cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Both the constitutive Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S and tissue-specific AGAMOUS enhancers activate transcription autonomously in Arabidopsis thaliana

The expression of eukaryotic genes from their cognate promoters is often regulated by the action of transcriptional enhancer elements that function in an orientation-independent manner either locally or at a distance within a genome. This interactive nature often provokes unexpected interference within transgenes in plants, as reflected by misexpression of the introduced gene and undesired phenotypes in transgenic lines. To gain a better understanding of the mechanism underlying enhancer/promoter interactions in a plant system, we analyzed the activation of a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene by enhancers contained within the AGAMOUS second intron (AGI) and the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, respectively, in the presence and absence of a target promoter. Our results indicate that both the AGI and 35S enhancers, which differ significantly in their species of origin and in the pattern of expression that they induce, have the capacity to activate the expression of a nearby gene through the promoter-independent initiation of autonomous transcriptional events. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the 35S enhancer utilizes a mechanism resembling animal- and yeast-derived scanning or facilitated tracking models of long-distance enhancer action in its activation of a remote target promoter.
Residual variance scaling and matrix approximation.

Abstract : This report treats the canonical factor analysis model as a scale free lower rank approximation model. Computational algorithms are developed which appear to be faster than any currently available. The method is applied to published data and the results are compared with those obtained by other methods.
Effects of femtosecond pulse dispersion precompensation on average power damage thresholds for live cell imaging: implications for relative roles of linear and nonlinear absorption in live cell imaging

Multiphoton microscopy is becoming an increasingly popular modality of laser scanning microscopy for imaging living specimens. In order to improve the signal to noise ratio under the challenging imaging conditions typical of biomedical research, researchers may be forced to resort to measures which substantially increase the amount of energy to which specimens are exposed. Several mechanisms of damage to living cells compete to limit the power window for minimally invasive imaging in multiphoton microscopy; these mechanisms include heating due to linear absorption, phototoxicity related to multiphoton absorption, and optical breakdown due to multiphoton ionization. The relative contribution of each of these factors may change significantly depending on the specimen and imaging parameters. The present study investigates the dominant factors in limiting cell viability at moderate to high-energy fluence levels that may be necessary under non-ideal imaging conditions. The results of this study suggest that heating associated with optical breakdown is an important factor in limiting cell viability under difficult imaging conditions, and that this heating scales in a manner proportional to the energy fluence associated with a given set of scanning parameters. Also significant is the finding that cell viability does not appear to scale proportionally to pulse width in a manner consistent with 2-photon absorption at ultrashort pulse widths and moderate energy fluence levels. These results suggest that the use of a pre-compensation scheme to offset the positive group velocity dispersion due to laser scanning microscope optics is a practical means to increase the signal to noise ratio while minimally impacting cell damage thresholds at ultrafast (sub 200 femtosecond) pulse widths.
The interactions of factors X and IX with phospholipid

Abstract The interactions of human factors X and IX with phospholipid were studied with an ELISA system. In the presence of calcium ions, factor X bound to phosphatidylserine with an affinity of 1.56 × 10 10 M −1 and to phosphatidylcholine with an affinity of 5.6 × 10 9 M −1 . In the presence of calcium ions, factor IX bound to phosphatidylserine with an affinity of 8.4 × 10 8 M −1 and no binding to phosphatidylcholine was observed. No competition of factors X and IX for phosphatidylserine binding sites was observed.
Biological removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products during laboratory soil aquifer treatment simulation with different primary substrate concentrations

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been detected in bodies of water worldwide, yet their effects on the environment are not fully understood. Recent toxicity studies suggest that mixtures of PPCPs at low concentrations may be detrimental to exposed organisms, highlighting the need to remove PPCPs from wastewater treatment plant effluent before it is discharged to the environment. In this study, the utility of biofilm-based PPCP removal as a means to prevent environmental PPCP contamination was investigated. The removal of 14 PPCPs, each at an initial concentration of 10 μg/L, was studied in laboratory sand columns inoculated with wastewater treatment plant effluent. The examined PPCPs included biosol, biphenylol, p-chloro-m-cresol, p-chloro-m-xylenol, chlorophene, sodium diclofenac, gabapentin, gemfibrozil, 5-fluorouracil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, triclosan, and valproic acid. Ten of the PPCPs were removed by greater than 95% during column passage, while the four other compounds proved more recalcitrant. The effect of the concentration (either 50 or 1000 μg/L) of an easily degradable primary substrate (acetate) supplied along with the mixture of PPCPs was examined. Most of the tested PPCPs were removed consistently by the biofilms regardless of the concentration of acetate, although the extent of removal for three compounds showed dependence on acetate concentration, and two behaved with no reproducible pattern over time. Biofilm protein measurements indicated that the mixture of PPCPs supplied to columns suppressed biofilm growth, suggesting toxicity of the PPCPs to the biofilm communities. This laboratory-scale experiment suggests that biofilm-based water treatment strategies, such as soil aquifer treatment and slow sand filtration, may be well-suited for the removal of many PPCPs from impacted water.
Solid Phase Microextraction for Cheese Volatile Compound Analysis

