cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of native defects in the transport of charge and mass and the decomposition of Li4BN3H10

Li4BN3H10 is of great interest for hydrogen storage and for lithium-ion battery solid electrolytes because of its high hydrogen content and high lithium-ion conductivity, respectively. The practical hydrogen storage application of this complex hydride is, however, limited due to irreversibility and cogeneration of ammonia (NH3) during the decomposition. We report a first-principles density-functional theory study of native point defects and defect complexes in Li4BN3H10, and propose an atomistic mechanism for the material's decomposition that involves mass transport mediated by native defects. In light of this specific mechanism, we argue that the release of NH3 is associated with the formation and migration of negatively charged hydrogen vacancies inside the material, and it can be manipulated by the incorporation of suitable electrically active impurities. We also find that Li4BN3H10 is prone to Frenkel disorder on the Li sublattice; lithium vacancies and interstitials are highly mobile and play an important role in mass transport and ionic conduction.
The Role of Arginase 1 in Post-Stroke Immunosuppression and Ischemic Stroke Severity

A balanced immune system response plays an important role in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) recovery. Our laboratory has previously identified several immune-related genes, including arginase 1 (ARG1), with altered expression in human AIS patients. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a marker of the degree of immune dysregulation following AIS; however, the molecular mechanisms that may mediate the NLR are unknown. The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the relationship between ARG1, NLR, and AIS severity and (2) to utilize principal component analysis (PCA) to statistically model multiple gene expression changes following AIS. AIS patients and stroke-free control subjects were recruited, and blood samples were collected from AIS patients within 24 h of stroke symptom onset. White blood cell differentials were obtained at this time to calculate the NLR. Gene expression was measured using real-time PCR. PCA with varimax rotation was used to develop composite variables consisting of a five-gene profile. ARG1 was positively correlated with NLR (r = 0.57, p = 0.003), neutrophil count (r = 0.526, p = 0.007), NIHSS (r = 0.607, p = 0.001), and infarct volume (r = 0.27, p = 0.051). PCA identified three principal components that explain 84.4 % of variation in the original patient gene dataset comprised of ARG1, LY96, MMP9, s100a12, and PC1 was a significant explanatory variable for NIHSS (p < 0.001) and NLR (p = 0.005). Our study suggests a novel relationship between ARG1, NLR, and stroke severity, and the NLR is an underutilized clinically available biomarker to monitor the post-stroke immune response.
Human Therapies as a Successful Liaison between Chemistry and Biology

The development of novel therapies is arguably one of the most important roles of modern chemistry and biology. Here, we shed light on a particular class of human therapies in which synthetic chemical entities are attached to expressed biologicals (proteins) with the goal to enhance clinical activity. We focus our discussion on three key categories of these derivatized biologicals: proteins conjugated with biologically inert molecules, proteins conjugated with biologically active small molecules and peptides (e.g., antibody drug conjugates [ADCs]), and proteins conjugated with radio isotopes. Overall, it is apparent by the impact on clinical activity as well as the commercial success that chemical modification of recombinant proteins is becoming of increasing importance. Therefore, we argue that deeper understanding of the chemical reactions between large proteinaceous molecules and small molecule reagents will allow for more precise and elegant solutions to existing limitations in this field.
No pain, no gain?: Dissatisfied female consumers’ anecdotes with footwear products

The purpose of this research was to identify the key determinants that evoke consumer dissatisfaction with footwear, within the framework of the expectancy-disconfirmation paradigm. Particular attention was directed towards the pre-purchase decision-making factors and post-purchase wearing behaviour. Thirteen participants were recruited through the snowball sampling method and data were collected from in-depth interviews with each participant. This study identified six external variables and three internal factors in the pre-purchase stage that affect consumer expectations for footwear product performance. In the post-purchase stage, results revealed that consumers make a continuous compromise between the ideal and reality and paradigm shifts may occur regarding consumer satisfaction. The findings of this study urge the footwear industry to recognise fundamental issues with the current system of mass production and exploit innovative solutions to provide quality products and services to consumers who are ...
Evaluating personal information management behaviors and tools

How to study and understand the idiosyncratic PIM behaviors we exhibit naturally at home, at work, and in between, in the interests of developing future PIM tools.
Discrimination of Single Human Chromosomes Using Confocal Raman-Tweezers Spectroscopy

We demonstrated that different numbered human chromosomes could be discriminated and sorted with confocal Raman-tweezers spectroscopy, and the result was confirmed with G-band technique.
Locating online government information: a comparison of FirstGov, Google, and Yahoo

To facilitate both the understanding and the discovery of information, we need to utilize multiple sources of evidence, integrate a variety of methodologies, and combine human capabilities with those of the machine. The Web Information Discovery Integrated Tool (WIDIT) Laboratory at the School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University-Bloomington, houses several projects that employ this idea of multi-level fusion in the areas of information retrieval and knowledge discovery. This poster describes a comparative study of FirstGov, Google, and Yahoo by WIDIT's DGov research group, whose aim is to develop a more efficient and effective approach to organizing the U.S. Government websites that can facilitate the access and enhance the retrieval of government information.
Description of a lamb-shift polarized ion source installed on a tandem accelerator

