cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Cholesterol Sensitivity of Kir Channels: Role of the Cytoplasmic Domain

Kir channels are important in setting the resting membrane potential and modulating membrane excitability. A common feature of Kir2 channels and several other ion channels that has emerged in recent years is that they are regulated by cholesterol, a major lipid component of the plasma membrane whose excess is associated with multiple pathological conditions. Yet, the mechanism by which cholesterol affects channel function is not clear.Here we show that in addition to Kir2 channels, members of other Kir subfamilies are also regulated by cholesterol. Interestingly, while similarly to Kir2 channels, several Kir channels are suppressed by an increase in membrane cholesterol, the function of others is enhanced following cholesterol enrichment. Furthermore, similarly to Kir2.1, and independent of the impact of cholesterol on channel function, we find that mutation of residues in the CD loop affect cholesterol sensitivity of Kir channels.Among Kir2.1 CD loop residues, we have recently shown that the L222I mutation has the strongest effect on cholesterol sensitivity. This result is surprising since Kir2.2, which is as cholesterol sensitive as Kir2.1, already has an isoleucine at the corresponding position. Here we obtain further insight regarding the role of the cytosolic domain of Kir2 channels by examining mutations in adjacent cytosolic regions that also lead to loss of cholesterol sensitivity. In addition, we trace the source of the difference between Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 to a residue in the EF loop, N251, whose mutation to an aspartate reverses the effect of the L222I residue, and restores cholesterol sensitivity.These findings suggest an indirect role of the cytosolic domain of Kir channels in regulating the effect of cholesterol on channel function and provide insight into the structural determinants of their gating mechanism.
A Note on Kottwitz's Invariante(G)

Abstract Kottwitz has defined an invariant e ( G ) for any reductive group G . In this note, we give an interpretation of e ( G ) in terms of the Killing forms of G and its quasi-split inner form.
Prospective, randomized trial of rapid venous access for patients in hypovolemic shock

The placement of central venous catheters was studied prospectively in 138 selected adult patients with hypovolemic shock or in whom rapid volume replacement was needed. The patients were randomized into two groups to receive a central vein catheter: one by basilic vein cutdown and the other by percutaneous subclavian vein placement. The groups were analyzed for success rate, time required for insertion, and complications. The techniques were equally successful (87% in the basilic vein group compared with 91% in the subclavian vein group), and their complication rates were similar (10% compared with 12%). The subclavian vein catheter was inserted more quickly (8.3 minutes compared with 14.4 minutes [ P = .0001] for the basilic vein group). Percutaneous subclavian vein catheters can be used successfully in patients with hypovolemic shock and can be placed quickly with low complication rates.
Colloidal hard-sphere crystallization kinetics in microgravity and normal gravity.

The hard-sphere disorder–order transition serves as the paradigm for crystallization. We used time-resolved Bragg light scattering from the close-packed planes to measure the kinetics of nucleation and growth of colloidal hard-sphere crystals. The effects of gravity are revealed by comparison of the experiments in microgravity and normal gravity. Crystallites grow faster and larger in microgravity, and the coarsening between crystallites is suppressed by gravity. The face-centered-cubic structure was strongly indicated as being the stable structure for hard-sphere crystals. For a sample with a volume fraction of 0.552, the classic nucleation and growth picture is followed.
Amphetamine exerts anomalous effects on dopaminergic neurons in neonatal rats in vivo

Abstract The effects of amphetamine, apomorphine and haloperidol on the spontaneous activity of electrophysiologically identified nigral dopaminergic neurons were examined with extracellular recordings in vivo in neonatal rats ranging in age from postnatal day 1 to postnatal day 28, and in adult rats. In postnatal day 1–6 pups amphetamine (5 mg/kg i.p.) produced a paradoxical increase in neuronal firing in 45% and had no effect on 30% of the 20 neurons examined. During the second week half of the neurons recorded were unresponsive to amphetamine. Typical amphetamine-induced inhibition was observed in only 25% of the neurons from postnatal day 1–6 and 50% of those from postnatal day 7–15 rats compared to 81.8% in postnatal day 16–28 pups and 100% in adults. Apomorphine (50–200 μg/kg i.p.; 5–20 μg/kg i.v.), significantly inhibited the spontaneous activity of dopaminergic neurons, including cells that previously failed to be inhibited by amphetamine, independent of age. The apomorphine-induced inhibition was consistently reversed by administration of haloperidol (0.5–2.0 mg/kg, i.p.; 50–200 μg/kg i.v.). The anomalous responses to amphetamine in early neonatal rats may be related to its paradoxical behavioral effects in human children afflicted with attention deficit disorder.
Hairpin folding dynamics: the cold-denatured state is predisposed for rapid refolding.

