cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical and isotopic compositions of Absaroka granitoids, Southwestern Montana

Contents of major and most trace elements of granitoids in three intrusions associated with the Cretaceous Independence volcanic complex, Montana, correlate well with SiO2. Major-element contents in granitoids in each intrusion are accurately modeled as mixtures of minimum melts and phenocryst assemblages (presumably restite). Restite assemblages are hypersthene+augite+plagioclase, hornblende+plagioclase, and biotite+plagioclase+quartz. Residues of melting are granulite or amphibolite. Melts in two of the bodies were LREE-enriched but unfractionated in MREE and HREE. REE patterns are consistent with residues dominated by pyroxene or amphibole and feldspar. Initial 207Pb/204Pb and 206Pb/204Pb of granitoids define a line interpreted as a secondary isochron established during crustal homogenization 3.3 Ga ago. The relatively low μ of source rocks (8.25) suggests that they did not spend long in U-rich environments. Source regions had variable trace element patterns; Th/Pb and U/Pb were correlated, Rb/Sr and Sm/Nd moderately well correlated, but Rb/Sr and U/Pb were decoupled. This is consistent with poor correlation of Rb, Sr and Ba with SiO2 in some granitoids and may suggest that minor phases that concentrate these elements were inhomogeneously distributed in source regions. The source probably consisted of LREE-rich, Rb-poor metamorphic rocks. Archean amphibolites, exposed in the Beartooth Mountains, are similar to the postulated source materials. They contain plagioclase, hornblende, minor quartz, biotite, and muscovite, and have low Rb/Sr and high LREE/HREE. Certain trace-element characteristics of the granitoids indicate that the deep crust in this part of Montana may be dominated by metamorphosed mafic-intermediate lavas that formed on the sea-floor. Metapelites, intercalated with amphibolites at the surface, were rare in granitoid source regions. This buried supracrustal pile was isotopically homogenized ≈3.3 Ga ago. Although some material melted ≈2.7 Ga ago to form granites that dominate the exposed basement, enough remained fertile that heating by mantle-derived magmas 85–90 Ma ago produced the granitic rocks at Independence.
Energy efficiency of load balancing in MANET routing protocols

This paper considers energy constrained routing protocols and workload balancing techniques for improving MANET routing protocols and energy efficiency. We give new routing protocol that employs adaptive load balancing technique to the MANET routing protocols with node caching enhancement. Also, we show new application of energy efficiency metrics to MANET routing protocols for energy efficiency evaluation of the protocols with limited power supply. Our contributions include: (i) New energy efficient AODV-based node caching routing protocol with adaptive workload balancing (AODV-NC-WLB); (ii) New application of energy efficiency metrics to MANET routing protocols; and (iii) An implementation and simulation study in NS-2 of energy efficient AODV-NC-WLB sustaining considerable improvement in throughput, overhead, delivery ratio and delay over the standard AODV for high work load scenario.
Understanding geometric instabilities in thin films via a multi-layer model

When a thin stiff film adhered to a compliant substrate is subject to compressive stresses, the film will experience a geometric instability and buckle out of plane. For high film/substrate stiffness ratios with relatively low levels of strain, the primary mode of instability will either be wrinkling or buckling delamination depending on the material and geometric properties of the system. Previous works approach these systems by treating the film and substrate as homogenous layers, either consistently perfectly attached, or perfectly unattached at interfacial flaws. However, this approach neglects systems where the film and substrate are uniformly weakly attached or where interfacial layers due to surface modifications in either the film or substrate are present. Here we demonstrate a method for accounting for these additional thin surface layers via an analytical solution verified by numerical results. The main outcome of this work is an improved understanding of how these layers influence global behavior. We demonstrate the utility of our model with applications ranging from buckling based metrology in ultrathin films, to an improved understanding of the formation of a novel surface in carbon nanotube bio-interface films. Moving forward, this model can be used to interpret experimental results, particularly for systems which deviate from traditional behavior, and aid in the evaluation and design of future film/substrate systems.
Sodium, chloride and water balance of the intertidal teleost, Xiphister atropurpureus. I. Regulation of plasma concentration and body water content.

1. Studies were undertaken to determine the degree of regulation of sodium, chloride and water displayed by the intertidal teleost, Xiphister atropurpureus , over a range of salinities. 2. The plasma concentrations of sodium and chloride declined by approximately 15 % in 10 % sea water (48 mM-Na/kg.) and the intracellular and extracellular spaces increased by approximately 6 % in 10% sea water.
The economics of cancer prevention and detection: Getting more for less

Economics has been described as the science of allocating scarce resources. Given the magnitude of the cancer problem and the obvious impracticality of eliminating every carcinogen or screening every person for every disease, our success in preventing cancer will depend greatly on our ability to use available resources efficiently. This paper will illustrate the principles of economics applied to the early detection of cancers of the lung, breast, colon, and cervix. The objective is to deliver the highest benefit possible. The available options include choice of the population to be screened (e.g., ages and risk factors), the tests to be used, and the frequency of examinations. The issues to be considered in making these choices include the expected benefits of early detection, the risks and side effects of the tests, the acceptibility of the program, the costs of the tests, the consequences of false positives, changes in therapy, and decrease in disability and lost earnings. The final choice of an “optimal” early detection protocol requires estimating and comparing these and other outcomes. This is a question of expectations and values; there is no “correct” answer or “best” program. These issues also have implications for the feasibility and prospects for third-party reimbursement for cancer prevention activities. Cancer 47:1200–1209, 1981.
RNA complementary to α-amylase mRNA in barley.

