cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic Properties and Molecular Size of Thrombin-activated Factor V

Abstract Native bovine factor V exists in three forms of differing molecular size, the oligomeric interconvertible forms A and C and a phospholipid-containing complex designated form L. Thrombin increases the activity of form A to a greater extent than form L and does not alter the activity of form C. Thrombin-activated form A and form C function as potent inhibitors of thrombin activation of form A but cannot inhibit the action of thrombin on other substrates as α-N-toluene-sulfonyl-l-arginine methyl ester and fibrinogen. No change in the molecular size of any of these three forms was detected after exposure to thrombin. Factor V derived from serum by endogenous thrombin action appeared to have a smaller Stokes radius than that of form A, the predominant form in plasma. However, the serum factor V associates to a form similar in size to form A after storage in 50% glycerol. These results suggest the formation of a complex between these inhibitor forms of factor V and activated factor V (form A), suggesting that both substrate and product inhibition occur.
Long distance dependency in language modeling: an empirical study

This paper presents an extensive empirical study on two language modeling techniques, linguistically-motivated word skipping and predictive clustering, both of which are used in capturing long distance word dependencies that are beyond the scope of a word trigram model. We compare the techniques to others that were proposed previously for the same purpose. We evaluate the resulting models on the task of Japanese Kana-Kanji conversion. We show that the two techniques, while simple, outperform existing methods studied in this paper, and lead to language models that perform significantly better than a word trigram model. We also investigate how factors such as training corpus size and genre affect the performance of the models.
Beables in Algebraic Quantum Mechanics

John Bell once argued that one ought to select, out of the 'observables' of quantum theory, some subset of 'beables' that can be consistently ascribed determinate values. Moreover, this subset should be selected so as to guarantee (among other things) that we can dispense with the orthodox interpretation's loose talk about 'measurement values': "...the probability of a beable being a particular value would be calculated just as was formerly calculated the probability of observing that value". Working in the framework of C*-algebras (in particular, Segal algebras), I propose an algebraic characterization of those subsets of bounded observables of a quantum system that can have beable status with respect to any (fixed) state of the system. It turns out that observables with beable status in a state need not all commute (a possibility Bell himself does not consider), but they must at least form a certain kind of 'quasicommutative' subalgebra determined by the state. A virtue of the analysis is that it applies to beables with continuous spectra, usually neglected in discussions of the no-hidden-variables theorems. In the (very) special case where the algebra of observables for a system is representable on a finite-dimensional Hilbert space, I give a complete characterization of the maximal beable subalgebras determined by any state of the system; the infinite-dimensional case remains open. These results are discussed in relation to previous results of a similar nature, to 'no-collapse' interpretations of quantum mechanics, and to algebraic relativistic quantum field theory.
Overproduction of cis-vaccenic acid and altered temperature control of fatty acid synthesis in a mutant of Escherichia coli.

A mutant of Escherichia coli has been characterized which overproduces cis-vaccenic acid in the temperature range of 30 to 42°C. The mutational lesion acts within the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway rather than at the level of fatty acid incorporation into phospholipid.
New clues towards solving the mystery of endothelin and blood pressure regulation.

See related article, pp 347–355 There is no shortage of data suggesting that endothelin-1 (ET-1) has a profound influence on blood pressure, both in an acute and chronic setting, but many of the mechanisms seem complex and have been difficult to resolve. An increase in plasma ET-1 concentrations and activity is seen in several rodent models with hypertension, and treatment with an endothelin receptor antagonist reduces blood pressure in the vast majority of settings, regardless of whether hypertension is present or whether circulating ET-1 concentrations are elevated.1 The measurement of plasma ET-1 can provide clues to the activity of the ET-1 system, but the interpretation is complex because (1) endothelial release of ET-1 is overwhelmingly toward the basal side of the cell and (2) ET-1 binds irreversibly to both ETA and ETB receptors present on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, respectively.1 Importantly, it seems that most of this ET-1 is bound by ETB receptors, which has led investigators to conclude that the ETB receptor functions as a clearance receptor such that the loss of ETB function through pharmacological blockade, gene deletion, or in some cases functional downregulation can lead to large increases in plasma ET-1 concentrations.1 The primary source of circulating ET-1 is derived from the vascular endothelium, which is shown by a large reduction (but not complete loss) of plasma ET-1 in endothelial cell–specific ET-1 knockout mice, as well as an increase in plasma ET-1 in mice with ET-1 overexpression by endothelial cells.2 However, the question remains as to which function of endothelial cell–derived ET-1, dilator or constrictor, has the most predominant role. Fortunately, studies by Rautureau et al in the current issue of Hypertension provide an important piece of the puzzle regarding endothelial ET-1 …
Contrasting arsine and phosphine coordination behaviour: heteroleptic palladium(II) complexes with triphenylarsine and a crown thioether

