cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Models of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Small Animals and Novel Positive Inotropic Therapies

Several randomized clinical trials of vesnarinone and milrinone in patients with heart failure left disappointing results in the 1990s. Thereafter, use of positive inotropic agents has been avoided. Exceptions are the use of digitalis glycosides to treat mild-moderate heart failure and the intravenous administration of catecholamines and phosphodiesterase inhibitors in patients with acute and/or refractory heart failure. It is not, however, exactly known whether chronic enhancement of cardiac contractility indeed has harmful effects, besides increased risk of arrhythmia and mortality. We investigated the potential chronic benefit of positive inotropic modification to treat progressive cardiomyopathy and associated heart failure using a genetic complementation strategy of muscle lim-protein and phospholamban (PLN) double mutagenesis in the mouse and found clear evidence of positive effects. Subsequent somatic modification of PLN function via gene transfer with recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors in small animal models of dilated cardiomyopathy further supported the chronic benefit of enhanced cardiac function achieved in an beta-adrenergic stimulus-independent manner. This study examines current small animal models of dilated cardiomyopathy and recent multiple attempts to use these models as novel gene-based inotropic therapies.
Modeling radium and radon transport through soil and vegetation

Abstract A one-dimensional flow and transport model was developed to describe the movement of two fluid phases, gas and water, within a porous medium and the transport of 226 Ra and 222 Rn within and between these two phases. Included in this model is the vegetative uptake of water and aqueous 226 Ra and 222 Rn that can be extracted from the soil via the transpiration stream. The mathematical model is formulated through a set of phase balance equations and a set of species balance equations. Mass exchange, sink terms and the dependence of physical properties upon phase composition couple the two sets of equations. Numerical solution of each set, with iteration between the sets, is carried out leading to a set-iterative compositional model. The Petrov–Galerkin finite element approach is used to allow for upstream weighting if required for a given simulation. Mass lumping improves solution convergence and stability behavior. The resulting numerical model was applied to four problems and was found to produce accurate, mass conservative solutions when compared to published experimental and numerical results and theoretical column experiments. Preliminary results suggest that the model can be used as an investigative tool to determine the feasibility of phytoremediating radium and radon-contaminated soil.
Activists, Alliances, and Anti-US Base Protests (Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics)

Andrew Yeo, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011, xvii+222 pp.,, index, £55.00, ISBN 978 1 107 00247 0 (hardback); £17.99, ISBN 978 0 521 17556 2 (paperback) This innovative book fuses inter...
Levels of 48V from the 47Ti(3He, d)48V reaction

Abstract The 47 Ti( 3 He, d) 48 V reaction has been investigated at an incident energy of 11.0 MeV. Deuteron angular distributions were measured in the MIT multiple-gap spectrograph and analysed using the distorted-wave Born approximation. Transitions were observed to the analogues of the ground state and first excited state of 48 Ti and the 48 V- 48 Ti Coulomb energy difference was determined to be ΔE c = 7.838±0.020 MeV. The present results are compared with those of previous experiments on 48 V and with those for odd-mass vanadium isotopes.
Orthant tail dependence of multivariate extreme value distributions

The orthant tail dependence describes the relative deviation of upper- (or lower-) orthant tail probabilities of a random vector from similar orthant tail probabilities of a subset of its components, and can be used in the study of dependence among extreme values. Using the conditional approach, this paper examines the extremal dependence properties of multivariate extreme value distributions and their scale mixtures, and derives the explicit expressions of orthant tail dependence parameters for these distributions. Properties of the tail dependence parameters, including their relations with other extremal dependence measures used in the literature, are discussed. Various examples involving multivariate exponential, multivariate logistic distributions and copulas of Archimedean type are presented to illustrate the results.
Sources of Management Problems in Japanese-American Joint Ventures

Cultural differences between Japanese and American managers are frequently cited as a major cause of problems in Japanese-American joint ventures. Further clarification of this widespread belief is obtained by focusing upon the epistemological foundation of each culture. Problems are discussed which affect selection of partners, negotiation of contract, and daily operation of the venture.
Inhibitory neuromodulators do not alter the course of experimental hepatic encephalopathy.

The neuromodulators, adenosine, serotonin, and glycine, did not alter the course of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) that followed a portacaval shunt and hepatic artery ligation in rats. The substances were instilled into the brain ventricle through an intraventricular cannula in doses that affect other aspects of behavior in the normal rat (adenosine, suppression of food intake; serotonin, loss of muscle strength and ataxia; glycine, leaning and circling). A subconvulsive dose of the glycine antagonist, strychnine, also had no effect on the course of HE. A large dose of the adenosine antagonist, caffeine, had a depressive rather than excitatory effect and shortened the time taken to induction of coma. These studies and a similar previous one with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) suggest that the inhibitory neuromodulators do not have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of hepatic coma.
Large-scale purification of two forms of active lac operator from plasmids.