Cold denaturation is a general phenomenon in globular proteins, and the associated cold-denatured states of proteins have important fundamental and practical significance. Here, we have characterized the cold-denatured state of a β-hairpin forming peptide, MrH3a, in 8% hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) and the dynamics of its refolding following a laser-induced T-jump. β-Hairpins constitute an important class of protein structural elements, yet their folding mechanisms are not fully understood. Characterization of MrH3a using NMR, CD, and IR spectroscopies reveals residual structure in the cold-denatured state, in contrast with the highly disordered heat-denatured state. The residual structure in the cold-denatured state comprises relatively compact and solvent protected conformations. Furthermore, we find a substantial acceleration in the rate of folding from the cold-denatured state compared to that of the heat-denatured state. In addition, the cold-denatured state is not populated in 20% HFIP; folding occur...
Suppression and Recovery of Sperm Production in Men Treated with Testosterone Enanthate for One Year. A Study of a Possible Reversible Male Contraceptive

Suppression and recovery of sperm production in 16 men treated with testosterone enanthate (TE) for 1 year are reported. 200 mg TE im every 10-12 days maintained azoospermia whereas injections every 2 or 3 weeks resulted in breakthrough of sperm production. Azoospermia was associated with normal plasma testosterone levels suppressed follicle stimulating hormone and undetectable luteinizing hormone. No untoward side effects were noted. Observations on the recovery of sperm production were made in 11 of the 16 subjects. Resumption of sperm production was noted in all cases. In 2 cases pregnancy occurred (5-7 weeks and 11-13 weeks after discontinuation of treatment).
Measuring Judicial and Prosecutorial Discretion: Sex and Race Disparities in Departures from the Federal Sentencing Guidelines:

The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 sought to abolish disparities in criminal sentences by mandating the development of sentencing guidelines that based criminal sentences on the severity of a defendant's criminal conduct and past criminal record. Though the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were designed to reduce disparities in sentencing, research on the application of the Guidelines has consistently shown that women receive more lenient sentences than men. This paper presents data on downward departure decisions for federal sentences in 1996–1997 and suggests that the decisions by both judges and prosecutors to grant departures from the Guidelines result in continued gender disparities in the application of federal sentences. While gender disparities in granting departures are the primary emphasis of the analysis, the paper identifies important interactive effects of race and gender in departure decisions. These findings are discussed in light of recent legislative and judicial efforts to reduce discretion ...
Reproducibility of small-strain creep tests of Ti 6242Si

Titanium 6242Si was creep tested at 510 ‡C and 241 MPa to plastic strains of about 0.002. These conditions are common in commercial specifications for acceptance of this alloy. Nineteen specimens were extracted from four identically thermally and mechanically processed coupons from the same ingot and creep tested. The results indicate relatively poor reproducibility despite essentially identical sample preparation and specimen testing procedures. The causes of the scatter are unclear. The average creep strain of the 19 specimens after 35 h was 0.067%, and the standard deviation was 0.0367%. Significant scatter is also evident among the average properties of the four coupons. The results suggest that impurity levels and processing procedures may require adjustments to ensure relatively low expected or “average” creep strain levels (half the allowable) in some common acceptance specifications to ensure a high probability of acceptance.
Precise determination of the bond percolation thresholds and finite-size scaling corrections for the sc, fcc, and bcc lattices

Extensive Monte Carlo simulations were performed to study bond percolation on the simple cubic (sc), face-centered-cubic (fcc), and body-centered-cubic (bcc) lattices, using an epidemic approach. These simulations provide very precise values of the critical thresholds for each of the lattices: ${p}_{c}(\mathrm{sc})=0.2488126\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0000005,$ ${p}_{c}(\mathrm{fcc})=0.1201635\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0000010,$ and ${p}_{c}(\mathrm{bcc})=0.1802875\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0000010$. For $p$ close to ${p}_{c},$ the results follow the expected finite-size and scaling behavior, with values for the Fisher exponent \ensuremath{\tau} $(2.189\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002),$ the finite-size correction exponent \ensuremath{\Omega} $(0.64\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02),$ and the scaling function exponent \ensuremath{\sigma} $(0.445\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01)$ confirmed to be universal.
Effect of free-carrier concentration on the phase transition and vibrational properties of VO2

The effects of native defect doping concentration on the phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide thin films are investigated. The onset temperature of the metal-insulator transition is found to depend on the free-carrier concentration and to correlate with an abrupt change in the temperature dependence of the vibrational energies of the V-O related Raman band. A phase diagram is proposed identifying insulating, intermediate, and conducting regimes. The intermediate region is attributed to a mixed phase.
Long-Period Oscillations in the Meteor Region

Abstract Meteor wind data taken over Atlanta (34°N, 84°W) during the three-year interval 1974–77 are analyzed for periodic fluctuations of a recurrent nature. Power spectra and cross spectra of the zonal and meridional velocities between 80 and 100 km are constructed for several samples. Ensemble statistics indicate the regular appearance of periods near 17, 8, 5, 2, 1.6 and 1.2 days. Most of these display smaller spectral values near 90 km. The general seasonal behavior has maximum values in winter and minimum values in summer, paralleling the observed variation of traveling wave energy flux in the stratosphere. The regularity with which these oscillations appear, tempts an association with the periods of atmospheric normal modes.
Comparison of retinal vessel measurements in digital vs film images.

