cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tunable diode-laser heterodyne spectrometer for remote observations near 8 microns

A diode-laser-based, ultrahigh resolution IR heterodyne spectrometer for laboratory and field use has been developed for operation between 7.5 and 8.5 microns. The local oscillator is a PbSe tunable diode laser kept continuously at operating temperatures of 12-60 K using a closed-cycle cooler. The laser output frequency is controlled and stabilized using a high-precision diode current supply, constant temperature controller, and a shock isolator mounted between the refrigerator cold tip and the diode mount. The system largely employs reflecting optics to minimize losses from internal reflection and absorption and to eliminate chromatic effects. Spectral analysis of the diode-laser output between 0 and 1 GHz reveals excess noise at many diode current settings, which limits the IR spectral regions over which useful heterodyne operation can be achieved. Observations have been made of atmospheric N2O, O3, and CH4 between 1170 and 1200/cm, using both a single-frequency swept IF channel and a 64-channel RF spectral line receiver with a total IF coverage of 1600 MHz.
Response of soybean genotypes to boron, zinc and manganese deficiency in tissue culture

The effect of boron (B), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) deficiency in the medium on eight soybean genotypes was evaluated using friable callus after a 21 day growth period. Of the three micronutrients evaluated, Zn and B deficiencies had the greatest effect on callus weight, while Mn had only a slight effect. Despite this, significant differences in callus weight reduction of the eight genotypes tested were observed on the three different media. These results indicate that genotypic variation for response to B, Zn, and Mn deficiency is present in soybean at the cellular level. If the resistant genotypes identified in this study are also resistant at the whole plant level, then they could be used in soils which are deficient in the above micronutrients.
A 3.125 Gb/s limit amplifier in CMOS with 42 dB gain and 1 /spl mu/s offset compensation

A fast offset compensation method for high-gain amplifiers is presented that leverages a novel peak detector design and a dynamic, multi-tap feedback system to achieve roughly three orders of magnitude improvement in settling time over traditional compensation methods. Design tradeoffs between gain, bandwidth, power dissipation, and noise performance of the limit amplifier are discussed. Measured results of a custom 3.125 Gb/s limit amplifier in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS employing the proposed compensation technique demonstrate a sub-1-ms settling time while still achieving less than 4 ps rms output jitter with a 2.5 mV peak-to-peak input at 2.5 Gb/s.
An evaluation of the validity of the Crowne–Marlowe need for approval scale

Over the past four decades, research has consistently documented negative correlations between the Crowne–Marlowe (CM) social desirability trait scale and numerous measures of sensitive behaviors, conditions, and opinions. These findings have been interpreted as evidence that persons with self-presentation concerns tend to under-report negative information. In contrast to this classic social desirability interpretation, a second perspective, labeled the true-behavior hypothesis, maintains that these correlations in fact reflect accurate reporting of both sets of variables, suggesting that the CM scale is not a sensitive indicator of the social desirability trait. We test these alternative interpretations by examining data from a community survey that collected both self-reports of cocaine use and the biological specimens necessary to validate the self-reports. In bivariate analyses, the CM scale was found to be associated with the concordance of cocaine use reporting and biological assays in a manner consistent with the classic social desirability hypothesis. The CM scale was not found to be associated with actual cocaine use, as measured by drug test assays, a finding inconsistent with the true-behavior hypothesis. After adjusting for other known correlates of substance use in logistic regression models, the CM scale was not associated with cocaine use under-reporting, nor with actual cocaine use behavior. Until further evidence is available, we conclude that the CM may be a questionable indicator of socially desirable reporting behavior in social surveys.
Bradykinin receptors in isolated intestinal smooth muscle

Although bradykinin has been long studied, its biological relevance is still unclear. The enzymes that form and degrade bradykinin appear to be numerous and ubiquitous, and its “receptors” are both species and tissue specific. Therefore, despite the fact that a multitude of compounds have been synthesized and screened as receptor antagonists, to date only one specific antagonist has been identified and it is only active in the rabbit aorta. This review is designed to present what is known about bradykinin receptors in intestinal smooth muscle. Relevant background material and a discussion of evidence for bradykinin's mechanism of action are also presented.
Analysis of proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus scattering at 200 A GeV by the multistring model Venus☆

Abstract The event generator VENUS (for Very Energetic Nuclear Scattering) is based on a multistring model for ultrarelativistic hadronic collisions. It is assumed that strings are formed as a consequence of color exchange between the quarks of colliding nucleons, with subsequent independent string fragmentation. We apply VENUS to investigate multiplicity and transverse energy distributions in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at 200 A GeV, leading to some conclusions concerning rescattering of secondaries inside the nuclei.
Effects of menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive use on verbal memory

