cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resonance assignment of the NMR spectra of disordered proteins using a multi-objective non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm

A multi-objective genetic algorithm is introduced to predict the assignment of protein solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectra with partial resonance overlap and missing peaks due to broad linewidths, molecular motion, and low sensitivity. This non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) aims to identify all possible assignments that are consistent with the spectra and to compare the relative merit of these assignments. Our approach is modeled after the recently introduced Monte-Carlo simulated-annealing (MC/SA) protocol, with the key difference that NSGA-II simultaneously optimizes multiple assignment objectives instead of searching for possible assignments based on a single composite score. The multiple objectives include maximizing the number of consistently assigned peaks between multiple spectra (“good connections”), maximizing the number of used peaks, minimizing the number of inconsistently assigned peaks between spectra (“bad connections”), and minimizing the number of assigned peaks that have no matching peaks in the other spectra (“edges”). Using six SSNMR protein chemical shift datasets with varying levels of imperfection that was introduced by peak deletion, random chemical shift changes, and manual peak picking of spectra with moderately broad linewidths, we show that the NSGA-II algorithm produces a large number of valid and good assignments rapidly. For high-quality chemical shift peak lists, NSGA-II and MC/SA perform similarly well. However, when the peak lists contain many missing peaks that are uncorrelated between different spectra and have chemical shift deviations between spectra, the modified NSGA-II produces a larger number of valid solutions than MC/SA, and is more effective at distinguishing good from mediocre assignments by avoiding the hazard of suboptimal weighting factors for the various objectives. These two advantages, namely diversity and better evaluation, lead to a higher probability of predicting the correct assignment for a larger number of residues. On the other hand, when there are multiple equally good assignments that are significantly different from each other, the modified NSGA-II is less efficient than MC/SA in finding all the solutions. This problem is solved by a combined NSGA-II/MC algorithm, which appears to have the advantages of both NSGA-II and MC/SA. This combination algorithm is robust for the three most difficult chemical shift datasets examined here and is expected to give the highest-quality de novo assignment of challenging protein NMR spectra.
Sodium nitroprusside mitigates oleic acid-induced acute lung injury

Abstract Background . Acute lung injury (ALI) is associated with pulmonary hypertension, intrapulmonary shunting, and increased microvascular permeability, leading to altered oxygenation capacity. Oleic acid (OA) creates a significant ALI that physiologically mimics human adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It has been hypothesized that pulmonary vasodilatation may improve ALI. Studies in our laboratory using this model and nitric oxide (NO) have shown that NO inhalation is detrimental and worsens the effects of OA. We studied the effect of pretreatment with a potent vasodilator, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), on ALI induced by OA in an isolated lung model. We hypothesized that pretreatment with SNP will worsen pulmonary hypertension and oxygenation in OA-induced ALI, similar to the effects seen with inhaled NO in this model. Methods . Rabbit heart lung blocks were isolated, flushed in vivo, harvested, immediately perfused with whole blood, and ventilated with 50% oxygen. Pulmonary artery pressure was determined every 15 seconds for 90 minutes of perfusion. Oxygenation was determined by blood gas analysis of pulmonary venous effluent at 0, 20, 40, 60, and 90 minutes after initiation of OA infusion. Four groups were studied: saline control (SC), oleic acid control (OAC; 20-minute infusion of 50% OA/ethanol into pulmonary circulation), SNP control (NPC; 10 μg/kg/min SNP infused without subsequent OA infusion), and SNP treatment (NPRx); 10 μg/kg/min SNP infused before OA/ethanol. Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), oxygenation (arterio-venous oxygen difference [AVO 2 ], compliance (CPL), and wet/dry lung weight were determined. Results . No significant differences were found between the NPRx group and SC. Pretreatment with SNP eliminated the detrimental effects of OA infusion. Conclusions . Contrary to our hypothesis, pretreatment with SNP eliminates the decrease in oxygenation and increase in lung weight, and ameliorates pulmonary hypertension in our isolated lung model of OA-induced ALI.
Adsorption of mercaptosilanes on nanocrystalline and single crystal zinc oxide surfaces

The wide band gap and unique photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) make it attractive for a variety of photonics and sensor applications. Toward the goal of modifying the electronic structure and optical properties of nano-ZnO, the adsorption of 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPTES) has been investigated. Nano-ZnO rods having widths of 10-20 nm and lengths of 100-300 nm were functionalized by ultrasonicating them in a hot ethanol/water solution and adding MPTES. FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the modified nano- ZnO confirm silane functionalization. The presence of hydroxyl groups prior to functionalization suggests that adsorption to ZnO occurs primarily via a condensation reaction and the formation of Zn-O-Si bonds. Comparison has been made to 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) adsorbed in ultrahigh vacuum onto sputter-cleaned single crystal ZnO(0001) in which MPTMS vapor is leaked into the vacuum chamber. In this case, bonding occurs via the thiol groups, as indicated by angle-resolved XPS studies. Similar experiments in which sputter-cleaned ZnO(0001) is dosed with dodecanethiol (DDT) confirm adsorption via S-Zn bond formation. Photoluminescence measurements of MPTES-functionalized nano-ZnO show an increase in intensity of the UV emission peak and a decrease in the visible peak relative to the unfunctionalized particles. The reduction of the visible emission peak is believed to be due to passivation of surface defects.
Does Motherhood Get Easier the Second-Time Around? Examining Parenting Stress and Marital Quality Among Mothers Having Their First or Second Child

