cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A practical synthesis of isomerically pure 1,10-difunctionalized derivatives of the [closo-1-CB9H10] anion.

The isomer-free [closo-1-CB9H8-1-COOH-10-I]- anion (4) was prepared in four steps and 10% overall yield from B10H14. The key step is the skeletal isomerization of the [closo-2-CB9H8-2-COOH-7-I]- anion (3) to a mixture of the 10- and 6-iodo derivatives of [closo-1-CB9H9-1-COOH]- formed in up to a 3:1 ratio. The carboxylic acid 4 was converted to the amine [closo-1-CB9H8-1-NH2-10-I]- (1) using the Curtius reaction. The relative thermodynamic stability of each product was calculated at the DFT and MP2 levels of theory. The regioselectivity of electrophilic substitution in [closo-CB9H10]- derivatives was briefly investigated using the NBO population analysis of the MP2 wave function.
Educational Production Functions for Rural Pakistan: A Comparative Institutional Analysis

Abstract This study uses a production function approach to identify the impact of student, parent, teacher, and school policy variables on student performance as measured by test scores. Our statistical analysis is conducted in a comparative institutional context that includes government, private, and non‐governmental organization schools. We find that, at least in the Pakistani context, non‐governmental organization schools are more effective than government or private schools.
Methane conversion to higher hydrocarbons in a corona discharge over metal oxide catalysts with OH groups

Abstract The gas discharge promoted oxidative conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons over various metal oxide and zeolite catalysts was investigated over a wide range of temperatures (373–973 K). The most significant gas discharge effects were observed over catalysts containing polar OH groups. Significant methane conversions and C 2 yields were achieved at temperatures sufficiently low that no intrinsic catalytic activity for C 2 production was found in the absence of gas discharge, and the lower the gas temperature, the greater was the observed gas discharge effect on methane conversion. It is believed that the gas discharge effects depend on the gas temperature, the concentration of the OH groups and the acidity and basicity of the OH groups on the catalysts. A possible reaction mechanism for gas discharge promoted catalysis is presented.
Leucocytozoon Disease of Turkeys

Leucocytozoon disease of turkeys, like that of other avian species, is caused by a blood protozoan that has a complex life cycle involving development in the bird (asexual) and in an intermediate h...
Arboreal Histosols in Old-Growth Redwood Forest Canopies, Northern California

Within the canopy of old-growth redwood (Sequoia sempervirens [D. Don] Endl.) forests, accumulations of plant debris in crotches and on massive limbs serve as parent materials for "arboreal soils" up to 1 m thick and over 50 m above the forest floor. These soils are important habitats and water sources for desiccation-sensitive organisms in the forest canopy ecosystem. We investigated two of these arboreal soils to better understand how they form and function. The primary vascular epiphyte growing in these soils is leather-leaf fern (Polypodium scouleri). Fern biomass and redwood leaves and bark are the main parent materials of the soils, which are entirely organic. The soils have distinct horizons and soil structure, and have been changed from their initial parent materials as a result of additions, losses, and transformations of organic matter. They are classified as Typic Udifolists. The soils become more decomposed with depth as fibrous components transition to sapric materials. They have low bulk densities (0.07-0.16 g cm -3 ) and lose most of their water at relatively high matric potentials. Field water contents and potentials of the arboreal soil materials taken near the end of the dry season indicate that water remains available for uptake by ferns. High base saturation values (>55%) suggest that nutrients are available for plant uptake. The soils are extremely acidic, with pH values around 3.0 m 0.01 M CaCl 2 . Decomposition may be hindered by the low soil pH and by relatively low soil moisture contents in surface horizons during the dry season.
Of railroads and regime shifts

Abstract In the early 1970s it would have appeared to most observers that the situation in Providence, Rhode Island offered scant opportunities for successful development initiatives, so constrained was the city by economic and political weakness. The economy had been in decline since the 1940s and the city had suffered significant losses of both industry and residents. State and city politics were famous for patronage and corruption. Yet, despite such obstacles, a small group of political entrepreneurs were able, in relatively short order, to activate intergovernmental connections to secure previously unavailable federal resources, and also to remake local electoral coalitions and governmental institutions in ways that enabled them to deflect opposition and mobilize support for their redevelopment initiatives. Our analysis draws on the reconceptualization of city regimes within a bargaining framework, as proposed by Kantor et al. (Kantor, P, Savitch, H V and Haddock, S V (1997) The political economy of urban regimes: a comparative perspective. Urban Affairs Review 32(3), 373–396). Rather than treat their categories of structural resources as immutable, we see them — within limits — as the object of strategic manipulation by a city's governing coalition. In Providence, regime elites in both the private and public sectors successfully enhanced the city's bargaining position along each of the critical dimensions highlighted by Kantor et al. In particular, the robust intergovernmental alliances built by the regime permitted it to remake the downtown without relying wholly, or even primarily, on private capital, a pattern more common in the more integrated intergovernmental systems of Europe.
High-field harmonic generation in helium