Abstract A source of polarized negative ions which uses the hydrogen metastable 2 S 1 2 state was constructed and installed on a tandem accelerator. Performance figures for proton and deuteron beams are given.
Elevating Women’s Voices in Congress: Speech Participation in the House of Representatives

The authors analyze gender differences in members’ speech participation on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Speeches increase members’ visibility and voice in the legislative process, providing opportunities for members to highlight their policy knowledge, constituents’ concerns, and partisan commitments. The authors hypothesize that women’s underrepresentation, coupled with the related challenges that female legislators face in a predominantly male institution, motivates congresswomen of both parties to speak at greater rates than congressmen. Analyzing over ten thousand floor speeches during the 103rd and 109th Congresses, the authors find strong support for their hypothesis, demonstrating that congresswomen’s participation in legislative debate increases their visibility and enhances women’s substantive representation.
A Limit on the Accuracy of Photographic Radiometry

The granular nature of the photographic emulsion places a limit on the accuracy with which the density of a small area on the film can be defined. This in turn limits the accuracy with which incident exposures can be calculated when, for example, a spectrograph is employed for radiometric measurements. The quantity of information conveyed by a single density measurement is estimated for a particular emulsion and microdensitometer scanning aperture.
A statistically tailored neural network approach to tomographic image reconstruction

In previous work it has been shown that a standard backpropagation neural network can be trained to reconstruct sections of single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT)images based on the planar image projections as inputs. In this study, it is demonstrated that an artificial neural network (ANN) trained on a series of simulated SPECTimages or trained on a set of rudimentary geometric images can learn the planar data‐to‐tomographic image relationship for 64×64 tomograms. As a result, a properly trained ANN can produce accurate, novel image reconstructions but without the high computational cost inherent in some traditional reconstruction techniques. We also present a method of deriving activation functions for a backpropagation ANN that make it readily trainable for cardiac SPECTimage reconstruction. The activation functions are derived from the estimated probability density functions (p.d.f.s) of the ANN training set data. The performance of the statistically tailored ANNs are compared with the performance of standard sigmoidal backpropagation ANNs, both in terms of their trainability and generalization ability. The results presented demonstrate that statistically tailored ANNs are significantly better than standard sigmoidal ANNs at reconstructing novel tomographic images based on a simulated SPECTimage training set or a rudimentary geometric image training set. Neural network based image reconstruction has two potential advantages over conventional reconstruction methods. The first advantage is that ANNs can rapidly reconstruction tomograms. Secondly, the quality of the reconstructions produced are directly correlated to the quality of the images used to train the ANN.
Watershed land use alters riverine silica cycling

Recent research has highlighted that humans are perturbing the global silica (Si) cycle through land use change. Here we compare in-stream Si biogeochemistry across four rivers that lie along a gradient of land use change in New England, USA. Differences between basins were most notable during the late winter/early spring period when dissolved Si (DSi) concentrations declined significantly in all but the most urban site. Declines in DSi concentration could not be attributed to volumetric dilution by higher discharges, nor in-stream phytoplankton growth, as biogenic Si concentrations did not increase during this period. We provide evidence that uptake of Si by terrestrial vegetation, specifically trees, is responsible for the observed declines of in-stream DSi concentrations (a loss of 2.7 μM day−1 at the most forested site). We hypothesize that sap flow during this late winter/early spring period is driving this accretion. We estimate that 68 kmol Si km−2 is accreted annually by New England forests, falling well within the range of forest Si accretion rates found in published studies. This analysis increases our understanding of the mechanisms contributing to altered Si biogeochemistry in rivers draining watersheds with different land use.
Development of a novel liquid crystal spatial light modulator for real-time holography

Deformed-helix ferroelectric liquid-crystal media with high molecular tilt angles have been used in spatial light modulators to make them faster and more efficient. A prototype device developed for real-time holography applications has generated diffraction efficiencies as high as 38 percent and response times as short as 600 microsecond(s) ec.
Where in the world are Winslow Reef and Amelia Earhart

Uncharted or doubtful positions of shoals and reefs have played a large role in the history of maritime navigation and oceanography. Two of these shoals, Winslow Reef and Reef and Sand Bank in the central equatorial Pacific, were the subjects of a fruitless 2-day aerial search in 1937 for Amelia Earhart by planes from the battleship USS Colorado. Sightings before and after 1937 convinced the U.S. Hydrographic Office and later the Defense Mapping Agency to retain these shoals on navigational charts. Yet all of these sightings and positions were based on unreliable celestial and dead-reckoning navigation. Nevertheless, at the time, this aerial search by the Colorado planes was probably the most extensive survey for the poorly determined shoals.
A Combined Group Contribution and Molecular Geometry Approach for Predicting Melting Points of Aliphatic Compounds