Cheese headspace volatile compounds were extracted with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers, coated with either polydimethylsiloxane or polyacrylate, and thermally desorbed in the injector port for gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. Results with polyacrylate-coated fibers were better than those with a polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Major cheese volatile components such as volatile fatty acids and 5-lactones were readily extracted by both SPME fibers, but minor components such as volatile sulfur compounds were not observed. SPME-GC patterns were distinctly different among cheese varieties, and characteristic volatile compounds could be identified using multivariate techniques.
Allosteric regulatory properties of muscle phosphofructokinase

We have reviewed the allosteric regulatory properties of skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase and recent results on the phosphorylation of this enzyme. The number and affinities of various ligand binding sites are described, and a simple three state model is presented to explain the kinetic and ligand-binding properties of the enzyme. Data describing a lack of fit to a concerted transition model are presented. The widespread occurrence of partial phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase at a specific site near the carboxyl terminus is documented, as well as the lack of significant kinetic consequences of such phosphorylation.
Isolated late cutaneous reactions to allergen skin testing in children.

Background Occasionally parents report a reaction developing at the site of an allergen skin test several hours after application of the test, despite there having been no immediate reaction. The medical literature contains little information regarding isolated late reactions (ILRs) to allergen skin testing. Objective The goal of this project was to determine the incidence of ILRs in children undergoing allergen skin testing. Methods Prick and intradermal (ID) skin testing was performed for routine clinical indications in an allergy clinic. Children with a positive histamine control, and at least one negative immediate reaction to allergen skin testing were enrolled in the study. The parents were given detailed instructions to examine the skin test sites 6 hours later, and to record the size of any erythematous indurated sites. Circles of various diameters were included on the report form to assist the parents' size estimates. Results Fifty-seven children enrolled in the study and 50 returned the forms. No patients reported ILRs to prick skin tests. Eighteen of the 50 respondents reported 40 ILRs to ID tests, of ≥5 mm diameter; 7 of these were ≥10 mm. The most common allergen causing ILR was cockroach, accounting for 20% of the ILRs. Each of the other allergens also caused ILRs. The clinical history did not show a definite correlation of symptoms with exposure to the allergens causing ILRs, although all 14 patients with ILRs to indoor allergens had year-round symptoms. There was no correlation between the incidence of ILRs and age, gender, or diagnosis of asthma. Conclusion ILRs to allergen skin testing occurred in 36% of pediatric allergy clinic patients. The clinical significance of such reactions is unknown.
Fabrication of MKIDS for the MicroSpec Spectrometer

Microspec is a new class of submillimeter and millimeter (250-700 μm wavelength) spectrometer, in which the wavelength separation and detection of incident light is done on a single substrate. The instrument is designed for space exploration by offering high spectral resolving power over a broad band, while being orders of magnitude smaller in mass and volume than the present state-of-the-art. The key enabling components for Microspec are background-limited microwave kinetic inductance detectors, which operate over the full bandwidth of the spectrometer. Here we present our fabrication strategy for making these sensitive detectors. A microstrip architecture utilizing a 0.45-μm crystalline silicon dielectric with a molybdenum nitride kinetic inductor material has been adopted. We have optimized wafer-scale lithographic patterning, and have developed processes that allow us to minimize surface roughness that may contribute to detector noise. Additionally, we have optimized the low-temperature wafer bonding process; this process allows us to build superconductors on both sides of the silicon dielectric layer. We present a final fabricated device and resonator operation at cryogenic temperatures.
Influence of Connection Geometry and SVC-IVC Flow Rate Ratio on Flow Structures within the Total Cavopulmonary Connection: A Numerical Study

The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is a palliative cardiothoracic surgical procedure used in patients with one functioning ventricle that excludes the heart from the systemic venous to pulmonary artery pathway. Blood in the superior and inferior vena cavae (SVC, IVC) is diverted directly to the pulmonary arteries. Since only one ventricle is left in the circulation, minimizing pressure drop by optimizing connection geometry becomes crucial. Although there have been numerical and in-vitro studies documenting the effect of connection geometry on overall pressure drop, there is little published data examining the effect of SVC-IVC flow rate ratio on detailed fluid mechanical structures within the various connection geometries. We present here results from a numerical study of the TCPC connection, configured with various connections and SVC:IVC flow ratios. The role of major flow parameters: shear stress, secondary flow, recirculation regions, flow stagnation regions, and flow separation, was examined. Results show a complex interplay among connection geometry, flow rate ratio and the types and effects of the various flow parameters described above. Significant changes in flow structures affected local distribution of pressure, which in turn changed overall pressure drop. Likewise, changes in local flow structure also produced changes in maximum shear stress values; this may have consequences for platelet activation and thrombus formation in the clinical situation. This study sheds light on the local flow structures created by the various connections and flow configurations and as such, provides an additional step toward understanding the detailed fluid mechanical behavior of the more complex physiological configurations seen clinically.
Wild Type and Mutant Human Heart (R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase Expressed in Insect Cells†

