed from the simulation are shown to be in good agreement with linear stability theory.
Tracking the direction of arrival of multiple moving targets

The authors focus on the problem of tracking the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of multiple moving targets. The targets are assumed to be moving with constant accelerations subject to minor random perturbations and emitting narrow band signals that impinge on an array of passive sensors. Estimates of the DOA vector of the targets are obtained from the sensor data based on the maximum likelihood (ML) principle in such a way that the association between the estimates made at different time points is maintained. At each stage, the current ML estimates of DOA are treated as measurements and refined via a Kalman filter; tracking is accomplished without the need to perform unduly heavy computations. An efficient strategy for dealing with closely spaced targets is also presented. Finally, the performance of the tracking algorithm is illustrated via computer simulations. >
Drought-induced vegetation stress in southwestern North America

Trends towards earlier greenup and increased average greenness have been widely reported in both humid and dry ecosystems. By analyzing NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) data from 1982 to 2007, we report complex trends in both the growing season amplitude and seasonally integrated vegetation greenness in southwestern North America and further highlight regions consistently experiencing drought stress. In particular, greenness measurements from 1982 to 2007 show an increasing trend in grasslands but a decreasing trend in shrublands. However, vegetation greenness in this period has experienced a strong cycle, increasing from 1982 to 1993 but decreasing from 1993 to 2007. The significant decrease during the last decade has reduced vegetation greenness by 6% in shrublands and 13% in grasslands (16% and 21%, respectively, in the severe drought years). The greenness cycle correlates to both annual precipitation and dry season length derived from NOAA North America Regional Reanalysis data. If drought events continue as predicted by climate models, they will exacerbate ecosystem degradation and reduce carbon uptake.
POPULATION SIZE AND TREND OF YELLOW-BILLED LOONS IN NORTHERN ALASKA

Abstract The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is of conservation concern due to its restricted range, small population size, specific habitat requirements, and perceived threats to its breeding and wintering habitat. Within the U.S., this species breeds almost entirely within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, nearly all of which is open, or proposed to be opened, for oil development. Rigorous estimates of Yellow-billed Loon population size and trend are lacking but essential for informed conservation. We used two annual aerial waterfowl surveys, conducted 1986–2003 and 1992–2003, to estimate population size and trend on northern Alaskan breeding grounds. In estimating population trend, we used mixed-effects regression models to reduce bias and sampling error associated with improvement in observer skill and annual effects of spring phenology. The estimated population trend on Alaskan breeding grounds since 1986 was near 0 with an estimated annual change of−0.9% (95% CI of−3.6% to +1.8%). The estima...
SiC field-effect devices operating at high temperature

Field-effect devices based on SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures are attractive for electronic and sensing applications above 250°C. The MOS device operation in chemically corrosive, high-temperature environments places stringent demands on the stability of the insulating dielectric and the constituent interfaces within the structure. The primary mode of oxide breakdown under these conditions is attributed to electron injection from the substrate. The reliability of n-type SiC MOS devices was investigated by monitoring the gate-leakage current as a function of temperature. We find current densities below 17 nA/cm2 and 3 nA/cm2 at electric field strengths up to 0.6 MV/cm and temperatures of 330°C and 180°C, respectively. These are promising results for high-temperature operation, because the optimum bias point for SiC MOS gas sensors in near midgap, where the field across the oxide is small. Our results are valid for n-type SiC MOS sensors in general and have been observed in both the 4H and 6H polytypes.
Using membrane composition to fine-tune the pKa of an optical liposome pH sensor

Liposomes containing membrane-anchored pH-sensitive optical probes are valuable sensors for monitoring pH in various biomedical samples. The dynamic range of the sensor is maximized when the probe pKa is close to the expected sample pH. While some biomedical samples are close to neutral pH there are several circumstances where the pH is 1 or 2 units lower. Thus, there is a need to fine-tune the probe pKa in a predictable way. This investigation examined two lipid-conjugated optical probes, each with appended deep-red cyanine dyes containing indoline nitrogen atoms that are protonated in acid. The presence of anionic phospholipids in the liposomes stabilized the protonated probes and increased the probe pKa values by < 1 unit. The results show that rational modification of the membrane composition is a general non-covalent way to fine-tune the pKa of an optical liposome sensor for optimal pH sensing performance.
Nuclear Power, Risk, and Retroactivity

