cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emf, Maximum Power and Efficiency of Fuel Cells

The ideal voltage of steady-flow fuel cells is usually expressed by Emf = [minus] [Delta]G[degree]/nF where [Delta]G[degree] is the Gibbs free energy of reaction'' for the oxidation of the fuel at the supposed temperature of operation of the cell. Furthermore, the ideal power of the cell is expressed as the product of the fuel flow rate with this emf. Such viewpoints are flawed in several respects. Even if the cell operates isothermally, the use of the conventional [Delta]G[degree] of reaction (a) assumes that the products of reaction leave separately from one another ( and from any unused fuel); and (b) when [Delta]S of reaction is positive, it assumes that a free heat source exists at the operating temperature, whereas if [Delta]S is negative, it neglects the potential power which theoretically could be obtained from the heat released during oxidation. Moreover, (c) the usual cell does not operate isothermally, but (virtually) adiabatically. Comment (a) is often accounted for by employing the Nernst equation to correct for the dilution of reactants and/or products. Nevertheless, comments (b) and (c) remain pertinent. Rather than with emf, the proper starting place is with power output. The ideal power is that which would be obtained ifmore » the fuel were oxidized without irreversible entropy generation. Among other factors, this ideal power output depends upon the ratio of oxidant to fuel flow rate (e.g., air-fuel ratio) and the percentage of fuel oxidation. The ideal voltage is deduced from the ideal power. Therefore, (d) ideal power is not equal to the product of emf with current (unless the amount of fuel utilized is infinitesimal). Examples are presented which illustrate such affects and their importance for the evaluation of ideal power and of efficiency.« less
Activity of Pyridoxine Derivatives in Chick Nutrition.

SummaryPyridoxal, pyridoxamine and pyracin-5 were found to be inactive singly in replacing vitamin B10 or vitamin B11 in chick nutrition. The biological vitamin Be activity of these three compounds is approximately > 1/2, 4/5, and 0 respectively. Vitamin B6 deficiency symptoms in the chick were found to include a decreased clotting time, hyperprothrombinemia, small spleens and anemia.
Constitutive Production of Catalytic Antibodies to a Staphylococcus aureus Virulence Factor and Effect of Infection

Antibodies that recognize microbial B lymphocyte superantigenic epitopes are produced constitutively with no requirement for adaptive immune maturation. We report cleavage of the Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein (Efb) by catalytic antibodies produced with no exposure to the bacterium and reduction of the catalytic antibody activity following infection. IgG catalytic antibodies that specifically hydrolyzed Efb via a nucleophilic catalytic mechanism were found in the blood of healthy humans and aseptic mice free of S. aureus infection. IgG hydrolyzed peptide bonds on the C-terminal side of basic amino acids, including a bond located within the C3b-binding domain of Efb. Efb digested with the IgG lost its ability to bind C3b and inhibit complement-dependent antibody-mediated red blood cell lysis. In addition to catalysis, the IgG expressed saturable Efb binding activity. IgG from S. aureus-infected mice displayed reduced Efb cleaving activity and increased Efb binding activity compared with uninfected controls, suggesting differing effects of the infection on the antibody subsets responsible for the two activities. IgG from children hospitalized for S. aureus infection also displayed reduced Efb cleavage compared with healthy children. These data suggest a potential defense function for constitutively produced catalytic antibodies to a putative superantigenic site of Efb, but an adaptive catalytic response appears to be proscribed.
Profit Maximization: The Ethical Mandate of Business

The authors propose a model for business ethics which arises directly from business practice. This model is based on a behavioral definition of the economic theory of profit maximization and situates business ethics within opportunity costs. Within that context, they argue that good business and good ethics are synonymous, that ethics is at the heart and center of business, that profits and ethics are intrinsically related.
Defect mapping of a synthetic diamond single crystal by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy

Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy in a scanning electron microscope was used to identify and to map the spatial distribution of luminescent defects in a synthetic diamond single crystal. Several defect CL bands were observed in the 1.5-3.5 eV region: (i) a band with a zero-phonon line at 2.156 eV, attributed to a center containing nitrogen and atomic vacancies; (ii) a broadband centered at ∼2.2 eV, tentatively attributed to a boron-containing center; (iii) a doublet line at 2.33 eV, attributed to a nitrogen-containing center; (iv) a zero-phonon line at 2.555 eV, attributed to a nickel-containing center; (v) a broadband centered at ∼2.85 eV, attributed to a dislocation-related center; and (vi) a zero-phonon line at 3.188 eV, attributed to a center containing nitrogen and a carbon interstitial. Lines due to free and acceptor-bound excitons were observed in the 5.0-5.4 eV region. The spatial variation of the CL was examined in the vicinity of regions of relatively high dislocation density (∼106 dislocations cm−2), which had been found in a previous x-ray diffraction imaging experiment. A quantitative analysis was made of the spatial variation of the band intensities. Upon moving from a relatively defect-free region to the center of a high dislocation density region, the intensities of defect bands (i) and (v) increased by very large factors (these bands were observed only within the high dislocation density regions); the intensity of defect band (vi) increased by a factor of ∼2; the acceptor-bound exciton intensity increased by a factor of 1.3; the intensities of defect bands (ii)-(iv) decreased by a factor of ∼2; and the free exciton intensity decreased by a factor of ∼7.5.
Low-noise high-density alkali-metal scalar magnetometer