Two experimental approaches demonstrate that different types of RNA complementary to α-amylase mRNA are present in barley. S1 nuclease assays identify an RNA that is complementary to essentially the full length of both the type A and type B α-amylase mRNAs. Complementarity, however, is imperfect: the S1 nuclease-resistant products can only be identified if they are electrophoresed as RNA-DNA hybrids. This RNA is present in developing endosperm + aleurone tissue and in mature aleurone tissue cultured in the absence of hormonal treatment or in the presence of abscisic acid, but not in shoot or root tissue. In mature aleurone tissue treated with abscisic acid, its steady-state abundance is similar to that of α-amylase mRNA. Northern blot analysis indicated the presence of a second type of antisense RNA. Under conditions of moderate stringency, antisense-specific probes detect discrete hybridizing species of 1.6, 1.4, and 1.0 kilobases in mature aleurone and shoot tissues that do not represent spurious “hybridization” to rRNA, α-amylase mRNA, or the abundant, G+C-rich mRNA for a probable amylase/protease inhibitor. The different results are consistent with the fact that the hybridization assay can tolerate relatively short regions of complementarity separated by large, nonhomologous sequences, while the nuclease protection assay cannot.
Complex organization of the soybean mitochondrial genome: recombination repeats and multiple transcripts at the atpA loci

Identification of the soybean mitochondrial atpA open reading frame (atpA ORF) was based on sequence similarity with atpA genes in other plant mitochondria and partial protein sequencing. The atpA reading frame ends with four tandem UGA codons which overlap four tandem AUG codons initiating an unidentified reading frame, orf214. The atpA-orf214 region is found in multiple sequence contexts in soybean mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which can be attributed to the presence of two recombination repeats. A 1-kb repeat spans 600 nucleotides (nt) of atpA N-terminal coding region and 400 nt of upstream sequence. Its four configurations correspond to two full-length atpA-orf214 genes and two truncated pseudogenes. A 2-kb repeat lies 3 kb downstream from the 1-kb repeat. Restriction maps of cosmid clones suggest that a 10-kb segment containing both repeats is itself duplicated in the mt genome. With two recombination repeats present in a total of three copies per genome, soybean mtDNA is expected to consist of a complex population of subgenomic molecules. Transcription of the atpA loci was analysed by Northern blotting and S1 nuclease protection. The atpA genes express multiple transcripts with one major 3′ end and heterogeneous 5′ sequences extending several kb upstream of the atpA coding region. The atpA gene and orf214 are co-transcribed on all major transcripts. The pseudogenes do not express stable RNAs.
Chromosomal Localization of the Human Gene Encoding c-myc Promoter-Binding Protein (MPB1) to Chromosome 1p35–pter

We report the mapping of the human gene MPB1 (c-myc promoter binding protein), a recently identified gene regulatory protein. MPB1 binds to the c-myc P2 promoter and exerts a negative regulatory role on c-myc transcription. Since exogenous expression from transfection of the MPB1 gene suppresses the tumorigenic property of breast cancer cells, there was interest in determining the chromosomal location of this gene. The human MPB1 gene was assigned to human chromosome 1p35-pter using Southern blot analyses of genomic DNAs from rodent-human somatic hybrid cell lines. A specific human genomic fragment was observed only in the somatic cell lines containing human chromosome 1 or the p35-pter region of the chromosome.
Phosphodiesterase Activity Is Necessary But Not Sufficient For cAMP Compartmentation In Cardiac Myocytes

The second messenger cAMP regulates a variety of activities in cardiac myocytes. However, different effectors respond to different cAMP concentrations. This supports the idea that cAMP signaling is compartmentalized. Our laboratory has previously used FRET-based biosensors to estimate cAMP levels in a membrane associated (caveolar) and bulk cytoplasmic compartments of intact adult ventricular myocytes. The results indicate that the cAMP concentration in the bulk cytoplasmic compartment is as much as 10 fold higher than that found in the caveolar compartment, even under basal conditions. The common assumption is that the concentration of phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in specific subcellular locations is sufficient to explain such compartmentation. In the present study, we used a simple, two compartment, mathematical model to systematically evaluate the potential contribution of the following parameters in maintaining a significant cAMP gradient between membrane and bulk compartments: 1) membrane compartment volume, 2) membrane compartment surface area, 3) total adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity, 4) total PDE activity, 5) distribution of AC activity between compartments, 6) distribution of PDE activity between compartments, and 7) flux of cAMP between compartments. Although the results demonstrate that extreme heterogeneous distribution of PDE activity alone can theoretically explain cAMP gradients consistent with those observed experimentally, it requires the absolute number of PDE molecules present in the membrane compartment to exceed physical limits. Restricting the flux of cAMP between compartments can also explain observed cAMP gradients, but it requires the membrane compartment to be significantly larger than current estimates. Our results support the conclusion the PDE activity is necessary but not sufficient to explain cAMP compartmentation in cardiac myocytes. It is concluded that a flux rate significantly slower than free diffusion is also an essential factor involved in cAMP compartmentation.
Aprepitant (Emend) significantly increases sirolimus levels in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic SCT.

