cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polymeric structure of human respiratory mucin: studies on two protein components released upon reduction of disulfide bonds

Abstract A major mucus glycoprotein (mucin) was purified from the tracheobronchial secretions of an asthmatic patient. Upon SDS-composite gel electrophoresis, the purified native (non-reduced) mucin gave a single band. SDS-gel electrophoresis on 6% polyacrylamide gels showed the absence of low molecular mass protein contaminants. However, SDS-PAGE (6% gels) of the reduced mucin showed the presence of a major high molecular mass mucin component and two low molecular mass components of 118 and 70 kDa, respectively. The 118 and 70 kDa components were purified by preparative electroelution of the reduced mucin. These components were also separated from the reduced mucin by gel-permeation chromatography on a Superose 6 column. Chemical compositional analyses showed that the 118 kDa component was a glycoprotein while the 70 kDa component was non-glycosylated. The effect of disulfide bond reduction on mucin structure and the hydrophobic probe binding properties of native and reduced mucin were studied using the fluorescent probe technique. Mansylphenylalanine was used as the fluorescent probe. The native mucin showed the presence of a large number of low-affinity (KD ∼ 10−5 M) binding sites for the probe. On the other hand, reduced-alkylated mucin containing the 118 and 70 kDa components showed the presence of additional high-affinity (KD ∼ 10−6 M) binding sites as well as low-affinity binding sites for the probe. Reduced alkylated mucin devoid of the 118 and 70 kDa components showed the presence of only low-affinity binding sites. These observations suggest that the availability of high-affinity probe binding sites upon reduction of mucin disulfide bonds may be either due to binding of the probe to the released component(s) and / or due to noncovalent interaction of the released component(s) with the mucin causing a conformational change in the mucin structure. Thus, the 118 and 70 kDa components appear to be an integral part of the total polymeric structure of the human respiratory mucin.
Femoral hernia sac laparoscopy: A case report

We present the case of a 64-year-old female with an incarcerated right femoral hernia, associated with a small bowel obstruction that was successfully treated with an open femoral hernia repair with plug. At the same time we performed a hernia sac laparoscopy to evaluate the viability of the previously reduced small bowel. The hernioscopy was performed with a 0° 5 mm scope with reliable evaluation of the peritoneal cavity. We confirm that hernioscopy is a safe and feasible procedure and provides useful information for the appropriate management of acute incarcerated femoral/inguinal hernias.
THE SEXUAL POLITICS OF MURDER

In mainstream discussion, violent crimes against women frequently are presented as inexplicable and their perpetrators as social deviants. Feminists have argued for an awareness of the sexually political and conformist nature of such crimes and have invented the word gynocide to name the range of systematic violence against women by men. I look at the issues raised by three recent manifestations of gynocide in the United States: the battering of Hedda Nussbaum and murder of Lisa Steinberg by Joel Steinberg, the execution of serial killer Ted Bundy, and a series of murders of “prestigeless” women.
Magneto-rheological fluid flow in channels with porous walls

This work examines the friction factor of magneto-rheological (MR) fluids in channel flow, where the channel walls are porous surfaces impregnated with MR fluid. There is no flow through the porous walls. Various porosity sizes and different impregnation techniques are utilized in this study. The results are compared to those of a smooth surface. From the experimental results it has been found that under an applied magnetic field, the impregnated porous wall surface would increase the friction factor of MR fluid flow significantly when compared to the smooth surface with the same dimensions. It is also concluded that the impregnation technique affects the amount of iron particles trapped inside the porosities, thus affecting the friction factor. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images of the impregnated samples are taken to qualitatively examine the penetration of MR fluid into porosities. Based on the experimental results a non-dimensional relation for friction factor of MR fluids is developed as a function of Mason number and porosity size. By using this relation, the pressure loss of a MR fluid flowing through a channel with MR impregnated porous walls can be determined without using a constitutive model for MR fluids.
The adolescent athlete and ergogenic aids

Amphetamines and anabolic/androgenic steroids are the ergogenic aids with the most serious side effects that adolescents are likely to misuse, although adolescents are more frequently lured into taking expensive and worthless vitamin and protein supplements. Physicians performing preparticipation physical examinations should address the issue of ergogenic aids when they offer anticipatory guidance to adolescent athletes.
What can proteomic analyses contribute to understanding the molecular biology and clinical behavior of prostate cancer

Identifying the proteins and their complex interactions that promote and/or sustain the aggressive malignant phenotype is essential for understanding key effectors of the molecular biology of prostate cancer. This is also essential for development of new clinical applications. A variety of proteomic techniques, ranging from mass spectrometry to new methods of multiplexing protein identification, have great potential for rapidly achieving these goals. However, in order to obtain meaningful results, these techniques must be applied within the context of our knowledge of the heterogeneity of prostate tissues and tumors, the impact of specimen processing on both the quality and quantity of proteins detected and a thorough understanding of prostate cell biology. Collaboration between the protein chemist and the prostate cell biologist will expedite progress in this important field.
Mycobacterium smegmatis Lhr Is a DNA-dependent ATPase and a 3′-to-5′ DNA Translocase and Helicase That Prefers to Unwind 3′-Tailed RNA:DNA Hybrids

