cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical studies in photoelectron spectroscopy. Molecular optical activity in the region of continuous absorption and its characterization by the angular distribution of photoelectrons

The phenomenon of molecular optical activity is examined in the region of continuous absorption. When the "excited" state of the molecule describes an infinite (ionized) system, then the angular distribution of photoelectrons is the sum of coherent contributions corresponding to different magnitudes and interferences of $\ensuremath{\hbar}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{1}$, the angular momentum of the photoelectron. The amplitude for such a process is the sum of terms for each $l$; thus, since both even and odd values of $l$ can coexist at a single energy in the continuous spectrum, the electric and magnetic dipole matrix elements can coexist in this amplitude, making possible the existence of electric-dipole-magnetic-dipole interference in the angular distribution even for a molecule with a center or plane of symmetry. For discrete absorption, in which the intensity is the sum of incoherent contributions corresponding to the intensities for populating the fine-structure levels of a given excited state, the coexistence of the electric and magnetic dipole matrix elements in the amplitude is possible only for a molecule with a site which is asymmetric with respect to inversion or reflection; otherwise both even and odd values of $l$ could not coexist at a single energy in the discrete spectrum. The signs of the electric-dipole-magnetic-dipole interference terms are opposite for left and right circularly polarized light; thus there exists a signal for the angular distribution difference for absorption of left and right circularly polarized light of order $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ relative to the angular distribution for absorption of light of either polarization. This is just the phenomenon of "circular dichroism" which characterizes molecular "optical activity" in the region of absorption. It exists for the angular distribution of photoelectrons ejected from an oriented molecule with a center or plane of symmetry, but vanishes for isotropic systems (atoms) owing to the independence of the radial wave functions from the magnetic quantum number. This ensures the orthogonality of atomic radial wave functions belonging to states of different $m$ and is responsible for the selection rule in atomic spectroscopy that magnetic-dipole transitions are possible only between the fine-structure levels of a given multiplet. Measurement of the angular distribution characteristic for this process would provide a sensitive probe of the parameters of the initial molecular orbital. The existence of even-odd-type interferences of the partial waves of the photoelectron would provide a test of the time-reversal invariance of the wave function for the ionized system, since these interferences depend on the sine rather than the cosine of the phase-shift difference and hence on the normalization of the wave function to satisfy incoming boundary conditions. Calculations are carried out to illustrate these and other points.
A long‐period seismograph system

A matched three-component seismograph system operating with pendulum period of 30 sec and galvanometer period of 90 sec is described. As a result of increased sensitivity for periods greater than 20 sec, seismograms from these instruments contain information not previously available.
Targeting NF-kB/BCL-2 pathway increases apoptotic susceptibility to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Introduction. Pancreatic cancer is resistant to the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy; this may be due to either intrinsic resistance or induced following exposure to chemotherapy. Activation of NF-kb has been observed following chemotherapy, though whether this plays a role in the induced resistance or what downstream target genes are involved remains unclear. We have previously shown that NF-kb transcriptionally regulates BCL-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, and that elevated levels of BCL-2 confers chemoresistance. Therefore, we hypothesized that inhibition of the chemotherapy-induced mechanisms of resistance including BCL-2 will increase susceptibility to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Methods. MIA-PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines were grown under normal conditions and treated with taxol. The promoter activity of NF-kb and BCL-2 were observed at various time points by measuring luciferase activity. Protein levels were examined using Western blot for NF-kb and BCL-2. Cells were then exposed to HA14-1, a small molecule inhibitor of BCL-2, which has been shown to induce apoptosis in leukemia cell lines both alone and in the presence of chemotherapy. Cells were grown with a combination of taxol and HA14-1. Florescence-activated cell sorting (FACS analysis) and cell viability studies were performed to assess induction of apoptosis. Results. The treatment of MIA-PaCa-2 cell with taxol induced a transient increase in NFK-B activity and a subsequent increase in BCL-2 transcription. This led to an increase in BCL-2 levels. When BCL-2 activity was directly blocked with HA14-1 alone and when combined with taxol there was a significant increase in apoptosis. Conclusions. Targeting chemotherapy-induced mechanisms, such as BCL-2, may provide an additional method to increase pancreatic cancer’s sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents.
Treating tobacco dependence: Development of a smoking cessation treatment program for outpatient mental health clinics

Response to smoking cessation treatment programs sharply decreases when applied to smokers with psychiatric comorbidities. Consequently, the development of smoking cessation treatments that address the needs of psychiatric patients is greatly needed. The primary purpose of this article is to detail the process of development of an empirically informed, theoretically driven treatment program designed to aid multiply diagnosed smokers in their attempts to become tobacco free. Issues related to treating tobacco dependence in the persistently mentally ill are described. Our initial experience providing manualized, cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatment with adjunctive nicotine replacement therapy is detailed, along with the iterative process of manual development. Our current treatment program is illustrated with examples of clinical interactions, as well as a description of our ongoing evaluation of the utility and success of the clinic.
Aerodynamic Measurements in a Linear Turbine Blade Passage With Three-Dimensional Endwall Contouring