We present an experimental and theoretical study of a scalar atomic magnetometer using an oscillating field-driven Zeeman resonance in a high-density optically pumped potassium vapor. We describe an experimental implementation of an atomic gradiometer with a noise level below $10\text{ }\text{fT}\text{ }{\text{Hz}}^{\ensuremath{-}1/2}$, fractional field sensitivity below ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}\text{ }{\text{Hz}}^{\ensuremath{-}1/2}$, and an active measurement volume of about $1.5\text{ }{\text{cm}}^{3}$. We show that the fundamental field sensitivity of a scalar magnetometer is determined by the rate of alkali-metal spin-exchange collisions even though the resonance linewidth can be made much smaller than the spin-exchange rate by pumping most atoms into a stretched spin state.
Iterated conditional expectations

Abstract Consider the probability space ( [ 0 , 1 ) , B , λ ) , where B is the Borel σ-algebra on [ 0 , 1 ) and λ the Lebesgue measure. Let f = 1 [ 0 , 1 / 2 ) and g = 1 [ 1 / 2 , 1 ) . Then for any e > 0 there exists a finite sequence of sub-σ-algebras G j ⊂ B ( j = 1 , … , N ) , such that putting f 0 = f and f j = E ( f j − 1 | G j ) , j = 1 , … , N , we have ‖ f N − g ‖ ∞ e ; here E ( ⋅ | G j ) denotes the operator of conditional expectation given σ-algebra G j . This is a particular case of a surprising result by Cherny and Grigoriev (2007) [1] in which f and g are arbitrary equidistributed bounded random variables on a nonatomic probability space. The proof given in Cherny and Grigoriev (2007) [1] is very complicated. The purpose of this note is to give a straightforward analytic proof of the above mentioned result, motivated by a simple geometric idea, and then show that the general result is implied by its special case.
Shifting gears: industrial policy and automotive industry after the 2008 financial crisis

Apart from being one of the hardest hit sectors during the 2008 financial crisis, the auto sector is also a prominent sector where emerging auto markets such as China have fared relatively well compared to their competitors in North America and Europe. This paper examines various ways that nations have shifted their policy gears to revive and restructure the automotive industry by using the case studies of the USA, France, and China. New sets of policy initiatives are contingent on particular industrial and institutional contexts, but both developed and developing countries have employed wide range of “murky” protectionist measures. This makes it unlikely for the WTO member countries to take a naming and shaming approach and file a case at the WTO level, which poses challenges to the WTO rules and trade liberalization.
Astronomy applications of adaptive optics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Astronomical applications of adaptive optics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has a history that extends from 1984. The program started with the Lick Observatory Adaptive Optics system and has progressed through the years to lever-larger telescopes: Keck, and now the proposed CELT (California Extremely Large Telescope) 30m telescope. LLNL AO continues to be at the forefront of AO development and science.
Lipolytic Activity of Ribonucleotide and Deoxyribonucleotide-3′,5′-Cyclic Monophosphates in Isolated Rat Fat Cells

SummaryThe lipolytic activity of a series of ribonucleotide and deoxyribonucleo-tide-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphates was investigated in fat cells incubated in a saline-phosphate medium, from which Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ was omitted. It was found that the effect of 3′,5′-AMP to stimulate lipolysis is not specific; 3′,5′-UMP, 3′,5′-IMP, 3′,5′-CMP, 3′,5′-GMP, and 3′,5′-dAMP also exhibit lipolytic activity. Quantitatively, however, the lipolytic potency of 3′,5′-AMP is considerably greater than all of the other nucleotides tested. The results indicate the importance of the nucleotide base and the 2′-hydroxyl group of the ribose moiety for lipolytic activity.We wish to thank Miss Sheila Rosenfield for her skillful technical assistance. One of us (HPB) wishes to thank Dr. Michael Smith (University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada) for his kindness in permitting the use of his laboratory for synthesis of part of the cyclic nucleotides used, and for a supply of reference nucleotides.
Impact wear model for steel specimens

Abstract A rational model for estimating zero wear conditions in the compound impact (impact accompanied by sliding) wear mode is proposed. One-body wear and the moderate (elastic) stress range is considered. It is argued that a zero wear limit condition occurs as a result of fatigue of the material near and below the surface. On this basis in-depth and surface contributions to “damage” are calculated, and a “wear factor” is derived. The experimental work well supports the basic tenets of the model; i.e. the existence of a discrete wear factor and the dependence of wear on two crucial parameters: the sliding speed and the stress ratio.
Sol-gel kinetics III. Test of the statistical reaction model