A combined approach that utilizes both group contribution and simple molecular geometric parameters is employed to predict normal melting points for a variety of aliphatic compounds. The melting points are estimated from the ratio of the enthalpy and the entropy of melting. The former is calculated from the sum of enthalpic group contributions and correction factors, whereas the latter is calculated using a modification of Walden's rule. Approximately 1040 melting point data were compiled and analyzed by multiple regression. The root-mean-square error of the estimation is 34.4 K. This is relatively low given the complexity of melting and the diversity of the database used. A comparison of the proposed method with the method of Joback and Reid8 was performed on 50 aliphatic compounds that were not used in the training set. The average absolute error for this method is approximately 20%, whereas that for the Joback and Reid data is 34%. The higher prediction accuracy of the proposed method suggests that the...
Earnings quality decline and the effect of industry specialist auditors: An analysis of the late 1990s

Abstract This study investigates whether earnings quality declined during the late 1990s, a period marked by extraordinary stock market activity, and whether industry specialist auditors were effective in stemming any such decline. Specifically, we examine whether the magnitude of discretionary accruals increased and the Earnings Response Coefficient (ERC) decreased in the 1997–1999 period relative to those of the 1990–1996 period. Our findings are as follows. First, we find a significant increase in the magnitude of discretionary accruals and a significant decrease in ERC in our sample, which suggests an overall decrease in earnings quality across the periods. Next, both the increase in discretionary accruals and the decrease in ERC are shown to be significantly smaller for clients of industry specialist auditors. Finally, it is shown that the effectiveness of industry specialist auditors was limited and that they were associated with some earnings quality decline. Collectively, these results imply a pervasive earnings quality decline during the late 1990s that even high quality auditing was insufficient to fully prevent.
Traitement endovasculaire des accès pour dialyse dans le cadre de la DOQI

La National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outcomes and Quality Initiative (DOQI) recommande les fistules autogenes comme acces de choix pour les nouvelles creations d'acces pour hemodialyse. Malheureusement, malgre des taux superieurs de permeabilite par rapport aux pontages prothetiques, la durabilite des acces autologues est souvent remise en cause par les stenoses veineuses dues a l'hyperplasie intimale a la sortie de la veine ou par les stenoses veineuses centrales due aux catheters veineux centraux longtemps laisses en place. Les interventions de sauvetage, sous forme de gestes endovasculaires tels que l'angioplastie transluminale percutanee (ATL) et/ou le stenting, sont de plus en plus utilises pour le sauvetage et l'entretien des acces. L'objectif de cette etude etait d'evaluer l'efficacite des gestes endovasculaires de dialyse a l'ere de la DOQI. Une evaluation retrospective d'une base de donnees gestes endovasculaires sur acces de dialyse realises pendant 36 mois dans un centre universitaire a ete menee. Les lesions veineuses centrales et celles d'aval ont ete incluses dans l'analyse. Les courbes de Kaplan-Meier et l'analyse log-rank ont ete employees pour evaluer et comparer les variables dependant du temps. Quarante-cinq patients ayant un acces pour dialyse ont eu 72 interventions endovasculaires pour entretien de l'acces. Il y avait 27 interventions endovasculaires veineuses centrales et 32 sur l'aval avec un suivi de 98%. Les taux primaires et primaires assistes de permeabilite des ATL d'aval etaient respectivement de 50% et 72% a 12 mois. Il y eut 1,1 reinterventions par procedure d'ATL sur l'aval. Les taux primaires de permeabilite post-intervention des ATL veineuses centrales etaient respectivement de 30% et 9% a 6 et 12 mois. La permeabilite assistee post-intervention des ATL veineuses centrales etait de 100% a 12 mois, avec 1,8 reinterventions par ATL. Les interventions veineuses centrales et sur le lit d'aval ont respectivement prolonge la permeabilite globale des acces de 38,5 et 33 mois (p
Transcriptional Control of Monolignol Biosynthesis in Pinus taeda: FACTORS AFFECTING MONOLIGNOL RATIOS AND CARBON ALLOCATION IN PHENYLPROPANOID METABOLISM