Secondary flows created in the turbine blade passage contribute to greater pressure losses and increase the thermal loading on the endwall. The present paper explores the concept of utilizing a three-dimensional endwall for weakening the secondary flows in a low speed linear turbine blade cascade. The endwall contour is designed to reduce the near-wall cross-passage pressure gradient that drives the crossflow. Measurements undertaken include smoke flow visualization, velocity and turbulence data using a hot wire anemometer, velocity and pressure measurements using a five-hole pressure probe, and surface static pressures measurements. The measured data indicate that the endwall contour reduces the mass averaged pressure losses across the blade passage by over 30%. Endwall contouring also produces a much more uniform exit flow field.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Control-Relevant Modeling, Analysis, and Design for Scramjet-Powered Hypersonic Vehicles

Within this paper, control-relevant vehicle design concepts are examined using a widely used 3 DOF (plus flexibility) nonlinear model for the longitudinal dynamics of a generic carrot-shaped scramjet powered hypersonic vehicle. Trade studies associated with vehicle/engine parameters are examined. The impact of parameters on control-relevant static properties (e.g. level-flight trimmable region, trim controls, AOA, thrust margin) and dynamic properties (e.g. instability and right half plane zero associated with flight path angle) are examined. Specific parameters considered include: inlet height, diffuser area ratio, lower forebody compression ramp inclination angle, engine location, center of gravity, and mass. Vehicle optimizations is also examined. Both static and dynamic considerations are addressed. The gap-metric optimized vehicle is obtained to illustrate how this control-centric concept can be used to "reduce" scheduling requirements for the final control system. A classic inner-outer loop control architecture and methodology is used to shed light on how specific vehicle/engine design parameter selections impact control system design. In short, the work represents an important first step toward revealing fundamental tradeoffs and systematically treating control-relevant vehicle design.
Reduced Expression of MYC Increases Longevity and Enhances Healthspan

MYC is a highly pleiotropic transcription factor whose deregulation promotes cancer. In contrast, we find that Myc haploinsufficient (Myc(+/-)) mice exhibit increased lifespan. They show resistance to several age-associated pathologies, including osteoporosis, cardiac fibrosis, and immunosenescence. They also appear to be more active, with a higher metabolic rate and healthier lipid metabolism. Transcriptomic analysis reveals a gene expression signature enriched for metabolic and immune processes. The ancestral role of MYC as a regulator of ribosome biogenesis is reflected in reduced protein translation, which is inversely correlated with longevity. We also observe changes in nutrient and energy sensing pathways, including reduced serum IGF-1, increased AMPK activity, and decreased AKT, TOR, and S6K activities. In contrast to observations in other longevity models, Myc(+/-) mice do not show improvements in stress management pathways. Our findings indicate that MYC activity has a significant impact on longevity and multiple aspects of mammalian healthspan.
Introducing an Ogive method for discontinuous data

Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is a spectral decomposition algorithm, which acts as a dyadic filter in the time-domain when extracting periodic components from turbulent atmospheric data. A new development in the algorithm allows it to work with discontinuous data. This investigation uses the discontinuous form of EMD (DEMD) to develop a new Ogive function, or cumulative flux calculation, which may be used with atmospheric data containing data gaps. The method is simple and effective, and will extend the utility of Ogives. The code is written in Matlab and available for use.
POM TEACHING AND RESEARCH IN THE 21st CENTURY

We offer a view of operations management in the future based on a mapping of the field's history. We discuss issues raised by this view of the future that we expect will affect those who will teach and conduct research in operations management.
The role of surface inhomogeneities in pattern formation on catalytic surfaces

Abstract A microscopic modelling approach is used to analyze the occurrence of spatial concentration and temperature patterns on catalytic surfaces, e.g. catalytic wires, gauzes, and foils. These patterns come about through the coupling of different local states on the catalytic surfaces by transport processes including heat transfer by radiation. The role of the microscopic surface structure in the initiation, propagation and stabilization of wave patterns is treated by analytical techniques and further illustrated with numerical examples.
Relaxing a Tension in Adam Smith's Account of Sympathy

This paper attempts to relax the tension between Adam Smith's claim that sympathy involves an evaluative act of imaginative projection and his claim that sympathy involves a non-evaluative act of imaginative identification. The first section locates the tension specifically in the two different ways Smith depicts the stance adopted by the sympathizer. The second section argues that we can relax this tension by finding an important role for a non-evaluative stance in Smith's normative account of moral evaluation. This solution protects the continuity in Smith's account of sympathy (cf. Griswold 1999: 99–103). Because of the particular way in which it renders intelligible the relationship between the evaluative and non-evaluative stances, this solution also emphasizes the importance that respect for the agent's conscience has in Smith's conception of an ideal moral judge (cf. Darwall 2004; 2006). The third section investigates a possible systematic basis for Smith's normative commitment to respectful moral ...
A Parallel h-Adaptive Finite Element Model for Wind Energy Assessment in Nevada