Surgical or pharmacological suppression of ovarian hormones leads to declines in verbal memory, and estrogen treatment reverses these deficits. In the current study, we investigated the effects of menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptives on verbal memory, as measured by the California Verbal Learning Test, in two groups of premenopausal women - 16 naturally cycling women and 20 current users of estrogen-based oral contraceptives (OCs). Naturally cycling women were assessed twice - once during the early follicular phase (Days 2-4) and once during the midluteal phase (Days 20-22) of the menstrual cycle. OC users were tested on the same cycle days, corresponding to inactive and active pill phases, respectively. We predicted that naturally cycling women would show improved verbal memory during the midluteal phase, when estradiol levels are high, compared with the follicular phase, when estradiol levels are low. We also predicted that OC users, who show no change in endogenous estradiol across the cycle, would show no change in verbal memory. Contrary to predictions, naturally cycling women showed no changes in verbal memory across the cycle, whereas OC users showed enhanced memory during the active pill phase (p<.05). None of the secondary cognitive outcome measures varied with cycle phase or OC use including measures of visuospatial memory, verbal fluency, visuospatial abilities, and attention. Overall, these results suggest that verbal memory performance in premenopausal women varies across the cycle with OC use, but does not vary systematically with changes in endogenous estradiol.
Is Being a Jerk Necessary for Originality? Examining the Role of Disagreeableness in the Sharing and Utilization of Original Ideas

We aimed to investigate the relationship between lower levels of agreeableness (i.e., disagreeableness) and innovation process such as idea generation, promotion, and group utilization, as well as potential contextual moderators of these relationships. In the first laboratory study (n = 201), we examined links among individual and group measures of agreeableness, originality of ideas generated, and group utilization of ideas. In a second laboratory study (n = 291), we utilized confederates in an on-line environment to investigate the originality of ideas shared with group members after manipulating both feedback and originality of ideas generated by others. In study 1, disagreeableness was generally unrelated to the originality of ideas generated, but positively related to group utilization of ideas. Similar trends were observed in study 2 with the caveat that disagreeableness was positively linked to originality of ideas shared only when the social context was unsupportive of novel ideas and confederate group members shared original ideas. Disagreeable personalities may be helpful in combating the challenges faced in the innovation process, but social context is also critical. In particular, an environment supportive of original thinking may negate the utility of disagreeableness and, in fact, disagreeableness may hamper the originality of ideas shared. Few studies have investigated the relationship between disagreeableness and originality and even fewer have examined both the social context and stage of innovation in which these relationships may occur. Results suggest there is value in considering each in future investigations.
Evaluation and treatment of headache patients in the emergency department: a survey

Patients with headache represent a common diagnostic and treatment challenge for health care providers in the emergency department. The therapeutic options continue to grow, yet many studies imply that narcotics continue to be a frequently chosen treatment. In this retrospective cross-sectional survey, the evaluation and treatment patterns of patients presenting to an academic medical center emergency department with a primary diagnosis of headache were analyzed. Headache disorders accounted for 1.7% of all visits to the emergency department. Migraine headache was the most common headache diagnosis representing 60% of headache visits followed by headache of no obvious source at 25%. Narcotics were the most common treatment employed (180 patient-visits) in all patients and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents were the second most common agent used (86 patient visits). Narcotics were also the most common therapy in migraine headache patients (152 patient-visits) while ergotamines were used in less than one-third of patient-visits (36 patient-visits). Therapy of headache patients in the emergency department continues to rely on narcotics. Methods of interrupting the dependence on narcotics need to be explored if newer non-narcotic therapies are to be successful.
Ligand binding equilibrium and kinetic measurements on the dimeric myoglobin of Busycon canaliculatum and the comparative ligand binding of diverse non-cooperative heme proteins.

Abstract 1. 1. The rate constants and ΔH° for the non-cooperative dimeric Busycon myoglobin are: oxygen, k' = 4.75 × 107M−1, k = 71 sec−1, and CO, l′ −3.46 × 105M−li]1sec−1, l = 0.0052 sec−1 at 20°C, pH 7. ΔH° = −3 kcal/mol for O2 and CO. 2. Log-log plots of k vs K for oxygen and of l′ vs L for CO binding for numerous non-cooperative hemoglobins and myoglobins point to a large steric influence of the protein on heme ligation reactions. Many of the proteins behave as “R” state for one ligand, but “T” for the other.
Increased Nicotine Self-Administration Following Prenatal Exposure in Female Rats

There is a significant association between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and greater subsequent risk of smoking in female offspring. In animal models, prenatal nicotine exposure causes persistent alterations in cholinergic and monoaminergic systems, both of which are important for nicotine actions underlying tobacco addiction. Accordingly, the current study was conducted to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between prenatal nicotine exposure and nicotine self-administration starting in adolescence. Pregnant rats were administered nicotine (6 mg/kg/day) by osmotic minipump infusion throughout gestation and then, beginning in adolescence and continuing into adulthood, female offspring were given access to nicotine via a standard operant IV self-administration procedure (0.03 mg/kg/infusion). Gestational nicotine exposure did not alter the initial rate of nicotine self-administration. However, when animals underwent one week of forced abstinence and then had a second opportunity to self-administer nicotine, the prenatally-exposed animals showed a significantly greater rate of self-administration than did the controls. Prenatal nicotine exposure causes increased nicotine self-administration, which is revealed only when the animals are allowed to experience a period of nicotine abstinence. This supports a cause-and-effect relationship between the higher rates of smoking in the daughters of women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy and implicates a role for nicotine in this effect. Our results further characterize the long-term liabilities of maternal smoking but also point to the potential liabilities of nicotine-based treatments for smoking cessation during pregnancy.
Continuous recording of erythrophore membrane potential during change of stage in Ocypode pallidula (Crustacea)

