cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling aerosol effects on shallow cumulus convection under various meteorological conditions observed over the Indian Ocean and implications for development of mass‐flux parameterizations for climate models

[1] To determine conditions over the Indian Ocean, under which cloud fields are most susceptible to modification from aerosols, and to study how turbulent activities and shallow cumuli vary for different meteorological scenarios, a three-dimensional large-eddy simulation model was initialized using data collected during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX). Radiosonde data were used to construct six soundings encompassing the range of temperature and humidity observed. A total of 18 meteorological scenarios were then obtained by adding either an average transition layer (TL), a strong inversion layer (IL), or no stable layer to each sounding. Separate simulations were conducted for each scenario assuming pristine or polluted conditions as observed during INDOEX. For aerosol profiles measured during INDOEX, aerosol semidirect effects always dominated indirect effects, with the positive daytime net indirect forcing (semidirect plus indirect forcings) varying between 0.2 and 4.5 W m -2 . Anthropogenic aerosols had a larger net indirect forcing when the environmental relative humidity (RH) was higher and in the absence of the IL and TL. Changes in meteorological factors had larger impacts on the cloud properties than did anthropogenic aerosols, indicating large uncertainties can be introduced when solely using observations to quantify aerosol effects without examining their meteorological context. Because mean lateral detrainment and entrainment rates depended on RH, aerosols, and the presence of stable layers, mass-flux parameterizations in climate models should not use single values for such rates that may not represent the range of conditions observed where trade cumuli form.
Obsessive-compulsive neurosis: record, follow-up, and family studies. I. Inpatient record study.

Abstract This study consisted of 150 inpatients in whom obsessions and compulsions were major or predominant symptoms. Twenty-one per cent of the patients were included in subgroup I. The clinical picture and course of illness in this subgroup consisted only of obsessions and compulsions, and the cause for hospitalization was incapacitation by these symptoms. Patients in this subgroup were distinguished from all other patients by the absence of decline in their occupational status. Subgroup II, the largest in the study, consisted of 38% of the patients in whom depression followed many years of severe obsessions and compulsions. Depression is recognized as “probably the most common complication of obsessional neurosis,”16 and it would appear that it is the largest single cause of hospitalization for patients with obsessive-compulsive neurosis. Eleven per cent of the patients had primary depressive illness with obsessions and compulsions and were included in subgroup IV which, despite its small size, was readily distinguishable from the previously mentioned subgroup II. The important question of the association between obsessive-compulsive illness and schizophrenia was raised by the 14 patients (9%) in subgroup V who are presented in detail in Table 5. The effective, paranoid, and sometimes remitting types of psychosis that appear to be associated with some cases of obsessive-compulsive illness do not meet the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia that we have used, and the divergence of opinions in the literature may reflect the impressionistic, rather than systematic, way that the diagnosis of schizophrenia is made. A blind personal follow-up of the patients and the study of psychopathology in their families will provide us with more data that are essential to answer some of the questions and confirm (or reject) findings presented in this study.
A quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study of the steric influence of the PR3 spectator ligands on the energetics of ethylene insertion into the Rh–H bond of HRh(PR3)2(CO)(η2-CH2CH2)

Details of a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) study aimed at determining how the substituents of the spectator phosphine ligands influence the energetics of the key step in olefin hydroformylation, the insertion of an olefin into the Rh–H bond of HRh(PR3)2(CO)(η2-olefin), are discussed. For ethylene there are a total of three insertion pathways originating from the two η2-ethylene isomers, with either a bis-equatorial arrangement (ee) or a mixed equatorial, axial arrangement (ea) of the two PR3 ligands. The energetics, kinetic and thermodynamic, of these three pathways were computed for a variety of phosphine substituents (PR3; R = Me, tBu, Ph, meta-PhSO3−, and para-PhSO3−) using the ONIOM QM/MM approach. These calculations predict that two reaction channels, one originating from the more stable ea η2-ethlyene adduct and the other from the less stable ee η2-ethylene adduct, will be operative for the ethylene insertion reaction with the PMe3 ligand system, although the latter will be preferred thermodynamically over the former. In the case of the aryl phosphine ligands, a clear energetic preference, kinetically and thermodynamically, was found for ethylene insertion to proceed from the least stable ee ethylene adduct versus the paths originating from the more stable ea ethylene adduct.
Utilizing the Phone Appointment for Adolescent Follow-up

Fifty young women were given 126 telephone appointments as a supplement to follow-up care in a university hospital adolescent clinic. Eighty (64%) calls were placed on the appropriate day, 71 (89%) of which were within 20 minutes of the assigned time. Patients with one or two clinic visits honored 39 of 52 (75%) of their phone appointments, whereas those with 11 or more visits kept only 8 of 17 (47%). Telephone appointments scheduled directly in the clinic were kept on 66 of 98 (67%) occasions as compared to 14 of 28 (50%) for those made over the phone. Sixty-four of 93 (69%) calls were made when the interval from the time the phone appointments were given to date of appointment was 7 days or less, while 16 of 33 (48%) responded when this period was 8 days or longer. The data document the compliance of adolescent girls with telephone appointments and suggest that this technique may be a useful adjunct for monitoring patients requiring close medical follow-up.
Subgenomic RNA Promoters Dictate the Mode of Recognition by Bromoviral RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases

Abstract Both the brome mosaic virus (BMV) and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) were found to recognize the BMV core subgenomic promoter in the same manner, requiring specific functional groups at positions −17, −14, −13, and −11 relative to the subgenomic initiation site (+1). For CCMV subgenomic RNA synthesis, both RdRps required the same nucleotides and four additional nucleotides at positions −20, −16, −15, and −10. The −20 nucleotide is partially responsible for the differential mode of recognition of the two promoters. These data provide evidence that the RNA can induce RdRps to alter the mode of promoter recognition.
CFD simulation of a pharmaceutical bubbling bed drying process at three different scales

Abstract Drying is one of the major unit operations in the manufacturing of solid pharmaceuticals. In many pharmaceutical processes, optimum design of the drying process will significantly enhance the rate and reliability of the production and, in turn, decrease the cost of the pharmaceutical products. In this study, gas–solid flow patterns, mixing, and drying of pharmaceutical particles for three different scale bubbling fluidized bed dryers were simulated using ANSYS/FLUENT Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. The simulations are based on the two-fluid granular model (Eulerian–Eulerian approach). The mathematical model that we used in this study is composed of the continuity, momentum, energy, and species transfer equations to simulate the flow pattern and heat and mass transfer processes in the pharmaceutical drying processes based on the bubbling fluidized beds. To extend FLUENT code capability to account for moisture transport and to simulate the drying process, needed user-defined scalar transport equations (UDS) were added to the code. The results of the CFD simulation were compared with the experimental data obtained at the laboratory scale (Duquesne University experiments) to validate and refine our CFD model. Then, the modified model was used to simulate the drying of the same material in Abbott Laboratories kilo- and 10-kilo-scale units. Our simulation results for solid particles drying as a function of dimensionless time showed that our CFD model along with the same dimensionless group can be used as a tool to scale up the drying process from experimental-scale to both kilo-scale and 10-kilo-scale fluidized bed dryers. In addition, the numerical simulation results compared well with the experimental data (performed by Duquesne University and Abbott Laboratories) on moisture removal rate and outlet gas temperature. This also could provide a very good demonstration of the CFD capability as a tool to be used in the design and scale-up of the drying processes.
Myocardial injection of apelin-overexpressing bone marrow cells improves cardiac repair via upregulation of Sirt3 after myocardial infarction

Our previous study shows that treatment with apelin increases bone marrow cells (BMCs) recruitment and promotes cardiac repair after myocardial infarction (MI). The objective of this study was to investigate whether overexpression of apelin in BMCs improved cell therapy and accelerated cardiac repair and functional recovery in post-MI mice. Mouse myocardial infarction was achieved by coronary artery ligation and BMCs overexpressing apelin (apelin-BMCs) or GFP (GFP-BMCs) were injected into ischemic area immediately after surgery. In vitro, exposure of cultured BMCs to apelin led to a gradual increase in SDF-1a and CXCR4 expression. Intramyocardial delivery of apelin-BMCs in post-MI mice resulted in a significant increase number of APJ+/c-kit+/Sca1+ cells in the injected area compared to GFP-BMCs treated post-MI mice. Treatment with apelin-BMCs increased expression of VEGF, Ang-1 and Tie-2 in post-MI mice. Apelin-BMCs treatment also significantly increased angiogenesis and attenuated cardiac fibrosis formation in post-MI mice. Most importantly, treatment with apelin-BMCs significantly improved left ventricular (LV) systolic function in post-MI mice. Mechanistically, Apelin-BMCs treatment led to a significant increase in Sirtuin3 (Sirt3) expression and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Treatment of cultured BMCs with apelin also increased Notch3 expression and Akt phosphorylation. Apelin treatment further attenuated stress-induced apoptosis whereas knockout of Sirt3 abolished anti-apoptotic effect of apelin in cultured BMCs. Moreover, knockout of Sirt3 significantly attenuated apelin-BMCs-induced VEGF expression and angiogenesis in post-MI mice. Knockout of Sirt3 further blunted apelin-BMCs-mediated improvement of cardiac repair and systolic functional recovery in post-MI mice. These data suggest that apelin improves BMCs therapy on cardiac repair and systolic function in post-MI mice. Upregulation of Sirt3 may contribute to the protective effect of apelin-BMCs therapy.
Laparoscopic excision of a rare type II choledochal cyst: Case report and review of the literature