We are interested in the distinctive roster of helicases of Mycobacterium, a genus of the phylum Actinobacteria that includes the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its avirulent relative Mycobacterium smegmatis. Here, we identify and characterize M. smegmatis Lhr as the exemplar of a novel clade of superfamily II helicases, by virtue of its biochemical specificities and signature domain organization. Lhr is a 1507-amino acid monomeric nucleic acid-dependent ATPase that uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to drive unidirectional 3′-to-5′ translocation along single strand DNA and to unwind duplexes en route. The ATPase is more active in the presence of calcium than magnesium. ATP hydrolysis is triggered by either single strand DNA or single strand RNA, yet the apparent affinity for a DNA activator is 11-fold higher than for an RNA strand of identical size and nucleobase sequence. Lhr is 8-fold better at unwinding an RNA:DNA hybrid than it is at displacing a DNA:DNA duplex of identical nucleobase sequence. The truncated derivative Lhr-(1–856) is an autonomous ATPase, 3′-to-5′ translocase, and RNA:DNA helicase. Lhr-(1–856) is 100-fold better RNA:DNA helicase than DNA:DNA helicase. Lhr homologs are found in bacteria representing eight different phyla, being especially prevalent in Actinobacteria (including M. tuberculosis) and Proteobacteria (including Escherichia coli).
Intracellular colloid droplets as a basis for thyrotrophic hormone assay in the chick.

FORMATION of intracellular colloid droplets in the thyroid epithelium occurs soon after the administration of anterior pituitary gland substance in a variety of species (Grant, 1930; Grant, 1931; Severinghaus, 1933; Uhlenhuth, 1934; Okkels, 1934; Ponse, 1938; Aleschin, 1935, 1939). In 1942 DeRobertis suggested that the number of droplets formed be used in thyrotrophic hormone assay. In 1944 DeRobertis and DelConte described a procedure using guinea pigs. This assay method was extremely sensitive, being able to detect as little as 0.0002 Junkmann-Schoeller (J.S.) units. Colloid droplets were preserved through use of the freezing-drying technique of Altmann-Gersh (Gersh, 1932). It seemed of interest to attempt a thyrotrophic hormone assay based on the formation of intracellular colloid droplets in the chick thyroid, since this gland has been found sensitive and useful in assays based, on increase in weight (Smelser, 1938; Kabac and Liapin, 1938; Cope, 1938;
Polarized cylindrical body in the epididymis of the flying squirrel.

Spermatozoa in the head of the epididymis of the flying squirrel have large cup-shaped acrosomal heads with two ventral ridges. The cytoplasmic droplet contains an ovoid body and a group of large granules. These structures may be related to the chromatoid body of spermatids. The spermatozoa form polarized cylindrical bodies with centrally placed tails and peripheral heads. The tips of acrosomes protrude into concavities of acrosomal cups of neighboring spermatozoa. Peripheral portions of acrosomes are in contact with microvilli (stereocilia) of epididymal cells. Polarized cylindrical bodies are present in five species of Sciuridae.
Detailed Description of a Cranial Window Technique for Acute and Chronic Experiments

Methods for implantation of cranial windows for the direct observation of the pial microcirculation in experimental animals are described in detail. These techniques are suitable for both acute experiments in anesthetized animals and chronic implantation permitting several months of observation in awake animals. Experience over several years shows that these techniques have an acceptably low rate of failure, are low in cost and can easily be mastered in most laboratories. They make possible observation of the microcirculation and accurate measurement of the diameter of pial vessels, and permit study of the effects on the microcirculation of a variety of maneuvers and vasoactive agents which can be studied by direct application as well as by intravascular administration. Because they preserve the integrity of the skull, the techniques permit study of the cerebral microcirculation under conditions closely approximating the normal environment of these vessels.
“Localized” self-adjointness of Schrödinger type operators on Riemannian manifolds

Abstract We prove self-adjointness of the Schrodinger type operator H V =∇ ∗ ∇+V , where ∇ is a Hermitian connection on a Hermitian vector bundle E over a complete Riemannian manifold M with positive smooth measure dμ which is fixed independently of the metric, and V∈Lloc1(EndE) is a Hermitian bundle endomorphism. Self-adjointness of HV is deduced from the self-adjointness of the corresponding “localized” operator. This is an extension of a result by Cycon. The proof uses the scheme of Cycon, but requires a refined integration by parts technique as well as the use of a family of cut-off functions which are constructed by a non-trivial smoothing procedure due to Karcher.
Adrenocorticotropin-independent hypercortisolemia and testicular tumors in a patient with a pituitary tumor and gigantism.

