cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PROPAGATION OF PSEUDO-INTIMAL LININGS OF VASCULAR PROSTHESES

In an attempt to develop viable intimal linings for artificial vascular prostheses, an investigation was undertaken of methods to ensure cell deposition and adherence to microfabric-lined devices, and to stimulate cellular propagation on these surfaces. The WI-38 cell was used as a model. Technical procedures developed for seeding, adherence, and growth included: (a) degassing of the microfabrics before seeding to permit penetration of media, (b) centrifugation to seed cells forcibly into the microfabric, (c) containment of cells during the early stages of in vitro cultivation to prevent outgrowth of the newly seeded cells, and (d) perfusion of the cultures on a fixed schedule for removal of waste products and replacement with fresh media. Of the parylene C-coated polypropylene microfabrics tested, the nonvertically drafted, microwave discharge-treated fabrics were decidedly better suited for cell attachment of the WI-38 cell than multiple drafted or maximal drafted fabrics which provided less adequate surfaces for cell attachment. Although the adhesive used in cementing the microfabric to a backing is undoubtedly toxic, parylene C coating protects the cells. Nylon microfabrics tested to date proved deleterious to confluent cell growth. Gold fabrics were highly compatible with the cells.
TRANSFORMATION IN A TITANIUM-CHROMIUM ALLOY

IN metallic systems which may undergo a diffusionless (or martensitic) transformation on cooling, it has been found that transformation may also be induced above M s by plastic deformation under favourable conditions1. The phenomenon has been investigated exhaustively in steels and in one or two non-ferrous systems; but its study in titanium alloys has received little attention up to now. Many titanium systems show a very interesting phenomenon in that a rather abrupt drop in M s occurs when the alloy content is increased above a certain critical value2. Such an effect is not to be expected from general thermodynamic considerations of the constitution diagrams and has been attributed to the occurrence of some form of stabilization3. To examine this in greater detail, an investigation was made of the effect of deformation on a titanium −10 per cent chromium alloy, for which, according to extrapolation of known data, M s should be about 200° C.2, although the alloy can be cooled down to −196° C. without transformation occurring.
Infrared chemiluminescence from vibrationally excited no+: product branching in the N+ + O2 ion-molecule reaction

Abstract Vibrational chemiluminescence is detected from the reaction N + ( 3 P) + O 2 (X 3 Σ − g ) in a flowing afterglow. The atom-transfer product, NO + (X 1 Σ + , υ), displays a bimodal vibrational distribution spanning the range υ = 1−14. Excited N( 2 D) is found to be the major charge-transfer product by observation of its further reaction with O 2 to produce NO(X 2 Π, υ = 1−12).
Repeat purchases under quality uncertainty

Abstract If the quality of a seller's products is uncertain and a single purchase cannot reveal the seller's expected quality, all sellers may benefit if their mean quality or type is not revealed.
Effect of insulin on GABAergic development in the embryonic chick retina

Abstract We investigated the role of insulin in GABAergic differentiation in the embryonic chick retina at different embryonic ages using glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and high-affinity GABA uptake as developmental markers. Both these GABAergic markers exhibit developmentally programmed increases in activity during retinogenesis that also occur in culture. Insulin stimulated GABA uptake in retina neurons at all embryonic ages in a dose-dependent manner and GAD activity by 30% in embryonic retina neurons after 11 days of development. The stimulation of GABA uptake by insulin was blocked by addition of ouabain suggesting a role for the Na + ,K + ATPase. The same concentration of insulin caused a 76% stimulation of protein synthesis in these retinal cells, and previous work demonstrated that insulin also stimulates cholinergic differentiation in the chick retina (Hausman et al., Dev. Brain Res. 59, (1991) 31–37). Thus, there was no selective stimulation of GABAergic differentiation by insulin but likely a neurotrophic effect. The increase in GAD activity in neurons from post-11-day embryonic neurons contrasts with our previous findings at embryonic days 6–7 where there is little change in GAD activity after addition of insulin. It is possible that the failure of insulin to stimulate GAD activity during early retina development is due to the increased accumulation of GABA in the presence of insulin. GABA levels were increased more than two-fold by 100 ng/ml insulin.
Race in the study of food

Recent reviews of food scholarship in Progress in Human Geography have begun to engage with racial identity but have not considered the breadth of work on the subject. Once we look outside what is ...
Marketing research paradigms for aquaculture

Abstract A basic premise of this review is that the traditional agricultural economics marketing research paradigm is of limited value for addressing many of the key marketing issues affecting aquaculture. These issues include how to get consumers to recognize and accept new or slightly differentiated products, and how to design products that more nearly match consumer preferences. Accordingly, we stress an ‘industrial style’ market‐development approach to aquacultural marketing research that emphasizes product differentiation and market segmentation. The focus is pragmatic in that we bring into play managerial strategies (e.g. demand‐function modification and segment development) that are integral to implementing research findings. Empirical studies pertaining to seafood demand and preference articulation are selectively reviewed to illustrate concepts and to highlight research applications.
Sport for Development and Peace: Experiences Conducting U.S. and International Programs