Abstract The distribution of functional groups, -OCH3, -OH, -OSi, about a silicon atom, undergoing concurrent hydrolysis and condensation in an acid catalyzed Si(OH3)4:CH3OH:H2O sol-gel, were measured by 29Si NMR. These NMR results were compared to predictions based on a statistical reaction model which assumes that all the hydrolysis and condensation rate constant depend only on the functional group reactivity and not on the local silicon environment. The hydrolysis and condesation reactions of monomeric species were successfully predicted by the model. The greater than predicted population of silicon species bonded to one other silicon via an SiOSi bond and the less than expected population of silicon species bonded to two other silicons via SiOSi bonds indicates that the condensation of partially condensed species is slower than the condensation of monomeric species.
Moving cracks in a finite strip under tearing action

Abstract This paper is concerned with the anti-plane stress distribution around a semi-infinite crack traveling with constant velocity in an infinitely long strip of finite width. The problem is reduced to the solution of the Riemann-Hilbert problem by application of the Schwarz-Christoffel transformation and the theory of complex functions. Closed-form solutions are obtained for two cases of practical interest: (1) the boundaries of the strip are clamped and displaced in equal and opposite directions causing a tearing motion along the leading edge of the crack and (2) the crack is sheared longitudinally by a pair of concentrated forces moving with the crack while the strip boundaries are free of tractions. In both cases, the effect of strip width on the dynamic stresses is examined. A dynamic crack extension force is defined by a line integral the value of which is independent of the path of integration and requires only a knowledge of the local stress and displacement fields. The information gained in this study is useful in that it can assist interpretation of results from dynamic experiments on moving cracks.
Cycling transcripts and the circadian clock.

Abstract Several animal and plant transcripts exhibit daily fluctuations in their abundance, and some of these gene products encode functions that may be very close to ‘central pacemaker' mechanisms
A novel method for the synthesis of 9-[[2-hydroxy-1-(aminomethyl)ethoxy]methyl]guanine - a potential antiviral agent

Abstract 9-[[2-Hydroxy-1-(aminomethyl)ethoxy]methyl]guanine (1a), an amino analogue of 9-[[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)-ethoxy]methyl]guanine (I) which is a potent antiviral agent, has been synthesized via a multistep-synthesis.
Acute in-vivo evaluation of bleeding with GelfoamTM plus saline and Gelfoam plus human thrombin using a liver square lesion model in swine

Background Management of post-operative bleeding has historically used topical bovine thrombin. However, possible harm through activation of coagulation inhibitors has encouraged investigation with other hemostatic agents. This study utilized a novel ordinal bleeding model to test whether a Gelfoam + human thrombin solution is superior at controlling bleeding when compared to Gelfoam + saline solution at different time intervals. Study design Four swine underwent open laparotomy after receiving unfractionated heparin. Twenty open liver biopsies were performed in each swine; ten biopsies treated with Gelfoam + human thrombin solution and 10 biopsies treated with Gelfoam + saline solution. Three, 6 min, and 12 min after the procedure, bleeding was objectively graded by a four-point model. Results There was a significant (P 1) at 3 (P < 0.001), 6 (P < 0.001), and 12 (P = 0.003) min, based on a 2 × 2 Fisher’s exact test. Similarly, there was a significant treatment effect on each success/failure outcome and four-point bleeding score based on a multiple logistic regression analysis controlling for pig, lesion weight, and initial bleeding taking into consideration repeated measures at three time points. Conclusions The results demonstrate a superior treatment effect for control of bleeding using human thrombin compared to a saline solution. Future studies should compare bovine thrombin versus human thrombins ability to control bleeding as well as the hazard of each in activating coagulation inhibitors.
Thermomechanical modeling of the EUV reticle during exposure

Thermal deformations of lithographic reticles during the exposure process may become an important consideration for all candidate Next-Generation Lithography technologies as these reticles are subject to stringent image placement and flatness requirements. The reflective reticles used for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) absorb energy during exposure producing temperature gradients and thermomechanical distortions that result in pattern placement errors. As throughput requirements of EUVL are increased, the necessary illumination power levels rise producing higher reticle temperatures. The use of a low-thermal-expansion substrate material reduces, but does not eliminate, reticle distortions, and the thermal and structural boundary conditions greatly influence the thermomechanical response. These factors make the accurate predictions of the reticle thermal and structural response essential to the design of EUVL systems. Previously published analyses focused on relatively low throughputs, 10 wafers-per-hour (wph), and 200-mm diameter wafer substrates. Proposed production systems have throughputs of 80 wph and use 6-in. square substrates. Finite element models of current format EUV reticles have been developed to simulate the reticle's thermomechanical response to high-throughput exposure heating and assess the resulting image placement errors. The results of thermal and structural analyses for a variety of EUVL load and boundary conditions are presented.
Autoshaping pigeons’ keypecking with a conditioned reinforcer

Naive pigeons were autoshaped to keypeck for a tone which had previously been paired with food. Once the birds were pecking, they were switched to a multiple schedule in which they could keypeck on a FI 1-min schedule for the tone during one component, while the tone and food were paired in another component in which keypecking was punished (DRO 5 sec). Keypecking was maintained under these conditions.
EFFECTS OF COMBINING A CRYPTOCHROME MUTATION WITH OTHER VISUAL-SYSTEM VARIANTS ON ENTRAINMENT OF LOCOMOTOR AND ADULT-EMERGENCE RHYTHMS IN DROSOPHILA

