cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel non-endocytic delivery of antisense oligonucleotides.

Abstract Antisense oligonucleotides (ONs) have several properties that make them attractive as therapeutic agents. Hybridization of antisense ONs to their complementary nucleic acid sequences by Watson–Crick base pairing is a highly selective and efficient process. Design of therapeutic antisense agents can be made more rationally as compared to most traditional drugs, i.e., they can be designed on the basis of target RNA sequences and their secondary structures. Despite these advantages, the design and use of antisense ONs as therapeutic agents are still faced with several obstacles. One major obstacle is their inefficient cellular uptake and poor accessibility to target sites. In this article, we will discuss key barriers affecting ON delivery and approaches to overcome these barriers. Current methods of ON delivery will be reviewed with an emphasis on novel non-endocytic methods of delivery. ONs are taken up by cells via an endocytic process. The process of ON release from endosomes is a very inefficient process and, hence, ONs end up being degraded in the endosomes. Thus, ONs do not reach their intended site of action in the cytoplasm or nucleus. Delivery systems ensuring a cytoplasmic delivery of ONs have the potential to increase the amount of ON reaching the target. Here, we shall examine various ON delivery methods that bypass the endosomal pathway. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods compared to other existing methods of ON delivery will be discussed.
The surface chemistry of hydrous manganese dioxide

Abstract An experimental investigation has shown that H+ and OH− are potential determining ions for the δMnO2 surface. The pH (ZPC) was determined using electrophoretic mobilities and Na+ and K+ adsorption and found to be 2.25. Alkalimetric titration curves failed to provide a direct determination of the pH (ZPC), however, when combined with the Na+ adsorption data they provide a means for estimating the surface charge. Surface charge values of approximately 100 μ C/cm2 were found at pH 8, considerably higher than the charge on SiO2 which has a similar pH (ZPC). Below pH 3.5 manganese was released to solution and the experimental data suggest that this is due to the reduction of MnO2. δMnO2 is thermodynamically unstable with respect to H2O below that pH.
RNA structures near poly(A) of adenovirus-2 late messenger RNAs☆

Abstract RNA sequences near poly(A) of adenovirus-2 late messenger RNAs have been mapped within the Ad2 genome and compared by T 1 ribonuclease fingerprinting. Polyadenylated viral mRNAs transcribed 14 to 17 hours post-infection were prepared highly labeled with 32 P, and then fractionated by hybridization to restriction fragments of Ad2 DNA or by gel electrophoresis. The 3′-terminal regions of purified mRNAs were isolated by partially degrading the mRNA with alkali or T 1 ribonuclease to an average length of ~100 to 200 residues, and selecting fragments with poly(A) by poly(U)-Sepharose chromatography. Six different 3′-terminal structures, all derived from rightward transcripts, were identified. The map positions of these structures were initially deduced by establishing the fingerprints of sequences near poly(A) of mRNAs hybridized to DNA restriction fragments with known map co-ordinates. In four cases the DNA templates for the termini were located more precisely by identifying short restriction fragments of known map position which encode, in vitro , large T 1 oligo-nucleotides found in vivo near poly(A). Five 3′ termini map within restriction fragments Sma1 I/ Hin III J (co-ordinates 37.3 to 40.5), Sma1 D/ Kpn D (47.4 to 52.6), Eco RI B (58.5 to 70.7), Eco RI D (75.9 to 83.4), and Sma1 C/ Eco R1 C (89.7 to 91.9). These 3′ termini fall within the boundaries of the major Ad2 late transcription unit (co-ordinates ~16 to 100; Evans et al. , 1977). The sixth terminus maps outside this region in Sma1 M (11.2 to 11.6) and thus is transcribed from a second transcription unit which also functions late in infection. Each of the six 3′ termini yielded large T 1 oligonucleotides which were specific to the particular 3′-terminal region, rather than common to different structures. The hexanucleotide sequence A-A-U-A-A-A, which is located near poly(A) of several previously studied eukaryotic messengers (Proudfoot & Brownlee, 1976), is present in at least two of the Ad2 3′-terminal structures, and potentially in all six. The RNA sequences surrounding the hexanucleotide are not identical in the different viral cases, although these mRNAs are transcribed from a single DNA genome. The location of Ad2 mRNA 3′-terminal sequences within the viral genome is discussed in terms of the Ad2 late mRNA map and a hypothesis for the role of 3′ terminus formation in Ad2 mRNA synthesis.
Cross sections for the O16(d, p0)O17, O16(d, p1O17∗ and O16(d, α0)N14 reactions from 0.8 to 1.7 MeV

Abstract Absolute cross sections for the O 16 (d, p 0 )O 17 , O 16 (d, p 1 )O 17∗ and O 16 (d, α 0 )N 14 reactions have been measured from 0.8 to 1.7 MeV at laboratory angles of 51.4°, 66.9°, 86.7°, 127.7°, 142.2° and 164.3°.
Coastally Trapped Waves, Baroclinic Eddies, Internal Tides and Oceanic Fronts at the Shelf Break: Their Implications for Exchanges between Shelf and Oceanic Waters [Abstract Only]