The synthesis, spectroscopic data and crystal structures of two new mononuclear Pd(II) heteroleptic complexes with the crown trithioether 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane (9S3) and the arsine ligand, triphenylarsine (AsPh3) are presented. Reaction between [Pd(9S3)Cl2] and AsPh3 (1:2 stoichiometry) in nitromethane followed by metathesis to the hexafluorophosphate salt results in the formation of two different palladium(II) complexes, the expected bis arsine complex [Pd(9S3)(AsPh3)2](PF6)2 as well as, surprisingly, the intermediate mono arsine-chloro complex [Pd(9S3)(AsPh3)(Cl)](PF6). Both complexes exhibit the anticipated structure consisting of a cis square planar array of two sulfur atoms from the 9S3 and either two As donors (bis AsPh3 complex) or one As and one Cl donor (mono AsPh3 complex). The third 9S3 sulfur atom exhibits a long distance interaction with the palladium forming an elongated square pyramidal geometry with a coordination environment around the Pd best described as [S2As2 + S1] or [S2AsCl + S1]...
The coadsorption of water and molecular oxygen on Ag(110): absence of OO bond activation by water

Abstract The coadsorption of molecular oxygen and water on Ag(110) have been examined using temperature-programmed reaction mass spectrometry. We find no evidence for a reaction between water and molecularly chemisorbed oxygen, in contrast to a recent report concerning water and oxygen on Ag(111). The data do suggest, however, a mechanism for the competitive desorption and dissociation of molecularly adsorbed oxygen on Ag(110). O 2 dissociation appears to displace some molecularly adsorbed oxygen into the gas phase. Furthermore, sites for O 2 dissociation are blocked by coadsorbed water, thus leading to altered kinetics for desorption of O 2 (a).
Statistical Analysis of Counter Data

A general relation is derived for the number of counts registered by a Geiger-M\"uller tube counter or similar electrical counting device exposed to a radioactive source whose strength varies arbitrarily with the time when the counter has a finite, constant resolving time. This is applied specifically to the case of an exponentially decaying source superposed on a uniform background, the solution of the resulting formula being represented nomographically. The number of spurious coincidences observed in a set of $P$ counters used coincidentally is calculated when the resolving times of the individual counters are neglected in comparison with the resolving time of the combining electrical circuit for coincidences. This general expression is applied to the cosmic-ray "telescope" and the double coincidence magnetic spectrometer such as that of Henderson and Alichanow. The constancy of the resolving time of a single counter and the justification for neglecting individual resolving times in comparison with the coincidence resolving time are discussed.
Pain reduction in lidocaine administration through buffering and warming

This study compared the pain from intradermal infiltration of (1) plain lidocaine, (2) warmed lidocaine, (3) buffered lidocaine, and (4) warmed, buffered lidocaine. A randomized, double-blind, Latin Square design of 20 volunteers was used. Each volunteer was injected with a series of four test solutions on four separate occasions, for 16 total injections each. Each volunteer served as his or her own control. The mean pain scores for the four solutions were: 44.2 for plain lidocaine, 42.2 for warmed lidocaine, 36.7 for buffered lidocaine, and 29.2 for warmed, buffered lidocaine. Buffered lidocaine was statistically less painful than both plain lidocaine and warmed lidocaine. Warmed, buffered lidocaine was significantly less painful than all other solutions, including buffered lidocaine (P < .005). However, warmed lidocaine did not yield pain scores significantly different from plain lidocaine. In this experimental model, warmed lidocaine was not superior to plain lidocaine, but warmed, buffered lidocaine caused significantly less pain than plain lidocaine, buffered lidocaine, or warmed lidocaine. Thus, there may be benefit from heating the buffered lidocaine now in common clinical use.
Stress intensities at interface corners in anisotropic bimaterials

Abstract Asymptotic stress and displacement fields near the tip of a sharp anisotropic bimaterial interface corner are computed using a combination of the Stroh formalism and the Williams eigenfunction expansion method. From the asymptotic fields, the path independent H-integral is developed and implemented to calculate anisotropic interface corner stress intensities. The calculation procedure is demonstrated for two glass–silicon interface corner configurations that commonly arise in practice in the microsensor industry. In each case, the bimaterial interface corner experiences mixed mode I and II loading, and accurate estimates of both stress intensities are obtained.
Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione.

Purpose Glutathione (GSH), the most abundant endogenous antioxidant, is a critical regulator of oxidative stress and immune function. While oral GSH has been shown to be bioavailable in laboratory animal models, its efficacy in humans has not been established. Our objective was to determine the long-term effectiveness of oral GSH supplementation on body stores of GSH in healthy adults.
ACCULTURATION AND IMMIGRANT CONSUMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF ADVERTISEMENTS: A STUDY INVOLVING ASIAN‐INDIANS

This study compares perceptions regarding Indian versus American print advertisements of Asian‐Indian immigrants residing in the United States of America. It examines whether these perceptions varied with their degree of acculturation. Our results show that when Asian‐Indian immigrants are treated as a homogeneous group without considering their degree of acculturation, the preferences for Indian versus American advertisements are mixed. However, when examined from an acculturative perspective, we find that as acculturation increased, subjects preferred American advertisements more, and Indian advertisements less. The results imply that degree of acculturation should be considered as a segmentation variable when developing an advertising strategy for immigrant consumers.
The U.S. National Broadband Map: Data limitations and implications