Since 2003, a large number of grassroots sport for development and peace (SDP) programs have been created throughout the world due largely to the United Nations’ recognition and promotion of sport as a way to foster development and peace. However, researchers have challenged the unsubstantiated claims about the positive outcomes of SDP efforts, calling for a more systematic implementation and evaluation (e.g., Coalter, 2007, 2010; Darnell, 2010; Guest, 2013; Sugden, 2009). This article highlights our experiences in conducting U.S. and international SDP programs, with specific attention to establishing partnerships, developing curriculum, training program staff, monitoring and evaluation, and sustaining programs.
Forest product use at an upper elevation village in Nepal

This paper describes forest product use at Chimkhola, an upper elevation village of west central Nepal. Villagers have large herds of livestock that they use to fertilize agricultural fields by holding the animals on cropland for one to several weeks prior to planting. Herds are moved sequentially from one group of fields to another until all are planted, and then families take animals into the forests. Herders, therefore, live in temporary shelters away from the homestead throughout the year, and for much of the year feed their livestock fodder cut from forest trees. By combining repeated interviews of sample households, one-time interviews with a large sample of village families, and direct measurements of forest products being used, I found that livestock maintenance consumes 74% of the hand-harvested wild biomass: 26.4% for green fodder, 32.3% for fuelwood at the herder's hut, and 13.8% for construction of the herder's hut. Fuelwood burned at the homestead is the next largest consumer, 17.6%. Villagers also use small amounts of forest materials for house construction, charcoal, agricultural implements, and bamboo for baskets and mats. The large amounts used by herders and livestock at Chimkhola mean that wild vegetation use there far exceeds the measurements made by previous reliable studies at other communities. This system of forest use is, however, degrading Chimkhola's forests and gradually converting them to shrublands.
Herpesvirus RNA in human urogenital tumors.

AbstractIn situ hybridization was used to examine human urogenital cancers for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and human cytomegalovirus RNAs. Neither of these herpesvirus RNAs was found in prostate tissues. However, HSV-2 RNA was detected in premalignant and malignant cervical tissues.
The effects of metronome breathing on the variability of autonomic activity measurements.

Abstract Background: Many chiropractors hypothesize that spinal manipulation affects the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, the ANS responses to chiropractic manipulative therapy are not well documented, and more research is needed to support this hypothesis. This study represents a step toward the development of a reliable method by which to document that chiropractic manipulative therapy does affect the ANS by exploring the use of paced breathing as a way to reduce the inherent variability in ANS measurements. Objective: To examine the hypothesis that the variability of ANS measurements would be reduced if breathing were paced to a metronome at 12 breaths/min. Setting: The study was performed at Parker College Research Institute. Eight normotensive subjects were recruited from the student body and staff. Methods: Respiration frequency was measured through a strain gauge. A 3-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was used to register the electric activity of the heart, and arterial tonometry monitors were used to record the left and right radial artery blood pressures. Signals were recorded on an IBM-compatible computer with a sampling frequency of 100 Hz. Normal breathing was used for the first 3 recordings, and breathing was paced to a metronome for the final 3 recordings at 12 breaths/min. Fourier analysis was performed on the beat-by-beat fluctuations of the ECG-determined R-R interval and systolic arterial pressure (SBP). Low-frequency fluctuations (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) reflected sympathetic activity, whereas high-frequency fluctuations (HF; 0.15-0.4 Hz) represented parasympathetic activity. Sympathovagal indices were determined from the ratio of the two bandwidths (LF/HF). The coefficient of variation (CV%) for autonomic parameters was calculated ([average/SD] × 100%) to compare breathing normally and breathing to a metronome with respect to variability. One-way analysis of variance was used to detect differences. A value of P Results: Three male and 5 female normotensive subjects were studied. Metronome breathing did not produce any significant changes in blood pressure for the left and right radial arteries, heart rate, or pressure pulse transmission time. Breathing to a metronome increased ECG-HF power (0.25 ± 0.07 vs 0.35 ± 0.09, P P P P P P P P >.03; right, 3.08 ± 1.77 vs 1.20 ± 0.93, P Conclusions: Metronome breathing increased parasympathetic activity, as evidenced by augmented HF power in the ECG and SBP data. The variability (CV%) of ECG-determined ANS measurements was significantly reduced with paced breathing at 12 breaths/min, but no significant reductions were observed for the SBP-determined ANS measurements. These findings indicate that ECG data are more sensitive than SBP data for future clinical trials. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2000;23:610-4)
Financial Development and the Price of Services