We observe harmonics of 526-nm laser light up to the 45th order, 11.7 nm, in helium. We discuss the extension of the harmonic plateau with increasing laser intensity. The data suggest that the highest harmonic order produced depends on the highest intensity seen by the atom before photoionization. Harmonics are generated predominantly from neutrals. Harmonic generation from ions is weak owing to poor phase matching between the fundamental and harmonic fields at high electron densities.
Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment - Science, engineering, and hardware development for USMP space flights

The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) has been designed to provide microgravity data on dendritic growth for a critical test of theory. This paper updates progress on constructing a crystal growth chamber suitable for space flight. The IDGE chamber is constructed from glass and stainless steel and is hermetically sealed by electron beam welds and glass-metal seals. Initial tests of the chambers sample's melting point plateau show that the new chamber design is capable of preserving the 99.9995 percent purity of succinonitrile. Dendrite growth can be initiated in the center of the IDGE chamber by means of thermo-electric coolers and a capillary injector tube (stinger). The new IDGE chamber is ready for fully integrated tests with the prototype IDGE engineering hardware at NASA's Lewis Research Center.
Quality of life and α-blocker therapy: an important consideration for both the patient and the physician

Symptom severity and the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on quality of life (QOL) are the usual reasons that patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) seek medical care. Various questionnaires have been developed to assess symptom severity and to gauge the impact of these symptoms on QOL. These instruments have been validated in studies and are used to compare agents used to treat LUTS in patients with BPH. Studies have shown that as the severity of LUTS increases, so does the impact on a patient's QOL. Tools have also been developed to assess sexual function in patients with BPH who frequently manifest erectile dysfunction. Treatment of LUTS in patients with BPH should be evaluated for the effect on symptom severity, QOL, and sexual function.
Explaining emotion in the brain

Emotion has become a well-represented, and well-respected, topic of neuroscientific inquiry, as borne out by its exponential increase in citation indices (e.g. increases in publications with the word in their title by 300 in the 1980s, by 900 in the 1990s and by >1600 in the past 6 years according to Science Citation Index). The reasons for this increase lie with advances both in our theoretical understanding of emotions and in the development of new tools for exploring their neural basis—notably functional neuroimaging. These efforts have resulted in important advances also in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases, many of which feature dysfunctional emotions as one of the most disabling components. It is thus timely to take stock of what we have learned, and to publish books that summarize the state of the field. Edmund Rolls' latest book, Emotion Explained , provides such a summary. The book opens with a series of questions: ‘What are emotions? Why do we have emotions?… Why does it feel like something to have an emotion?’ How good an answer the next 450 pages and two appendices provide will depend on the kinds of explanations the reader finds most satisfying. If you like explanations that aim towards a vocabulary of genes, neurons and reinforcers, then the book is for you. But if you find macroscopic or socially contextualized accounts more appealing, you should still read the book, both for its wealth of facts from behavioural neuroscience and for its clear statement of positions with which you will disagree. Rolls is Professor of Experimental Psychology at Oxford, and his laboratory has provided one of the most sustained and comprehensive neurophysiological investigations of associative memory, higher-level sensory processing and motivation of any group in the world. The studies provide much of the empirical foundation for …
Immunogenetic control of the response of female mice to male tissue grafts

Inbred strains of mice which carry recombinant H-2 genomes have been utilized to locate the site o f H-2 control of rejection of male liver tissue grafts by females of the same strain. When the K end of the H 2 complex carries the H 2 b allele, the strongest immunological response is evoked in female animals. However, there is a clear participation of the D end of the H 2 complex in immune response to these grafts. The background genome also plays a significant role in graft rejection in some strains. The data presented lead to the hypothesis that control over rejection of these grafts is a complex interaction of multiple genetic factors. The immunological phenomenon of rejection of male skin grafts by female mice of the same inbred strain is well documented (Gasser and Silvers 1972). This reaction is believed to result from immunological reactivity against the H-Y antigen of the male. The H 2 complex, or a gene closely linked to that complex, exerts a major control on the female's ability to reject male skin (Gasser and Silvers 1971, Bailey and Hoste 1971) and capacity to generate cytotoxic killer T lymphocytes against the Y antigen of male cells (von Boehmer et al. 1978). For example, animals carrying the H-2 b haplotype acutely reject male grafts while animals carrying the H 2 a haplotype do not. H 2 b animals are also strong generators of anti-H-Y cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, attempts to locate the female-vs-male skin-graft response to a specific region of the H-2 complex have produced conflicting results (Bailey 1971). Female B10.A (2R) and B10.A (4R) mice, which are recombinants of the K end of H 2 ~ and the D end of H 2 b, react in the same manner as H-2 a mice while recombinants between the K end of H-2 b and the D end of H-2 a react in a comparable manner to H-2 b females in skin-graft rejection. These data suggest that the response to H-Y is located at or closely linked to the K end of the H-2 complex (Bailey 1971, Stimpfling and Reichert 1971). However, females of the HTG strain give an H-2b-like skin-graft response even though they carry the K region of the H2 d haplotype and the D region of the H 2 b haplotype. It may be concluded from these data that more than one locus is controlling the immune response of the female mice to grafts of male skin. In fact, female mice of the same H-2 type sometimes show significantly different degrees of response to male skin grafts.
The functional significance of testis cholesterol in the rat: effects of hypophysectomy and cryptorchidism.