The seaward edge of the continental shelf, or shelf break, is the locus of strong physical variability in the overlying waters. Near the shelf-break, surface tides scatter energy into internal modes that propagate both onshore and offshore and produce strong vertical shears. Atmospheric forcing generates subinertial-frequency topographic Rossby waves, which propagate parallel to the coastline and are strongly trapped near the shelf break. Relative to the sloping topography, wind-driven coastal upwelling generates prograde fronts, and river run-off generates retrograde fronts. Located near the shelf break, these fronts are boundaries between oceanic and coastal waters. Oceanic eddies impinge on, and move along, the shelf-break entraining coastal waters. Eddies may also be shed by shelf-break fronts. Submarine capes and canyons contort the shelf break and significantly modify the enumerated processes. Based on observational evidence from a few coastal regimes, the shelf break is a zone where several mesoscale and synoptic-scale processes operate and probably produce significant turbulent transfers.
Hardware implementation and control design of generator emulator in multi-converter system

In this project to develop a reconfigurable electrical grid emulator, a Hardware Test-Bed (HTB) is being developed that emulates large scale power system generators and loads by using power electronic converters. Source converters in the HTB system are designed to emulate generators. A synchronous generator model is implemented in the converter to calculate the voltage references in the dq axis, and a voltage controller is added to achieve zero steady state error. A traditional cascade controller with inner current control and outer voltage control brings additional output impedance to the generator model, and causes voltage tracking error during transients. To minimize the controller output impedance and eliminate controller influence on the generator model, a single voltage loop with current differential feedback is proposed in this paper. Combined with rescaled generator parameters, circulating current elimination, and dead time compensation, simulation and experiments are performed in the HTB. The results verify the effectiveness of the controller and demonstrate the dynamic generator emulator behavior.
Algorithm 880: A testing infrastructure for symmetric tridiagonal eigensolvers

LAPACK is often mentioned as a positive example of a software library that encapsulates complex, robust, and widely used numerical algorithms for a wide range of applications. At installation time, the user has the option of running a (limited) number of test cases to verify the integrity of the installation process. On the algorithm developer's side, however, more exhaustive tests are usually performed to study algorithm behavior on a variety of problem settings and also computer architectures. In this process, difficult test cases need to be found that reflect particular challenges of an application or push algorithms to extreme behavior. These tests are then assembled into a comprehensive collection, therefore making it possible for any new or competing algorithm to be stressed in a similar way. This article describes an infrastructure for exhaustively testing the symmetric tridiagonal eigensolvers implemented in LAPACK. It consists of two parts: a selection of carefully chosen test matrices with particular idiosyncrasies and a portable testing framework that allows for easy testing and data processing. The tester facilitates experiments with algorithmic choices, parameter and threshold studies, and performance comparisons on different architectures.
Polarization measurements of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter

Abstract Polarization curves for the four Galilean satellites are presented. They indicate that the surfaces of Io, Ganymede, and Europa are covered mostly by a bright, transparent material, possibly frost. The surface of Callisto is different. It is more similar to that of the Moon, but some frost patches may also be present.
Hydrothermal alteration at the Lonar Lake impact structure, India: Implications for impact cratering on Mars

The 50,000 year old, 1.8 km diameter Lonar crater is one of only two known terrestrial craters to be emplaced in basaltic target rock (the 65 million year old Deccan Traps). The composition of the Lonar basalts is similar to martian basaltic meteorites, which establishes Lonar as an excellent analogue for similarly sized craters on the surface of Mars. Samples from cores drilled into the Lonar crater floor show that there are basaltic impact breccias that have been altered by post-impact hydrothermal processes to produce an assemblage of secondary alteration minerals. Microprobe data and X-ray diffraction analyses show that the alteration mineral assemblage consists primarily of saponite, with minor celadonite, and carbonate. Thermodynamic modeling and terrestrial volcanic analogues were used to demonstrate that these clay minerals formed at temperatures between 130 °C and 200 °C. By comparing the Lonar alteration assemblage with alteration at other terrestrial craters, we conclude that the Lonar crater represents a lower size limit for impact-induced hydrothermal activity. Based on these results, we suggest that similarly sized craters on Mars have the potential to form hydrothermal systems, as long as liquid water was present on or near the martian surface. Furthermore, the Fe-rich alteration minerals produced by post-impact hydrothermal processes could contribute to the minor iron enrichment associated with the formation of the martian soil.
Cross-polarization and magic angle sample spinning NMR of model organic compounds with extremely long 1H T1's

The /sup 1/H spin-lattice relaxation time of poly(-phenylene) as well as p-sexiphenyl, p-quarterphenyl, p-terphenyl, and biphenyl has been determined. The previously reported difficulty in obtaining cross-polymerization, magic angle spinning (CPMAS) NMR spectra for the shorter oligomers has been verified. It has also been established that relative intensity for the oligomers should be a reliable method for probing the structures of the parent polymer. It has also been noted that the /sup 1/H relaxation time of these phenylene oligomers can be extraordinarily long. These phenylene oligomers studied here have been shown to be further examples of systems lacking a methyl or other group capable of rapid internal rotation and lacking significant amorphous material. 19 references, 1 figure, 1 table.
Post-transcriptional regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase in rats with subtotal nephrectomy