This article explores the links between financial development and the low relative price of services in less developed countries (LDCs). The empirical phenomenon of services priced lower in LDCs than in developed countries (DCs) is now quite thoroughly documented in the data gathered by I. Kravis, A. Heston, and R. Summers in their important work with the United Nations International Comparison Project.' Following R. McKinnon and E. Shaw, recent work emphasizes the importance of financial development in successful economic growth.2 We use a simple three-sector model with nontraded goods to trace causal connections between financial policies and the structure of relative prices. Using data on relative prices from the International Comparison Project study, we show that the extent of "financial repression" is a significant predictor of the spread of relative service goods prices across nations at differing stages of development as well as among LDCs alone. The term "financial repression" describes a set of policies that aim to extract revenue from the financial system and to use the financial system to funnel resources into specific sectors of the economy.3 Governments can extract revenue via forced sales of government debt to the banking system; this is usually accomplished through a variety of reserve requirements which, in many LDCs, exceed 50% of deposits.4 Interest-rate controls on both loan rates and deposit rates are used to channel credit to politically worthy sectors or to specific projects so that the implicit subsidy does not appear on the government's balance sheet. Rates of monetary growth inconsistent with sta
New insights into the regulation of human cytotrophoblast cell differentiation

This monograph presents a broad overview of human trophoblast differentiation, emphasizing the hormonal factors and transcription factors involved in the differentiation process. Particular focus is given to the role for syncytin in the fusion of mononuclear cytotrophoblast (CTB) cells and the roles for the transcription factor TFAP2A in terminal syncytiotrophoblast (STB) differentiation. Also presented are some studies relating to villous trophoblast differentiation in pre-eclampsia, choriocarcinoma and other pathologic conditions of pregnancy associated with abnormal placentation.
A mathematical model of tumor growth and cytotoxic blocking activity

Abstract Tumor-associated antigens (TAA) produced by a tumor have been shown to inhibit the antitumor cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes and other cells. Their presence however also promises to be a tool for detection and evaluation. This model attempts to relate tumor mass, soluble TAA released from tumor cells, and the effect of cytotoxic cells on the tumor, for the purpose of improving the clinical effectiveness for quantitative assays of TAA.
Control of Tellinacean (Mollusca: Bivalvia) Feeding Behavior by Predation1

Macoma tenta, a small tellinacean deposit-feeding bivalve, inhabiting shallow-water subtidal muddy bottoms of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, deposit feeds only at night in its natural habitat. This was determined by in situ studies in Quisset Harbor using time-lapse underwater movie photography and by observations of feeding animals in running seawater aquaria. This feeding periodicity is probably selected to avoid exposure of the siphon to predation by bottom-feeding fishes, and feeding behavior in the Tellinacea is thus controlled by predation and substrate.
Biography of an Empire: Governing Ottomans in an Age of Revolution by Christine M. Philliou. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2011. Pp. xxx, 286. $24.95.)

Historians of the Balkans and the Middle East have moved away in recent years from nation‐centered history writing to paying attention to the region's long Ottoman past and imperial legacy. Christi...
Influence of photolysis on multispectral photoacoustic measurement of nitrogen dioxide concentration

Multispectral photoacoustic instruments are commonly used to measure aerosol and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) light absorption coefficients to determine the radiation budget of the atmosphere. Here a new photoacoustic system is developed to explore the effect of photolysis on the measured signal in a multispectral photoacoustic spectrometer. In this system, a 405-nm laser is used primarily as light source for photolysis. Additionally, a well-overlapped 532-nm laser, modulated at the resonant frequency of the photoacoustic instrument, is used to probe the NO2 concentration. As a result, the photolysis effect at 405 nm can be observed by the photoacoustic instrument through the 532-nm laser. This work determines an 11% reduction of the photoacoustic signal caused by the photolysis effect for typical conditions, which needs to be taken into account when calibrating multispectral photoacoustic spectrometers with NO2. Implications: Multispectral photoacoustic instruments are commonly used to measure aerosol and nitr...
Polypeptide helix lifetimes in the helix–random coil transition region. Application to NMR spectra

Two rate processes characterize the helix-random coil transition in synthetic polypeptides. A slow rate is obtained by an interpretation of separate helix and random coil peaks in the NMR spectra. A faster rate is obtained from relaxation time measurements which utilize rapid reaction techniques. The present model describes the time dependent behavior of polypeptides in the transition region by combining random walk probabilities with conventional equilibrium distributions of conformations. Average conformational lifetimes for each peptide unit were calculated for molecules containing up to 150 units. These results indicate that in the transition region no helical unit is sufficiently long lived to be individually distinguishable by NMR. Spectra are simulated using a two site model for exchanging systems. On the basis of these model calculations the two peaks observed in the NMR spectra are attributed to (1) the all random coil species and (2) all other conformations containing at least one helix unit.
Internal Mechanism of Rorqual Feeding