The finding (Tepperman and Tepperman, 1947) that follicle stimulating gonadotrophin increased the ester cholesterol of the testes of the immature, intact rat is not easily reconciled with certain histochemical evidence (Pollock, 1942) which indicated that testis cholesterol is contained entirely within the interstitial cells. Itis usually conceded that the path of FSH action on the testis tubule is direct and is not mediated through the interstitial cells. In the adrenal (Long, 1947) and ovary, (Everett, 1947; Claesson and Hillarp, 1947) the cholesterol concentrations appear related to the hormonal activity of the respective glands and although an analogous relationship between cholesterol and androgen formation has been occasionally suggested it has never been clearly established. For these reasons an investigation was made on the distribution and regulation of testis cholesterol in the rat as determined by both chemical and histochemical methods. By experimental manipulations an attempt was made to esta...
Lymphatics of the Mitral Valve of the Dog Demonstration and Discussion of the Possible Significance

Thin-walled vessels have been visualized histologically in the mitral valve of the dog; these vessels were increased in number and caliber in animals with chronic impairment of cardiac lymph flow. Injection of diluted India ink into the free edge of the anterior mitral leaflet of the beating heart revealed extensive networks of vessels, grossly visible on the atrial surface of the valve. Histological study showed the India ink to be within thin-walled channels. Thus, there is compelling evidence that the visualized vessels are lymphatics and that their size and number increase when the cardiac lymphatic drainage is chronically impaired. The possible significance of the presence of lymphatic capillaries in the mitral valve is discussed.
I. A. Richards on rhetoric and criticism

I. A. Richards criticized the centrality of persuasion in traditional rhetoric and developed a new philsophy of rhetoric with communication of meaning at its core. This article examines his philosophy of rhetoric in light of his communication diagrams and then suggests some implications for the rhetorical theorist, critic, and instructor.
The results of radical prostatectomy at a community hospital during the prostate specific antigen era.

BACKGROUND The use of radical prostatectomy in the treatment of prostate cancer has increased with the advent of prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening. Few series have examined the relapse rates after prostatectomy relative to pre-treatment prognostic factors, such as preoperative PSA and Gleason score. The characteristics and outcome of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated with radical prostatectomy at community hospitals in the prostate specific antigen era have not been described in detail. METHODS The tumor registry records were obtained for all patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated with radical prostatectomy at Washington Hospital, Fremont, CA, from 1990 through 1993. The clinical and pathologic characteristics, including the original pathology reports, for the 100 patients were reviewed by a single physician. Relapse was defined by the persistence or appearance of a PSA value greater than 0.2 ng/mL (Hybritech, Inc., San Diego, CA) following surgery or by clinical evidence of recurrent disease. Crude and actuarial probabilities of relapse were analyzed relative to pre-treatment PSA values, Gleason score, pathologic stage, and surgical margin status. The median follow-up time was 2.5 years. RESULTS The pT-classification distribution of the 100 cases was as follows: T1, 4%; T2A, 14%; T2B, 11%; T2C, 49%; T3A, 8%; T3B, 2%; T3C, 6%; and N+, 6%. Pre-treatment PSA values were less than or equal to 4 ng/mL for 10 patients, greater than 4 to 10 ng/mL for 38 patients, greater than 10 to 20 ng/mL for 27 patients, and greater than 20 ng/mL for 13 patients. The value was unknown for 12 patients. The Gleason score was less than or equal to 5 for 40%, 6 for 17%, 7 for 31%, and 8 to 10 for 12%. Positive surgical margins were noted in 30% of the patients. The actuarial probability of overall survival and freedom from relapse for the entire group of patients at 3 years was 95% and 73%, respectively. Pre-treatment PSA values greater than 20 ng/mL, Gleason score greater than or equal to 7, and pT3 classification were significant predictors of relapse in univariate analysis. Preoperative PSA greater than 20 ng/mL and Gleason score were significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. Pathologic margin status was not a significant predictor of relapse in this experience. CONCLUSIONS Short-term relapse rates are high among those patients with preoperative PSA values greater than 20 ng/mL or Gleason scores greater than or equal to 7. Overall results of radical prostatectomy at this community hospital were similar to those reported at referral centers. Cancer 1996;77:928-33.
MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-Restructured Form Validity Scales: Complementary Approaches to Evaluate Response Validity

Responsible forensic assessment is dependent on an appreciation for how validity scales differ from one another and function across different evaluation contexts. The primary goal of this review is to evaluate whether there is sufficient empirical support to provide expert testimony using MMPI-2 or MMPI-2-RF validity scales. Towards this goal, we briefly describe the development of MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF validity scales and review empirical studies that support interpretative strategies. We describe and illustrate with case examples how the respective sets of MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF validity scales utilize complementary strategies to detect over- and under-reporting of psychological, cognitive, and physical symptoms. Additionally, the review describes standards for expert psychological testimony and illustrates how MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF validity scales are particularly well suited to assess symptom validity and psychological status in secondary-gain settings.
The effect of a high level of dietary amino acid nitrogen on egg production and body weight maintenance.