“For every behavioral observation, there is an equal and opposite observation.” S. Benzer Photoreception is an important component of rhythm systems and is involved in adjusting circadian clocks to photic features of daily cycles. In Drosophila, it has been suggested that there are three light input pathways to the clock that underlie rhythms of adult behavior: One involves the eyes; the other two extraocular photoreception through a structure called the Hofbauer-Buchner (H-B) eyelet and light reception carried out by pacemaker neurons themselves, mediated by a substance called cryptochrome. All photoreceptor cells including the H-B eyelet have been surmised to be removed by glass-null mutations. Mutations in the no-receptor-potential-A(norpA) gene cause the compound eyes and ocelli to be non-functional and may also affect the eyelet's function. The one cryptochromemutant known (cryb) harbors an amino-acid substitution in the blue-light absorbing protein encoded by this gene. With regard to adult locomoto...
Computer-assisted characterization of oligoribonucleotides by their ultraviolet absorption.

Abstract Spectrophotometric constants at pH 1, 7, and 12 were obtained for 34 di-, tri-, and tetranucleotides by computer-assisted examination of ultraviolet absorption spectra. The values given consist of absorption ratios at 6 wavelengths, the position of maxima and minima, hyperchromicity ratios, and an estimate of the purity of the compounds so examined.
Low-power RT-level synthesis techniques: a tutorial

Power consumption and power-related issues have become a first-order concern for most designs and loom as fundamental barriers for many others. While the primary method used to date for reducing power has been supply voltage reduction, this technique begins to lose its effectiveness as voltages drop to below one volt and further reductions in the supply voltage begin to create more problems than are solved. Under these circumstances, the process of design and the automation tools required to support that process become the critical success factors. In the last decade, huge effort has been invested to come up with a wide range of design solutions that help solve the power dissipation problem for different types of electronic devices, components and systems. These techniques range from RTL power management and multiple voltage assignment, to power-aware logic synthesis and physical design, to memory and bus interface design. A number of representative low-power design techniques from this large set are explained. More precisely, basic techniques are described, that are applicable at RT-level and below, and have proved to hold good potential for power optimisation in practical design environments.
Idealized CSP: Combining Procedures with Communicating Processes

Abstract Idealized CSP is a programming language combining simply typed, call-by-name procedures with asynchronous communicating processes. The language also generalizes Reynolds' Idealized Algol by adding typed channels and the ability to spawn parallel processes. Procedures permit the encapsulation of common communication protocols and parallel programming idioms. Local variables and local channel declarations provide a way to delimit the scope of interference between parallel agents. The combination of procedures and communicating parallelism raises significant semantic problems. We show—perhaps surprisingly, given the fundamental differences in underlying process model—that ideas used to model the combination of shared-variable parallelism and procedures can be adapted to the communication-based setting. This is further evidence in favor of the orthogonality of procedures and concurrency, and also shows that the shared-variable and communication-based paradigms have a lot in common, semantically. Our semantics introduces a generalization of “transition traces” and “possible worlds”, incorporating an “object-oriented” treatment of channels. The semantics supports reasoning about safety and liveness properties of processes at the same time as validating natural laws of functional programming.
Glutathione, lipid peroxidation and regulation of cytochrome P-450 activity

Depletion of hepatic glutathione leads to an increase in lipid peroxidation and depression of cytochrome P-450-catalyzed metabolism of the azo dye carcinogen, N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene. This contributes to the marked decrease in biliary excretion of N-demethylated metabolites of the dye. Parallel time courses are seen for decreased hepatic glutathione, enhanced lipid peroxidation and depressed excretion of dye metabolites. In vitro metabolism of DAB by hepatic 10,000 g supernatant fractions is depressed by iron only after glutathione depletion. In view of the iron requirement for microsomal lipid peroxidation, it is proposed that glutathione depletion leads to an increase in the intracellular iron available for activation of lipid peroxidation. In this way, glutathione may contribute to the regulation of cytochrome P-450 activity.
The DØ detector at Fermilab

Abstract The DO detector is a multipurpose apparatus for studying the properties of the particles produced in proton-antiproton collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.8 TeV. It provides excellent identification and measurement of electrons and muons and good measurement of jets spanning most of the solid angle around the collision point. Because of the large angular coverage of all the component detectors, and the thickness of the calorimeters, DO also provides a good measurement of missing transverse energy which enables measurement of neutrinos and other noninteracting particles. DO is one of only two detectors built at the Fermilab Tevatron collider to study the highest energy particle collisions in the world. We will describe here the major components of the detector. In addition, we will briefly describe the flexible triggering system which allows simultaneous experiments to be performed with a single detector.
Changes during leaf expansion of ΦPSII temperature optima in Gossypium hirsutum are associated with the degree of fatty acid lipid saturation