A Petrov-Galerkin finite element model that employs local mesh adaptation is being developed to determine potential wind energy sites within the state of Nevada. Meteorological data collected from various private, county, city, and government agencies are used to generate diagnostic flow fields, which subsequently provide initial conditions for the prognostic solution of the time-dependent equations of motion and species transport. The model runs on a multiprocessor SGI Onyx 3800. Results of the data collection, including wind energy site forecasts, will be made available on the web when the assessment for the entire state is completed.Copyright © 2002 by The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
BioMEMS applied to the development of cell-based bioassay systems

Biological applications of MEMS technology (bioMEMS) is of increasing interest in the development of miniature and portable instrumentation for cell-based microassays and sensor applications. A major bioMEMS challenge is the physical incorporation of living cells into sensors and diagnostic devices and creation of the environmental conditions conducive for organization of differentiated cells into tissue-like structures. Our work towards these goals is illustrated by a tissue-based bioassay system we are developing based on a miniature cross-flow bioreactor constructed from of an array of cell-filled microchannels integrated into an environmentally-controlled polymer microfluidics manifold. We describe our microchannel array and manifold manufacturing methods and report on the in vitro culture of cell populations in the bioreactor.
Future Computer Program Requirements For Design Of Infrared Optical Systems

The design of infrared optical systems, particularly scanning type FLIR systems, imposes requirements on the optical design not normally seen in the design of visual/photographic type systems. This, in turn, means that modifications need to be made to the computer programs used to be able to design these systems. This paper describes some of the modifications required in future optical design programs.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
In vivo patterns of circulating steroids in adult male rats. IV. Evidence for rapid oscillations im testosterone in normal and totally parenterally nourished animals

Abstract In vivo patterns of circulating testosterone (T) were investigated in stock fed controls and parenterally nourished (TPN) rats. Rats were sampled at 2 minute intervals for 30 minutes via a jugular cannula. Both groups exhibited a rapid oscillatory T pattern. In the control group, T concentrations at any specific time interval exhibited large differences with coefficients of variation (17–88%). In TPN rats this variation was 34–79%. Moreover, the mean T concentration of all samples obtained during the 30 minute period for each individual animal ranged from 1.3 ± 0.1 (S.E.M.) to 3.5 ± 0.3 (S.E.M.) ng/ml in controls and 1.3 ± 0.1 (S.E.M.) to 2.0 ± 0.2 (S.E.M.) ng/ml for TPN rats respectively. The mean coefficient of variation in control animals, however, was twice that of TPN rats, indicating that variation in basal T may be minimized during intravenous feeding. The occurrence of rapid oscillations in T of both stock and parenterally fed animals shows that nutritional regimen does not affect this phenomenon.
Women at high risk for breast cancer: a primary care perspective

Abstract Breast cancer is both a biologically and psychologically devastating disease. For women at high risk, there exists an enormous and often confusing array of recommendations for optimal care. The obstetrician/gynecologist has an opportunity and responsibility for assessing actual risk, determining a care strategy, and addressing the patient’s understandable concerns. This review highlights biological, psychological, and sociologic topics that are important in addressing women at high risk for breast cancer. The authors discuss current estimates used for calculating breast cancer risk, as well as a means of presenting risk estimates in a manner that is useful to patients. The authors review both the current options available for decreasing breast cancer risk and potential treatments under study. By understanding the impact of breast cancer risk, the informed obstetrician/gynecologist can be ideally suited to coordinate the care of women at high risk in a rational and compassionate fashion.
Semantic and temporal variation in recognition memory

Homographic nouns were presented for study in a sentence context with the nouns repeated at short or long lags in either the same or different semantic context. An interaction was found between conditions of repetition and spacing such that different repetition produced equivalent recognition performance at both lags but identical repetition led to better recognition at the longer lag. In addition, modification in a high frequency sense of a homograph was found to lead to better recognition than usage in a lower frequency sense where both groups received exact repetitions. A model of recognition memory postulating both a semantic encoding stage and a temporally mediated search is proposed.
Identification of a hybrid PKS–NRPS required for the biosynthesis of NG-391 in Metarhizium robertsii

