cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐FF‐T‐41: A Novel Tomotherapy Design for the Breast

Purpose: Previous work on partial breast irradiation in the prone position has lead to the development of a new treatment modality made specifically for the breast. Current methods often utilize a modified two‐tangent approach meaning beams are delivered around the body. This device, on the other hand, takes advantage of the unique geometry of the prone breast by rotating around it to deliver a highly targeted dose to the PTV, while sparing the normal breast tissue and other non‐breast structures. This device will involve helical tomotherapy but on a rotated axis. This will allow many more angles to be utilized compared to the standard methods. Method and Materials: Several technical and clinical aspects of this device have been explored. The technical aspects include the design of a new target, shielding requirements, and energy fluence distributions. The clinical aspects researched include dose distribution comparisons from several different potential energies and the determination of patient selection criteria. Results: These investigations have shown that a 4MV x‐ray beam created from a beryllium target would be the optimal design. Since the breast is a thin structure, a higher energy is not need. However if the energy is any lower, the skindose will increase. Beryllium targets are ideal for this machine since the forward output is roughly 70% that of tungsten for field sizes up to 10 cm, but the lateral energy fluence is significantly less. Conclusions: This machine is able to produce brachytherapy like PBI dose distributions that consist of highly conformal doses to the target and low doses to the non‐target structures. It is also able to achieve this without the additional surgery required for brachytherapy procedures. In addition, a large percentage of breast patients would be eligible for this treatment, since it is able to deliver dose close to the chestwall.
Iterative identification and control using a weighted q -Markov cover with measurement noise

Abstract An identifiability result determines whether there exists a linear time-invariant model capable of matching certain input/output data observed from experiments with measurement noise. If no match is possible, a method is presented to find the closest linear model to the data. A weighted q-Markov COVER method is introduced for identification with measurement noise. These results are used to develop an iterative closed-loop identification/control design algorithm.
Effect of mode of agent removal on pore structure of liquid ammonia treated cotton cellulose

The pore structures of three liquid-ammonia-treated cottons were compared via a reverse gel permeation chromatographic technique. Cotton battings were treated with liquid ammonia which was removed by volatilization at ambient temperature or at elevated temperature and by water exchange. Three series of water-soluble solutes were used to study the elution characteristics of whole fiber columns prepared from these battings. The solutes were oligomeric sugars, ethylene glycols, and glymes (ethylene glycol dimethyl ethers) having molecular dimensions in the range of conventional finishing agents for cotton. All three liquid ammonia treatments increased the internal pore volumes accessible to small molecules. The greatest increase was noted when the ammonia was removed by water exchange and the least when volatilization at elevated temperature was employed. Ambient temperature volatilization had an intermediate effect. Decreases in the volumes of large pores were effected by ammonia treatments followed by volatilization at ambient or elevated temperature. Water exchange of the ammonia resulted in an increase in the volume of large pores as well as of the small pores.
Characterization of H. parasuis periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase as a potential target enzyme for inhibition of growth

Abstract The periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase from Haemophilus parasuis was purified 750-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity through salt fractionation and ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was monomeric with an apparent Mr of 70,000 and catalyzed the hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate bond of NAD to yield NMN and AMP as products. The enzyme exhibited negative cooperativity in the hydrolysis of a number of pyridine dinucleotides and structurally-related pyrophosphate compounds as indicated by biphasic double-reciprocal plots and Hill coefficients of 0.5. The kinetic parameters, Km and Vm, determined titrimetrically and analyzed through computer programs, were used to compare the relative effectiveness of dinucleotides containing nitrogen bases other than nicotinamide or adenine to that of NAD. Effective substrate-competitive inhibition of the pyrophosphatase was observed with purine and pyrimidine nucleoside diphosphates in the low micromolar concentration range. Although less effective, N1-alkylnicotinamide chlorides also inhibited competitively with respect to the substrate, NAD. In addition to being an effective inhibitor of the purified enzyme, adenosine diphosphate also inhibited growth of H. parasuis at a low micromolar concentration. This inhibition of growth correlates well with inhibition of the periplasmic pyrophosphatase which is supported by the fact that adenosine diphosphate does not effectively inhibit growth when the pyrophosphatase is by-passed by growth on nicotinamide mononucleotide. These observations are all consistent with the periplasmic nucleotide pyrophosphatase being essential for the growth of the organism on NAD and therefore, a very important enzyme with respect to the pathogenesis of the organism. 3-Aminopyridine mononucleotide, which also inhibited growth of H. parasuis at a low micromolar concentration, did not effectively inhibit the purified pyrophosphate and a different target enzyme needs to be considered to explain growth inhibition by this derivative.
Characterization of protein triplet states by optical detection of magnetic resonance

The technique of optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR) is applied for the first time to the study of molecules of biological interest in frozen glassy solutions. We present results describing the triplet state properties of tryptophan, tyrosine, and the tryptophan and tyrosine residues of bovine serum albumin.
A summary of preclinical topical microbicide rectal safety and efficacy evaluations in a pigtailed macaque model.