Intracellular recordings of membrane potential were obtained from the central region of Erythrophore of the ghost crab (Ocypode pallidula) in all stages of aggregation. Stable membrane potentials were recorded from 58 cells. The potential was unrelated to stage. The average value was −59.0 ± 5.86 mV; the mode was −60 mV. The mode analyzed by stage was also −60mV. Fourteen erythrophores were continuously recorded during one or more complete cycles of aggregation, in response to erythrophore concentrating hormone (applied as an eyestalk extract), and subsequent reexpansion during continued saline perfusion. Membrane potential varied by less than 3 mV from its initial value and did so in a random manner. Injection of hyperpolarizing or depolarizing currents of up to 10−8 A for periods as long as ten minutes caused no visible responses. Current-voltage relations, observed for six cells, were linear over the range tested (± 20 mV) and provided estimates of input resistance which averaged 18 megohms. A marked increase in electrode voltage noise, from less than 0.5 mV to as much as 2 mV, upon penetration of chromatophores was consistently observed. Changes of membrane potential are not involved in the responses of erythrophores to neurohormones nor associated with migration of pigment granules. Membrane potentials do not vary with the state of aggregation of these cells.
NEEDS AND NEED SATISFACTION AMONG CLERICAL WORKERS IN COMPLEX AND ROUTINE JOBS

Summary Reliable measurement of needs and need satisfaction on Maslow's hierarchy is possible. Clerical employees (mainly female) indicated a high need for self-actualization and autonomy. In this respect they are similar to lower level managers described by Porter (1962) and women described by Jurgensen (1949). There was no substantial difference in need satisfaction patterns between clerical employees in routine jobs and those in more complex clerical jobs. Similarly, no difference was found in the motivation of these two groups. It was concluded that jobs which appear to management as higher in responsibility and complexity, and which are commonly viewed as promotions, may not always provide additional satisfactions in self-actualization, autonomy, or esteem. This study focused on the importance of defining accurately what constitutes job enlargement. An increase in variety and responsibility does not necessarily result in increasing higher order need satisfaction or motivation. How much job enlargement makes a difference in these variables is still open to question and must be the subject of further investigation.
The experience of care project: students as participant observers in the hospital setting.

BACKGROUND: The Experience of Care Project advocates a form of qualitative research, participant observation, in medical settings with the goals of (1) identifying ways to increase compassion within hospital systems and (2) training students so that they will become more compassionate physicians. ME
Effect of Sea Salt on the Hatching of Channel Catfish Eggs

Abstract The potential of sea salt treatment, given as a continuous bath, for improving the hatching success of eggs of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus was evaluated. Two- to three-dayold eggs were held in systems with recirculating water at salinities of 0–5‰ until hatching. The percent hatch of untreated eggs averaged 57.6%. Mean hatching success rate was 79.4% for eggs treated at salinities of 0.5–2.5‰ and 67.5% for those treated at a salinity of 5‰. Total and unionized ammonia levels were reduced as the salinity increased.
Laser ablation of dental calculus at 400 nm using a Ti:sapphire laser

A Nd:YAG laser-pumped, frequency-doubled Ti:sapphire laser is used for selective ablation of calculus. The laser provides ≤25 mJ at 400 nm (60-ns pulse width, 10-Hz repetition rate). The laser is coupled into an optical multimode fiber coiled around a 4-in.-diam drum to generate a top-hat output intensity profile. With coaxial water cooling, this is ideal for efficient, selective calculus removal. This is in stark contrast with tightly focused Gaussian beams that are energetically inefficient and lead to irreproducible results. Calculus is well ablated at high fluences ≥2J/cm2; stalling occurs below this fluence because of photobleaching. Healthy hard tissue is not removed at fluences ≤3 J/cm2.
Analysis and Design of Wideband Dielectric Resonator Antenna Arrays for Waveguide-Based Spatial Power Combining

Analysis and design of a probe-fed embedded dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array in an oversized dielectric loaded waveguide with hard horn excitation are presented for its use in a waveguide-based spatial power combining system. Matching bandwidth as much as 15% (based on -10dB return loss level) is achieved in the proposed design. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach with region-by-region discretization and subgridding schemes is applied for the analysis of the entire spatial power combining system. Numerical results of the scattering parameters for the example of a 3 times 3 embedded DRA array excited by a hard horn are compared with those obtained using the commercial software HFSS and exhibit very good agreement. A parametric analysis is performed in order to optimize the system for scattering and coupling characteristics
An image filing system for the implementation of image processing algorithms in a research environment