SYNOPSIS Objective . The ease or difficulty with which a woman makes the transition to motherhood has a significant impact on her, her marriage, and her ability to care for the child. Factors affecting this transition, mothers' perceptions of their marriages, and the stress mothers were experiencing were assessed. Design . Mothers expecting a first (N = 40) or second child (N = 42) were surveyed during their third trimester of pregnancy and at 1 month postpartum. Parenting stress, marital quality, and perceptions of marital roles were assessed both times. Results . Mothers in both groups reported equivalent levels of stress, which increased among all mothers from the prenatal to the postnatal assessment. Positive aspects of marital quality were shown to decline over time for all mothers. In addition, all mothers reported that they were more responsible for household duties at 1-month postpartum. First-time mothers showed increases in role differentiation and decreases in satisfaction with roles across the...
Electroconvulsive shock effects on food and water intake as a function of prior deprivational state.

Abstract Two experiments, each using approximately 30 male and 30 female hooded rats, examined the effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on water intake as a function of the water deprivation state of the animal and food intake and body weight as a function of food deprivation state. In Experiment 1, half the animals were subjected to water deprivation prior to ECS or sham ECS, and the other half were watered ad lib; in Experiment 2, food deprivation was the pre-ECS manipulation. As predicted, ECS produced a decrease in water intake in the ad lib watered animals but not in the deprived ones. A similar treatment by deprivation interaction was not found for food intake or body weight. In the males, food intake was decreased for one day by the treatment but recovered to a normal level two days following ECS; however, such an effect of ECS on food intake did not occur in the females. Since food and water intake was not differentially affected by ECS and sham ECS in deprived animals, previous cautions regarding ECS effects on motivational states may not be germane to many studies using appetitive conditioning paradigms.
Target-strength measurements of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus)

The importance of knowledge about the target-strength (TS) characteristics of the surveyed fish population to the accuracy of acoustic assessments using echo integration is well known. The most commonly used TS to length (L) relationship for walleye pollock is based on swimbladder morphology measurements and in situ TS measurements TS (in dB)=20 log L−66.0 for fish length in centimeters. For Pacific whiting, TS measurements have not been made over an adequate range of fish lengths to determine the appropriate relationship for use in scaling echo-integration surveys. However, results presented in this paper and elsewhere suggest a smaller TS (about 2 dB for a given length) for 40-60 cm fish. Measurements of the TS of walleye pollock and Pacific whiting were made with a SIMRAD EK500 in the present study. The appropriateness of the currently used TS to length relationship for echo integration scaling is discussed for pollock. The application of a TS to length relationship for Pacific whiting is considered. An attempt to use a system with a transducer lowered through the water column to reduce noise-induced bias is described.
Imaging of ASR Gel by Soft X-Ray Microscopy

Abstract The soft x-ray transmission microscope XM-1 was used to examine alkali-silicate reaction (ASR) gel morphology in an experimental investigation of the alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR). The XM-1 microscope is operated by the Center for X-ray Optics on beamline 6.1 of the Advanced Light Source, a third generation synchrotron radiation facility operated by the Ernest O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The instrument is unique as samples can be observed wet, with high resolution (43 nm), over time, as chemical reactions proceed. Soft x-ray microscopy was used to examine the in situ reaction of ground ASR gel, obtained from a large dam, and solutions of sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and combined sodium and calcium hydroxide. From this investigation, it appears that ASR gel combines with alkalis present in pore solution to produce a reaction gel capable of swelling, while the reaction of the ASR gel in the presence of calcium hydroxide and no alkalis results in the formation of a structure resembling C-S-H. It is theorized that the formation of C-S-H or a related compound will decrease the degree of swelling that would otherwise result from the formation of an alkali-aggregate reaction product. The C-S-H-like structure may also contribute strength. These hypotheses are currently under investigation.
Preface to the special issue "Novel pharmaconeurogenetic approaches arising from progress in translational genetics".

As modern medicine continues to advance with a focus on novel and selective targets, the need for identification and validation of these targets in preclinical and clinical studies is critical. Rec...
THE EFFECT OF CALCIUM SULFATE AS THE BINDER IN DEAE-CELLULOSE THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR SEPARATING NUCLEIC ACID DEGRADATION PRODUCTS.