Summary In this project, we hypothesize that cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ) leaf temperature and the responses of leaf photosynthesis to temperature will change as the leaves expand and that differences between young and mature leaves will be associated with the proportion of saturated fatty acids in thylakoid and other membrane lipids. To that end, we studied main stem leaves obtained from plants growing in a temperature controlled greenhouse and at different times in the field season. We found that young leaves (∼5 d old) had higher mid day temperatures, lower stomatal conductance and higher thermal optima as measured by Φ PSII temperature curves than did more mature leaves (∼13 d old). Young leaves also had significant differences in fatty acid saturation with the warmer, young leaves having a higher proportion of palmitic acid (16:0) and lower linoleic acid (18:3) in total lipid extracts and higher 16:0 and lower palmitoleic acid (16:1) in the chloroplast membrane phosphoglycerides, digalactosyldiacylglycerol (in the greenhouse) and phosphatidylglycerol when compared with cooler, more mature leaves. Later in the growing season, leaf temperature, stomatal conductance and Φ PSII temperature curves for young and more mature leaves were similar and the proportion of 16:0 fatty acids decreased and 16:1 increased in phosphatidylglycerol. We conclude that changes in temperature as cotton leaves expand leads to alterations in the fatty acid composition of thylakoid and other membranes and, consequently, influence photosynthesis/temperature responses.
Minimal Lee–Wick extension of the Standard Model

Abstract We consider a minimal Lee–Wick (LW) extension to the Standard Model in which the fields providing the most important contributions to the cancellation of quadratic divergences are the lightest. Partners to the SU(2) gauge bosons, Higgs, top quark, and left-handed bottom quark are retained in the low-energy effective theory, which is valid up to approximately 10 TeV; the remaining LW partners appear above this cutoff and complete the theory in the ultraviolet. We determine the constraints on the low-energy spectrum from the electroweak parameters S and T , and find LW states within the kinematic reach of the LHC at the 95% confidence level.
Electron-Poor Benzonitriles as Labile, Stabilizing Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis

A chiral palladium catalyst [(S)-MeObiphep)Pd(NCAr)2(SbF6)2, (S)-4c], has been developed for a variety of asymmetric transformations. (S)-4c is bench-stable and has activity comparable to that of the nitrile free Lewis acid catalyst for Diels−Alder, hetero-Diels−Alder, and glyoxylate-ene reactions.
Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: New Beginnings

When faced with a small renal mass ( 4 cm, cT1), the contemporary urologist must recognize that renal functional outcomes assume equal importance with oncologic outcomes [1]. As such, in the vast majority of cases, nephron-sparing strategies constitute optimal management. The desirability of nephron sparing is fundamental; the technical approach utilized to achieve it is secondary. Various options are available today, requiring judicious, individualized decision making [2]. The historical nephronsparing reference standard, open partial nephrectomy (OPN), is now joined by laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) as a fully equivalent option, readily available at tertiary centers with expertise. Despite increasing tumor complexity, three key outcomes of contemporary LPN have improved significantly, including ischemia time (mean: 14.4 min), hemorrhagic complications (2%), and superior renal function [3]. In 2010, it is fair to say that OPN and LPN are now technically, functionally, and oncologically equivalent over the short and long terms [4]. Undeniably, LPN results in faster and superior patient recovery compared to OPN. Today, only two questions have relevance for LPN: (1) Can it reliably address complex tumors? (2) Do all centers have the requisite expertise? Our responses: (1) Absolutely (2) No. So, enter robotics! Look at what robotics has done in the United States. Hard data notwithstanding, robotics has changed the landscape for prostate cancer surgery: >70% of radical prostatectomies today are robotic compared with <5% amere 5 yr ago—not a statistic to be trifledwith. As one has learned (far slower than one would have liked), robotics is a potent and powerful technique, with market appeal for urologist and patient alike. Certainly, the da Vinci platform allows for precision surgery, but at least as important, it
Viscoelastic behavior of epoxy/carbon fiber/Zno nano‐rods hybrid composites

The insufficient viscoelastic resistance of fiber reinforced plastics can be retrofitted by the addition of more rigid nano fillers to the polymer matrix. In this study, carbon fibers plies were grafted with zinc oxide (ZnO) nano-rods and the hybridized reinforcement was utilized in laminated composites. Flexural creep tests were carried out using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and the time/temperature superposition principle was employed for accelerated testing. To verify the applicability of TTPS, prolonged stress relaxation tests were also carried out in flexural mode. Data from the DMA flexural creep tests revealed that the whiskerization of carbon fibers with ZnO nano rods reduced the creep compliance by 23% at elevated temperatures and prolonged durations. Also, the relaxation data confirmed the applicability of TTPS to these hybrid composites. The stress relaxation modulus improved by 65% in comparison to composites based on neat carbon fibers. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1967–1972, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineer
Effects of Prostaglandins on Adenosine 3′,5′- Monophosphate Content and Adenylate Cyclase Activity in Dispersed Bovine Parathyroid Cells*