Abstract A practical procedure is described for obtaining milligram quantities of a small (29 nucleotide) Eco RI restriction fragment of DNA containing the Escherichia coli lac operator. A yield of 10–15 mg of operator is obtained from 1 kg of wet cell paste. The resultant operator is shown to be homogeneous and competitively active in filter assays. Two separable but interconvertible forms of lac operator exist in solution, probably linear duplex and hairpin isomers. Only the presumed linear form is active in binding lac repressor by competition assay, but the two isomers are interconvertible by heating to 80°C. The methods described here should be generally applicable for purifying other restriction fragments from plasmids.
Micro light emitting device prepared from sputter deposited thin hafnium oxide film

Abstract Micro light emitting devices made of the sputter deposited thin hafnium oxide on a p-type silicon wafer have been fabricated and investigated. The emission spectrum covers the visible to near IR wavelength range. The light intensity is affected by the sample’s post deposition annealing temperature and the applied voltage. Light was emitted due to excitation of conductive paths formed from the breakdown of local weak spots. The long lifetime of the device, e.g., >1000 h continuously operated at atmosphere, is due to the isolation of the dielectric embedded conductive paths from the air. This kind of device can be applied to many products.
An analysis of factors influencing precision of thermal property values during freezing

Resume On propose une equation pour la prevision de la fraction d'eau non congelee qui compare a la fois l'eau non congelable (M b ) et la masse moleculaire equivalente des substances seches (MW s ) au cours de la congelation des aliments. Les parametres (M b et MW s ), lorsqu'ils sont obtenus a partir des donnees publiees actuellement sur la teneur en eau non congelee, montrent que l'equation decrit tres bien les donnees. Lorsqu'on ne dispose pas de renseignements sur la teneur en eau non congelee, MW s peut etre obtenu a partir du point de congelation initial (T f ) de l'aliment et M b en utilisant des methodes calorimetriques. On montre que la precision de MW s depend beaucoup de la precision de T f pour un aliment congele de teneur en eau moyenne (75%) aelevee (95%). La precision des variables d'entree necessaires dans les equations proposees (temperature, M b , MW s , teneur en matieres seches) ainsi que d'autres parametres physiques de l'aliment non congele (masse volumique, chaleur massique et conductivite thermique) ont ete etudies pour essayer de determiner la possibilite de prevoir la masse volumique, la chaleur massique apparente, l'enthalpie, la conductivite thermique et la teneur en eau non congelee de l'aliment congele.
Electromodulated infrared transmission spectrum near the CDW gap edge in blue bronze

Abstract We compare the changes in the transmission (τ) spectra of blue bronze caused by changing temperature (Δτ T ) and by polarizing the charge-density-wave (CDW) with an electric field near threshold (Δτ V ), for photon energies between 800 and 1200 cm −1 . Unlike at lower energies, the two spectra differ qualitatively in this spectral region, near the edge of the CDW gap. While temperature mainly affects phonon damping, CDW polarization shifts phonon energies. Both Δτ v /τ and Δτ T /τ are expected to change sign for energies above the gap, but this occurs much more gradually (as a function of energy) in the electromodulated spectrum.
Tumor-initiating activity of the bay-region dihydrodiols and diolepoxides of dibenz[a,j]anthracene and cholanthrene on mouse skin

The tumor-initiating activity of dibenz[a,j]anthracene, (+/-)dibenz[a,j]anthracene-trans-3,4-diol and (+/-)dibenz[a,j]-anthracene-anti-3,4-diol-1,2-epoxide in mouse skin was examined and compared to that of cholanthrene, (+/-) cholanthrene-trans-9,10-diol and (+/-)cholanthrene-anti-9,10-diol-7,8-epoxide. The tumor-initiating activity of these compounds dissolved in acetone or in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was also compared. In acetone, dibenz[a,j]anthracene was a weak tumor initiator with maximal tumor yields of 1.27 and 3.00 per mouse at 400 and 800 nmol doses, respectively. At the 400 nmol dose, the diol of this compound was slightly more active than the parent compound while the tumorigenic activity of the diol-epoxide was significantly higher. The diol-epoxide was almost three times more active than the parent compound as a tumor-initiator. Cholanthrene was a moderate tumor-initiator with maximal tumor yields of 6.90 and 8.86 tumors per mouse at 200 and 600 nmol doses, respectively, after 20 weeks of promotion. At comparable doses, (+/-)cholanthrene-trans-9,10-diol was approximately 50% as potent as cholanthrene as a tumor initiator whereas the diol-epoxide was only minimally active. Replacing the acetone with THF as solvent vehicle increased the tumor-initiating activity of cholanthrene-diol-epoxide; however, the parent compound still retained higher tumor-initiating activity than its bay-region diol-epoxide. The low tumorigenic activity of cholanthrene-diol-epoxide is thought to reflect the high chemical reactivity and low stability of this derivative, which may prevent it from penetrating to epidermal targets. In contrast, the bay-region diol-epoxide derivative of dibenz[a,j]anthracene appears to be stable enough to exert greater biologic activity when applied to mouse skin.
Iron nanoparticles in carbon nanotubes at various temperatures