This study elucidated the internal mechanism that enables rorquals (Balaenopteridae) to engulf a large volume of water prior to filtering it for prey. Anatomic experiments and observations were made on specimens of Balaenoptera acutorostrata, B. borealis , and B. physalus to assess the dynamic relationships of the tongue, nonlingual intermandibular lining, and cavum ventrale (a tissue cleft beneath the grooved, ventral body wall) as they would occur during engulfment. With the mouth empty, a distinct, centrally furrowed tongue was present in all three species. The nonlingual intermandibular lining ran outwards from the root of the tongue to attach along the ventral border of the mandibles. The cavum ventrale extended anteriorly beneath the tongue and nonlingual intermandibular lining from the cervico-thoracic region. By simple manipulation, the tongue could be transformed into a hollow, sac-like structure invaginating the cervical portion of the cavum ventrale. During this transformation, the nonlingual intermandibular lining was stretched posteriorly to completely cover the floor of the mouth. When the mouth of a suspended B. acutorostrata specimen (head only) was filled with water to simulate engulfment the tongue and nonlingual intermandibular lining expanded through the transected space of the cavum ventrale to form a capacious “oral sac.” The posteriodorsal wall of this sac was formed by what had been the tongue. Adaptations that enhance the expansibility of the oral sac include a highly elastic connective fiber matrix and a redundant surface created by epithelial corrugations and the tongue's central furrow. It is concluded that 1) during engulfment the tongue would initiate distension of the cavum ventrale by everting through the floor of the mouth between the cavum's inner and outer walls, 2) the everted, elastic tongue would act to enlarge the capacity of the mouth, and 3) the sac lining of the cavum ventrale at the end of engulfment would be created by the tongue and nonlingual intermandibular lining.
Estimating the Effects of Students’ Social Networks: Does Attending a Norm-Enforcing School Pay Off?

In an attempt to forge tighter social relations, small school reformers advocate school designs intended to create smaller, more trusting, and more collaborative settings. These efforts to enhance students’ social capital in the form of social closure are ultimately tied to improving academic outcomes. Using data derived from ELS: 2002, this study employs propensity scores in the context of multilevel models to estimate the effects of a specific school-level variant of social closure, referred to as a norm-enforcing school, on students’ mathematics achievement. Results estimate that attending a norm-enforcing school has no effect on 12th-grade mathematics achievement. This result questions the presumed benefits of social capital and its emphasis on norm-enforcement and social control. Policy implications are discussed in light of contemporary urban school reform initiatives that focus on reductions in school size.
Increase in serum amyloid a evoked by dietary cholesterol is associated with increased atherosclerosis in mice.

Background— Elevated serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. SAA levels can be increased by dietary fat and cholesterol. Moreover, SAA can cause lipoproteins to bind extracellular vascular proteoglycans, a process that is critical in atherogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that diet-induced increases in SAA would increase atherosclerosis independent of their effect on plasma cholesterol levels. Methods and Results— Female LDL-receptor–null (LDLR−/−) mice were fed high–saturated fat diets (21%, wt/wt), with or without added cholesterol (0.15%, wt/wt), for 10 weeks. Compared with chow-fed controls, the high-fat diets increased plasma SAA levels. Addition of cholesterol further increased SAA levels 2-fold (P<0.05) without further increasing plasma cholesterol levels. Addition of dietary cholesterol also increased atherosclerosis (P<0.05). Four lines of evidence suggest that SAA actually might cause atherosclerosis: (1) SAA levels when mice were euthanized correlated ...
N-representability problem for an odd number of fermions.

N representability problem for first and second order density matrices for odd number of fermions
Intraracial Dynamics of Black Professors’ and Black Students’ Communication in Traditionally White Colleges and Universities

While the literature suggests that Black students are more successful in traditionally White colleges and universities when they see professors with whom they can identify, it has been relatively s...
SU-E-I-13: Evaluation of CT Number with Changing Scan Parameters for Nucletron Simulix Evolution CBCT.

Purpose: To quantify the variation in CT number generated by the Simulix Evolution CBCT with changes in scan length and phantom thickness. Methods: Three phantoms were used in this study: CIRS Model 610 AAPM CT Phantom, Gammex 467 Tissue Characterization Phantom, and Catphan 600 phantom. The AAPM Phantom was used to assess the variation of HU with phantom thickness. Scans were acquired with two field size settings (full‐ and half‐beam) with and without a 3.5 cm thick ring. The Catphan and Gammex phantoms were used to assess the Simulix's capability of producing a consistent CT‐to‐ED conversion table with different scan lengths, ranging from 1 cm (very thin) to 20 cm (clinical use). The data were also compared to data acquired with our in‐house CT Sim (GE HiLite LightSpeed 16 slice). Results: The AAPM phantom scans with and without the ring yielded an average difference in HU of 145 HU (full‐beam) and 74 HU (half‐beam) for each of five inserts. The HU for Cortical Bone (SB3) [largest Gammex electron density insert; 1.69] ranged from 923 to 1170 HU for the 4 cm and 1 cm scan lengths, respectively. The HU for Teflon [largest Catphan electron density insert; 1.867] ranged from 657 to 951 for the 20 cm and 1 cm scan lengths, respectively. The HU for air in Catphan ranged from −749 to −905, and the HU for LDPE [electron density 0.944] ranged from −82 to −42, for the 20 cm and 1 cm scan lengths, respectively. Conclusions: Results show a large variability in the calculated CT number with differences in phantom thickness, as evidenced by the results with the AAPM phantom. In addition, there appears to be a dependence on scan length, attributed to increased scatter contribution. Further tests will be done to evaluate the appropriateness of the use of the Simulix CBCT unit for heterogeneity corrected external beam treatment planning. The author has received no funding during the course of this research.
Function and hydrostatics in the telson of the Burgess Shale arthropod Burgessia