An image filing system (IFS) has been written to facilitate the implementation and testing of image processing algorithms in a research environment. A programming substrate has been developed to provide applications with routines for acquiring, displaying, and manipulating images without regard for the underlying information format. Images of diverse modalities are cataloged and tracked through a series of image operations with descriptive pointers to all antecedents. This paper presents the design and implementation of the image filing system and describes one of the major image processing applications developed in the IFS environment.
On the curvature of contact metric manifolds

Some results on Ricci-symmetric contact metric manifolds are obtained. Second order parallel tensors and vector fields keeping curvature tensor invariant are characterized on a class of contact manifolds. Conformally flat contact manifolds are studied assuming certain curvature conditions. Finally some results onk-nullity distribution of contact manifolds are obtained.
COPPER AND IRON TOXICITY.

Abstract Goldberger et al. (1956) reported that excessive copper intake in adult birds caused accumulation of very large amounts of copper in the liver. “Iron rickets,” a condition similar to rickets, is associated with excessive iron feeding in the presence of ample quantities of calcium and vitamin D. Sullivan et al. (1963) reported that added copper in the presence of inadequate iron had a detrimental effect on the blood of turkeys and it was suggested that caution be used in the use of salts to combat fungi and molds. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of various levels of copper and iron on growth, body weight gains and survival. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Three groups of birds were used with six treatments per group and twenty birds per treatment. One replicate was used. In Group 1 (Table 2) 5 p.p.m. copper was added to the basal diet (Table 1) in all…
Potential exposure of children and adults to cypermethrin following use of indoor insecticide foggers

The magnitude and distribution of cypermethrin from total release, over-the-counter foggers was studied in a test room and in residences to facilitate evaluation of regulatory exposure algorithms and new human exposure assessments based upon urine biomonitoring. Surface residue (SR) was evenly distributed in a small test room (3.6 mciro g cypermethrin/cm(2)) where thorough mixing of the aerosol occurred. In a residence SR was significantly affected by room size and distance from the fogger. Air levels in the residence were as high as 30 mciro g cypermethrin/cm(3) after 4.5 h. The availability of surface residues was measured with an automated surface cotton cloth wipe and ethyl acetate extraction. Only 5% of the SR was available from nylon carpet. Tile, wood and linoleum resulted in 30, 10, and 10% of SR being available, respectively. These data are used to estimate cypermethrin exposure of children and adults for comparison with existing regulatory reference dosages and exposure assessments based upon biomonitoring.
Flaubert and Madame Bovary: an intimate courtship.

The process by which Gustave Flaubert created the character of Emma Bovary is examined, as are various of the author's sources for the heroine and their transformation in the course of composing the novel. Certain aspects of the author's psychic makeup, including his bisexuality, are discussed in this light, as are Flaubert's early traumatic losses and their influence on his way of working. Finally, it is suggested that writing had multiple functions for the author and that the creation of Emma Bovary served as a partial solution to unmet needs.
CD22 and Siglec-G in B cell function and tolerance

The immune system has evolved into two main arms: the primitive innate arm that is the first line of defense but relatively short-lived and broad acting; and the advanced adaptive arm that generates immunological memory, allowing rapid, specific recall responses. T cell-independent type-2 (TI-2) antigens (Ags) invoke innate immune responses. However, due to its 'at the ready' nature, how the innate arm of the immune system maintains tolerance to potentially abundant host TI-2 Ags remains elusive. Therefore, it is important to define the mechanisms that establish innate immune tolerance. This review highlights recent insights into B cell tolerance to theoretical self TI-2 Ags, and examines how the B cell-restricted sialic acid binding Ig-like lectins (Siglecs), CD22 and Siglec-G, might contribute to this process.
Global Modeling of Land Water and Energy Balances. Part I: The Land Dynamics (LaD) Model

Abstract A simple model of large-scale land (continental) water and energy balances is presented. The model is an extension of an earlier scheme with a record of successful application in climate modeling. The most important changes from the original model include 1) introduction of non-water-stressed stomatal control of transpiration, in order to correct a tendency toward excessive evaporation; 2) conversion from globally constant parameters (with the exception of vegetation-dependent snow-free surface albedo) to more complete vegetation and soil dependence of all parameters, in order to provide more realistic representation of geographic variations in water and energy balances and to enable model-based investigations of land-cover change; 3) introduction of soil sensible heat storage and transport, in order to move toward realistic diurnal-cycle modeling; 4) a groundwater (saturated-zone) storage reservoir, in order to provide more realistic temporal variability of runoff; and 5) a rudimentary runoff-ro...
Analysis of flat heat pipes with various heating and cooling configurations