Post-transcriptional regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase in rats with subtotal nephrectomy. Chronic renal failure is associated with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. The mechanism responsible for the observed increase of serum cholesterol in chronic renal disease is not certain. The objective of the present study was to characterize the effect of induced renal failure on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, the two rate determining enzymes of the cholesterol and bile acid biosynthetic pathways, respectively. Studies were carried out in rats with subtotal (75%) nephrectomy, which resulted in a marked elevation of blood urea nitrogen (371 ± 44% of control, P
Prediction of polaronlike vortices and a dissociation depinning transition in magnetic superconductors: the example of ErNi2B2C.

In borocarbide ${\mathrm{ErNi}}_{2}{\mathrm{B}}_{2}\mathrm{C}$, the phase transition to the commensurate spin density wave at 2.3 K leaves $1/20$ part of Ising-like Er spins practically free. Vortices polarize these spins nonuniformly and repolarize them when moving. At a low spin relaxation rate and at low bias currents, vortices carrying magnetic polarization clouds become polaronlike and their velocities are determined by the effective drag coefficient, which is significantly bigger than the Bardeen-Stephen (BS) one. As current increases, at a critical current ${J}_{c}$ vortices release polarization clouds and the velocity as well as the voltage in the $I\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}V$ characteristics jump to values corresponding to the BS drag coefficient. The nonuniform components of the magnetic field and magnetization drop as velocity increases, resulting in weaker polarization and discontinuous dynamic dissociation depinning transition. As current decreases, on the way back, vortices are retrapped by polarization clouds at the current ${J}_{r}l{J}_{c}$.
Stimulation and inhibition of thyroid iodinating enzyme systems.

Abstract 1. 1. A study has been made of the action of chemical agents on iodination mediated by a particulate and by a soluble calf thyroid enzyme system. The particulate enzyme has a pH optimum near 9.8 and displays only a fraction of its maximal activity at pH 7.4. 2. 2. Reduced pyridine nucleotides, tetrahydrofolic acid, and, in certain concentrations, compounds functioning in other circumstances as chelating agents (penicillamine), reducing agents (dihydroxyfumarate), sulfhydryl reagents (N-ethylmaleimide), and disulfide reagents (cysteine) stimulate particulate iodination. These compounds may be oxidized by atmospheric O2 with generation of H2O2. 3. 3. Sulfhydryl inhibitors depress particulate iodination, perhaps by interfering with H2O2 generation. 4. 4. Inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport does not affect iodination by the soluble enzyme system. 5. 5. Tetrahydrofolic acid, penicillamine, dihydroxyfumarate and cysteine inhibit soluble enzyme iodination. 6. 6. In the ‘soluble’ system H2O2 is provided, and the compounds may serve as competitive reducing agents or reduce labile reactive sites on the enzyme. 7. 7. Reduction of the soluble enzyme appears to cause irreversible damage, for efforts to reoxidize or otherwise reactivate the sulfite inhibited enzyme are unsuccessful.
Limit on the Electron Electric Dipole Moment Using Paramagnetic Ferroelectric Eu 0.5 Ba 0.5 TiO 3

We report on the results of a search for the electron electric dipole moment ${d}_{e}$ using paramagnetic ferroelectric ${\mathrm{Eu}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{TiO}}_{3}$. The electric polarization creates an effective electric field that makes it energetically favorable for the spins of the seven unpaired $4f$ electrons of the ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{2+}$ to orient along the polarization, provided that ${d}_{e}\ensuremath{\ne}0$. This interaction gives rise to sample magnetization, correlated with its electric polarization, and is therefore equivalent to a linear magnetoelectric effect. A SQUID magnetometer is used to search for the resulting magnetization. We obtain ${d}_{e}=(\ensuremath{-}1.07\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{3.06}_{\mathrm{stat}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{1.74}_{\mathrm{syst}})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}25}\text{ }\text{ }e\mathrm{cm}$, implying an upper limit of $|{d}_{e}|l6.05\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}25}\text{ }\text{ }e\mathrm{cm}$ (90% confidence).
Same Governance, Different Day: Does Metropolitan Reorganization Make a Difference?

