cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Wilson's disease with tetrathiomolybdate: V. control of free copper by tetrathiomolybdate and a comparison with trientine

It has become clear that serum "free" copper (the copper not bound to ceruloplasmin in the blood) is the copper causing copper toxicity in Wilson's disease. But up until now, free copper has not been closely followed during initiation of anticopper therapy in neurologically presenting patients. During this period of initial therapy, the future fate of these patients hangs in the balance-if they worsen neurologically as often happens with penicillamine or trientine therapy, many never recover. We hypothesize that free copper levels are a biological marker of clinical outcome in these patients. In this article, we evaluate the control of free copper in 3 studies of initial anticopper treatment in neurologically presenting Wilson's disease patients. The first (study 1) is a 55-patient open-label trial of tetrathiomolybdate, the second (study 2) is a 48-patient double-blind trial comparing tetrathiomolybdate and trientine, and the third (study 3) is a 40-patient double-blind comparison of 2 disease regimens of tetrathiomolybdate. Free copper levels were determined by subtracting ceruloplasmin and tetrathiomolybdate bound copper from total serum copper. Tetrathiomolybdate showed very strong control of free copper levels over the 8 weeks of treatment in the 55-patient open-label study (study 1), reducing it to a mean value of about one fourth, or less, of baseline. In the tetrathiomolybdate/trientine double blind (study 2), tetrathiomolybdate again showed good control of free copper levels over 8 weeks of treatment, which is significantly better than trientine. In the trientine arm of study 2, mean free copper levels actually went up during trientine therapy. The 5 patients who neurologically worsened on trientine therapy over 8 weeks of treatment showed significant spikes in serum free copper levels associated in time with their neurologic worsening. Patients who did not worsen neurologically generally did not show significant spikes in free copper. Tetrathiomolybdate controlled copper less well in the dose regimen study (study 3) than in the previous 2 studies of tetrathiomolybdate treatment, probably because of a change in the way "away from food" tetrathiomolybdate was given.
Control of chemical equilibrium by noise

We formulate a theory of reactive transport in the presence of environmental fluctuations that restart a transfer attempt, such as, for instance, during charge transfer through an intermediate state on a fluctuating bridge. It is shown that the rate and statistics of the fluctuations affect the steady-state populations of the reactants and products and the rate at which the steady state is approached. We give explicit examples in which the reactant/product populations can be inverted by varying the rate of environmental fluctuations. We thus propose a design principle of a controllable molecular scale device. We speculate that when noise-controlled charge transfer takes place in nature, as during electron transport in bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers, such a design can be used to maintain functionality over a wide temperature range and would be favored by evolution.
Surface Thermodynamics for Polar Adsorbates on Wyodak Coals

Adsorption enthalpies have been measured for polar molecules interacting with Wyodak coal. All of the polar adsorbates studied, including organic bases and 1-propanol, interact more strongly than predicted based on a model that includes van der Waals forces only. After the van der Waals component is subtracted from the total adsorption heat, the specific adsorption heat for each polar molecule on Wyodak coal is ∼1−4 kcal/mol more exothermic than its value on Illinois No. 6 coal. On alkylated Wyodak coal, the adsorption heats for organic bases are ∼1−3 kcal/mol as well. The adsorption heats for organic bases on alkylated Wyodak coal decrease in exothermicity by ≥5.0 kcal/mol, an amount that is similar to the specific hydrogen-bond interaction for each base with Illinois No. 6 coal. In contrast, 1-propanol's adsorption heat decreases by only ∼2 kcal/mol after alkylating the coal and 1-propanol's specific adsorption heat on alkylated Wyodak coal (6.8 kcal/mol) is the same as its specific adsorption heat on I...
Essential arginine residues in the nitrate uptake system from corn seedling roots

Three dicarbonyl reagents were used to demonstrate the presence of an essential arginine residue in the NO3− uptake system from corn seedling roots (Zea mays L., Golden Cross Bantam). Incubation of corn seedlings with 2,3-butanedione (0.125-1.0 millimolar) and 1,2-cyclohexanedione (0.5-4.0 millimolar) in the presence of borate or with phenylglyoxal (0.25-2.0 millimolar) at pH 7.0 and 30°C resulted in a time-dependent loss of NO3− uptake following pseudo-first-order kinetics. Second-order rate constants obtained from slopes of linear plots of pseudo-first-order rate constants versus reagent concentrations were 1.67 × 10−2, 0.68 × 10−2, and 1.00 × 10−2 millimolar per minute for 2,3-butanedione, 1,2-cyclohexanedione, and phenylglyoxal, respectively, indicating the faster rate of inactivation with 2,3-butanedione at equimolar concentration. Double log plots of pseudo-first-order rate constants versus reagent concentrations yielded slope values of 1.031 (2,3-butanedione), 1.004 (1,2-cyclohexanedione), and 1.067 (phenylglyoxal), respectively, suggesting the modification of a single arginine residue. The effectiveness of the dicarbonyl reagents appeared to increase with increasing medium pH from 5.5 to 8.0. Unaltered Km and decreased Vmax in the presence of reagents indicate the inactivation of the modified carriers with unaltered properties. The results thus obtained indicate that the NO3− transport system possesses at least one essential arginine residue.
Comparative Effects of Copper Sulfate or Potassium Permanganate on Channel Catfish Concurrently Infected with Flavobacterium columnare and Ichthyobodo necator