Abstract Thin-layer techniques involving layers of diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, with and without CaSO4, are presented for the complete separation and quantitative elution of the major degradation products of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid. Emphasis is given to the effects of the pH of the material to be separated and to the percent CaSO4 present in the cellulose as “binder”.
A model of decision making under bounded rationality

Abstract A model of decision making under bounded rationality is presented that combines satisficing behavior with learning and adaptation through environmental feedback. The aspirations, or goals, of the decision maker dynamically adjust in response to the observed sequence of past decisions and their corresponding effects on the decison maker's objective function. A simple linear response model is employed to represent the beliefs of the decison maker concerning the causal connection between his/her decisions and the resulting objective function value. The combination of these simple elements yields a decision process model rich in dynamic behavior; it can exhibit optimizing behavior in the long-run and chaotic pseudo-random search in the short-run. As such, the model bridges the gap between substantive rationality and procedural rationality.
On the pressure dependency of threshold stress intensity

Abstract Most high strength steel and titanium alloys have been observed to have a threshold stress intensity, below which no environmentally-induced cracking occurs. Recent models for the concentration of atomic hydrogen in the vicinity of a dilatational stress field can be used to predict such threshold stress intensities. These models can predict state of stress effects which can be changed by yield strength, thickness and loading mode. The following analysis demonstrates how an externally applied hydrostatic pressure should increase the threshold stress intensity. A predicted increase of 5000 psi-in 1 2 in an alpha-beta titanium alloy is in reasonable agreement with experimental observations of Dehart and Liebowitz.
Reconstructing surface EMG from scalp EEG during myoelectric control of a closed looped prosthetic device

In this study, seven able-bodied human subjects controlled a robotic gripper with surface electromyography (sEMG) activity from the biceps. While subjects controlled the gripper, they felt the forces measured by the robotic gripper through an exoskeleton fitted on their non-dominant left arm. Subjects were instructed to identify objects with the force feedback provided by the exoskeleton. While subjects operated the robotic gripper, scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were recorded. We developed neural decoders that used scalp EEG to reconstruct the sEMG used to control the robotic gripper. The neural decoders used a genetic algorithm embedded in a linear model with memory to reconstruct the sEMG from a plurality of EEG channels. The performance of the decoders, measured with Pearson correlation coefficients (median r-value = 0.59, maximum r-value = 0.91) was found to be comparable to previous studies that reconstructed sEMG linear envelopes from neural activity recorded with invasive techniques. These results show the feasibility of developing EEG-based neural interfaces that in turn could be used to control a robotic device.
The Effects of Gender on the Transition of Transfer Students into a New School.

The present study describes a peer-tutoring program designed to utilize computerassisted instruction to help first through fourth graders who were entering a new school. Tutored girls increased their positive self-perceptions as a result of the tutoring program, whereas boys declined in positive self-perceptions, while exhibiting gains in reading scores. These findings suggest that prevention efforts need to consider the specific adaptation needs of transfer students by gender so as to insure a maximum fit between individual need and program scope.
Decadal Shifts of the Kuroshio Extension Jet: Application of Thin-Jet Theory

AbstractMeridional shifts of the Kuroshio Extension (KE) jet on decadal time scales are examined using a 1960–2004 hindcast simulation of an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model for the Earth Simulator (OFES). The leading mode of the simulated KE represents the meridional shifts of the jet on decadal time scales with the largest southward shift in the early 1980s associated with the climate regime shift in 1976/77, a result confirmed with subsurface temperature observations. The meridional shifts originate east of the date line and propagate westward along the mean jet axis, a trajectory inconsistent with the traditionally used linear long Rossby waves linearized in Cartesian coordinates, although the phase speed is comparable to that in the traditional framework. The zonal scale of these westward propagation signals is about 4000 km and much larger than their meridional scale. To understand the mechanism for the westward propagation of the KE jet shifts, the authors consider the limit of a thin...
Radiation exposure of personnel during digital subtraction angiography.

Radiation exposure to the lens of physicians performing intravenous and hand-injected intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were monitored with and without a combined face and body shield. Shielding provided nearly a three-fold reduction in dose for both intravenous and intraarterial exams, with the highest doses recorded for intraarterial exams due to longer fluoroscopy and exposure during imaging. When compared with the NCRP guidelines of maximum exposure to the lens, an angiographer could theoretically perform up to two intraarterial and 14 intravenous studies per day with protection or one intraarterial and two intravenous studies per day without protection. The exposure values in this study reflect our equipment and personal technique in carotid DSA and may not apply to other departments, but sould encourage other angiographers to monitor exposure in their own angiography suites.
X-ray Capabilities on the Picosecond Timescale at the Advanced Photon Source