Although once considered rare, choledochal cysts now are extensively reported on and have an official anatomic classification. The authors report a case of a 4-year-old girl whom on routine abdominal ultrasound as follow-up for vesicoureteral reflux was found to have a choledochal cyst. Follow-up hepatobiliary scan together with the ultrasound findings was consistent with a rare type II choledochal cyst. On laparoscopy, a type II choledochal cyst was confirmed on dissection and amenable to laparoscopic excision. Intraoperative cholangiogram after excision showed normal remaining biliary anatomy. The patient was discharged the following day without delayed complications on follow-up visits. This report suggests a role for laparoscopic surgery in the definitive management of selected cases of choledochal cystic disease. (Included is relevant radiological documentation, illustration of technique, and review of the literature.)
Effects of Ethyl Alcohol on the Contralateral and Ipsilateral Acoustic Reflex Threshold

Contralateral and ipsilateral acoustic reflex thresholds were measured in response to 500-, 1000-, and 2000-Hz pure tones after the ingestion of a 50% alcohol solution. Acoustic reflex threshold me...
Numerical optimization of linear, distributed-parameter systems

The conjugate gradient method is adapted to the optimization of linear, distributed-parameter systems. The effects of errors introduced by the discretization process are analyzed. Measures for the suboptimality of the numerical solution are established. In order to demonstrate the concepts involved, four specific examples are considered.
Automatic verification of database-driven systems: a new frontier

We describe a novel approach to verification of software systems centered around an underlying database. Instead of applying general-purpose techniques with only partial guarantees of success, it identifies restricted but reasonably expressive classes of applications and properties for which sound and complete verification can be performed in a fully automatic way. This leverages the emergence of high-level specification tools for database-centered applications that not only allow fast prototyping and improved programmer productivity but, as a side effect, provide convenient targets for automatic verification. We present theoretical and practical results on verification of database-driven systems. The results are quite encouraging and suggest that, unlike arbitrary software systems, significant classes of database-driven systems may be amenable to automatic verification. This relies on a novel marriage of database and model checking techniques, of relevance to both the database and the computer aided verification communities.
Automatic Control to Prevent Thermal Runaway During Microwave Joining of Ceramics

A temperature control system is designed and simulated for microwave joining of ceramics. The objective is to develop a control system for reliable, high quality joints to be produced on a variety of ceramics. The described procedure permits the derivation of a closed-loop configuration for controlling temperature. The ceramics (alumina) heating model equation is linearized around an operating point and represented as a transfer function. Conditions for closed-loop stability with any linearized model are presented and mathematically proven. A computer simulation is implemented for the closed-loop control and numerical integration is used for solving the non-linear heating equations. Results are very good and show that the temperature can be regulated to a set point value and thermal runaway in the ceramics can be prevented.
Precise equation of state of seawater for oceanic ranges of salinity, temperature and pressure*

Abstract A 24-parameter equation of state for sea water was established for use in the open ocean (30 to 40‰ S , −2 to 38°C and up to 1000 bars). The equation of state is in the form: V P = V 0 − V 0 P/K 0 + AP + BP 2 ), where V P and V 0 are the specific volumes of seawater at applied pressures P and 0 (atmospheric pressure), respectively. V 0 , K 0 , A and B are all salinity- and temperature-dependent parameters. The short form equation of state is in excellent agreement (±2 × 10 −6 cm 3 g −1 in specific volume, ±1 × 10 −6 deg −1 in thermal expansibility and ±0.02 × 10 −6 bar −1 in isothermal compressibility) with the full, 48-parameter, equation of state for seawater (C. T. Chen and F. J. Millero , The specific volume of seawater at high pressures, Deep-Sea Research , 23 ,595–612,1976a) and is recommended for usage with calculations concerned with oceanic ranges of salinity, temperature, and pressure.
Differing effect of atropine on heart rate in Chinese and white subjects.

To determine if differences exist between Chinese and white subjects in their response to atropine and if the intrinsic heart rate and the autonomic contribution to the heart differ between the two races, eight white and eight Chinese males were studied. In all subjects the heart rate decreased after the first dose of atropine (0.003 mg/kg) with no difference in the bradycardia between the two races. However, as further doses were administered, the heart rate increased in both groups, resulting in a significantly (p < 0.05) greater increase in Chinese subjects than in white subjects. The increase in heart rate for each nanogram per milliliter of atropine was 2.8-fold higher (p < 0.05) in the Chinese subjects (19.24 ± 4.41 beats/min) compared with white subjects (6.83 ± 1.62 beats/min). There was no difference in the intrinsic heart rate, in the relative vagal contribution, or in relative sympathetic contribution to the heart rate between the Chinese and white subjects. These data indicate that Chinese subjects are more sensitive to the effect of atropine, which is not related to the contribution of autonomic tone to the heart. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 52, 120–124; doi:10.1038/clpt.1992.120
Perfluorinated Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Durability