(R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH) is a lipid-requiring mitochondrial enzyme with a specific requirement of phosphatidylcholine (PC) for function. PC is an allosteric activator that enhances NAD(H) binding to BDH. The enzyme serves as a paradigm to study specific lipid−protein interactions in membranes. Analysis of the primary sequence of BDH, as determined by molecular cloning, predicts that lipid binding and substrate specificity are contributed by the C-terminal third of the protein [Marks, A. R., McIntyre, J. O., Duncan, T. M., Erdjument-Bromage, H., Tempst, P., & Fleischer, S. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 15459−15463]. The mature form of human heart BDH has now been expressed in catalytically active form in insect cells (Sf 9, Spodoptera frugiperda) transfected with BDH-cDNA in baculovirus. Endogenous PC in the insect cells fulfills the lipid requirement for the expressed BDH since enzymatic activity is lost upon digestion with phospholipase A2 and restored selectively by reconstitution with PC ...
The XPD Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln polymorphisms, corresponding haplotype, and pancreatic cancer risk.

Abstract We evaluated the association between the XPD exon 10 Asp 312 Asn and exon 23 Lys 751 Gln polymorphisms and the risk of pancreatic cancer in a hospital-based study of 344 patients and 386 controls frequency matched by age, gender, and race. Stratified analyses showed ever smokers carrying the Asn 312 Asn genotype had a significantly reduced risk when compared with those carrying the 312 Asp allele (OR=0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.88) ( P for interaction=0.03). The 312 Asp– 751 Gln was identified as the putative at risk haplotype. Our study shows that the XPD gene polymorphism could be a genetic risk modifier for smoking-related pancreatic cancer.
Dynamic holographic optical tweezers

Optical trapping is an increasingly important technique for controlling and probing matter at length scales ranging from nanometers to millimeters. This paper describes methods for creating large numbers of high-quality optical traps in arbitrary three-dimensional configurations and for dynamically reconfiguring them under computer control. In addition to forming conventional optical tweezers, these methods also can sculpt the wavefront of each trap individually, allowing for mixed arrays of traps based on different modes of light, including optical vortices, axial line traps, optical bottles and optical rotators. The ability to establish large numbers of individually structured optical traps and to move them independently in three dimensions promises exciting new opportunities for research, engineering, diagnostics, and manufacturing at mesoscopic lengthscales.
Syntheses and antitumor activity of cis-restricted combretastatins: 5-Membered heterocyclic analogues

A series of cis-restricted combretastatin analogues with 5-membered heterocycles were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against microtubule assembly and cytotoxic activity against the colon 26 adenocarcinoma cancer cell line were evaluated. Some of the heterocyclic analogues showed potent antitubulin activity and cytotoxicity. Compounds 16 and 35 showed marked tumor growth suppression in the colon 26 murine tumor model.
Relation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations to FEV(1)--an intricate tango.

This article provides a brief review of the complex interrelationships that surround chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations and lung function, particularly FEV1. Areas of discu
An Experimental Investigation Into the Effects of Grain Transport on Columnar to Equiaxed Transition During Dendritic Alloy Solidification

An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the effects of grain transport on the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) in dendritic alloy solidification. Using the aqueous ammonium chloride solution as a transparent model alloy, experiments were performed in a vertical test cell with cooling from the top, resulting in unidirectional columnar crystals growing downwards. Ahead of the columnar front, equiaxed nuclei were observed to originate mostly by fragmentation of the columnar dendrites in the presence of a thermally driven flow in the melt beneath the columnar mushy zone. Being heavier than the liquid, these fragments fall into the bulk melt where they may grow or remelt. The survival equiaxed crystals finally settle towards the floor and pile up to form an equiaxed bed. The CET occurs when the bottom equiaxed packed bed rises and eventually obstructs the columnar mushy zone growing from the upper surface. Therefore, the CET in the present configuration was predominantly controlled by the sedimentation of equiaxed crystals. A parametric study by varying initial concentration, cooling rate, and superheat was performed.
Logistics salience impact on logistics capabilities and performance

Purpose – The purpose of this manuscript is to assess the impact of logistics salience on logistics capabilities and performance. Specifically, the impact of logistics salience on logistics innovativeness and logistics service differentiation is measured along with logistics innovativeness and logistics service differentiation effect on logistics performance.Design/methodology/approach – Conclusions were drawn from survey data gathered from logistics and supply chain managers at US firms. Structural equation modelling was utilized to measure the statistical significance of the hypothesized model paths with all findings meeting the basic requirements of interpretation.Findings – The results suggest that logistics salience positively impacts both logistics innovativeness and logistics service differentiation. Logistics innovativeness and logistics service differentiation both positively influence logistics performance. These findings give credence to the resource based view of the firm which states that res...
Community information as boundary object: police responsibility for abuse survivors