This commentary focuses on three points related to the debate about urban governmental restructuring: existing conflicts in the literature regarding the outcomes of local government consolidation; insights about consolidation based on an assessment of the amalgamation of twelve municipal units creating the new city of Ottawa; and, a discussion of a variety of methodological and political factors that may well account for the continuing inconsistency in academic assessments of structural change in local government. One possible explanation for the latter conflict is that governmental reorganization does not really make things substantially different in terms of taxes and services, that is, those outcomes most directly experienced by the average citizen. Over the long term other forces, such as intergovernmental relations and the economy, will tend to negate most of the initial effects of change. While there are likely to be winners and losers related to power in government or regime, it will be argued that in large part, for most citizens, governmental reorganization produces the same governance on a different day.
Nonuniformity correction for improved registration and high-resolution image reconstruction in IR imagery

It is well known that non-uniformity noise in focal-plane array (FPA) sensors, which is due to the pixel-to-pixel variation in the detectors' responses, can considerably degrade the quality of images since it results in a fixed pattern that is superimposed on the true scene. This paper addresses the benefits of non-uniformity correction (NUC) pre- processing on the performance of a number of existing post- processing algorithms. The post-processing applications considered are image registration (motion compensation) and high-resolution image reconstruction from a sequence of blurred and undersampled images. The accuracy of motion estimation in the presence of non-uniformity noise is investigated in terms of the standard deviation of the gain and the offset of the FPA detectors. Two recently reported scene-based NUC techniques are employed to pre-process the FPA output prior post-processing. The first NUC technique is based on the assumption that all pixels experience the same range of irradiance over a sufficiently long sequence of frames (constant-range assumption), and the second NUC technique is registration-based and can be used recursively. It is shown that NUC improves the accuracy of registration, and consequently, enhances the benefit of high-resolution reconstruction. It is also shown that under cases of severe non-uniformity noise, a recursive application of the registration-based NUC may further improve the accuracy of registration and high-resolution image reconstruction. The results are illustrated using real and simulated data.
Spread of HSV-1 to the suprachiasmatic nuclei and retina in T cell depleted BALB/c mice

Abstract Following uniocular anterior chamber inoculation of the KOS strain of HSV-1 in euthymic BALB/c mice, virus spreads from the injected eye to the brain, and from the brain to the optic nerve and retina of the uninjected eye by day 7 post inoculation (P.I.), but the optic nerve and retina of the injected eye are not infected with virus. Infection of the optic nerve and retina of the injected eye is observed only in athymic mice or in mice depleted of both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. To determine the role of T cells in virus spread, adult female BALB/c mice were thymectomized and T cell depleted. Mice were co-injected with the KOS strain of HSV-1 and RH116, a thymidine kinase-negative mutant of KOS containing the Escherichia coli lac Z gene. Animals were sacrificed on days 3–7 P.I., and the eyes and brains were examined for blue-stained, virus-infected cells. A difference in the timing of virus infection was observed in the area of the suprachiasmatic nuclei only in mice depleted of both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, and in this group, the contralateral suprachiasmatic nucleus was infected two days earlier. Since one route by which virus could infect the retina of the injected eye is via connections of the contralateral suprachiasmatic nucleus to the ipsilateral optic nerve, these findings suggest that (a) retinitis observed in the injected eyes of mice depleted of both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells results from virus infection of the contralateral suprachiasmatic nucleus followed by spread of virus to the ipsilateral optic nerve and retina and (b) early HSV-1 infection of the contralateral suprachiasmatic nucleus is prevented by a T cell dependent mechanism.
Prediction and Measurement of the Flow and Heat Transfer Along the Endwall and Within an Inlet Vane Passage

Numerical simulations and laboratory measurements are performed to study the flow field and heat transfer in a linear cascade of turbine vanes. The vanes are scaled-up versions of a turbine engine inlet vane but simplified in that they are untwisted and follow the mid-span airfoil shape of the engine vane. The hub endwall is axially profiled while the tip endwall is flat. The hub endwall comprises the focus of the heat transfer investigation. Configurations are considered with and without air injection through three discrete angled (25 degrees to the main flow direction) slots upstream of each vane. The freestream turbulence intensity at the vane cascade inlet plane is 11 (± 2) percent, as measured by a single hot-wire placed perpendicular to the mean flow. The transient thermochromic liquid crystal technique is used to measure the convective heat transfer coefficient at the hub endwall for the baseline case (without air injection through the slots), and the heat transfer coefficient and cooling effectiveness at the same endwall for the cases with air injection at two blowing ratios. Miniature Kiel probes are used to measure the distribution of total pressure upstream of, within, and downstream of one vane passage. Numerical simulations are performed of the incompressible flow using unstructured grids. Hybrid meshes comprised of prisms near solid surfaces and tetrahedra away from the wall are used to resolve the solutions, with mesh refinement up to approximately 2 million cells. For all calculations, the first grid point is within one viscous unit of solid surfaces. A Boussinesq approximation is invoked to model the turbulent Reynolds stresses, with the turbulent eddy viscosity obtained from the Spalart-Allmaras one-equation model. The turbulent heat flux is modeled via Reynolds analogy and a constant turbulent Prandtl number of 0.9. The simulations show that endwall axial profiling results in flow reversal upstream of the vane, an effect that lowers the Stanton number for the baseline flow near the vane leading edge compared to our previous work in a flat-endwall geometry. Predictions of the total pressure loss coefficient show that the peak levels are higher than those measured.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Imaginary part of the nucleon self-energy in a relativistic field theory.

