cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platinum(IV) tetraphenylporphyrin dibromide complexes: synthesis, characterization, and electrochemistry

Abstract Platinum(IV) porphyrins of the type [PtIV(p-X)4TPP]Br2 where (p-X)4TPP is a para-substituted tetraphenylporphyrin have been synthesized by direct oxidation of their Pt(II) precursors with Br2. Both the Pt(II) and Pt(IV) complexes have been characterized by visible and 1H NMR spectroscopy and their electrochemical properties. In both the oxidation and reduction processes, a substituent effect is evident, and the reduction of PtIV→PtII is identified. The oxidation and reduction potentials of the [PtIV(p-X)4TPP]Br2 complexes are compared to those of the [PtII(p-X)4TPP] precursors and [PtIV(p-X)4TPP]Cl2 analogs. Addition of I2 or I− to Pt(II) porphyrins does not result in oxidative-addition to form Pt(IV) porphyrins. Instead, the addition of I− to [PtIV(p-X)4TPP]Br2 results in the reduction of the platinum to form the corresponding [PtII(p-X)4TPP)].
Soviet Politico-Military Penetration in Afghanistan 1955 to 1979

Anxious to augment its military strength for practical reasons and as a symbol of national power and prestige, the Afghan government (like those of most Third World nations) looked to external sources. As a result of U.S. reluctance to provide Afghanistan with military assistance, Kabul turned to the Soviet Union after the mid 1950s. Thus started the process of Moscow's politico-military penetration of Afghanistan, which culminated in the Soviet invasion in December 1979 and the reduction of the traditionally neutral central Asian state into a Soviet satellite. This article contends that while "single dependency" on any foreign power in military matters is potentially dangerous for a Third World country, it is especially so when the benefactor is the Soviet Union, which uses military assistance as an effective instrument to gain political influence. In Afghanistan, Moscow pursued a well-coordinated program of infiltrating the armed forces directly, by establishing influence among the Afghan trainees in th...
Boron incorporation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon films prepared by chemical vapor deposition

Abstract We have studied B incorporation during laser-induced CVD of doped a-Si : H. We found the B concentration in the film is B 2 B 6 -flowrate limited rather than controlled by the gas-phase dopant concentration. Widely varying B-incorporation efficiencies reported for B-doped a-Si : H grown by a variety of thermal CVD techniques are summarized and explained.
Limitations of the Long‐Term Clinical Application of Rate Hysteresis

Rate hysteresis is the ability of a pacemaker to pace at an automatic rate that is different from the escape rate. We reviewed our experience with this programmable feature and its utility. The long-term clinical application of rate hysteresis was limited due to the development of atrial fibrillation or to slowing of the intrinsic cardiac rhythm in 27.6% of the 29 patients. Since many patients with sick sinus syndrome have preserved AV conduction, one might expect that these patients would have an adequate intrinsic heart rate to allow successful use of rate hysteresis pacing mode. Sick sinus syndrome was the intrinsic rhythm disturbance in 63% of the group requiring discontinuation of rate hysteresis. These patients may represent a subgroup in whom any theoretical advantages provided by the rate hysteresis feature may be outweighed by the propensity for the development of atrial fibrillation or significant slowing of the intrinsic rhythm.
Learning from data : Unifying statistics and computer science

Research in the data-oriented areas of computer science is contributing a new wave of theory and tools for learning from data. Some of the research areas complement those in statistics and others overlap. While the research topics of the two fields are not the same, the goals of the research are identical-to enhance theory, methods, models, and systems for the study of data. Unification-close collaboration in research, in teaching, and in application-would greatly enhance new developments in learning from data.
Incident beam diffraction in electron stimulated desorption

Abstract We describe a new experimental technique utilizing incident beam diffraction in electron stimulated desorption (ESD) to determine the initial atomic bonding structure of desorbates. Diffraction in ESD can provide detailed information about the ground state surface bonding geometry of the absorber with sub-angstrom resolution of bond vectors. We discuss the role of electron diffraction in ESD, and demonstrate these ideas with experimental measurements of Cl + ion ESD from chlorinated Si(111)-(7×7) and (1×1) surfaces.
Terahertz response of dipolar impurities in polar liquids: On anomalous dielectric absorption of protein solutions

A theory of radiation absorption by dielectric mixtures is presented. The coarse-grained formulation is based on the wave-vector-dependent correlation functions of molecular dipoles of the host polar liquid and a density structure factor of the solutes. A nonlinear dependence of the dielectric absorption coefficient on the solute concentration is predicted and originates from the mutual polarization of the liquid surrounding the solutes by the collective field of the solute dipoles aligned along the radiation field. The theory is applied to terahertz absorption of hydrated saccharides and proteins. While the theory gives an excellent account of the observations for saccharides, without additional assumptions and fitting parameters, experimental absorption coefficient of protein solutions significantly exceeds theoretical calculations with dipole moment of the bare protein assigned to the solute and shows a peak against the protein concentration. A substantial polarization of protein's hydration shell, resulting in a net dipole moment, is required to explain the disagreement between theory and experiment. When the correlation function of the total dipole moment of the protein with its hydration shell from numerical simulations is used in the analytical model, an absorption peak, qualitatively similar to that seen in experiment, is obtained. The existence and position of the peak are sensitive to the specifics of the protein-protein interactions. Numerical testing of the theory requires the combination of dielectric and small-angle scattering measurements. The calculations confirm that "elastic ferroelectric bag" of water shells observed in previous numerical simulations is required to explain terahertz dielectric measurements.
Learning sets of filters using back-propagation