Purpose – Working toward a symbolic interactionist understanding of information provision by multiple agencies responding to crisis situations, in this paper the authors aim to examine mandated information provision on the part of US law enforcement to survivors of intimate partner violence.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a detailed content analysis of 1,793 documents supplied by local law enforcement agencies from over 700 cities from all 50 US states. Documents were coded within a framework that identified 18 information elements corresponding to four emergent situations commonly found within the survivors’ small world, as well as codes to note level of responsibility expressed by law enforcement and affective tone.Findings – Law enforcement expressed the greatest responsibility for those information elements related to their immediate purview – generally, how to engage with the police themselves in an initial crisis situation. However, information related to community social service...
Phasen mit Diamant-Unterstruktur in ternären Beryllium-Legierungen

In den Systemen Be−Cu−Mg, Be−Cu−Al, Be−Cu−Si, Be−Cu−Zn, Be−Cu−Ge, Be−Cu−In wurden ternareLaves-phasen mit dem kubischen Cu2Mg-Strukturtyp gefunden. Der Dreistoff Be−Co−Si zeigt eine ternare Phase mit Cl- oder B32-Typ.
Eddy‐correlation measurement of hydrothermal gases

In the first application of eddy correlation in a hydrothermal region, we measured turbulent fluxes ranging between −17 and 13,500 g CO2 m−2 d−1 in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). These turbulent fluxes are similar in magnitude to chamber measurements of diffuse fluxes in the region. Negative turbulent fluxes due to vegetative uptake were measured in non-thermal regions. The flux footprint was used to compare turbulent with surface fluxes within the source area of EC measurements, and turbulent fluxes were consistent within error to the spatial extrapolation of chamber measurements. EC is more representative than chamber techniques, providing a viable alternative to measuring gas emissions in volcanic and hydrothermal terrain.
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF TRIMETHYLAMINE-CATALYZED BAYLIS–HILLMAN REACTION

The trimethylamine-catalyzed Baylis–Hillman reaction of formaldehyde and vinylaldehyde has been studied with the density functional theory (DFT) method of B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p). In the gas phase, the reaction involves an amine–formaldehyde–vinylaldehyde trimolecular addition transition structure followed by rate-determining intramolecular 1,3-hydrogen shift. When a bulk solvent effect of water was considered with conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM), the reaction was found to follow the sequence of Michael-addition of amine to vinylaldehyde (step 1), addition of formaldehyde (step 2), and 1,3-hydrogen shift (step 3), with the 1,3-hydrogen shift as rate-determining. The overall reaction barrier is significantly reduced. When a molecule of water is involved in the reaction, the 1,3-hydrogen shift is significantly promoted so that the rate-determining step becomes the C–C bond formation. The calculated overall reaction barrier is in agreement with experimental observations.
Hemispheric differences in strong versus weak semantic priming: evidence from event-related brain potentials.

Abstract Goals Research with lateralized word presentation has suggested that strong (“close”) and weak (“remote”) semantic associates are processed differently in the left and right cerebral hemispheres [e.g., Beeman, M. j., & Chiarello, C. (1998). Complementary right- and left-hemisphere language comprehension. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 7 (1), 2–8]. Recently, this hypothesis has been challenged [Coney, J. (2002). The effect of associative strength on priming in the cerebral hemispheres. Brain and Cognition, 50 (2), 234–241]. We predicted that foveal presentation of strong and weak associates would elicit different patterns of hemispheric activity, as indexed by high-density event-related brain potentials (ERPs), and that source localization of the scalp potentials would help clarify the nature of hemispheric contributions to semantic organization. Methods 128-channel ERPs were recorded in two experiments as subjects performed a lexical decision task. Word trials were equally divided into strongly related, weakly related, and unrelated word pairs. All words were foveally presented. SOA was 800ms in Experiment 1, and 200ms in Experiment 2. Results Topographic analyses revealed medial frontal (MFN) and parietal (N400/LPC) effects for both strong and weak associates. Between ∼450 and 550 ms, the magnitude of the N400/LPC effect indicated priming for both strong and weak associates over left parietal sites, while priming over right parietal sites was restricted to strongly related word pairs. During this interval, spatiotemporal source modeling showed that these scalp effects were best accounted for by ipsilateral sources in the medial temporal lobe. The observed pattern of asymmetries for strong versus weak associates is not consistent with certain proposals regarding the complementarity of right- and left-hemisphere contributions to semantics. It is, however, consistent with findings from visual half-field studies (Hasbrooke and Chiarello, 1998). We discuss the relevance of these results for theories of hemispheric asymmetry and meta-control in lexical semantic access.
Perceptions of Control Facilitate Reading Engagement

