cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ferguson plots based on absolute mobilities in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: Dependence of linearity of polymerization conditions and application to the determination of free mobility

In contrast to Ferguson plots based on relative mobilities, Ferguson plots of proteins in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis based on their absolute mobilities were found to be linear under unusual polymerization conditions which yield relatively wide gel fibers and a low total fiber length per unit weight, but not under previously and commonly used conditions. These linear Ferguson plots in gels of 1, 3 and 5% crosslinking intersect at a single gel concentration between 1 and 2 %T (M-point). It is postulated that the measure of free mobility of the proteins is the M-point, and not the intercept of their Ferguson plots with the mobility axis as assumed previously. This postulate abolishes the well-known paradoxical interpretation of the increase with %C of the linearly extrapolated intercept of the Ferguson plot with the log(mobility) axis (designated Yo) in terms of free mobility. The postulate is also compatible with the interpretation of the points of intersection of the Ferguson plots of oligomeric series of proteins at finite gel concentrations (designated μ-points) as their common free mobilities.
Annealing behavior of electroplated permalloy thin films

The isochronal annealing behavior of electroplated 1.2 µm Ni-Fe thin films containing nominally 80 wt% Ni, in the temperature range from 373° to 773°K, and with a magnetic field parallel to the easy axis of the films, was investigated through measurements of the films’ structural, magnetic and electrical properties. The effects of annealing could be described in terms of two annealing stages. In stage I, occurring up to about 575°K, recovery took place along with some pairordering, resulting in small decreases in the coercivity, the easy axis dispersion and the electrical resistivity; the apparent anisotropy field increased in this stage. The stage II of annealing, occurring above 575°K, was characterized by more defect annealing, a change in the texture and possibly some long-range ordering. This stage resulted in increases in the coercivity and the dispersion, along with decreases in the apparent anisotropy field, the apparent strain sensitivity and the relative permeability. The results of both annealing stages are discussed in terms of the structural changes.
Behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to light mediated by separate visual pathways in the rat

Abstract Vision plays an important role in the behavioral adaptation of animals and in the control of neuroendocrine responses to light such as that of the pineal melatonin-forming enzyme, hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT). Previous experiments have suggested that there is a separation of function between primary and accessory components of the visual pathways in the mediation of behavioral responses and the pineal HIOMT response to light. The present experiments were performed to test this further. Rats were trained to make a simple visual discrimination (light-on vs. light-off). Lesions were placed which either: (1) transected the inferior accessory optic tracts bilaterally sparing one primary optic tract or (2) transected both primary optic tracts sparing the inferior accessory optic tracts. Following accessory optic tract lesions, the pineal HIOMT response to light was lost but the visual discrimination habit was retained. In contrast to this primary optic tract lesions resulted in loss of the visual discrimination but preservation of the pineal HIOMT response. These data support the view that there is a separation of function among the central visual pathways.
Noninvasive vascular imaging in abdominal solid organ transplantation.

OBJECTIVE. In this article, we focus on the vascular complications related to liver, pancreas, and kidney transplantation. CONCLUSION. Long term allograft survival of solid organ transplantation depends on early intervention of complications. Noninvasive imaging with ultrasound, CT, and MRI allows accurate diagnosis of complications and aids in treatment planning.
Acetylcholine α7 nicotinic and dopamine D2 receptors are targeted to many of the same postsynaptic dendrites and astrocytes in the rodent prefrontal cortex

The alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and the dopamine D(2) receptor (D(2) R) are both implicated in attentional processes and cognition, mediated in part through the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We examined the dual electron microscopic immunolabeling of α7nAChR and either D(2) R or the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in rodent PFC to assess convergent functional activation sites. Immunoreactivity (ir) for α7nAChR and/or D(2) R was seen in the same as well as separate neuronal and glial profiles. At least half of the dually labeled profiles were somata and dendrites, while most labeled axon terminals expressed only D(2) R-ir. The D(2) R-labeled terminals were without synaptic specializations or formed inhibitory or excitatory-type synapses with somatodendritic profiles, some of which expressed the α7nAChR and/or D(2) R. Astrocytic glial processes comprised the majority of nonsomatodendritic α7nAChR or α7nAChR and D(2) R-labeled profiles. Glial processes containing α7nAChR-ir were frequently located near VAChT-labeled terminals and also showed perisynaptic and perivascular associations. We conclude that in rodent PFC α7nACh and D(2) R activation can dually modulate (1) postsynaptic dendritic responses within the same or separate but synaptically linked neurons in which the D(2) R has the predominately presynaptic distribution, and (2) astrocytic signaling that may be crucial for synaptic transmission and functional hyperemia.
Temporal variation in the relationship between environmental demands and well-being: a panel analysis of developed and less-developed countries