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) operates with a timing structure advantageous for ultrafast dynamics experiments and, as a result, X-ray time-resolved studies on the 100-picosecond timescale have flourished. The standard operating mode, 24-bunch mode, runs 65% of the time and a hybrid singlet mode runs 15% of the time, yielding a total of 80% of beamtime easily accessible for studies of ultrafast dynamics using laser-pump/X-ray probe techniques. This article highlights recent enhanced capabilities for time-resolved studies at the APS.
Functional heterothallism resulting from homokaryotic conidia and ascospores in Neurospora tetrasperma

Each ascospore of Neurospora tetrasperma normally contains haploid nuclei of both mating types, A and a , and produces a self-fertile culture. A majority of cultures from single conidia are also self-fertile, because most conidia are multinucleate and contain nuclei of both mating types. It has long been known that some single-mating type, self-sterile cultures are produced, either from exceptional homokaryotic ascospores or from the minority of conidia that are homokaryotic. The homokaryotic, self-sterile cultures are crossfertile with strains of opposite mating type, and can be fertilized by compatible nuclei from either homokaryotic or heterokaryotic cultures. The present study shows that the spontaneous proportion of self-sterile propagules from nonmutant strains can be as high as 10% for ascospores and 20% for conidia. Thus, although N. tetrasperma is predominantly inbred, the species is nevertheless capable of significant heterothallic behaviour and outcrossing. As shown by B. O. Dodge, the Eight-spore mutation E causes most of the asci to produce five to eight ascospores by affecting spindle behaviour, pairwise association of nuclei, and ascospore delimitation. Cytological events in crosses heterozygous for E have been re-examined and crosses have also been examined that involve two wild strains which superficially resemble E in producing many homokaryotic ascospores by a somewhat different mechanism. Events in the developing wild type and mutant asci are documented photographically for the first time.
Efficacy of vagal nerve stimulation in children with medically refractory epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) on seizure frequency and quality of life were analyzed retrospectively in children with medically refractory epilepsy. METHODS: Thirty-eight children aged 11 months to 16 years underwent implantation of vagal nerve stimulators. Age of seizure onset, duration of epilepsy, and seizure type and frequency were recorded preoperatively. Age at implantation, length of follow-up, seizure type and frequency, and change in quality of life (QOL) were recorded postoperatively. Changes in QOL were assigned a QOL score by the caretakers on a visual analog scale of -1 (much worse) to +1 (much improved). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 12 months (range, 10-18 mo). Eleven (29%), 15 (39%), 5 (13%), and 7 (18%) children had greater than 90% reduction, 50 to 90% reduction, less than 50% reduction, and no reduction in seizure frequency, respectively. For all children, seizure reduction by seizure type was as follows: atonic (80%), absence (65%), complex partial (48%), and generalized tonicoclonic (45%). The mean change in QOL score was 0.61. Eighty-six percent of the children had QOL scores of 0.5 (improved) or higher. Follow-up of at least 6 months was associated with greater seizure reduction (P = 0.05) and higher QOL score (P < 0.01). Seizure reduction was greater in children with onset of epilepsy after 1 year of age (P < 0.05). The age of the child and duration of epilepsy were not associated with greater or lesser degrees of seizure reduction. CONCLUSION: VNS provided improvements in seizure control for the majority of children regardless of age. QOL was improved in the majority of children with VNS. VNS should be considered for children with medically refractory epilepsy who have no surgically resectable focus.
Structure-stability relationships of metal complexes and metal speciation in environmental aqueous solutions

The methods employed to determine critical stability constants from the published literature are described and the best approach for estimating stability constants to establish a sufficiently broad and extensive database that substantially defines all of the metal complex systems encountered in the environment is recommended. With these estimated formation constants, it is possible, with modern computer techniques, to calculate the speciation and concentrations of the metal complexes in multicomponent systems containing thousands of ligands and 10 to 100 times that number of metal complex species. The structure-stability relationships developed by other investigators are compared with the methods employed herein. Examples of measured, selected and estimated constants are presented for several metal complexes. The distributions of metal complex species in seawater in the absence and presence of an added complexing pollutant are calculated to illustrate the use of the stability constant database and the adjustment of the constants to the conditions required (i.e., ionic strength) for the system under consideration.
Supporting Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Critique and Adaptation of Science Lesson Plans Using Educative Curriculum Materials

Critiquing and adapting curriculum materials are essential teaching practices but challenging for many preservice teachers. This study explores the use of educative curriculum materials—materials intended to support both teacher and student learning—to help preservice elementary teachers develop their pedagogical design capacity for critiquing and adapting lessons. Preservice teachers received educative supports highlighting pedagogical principles and rationales for those principles. When provided with educative supports, most individuals attended to the principles targeted in the supports, engaged in an in-depth analysis with regard to the principles, and used the rationales from the supports to justify their analyses. However, few continued to do so in subsequent analyses when they no longer received support. Implications for science teacher education and curriculum design are discussed.
Maintenance of neuraxial block in labor analgesia