The 2011 release of the National Broadband Map (NBM) has generated significant interest from the telecommunications policy community. The NBM is a multiagency effort, including the National Telecommunications Administration (NTIA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories, to collect and disseminate information on broadband provision and quality of service for the United States. From a geographic perspective, the NBM represents a marked departure from previous broadband data efforts. Specifically, instead of disseminating FCC Form 477 data on providers at the ZIP code or Census tract level, the NBM reports provision information at the Census block level-the smallest geographic unit in which the Census bureau tabulates survey information. While this increased level of geographic data resolution is a welcome change, there are several notable limitations to these data that are important to consider when conducting spatial econometric analysis for public policy evaluation. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, this paper explores the salient characteristics of Census block geographic base files, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses as summary units of spatial analysis. This also includes a brief discussion on how the NBM treats geographically large blocks and their use of road segments for aggregating provider data. Second, this paper examines the impacts of empty blocks (i.e. blocks that have no household information associated with them) for the spatial analysis of broadband. Finally, this paper provides a short overview of how these data limitations can impact public policy evaluation and provides a blueprint for improving the National Broadband Map.
Effects of in-season crop-protection combined with postharvest applied fungicide on suppression of potato storage diseases caused by oomycete pathogens

The effects of fungicides and biofungicides applied during the growing season in combination with storage applications to control potato storage diseases caused by oomycete pathogens were evaluated. The in-season treatments included in-furrow and foliar application of mefenoxam or phosphorous acid and foliar application of Bacillus subtilis. Storage treatments included phosphorous acid, B. subtilis and a 3-way mixture of azoxystrobin, fludioxonil and difenoconazole. These products were tested for control of tuber late blight, Pythium leak and pink rot at 10 °C (cv. FL1879) or 4 °C (cv. Goldrush). The combination of phosphorous acid in the field and during storage significantly reduced tuber blight development. Field treatment with B. subtilis, mefenoxam or phosphorous acid combined with the storage treatment of phosphorous acid significantly reduced Pythium leak development. Interaction of field treatments, mefenoxam or phosphorous acid, with storage treatments, phosphorous acid or the 3-way mixture of azoxystrobin, fludioxonil and difenoconazole significantly reduced pink rot incidence.
Species differences in 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol hydroxylation by rat, monkey, and human prostate microsomes

The 6 alpha-, 7 alpha-, and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by rat prostate microsomes appears to be catalyzed by a single, high-affinity cytochrome P450 enzyme. In the present study we have examined the hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by prostate microsomes from cynomolgus monkeys and from normal subjects and patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Our results suggest that although rat, monkey, and human prostate microsomes catalyze the 6 alpha-, 7 alpha-, and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol, these pathways of oxidation in monkeys and humans are not catalyzed by a single cytochrome P450 enzyme. The ratio of the three metabolites was not uniform among prostate microsomal samples from individual humans or monkeys. The 6 alpha-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol varied independently of both the 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxylation, which varied in unison. The 6 alpha-, 7 alpha-, and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by monkey prostate microsomes appeared to be differentially affected by in vivo treatment of monkeys with beta-naphthoflavone or dexamethasone. Treatment of a monkey with dexamethasone appeared to cause a 2.5-fold increase in both the 7 alpha- and the 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol without increasing the 6 alpha-hydroxylation. The 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by human and monkey prostate microsomes, but not the 6 alpha-hydroxylation, was inhibited by antibody against rat liver NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. Similarly, the 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by human prostate microsomes, but not the 6 alpha-hydroxylation, was markedly inhibited (greater than 85%) by equimolar concentrations of the imidazole-containing antimycotic drugs ketoconazole, clotrimazole, and miconazole. These results suggest that the 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by monkey and human prostate microsomes is catalyzed by a cytochrome P450 enzyme, whereas the 6 alpha-hydroxylation is catalyzed by a different enzyme which may or may not be a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase. The hydroxylation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol by prostate microsomes from normal human subjects was quantitatively and qualitatively similar to its hydroxylation by prostate microsomes from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The relation between adiabatic shear instability strain and material properties

Adiabatic shear bands were nucleated in hollow right circular cylinders of AISI 4340 steel which were explosively expanded in a quick-stop containment apparatus. Groups of cylinders were heat treated differently, before expansion, producing a variation in material properties among the groups. True shear strain was measured for annular sections taken from the cylinders and these complete annular sections were metallographically examined for the presence of adiabatic shear bands. The onset of adiabatic shear instability was found experimentally to take place at a true shear strain γc = -Cn/(δτδT), where C is the volume specific heat, n is the strain hardening exponent and δτ/δT is the slope of the temperature dependence of flow stress. This experimental result agrees with an analytical prediction from first principles given here. This relation is expected to have wide application: to apply to any alloy whose initial portion of the stress-strain curve is parabolic This suggests that the relation could be as important to adiabatic shear deformation as the Considere condition is to tensile deformation. The significance in adiabatic shear of each of the material properties appearing in the relation is discussed.
Mechanisms of Apoptosis Induced by Anticancer Compounds in Melanoma Cells