This study assesses the degree to which the relationship between the environmental demands of countries (measured as ecological footprint per capita) and well-being (measured as life expectancy) has changed over the last several decades (1961–2007) and whether the nature and extent of these changes differ between developed and less-developed countries. Pooled ordinary least squares regression results indicate that decoupling has occurred among developed countries, where the relationship between ecological footprint and life expectancy weakened substantially over time, becoming negative in later years. In less-developed countries, the relationship has intensified substantially, with the effect of ecological footprint on life expectancy becoming stronger over time. Fixed-effects regression results provide similar results for developed countries but indicate slight decoupling between increases in ecological footprint and life expectancy among less-developed countries. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of contraction and convergence approaches to sustainability.
Effects of smoking on respiratory capacity and control

The purpose of this study was to provide information concerning the possible early effects of smoking on measures of respiratory capacity and control in young adult female smokers vs. nonsmokers. In particular, maximum performance test results (vital capacity and maximum phonation time) and measures of air pressures and airflows during voiceless, stop-plosive productions were analysed. Subjects were 45 female nonsmokers and 30 female smokers (total n = 75) between the ages of 18-30 years. For the purposes of this study, a smoker was defined as any subject who, at the time of this study, had smoked at least two cigarettes per day for at least 1 year. All of the subjects in the nonsmoker category were those who, at the time of this study, did not smoke and who had not smoked for at least 5 years prior to the study. Vital capacity measures were conducted using a hand-held digital spirometer, while maximum phonation productions and voiceless, stop-plosive pressures and flows were recorded and measured using the Aerophone II Model 6800 (Kay Elemetrics Corp., Lincoln Park, NJ). Results showed significantly lower vital capacities and maximum phonation times in smokers vs. nonsmokers. The maximum phonation time task was also produced with significantly higher mean airflow rates in smokers than nonsmokers. In addition, the smokers were observed to produce significantly greater peak and mean pressures during the voiceless stop-plosive task than the nonsmokers. A weak, but significant correlation was observed between the number of days the subject had smoked and the mean pressure produced during the voiceless, stop-plosive task. The findings of reduced respiratory capacity and control in smokers may be associated with factors such as increased bronchial reactivity secondary to exposure to cigarette smoke and/or mild airway obstruction, increased airflow secondary to increased glottal gap size during phonation, and increased vocal fold mass and/or inefficiency in vocal fold closure. The findings of this study indicate that decrements in respiratory capacity and control may occur even in relatively young smokers who have only been smoking for a comparatively short time.
The one dimensional photofragment translational spectroscopic technique: intramolecular clocking of energy redistribution for molecules falling apart

Abstract The details of a simple modified form of a one dimensional photofragment translational spectroscopic technique is described which is used to determine the rate of energy distribution in a molecule falling apart. The apparatus utilizes lasers for photodissociation of the parent ion and the ionization of one of the fragments and a one dimensional time of flight mass spectrometer with a pulsed extraction electric field for data collection. This technique used molecular rotation as an internal clock and the recoil velocity of the fragments as a monitor of the excess energy distribution prior to photodissociation. The method is applied to study the photodissociation dynamics of iodobenzene. The rate of energy distribution in the predissociative π, π* state at 304.67 nm is found to be ≈ 23 kcal mol −1 ps −1 .
Reflections on capital-intensive software technology

"Capital" is defined as a reusable resource, and it is shown that many software engineering activities are capital-intensive in the sense that they serve to create reusable resources. Just as the Eskimo has many different words for snow, we have many words for reusability, including commonality, portability, modularity, abstraction, generality, equivalence, maintainability, adaptability, and sharability. A plausible conclusion is that reusability of the resources we create is as important in our lives as snow is in the life of the Eskimo. The definition of capital in terms of reusability suggests that the reason for the importance of reusability is in part economic. But the drive to create permanent rather than transitory artifacts has aesthetic and intellectual as well as economic motivations, and is part of man's desire for immortality.
GROWTH SUPPRESSION BY GLUCOCORTICOID THERAPY

Growth retardation is commonly experienced by children who undergo long-term treatment with glucocorticoids (GC). Whereas most disorders requiring systemic pharmacotherapy (e.g., organ transplantation, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid diseases, severe asthma) are relatively rare, the expanding use of inhaled GC preparations for the treatment of mild-to-moderate asthma has greatly increased the numbers of children chronically exposed to exogenous GC. Consequently, physicians caring for children are likely to encounter GC-treated patients in whom linear growth must be carefully monitored and GC-induced growth failure recognized. This article reviews the pathophysiology of the effects of GC on growth, current information about the endocrinologic effects of inhaled corticosteroid therapy in children with asthma, and preliminary investigations into reversal of GC-induced growth failure with human growth hormone (GH) therapy.
Evidence that the risk of spina bifida is influenced by genetic variation at the NOS3 locus