Summary Neuraxial analgesia for the treatment of labor pain has proven to be efficacious and safe over the past few decades. At present, several new strategies are being developed to further enhance pain relief and maternal satisfaction of our parturients in the hope of enabling them to have a more fulfilling birth experience. These include the use of patient-controlled epidural analgesia, the interest in the use of intermittent boluses as opposed to a continuous infusion for the administration of epidural local anesthetics, as well as the introduction of novel computer-integrated drug-delivery systems. These recent developments have helped in providing more efficacious analgesia and greater maternal satisfaction along with reduced local anesthetic consumption for our laboring patients. They have also contributed significantly in reducing physician workload by reducing the incidence of breakthrough pain. This review will focus on updates and recent advances in providing labor epidural analgesia over the past few years and discuss their advantages and various controversies. We will also review current literature on the use of adjuvants such as clonidine and neostigmine and their role in maintaining neuraxial block in labor.
Effects of Varying CDS Levels and Drying and Cooling Temperatures on Flowability Properties of DDGS

ABSTRACT Demand for alternative fuels and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels have triggered the growth of corn-based ethanol production, which is expected to rise in future years. Transportation of the coproduct distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from this industry occurs under various environmental conditions. Transporting DDGS is often problematic, because caking between the particles can lead to flow problems. In this study, we have prepared DDGS by combining condensed distillers solubles (CDS) with distillers wet grains and then drying. We investigated the effects of CDS level (10, 15, and 20%, wb), drying temperature (100, 200, and 300°C), and cooling temperature (–12, 25, and 35°C) on the flowability of the resulting DDGS. Statistical analyses of the resulting data found significant differences among the cooling temperature levels for angle of repose, total flow and flood indices, dispersibility, water activity, and protein dispersibility index. Additionally, significant interac...
Effects of obstetrician gender on communication and patient satisfaction

Objective: To describe patient-obstetrician communication during the first prenatal visit and its relationship to physician gender and patient satisfaction. Methods: The first prenatal visit of 87 women with 21 obstetricians (11 male and ten female) was audiotaped and analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. Patient satisfaction was measured by postvisit questionnaire. Results: Communication during first prenatal visits was largely biomedical, with little psychosocial or social discussion. Male physicians conducted longer visits than females (26 minutes versus 21.9 minutes, P 1.96, P 1.96, P < .05). Satisfaction with physicians’ emotional responsiveness and informational partnership was related to female physician gender and a variety of task-focused and affective communication variables. Conclusion: Communication and satisfaction between women and obstetricians during initial prenatal visits is related to physician gender and patient satisfaction. Male physicians conducted longer visits but women were more satisfied with female physicians.
Reaganomics and Class Cleavages in the United States

Beyond the Wasteland. By Samuel Bowles, David M. Gordon, and Thomas E. Weisskopf. (Garden City, NY: Anchor Press, 1983. Pp. xii, 465. $17.95 cloth, $8.95 paper.) Greed Is Not Enough: Reaganomics. By Robert Lekachman. (New York: Pantheon Books, 1982. Pp. 213. $13.50 cloth, $3.50 paper.) Who Gets What From Government. By Benjamin Page. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983. Pp. xiii, 264. $15.95.) The New Class War. By Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward. (New York: Pantheon Books, 1982. Pp. xi, 163. $11.50 cloth, $3.95 paper.)
Peng-Robinson equation of state for vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations for carbon dioxide + hydrocarbon mixtures

Abstract Lin, H.-M., 1984. Peng-Robinson equation of state for vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations for carbon dioxide + hydrocarbon mixtures. Fluid Phase Equilibria , 16: 151–169. Binary interaction parameters δ ij in the Peng-Robinson equation of state have been determined from vapor-liquid equilibrium data for binary mixtures of carbon dioxide with a variety of hydrocarbons. A constant value of δ ij ⋍ 0.125 appears to represent the experimental data well in most cases. Comments are made on the recent work of Kato, Nagahama and Hirata, who correlated δ ij as a function of temperature for CO 2 + n -paraffin binary mixtures.
The Creative Brain/The Creative Mind

In the past few decades, neuroscience research has greatly expanded our understanding of how the human brain functions. In particular, we have begun to explore the basis of emotions, intelligence, and creativity. These brain functions also have been applied to various aspects of behavior, thought, and experience. We have also begun to develop an understanding of how the brain and mind work during aesthetic and religious experiences. Studies on these topics have included neuropsychological tests, physiological measures, and brain imaging. These different techniques have enabled us to open up a window into the brain. It is by understanding the functioning of the creative brain that we begin to understand the concept of the creative mind. It is through the use of emotions and other higher cognitive functions that the brain and mind can create ideas, music, literature, and ultimately our entire repertoire of behaviors. How these different creative abilities are derived can also be traced to various parts of the brain and how they function. Modern neuroscience allows us to begin to understand the creative aspect of the brain and mind and perhaps can take us one step further toward understanding the most profound types of aesthetic and religious experiences.
Structure of Laminar Opposed-flow Diffusion Flames With CO/H2/N2 Fuel