The imaginary part of the off-shell nucleon self-energy {Sigma}({omega},{bold k}) in nuclear matter is investigated in the {sigma}{omega} model using fourth-order contributions in the meson-nucleon couplings. We discuss contributions from particle-hole excitations, Pauli blocking of {ital N{bar N}} excitations, and vacuum polarization to the various Lorentz components of the self-energy.
Transfection with bacterial genes as a marker for cells seeded on vascular flow surfaces.

Autologous seeding of vascular grafts has been in use since 1972; however, the fate of seeded cells has never been determined. While short-term retention has been determined by radioactively labeling cells, long-term studies of seeded cells have not been possible due to the lack of an appropriate marker system. We have developed a long-term marker system for endothelial cells by transfecting the cells with bacterial genes that can be detected by fluorescentally-labeled antibodies to these markers. Two bacterial genes, neo and cat both carried by a pSV2 plasmid construct were used to co-transfect cells. Transfects were selected by growth in the presence of G418. Transfected clones were expanded into monolayers that stained positive for car by fluorescence, and retained the normal cobblestone morphology and factor VIII staining of endothelial cells. By stably transfecting cells with bacterial genes these cells can now be used to seed vascular grafts and follow the long-term fate of seeded cells.
The complex origin of Astyanax cavefish

The loss of phenotypic characters is a common feature of evolution. Cave organisms provide excellent models for investigating the underlying patterns and processes governing the evolutionary loss of phenotypic traits. The blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, represents a particularly strong model for both developmental and genetic analyses as these fish can be raised in the laboratory and hybridized with conspecific surface form counterparts to produce large F2 pedigrees. As studies have begun to illuminate the genetic bases for trait evolution in these cavefish, it has become increasingly important to understand these phenotypic changes within the context of cavefish origins. Understanding these origins is a challenge. For instance, widespread convergence on similar features renders morphological characters less informative. In addition, current and past gene flow between surface and cave forms have complicated the delineation of particular cave populations. Past population-level analyses have sought to: 1) estimate at what time in the geological past cave forms became isolated from surface-dwelling ancestors, 2) define the extent to which cave form populations originated from a common invasion (single origin hypothesis) or several invasions (multiple origin hypothesis), and 3) clarify the role of geological and climatic events in Astyanax cavefish evolution. In recent years, thanks to the combined use of morphological and genetic data, a much clearer picture has emerged regarding the origins of Astyanax cavefish. The consensus view, based on several recent studies, is that cave forms originated from at least two distinct ancestral surface-dwelling stocks over the past several million years. In addition, each stock gave rise to multiple invasions of the subterranean biotope. The older stock is believed to have invaded the El Abra caves at least three times while the new stock separately invaded the northern Guatemala and western Micos caves. This renewed picture of Astyanax cavefish origins will help investigators draw conclusions regarding the evolution of phenotypic traits through parallelism versus convergence. Additionally, it will help us understand how the presence of cave-associated traits in old versus young cave populations may be influenced by the time since isolation in the cave environment. This will, in turn, help to inform our broader understanding of the forces that govern the evolution of phenotypic loss.
Depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective. The aims of this study were to evaluate psychological distress and quality of life (QOL) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to examine the relationship between these problems and health and demographic variables. Methods. Of 344 consecutive patients identified, 246 completed questionnaires. Four dimensions of QOL were assessed including physical, functional, emotional, and social/family well-being, as well as concerns specific to ovarian cancer patients. Depression was measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale and anxiety was measured by the State Anxiety Subscale of the Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. Performance status was evaluated by the Zubrod score. Results. Sixty-five patients (26%) had early stage disease; 181 (74%) had advanced disease. One hundred twenty-one patients (49%) were under active treatment, while 124 (51%) were seen for posttherapy surveillance. Forty-eight (21%) met CES-D cutoff criteria for a clinical evaluation for depression, and 29% scored above the 75th percentile for anxiety. Performance status was related to depression, anxiety, and QOL problems, except in the domain of social well-being. Conclusions. Clinically significant depression and anxiety may be more prevalent in patients with EOC than previously reported. Future studies of screening for and treating psychological distress are being designed to improve QOL in these women.
Diffusion and quasi-diffusion resistances in relation to the carboxylation kinetics of maize leaves.

A “quasi-diffusion resistance”, rq, is defined to accommodate the role which the thermochemical and photochemical phenomena of photosynthesis play in the control of CO2 fixation to the terminology and approach of the diffusion resistance analogue for the CO2 exchange of leaves. The relationship of rq to Rabinowitch's classical rectangular hyperbolic model of photosynthesis rate as a function of CO2 concen-tration at the carboxylating surface is discussed. Examination of Kmapp for phos-phopyruvate carboxylase (the predominant carboxylase in maize) suggests, as a reasonable hypothesis for light-saturated maize leaves, that rq may be essentially independent of ambient CO2-concentration up to at least 300 μ1/l. A corollary of the hypothesis is that an increase of diffusion resistance, rather than of rq, may account for the observed curvature of the response curves of light-saturated maize leaf photosynthesis to ambient CO2-concentration. An experiment carried out on fieldgrown maize plants, using a well controlled leaf chamber as a nitrous oxide diffusion porometer, gave evidence which strongly supported the hypothesis.
Modified helix-like instability structure on imploding z-pinch liners that are pre-imposed with a uniform axial magnetic field