The fungal entomopathogen Metarhizium robertsii (formerly known as M. anisopliae var. anisopliae) is a prolific producer of secondary metabolites of which very little is known at the genetic level. To establish the genetic bases for the biosynthesis of the mutagenic compound NG- 391, we identified a 19,818 kb genomic region harboring the predicted hybrid polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthetase NGS1, plus five additional ORFs. NGS1 knockouts generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation failed to produce detectable levels of NG-391, indicating the involvement of this locus in its biosynthesis. NGS1 deletion mutants had no significant changes in virulence levels against larvae of Spodoptera exigua and in resistance to hydrogen peroxide-generated oxidative stress compared to the wild-type strain. All 6 ORFs were expressed in medium supporting production of NG-391, and NGS1 was expressed during the interaction with the S. exigua host. The use of an NGS1 promoter-GFP reporter fusion showed that during in vitro growth in still broth cultures, NGS1 expression is restricted to the early exponential phase and is affected by M. robertsii cell density.
Activation of neocarzinostatin chromophore and formation of nascent DNA damage do not require molecular oxygen

Abstract Thiol-activated neocarzinostatin chromophore abstracts tritium from the 5', but not from the 1' or 2' positions of deoxyribose in DNA and incorporates it into a stable, non-exchangeable form. The abstracted tritium remains covalently associated with the chromophore or its degradation product after treatment with acid or alkali, respectively. Drug activation and the consequent hydrogen abstraction reaction, presumably generating a carbon-centered radical at C-5', do not require molecular oxygen but have a dose-dependent relation with thiol. Under aerobic conditions, where base release and DNA strand breaks with nucleoside 5'-aldehyde at the 5'-ends are produced, hydrogen abstraction from C-5' parallels these parameters of DNA damage. It is possible to formulate a reaction scheme in which the carbon- centered radical at C-5' is an intermediate in the formation of the various DNA damage products found under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) blockade in the chemoprevention of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, and lung.

The existing epidemiologic literature was comprehensively reviewed to retrieve all epidemiologic studies (case control and cohort studies) that examined exposure to traditional over the counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (OTC NSAIDs) and the risk of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and lung from 1980 forward. These malignancies account for more that half of all cancer deaths in the United States and the United Kingdom. Estimates of effects (relative risks or odds ratios) and 95% confidence intervals were abstracted from these reports for meta-analysis. Regular intake of OTC NSAIDs produced highly significant composite risk reductions of 43% for colon cancer, 25% for breast cancer, 28% for lung cancer, and 27% for prostate cancer. Furthermore, in a series of case control studies, daily use of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, either celecoxib or rofecoxib, significantly reduced the risk for each of these malignancies. The evidence is compelling that anti-inflammatory agents with selective or non-selective activity against cycloooxygenase- 2 (COX-2) have strong potential for the chemoprevention of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate and lung. Results confirming that COX-2 blockade is effective for cancer prevention have been tempered by observations that some selective COX-2 inhibitors pose a risk to the cardiovascular system. Nevertheless, meta-analysis of independent estimates from 72 studies provides no evidence that the selective COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, influences the relative risk of cardiovascular disease (composite relative risk = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.88–1.10). Molecular studies reveal that over-expression of COX-2 is a prominent feature of premalignant and malignant neoplasms. Evidence is accumulating that carcinogenesis often evolves as a progressive series of highly specific cellular and molecular changes in response to induction of constitutive over-expression of COX-2 and the prostaglandin cascade in the “inflammogenesis of cancer”.
THE EFFECT OF HOT CORONAL ELECTRONS ON EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRAL LINES OF He II EMITTED BY SOLAR TRANSITION REGION PLASMAS

The cause of the lower intensities of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) He II lines emitted by coronal hole (CH) plasmas compared with quiet Sun (QS) plasmas has been the subject of many studies dating back over half a century. In this paper, we study the effect of small amounts of 'hot' electrons at coronal temperatures (T{sub e} = 1.4 x 10{sup 6} K) on the intensities of EUV He II lines, as well as on the intensities of EUV lines of C III, C IV, O III, and O IV emitted by 1.5 x 10{sup 4} K-1.5 x 10{sup 5} K (4.2 <= log T{sub e} <= 5.2) plasmas in the QS. We show that although the influence of a fraction as small as 10{sup -4}-10{sup -3} of hot electrons on the intensities of the C and O lines is noticeable, the effect on the intensities of the He lines is much larger, to the extent that it could explain the excess brightness of He II lines emitted by QS regions relative to CH plasmas.
Processing a dynamic odor in a noisy chemical environment