Abstract The detailed structure of laminar opposed-flow diffusion flames with a fuel composition of 40% CO, 30% H2, and 30% N2 and an oxidizer composition of 79% N2 and 21% O2 has been calculated over a wide range of stretch conditions (α = 0.1-5000s-1) using 32 elcmenlal chemical reactions and realistic transport properties. Previously, when compared to experimental measurements at χ = 70, 180, and 330s-', this model was found to predict peak flame temperatures within 150K. widths of temperature profiles to 20%, and positions of temperature maxima to 0.1 cm. The present paper presents calculations over a wider range of stretch (χ = 0.1-5000s-1) and quantifies the effect of stretch on fundamental flame processes such as preferential diffusion. overlap of fuel and air. superequilibrium radical formation. deviations from partial equilibrium, and extinction. Preferential diffusion of H2 leads to superadiabatic temperatures in the α = 0.1 s-1 flame. Pronounced nonequilibrium effects occur even in the α = 0.1 ...
Biochemical deficiencies of coenzyme Q10 in HIV-infection and exploratory treatment.

AIDS patients (2 groups) had a blood deficiency (p less than 0.001) of coenzyme Q10 vs. 2 control groups. AIDS patients had a greater deficiency (p less than 0.01) than ARC patients. ARC patients had a deficiency (p less than 0.05) vs. control. HIV-infected patients had a deficiency (p less than 0.05) vs. control. The deficiency of CoQ10 increased with the increased severity of the disease, i.e., from HIV positive (no symptoms) to ARC (constitutional symptoms, no opportunistic infection or tumor) to AIDS (HIV infection, opportunistic infection and/or tumor). This deficiency, a decade of data on CoQ10 on the immune system, on IgG levels, on hematological activity constituted the rationale for treatment with CoQ10 of 7 patients with AIDS or ARC. One was lost to follow-up; one expired after stopping CoQ10; 5 survived, were symptomatically improved with no opportunistic infection after 4-7 months. In spite of poor compliance of 5/7 patients, the treatment was very encouraging and at times even striking.
Development and surface characterization of an electrowetting valve for capillary-driven microfluidics

Abstract This article presents the development of a microfluidic valve to be used in capillary flow microfluidic devices. The valve used the principle of electrowetting and was able to be actuated at low voltage. The valve consisted of two inkjet-printed silver electrodes which were encountered in series within a microfluidic channel. The second electrode was modified with a hydrophobic monolayer resulting in a cessation of capillary flow. A potential of 4 V resulted in a 70° reduction in apparent water contact angle within 10 s which allowed capillary flow to continue. The electrode surface chemistry was investigated prior to monolayer deposition, after monolayer deposition and following the application of the 4 V potential. The flexible microfluidic channel consisted of two layers of polyethylene terephthalate bonded by a pressure sensitive adhesive layer which was patterned with a laser ablated microfluidic channel. The final device represented a microfluidic valve for capillary flow microfluidics realized on a flexible substrate. The valve was designed to allow timed fluid delivery for low-cost lab-on-a-chip applications.
Efficiency of ELF antenna systems

Horizontal and vertical dipole antennas above and below the surface of the earth are discussed. The earth includes soil, tundra, ice, and water. Parameters are the signal frequency, loss tangent or conductivity, and dielectric constant. An optimistic or sanguine approach is used for an evaluation of a system which reverses the usual direction of higher frequencies, lower noise, and greater efficiencies.
Carrier-carrier scattering and optical dephasing in highly excited semiconductors.

A quantitative analysis of carrier-carrier scattering and optical dephasing in semiconductors is presented and results are given for quasiequilibrium situations and for the relaxation of a kinetic hole in a quasithermal carrier distribution. The calculations involve direct numerical integration of the Boltzmann equation for carrier-carrier scattering in the Born approximation. The screening of the Coulomb interaction is treated consistently in the fully dynamical random-phase approximation. Carrier relaxation rates are extracted from the Boltzmann-equation solution and a quantitative test of the relaxation-time approximation for situations near thermal quasiequilibrium is performed. The parametric dependence of carrier-collision rates and dephasing on plasma density, temperature, and electron and hole masses is discussed and analyzed in terms of phase-space blocking and screening.
Prevention of angiotensin II induced myocyte necrosis and coronary vascular damage by lisinopril and losartan in the rat