Background There is widespread recognition of the potential promise of vaginal microbicides as a tool to combat global HIV/AIDS and STI epidemics, and candidate product development has maintained a rapid pace in recent years; however, rectal microbicide development has received less attention. As it is likely that commercial products developed for vaginal use will also be used rectally, there is a clear need to assess the safety and efficacy of candidate microbicide products specifically in the rectal compartment.
Terahertz source requirements for astrophysics receivers

A discussion is given of current and projected needs for local oscillators for submillimeter and terahertz receivers used in astrophysical and astrochemical applications. Arguments are given for frequency range, tunability, power, and noise specifications for local oscillators in various applications. The receivers will generally employ SIS or Schottky diode mixers, and these may be used in single elements, receiver arrays or aperture synthesis interferometry, each of which has differing requirements. The platforms may be ground-based, probably on high mountain sites, balloons, air or space-based, again each demanding somewhat varying local oscillator capabilities.
The Free Trade Epidemic of the 1860s and Other Outbreaks of Economic Discrimination

Why was there an abrupt increase in economic openness in Europe in the 1860s? This increase may have been the result of a contagion process, in which the Cobden-Chevalier treaty between Britain and France threatened to displace third-party exports to Fra nce with British exports. As a result, most European states signed similar treaties with France, which had further ripple effects. This article outlines a formal model of this process, based on the assumption that an agreement between two states incre ases the desirability of similar treaties to third parties. Propositions regarding the rate and pattern of spread of treaties are derived from this model. This article then discusses the insights these propositions may offer into the rise and fall of the most-favored-nation network of treaties between 1860 and 1929. At a theoretical level the model aims to link the microlevel processes underlying state preferences to system-level phenomena. At a substantive level this analysis offers insight into the current explosion of regionalism.
Detection and characterization of chimeric yeast artificial-chromosome clones

Abstract Methods for the construction of yeast artificial-chromosome (YAC) clones have been designed to isolate single, large (100–1000 kb) segments of chromosomal DNA. It is apparent from early experience with this cloning system that the major artifact in YAC clones involves the formation of YACs that contain two or more unrelated pieces of DNA. Such “chimeric” YACs are not easily recognized, particularly in libraries constructed from the total DNA of an organism. In some libraries, they have been found to constitute a major fraction of the clones. Here we discuss some of our experiences with chimeric YACs, with particular emphasis on the approaches that we have employed to detect such aberrant clones. In addition, we describe the detailed characterization of one chimeric YAC isolated from a library prepared from total human DNA. The organization of this clone indicates that it formed by in vivo recombination, presumably in yeast, between two Alu sequences located on unrelated segments of human DNA.
Spin-free quantum chemistry. XXIII: The generator-state approach

In the unitary-group formulation of quantum chemistry, the spin-projected, configuration-state spaces of quantum chemistry are realized by the irreducible representation spaces (IRS) of the freeon unitary group U(n), where n is the number of freeon orbitals. The Pauli-allowed IRS are labeled by the partitions [λ] = [2(N/2)−s, 12S], where N and S are the particle number and the spin, respectively. The generator-state approach (GSA) to the unitary-group formulation consists of (1) the construction of the overcomplete, nonorthonormal generator basis for each IRS; (2) the Lie-algebraic computation of matrix elements over generator states; (3) the Moshinsky–Nagel construction of the complete, orthonormal Gel'fand basis in terms of the generator basis; and (4) the computation of matrix elements over Gel'fand states in terms of matrix elements over generator states.
Myelogenesis in cultures of mammalian central nervous tissue.

1. Myelin formation around newly grown axis cylinders of Purkinje cells from the cerebellum of kittens has been observed in vitro. Myelogenesis appears to originate from cuffs or collar-like structures at peculiar sites along the course of the axons from which it spreads out in both directions. 2. Oligodendrocytes or astrocytes could not be shown to be involved in this process as far as could be determined with the aid of the light microscope. 3. A working hypothesis is introduced suggesting that myelin in cultures of the central nervous system is produced directly by the axoplasm. How far glial cells contribute indirectly to this process requires further study.
Tribute to Colston E. Warne

The daughter of Colston E. Warne reviews the social history of the consumer movement and her father's role in that movement. She speaks of her father's college days, his role as President of Consumers Union (CU) in the pre- and post-war years, CU's role in the beginning of ACCI, and the development of an international consumer movement.
Approaches to Virtual Sensing in Advanced Engines Using High-Fidelity Simulation and ANN Surrogate Models