A patient is presented with a new clinical syndrome of bilateral testicular tumors and a hGH-secreting pituitary tumor associated with intermittent and extreme elevations in serum and urine cortisol. Plasma ACTH was repeatedly undetectable during the hypercortisolemia, despite the fact that urinary free cortisol levels dropped to undetectable limits after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy.
Is there value in audition extramurals

Background It has become common for fourth-year medical students interested in surgical careers to leave their parent university to take extramural elective rotations in surgery at other institutions. These "audition extramurals," while of some educational value, are often repetitions of prior clerkships and may not broaden the student's educational horizons. Instead, they are intended to enhance a student's competitiveness in the match. While recent opinions and questionnaires have suggested that such extramural rotations are not valuable in general surgery, no study has formally evaluated the effect of extramural electives on the residency match. Methods Over a 6-year period, the authors reviewed the outcome in 99 students who took extramural elective rotations in surgery. Of the 99 students, 28 were from the authors' institution who left to do extramural rotations elsewhere and 71 were outside students who came to the University of South Florida for an elective. While the elective rotation increased the probability of an interview, it did not alter ranking or probability of matching. Results For general surgery students, the elective rotation may actually decrease competitiveness, while for specialty students, it appears necessary but not sufficient to improve match outcome. The elective might facilitate placement for students who did not match, but did not do so predictably. Conclusions The authors conclude that extramural elective rotations should be taken for educational value only and not as auditions for residency.
Does Third Grade Discrepancy Status Predict the Course of Reading Development

There is persisting debate concerning the use of an ability-achievement discrepancy formula to define and identify learning disabled—including reading disabled—students. This study employs mixed effects regression growth curve analysis to assess the developmental course of discrepant and nondiscrepant readers (within poor readers) who were identified in third grade and retested in fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades. The results showed that discrepancy status does not differentiate the developmental course of basic reading skills (word identification or decoding), reading comprehension, or underlying cognitive abilities (phonemic awareness and fluency) in poor readers. The ability-achievement discrepancy model is not supported. Educational and legislative reasons for the persisting difficulties of poor readers are explored and recommendations for changes in public policy are made.
Fine mapping of replication origins (oriA and oriB) in Nicotiana tabacum chloroplast DNA

Using a partially purified replication complex from tobacco chloroplasts, replication origins have been localized to minimal sequences of 82 (pKN8, positions 137 683-137 764) and 243 bp (pKN3, positions 130 513-130 755) for ori A and ori B respectively. Analysis of in vitro replication products by two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis showed simple Y patterns for single ori sequence-containing clones, indicative of rolling circle replication. Double Y patterns were observed when a chloroplast DNA template containing both ori s (pKN9) was tested. Dpn I analysis and control assays with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase provide a clear method to distinguish between true replication and DNA repair synthesis. These controls also support the reliability of this in vitro chloroplast DNA replication system. EM analysis of in vitro replicated products showed rolling circle replication intermediates for single ori clones (ori A or ori B), whereas D loops were observed for a clone (pKN9) containing both ori s. The minimal ori regions contain sequences which are capable of forming stem-loop structures with relatively high free energy and other sequences which interact with specific protein(s) from the chloroplast replication fraction. Apparently the minimal ori sequences reported here contain all the necessary elements for support of chloroplast DNA replication in vitro.
Immediate and one-year outcome of intracoronary stent implantation in small coronary arteries with 2.5-mm stents

Abstract Background The role of coronary stenting in the treatment of stenoses in small coronary arteries with use of 2.5-mm stents is not well defined. Methods and Results Between January 1995 and August 1999, 651 patients with stenoses in small coronary arteries were treated with 2.5-mm stents (n = 108) or 2.5-mm conventional balloon angioplasty (BA) (n = 543). Patients who received treatment with both 2.5-mm and ≥3.0-mm stent placement or balloons were excluded. Procedural success and complication rates as well as 1-year follow-up outcomes were examined. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups, except patients in the stent group were more likely to have hypertension and a family history of coronary artery disease and less likely to have prior myocardial infarction. Angiographic success rates were higher in the stent group (97.2% vs 90.2%, P =.02). In-hospital complication rates were comparable between the two groups. Among successfully treated patients, 1-year follow-up revealed no significant differences in the survival (96.2% vs 95.2%, P =.89) or the frequency of Q-wave myocardial infarction (0% vs 0.4%, P =.60) or coronary artery bypass grafting (8.4% vs 6.8%, P =.89) between the stent and BA groups, respectively. However, patients in the stent group were more likely to have adverse cardiac events (35.4% vs 22.1%, P =.05). Stent use after excluding GR II stent use, however, was not independently associated with reduced cardiac events at follow-up (relative risk 1.3 [95% confidence interval 0.8-2.3], P =.30). Conclusions Intracoronary stent implantation of stenoses in small coronary arteries with 2.5-mm stents can be carried out with high success and acceptable complication rates. However, compared with BA alone, stent use was not associated with improved outcome through 1 year of follow-up. (Am Heart J 2000;140:898-905.)
Acquisition and Retention of Long-Term Habituation in Aplysia: Correlation of Behavioral and Cellular Processes