Aprepitant (Emend) significantly increases sirolimus levels in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic SCT
Emerging concepts in cardiovascular disease risk assessment: where do women fit in?

Purpose: To highlight the current limitations in the assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk for women. This article will offer the reader information on the current process for assessing CVD risk in women, the pitfalls associated with this current strategy, and the role of novel risk factors. Data sources: Extensive review of the medical literature in the area of women's cardiovascular health. Conclusions: The assessment of CVD risk for women is currently an evolving science. Limitations in the ability of the Framingham score to accurately estimate risk in women from diverse populations are increasingly recognized. Vastly different treatment goals between the genders for similar levels of risk factors have led to a re-evaluation of this strategy in women. While the Framingham score is still useful for guiding cholesterol treatment goals, the current preventive guidelines for women emphasize assessing a woman's risk throughout her lifetime. The future development of tools for improved risk stratification that incorporate novel risk factors may in fact improve our ability to appropriately risk stratify women to evidence-based therapies. Implications for practice: Utilizing the Framingham Risk Assessment Tool and further CVD risk stratification using novel markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein, family history, and functional capacity may identify unique subsets of women at higher risk for CVD. Nurse practitioners can be instrumental in this assessment, education, and treatment of women at risk for CVD.
Fabrication and measurement of submicron planar YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ microbridge Josephson junctions

Deep-submicron planar YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ (YBCO) microbridge Josephson junctions (about 0.1- mu m to 0.5- mu m long and wide) were fabricated using two different approaches: (1) using electron beam lithography and argon-ion milling to make the designed bridge pattern; and (2) depositing YBCO on a substrate with a prepatterned MgO/sapphire bilayer structure. Both approaches have yielded microbridges showing constant voltage steps in the current-voltage characteristics under applied microwave fields. The step width is also found to show oscillatory microwave power dependence. The possible mechanism for the Josephson-like behavior observed and the physical significance of these deep submicron bridges are discussed. The observed phenomena might be explained by the vortex motion model. >
Eicosapentaenoic acid, but not oleic acid, stimulates β-oxidation in adipocytes

The beneficial roles of dietary fish oil in lowering serum TAG levels in animals and humans have been attributed in part to the high content of two n−3 polyunsaturated very long-chain FA, EPA, and DHA. Recent studies show that EPA induces mitochondrial β-oxidation in hepatocytes, which might contribute to the systemic lipid-lowering effect. Whether EPA affects FA storage or oxidation in adipocytes is not clear. To investigate this possibility, 3T3-L1 adipocytes incubated with EPA (100 μM) for 24 h were assayed for β-oxidation, carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT-1) activity, protein, and mRNA expression of CPT-1. For comparison, cells treated with oleic acid, octanoic acid, and clofibrate, a synthetic ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α were also analyzed. Mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation, and the mitochondrial membrane acyl chain composition was measured by GLC. EPA increased the oxidation of endogenous FA but did not inhibit lipogenesis. Oleic acid and clofibrate did not affect FA oxidation or lipogenesis, whereas octanoic acid suppressed the oxidation of endogenous FA and inhibited lipogenesis. Increased β-oxidation by EPA was associated with increased CPT-1 activity but without changes in its mRNA and protein expression. EPA treatment increased the percentage of this FA in the mitochondrial membrane lipids. We suggest that EPA increased the activity of CPT-1 and β-oxidation in adipocytes by altering the structure or dynamics of the mitochondrial membranes.
A distinctive type of ascending prominence - 'Fountain'

Cinematographic observations of solar prominences made at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, during the past few years suggest that there is a well-defined subclass of ascending prominences characterized by closed-system transference of chromospheric material along an arch or loop (up one leg and down the other). While this occurs, the entire prominence envelope steadily rises upward and expands through the corona. These prominences are denoted as 'fountains'. Several examples are described. Fountains appear to be well contained by coronal magnetic fields. Their total kinetic energy is of the order of 10 to the 30th power erg, but dissipation is typically quite slow (over time periods of 100 min or so), so that the correlative disturbances (radio bursts, coronal transients, chromospheric brightenings) are generally not spectacular or nonexistent.
Ultra-high quality factor planar Si 3 N 4 ring resonators on Si substrates