Abstract Virtual sensing models of combustion emissions variables and the mass air flow rate into the cylinders are proposed to replace physical sensors by predicting effects of each actuator control inputs. The nonlinear combustion processes and gas exchange processes are captured by the high fidelity simulation and subsequently are implemented in the virtual sensor using ANN models. The high fidelity simulation is based on the co-simulation approach combining a one-D gas dynamics model and a quasi-D combustion model. The quasi-D combustion model is capable of capturing the effects of key process variables on combustion, such as air-to-fuel (A/F) ratio, residual fraction, and turbulence. The ANNs are trained on the datasets created with the high fidelity simulation to provide the high prediction accuracy and fast computation time, and, subsequently validated on a test sample. Particular benefit of using virtual sensors is the ability to sense variables otherwise difficult or impossible to measure, such as residual gas fraction, and use them for controller development and implementation.
Short-term tolerance to morphine: Effects of indomethacin

Abstract Short-term tolerance to opiates has been demonstrated in as little as three hours after priming with a single dose of morphine in naive animals. Tail-flick latency in mice and changes in plasma corticosterone in rats were the indicators tested in these experiments. Rats primed with either saline or morphine, 10 mg/kg, were injected 3 hrs. subsequently with morphine, 5 mg/kg. Those primed with saline showed the characteristic plasma corticosterone elevation following morphine, when serial blood samples were examined, whereas those previously treated with morphine did not. Mice were primed with saline or either of two doses of morphine, 30 or 100 mg/kg, 3.5 hrs. prior to estimation of tail-flick latency and ED 50 determinations. Mice primed with either dose of morphine had significantly higher ED50's than those primed with saline. The effects of indomethacin, 5 or 10 mg/kg, were examined on both systems. Rats and mice were pretreated with indomethacin at 2.25 or 3 hrs., respectively, before morphine-priming. In all cases, indomethacin did not produce alterations in responses previously observed in correspondently treated controls.
Generalized estimating equations for correlated binary data: Using the odds ratio as a measure of association

SUMMARY Moment methods for analyzing repeated binary responses have been proposed by Liang & Zeger (1986), and extended by Prentice (1988). In their generalized estimating equations, both Liang & Zeger (1986) and Prentice (1988) estimate the parameters associated with the expected value of an individual's vector of binary responses as well as the correlations between pairs of binary responses. Because the odds ratio has many desirable properties, and some investigators may find the odds ratio is easier to interpret, we discuss modelling the association between binary responses at pairs of times with the odds ratio. We then modify the estimating equations of Prentice to estimate the odds ratios. In simulations, the parameter estimates for the logistic regression model for the marginal probabilities appear slightly more efficient when using the odds ratio parameterization.
Walking one hour or more per day prevented mortality among older persons: results from ilSIRENTE study.

Abstract Objective Maintaining or increasing physical activity in late-middle age has been shown to be associated with a reduction in mortality. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between regular walking and the risk of all-cause death in a large population of frail and very old people living in community. Methods We analyzed data from the Aging and Longevity Study in the Sirente Geographic Area (ilSIRENTE study), a prospective cohort study that collected data on all subjects aged 80 year and older living in a mountain community. Baseline assessments of participants started in December 2003 and were completed in September 2004. All subjects were followed-up for 24 months. To the purpose of this study we selected all subjects without impairment in the activities of daily living ( n = 248). The main outcome measure was the relative hazard ratio of death over two years of follow-up for different levels of walking activity. Results During a mean follow-up time of 24 months from baseline assessment, 30 subjects (12%) died. There was an uneven distribution of the risk. After adjusting for age, gender and other possible risk factors of death (functional and cognitive disability, congestive heart failure, hypertension, osteoarthritis, depression, number of medications, body mass index, cholesterol and reactive C protein) subjects walking 1 h or more per day were less likely to die compared to participants walking less than 1 h per day (RR, 0.36; 95% CI 0.12–0.98). Conclusions Our results obtained from a representative sample of very old and frail elderly subjects expand the knowledge that high levels of walking activity are associated with better survival.
Two Novel Technologies for Accessible Math and Science Education

We are using the results of the study to improve the design of both programs. We plan to repeat these evaluations several times as development of both programs progresses. Evaluation with kindergarten and elementary school deaf children and their teachers will be done in collaboration with the Indiana School for the Deaf and will start in the fall of 2009. We will report the results in a future article. A strong need exists for solutions that allow deaf users to communicate and interact in an environment free of prejudice, stigma, technological barrier, or other obstacles. The fact that all children were able to engage with and complete the tasks in both test systems is encouraging.
An evaluation of the advantages and limitations in simulating indentation cracking with cohesive zone finite elements