Selected prostaglandins (PGs) stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in parathyroid cells at concentrations as low as 10-6 M, and effects became maximal at 10-5-10-4 M. The order of potency was PGE1 ≥ PGE2 > PGF2α, paralleling doseresponse characteristics of these agents in stimulating the accumulation of cAMP in intact cells. Maximal stimulation was found with the addition of 10-4 M GTP. PGF2α has previously been shown to suppress cAMP accumulation in the intact parathyroid cell. This agent did not affect the (-)isoproterenol stimulation of adenylate cyclase in either the lysed cell particulate preparation or the complete homogenate regardless of GTP concentration or the addition of EGTA (1 mM). PGF2α did not impair (-)isoproterenol binding to the β-adrenergie receptor. Neither PGE2 nor PGF2α at concentrations as high as 10-4 M, affected phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity, nor did high concentrations (10-3 M) of the PDE inhibitor methylisobutylxanthine prevent the PGF2α, suppression of cellular cAMP levels....
The economic consequences of the welfare state

What are the economic and employment consequences of larger social insurance programmes? Are larger welfare states diverting resources from economic activity and distorting the investment decisions of firms? I examine theoretical and empirical research on the economic consequences of the welfare state. This review shows that the predictions of a negative relationship between higher levels of social protection and growth have not been borne out in the data. Both insurance programmes and other policies that increase investment in human capital or the overall productivity of workers generate important economic externalities that outweigh the potentially distortionary effects of higher taxes. Empirical studies also fail to uncover a consistent negative relationship between larger welfare states and the level of employment. The employment consequences of the welfare state are mediated by existing institutions and policies—such as the level of centralization of the wage bargaining system—which affect the redistribution of the costs of higher taxes among workers and firms. As a result, the employment consequences of larger welfare states are non-linear.
Simple antireflection overcoat for opaque coatings in the submillimeter region

An antireflection overcoat for opaque baffle coatings in the far-IR/submillimeter region has been made from a simple Teflon spray-on lubricant. The Teflon overcoat reduced the specular reflectance of four different opaque coatings by nearly a factor or 2. Analysis, based on the interference term of a reflecting-layer model, indicates that in the submillimeter region the reduced reflectance depends primarily on the refractive index of the overcoat and very little on its thickness.
Soil Disturbance-Residue Management Effect on Winter Wheat Growth and Yield

The need to reduce soil erosion, maximize soil water conservation, and optimize grain production in dryland cropping systems in the Central Great Plains has culminated in development of nonfilled fallow systems. These systems have greatly reduced the degree of soil disturbance, and the amount and degree of residue incorporation. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of soil disturbance and residue management on soil temperature, soil water, and winter wheat (L.) growth. Two field studies were established in 1981 and 1982 on an Alliance silt loam (Fine-silty, mixed, mesic Aridic Argiustoll) with treatments consisting of various degrees of soil disturbance (moldboard plow, tandem disk, and no tillage), residue incorporation (on the soil surface or incorporated), and amount of residue applied (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 of that produced by the previous crop). Decreased soil disturbance (tillage) and increased residue application decreased maximum, and increased minimum, soil temperatures. In all tillage treatments, soil water content showed a significant positive linear relationship to residue application rate. Grain yield was similar for all treatment factors, except tillage within the 1983-1984 season when tilled (3.48 Mg ha) treatments produced more grain than the nontilled (3.20 Mg ha) treatment. Early development and growth of winter wheat was slowed by the presence of residues (surface or incorporated) or the absence of tillage. However, by completion of heading, phenology and yield were similar for all treatments. Cooler soil temperatures slowed development and growth during those stages when the meristem temperature was influenced most by soil temperature. However, after jointing, when air temperature and photoperiod were controlling development and growth, differences among treatments disappeared. Interaction of wheat development with soil temperature, air temperature, and daylength may contribute to the crop's inability to consistently capitalize, in terms of grain yield, on the greater amount of water stored in nontilled and mulched systems.
PU.1 directly regulates CDK6 gene expression, linking the cell proliferation and differentiation programs in erythroid cells

Cell proliferation and differentiation are highly coordinated processes during normal development. Most leukemia cells are blocked from undergoing terminal differentiation and also exhibit uncontrolled proliferation. Dysregulated expression of transcription factor PU.1 is strongly associated with Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia. PU.1 inhibits erythroid differentiation by binding to and inhibiting GATA-1. PU.1 also may be involved in controlling proliferation of erythroid cells. We reported previously that the G1 phase-specific cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) also blocks erythroid differentiation. We now report that PU.1 directly stimulates transcription of the cdk6 gene in both normal erythroid progenitors and erythroleukemia cells, as well as in macrophages. We propose that PU.1 coordinates proliferation and differentiation in immature erythroid cells by inhibiting the GATA-1-mediated gene expression program and also by regulating expression of genes that control progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle, the period during which the decision to differentiate is made.
Analysis of clear hour solar irradiation for seven Canadian stations