We demonstrate planar Si3N4 ring resonators with ultra-high quality factors (Q) of 19 million, 28 million, and 7 million at 1060 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm, respectively. By integrating the ultra-low-loss Si3N4 ring resonators with laterally offset planar waveguide directional couplers, optical add-drop and notch filters are demonstrated to have ultra-narrow bandwidths of 16 MHz, 38 MHz, and 300 MHz at 1060 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm, respectively. These are the highest Qs reported for ring resonators with planar directional couplers, and ultra-narrowband microwave photonic filters can be realized based on these high-Q ring resonators.
Collective excitations of quasi-two-dimensional trapped dipolar fermions: Transition from collisionless to hydrodynamic regime

We study the collective excitations of polarized single-component quasi-two-dimensional dipolar fermions in an isotropic harmonic trap by solving the collisional Boltzmann-Vlasov (CBV) equation via the method of moments. We study the response to monopole and quadrupole perturbations of the trap potential and investigate the dynamical character of excitations in each case. Simple analytic formulas are found using the linearized scaling ansatz approximation and accurate numerical results are obtained by satisfying the first eight moments of the CBV equation. Except for the lowest-lying monopole mode that is weakly affected by collisions, the quadrupole and the higher-order monopole modes undergo a transition from the collisionless regime to a dissipative crossover regime and finally approach the hydrodynamic regime upon increasing the dipolar interaction strength. For strong transverse confinement (2D limit), we predict the existence of a temperature window within which the characteristics of the collective modes become temperature independent. This plateau, which is a direct consequence of dipole-dipole scatterings, persists as long as the scattering energies remain in the near-threshold regime. The predictions of this work are expected to be observable in the current experiments.
The hypothalamic magnocellular system of the rhesus monkey: An immunocytochemical study

The hypothalamic magnocellular system of the adult female rhesus monkey is studied here, using immunoperoxidase technique and antisera to estrogen stimulated neurophysin (ESN), nicotine stimulated neurophysin (NSN), oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP). These observations confirm and enlarge previous descriptions by others using Gomori techniques. It is apparent from this study that the magnocellular system spreads through a broader area than is generally accepted. A group of cells ventral to the head of the caudate nucleus and medial to the internal capsule is described. The general orientation of the nuclei and their tracts can only be appreciated when coronal, horizontal and sagittal sections are compared. Our observations suggest that the supraoptic nucleus is made up of a single group of cells that straddles the optic pathways, and is not divided in three segments, as it is generally described. It is also shown that the rostral extensions of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei merge above the optic chiasm. Cells containing ESN/OT and NSN/VP are evenly dispersed in the paraventricular nucleus but a topographical arrangement is present in the supraoptic nucleus. The magnocellular nuclei project to the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, zona externa of the median eminence and pars nervosa of the pituitary gland. Reactive fibers were also seen within islets of cells from the pars in termedia located inside the pars nervosa. A globular structure containing small blood vessels surrounded by positive fibers was noticed protruding into the floor of the third ventricle, at the level of the median eminence.
Brazil's evolving proposal to control deforestation: Amazon still at risk

Brazil's National Plan for Climate Change (PNMC [Plano Nacional sobre Mudanca do Clima]) brought the good news of quantified ‘objectives’ for deforestation reduction in Brazilian Amazonia, a departure from past policy, under which the Brazilian government has steadfastly refused any quantitative goals deforestation reduction in the context of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the ‘objectives’ given in the PNMC carry no consequences if they are not met, other than possible suspension of contributions to the new Amazon Fund. The PNMC offers little information on how deforestation would be reduced, which is critical to achieving the results it proposes. Effective control of deforestation is needed both to avoid direct loss of the forest and to leverage the international commitment needed to contain global warming within a reasonable limit, such as 2°C. This is approximately the limit for avoiding replacement of substantial areas of Amazonian forest by either savannah or degraded secondary scrub. Brazil needs to move quickly to take the lead in the effort to halt global warming because it is one of the countries with the most to lose from climate change, including risk to the country's Amazon forest.
An Educational Intervention for Police and Firefighters for Elders at Risk: Limits of Education Alone as a Strategy for Behavior Change

As part of a research project aimed at the health care needs of the vulnerable community–dwelling elderly, an educational intervention was delivered to police and firefighters in worksite settings. A single educational intervention proved insufficient to produce lasting attitudinal and behavioral change as measured by follow-up surveys 3 and 6 months after the educational intervention. The data highlight the difficulty of using educators external to an organization to drive attitudinal and behavioral change within the organization.
Boycott or buycott? Understanding political consumerism

This research addresses the question of how boycotting (punishing business for unfavorable behavior) differs from buycotting (rewarding business for favorable behavior). This analysis of 21 535 adults from the 2002/2003 European Social Survey (ESS) compares the effects of social capital, altruism, and gender on different categories of political consumers. Logistic regression analyses reveal that boycotters do indeed differ from buycotters. Specifically, women and people who are more trusting, involved in more voluntary associations, or more altruistic are more likely to buycott than boycott. These differences support the inclusion of both boycott and buycott measures in future studies of political consumerism. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cycle-length effects on the initiation of simulated torsade de pointes