Abstract SEVERAL of the amino acid requirements of the chick have been established by feeding chicks for two weeks on a purified diet in which crystalline amino acids were used instead of intact protein. Chicks have been successfully grown on diets containing amino acid mixtures but not until recently (Fisher and Johnson, 1956) have amino acid diets been reported to be successful with laying hens. Hens have been fed purified diets using intact protein with amino acid supplements to establish some of the amino acid requirements. (Ingram et al., 1951; Leong and McGinnis, 1951; Miller et al., 1954; and Machlin, 1955). Ingram et al. (1950) attempted to formulate a diet using a mixture of pure amino acids that would support egg production. The amino acid compositions of casein, soybean oil meal and lactalbumin were used as a guide in formulating the diet. Egg production ceased after 4 days. Grau et al… .
The application of an implicit finite element algorithm with a frontal solution technique to the analysis of time dependent viscous flows

Abstract A finite element algorithm is described which implements the Galerkin approximation to the Navier-Stokes equations and incorporates five predominate features. Although none of these five features is unique to this algorithm, their orchestration, as described in this paper, results in an algorithm which is not only easy to implement but also stable, accurate, and robust, as well as computationally efficient. The zero stress natural boundary condition is implemented which permits calculation of the outflow velocity distribution. A nine-node, Lagrangian, isoparametric, quadrilateral elementis used to represent the velocity while the pressure uses a four-node, Lagrangian, superparametric element coincident with the velocity element. The easily implemented, computationally efficient frontal solution technique is used to assemble the element coefficient matrices, impose the boundary conditions, and solve the resulting linear system of equations. An implicit backward Euler time integration rule provides a very stable solution method for time dependent problems. A Picard scheme with a relatively large radius of convergence is used for iteration of the non-linear equations at each time step. Results are given from the calculation of two dimensional, steady-state and time-dependent convection dominated flows of viscous incompressible fluids.
Photographic Image Enhancement Using Fluorescent Light Emission Techniques

A new high resolution method of photographic image enhancement is described that uses induced fluorescence emission from the processed original negative image. The visible wavelength light flux emitted from each region of the negative is proportional to the silver density of the original negative, even at extremely low densities. The fluorescent light emitted can be detected, integrated, and thereby enhanced by many methods, including rephotography, fluorescence microscopy, or digital image processing methods. The fluorescence image enhancement method is nondestructive and applicable to both underexposed imagery and low-optical-density regions of properly exposed imagery.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Semantic effects in mediated transfer

Within the framework of the semantic mediation theory proposed by Osgood, predictions concerning mediated transfer were made. An experiment is reported in which the effects of three levels of semantic polarization of the mediating elements upon transfer in paired-associate learning were investigated in two mediation paradigms. The analysis of the data was divided into three main subanalyses. (1) Polarization and learnability . An analysis of the number of trials taken during learning stage I to reach a criterion of two perfect repetitions showed that as the polarization of the word increases, there is a decrease in the number of trials required to reach the criterion. (2) Meaningfulness and acquisition . The postassociation semantic profiles of the CVC items were found to shift significantly closer to the profile of the associated word from their own initial meaning profiles. Furthermore, a high degree of similarity was found between the terminal profiles of the CVC items and the profile for the associated word. (3.1) Mediation paradigm and transfer . Comparison of the transfer effects for simple chain and response-equivalence paradigms indicated that the former produces greater over-all learning. (3.2) Degree of second-stage learning and mediated transfer . Higher degrees of learning during the second-stage of either a simple chain or a response-equivalence paradigm lead to an increased mediated transfer effect. (3.3) Semantic content of the mediating element and mediated transfer . Increasing levels of polarization of the mediator resulted in significant increasing positive effects upon mediated transfer. It was concluded that semantic polarization of the meaningful element in CVC and WORD pairs has positive facilitative effects on rate and degree of learning and upon mediated transfer.
Endoscopic stenting of the gallbladder for symptomatic gallbladder disease in patients with end‐stage liver disease awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation

Cholecystectomy in patients with advanced cirrhosis is associated with excessive morbidity and mortality. Because open cholecystectomy in patients with Child's class C cirrhosis has a reported mortality rate as high as 83%, symptomatic gallbladder disease in patients awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) poses a unique clinical problem. The goal of this study is to determine whether the treatment of symptomatic gallbladder disease with endoscopic stenting of the gallbladder effectively reduces biliary symptoms and complications or the need for cholecystectomy. Thirteen patients with symptomatic gallbladder disease with and without cholelithiasis and advanced cirrhosis who were candidates for OLT underwent placement of a biliary stent from the gallbladder to the duodenum at endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. In each patient, biliary symptoms and complications ceased after stent placement. Seven patients underwent successful OLT 1 to 24 months after the procedure. One patient subsequently became a noncandidate for OLT and died of diabetes complications 3 years after the procedure. Five others are awaiting OLT (6 to 28 months postprocedure). One patient had recurrent pericholecystic fluid collection requiring percutaneous drainage and antibiotic therapy 8 months after the procedure. No patient has had recurrent symptoms, and currently all patients are free of complications. None required surgical intervention of the gallbladder or biliary tree. We conclude that endoscopic stenting of the gallbladder is the preferred treatment for symptomatic gallbladder disease in patients with end-stage liver disease awaiting OLT. This approach is noninvasive, safe, and effective in preventing potential morbidity and mortality.
An API for generalized constraint language based expert system