The sensitivity of cancer cells to apoptosis induced by anticancer drugs in vitro may be a predictor of their sensitivity to these drugs in vivo. In this review I summarize recent data describing anticancer drug-induced apoptosis in human melanoma cells. Proteasome inhibitors alone, or in combination with other drugs, efficiently induce apoptosis in melanoma cells. It has been shown that apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibitors is linked to suppression of transcription factor FoxM1 and upregulation of the proapoptotic Noxa protein. In addition, proteasome inhibitors stabilize the antiapoptotic Mcl-1 protein, and its suppression leads to more robust apoptosis in melanoma cells. Drugs targeting B-Raf (BAY 54-9085) or IKKb (BMS-345541) have been tested in melanoma cell lines, and it has been shown that the proapoptotic activity of both drugs depends on the inhibition of NF-kB in melanoma cells. A synthetic analog of dsRNA in complex with a polycation stimulated autophagy via induction of dsRNA helicase MDA-5 followed by apoptosis that was partially modulated by Noxa. These data may provide important information needed for designing more efficient combinations of anticancer drugs against melanoma.
NMR studies of molecular motion in tetramethylammonium hydroxide pentahydrate

Polycrystalline (CH3)4NOH·5 H2O (I) and (CH3)4NOD·5D2O (II) have been studied by1H NMR lineshapes, second moments and spin-lattice relaxation times and by2H NMR lineshapes as a function of temperature. From low temperatures the first motion to occur is reorientation of the internally rigid (CH3)4N+ ion about a uniqueC3′ axis (Eta = 8.37 kJ/mol forI,Ea = 9.00 kJ/mole forII), followed closely by pseudo isotropic reorientation of the whole ion (Ea = 18.10 kJ/mol). Motion of the cage molecules (water and hydroxide ion) occurs at higher temperatures with an apparentEa = 11.30 kJ/mol. There is some evidence of a phase transition inII but notI in the 220–230 K region.2H NMR lineshapes ofII below 220 K indicate static cage molecules. Some of the2H quadrupole coupling constants derived from these spectra correspond to O·O hydrogen-bond distances which are incompatible with the known room temperature structure ofI. Above the possible transition inII the anisotropic2H lineshapes indicate rapid motion of2H among all possible hydrogen-bond sites via transfer along the bonds and molecular reorientation. This motion persists in the high temperature phase but the lineshape becomes isotropic due to the cubic symmetry of this phase. It is possible that1H or2H tunnelling plays an important part in the motion of the cage molecules and the different phase behaviour ofI andII.
Assessment of the Degree of Mixing in Microchannel Two-Fluid Flows

Microchannels are used for delivery of two-or more fluids for multiple purposes, such as drug delivery, where good mixing is desired in a very short time (or distance). For this purpose, many design options are being proposed in the literature. For example herringbone baffles at the bottom of a rectangular channel are proposed to enhance mixing in a drug delivery device [6]. To assess the effectiveness of such devices many experiments need to be performed thus reducing the design cycle time and the cost involved. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can and is being used to shorten this design cycle by performing parametric analysis; however, due to numerical errors it is also necessary to verify and then validate the numerical models to ensure that the predictions are indeed accurate. In this study a recently developed microchannel presently in use is analyzed using CFD to determine its mixing efficiency. There are two common ways of assessing the degree of mixing: (a) via calculation of a passive scalar transport equation, (b) by following fluid particle trajectories and calculating the statistics. The first approach suffers from high degree of numerical diffusion. The second approach is usually used to only obtain qualitative information rather than quantitative assessment. In this study we explore both approaches and reconcile both of these in terms of extracting quantitative information. Furthermore we assess the results of simulations using both approaches to determine a mixing index that provides directly a measure of the extent of mixing.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Understanding information criteria for selection among capture-recapture or ring recovery models

We provide background information to allow a heuristic understanding of two types of criteria used in selecting a model for making inferences from ringing data. The first type of criteria (e.g. AIC, AlCc QAICc and TIC) are estimates of (relative) Kullback-Leibler information or distance and attempt to select a good approximating model for inference, based on the principle of parsimony. The second type of criteria (e.g. BIC, MDL, HQ) are 'dimension consistent' in that they attempt to consistently estimate the dimension of the true model. These latter criteria assume that a true model exists, that it is in the set of candidate models and that the goal of model selection is to find the true model, which in turn requires that the sample size is very large. The Kullback-Leibler based criteria do not assume a true model exists, let alone that it is in the set of models being considered. Based on a review of these criteria, we recommend use of criteria that are based on Kullback-Leibler information in the biolog...
A Survey of Indexing Techniques for Sparse Matrices