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence that the risk of spina bifida, a malformation of the caudal neural tube, may be associated with maternal or embryonic disturbances in the folate–homocysteine metabolic axis. Hence, variants of genes that influence this pathway represent an intriguing group of candidate genes for spina bifida and other neural tube defects (NTD). A common variant of the gene for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3 G894T) was recently added to this group of NTD candidate genes, based on a report demonstrating that homozygosity for the T allele of this variant is associated with increased homocysteine levels in normal adult populations. METHODS: The association between the risk of spina bifida and both the maternal and embryonic genotype for the NOS3 G894T variant was evaluated in data from 301 families by using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and log-linear modeling. RESULTS: Analyses of these data using the TDT provided no evidence that the risk of spina bifida was significantly related to either the maternal or embryonic NOS3 genotype. However, the log-linear analyses indicated that the risk of spina bifida was significantly associated with the embryonic, but not the maternal, genotype for the NOS3 G894T variant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present analyses suggest that the embryonic NOS3 G894T genotype is associated with the risk of spina bifida. Moreover, these analyses highlight the importance of a detailed examination of the study data. Had these analyses been restricted to the methodologically simpler TDT, the association between the NOS3 G894T genotype and risk of spina bifida may well have been overlooked. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Solidification Effects on the Fragmentation of Molten Metal Drops Behind a Pressure Shock Wave

Molten Wood's metal drops falling through water fragment upon being overtaken by a shock wave, under conditions of simultaneous surface solidification. The study of this fragmentation is the subject of the present paper. If the solid crust thickness is sufficiently large by the time of the shock arrival, fine-scale fragmentation is prevented. A stability theory which includes the elastic crust stiffness in the pressure boundary conditions, and a nonlinear Taylor instability theory are both surprisingly successful in predicting the threshold for fragmentation inhibition.
Design of folded holographic spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system for direct and diffuse illumination conditions

Spectrum-splitting is a beneficial technique to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) systems. This method divides the incident solar spectrum into spectral components that are spatially separated and directed to PV cells with matching spectral responsivity characteristics. This approach eliminates problems associated with current and lattice matching that must be maintained in tandem multi-junction systems. In this paper, a two-junction holographic spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system is demonstrated with a folded PV geometry. The system is designed to use both direct and diffuse solar irradiation. It consists of holographic elements, a wedge-shaped optical guide, and PV substrates with back reflectors. The holographic elements and back reflectors spatially separate the incident solar spectrum and project spectral components onto matching PV cell types. In addition, the wedge-shaped optical guide traps diffuse illumination inside the system to increase absorption. In this paper, the wedge spectrum splitting system is analyzed using tabulated data for InGaP2/GaAs cells with direct illumination combined with experimental data for reflection volume holograms. A system efficiency of 31.42% is obtained with experimental reflection hologram data. This efficiency is a 21.42% improvement over a similar system that uses one PV cell with the highest efficiency (GaAs). Simulation results show large acceptance angle for both in-plane and out-of plane directions. Simulation of the output power of the system with different configurations at different times of the year are also presented.
Hyperon resonance states and K--meson capture on complex nuclei

A search, for possible hyperon resonance states which decay into Σ+-π± or Λπ- from K- -meson capture processes on complex nuclei, in view of the recent development of the hyperon resonances, was made. In order to establish the hyperon resonances, an extensive pion energy-spectrum was studied in addition to the mass-spectrum. A calculation, assuming that the pion scatters singly with a nucleon inside the nucleus, fits the pion and hyperon kinetic energy spectra and the excitation of the residual nucleus for the (Λ, π) events very well, ifY0* (1405 MeV, T=0) production is taken into account. This model calculation also predicts the right position at about 100 MeV for the pion peak from the (Λ, π-) channel. As a consequence of the pion spectrum study it seems to be clear that the K--meson capture processes most likely occur uniformly inside the nucleus instead of on the surface of the nucleus. It is found that about 30 to 40 per cent of (Σ, π) events come through the Y0* resonance state. On the other hand, the estimate of Y0* (1385 MeV,T=1) production could not be obtained due to poor statistics.
Biochemical characterization of the cholesterol-dependent growth of the NS-1 mouse myeloma cell line.