Abstract Crystallographic structures and orientations of nanoscale iron particles encapsulated in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were studied with or without heat treatments at various temperatures. It was found from this study that γ-Fe with a face-centered-cubic crystal structure (known to be stable in the temperature range of 912–1394 °C for bulk iron) retains its stability in a large quantity at room temperature inside the cavities of CNTs. The relative number of γ-Fe particles was found to increase with temperature, especially with heat treatment at 1400 °C or higher. It was also found that iron particles in CNTs are oriented in specific crystallographic directions of their crystal structures along the axis of the nanotubes.
Isotopic evidence for local derivation of strontium in deep-seated, fracture-filling calcite from granitic rocks in drill hole GT-2, Los Alamos scientific laboratory dry hot rock program

Abstract Fracture-filling calcites from GT-2 Drill Core (LASL-DHR Program) yield 87Sr/86Sr ranging from 0.724 to 0.734. These data indicate derivation of Sr in the calcite from 1.7 ± 0.1 b.y. old granitic basement rocks at depth and not from the overlying Madera Formation (Pennsylvanian) which possesses high Sr content with 87Sr/86Sr near 0.709. This, in turn, indicates that meteoric waters did not transport significant amounts of Sr from the Madera Formation into the Precambrian basement rocks to great depth.
Application of system-size expansion to nonlinear reactor noise analysis

Abstract The Langevin equation with the system-size expansion has been used to study the power fluctuation in a nuclear reactor at power taking into account the nonlinearities of the point reactor kinetic equation. The delayed neutrons are neglected. Both equilibrium and nonequilibrium cases are considered. It is demonstrated that during a transient the fluctuation may be very large. A special case is solved by an alternative method, the solution of the forward stochastic equation, for the purpose of comparison. The results obtained by these two methods agreed. They also indicated that negative feedback reduces the fluctuations and this result may serve as an alternative explanation for the so called ‘variance catastrophe’ as referred to by Williams.
Experimental Study of CO2, CH4, and Water Vapor Adsorption on a Dimethyl-Functionalized UiO-66 Framework

A water resistant, highly robust dimethyl-functionalized UiO-66 analogue (UiO-66-DM) has been synthesized and characterized by using N2 adsorption, powder X-ray diffraction, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis followed by mass spectroscopy. High-pressure (up to 20 bar) single-component adsorption isotherm measurements of CO2 and CH4 have been performed on UiO-66-DM at different temperatures (293–308 K). Adsorption isotherm data were modeled by using the Toth equation, and isosteric heats of adsorption were calculated by using the Clausius–Clapeyron equation. The Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) was used to calculate mixture selectivities. Water adsorption experiments show that water adsorption loadings in UiO-66-DM are reduced by almost 50% compared to the parent material. In the low-pressure region, functionalization of the benzenedicarboxylic ligand by 2,5-dimethyl leads to higher interactions with both CO2 and CH4 compared to the p...
Stable duplicate-key extraction with optimal time and space bounds

We consider the problem of transforming a list L of records sorted on some key into two sublists L1 and L2 where, for each distinct key in L, L1 contains the first record of L that possesses the key and L2 contains all records of L with duplicate keys. We desire that our duplicate-key extraction algorithm perform the transformation in place and be stable (that is, records within each sublist must obey the original order given by L). This operation is useful in database and related file processing environments whenever only distinct keys need be considered. Moreover, stability in extraction insures that L can be efficiently restored at a later time with a stable merge of L1 and L2. Any procedure for performing duplicate-key extraction on a list of size n must require at least O(n) time and O(1) extra space, although the obvious algorithm for achieving either bound alone violates the other bound. We design a stable algorithm, using block-rearrangement techniques, and show that it is optimal in the theoretical sense that it achieves both lower bounds simultaneously. We also prove that its worst-case number of key comparisons and record exchanges sum to no more than 6 n, suggesting that the algorithm has practical application as well.
Choice of a null distribution in resampling-based multiple testing

This paper investigates different choices of test statistic null distribution for resampling-based multiple testing in the context of single parameter hypotheses. We show that the test statistic null distribution for strongly controlling type I error may be obtained by projecting the true test statistic distribution onto the space of mean zero distributions. For common choices of test statistics, this distribution is asymptotically multivariate normal with the covariance of the vector influence curve for the parameter estimator. Applying the ordinary non-parametric or model-based bootstrap to mean zero centered test statistics produces an estimated test statistic null distribution which provides asymptotic strong control. In contrast, the usual practice of obtaining an estimated test statistic null distribution via an estimated data null distribution (e.g. null restricted bootstrap) only provides an asymptotically correct test statistic null distribution if the covariance of the vector influence curve is the same under the chosen data null distribution as under the true data distribution. This condition is the formal analogue of the subset pivotality condition (Westfall and Young, Resampling-based Multiple Testing: Examples and Methods for p-value adjustment, Wiley, New York, 1993). We demonstrate the use of our proposed ordinary bootstrap null distribution with a single-step multiple testing method which is equivalent to constructing an error-specific confidence region for the true parameter and checking if it contains the hypothesized value. We also study the two sample problem and show that the permutation method produces an asymptotically correct null distribution if (i) the sample sizes are equal or (ii) the populations have the same covariance structure.
Has the Americans with Disabilities Act Made a Difference? A Policy Analysis of Quality of Life in the Post-Americans with Disabilities Act Era