Natural, behaviorally significant olfactory stimuli typically are mixtures of volatiles whose concentrations co-vary dynamically in time and space. The olfactory world is also an arena of constant movement and flux. Once emitted by a source, volatiles are dispersed and mixed by the ambient motion of air to form a shifting and filamentous plume. How does the olfactory system quickly discriminate the fluctuating signal from a background? Here in this presentation, I briefly discuss our use of new analytical technologies that permit simultaneous measurement of multiple volatiles at timescales equivalent to (1) the turbulent aerodynamic regimes that advect and mix the scents, and (2) olfactory processing and behavior in both invertebrate and vertebrates. Using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry, the fluctuating odor plume from a natural odor source – the D. wrightii flower, an important hostplant for Manduca sexta moths – was characterized in the field. Results from these measurements demonstrated that, even within the headspace of the flower, the ion plume was highly dynamic in both time and space. Moreover, 1 m away from the source the chemical background became mixed with the odor plume, thus causing significant modification of the ratio of odorants in the plume. How does changing the ratio of constituents alter the processing of the odor and behavior? We first examined the ability of the moths to encode the temporally dynamic signal in the complex background by multi-channel recording in the moth’s antennal (olfactory) lobe (AL). Our results show that the neural ensemble tracked the odor at temporal frequencies up to 5 Hz. However, when the odor was embedded in a chemical background, the ensemble representation of the odor was significantly altered. Moreover, the change in AL representation was due to the altering the balance of excitation and inhibition in the system. Finally, behavioral experiments showed that the ability to navigate in a plume significantly decreased when background odors of increasing similarity to the floral mixtures were presented. Together, these results (1) demonstrate the effectiveness of new analytical technologies for characterizing the natural olfactory environment; (2) the composition of the plume can be significantly altered at short timeand spacial-scales; (3) provide new evidence that odor navigation is mediated by the precise integration of multiple glomerular pathways, and (4) alteration of the odor input transforms the network representations.
Overlapping and separate controls on the phosphate regulon in Escherichia coli K12.

The physiological and genetic controls operating on phosphate-regulated promoters were studied in greater detail. This was done by defining the control for three phosphate-regulated genes: phoA, psiE, and psiO. Each is highly inducible by phosphate starvation. Individually, these phosphate-starvation-inducible, psi, genes at the same time show common and differing features in their molecular control. The phoA gene, encoding alkaline phosphatase, is specifically induced by phosphate starvation. It is negatively controlled by phoA as well as by the phosphate-specific transport (PST) system in Escherichia coli. phoA induction is positively controlled by the phoB, M, and R products; it is unaffected by the cAMP and CAP system. The psiE and psiO genes were studied by using strains with lacZ fused to their respective promoters. psiE-lacZ is induced by phosphate-, carbon- or nitrogen-limited growth. Genetically, psiE-lacZ induction is partially phoB and phoR-dependent. However, its expression is phoM-independent. This implies that phoB/phoR coupled control differs from phoB/phoM coupled control. Repression of psiE-lacZ is substantially altered in only some PST mutants, such as phoT. In addition, psiE-lacZ is negatively controlled by the cAMP and CAP system. psiO-lacZ is induced by phosphate-, carbon- or nitrogen-limited growth or by anaerobiosis. Its expression is unaffected by any pho mutation that has been previously described. A cell density-dependent induction of psiO-lacZ is observed in lon mutants. Also, psiO-lacZ is negatively controlled by the cAMP-CAP system. In summary, these results demonstrate that co-ordinately regulated promoters can have some common regulatory elements while, at the same time, not sharing other controlling factors.
Proteolysis of canine apolipoprotein by acid proteases in canin liver lysosomes

Canine liver lysosomes were purified by sucrose discontinuous density gradient centrifugation and then ruptured by sonication to obtain the soluble fraction. This soluble lysosomal fraction, which contained a 25-fold increase in acid phosphatase activity per mg of total protein when compared with the original homogenate, was incubated with a subfraction (1.110 less than d less than 1.210 g/cm3, HDL3) of canine high density lipoproteins (HDL) at pH 3.8. HDL3 proteolysis by lysosomal proteases, measured as the release of peptides and amino acids by the ninhydrin reaction, followed hyperbolic curves with straight lines (r = 0.99) obtained on Lineweaver-Burk plots. Km calculated from the Lineweaver-Burk plot was 635 mug of HDL3 protein per 0.5 ml of incubation mixture. Optimum HDL3 proteolysis was observed from pH 3.8 to 4.5. Incubation with the other subcellular organelle fractions did not result in HDL3 proteolysis. To evaluate the effects of enzyme inhibitors, iodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoate (both specific for the endopeptidase, cathepsin B (EC 3.4.22.1)) and pepstatin (specific for the endopeptidase, cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5) were tested. Iodoacetate and p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibited HDL3 proteolysis 100% and bovine serum albumin proteolysis 65%. Pepstatin inhibited HDL3 proteolysis 45% and bovine serum albumin proteolysis 70%. The in vitro data presented support the hypothesis that hepatic lysosomes play an important role in HDL3 catabolism in the dog. Furthermore, results obtained from enzyme inhibition studies suggest that a specific lysosomal endopeptidase, cathepsin B, may play the key role in HDL3 proteolysis.
WATER-SOLUBLE PRODUCTS OF METHYL CHOLANTHRENE AND THEIR EFFECT ON BACTERIAL GROWTH.