This study examined how global locus of control influences children's reading engagement or reading involvement and interest in stories. It is based on locus of control, interest, and dual information processing theories. One hundred and seventy students from schools in the northeastern United States, ages 9 to 12, participated. They completed a preread survey measuring autonomy and general reading interest and then read one of three randomly selected stories, followed by answering postexposure reading engagement questions. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling revealed that general perceptions of internal locus of control influenced reading involvement, which in turn predicted liking the story and interest in reading more such stories.
Anatomical delineation of congenital heart disease using 3D magnetic resonance imaging

Anatomic delineation of the heart and great vessels is a necessity when managing children with congenital heart disease. Spatial orientation of the vessels and chambers in the heart and the heart itself may be quite abnormal. Though magnetic resonance imaging provides a noninvasive means for determining the anatomy, the intricate interrelationships between many structures are difficult to conceptualize from a 2-D format. Taking the 2-D images and using a volumetric analysis package allows for a 3-D replica of the heart to be created. This model can then be used to view the anatomy and spatial arrangement of the cardiac structures. This information may be utilized by the physicians to assist in the clinical management of these children.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
MO-FF-A3-01: Optimization of Spot Position in Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy

Purpose: To develop a method of integrating optimization of spot position into the inverse planning of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), and evaluate the potential improvement of treatment plan quality, particularly in the case of limited intensity levels. Method and Materials: To obtain the optimal treatment plan with fixed discrete intensity levels, the beam weights and positions are optimized separately in an alternate manner. First, the beam weights are optimized as continuous variables and subsequently rounded to the nearest intensity levels. Then the beamlet, or spot, positions are optimized with this set of weights. This process is repeated until the plan is acceptable. The same objective function is used for both optimizations and is similar to that used in traditional IMPT. The optimization engine uses a sequential quadratic programming method. Results: The algorithm is evaluated on an ellipsoid water phantom with a spherical target at the center, treated with single field spot scanning. With 10 intensity levels, merely rounding the beam intensities to the nearest levels resulted in homogeneity index (HI = (D2%‐D98%)/Dmean) increasing from 1.31% to 10.5%. The final optimized plan achieved HI of 1.51%. With 5 intensity levels, severe under‐dosage on the PTV (D98 at 71.85% prescription dose and HI of 40.7%) is observed if only rounding the beam intensity. Our algorithm yielded a plan of HI of 5.76%. Conclusions: Incorporating the optimization of proton beamlet positions into the inverse treatment planning system of IMPT offers more flexibility. Our phantom study suggests rounding the beam intensities to the nearest levels can be acceptable with more than 10 levels. In the case of greatly limited number of intensity levels, alternately optimizing the beamlet weights and positions is a feasible solution and can achieve treatment plans of comparable uniformity and conformity to traditional IMPT with continuous intensity levels.
Control of thiolate nucleophilicity and specificity in zinc metalloproteins by hydrogen bonding: lessons from model compound studies.

A single hydrogen bond between an amide N−H and a thiolate sulfur in model complexes designed to mimic the binding site of zinc thiolate proteins, is shown to reduce the reactivity of the thiolate toward electrophiles by up to 2 orders of magnitude. In addition a single such bond is also sufficient to achieve nearly 100% regiospecificity of reaction between a strong, and hence inherently indiscriminate, alkylating agent like trimethyl oxonium tetrafluoroborate and a single sulfur in a dithiolate construct. The importance of these results in understanding how two systems such as the zinc fingers of the GATA family and the Escherichia coli DNA repair protein Ada which share the same pseudotetrahedral structure and tetrascysteinyl ligation around the zinc can fulfill such widely divergent (structural vs reactive) roles and how specificity of reaction in multithiolate-containing systems can be achieved is discussed.
Deuteron trapping in titanium

Abstract A tensimetric technique has been developed for measuring 15 keV D + trapping in Ti metal. The formation of the TiD 2 phase in the surface and near-surface regions was monitored by decoupling the θ–2θ scan of an X-ray diffractometer as well as by scanning electron microscope studies. Micron-sized ‘reaction zones’ appear to serve as nucleation centers for the TiD 2 phase. Insight into the mechanism of chemical trapping is obtained by correlating the results from the three types of measurements used in the present work.
Luminescent 2-(hydroxyaryl)-1 H-naphth[2,3-d] imidazole derivatives

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of a new class of luminescent 1H-naphth[2,3-d]-imidazole compounds are described. The ultraviolet spectra of 2-(hydroxyaryl)-1H-naphth[2,3-d]-imidazole derivatives are presented and discussed. Significant effects of structure and physical state of the luminescent compounds are observed on the measured emission wave length throughout the visible spectrum. The luminescence quantum efficiency of one of the naphthimidazole derivatives is reported.
3D graphics and the wave theory