To examine the cellular mechanisms responsible for transition from a short-term to a long-term behavioral modification, a rapid training procedure was developed for producing long-term habituation of the defensive withdrawal of gill and siphon in Aplysia. Four ten-trial training sessions, with 1½-hour intersession intervals, produced habituation that was retained for more than 1 week. This 5-hour procedure could be applied to a test system in the isolated abdominal ganglion where the cellular changes accompanying the acquisition of long-term habituation can be examined. During acquisition, intracellular recordings were obtained from L7, a major gill and siphon motor neuron, and the pattern of stimulation used in the behavioral experiments was applied to an afferent nerve. Acquisition was associated with a progressive decrease in the complex excitatory synaptic potential produced in L7 by afferent nerve stimulation. When retention was tested 24 hours later, the synaptic decrement was still evident. Thus, a behaviorally meaningful stimulus sequence, consisting of only 40 patterned stimuli, leads to changes in synaptic effectiveness lasting one or more days in a neural pathway involved in short-term habituation of this reflex.
Materials Corrosion Concerns for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Heat Exchangers

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (S-CO2) is an efficient and flexible working fluid for power production. Research to interface S-CO2 systems with nuclear, thermal solar, and fossil energy sources are currently underway. To proceed, we must address concerns regarding high temperature compatibility of materials and compatibility between significantly different heat transfer fluids.Dry, pure S-CO2 is thought to be relatively inert [1], while ppm levels of water and oxygen result in formation of a protective chromia layer and iron oxide [2]. Thin oxides are favorable as diffusion barriers, and for their minimal impact on heat transfer. Chromia, however, is soluble in molten salt systems (nitrate, chloride, and fluoride based salts) [3–8]. Fluoride anion based systems required the development of the alloy INOR-8 (Hastelloy N, base nickel, 17%Mo) [9] to ensure that chromium diffusion is minimized, thereby maximizing the life of containment vessels.This paper reviews the thermodynamic and kinetic considerations for promising, industrially available materials for both salt and S-CO2 systems.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Fretting wear of polysiloxane-polyimide copolymer coatings as a function of varying humidity

Abstract The friction and wear of coatings of polysiloxane-polyimide copolymers 17 μm thick were measured in reciprocating sliding contact with a chromium steel sphere. The compositions studied included 0%, 5% and 12% polysiloxane. The humidity levels were less than 10%, 40% and greater than 90%. The rate of wear was indicated by the time required for the sphere to wear through the film and contact the metallic (steel and aluminum) substrate. The wear rate of the unmodified polyimide at the highest humidity was 28 times greater than that at the lowest humidity. The wear rates for the 5% and 12% polysiloxane compositions were less sensitive to the different humidity levels than that of the unmodified polyimide. The wear rate increased as the percentage of polysiloxane increased at a given humidity level. The wear process consisted of the following sequence of events: formation of ridges in the contact area, movement of material to the edge of the area, detachment of ridges to form ribbons, breakage of ribbons to form wear particles and wear particle agglomeration as a result of entrapment between the sphere and the coating surface. The presence of moisture appeared to have an antiplasticizing effect as indicated by cracks between the ridges.
Candidate Quality and the Election of Republican Governors in the South, 1950-2004

Following the Civil War, the Democratic Party enjoyed almost complete dominance in southern electoral politics. Democratic hegemony was particularly acute in gubernatorial elections: In most southern states, more than a century elapsed before the first Republican governor was elected. Gubernatorial electoral success is a fundamental question, given the prominence of governors in state politics and the importance of states in the federal system. Here, we develop a model that explains the election of Republican gubernatorial candidates. We find that election of Republican governors in the South was delayed because of a comparative lack of quality Republican gubernatorial candidates in that region throughout much of the 20th century. Our research clarifies the contradictions reported in prior work by demonstrating that the effect of candidate quality varies by party and region. Interestingly, the competitive advantage once enjoyed by the Democratic Party in the South is now firmly held by the Republican Party.
Low Renal Oximetry Correlates With Acute Kidney Injury After Infant Cardiac Surgery

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery during infancy. Standard methods for evaluating renal function are not particularly sensitive nor are proximate indicators of renal dysfunction that allow intervention in real time. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a newer noninvasive technology that continuously evaluates regional oximetry and may correlate with renal injury and adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery in infants. This prospective observational study enrolled 40 infants (age, 2 h) had significantly higher postoperative peak creatinine levels by 48 h (0.8 ± 0.4 vs. 0.52 ± 0.2; p = 0.003) and a higher incidence of AKI (50 vs. 3.1%; p = 0.003) than those with normal renal oximetry. These subjects also required more ventilator days and greater vasoactive support, and they had elevated lactate levels. Prolonged low renal near-infrared oximetry appears to correlate with renal dysfunction, decreased systemic oxygen delivery, and the overall postoperative course in infants with congenital heart disease undergoing biventricular repair.
Predicting Contraceptive Efficacy: A Discriminant Analysis of Three Groups of Adolescent Women1