Abstract A learning procedure, called back-propagation, for layered networks of deterministic, neuron-like units has been described previously. The ability of the procedure automatically to discover useful internal representations makes it a powerful tool for attacking difficult problems like speech recognition. This paper describes further research on the learning procedure and presents an example in which a network learns a set of filters that enable it to discriminate formant-like patterns in the presence of noise. The generality of the learning procedure is illustrated by a second example in which a similar network learns an edge detection task. The speed of learning is strongly dependent on the shape of the surface formed by the error measure in “weight space”. Examples are given of the error surface for a simple task and an acceleration method that speeds up descent in weight space is illustrated. The main drawback of the learning procedure is the way it scales as the size of the task and the network increases. Some preliminary results on scaling are reported and it is shown how the magnitude of the optimal weight changes depends on the fan-in of the units. Additional results show how the amount of interaction between the weights affects the learning speed. The paper is concluded with a discussion of the difficulties that are likely to be encounted in applying back-propagation to more realistic problems in speech recognition, and some promising approaches to overcoming these difficulties.
Changes in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Following Implantation of Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy

Purpose Recovery of left ventricular (LV) function has been reported following prolonged myocardial unloading with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. However, recovery appears to be limited to younger patients presenting acutely with non-ischemic heart failure (HF), and it is unclear how often LV recovery occurs after destination LVAD. Methods and Materials Patients undergoing destination LVAD at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from April 2007 to February 2012 with at least 6 months of follow-up were included. Ejection fraction (EF) was obtained from transthoracic echocardiographic studies pre-LVAD and at 6 and 12 months post-LVAD. Use of beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, and aldosterone antagonists at hospital dismissal were recorded. Patients were censored at death or last follow-up. Results Among 69 patients (mean age 64 years, 16% female, 59% ischemic HF, 97% continuous-flow LVAD), the mean EF was 18% pre-LVAD, 23% 6 months post-LVAD, and 22% 12 months post-LVAD. At 6 and 12 months post-LVAD, the EF increased by a mean of 5% and 4% compared with baseline, respectively (paired t-test p=0.001). By one year post-LVAD, 13 (22%) patients had an increase in EF of ≥10%, with greater improvements in those with lower pre-LVAD EF. The change in EF was similar in patients with ischemic (mean EF increase 3%) vs. nonischemic HF (mean EF increase 7%, p=0.13). Use of HF medications had no impact on the change in EF. There were only 2 patients who had an improvement in EF to ≥50% by 1 year. There was no association between change in EF at 6 months and subsequent mortality. Conclusions In our experience, EF only improved slightly after destination LVAD, and rarely reached a normal range. This suggests that mechanical unloading alone is not the main mechanism for LV recovery in end-stage HF. It is possible that use of LVADs may allow myocardial recovery in the setting of novel pharmacologic or cell based interventions.
Surgical complications of spinal deformity surgery

Spinal column reconstruction for the management of spinal deformity is technically challenging and has been associated with high complication rates. The purpose of this article is to review the major complications associated with spinal deformity. Major complications include pseudarthrosis, proximal junction kyphosis, sagittal decompensation, deep wound infection, and neurovascular injury. The technology and instrumentation used to treat spinal deformity continue to develop, and the complication rates seem to be decreasing. Although only trends can be identified, complications are to be expected when performing this surgery. Awareness of the occurrence of complications can lead to better information and guidance of the surgeon's expectations as well as the patient's.
Characterization of the O2-Evolving Reaction Catalyzed by [(terpy)(H2O)MnIII(O)2MnIV(OH2)(terpy)](NO3)3 (terpy = 2,2‘:6,2‘ ‘-Terpyridine)