A study was conducted to compare the effects of two chemical therapeutants on channel catfish (CCF) Ictalurus punctatus concurrently infected with Flavobacterium columnare and Ichthyobodo necator. Copper sulfate (CuSO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) were investigated for their ability to reduce the bacterial load, parasite load, and subsequent mortality. Treatment rates of CuSO4 or KMnO4 were 2.1 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L, respectively, and were applied at 24 h intervals on three consecutive days and control fish were untreated. Fin and gill samples were taken on day 4 (24 h after the final treatment) and day 10 (one week after the final treatment) for quantification of parasite and bacterial load. The survival rate of CuSO4-treated fish (73.0 %) was significantly different from the untreated control fish (41.5%). KMnO4-treated fish was (53.6%) and not significantly different from untreated control or CuSO4-treated fish. I. necator loads were significantly reduced by both CuSO4 and KMnO4, but only CuSO4 sign...
Relation of Social Support and Self-Esteem to Problem Behavior:: Investigation of Differing Models

Relations of social support and self-esteem to problem behavior were investigated among 347 young adolescents. Using structural equation modeling, three models were evaluated: a mediational model in which social support is related indirectly to problem behavior via intervening effects on self-esteem, a mediated and direct effects model in which social support has a direct relation to problem behavior in addition to an indirect linkage via self-esteem, and a direct effects model in which the relation of social support to problem behavior is not mediated by self-esteem because of the lack of an independent effect of esteem on problem behavior. The best fitting model was the mediated and direct effects model. In general, social support and self-esteem predicted less involvement in problem behavior. However, after taking into account variance shared with a general self-esteem construct, unique variance in peer self-esteem predicted greater problem behavior.
Screening for factor V Leiden mutation before prescribing combination oral contraceptives.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening for factor V Leiden mutation in women in the United States who use combination oral contraceptives. Design: Cost-effectiveness analysis. Setting: A national research reference laboratory, a university medical center, and an academic health center managed care organization. Patient(s): Women of reproductive age in the United States. Intervention(s): Baseline risk estimates of venous thromboembolic disease in the general population and in carriers of factor V Leiden mutation were calculated using available data. Main Outcome Measure(s): The number of women who would require factor V Leiden testing and the cost of identifying this cohort to prevent one death caused by venous thromboembolic disease before prescribing combination oral contraceptives. Result(s): To prevent one venous thromboembolic death attributable to the use of oral contraceptives in women with factor V Leiden mutation, >92,000 carriers would need to be identified and stopped from using these pills. The estimated charge to prevent this one death would exceed $300 million. If the price of testing were discounted to 34.5% of current charges, the cost still would be between $105 million and $130 million. Conclusion(s): Screening for factor V Leiden mutation before prescribing combination oral contraceptives is not a cost-effective use of U.S. health care dollars. The best and most cost-effective screening tool we have is taking a thorough personal and family history related to venous thromboembolic events.
Topological Transformation Approaches to Database Query Processing

This paper presents a novel approach that transforms the feature space into a new feature space such that a range query in the original space is mapped into an equivalent box query in the transformed space. Since box queries are axis aligned, there are several implementational advantages that can be exploited to speed up the retrieval of query results using R-Tree [9] like indexing schemes. For two dimensional data, the transformation is precise. For larger than two dimensions, we propose a space transformation scheme based on disjoint planer rotation and a new type of query, pruning box query, to get the precise results. Experimental results with large synthetic databases and some real databases show the effectiveness of the proposed transformation scheme. These experimental results have been corroborated with suitable mathematical models. In disjoint planer rotation, additional computation time is required to remove the false positives produced due to the bounding box not being precise. A second topological transformation scheme is presented based on optimized bounding box, which reduces the amount of false positives. The amount of this reduction is more with increasing dimensions. Optimized bounding box for higher dimensions is computed based on a novel approach of simultaneous local optimal projections.
Tectonic significance of paleobotanically estimated climate and altitude of the late Eocene erosion surface, Colorado