Purpose To compare central retinal artery equivalents (CRAE) and central retinal vein equivalents (CRVE) from vessels measured from images captured with a digital camera and digitized images taken with a film camera. Design Comparison of techniques. Methods Setting: Clinic. Patients: A total of 75 eyes of 48 adults. Observation procedures: Gradings of retinal vessel diameters from images produced by using two photographic techniques: directly from a 45° digital camera and digitized by scanning from a 30° film-based camera. Main outcome measure: Differences in CRAE and CRVE from two types of images. Results CRAE and CRVE were highly comparable between the two techniques with correlation coefficients of 0.88 and 0.87, respectively. Conclusion Estimates of CRAE and CRVE from measurements taken from digitally captured and digitized film-based images were highly comparable. It is likely that inferences about factors associated with retinal vessel diameters will be unbiased by the method of imaging.
Diagnosis of five spinocerebellar ataxia disorders by multiplex amplification and capillary electrophoresis.

The autosomal-dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (ADCA) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders with variable expression and phenotypic overlap. An accurate diagnosis relies on detection of a mutation in a specific causative gene, which is typically an abnormal number of CAG trinucleotide repeats. To streamline testing in a clinical setting, we converted our current panel of tests for the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) types SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7 from five independent amplification reactions analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) to a single multiplex amplification reaction analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Multiplex amplification was facilitated by the use of chimeric primers; different lengths and fluorochromes distinguished the amplicons. During CE with commercially available molecular weight standards, the SCA amplicons migrated faster than predicted, thereby underestimating their length compared to that determined previously by PAGE. This was observed to varying degrees for each of the five loci, with the greatest size differential occurring in amplicons with greater (CAG)n. To determine accurate amplicon length, and therefore an accurate number of CAG repeats, a size correction formula was calculated for each locus. This multiplex semi-automated assay has been reliable during 1 year of use in a clinical setting during which 57 samples were tested and five positive samples were detected.
Assessing the allergenic potential of molds found in water-damaged homes in a mouse model.

AbstractDamp/moldy indoor environments, which have resulted from flooding events and may increase as a result of climate change, have been associated with asthma exacerbation. Certain molds found in significantly higher or lower concentrations in asthmatics’ homes compared to control homes have been categorized as Group 1 (G1) and Group 2 (G2) molds, respectively. We have compared the allergic potential of selected G1/G2 molds to house dust mite (HDM) in a mouse model. BALB/c mice were exposed to mold (0–80 µg) or HDM (20 µg) extract by intratracheal aspiration either 4X over 4 weeks (allergenicity) or 1X (non-specific responses). Airflow limitation (methacholine challenge) was measured (Day 1) and serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected (Day 2) after the final exposure. The G1 molds induced low-to-moderate responses and required higher doses to achieve antigen-specific IgE results similar to those induced by HDM. Compared to HDM responses, the G2 mold in this study required lower doses to i...
Influence of Project Scale and Carbon Variability on the Costs of Measuring Soil Carbon Credits

A large body of research suggests that US cropland soils can also sequester significant amounts of C and are a promising source of C credits. This paper presents a framework for assessing the transactions costs associated with per-hectare and per-credit contract types and addresses the potential magnitude of transactions costs associated with measuring soil C credits under a per-credit contract within the dry-land crop region of Montana, USA. In the empirical analysis, we estimate the total measurement costs for soil C credits and investigate how changes in contract (and region) size as well as increases in C credit variability affect total measurement costs. The empirical analyses suggest that increasing the size of the contract and aggregating credits over a larger number of producers can lower measurement costs associated with the per-credit contract, even in the face of increasing C variability. Thus contracts for large quantities of soil credits increase the likelihood that the per-credit contract remains more efficient than the per-hectare contract. However, these empirical results reflect the specific data and conditions present within the case study region. The theoretical expectation is that sample size and measurement costs can either increase or decrease as the population to be sampled increases. Thus the measurement costs associated with a per-credit contract could respond differently from this analysis across the spatial extent of the US.
Resolutions of B modules

There is an explicit resolution of an irreducible polynomial module for the general linear group , due to A.V. Zelevinskii and also K. Akin, which realizes the Jacobi-Trudi expansion of the corresponding Schur function. That resolution lies in the category of polynomial representations, i.e., all the terms in the resolution are polynomial. This paper constructs several complexes from the BBG resolution of the trivial one-dimensional representation, for any reductive group G over a ground field of characteristic zero, obtaining thereby analogues of the Zelevinskii-Akin resolution for the rational representation theory of such G.
Thomas Szasz and Our Right to Drugs: Cracking the Constitution

The work of Thomas Szasz and his position on drug policy and drug addiction is presented through his latest work, Our Right to Drugs: The Case for a Free Market, the main thesis of which is that individuals have a constitutional right to drugs. Szasz links this right with other rights such as the right to control one's body, the right to property, and the right to die. His position is shown to emanate consistently from a single philosophical premise and is outlined by textual citations from his writings. Szasz's intellectual importance is then suggested. Rationality is strengthened by defiance; that is why it is indifferent to consensus and eschews coercions.-Thomas Szasz, M.D.The Untamed Tongue
Challenges in the Interpretation of Dengue Vaccine Trial Results