The complex [(terpy)(H(2)O)Mn(III)(O)(2)Mn(IV)(OH(2))(terpy)](NO(3))(3) (terpy = 2,2':6,2' '-terpyridine) (1)catalyzes O(2) evolution from either KHSO(5) (potassium oxone) or NaOCl. The reactions follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics where V(max) = 2420 +/- 490 mol O(2) (mol 1)(-1) hr(-1) and K(M) = 53 +/- 5 mM for oxone ([1] = 7.5 microM), and V(max) = 6.5 +/- 0.3 mol O(2) (mol 1)(-1) hr(-1) and K(M) = 39 +/- 4 mM for hypochlorite ([1] = 70 microM), with first-order kinetics observed in 1 for both oxidants. A mechanism is proposed having a preequilibrium between 1 and HSO(5-) or OCl(-), supported by the isolation and structural characterization of [(terpy)(SO(4))Mn(IV)(O)(2)Mn(IV)(O(4)S)(terpy)] (2). Isotope-labeling studies using H(2)(18)O and KHS(16)O(5) show that O(2) evolution proceeds via an intermediate that can exchange with water, where Raman spectroscopy has been used to confirm that the active oxygen of HSO(5-) is nonexchanging (t(1/2) >> 1 h). The amount of label incorporated into O(2) is dependent on the relative concentrations of oxone and 1. (32)O(2):(34)O(2):(36)O(2) is 91.9 +/- 0.3:7.6 +/- 0.3:0.51 +/- 0.48, when [HSO(5-)] = 50 mM (0.5 mM 1), and 49 +/- 21:39 +/- 15:12 +/- 6 when [HSO(5-)] = 15 mM (0.75 mM 1). The rate-limiting step of O(2) evolution is proposed to be formation of a formally Mn(V)=O moiety which could then competitively react with either oxone or water/hydroxide to produce O(2). These results show that 1 serves as a functional model for photosynthetic water oxidation.
Galactorrhea with metoclopramide use in the neonatal unit.

We report a 3½-month-old infant with trisomy 21 presenting with galactorrhea in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Endocrine work-up showed a high prolactin level (64.4 ng ml−1—normal: 0.5 to 30 ng ml−1). Cessation of therapy with metoclopramide (0.2 mg kg−1 per dose q 6 h) resulted in the resolution of galactorrhea with a decrease in serum prolactin level (20.1 ng ml−1). We present this case to highlight this uncommon side effect of a commonly used medication in the NICU.
Parallel event sequences in international crises

This study presents a theory of foreign policy decision-making based on event structures that would account for the ability of foreign policy experts to make short-term predictions in the presence of incomplete information and noise. An algorithm is devised that constructs subsequences of events that occur in international crises coded in the Behavioral Correlates of War (BCOW) data set. Four subsets of BCOW crises are considered: nonwar crises, pre-World War I wars, post-World War I wars, and a mixture of nonwar and war crises. About six common subsequences are found in each of the sets; these cover about 35% of the events in the crisis sequences after the sequences have been filtered on the basis of novelty. The subsequences differ substantially between the subsets of crises and exhibit a degree of internal consistency. The subsequences also can be used to differentiate between nonwar and war crises by using the fit of each subsequence to construct a vector characterizing the crisis, then clustering on the basis of those vectors.
Single Institution 2-Year Patient Reported Validated Sexual Function Outcomes After Nerve Sparing Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose: To identify surgeon specific factors for preserving sexual function (and minimize patient related factors) we report 2-year potency outcomes in men 65 years or younger with normal preoperative sexual function undergoing nerve sparing robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: Between July 2004 and February 2006, 200 consecutive patients underwent robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by 1 surgeon. Inclusion criteria were age 65 years or younger with normal baseline 5-item International Index of Erectile Function score of 22 to 25 and complete 2-year followup. Postoperatively potency was defined by a yes to “erections adequate for vaginal penetration” and “satisfactory erections” on prospective self-administered validated questionnaires with or without phosphodiesterase type 5 medications. Men also reported 5-item International Index of Erectile Function scores and erectile fullness of 0% to 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% compared to before surgery.Results: A ...
Modified bovine serum albumin. VIII. Estimation and some physicochemical studies of the methylated derivative.

Abstract 1. 1. Studies on the methylation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with three reagents, methanol-thionyl chloride, methanol-trifluoroacetic anhydride and methanol-HCl, revealed that the last-named reagent is best suited for this protein. 2. 2. A derivative obtained by the reaction of BSA for 24 hr. in the cold, in methanolic HCl (0.1 N ) was hydrolyzed by trypsin at a greater rate than native BSA, indicating that the derivative may have been denatured to some extent. 3. 3. The possible applicability of the colorimetric hydroxamic acid method for the estimation of protein esters was explored. Methylated BSA could be estimated by this method after hydrolysis with pepsin. Amino acid esters could not be used as a model system for establishing the relation between the ester content and color yield, since the various amino acid esters gave different color intensities in the hydroxamic acid reaction. A workable calibration curve could be obtained by the colorimetric estimation of several methylated derivatives of BSA, whose methoxyl content was previously determined by the distillation method.
Effect of flooding of soil on growth, stem anatomy, and ethylene production of cryptomeria japonica seedlings

Flooding of soil for 55 days altered the rate of growth and stem anatomy of 9‐month‐old Cryptomeria japonica seedlings. Although flooding did not affect height growth it reduced the rate of dry weight increment of seedlings while increasing stem diameter. The reduction in dry weight increment of seedlings resulted largely from decay of roots and, to a lesser extent, from inhibition of growth of roots and needles. The increased diameter growth of flooded seedlings resulted largely from an increase in bark thickness associated with increased phloem production and greater amount of intercellular space. Flooding reduced xylem increment in submerged stems but increased it above the water level because of larger tracheids rather than more tracheids per radial file. Flooding also increased lumen diameters of tracheids, decreased tracheid wall thickness (as a proportion of tracheid diameter), and stimulated formation of axial parenchyma cells in the xylem. Cryptomeria japonica seedlings adapted to flooding by for...
From Membranes to Melts, Rouse to Reptation: Diffusion in Polymersome versus Lipid Bilayers