The biochemical basis for the cholesterol-dependent growth phenotype of the NS-1 myeloma cell line has been investigated. In one series of experiments, the growth response of NS-1 cells to several of the intermediates of cholesterol biosynthesis was studied in serum-free medium. The cholesterol precursors, squalene and lanosterol, were totally ineffective in promoting NS-1 cell growth. In contrast, cholesterol precursors downstream from lanosterol, i.e., desmosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol, completely replaced cholesterol in supporting NS-1 cell growth. In a second series of experiments, NS-1 cells and NS-1-503 cells (a cholesterol growth-independent variant of NS-1 cells) were labelled with [2-14C]acetate and the distributions of radioactivity between cholesterol and its precursors were determined by thin-layer chromatography using two different solvent systems. The major labelled sterol product (>80%) in NS-1 cells after a 24-h exposure to [2-14C]acetate was lanosterol. In contrast, the major labelled sterol product (>95%) in NS-1-503 cells after a 24-h exposure to [2-14C]acetate was cholesterol. Taken together, these results indicate that NS-1 cells are defective in cholesterol biosynthesis and identify the site of lesion as the demethylation of lanosterol to C-29 sterol intermediates.
Exposure of rats to ozone: Evidence of damage to heart and brain

Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent, and in many locations it is a major atmospheric pollutant. It is phytotoxic and an important cause of lung dysfunction in humans. Recently, a significant association has been established between total atmospheric oxidants, of which ozone is one, and daily cardiovascular mortality rates. In this article, we show that exposure of rats to ozone for 5 days, in a concentration found in major urban centers, results in an increased concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material (an indicator of lipid peroxidation) in heart and brain tissue as well as elevated activity of catalase and glutathione peroxidase (enzymic scavengers of peroxides) in these tissues. We examined the heart anatomically and found evidence of extracellular and intracellular edema. These findings indicate that the heart and brain are damaged by a concentration of ozone present in major urban centers; they may have important implications for chronic illness and degenerative processes in humans.
Children who cheat at games.

Peller (1954), in her classical paper on the meaning of play, clearly ties the preference for playing organized games to the latency period of development. She states, "Strict rules are the backbone of games, and the players recognize them as absolute for the duration of the game. Their meticulous observation gives independence from external superego figures." The developmental thrust behind the interest in such games is, then, the reduction of oedipal preoccupations and the learning of techniques for group cooperation and competition according to specified rules, roles, and limitations. This is the first step in the development of autonomous personality functioning within the confines of prescribed social roles, a task which will reappear throughout latency and adolescence in increasingly complex re-editions which gradually approximate the requirements and possibilities of the adult society. Peller contrasts this latency play with that observed during the oedipal period, in which idiosyncratic fantasy and magical elements predominate. She states that the goal of oedipal play is to deny that the child cannot enjoy those things which adults enjoy. Oedipal play, therefore, is more fanciful, charming, and unrealistic because of the child's imaginative efforts to pretend that he is adult. Peller also notes, "The mood pervading oedipal play is usually one of happiness, even of triumph, of a naive invincibility." The different dynamics involved in the organized games of latency may account for the somewhat different mood which often accom-
CONCORDANCE ON NEGATIVE EMOTION IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS: TRANSMISSION OF EMOTION OR ASSORTATIVE MATING?

Abstract Two 3-wave panel studies were conducted to test for transmission of negative affect in naturally occurring dyads. In Study 1, symptoms of depression and negative affect were measured in 153 dating couples at 6–week intervals. In a similar second study, these same variables were measured in 170 college roommate dyads. Within both dating couples and roommates, symptoms of depression and negative affect were typically correlated at all points of measurement. However, structural equation analyses that controlled for prior negative affect and initial similarity on negative affect provided no evidence of emotional transmission in dating couples. There was minimal evidence for emotional transmission in roommate dyads. The intradyadic similarity in negative affect was greater than what would be expected by chance, but unrelated to the length of the relationship, as predicted by the assortative mating effect.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Routine Surveillance Imaging of Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in First Remission

Purpose Surveillance imaging of asymptomatic patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in first remission remains controversial. A decision-analytic Markov model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of follow-up strategies following first-line immunochemotherapy. Patients and Methods Three strategies were compared in 55-year-old patient cohorts: routine clinical follow-up without serial imaging, routine follow-up with biannual computed tomography (CT) scans for 2 years, or routine follow-up with biannual [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) for 2 years. The baseline model favored imaging-based strategies by associating asymptomatic imaging-detected relapses with improved clinical outcomes. Lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for each surveillance strategy. Results Surveillance strategies utilizing 2 years of routine CT or PET/CT scans were associated with m...
Talking about Reading as Thinking: Modeling the Hidden Complexities of Online Reading Comprehension