THE production of tumour cells in certain mammalian systems by carcinogenic agents stimulated considerable interest in testing the effects of these compounds on other kinds of cells. Micro-organisms, because of their apparently simpler structure and their adaptability to growth under controlled cultural conditions, have been repeatedly used in such assays. For different bacteria, yeasts, or moulds carcinogens have been reported: (a) to produce large and sometimes abnormal cells1; (b) to inhibit early phases in the growth curve2; (c) to increase the total number of cells in cultures3; (d) to be involved in photodynamic lethal effects4; (e) to induce mutations5.
Why bandwidth selectors tend to choose smaller bandwidths, and a remedy

SUMMARY This note is concerned with the problem of automatic data-driven bandwidth selectors for nonparametric regression. Though some selectors were shown to be consistent and asymptotically unbiased by Rice (1984) and Hardle, Hall & Marron (1988), it is often observed in simulation studies that most selectors are biased toward undersmoothing. An explanation for this is given. The source of the large sample variation in the bandwidth estimates is also pointed out. This leads to the consideration of a new procedure which is a simple modification of a classical selector. A simulation study suggests that the proposed selector is much more consistent than the classical one.
Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in rodents from Gansu, northwestern China.

Background Lyme disease is a multi-organ infection disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Lyme disease was first documented in north-east China in 1986. Since then more than 20 provinces in China were confirmed the existence of nature foci of Lyme disease. In the present study, a molecular epidemiological survey was conducted to investigate the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in rodents from Gansu Province for the first time.
TIME-DEPENDENT TRANSPORT SIMULATIONS OF JET H-MODE PLASMAS

A drift wave based transport model is used to self-consistently predict the time evolution of temperature and density profiles in JET H mode tokamak discharges. It is found that the same theoretically derived gyro-Bohm transport model previously used to simulate systematic scans of L mode discharges is equally successful in modelling JET ELMy H mode plasmas, implying that core transport is not intrinsically different from L mode confinement. The only difference between the L mode and H mode simulations results from the boundary conditions (i.e. density and temperature pedestals), which are taken from experimental data in both cases. Here, standardized experimental data from 16 JET H mode discharges in the ITER Profile Database are used, including dimensionless parameter scans in relative gyro-radius ρ*, collisionality ν and plasma β. Imperfections in dimensionless similarity for three pairs of scans in relative gyro-radius cause a purely gyro-Bohm transport model to exhibit worse than gyro-Bohm confinement. For the β scan, the model indicates a somewhat stronger β dependence than that observed with a thermal energy confinement scaling of Bτ ∝ β-0.7. More than half of the predicted β scaling is found to result from finite-β effects in the model. The model demonstrates a collisionality scaling of Bτ ∝ ν*-0.3 with some unfavourable dependence arising from neoclassical transport in the plasma core region. The overall goodness of fit obtained when comparing the global and local predictions results in a root mean square error averaging less than 13% for the total stored energy and averaging less than 9% for the density and temperature profiles relative to the maximum experimental values. When E × B shear effects are added to the model, the resulting change in the mean RMS error for the temperature profiles is less than 4%.
Modified Input as an Aid to Comprehension

Much work in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) has focused on the linguistic adjustments made by native speakers (NSs) when speaking to non-native speakers (NNSs) of that language. Modifications of speech to NNSs are usually assumed to be an attempt to make the target language more comprehensible. The study of second language teachers' classroom discourse has contributed to a thorough description of such modifications, which in general may be termed foreigner talk (FT).
Generalized Chebyshev Kernels for Support Vector Classification

In this paper, a method to generalize previously proposed Chebyshev kernel function is presented for support vector classification in order to obtain more robust and higher classification accuracy. By introducing the generalized Chebyshev polynomials for vector inputs, we increase the performance of this kernel function. The simulation results show that the proposed generalized Chebyshev kernel has better performance than the previously proposed kernel for support vector classification. Early simulation results show that the proposed kernel function yields the best classification results for a breast cancer dataset.
Functional in situ assessment of muscle contraction in wild-type and mdx mice.

Introduction: Reports of muscle testing are frequently limited to maximal force alone. The experiments reported here show that force generation and relaxation rates can be obtained from the same experiments and provide a more complete functional characterization. Methods: Partial in situ testing was performed on the tibialis anterior of young wild-type (WT) mice, young mdx mice, and old mdx mice. Force, force generation rate, and relaxation rates were measured during a fatigue test, 2 frequency–force tests, and a passive tension test. Results: We measured increased force but decreased force generation rate in WT compared with mdx muscles, and increased force but decreased relaxation rate of old compared with young mdx muscles. Young mdx muscles were the most sensitive to increases in passive tension. Conclusions: These measurements offer an improved understanding of muscle capability and are readily acquired by further analysis of the same tests used to obtain force measurements. Muscle Nerve, 2015
Mineralization responses at near-zero temperatures in three alpine soils