Durability is a critical issue in all fuel cell systems, certainly so for PEM membrane polymers. Perfluorinated ionomers are generally favored in PEM systems at the present time; the useful lifetimes of such systems can be limited by damage including membrane thinning, weight loss, and redistribution of catalyst materials during fuel cell operation. Hydrogen peroxide remains the most likely culprit for membrane degradation, being readily produced as a by‐product under fuel cell catalysis conditions. Once generated, hydrogen peroxide can be readily homolysed into peroxide radicals capable of breaking of polymer constituent bonds. The leading mechanism for degradation of commercially‐available PEM membranes is initiated by abstraction of a hydrogen atom from residual carboxylic acid ends on PTFE backbones. Such atom abstraction initiates a systematic chain oxidation to carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, which is detected in the effluent water. Reduction of the carboxylic acid ends by fluorination substan...
Lessons we have learned from the GUSTO trial

Thrombolytic therapy remains a mainstay for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction. This therapy has been the subject of intense investigation and multiple studies as well as substantial controversy. Controversial issues include, among others, the specific drug, need for heparin, the relation between time to treatment and outcome and risk/benefit considerations. The Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) trial of 41,021 patients addressed many of these issues. The results of the main trial were conclusive--treatment with accelerated tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) resulted in a decreased mortality rate with a 15% reduction (95% confidence interval 5.9 to 21.3) compared with the two streptokinase monotherapy strategies (p = 0.001). Virtually all subgroup analyses, including age, nonanterior infarction location, patients undergoing bypass graft surgery and hypertensive patients, showed remarkable consistency with improved outcome with accelerated t-PA. This reduction in all-cause mortality with accelerated t-PA was associated with a small (absolute 0.2%) but significant increase in hemorrhagic stroke (p = 0.03). A combined end point of death or disabling stroke, or both, was still decreased in the accelerated t-PA group compared with the streptokinase group (p = 0.006). The angiographic substudy evaluated the mechanism of improved outcome and documented that reperfusion therapy works by restoring Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow early, improving left ventricular function and improving mortality. The most favorable outcome seen with t-PA was related to the finding that it resulted in improved TIMI grade 3 flow compared with that for streptokinase.
Respiratory responses to running and walking at the same metabolic rate

The ventilatory responses of ten subjects were evaluated during walking and running on a motor driven treadmill. The treadmill grade was adjusted so that the oxygen uptake was the same walking as running at 0% grade. Ventilation (gasometer) and PETCO2 (infrared CO2 analyzer) were monitored breath-by-breath. It was found that running, compared to uphill walking, significantly increased ventilation by an average of 7.80 1 X min-1 BTPS. Respiratory frequency increased by approximately 27% while tidal volume was reduced by an average of 7.2%. The R value of running was 0.88, significantly greater than the 0.81 calculated for uphill walking. Walking resulted in a mean PETCO2 of 46.9 +/- 0.8 Torr, while running significantly reduced the PETCO2 by 4.3 +/- 0.4 Torr. The time components of the breathing cycle were also different for walking and running. These results suggest that by changing gait, at a constant metabolic cost, a dissociation VCO2 and VO2 may occur. These results also suggest a variation in the control of respiration when comparing walking and running.
Symbol Use in a Case of Elective Mutism

A case of elective mutism in a 4-yr.-old girl is discussed with reference to symbol use in the phenomenology and treatment of this disorder. Findings are related to current controversies regarding the classification of this rare disorder, which may be associated with more severe psychotic-spectrum disorders of childhood.
Achieving scientific consensus in nutrition and behaviour research

Summary Dietary supplements and special diets that purportedly enhance cognitive function are widely promoted in many countries. Nutritional interventions claiming to relieve stress and depression, increase energy or improve memory are common. Limited regulatory requirements for marketing dietary supplements or special diets, particularly in comparison with drugs, place substantial responsibility on scientists conducting research in this area. Agreement on scientific standards for the conduct and evaluation of research is clearly desirable, so that scientists can achieve consensus regarding such claims. Many of the methods used to assess dietary supplements and other nutritional factors are similar to those used in other fields, such as psychopharmacology, and are widely accepted by investigators conducting nutrition and behaviour research. Key methods in common include use of double-blind procedures, dose–response studies and placebo treatments. Some of these procedures can be difficult or impossible to implement in nutritional studies. Other critical methods, such as selection of appropriate tests to assess cognitive performance and mood state, are more controversial among scientists working in this and other areas, and difficult to standardise. Scientific consensus on these issues will ensure availability of safe and efficacious dietary supplements and help eliminate dangerous or ineffective products.
Histone H1 is located in the interior of the chromatin 30-nm filament

THE linker histone H1 binds to the nucleosome and is essential for the organization of nucleosomes into the 30-nm filament of chromatin1. It has been implicated in the repression of transcription2–5, and phosphorylation of H1 may be involved in cell-cycle-dependent chromatin condensation and decondensation6. A long-standing issue concerns the location of H1 in the chromatin filament7. The original solenoidal model8 proposes that H1 is inside the 30-nm filament, but other models, also helical, suggest a variable9 or more accessible10 location for H1. Investigations to determine the location of the linker histone based on its access-ibility to antibodies11–15 or immobilized proteases16 under various ionic conditions have yielded conflicting results. Here we use neutron scattering in a direct structural determination to show that H1 is located in the interior of the filament.
Ephemeral Candidates, Virtual Voters, and the Future of Retail Politics