Erosion beveled the Laramide Front Range uplift in Colorado to a surface of low relief by the end of the Eocene. This study uses J.A. Wolfe's new multivariate climate analysis techniques to determine the paleoelevation of this regional surface by examining the overlying 35 Ma Florissant flora. A multiple regression model explaining 93.3% of the variance in mean annual temperature was developed using Wolfe's dataset of 31 leaf physiognomic character states for 86 modern vegetation sites. These character states were scored on 29 species collected from one facies of the Florissant Lake Beds. The paleotemperature estimate of mean annual temperature (10.7 {plus minus} 1.5C) derived from these data, when combined with sea-level temperature and terrestrial lapse rate, implies a late Eocene paleoelevation of 2.4-2.7 km. Pliocene uplift is thus not required to explain the present elevation of 2.5 km. It is unclear when and why the southern Rocky Mountains achieved this elevation. Magmatic crustal thickening can explain the late Eocene high elevation of the southern Rockies, but neither this mechanism nor compressive thickening explains why the Great Plains, which are tied to the Florissant elevation by the Wall Mountain Tuff, were also high. This paleoelevation estimate indicates that regional surfacesmore » of planation could be formed at high elevation in the Eocene, probably because of peculiarities of the Eocene climate.« less
Improving the performance of the NIST five axis goniospectrometer for measurements of bidirectional reflectance distribution function

The five axis goniospectrometer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measures the spectral reflectance of colored samples over a wide range of illumination and viewing angles. This capability is important for the colorimetric characterization of complex materials, such as gonioapparent coatings or retroreflective surfaces. To improve the efficiency of the goniometer, a broad-band source with a matrix-based stray-light corrected CCD based spectrometer was implemented. This new configuration offers a significant reduction in the measurement time allowing for the complete characterization of the goniodistribution of complex materials. Shorter measurement time reduces the load on the precise mechanical assembly, to ensure high angular accuracy over time. Special care was taken to extend the effective dynamic range of measured intensities in the multichannel detection mode to the values of 10 6 - 10 7 needed for the characterization of colored samples. The expanded uncertainty of the measured Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) for this new setup is about 0.5 % ( k = 2 ) which is comparable to the uncertainty levels of the instrument operating with monochromatic illumination and a silicon photodiode. To validate the new system configuration, the measured BRDF or spectral reflectance factors (R) of test samples were compared with different instruments and we found an agreement of about 0.5 %.
Computer simulation of electron-beam resist profiles

A user-oriented, conversational computer program, LMS (Lithography Modeling System), has been developed for rapid investigation of the total lithographic process used in electron-beam lithography, including electron exposure und resist development. Electron scattering and energy deposition within the resist film are simulated with Monte Carlo techniques, including the significant effects of electrons backscattered from the substrate. The magnitude of and correction for the resulting intra- and inter-line proximity effects in the latent image and their dependence on variables such as beam voltage, film thickness, substrate muterial, and line-pattern geometries are easily investigated with LMS. The latent image in the resist film is transformed into a solubility-rate image. The time evolution of the developed-resist profile and its dependence on electron dose, solvent, etc. can also be determined.
Materials and physical properties of novel high-k and medium-k gate dielectrics

Rapid shrinking in device dimensions calls for replacement of SiO2 by new gate insulators in future generations of MOSFETs. Among many desirable properties, potential candidates must have a higher dielectric constant, low leakage current, and thermal stability against reaction or diffusion to ensure sharp interfaces with both the substrate Si and the gate metal (or poly-Si). Extensive characterization of such materials in thin-film form is crucial not only for selection of the alternative gate dielectrics and processes, but also for development of appropriate metrology of the high-k films on Si. This paper will report recent results on structural and compositional properties of thin film SrTiO3 and transition metal oxides (ZrO2and HfO2).
Lactacystin and clasto-Lactacystin β-Lactone Modify Multiple Proteasome β-Subunits and Inhibit Intracellular Protein Degradation and Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Antigen Presentation

The antibiotic lactacystin was reported to covalently modify β-subunit X of the mammalian 20 S proteasome and inhibit several of its peptidase activities. However, we demonstrate that [3H]lactacystin treatment modifies all the proteasome's catalytic β-subunits. Lactacystin and its more potent derivative β-lactone irreversibly inhibit protein breakdown and the chymotryptic, tryptic, and peptidylglutamyl activities of purified 20 S and 26 S particles, although at different rates. Exposure to these agents for 1 to 2 h reduced the degradation of short- and long-lived proteins in four different mammalian cell lines. Unlike peptide aldehyde inhibitors, lactacystin and the β-lactone do not inhibit lysosomal degradation of an endocytosed protein. These agents block class I antigen presentation of a model protein, ovalbumin (synthesized endogenously or loaded exogenously), but do not affect presentation of the peptide epitope SIINFEKL, which does not require proteolysis for presentation. Generation of most peptides required for formation of stable class I heterodimers is also inhibited. Because these agents inhibited protein breakdown and antigen presentation similarly in interferon-γ-treated cells (where proteasomes contain LMP2 and LMP7 subunits in place of X and Y), all β-subunits must be affected similarly. These findings confirm our prior conclusions that proteasomes catalyze the bulk of protein breakdown in mammalian cells and generate the majority of class I-bound epitopes for immune recognition.
Meteor radiant distributions and the radio-echo rates observed by forward scatter