A cohesive zone model is applied to a finite element (FE) scheme to simulate indentation cracking in brittle materials. Limitations of using the cohesive zone model to study indentation cracking are determined from simulations of a standard fracture toughness specimen and a two-dimensional indentation cracking problem wherein the morphology of the crack and the geometry of the indenter are simplified. It is found that the principles of linear-elastic fracture mechanics can be applied when indentation cracks are long in comparison to the size of the cohesive zone. Vickers and Berkovich pyramidal indentation crack morphologies (3D) are also investigated and found to be controlled by the ratio of elastic modulus to yield strength (E/Y), with median type cracking dominating at low ratios (e.g. E/Y?=?10) and Palmqvist type cracking at higher ratios (e.g. E/Y?=?100). The results show that cohesive FE simulations of indentation cracking can indeed be used to critically examine the complex relationships between crack morphology, material properties, indenter geometry, and indentation test measurements, provided the crack length is long in comparison to the cohesive zone size.
Geometric interpolation between Hilbert spaces

We prove that there is a unique way to construct a geometric scale of Hilbert spaces interpolating between two given spaces. We investigate what properties of operators, other than boundedness, are preserved by interpolation. We show that self-adjointness is, but subnormality and Krein subnormality are not. On the way to this last result, we establish a representation theorem for cyclic Krein subnormal operators.
An investigation of residual stresses in tempered glass plates of aircraft windshields.

A scattered-light photoelastic method that determines nondestructively the distribution of residual stresses across the thickness in tempered glass plates of aircraft windshields is presented. This paper begins with an introduction to scattered-light photoelasticity and a discussion of the state of stress in tempered glass plates. Then, the theory of the new method is developed. Apparatus and techniques are described. Experiments were made on an aircraft windshield sample having a three-layer (glass-vinyl-glass, thermally tempered) sandwich structure. Photographs of photoelastic fringe pattern in scattered light were taken and the distribution of residual stresses across the thickness of the glass layer was obtained. The accuracy of the method is established from the fact that a good agreement exists between results of different experiments and that the condition of equilibrium is satisfied.
Role of Low-Energy Phonons in Thermal Conduction

Phonon-phonon collisions in which one of the phonons is of very low frequency have recently become important for the understanding of the thermoelectric powers of semiconductors at low temperatures. Such collisions have also an interest from the standpoint of thermal conduction, since previous theories, which neglect elastic anisotropy, have predicted a very large thermal conductivity for a hypothetical perfect crystal of very large size. It is shown here that elastic anisotropy has a drastic effect on the collision probabilities of modes of very low frequency. A relaxation time $\ensuremath{\tau}$ can be defined, for any mode, which at temperatures $T$ well below the Debye temperature and for wave vectors $q$ well within the acoustic range obeys $\ensuremath{\tau}(\ensuremath{\lambda}\mathrm{q}, \ensuremath{\lambda}T)={\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\ensuremath{\tau}(\mathrm{q}, T)$. As $q\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$, ${\ensuremath{\tau}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\sim}{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{a}{q}^{a}$, where normally, for modes of the longitudinal branch, $a=2$ for the crystal classes of highest symmetry, 3 and perhaps sometimes 4 for those of lower symmetry. For transverse modes $a$ is normally 1. These asymptotic laws, whose range of validity can be roughly estimated, enable us to calculate the contribution of the low-frequency longitudinal modes to the conductivity. This contribution, though small, may be perceptible at temperatures far above the range where Casimir's formula applies.
Brain lactate responses during visual stimulation in fasting and hyperglycemic subjects: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 1.5 Tesla

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) studies showing increased lactate during neural activation support a broader role for lactate in brain energy metabolism than was traditionally recognized. Proton MRS measures of brain lactate responses have been used to study regional brain metabolism in clinical populations. This study examined whether variations in blood glucose influence the lactate response to visual stimulation in the visual cortex. Six subjects were scanned twice, receiving either saline or 21% glucose intravenously. Using (1)H-MRS at 1.5 Tesla with a long echo time (TE=288 ms), the lactate doublet was visible at 1.32 ppm in the visual cortex of all subjects. Lactate increased significantly from resting to visual stimulation. Hyperglycemia had no effect on this increase. The order of the slice-selective gradients for defining the spectroscopy voxel had a pronounced effect on the extent of contamination by signal originating outside the voxel. The results of this preliminary study demonstrate a method for observing a consistent activity-stimulated increase in brain lactate at 1.5 T and show that variations in blood glucose across the normal range have little effect on this response.
Conductance and Geometry of Pyridine-Linked Single-Molecule Junctions

We have measured the conductance and characterized molecule-electrode binding geometries of four pyridine-terminated molecules by elongating and then compressing gold point contacts in a solution of molecules. We have found that all pyridine-terminated molecules exhibit bistable conductance signatures, signifying that the nature of the pyridine-gold bond allows two distinct conductance states that are accessed as the gold-molecule-gold junction is elongated. We have identified the low-conductance state as corresponding to a molecule fully stretched out between the gold electrodes, where the distance between contacts correlates with the length of the molecule; the high-conductance state is due to a molecule bound at an angle. For all molecules, we have found that the distribution of junction elongations in the low-conductance state is the same, while in the high-conductance state, the most likely elongation length increases linearly with molecule length. The results of first-principles conductance calculations for the four molecules in the low-conductance geometry agree well with the experimental results and show that the dominant conducting channel in the conjugated pyridine-linked molecules is through the pi* orbital.
Analysis and comparison of plane wave shielding effectiveness decompositions