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratories Z Facility have, for the first time, studied the implosion dynamics of magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) style liners that were pre-imposed with a uniform axial magnetic field. As reported [T. J. Awe et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 235005 (2013)] when premagnetized with a 7 or 10 T axial field, these liners developed 3D-helix-like hydrodynamic instabilities; such instabilities starkly contrast with the azimuthally correlated magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities that have been consistently observed in many earlier non-premagnetized experiments. The helical structure persisted throughout the implosion, even though the azimuthal drive field greatly exceeded the expected axial field at the liner's outer wall for all but the earliest stages of the experiment. Whether this modified instability structure has practical importance for magneto-inertial fusion concepts depends primarily on whether the modified instability structure is more stable than standard azimuthally correlated MRT instabilities. In this manuscript, we discuss the evolution of the helix-like instability observed on premagnetized liners. While a first principles explanation of this observation remains elusive, recent 3D simulations suggest that if a small amplitude helical perturbation can be seeded on the liner's outer surface, no further influence from the axial field is required for the instability to grow.
Preoperative angiography and external carotid artery embolization of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas in a tertiary referral paediatric centre

Aim To evaluate the relationship between intraoperative blood loss and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) vascular supply and tumour stage in patients who underwent superselective external carotid artery (ECA) embolization. This series is unique in that all embolizations were performed by dedicated paediatric interventional radiologists at a tertiary referral paediatric centre. Materials and methods Seventeen male patients treated from January 2002 to August 2009 underwent preoperative angiography and embolization using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles. Tumours were graded using three different staging systems based on preoperative imaging and correlated to surgical blood loss. All patients underwent bilateral internal and external carotid angiography, with embolization of ECA tumour supply via microcatheter delivery of PVA particles. Particle size ranged from 150–500 μm with a mean size of 250–355 μm. Surgical resection was performed with either endoscopic or open techniques within 24 h and intraoperative blood loss was reported. Results Seven lesions were supplied strictly by the ECA circulation and had mean surgical blood loss of 336 ml. Twelve lesions had both ECA and internal carotid artery (ICA) supply and had mean surgical blood loss of 842 ml. The difference in blood loss in these two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.03). There was no case of inadvertent intracranial or ophthalmic embolization. There were statistically significant correlations between estimated surgical blood loss and the Andrews (p = 0.008), Radkowski (p = 0.015), and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC; p = 0.015) preoperative tumour staging systems, respectively. Conclusion Preoperative embolization of JNA tumours can be safely performed without neurological complications. The present study identified a statistically significant difference in intraoperative blood loss between those lesions with a purely ECA vascular supply and a combination of ECA and ICA vascular supply. Angiography is helpful in delineating ICA supply and can help guide surgical planning.
Bit Loading Algorithm of VSF-OFCDM Wireless Communication

In VSF-OFCDM wireless communication, wireless channel is divided into component channels with the same frequency space according to the frequency, and the carriers on component channels are mutually orthogonal. When there are enough subcarriers, the bandwidth efficiency of the system is close to nyquist limit, which can ensure the utilization ratio of system frequency. Therefore, under the premise of ensuring orthogonal division of channels, the channels received a secondary division according to data rate requirements and power limit of business to make the frequency resource fully used and makes the total power minimal, which realizes the optimal distribution of wireless-communication system resources. The secondary division is represented by bit loading algorithmthe best bit number of subcarrier allocation in symbol period. For the characteristics of wide-band multi-media services and granular division of VSF-OFCDM wireless communication, the subject proposes the idea of business-oriented subcarrier allocation, which means that the subcarriers are divided in symbol period with the business as the dominant. Based on the idea, the paper designs service-oriented bit loading algorithm of subcarrier, byte and power combined with distribution based on channel detection, and makes verification and performance analysis on the algorithm.
Review Of Colour Terms And Simultaneous Contrast Research For Cartography

Colours that are next to a map colour change its appearance by simultaneous contrast (the term induction is also used to describe the effect). The problem of simultaneous contrast on maps has been described repeatedly in the general literature on colour use in cartography and has been recognized as a confounding variable in cartographic research on colour. This review article clarifies important distinctions between lightness constancy and brightness contrast effects that interfere with the interpretation of the results of previous research. Likewise, induced changes in hue are often described as shifts toward the complement of the surrounding colour but many different definitions of complementarity exist, and these distinctions are described. Review of the induction literature from other disciplines reveals conflicting conclusions based on varied stimulus configurations that do not approximate the complexity of a map. To establish a perceptual structure relevant to the map reading context, induction must...
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage from Tegmen Tympani Defects Repaired via the Middle Cranial Fossa Approach