Transcriptional profiling of the phenylpropanoid pathway in Pinus taeda cell suspension cultures was carried out using quantitative real time PCR analyses of all known genes involved in the biosynthesis of the two monolignols, p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols (lignin/lignan precursors). When the cells were transferred to a medium containing 8% sucrose and 20 mm potassium iodide, the monolignol/phenylpropanoid pathway was induced, and transcript levels for phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase were coordinately up-regulated. Provision of increasing levels of exogenously supplied Phe to saturating levels (40 mm) to the induction medium resulted in further up-regulation of their transcript levels in the P. taeda cell cultures; this in turn was accompanied by considerable increases in both p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohol formation and excretion. By contrast, transcript levels for both cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase were only slightly up-regulated. These data, when considered together with metabolic profiling results and genetic manipulation of various plant species, reveal that carbon allocation to the pathway and its differential distribution into the two monolignols is controlled by Phe supply and differential modulation of cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase activities, respectively. The coordinated up-regulation of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase in the presence of increasing concentrations of Phe also indicates that these steps are not truly rate-limiting, because they are modulated according to metabolic demand. Finally, the transcript profile of a putative acid/ester O-methyltransferase, proposed as an alternative catalyst for O-methylation leading to coniferyl alcohol, was not up-regulated under any of the conditions employed, suggesting that it is not, in fact, involved in monolignol biosynthesis.
THE cAMP-DEPENDENT INDUCTION OF LH RECEPTORS IN PRIMARY CULTURES OF PORCINE GRANULOSA CELLS IS NOT DUE TO THE EXPRESSION OF AN INTRACELLULAR POOL OF LH RECEPTORS.

The present studies examined whether the increase in cell surface LH receptors in primary cultures of porcine granulosa cells after exposure to FSH or cholera toxin, agents that increase intracellular cAMP, is due to de novo synthesis of the receptor or to a cAMP-dependent translocation of an intracellular pool of LH receptors to the cell surface. LH receptor induction by FSH was fully inhibited by the addition of cycloheximide to the incubation media, but resumed after cycloheximide was removed. These data suggest that FSH-induced LH receptor appearance requires protein synthesis. However, to be confident that the inhibition of LH receptor appearance did not result from lack of transit of preformed receptors requiring a rapidly turning over pool of proteins, we assayed for possible latent receptors in the cell interior by extracting granulosa cells with Triton X-100. Under conditions which detected about 74% of LH receptors in cells exposed to cholera toxin, little [125]iodo-hCG-binding activity was detected in cells not exposed to a cAMP-promoting stimulus. These findings suggest that a preformed pool of LH receptors does not exist in untreated cells, and that the cAMP-mediated induction of LH receptors requires de novo synthesis of the receptor.
Fetal privacy and confidentiality.

PIP: With the advent of new and better contraceptive methods and the ability to facilitate and manipulate fertilization and gestation, couples will gain greater control over their fertility. Once a pregnancy has been established or an in vitro embryo created, the ability to evaluate the embryo and fetus will increase dramatically with progress in human genetic research. Preconception and preimplantation genetic testing and screening are now possible, and the technology to perform prenatal screening early in gestation is advancing rapidly. Nonsurgical methods facilitate induced abortion with a relatively lower degree of trauma upon the woman undergoing the procedure. These capabilities may all be used to enable and even encourage the genetic selection of future children. Despite the ethical concerns associated with prenatal testing and abortion, these services will continue to be an integral aspect of reproductive medicine. As technology advances, however, it will be possible to test and screen for conditions which do not produce serious defects. Genetic conditions which produce relatively mild impacts upon health will be identifiable in the embryo or fetus, while late-onset conditions and genetic factors which have only a probability of affecting health will also be located in the fetal genome. Prospective parents may therefore soon have the capability of selecting their most desirable embryo in vitro, or terminating all undesirable fetuses in vivo until the preferred child is delivered. The medical profession must take some responsibility for establishing guidelines on the use of reproductive technology. The standards of practice for the medical profession must reflect the results of a broad social debate over competing moral values. The author develops an argument for legal and ethical limitations on the application of prenatal testing and screening technology, suggesting that for some medical conditions, respect for the privacy and confidentiality of the fetus outweighs parental rights to information about the fetus. Preliminary definitions for what constitute serious defects and minor conditions are developed.
Unintended Consequences of Modeling Damping in Structures

This paper investigates the consequence of using Rayleigh proportional damping in the analysis of inelastic structural systems. The discussion is presented theoretically, as well as by example through the analysis of a simple five-story structure. It is shown that when the stiffness portion of the system damping matrix is based on the original system stiffness, artificial damping is generated when the structure yields. When the damping matrix is based on the tangent stiffness but the Rayleigh proportionality constants are based on the initial stiffness, a significant but reduced amplification of damping occurs. When the damping is based on the tangent stiffness and on updated frequencies based on this stiffness, virtually no artificial damping occurs. The paper also investigates the influence on effective damping when localized yielding occurs in areas of concentrated inelasticity. In such cases, it is possible to develop artificial viscous damping forces that are extremely high, but that are not easy to detect. Such artificial damping forces may lead to completely invalid analysis. The paper ends with recommendations for performing analysis where the artificial damping is eliminated, or at least controlled.
Treatment strategies for reducing asthma-related emergency department visits