The relationship of knowledge and attitudes to adolescent contraceptive efficacy is investigated in a multivariate study with demographic and sexual history variables covaried. Subjects were unmarried sexually active 15 to 19 year-old women. 2 studies were conducted: 1 using a large and representative sample and the 2nd using a smaller high socioeconomic status sample that is more typical of samples generally used in earlier research. Subjects were classified as effective ineffective or nonusers of contraception based on both frequency of use and effectiveness of the method(s) they used. 2 discriminant function analyses were performed to determine (a) whether knowledge and attitudes contributed to discrimination among the groups over and above discrimination attributable to demographic and sexual history variables and (b) which variables distinguished ineffective users from both other groups. The results of both studies indicate that attitudes particularly attitudes toward contraception are strong predictors of patterns of contraceptive use. Ineffective users are distinguished from nonusers by their greater knowledge of contraception and from both other groups by their greater sexual activity and more positive attitudes toward intercourse. The discussion focuses on the theoretical implications of the results the usefulness of the effective/ineffective/nonuser categorization and applications of these findings to design to interventions. (authors)
Methodology for measuring health-state preferences—II: Scaling methods

This paper begins with a discussion of measurement principles relevant to determining health-state preferences. Six scaling methods are described and evaluated on the basis of their reliability, validity, and feasibility. They are the standard gamble, time trade-off, rating scale, magnitude estimation, equivalence, and willingness-to-pay methods. Reliability coefficients for most methods are acceptable although the low coefficients for measurements taken a year apart suggest that preferences change over time. Convergent validity among methods has been supported in some but not all studies, and there are limited data supporting hypothetical relationships between preferences and other variables. The category ratings method is easiest to administer and appears to yield valid scale values; thus, it is recommended for large-sample studies. However, decision-oriented methods, particularly the time trade-off and standard gamble, may be more effective in small-scale investigations and individual decision making.
Generation of the PF2(ã 4A2) radical and assignment of the PF2(ã–X) emission spectrum

Abstract The PF2(a 4A2) radical has been generated by flowing PF3 through a dc discharge using He or Ar carrier gas. The PF2(a 4A2-X 2B1) low-resolution emission spectrum has been analyzed to obtain υo, ω′1, ω′2 and some anharmonic constants. The radiative lifetime of the PF2(a 4A2) state is ⩾ 1.9 ms.
Hydrolysis of neutral lipids and phospholipids in the isolated, perfused rat lung.

We have measured the hydrolysis of tri-, di- and monoacylglycerols and of phosphatidylcholine in the lung and have quantitated the incorporation of glyceride and phospholipid fatty acids into lung lipids. Lipolytic activity was studied in the isolated, ventilated, rat lung perfused for 100 min in a recycling system with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 3% bovine serum albumin, 5.6 mM glucose, and the lipid emulsions. Triacylglycerols were hydrolyzed at significantly (P less than 0.05) lower rates than partial acylglycerols. Hydrolysis of di- and triacylglycerols was significantly lower in lungs of animals given i.v. heparin 60 min prior to death. The incorporation of fatty acids released from acylglycerols was greater into lung neutral fats than into lung phospholipids. Phosphatidylcholine was also hydrolyzed in the isolated perfused lung. The data show that (a) neutral glycerides and phospholipids are hydrolyzed in the isolated, ventilated, perfused rat lung; (b) the hydrolysis of tri- and diacylglycerols is markedly inhibited in lungs isolated from rats given heparin (100 U/kg) 1 h prior to death, whereas the hydrolysis of monoacylglycerol is unaffected by heparin administration, suggesting that tri- and diacylglycerols are hydrolyzed by endothelial lipoprotein lipase, whereas hydrolysis of monoacylglycerol is catalyzed by a separate monoacylglycerol lipase; (c) free fatty acids released by lipoprotein lipase are used by the lung for metabolic needs.
Layered synthetic microstructures: Measurements and applications

Abstract Advances in thin film fabrication techniques have made metal multilayer diffracting optics an important new technology. In this paper we present the results of characterization measurements on a variety of state-of-the-art metal multilayer samples and we describe their possible use in several monochromator applications.
Transfer of Macroscale Tissue Strain to Microscale Cell Regions in the Deformed Meniscus