This article highlights four cognitive processes key to online reading comprehension and how one might begin to transform existing think-aloud strategy models to encompass the challenges of reading for information on the Internet. Informed by principles of cognitive apprenticeship and an emerging taxonomy of online reading comprehension strategies, I introduce think-aloud instructional models for explicitly teaching students how expert readers approach, interact with, monitor their understanding of, and respond to online information texts. Over time, think-aloud strategy lessons in online reading environments help students recognize, label, and define a range of more and less familiar online cueing systems and related reading purposes. In turn, students can begin to actively consider additional strategies for effectively comprehending and using the range of informational texts they encounter on the Internet.
A CMOS fully balanced four-terminal floating nullor

This paper presents design and implementation of a CMOS fully balanced realization of the four-terminal floating nullor (FTFN). The proposed fully balanced FTFN (FBFTFN) is an essential building block for implementing fully balanced architectures of both voltage and current-mode analog CMOS integrated circuits (ICs). A low-power class AB CMOS realization of the proposed circuit is fabricated in a 1.2-/spl mu/m technology. The proposed circuit has numerous applications. Several applications including fully balanced amplifiers, filters, and sinusoidal oscillators are presented. All proposed design techniques and circuits are experimentally verified.
Case study of ATPG-based bounded model checking: verifying USB2.0 IP core

This paper presents the ATPG performances of verifying USB2.0 IP core. Using the USB protocol and typical properties, the ATPG-based bounded model checking mechanism is revealed. Heuristics to accelerate the ATPG search are presented and their impacts are analyzed. We feel that results from this case study are applicable to serial communication circuits of the same family and can be scaled to industrial-sized circuits.
Effect of Regional Hypoxia on the Distribution of Pulmonary Blood Flow in Man

In ten patients with chronic lung disease unilateral airway hypoxia was produced by having them breathe 100% nitrogen administered for seven minutes via a Carlens catheter while the other lung received 100% oxygen. The partition of pulmonary arterial blood flow between the two lungs was determined by radioisotope scanning following intravenous injection of I 131 macroaggregated human serum albumin (MAA) both during bilateral air breathing and unilateral hypoxia. Unilateral hypoxia produced a 42% decrease in pulmonary blood flow to the hypoxic lung due to ipsilateral vasoconstriction. The response to N 2 was greater when given to the diseased lung, suggesting that the pulmonary vascular bed of the involved lung was incapable of accepting a large increase in the proportion of the cardiac output because the vascular bed was already compromised by disease. Ventilation on the hypoxic side increased by 1.4 liters/min while there was no change on the side receiving 100% oxygen. Since unilateral hypoxia produced both a decreased blood flow and an increased ventilation, it is suggested that the lung is capable of altering regional perfusion and ventilation in a manner ideally suited to minimize the change in alveolar and pulmonary capillary oxygen tension.
Census 2000–Epilogue

Census 2000 is over; the debate over adjusting the census is not. In this essay I respond to a number of points from Anderson and Fienberg (2001) and report some of the results from Census 2000.
Multimodality Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Hepatobiliary Specialty Center

Objectives: To review the experience on the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by a single multimodality team during a 6-year period, including all patients who were referred for possible surgical intervention, to evaluate prognostic factors at presentation, and to determine the results of the different modalities of treatment that were used. Design: Retrospective study of 154 patients who were referred to our Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit with the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma from January 1988 through August 1995. Setting: Tertiary care center. Results: Methods of treatment included surgical resection (n=49), transplantation (n=22), hepatic artery chemoembolization (n=30), systemic chemotherapy (n=25), and no treatment (n=22). Predictive prognostic factors included coexisting cirrhosis, symptoms at presentation, and abnormal liver function test results. Unfavorable tumor characteristics were size (diameter, >5 cm) and multicentricity. For patients who underwent surgical exploration, advanced staging according to the manual of the American Joint Committee on Cancer, vascular invasion, and a margin of less than 1 cm in the group of patients who underwent resection impacted negatively on the prognosis. The median survival (42.4 months) for the group of patients who underwent resection was significantly higher than that for the groups of patients who did not undergo resection. Chemoembolization was associated with significantly better survival results than was systemic chemotherapy. Conclusions: Hepatic resection offers the best chance at cure for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The high association between hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhotic liver disease makes surgical resection, even in favorable tumor types, a difficult task based on low hepatic reserve. Candidates with adequate hepatic reserve whose tumors are considered unresectable can be considered for chemoembolization. Liver transplantation should be reserved for selected patients with cirrhotic liver disease who have tumors (diameter, (Arch Surg. 1996;131:292-298)
Towards a sociology of computational and algorithmic journalism