Cold-season processes are known to contribute substantially to annual carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) budgets in continental high elevation and high-latitude soils, but their role in more temperate alpine ecosystems has seldom been characterized. We used a 4-month lab incubation to describe temperature (−2, 0, 5°C) and moisture [50, 90% water-holding capacity (WHC)] effects on soil C and N dynamics in two wet and one dry meadow soil from the Sierra Nevada, California. The soils varied in their capacity to process N at and below 0°C. Only the dry meadow soil mineralized N at −2°C, but the wet meadow soils switched from net N consumption at −2°C to net N mineralization at temperatures ≥0°C. When the latter soils were incubated at −2°C at either moisture level (50 or 90% WHC), net NO3 − production decreased even as NH4 + continued to accumulate. The same pattern occurred in saturated (90% WHC) soils at warmer temperatures (≥0°C), suggesting that dissimilatory processes could control N cycling in these soils when they are frozen.
LIDAR vs. GEODAS land elevation data in hurricane induced inundation modelling

Abstract. LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and GEODAS (GEOphysical DAta System) are respectively taken as the land elevation data for a 3-D storm surge and inundation model to investigate the subsequent inundation differences. Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Croatan-Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary System (CAPES), North Carolina, are the two investigated regions. Significant inundation differences with LIDAR versus GEODAS are found in both regions. The modeled inundation area with GEODAS is larger than with LIDAR. For Category 2–3 hypothetical hurricanes, the maximum inundation difference in Hilton Head region is 67%, while the difference in the CAPES is 156%. Generally, vertical precision difference of the two databases is the major reason for the inundation difference. Recently constructed man-made structures, not included in the GEODAS, but included in the LIDAR data sets may be another contributing reason.
Calcium-activated potassium channels mediated blood-brain tumor barrier opening in a rat metastatic brain tumor model

The blood-brain tumor barrier (BTB) impedes the delivery of therapeutic agents to brain tumors. While adequate delivery of drugs occurs in systemic tumors, the BTB limits delivery of anti-tumor agents into brain metastases. In this study, we examined the function and regulation of calcium-activated potassium (KCa) channels in a rat metastatic brain tumor model. We showed that intravenous infusion of NS1619, a KCa channel agonist, and bradykinin selectively enhanced BTB permeability in brain tumors, but not in normal brain. Iberiotoxin, a KCa channel antagonist, significantly attenuated NS1619-induced BTB permeability increase. We found KCa channels and bradykinin type 2 receptors (B2R) expressed in cultured human metastatic brain tumor cells (CRL-5904, non-small cell lung cancer, metastasized to brain), human brain microvessel endothelial cells (HBMEC) and human lung cancer brain metastasis tissues. Potentiometric assays demonstrated the activity of KCa channels in metastatic brain tumor cells and HBMEC. Furthermore, we detected higher expression of KCa channels in the metastatic brain tumor tissue and tumor capillary endothelia as compared to normal brain tissue. Co-culture of metastatic brain tumor cells and brain microvessel endothelial cells showed an upregulation of KCa channels, which may contribute to the overexpression of KCa channels in tumor microvessels and selectivity of BTB opening. These findings suggest that KCa channels in metastatic brain tumors may serve as an effective target for biochemical modulation of BTB permeability to enhance selective delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to metastatic brain tumors.
Surface Crystallization and Water Diffusion of Silica Glass Fibers: Causes of Mechanical Strength Degradation

Pristine silica glass fiber is well-known to become mechanically weaker when heat-treated in air but the cause of such weakening is not presently known. The time dependence of mechanical degradation of various silica glass fibers containing varying impurity contents were studied in the range from 500°C to 1000°C. Two possible sources of strength degradation were considered: surface crystallization and water diffusion. Surface crystallization kinetics of silica glass fibers were investigated in a wide temperature range, including nanoscale surface nucleation at low temperatures via scanning electron microscopy. From the comparison of the strength degradation, surface crystallization, and water diffusion data in literature, it was concluded that surface crystallization may be responsible for the mechanical weakening observed in silica glass fiber surface during heat-treatment at temperatures above ~800°C, whereas water diffusion into the glass surface may be responsible for the strength degradation at lower temperatures.
SPECTRAL AND PHOTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CURCUMIN

Curcumin, bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, is a natural yellow-orange dye derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, an East Indian plant. In order to understand the photobiology of curcumin better we have studied the spectral and photochemical properties of both curcumin and 4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenyl)-3-buten-2-one (hC, half curcumin) in different solvents. In toluene, the absorption spectrum of curcumin contains some structure, which disappears in more polar solvents, e.g. ethanol, acetonitrile. Curcumin fluorescence is a broad band in acetonitrile (lambda max = 524 nm), ethanol (lambda max = 549 nm) or micellar solution (lambda max = 557 nm) but has some structure in toluene (lambda max = 460, 488 nm). The fluorescence quantum yield of curcumin is low in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution (phi = 0.011) but higher in acetonitrile (phi = 0.104). Curcumin produced singlet oxygen upon irradiation (lambda > 400 nm) in toluene or acetonitrile (phi = 0.11 for 50 microM curcumin); in acetonitrile curcumin also quenched 1O2 (kq = 7 x 10(6) M-1 s-1). Singlet oxygen production was about 10 times lower in alcohols and was hardly detectable when curcumin was solubilized in a D2O micellar solution of Triton X-100. In SDS micelles containing curcumin no singlet oxygen phosphorescence could be observed. Curcumin photogenerates superoxide in toluene and ethanol, which was detected using the electron paramagnetic resonance/spin-trapping technique with 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline-N-oxide as a trapping agent. Unidentified carbon-centered radicals were also detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Peptide-bond synthesis in higher plants. I. The synthesis of glutathione.