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed more than 10 years ago. Policy makers hoped to enable persons with disabilities to combat social barriers such as unemployment by preventing discrimination. It has been the most comprehensive piece of legislation for persons with disabilities in the United States, but the effects of the ADA have been debatable. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effect of the ADA on quality of life for persons with disabilities and offer suggestions for health care policy.
Male and female voice source characteristics: Inverse filtering results

Abstract Detailed data on voicing source characteristics are of interest in both analysis and synthesis of speech. In this study, a time-domain based method of inverse filtering was used to analyze male and female utterances produced with several voice qualities. Fourteen mono-syllabic utterances (ten in normal voicing style, and 2 each in creaky and breathy voice) by each of 8 speakers (4 men, 4 women) were filtered by a set of zero pairs corresponding to the measured formants. The resulting differentiated flow waveforms were analyzed in the time domain and in the frequency domain at voicing onset, near the middle of the vowel, and near the end of voicing. Though there was variability among subjects of the same sex, the women tended to have shorter closed quotients and longer return quotients (the period between maximal rate of change of flow and minimal flow). In the spectral domain, there tended to be less energy at higher frequencies in the middle of the vowel for the women compared to the men. The magnitudes of the male-female differences are similar to those observed for the creaky-normal voicing differences and breathy-normal differences. These differences may arise from a combination of biological, sociological and acoustical effects.
A Variable Focus Lens and Its Uses

By placing two variable, liquid, cylindrical lenses with their axes crossed at right angles, a lens has been made which produces the effects characteristic of spherical, cylindrical or toroidal lenses, and in addition has the property of variable focus. The useful range of powers is about seven diopters, and the accuracy in repeating any power is satisfactory. Its application to ocular refraction is discussed.
Evidence of disruption of conjugation involving delta bonds in intramolecular electronic coupling.

A dimer of dimers containing two quadruply bonded [Mo2(DAniF)3]+ units (DAniF = N,N′-di(p-anisyl)formamidinate) linked by the S-donor linker, dimethyldithiooxamidate was synthesized, structurally c...
Situation models, propositions, and the fan effect

When people read a text, they can create three levels of representation (van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983). At the lowest level is the surface form, a verbatim representation of the words and syntax that were used. At a higher level is the propositional text base, an abstract representation of the idea units present in the text that is not directly tied to a specific surface form. Thus, the surface form and the text base represent what the text was. At the highest level is the situation model. This is a representation of the situation to which the text refers (Johnson-Laird, 1983; Zwaan & Radvansky, 1998). The situation model represents what the text was about. Although all three levels can be created during comprehension, they are not used to equal degrees during memory retrieval (Kintsch, Welsch, Schmalhofer, & Zimny, 1990). For example, initially after reading, all three are in a relatively high state of availability. However, soon the surface form begins to contribute less and is quickly forgotten (Sachs, 1967). Shortly after the surface form is forgotten, the text base also begins to be forgotten. Although it endures longer, people soon have trouble discriminating between ideas that were read and those that were inferred. The situation model remains at a more constant level of availability. Because of the declining influence of the other representations, the situation model begins to dominate processing. The relative strengths of these representations can be influenced by the perspective taken during a task, in addition to the passage of time. Tasks that focus on the described events are more likely to emphasize the situation model than those that focus on the texts, which are likely to emphasize the surface form and text base. This is illustrated in a study by Zwaan (1994) in which subjects read a text that was described either as a newspaper report or as extracted from a piece of literature. When subjects thought the text was a newspaper article (in which the aim is to report events in the world), the situation model level was emphasized. In contrast, when subjects thought it was from a piece of literature (in which the language used is as important as the events described), they showed a stronger influence of text base.
The biogeographical distribution of duncecap larkspur (Delphinium occidentale) chemotypes and their potential toxicity.

Larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) are poisonous plants found on rangelands in western North America. Larkspur’s toxicity has been attributed to the norditerpenoid alkaloids, which are divided into two main structural groups: the highly toxic (N-methylsuccinimido) anthranoyllycoctonine type (MSAL type) and the less toxic 7,8-methylenedioxylycoctonine type (MDL type). Plants high in the MSAL-type alkaloids are thought to be the most toxic to cattle, and the concentrations of these alkaloids have been used as a predictor of plant toxicity. Duncecap larkspur, Delphinium occidentale, occurs throughout much of the Intermountain West and Northwestern United States. Specimens from field collections and herbaria deposits were evaluated taxonomically and chemically. Two distinct alkaloid profiles were identified: one that contains the MSAL-type alkaloids and one that contains little, if any, MSAL-type alkaloids. Thus, plants with these two alkaloid profiles should differ in their toxic potential. Each profile was unique in its geographical distribution. These findings have important implications in grazing management decisions on D. occidentale-infested rangelands, and they demonstrate that botanical classification alone is not a good indicator to determine the toxic risk of D. occidentale.
Systematic approach to assess and mitigate longwall subsidence influences on surface structures