Objective: The aims were to determine: (1) if angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and angiotensin II receptor blockade can prevent angiotensin II induced coronary vascular damage; (2) if the cardioprotective properties of ACE inhibition are dose dependent; and (3) if the cardioprotective properties of ACE inhibition are independent of its ability to prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Methods: Control rats and rats with either renovascular hypertension or continuous angiotensin II infusion (150 ng · min−1) for 14 d were subdivided into nine groups as follows: unoperated and untreated controls (n = 5); untreated renovascular hypertension (n = 8); untreated angiotensin II (n = 9); a renovascular hypertension group receiving one of the following doses of lisinopril 20 (n = 8), 2.5 (n = 4), and 0.6 (n = 6) mg · kg−1 · d−1; a renovascular hypertension group receiving losartan (7.5 mg · d−1, n = 4); and an angiotensin II group receiving either the high dose of lisinopril (n = 6) or losartan (n = 4). Treatment was started one day before initiation of renovascular hypertension and angiotensin II infusion and continued throughout the study period. The number and size of necrotic areas and numbers of damaged coronary vessels were determined in sections of right and left ventricular tissue. Results: Both coronary vascular injury and myocyte injury induced by angiotensin II were prevented by losartan. In renovascular hypertension, the lowest dose of lisinopril prevented vascular and attenuated myocyte damage but to a lesser degree than the higher doses. The cardioprotective ability of ACE inhibition is primarily the result of its ability to prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Conclusions: Angiotensin II related cardiomyocyte necrosis and coronary vascular damage are angiotensin type 1 receptor mediated and completely preventable with the receptor antagonist losartan. The ability of ACE inhibition to prevent this damage is dose dependent and primarily related to the degree to which the inhibitor can prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II.
Unstructured tree search on SIMD parallel computers: a summary of results

The authors present methods for load balancing of unstructured tree computations on large-scale SIMD (single-instruction multiple-data) machines and analyze the scalability of these and other schemes. An efficient formulation of tree search on a SIMD machine comprises two major components: (i) a triggering mechanism, which determines when the search space redistribution must occur to balance search space over processors; and (ii) a scheme to redistribute the search space. The authors devised a redistribution mechanism and a triggering mechanism. Either of these can be used in conjunction with triggering and redistribution mechanisms developed by other researchers. The authors analyze the scalability of these mechanisms. The results are verified experimentally. The analysis and experiments show that the novel load balancing methods are highly scalable on SIMD architectures. Their scalability is shown to be no worse than that of the best load balancing schemes on MIMD (multiple-instruction multiple-data) architectures. The authors verified their theoretical results by implementing the 15-puzzle problem on a CM-2 SIMD parallel computer. >
Synthesis of N-(1-Keto-) and N-(1-Hydroxy-5-Indansulfonyl)-N′-(4-Chlorophenyl)Urea, Two Major Metabolites of the Antitumor Agent Sulofenur (LY186641)

Abstract A brief (3–4 step), large-scale synthesis of two major metabolites of the antitumor agent sulofenur was developed. The required intermediate, 1-keto-5-indansulfonamide, was prepared in only two steps, utilizing a novel method for converting an aromatic chloride to a sulfonamide.
Tracking quintessence and k-essence in a general cosmological background

We derive conditions for stable tracker solutions for both quintessence and $k$-essence in a general cosmological background, ${H}^{2}\ensuremath{\propto}f(\ensuremath{\rho})$. We find that tracker solutions are possible only when $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\equiv}d\mathrm{ln}﻿f/d\mathrm{ln}﻿\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\approx}\mathrm{\text{constant}}$, aside from a few special cases, which are enumerated. Expressions for the quintessence or $k$-essence equation of state are derived as a function of $\ensuremath{\eta}$ and the equation of state of the dominant background component.
Some effects of bleeding on the iron metabolism of normal and of starved turtles (Pseudemys scripta elegans)

The effects of bleeding on the short and long-term iron metabolism of the turtle, Pseudemys scripta elegans, have been determined. Values are given for the plasma radioiron clearance and the clearance constant (K) in normal, bled-normal and in unbled-starved turtles. Clearance rates were increased by bleeding but were unaffected by starvation. The rate of the long-term plasma radioiron clearance (normally slow) was augmented by bleeding in both normal and starved animals. Bleeding increased both the rate and magnitude of erythrocyte radioiron incorporation in normal but not in starved turtles. The distribution of injected 59Fe in plasma, erythrocytes, spleen, liver and duodenum is described for normal turtles. The time of availability of injected radioiron for splenic erythropoiesis was about two days, beginning on the second day after administration of the isotope. Storage of iron in the spleen appeared unlikely because of the decrease in spleen radioactivity noted from the fourth day on. This decrease was followed after two days by a similar decrease in circulating erythrocyte radioactivity. From the sixth to the fourteenth days after injection, radioiron moved to the liver and duodenum. It remains to be determined whether this migration represented storage or excretion of the iron.
Speech characteristics associated with three genotypes of ataxia.