Cells within fibrocartilaginous tissues, including chondrocytes and fibroblasts of the meniscus, ligament, and tendon, regulate cell biosynthesis in response to local mechanical stimuli. The processes by which an applied mechanical load is transferred through the extracellular matrix to the environment of a cell are not fully understood. To better understand the role of mechanics in controlling cell phenotype and biosynthetic activity, this study was conducted to measure strain at different length scales in tissue of the fibrocartilaginous meniscus of the knee joint, and to define a quantitative parameter that describes the strain transferred from the far-field tissue to a microenvironment surrounding a cell. Experiments were performed to apply a controlled uniaxial tensile deformation to explants of porcine meniscus containing live cells. Using texture correlation analyses of confocal microscopy images, two-dimensional Lagrangian and principal strains were measured at length scales representative of the tissue (macroscale) and microenvironment in the region of a cell (microscale) to yield a strain transfer ratio as a measure of median microscale to macroscale strain. The data demonstrate that principal strains at the microscale are coupled to and amplified from macroscale principal strains for a majority of cell microenvironments located across diverse microstructural regions, with average strain transfer ratios of 1.6 and 2.9 for the maximum and minimum principal strains, respectively. Lagrangian strain components calculated along the experimental axes of applied deformations exhibited considerable spatial heterogeneity and intersample variability, and suggest the existence of both strain amplification and attenuation. This feature is consistent with an in-plane rotation of the principal strain axes relative to the experimental axes at the microscale that may result from fiber sliding, fiber twisting, and fiber-matrix interactions that are believed to be important for regulating deformation in other fibrocartilaginous tissues. The findings for consistent amplification of macroscale to microscale principal strains suggest a coordinated pattern of strain transfer from applied deformation to the microscale environment of a cell that is largely independent of these microstructural features in the fibrocartilaginous meniscus.
An innovative technique for using polymer composites in airport pavement rehabilitation

A new design of a fiberglass composite overlay with a granite riding surface to eliminate reflective cracking on jointed rigid airport pavements is presented, together with an analytical solution for the stresses and deflection in the overlay. The stresses and deflection are obtained from fracture mechanics using the relationship between the deflection and the stress intensity factor for a crack or joint. All modes of cracking are analyzed rationally. The thermal, bending and shear stresses together with the number of cycles of repeated loading for the occurrence of the first sign of reflective cracking are presented. A 15 mm thick E-glass mat-reinforced polyester (0/90° woven fabric, 18.3% volume fraction) is used over the joints covering a length of 20 cm on either side. This laminate has the strength and flexibility to carry very heavy gear loads and tire pressures across the joints. Within a distance of 50 cm from the joint, the thickness of the fiberglass/polyester laminate is decreased gradually to 1.9 mm and formed a hybrid composite with a thin asphalt concrete (AC) layer. The overlay is designed to withstand the thermal and vehicular stresses for about one million cycles of loading. The new design is considerably more economical than the conventional AC overlay.
Membrane changes in HeLa cells grown with cortisol

1. 1. This study was designed to investigate the biochemical changes in HeLa cell membranes elicited by growth with cortisol. Cortisol increases the population-doubling time in HeLa 71 but not in HeLa 65. Sialic acid and glucosamine associated with glycoproten both increase significantly in HeLa 71 Hcr but not in HeLa 65 Hcr compared to controls (“Hcr” designates the steady state achieved by continuously subculturing HeLa clones with 3 μM cortisol). HeLa 71 has an increased amount of glycoprotein galactose, but has the same amount of glycoprotein mannose compared to its control. 2. 2. Membrane fractions were isolated by flotation on a discontinuous sucrose gradient, were characterized by electron microscopy, and were assayed for the following: 5′-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, protein, DNA, RNA, hexosamines, and sialic acid. Both 5′-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase activities were increased in HeLa 65 Hcr. In all clones studied, these enzymes were concentrated in a plasma-membrane-enriched fraction. Since sialoglycoproteins containing glucosamine are concentrated predominantly in the plasma membrane fraction, one major site altered by growth with cortisol must be the plasma membrane. This may represent the major physiological change in surface membrane, accounting for enhanced contact inhibition of cell-doubling in HeLa 71 Hcr. 3. 3. Consistent with the above, plasma-type glycoprotein sialyltransferase activity was increased in HeLa 71 Hcr compared to control. Optimum conditions for the HeLa glycoprotein sialyltransferase were: 0.3% Triton X-100, 5 mM Mn2+, 10 mM phosphate (pH 6.5), plus desialized bovine fetuin as exogenous acceptor.
Simulation-Based Assessment of Vehicle Safety Behavior under Hazardous Driving Conditions

Future sustained economic growth of the nation very much depends on the reliability and efficiency of its highway infrastructure system. Some vehicles, such as trucks, emergency vehicles, and sport utility vehicles, often experience increasing risks of single-vehicle accidents under hazardous driving conditions, such as inclement weather and/or complicated topographical conditions. An advanced simulation-based single-vehicle accident assessment model is developed considering the coupling effects between vehicles and hazardous driving conditions, including wind gust, snow-covered or icy road surface, and/or curving. Compared to existing simulation models, the new model focuses on characterizing the transient process of accidents, introducing new critical variables on assessing the accident risks under more comprehensive hazardous driving conditions and establishing more realistic accident criteria. As a holistic deterministic model, it can be used to provide useful assessment and prevention information for traffic and emergency management. For example, it can be used to define appropriate safe driving speed limits for vulnerable vehicles under normal and extreme conditions and predict potential crash and injury risk of vulnerable drivers. Moreover, the new deterministic vehicle safety behavior simulation model lays a critical basis for future reliability-based studies of single-vehicle accident risks of vulnerable vehicles under hazardous conditions. After the model is introduced, numerical analyses on a typical truck under several representative hazardous scenarios will be conducted for demonstration purposes.
Modelling the flexural behaviour of sandwich composite materials under cyclic fatigue