Abstract A simplified analytical thermal-fluid model including the wall, and both liquid and vapor flows is developed for flat heat pipes or vapor chambers with different heating and cooling configurations. The results for the two-dimensional temperature distribution inside the wall, the vapor velocity profiles, the axial pressure distributions in the vapor and liquid phases, and the vapor temperature are presented. The capillary pressures are calculated analytically and compared to the maximum capillary pressures to determine the dry-out limitations of the heat pipes. The reduction of the maximum effective capillary pressures due to the mass flux across the liquid/vapor interface is considered. The proposed analytical solution agrees well with a two-dimensional numerical simulation, which consists of the wall, wick and vapor regions. The parametric investigations show that the assumptions of previous studies that evaporation and condensation occur uniformly in the axial direction are valid only if the solid thermal conductivity is small and the axial wall conduction can be neglected.
Thermoelectric effects in anisotropic superconductors

We discuss the thermally generated magnetic flux in an anisotropic, homogeneous bulk superconductor. A previous calculation by Ginzburg is generalized to allow for large variations in the superelectron density n/sub s/ between the hot and cold ends of the sample. Such variations arise when the temperature of the hot end is very near T/sub c/, where the thermomagnetic field penetrating the sample Happrox.n/sup -2//sub s/approx.(T/sub c/-T)/sup -2/ is maximized. As a result of the nonuniformity of H, the total (integrated) magnetic flux is not necessarily quadratic in the temperature gradient as predicted by Ginzburg and Zharkov, but, in fact, is approximately linear in the regime of experimental interest. The derivation of a simple expression for the total flux follows from the conventional assumption that normal and supercurrents cancel (j = j/sub n/+j/sub s/..-->..0) within the bulk. We critically examine this assumption by calculating the actual net current density j that does exist in the bulk, and the resulting corrections to H and the total flux. The approximation j = 0 is valid as long as T/sub c/-T is greater than 1 or 2 mK. Otherwise, screening current persists sufficiently far into the sample that it must be taken into accountmore » when evaluating the total flux. The bulk current is also nonzero, but its effect on the flux is dominated by screening current. Finally, problems associated with the measurement of the flux are discussed.« less
Contemporary Adult Diabetes Mellitus Management Perceptions

Background: Over 180 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus worldwide, with this number expected to more than double by 2030. Due to the increasing mortality and morbidity associated with this epidemic, the improved primary-care management of diabetes during routine office visits remains an emerging international challenge. Objective: To report the results of a series of exploratory semi-structured group interview sessions with a sample of 44 American adults with type 2 diabetes, concerning their diabetes management perceptions and office-based diabetes care processes. Methods: A total of 44 adults from a Midwest Internal Medicine Clinic were interviewed during 2004 and 2005 before starting a larger, quantitative, shared decision-making intervention study. During group interviews, participants offered their perceptions of their self-management practices, interactions with office clinicians, and diabetes-related health outcomes to date. A total of 178 audio-taped interview comments (across 44 participants) were transcribed and analyzed for core themes and sub-themes. Results: Many participants reported frustrating experiences regarding the relationship between their personal diabetes self-management practices and typical office visit interactions with clinicians. Most participants perceived these diabetes management processes as inherently different from each other. Many participants were intrigued with the proposed shared decision-making management approach of the larger intervention study. Conclusions: Primary-care clinicians should assess how patients may perceive their self-management strategies relate to office-based diabetes care processes. Patients’ self-management beliefs and practices should be routinely evaluated since they frequently affect the nature of key diabetes care office visit decisions. These qualitative results suggest that clinicians should convey the increasing interdependence between their patients’ daily diabetes self-management practices and contemporary office visit decision-making discussions.
1565 EEG FINDINGS IN PREMATURE INFANTS WITH INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE (IVH) (BY CT SCAN)

Cukier et al (1972) first noted positive central spike waves in the EEG of infants who died with intraventricular hemorrhages. In 1979 Staudt & Engel noted suppression of EEG background activity in infants with IVH diagnosed by CT scan. The present study was undertaken to investigate further the EEG in infants with major & minor IVH diagnosed by CT scan. Ten infants were enrolled prospectively and had both EEG's & CT scans during the first 13 days. The EEG's and CT scans on another 31 infants were reviewed retrospectively. In the prospective series, 5 infants had normal EEG's; 4 had abnormal CT scans. Three infants had abnormal EEG's; IVH's were present in 2 infants. In the retrospective series, 23 infants had normal EEG's. Eight in the first week were associated also with major & minor IVH's. The remaining 8 infants had abnormal EEG's, and all but one were associated with abnormal CT scans. Outcome has been assessed up to 3½ years and is variable. However, 7 of 10 infants with abnormal EEG's have either expired or are developmentally delayed, while 7 of 23 infants with normal EEG's were abnormal later (p=NS). In conclusion, abnormal EEG's did not accompany IVH's in the majority of the infants studied.
Second Sound Attenuation in Liquid Helium II

Second sound attenuation was measured in the hundred kilocycle per second frequency range with a continuous wave method. Measurements were carried out over the temperature interval from 1.25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 2.17\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The short wavelengths employed and the absence of walls near the second sound beam caused geometrical attenuation and wall losses to be negligible compared to the actual liquid attenuation.
Calculation of Substituent Effects on pKa Values for Pyrone and Dihydropyrone Inhibitors of HIV-1 Protease