Burgessia bella is a characteristic Burgess Shale arthropod (508 Ma), but the unusual preservation of its telson in both straight and bent modes leads to contradictory interpretations of its function. A reinvestigation of the fossil material, including burial attitudes, combined with a comparison with the decay sequence and mechanics of the telson in living Limulus, demonstrates that the telson of Burgessia was flexible in its relaxed state but could be stiffened in life. Evidence of fluid within the telson indicates that this manoeuvrability was achieved by changes in hydrostatic pressure and muscular control. The dual mode in the Burgessia telson is, to my knowledge, the first documented among fossil arthropods. It indicates that the requirement for a rigid telson, which is resolved by a thick sclerotized cuticle in most arthropods, may first have been achieved by hydrostatic means.
Implementation OSEM mesh-domain SPECT reconstruction with explicit prior information

In order to improve reconstructed image quality, we investigated performance of OSEM mesh-domain SPECT reconstruction with explicit prior anatomical and physiological information that was used to perform accurate attenuation compensation. It was accomplished in the following steps: (i) Obtain anatomical and physiological atlas of desired region of interest; (ii) Generate mesh that encodes properties of the atlas; (iii) Perform initial pixel-based reconstruction on projection dataset; (iv) Register the expected emission atlas to the initial pixel-based reconstruction and apply resulting transformation to meshed atlas; (v) Perform reconstruction in mesh-domain using deformed mesh of the atlas. This approach was tested on synthetic SPECT noise-free and noisy data. Comparative quantitative analysis demonstrated that this method outperformed pixel-based OSEM with uniform AC and is a promising approach that might lead to improved SPECT reconstruction quality.
Heavy Ion Collisions in a Collider at BNL

Heavy ions accelerated in the AGS can be injected into CBA providing colliding beams up to 400 Q/A Gev/amu. Luminosities approaching 1028/cm2sec. should be achievable even though the ions must be accelerated through phase transition. More current might be stacked by using a special ?T jump method to avoid the excessive radial aperture usage at transition.
Assessment of Genetic Variation in Hairy Vetch Using Canonical Discriminant Analysis

For improvement of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) as a winter cover crop, it is necessary to gain insight into the magnitude of variability present in the species. This study was conducted to assess the sources of genetic and phenotypic variability of V. villosa accessions. Thirteen morphological and agronomic traits were measured on 42 populations of V. villosa and two populations of V. pannonica Crantz in field studies at Urbana, IL, for 2 yr. These measurements include initial seed weight, germination, stem length, stem width, leaf length, and leaf width in the fall and spring, winter survival, biomass, and a ratio of organic C to total N (C:N ratio) of the plants. The multivariate data set was analyzed by canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) in combination with a clustering procedure. In this analysis, the first two canonical variates were significant and accounted for 94% of the among-accession variability. The canonical variates indicated that fall and spring measurements of the leaf and stem, and C:N ratio are the most differentiating traits among the accessions. The canonical variates were used to cluster the accessions into four subgroups on the basis of the differentiating traits. Canonical discriminant analysis was useful in identifying the genetic variation and the traits that better describe the variation among hairy vetch populations. Cluster analysis was successful in differentiating the accessions into similar subgroups on the basis of the measured traits. Plant breeders can use the information on variation among Vicia accessions and focus on traits of particular significance.
Microbial toxicity mechanism of copper-8-quinolinolate

Sapstain, an abnormal discoloration in wood caused by microbial growth, can significantly lower the price of a lumber and thus fresh sawn softwood lumber of a susceptible species is often treated with a biocide such as pentachlorophenol (PCP) to prevent the development of sapstain during shipping and prolonged storage. Very recently, chlorophenol-based antisapstain agents have been banned in Canada, because of environmental toxicity. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the microbial toxicity mechanism of the copper salts of 8-quinolinolate (Cu-8-HQ), one of the replacement chemicals for PCP in sapstain control. The results revealed that the biocidal activity of Cu-8-HQ originates from a stable metal (copper) chelate and that the molecular integrity of the chelate is most critical in the expression of its toxicity potential. The chelating power of 8-hydroxyquinoline for trace metals was not found to be directly responsible for the biocidal activity of Cu-8-HQ as suggested in the literature. The anion groups were found to have no significant impact on the biocidal activity of Cu-8-HQ, which has been observed with other organometallic compounds. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
Wide intra-genomic G+C heterogeneity in human and chicken is mainly due to strand-symmetric directional mutation pressures: dGTP-oxidation and symmetric cytosine-deamination hypotheses.