A continuing trend in computer representation of three dimensional synthetic scenes is the ever more accurate modelling of complex illumination effects. Such effects provide cues necessary for a convincing illusion of reality. The best current methods simulate multiple specular reflections and refractions, but handle at most one scattering bounce per light ray. They cannot accurately simulate diffuse light sources, nor indirect lighting via scattering media, without prohibitive increases in the already very large computing costs.Conventional methods depend implicitly on a particle model; light propagates in straight and conceptually infinitely thin rays. This paper argues that a wave model has important computational advantages for the complex situations. In this approach, light is represented by wave fronts which are stored as two dimensional arrays of complex numbers.The propagation of such a front can be simulated by a linear transformation. Several advantages accrue. Propagations in a direction orthogonal to the plane of a front are convolutions which can be done by FFT in O(n log n) time rather than the n 2 time for a similar operation using rays. A typical speedup is about 10,000. The wavelength of the illumination sets a resolution limit which prevents unnecessary computation of elements smaller than will be visible. The generated wavefronts contain multiplicities of views of the scene, which can be individually extracted by passing them through different simulated lenses. Lastly the wavefront calculations are ideally suited for implementation on available array processors, which provide more cost effective calculation for this task than general purpose computers.The wave method eliminates the aliasing problem; the wavefronts are inherently spatially filtered, but substitutes diffraction effects and depth of focus limitations in its stead.
Water relations in three species of deer mice (Peromyscus)

Abstract 1. 1. The relative water requirements of three species of Peromyscus, P. floridanus, P. gossypinus and in two population of P. polionotus, were measured by (a) changes in the body weight, (b) the time until death of animals depreived of water and (c) the amount consumed. 2. 2. The results of the studies of tolerance to water deprivation show that these Peromyscus are dehydrated in the field. 3. 3. The basal rates of metabolism were also determined. The results indicate that these rates for the three species are equal to or greater than that which is expected for their body weight. 4. 4. Desert mice can better control their rate of water turnover than the Florida mice. 5. 5. It is argued that the reduction water exchange is proportional to a decrease in metabolic rate.
Increased Incidence of Tumor Takes to B16 Melanoma in C57BL/6J Mice Injected with B16 Products

The injection of either viable B16 melanoma cells, killed B16 cells, or B16 cell products increased the incidence of melanomas in C57Bl/6J mice inoculated with a threshold dose of B16 cells. In all cases the effect was seen whether the facilitating injection was at a site distant from the challenge inoculum or at the same site. Facilitation was seen with B16 cells and products both from in vivo tumors and from tissue culture. However, cells detached from tissue culture flasks with trypsin no longer had facilitating activity. Facilitating activity was found in concentrated cultured supernatants centrifuged at 100,000 X g for 1.5 hr and dialyzed. No activity was detected in the less than 10,000 mol wt fraction. Facilitation was not associated with a change in the time of tumor appearance nor with enhanced growth of B16 cells in culture.
Analysis of Longitudinal Data in the Case–Control Studies via Empirical Likelihood

The case–control studies using longitudinal data are cost and time efficient when the disease is rare and assessing the exposure level of risk factors is difficult. Instead of GEE method, the method of using a prospective logistic model for analyzing case–control longitudinal data was proposed and the semiparametric inference procedure was explored by Park and Kim (2004). In this article, we apply an empirical likelihood ratio method to derive limiting distribution of the empirical likelihood ratio and find one likelihood-ratio based confidence region for the unknown vector of regression parameters. We compare empirical likelihood method with normal approximation based method. Simulation results show that the proposed empirical likelihood ratio method performs well in terms of coverage probability and interval width.
BTI-aware design using variable latency units

Circuit degradation due to bias temperature instability (BTI) can lead to timing failures in digital circuits. We develop variable latency unit (VLU) based BTI-aware designs, with a novel scheme for multioutput hold logic implementation for VLUs. A key observation is the identification and exploitation of specific supersetting patterns in the two-dimensional space of frequency and aging of the circuit. The multioutput hold logic scheme is used in conjunction with an adaptive body bias framework to achieve high performance, allowing the design to be easily incorporated in traditional synthesis flows. As compared to conventional combinational BTI-resilience scheme, our design achieves an area reduction of 9.2%, with a significant throughput enhancement of 30.0%.
Purification, characterization, regulation and molecular cloning of mitochondrial protein kinases