Plane wave shielding effectiveness is frequently expressed as the sum of three terms called absorption loss, reflection loss, and a multiple reflections term. This well-known decomposition was introduced by Schelkunoff and provides an intuitive way of relating material properties to the overall shielding effectiveness. This letter derives equations relating the Schelkunoff decomposition terms to the reflectance/absorptance of good conductors. Additionally, the relationship between the Schelkunoff decomposition and another decomposition, called the mismatch decomposition in this letter, is analyzed. The mismatch decomposition consists of two loss terms closely related to reflectance/absorptance that are readily obtained from measurements.
Powering DNA repair through substrate electrostatic interactions.

The reaction catalyzed by the DNA repair enzyme uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) proceeds through an unprecedented stepwise mechanism involving a positively charged oxacarbenium ion sugar and uracil anion leaving group. Here we use a novel approach to evaluate the catalytic contribution of electrostatic interactions between four essential phosphodiester groups of the DNA substrate and the cationic transition state. Our strategy was to substitute each of these phosphate groups with an uncharged (R)- or (S)-methylphosphonate linkage (MeP). We then compared the damaging effects of these methylphosphonate substitutions on catalysis with their damaging effects on binding of a cationic 1-azadeoxyribose (1-aza-dR+) oxacarbenium ion analogue to the UDG−uracil anion binary complex. A plot of log kcat/Km for the series of MeP-substituted substrates against log KD for binding of the 1-aza-dR+ inhibitors gives a linear correlation of unit slope, confirming that the electronic features of the transition state resemble tha...
Biology of the cactus scale, Diaspis echinocacti (Bouche) (Homoptera:Diaspididae).

Diaspis echinocacti (Bouche) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) development from egg to adult required 22.8 to 25.9 days under constant 27°C or greenhouse conditions with males requiring 1 to 2 days longer than females. Crawlers settled vertically to the soil more than horizontally to the soil. Males were first identifiable 2 to 3 days after settling. Female crawlers were more active than males. Nymphal stadia had initial periods of size increase followed by inactive periods. Adult females had a preoviposition period of 12 to 23 days followed by 1 to 2 months of oviposition. Host acceptance favored cacti with 16 of 19 cacti and 1 of 21 noncacti readily accepted as host. Two parasites of D. echinocacti were collected: Aphytis diaspidis (Howard) and Plagiomerus diaspidis Crawford.
Acute carbonyl stress induces occludin glycation and brain microvascular endothelial barrier dysfunction: Role for glutathione-dependent metabolism of methylglyoxal

We recently demonstrated that methylglyoxal (MG) induced apoptosis of brain microvascular endothelial cells (IHECs) that was preceded by glutathione (GSH) depletion. Here, we test the hypothesis that MG induces occludin glycation and disrupts IHEC barrier function, which is prevented by GSH-dependent MG metabolism. Exposure of IHECs to MG decreased transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) in association with MG-adduct formation. A 65-kDa MG-glycated protein corresponded to occludin, which was confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining showed that MG disrupted the architectural organization of ZO-1. Occludin glycation and ZO-1 disruption were prevented by N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Accordingly, TEER loss was abrogated by NAC (via GSH synthesis) and exacerbated by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO; GSH synthesis inhibitor). BSO treatment attenuated D-lactate production, consistent with a role for GSH in glyoxalase I-catalyzed MG elimination. Although MG increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, the ROS scavengers tempol and tiron did not block barrier disruption. This suggests that endogenously generated ROS were unlikely to be a major cause of or did not reach a threshold to elicit barrier failure as elicited by exogenous hydrogen peroxide (300-400 μM). Immunohistochemistry revealed a lower percentage of microvessels stained with anti-occludin, but a higher percentage stained with anti-MG in diabetic rat brain compared to controls. Western analyses confirmed the decrease in diabetic brain occludin expression, but an increase in glycated occludin levels. These results provide novel evidence that reactive carbonyl species can mediate occludin glycation in cerebral microvessels and in microvascular endothelial cells that contribute to barrier dysfunction, a process that was prevented by GSH through enhanced MG catabolism.
Increased mechanical properties of aligned and isotropic electrospun PVA nanofiber webs by cellulose nanowhisker reinforcement

Cellulose nanowhisker-reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber webs with different alignment degrees were successfully fabricated using an electrospinning technique. The morphology and mechanical properties of aligned and isotropic electrospun fiber webs were investigated. The relative alignment degree of electrospun fiber in the webs was analyzed using a fast Fourier transform method. Due to the different load transfer mechanisms, aligned PVA electrospun fiber webs show high modulus and tensile strength along the fiber direction compared with isotropic PVA electrospun fiber webs. Cellulose nanowhisker-reinforced PVA electrospun fiber webs show increased mechanical properties for both the aligned electrospun webs and the isotropic electrospun webs. Experiment results indicate that cellulose nanowhiskers have a more significant reinforcement effect for the aligned webs than the isotropic webs.
Engineering stress tolerance in transgenic plants