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea due to tegmen tympani defects can result in hearing impairment and predispose to meningitis. Seizures or neurological deficits are additional risks, particularly when associated with an encephalocele. Surgical repair of the dural defect through a middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach is a treatment option under these circumstances. This series describes eight individuals who presented with CSF otorrhea and MCF encephaloceles associated with conductive hearing loss. Defects in the tegmen tympani were noted in all patients on preoperative cranial imaging, and six of the eight patients had an associated encephalocele. The average age was 57 years (range 26 to 67) with a male:female ratio of 7:1. Most defects occurred on the left side (6 left/2 right). A standard MCF approach and repair of the dural defect with an autologous dural graft (Durepair or DuraGen, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) and a synthetic polymer glue (DuraSeal, Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts) was performed in each case with universal success. Resolution of the CSF otorrhea was noted in all cases. All cases but one exhibited an improvement in hearing. One patient developed a delayed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus meningitis 3 months after surgery that resolved with surgical re-exploration and antibiotic therapy. Facial nerve monitoring was standard. All patients exhibited normal facial function postoperatively. Prophylactic lumbar drain placement was only utilized in the first three patients. The MCF approach is an excellent route to effectively repair CSF leaks and encephaloceles due to tegmen tympani and dural defects.
A PC-Based Decision Tool for Roadway Incident Management

A quick-response PC tool has been developed to address a number of crucial transportation needs following major road incidents or urban disasters. Known as TEMPO (Transportation Emergency Management of Post-Incident Operations), the tool is capable of instantaneously identifying near-optimal traffic-diversion strategies around disruptions in an urban traffic network. TEMPO utilizes heuristic approaches to estimating the origin-destination (O-D) of the traffic on the closed links and reassigning the estimated O-D to the remainder of the network. This article describes the following features of TEMPO: (1) the GIS-based data structure that allows graphic user interaction and network editing, including closed street links, changes in number of lanes, cordoned off areas, changes in street directionality, speed limits, and parking regulations, and (2) the algorithm for traffic diversion around the incident based on cordoning the affected region around the closure, estimation of the O-D matrix for the traffic on the closed links, and reassignment of the O-D to the network. Finally, a simulation-based calibration procedure is conducted to compare the TEMPO results with those generated by a popular planning software, TRANPLAN. Thirty-three incident scenarios in a generic test network are simulated by both TEMPO and TRANPLAN, and the results are compared statistically.
Time-course of changes in cardiac function during recovery after acute exercise.

Exercise-induced cardiac dysfunction (EICD) has been observed immediately following exhaustive exercise in trained individuals, but limited and conflicting data are available regarding EICD in a previously untrained population days after an exhaustive exercise bout. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a single bout of acute exercise on cardiac function during the 72 h after exercise and identify potential contributing mechanisms. After completing an acute exercise bout on a motorized treadmill (25 m/min, 5% grade, 60 min), rats were sacrificed immediately, 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h after the exercise bout. At the scheduled time of sacrifice, hearts were isolated and perfused for determination of ex vivo cardiac function, and examined for malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation index, and antioxidant potential (AOP). During the 48 h post exercise, left ventricular developed pressure decreased by 30%, dP/dtmax declined by 37%, and dP/dtmin showed a 34% decrease (p < 0.05). By 72 h, cardiac...
Determination of volcanic dust deposition from El Chichon using ground and satellite data

Major volcanic eruptions of El Chichon on 28 March 1982, 3 April 1982 and 4 April 1982 produced heavy tephra falls in surrounding areas. Data from the NOAA-6 and NOAA-7 satellites were used to determine the extent of the tephra falls. The satellite data showed a larger area of tephra deposition than was reported from conventional ground measurements.
Radioimmunoscintigraphic detection of occult gestational choriocarcinoma.

Abstract Localized recurrent gestational choriocarcinoma, evidenced by a rising level of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin, can be difficult to localize for surgical resection. We describe a patient with a rising level of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin after extensive therapy for choriocarcinoma in which gamma scanning of the distribution of an intravenously administered iodine 131-labeled monoclonal antibody preparation (5F9.3) allowed localization of a focus of recurrent choriocarcinoma in the lung. Other imaging methods showed this only as a focus of stable scarring. The antibody scan guided surgical resection of this tumor focus, which on gamma counting had a tenfold excess of antibody activity compared with that of the normal lung. This approach may be useful in detecting occult foci of gestational choriocarcinoma for surgical resection in patients with rising levels of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and is under further evaluation.
Pilomatricoma of the upper arm in an orthopaedic clinic