Political observers in the traditional early primary and caucus states—Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina— have long noted the importance of retail politics and grassroots organization in establishing the viability of nascent presidential campaigns. These activities have allowed candidates to vet a message, test staff, and establish a rapport with voters, in hopes of parlaying early victories into more money, broader national visibility, and greater momentum toward their party’s nomination. Such has been the case for decades, and as a result, the presidential selection process typically has a cyclical rhythm that is both anticipated and familiar to political professionals of all stripes, as well as to voters actively engaged in the primary process in those states.
Procedural Methods for Urban Modeling

Simulation of our man-made environment, especially cities, is becoming an increasingly important research problem in computer graphics. This special issue captures a good snapshot of work in this emerging area.
Internalized Antibodies to the Aβ Domain of APP Reduce Neuronal Aβ and Protect against Synaptic Alterations

Immunotherapy against β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is a leading therapeutic direction for Alzheimer disease (AD). Experimental studies in transgenic mouse models of AD have demonstrated that Aβ immunization reduces Aβ plaque pathology and improves cognitive function. However, the biological mechanisms by which Aβ antibodies reduce amyloid accumulation in the brain remain unclear. We provide evidence that treatment of AD mutant neuroblastoma cells or primary neurons with Aβ antibodies decreases levels of intracellular Aβ. Antibody-mediated reduction in cellular Aβ appears to require that the antibody binds to the extracellular Aβ domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and be internalized. In addition, treatment with Aβ antibodies protects against synaptic alterations that occur in APP mutant neurons.
Theoretical Study of the Spectroscopy of TiO

Theoretical electronic transition moments are presented for all of the dipole-allowed transitions connecting the f1Δ, c1Φ, b1Π, d1Σ+, and a1Δ singlet states and the C3Δ, B3Π, A3Φ, E3Π, and X3Δ triplet states of TiO. The transition moments connecting the C3Δ state with lower states were determined at the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) level, and the transition moments connecting the other states were determined at both the CASSCF and the internally contracted multireference configuration-interaction (IC-MRCI) level. The CASSCF active space can be made sufficiently large that the effect of electron correlation on the transition moments is included quantitatively. The theoretical radiative lifetimes for the short-lived states are generally within 10% of the recent laser fluorescence measurements of Hedgecock, Naulin, & Costes. For the v = 0 level of the E3Π state, we obtain a radiative lifetime of 4259 ns, consistent with their determination of τv=0 > 2000 ns, but much longer than the lifetime of 770 ± 40 ns reported by Simard & Hackett. Except for the δ-bands, the theoretical oscillator strengths are less than those currently employed in molecular opacity calculations.
Ascaris suum: Stage-specific differences in lectin binding to the larval cuticle

A glycosylated component with affinity for wheat germ agglutinin (specific binding to n-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomers and oligomers) and weak affinity for poke weed mitogen (specific binding to n-acetyl-D-glucosamine oligomers) was detected temporally on the surface of Ascaris suum larvae developing in vitro and on in vivo-derived larvae. The component was identified on the surface of in vitro-derived late second stage larvae, on all late third stage larvae (derived from pig lung), and all fourth stage larvae (obtained from pig intestines and from in vitro culture) of A. suum. None of the newly hatched first molt, L2, or early L3 bound any of the lectins tested. The component exhibited no affinity for concanavalin A (specific binding to alpha-D-mannosyl and alpha-D-glucosyl residues) or Dolichos biflorus lectin (specific binding to n-acetyl-D-galactosamine). A component with similar lectin binding specificities had previously been found on the cuticle of adult A. suum.
Physics intercomparisons for neutron radiation therapy

Abstract For several years, a concerted effort has been going on to ensure that all the groups involved in neutron dosimetry have intercompared their absorbed dose standards. These intercomparisons have relevance to both neutron radiotherapy and neutron radiobiology. An International Neutron Dosimetry Intercomparison (INDI) sponsored by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements, has been completed at the Radiological Accelerator Facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory with fourteen groups from six countries, participating. In Europe, the European Neutron Dosimetry Intercomparison Project (ENDIP) has also been conducting neutron dose intercomparison along similar lines. In the United States of America, an informal group of medical physicists associated with the ongoing therapy programs have also carried out extensive intercomparison between their institutions. They have also made measurements at several of the fast neutron therapy projects in Europe as well as participating in the INDI and ENDIP projects. Through the U.S.-Japan Co-operation Cancer Research Program intercomparison measurements have been made between the U.S. center and the Japanese centers. The Japanese were also involved in the INDI measurements. It is, therefore, apparent that extensive world-wide intercomparisons have been made and a summary of these measurements will be given. Several conclusions relating to types of dosimeters and precautions that need to be made in neutron dosimetry can be drawn from these measurements.
Cell water transport measurement by NMR. A three-compartment model which includes cell aggregation