This article advances a sociological approach to computational journalism. By “computational journalism” the article refers to the increasingly ubiquitous forms of algorithmic, social scientific, and mathematical forms of newswork adopted by many 21st-century newsrooms and touted by many educational institutions as “the future of news.” By “sociological approach,” the article endorses a research model that brackets, at least temporarily, many of the current industry concerns with the practical usability of newsroom analysis. The bulk of the article outlines a series of six lenses through which such an approach to computational journalism might be carried out. Four of these lenses are drawn from Schudson’s classic typology of the sociology of news—economic, political, cultural, and organizational approaches. In addition, the author adds Bordieuean field approaches and technological lenses to the mix. In each instance, the author discusses how particular approaches might need to be modified in order to stud...
A monophasic extraction strategy for the simultaneous lipidome analysis of polar and nonpolar retina lipids

Lipid extraction using a monophasic chloroform/methanol/water mixture, coupled with functional group selective derivatization and direct infusion nano-ESI-high-resolution/accurate MS, is shown to facilitate the simultaneous analysis of both highly polar and nonpolar lipids from a single retina lipid extract, including low abundance highly polar ganglioside lipids, nonpolar sphingolipids, and abundant glycerophospholipids. Quantitative comparison showed that the monophasic lipid extraction method yielded similar lipid distributions to those obtained from established "gold standard" biphasic lipid extraction methods known to enrich for either highly polar gangliosides or nonpolar lipids, respectively, with only modest relative ion suppression effects. This improved lipid extraction and analysis strategy therefore enables detailed lipidome analyses of lipid species across a broad range of polarities and abundances, from minimal amounts of biological samples and without need for multiple lipid class-specific extractions or chromatographic separation prior to analysis.
Nonfamialial, vibration-induced angioedema

Vibratory angioedema is a rare form of physical angioedema. A Mexican-American boy presented with vibration-related prolonged angioedema of the hands at age 16. After the use of a controlled vibratory stimulus, 10 volunteers and seven members of the family (three generations) developed expected transient erythema and whealing reaction of the skin at the site of contact. However, with the same vibrating stimulus the patient developed large erythematous swelling that lasted for 12 hr. Vibratory challenge study revealed a rapid rise and fall in plasma histamine. No increase in levels of plasma histamine were detected from the nonstimulated arm. Prausnitz-Kustner testing was negative. Light and electron microscopic study of the mast cell revealed degranulation and extensive fragmentation of the granules from the stimulated site. No degranulation was seen in the contralateral unstimulated site. A state of tolerance to vibration was induced by graded increased exposure to vibratory stimulus and the patient's clinical problem was eliminated.
Sedimentation and paleogeography of an Eocene to Oligocene rift zone, Idaho and Montana

Examination of sedimentary basins in east-central Idaho and analysis of previous work in western Montana indicate that late middle Eocene to Oligocene extension north of the eastern Snake River Plain was confined to a north- to north-northwest-trending rift zone, 100 ±25 km wide. In east-central Idaho, six remnants of half grabens preserve up to 2.6 km of Eocene to Oligocene boulder to pebble conglomerate, sandstone, and intercalated tuff. The Paleogene basin-bounding normal faults strike north to north-northwest, dip west, and accommodated up to 10 km of dip slip. Clasts at the base of each basin-fill sequence were derived almost exclusively from underlying middle Eocene volcanic rocks, whereas higher in the section, the detritus was derived increasingly from pre-Tertiary formations exposed in the footwall of the basin-bounding normal faults. The uppermost units of the basin-fill deposits typically lack volcanic clasts. Pebble-count data indicate that the basin-fill deposits were produced by unroofing of Proterozoic to Tertiary rocks in the uplifted footwall east of each basin. Slip on the basin-bounding normal faults created substantial relief and spawned gravity-emplaced slide blocks and megabreccias that interfinger with thick alluvial-fan deposits in the basins. In contrast, previous studies of the upper Eocene to lower Miocene Renova Formation in southwestern Montana suggest that relatively low relief and tectonic quiescence characterized the region east of the proposed rift zone. I speculate that a river flowing from the rift zone into a basin east of the rift shoulder may have carried fine-grained sediment into the Renova basin. Throughout east-central Idaho, initial slip on the north- to north-northwest-striking normal faults was closely associated with rhyolitic volcanism during the waning phases of Challis magmatism ca. 47-45 Ma. 40Ar/30Ar ages, however, show that sedimentation and extension outlasted volcanism by more than 15 m.y. and were largely amagmatic. Gravitational collapse of previously thickened crust probably drove this episode of extension within and west of the Sevier fold and thrust belt. I interpret the rift zone, which can be traced into western Montana and southern British Columbia, as a northward continuation of a west-directed belt of late Paleogene extension previously documented in the Great Basin.
MOLE: a tenacious knowledge-acquisition tool