The sequence of a short and long cycle length has been observed frequently to precede the onset of torsade de pointes in patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanism of that relation by means of a computer model of propagated excitation. The model included cycle length-dependent refractoriness and slow propagation during incomplete recovery and has been used previously to document that changing QRS waveform and limited duration of torsade de pointes episodes can be explained by moving sites of reentrant excitation. In this study, a short-long cycle-length sequence due to a ventricular premature response and compensatory pause was shown to prolong the period during which simulated torsade de pointes could be initiated. A premature response that failed to initiate the arrhythmia in the absence of that sequence did so after the sequence. Both the premature ventricular response and compensatory pause of the short-long cycle-length sequence contributed to prolongation of the torsade period, but by different mechanisms. The compensatory pause prolonged refractory periods and increased their disparity by a direct effect of cycle length. The ventricular premature response had similar effects, but these were indirect and due to the activation sequence of the response. When such a response was followed by a supraventricular response, the ventricular cycle length included atrioventricular conduction time and was longer than that with a series of responses of either supraventricular or ventricular origin. In addition to elucidating the mechanism of the short-long cycle sequence relation to torsade de pointes, the findings suggest that long cycles of whatever nature or the sequence of ventricular and supraventricular responses of whatever cycle length may facilitate initiation of the arrhythmia.
Endothelin-1 inhibits adiponectin secretion through a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate/actin-dependent mechanism

Abstract Adiponectin is an adipokine with profound insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherogenic properties. Plasma levels of adiponectin are reduced in insulin resistant states such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanism(s) by which adiponectin concentrations are decreased during disease development is unclear. Studies have shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictor peptide, affects adipocyte glucose metabolism and secretion of adipokines such as leptin, resistin, and adiponectin. The goal of our study was to determine the mechanism by which ET-1 decreases adiponectin secretion. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated for 24 h with ET-1 (10 nM) and then stimulated with vehicle or insulin (100 nM) for a period of 1–2 h. Chronic ET-1 (24 h) treatment significantly decreased basal and insulin-stimulated adiponectin secretion by 66% and 47%, respectively. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis by the PLCβ inhibitor, U73122, or exogenous addition of PIP2:histone carrier complex (1.25:0.625 μM) ameliorated the decrease in basal and insulin-stimulated adiponectin secretion observed with ET-1. However, treatment with exogenous PIP2:histone carrier complex and the actin depolymerizing agent latrunculin B (20 μM) did not reverse the ET-1-mediated decrease in adiponectin secretion. In conclusion, we demonstrate that ET-1 inhibits basal and insulin-stimulated adiponectin secretion through PIP2 modulation of the actin cytoskeleton.
Development of an ethyl laurate-based microemulsion for rapid-onset intranasal delivery of diazepam

An ethyl laurate-based microemulsion system with Tween 80 as surfactant, propylene glycol and ethanol as cosolvents was developed for intranasal delivery of diazepam. Phase behavior and solubilization capacity of the microemulsion system were characterized and in vivo nasal absorption of diazepam from microemulsion formulations was investigated in rabbits. A single isotropic region, which is considered as a bicontinuous microemulsion, was found in the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams developed at various Tween 80: propylene glycol: ethanol ratios. With the increase of Tween 80 concentration, the microemulsion region area, microemulsion viscosity, and the amount of H(2)O and ethyl laurate solubilized into the microemulsion system increased; however, the increase of ethanol percentage produced opposite effects. Diazepam, a practically water-insoluble drug, displayed a high solubility of 41 mg/ml in a microemulsion consisting of 15% ethyl laurate, 15% H(2)O, and 70% (w/w) surfactant/cosurfactant (Tween 80:propylene glycol:ethanol at 1:1:1 weight ratio). Nasal absorption of diazepam from this microemulsion was found to be fairly rapid. At 2 mg/kg dose, the maximum drug plasma concentration was arrived within 2-3 min, and the bioavailability (0-2 h) after nasal spray compared with intravenous injection was about 50%. These results suggest that this ethyl laurate-based microemulsion may be a useful approach for the rapid-onset delivery of diazepam during the emergency treatment of status epilepticus.
Update on liver disease in hemophilia patients