Abstract Purpose Advances in neurobiology are providing new opportunities to investigate the neurological systems underlying motor speech control. This study explores the perceptual characteristics of the speech of three genotypes of spino-cerebellar ataxia (SCA) as manifest in four different speech tasks. Methods Speech samples from 26 speakers with SCA were perceptually rated by experienced listeners. The genotypes were: SCA1, SCA5, or SCA6. The speech tasks were: diadochokinesis, word repetition, sentence reading, and picture description. The speech samples were rated using two sets of dimensions characterized as primary (e.g., articulation, rate, and rhythm) or secondary (e.g., imprecise consonants, excess and equal stress, and harsh voice). Results On primary dimensions, SCA6 was the most impaired generally. Articulation was the most severely affected dimension and the diadochokinesis task was most effective in revealing speech impairments. On secondary dimensions, picture description was the task most likely to produce abnormal speech. The SCA groups shared articulatory problems but differed with respect to abnormal voice features. Conclusions These results support previous characterizations of ataxic dysarthria, and provide further information about the speech characteristics of genetic subtypes. Task demands affect perceptual ratings. Voice characteristics may be key to differentiating ataxic subtypes. As the genetic disorders that affect speech become better understood, more detailed characterizations of motor control systems should emerge. Learning outcomes The reader will: (1) be able to recognize the principle characteristics of ataxia; (2) recognize that not all speech tasks are equally sensitive to ataxic dysarthria; (3) recognize that voice quality changes may play an important role in recognizing different genetic types of ataxia.
Trophic Interactions of Common Elasmobranchs in Deep-Sea Communities of the Gulf of Mexico Revealed through Stable Isotope and Stomach Content Analysis

Abstract Deep-water sharks are abundant and widely distributed in the northern and eastern Gulf of Mexico. As mid- and upper-level consumers that can range widely, sharks likely are important components of deep-sea communities and their trophic interactions may serve as system-wide baselines that could be used to monitor the overall health of these communities. We investigated the trophic interactions of deep-sea sharks using a combination of stable isotope (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) and stomach content analyses. Two hundred thirty-two muscle samples were collected from elasmobranchs captured off the bottom at depths between 200 and 1100 m along the northern slope (NGS) and the west Florida slope (WFS) of the Gulf of Mexico during 2011 and 2012. Although we detected some spatial, temporal, and interspecific variation in apparent trophic positions based on stable isotopes, there was considerable isotopic overlap among species, between locations, and through time. Overall δ 15 N values in the NGS region were higher than in the WFS. The δ 15 N values also increased between April 2011 and 2012 in the NGS, but not the WFS, within Squalus cf. mitsukurii . We found that stable isotope values of S. cf. mitsukurii , the most commonly captured elasmobranch, varied between sample regions, through time, and also with sex and size. Stomach content analysis ( n =105) suggested relatively similar diets at the level of broad taxonomic categories of prey among the taxa with sufficient sample sizes. We did not detect a relationship between body size and relative trophic levels inferred from δ 15 N, but patterns within several species suggest increasing trophic levels with increasing size. Both δ 13 C and δ 15 N values suggest a substantial degree of overlap among most deep-water shark species. This study provides the first characterization of the trophic interactions of deep-sea sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and establishes system baselines for future investigations.
Tuberous xanthomas associated with olanzapine therapy and hypertriglyceridemia in the setting of a rare apolipoprotein E mutation.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe a patient with tuberous xanthomas and high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, who was found to have type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) and a rare apolipoprotein E (apoE) mutation. Methods We present a case report with extensive clinical, laboratory, and genetic documentation. Results A 33-year-old African American man presented for evaluation of hypertriglyceridemia. His medical history was remarkable for schizophrenia necessitating ongoing olanzapine therapy for the past 6 years. A few months after olanzapine treatment was begun, he noted the development of nontender, firm, papular skin lesions on his elbows and knees. His family history was negative for lipid disorders or premature vascular disease. Physical examination revealed the presence of prominent tuberous xanthomas on both elbows and knees. Results of a lipid panel demonstrated a total cholesterol level of 374 mg/dL (9.7 mmol/L) and triglycerides of 828 mg/dL (9.3 mmol/L). A work-up for causes of secondary hypertriglyceridemia was negative. Results of apoE genotyping by a commercial laboratory showed the E3/E3 genotype, based on gene sequencing at codons 112 and 158. Because the skin lesions were typical for type III HLP, his entire apoE gene was sequenced. This analysis revealed an apoE2/E2 (arginine 145 to cysteine) mutation, previously reported to be a rare cause of type III HLP in 5 patients of African descent. Triglyceride-lowering therapy with gemfibrozil was initiated, in addition to lifestyle modification. At follow-up several months later, total cholesterol was 276 mg/dL (7.14 mmol/L) and triglycerides were 479 mg/dL (5.41 mmol/L). Conclusion We speculate that olanzapine therapy, with its known metabolic side effects, exacerbated this patient’s underlying lipoprotein metabolic abnormality. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association between olanzapine therapy and tuberous xanthomas and the sixth report of this rare apoE2/E2 (arginine 145 to cysteine) mutation in the literature. (Endocr Pract. 2006;12: 183-187)