First described in 1880 as the ‘‘calcifying epithelioma’’ by Malherbe and Chenantais, the pilomatricoma was thought to be a calcifying tumor derived from sebaceous glands. Almost 70 years later, in 1949, Lever and Griesemer postulated the tumor to originate from hair follicle matrix cells. After further confirmation by light and electron microscopic studies, as well as immunohistochemical studies, Forbis and Helwig proposed the name ‘‘pilomatrixoma’’ in 1961. Some consider ‘‘pilomatricoma’’ a more etymologically proper spelling. ‘‘Calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe’’ is still used as well. Over a century after its introduction, our basic knowledge of this uncommon tumor is still developing. In 2009 Kurokawa et al showed that pilomatricomas could differentiate not only toward the hair follicle matrix cells but also toward the hair cortex, infundibulum, outer root sheath, and hair bulge. A pilomatricoma typically presents in the first 2 decades of life, with a second peak occurring in adults aged between 50 and 65 years. The gender distribution has been contradictory in the literature, with most sources showing aminor female predominance and others showing a slight male predominance. Themost common presenting locations are in the head and orofacial zones (particularly the parotid region), representing over 50% of all cases. Conversely, pilomatricomas in the upper extremities, trunk, or lower extremities are relatively uncommon. Given its cutaneous appearance and its typical locations, a pilomatricoma will rarely be seen by medical specialties other than dermatology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, or pathology. We present the case of a 20-year-old woman presenting to an orthopaedic
Molecular Cloning and Expression of a Xylanase Gene from Bacillus polymyxa in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Genomic fragments of Bacillus polymyxa derived from separate and complete digestion by EcoRI, HindIII, and BamHI were ligated into the corresponding sites of pBR322, and the resulting chimeric plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli. Of 6,000 transformants screened, 1 (pBPX-277) produced a clear halo on Remazol brilliant blue xylan plates. The insert in the pBPX-277 recombinant, identified as an 8.0-kilobase BamHI fragment of B. polymyxa, was subsequently subjected to extensive mapping and a series of subclonings into pUC19. A 2.9-kilobase BamHI-EcoRI subfragment was found to code for xylanase activity. Xylanase activity expressed by E. coli harboring the cloned gene was located primarily in the periplasm and corresponded to one of two distinct xylanases produced by B. polymyxa. Xylanase expression by the cloned gene occurred in the absence of xylan and was reduced by glucose and xylose. Southern blot hybridization with the cloned fragment as a probe against complete genomic digests of the bacilli B. polymyxa, B. circulans, and B. subtilis revealed that the cloned xylanase gene was unique to B. polymyxa. The xylanase expressed by the cloned gene had a molecular weight of approximately 48,000 and an isoelectric point of 4.9.
The relationship between left ventricular functional response to isometric exercise and asynergic contraction and diastolic stiffness

Either augmentation or impairment of left ventricular function has previously been reported in different patients, in response to isometric exercise. To identify the mechanisms associated with these disparate responses, the effects of submaximal sustained handgrip upon left ventricular systolic and diastolic properties were studied in 29 patients during diagnostic catheterization. In 16 patients (group I), ejection fraction, mean Vcf, and the mean systolic ejection rate remained constant, while the ratio of peak systolic pressure to end systolic volume increased significantly from 2.81 +/- 0.6 to 3.17 +/- 0.6 ml/mm Hg. In 13 patients (group II) ejection fraction declined from 0.6 +/- 0.03 to 0.51 +/- 0.03, Vcf from 0.96 +/- 0.09 to 0.85 +/- 0.09 circ/sec, mean normalized systolic ejection rate from 1.79 +/- 0.1 to 1.50 +/- 0.09 sec-1, and the peak systolic pressure to end systolic volume ratio from 2.23 +/- 0.3 to 1.99 +/- 0.3 (p less than 0.05 for each). Systemic arterial mean pressure increased similarly by 19% and 21% in groups I and II, respectively (p less than 0.05 for each). Systemic vascular resistance increased significantly by 23% in group I and by 5% in group II (p less than 0.05). Left ventricular end diastolic volume declined from 85.4 +/- 7 to 77.3 +/- 11 ml/m2 in group I, while end diastolic and end systolic volumes increased by 13% and 35%, respectively in group II (p less than 0.05 for each). In both groups, baseline exponential pressure-volume relations were similar, though higher intercepts on the pressure-volume relations upon the Y-axis suggested greater "diastolic tone," and steeper volume-normalized pressure-volume elasticity relations indicated "stiffer" left ventricular chambers in group II patients. While the incidence of coronary artery disease was similar, both the severity and extent of left ventricular asynergy were greater in group II patients. We conclude that dilatation and deterioration of left ventricular ejection function in response to isometric exercise are causally related to, and comprise a useful predictor of, severe underlying left ventricular asynergy and impaired chamber distensibility.
Stochastic Simulation of the Early Stages of Kinetically Limited Electrodeposition

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to investigate nucleation and early stages of growth during metal electrodeposition at low overpotentials, where the kinetics of attachment of atoms to the electrode surface is rate-limiting. The surface diffusion energy barriers and deposition rate constants were varied to determine their effects on the deposition of metal onto a (111)-oriented facet of a face-centered cubic substrate material. The cluster density, average cluster size, and average cluster height were obtained from simulations. Over the range of parameters investigated here, the highest cluster densities were achieved when the metal-on-substrate surface diffusion rate was low relative to the metal-on-metal surface diffusion rate. It was found that the cluster density was highest after 0.3 equivalent monolayers had been deposited.