Abstract Acute asthma exacerbations reflect inadequate long-term disease control. Treatment to control acute asthma exacerbations includes: 1) rapid reversal of airflow obstruction with bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids and reversing hypoxemia with oxygen in the emergency department (ED); 2) preventing early relapse by prescribing beta 2 agonists and oral corticosteroids at discharge and ensuring patients have an adequate supply of their other asthma medications; and 3) preventing future asthma exacerbations and ED visits through effective treatment in primary care. This article discusses each treatment and reviews the role of emergency physicians in treating patients to reverse airflow obstruction and prevent early relapse, future exacerbations, and ED visits by communicating the need for additional asthma control to patients’ primary care physicians.
Acceleration of Particles by Electron Plasma Waves in a Moderate Magnetic Field

A general scheme is established to examine any magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) configuration for its acceleration potential including the effects of various types of plasma waves. The analysis is restricted to plasma waves in a magnetic field with electron cyclotron frequency less than, but comparable to, the electron plasma frequency (moderate field). The general role of electron plasma waves is examined in this paper independent of a specific MHD configuration or generating mechanism in the weak turbulence limit. The evolution of arbitrary wave spectra in a non-relativistic plasma is examined, and it is shown that the nonlinear, process of induced scattering on the polarization clouds of ions leads to the collapse of the waves to an almost one-dimensional spectrum directed along the magnetic field. The subsequent acceleration of non-relativistic and relativistic particles is considered. It is shown for non-relativistic particles that when the wave distribution has a negative slope the acceleration is retarded for lower velocities and enhanced for higher velocities compared to acceleration by an isotropic distribution of electron plasma waves in a magnetic field. This change in behavior is expected to affect the development of wave spectra and the subsequent acceleration spectrum.
A Reply to Carlisle and Siegel's Assessment of Neanderthal Speech Capabilities

ed from them regarding the ad hoc reconstructive process in general, we simply doubt the validity of Lieberman's conclusions [1978:368]. The reader should know that a detailed discussion of the basis for the reconstruction of the Neanderthal supralaryngeal vocal tract is presented on pages 124-139 of Lieberman (1975). Carlisle and Siegel are again incorrect in their reference to a prefatory comment on page 123, which serves as an introduction to the detailed discussion, as though it were the whole discussion: ". .. we merely have the statement that the reconstructions were made simply on the basis of. . . the homologies that exist between. .. [the reconstructed skulls] and those of living forms." Carlisle and Siegel's confusion concerning the anatomical material on which the La Chapelle-aux-Saints vocal tract reconstruction was based on should also not be transferred to the reader. The reconstruction
A pseudo-waveform technique to assess forest structure using discrete lidar data

Abstract The use of airborne laser scanning systems (lidar) to describe forest structure has increased dramatically since height profiling experiments nearly 30 years ago. The analyses in most studies employ a suite of frequency-based metrics calculated from the lidar height data, which are systematically eliminated from a full model using stepwise multiple linear regression. The resulting models often include highly correlated predictors with little physical justification for model formulation. We propose a method to aggregate discrete lidar height and intensity measurements into larger footprints to create “pseudo-waves”. Specifically, the returns are first sorted into height bins, sliced into narrow discrete elements, and finally smoothed using a spline function. The resulting “pseudo-waves” have many of the same characteristics of traditional waveform lidar data. We compared our method to a traditional frequency-based method to estimate tree height, canopy structure, stem density, and stand biomass in coniferous and deciduous stands in northern Wisconsin (USA). We found that the pseudo-wave approach had strong correlations for nearly all tree measurements including height (cross validated adjusted R 2 (R 2 cv ) = 0.82, RMSE cv = 2.09 m), mean stem diameter (R 2 cv = 0.64, RMSE cv = 6.15 cm), total aboveground biomass (R 2 cv = 0.74, RMSE cv = 74.03 kg ha − 1 ), and canopy coverage (R 2 cv = 0.79, RMSE cv = 5%). Moreover, the type of wave (derived from height and intensity or from height alone) had little effect on model formulation and fit. When wave-based and frequency-based models were compared, fit and mean square error were comparable, leading us to conclude that the pseudo-wave approach is a viable alternative because it has 1) an increased breadth of available metrics; 2) the potential to establish new meaningful metrics that capture unique patterns within the waves; 3) the ability to explain metric selection based on the physical structure of forests; and 4) lower correlation among independent variables.
An investigation of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in some malonic acids using NMR techniques

Abstract The NMR spectra of aqueous solutions of malonic, methyl malonic, and isopropyl malonic acids have been examined over a wide pH range and variations in chemical shifts, line widths, and coupling parameters have been observed. Significant differences in the behavior of the proton—proton coupling (H α H β ) in methyl and isopropyl acids have been interpreted in terms of steric interactions which affect the rotamer populations over which the coupling is averaged. The occurrence of a minimum in this coupling for the isopropyl acid is attributed to an internally H-bonded structure which is most stable in the singly ionized acid.
Stimulation of aquaporin (AQP) gene expression in human fetal membrane explants