Indexing schemes of main interest are the bit map, address map, row-column, and the threaded list Major variations of the indexing techniques above mentioned are noted, as well as the particular indexing scheme inherent in diagonal or band matrices. The concluding section of the paper compares the types of methods, discusses their suitabihty for different types of processing, and makes suggestions eoneernlng the adaptability and flexibility of the maj or exmting methods of indexing algorithms for application to user problems
Antibodies to a neural cell adhesion molecule disrupt histogenesis in cultured chick retinae

Cell-surface proteins are believed to have important roles in cell-cell interactions during brain development, particularly in such processes as cellular adhesion, neurite outgrowth and synapse formation. The chick neural cell adhesion molecule, CAM, is a cell-surface protein specific to the nervous system and has been implicated in cell adhesion among cells and neurites of the developing retina and brain. Previous studies have shown that F(ab') fragments of antibodies directed against CAM inhibit the in vitro aggregation of cells obtained from 9-day embryonic chick retina. The specific antibody fragments also reduce the diameter of neurite fascicles that grow out from cultured dorsal root ganglia, apparently by blocking side-to-side adhesion between the neurites. In addition, anti-CAM antibodies alter the appearance of histotypic patterns in retinal cell aggregates maintained in culture for several days. We now demonstrate that the antibodies can disrupt histogenesis of the developing retina in organ culture, strengthening the notion that the cell-cell adhesion properties mediated by CAM are involved in the normal development of histological layers in the chick retina.
BVI Photometry and the Luminosity Functions of the Globular Cluster M92

We present new BVI ground-based photometry and VI space-based photometry for the globular cluster M92 (NGC 6341) and examine luminosity functions in B, V, and I containing over 50,000 stars ranging from the tip of the red giant branch to several magnitudes below the main-sequence turnoff. Once corrected for completeness, the observed luminosity functions agree very well with theoretical models and do not show stellar excesses in any region of the luminosity function. Using reduced-χ2 fitting, the new M92 luminosity function is shown to be an excellent match to the previously published luminosity function for M30. These points combine to establish that the "subgiant excess" found in previously published luminosity functions of Galactic globular clusters is due to deficiencies in the stellar models used at that time. Using up-to-date stellar models results in good agreement between observations and theory. Several statistical methods are presented to best determine the age of M92. These methods prove to be insensitive to the exact choice of metallicity within the published range. Using [Fe/H] = -2.17 to match recent studies we find an age of 14.2 ± 1.2 Gyr for the cluster.
Histopathologic characteristics of common inflammatory skin disorders

Histopathology is integral to the accurate diagnosis of skin diseases. Nonneoplastic “inflammatory” skin diseases manifest relatively few histologic patterns that may be a source of confusion for the histopathologist. It is important to know the histopathologic reaction patterns that these diseases exhibit and to have a sound, fundamental approach that can be used to arrive at accurate, specific diagnoses. In this article, the histopathologic findings of the most commonly encountered inflammatory diseases of the skin are reviewed, with special emphasis on pattern recognition and clinical correlation.
Bioavailability of phosphorus from defluorinated and dicalcium phosphates and phosphorus requirement of calves.

Abstract Bioavailability of P from defluorinated phosphate and dicalcium phosphate and the P requirement were studied with 63 male Holstein calves. A P depletion diet containing .08% total P on a dry matter basis was fed to all animals for 4 wk beginning at 6 wk of age and 61kg weight. Calves developed typical signs of P deficiency. The depletion period was followed by a 6-wk experimental period in which the same depletion diet was used as a control. Phosphorus from each of the two sources was added to make diets containing .14, .20, and .32% total P. Source of supplemental P did not affect weight gains, feed consumption, feed efficiency, serum inorganic P, serum alkaline phosphatase, or bone ash. Weight gains, feed intake, feed efficiency, and serum inorganic P were more sensitive measures of dietary P content than were serum alkaline phosphatase or bone ash. Tibia joint ash was a more sensitive measure than tibia shaft ash or rib ash. Growth rate, feed intake, serum inorganic P, and tibia joint ash each increased linearly with increasing dietary P. The data suggest that the P requirement of 2 to 4 mo calves may need to be revised upward.
Microstructure and Wear Properties of Laser Synthesized Composite Coatings on Ti-6Al-4V

Ti-6Al-4V, C and TiB2 powders (71.5%Ti-6Al-4V+ 26.2%TiB2+2.3%C in wt. %) were prepasted and then laser clad on Ti-6Al-4V substrates. Laser cladding was carried out with a Nd:YAG pulse laser with the parameters of defocus length 15mm, pulse frequency 15Hz, scanning speed 2-4mm/s, electric current 200-240A. Microstructure and phases were analyzed with the Optical Microscopy(OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction(XRD). Laser cladding layers with smooth surfaces, good metallurgical bonding with no cracks and pores were formed. The average thickness of the coatings is approximately 80μm. Reactions among Ti, C and TiB2 in the laser molten pool cause in-situ synthesis of TiB, TiB2 and TiC reinforcements. The average microhardness is 836HV, which is more than twice that of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate (320HV). Friction coefficients of the cladding coatings fluctuate between 0.26-0.3. Laser cladding specimen with powder mixture of 71.5%Ti-6Al-4V+ 26.2%TiB2+2.3%C (weight loss 0.0007g after sliding 245m) possesses better wear property than that of the specimen with powder mixture of 90%Ti-6Al-4V+ 10%B4C (weight loss 0.0068g).
Analysis of noise in quorum sensing.