We have investigated the influence of different substitutions and solvent effects on the pKa values of the hydroxy group for a set of pyrone and dihydropyrone HIV-1 protease inhibitors. Absolute and relative pKa values were calculated for model compounds using a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and continuum solvation methods and were compared to experimental data for related compounds. The theoretical results shed light on the unusual pH dependence of the inhibition constants for these compounds and may lead to the design of new, improved pyrone and dihydropyrone inhibitors of HIV-1 protease.
Hydroxylation of an Aliphatic C-H Bond in an Imidazole-Ligated (m-eta(2):eta(2)-Peroxo)dicopper(II) Complex.

Low-temperature oxygenation of {Cu[P(imiPr2)3]CH3CN}CF3SO3 affords a μ-η2:η2-peroxo adduct. Upon warming a dilute solution (<10-3 M) of the peroxide complex, intramolecular hydroxylation occurs at the tertiary carbon atom of one of the isopropyl groups of the ligand, reminiscent of the one catalyzed by the copper enzyme dopamine β-monooxygenase.
Rule-based cell systems model of aging using feedback loop motifs mediated by stress responses.

Investigating the complex systems dynamics of the aging process requires integration of a broad range of cellular processes describing damage and functional decline co-existing with adaptive and protective regulatory mechanisms. We evolve an integrated generic cell network to represent the connectivity of key cellular mechanisms structured into positive and negative feedback loop motifs centrally important for aging. The conceptual network is casted into a fuzzy-logic, hybrid-intelligent framework based on interaction rules assembled from a priori knowledge. Based upon a classical homeostatic representation of cellular energy metabolism, we first demonstrate how positive-feedback loops accelerate damage and decline consistent with a vicious cycle. This model is iteratively extended towards an adaptive response model by incorporating protective negative-feedback loop circuits. Time-lapse simulations of the adaptive response model uncover how transcriptional and translational changes, mediated by stress sensors NF-κB and mTOR, counteract accumulating damage and dysfunction by modulating mitochondrial respiration, metabolic fluxes, biosynthesis, and autophagy, crucial for cellular survival. The model allows consideration of lifespan optimization scenarios with respect to fitness criteria using a sensitivity analysis. Our work establishes a novel extendable and scalable computational approach capable to connect tractable molecular mechanisms with cellular network dynamics underlying the emerging aging phenotype.
Is Cating's Method of Transverse Groove Counts to Annuli Applicable for all Stocks of American Shad?

Abstract A scale aging method was reported by Cating in 1953 for American shad Alosa sapidissima in the Hudson River and subsequently validated by recapturing fish marked and released in the Connecticut River. However, American shad spawn in all major rivers from Canada to Florida and their scales record growth events occurring in three distinct biogeographic provinces. Thus, a single scale aging method may not be applicable across the latitudinal range of this species. To address this concern, scales from American shad from one southern river (the St. Johns), three Middle Atlantic rivers (the Delaware, Hudson, and Connecticut), and one northern river (the Merrimack) were examined. Scales were cleaned, impressed in acetate, and analyzed by the same reader using a digital imaging system. The transverse grooves, the key morphological character used in Cating's method, were counted to the distal edge of the freshwater zone and the first three annuli. In most instances, these groove frequencies were statistic...
EFFECT OF STATIC LIQUID HEIGHT ON GAS-LIQUID MASS TRANSFER IN A DRAFT-TUBE BUBBLE COLUMN AND THREE-PHASE FLUIDIZED BED

Experiments are performed under batch-liquid operating conditions to investigate the effect of static liquid height on the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (KLa) in a draft-tube bubble column (DTBC) and a draft-tube three-phase fluidized bed (DTFB). In addition, the effects of column diameter, gas-distributor, and draft-tube diameter are studied. The results indicate that for a given system with a porous plate gas-distributor at low superficial gas velocities (<70 m/hr), increasing static liquid height decreases KLa. At high gas velocities, KLa is independent of the static liquid height. For systems with a perforated gas-distributor, there is no effect of static liquid height on KLa. The formation of small dispersed bubbles at low gas velocities in the porous plate distributor system accounts for the considerably high KLa values and the observed effect of liquid height. On the other hand, the formation of large spherical-cap bubbles and the bubble coalescence at high gas velocities reduce the performa...
Phase evolution in solution deposited Pb-deficient PLZT thin films

Initial crystallization of Pb-deficient, lanthanum modified lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) layers followed by post-crystallization phase conversion can be used to obtain high quality PLZT thin films. However, phase evolution in Pb-deficient PLZT thin films is not well understood. To characterize phase evolution in these films, we developed a new in situ, high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement approach for slow heating rates. The well-characterized Pb-excess PLZT composition was used for comparison and to validate the new XRD setup described herein. During crystallization of Pb-deficient thin films, a Pb-rich/La-poor perovskite phase and Pb-poor/La-rich fluorite phase were observed to form simultaneously. The fluorite phase was observed to partially transform into a secondary perovskite phase at higher temperatures. The results obtained are discussed in view of the current understanding of phase evolution in these materials. The details of the new in situ XRD technique are also presented.
Pelvic Hematoma Due to Anticoagulant Therapy Causing Urethro-Vesical Anastomosis Disruption After Radical Prostatectomy: A Case Report