Human possess inherent capabilities to store, processes and reason on imprecise information in the form of perceptions in natural language. Generalized theory of uncertainty (GTU) is a methodology for reasoning, representing, and performing computations on such imprecise information. Generalized constraint, the basic data structure in GTU, is used to represent and propagate information. There is no previous attempt to implement this theoretical methodology. This paper reports the implementation of a Java API toolkit for generalized constraint language (GCL) that can be easily expanded for practical applications of GTU in the form of an expert system. Toolkit allows users to express various types of GTU concepts, such as generalized constraint, fuzzy graphs, fuzzy relations, and fuzzy arithmetic expression. Toolkit is fully integrated with Jess (Java Expert System Shell) and utilizes Jess Rete network for deductions on generalized constraints.
Psychiatric symptoms associated with L-asparaginase administration☆

THE ENZYME, L-asparaginase, (L-asparagine amidohydrolase, E. C.3.5.1 .l.) isolated from Escherichia COZ~,~*~ is effective in producing remissions in patients with acute leukemia.3*4 Toxic side effects reported during clinical trials with L-asparaginase have included fever and chills, azotemia, pancreatitis, hyperglycemia, allergic reactions and hepatic injury characterized by hypoalbuminemia, hypofibrinogenemia and fatty metamorphosis. 5s These reports have also noted profound mental symptoms suggestive of central nervous system toxicity.5s The psychiatric symptoms described were depression, ranging from mild to severe, lethargy, confusion, delirium, fugue states, and a delirium-tremens-like state.5* These mental symptoms were noted to occur less frequently in children59 ** s Slowing of electroencephalographic tracings in these patients has been reported. ‘* * This communication describes the psychiatric symptoms seen during a clinical trial of L-asparaginase in adult patients with acute leukemia. The possible relationship of psychiatric symptoms to central nervous system dysfunction as a part of generalized impairment of protein synthesis is explored.
Effect of age and gender on disposition of temazepam

Thirty-two male and female volunteers, 24-84 years of age, ingested single 30-mg doses of temazepam, a 3-hydroxy-1,4-benzodiazepine derivative used as a hypnotic agent. Kinetics of total and unbound temazepam were determined from multiple plasma temazepam concentrations measured during 48 hr after the dose. The temazepam elimination half-life ranged from 8 to 38 hr and was longer in women than in men (16.8 versus 12.3 hr, p less than 0.05). Likewise, clearance of total temazepam (assuming complete absorption) was higher in men than in women (1.35 versus 1.02 ml/min/kg, p less than 0.025). Neither half-life nor clearance was significantly related to age. The volume of distribution of total temazepam (mean 1.40 liters/kg) was unrelated to age or gender. Temazepam was extensively protein bound, with a mean free fraction of 2.6% (range 12.7-3.4%). The free fraction increased with age (r = 0.45, p = 0.01), partly due to the inverse relation of the free fraction to plasma albumin concentration (r = -0.34, p = 0.06) and the age-related decline in plasma albumin (r = -0.49, p less than 0.005). After correction for individual differences in binding, clearance of unbound temazepam in men was higher than in women (50.5 versus 39.7 ml/min/kg, 0.05 less than p less than 0.01), and it tended to decline with age in both sexes (r = -0.44 and -0.43, respectively, p = 0.1).
The Lévy-Hinčin representation for random compact convex subsets which are infinitely divisible under Minkowski addition

This paper establishes the Levy-Hincin representation for all random compact convex subsets of ℝ which are infinitely divisible for Minkowski addition.
n-Leg ladders: dx2−y2 pairing and striped domain walls

Abstract Numerical calculations for n -leg, t - J ladders find d x 2 − y 2 pairing correlations and striped domain wall configurations. Here we review some of these results and discuss their implications.
The role of the B-ring of colchicine in the stability of the colchicine-tubulin complex.