Abstract The intra-strand Parity Rule 2 of DNA (PR2) states that A=T and G=C within each strands. Useful corollaries of PR2 are G/(G+C)=A/(A+T)=0.5, G/(G+A)=C/(C+T)=G+C, G/(G+T)=C/(C+A)=G+C. Here. A, T, G, and C represent relative contents of the four nucleotide residues in a specific strand of DNA, so that A+T+G+C=1. Thus, deviations from the PR2 is a sign of strand-specific (or asymmetric) mutation and/or selection pressures. The present study delineates the symmetric and asymmetric effects of mutations on the intra-genomic heterogeneity of the G+C content in the human genome. The results of this study on the human genome are: (1) When both two- and four-codon amino acids were combined, only slight departures from the PR2 were observed in the total ranges of G+C content of the third-codon position. Thus, the G+C heterogeneity is likely to be caused by symmetric mutagenesis between the two strands. (2) The above result makes the deamination of cytosine due to double-strand breathing of DNA [Mol. Biol. Evol. 17 (2000) 1371] and/or incorporation of the oxidized guanine (8-oxo-guanine) opposite adenine during DNA replication (dGTP-oxidation hypothesis) as the most likely candidates for the major cause of the diversities of the G+C content. (3) Patterns of amino acid-specific PR2-biases detected by plotting PR2 corollaries against the G+C content of third codon position revealed that eight four-codon amino acids can be divided into three types by the second codon letter: (a) C2-type (Ala, Pro, Ser4, and Thr), (b) G2-type (Arg4 and Gly), and (c) T2-type (Leu4 and Val). (4) Most of the asymmetric plot patterns of the above three classes in PR2 biases can be explained by C2→T2 deamination of C2pG3 of C2-type to T2pG3 (T2-type) in both human and chicken. This explains the existence of some preferred codons in human and chicken. However, these biases (asymmetric) hardly contribute to the overall G+C content diversity of the third codon position.
Evaluation of nlm-n'l'm' capture amplitude in the target continuum distorted-wave theory

We present a technique to evaluate the capture amplitude from an arbitrary initial state of the target to an arbitrary final state of the projectile within the framework of target continuum distorted-wave theory recently derived and developed by Crothers and Dunseath. Both integrals in their first-order transition amplitude, T/sup (1)/, are evaluated into closed form, resulting in a finite number of terms. From our general expression of the nlm-n'l'm' amplitude, the evaluation of T/sup (1)/ for the 1s-1s capture is straightforward. With this technique, it is now convenient to calculate capture cross sections from higher angular momentum states of the target to any projectile states, which are not so easy to calculate in other second-order theories such as the strong-potential Born approximation.
A detailed study of the distribution of heat flow and radioactivity in New Hampshire (U.S.A.)

Abstract We present a set of 39 new determinations of heat flow and radiogenic heat production for several different geological environments in the State of New Hampshire (U.S.A.). With the extensive data set now available for the state, the linear relation of heat flow and heat production appears as a very useful generalization for the study of the heat flow field of a geological province. Our measurements indicate that the vertical distribution of radiogenic heat production is similar in plutonic and metasedimentary rocks. Our data are compatible with the linear relationship established earlier by F. Birch and his co-workers in 1968. Young granites are markedly enriched in radioactive elements and those which do not outcrop are revealed by anomalies in the general relation of heat flow versus radioactivity. Heat flow is high for plutons by low elsewhere. The mean heat flow through metasedimentary formations is 1.15 μcal/cm2 s (48 mW/m2), a value near the mean heat flow for old cratons. The lowest heat flow measured is 0.76 μcal/cm2 s (32 mW/m2) for a unit poor in radioactivity. The heat flow field grades smoothly into the low heat flow regions of the Canadian Shield. The New Hampshire region is in thermal equilibrium: its heat flow is in secular equilibrium with the heat generated by crustal sources and that supplied from the mantle. In this area, the thermal perturbations due to orogenic events decrease below the detection level in less than 200–275 Ma. The thickness of the layer which is thermally affected during continent-continent collision-type orogenies cannot be greater than about 190 km.
The radiologic appearance of intercostal muscle flap.

Abstract Background The intercostal muscle flap (ICMF) is commonly used in airway and esophageal surgery to reinforce an anastomosis or site of closure. These flaps undergo heterotopic ossification that may result in stenosis of adjacent airways or the esophagus. We evaluated the computer tomography (CT) scan, technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate bone scan and positron emission tomography with 2-[ 18 F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG-PET) findings of ICMF and the frequency of airway or esophageal stenosis. Methods A retrospective review was made of the radiologic records of 23 patients (9 women, 14 men) who underwent ICMF. The CT scans were obtained a mean of 36 months (range, 1 week to 58 months) after surgery and the size, morphology, and density of the ICMFs were recorded. Correlative bone scan in 13 patients and FDG-PET scans in 11 patients were reviewed. Results A discontinuous, thin, linear calcified stripe or parallel stripes (mean thickness, 4 mm; mean density, 430 Houndsfield unit [HU]) were present in all patients on CT. The flap contained fat density (mean, −59 HU) in 18 patients and soft tissue density (mean, 41 HU) in 8 patients and measured about 1 cm in thickness. The appearance of ICMF is characteristic when the ossification extends from the posterolateral chest wall to an adjacent bronchial stump. There was no increased uptake on bone scan or FDG-PET scan. None of the patients had airway or esophageal stenosis. Conclusions The ICMF manifests on CT as a thin, linear calcified stripe or parallel stripes with central fat or soft tissue density. Airway stenosis due to ICMF is likely quite rare. We did not detect any airway stenosis.
Causation in toxic tort litigation: The role of epidemiologic evidence