The surface subsidence process associated with longwall mining operations is often capable of causing disturbances to various surface structures. Inadequate considerations of the subsidence influences could result in poor public relation with local residents and regulatory agencies, uneconomic operations, hazardous conditions, etc. A systematic approach to assess and mitigate influences caused by longwall subsidence had been developed and adopted to minimize the severity of these potential problems. The approach included accurate prediction of final and dynamic surface movements and deformations, assessment of the severities and locations of the potential disturbances, and design and implementation of proper mitigation measures. The approach had been successfully applied at many longwall mining companies on numerous and various residential, farming, public and industrial structures. As a matter of fact, the state of Pennsylvania, the state with largest number of longwall mines and highest longwall production in U.S., would like to use such approach as the standards in dealing with longwall subsidence cases.
NMDAR1 receptor proteins and mossy fibers in the fascia dentata during rat kainate hippocampal epileptogenesis.

We examined the time course of NMDAR1 (NR1) immunoreactivity (IR) in the rat inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus following unilateral intrahippocampal (hilar) kainic acid (KA) lesions and compared them to progressive aberrant mossy fiber (MF) sprouting into the inner molecular layer (IML). The results demonstrated that NR1 receptors in the IML of the KA side were decreased as early as 3 days after KA-induced denervation, then significantly increased at postinjection day (PID) 7. The densities of NR1 IR in the IML continued to increase up to 5 months. By comparison, MF sprouting did not occur significantly in the IML until PID 17, 10 days after NR1 IR was significantly increased. Recurrent MF-IML neoinnervation significantly increased on days 17, 60, and 150. This progressive MF innervation was significantly correlated with NR1 increases. These results suggest that NR1 receptors were decreased soon after KA-induced deafferentation of granule cell dendrites in the IML; however, they were replaced by new NR1 receptors at increased densities in the granule cell dendrites, which may have released neurotrophic factors to stimulate growth cones of MFs to reinnervate the IML. The progressive increases of NR1 and MFs in the IML suggest that such neosynaptogenesis would contribute monosynaptic recurrent excitatory mechanisms for focal hippocampal hyperexcitability and seizure onsets.
The competition of grain size and porosity in the viscoplastic response of nanocrystalline solids

Abstract Many important processing techniques for nanocrystalline solids, such as ball milling and compaction, are frequently accompanied by the presence of voids in the end products. These voids can apparently lower the yield strength of the material. In order to address the issue of competition between grain size and porosity, we develop an explicit, analytical composite model that allows us to determine the viscoplastic response of a porous, nanocrystalline solid. The development made use of the concept of a three-phase composite comprising of the plastically harder grain interior, plastically softer grain-boundary affected zone (GBAZ), and porosity. A homogenization theory that accounts for the evolution of porosity during plastic flow is established. This establishment is built upon the extension of a linear viscoelastic composite to a non-linear viscoplastic one, in which the viscoplastic behavior of the constituent phases is represented by a unified constitutive law. Then by means of a field fluctuation method, the local strain rates are linked to the applied total strain rate. Such a linkage in turn provides the secant viscosity of the constituent phases at every stage of deformation. In order to test the applicability of the developed theory, we have applied it to model the viscoplastic response of an iron and an iron–copper mixture tested by Khan et al. [Khan, A.S., Zhang, H., Takacs, L., 2000. Mechanical response and modeling of fully compacted nanocrystalline iron and copper. Int. J. Plasticity 16, 1459–1476] and Khan and Zhang [Khan, A.S., Zhang, H., 2000. Mechanically alloyed nanocrystalline iron and copper mixture: behavior and constitutive modeling over a wide range of strain rates. Int. J. Plasticity 16, 1477–1492]. It is demonstrated that the theory is capable of capturing the major features of the tested results at various grain sizes and porosities. Our calculations further point to the change of yield strength in the Hall–Petch plot from an initial increase to level off, and then to decline, at various porosities under a constant strain-rate loading. This in turn brings about the existence of a critical grain size in the nano-meter range at which the material exhibits maximum yield strength. Moreover, this critical grain size tends to move to the left in the Hall–Petch plot as the GBAZ becomes softer.
Simplified Extraction Procedure and HPLC Determination for Total Vitamin E and β‐Carotene of Reduced‐Fat Mayonnaise

ABSTRACT: A simple, rapid procedure using direct solvent extraction and liquid chromatography was developed for the simultaneous determination and identification of α-tocopheryl acetate, β-carotene and tocopherols in reduced-fat mayonnaise. The method used a zero-control reference material (ZRM) (made in-house from olive oil and eggs) for accuracy determination. The vitamins and β-carotene were quantified by fluorescence and photodiode array detectors, respectively. The overall % recoveries (mean±S.D.)(n=5) for β-carotene, α-tocopheryl acetate, α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and δ-tocopherol were 101.4±1.4, 99.0±4.2, 102.0±3.6, 101.3±4.4 and 101.9±6.2, respectively. The method differentiates between natural and synthetic forms of vitamin E for accurate assessment of vitamin E biological activity. Comparative assays were performed using both direct solvent extraction and saponification.
Proliferative response and macromolecular synthesis by ocular cells cultured on extracellular matrix materials.