Abstract A new model for water transport in erythrocyte suspensions with explicit consideration of rouleau formation has been developed which accounts for the dependence of the observed mean residence time of water on aggregate size. This formulation also predicts that the mean residence times obtained for aggregates will depend on the concentration of manganese ion in the suspending medium. In addition, analytical solutions of the commonly used two-site exchange equations which relate the mean residence time, the extracellular relaxation time, and the intracellular fraction of water to the double-exponential relaxation parameters are presented.
Free vibration characteristics of multiple load path blades by the transfer matrix method

The determination of free vibrational characteristics is basic to any dynamic design, and these characteristics can form the basis for aeroelastic stability analyses. Conventional helicopter blades are typically idealized as single-load-path blades, and the transfer matrix method is well suited to analyze such blades. Several current helicopter dynamic programs employ transfer matrices to analyze the rotor blades. In this paper, however, the transfer matrix method is extended to treat multiple-load-path blades, without resorting to an equivalent single-load-path approximation. With such an extension, these current rotor dynamic programs which employ the transfer matrix method can be modified with relative ease to account for the multiple load paths. Unlike the conventional blades, the multiple-load-path blades require the introduction of the axial degree-of-freedom into the solution process to account for the differential axial displacements of the different load paths. The transfer matrix formulation is validated through comparison with the finite-element solutions.
Immunochemical studies on glutamic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.15) from mouse brain.

Purified homogenous glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) from mouse brain and rabbit antiserum prepared to partially purified GAD gave only one sharp precipitin band in the Ouchterlony double diffusion test. GAD activity was inhibited partially by incubating with the antiserum. The maximal extent of inhibition was approximately 50 per cent. In the presence of antiserum all enzyme activity could be precipitated. The precipitates formed by GAD and antiserum had about 50 per cent of the enzyme activity and the Km values for both glutamic acid and pyridoxal phosphate were significantly higher than those of the control system. Pyridoxal phosphate protected GAD from inhibition only slightly, even at very high concentrations. The results suggest that the antibodies may not react with the catalytic site, but rather that the inhibition of enzyme activity is attributable to indirect effects.
Cutaneous manifestations of immunosuppression in organ transplant recipients.

Abstract Skin disease is a significant cause of morbidity in chronically immune-suppressed patients, including organ transplant recipients. Cutaneous drug reactions may be caused by immunosuppressive therapy that commonly includes corticosteroids, cyclosporine, azathioprine, and antithymocyte and antilymphocyte globulins. Immunosuppressive drugs can also potentiate the effects of other carcinogens, such as ultraviolet radiation, that cause premalignant lesions and squamous cell carcinoma. The risk of Kaposi's sarcoma is increased in these immuno-suppressed patients, particularly in renal transplant recipients. Oncogenic viruses such as the Epstein-Barr virus have been associated with the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in transplant recipients. In transplant patients human papillomavirus infections may be predisposed to malignant transformation, particularly at genital sites, Opportunistic infections caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or protozoa are the most common cause of death in transplant recipients. Skin manifestations of infection in immunosuppressed patients may be an important clue to their presence.
Modulation of the hepatic expression of the estrogen-regulated mRNA stabilizing factor by estrogenic and antiestrogenic nonsteroidal xenobiotics

Estrogen-mediated accumulation of apolipoprotein II (apoII) mRNA in the avian liver is due, in part, to its stabilization. This stabilization appears to be due to the estrogen-regulated mRNA stabilizing factor (E-RmRNASF) that is expressed in response to estrogen. The E-RmRNASF protects the mRNA from targeted endonucleolytic degradation (Ratnasabapathy, Cell Mol Biol Res 41: 583-594, 1995). To determine whether certain environmental xenobiotics altered the expression of the gene encoding E-RmRNASF by mimicking estrogen, roosters were given estrogen, tamoxifen, clomiphene, hexachlorophene, lindane, rotenone, chlordecone, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT); Araclor, methoxychlor, dieldrin, toxaphene, or bisphenol-A parenterally. Uniformly radiolabeled, capped, and polyadenylated apoII mRNA, incubated in vitro in the presence of liver cytosolic extracts from birds that received estrogen, tamoxifen, hexachlorophene, chlordecone, or Araclor, remained stable, indicating that these agents were estrogenic and stimulated the expression of E-RmRNASF. However, the same mRNA was degraded in similar extracts from control roosters and those treated with clomiphene, DDT, methoxychlor, dieldrin, rotenone, toxaphene, lindane, or bisphenol-A. To determine whether the latter agents were antiestrogenic, roosters were given a 1:5 molar combination of estrogen and each of the xenobiotics. ApoII mRNA showed degradation in liver extracts from roosters that received clomiphene, toxaphene, or bisphenol-A, indicating that these agents prevented estrogenic stimulation of expression of the E-RmRNASF and were antiestrogenic. However, the rest of the xenobiotics failed to antagonize estrogenic stimulation of E-RmRNASF gene expression. These results set a precedent in showing the estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects in vivo of environmental xenobiotics on the expression of a regulatory protein involved in estrogen-mediated mRNA stabilization.
An information-theoretic approach to the correspondence-free AX=XB sensor calibration problem