Abstract Epidemiology has played an important role in litigation involving alleged chemically induced illness. Epidemiologic studies can be used to examine the issue of disease causation. This article discusses basic epidemiologic concepts, including criteria for causal inferences, and their relationship to legal causation. The standard of proof in a lawsuit and the judicial decision-making process are reviewed. Limitations imposed by the nonexperimental nature of epidemiology are discussed in the context of litigation. Potential procedural barriers to the use of epidemiologic evidence are considered. The utility of such evidence is more likely to be influenced by substantive rather than procedural limitations.
An Interaction between the Escherichia coli RecF and RecR Proteins Dependent on ATP and Double-stranded DNA

Abstract The DNA binding and ATPase activities of RecF protein are modulated by RecR protein. Stoichiometric amounts of RecF protein bind to double-stranded (ds) DNA (about 1 RecF monomer/4-6 base pairs) in the presence of adenosine 5′-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (ATPS), forming a homogeneous protein coating on the DNA. Little or no cooperativity is evident in the binding process. In the presence of ATP, RecF binding to dsDNA is much weaker, and no RecF protein coating forms. Instead, small numbers of RecF protomers are interspersed randomly along the DNA. RecR protein does not bind appreciably to the dsDNA under these same conditions. However, a protein coating, similar to that which was observed with RecF protein alone in the presence of ATPS, was produced when both RecF and RecR proteins were incubated with dsDNA in the presence of ATP. An interaction between RecF and RecR enables both proteins to bind tightly to the dsDNA in an approximately 1:1 molar ratio. We also report a weak ATP hydrolytic activity of RecF which is stimulated by RecR.
Extended dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 3-diazopyrazoles with electron rich olefins

Abstract 3-Diazo-4-methyl-5-phenylpyrazole readily adds to electron rich olefins to give 1,7-cycloadducts. The mechanism of the reaction consists of an initial 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition followed by a subsequent rearrangement.
Calcium chloride as a major component contributing to aphid resistance of Nicotiana benthamiana

Substances with antiaphid activity were extracted from the leaf surface of aphid-resistant N. benthamiana and purified. Sugar esters and diacyl glycerols were isolated from the chloroform extract, but only diacyl glycerols showed significant activity. However, the major activity was found in the water extract rather than in the chloroform extract. From the water extract calcium chloride was isolated as the most abundant active substance. Only calcium chloride showed significant activity among several calcium salts and chlorides of several metals that are abundant in plants. Calcium contents per unit area of leaf surface of N. benthamiana and aphid-resistant N. gossei were almost equal to each other and 10-100 times higher than that of aphid-susceptible N. tabacum.
Race, Poverty, and Policy in the Wake of Disaster: Post‐Katrina Views

Hurricane Katrina has produced a substantial body of literature. Here, I examine one of the first and most widely read books on the social consequences and implications of the storm by Michael Eric Dyson, and then look at some of the most recently published volumes on this topic. In general, the authors ask good questions and sometimes even have good answers, but there are also many important questions that they do not ask. From the perspective of inequality, the perspective that dominates the works discussed in this essay, the demographics of pre-Katrina New Orleans showed a place of striking differences in opportunity and advantage, especially on racial grounds. In 2000, over two-thirds of the people in the city were African American, but African Americans constituted 82% of the city’s poor. Children were disproportionately represented among the poor and among the city’s majority black population. One-third of the black residents were younger than 18 years of age, compared to only 14% of the smaller white group, and an estimated 94% of poor children in New Orleans were African American. While there were certainly low-income whites and wealthy African Americans in the Crescent City, the group-level income gaps were striking. New Orleans whites in 2000 had a median family income of $46,600 and a median household income of $52,500. The black median family and household incomes were half of those: $23,300 and $25,750, respectively (Ruggles et al. 2010). Behind these stark
Effect of species of cool-season annual grass interseeded into Bermudagrass sod on the performance of growing calves.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of species of cool-season annual grass on the growth of stocker cattle over 3 yr. In Exp. 1, the small grains (SG) oat (O), rye (R), and wheat (W), or combinations of SG and annual ryegrass (RG), were interseeded into Bermudagrass sod in a completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. In Exp. 2, RG was planted alone or with O, R, triticale (T), or W in a completely randomized design. Pastures were planted in late October of each year, and seeding rates were 134.4 and 22.4 kg/ha for SG and RG, respectively. In Exp. 1, grazing was initiated on December 18. In Exp. 2, grazing was initiated on December 23 for SG pastures and January 21 or February 16 for RG pastures in yr 1 and on December 8 for all pastures in yr 2. Grazing was managed using the put-and-take method, in which additional calves were added as needed to maintain equal grazing pressure among pastures. In Exp. 1, no interactions (P > or = 0.28) were detected, so the main effects of SG species and RG addition are discussed. From December 18 to March 12, there were no differences in ADG (P > or = 0.17), whereas during the spring (from March 12 to May 7), addition of RG increased (P = 0.05) ADG. Using RG increased (P or = 0.44) in ADG, BW gain/hectare, or grazing-days/hectare. In conclusion, the choice of cool-season annual to establish is highly weather-dependent, but R and W are generally superior to other small grains, and RG is a necessary complement to SG when interseeding cool-season annuals into Bermudagrass sod.
Development of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for analysis of polyphenolic compounds in liquid samples of grape juice, green tea and coffee