School of Engineering and Applied Science, University ofPennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104;Department of Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University,Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015; and Department ofChemical Engineering and Material Science, University ofMinnesota, Minneapolis, Minneapolis 55455Received July 11, 2001Revised Manuscript Received November 12, 2001
Design of a high-power cross-field amplifier at X-band with an internally coupled waveguide

30Cross field amplifiers (CFA) have been used in many applications where high power, high frequency microwaves are needed. Although these tubes have been manufactured for decades, theoretical analysis of their properties is not as highly developed as for other microwave devices such as klystrons. The authors have developed a simulation model for CFAs using the PIC code CONDOR. Their simulations indicate that there are limits to the maximum rf field strength that a CFA can sustain. When the fields become too high, efficiency becomes very poor, and the currents drawn may become so large that secondary emission cannot be maintained. It is therefore desirable to reduce the circuit impedance of a very high power tube. One method for doing this, proposed by Feinstein, involves periodically coupling a standard CFA circuit to an internal waveguide. Most of the power flows in the waveguide, so the overall impedance is much reduced. By adjusting the guide dimensions one can vary the impedance. Thus one can retain high impedance at the low power end but low impedance at the high power end. In principle one can maintain constant rf voltage throughout the tube. CONDOR simulations have identified a good operating point at X band, with power generation of over 5 MW/cm and total efficiency of over 60%. ARGUS simulations have modeled the cold test properties of the coupled structure. The nominal design specifications are 300 MW output, 17 db gain, frequency 11.4 GHz, DC voltage 142 kV, magnetic field 5 kG, anode cathode gap 3.6 mm, total interaction length about 60 cm. Results of code simulations are discussed and the status of the experimental effort is reported.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Primary repair of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. List five principles that guide synchronous repair of bilateral complete cleft lip and nasal deformity. 2. Explain how different growth rates for the principal nasolabial features are applied during primary repair. 3. Describe two approaches for positioning the alar cartilages to form the columella. 4. Discuss the influences on referral patterns for a newborn with bilateral cleft lip. --Traditional repair of bilateral cleft lip focused on labial closure but accentuated the nasal deformities, which were addressed later. By the end of the past century, single-staged labial closure had replaced the old multistaged procedures and the technical emphasis had begun to shift from secondary to primary nasal correction. Now, presurgical maxillary orthopedics sets the bony foundation for synchronous nasolabial repair and for closure of the alveolar clefts. The study of normal nasolabial growth and the typical stigmata of the conventional methods provides the necessary foreknowledge to guide surgical sculpture in three dimensions and to anticipate the fourth dimension. The convergence of several forces are changing referral lines for children born with bilateral cleft lip. These include affirmation of centers of excellence, surgeons' self-regulation, prenatal diagnosis, economics of health-care delivery, and increasing parental sophistication. These pressures are not necessarily in conflict. Care by a subspecialized plastic surgeon and experienced team is in the best interests of the child and the third-party payer.
Prediction with incomplete past and interpolation of missing values

Abstract A generalized innovation algorithm is used to solve the problems of prediction of future values based on incomplete past and interpolation of missing values of a stationary time series. The emphasis is on the computational aspects and the proposed method is particularly useful when there are several missing values with arbitrary patterns.
Outer and Central Charged Residues in DIVS4 of Skeletal Muscle Sodium Channels Have Differing Roles in Deactivation

We tested the effects of charge-neutralizing mutations of the eight arginine residues in DIVS4 of the rat skeletal muscle sodium channel (rNaV1.4) on deactivation gating from the open and inactivated states. We hypothesized that neutralization of outer or central charges would accelerate the I-to-C transition as measured by recovery delay because these represent a portion of the immobilizable charge. R1Q abbreviated recovery delay as a consequence of reduced charge content. R4Q increased delay, whereas R5Q abbreviated delay, and charge-substitutions at these residues indicated that each effect was allosteric. We also hypothesized that neutralization of any residue in DIVS4 would slow the O-to-C transition with reduction in positive charge. Reduction in charge at R1, and to a lesser extent at R5, slowed open-state deactivation, while charge neutralizations at R2, R3, R4, R6, and R7 accelerated open-state deactivation. Our findings suggest that arginine residues in DIVS4 in rNaV1.4 have differing roles in channel closure from open and inactivated states. Furthermore, they suggest that deactivation in DIVS4 is regulated by charge interaction between the electrical field with the outermost residue, and by local allosteric interactions imparted by central charges.
Physical Characteristics of Surimi Seafood as Affected By Thermal Processing Conditions

Texture, color and microbiological characteristics of surimi seafood were measured at three processing temperatures (93°, 85°, and 75°C) and various times (0-120 min). The time required to provide a zero aerobic plate count at 93°, 85°, and 75°C was 5, 15, and 15 min, respectively. Both thermal processing temperature and time affected whiteness and shear strain of surimi seafood. As the thermal processing temperature and time increased, the shear strain and whiteness decreased. The higher the thermal processing temperature and longer time, the lower were the shear strain and whiteness. Results indicated 15 min at 75° or 85°C were the optimum thermal processing conditions.
Identification by analytical flow cytometry of prolactin receptors on immunocompetent cell populations in the mouse