For the case of an exact set of compatible A’s and B’s with known correspondence, the AX=XB problem was solved decades ago. However, in many applications, data streams containing the A’s and B’s will often have different sampling rates or will be asynchronous. For these reasons and the fact that each stream may contain gaps in information, methods that require minimal a priori knowledge of the correspondence between A’s and B’s would be superior to the existing algorithms that require exact correspondence. We present an informationtheoretic algorithm for recovering X from a set of A’s and a set of B’s that does not require a priori knowledge of correspondences. The algorithm views the problem in terms of distributions on the group SE(3), and minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence of these distributions with respect to the unknown X . This minimization is performed by an efficient numerical procedure that reliably recovers an unknown X .
Choice and Chance: A Conceptual Model of Paths to Information Security Compromise

No longer the exclusive domain of technology experts, information security is now a management issue. Through a grounded approach using interviews, observations, and secondary data, we advance a model of the information security compromise process from the perspective of the attacked organization. We distinguish between deliberate and opportunistic paths of compromise through the Internet, labeled choice and chance, and include the role of countermeasures, the Internet presence of the firm, and the attractiveness of the firm for information security compromise. Further, using one year of alert data from intrusion detection devices, we find empirical support for the key contributions of the model. We discuss the implications of the model for the emerging research stream on information security in the information systems literature.
Telephone contact of patients visiting a large, municipal Emergency Department: Can we rely on numbers given during routine registration?

Abstract We sought to determine whether we could successfully contact patients for follow-up using telephone numbers given during routine emergency department (ED) registration. Every fifth patient visiting our ED during the study period was eligible. Three calls were made to each number. Calls began 7 days after the ED visit. Of 1,136 patients, we successfully contacted 478 (42.1%). Of those patients unreachable across all three attempts, 183 (16.1%) had given wrong numbers, 133 (11.7%) had disconnected lines, and 156 (13.7%) had three consecutive “no answers.” Females and patients with nonurgent complaints were significantly more likely to be contacted. Despite stringent calling protocols, we successfully contacted only 42% of our patients. Nearly 28% gave wrong or disconnected numbers. Placing two additional calls to those patients who were not home or did not answer initially nearly doubled the overall contact rate, although similar efforts for patients who initially gave wrong or disconnected numbers yielded no appreciable gains. Females and nonurgent patients were over-represented.
Endopeptidase-24.15 is the primary enzyme that degrades luteinizing hormone releasing hormone both in vitro and in vivo

The concentration of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) (pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2), which reaches the anterior pituitary via the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system, appears to be controlled in part by the rate of LHRH degradation within the hypothalamus and/or pituitary. Specific, active site-directed endopeptidase inhibitors synthesized in our laboratory were used to identify the enzyme(s) involved in LHRH degradation by hypothalamic and pituitary membrane preparations, and by an intact anterior pituitary tumor cell line (AtT20). Incubation of LHRH with pituitary and hypothalamic membrane preparations led to the formation of pGlu-His-Trp (LHRH1-3) as the main reaction product. Under the same conditions, addition to the incubation mixtures of captopril, an inhibitor of the angiotensin converting enzyme, led to accumulation of pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr (LHRH1-5) and, to a lesser extent, pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr (LHRH1-6). The degradation of LHRH and the formation of the N-terminal tri- and pentapeptides was blocked by N-[1-(R,S)-carboxy-3-phenylpropyl]-Ala-Ala-Phe-p-aminobenzoate (cFP-AAF-pAB), a specific, active site directed inhibitor of endopeptidase-24.15. Some inhibition of LHRH degradation and formation of the N-terminal hexapeptide was also obtained in the presence of N-[1-carboxy-2-phenylethyl]-Phe-p-aminobenzoate (cFE-F-pAB), an inhibitor of endopeptidase-24.11. Similar results were obtained with AtT20 cell membranes and with intact AtT20 cells in monolayer culture. Following cleavage by endopeptidases the C-terminal part of LHRH was rapidly degraded by aminopeptidases. Superactive analogs of LHRH in which Gly6 was replaced by a D-amino acid are resistant to degradation by both endopeptidase-24.11 and -24.15. In vivo, when LHRH was injected directly into the third ventricle of rats, the presence of cFP-AAF-pAB inhibited LHRH degradation. It is concluded that LHRH degradation is primarily initiated by the membrane-bound form of endopeptidase-24.15 to yield pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr and to a lesser extent by endopeptidase-24.11 to yield pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly.
Natural vacua in hyperbolic Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetimes

Recent evidence indicates that the Universe is open, i.e., spatially hyperbolic, longstanding theoretical preferences to the contrary notwithstanding. This makes it possible to select a vacuum state, Fock space, and particle definition for a quantized field, by requiring concordance with ordinary flat-spacetime theory at late times. The particle-number basis states thus identified span the physical state space of the field at all times. This construction is demonstrated here explicitly for a massive, minimally coupled, linear scalar field in an open, radiation-dominated Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime.
Nucleotide-promoted release of hMutSalpha from heteroduplex DNA is consistent with an ATP-dependent translocation mechanism.