Noise may play a pivotal role in gene circuit functionality, as demonstrated for the genetic switch in the bacterial phage λ. Like the λ switch, bacterial quorum sensing (QS) systems operate within a population and contain a bistable switching element, making it likely that noise plays a functional role in QS circuit operation. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the noise behavior of QS systems is needed. We have developed a set of tools generally applicable to the analysis of gene circuits, with an emphasis on investigations in the frequency domain (FD), that we apply here to the QS system in the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. We demonstrate that a tight coupling between exact stochastic simulation and FD analysis provides insights into the structure/function relationships in the QS circuit. Furthermore, we argue that a noise analysis is incomplete without consideration of the power spectral densities (PSDs) of the important molecular output signals. As an example we consider reversible reactions in th...
Lead and Pregnancy

: Excessive lead exposure, not only from lead-based paint in older homes, but also in yard soils, remains a public health problem in America despite centuries of knowledge of the poisonous nature of lead. Heightened concern about communitywide lead exposure has followed recent research findings that show lead to be toxic at levels previously thought to have no effect. Because mothers and children have been considered to be at particular risk, pregnant women and those responsible for perinatal care require greater understanding of the sources and effects of lead. In a study of 4354 women, the risk of pregnancy hypertension and of congenital anomalies doubled as umbilical cord lead levels increased from about 1 to 10 μg per dL. A subgroup of about 240 was further studied for environmental sources of lead and follow-up of the children's development. This is a continuing longitudinal study; many of its published results are summarized here, with information from other studies. The effects of pregnancy on lead metabolism are also discussed.
Studies on membrane transport—VII. Transport of histidine through two distinct systems in the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta

Abstract 1. 1. In the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, histidine was transported through two kinetically distinguishable systems. One system was inhibited by arginine and one by phenylalanine. A third minor mediated system and diffusion were also distinguished. 2. 2. Arginine and phenylalanine were fully competitive in inhibiting histidine uptake through the respective systems, but arginine and phenylalanine did not interact with one another. 3. 3. Histidine efflux was stimulated by phenylalanine, arginine or histidine and specificities of the efflux systems resembled those of entry systems. 4. 4. The affinities for uptake and efflux of phenylalanine and arginine appeared to be greater for their respective systems than the affinity of histidine for either system.
Del(5q) Is Associated With Clinical and Histological Parameters in Small Cell Neuroendocrine Lung Carcinoma

To elucidate the relationship between del(5q) and the clinical and histological features of small cell neuroendocrine lung carcinoma, 33 tissue samples from patients with this tumor were evaluated. By using fluorescence in situ hybridization, del(5q) was identified in almost 50% of cases (15/33, 45%). Clinically, patients with tumors showing del(5q) were older (mean age = 71 years) with a correspondingly greater pack-year smoking history (mean = 61) than patients with tumors (mean age = 59 years, mean pack-years = 44) without del(5q). Histologically, tumors with del(5q) had a greater frequency of spindle cell morphology (11/14 [79%] vs 6/16 [38%], P < .025) than those without del(5q). This is the first study to find an association between del(5q) and tumor histology in small cell neuroendocrine lung carcinoma.
Use of wavefront-sensor measurements to reconstruct images in partially compensated imaging systems with finite bandwidth

In a closed loop adaptive optics system the wavefront sensor is continuously measuring the residual wavefront error. Thus, wavefront information is continuously available to use for image reconstruction. It is shown here that this wavefront information can be used to improve the effective optical transfer function of compensated imaging systems when this information is used in a post processing scheme. This technique is closely related to self referenced speckle holography, and is referred to here as compensated self referenced speckle holography. This method requires good spatial sampling of the residual phase error and degrades gracefully as the wavefront sensor signal-to-noise ratio decreases. The technique can be used to reduce the required closed loop bandwidth of an imaging system, allowing longer integration times in the wavefront sensor, and allowing dimmer objects to be imaged without the use of an artificial guide star.
Absorption and transport of deuterium-substituted 2R,4′R,8′R-α-tocopherol in human lipoproteins