Five monoclonal antibodies (T1, T6, U5, U6, and E21) made to the external portion of the rat PRL receptor (PRL-R) were conjugated to fluorescein isothyrocynate and used to examine the presence of PRL-R on mouse lymphocytes and macrophages using analytical flow cytometry. The monoclonals were initially evaluated using Nb2 cells, a cloned line from a rat lymphoma, and NOG-8 cells, a cloned line from normal mouse mammary gland tissue, which are known to have PRL-R. All monoclonal antibodies bound to these cells, but the U5 monoclonal gave the best separation from unstained cells. CTLL-2 cells, a mouse lymphoma cell line containing interleukin-2 receptors, did not bind to any of the monoclonals. Isolated thioglycolate-induced peritoneal macrophages contained PRL-R, and the PRL-R monoclonal U5 gave the best separation from unstained cells. Eighty-five percent of macrophages constitutively had PRL-R using this monoclonal. In vivo stimulation of the popliteal lymph node by the injection of Concanavalin-A (Con-A) into the right foot pad of intact and ovariectomized (OVX) BALB/c mice induced, at the end of 10-12 h, a marked increase in interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) expression on CD4, CD8, and B-cells compared to the unstimulated left popliteal lymph node. The number of CD4 and CD8 cells from OVX animals with IL-2R was twice that from intact animals, whereas no difference in the percentage of B-cells with IL-2R was evident. PRL-R were constitutively expressed on 5% of the CD4 cells and 20% of the CD8 cells and were increased in the Con-A-stimulated lymph node when examined with the U5 PRL-R monoclonal. A higher percentage of CD4 and CD8 cells from OVX animals constitutively expressed PRL-R, and when stimulated with Con-A, a further increase was observed compared to the level in intact animals. Using the U5 monoclonal, over 80% of the B220 cells constitutively expressed PRL-R; however, when T1, T6, and U6 monoclonals were examined, the percentage was considerably below (20%) than that observed for U5. Con-A stimulation did not alter the percentage of B220 cells expressing PRL-R. These results show the importance of identifying lymphocyte subsets and examining a number of PRL-R monoclonals in determining lymphocyte PRL-R expression on the surface of the cell.
The retardation of ligand oxidations by co-ordination

Abstract The oxidation of hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HETA) by vanadate (V) is largely suppressed when the ligand is co-ordinated to chromium (III) or cobalt (III). The oxidation of the more stable cobalt (III) complex proceeds at a slower rate than is found for the chromium (III) complex. This result is consistent with a mechanism for the vanadate oxidation which requires the formation of a normal complex between the ligand and the vanadate (V) prior to the electron transfer step. The hexacyanoferrate (III) oxidation of the reducing sugars, glucose, fructose and galactose, is greatly suppressed when the reducing sugars are present as their complexes with borate. This indicatest hat co-ordination can also interfere with oxidations which proceed through outer sphere complexes where the bonding of the reactants is of a less specific sort. The effect of co-ordination to borate on the reactivity of reducing sugars in their characteristic tests has also been examined, and a varying degree of masking found.
Soil chronosequence and geomorphology in a semi-arid valley in the Andes of southern Peru

Abstract Soil development, particularly in relation to relative age of geomorphic surfaces, was studied in a high-altitude valley on the semi-arid western side of the Andes in southern Peru. Seven major fluvial surfaces in the Colca Valley were recognized, including floodplains, stream terraces, and fans associated with the Rio Colca and its tributaries. Soils were also briefly examined on Pleistocene andesite flows within the valley, and on high volcanic plateaus surrounding the valley. Field and laboratory work indicate that most soils on stable surfaces above the floodplain are Mollisols and that there is a consistent pattern of increasing subsurface horizon development on successively higher and older fluvial surfaces from 3300 to 3800 m elevation. A developmental sequence of argillic horizons, duripans, and carbonate accumulation is present on these fluvial surfaces. Soils on the oldest fluvial surfaces exhibit strongly developed argillic horizons underlain by calcic horizons and strongly cemented duripans that contain illuvial carbonate and clay. Substantial development of these horizons also occurs on colluvial surfaces with slopes up to at least 65%. Relative depths of subsurface horizons on steeper colluvial surfaces differ from those on gently sloping fluvial surfaces in that argillic horizons and duripans are amalgamated. This study indicates that significant chemical weathering and strong subsurface pedogenesis occur in high-altitude, mountainous environments within the tropics, in contrast to findings at high altitudes in other climatic zones.
Neonatal Anesthesia Neurotoxicity: A Review for Cleft and Craniofacial Surgeons