MEMBRANE EXPLANTS MARIE H. BEALL, SHENGBIAO WANG, FATANEH AMIDI, GENE LEE, MICHAEL G. ROSS, Harbor-UCLA Med. Ctr. (LA BioMed), Dept. of Ob/Gyn, Torrance, California OBJECTIVE: AQP water channels have been proposed as regulators of intramembranous water transfer and thus amniotic fluid (AF) volume. Alterations in fetal membrane AQPs have been reported in conditions of altered AF volume, but the factors regulating amnion AQP expression are unknown. Stressed fetuses with oligohydramnios exhibit increased levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP), a peptide known to stimulate kidney AQP expression. We sought to examine the regulation of AQP expression by AVP and oxytocin using an amnion explant culture model. STUDY DESIGN: Human amnion was collected under sterile conditions from term Cesarean deliveries. Amnion samples were placed in defined culture medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. Cultures were either untreated (controls), or were exposed to 1, 10 or 100 nM AVP or oxytocin added to the culture media. Each time and treatment dose was replicated in 4 samples. Cultures were harvested after 2, 10 or 20 hours, RNA was extracted and realtime PCR was performed. The relative expression of AQP1, 3 and 9, normalized to the expression of beta actin, was compared to time-matched controls. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. RESULTS: 100 nM AVP increased AQP1 and 3 expression significantly at 2 hours of treatment; the relative expression then returned to baseline. AQP9 expression increased after treatment for 20 hours with lower doses of AVP (1 nM and 10 nM). Oxytocin had no consistent effect on expression of any AQP. CONCLUSION: AVP increased the expression of AQPs in human amnion. Fetal membrane AQP expression may be regulated by the fetus via urinary excretion of endocrine factors, thus providing a mechanism for fetal regulation of intramembranous flow and AF volume.
On integrating catalogs

We address the problem of integrating documents from different sources into a master catalog. This problem is pervasive in web marketplaces and portals. Current technology for automating this process consists of building a classifier that uses the categorization of documents in the master catalog to construct a model for predicting the category of unknown documents. Our key insight is that many of the data sources have their own categorization, and classification accuracy can be improved by factoring in the implicit information in these source categorizations. We show how a Naive Bayes classification can be enhanced to incorporate the similarity information present in source catalogs. Our analysis and empirical evaluation show substantial improvement in the accuracy of catalog integration.
A Factor Analysis of the Items of the Imaginal Processes Inventory.

Over the last several years, responses to the Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) developed by Singer and Antrobus have been collected on over 1300 men and women from age 17 to 92 years. The IPI contains items that concern various aspects of daydreaming and attentional processes. The 344 items of the Imaginal Processes Inventory plus age were intercorrelated for the 1300 S sample. This intercorrelation matrix was subjected to a principal components analysis; 53 principal components then were rotated to a Varimax solution. The Varimax solution was transformed, which led to item coefficients that permit the calculation of factor scores for each S on each of the factorially pure components of the Imaginal Processes Inventory. Results of the factor analysis are given in terms of the meaningfully interpreted components. Also presented are mean factor scores for men and women for 12 age groups.
"Difficult" patients or difficult relationships?

Autumn Fiester expands the framework for understanding “difficult” patients from one based on individual psychopathology to a broader view that posits that the troubling behavior is a response to t...
Amici Curiae and Strategies for Gaining Access to the Supreme Court

In the process of case selection in the U.S. Supreme Court, lawyers try to secure space on the justices' plenary agenda; through briefs amicus curiae, interest groups try to advance their policy views. Thus, both seek access to the Court. What brings lawyers and organized interests together? In this article, I develop a model which examines when and why lawyers who represent petitioners build coalitions with groups. Using survey data from the 1986-87 Term of the Court, I show that lawyers-particularly lawyers with expertise in the agenda setting process-actively recruit the support of interests as amici curiae. Solicitation of amici most often occurs when lawyers and interest groups share similar goals, specifically, the desire for the justices to speak authoritatively on an issue of national importance. Con sistent with the literature on organized interests, the results serve to explain why so few lawyers seek the support of amici curiae, despite their impact on the justices' decision making.
On the Orthogonality of Frames and the Density and Connectivity of Wavelet Frames

We examine some recent results of Bownik on density and connectivity of the wavelet frames. We use orthogonality (strong disjointness) properties of frame and Bessel sequences, and also properties of Bessel multipliers (operators that map wavelet Bessel functions to wavelet Bessel functions). In addition we obtain an asymptotically tight approximation result for wavelet frames.
Hydrostatic Damper for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump (HPOTP)

Alternative methods were evaluated for increasing rotor damping on the SSME HPOTP to reduce bearing dynamic loads and extend their useful life. A unique application of a hydrostatic damper was developed by incorporating a hydrostatic element between stationary turbine bearing support components. Damper design is shown to be dependent on accurate rotordynamic response analysis. Optimization to achieve maximum damper performance under high loading conditions and limited supply flow is discussed
Field desorption mass spectra of methotrexate and folic acid analogs