In this work the fatigue behaviour of the sandwich composite materials in three point bending has been studied. A stiffness reduction approach was adopted which was further based on the interpolation by the empirical functions of our test results, whose coefficients depends on the material properties and loading conditions. This approach permitted to predict the fatigue life of the sandwich composite materials while avoiding the large number of experiments that would normally required in fatigue testing. Wohler curves were utilised in order to obtain a comparison of experimental results with analytical results. In addition, a simple approach based on the analogy between the mechanical behaviour and the fatigue damage evolution of sandwich composites during fatigue was employed. Damage accumulation models were proposed to check the experimentally observed stiffness degradation. The developed models were applied to analyse the fatigue life and damage of sandwich composites under fatigue. A good agreement was found between the experimental and analytical results.
French experiences and perspectives on plutonium recycling in the existing power fleet

Abstract Treatment and recycling has been implemented in France from the very beginning of nuclear energy deployment. With the oil shocks in 1973 and 1979, very large scale industrial deployment of LWRs has then been conducted, with now 58 PWRs producing 80% of the total electricity. Modern large scale treatment and recycling facilities have been constructed in the same period: La Hague treatment facilities and MELOX recycling plant. Important industrial feedback results from operation and optimization of fuel cycle backend facilities, which is summarized in the paper. Then are discussed perspectives with recycling.
Dimethyl sulfoxide complexes of silver(I) in solution

Summary The stability constants of dimethyl sulforxide complexes of silver (I) in methanol, 2-butanol, acetone, sulfolane, 70% dioxane, and nitroethane were determined by potentiometric titrations. No dimethyl sulfoxide complexes of silver(I) are formed in water. The stability of dimethyl sulfoxide complexes of silver(I) in a particular solvent depends upon the formal reduction potential of silver(I) in the solvent and the strength of the hydrogen bonding interaction between dimethyl sulfoxide and the solvent.
Loss of sex-allocation plasticity in the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis and possible triggering cues

In two recent studies, we showed that females from a long-established Metaseiulus (Typhlodromus or Galendromus) occidentalis laboratory colony reared under crowded conditions for approximately 27 years produced equal numbers of male and female progeny. This contrasts with our previous results that showed the females from the same colony produced progeny with a female-biased sex ratio. These discrepant findings raised the possibility that dense rearing conditions can affect the sex-allocation plasticity in this important biological control agent. In the current study, we show that females from a newly collected M. occidentalis colony initially were capable of producing progeny with a female-biased sex ratio, but lost this ability over a 12-month period (43 generations) when reared under dense rearing conditions and provided with damaged prey. We demonstrate that females from this newly collected colony initially could adjust offspring sex ratio in response to both conspecific cues and cues produced by their damaged prey. The results suggest that dense rearing conditions, which are often used in commercial rearing facilities, may have detrimental effects on the reproductive fitness of M. occidentalis and, possibly, other predatory mites.
The Banach-Tarski paradox

The Banach—Tarski paradox is one of the most shocking results of mathematics. In this chapter we show how tilings of the hyperbolic plane can help us visualize the paradox. The images shown here display three congruent subsets of the hyperbolic plane. In the left image, the congruence is evident. The right image changes the viewpoint a little and changes the green to a blue shade; it is evident that the red set is congruent to its complement. Thus these sets are, simultaneously, one half and one third of the hyperbolic plane.
Clock ambiguity and the emergence of physical laws

The process of identifying a time variable in time-reparameterization invariant theories results in great ambiguities about the actual laws of physics described by a given theory. A theory set up to describe one set of physical laws can equally well be interpreted as describing any other laws of physics by making a different choice of time variable or clock. In this article we demonstrate how this ``clock ambiguity'' arises and then discuss how one might still hope to extract specific predictions about the laws of physics even when the clock ambiguity is present. We argue that a requirement of quasiseparability should play a critical role in such an analysis. As a step in this direction, we compare the Hamiltonian of a local quantum field theory with a completely random Hamiltonian. We find that any random Hamiltonian (constructed in a sufficiently large space) can yield a ``good enough'' approximation to a local field theory. Based on this result we argue that theories that suffer from the clock ambiguity may in the end provide a viable fundamental framework for physics in which locality can be seen as a strongly favored (or predicted) emergent behavior. We also speculate on how other key aspects of known physics such as gauge symmetries and Poincare invariance might be predicted to emerge in this framework.
Production Costing Using the Cumulant Method of Representing the Equivalent Load Curve