Pelvic hematomas can form as a consequence of anticoagulant therapy after pelvic surgeries such as radical prostatectomy (RP). This can cause a significant disruption of the urethro-vesical anastomosis. We report a case of a 58-year-old male who presented with prostate cancer (PC) and underwent RP. Post-operatively, he developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). He was started on anticoagulant therapy which caused a pelvic hematoma resulting in the urethro-vesical anastomosis (UVA) disruption. World J Nephrol Urol. 2014;3(3):134-136 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/wjnu183w
Late Wisconsin Glaciation of the Southwestern Gulf of Maine: New Evidence from the Marine Environment

Data from cores and 1.4- and 3.5-kHz sub-bottom profiles from the western Gulf of Maine are used to interpret the late Wisconsin (<23,000 yr B.P.) and Holocene geologic history of the area. Radiocarbon dates and analyses of sediments in two cores containing a continuous sequence of sediments down to 22 m beneath the sea floor in Stellwagen Basin suggest that grounded glacial ice advanced through the southwestern Gulf of Maine no earlier than 18,900 ± 600 yr B.P. The ice probably persisted on Martha's Vineyard until 15,300 ± 800 yr B.P. During this time, scour and deposition of till occurred in the former marine basins to the north. The lobate character of the glacial margin was accentuated during deglaciation, resulting in the accumulation of glacial sediment as interlobate deposits on outer Cape Cod and perhaps on Stellwagen Bank. Marine transgression and ice degrounding occurred in Stellwagen Basin prior to 14,250 ± 250 yr B.P., and rapid glaciomarine sedimentation followed. Continuous marine deposition in the basin since that time indicates that crustal rebound in the present marine provinces was never rapid enough to raise the sills between the western basins above sea level. Fine-grained sediment winnowed from areas of elevated submarine topography by marine action eventually replaced glaciomarine detritus as the primary sediment source for the basins. A warming trend about 13,000 yr B.P. is indicated by the disappearance of the frigid-water pelecypod Yoldia arctica . Sedimentation rates in the present marine basins have steadily decreased since 13,000 yr B.P. to a modern rate of a few centimeters per thousand years.
Maternal risk indicators for childhood caries in an inner city population

Objectives: This study evaluated whether characteristics of mothers, such as high mutans streptococci (MS) level, caries experience, reported sugar consumption and demographic variables, could be important risk indicators of caries for their children. Methods: Mothers selected on the basis of the caries status of their 3–5-year-old-children were tested for MS, caries, reported sugar consumption and demographic variables. Results: We found strong associations between children's caries and their mothers' MS levels (high/low adj. OR = 11.3), maternal active caries (yes/no adj. OR = 4.0) and maternal sugar consumption (high/low adj. OR = 4.2). In this small study, mothers' demographic variables were not associated with the status of caries in their children. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that maternal high MS levels, maternal active decay and maternal sugar consumption are strong risk indicators for children's caries. Although further study is needed, these three maternal risk indicators, taken together, may prove useful in predicting children's caries risk.
Suicides in Urban and Rural Counties in the United States, 2006–2008

Background: Suicide rates are higher in rural areas. It has been hypothesized that inadequate access to care may play a role, but studies examining individual decedent characteristics are lacking. ...
Comparative Effectiveness of Pyruvate Kinase M2 in Bile, Serum Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9, and Biliary Brushings in Diagnosing Malignant Biliary Strictures

The role of M2-PK (pyruvate kinase) in bile has not been studied in comparison with brushings and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 in the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures. To compare the diagnostic accuracy of biliary M2-PK with cytology and serum CA 19-9 In this prospective cross-sectional study, bile was aspirated in 74 patients (discovery and validation cohort) undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Levels of M2-PK were measured in bile and compared to brushings for cytology and CA 19-9. In the discovery cohort, the median bile M2-PK levels were significantly elevated in patients with malignant biliary strictures [187.9 U/l (interquartile range (IQR) 3.5, 3626.8)] compared to those with benign biliary conditions and primary sclerosing cholangitis [0 U/l (IQR 0, 15)] (P = 0.007). A M2-PK cutoff value of 109.1 U/l distinguished malignant from benign conditions with a sensitivity and specificity of 52.9 and 94.1 %, respectively, and area under curve (AUC) of 0.77. The sensitivity of CA 19-9 and brushings in diagnosing cancer was 52.9 % and 11.1 % and specificity 94.1 and 100 %, respectively. The presence of elevated M2-PK >109.1 U/l or CA 19-9 >33 U/ml or positive brushing was 88.2 % sensitive and 88.2 % specific, AUC of 0.89 in the diagnosis of malignancy. The diagnostic accuracy was confirmed in the validation cohort. As a stand-alone factor, none of the markers were able to distinguish benign from malignant biliary strictures with a high sensitivity. However, a combination was highly sensitive in diagnosing malignant biliary strictures.
Boosting with Spatial Regularization