Abstract MOLE can help domain experts build a heuristic problem-solver by working with them to generate an initial knowledge base and then detect and remedy deficiencies in it. The problem-solving method presupposed by MOLE makes several heuristic assumptions about the world, which MOLE is able to exploit when acquiring knowledge. In particular, by distinguishing between covering and differentiating knowledge and by allowing covering knowledge to drive the knowledge-acquisition process, MOLE is able to disambiguate an under-specified knowledge base and to interactively refine an incomplete knowledge base.
ClC-2 regulates mucosal barrier function associated with structural changes to the villus and epithelial tight junction

We have previously shown an important role of the chloride channel ClC-2 in orchestrating repair of tight junctions in ischemia-injured mucosa. In this study, we examined the role of ClC-2 in regul...
A Number Theoretic Memory Bounded Function and Its Applications

Memory bounded functions have been designed to combat email spams in a sequence of papers. The cost of computing the functions is usually dominated by random walks over large tables that cannot be put in CPU cache. In this paper, we propose a simple number theoretic way of generating such tables based on exponentiations of sparse polynomials modulo sparse irreducible polynomials over finite fields. We also present a formal definition of memory bounded functions that can be used to construct such tables.
Girls Will Be Girls Childhood Gender Polarization and Delinquency

The impact of childhood gender polarization on adolescent problem behaviors and delinquent behaviors was measured through a survey of students in sociology and criminal justice classes. Three predi...
Challenges of High-Precision Capacitor Integration

A robust, reliable method of building high-precision MIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitors with low Vcc, high matching performance and integrated in a 0.18um mixed signal process with sub- 0.35um metallization rules has been demonstrated. Top plate and hardmask materials, along with the influence of top plate etch on defect density have been presented. An innovative method of reducing voltage coefficient for a MIM capacitor has also been reported.
The ghost plastid of Choreocolax polysiphoniae

Parasitism has evolved innumerable times among eukaryotes. Red algal parasites alone have independently evolved over 100 times. The accepted evolutionary paradigm proposes that red algal parasites arise by first infecting a close relative and over time diversifying and infecting more distantly related species. This provides a natural evolutionary gradient of relationships between hosts and parasites that share a photosynthetic common ancestor. Upon infection, the parasite deposits its organelles into the host cell and takes over, spreading through cell-cell connections. Microscopy and molecular studies have demonstrated that the parasites do not maintain their own plastid, but rather abscond with a dedifferentiated host plastid as they pack up spores for dispersal. We sequenced a ~90 kb plastid genome from the parasite Choreocolax polysiphoniae, which has lost genes for light harvesting and photosynthesis. Furthermore, the presence of a native C. polysiphoniae plastid indicates that not all red algal parasites follow the same evolutionary pathway to parasitism. Along with the 167 kb plastid genome of its host, Vertebrata lanosa, these plastids are the first to be sequenced from the Ceramiales.
Natriuretic Peptides as Cardiovascular Safety Biomarkers in Rats: Comparison With Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Heart Weight

Cardiovascular (CV) toxicity is an important cause of failure during drug development. Blood-based biomarkers can be used to detect CV toxicity during preclinical development and prioritize compounds at lower risk of causing such toxicities. Evidence of myocardial degeneration can be detected by measuring concentrations of biomarkers such as cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase in blood; however, detection of functional changes in the CV system, such as blood pressure, generally requires studies in animals with surgically implanted pressure transducers. This is a significant limitation because sustained changes in blood pressure are often accompanied by changes in heart rate and together can lead to cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial degeneration in animals, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in humans. Increased concentrations of NPs in blood correlate with higher risk of cardiac mortality, all-cause mortality, and MACE in humans. Their utility as biomarkers of CV function and toxicity in rodents was investigated by exploring the relationships between plasma concentrations of NTproANP and NTproBNP, blood pressure, heart rate, and heart weight in Sprague Dawley rats administered compounds that caused hypotension or hypertension, including nifedipine, fluprostenol, minoxidil, L-NAME, L-thyroxine, or sunitinib for 1-2 weeks. Changes in NTproANP and/or NTproBNP concentrations were inversely correlated with changes in blood pressure. NTproANP and NTproBNP concentrations were inconsistently correlated with relative heart weights. In addition, increased heart rate was associated with increased heart weights. These studies support the use of natriuretic peptides and heart rate to detect changes in blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy in short-duration rat studies.
Counting Points on Elliptic Curves

We have seen in the previous chapter that the security of a discrete logarithm based cryptosystem relies mainly on the order of the underlying group, unless special structures allow more efficient algorithms for breaking the system. If the group order is large enough, then square root attacks like Shanks’s baby-step giant-step or Pollard’s ρ-methods are not applicable. To make the Pohlig-Hellman attack impractical, two different approaches are conceivable.
Motion retrieval using consistency of epipolar geometry