Research in our laboratory has focused on the analysis of the functions of a variety of enzymes that are involved in the scavenging of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) such as superoxide radicals (·O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Recent work has been on transgenic plants that over-express glutathione S-transferases (GST) that also have glutathione peroxidase activity. Transgenic tobacco plants that contain gene constructs that encode two different tobacco GST’s had elevated levels of both GST and GPX activity. Analysis of mature vegetative transgenic tobacco plants that over-express GST/GPX failed to show any increase in paraquat tolerance or protection from photooxidative stress. However, seeds of these GST/GPX-expressing tobacco lines are capable of more rapid germination and seedling growth at low temperatures and at elevated salt concentrations. Reduced levels of lipid peroxidation were noted in GST/GPX-expressing seedling compared to control seedlings under both stressful and non-stressful conditions. In addition, GST/GPX-expressing seedlings significantly accumulated more oxidized glutathione (GSSG) than control seedlings during stress. These characteristics clearly indicate that over-expression of GST/GPX in transgenic seedlings can have substantial effects on their stress tolerance. Furthermore, it appears that this effect is due primarily to the elevated levels of GPX activity.
Privacy-preserving programming using sython

Programmers often have access to confidential data that are not strictly needed for program development. Broad privileges from accounts given to programmers allow them to view files, database table entries or even variables in team members' code that are not critical to their own code. The risk inherent in such unchecked access to possibly private and sensitive data is exacerbated in cases where software development is part of a larger functioning system with data already in place, and is especially severe in cases where development is contracted out to third parties. This paper focuses on the problem of providing developers with a programming language that incorporates privacy-preserving features. We present Sython, a preliminary prototype based on the Python programming language that incorporates such features, examining both implementation and the appearance of the system as viewed by a programmer. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the use of language syntax and underlying support for secure variables so that data owners can contract out programming tasks without worrying about information leakage.
Turbulence measurements in a compressible boundary layer subjected to a shock-wave-induced adverse pressure gradient.

The rms intensities of fluctuating mass flux and total temperature and their correlation coefficients are given for the case of an adiabatic, Mach 4, axisymmetric shock-wave boundary-layer interaction. Data were obtained upstream, within, and downstream of the interaction by the use of constant temperature hot-wire anemometer. Turbulence spectra and quantitative behavior from oscilloscope traces are shown at selected locations. The measurements indicate that certain frequencies of the turbulence are increased as a result of the interaction and that the mass flux and total temperature fluctuations remain highly correlated over most of the boundary layer throughout the interaction. The present data are also transformed to rms intensities of fluctuating static temperature and velocity and compared with existing data obtained in adiabatic flows.
Distribution of Carbonate and Evaporite Facies of Mississippian Mission Canyon Formation: ABSTRACT

Thirty-five oil fields have been developed in the Mission Canyon Formation in northern Bottineau and Renville Counties, North Dakota. Six cyclic sedimentary units have been defined in the Mission Canyon in that area. They are, in ascending intervals: Landa, Wayne, Glenburn, Mohall, Sherwood, and Bluell. These intervals or sequences were deposited during marine regressions in the intracratonic Williston basin. A brief but widespread transgression at the initiation of each cycle resulted in deposition of a thin argillaceous marker which can be correlated over large areas. The depositional setting during Mission Canyon time was similar to that of shallow epeiric seas. Limited circulation resulted in hypersaline conditions and widespread evaporite deposition. A shelf-to-basin configuration probably never existed; rather, deposition occurred on a shallow ramp with little topographic relief. Exposure and the resultant vadose leaching caused occurrence of porosity on depositional highs such as oolite shoals and organic banks. Anhydrite plugging of this porosity is common where evaporite environments migrated basinward over the porous facies. Three types of stratigraphic traps have been recognized, these are: (1) a carbonate-evaporite facies change where porous carbonates are sealed by the overlying evaporite facies; (2) porous carbonates sealed by nonporous carbonates; (3) porous carbonates subcrop beneath the Triassic Spearfish shale which serves as the updip seal. An understanding of the distribution of porous facies is essential to determining areas of future exploration. End_of_Article - Last_Page 560------------
Induction of the adaptive response by X-rays is dependent on radiation intensity