Abstract The binding of colchicine to tubulin is a slow, temperature-dependent and a poorly reversible process. Colchicine analogues modified in the B-ring of colchicine have been reported to bind to tubulin fairly rapidly (Ray, K., Bhattacharyya, B. and Biswas, B.B. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 6241–6244). In an effort to test the role of the B-ring in the reversibility of the colchicine-tubulin binding reaction, we have studied the kinetics of dissociation of the drug-tubulin complex for two B-ring-modified colchicine analogues under conditions in which the association reaction was blocked with a 40-fold excess of podophyllotoxin. In both cases, the dissociation was biphasic. The off-rate constants were determined and the results strongly suggest that the B-ring part of colchicine is responsible for the stability of the drug-tubulin complex. The dissociation data have been explained in terms of a binding model in which the binding of colchicine to tubulin involves a three-subdomain interaction rather than the previously sugges`ted two-subdomain model (Andreu, J.M. and Timasheff, S.N. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 534–543).
Extraction discharge source for enhancing analyte line intensities in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A supplementary electrical discharge is generated by extraction of the axial channel of an Ar inductively coupled plasma (ICP) into a small vacuum chamber. The spectral background levels and background noise emitted by this discharge are similar to those from the ICP alone. The discharge enhances the intensities of ion lines by factors of up to 13 relative to intensities observed from the ICP alone. Neutral atom lines from elements with high ionization energies (g9 eV) are also enhanced but by less than ion lines; neutral atom lines from easily ionized elements are suppressed by the discharge. Metal oxides in the ICP can be seen to dissociate into atomic species as they enter the discharge. These effects are attributed to more efficient atomization, excitation, and ionization in the discharge and to the tendency of analyte species to be constricted or concentrated closer to the central axis of the ICP as they flow into the discharge. Under the same operating conditions a 40-MHz plasma generates a more intense discharge and yields higher intensity enhancements than does a 27-MHz plasma.
Regulation of mTOR and S6K1 activation by the nPKC isoforms, PKCε and PKCδ, in adult cardiac muscle cells

Activation of both mTOR and its downstream target, S6K1 (p70 S6 kinase) have been implicated to affect cardiac hypertrophy. Our earlier work, in a feline model of 1–48 h pressure overload, demonstrated that mTOR/S6K1 activation occurred primarily through a PKC/c-Raf pathway. To further delineate the role of specific PKC isoforms on mTOR/S6K1 activation, we utilized primary cultures of adult feline cardiomyocytes in vitro and stimulated with endothelin-1 (ET-1), phenylephrine (PE), TPA, or insulin. All agonist treatments resulted in S2248 phosphorylation of mTOR and T389 and S421/T424 phosphorylation of S6K1, however only ET-1 and TPA-stimulated mTOR/S6K1 activation was abolished with infection of a dominant negative adenoviral c-Raf (DN-Raf) construct. Expression of DN-PKCe blocked ET-1-stimulated mTOR S2448 and S6K1 S421/T424 and T389 phosphorylation but had no effect on insulin-stimulated S6K1 phosphorylation. Expression of DN-PKCδ or pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with rottlerin, a PKCδ specific inhibitor, blocked both ET-1 and insulin stimulated mTOR S2448 and S6K1 T389 phosphorylation. However, treatment with Go6976, a specific classical PKC (cPKC) inhibitor did not affect mTOR/S6K1 activation. These data indicate that: (i) PKCe is required for ET-1-stimulated T421/S424 phosphorylation of S6K1, (ii) both PKCe and PKCδ are required for ET-1-stimulated mTOR S2448 and S6K1 T389 phosphorylation, (iii) PKCδ is also required for insulin-stimulated mTOR S2448 and S6K1 T389 phosphorylation. Together, these data delineate both distinct and combinatorial roles of specific PKC isoforms on mTOR and S6K1 activation in adult cardiac myocytes following hypertrophic stimulation.
Radial epidote glomeroblasts formed under conditions of synkinematic metamorph ism — A new mechanism of collective crystalloblastesis

Crossite schists and actinolitic greenschists of the basalt-derived Shuksan Greenschist of the northwestern Cascade Mountains in Washington contain small epidote glomeroblasts. Most of these are subspherical though some are elongate. The glomeroblasts occur individually in the very fine-grained schists, as well as in less fine-grained epidote-rich segregation bands and lenticles. The glomeroblasts grew under synkinematic conditions, crystallizing simultaneously with the surrounding schistose fabric.
Acid-catalyzed cyclizations of aromatic diazoacetamides; synthesis of spirodienone lactams, isoquinolinones. and benzazepinones

Abstract Acid-catalyzed cyclizations of aromatic diazoacetamides produce good yields of simple isoquinolinones and benzazepinones. The intennediacy of a spirodienone oxonium species has been demonstrated by trapping and isolation of synthetically useful spirodienone lactams, also in good yield.
Developmental aspects of rat heart monoamine oxidase.