A simple and fast method for the analysis of a wide range of polyphenolic compounds in juice, tea, and coffee samples was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method was based on a simple sample preparation "dilute and shoot" approach, and LC-MS/MS quantification using genistein-d4 as an internal standard. The performance of six different syringeless filter devices was tested for sample preparation. The method was evaluated for recoveries of polyphenols at three spiking levels in juice, tea, and coffee samples. The recoveries of the majority of polyphenols were satisfactory (70-120%), but some varied significantly (20-138%) depending on the matrix. NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRM) 3257 Catechin Calibration Solutions and 3255 Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) Extract with certified concentrations of catechin and epicatechin were used for method validation. The measurement accuracy in two SRMs was 71-113%. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of liquid samples of grape juice, green tea, and coffee.
Characterization of Cord Blood Natural Killer and Lymphokine Activated Killer Lymphocytes Following Ex Vivo Cellular Engineering

Abstract Cord blood (CB) natural killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cytotoxic cells are poorly characterized but might be used to treat minimal residual and/or recurrent malignant disease. Currently, there is no mechanism to use CB for adoptive cancer cellular immunotherapy after CB transplantation (CBT). Recognizing this as a deficiency, we hypothesized that CB aliquots could be engineered ex vivo for potential donor lymphocyte infusion after CBT. Cryopreserved CB aliquots were thawed, depleted of monocytes, and cultured in serum-free medium alone or serum-free medium with anti-CD3 and interleukins 2, 7, and 12 combined with antibody/cytokines for 48 hours. Immunophenotyping, cytotoxicity, and proliferation were evaluated. A significant expansion of CD3+ was seen, in addition to increases in lymphocyte subsets of CD8+, CD8+/CD25+, and CD3+/45RO+ versus medium alone. A significant enhancement of CD3 proliferation (P
1300 K Compressive Properties of Directionally Solidified Ni-33Al-33Cr-1Mo

The Ni-33Al-33Cr-1Mo eutectic has been directionally solidified by a modified Bridgeman technique at growth rates ranging from 7.6 to 508 mm/h to produce grain/cellular microstructures, containing alternating plates of NiAl and Cr alloyed with Mo. The grains had sharp boundaries for slower growth rates ( 25.4 mm/h) lead to cells bounded by intercellular regions. Compressive testing at 1300 K indicated that alloys DS'ed at rates between 25.4 to 254 mm/h possessed the best strengths which exceed that for the as-cast alloy.
Computational Studies on the Cyclizations of Enediynes, Enyne-Allenes, and Related Polyunsaturated Systems†

Quantum chemical studies of cyclizations of enediynes and enyne-allenes have proven to be computationally tractable thanks to the success of the unrestricted broken spin symmetry (UBS) approach using GGA functionals for the description of open-shell biradicals; the results can further be improved through single-point energy coupled-cluster computations [CCSD(T), BD(T)]. This made comprehensive computational studies on substituent effects and heterosubstituted systems possible. For convenience and predicting new reactions, these transformations can be grouped within larger "families". Alternative cyclization modes are predicted and await experimental realization.
A New Species of Nothonotus Darter (Teleostei: Percidae) from the Caney Fork in Tennessee, USA

ABSTRACT We describe a new species of Nothonotus from the Caney Fork River drainage, Tennessee, USA, and assess morphological variation in N. microlepidus and N. sanguifluus with specimens sampled from all known populations. We used Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) on a meristic dataset from 831 individuals to delimit species of the N. maculatus species group endemic to the Cumberland River drainage. We assigned populations to groups in the LDA on the basis of phylogenetic lineages identified in previous studies of Nothonotus darters using mitochondrial and nuclear gene DNA sequences. The discriminant functions were able to reasonably differentiate among N. microlepidus, N. sanguifluus and the new species of Nothonotus. The discriminant functions did not reliably differentiate among N. sanguifluus populations sampled from different tributaries in the Cumberland River drainage. Two populations of N. sanguifluus were not included in the LDA because of limited material and thus could not be assigned to a g...
Photonic Crystal Fiber as Filtering Concentrators for Hybrid Solar Energy Systems; and for the Simultaneous Transmission of Power and Information in Future Distribution Networks

The use of optical fiber as a solar energy concentrating filter has been shown to permit higher levels of concentration in photovoltaic systems while providing exceptional efficiency in transferring the unconverted energy into a solar thermal system. The advent of photonic crystal fiber permits exciting new results in this field, including the possibility of the simultaneous transmission of power and information over distribution networks of the future.