There is growing evidence that the commonly used anesthetic agents cause some degree of damage to the early developing brain. The animal evidence for anesthetic neurotoxicity is compelling. Numerous confounders in human research prevent researchers from drawing definitive conclusions about the degree of risk. For every surgery, it should be assessed whether the benefits of an early surgical procedure justify a potential but unquantifiable risk of neurotoxicity of anesthetic agents. The timing and number of surgeries in our treatment protocols may need to be reevaluated to account for these potential risks.
EFFECT OF AGE ON DIAGNOSTIC USEFULNESS OF STIMULATED PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY AND SARALASIN TEST IN DETECTION OF RENOVASCULAR HYPERTENSION

Abstract The diagnostic usefulness of the timed intravenous pyelogram (IVP), isotopic renal flow study (renal flow), stimulated plasma renin activity (SPRA), saralasin infusion test, and renal vein renins (RVR) in detecting possible renal vascular hypertension was studied in relation to age. Among patients who had been off medication for 2 weeks and who had normal renal X-ray findings, the percentage of those with a high SPRA dropped from 22·3% in those aged 20-29 to 4·2% in those aged 60-69 years, and that in those showing a positive saralasin test dropped from 8·3% in those aged 20-29 to 4·3% in those aged 60-69. But among those with abnormal renal X-ray findings, the percentage rose from 5·7% to 20% (high SPRA) and from 16·3% to 33% (positive saralasin test). A high SPRA or positive saralasin detected a renal abnormality in 11·7% and 50%, respectively, of patients aged 20-29, and 75% and 85·7%, respectively, of those aged 60-69. The percentage of all patients on or off medication with abnormal renal X-ray findings and a renal vein renin ratio >1·5 increased from 14·2% among those aged 20-29 to 84·2% among those aged 60- 69. The results indicate an increasing usefulness with age of a high SPRA or a positive saralasin test in indicating an abnormal renal X-ray and an abnormal renal vein renin ratio, and thus a potentially correctable lesion.
The human constitutive androstane receptor promotes the differentiation and maturation of hepatic-like cells

Expression of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) is enriched in the mature mammalian liver and increasingly recognized for its prominent role in regulating a myriad of processes including biotransformation, chemical transport, energy metabolism and lipid homeostasis. Previously, we demonstrated that CAR levels were markedly enhanced during the differentiation of hepatic-like cells derived from hESCs, prompting the hypothesis that CAR contributes a key functional role in directing human hepatogenesis. Here we demonstrate that over-expression of CAR in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), transduced by a lentiviral vector, accelerates the maturation of hepatic-like cells, with CAR over-expressing cells exhibiting a 2.5-fold increase in albumin secretion by day 20 in culture differentiation, and significantly enhanced levels of mRNA expression of several liver-selective markers, including hepatic transcription factors, plasma proteins, biotransformation enzymes, and metabolic enzymes. CAR over-expressing cells also exhibited enhanced CITCO-inducible CYP3A7 enzymatic activity. Knockdown of CAR via siRNA attenuated the differentiation-dependent expression programs. In contrast, expression levels of the pregnane X receptor (PXR), a nuclear receptor most similar to CAR in primary sequence, were negligible in human fetal liver tissues or in the differentiating hESCs, and stable over-expression of PXR in hepatic-induced hESCs failed to enhance expression of hepatic phenotype markers. Together, these results define a novel role for human CAR in hepatic lineage commitment.
Development of a broadband submillimeter grating spectrometer

One of the central issues in astronomy is the formation and evolution of galaxies at large redshifts. Submillimeter observations are essential to understanding these processes. One of the best prospects for high redshift submillimeter observations is the study of the C_(II) 158 micrometer fine- structure line, which carries about 0.2% of the total luminosity of nearby starburst galaxies. However, current heterodyne receivers at submillimeter observatories have insufficient bandwidth to detect the full extent of highly broadened emission lines. We are developing a broadband grating spectrometer for the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory with a total bandwidth of ~3400 km/s and a velocity resolution of 200 km/s. The detectors will be a linear array of 32 close-packed monolithic silicon bolometers developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. In order to achieve background-limited sensitivity, the bolometers will be cooled to 100 mK by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. The spectrometer optics will consist of a tunable cryogenic immersion grating using broadband filters as order sorters. The spectrometer will be optimized to operate in the 350 µm and 450 µm atmospheric windows. Calculations of the sensitivity of the spectrometer reveal that an ultraluminous infrared galaxy of 10^(12) L_⊙ at a redshift of z = 1 would be detectable at the 3σ level in the C_(II) line with 20 minutes of integration time.
15.4% of older people with hip fracture have visual impairment, 38.6% auditory impairment and 30.1% combined sensory impairment

Commentary on: EV Grue, M Kirkevold, AH Ranhoff. Prevalence of vision, hearing, and combined vision and hearing impairments in patients with hip fractures. J Clin Nurs2009;18:3037–49.
Proteome-wide identification of proteins and their modifications with decreased ambiguities and improved false discovery rates using unique sequence tags