Abstract The diurnal variations in sporadic meteor echo rate observed by the forward scattering of radio waves over three different paths are compared with predictions based on a simplified model of the average radiant distribution which has been obtained from radar data by Hawkins . Our simplified distribution is composed of three hypothetical meteor showers with radiants at the apex of the earth's way and at points in the ecliptic at angles ±65° from the apex. Reasonably good agreement is found between these predictions and extensive measurements reported by Vogan and Campbell . Additional measurements reported here for two paths—Boston, Massachusetts to Atlanta, Georgia (1480km) and Boston, Massachusetts to Columbia, South Carolina (1250 km)—also show similar agreement. Evidence of the concentrations of radiants near the sun and antihelion points appear in the average diurnal rate for periods of about 1 month. In general forward-scatter measurements appear consistent with Hawkins' radiant distribution.
Specific cleavage of reduced and S-carboxamidomethylated neurophysin II by the collagenase of Clostridium histolyticum

Purified collagenase of Clostridium histolyticum was shown to cleave reduced and S-carboxamidomethylated bovine neurophysin between Cys-13 and Gly-14. The scission resulted in formation of two separable fragments: a smaller peptide arising from residues 1 through 13, and a larger peptide comprising the remainder of the residues of the protein. By dansylation procedures, the smaller peptide was shown to have amino-terminal alanine as expected from the sequence of neurophysin II, and the larger peptide had amino-terminal glycine as anticipated. These results show that collagenase indeed cleaves bovine neurophysin II in accord with the specificity postulated for that enzyme, i.e., scission between -X-Gly- in a sequence of -Pro-X-Gly-Pro-Y-. This result, obtained with a non-collagenous protein substrate, is further confirmation of the specificity of collagenase as established by its action on collagens and on synthetic oligopeptides.
Aspects of preschoolers' comprehension of indoor and outdoor gender-typed toys

Forty-nine 44- to 81-month-old predominantly white children's classification of and clustering in recall of gender-typed indoor and outdoor toys, and their gender schematicity, were assessed. Consistent with predictions, children high in gender schematicity demonstrated significantly greater clustering in their recall by gender type than children low in schematicity. As expected, all children demonstrated more accurate classification of same-sex than other-sex gender-typed toys in general. However, boys and girls showed distinctively different patterns in their abilities to accurately classify same-sex and other-sex indoor and outdoor gender-typed toys. Results are discussed in terms of the different social and play contexts inhabited by preschool boys and girls.
Olfaction in utero: Behavioral studies of the mouse fetus.

Abstract On the day before birth, mouse fetuses were tested for their behavioral responses to iso-amyl acetate and iso-valeric acid delivered into the nasal cavity in liquid phase. Pilot studies established that most subjects responded to most concentrations used with an increase in total behaviors and number of different behaviors displayed. When iso-amyl acetate was systematically delivered at three concentrations (10 −3 M, 10 −4 M and 10 −5 M) subjects showed significant responses to each. In contrast, responses were not evident when saline was the stimulus. The magnitude of the average behavioral response did not decline with decreasing concentration of odorant. In a second experiment, the ability of the fetus to discriminate between iso-amyl acetate and iso-valeric acid was studied. Results establish that the fetuses responded differently to the two odorants. Given the immaturity of the mouse's accessory olfactory system before birth and the observed responses to concentrations of odorants below the threshold of the trigeminal system, the results suggest that the mouse fetus has a functionally competent main olfactory system including the ability to discriminate between purified odorants. The results are discussed in terms of current models of chemosensory ontogeny.
Functional organization of hairy skin in response to sensory stimuli

Abstract The cross correlation methods previously developed for the analysis of peripheral nerve activity in response to natural stimuli were used to study the functional organization of hairy skin. Histological methods were used to supplement these findings. Measurements of peak velocity, distribution of fiber speeds and temporal dispersion confirmed previous findings that for the myelinated fiber groups, the innervation to the caudal area of skin conducts faster than the innervation to the rostral end. From the physiological and histological data it can be concluded that the skin contains two specific mechanoreceptors. The first is to the hair, is rapid adapting and responds to movement of the hairs. These receptors are innervated by the A, alpha-beta group (high sensitivity) and the A, delta-gamma group (low sensitivity). The second type of receptor is to the skin between the hair shafts and responds to touching the skin; these receptors are not as rapidly adapting and are innervated primarily by the A, delta-gamma group. The C-fiber activity is associated with nonspecific activity in response to various mechanical stimuli. Within each sub-area there is considerable time sharing of myelinated fibers by receptors. Cutaneous sensibility consists of specific mechanoreceptors which are supplied by myelinated fibers and subserve the basic modality of touch (hair and pressure). Nonspecific activity in response to C-fiber activity subserve the sensations of pain and temperature which are not basic modalities but the result of pattern recognition of specific and non-specific activities.
The abundance and significance of a class of large, transparent organic particles in the ocean