The mitochondrial kinases responsible for the phosphorylation and inactivation of rat heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and the rat liver and heart branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes have been purified to homogeneity. The branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase is composed of one subunit with a molecular weight of 44 kDa; pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase has two subunits with molecular weights of 48 (alpha) and 45 kDa (beta). Proteolysis maps of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase and the two subunits of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase are different, suggesting that all subunits are different entities. The alpha subunit of the rat heart pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase was selectively cleaved by chymotrypsin with concomitant loss of kinase activity, as previously shown for the bovine kidney enzyme, suggesting that the catalytic activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase resides in this subunit. Polyclonal antibodies against branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, purified by an epitope selection method, bound only to the 44 kDa polypeptide of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, substantiating that the 44 kDa protein corresponds to the kinase for this complex. Both kinases exhibited strong substrate specificity toward their respective complexes and would not inactivate heterologous complexes. The kinases possessed slightly different substrate specificities toward histones. Phosphorylation and inactivation of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by its purified kinase was inhibited by alpha-chloroisocaproate and dichloroacetate, established inhibitors of the phosphorylation of the complex. cDNAs encoding the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase have been isolated from rat heart and rat liver lambda gt11 libraries. This represents the first successful cloning of a mitochondrial protein kinase. Preliminary data suggest that two different isoforms of the kinase may exist in different ratios in various tissues. No evidence was found for induction of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex nor its kinase by clofibric acid. Rather, clofibric acid is a potent inhibitor of the activity of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase and this may be the molecular mechanism responsible for the myotonic effects of clofibric acid in man.
Now This! Indigenous Sovereignty, Political Obliviousness and Governance Models for SRM Research

Models are currently being outlined for governance of early research on Solar Radiation Management (SRM), a form of geoengineering. SRM includes techniques that decrease the earth's and its atmosph...
Stress Corrosion Cracking of 18% Cr Ferritic Stainless Steels

Stress corrosion cracking of ferritic 18% chromium stainless steels in solution depends on nickel content (0–8%) as well as on heat‐treatment and cold work. Maximum susceptibility occurs at 2% Ni; alloyed manganese has a small effect; molybdenum can be detrimental. Rolling direction has little or no effect on failure times of ferritic 18–8, contrary to failure by hydrogen cracking, indicating different mechanisms of failure. Whether or not failure occurs depends on the relation of critical to corrosion potentials for all but the lowest nickel alloys. Hence galvanic couples can be useful or damaging. The results are not readily explained in terms of electrochemical dissolution or brittle oxide films. A mechanism is favored based on adsorption of Cl− ions on appropriate surface imperfection sites.
Mode-locked semiconductor diode lasers

The reasoning that led to the first successful mode-locking of continuous wave (c.w.) semiconductor laser diodes is described. The theory of forced mode-locking, as modified for semiconductor laser diodes in an external resonator, is outlined. Experiments on GaAlAs and InGaAsP diodes are summarized. The shortest pulses to date are 16 ps f.w.h.m. Limitations on pulse width are discussed and ways of producing shorter pulses are suggested.
ADRENAL FUNCTIONS IN THE OPOSSUM1

SILVETTE and Britton's observation in 1936 that adrenalectomized opossums do not show a decrease in plasma sodium and chloride suggested a species difference in the function of the adrenal since in most mammals there is a lowering of the plasma sodium and chloride after adrenalectomy. A decrease in these ions occurs in the adrenalectomiz,ed opossum if it is de prived of food but not of water. This also occurs in the adrenalectomised opossum when it is lactating or suffering from diarrhea (Britton and Silvette, 1937). It appeared, therefore, that the opossum adrenal has little to do with sodium metabolism except perhaps during certain stresses. The level of the electrolytes in the plasma and of the sugar in the blood have been determined in opossums which have survived adrenalectomy for a longer period of time than have any of these animals heretofore reported. No significant changes have been found either in the electrolytes or in the
EEG sleep in cushing's disease and cushing's syndrome: comparison with patients with major depressive disorder

Because patients with Cushing' syndrome (CS) and Major depressive disorder (MDD) share features of hypercortisolism and the depressive syndrome, we compared electro-encephalographic (EEG) sleep in patients with pituitary-ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome (Cushing's disease, CD), patients with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome (AICS), patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and normal subjects. There were substantial similarities in the abnormal polysomnography profiles of patients with CD, AICS, and MDD. All three patient groups demonstrated poorer sleep continuity, shortened rapid eye movement (REM) latency, and increased first REM period density compared with normal subjects. In addition, AICS patients and MDD patients had elevated REM activity and density. These findings are discussed in terms of models of pathophysiology that relate abnormalities in sleep, mood, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function.
Changes in the structure and function of ICC networks in ICC hyperplasia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Background & Aims Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) express the receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit. Approximately 90% of GISTs have gain-of-function mutations in the Kit gene, which leads to its constitutive activation and drives malignant behavior of GISTs. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) express c-kit; however, it is unknown whether uncontrolled hyperplasia of ICC is responsible for GISTs. Here, we sought to determine whether gain-of-function mutations in Kit lead to hyperplasia of all classes of ICC, whether ICC hyperplasia begins before birth, and whether functional defects occur in ICC hyperplasia or the development of GISTs. Methods Heterozygous mutant Kit V558Δ /+ mice that develop symptoms of human familial GISTs and prematurely die from pathology of the gastrointestinal tract were utilized and compared with wild-type controls. C-kit-immunohistochemistry and intracellular electrical recording of spontaneous and nerve-evoked activity were applied to examine the density and functionality of ICC in these mutants. Results There was considerable hyperplasia in all classes of ICC throughout the GI tract of Kit V558Δ /+ mice, except for ICC in the deep muscular plexus of the intestine. Spontaneous electrical activity and postjunctional neural responses in hyperplastic ICC tissues appeared normal but were up-regulated in the cecum, where GISTs were commonly found. Conclusions Kit gain-of-function leads to hyperplasia of most classes of ICC throughout the GI tract. ICC retain normal pacemaker function and enteric neural responses well after development of hyperplasia.
An inhibitor protein of nuclear protein kinases