Identifying proteins and their modification states and with known levels of confidence remains as a significant challenge for proteomics. Random or decoy peptide databases are increasingly being used to estimate the false discovery rate (FDR), e.g., from liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS) analyses of tryptic digests. We show that this approach can significantly underestimate the FDR and describe an approach for more confident protein identifications that uses unique partial sequences derived from a combination of database searching and amino acid residue sequencing using high-accuracy MS/MS data. Applied to a Saccharomyces cerevisiae tryptic digest, the approach provided 3 132 confident peptide identifications (∼5% modified in some fashion), covering 575 proteins with an estimated zero FDR. The conventional approach provided 3 359 peptide identifications and 656 proteins with 0.3% FDR based upon a decoy database analysis. However, the present approach revealed ∼5% of the 3 359 ident...
THE IMMUNOLOGICAL SPECIFICITY OF STAPHYLOCOCCI : III. INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF CELL CONSTITUENTS

1. The carbohydrates derived from Staphylococcus are type specific. 2. The specific carbohydrates fail to induce formation of antibodies in rabbits. 3. Acetylation or adsorption of the carbohydrates on collodion particles does not render them antigenic. 4. The specific carbohydrates may be employed to elicit immediate, type specific, skin reactions in patients with Staphylococcus infection. 5. The protein of Staphylococcus is species specific. 6. The protein is antigenic and stimulates in rabbits species specific antibodies. 7. The protein causes in hypersensitive individuals a species specific, delayed, inflammatory skin reaction.
Marital Attitude Trajectories Across Adolescence

The current study seeks to address the implicit assumption in the developmental literature that marital attitudes are static by investigating how various marital attitudes might change across adolescence. Longitudinal change for three marital attitudes in relation to family structure, educational aspirations, race and gender are examined. Utilizing a sample of 1,010 high school students (53% male; 76% white) recruited from a Midwestern metropolitan area, latent growth models were used to model marital attitude trajectories across adolescence. The sample was followed for 4 years from ages 14 until 18. Results revealed that adolescents placed a higher priority on marriage as they prepared to transition into young adulthood but that gender, race and educational aspirations all altered the degree in which marital attitudes changed across the time period of the study. Results highlight the importance of considering multiple constructs of marital attitudes and the need for more longitudinal work in this area of study.
Some comments on the bi-normal frequency distribution

Abstract A distribution that plots as two straight line segments on probability paper is examined. It is shown that this distribution may be thought of as being composed of two truncated normal probability functions, A and B, with the restriction that ( σ A μ B − σ B μ A ) (σ A − σ B ) equals the value of the variable at the truncation point. It is further shown that if the truncation point occurs at a cumulative frequency of 69%, ( μ B − μ A ) (σ A -σ B ) very nearly equals 0.5.
‘Stay-Behind’ in France: Much ado about nothing?

Abstract Stay-behind networks in France were set up starting in 1948 and were aimed at responding to the possibility of a Soviet armed attack into Western Europe. Participants were identified, and arms and explosives cached, to be activated in case of hostilities. This activity became folded into a multilateral effort under the Allied Coordination Committee (ACC) of NATO. In France, the network was run as a highly compartmented activity under the French external intelligence service (DGSE). As the Soviet threat receded, the stay-behind activity became more and more dormant, and in 1990 it was quietly disbanded, immediately after the P-2 scandal broke in Italy.
Iron–sulfur bond covalency from electronic structure calculations for classical iron–sulfur clusters

The covalent character of iron-sulfur bonds is a fundamental electronic structural feature for understanding the electronic and magnetic properties and the reactivity of biological and biomimetic iron-sulfur clusters. Conceptually, bond covalency obtained from X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) can be directly related to orbital compositions from electronic structure calculations, providing a standard for evaluation of density functional theoretical methods. Typically, a combination of functional and basis set that optimally reproduces experimental bond covalency is chosen, but its dependence on the population analysis method is often neglected, despite its important role in deriving theoretical bond covalency. In this study of iron tetrathiolates, and classical [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters with only thiolate ligands, we find that orbital compositions can vary significantly depending on whether they are derived from frontier orbitals, spin densities, or electron sharing indexes from "Atoms in Molecules" (AIM) theory. The benefits and limitations of Mulliken, Minimum Basis Set Mulliken, Natural, Coefficients-Squared, Hirshfeld, and AIM population analyses are described using ab initio wave function-based (QCISD) and experimental (S K-edge XAS) bond covalency. We find that the AIM theory coupled with a triple-ζ basis set and the hybrid functional B(5%HF)P86 gives the most reasonable electronic structure for the studied Fe-S clusters.
A Study of the Performance of Ballistic Nanoscale MOSFETS Using Classical and Quantum Ballistic Transport Models

Using the nanoMOS 2.5 simulator, we study the impact of varying the channel length, gate oxide thickness and dielectric constant, drain voltage, and temperature on the performance of a ballistic nanoscale MOSFET using quantum ballistic and classic ballistic transport models. Our key results show that the quantum ballistic (QB) transport model typically predicts a lower on-state current compared to the classical ballistic (CB) model except for a 5nm channel length where source-to-drain tunneling contributes approximately 35% to the on-state current. We also show that the off-state current is significantly affected by the gate oxide thickness, whereas the influence of varying the oxide dielectric constant on the off-state current was not as pronounced for a 1.5nm oxide thickness. Finally, we show that room temperature operation (T=300K) leads to an excessively high off-state current and a degraded subthreshold slope. For low temperatures, (T=100K), the QB and CB models predicts a seven orders of magnitude difference in the off-state current.
Increased hydrophobicity and decreased backbone flexibility explain the lower solubility of a cataract-linked mutant of γD-crystallin.