Abstract Glutathione formation has been demonstrated in the intact hypocotyls of beans, in homogenates of these hypocotyls, and in soluble extracts of acetone powders. Besides the constituent amino acids, the synthetic system requires adenosine triphosphate and both magnesium and potassium ions for maximal activity. The activity appears to be chiefly associated with the mitochondrial fraction of plant cells. The activity is unaffected by coenzyme A, but apparently requires free sulfhydryl groups on the enzyme. Evidence is presented that the synthetic reaction proceeds by a direct condensation of glutamate with cysteine, followed by a condensation of the glutamylcysteine with glycine to form glutathione. In the course of these studies, an enzyme-catalyzed exchange of glutamic acid with the glutamate in glutathione has been demonstrated.
The post‐Trewartha boom: the rise of demographics and applied population geography

This essay focuses on the rise of applied population geography coincident with the lifecourse of persons born 50 years ago when Glenn Trewartha presented A case for population geography. Applied population geography and demographics came of age along with the post--Second World War baby boom generation. At the present time and in coming decades new sources of population data and modes of analysis should lead to an ever-expanding role for geographic method in population research the business world and governmental realms. The paper concludes with some thoughts on geographical education in the face of a robust job market for students trained for careers in demographics and local scale planning. (authors)
Skin-Homing Receptors on Effector Leukocytes Are Differentially Sensitive to Glyco-Metabolic Antagonism in Allergic Contact Dermatitis

T cell recruitment into inflamed skin is dependent on skin-homing receptor binding to endothelial (E)- and platelet (P)-selectin. These T cell receptors, or E- and P-selectin ligands, can be targeted by the metabolic fluorosugar inhibitor, 4-F-GlcNAc, to blunt cutaneous inflammation. Compelling new data indicate that, in addition to T cells, NK cells are also recruited to inflamed skin in allergic contact hypersensitivity (CHS) contingent on E- and P-selectin-binding. Using a model of allergic CHS, we evaluated the identity and impact of NK cell E-selectin ligand(s) on inflammatory responses and examined the oral efficacy of 4-F-GlcNAc. We demonstrated that the predominant E-selectin ligands on NK cells are P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and protease-resistant glycolipids. We showed that, unlike the induced E-selectin ligand expression on activated T cells upon exposure to Ag, ligand expression on NK cells was constitutive. CHS responses were significantly lowered by orally administered 4-F-GlcNAc treatment. Although E-selectin ligand on activated T cells was suppressed, ligand expression on NK cells was insensitive to 4-F-GlcNAc treatment. These findings indicate that downregulating effector T cell E- and P-selectin ligand expression directly correlates with anti-inflammatory efficacy and provides new insight on metabolic discrepancies of E-selectin ligand biosynthesis in effector leukocytes in vivo.
An Information Theory Measure for Television Programming

A content-free measure of television program form is developed. This measure is created from a rigorous general theory construction viewpoint. The basic terms of the theoretical measure are created from iconic aspects of programming. These terms are mapped into variables by considering their human information-processing implications. The definitions of the variables are in information theory entropy terms. The variables are used to score 168 television programs, and the results used to factor analyze the variables, creating two independent dimensions called Dynamics and Unfamiliarity. As a validation, the viewing patterns of 149 adolescents on these two dimensions are compared to two other measures of programming content. The information theory dimensions of form are found to detect nonrandom viewing patterns as well or better than either of the other measures of content.
The Physics of Cutmarks

Cutmarks are the most direct evidence of faunal butchery by humans. However, the physical properties of the creation of cutmarks are currently poorly understood. Experiments to quantify the minimum amount of force required to cut through muscle tissue and to produce a visible cutmark on the surface of bone were conducted. Those force values were then correlated with the maximum amount of force exerted by a human butchering with a stone tool. By quantifying such data, archaeologists can better understand the conditions conducive to creating cutmarks. Results show: 1) less force is required to cut through soft tissue when using obsidian as opposed to chert flakes; 2) the average depth of a visible cutmark is 65-80 mm; and 3) on average males can exert a greater maximum force using both large and small stone tools than females, but both can exert forces that far exceed the minimum force requirements tested in this experiment. These results present compelling data regarding the physical processes and agents involved in the formation of a cutmark on a bone, and offer incentive for future studies to be conducted