THE cyclical phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins, catalysed by protein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases, respectively, are important ways in which cells regulate many of their metabolic activities. Cells seem to have at least two distinct phosphorylation systems, one in the cytoplasm, the other in the nucleus. The best studied function of the cytoplasmic protein kinases is their mediation of the effects of cyclic AMP in the modulation of existing metabolic pathways, whereas the nuclear protein kinases have been implicated in the regulation of gene activation1. This view is based on the rapid changes in nuclear protein phosphorylation that occur in response to stimuli of differentiation and cell growth2–4, and because phosphorylated proteins are heavily concentrated in the actively transcribed regions of the genome5. For these reasons the nuclear protein kinases have been studied extensively, yet there is very little information concerning their regulation. It is thus of considerable interest to identify the proximal effectors of nuclear protein phosphorylation. We present here evidence for the presence in rat liver nuclei of a 150,000-molecular weight, heat-sensitive inhibitor protein that is specific for the nuclear protein kinases, being without effect on the cytoplasmic enzymes or their subunits. In addition to its potential importance as a negative regulator of nuclear protein kinases, the inhibitor may prove to be a valuable tool in assessing the role of nuclear protein phosphorylation in gene activation.
Willingness to Travel With Pets: A U.S. Consumer Perspective

The purpose of this exploratory study was to understand U.S. pet-owners’ perception of traveling with pets as well as to gain insights into their willingness to take pets on leisure trips. Regression analysis revealed that motivators and emotional attachment influenced willingness to travel with pets while perceived constraints and satisfaction with existing pet-related hospitality and tourism services did not significantly predict travel-with-pets intentions. Further inquiry indicated that although household income affects willingness to travel with pets, all predictors equally appeal to pet owners regardless of their socio-demographic characteristics, suggesting that these factors are of universal concern to pet owners. Given the insights from this research, industry practitioners could cater to needs and desires of tourists with pets, linking industry practices with consumer preferences, and thus achieving higher customer satisfaction and retention.
Growth and photosynthesis in an extreme thermophile, Synechococcus lividus (Cyanophyta).

A high temperature strain of the blue-green alga, Synechococcus lividus has been cultured and cloned in defined medium.
Deconstructing activation events in rhodopsin.

Activation of class-A G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) involves large-scale reorganization of the H3/H6 interhelical network. In rhodopsin (Rh), this process is coupled to a change in the protonation state of a key residue, E134, whose exact role in activation is not well understood. Capturing this millisecond pH-dependent process is a well-appreciated challenge. We have developed a scheme combining the harmonic Fourier beads (HFB) method and constant-pH molecular dynamics with pH-based replica exchange (pH-REX) to gain insight into the structural changes that occur along the activation pathway as a function of the protonation state of E134. Our results indicate that E134 is protonated as a consequence of tilting of H6 by ca. 4.0° with respect to its initial position and simultaneous rotation by ca. 23° along its principal axis. The movement of H6 is associated with breakage of the E247–R135 and R135–E134 salt bridges and concomitant release of the E134 side chain, which results in an increase in its p...
Isolation and Structure Elucidation of Transient (Colored) Complexes of Arenediazonium with Aromatic Hydrocarbons as Intermediates in Arylations and Azo Couplings

Brightly colored (1:1) complexes are observed immediately upon the mixing of electron-poor arenediazonium (ArN2+) salts and aromatic hydrocarbons (ArH). Binding energies of these intermolecular electron donor−acceptor or EDA complexes are typically ΔGEDA < 1 kcal mol-1 in acetonitrile. As such, the weak donor−acceptor interaction in [ArN2+ ArH] is reminiscent of that in other transient complexes which exhibit charge-transfer (CT) absorption bands of the type originally described by Mulliken. Successful isolation of crystalline (colored) complexes between various ArH/ArN2+ pairs allows X-ray crystallography to identify the pertinent donor−acceptor interaction responsible for the distinctive (CT) colors. Indeed, the cofacial stacking of the aromatic donor on top of the aromatic moiety of ArN2+ is uniquely different from the usual bonding modes of electron-rich anions directly to the diazono (N2+) center. The mechanistic implication of such π−π interactions of ArH/ArN2+ pairs to the transition state for elec...