A number of point mutations in γD-crystallin are associated with human cataract. The Pro23-to-Thr (P23T) mutation is perhaps the most common, is geographically widespread, and presents itself in a variety of phenotypes. It is therefore important to understand the molecular basis of lens opacity due to this mutation. In our earlier studies, we noted that P23T shows retrograde and sharply lowered solubility, most likely due to the emergence of hydrophobic patches involved in protein aggregation. Binding of 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonate (Bis-ANS) dye (a probe commonly used for detecting surface hydrophobicity) competed with aggregation, suggesting that the residues involved in Bis-ANS binding are also involved in protein aggregation. Here, using NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with Bis-ANS binding, we identify three residues (Y16, D21, and Y50) in P23T that are involved in binding the dye. Furthermore, using 15N NMR relaxation experiments, we show that, in the mutant protein, backbone fluctuations are restricted to the picosecond-to-nanosecond and microsecond timescales relative to the wild type. Our present studies specify the residues involved in these two pivotal characteristics of the mutant protein, namely increased surface hydrophobicity and restricted mobility of the protein backbone, which can explain the nucleation and further propagation of protein aggregates. Thus, we have now identified the residues in the P23T mutant that give rise to novel hydrophobic surfaces, as well as those regions of the protein backbone where fluctuations in different timescales are restricted, providing a comprehensive understanding of how lens opacity could result from this mutation.
Glycophorins A, B, and C: A family of sialoglycoproteins. Isolation and preliminary characterization of trypsin derived peptides

Two new sialoglycoproteins, glycophorin B and glycophorin C, were isolated from erythrocyte membranes by extraction with lithium diiodosalicylate, partition in aqueous phenol, gel filtration in detergent, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The two proteins were characterized by amino acid and carbohydrate analysis, separation of tryptic peptides, and isolation and purification of the amino terminal glycopeptide from each polypeptide chain. Glycophorin B is found in two forms in electrophoretograms of normal erythrocyte membranes corresponding to monomer and dimer, as has been similarly described for glycophorin A. By using antibodies to a carboxy terminal determinant of glycophorin A, and direct staining of gels with antibodies and 125I-protein A from Staph. aureus, as well as by two-dimensional immunoelectrophoreis, only the two known forms of glycophorin A are detectable. The data confirm and extend the notion that the sialoglycoproteins in human red cells are dimeric molecules which are either preformed in the membrane or which can readily be generated in vitro. Only glycophorin A and glycophorin C are sensitive to trypsin while in situ in the intact red blood cells.
Permian marine paleoecology and its implications for large-scale decoupling of brachiopod and bivalve abundance and diversity during the Lopingian (Late Permian)

Abstract The transition during the Permian–Triassic interval from brachiopod-rich benthic marine assemblages to communities with diverse molluscs has been well constrained by measures of global taxonomic richness but its ecological context has not been studied using quantitative relative abundance data. New relative abundance data from Early, Middle, and Late Permian silicified fossil assemblages from offshore shelf carbonate environments indicate that molluscs increased significantly in relative abundance, from 0.8% in the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) to 65.4% in the Late Permian (Lopingian). These numerical changes are accompanied by increases in the abundance of infaunal bivalves and motile gastropods in the Late Permian. Although this ecological change was coincident with the end-Guadalupian extinction, a new global diversity compilation indicates that the overall genus-level severity of that biotic crisis was substantially lower than previous estimates. The pronounced ecological shift was instead concurrent with the onset of deep-marine anoxic or euxinic conditions around the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary, suggesting that increased environmental variability in proximity to the deep water mass may have given eurytopic molluscs a competitive advantage over more stenotopic brachiopods. However, the lack of global changes in relative genus richness implies dramatic decoupling of global taxonomic and local ecological processes. The pronounced increase in molluscan abundance and alpha diversity in the silicified assemblages contrasts with their unchanged global taxonomic richness and may also have resulted from increased environmental stress in offshore shelf environments. These results demonstrate that the ecological transition from the brachiopods to molluscs was more complex than inferred from global measures of taxonomic richness and imply that initial stages of Permo–Triassic environmental deterioration may have been responsible for the decoupling of local ecological from global taxonomic processes during the dramatic Late Permian rise of the Modern Fauna.
Optical measurement of torsional spring modulus of a double-stranded DNA using half-coated nanoparticles

A technique of detecting the rolling and spinning of half-coated nanoparticles using interference ring patterns of the fluorescence has been applied to the measurement of torsional spring modulus of a double-stranded DNA. Using the unique ability to measure nanoparticle rotations in multiple degrees of freedom, we were able to determine the spinning of a nanoparticle tethered on the DNA and thereby the twisting of the DNA in real time. The detailed knowledge of the spinning as well as rolling behaviors of half-coated nanoparticles provides information about torsional elastic properties of the DNA under investigation.