Abstract Rat heart mitochondria were demonstrated to contain two forms of monoamine oxidase which resemble the A and B forms found in other tissues on the basis of the effects of clorgyline, thermostability, and kinetic characteristics. The relative amounts of these two enzyme forms underwent a marked change between 3 and 15 weeks of age. In the adult, only the form resembling type A MAO could be demonstrated.
Solid-state and atomic features in the valence-band Auger spectra of copper, silver, and gold

Abstract High-resolution measurements of the L 3 VV, M 45 VV, and N 67 VV Auger spectra are reported for copper, silver, and gold, respectively. Qualitative trends in the spectra and experimentally determined values of U eff /2W (U eff is the effective energy required to excite two holes on the same atom; W is the d-electron bandwidth) are shown to be consistent with recent predictions by Sawatzky and Cini concerning the relative importance of atomiclike and bandlike features in Auger spectra.
Catalytic oxidations in carbon dioxide-based reaction media, including novel CO2-expanded phases

Abstract Environmentally benign oxidations with dense CO2 (either near-critical, ncCO2, or supercritical carbon dioxide, scCO2) as solvent media have been receiving increased attention during the last decade. This paper reviews catalytic oxidations in dense CO2 with emphasis on reported homogeneous systems in scCO2, most of which involve transition metal catalysts and dioxygen or organic peroxides as oxidant. Based on recent work in our laboratory, we offer some perspective and provide examples to demonstrate that scCO2 can be adapted to a broader range of homogeneous oxidations including those that utilize CH3ReO3 as catalyst and t-BuOOH as terminal oxidant, and the oxidation of substituted phenols by dioxygen using Co(salen) complex as catalyst. The advantages of using scCO2 include the total replacement of organic solvents with environmentally benign CO2, the complete miscibility of the oxidants such as O2 in scCO2 eliminating interphase transport limitations, and the resistance of CO2 to oxidation. However, the scCO2-based oxidation has limitations including low reaction rates, inadequate solubilities of a number of transition metal catalysts in CO2 necessitating high process pressures on the order of hundreds of bars, and the lack of pressure-tunability of the dielectric constant of the reaction medium. We present a new process developed in our laboratory in which the conventional solvent medium is only partially replaced by dense CO2. We term this a CO2-expanded solvent medium, which offers several advantages as follows: solvent replacement with dense CO2 by up to 80 mol%, representing a substantial reduction in solvent usage; maintenance of the solubilities of the catalyst and substrate in the reaction mixture while enhancing the miscibility of dioxygen therein; lower process pressures on the order of tens of bars; and pressure-tunable dielectric constants making it possible to realize an optimum reaction medium between scCO2 and neat solvent limits. We distinguish CO2-expanded phases from the traditional concept of a ‘co-solvent’ for a CO2 based system in the following way. To produce a CO2 expanded organic solvent medium, we start with the organic solvent and increase its volume by the addition of CO2, whereas relatively small amounts of ‘co-solvents’ have traditionally been added to dense CO2 phases to improve solubilities of certain compounds. We present examples that show enhanced oxidation rates compared to either neat organic solvent or scCO2 for organic substrates (alkenes and phenols) in CO2-expanded media using dioxygen and metal complexes of both Schiff base and porphyrin ligands. Further, the selectivity toward desired products (alkenes to epoxides; phenols to quinones) is also improved over either neat solvents or scCO2. The CO2-expanded solvents thus offer excellent potential for exploitation in catalytic oxidations.
Effect of calcium supplementation on bone mineral density in female athletes

Abstract Females engaged in athletic activities frequently select to follow severe dietary restrictions, depriving their bodies of essential nutrients such as calcium in an effort to achieve some idealized body shape. Calcium poor diets are associated with stress fractures in the athlete and a rising prevalence in osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to determine if calcium supplementation would enhance bone mineral density (BMD) in young (18–22 year old) female athletes. In this double blind study, thirty athletes from Division I and Division III teams were randomized to calcium supplementation (N = 17) and placebo (N = 13) groups. Treatment subjects were given tablets containing 1000 mg. elemental calcium for one year. Six BMD sites (lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, trochanter, Ward's Triangle and radius) were assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 months utilizing the Hologic QDR 1000W scanner. Treatment groups were compared with respect to BMD and changes in BMD at baseline and 6 and 12 month intervals utilizing two way ANOVAs. The relationship between primary and secondary efficacy variables were investigated using Pearson and Spearman Rank Correlation's. The impact of calcium supplementation on BMD was investigated using ANCOVA with average calcium intake serving as the covariate. No significant differences in BMD or changes in BMD between treatment groups were observed at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Mean reported compliance was 64 ± 4.8% for the calcium supplementation (CS) group and 73 ± 6.3% for the placebo group. Compliance data suggest that the CS group failed to consume the prescribed 1000 mg. daily intake of calcium. Furthermore, subjects in the placebo group reported a higher intake of calcium when compared with the CS group. Lumbar spine BMD increased in the CS group and remained stable in the placebo group. While significant differences in BMD were not achieved with calcium supplementation in these young athletes, study results reflect some benefit to BMD from higher calcium intakes. The potential cost-benefit of decreasing the prevalence of low bone mass in American women supports the need for further calcium supplementation studies in young females.
Health locus of control, chemotherapy-related distress, and response to behavioral intervention in cancer patients