Polysaccharide-specific staining techniques reveal the existence and high abundance of a class of large, discrete, transparent particles in seawater and diatom cultures formed from dissolved exopolymers exuded by phytoplankton and bacteria. Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), ranged from 28 to 5000 particles ml−1 and 3 to 100s μm in longest dimension at five coastal stations off California. A high percentage of seemingly free-living bacteria (28–68%) were attached to these transparent sheets and films, suggesting that they may alter the distributions and microenvironments of marine microbes in nature. Preliminary coagulation experiments demonstrated that TEP are major agents in the aggregation of diatoms and in the formation of marine snow. The existence of microbial exudates acting as large, discrete particles, rather than as dissolved molecules or as coating on other particles, suggests that the transformation of dissolved organic matter into particulate form in the sea can occur via a rapid abiotic pathway as well as through conventional microbial uptake. The existence of these particles has far reaching implications for food web structure, microbial processes, carbon cycling and particulate flux in the ocean.
Crack detection using multimode fiber optical time domain reflectometry

Results of measurements of longitudinal and transverse crack growth using multimode fiber optical time domain reflectometry are presented. Crack detection thresholds less than 0.1 millimeter are readily achieved with OTDR. A sensor package design has been developed to provide controllable directional response characteristics. In particular, a method to eliminate the orientation angle problem and yield omnidirectional sensor response characteristics has been discovered. Results are reported on a novel all-fiber sensor capable of sensing 10 micrometers crack displacements while surviving and sensing 150% strains and displacements of 6 mm. Transmission measurements of the sensor using white light are also reported. The method is suitable for distributed sensing applications covering large areas of structures and adaptable to response enhancements required for real time structural monitoring at rates on the order of hundreds of Hertz. Applications include bridges, buildings, main-steam pipelines, and offshore platforms.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evaluation of multiple breathing states using a multiple instance geometry approximation (MIGA) in inverse-planned optimization for locoregional breast treatment.

Purpose Although previous work demonstrated superior dose distributions for left-sided breast cancer patients planned for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) at deep inspiration breath hold compared with conventional techniques with free-breathing, such techniques are not always feasible to limit the impact of respiration on treatment delivery. This study assessed whether optimization based on multiple instance geometry approximation (MIGA) could derive an IMRT plan that is less sensitive to known respiratory motions. Methods and Materials CT scans were acquired with an active breathing control device at multiple breath-hold states. Three inverse optimized plans were generated for eight left-sided breast cancer patients: one static IMRT plan optimized at end exhale, two (MIGA) plans based on a MIGA representation of normal breathing, and a MIGA representation of deep breathing, respectively. Breast and nodal targets were prescribed 52.2 Gy, and a simultaneous tumor bed boost was prescribed 60 Gy. Results With normal breathing, doses to the targets, heart, and left anterior descending (LAD) artery were equivalent whether optimizing with MIGA or on a static data set. When simulating motion due to deep breathing, optimization with MIGA appears to yield superior tumor-bed coverage, decreased LAD mean dose, and maximum heart and LAD dose compared with optimization on a static representation. Conclusions For left-sided breast-cancer patients, inverse-based optimization accounting for motion due to normal breathing may be similar to optimization on a static data set. However, some patients may benefit from accounting for deep breathing with MIGA with improvements in tumor-bed coverage and dose to critical structures.
Three-Dimensional Menisci in Polygonal Capillaries

Abstract The shapes of gravity-free, three-dimensional menisci are computed from the augmented Young-Laplace equation. Incorporation of disjoining thin-film forces in the Young-Laplace relation eliminates the contact line, thereby eliminating the free boundary from the problem. To calculate a meniscus with finite contact angles, the conjoining/disjoining pressure isotherm must also contain an attractive, sharply varying, spike function. The width of this function, w, reflects the range of the thin-film forces. In the limit of w approaching zero, a solution of the Young-Laplace equation is recovered. The proposed calculation method is demonstrated for menisci in two different types of capillaries. In the first case, the capillary is regular-polygonal in cross section with either 3, 4, or 6 sides and with contact angles Φ ranging from 0 to 45°. In the second case, the capillary is rectangular in section with aspect ratios ranging from 1.2 to 5 and with Φ = 0°, 15°, or 30°. Gas-liquid menisci inside a square glass capillary of 0.5 mm inscribed radius are measured optically for air bubbles immersed in a solution of di-n-butyl phthalate and mineral oil. This liquid mixture exhibits a zero contact angle with the wall and matches the refractive index of the glass capillary, permitting precise visual location of the interface. Excellent agreement is found with the numerical results which further demonstrates that the limiting process of the proposed method is valid. Because it avoids the issue of locating the contact line, solution of the augmented Young-Laplace equation is a simple and powerful method for the calculation of three-dimensional menisci.
A Rapid Cycling Flat-Topped Synchrotron Magnet System