Human lymphocytes pretreated with low (0.01 Gy) but not high (0.5 Gy) doses of X-rays become somewhat refractory to the induction of chromatid deletions by subsequent exposure to high (1.5 Gy) doses of X-rays (i.e. the yield of chromatid deletions is less than the sum of the yields induced by the pre-exposure and the subsequent challenge doses). This adaptive response can also be induced by pretreating the cells with very low, or even high, concentrations of tritiated thymidine. Because high concentrations of tritiated thymidine result in high doses of radiation that are delivered at very low dose-rates (i.e. less than 0.01 Gy/min), the lack of adaptation following high pre-treatment doses of X-rays could be attributed to their higher dose-rates. To test the effect of X-ray intensity on the induction of the adaptive response, lymphocytes were irradiated with 0.5 Gy of X-rays at 0.005-0.5 Gy/min at 28-30 h of culture, and then irradiated with 1.5 Gy at 48 h. Chromatid deletions were measured 6 h later. The results show that 0.5 Gy of X-rays given at low dose-rates (0.005 or 0.01 Gy/min), but not at high dose-rates (0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 Gy/min), are capable of inducing the adaptive response. Furthermore, experiments in which a male subject's cells exposed to 0.5 Gy given at 0.005 Gy/min were cocultivated with a female subject's cells irradiated with 0.5 Gy at 0.5 Gy/min showed that cells exposed to radiation at low and high intensity progress to metaphase equally and, therefore, that the lack of an adaptive response at high dose-rates cannot be attributed to selection of radioresistant cells. Although the induction of the adaptive response at higher X-ray doses occurs at low radiation intensity, there seems to be a minimum dose required for this effect; e.g., 0.01-Gy pretreatments induced the adaptive response when given at 0.2 Gy/min, but not at 0.005 Gy/min. Thus, the adaptive response is dependent both on the total dose of the pretreatment and on the rate at which the dose is given.
Retaliatory motivation enhances attributions of hostility when people process ambiguous social stimuli

We hypothesized that provocation and readiness to aggress (Retaliatory Motivation) would increase the tendency to construe the ambiguous actions of others as reflecting hostile intent. Male undergraduates were either verbally provoked or not provoked by a male experimenter and half were led to believe that they would be allowed to retaliate anonymously against the provoker in the form of a potentially damaging written evaluation. Participants then rated the hostility and aggressive intent of the characters in brief ambiguous scenarios of interpersonal conflict. According to prediction, men who were provoked and anticipated retaliation against their provoker rated the scenarios as containing hostility and aggression to a significantly greater extent than did non-provoked or merely provoked participants. Results are discussed within a motivation-based affective relevance model of perception.
Anti-transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody: a novel immunosuppressant.

BACKGROUND Transferrin receptor is a widely distributed cell surface receptor present on most proliferating and highly specialized quiescent cells. Expression of transferrin receptor on the surface of immune cells is up-regulated during T-cell activation after the interaction of the antigen-MHC with the T cell receptor. The role of transferrin receptor in T-cell activation has not been well-established. Since transferrin receptor is physically associated with the CD3 zeta-chain, blockade of transferrin receptor has the potential to interfere with the T-cell signals important in transplant rejection. METHODS Anti-transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody (mAb) was administered in vivo and in vitro to determine whether this agent was effective in prolonging allograft survival and altering cell-mediated immunity. RESULTS Using donor C57BL/6J (H2b) hearts transplanted to CBA/J (H2k) recipients, anti-transferrin receptor mAb at the time of transplantation prolonged cardiac allograft mean survival time to 25.7+/-0.9 days compared with untreated (13.3+/-0.6 days, P < 0.05) or isotype-matched (10.7+/-0.4 days, P < 0.05) controls. Anti-transferrin receptor mAb administered in vivo failed to suppress the subsequent allogeneic responses. However, when added to culture, anti-transferrin receptor mAb suppressed the allogeneic cytotoxic T lymphocyte response by 79-100% but not the mixed lymphocyte response. CONCLUSIONS These studies are the first to suggest that transferrin receptor is a potential therapeutic target for clinical transplantation. Future studies will determine the most efficacious dose and time for maximal immunosuppression and the mechanisms responsible for the immunosuppression exhibited by antitransferrin receptor mAb.
A numerical investigation of coherent structures and mass exchange processes in channel flow with two lateral submerged groynes

[1] Large eddy simulation is used to investigate the dynamics of the main coherent structures present in the flow around two vertical submerged groynes situated in a long flatbed open channel. The mass exchange processes between the embayment region and the main channel are investigated by studying the ejection of a contaminant introduced instantaneously inside the embayment. The instantaneous and mean structure of the horseshoe vortex system forming at the base of the upstream groyne and the bed shear distributions that determine the evolution of the scour in the groyne region are investigated. It is found that the amplification of the bed shear stress in the accelerating region around the tip of the upstream groyne is around one order of magnitude larger relative to the mean bed shear stress in the incoming flow. Analysis of the instantaneous flow fields shows that the eddies that are shed inside the horizontal and vertical detached shear layers play an important role in controlling the mass exchange at the lateral and roof interfaces. It is found that most of the pollutant leaves the embayment through the roof and bottom lateral sections. The overall mass exchange process is qualitatively different and substantially accelerated compared to the case when the groynes are emerged. However, it is shown that similar to the emerged case, the decay of the mass of contaminant within the embayment cannot be characterized by a unique value of the exchange coefficient used in simple dead zone theory models.
SUBSTRATE-SPECIFIC ENZYME VARIATION IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA

By using a number of different alcohols as substrates, eight alcohol dehydrogenase loci were discovered in Drosophila pseudoobscura . Each of these loci can take more than one substrate. Several of these loci differed in their tissue specificities and activity patterns during development. The genic variation in natural populations was studied at four of these loci and three of them were polymorphic. A quantitative study of substrate-specific differences among alleles of the same locus produced negative results. This result appears to be typical of most studies done on this aspect. From this it was concluded that the substrate specificity for enzymes is not an important factor in determining the greater amount of genic variation at Group II loci than at Group I loci, as proposed by Kojima, Gillespie and Tobari (1970). There are several observations which suggest a different explanation for the differences in the genic variability at Group I and Group II loci: (1) There are, on an average, more isozyme loci (loci with similar substrate specificity) for enzymes in Group II than in Group I; (2) The null alleles are far more common at Group II loci than at Group I loci; (3) There is significant heterogeneity in the number of alleles and the heterozygosities at loci within each of these two groups of enzymes; (4) Relatively higher levels of genic variation are observed at Group II loci even in populations which appear to be living in homogeneous environments; and (5) Some loci (e.g. esterases) are highly polymorphic in most species investigated by gel electrophoresis techniques. Based on these general observations, it is proposed that (1) the substrate-specific differences are between isozyme loci and not between alleles of a given locus, and (2) neutral alleles are proportionately far more common at loci at Group II than at loci in Group I, because the former is under less selection constraint than the latter.
Privacy aware data generation for testing database applications

Testing of database applications is of great importance. A significant issue in database application testing consists in the availability of representative data. In this paper, we investigate the problem of generating a synthetic database based on a-priori knowledge about a production database. Our approach is to fit general location model using various characteristics (e.g., constraints, statistics, rules) extracted from the production database and then generate the synthetic data using model learnt. The generated data is valid and similar to real data in terms of statistical distribution, hence it can be used for functional and performance testing. As characteristics extracted may contain information which may be used by attacker to derive some confidential information about individuals, we present our disclosure analysis method which applies cell suppression technique for identity disclosure analysis and perturbation for value disclosure.
Size Effect on the Device Performance of K31 Type pMUTs: Experiments and Equivalent Circuit Analysis

The objective of the current study is to investigate the size effect on the performance of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs). pMUTs with twenty different dimensions were designed and fabricated. The length/width aspect ratios of the membranes range from 5 to 22. For each design, multiple samples were fabricated in order to collect statistically meaningful data. The performance of pMUTs was characterized by the impedance and phase angle measurements combined with equivalent circuit analysis. The circuit has four electrical components, L1 (motional inductance), C1 (motional capacitance), R1 (motional resistance), and C0 (parallel capacitance), and their values were determined by fitting the circuit equation to the experimental data. The experimental results showed that effective coupling coefficient ( keff 2) increase, and resonance frequency ( fs) and quality factor (Q ) decrease with increasing the width of the membrane.
Reduced isotonic sarcomere shortening in rabbit right ventricular pressure overload hypertrophy.

Abstract We found previously that sarcomere shortening was reduced in hypertrophied rabbit right ventricular (RV) trabeculae, even when total isometric force and damaged end compliance were the same as normal. Here we studied isotonic shortening of similar preparations force-clamped with a servomotor. A force clamp holds the length of damaged end compliance constant. Sarcomere length (SL) was measured with laser diffraction in twitches with single and optimally paired stimuli. δSL was sarcomere shortening divided by SL at the onset of shortening. Muscle shortening divided by unloaded muscle length (ML) at the onset of shortening was δML. RV hypertrophy was produced with pulmonary artery constriction in 11 rabbits and there were eight normal rabbits. δSL was smaller than normal in hypertrophy, but δML was unchanged from normal. δSL δML in hypertrophy, 0.90 ± 0.02, was significantly less than normal, 2.40 ± 0.07 (mean ± s.e.m. ) (P δSL δML did not depend on sarcomere shortening, load, time during shortening or stimulus pattern. Therefore, the reduced δSL in hypertrophy was independent of contractile state parameters. The ratio was also independent of resting SL (normal = 2.29 ± 0.07 μm; hypertrophy = 2.23 ± 0.03 μm; P>0.05) or where diffraction was sampled along central muscle length. One explanation for the findings includes reduced compliance of series viscoelastic elements within the central undamaged region of a hypertrophied muscle. This explanation is consistent with changes from normal in myocardial mechanics and connective tissue in cardiac hypertrophy. Ventricular function remains adequate in hypertrophy without heart failure perhaps because reduced δSL δML in hypertrophy results in less sarcomere work at any level of muscle work.