Oral administration of a single dose of tri- or hexadeuterium substituted 2R,4′R,8′R-α-tocopheryl acetate (d3- or d6-α-T-Ac) to humans was used to follow the absorption and transport of vitamin E in plasma lipoproteins. Three hr after oral administration of d3-α-T-Ac (15 mg) to 2 subjects, plasma levels of d3-α-T were detectable; these increased up to 10 hr, reached a plateau at 24 hr, then decreased. Following administration of d6-α-T-Ac (15–16 mg) to 2 subjects, the percentage of deuterated tocopherol relative to the total tocopherol in chylomicrons increased more rapidly than the corresponding percentage in whole plasma. Chylomicrons and plasma lipoproteins were isolated from 2 additional subjects following administration of d3-α-T-Ac (140 or 60 mg). The percentage of deuterated tocopherol relative to the total tocopherol increased most rapidly in chylomicrons, then in very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), followed by essentially identical increases in low and high density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL, respectively) and lastly, in the red blood cells. This pattern of appearance of deuterated tocopherol is consistent with the concept that newly absorbed vitamin E is secreted by the intestine into chylomicrons; subsequently, chylomicron remnants are taken up by the liver from which the vitamin E is secreted in VLDL. The metabolism of VLDL in the circulation results in the simultaneous delivery of vitamin E into LDL and HDL.
Bitangential structured interpolation theory

In this paper we present a generalization of the classical bitangential Nevanlinna-Pick theory in which one bounds not the norm of the interpolating functions but their structured singular value This work was motivated by some problems arising in robust control of systems with structured uncertainty. This approach is based on the commutant lifting theory of Sz.-Nagy and Foias (1968) and extends previous work of Bercovici, Foias and Tannenbaum (1990) on structured matrix Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation.
Crystallographic Polarity of Gel‐Grown β‐AgI Crystals

A double crystal x‐ray spectrometer was used to determine the crystallographic polarity of the structure of gel‐grown β‐AgI single crystals showing that the Ag+ plane is the (00.1) and the I− plane is the (00.1). This result is consistent with chemical etching studies, polarizability, and electronegativity of the ions.
Integrating Sustainable Manufacturing Assessment into Decision Making for a Production Work Cell

Sustainability has been the focus of intense discussions over the past two decades, with topics surrounding the entire product life cycle. In the manufacturing phase, research has often focused solely on environmental impact assessment or environmental impact and cost analysis in its assessment of sustainability. Few efforts have investigated sustainable production decision making that addresses the three pillars of sustainability concurrently; which requires engineers and managers to consider economic, environmental, and social impacts. An approach is developed to assess broader sustainability impacts by conducting economic assessment, environmental impact assessment, and social impact assessment at the work cell level. Assessment results are then integrated into a sustainable manufacturing assessment framework, along with a modified weighting method based on pairwise comparison and an outranking decision-making method. The approach is illustrated for a representative machining work cell producing stainless steel knives. Economic, environmental, and social impact results are compared for three production scenarios by applying the sustainable manufacturing assessment framework. The case study finds that cutting tool cost is the largest contributor to production costs for the investigated work cell. The level of environmental and social impact varies according to cycle time. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to examine the robustness of the results.
Obesity and hypertension. Demonstration of a “floor effect”

Abstract Weight loss has a role in the treatment of essential hypertension. With the use of a medically supervised protein-sparing supplemented fast and a behavioral program, the changes in blood pressure as a result of weight loss in 135 obese hypertensive subjects were examined. Subjects' weight, blood pressure, and antihypertensive medication intake were recorded at baseline, at conclusion of supplemented fast, and at follow-up. Significant weight loss accompanied by decrements in blood pressure occurred in all subjects. Reductions in the number of antihypertensive medications also occurred. Although the correlations between changes in weight and blood pressure were significant, their moderate size suggests the amount of weight loss accounted for a relatively small part of the blood pressure reduction. Given the large weight losses in the majority of subjects, there appears to be a degree of weight loss beyond which further decrements in blood pressure will not occur ("floor effect"). Maintenance of blood pressure reductions at realimentation/follow-up suggests that weight loss, and not the supplemented fast, results in decreased blood pressure and medication level.
Diabatic and Orographic Forcing of Northern Winter Stationary Waves and Storm Tracks

Abstract In this study, a dry global circulation model is used to examine the contributions made by orographic and diabatic forcings in shaping the zonal asymmetries in the earth’s Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter climate. By design, the model mean flow is forced to bear a close resemblance to the observed zonal mean and stationary waves. The model also provides a decent simulation of the storm tracks. In particular, the maxima over the Pacific and Atlantic, and minima over Asia and North America, are fairly well simulated. The model also successfully simulates the observation that the Atlantic storm track is stronger than the Pacific storm track, despite stronger baroclinicity over the Pacific. Sensitivity experiments are performed by imposing and removing various parts of the total forcings. In terms of the NH winter stationary waves in the upper troposphere, results of this study are largely consistent with previous studies. Diabatic forcings explain most of the modeled stationary waves, with orographic...
Review: Intensive insulin therapy increases risk for hypoglycemia but not mortality in critically ill adults

Source Citation Griesdale DE, de Souza RJ, van Dam RM, et al. Intensive insulin therapy and mortality among critically ill patients: a meta-analysis including NICE-SUGAR study data. CMAJ. 2009;180:...
Sodium thiosulfate fails to reduce nitrite-induced methemoglobinemia in vitro.