Abstract Research on health locus of control (HLC; Wallston, Wallston and DeVellis, 1978; Wallston, Wallston, Kaplan and Maides, 1976) suggests that beliefs concerning health outcomes are associated with various health-related variables such as mood, physical symptoms, adherence to medical regimens, use of preventive health behaviors and utilization of health care services (see Wallston and Wallston, 1981 and Wallston, Wallston, Smith and Dobbins, 1987 for reviews). HLC refers to the degree to which people view health outcomes as contingent on various forces in their lives and is derived from Rotter's (1954, 1966) social learning theory.
Mechanical Pleurodesis Aided by Peritoneal Drainage: Procedure for Hepatic Hydrothorax

Background Hepatic hydrothorax in the setting of decompensated cirrhosis is a challenging and common clinical problem. Traditional therapies such as diuretics and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts can be effective therapies in selected patients but in patients ineligible for, or intolerant of, these traditional therapies, few effective therapeutic options remain for the management of hepatic hydrothorax. Methods We present a series of 5 consecutive patients with refractory hepatic hydrothorax who underwent combined thorascopically guided mechanical and chemical pleurodesis aided by an intraperitoneal drain that prevented reaccumulation of the ascites while pleural inflammation and adhesion were progressing. We speculate that the prolonged contact between the parietal and visceral pleura allowed by prevention of reaccumulation of intraabdominal ascites and subsequent flux through the pleural space enhanced the efficacy of this procedure in comparison with those presented in the literature. Results Despite the fact that all of our patients presented with decompensated cirrhosis, the surgical procedure and subsequent hospitalization were tolerated well by our entire cohort. Colonization of the pleural and peritoneal drainage fluid was a common complication of this procedure but was not associated with prolonged morbidity or mortality. Conclusions We present a therapy for the difficult clinical problem of refractory hepatic hydrothorax that may allow selected patients an opportunity for prolonged symptomatic control.
Intravaginal ring eluting tenofovir disoproxil fumarate completely protects macaques from multiple vaginal simian-HIV challenges

Topical preexposure prophylaxis interrupts HIV transmission at the site of mucosal exposure. Intermittently dosed vaginal gels containing the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir protected pigtailed macaques depending on the timing of viral challenge relative to gel application. However, modest or no protection was observed in clinical trials. Intravaginal rings (IVRs) may improve efficacy by providing long-term sustained drug delivery leading to constant mucosal antiretroviral concentrations and enhancing adherence. Although a few IVRs have entered the clinical pipeline, 100% efficacy in a repeated macaque vaginal challenge model has not been achieved. Here we describe a reservoir IVR technology that delivers the tenofovir prodrug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) continuously over 28 d. With four monthly ring changes in this repeated challenge model, TDF IVRs generated reproducible and protective drug levels. All TDF IVR-treated macaques (n = 6) remained seronegative and simian-HIV RNA negative after 16 weekly vaginal exposures to 50 tissue culture infectious dose SHIV162p3. In contrast, 11/12 control macaques became infected, with a median of four exposures assuming an eclipse of 7 d from infection to virus RNA detection. Protection was associated with tenofovir levels in vaginal fluid [mean 1.8 × 105 ng/mL (range 1.1 × 104 to 6.6 × 105 ng/mL)] and ex vivo antiviral activity of cervicovaginal lavage samples. These observations support further advancement of TDF IVRs as well as the concept that extended duration drug delivery devices delivering topical antiretrovirals could be effective tools in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV in humans.
Hydrogen and fluorine profiles in GdF3 films measured by sputter‐induced optical emission

The sputter‐induced optical emission technique has been used to study the classical problem of the exchange of fluorine and hydroxyl ions in a solid. The hydroxyl ions were measured in the form of hydrogen atoms and detected by the characteristic hydrogen emission line at 6563 A while the fluorine atoms were detected at 6902 A. Measurement of the optical intensities as a function of sputtering time produced the H and F depth profiles in GdF3 films.
Enhancing the digital heritage experience from field to museum: User-centered system design of an augmented reality tablet application for cultural heritage

As smartphones and tablets continue to pervade our daily lives, museums have turned to these devices as a new platform for engaging visitors with cultural heritage. However, the needs of the museum visitor are often overlooked when designing these applications. Researchers from CISA3 are beginning to address this problem by performing studies to gage users' wants in both engaging with the interfaces of mobile applications and the affordances associated with their environment of use. CISA3 has developed its own augmented reality tablet application, ARtifact, which intends to put a wealth of collected information directly into the hands of both researchers and the general public in a variety of contexts [1]. With ARtifact, users can examine metadata in museums as well as in the field at archaeological sites [2]; users are able to view both multispectral images of artifacts and annotated information pertaining to them in real time using the tablet's video seethrough interface. Wishing to deliver an optimal experience that engages the user and enhances the discovery and learning process, we followed the methodology of cognitive design to refine ARtifact's utility, based on contextual interviews for data collection and affinity diagrams for qualitative data organization and interpretation. Interviews were conducted in three stages. The first round of interviews took place at the Timken Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego, shadowing the art museum's testing of a new in-house developed mobile app. For this initial round, twenty-three visitors were interviewed and observed as they made their way around the museum. The second round of interviews took place with two directors from Balboa Park looking into enhancing the use of technology throughout the park, providing access to findings on extensive prior visitor research that the