Abstract Hourly global and diffuse irradiation and corresponding surface meteorological data have been analyzed for the seven Canadian stations at Edmonton, Goose Bay, Montreal, Port Hardy, Resolute, Toronto, and Winnipeg. The variation of the most probable clear hour values of clearness index k t , diffuse index k d , direct beam index k b , and Angstrom turbidity coefficient β with solar elevation, atmospheric precipitable water, and snow depth are obtained. Values of these quantities are presented which are consistent with the attenuation and scattering of solar radiation by the atmosphere which is expected. The most probable values of β tend to be lower than the average values of β recently reported by Gueymard. The data indicate a drift in the calibration of the instruments used for measurements of the irradiation data for the stations at Goose Bay and Resolute. The data for the other five stations indicate that the instrument calibration is maintained over the years of the data.
Pterostilbene inhibits breast cancer in vitro through mitochondrial depolarization and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis.

Background Epidemiologic studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables reduce cancer risk. Resveratrol, a compound present in grapes, has been shown to inhibit a variety of primary tumors. Pterostilbene, an analogue of resveratrol found in blueberries, has both antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. We hypothesized that pterostilbene would induce apoptosis and inhibit breast cancer cell growth in vitro. Methods Breast cancer cells were treated with graduated doses of pterostilbene. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis was evaluated via DNA fragmentation assay and TUNEL assay. Apo-ONE caspase-3/7 assay was used to evaluate caspase activity. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate mitochondrial depolarization, superoxide formation, and cell cycle. Student's t-test and two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni posttests were utilized for statistical analysis. Results Pterostilbene decreased breast cancer cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pterostilbene treatment increased caspase-3/7 activity and apoptosis in both cell lines. Caspase-3/7 inhibitors completely reversed pterostilbene's effects on cell viability. Pterostilbene treatment triggered mitochondrial depolarization, increased superoxide anion, and caused alteration in cell cycle. Conclusions Pterostilbene treatment inhibits the growth of breast cancer in vitro through caspase-dependent apoptosis. Mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increased superoxide anion may contribute to the activation downstream effector caspases. Caspase inhibition leads to complete reversal of pterostilbene's effect on cell viability. Further in vitro mechanistic studies and in vivo experiments are warranted to determine its potential for the treatment of breast cancer.
Effects of metiamide on the “activity-stress” ulcer in rats

Forty rats were housed in standard activity wheel cages and fed for only 1 hr per day. The animals were equally divided into 4 groups that received either saline, 12.5 mg/kg, 25.0 mg/kg or 50.0 mg/kg of metiamide, an H2 receptor antagonist, 3 times a day. All animals died within 11 days and all demonstrated significant gastric lesions in the glandular fundus of the stomach. The 50.0 mg/kg dosage group, however, demonstrated significantly fewer ulcers than the saline animals and the lesions that did occur were significantly smaller than those noted in the control animals. Several hypotheses were offered to explain these results which took into account metiamide's effects on gastric secretion and motor activity. It was suggested that secretion of acid may be an important contributing factor in the formation of gastric ulcers in animals subjected to the “activity-stress” procedure.
Stochastic Fusion Simulations and Experiments Suggest Passive and Active Roles of Hemagglutinin during Membrane Fusion

Influenza enters the host cell cytoplasm by fusing the viral and host membrane together. Fusion is mediated by hemagglutinin (HA) trimers that undergo conformational change when acidified in the endosome. It is currently debated how many HA trimers, w, and how many conformationally changed HA trimers, q, are minimally required for fusion. Conclusions vary because there are three common approaches for determining w and q from fusion data. One approach correlates the fusion rate with the fraction of fusogenic HA trimers and leads to the conclusion that one HA trimer is required for fusion. A second approach correlates the fusion rate with the total concentration of fusogenic HA trimers and indicates that more than one HA trimer is required. A third approach applies statistical models to fusion rate data obtained at a single HA density to establish w or q and suggests that more than one HA trimer is required. In this work, all three approaches are investigated through stochastic fusion simulations and experiments to elucidate the roles of HA and its ability to bend the target membrane during fusion. We find that the apparent discrepancies among the results from the various approaches may be resolved if nonfusogenic HA participates in fusion through interactions with a fusogenic HA. Our results, based on H3 and H1 serotypes, suggest that three adjacent HA trimers and one conformationally changed HA trimer are minimally required to induce membrane fusion (w = 3 and q = 1).
Mapping young adults’ use of fathers for attachment support: implications on romantic relationship experiences

A mixed methods approach was used to examine how young adults (n = 1012) perceive fathers as targets for attachment support. Participants ranked the level of attachment support received and sought from fathers, mothers, best friends, and romantic partners, and provided relationship‐specific information on additional indices of social support including commitment, intimacy, companionship, advice, and romantic relationship experiences. Findings indicated that approximately 10% of the young adults considered fathers a principal source of attachment support. Compared to the majority of young adults who did not rank fathers as a primary attachment figure, those who did were more likely to be male, younger than 20, not romantically involved, and less sexually active. A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher levels of sexual activity and closeness to romantic partners predicted lower use of fathers as attachment figures, albeit the links were specific to gender and romantic status groups...
Exploring the cause and effect of library value