The Princeton-Pennsylvania Accelerator (PPA), operating as a rapid cycling synchrotron at 19 Hz, produces an intense beam with a spill duty factor of 18% or less. The beam has the "RF structure" characteristic of PPA but also the energy modulation associated with the variation in magnetic field during an extended spill. Some years ago, a plan was formulated to provide a flat top to the magnet field waveform with a duty factor as high as 50%. This plan took advantage of the distributed nature of the magnet circuit which results in modest voltage stress on the individual components. Even so, implementation of the plan required the development of a 5kV rms, 1000A rms electronic switch. Also, static power supplies were required to replace the existing rotating machinery. Fairly sophisticated measures were required to regulate the magnet current during flat-top and to cope with the rather nasty transmission line modes of the circuit. The program has been essentially completed. Termination of the facility operating contract has prevented the actual use of the equipment for experimental purposes but all significant goals have been met and this paper describes the completed system and its performance.
An economic model for planning strategic mobility posture

Abstract : The paper describes a linear programming model used to perform cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the requirements for military strategic mobility resources. Expenditures for three classes of economic alternatives are considered: purchase of transportation resources, pre-positioning of material, and augmentation of port facilities. For a given investment level the mix of economic alternatives is determined which maximizes the effectiveness of the resultant transportaion system. By repeating the analysis for different levels of investment, a cost-effectiveness tradeoff curve can be developed. (Author)
Membrane depolarization by isotonic or hypertonic KCl: differential effects on mRNA levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine β-hydroxylase mRNA in PC12 cells

Membrane depolarization is an important and common manipulation used to study the result of enhanced neuronal activity on adaptive changes, including alterations in gene expression. In this study, the effect of elevated KCl, under isotonic and hypertonic conditions, on the changes in mRNA levels of the catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) was compared. Treatment of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells for several hours with 50 mM KCl, under conditions where osmolarity was maintained, induced TH mRNA levels several fold, without changing DBH mRNA levels (Kilbourne and Sabban, 1990). In contrast, 50 mM KCl added to culture media without adjusting the osmolarity did not alter TH mRNA levels for up to 24 h. Longer continuous exposure to this hypertonic depolarization condition reduced TH mRNA levels to about 10% of control levels. DBH mRNA levels also declined when PC12 cells were treated from 12 h to 5 days with hypertonic 50 mM KCl. The effect appeared to be specific, since actin mRNA levels were elevated about 2-fold with these same hypertonic treatments. As a control for osmotic changes, 50 mM NaCl was used and did not alter TH or DBH mRNA levels. Viability of the cells was maintained and total protein synthesis was reduced somewhat after 12 h of exposure to hypertonic 50 mM KCl, and remained relatively constant for as long as 4 days. Thus, there appears to be an interaction between osmolarity and elevated KCl since very different results of the effects of membrane depolarization on the mRNA levels for the catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes were obtained depending on the osmolarity of the cultures. The extent of elevation of TH mRNA with isotonic KCl was also dependent on cell density. At high cell densities, membrane depolarization no longer induced TH mRNA levels. The results of this study indicate the experimental parameters which can be crucial in studies of membrane depolarization.
Lead Free Through Hole Technology (THT) and Contact Repeatability in In-Circuit Test

The European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive banned the use of lead in electronic equipment on July 1st 2006. Contact repeatability performance is an important driver in the selection of lead free materials, as well as, the effects that manufacturing processes (through hole reflow (THR), wave, selective wave) have on testability of PCAs (printed circuit assemblies). In-circuit test probe contact repeatability performance is presented for various lead free material combinations (paste, fluxes, surface finishes) and their impact on test targets that have been exposed to through hole reflow, wave and selective wave manufacturing processes
Pathways to work for low‐income workers: The effect of work in the temporary help industry

This paper provides new evidence to inform the policy debate about the effect of a newly important industry -- the temporary help industry ?- on the labor market outcomes of low-income workers and those at risk of being on public assistance. We use several years of CPS data to document differences in characteristics and employment outcomes between temporary help workers and those in traditional work arrangements. We then use a model-based approach, exploiting SIPP data and using propensity score matching techniques, to compare outcomes for low-income and at-risk workers in the temporary help industry both with those of similar workers in traditional employment and of nonworkers. The analysis shows that workers who are at risk of welfare recipiency are more than twice as likely to be in alternative work arrangements as other workers. An examination of outcomes one year later, including wages, employment duration, and benefits, indicate that, not surprisingly, temporary workers had worse earnings and employment outcomes a year later than did similar individuals initially working in standard employment. Temporary workers fared substantially better one year later than did those who were initially not employed; temporary workers are nearly twice as likely to be working one year later. Although temporary workers do fare worse than those employed in traditional work, their outcomes one year later are much closer to those of standard workers than those of unemployed workers.
Teaching safety: 1000 students at a time