To investigate the effects of extracellular matrix components on cellular function, we cultured several types of ocular cells on substrates composed of extracellular matrix materials that were layered on culture dishes either as dried films or as gels. We measured cellular proliferation on these substrates and on a series of gels composed of varying proportions of rat tail tendon type I collagen and Matrigel™, a commercially available extract of a basement membrane-producing murine tumor. In addition, we studied the biosynthesis of collagens and of proteoglycans by these cultured cells using [3H]-L-proline and [35S]-sulfate. The proliferative abilities of the various types of ocular cells on the dried film substrates, on uncoated plastic culture vessels, and on pure type I collagen gel, were similar. However, proliferation of ocular cells cultured on gels composed of ≥90% Matrigel was markedly reduced. There was little or no inhibition of growth of two types of non-ocular cells: rat C6 astrocytoma cells, ...
A comparison of parameterized vs. measured transilient mixing coefficients for a convective mixed layer

The parameterization for transilient turbulence coefficients suggested by Stull and Driedonks (SD. 1987) is tested against the large-eddy simulations (LES) of Ebert et al. (ESS, 1989) for the special case of an idealized convective boundary layer. The SD parameterization is based on a nonlocal approximation to the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) equation, and requires turbulent exchange (i.e., the matrix of transilient mixing coefficients is assumed to be symmetric) and dominance of the smaller eddies (i.e., elements closer to the main diagonal of the matrix are greater). Measurements from the LES model, however, show that the transilient matrix is asymmetric in convective situations, with larger eddies dominating. Mean-state conditions such as the deep convective mixing and mixed-layer growth are satisfactorily described by the parameterization, but the surface layer is too deep and the entrainment zone thickness is poorly defined. Turbulence properties such as skewed vertical velocity distributions are not possible within the constraint of a symmetric matrix, and partial convective overturning is also not possible because of the restriction that small eddies dominate. Future improved parametcrizations might continue to be based on the TKE equation, but should allow transilient matrix asymmetry.
Display vigour and subsequent fight performance in the siamese fighting fish, betta splendens.

The display of 24 individual male Siamese fighting fish to an unresponsive stimulus conspecific was measured, and the fish were then placed together in pairs. For 11 of the 12 pairs, the outcome of the aggressive interaction which ensued was predicted by the gill cover erection durations obtained in the pre-fight isolate tests. The implications of this result for theories of display function are discussed.
Development of a Morphing Micro Air Vehicle Wing Using The Combined POD and LSE Technique

The current research is based on a flow structure interaction problem in which a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) wing experiences flow induced vibrations. The purpose of the current research is to use low dimensional tools , such as T he Combined Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Linear Stochastic Estimation (LSE) technique , to develop flow control methods for the MAV. The heart of the Combined POD and LSE technique lies in its ability to use dynamic strain measu rements from the wing to estimate the velocity flow field . When combined with piezoelectric devices , this technique aid s in the development of a n active MA V wing that has both sensing and morphing capabilit ies . In this paper we review the work to date whe re we have demonstrated the ability to estimate the wake flow velocity from dynamic strain. We then compare the strain spectrum from the MAV wing between measurements made both with and without piezoelectric actuation . We find that we are able to change t he strain spectrum in such a way to suggest that we can obtai n significant control authority with the current setup. As a n ecessary step in the approach, we also investigate the structural behavior of the MAV wing.
Wildlife of the Mid-Atlantic: A Complete Reference Manual

J. H. Rappole 2007. Wildlife of the Mid-Atlantic: A Complete Reference Manual. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 372 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-8122-3982-9, price (hardbound), $49.95. From the rich green line drawings on the cover supplemented with color photographs representing some of the classes covered to the raised, textured lizard on the dust cover, this book promises to be a sensory experience. This text is inviting from the moment it is encountered. The text is organized into 2 components: a brief introduction outlining the environment and habitat of the Mid-Atlantic Region, and species accounts of the terrestrial vertebrate biota of the Mid-Atlantic Region. However, the preface is extremely important in avoiding misunderstanding between the title and the stated goals of text. The author states in the preface that he intends the text as a reference for “practicing field biologists or interested amateur enthusiasts.” The far-reaching …
Inhibition of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase following intravenous administration of heparin in man.