The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster presented a familiar scenario from a risk perception standpoint. It combined a classic “dread risk” (radioactivity), a punctuating event (the disaster itself), and resultant stigmatization (involving worldwide repercussions for nuclear power). Some nuclear nations curtailed nuclear power generation, and decades-old opposition to nuclear power found a renaissance. In these circumstances, risk theory predicts a regulatory knee-jerk response, potentially resulting in inefficient overregulation. But it also suggests procedural palliatives that conveniently overlap with administrative law values, making room for the engagement of the full spectrum of stakeholders. This Essay sketches the U.S. regulatory response to Fukushima. From a positive perspective, this story provides a useful case study for understanding administrative agencies’ responses to disasters and the concomitant role of risk perception. But this story also invites using an administrative law lens to take a fresh look at the issues of retroactivity and stakeholder engagement. This Essay concludes by identifying insights as well as research needs for regulatory responses to disaster as well as classic administrative law.
Correspondence item: Discrete linear estimation for previous stage noise correlation

A minimum variance linear sequential estimation algorithm, developed by maximum a posteriori likelihood techniques, is given for the case where the current measurement noise, v(k), is correlated with the plant noise of the previous stage, w(k-1).
Highly conductive single-walled carbon nanotube thin film preparation by direct alignment on substrates from water dispersions.

A safe, scalable method for producing highly conductive aligned films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) from water suspensions is presented. While microfluidic assembly of SWNTs has received significant attention, achieving desirable SWNT dispersion and morphology in fluids without an insulating surfactant or toxic superacid is challenging. We present a method that uniquely produces a noncorrosive ink that can be directly applied to a device in situ, which is different from previous fabrication techniques. Functionalized SWNTs (f-SWNTs) are dispersed in an aqueous urea solution to leverage binding between the amine group of urea and the carboxylic acid group of f-SWNTs and obtain urea-SWNT. Compared with SWNTs dispersed using conventional methods (e.g., superacid and surfactants), the dispersed urea-SWNT aggregates have a higher aspect ratio with a rodlike morphology as measured by light scattering. The Mayer rod technique is used to prepare urea-SWNT, highly aligned films (two-dimensional nematic...
Comparison of three anaerobic systems for the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical specimens.

An anaerobic glove box, the GASPAK jar system, and a roll-streak tube system with prereduced, anaerobically sterilized medium were compared for recovery of anaerobic bacteria from selected clinical specimens collected in anaerobic tubes. Both prereduced plating media held in an anaerobic glove box for a minimum of 48 hr. before use and fresh plating media exposed to atmospheric oxygen for no longer than 1 hr. were used in the glove box and GASPAK systems. In general, the recoveries of anaerobic bacteria with the three systems were comparable. Bacteroides melaninogenicus strains were recovered with the glove box and GASPAK systems and were not detected with roll-streak tubes, but the PRAS medium used in the roll-streak tube system did not contain hemin or menadione, whereas some of the media used in the other systems did. Only one organism, a peptostreptococcus, was recovered in the roll-streak tube system and not in the GASPAK or glove box systems. Of 29 anaerobes isolated from the 15 specimens examined, 28 were recovered in both the GASPAK and glove box systems and 23 were isolated with the roll-streak tube system. The advantages and disadvantages of each system are discussed.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE-HISTORY VARIATION IN THE DAPHNIA PULEX COMPLEX.

In the midwestern United States the Daphnia pulex complex consists of a mosaic of sexual and asexual populations, providing a useful model system for studying the evolutionary forces underlying the maintenance of sex. One asexual and two sexual populations were surveyed for genetic variation for isozymes, mitochondrial DNA, and life-history characters. While the sexual populations exhibited substantial levels of genetic variance for fitness characters, no variation was detected in the asexual population at any level. However, a parallel survey among asexual clones derived from other ponds revealed large amounts of quantitative variation among clones, even among those with the same molecular profile. As a group, the asexuals are more variable for life histories than are the sexual populations. The molecular data indicate a relatively recent origin for the extant asexual D. pulex. The polyphyletic origin of these clones, combined with their microevolutionary potential, provides an explanation for their broad geographic distribution. The distribution of sex in the complex cannot be explained with the standard models that assume an invariant asexual population in reproductive isolation from the parental species. Although the frequency of asexuality may be driven by the spread of a sex-limited meiosis suppressor through sexual populations, the complete displacement of sexuality may be prevented by ecological distinctions between the two classes of individuals. On average, the asexuals are larger but produce smaller clutches than the sexuals.