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the unexpected results of the first completed efficacy clinical trial of a vaccine against dengue virus [1]. Based on intention-to-treat analyses, the vaccine was efficacious in reducing the incidence of clinical disease caused by dengue serotypes 1, 3, and 4, but failed to reduce the incidence of dengue-2 (DENV-2). The authors of the study propose potential explanations including an antigenic mismatch between the parental strain of the DENV-2 component and currently circulating DENV-2 viruses in Ratchaburi, an increased role for immunity to nonstructural proteins in DENV-2 that this vaccine does not induce, and a lack of correlation of measured neutralizing antibody and protective immunity [1].
Microstructure and vacuum tribology of TiC–Ag composite coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering-pulsed laser deposition

Abstract Composite titanium carbide–silver films have been co-deposited by magnetron sputtering-pulsed laser deposition (MSPLD) to study their friction and wear properties in vacuum. The films deposited were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The silver content in the films ranged from 6 to 46 at.%. Structural characterization of the films revealed that Ag had a nano-crystalline structure when dispersed in the film, but larger crystallites of Ag (∼50–200 nm) also formed on the surface. Films with higher Ag contents showed evidence of higher diffusion rates, leading to a coarser structure and greater surface coverage. Pin-on-disk friction tests were performed under vacuum to observe the friction and wear behavior of these films. Friction was lower with higher Ag content, but wear was higher; the optimal Ag concentration was found to be 15%. SEM images from the surface of the films and wear tracks were obtained to understand the morphology of this type of composite ceramic coating, and revealed Ag layers in the wear track elongated in the direction of wear. Based on these results, the significance of silver as a friction-reducing agent in vacuum environments was demonstrated.
Apnea of Prematurity and Risk for SIDS

* Abbreviation: SIDS = : sudden infant death syndrome The premature infant is at increased risk to die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).1Although the overall risk in Los Angeles County in 1996 was 1.5 per 1000 live births, that for the baby born before 37 weeks' gestation was approximately five times as high. This increased risk has been recognized for many years, yet the reasons remain obscure. It would be highly desirable to be able to identify the individual infant who is at greatest risk within the group. Without information as to cause, this has proven impossible thus far. A number of efforts have been made to identify subpopulations of premature infants in whom the risk is greater. Only one factor has been reliably associated with risk, and that is gestational age.2 This has been true in all studies reporting weeks of gestation, and the association is inverse. The shorter the gestational interval, the more immature the infant is at birth. The more immature the infant, the higher the risk is that the infant will die of SIDS. In our nursery follow-up clinic where we see infants after discharge whose birth weight was <1500 g, corresponding to a gestational age of ≤32 …
DASH: A Method for Identical-by-Descent Haplotype Mapping Uncovers Association with Recent Variation

Rare variants affecting phenotype pose a unique challenge for human genetics. Although genome-wide association studies have successfully detected many common causal variants, they are underpowered in identifying disease variants that are too rare or population-specific to be imputed from a general reference panel and thus are poorly represented on commercial SNP arrays. We set out to overcome these challenges and detect association between disease and rare alleles using SNP arrays by relying on long stretches of genomic sharing that are identical by descent. We have developed an algorithm, DASH, which builds upon pairwise identical-by-descent shared segments to infer clusters of individuals likely to be sharing a single haplotype. DASH constructs a graph with nodes representing individuals and links on the basis of such segments spanning a locus and uses an iterative minimum cut algorithm to identify densely connected components. We have applied DASH to simulated data and diverse GWAS data sets by constructing haplotype clusters and testing them for association. In simulations we show this approach to be significantly more powerful than single-marker testing in an isolated population that is from Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia and has abundant IBD, and we provide orthogonal information for rare, recent variants in the outbred Wellcome Trust Case-Control Consortium (WTCCC) data. In both cohorts, we identified a number of haplotype associations, five such loci in the WTCCC data and ten in the isolated, that were conditionally significant beyond any individual nearby markers. We have replicated one of these loci in an independent European cohort and identified putative structural changes in low-pass whole-genome sequence of the cluster carriers.
Native crop diversity in Aridoamerica: Conservation of regional gene pools

Scholars have seldom considered the native crop diversity in northwest Mexico and the U.S. Southwest as resources of the same cohesive ecological and cultural region. The term Aridoamerica is introduced to describe this overlooked center of plant domestication and diversification, which is distinct from centers of Mesoamerica and the Mississippi Valley. To understand why certain of its landraces are unique, the systematic relationships and gene-pool relations of crops found prehistorically and protohistorically in Aridoamerica are reviewed. Signifcant crop/ weed introgression continues where indigenous agriculture persists, but native fields are being rapidly abandoned or converted. In planning in situ and ex situ conservation efforts to maintain this diversity, both cultural factors and plant population genetics must be considered.
Use statistics: A planetary view

Abstract Historical statistics from the automated circulation system were profiled against the total book holdings to reveal interest patterns and recent changes in use. These statistical ratios were analyzed as a critical increment of an overall library evaluation study to determine the degree to which the NASA Goddard Library met and anticipated needs. The analysis resulted in the strengthening of certain areas; it initiated an automated change detection mechanism, and it accelerated the decision to store use history in the machine readable shelflist record as a management information system data element.
The unfolded protein response: A stress signaling pathway critical for health and disease