Prior to the introduction of viral inactivation techniques in the mid-1980s, the vast majority of patients with hemophilia who received plasma-derived clotting factor concentrates were exposed to and infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a lipid-enveloped bloodborne pathogen. Hemophilia patients may also have been co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after receiving contaminated blood products. HCV mono-infection has a very slow progression, but patients with hemophilia who are co-infected with HCV and HIV can exhibit a comparatively rapid progression of liver disease. Potential complications of chronic HCV infection are subsequent cirrhosis with hepatic failure and the ultimate onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. The treatment of either of these may involve orthotopic liver transplantation. Liver biopsy and morphologic evaluation of tissue remain the current "gold standard" by which the severity of HCV-induced liver disease can be reliably assessed. Although there has been a reluctance to perform invasive percutaneous liver biopsies in patients with hemophilia, available evidence suggests that they appear to be safe and they certainly provide greater specificity and sensitivity than radiographic techniques such as computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment of HCV-infected patients is targeted towards preventing the progression of early cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. The current standard of care for individuals with hemophilia has generally been considered to be the combination of standard interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) with ribavirin for at least 6 months. Data concerning the use of PEGylated IFN, substituting for standard IFN-alpha, are now emerging, although relatively little of this information relates specifically to hemophilia patients with liver disease. Nevertheless, the favorable data from large non-hemophilia-related HCV disease with early cirrhosis have been extrapolated to the hemophilia scenario, and there has been no evidence in the limited number of hemophiliacs treated in this way to refute this conclusion.
(±)-2,3,3a,4,5,6-Hexahydro-7-methyl-1,12-dioxo-2,3a-propanophenalene: a new four-ring carbocyclic system

The title racemate, C17H18O2, is a tetra­cylic diketone isolated from the base-catalysed Robinson annulation of 2-(2-carbethoxy­ethyl)cyclo­hexa­none. It represents a previously unreported four-ring carbocyclic system. In the crystal structure, the packing includes three close inter­molecular C—H⋯O dipolar contacts, involving both ketones.
New directions for directors: Behind the bylaws

This article presents a review of the book “New Directions for Directors: Behind the Bylaws,” by Robert Kirk Mueller.
Desulfurization of Thiophenic Compounds by Ni(111): Adsorption and Reactions of Thiophene, 3-Methylthiophene, and 2,5-Dimethylthiophene

The adsorption and reactivity of thiophene, 2,5-dimethylthiophene, and 3-methylthiophene on Ni(111) have been examined. The saturation coverages of the three molecules are similar, about 0.13 monolayer (ML), and in all cases alkenes are the major hydrocarbon products. On initially clean surfaces, decomposition to sulfur, carbon and hydrogen is the major pathway, but the selectivity to hydrocarbon production can be enhanced by a factor of about 3 by predosing the surface with hydrogen. Sulfur is easily removed from the ring, and C−S bond scission is complete by 150 K. The rate-limiting step in alkene formation is hydrogenation of a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon intermediate. The hydrocarbon intermediates formed are difficult to unambiguously identify but are most likely cyclic structures, retaining the C4 framework.
Global Analysis of the Acid-Induced and Urea-Induced Unfolding of Staphylococcal Nuclease and Two of Its Variants†

We have studied the equilibrium unfolding of staphylococcal nuclease and two of its variants, V66W and V66W‘, over two perturbation axes (acid-induced unfolding as a function of urea concentration and urea-induced unfolding as a function of pH). The transitions were monitored by simultaneous measurements of circular dichroism and fluorescence. With this multidimensional array of data (2 perturbation axes and 2 signals), we present a strategy of performing a global analysis, over as many as 12 individual data sets, to test various models for the unfolding process, to determine with greater confidence the pertinent thermodynamic parameters, and to characterize unfolding intermediates. For example, wild-type nuclease shows a cooperative two-state transition with either urea or pH as denaturant, but the global fits are improved when the model is expanded to include a pH dependence of the urea m value or when two distinct classes of protonic groups are considered. The best fit for wild-type nuclease is with ΔG...
The Structure Of The California Q-Set

The study aim was to explore the dimensional structure of the California Q-Set, a widely use Q-sort procedure. The data analyzed consisted of the composited CQS descriptions of the male sample and the female sample during their high school years as reported by Block in his Lives Through Time. The 104 variables were intercorrelated across the 160 cases and analyzed by the method of principal components with a scree test criterion. The eight interpretable factors reported were rotated by the Promax procedure. The clear-cut simple structure was defined by 94 of the statements. The dimensions identified were found to resemble many behavioral rating factors reported for several inventories.
Biogas production from dairy manure: the effects of temperature perturbations.

Abstract By taking advantage of a digester's microbial dynamics, gas production can be made to coincide more closely with gas utilization, thereby reducing storage requirements. At constant temperature, a 4-liter control digester with a detention time of 19 days, fed with diluted dairy manure (three parts tap water to one part manure), behaved dynamically like two three-liter digesters fed undiluted manure at a detention time of 15 days. A second 14-liter digester fed with the diluted manure was operated with three different phase relations between a 24 h temperature cycle and the time of the once-daily feeding. In all cases digester operation was stable. In this study, gas production dynamics were investigated using laboratory scale digesters fed daily with dairy manure and operated both at constant temperature and with programmed temperature fluctuations of ±3·3°C about a mean of 35·8°C. The data suggest that gas production can be manipulated by heating and cooling the digester contents. Thus it may be possible to reduce gas storage volume by matching a varying gas production with varying energy demand.
Optimal probabilistic routing in distributed parallel queues