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to validate a proposed framework of library value as the relationships between diverse stakeholders’ perceptions of valued effect of a library and of causes for the effect. It does so through adaptation of the “five whys” inquiry, a tool for uncovering root causes used extensively for process improvement. A “library value wheel” graphically illustrates a diverse set of stakeholders (i.e. faculty, students, university administrators, librarians, donors, and library employees) and their perceptions of the most valued effects of the library. To begin this exploration the researchers have selected faculty as the initial stakeholder to study because of their important influence in the academy. The following research questions guide the study: What effects of the library do faculty most value? What are perceived causes of these valued effects? What effects of the library do faculty perceive other stakeholders [e.g. students and administrators] most value? What variations a...
Results From Aircraft Measurements Over White Sands, New Mexico, To Calibrate The Visible Channels Of Spacecraft Instruments

Radiances obtained from the NOAA-9 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) have been compared with those derived from a coaligned aircraft-mounted double-pass Fastie-Ebert spectrometer when both instruments were simultaneously observing the dunes region of White Sands, New Mexico. The radiance calibration of the airborne spectrometer was arranged to be traceable to NBS standards through the procedures that were used for the prelaunch calibration of the AVHRR. Data from August 1985 and October/November 1986 have been analyzed, and suitable corrections made for the effects of the atmosphere between the U-2 aircraft (flying at a pressure level near 6 N/m2 (60 mb)) and the satellite. For this purpose, atmospheric altitude profiles of temperature, pressure and water vapor were measured from a radiosonde, the most probable ozone profile was derived from statistically inter-preted Nimbus-7/SBUV measurements, and likely stratospheric aerosol conditions were assumed to calculate the ratio (as a function of wavelength) of the radiances expected at each instrument. The calculated ratio was used to adjust the measured U-2 spectra to their equivalent at the altitude of the NOAA-9 AVHRR. The calculations indicated an absolute accuracy of +5% in the derived sensitivity of the AVHRR visible channels relative to the sensitivity measured prelaunch, and that some improvement in absolute accuracy is possible with modest additional effort. The analysis showed that in August, 1985, the sensitivities of channel 1 (570-700 nm) and channel 2 (710-1000nm) of the NOAA-9 AVHRR were indistinguishable from their prelaunch values. In October/November, 1986, sensitivity losses were calculated to be approximately 12% for channel 1, and 19% for channel 2. Flights on three days during the period 24 October to 5 November 1986 reproduced these results to within +1.5% in sensitivity loss. Results for the GOES-6 VISSR visible channel showed a 9-14% loss in sensitivity after 42 months in orbit. For LANDSAT-5 TM a 12% loss in band 4 after 17 months in orbit was indicated, with no discernable change in the sensitivities of bands 1-3.
Signaling pathways used in trabecular matrix metalloproteinase response to mechanical stretch.

METHODS. Porcine TM cells were subjected to mechanical stretching, and changes in MMP-2 and -14 levels were determined by gelatin zymography and Western immunoblot analysis. Effects of signal transduction pathway inhibitors on MMP levels were analyzed. Phosphospecific antibodies were used to identify phosphorylation changes in select pathway intermediates. In silico secondary structure analysis was conducted on the 5 untranslated regions (UTRs) of MMP-2 and -14 mRNAs. RESULTS. The increases in MMP-2 and -14 that occur 24 hours after sustained mechanical stretching of TM cells were blocked by rapamycin. Wortmannin blocked the MMP-2 but not the MMP-14 increase. Protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation on S473 and T308 was increased significantly by stretching. Rapamycin-sensitive phosphorylation of T389 in p70/p85 S6 kinase was also increased. The phosphorylations of the translation initiation factor eIF-4E on S209 and of its inhibitory binding protein 4E-BP1 on T70 were both increased by stretch. The calculated free energies of secondary structures of the 5 UTRs of the mRNAs for MMP-2 and -14 were negative and relatively large. MMP-2 also had pyrimidine tracts in the extreme 5 region of its UTR. CONCLUSIONS. The increases in TM MMP-2 and -14 protein levels in response to mechanical stretching appear to be transduced at least in part by mTOR, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The wortmannin sensitivity implicates phosphoinositide 3-kinase as a modulator of the MMP-2 but not the MMP-14 increase. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK), phosphoinositide-dependent kinase (PDK-1), and PKB are implicated in the MMP-2 increase. Translational initiation involving eIF-4E and its inhibitory binding protein 4E-BP1 appear to be involved in both the MMP-2 and -14 increases with stretching and are normally regulated by mTOR. The high degree of secondary structure in the 5 UTRs of these transcripts is typically an indicator of genes specifically sensitive to regulation through this pathway. P70/p85 S6 kinase is probably involved downstream from mTOR and PKB in regulating translation of MMP-2, which has pyrimidine tracts in its 5 UTR. Manipulation of these transduction pathways may provide new approaches to therapeutic IOP regulation. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003;44:5174 ‐5181)