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an intracellular organelle consisting of a membranous labyrinth network that extends throughout the cytoplasm of the cell and is contiguous with the nuclear envelope. In all eukaryotic cells, the ER is the site where folding and assembly occurs for proteins destined to the extracellular space, plasma membrane, and the exo/endocytic compartments. The ER is exquisitely sensitive to alterations in homeostasis, and provides stringent quality control systems to ensure that only correctly folded proteins transit to the Golgi and unfolded or misfolded proteins are retained and ultimately degraded. A number of biochemical and physiologic stimuli, such as perturbation in calcium homeostasis or redox status, elevated secretory protein synthesis, expression of misfolded proteins, sugar/glucose deprivation, altered glycosylation, and overloading of cholesterol can disrupt ER homeostasis, impose stress to the ER, and subsequently lead to accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER lumen. The ER has evolved highly specific signaling pathways called the unfolded protein response (UPR) to cope with the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins. Recent discoveries of the mechanisms of ER stress signaling have led to major new insights into the diverse cellular and physiologic processes that are regulated by the UPR. This review summarizes the complex regulation of UPR signaling and its relevance to human physiology and disease.
Oxygen isotope relationships in iron meteorites

Iron meteorites with oxygen-bearing phases can be classified in terms of their oxygen isotopic abundances. These iron meteorite classes are isotopically similar to various stony meteorite classes, which may indicate a common origin. The group IAB and IIICD irons may be related to the winonaites; group IIE irons may be related to H chondrites; group IVA irons may be related to L or LL chondrites.
Cyclic stretch induces cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in vascular endothelial cells via activation of nuclear factor kappa-β

Vascular endothelial cells respond to biomechanical forces, such as cyclic stretch and shear stress, by altering gene expression. Since endothelial-derived prostanoids, such as prostacyclin and thromboxane A{sub 2}, are key mediators of endothelial function, we investigated the effects of cyclic stretch on the expression of genes in human umbilical vein endothelial cells controlling prostanoid synthesis: cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) and thromboxane A{sub 2} synthase (TXAS). COX-2 and TXAS mRNAs were upregulated by cyclic stretch for 24 h. In contrast, PGIS mRNA was decreased and stretch had no effect on COX-1 mRNA expression. We further show that stretch-induced upregulation of COX-2 is mediated by activation of the NF-{kappa}{beta} signaling pathway.
Alterations in brain RNA metabolism following chronic ethanol ingestion.

— The in vivo labelling of various brain RNA fractions was found to be altered due to chronic ethanol ingestion by C57BL/6J mice. Ingestion of ethanol resulted in a marked decrease in the incorporation of intraventricularly injected [5-3H] orotic acid into tRNA, rRNA and polyribosomal RNA. The inhibition was more pronounced in the polyribosomal fraction than the ribosomal fraction. In the nucleus, a biphasic effect of ethanol was demonstrated in the nRNA fraction where increased incorporation of precursor label at early time points was followed by marked depression. Absence of a similar increase in the cytoplasmic RNA fractions is suggestive of a possible defect in the transport of RNA from nucleus to cytoplasm resulting in the accumulation of RNA in the nucleus. Ethanol ingestion had no effect on the synthesis of acid soluble nucleotides following the in vivo administration of [5-3H]orotic acid or [5-3H]uridine into the brain. Over 90 per cent of the radioactivity in either ‘control’ or ‘ethanol’ brain could be recovered in the UMP fraction with negligible conversion to GMP, AMP or CMP. The results suggest that the observed changes in RNA metabolism following chronic ethanol ingestion are due to an alteration in the transcription and/or the processing of RNA in the nucleus rather than a function of reduced availability of nucleotides.
Liquid Chromatographic Behavior of Selected Aza-arenes and Potential Metabolites

Abstract Reversed phase HPLC was applied to analyses of selected aza-arenes and potential metabolites (5,6-benzoquinoline, 5,6-benzoquinoline-N-oxide, and the N-methyliodide salt of 5,6-benzoquinoline). Naphthalene and anthracene were employed as reference materials. Water-methanol and ammonium phosphate-methanol mobile phases were used with several commercial octadecyl reversed phase columns and a column using laboratory synthesized ODS stationary phase. Chromatographic behavior of the hydrocarbon reference compounds were excellent on all packings with either mobile phase. Benzoquinoline and derived materials were more difficult analytical subjects; water-methanol mobile phases proved unsuitable giving very long retention times with unacceptable efficiencies. Ammonium phosphate containing mobile phases were more appropriate for the nitrogen containing materials especially when used with end capped or polymeric end capped stationary phases.
Westhaven: Collaborative Design in Public Housing

Students from the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science have partnered with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to structure a plan to revitalize the Westhaven public housing project. Enhancing a systems engineering-based framework with participatory design principles, the team intends to engage residents in the planning process to optimize the final physical product and enhance the sense of community and empowerment among residents.
Oxygen Deficit During Exercise Testing in Heart Failure: Relation to Submaximal Exercise Tolerance