Generation system planning models use extensive numerical calculations for determining generation unit expected fuel burns. This paper introduces a production costing algorithm for a thermal system which uses an analytical approximation to expedite the calculations of expected generation (using cumulants to represent the equivalent load distribution). The analytical approximation allows for the introduction of increased speed and accuracy ( as in valve point dispatch and the representation of derating steps).
Association of renin and aldosterone with ethnicity and blood pressure: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) maintains extracellular volume in the setting of salt or volume loss through vasoconstriction and sodium retention. Although this system maintains blood pressure (BP) in pathologic states of effective volume depletion, renin and aldosterone are also believed to be major contributors to hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure.1 Classically, renin release stimulates angiotensin activation and aldosterone release and is therefore considered to stimulate higher blood pressure. Despite this, several prior studies in community-living, nonhypertensive populations have demonstrated inverse relationships of plasma renin activity (PRA) and systolic BP (SBP). In addition, it is well recognized that there are forms of low-renin hypertension where aldosterone is elevated out of proportion to renin levels. Among hypertensives, this low-renin state is approximately twice as common in blacks versus whites;2–4 in these conditions, high aldosterone levels portend greater treatment resistance and end-organ damage.5 Although these hormones have been extensively studied in whites and blacks, little is known about variations in hormone levels for nonwhite, nonblack races/ethnicities. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a study of cardiovascular disease risk factors in whites, Chinese, blacks, and Hispanics, provides a unique opportunity to compare renin and aldosterone levels in individuals across these 4 races/ethnicities. Therefore, we investigated differences in PRA and aldosterone between races/ethnicities in individuals not treated for hypertension. Given the physiologic role of RAAS to maintain BP, we also examined the associations of PRA and aldosterone with BP in all races/ethnicities together and separately in each race/ethnicity. We hypothesized that among those not taking antihypertensive medications, PRA would be lower among blacks vs. other races/ethnicities and that Hispanics and Chinese would have similar patterns to whites in this regard.
Revising Manuscripts for Premier Entrepreneurship Journals

Article manuscripts are rarely accepted before being improved by their authors in response to editor recommendations. Therefore, authors who succeed in publishing their research in prestigious entrepreneurship journals must master the art of responding to critiques and critics while maintaining the integrity of their submissions. This article presents the results of a survey of editors to give authors authoritative guidelines for revising the presentation of their research so that their findings are more fully developed, accurately conveyed, and ultimately publishable. In a survey of 18 editors and associate editors of six top academic journals with missions to advance entrepreneurship, the editors identify major problems that authors face and proffer possible solutions.
Renal cell carcinoma in the presence ofadult polycystic kidney disease

A case of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease associated with widely metastatic renal cell carcinoma is reported. The patient had presented with pneumothorax, weight loss, leukocytosis, lytic bone lesions, and hypercalcemia. Despite intensive diagnostic search for a neoplasm, no firm evidence of malignancy was found. However, at the autopsy, widely metastatic, papillary renal cell carcinoma was found originating in the left kidney. Many metastases showed central necrosis mimicking small cysts.
A software-defined radio based cognitive radio demonstration over FM band

In this paper, we present a software defined radio (SDR) based cognitive radio implementation and demonstration. Using GNU Radio and USRP SDR boards, we implement and demonstrate a cognitive radio that detects spectrum holes in the FM band and exploits the available spectrum holes to transmit digital and analog data without interfering the existing FM transmission. Moreover, we demonstrate that when a primary user's transmission starts over the original spectrum holes, the cognitive radio automatically adapts its transmission to avoid interference to the newly coming primary user. Additionally, we have implemented and demonstrated a frequency hopping over multiple spectrum holes to support multiple secondary users with minimum interference to each other.
An investigation of the dynamic behavior of an annealed low carbon steel by means of stress pulse amplification

Abstract The dynamic behavior of an annealed low carbon steel, AISI 1020, was investigated by a new method based on stress pulse amplification. The steel had a dynamic yield stress of 70,300 psi at the strain-rate of 123 sec −1 . The delay yielding time was 9 × 10 −5 sec. When it is tested at the stress level of 103,000 psi and the strain-rate of 180 sec −1 , the delay yielding time was about 3.4 × 10 −5 sec. The experimental results indicate that the upper and the lower yield points observed at low strain-rates do not exist at high strain-rates, and that the effects of intermittent loadings are additive. There also appears to be the possibility that the obstacle to yielding may be different at different stress levels. The experimental method consisted of amplifying an elastic, compressive stress pulse by propagating it through a truncated cone machined at one end of a bar and observing the change in the shape of the wave reflected from the conical end, which was against a rigid wall.
Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy studies of photo-induced electron transfer between CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and fullerene

Photo-induced electron transfer in CdSe/ZnS semiconductor quantum dot-fullerene conjugates was investigated by single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. The average rate for photoinduced electron transfer is estimated around 10 8 s -1 . Quenching by electron transfer is observed in the "on" state and it manifests both as reduced fluorescence intensity and as shortening in fluorescence lifetime. As a result, the electron transfer changes the on/off dynamics of the fluorescence intensity of individual quantum dots.