Field desorption mass spectra of methotrexate and folic acid analogs yield abundant molecular or quasimolecular ions. At emitter currents above the best anode temperature, fragment ions which are useful as further confirmations of structures are observed.
Variance estimation using judgment post-stratification

We consider the problem of estimating the variance of a population using judgment post-stratification. By conditioning on the observed vector of ordered in-stratum sample sizes, we develop a conditionally unbiased nonparametric estimator that outperforms the sample variance except when the rankings are very poor. This estimator also outperforms the standard unbiased nonparametric variance estimator from unbalanced ranked-set sampling.
Offshore Sourcing: Reaction, Maturation, and Consolidation of U.S. Multinationals

The authors conducted a quasi-longitudinal investigation of U.S. multinationals' R&D, manufacturing, offshore sourcing strategies, and resultant global market performance implications, utilizing comprehensive data collected by the 1977, 1982 and 1989 benchmark surveys of U.S. direct investment abroad. Hypotheses were tested in a path analytic framework. Despite increased competition at home and abroad causing their global market share positions to weaken in recent years, U.S. multinationals have maintained, and even may have improved, their global consolidated profitability levels by skillfully exploiting their technological prowess through technology transfer and off-shore sourcing. Rapidly changing roles of U.S. parent firms and their foreign affiliates in technology development and global sourcing relationships portend a maturing, yet arduous, shift toward a global rationalization.
Superplastic compressive flow in MgB2

Abstract Macroplasticity in the brittle, superconducting ceramic MgB 2 would allow for the mechanical drawing of thin, dense superconducting wires, as done for metallic superconductors. Here, we report very large uniaxial compressive deformation (engineering strain of 67% or true strain of −1.1) without fracture at 1000 °C for specimens densified from commercially available MgB 2 powders with MgO and MgB 4 second phases. Plastic flow occurs under a diffusion-controlled mechanism with activation energies of 255–447 kJ mol −1 and stress exponents of 1.4–2.0, indicative of superplastic behavior.
Second-order shape design sensitivity using P-version finite element analysis

Thep-version finite element analysis (FEA) approach is attractive for design sensitivity analysis (DSA) and optimization due to its high accuracy of analysis results, even with coarse mesh; insensitivity to finite element mesh distortion and aspect ratio; and tolerance for large shape design changes during design iterations. A continuum second-order shape DSA formulation is derived and implemented usingp-version FEA. The second-order shape design sensitivity can be used for reliability based analysis and design optimization by incorporating it with the second-order reliability analysis method (SORM). Both the second-order shape DSA formulations with respect to the single and mixed shape design parameters are derived for elastic solids using the material derivative concept. Both the direct differentiation and hybrid methods are presented in this paper. A shape DSA is implemented by using an establishedp-version FEA code, STRESS CHECK. Two numerical examples, a connecting rod and bracket, are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed seond-order shape DSA approach.
Can crystallization of olivine tholeiite give rise to potassic rhyolites?—an experimental investigation

Experiments were conducted to determine whether the rhyolites and basalts of the intraplate silica-saturated potassic suites could be genetically related through crystallization. Extreme crystallization (96–97%) of a high-MgO (10.62 wt%) olivine tholeiite from the Snake River Plain with an initial bulk water content of 0.4 wt% at a mid-crustal pressure of 4.3 kbar generated potassic rhyolitic liquids similar in major element chemistry to those found in the Quaternary rhyolite domes of the Snake River Plain and their plutonic equivalents in the Proterozoic Laramie Anorthosite Complex. Residual liquids comparable in composition to the bulk rock compositions of intermediate rocks found at the Craters of the Moon and Cedar Butte eruptive centers in the Snake River Plain are also generated along this crystallization path.
Tandem dispersion and killing of bacteria from a biofilm.

The combined effects of biofilm dispersion with a 2-aminoimidazole–triazole conjugate and bactericidal activity with a photodynamic inactivation agent suggest a novel combination therapy for treating diverse microbial infections.
GRIN lenses for deep in vivo multiphoton imaging

Needle-like gradient index lenses are shown to be effective for acquiring multiphoton images from millimeters to centimeters deep in anesthetized animals. We present in vivo two-photon images in mouse of ovaries, of neurons from cortical layer V and hippocampus, and of capillaries several millimeters deep in the brain.
S-Allylcysteine Attenuates Oxidative Stress in Endothelial Cells

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been recognized as playing an important role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. We recently reported that S-allylcysteine (SAC), one of the major compounds in the aged garlic extract (AGE), inhibited LDL oxidation and minimized oxidized LDL–induced cell injury. In this study, the antioxidant effects of SAC were further determined using several in vitro assay systems. Pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) were preincubated with SAC at 37°C and 5% CO2 for 24 hr, washed, and then exposed to 0.1 mg/ml oxidized LDL for 24 hr. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, as an index of membrane injury, and intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels were determined. Oxidized LDL caused an increase of LDH release and depletion of GSH. Pretreatment with SAC prevented these changes. Peroxides were measured directly in 24-well plates using a fluorometric assay. SAC dose-dependently inhibited oxidized LDL-induced release of peroxides in PAEC. In a cell-free s...
AKAP-independent localization of type-II protein kinase A to dynamic actin microspikes.