Objectives: To determine whether sodium thiosulfate (STS) produces a clinically significant decline in sodium nitrite-induced methemoglobinemia in an in-vitro model. Methods: This was an in-vitro, controlled study where methemoglobinemia was induced by the addition of sodium nitrite (0.4 mg/mL) to 35-mL aliquots of blood obtained from ten healthy volunteers. Methemoglobin (MetHb) concentrations were measured at 5-minute intervals for 30 minutes by co-oximetry, and each aliquot was then subdivided into six 5-mL samples (time zero). Sample 1 served as control. The remaining samples received serial dilutions of STS (0.125 mg, 1.25 mg, 12.5 mg, 125 mg, 1,250 mg). MetHb concentrations were measured by co-oximetry at baseline, 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Areas under the MetHb concentration–time curve (AUC) between time zero and 60 minutes were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Methemoglobin concentrations increased from 0.07 g/dL (±0.06) at baseline to 8.42 g/dL (±0.69) at time 0 (the addition of STS). No significant difference was detected between baseline and time 0 hemoglobin concentrations (15.8 ± 0.5 vs. 16.1 ± 0.6 g/dL). There was no detectable difference found between the AUCs (measured in g min/dL) of any of the STS serial dilutions or control groups (0.125 mg STS = 576.01 ± 42.53; 1.25 mg STS = 573.47 ± 40.82; 12.5 mg STS = 583.68 ± 42.29; 125 mg STS = 554.75 ± 42.68; 1,250 mg STS = 566.95 ± 38.08; p = 0.81). Conclusions: Sodium thiosulfate was not found to be an effective reducing agent for the acute treatment of methemoglobinemia.
Improving plant genetic engineering by manipulating the host.

Abstract Agrobacterium -mediated transformation is a major technique for the genetic engineering of plants. However, there are many economically important crop and tree species that remain highly recalcitrant to Agrobacterium infection. Although attempts have been made to ‘improve' transformation by altering the bacterium, future successes might come from manipulation of the plant. Recent studies that identified several plant genes involved in Agrobacterium -mediated transformation, and their over-expression in currently transformable species, suggest that this approach holds great promise for improving the transformation of recalcitrant, but agronomically important, crops.
Incorporation of tropical maize germplasm into inbred lines derived from temperate x temperate-adapted tropical line crosses: agronomic and molecular assessment.

Exotic maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm may allow for increased flexibility and greater long-term progress from selection if it can be incorporated at high rates into U.S. breeding programs. Crosses were made between a temperate line, NC262A, and each of eight different lines consisting of 100% temperate-adapted tropical germplasm. Pedigree selection was used to generate a set of 148 F5S2 lines that were evaluated in testcrosses with FR992/FR1064 in nine North Carolina environments. Several entries had grain yield, grain moisture content and standability that were comparable to three commercial checks. The best testcrosses outyielded the cross NC262A × FR992/FR1064 by 9.5 to 10.9%, suggesting that a significant amount of tropical germplasm was retained in these lines and that this germplasm combined well with the Stiff Stalk tester. Previous researchers had suggested that tropical alleles could be rapidly lost during inbreeding in populations derived from tropical × temperate bi-parental crosses, leading to the development of lines that possess significantly less than 50% tropical germplasm. F5S5 sub-lines corresponding to the 14 best testcrosses were genotyped at 47 to 49 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci across all ten chromosomes to estimate the amount of tropical germplasm that was retained. The estimated genetic contribution from the tropical parent ranged from 32 to 70%, with the average being 49%. Only two of the 14 lines deviated significantly from a 50%-tropical/50%-temperate ratio, suggesting limited overall selection against germplasm from the tropical parents. These experiments collectively demonstrated that tropical maize germplasm can be incorporated at high rates into a temperate line via pedigree breeding methods in order to derive new inbred lines with acceptable agronomic performance.
Induced mouse chromosomal rearrangements as tools for identifying critical developmental genes and pathways

Due to the rapid advances that have been made in molecular and genetic technology during the past decade, the genes associated with a large number of human hereditary diseases have been isolated and analyzed in detail. These cloned genes provide new tools for research geared toward a better understanding of normal human development, and also of the many ways that basic, essential morphologic pathways can be disturbed. Chromosomal rearrangements, especially deletions and translocations, have been especially beneficial in the mapping and isolation of human disease genes because of their visibility on both the cytogenetic and molecular levels. However, these useful types of mutations occur with low frequency in the human population. Chromosomal rearrangements can be induced relatively easily in mice, and several large, independent collections of translocation and deletion mutants have been generated in the course of risk-assessment and mutagenesis studies over the past several decades. Combined with new molecular technologies, these collections of mutant animals provide a means of gaining ready access to genes associated with developmental defects including craniofacial abnormalities, hydrocephaly, skeletal deformities, and complex neurologic disorders. As an illustration of this approach, we briefly review our progress in the study of three mutations associated with defects in palate development, juvenile growth, fitness and sterility, and neurologic development in mice, respectively.