Measurements of oxygen deficit during submaximal exercise were correlated with the anaerobic threshold (as measured by gas exchange analysis), peak work rate on a ramp protocol, and the ability to perform constant work rate exercise in 10 male patients with New York Heart Association class 2 congestive heart failure and 12 age- and gender-matched normal controls. All subjects performed a maximal ramp exercise test for measurement of the anaerobic threshold. In addition, several 15-min constant work rate exercise sessions were conducted to evaluate oxygen deficit, measured as the area between the "ideal" square curve of oxygen consumption at the onset of constant work rate exercise and the actual exponentially shaped curve. Since the oxygen deficit significantly correlated with the plateau oxygen consumption during the 25-W constant work rate exercise (r=0.61, p=0.002), the oxygen deficit was normalized by the rectangular area of 15-min oxygen consumption above baseline. This normalized value significantly correlated with the inverse of the anaerobic threshold (r=0.81, p
RELATIVISTIC, RETARDATION, AND RADIATIVE CORRECTIONS IN RYDBERG STATES OF LITHIUM

We have used third-order perturbation theory to calculate the effect of the Breit-Pauli relativistic interaction on the dipole polarizability of ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ ions of order ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{2}$ . Results are in good agreement with the value obtained by Johnson and Cheng [Phys. Rev. A 53, 1375 (1996)]. In addition, the retardation (Casimir) corrections to singly excited (${1\mathrm{s}}^{2}$ NL) states of neutral lithium have been computed. When both of these corrections are added to the previously calculated Rydberg state energies, 1\ensuremath{\sigma} agreement is found with experiment [N. E. Rothery et al., Phys. Rev. A 51, 2919 (1995)]. Addition of radiative (Lamb-shift) corrections produces essentially exact agreement.
On the vertical thermal structure of Io's atmosphere

A radiative-thermal conduction model for the vertical thermal structure of Io's atmosphere is developed with solar heating by SO2 absorption in UV and near-IR bands and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) cooling by SO2 nu(sub 1), nu(sub 2), nu(sub 3), vibrational bands and rotational lines. The model predicts the existence of a mesopause in Io's atmosphere when the surface pressure exceeds approximately 10 nbar. The radiative time constant for establishing a mesosphere/mesopause on Io is only approximately 20 min, whereas the thermospheric radiative time constant is about 1 hr. These time constants are significantly shorter than the diurnal time scale and competitive with dynamic time scales. In the thermosphere when solar UV heating dominates, the asymptotic thermospheric temperature is approximately 270 K, only 140 K greater than the surface temperature because at high altiudes non-LTE cooling by SO2 rotation lines exceeds cooling in the nu(sub 2) virbrational band. Solar-heating-only modles are incapable of generating warm enough atmospheres to satisfy the observational inferences from UV and especially millimeter-wave meausrements. Joule heating driven by the penetration of Jupiter's corotational electric field into Io's conducting ionosphere is demonstrated to be the dominant heating mechanism in the subnanobar regions of Io's atmosphere with tempertures ranging from 150 to 1000 K as a function of decreasing pressure from 1 to 0.1 nbar, The asymoptotic thermospheric temperature can attain a value as high as 1800 K.
Heat transfer in a pure near-critical fluid: diffusive and convective regimes in 3He

Abstract Results are presented on the heat transport in 3 He below and above the onset of convection in a Rayleigh–Benard cell with aspect ratio of 57. The experiments were conducted along the critical isochore, where the temperature difference Δ T across the fluid layer was measured as a function of time t for various values of heat current q . The transients Δ T ( t ) upon turning the heat flow on and off are described. As q is increased, unusual damped oscillatory patterns in Δ T ( t ) are observed until a steady state is reached. These patterns evolve as the Rayleigh number increases.
On the Mumford-Tate group of an Abelian variety with complex multiplication☆

Let (K, @) be a primitive CM-type with [K: O] = 2n (for definitions and previous results see Section 1.1). Fix n, and consider the collection s(n) = {Rank(@)}, where Rank(@) counts the number of independent translates of Qi under the Galois action and (K, @) ranges over all primitive types. The smallest element of S(n), denoted by B(n), is referred to as the sharp lower bound for the rank in dimension n. As was brought to the author’s attention by Ribet, bounds on B(n) of the form p + 1, for p a prime dividing n, follow directly from the proof of Ribet’s Nondegeneracy Theorem [21]. This is recorded as Theorem 1.4. Ribet’s method also gives bounds of the form 2q for q a prime with q2 dividing n, as is observed in Theorem 1.12. When combined with the author’s constructions of Abelian varieties in [S, 91, we obtain the precise value of B(n) for many values of n (Corollaries 1.5 to 1.8 and 1.13). We recall that these constructions use the analytic method of Weil and Shimura, together with new results on the reflex field from an investigation suggested to the author by Shim’ura. The interest of the rank comes from the theory of complex multiplication. If A is an Abelian variety of CM-type (K, @), then the Kubota Rank of A is Rank (@), and controls properties of the classfields constructed from A as in Kubota [ 161 and Ribet [20]. This is connected with the fact that the rank of @ is also the dimension of the Mumford-Tate group of A, and with the relation of this group to the I-adic representations of A, as in Serre [24, 251. The main body of the paper contains results that provide information on S(n). The main result, Theorem 2.5, asserts that when n is odd there is a computable subset S,‘,,,(n) of S(n) that accounts for the ranks of many CM-types on most CM-fields. More precisely, let K, be the maximal totally real subfield of K, and Kg be the Galois closure of K,. We consider the per-
Winter processes on northern salt marshes: Evaluating the impact of in-situ peat compaction due to ice loading, Wells, ME