Abstract 1. 1. Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.43) is the enzyme responsible for the esterification of free cholesterol in human plasma. A marked decrease in the initial rate of enzyme activity was observed in the sera of subjects who received 5000 units of heparin intravenously 4 h after a 1200 calorie meal. This inhibition occurred coincident in time with a marked elevation of serum free fatty acid concentration. Both of these effects could be observed as early as I min following heparin administration. 2. 2. When heparin was given to subjects in the fasting state, the inhibition of enzyme activity was seen only in subjects whose serum triglyceride levels were sufficiently high to produce free fatty acid concentrations in excess of 1000 μequiv/1. 3. 3. In vitro addition of free fatty acids (in the form of palmitic acid) and lysolecithin to the reaction mix separately and together also resulted in reduced enzyme activity which could in turn be reversed by increasing amounts of serum albumin. The data are consistent with the presence of multiple sites for the binding of free fatty acids and lysolecithin by serum albumin: One site binds up to 2 moles of free fatty acids per mole of albumin. The excess free fatty acids compete with lysolecithin for a second site, the binding capacity of the lysolecithin being approx. I mole of lysolecithin per mole of serum albumin. Thus, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase inhibition may be caused by a combination of elevated free fatty acids and unbound lysolecithin, the latter being a product of the lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase reaction which apparently cannot be removed from the enzyme surface when free fatty acids already occupy lysolecithin binding sites on serum albumin.
The role of red cell movement on alveolar gas diffusion

Existing controversy on the effect of blood flow, and more specifically red blood cell (RBC) movement, on the alveolar gas diffusion is considered. Contrary to fundamental understanding of flow (convection) effects, there seems to be a consensus in the negligible role blood flow plays on alveolar gas transport. Notwithstanding, experimental evidence indicates an increase in the efficiency of alveolar gas exchange under high cardiac output (exercising), which could be easily explained as a result of increased blood flow. A theoretical analysis of a simplified capillary blood flow configuration, with blood considered as a homogeneous fluid (no RBCs), is presented to demonstrate the strong blood (plasma) flow effect. The analysis is followed by the realistic modeling and numerical simulations of alveolar gas diffusion in a straight capillary under blood flow, with RBCs represented as discrete circles. Results indicate a substantial increase in the gas diffusion efficiency with blood speed, especially under low hematocrit and high blood speed. Der Einfluss der Bewegung roter Blutkorperchen auf die alveolare Gasdiffusion Bestehende Meinungsunterschiede uber den Einfluss des Blutstromes - genauer dem Fluss roter Blutkorperchen (RBC) - auf die alveolare Gasdiffusion werden untersucht. Im Gegensatz zum grundlegenden Verstandnis von Stromungseffekten (Konvektion) scheint ein Konsens uber die vernachlassigbare Rolle des Einflusses des Blutstroms auf den alveolaren Gastransport zu existieren. Dem widersprechend deuten experimentelle Beweise auf einen Anstieg der Effektivitat von alveolaren Gasaustausch mit steigenden Herzzeitvolumen (Antsrengung) hin, was leicht als Ergebnis verstarkten Blutstroms erklart werden konnte. Eine theoretische Analyse eines vereinfachten kapillaren Blutstroms, in welchem Blut als homogene Flussigkeit betrachtet wird (keine RBCs), wird prasentiert um den starken Blut- (Plasma-)Stromungseffekt zu demonstrieren. Der Analyse folgt die realistische Modellierung und numerische Simulation von alveolarer Gasdiffusion in einer geraden Kapillare mit Blutstrom und RBCs, reprasentiert als diskrete Kreise. Die Ergebnisse deuten einen substantiellen Anstieg der Gasdiffusionseffektivitat mit steigender Blutstromungsgeschwindigkeit an, besonders fur niedrige Hamatokritwerte und hohe Blutstromungsgeschwindigkeiten.
A Nutritional Deficiency causing Gizzard Erosions in Chicks

IT has been demonstrated by Dam1,2 and by us3,4 that a dietary disease of chicks, in which the blood fails to clot in normal time and in which extensive haemorrhage develops, is due to the lack of a new fat-soluble vitamin. Extensive erosion of the gizzard lining has been commonly noted in these investigations1,2,3,4, but the occurrence of this latter disorder has not been closely correlated with incidence of the haemorrhagic disease. Gizzard erosion has been frequently found in chickens given the usual practical diets5. Such erosions have also been observed at this laboratory in embryos in late incubation stages and in day-old chicks. On the other hand, the haemorrhagic syndrome has not been reported in chickens reared under practical conditions. In view of these facts, we have investigated gizzard erosion with the object of determining whether it is a true portion of the haemorrhagic syndrome or a separate disease not caused by deficiency of the antihaemorrhagic vitamin.
Effect of Superhelical Structure on the Secondary Structure of DNA Rings

A quantity, called the linking number, is defined, which specifies the total number of twists in a circular helix. The linking number is invariant under continuous deformations of the ring and therefore enables one to calculate the influence of superhelical structures on the secondary helix of a circular molecule. The linking number can be determined by projecting the helix into a plane and counting strand crosses in the projection as described. For example, it has been shown that for each 180° twist in a left-handed superhelix, a right-handed 360° twist is removed from the secondary helix, thus allowing local unwinding.
Work-function variation with alloy composition: Ag-Au