The safety training program for undergraduate lab students at the University of California, San Diego, Chemistry & Biochemistry Teaching Labs is based on self-study and gateway testing. Study materials are made available to the students, an optional safety lecture is provided and students are given venues to ask questions. Each lab student is required to pass an exam on basic lab safety and our specific laboratory rules. Our system for implementing this program and some of its problems are outlined.
Teaching corrosion via the internet using a variety of tools to enhance learning

Internet-based education is rapidly expanding because of its flexibility, convenience, and cost efficiency. On-line education is likely to continue to expand rapidly and become an increasingly significant component of higher education throughout the world. However, much of the course material that is available through the internet has been designed around information dissemination rather than learning. This paper discusses the planning, development, delivery, and evaluation of an on-line corrosion course developed at the University of Utah.
On simultaneous double collision in the collinear four-body problem

The purpose of this paper is to prove, in particular, that any simultaneous double collision orbit in the collinear four-body problem can be C1 regularized with respect to time provided the masses are suitably restricted.
Multiple electron beam maskless lithography for high-volume manufacturing

Based on the maturing MEMS capabilities and electronics technologies, the cost effective high-throughput MEBML2, at ≫100 WPH and footprint similar to an optical scanner, can be realized. Resolution, proximity correction, wafer heating and data rate shall not be problems for 5 keV at such high throughput. Another big advantage of focusing on MEBML2 as the lithography solution for 32-nm HP node and beyond is that it only needs investments on developing this tool. Unlike EUV and double patterning, which need enormous investments on the mask infrastructure and process development, besides just the cost of the lithography tool. However, the success of the MEBML2 technology still requires enormous industrial support and investments, which may happen only when it is commonly viewed as one of the mainstream technologies for high-volume manufacturing. To catch up manufacturing of the 32-nm HP node, the clustered platform has to be ready by 2012, which needs big platform suppliers' involvement very soon.
Effect of the hypoglycaemic drug (−)‐AZ‐DF‐265 on ATP‐sensitive potassium channels in rat pancreatic β‐cells

1. It has previously been shown that the hypoglycaemic drug (-)-AZ-DF-265 stimulates insulin release from mouse islets; in the presence of 3 mM glucose it also inhibits 86Rb-efflux from 86Rb-loaded islets. Based on these data we tested the hypothesis that (-)-AZ-DF-265 inhibits ATP-sensitive potassium channels. 2. We voltage-clamped the plasma membrane of single rat pancreatic beta-cells in the whole-cell configuration and measured the current flowing through ATP-sensitive potassium channels. (-)-AZ-DF-265 was applied to the outside of the cell; it inhibited the current half-maximally at a concentration of 1.2 +/- 0.2 nM with a Hill coefficient of 0.7 +/- 0.1. The inhibition was reversible on washing. 3. In intact RINm5F cells, the sulphonylurea [3H]-glibenclamide bound with an affinity of 0.24 +/- 0.01 nM and a Hill coefficient of 2.1 +/- 0.4. Treatment with (-)-AZ-DF-265 led to the displacement of [3H]-glibenclamide; this effect was half-maximal at 8.6 +/- 1.7 nM and displayed a Hill coefficient of 0.53 +/- 0.01. Meglitinide and tolbutamide, which represent, respectively, the benzamido and sulphonylurea moieties of glibenclamide, showed Hill coefficients of 0.8 +/- 0.1 and 0.9 +/- 0.1, respectively. 4. At pH 7.4 and with phosphate/borate buffer, (-)-AZ-DF-265 had an apparent octanol/water partition coefficient of about 53, which is intermediate between the partition coefficients of glibenclamide and glipizide. Nevertheless, (-)-AZ-DF-265 bound only to a minor degree to glass and plastic.5. In conclusion, (-)-AZ-DF-265 inhibits ATP-sensitive potassium channels and displaces [3H]-glibenclamide from the sulphonylurea receptor.
The parathyroid hormone assay.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the history and application of laboratory assays for the measurement of parathyroid hormone. Methods Perinent literature documenting the development of the parathyroid hormone assay was reviewed. Results Following its introduction in 1963, the parathyroid hormone assay has evolved into a highly sensitive and specific test. It is now a rapid (less than 20 minutes), relatively inexpensive modality that can be performed without the use of radioactive isotopes. However, the assays commonly used today in clinical practice are still susceptible to certain types of interference and artifact. Conclusions In-house measurement of parathyroid hormone, as well as intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring, is now widely available to clinicians in most larger hospitals. This accessibility has greatly facilitated the study and understanding of primary hyperparathyroidism. Despite assay improvements, the measurement of parathyroid hormone in patients with renal disease remains problematic. (Endocr Pract. 2011;17[Suppl 1]:2-6)
Beauty and the attributions of the beholder