In this paper, we present an efficient method for motion retrieval method based on the consistency of the homographies with the epipolar geometry. We treat the body pose as body point triplets and use the fact that each homography obtained from corresponding body point triplets should be consistent with epipolar geometry to estimate the similarity of two poses. We show that our method is invariant to camera internal parameters and viewpoint. Experiments are performed on the CMU MoCap dataset, and IXMAS dataset testing testing view-invariance, and action recognition. The results demonstrate that our method can accurately identify human action from video sequences when they are observed from totally different viewpoints with different camera parameters.
Wilkie Collins' Law Books: Law, Literature, and Factual Precedent

Both historically and today, law reform efforts aimed at increasing transparency often focus on the possibilities of public access to knowledge about the law. One mode of achieving such access may be textual, through the dissemination of law reports, the publication of treatises explaining legal principles, and the production of volumes containing statutory enactments. Those attempting to promote transparency by generating a proliferation of texts tend, however, to neglect both what happens to these texts after they are produced and how they are received. Through exploring a moment in the nineteenth century when reports of particular trials and collections of cases were both becoming common and self-consciously addressing a lay audience, this article examines the efforts of both law and literature to educate the naive reader. What emerges is not an individual who can penetrate all the secrets of law, but rather one who reads with an awareness of the limits of the text's or the trial's ability to convey an unmediated truth, and who therefore retains a certain skepticism about the very possibility of complete transparency.
Rotational Line Intensities in Σ + 3 − Σ + 1 Electronic Transitions

The rotational intensity distribution was measured for $^{3}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+}\ensuremath{-}^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+}$ electric dipole transition which occurs only by violating the spin-selection rule. The photographic intensities, obtained using a 5-m two-mirror vacuum spectrograph, were reduced by means of the Seidel function and the intensity alternation which exists for homonuclear molecules with $\ensuremath{\Lambda}=0$. The results are in disagreement with theoretical intensity distributions.
Development of a robust sulfur quantification and speciation method for SBA-15-supported sulfonic acid catalysts

In catalytic applications of surface-modified mesoporous silica materials, distinguishing and quantifying different types of functional groups on the surface is crucial for enabling accurate evaluation of catalytic activity and possible cooperativity among mixed functional groups. We investigated sulfonic acid groups supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica as a promising organic–inorganic hybrid solid acid catalyst and developed a robust technique for sulfur quantification and speciation after oxidation of grafted thiol groups to sulfonic acid. We combined SH-selective titration (Ellman's test), acid–base titration and ICP-OES analysis to quantitatively monitor S speciation at each step of the preparation of these catalysts. Ellman's test confirmed the successful grafting of SH groups on SBA-15, which is in good agreement with ICP-OES total S determination (∼0.8 mmol gcat−1). These SH groups were converted in a subsequent 30% H2O2 treatment to SO3H groups, while significant leaching of S during oxidation limited the yield of grafted SO3H (∼0.3 mmol gcat−1) in the final catalyst. The influence of grafting and oxidation conditions on S speciation was investigated, and the presence of partially oxidized S on the surface was quantified. Despite the loss of a fraction of grafted S, the prepared sulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 catalysts exhibited comparable catalytic activity per H+ with homogeneous sulfonic acid catalysts in esterification reactions. Re-grafting of SH groups after oxidation was shown to be effective in achieving the coexistence of SH and SO3H groups on the surface, and a catalytic study revealed no cooperativity between SH and SO3H for the esterification reaction.
Case Study – Idling Reduction Technologies for Emergency Service Vehicles

This case study explores the use of idle reduction technologies (IRTs) on emergency service vehicles in police, fire, and ambulance applications. Various commercially available IRT systems and approaches can decrease, or ultimately eliminate, engine idling. Fleets will thus save money on fuel, and will also decrease their criteria pollutant emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise. This case study highlights nine fleets from very different types of organizations that implemented a range of IRT solutions. The interviewed fleets included typical town/county police, fire, and ambulance fleets. Some unique Federal government fleets (fire and border patrol) were also included. This case study synthesizes information from the nine fleets and broadly discusses their experiences, lessons learned, and other considerations to provide a resource for deploying IRT in other emergency service vehicle fleets.
Gang organization and violence in youth correctional facilities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine characteristics of gang organization in youth correctional facilities as reported by youth and staff as well as to analyze the relationship between institutional violence and level of gang organization. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected through interviews with staff and youth in correctional facilities. Gang organization level averages are compared across youth and official perspectives, and the variability of responses among youth is also examined. Negative binomial regression models are conducted to determine the association between perceived level of gang organization and officially recorded violent behavior, both prior to and subsequent to the interview. Findings – Perceptions of institutional gang organization vary notably depending on who is reporting. In contrast with prior studies of street gangs, controlling for youth demographics and offense characteristics, the authors find no significant relationship between gang organizatio...