By adding a spatial regularization kernel to a standard loss function formulation of the boosting problem, we develop a framework for spatially informed boosting. From this regularized loss framework we derive an efficient boosting algorithm that uses additional weights/priors on the base classifiers. We prove that the proposed algorithm exhibits a "grouping effect", which encourages the selection of all spatially local, discriminative base classifiers. The algorithm's primary advantage is in applications where the trained classifier is used to identify the spatial pattern of discriminative information, e.g. the voxel selection problem in fMRI. We demonstrate the algorithm's performance on various data sets.
The Role of Visual Area V4 in the Discrimination of Partially Occluded Shapes

The primate brain successfully recognizes objects, even when they are partially occluded. To begin to elucidate the neural substrates of this perceptual capacity, we measured the responses of shape-selective neurons in visual area V4 while monkeys discriminated pairs of shapes under varying degrees of occlusion. We found that neuronal shape selectivity always decreased with increasing occlusion level, with some neurons being notably more robust to occlusion than others. The responses of neurons that maintained their selectivity across a wider range of occlusion levels were often sufficiently sensitive to support behavioral performance. Many of these same neurons were distinctively selective for the curvature of local boundary features and their shape tuning was well fit by a model of boundary curvature (curvature-tuned neurons). A significant subset of V4 neurons also signaled the animal's upcoming behavioral choices; these decision signals had short onset latencies that emerged progressively later for higher occlusion levels. The time course of the decision signals in V4 paralleled that of shape selectivity in curvature-tuned neurons: shape selectivity in curvature-tuned neurons, but not others, emerged earlier than the decision signals. These findings provide evidence for the involvement of contour-based mechanisms in the segmentation and recognition of partially occluded objects, consistent with psychophysical theory. Furthermore, they suggest that area V4 participates in the representation of the relevant sensory signals and the generation of decision signals underlying discrimination.
Mutational analysis of the latency-associated nuclear antigen DNA-binding domain of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus reveals structural conservation among gammaherpesvirus origin-binding proteins.

The latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus functions as an origin-binding protein (OBP) and transcriptional regulator. LANA binds the terminal repeats via the C-terminal DNA-binding domain (DBD) to support latent DNA replication. To date, the structure of LANA has not been solved. Sequence alignments among OBPs of gammaherpesviruses have revealed that the C terminus of LANA is structurally related to EBNA1, the OBP of Epstein–Barr virus. Based on secondary structure predictions for LANADBD and published structures of EBNA1DBD, this study used bioinformatics tools to model a putative structure for LANADBD bound to DNA. To validate the predicted model, 38 mutants targeting the most conserved motifs, namely three α-helices and a conserved proline loop, were constructed and functionally tested. In agreement with data for EBNA1, residues in helices 1 and 2 mainly contributed to sequence-specific DNA binding and replication activity, whilst mutations in helix 3 affected replication activity and multimer formation. Additionally, several mutants were isolated with discordant phenotypes, which may aid further studies into LANA function. In summary, these data suggest that the secondary and tertiary structures of LANA and EBNA1 DBDs are conserved and are critical for (i) sequence-specific DNA binding, (ii) multimer formation, (iii) LANA-dependent transcriptional repression, and (iv) DNA replication.
Predicting the growth of deciduous tree species in response to water stress: FVS-BGC model parameterization, application and evaluation

An individual-tree, distance-independent forest stand projection model (FVS-BGC) was applied to study deciduous species response to water stress. FVS-BGC couples the process model STAND-BGC to the empirically based forest vegetation simulator (FVS). We sought to determine whether the hybrid model could be expanded to simulate deciduous trees and their response to water stress, where to date the model has not been used beyond coniferous trees. FVS-BGC was parameterized with comprehensive ecophysiological, site, and silvicultural data collected on Acer rubrum L. (A. rubrum), Paulownia elongata (P. elongata), Quercus nuttallii (Q. nuttallii), and Quercus phellos (Q. phellos). Species-specific carbon gain and growth were simulated under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Simulations on species-specific bases allowed assessment of drought effects on stand production and the ability to test FVS-BGC's capability to predict the water stress responses of deciduous species. Under well-watered conditions, FVS-BGC height and caliper predictions were not statistically different from measured values for P. elongata, Q. nuttallii and Q. phellos. Under water stress, FVS-BGC accurately predicted height and caliper in Q. nuttallii and Q. phellos. For carbon sequestration, FVS-BGC predictions agreed with measured values on all study species under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. In general, the simulations showed that modelled height, caliper, and carbon sequestration were consistent with observed data. This study establishes the potential for FVS-BGC applications to include deciduous species-specific simulations and their respective water stress responses.