Abstract New England salt marshes are dominated by the supratidal high marsh grass, Spartina patens . This grass forms a nearly planar surface, which makes it highly vulnerable to the predicted regime of accelerated sea-level rise (SLR). If the high marsh cannot keep pace with rising sea level it will be transformed to intertidal environments, leading to unusually rapid coastal evolution. Winter processes such as ice-loading of surface peat may degrade the marsh surface. Large volumes of snow and ice compress peat, resulting in shallow compaction and a net loss of elevation in some areas. On the Webhannet marsh in Maine, a simulated ice compaction experiment indicates that thick ice can compress marsh peat (46 cm simulated ‘ice’ produced 6.9 ± 0.3 mm of compaction; 24 cm ‘ice’ produced 3.0 ± 0.8 mm). Experimental data suggest that ice thicknesses greater than 10 cm depress the marsh surface by 2 mm for each cm of total ice thickness. However, surface elevations rebounded to near-control levels within 2 weeks of the removal of simulated ‘ice’ from the surface of the marsh. Normal winter ice accumulations on New England marshes, therefore, do not appear to be sufficient to permanently compact marsh surface peat and lead to loss in marsh surface elevation.
On nonlinear doubly-diffusive Marangoni instability

Enhancement of simultaneous heat and mass transfer due to surface tension gradient-induced Marangoni convection is studied. The geometry considered is a thin liquid film between a solid phase and a gas phase. In regions where the two Marangoni numbers are of opposite signs (quadrants II and IV), Orr-Sommerfeld analysis reveals the possibility of oscillatory roll cells. A nonlinear bifurcation study of the amplitude equations indicates that the finite-amplitude oscillatory rolls are annihilated by steady rolls slightly beyond the oscillatory stability boundary in a heteroclinic bifurcation. Oscillatory rolls are hence restricted to quadrants II and IV. Finite-amplitude instability due to subcritical bifurcation of the steady rolls is also shown to be limited to these quadrants. In addition to classifying the bifurcations, the numerical study also provides a useful correlation for single-component flux enhancement, Nh* = 1 + 0.001324 Nu0.23Pr0.16(NT − N), which is compared to available experimental data.
STRUCTURE OF ACTINOMYCIN D BOUND WITH (GAAGCTTC)2 AND (GATGCTTC)2 AND ITS BINDING TO THE (CAG)N:(CTG)N TRIPLET SEQUENCE AS DETERMINED BY NMR ANALYSIS

The anticancer drug actinomycin D (ActD) binds to DNA by intercalating its phenoxazone ring at a GpC step with the drug's two cyclic pentapeptides located in the DNA minor groove. The binding affinity to the GpC site is influenced by the flanking sequences. We have analyzed the structure of the complexes of ActD−d(GAAGCTTC)2 and ActD−d(GATGCTTC)2 by NOE-restrained refinement. Binding of ActD to the −(AGCT)2− sequence causes the N-methyl group of MeVal to wedge between the bases at the ApG step, resulting in kinks on both sides of the intercalator site. Surprisingly ActD forms a very stable complex with d(GATGCTTC)2 in which the same methyl group now fits snugly in a cavity at the TpG step created by the T:T mismatched base pair. In contrast, ActD does not stabilize the unstable A:A−mismatched d(GAAGCATC)2 duplex to a significant extent. Such high-resolution structural information helps reveal the sequence preference of ActD toward −XGCY− tetranucleotides. The triplet repeat (CAG)n and (CTG)n motifs, which...
Inter-strand crosslinking of DNA by nitrogen mustard.