ATP hydrolysis by bacterial and eukaryotic MutS activities is required for their function in mismatch correction, and two different models for the role of ATP in MutS function have been proposed. In the translocation model, based on study of bacterial MutS, ATP binding reduces affinity of the protein for a mismatch and activates secondary DNA binding sites that are subsequently used for movement of the protein along the helix contour in a reaction dependent on nucleotide hydrolysis (Allen, D. J., Makhov, A., Grilley, M., Taylor, J., Thresher, R., Modrich, P., and Griffith, J. D. (1997) EMBO J. 16, 4467-4476). The molecular switch model, based on study of human MutSalpha, invokes mismatch recognition by the MutSalpha.ADP complex. After recruitment of downstream repair activities to the MutSalpha.mismatch complex, ATP binding results in release of MutSalpha from the heteroduplex (Gradia, S., Acharya, S., and Fishel, R.(1997) Cell 91, 995-1005). To further clarify the function of ATP binding and hydrolysis in human MutSalpha action, we evaluated the effects of ATP, ADP, and nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs on the lifetime of protein.DNA complexes. All of these nucleotides were found to increase the rate of dissociation of MutSalpha from oligonucleotide heteroduplexes. These experiments also showed that ADP is not required for mismatch recognition by MutSalpha, but that the nucleotide alters the dynamics of formation and dissociation of specific complexes. Analysis of the mechanism of ATP-promoted dissociation of MutSalpha from a 200-base pair heteroduplex demonstrated that dissociation occurs at DNA ends in a reaction dependent on ATP hydrolysis, implying that release from this molecule involves movement of the protein along the helix contour as predicted for a translocation mechanism. In order to reconcile the relatively large rate of movement of MutS homologs along the helix with their modest rate of ATP hydrolysis, we propose a novel mechanism for protein translocation along DNA that supports directional movement over long distances with minimal energy input.
High-fat intake induced by mu-opioid activation of the nucleus accumbens is inhibited by Y1R-blockade and MC3/4R- stimulation.

Nucleus accumbens mu-opioid receptor activation can strongly stimulate intake of high-fat food in satiated rats, and one of the mechanisms involves activation of lateral hypothalamic orexin neurons and orexin receptor-1 signaling in the mesolimbic dopamine system. Here, we tested the potential contribution of NPY/Y1R and α-MSH/MC3/4R-signaling to accumbens-induced high-fat feeding. Prior administration of the selective Y1R antagonist 1229U91 or the MC3/4R agonist MTII into the lateral ventricle (LV) dose-dependently decreased high-fat intake induced by nucleus accumbens injection of the mu-opioid receptor agonist DAMGO. Both drugs also decreased high-fat feeding induced by switching rats from regular chow to high-fat diet, but less efficiently than when DAMGO-induced. Administration of 1229U91 directly into the PVH also suppressed DAMGO-induced high-fat intake, but a higher dose was required. The results suggest that NPY/Y1R signaling in the PVH and other forebrain sites is necessary for accumbens DAMGO to elicit high-fat intake, and that forebrain MC3/4R signaling can suppress it.
Construction of Realistic Liver Phantoms from Patient Images using 3D Printer and Its Application in CT Image Quality Assessment.

The purpose of this study is to use 3D printing techniques to construct a realistic liver phantom with heterogeneous background and anatomic structures from patient CT images, and to use the phantom to assess image quality with filtered back-projection and iterative reconstruction algorithms. Patient CT images were segmented into liver tissues, contrast-enhanced vessels, and liver lesions using commercial software, based on which stereolithography (STL) files were created and sent to a commercial 3D printer. A 3D liver phantom was printed after assigning different printing materials to each object to simulate appropriate attenuation of each segmented object. As high opacity materials are not available for the printer, we printed hollow vessels and filled them with iodine solutions of adjusted concentration to represent enhance levels in contrast-enhanced liver scans. The printed phantom was then placed in a 35×26 cm oblong-shaped water phantom and scanned repeatedly at 4 dose levels. Images were reconstructed using standard filtered back-projection and an iterative reconstruction algorithm with 3 different strength settings. Heterogeneous liver background were observed from the CT images and the difference in CT numbers between lesions and background were representative for low contrast lesions in liver CT studies. CT numbers in vessels filled with iodine solutions represented the enhancement of liver arteries and veins. Images were run through a Channelized Hotelling model observer with Garbor channels and ROC analysis was performed. The AUC values showed performance improvement using the iterative reconstruction algorithm and the amount of improvement increased with strength setting.