We consider the fundamental problem of routing customers among distributed parallel queues to minimize an objective function based on equilibrium sojourn times under general assumptions for the arrival and service processes and under the assumption that customers are routed to the parallel queues in a probabilistic manner. More specifically, we derive explicit solutions for the asymptotically optimal vector of probabilities that control the routing of customers upon arrival among a set of heterogeneous general single-server queues through stochastic-process limits. Our assumption of probabilistic routing is consistent with previous theoretical studies of this optimization problem, and our solutions can be used for the parameter settings of other routing mechanisms found in practice. Stochastic-process limits are exploited in order to be able to handle general arrival and service processes and obtain explicit solutions to the scheduling optimization problems of interest.
Smell and Foraging in Shearwaters and Petrels

BIRDS of the order Procellariiformes (the tube-nosed swimmers: albatrosses, shearwaters and petrels) are unusual in the development of their olfactory equipment, and some authors have suggested that these pelagic birds locate food by smell1–3. I report here positive responses from shearwaters and petrels to airborne odour trails controlled for visual cues.
Plasma perspective on strong field multiphoton ionization.

During strong-field multiphoton ionization, a wave packet is formed each time the laser field passes its maximum value. Within the first laser period after ionization there is a significant probability that the electron will return to the vicinity of the ion with very high kinetic energy. High-harmonic generation, multiphoton two-electron ejection, and very high energy above-threshold-ionization electrons are all conssequences of this electron-ion interaction. One important parameter which determines the strength of these effects is the rate at which the wave packet spreads in the direction perpendicular to the laser electric field; another is the polarization of the laser. It will be essential for experimentalists to be aware of these crucial parameters in future experiments.
Pneumoparotid due to spirometry

Pneumoparotid has been described in patients who generate increased intraoral pressures when playing wind instruments, while coughing, and when undergoing dental work. Some patients have intentionally created pneumoparotid to avoid duties at school or in the military, or to gain attention. We describe a patient who developed pneumoparotid during pulmonary function testing. The diagnosis of pneumoparotid depends on a suggestive clinical situation and glandular swelling with or without crepitus. Observation of aerated saliva per Stensen's duct or air in the parotid duct and/or gland by any imaging study is diagnostic if infection with a gas-forming organism can be reasonably excluded. No specific treatment is required, other than the avoidance of predisposing activities.
Investigation of cytomegalovirus infection as a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in the explanted hearts of patients undergoing heart transplantation.

Infection with a human herpes virus, particularly cytomegalovirus (CMV), has been hypothesized to be a cofactor in the development of atherosclerosis in humans. We investigated the association of prior CMV infection with the presence of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries of the native heart of 314 individuals undergoing heart transplantation. Age, male gender, race, tobacco use, and previous general and cardiac surgery were also studied as covariables. Factors associated with the presence of coronary atherosclerosis by univariate analysis were age greater than the median of 48 years (odds ratio [OR] = 5.9, 95% confidence intervals [Cl] 3.0–11.6; P 0.5). In multiple logistic regression analyses, CMV seropositivity was not a significant independent variable in the whole group of patients (P = 0.13) but remained a significant variable in the youngest quartile of patients (P = 0.01). However, 43% of these younger patients and 29% of all patients with coronary atherosclerosis were seronegative for CMV. We infer that prior CMV infection is not a general risk factor for atherosclerosis, but it may be a cofactor in a subset of younger patients. Further studies are warranted but need to be carefully controlled for confounding variables. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Experiments with a Low Polarization Error Loop Array Direction Finder

A previously reported HF loop antenna array for multipolarization direction finding consisting of two spaced loops is described. The method is compatible with twin channel Watson-Watt operation as an Adcock so that the direction finding process is independent of polarization characteristics of the element pattern. Experimentally measured direction finder (DF) bearings were compared with near simultaneous polarimeter data and conventional crossed loops bearings. A major reduction in polarization error was obtained at the expense of full 360° azimuth response. It is theoretically possible to cover 360° with two similar arrays of the type investigated or with crossed loops elements with quadrature phase shifters.
Illumination, Sensor And Optics Spectral Relationships

ABSTRACTSimple photometric relationships governed the previous imaging systems in film and video applications. More recently the introduction of wide-band image sensors, particularly those based upon silicon, has required greater sophistication in the understanding of spectral considerations for their proper application. Such understanding can lead to the optimization of performance, or the ability to operate- in applications which were difficult or impossible with previous sensors. Of particular significance is the effect on performance of available lenses.1. SOLID-STATE SENSORSIn the space of only a few years, silicon solid-state sensors have displaced their vacuum tube functional equivalents in a broad range of applications. Area image sensors, particularly, have gained extremely broad acceptance. Video cameras, an application originally dominated by the security market, are now dominated by the consumer market and are becoming almost exclusively solid-state in both black-and-white and color models. The advance of chip technology is rapidly extending the changeover in high-quality industrial applications, and will possibly be generally applied to broadcast television cameras.2. FEATURES OF SILICON SENSORS The important features of silicon sensors are summarized in Table 1.______________Tab!e 1.__Important features of silicon area sensors_______________1. Compact and light weight by using solid-state single-chip image sensor and eliminating the pick-up tube and magnetic deflection coil assembly.2. Long life and high reliability through all-solid-state.3. Free of image lag.4. Free of image burn.5. Elimination of image distortion due to precise placement of elements on the image plate.6. Access to photosites for special applications.7. Resistance to shock and vibration.
Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2 (SV2) does not hydrolyze ATP

Synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) is a transporter-like protein specifically expressed in endocrine cells and neurons, where it is localized to vesicles that undergo regulated secretion and plays an essential role in regulating neurotransmitter release. SV2 binds adenine nucleotides including ATP. Analysis of ATP transport revealed that SV2 is not an ATP transporter, nor does it affect ATP transport. As a further step toward understanding how ATP binding contributes to SV2 function, we investigated whether SV2 is an ATPase using an in vitro measure of ATPase activity. The study reported here indicates that SV2 does not have ATPase activity. Thus, binding to adenine nucleotides likely modulates other actions of SV2.
Relationship Between Released Nickel and Zinc and Nitrification in Two Soils Amended with Biosolids

This study examined the effect of biosolids‐borne nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) on nitrification process in two soils (Ultisols of the Cecil and Tifton series). Biosolids from Athens, GA, were spiked singly with increasing amounts of Ni or Zn chloride and then mixed with the soils at a weight ratio of 98.5:1.5 (soil:biosolid). The concentration of the spiked metals in the soil‐biosolid mixtures ranged from 0 to 220 mg Ni and 0 to 1500 mg Zn kg− 1. The mixtures were repeatedly leached with water to observe changes in net nitrification and metal release into solution over time. Leached Zn concentrations that caused partial nitrification inhibition (reduction of net nitrification rates from 75% to 50% of control) were 5 to 19 mg kg− 1 and 6.6 to 10.5 mg kg− 1 in the Cecil and Tifton soil, respectively. Nitrification inhibition was manifested not only as net reduction in rates, but also as delay in the process. The prolonged recovery of inhibition caused lag phases of nitrification (10 and 20 days in the Cecil an...
On the braids and spokes in Saturn's ring system

Two of the features in the Saturnian ring system recently observed by the Voyager 1 spacecraft are (a) the braiding of theF-ring and (b) the radial spokes that rotate across theB-ring. Both of these phenomena are explained by recognizing that the grains that constitute both theF-ring and the spokes are charged to high electrostatic potentials and are sufficiently small to be strongly affected by the magnetic field of the planet. Processes for the charging of the grains are also suggested.
Trace element geochemistry of the Louis Lake batholith of early Precambrian age, Wyoming

Abstract The behavior of Rb, Sr, Eu, Zr and Ni in the Louis Lake batholith as a function of increasing fractionation from the granodiorite to the aplite stage is similar to the predicted and often observed behavior for these elements in calc-alkaline suites and can be explained in terms of the removal of feldspar (Rb, Sr, Eu), zircon (Hf, Zr), and magnetite (Ni) during fractional crystallization. Cs decreases slightly and Ba and REE remain approximately constant over this interval and require special conditions to explain their behavior. Increasing relative fractionation of the REE are not observed over this range. An increasing Eu anomaly is observed from the granodiorite to the granite stage and can be related to plagioclase removal. The absence of a Eu anomaly in the aplites may be caused by partial reequilibration of the aplitic magmas with the voluminous granodiorite. Striking depletions in Rb and Cs relative to K are observed in the aplites and are interpreted in terms of escaping late-stage magmatic fluids enriched in these elements. Rb is contained in biotite during the early and middle stages of fractionation in K-feldspar during the latter stages. The D Rb Biot KF does not vary significantly with fractionation while the D Rb Biot Plg decreases by more than a factor of three. La, Ce, and Sm are contained chiefly in minor phases (dominantly apatite and sphene) in all but the very late stages of crystallization where they are contained chiefly in feldspars. D Biot KF and D Biot Plg for La and Sm do not change appreciably with fractionation. D Ce Biot KF and D Ce Biot Plg are less than the La and Sm distribution coefficients and increase significantly at the quartz monzonite fractionation stage. This increase is tentatively interpreted in terms of a decrease in F O 2 causing a reduction of some Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ . Element distributions in the Louis Lake batholith when compared with those in the surrounding metagraywacke terrane indicate that the batholith could not have been readily produced by complete or partial melting of this terrane. The lack of a significant depletion in Ni and the low K Na ratio in the batholith as a whole do not favor an origin by fractional crystallization of high-alumina basalt. Also the absence of a Eu anomaly and the low K Na ratio do not support an origin by partial melting of amphibolite. An origin for the parent granodiorite magma involving hydrous partial melting of quartz eclogite together with minor amounts of more highly differentiated rocks in the upper mantle is consistent with the geochemical data.