The effect of reaction with nitrogen mustard on the denaturability of DNA was studied in order to clarify the nature of the effect that has been attributed to inter-strand crosslinking. Reaction of bacterial DNA with concentrations of nitrogen mustard as low as 5 × 10 −7 M , corresponding to alkylation of approximately 0·005% of the bases, converted an appreciable fraction of the DNA to a form that did not denature after exposure to dilute sodium hydroxide or to formamide. The hydrogen-bonded structure of the DNA bihelix is broken down by such exposures, but the altered fraction of the DNA reverts to the bihelical form after removal of the denaturant. (Unreaeted DNA remains almost completely denatured after these exposures.) Several physical properties of this recovered bihelical DNA were measured and were found to be similar to those of the original DNA. Measurements of the fraction of the DNA rendered resistant to denaturation were performed by CsCl density-gradient equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Studies with density-hybrid DNA showed that the denaturation resistance produced by nitrogen mustard treatment correlates with an inhibition of strand separation. When DNA was subjected to a mild HN2† treatment and then exposed to alkali at various temperatures, the fraction of the DNA denatured was found to be constant over a wide temperature range. This indicates that the denaturation resistance is mediated by covalent bonds. Denaturation-resistant fractions were produced by the reaction of DNA with the bifunctional nitrogen mustard, HN2, and with bifunctional epoxides. Mono-functional analogues of these agents did not produce this effect. The requirement for sequential reactions of two functional groups was associated with a time-lag in the appearance of denaturation-resistant molecules during reaction with HN2. The formation of denaturation-resistant DNA was initially first-order with respect to HN2 concentration. This indicates that a denaturation-resistant DNA molecule can be produced by the reaction of a single molecule of HN2. The results indicate that nitrogen mustard generates covalent crosslinks between the paired strands of bihelical DNA, and that a single such crosslink per DNA molecule prevents denaturation. Studies with 14 C-labeled HN2 showed that only a small fraction, about 4%, of the DNA-bound mustard molecules became effective crosslinks, under the reaction conditions employed.
Comparison of laser-induced damage morphology in three model thin-film systems: HfO2, Y2O3, and Ta2O5

Post-mortem atomic force mocroscopy (AFM) analysis of 1 micrometers thick, monolayer, delectric coatings of HfO2, Y2O3, and Ta2O5 , all prepared by conventional e-beam deposition, was carried out on irradiated sites of moderate-level damage after 1054-nm irradiation by identical laser pulses. Analysis of all maps shows that growth nodules, long believed to be the prime laser-damage drivers, are few in all of our films and are irrelevant to damage here. Damage morphology was represented by micrometer-scale craters and domes. Crater sizes and depths, linked to the sizes and positions of absorbing defects in the film media, indicate that average absorber size increases from HfO2 to Y2O3 to Ta2O5. HFO2 also has the shallowest craters, while Ta2O5 samples consistently damage near the film- substrate interface, with yttria falling in between these extremes. Crater cross sections reveal a predominance of conical wall formations, pointing towards a thermal- explosion mechanism of crater formation. Domes that were found to be entirely absent in Ta2O5, occur with approximately 2% probablility in Y2O3, i.e., 2% of all mapped defects were domes with more than 25% probablility in HfO2 films. Obtained results suggest that domes are crater precursors, i.e., arrested damage events because of lack of sufficient energy transfer from the absorbing inclusion.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The chemistry of smoke suppression in polyurethane foams using thermogravimetry-infrared residue analysis

The analysis of TG residues using FT-IR has shown that at 270°C. pyromellitate esters can react with aromatic amines formed from polyurethane foam degradation to form a pyromellitimide structure. This stabilises the main smoke and toxic gas precursors formed during combustion.
A rapid qualitative assay to detect circulating endotoxin can predict the development of multiorgan dysfunction.

Objective To determine whether a rapid qualitative assay for the detection of circulating endotoxin (SimpliRED Endotoxin Test [SRE]; AGEN, Inc; Brisbane, Australia) can predict the occurrence of multiorgan dysfunction and hospital mortality. To compare the SRE to the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay as a predictor of clinical outcomes. Design Prospective, blinded, single-center study. Setting Medical ICU of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients Included in the study were 265 adult patients requiring medical ICU admission. Interventions: Daily collection of blood samples. Measurements and results Daily detection for the presence of endotoxin in blood during intensive care and assessment for the development of multiorgan dysfunction ( ie , an organ system failure index >2) or death. On ICU day 1, 55 (20.8%) patients had circulating endotoxin detected by the SRE. On ICU day 2,29 of the 143 (20.3%) patients remaining in the ICU had a positive SRE. The development of multiorgan dysfunction was significantly greater among SRE-positive patients (44.8%) compared to SRE-negative patients (21.9%) on ICU day 2 (p=0.013). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified a positive SRE on ICU day 2 (adjusted odds ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 2.5 to 6.8; p=0.006) as being independently associated with the development of multiorgan dysfunction. A positive SRE test was not predictive of hospital mortality. Direct quantitative measurement of the concentration of circulating endotoxin using the LAL assay was not associated with either the development of multiorgan dysfunction or hospital mortality (p>0.1). Conclusions Our preliminary data suggest that a bedside assay to qualitatively detect circulating endotoxin is predictive of the development of multiorgan dysfunction among patients admitted to a medical ICU. The rapid detection of circulating endotoxin could be useful for stratifying patients into various risk categories for the development of multiorgan dysfunction.
Class jumping into academia: Multiple identities for counseling academics.

Eleven counseling psychology and counselor education academics were interviewed regarding their experiences of progressing from lower- or lower-middle-class backgrounds to college and, further, to academic positions. Grounded theory method was used for data analysis, and consensual qualitative research methods were used for triangulation and data presentation. Participants described experiences of hardship as children, obstacles to advancement, resources that enabled academic pursuits, and thwarted belonging needs in academic environments and original referent group settings. Bicultural and tricultural identity development were identified as central phenomena for participants. Implications regarding social class as an important aspect of multiculturalism are discussed.