Regulation of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in subcellular space is required for cytoskeletal dynamics and chemotaxis. Currently, spatial regulation of PKA is thought to require the association of PKA regulatory (R) subunits with A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). Here, we show that the regulatory RIIα subunit of PKA associates with dynamic actin microspikes in an AKAP-independent manner. Both endogenous RIIα and a GFP-RIIα fusion protein co-localize with F-actin in microspikes within hippocampal neuron growth cones and the leading edge lamellae of NG108-15 cells. Live-cell imaging demonstrates that RIIα-associated microspikes are highly dynamic and that the coupling of RIIα to actin is tight, as the movement of both actin and RIIα are immediately and coincidently stopped by low-dose cytochalasin D. Importantly, co-localization of RIIα and actin in these structures is resistant to displacement by a cell-permeable disrupter of PKA-AKAP interactions. Biochemical fractionation confirms that a substantial pool of PKA RIIα is associated with the detergent-insoluble cytoskeleton and is resistant to extraction by a peptide inhibitor of AKAP interactions. Finally, mutation of the AKAP-binding domain of RIIα fails to disrupt its association with actin microspikes. These data provide the first demonstration of the physical association of a kinase with such dynamic actin structures, as well as the first demonstration of the ability of type-II PKA to localize to discrete subcellular structures independently of canonical AKAP function. This association is likely to be important for microfilament dynamics and cell migration and may prime the investigation of novel mechanisms for localizing PKA activity.
Description of sexual behaviors ofDrosophila rajasekari : The role of (Z,Z)-7,11-heptacosadiene.

The courtship behaviors and cuticular hydrocarbons ofDrosophila rajasekari are described. Sexually mature males orient, tap, follow, vibrate their abdomens, extend and vibrate their wings, and attempt copulation during courtship. They perform these behaviors in response to immature and matureD. rajasekari of both sexes, and their courtship activities are facilitated by light. The predominant cuticular hydrocarbon found in both sexes is (Z,Z)-7,11-heptacosadiene (HCD), a compound known to be used as a courtship-stimulating sex pheromone by another fruit fly,D. melanogaster. Therefore, it is not surprising thatD. melanogaster males actively court both males and females from theD. rajasekari stock. However, HCD is apparently not used byD. rajasekari as a courtship-stimulating pheromone since matureD. rajasekari males do not courtD. melanogaster females, which produce large quantities of HCD.
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and HLA-DR antigens in herpes keratitis.

Purpose: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a cell surface glycoprotein that binds leukocyte function antigen-1 receptor on leukocytes, thereby regulating leukocyte trafficking and function at sites of inflammation. Recently, the authors demonstrated ICAM-1 in human corneas exposed to proinflammatory cytokines, but ICAM-1 has not been reported in corneal disease. In this study, the presence of ICAM-1 in human disciform herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis is investigated. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed for ICAM-1 on 4 keratoplasty specimens from patients with corneal scarring due to disciform HSV keratitis and 1 corneoscleral biopsy of a patient with active HSV keratoscleritis using specific, characterized monoclonal antibody to ICAM-1. Negative immunohistochemical controls included monoclonal antibodies to other vascular endothelial adhesion molecules or mouse serum. Results: All 5 specimens demonstrated intense ICAM-1 immunoreactivity of keratinocytes, stromal keratocytes, and endothelial cells, predominantly in regions of leukocytic infiltration. Diffuse, intense HLA-DR positivity was detected throughout the corneas. The specimens failed to react with control antibodies. Conclusion: These results are the first to demonstrate ICAM-1 in human corneal disease and suggest important roles for ICAM-1 and HLA-DR co-expression in generating immune responses in HSV keratitis. Increased ICAM-1 expression in regions of leukocytic infiltration may regulate leukocyte-corneal cell binding, thereby promoting immune responses and damage by activated leukocytes.
Far‐Infrared Spectra of Ring Compounds. II. The Spectrum and Ring‐Puckering Potential Function of Cyclopentene

The infrared spectrum of cyclopentene has been recorded in the range 18–300 cm−1. Two series of thirteen and nine Q branches, respectively, were observed, both of which arise from the strongly anharmonic energy levels of the B1 ring‐puckering vibration. The longer, more intense series is assigned to molecules in the ground vibrational state of all the other vibrations, and the shorter, weaker series to molecules in the first excited state of the A2 ring‐twisting vibration. Each set of Q branches can be fitted to transitions between the energy levels of a double‐minimum potential function of the form V=a(x4—bx2), where x is the B1 ring‐puckering coordinate. The height of the barrier opposing planarity is calculated to be 232±5 cm−1, and the equilibrium angle between the two dihedral planes of the puckered ring to be 23.3°±1°.