Abstract Four studies used an attributional approach to examine interpersonal attraction. Underlying causal dimensions were predicted to influence differentially two components of attraction, dating and complimenting. In the first study, 24 subjects indicated whether they would date physically attractive stimulus persons. Complimenting was examined in the second and third studies, with 24 subjects rating the likelihood of complimenting attractive opposite-sex stimulus persons and 32 subjects rating the likelihood of complimenting same-sex stimulus persons. For these studies the reason for the stimulus person's attractiveness varied in controllability (volitional versus nonvolitional) and stability (temporary versus permanent). Consistent with predictions, controllability influenced likelihood of complimenting but not dating. In addition, compliments were more likely when the reason for attractiveness was unstable than when stable. Conversely, dating was more likely when attactiveness was stable than when unstable. However, stability had less influence on men responding to women than on either men responding to men or women responding to both sexes. Similar results were obtained in a fourth study in which 56 subjects recalled incidents where they complimented or dated others for their physical attractiveness.
Radiohalogenation of proteins: An overview of radionuclides, labeling methods and reagents for conjugate labeling

Direct labeling of proteins with radionuclides of iodine will continue to be the method of choice to answer questions addressed in many future studies. However, it seems likely that a increasing number of applications of radiohalogenated proteins will require, or benefit from, conjugate labeling. While many radiohalogen conjugates have been studied, a large proportion of them have only undergone preliminary studies to date, leaving a question of their overall utility. Phenolic conjugates give good radioiodination labeling yields, but mixtures of radiohalogenated products and problems with in vivo stability can be expected. This fact, along with the fact that phenolic compounds do not have a general application to radiohalogens, makes them less attractive than other alternatives. Radiohalogen labeling through the use of organometallic intermediates has proven to be facile, resulting in high yields of high specific activity labeled small-molecule conjugates. Although the choice of which organometallic intermediate to use may depend somewhat on the radionuclide employed, arylstannanes appear to have the most general applicability. Fluorine-18 labeling of small-molecule conjugates has been best accomplished by ipso aromatic nucleophilic substitution (exchange) reactions. Radiohalogenated small molecules have been prepared which can be conjugated with specific functional groups (e.g. amines, sulfhydryl groups, and carbohydrates) or conjugated nonspecifically with groups in the proximity of the conjugate when it is photolyzed. On the basis of previous studies, good conjugation yields (i.e. 60-90%) can be expected for reactions with specific groups, whereas low yields (i.e. 1-5%) can be expected for conjugations with reactive nitrenes and carbenes. However, recent developments in the chemistry of conjugates that produce nitrenes and carbenes will likely improve the radiolabeling yields. There have been too few comparative studies to readily assess which is the best approach to take when beginning a study involving radiohalogenation of a protein or peptide. However, it is clear that radiohalogenated conjugates of proteins can offer an advantage over direct labeling in that conjugates may be designed which provide some control over in vivo stability and secondary distribution of metabolites. Conjugates can be prepared which are designed to utilize in vivo biochemical processes to release a radiohalogenated small molecule from a tissue (i.e. kidney or liver) or retain the radioactivity at the target tissue (e.g. tumor). Aside from the designing of conjugates with linking molecules for desired biological effects, the ultimate future goal for the radiolabeling chemical should be to prepare protein conjugates which can be radiohalogenated in a single one-step procedure.
Nonlinear saturation and lasing characteristics of green fluorescent protein

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been of interest to researchers recently due to its use in nonlinear microscopy and biomedical applications. Through the use of nonlinear characterization, GFP h...
Effects of methylmercuric chloride, cycloheximide, and colchicine on the reaggregation of dissociated mouse cerebellar cells.

Abstract High fetal and neonatal brain levels of methyl mercury (MeHg) have been associated with the abnormal migration of neurons within the cerebellar and cerebral cortices. How MeHg interferes with cellular proliferation, migration, and differentiation is poorly understood. In this study, a cell recognition/cohesion assay based on the ability of dissociated neonatal mouse cerebellar cells to reaggregate was used to test whether MeHg exposure could disrupt cell surface recognition. Reaggregation of dissociated cells was monitored by measuring diameters from low-power photomicrographs. Exposure to 4 mg/kg body wt methylmercuric chloride (MeHgCl) 24 hr prior to the isolation of 3 days postnatal cerebellar cells altered the pattern of reaggregate growth. Between 25 and 51 hr in vitro (hiv), the exposed reaggregates grew at a faster rate than controls. Freshly isolated cells exposed in vitro to 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 4.0 μ m MeHgCl initially exhibited a dose-related inhibition in reaggregate growth with an IC50 of 1.5 μ m at 24 hiv. Following initial inhibition, exposed groups showed a dose-dependent acceleration in reaggregation similar to that found following in vivo exposure. In contrast, in vitro exposure to cycloheximide resulted in only a dose-related inhibition of reaggregation. No acceleration in growth rate was seen. Colchicine exposure produced no initial inhibition but appeared to mimic the long-term effects seen with both in vivo and in vitro MeHgCl exposure. These studies suggest that MeHgCl alters cerebellar cell recognition through a complex mechanism initially involving depressed synthesis of specific proteins followed by alterations in microtubules. Both effects may involve a disruption in the arrangement of specific cell surface recognition molecules.