Auger electron spectroscopy has been used in situ to characterize the surfaces of evaporated silver-gold alloy films grown epitaxially on heated mica [(111) orientation]. The films were shown to be free of any detectable surface impurities. The known energy dependence of the electron escape depth in these metals was used to show that the alloy films had the same surface and bulk composition. The surface composition was determined by comparing Auger signals from the alloys with signals from pure metal reference standards evaporated simultaneously with the alloys. An electron-beam retarding potential method using the electron gun of the Auger spectrometer was used to determine the difference in work function between the alloys and the references. The measurements showed that the work functions of these alloys fall significantly below a linear interpolation between the values for the two pure materials. The change in work function with oxygen adsorption was found to be not linear in surface composition.
Activation analysis of deformation in evaporated molybdenum thin films

Using nanoindentation, we investigate hardening mechanisms in steered arc (SA) evaporated and electron-beam (EB) evaporated molybdenum thin films. Both films have columnar grains, with the column diameters ranging between 22 and 170 nm in the SA films and 30 and 40 nm in the EB films. The Hall–Petch relation is extended out to hardness values between 6 and 12 GPa. Analysis of nanoindentation creep data (creep, load relaxation, and rate change) reveals that, in the SA films, thermally activated glide is rate controlling, and that grain size has little effect on the underlying rate processes even down to 22 nm. There is evidence based on x-ray diffraction (and supported by the literature) that the EB films contain high densities of interstitial loops resulting from argon ion bombardment during deposition. The analysed creep data indicate that these loops affect the thermal activation of dislocations.
Applying an Integrated Refuge to Manage Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): Effects on Survival, Fitness, and Selection Pressure

The refuge strategy can delay resistance of insect pests to transgenic maize producing toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This is important for the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), because of its history of adaptation to several management practices. A 2-yr study across four locations was conducted to measure the effects of integrated refuge (i.e., blended refuge) on western corn rootworm survival to adulthood, fitness characteristics, and susceptibility to Bt maize in the subsequent generation. The treatments tested in this study were as follows: a pure stand of Bt maize (event DAS-59122-7, which produces Bt toxins Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1), a pure stand of refuge (non-Bt maize), and two variations on an integrated refuge consisting of 94.4% Bt maize and 5.6% non-Bt maize. Within the two integrated refuge treatments, refuge seeds received a neonicotinoid insecticidal seed treatment of either 1.25 mg clothianidin per kernel or 0.25 mg thiamethoxam per kernel. Insects in the pure stand refuge treatment had greater survival to adulthood and earlier emergence than in all other treatments. Although fecundity, longevity, and head capsule width were reduced in treatments containing Bt maize for some site by year combinations, Bt maize did not have a significant effect on these factors when testing data across all sites and years. We found no differences in susceptibility of larval progeny to Bt maize in bioassays using progeny of adults collected from the four treatments.
The effect of dietary supplementation with limonene or myo-inositol on the induction of neoplasia and matrix metalloproteinase and plasminogen activator activities in accessory sex organs of male Lobund–Wistar rats

Abstract Prostate cancer, the most prevalent non-cutaneous cancer in men, is associated with increased age. This suggests that dietary chemopreventive measures could be effective in delaying the onset or decreasing the severity of the disease. We utilized the Lobund–Wistar rat nitrosomethylurea induced, testosterone promoted (NMU-T) model of male sex accessory gland cancer to test the potential chemopreventive effects of myo-inositol and limonene on tumor incidence and associated protease activities. Tumors were found to arise in the seminal vesicles and dorsal and anterior prostate lobes. There were also some tumors that appeared to arise in both the seminal vesicles and anterior prostate, and in some cases the tissue of origin was not clear. The distribution of tumors as to site of origin in limonene or myo-inositol treated animals did not vary from that of the starch fed control animals, and the number of animals presenting with metastases did not vary significantly between treatment groups. There was a statistically significant delay in onset of tumors in myo-inositol, but not limonene fed rats, at 10months post-induction of carcinogenesis; however, at 12 and 15months this was not significant. The ventral prostate and seminal vesicles expressed pro-MMP-2 and plasminogen activator (PA) activities. Based on sensitivity to amiloride, the PA activities were predominately urokinase (uPA) in the ventral prostate and a mixture of tissue-type activator (tPA) and uPA in the seminal vesicles of non-treated rats. Sex accessory gland tumors, and metastases, expressed increased levels PA and pro- and active forms of MMP-2 and -9. The PA activities of the tumors were a mixture of uPA and tPA. There was no difference in the levels of these protease activities based on the tissue of tumor origin, nor in tumor vs metastasis. These studies indicate that MMP and PA activities play a role in sex accessory gland tumor biology and that dietary supplementation with myo-inositol can delay but not ultimately prevent the development of such tumors.