cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delay fear conditioning modifies phospholipase C-β1a signaling in the hippocampus and frontal cortex

The use of the single-trial fear conditioning paradigm allows for control over the exact moment when an animal is exposed to a learning event, making it possible to study both the initial neurobiological changes that are associated with learning and changes that take place over long periods of time. In the present study, we performed detailed analyses of the alterations in phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-β1a (PLC-β1a) levels and enzyme activities in subcellular fractions prepared from the hippocampal formation (HPF) and medial frontal cortex (MFC) 1, 3, 5, 7, 24, and 72 h following single-trial fear conditioning. We observed tissue- and time-dependent changes in both PLC-β1a enzyme activity and anti-PLC-β1a immunoreactivity in each subcellular fraction. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that changes in PLC-β1a catalytic activity and subcellular distribution play important roles in neuronal signaling processes that are required for fear-conditioned learning and memory.
Integrated Continental Margin Research to benefit ocean and Earth sciences

Operating at the boundary between marine and terrestrial environments, continental-margin sedimentation is controlled by processes occurring both in the sea and on land. Because continental-margin deposits have high rates of sediment accumulation and potentials for geological preservation, they provide a high-resolution record of Earth history. Interpreting this record is difficult because of the diversity and variability of processes that concurrently influence margin sedimentation, such as fluctuations in sea level, sediment supply, tectonic activity, and oceanic processes.
Miscibility in poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide/nylon 6 and nylon 66 molecular composites

Miscibility and crystallization of poly-p-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA)/nylon 6 and nylon 66 composites prepared by coagulation of isotropic ternary sulfuric acid solutions were studied. The apparent crystallinity of nylon 6 and nylon 66 in molecular composites was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The solvation of nylon 6 crystals in PPTA matrix was observed when the PPTA content exceeds 70 wt%. Cross-hydrogen bonding seems to be responsible for the virtual disappearance of nylon 6 crystals. Specific interaction between PPTA and nylon 6 macromolecules and phase separation during thermal treatment has been discussed.
BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW OVER A STRETCHING SHEET WITH VARIABLE THICKNESS

Abstract In this work, the boundary layers over a continuously stretching sheet with a power law surface velocity were revisited for a sheet with variable thickness. Based on the boundary layer assumptions, the similarity equation governed by two parameters, namely the velocity power index and the wall thickness parameter, was obtained and solved numerically. Theoretical analysis was conducted for special conditions and analytical solutions were derived for the velocity power indices m = - 1 3 and m = - 1 2 . Numerical techniques were used to solve the similarity equation for general conditions. Quite different and interesting flow behavior was found for negative power indices. Multiple solutions were obtained for certain wall thickness parameter and velocity power indices. Velocity overshoot near the wall was observed for certain solution branches. It is found that the non-flatness of the stretching surface has significant impacts on the boundary layer development along the wall, on the velocity profiles, and on the shear stress distribution in the fluid. When the velocity power index is less than one, the non-flatness introduces a mass suction effect; while when it is greater than one, the non-flatness leads to a mass injection effect. The results for a non-flat stretching sheet offer quite interesting nonlinear behaviors and further enrich the solution and understanding of boundary layers.
Antecedents and consequences of cannabis use among racially diverse cannabis users: an analysis from Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Background Cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit substance and use rates are rising. Notably, the prevalence of cannabis use disorders (CUD) nearly equals that of other illicit substance use disorders combined. Thus, the present study aimed to identify cognitive, affective, and situational predictors and consequences of ad-lib cannabis use in a racially diverse sample.
Fertility in Angus cross beef cows following 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR or 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR estrus synchronization and timed artificial insemination

The present study determined whether a 5-day CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) protocol with two doses of PGF2α would improve timed artificial insemination (AI) pregnancy rate compared with 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol in beef cows. Angus cross beef cows (N = 1817) at 12 locations were randomly assigned to 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR or 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR groups. All cows received 100 μg of GnRH and a CIDR insert on Day 0. Cows (n = 911) in the 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR group received two doses of 25 mg PGF, the first dose given on Day 5 at CIDR removal and the second dose 6 hours later, and 100 μg GnRH on Day 8 and were inseminated concurrently, 72 hours after CIDR removal. Cows (n = 906) in 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR group received 25 mg of PGF at CIDR removal on Day 7, and 100 μg GnRH on Day 10 and were inseminated concurrently, 66 to 72 hours after CIDR removal. All cows were fitted with a heat detector aid at CIDR removal and were observed twice daily until insemination for estrus and heat detector aid status. Accounting for estrus expression at or before AI (P 6 - 55.8%]. The mean AI pregnancy rate difference between treatment groups and projected economic outcome varied among locations. In conclusion, cows synchronized with the 5-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol had greater AI pregnancy rate than those that received the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR protocol.
Cleavage of an amide bond by a ribozyme

A variant form of a group I ribozyme, optimized by in vitro evolution for its ability to catalyze magnesium-dependent phosphoester transfer reactions involving DNA substrates, also catalyzes the cleavage of an unactivated alkyl amide when that linkage is presented in the context of an oligodeoxynucleotide analog. Substrates containing an amide bond that joins either two DNA oligos, or a DNA oligo and a short peptide, are cleaved in a magnesium-dependent fashion to generate the expected products. The first-order rate constant, kcat, is 0.1 x 10(-5) min-1 to 1 x 10(-5) min-1 for the DNA-flanked substrates, which corresponds to a rate acceleration of more than 10(3) as compared with the uncatalyzed reaction.
Quantitative studies of nonlinear second sound near Tλ

Abstract Experimental studies of the nonlinear evolution in time of planar second-sound pulses in superfluid 4 He have been carried out a few milliKelvin below T λ . When thermal effects in the second-sound generator and detector are taken into consideration, the data can be quantitatively understood using Burgers' equation to describe sound propagation in the superfluid. A method for extracting the second-sound velocity and damping very near T λ , where nonlinear effects are always important, is described.
Diagnosing the educational needs of the chronically ill

Procedures for developing a diabetes educational profile to assess the educational needs of patients with a chronic illness can help others in constructing similar instruments.
The Repression-Sensitization Scale: Effects of Several Variables and Two Methods of Obtaining Scores.

(1969). The Repression-Sensitization Scale: Effects of Several Variables and Two Methods of Obtaining Scores. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 183-187.
Cesarean risk after successful external cephalic version: a matched, retrospective analysis.

To determine the odds of cesarean, operative vaginal delivery and vaginal birth after cesarean after successful external cephalic version (ECV) compared with singleton pregnancies eligible for a trial of labor. A matched case–control study was performed using the Memorial Care OBStat Database from 1 January 1998 to 31 July 2006. We identified 197 participants who underwent a successful ECV (study group) and compared them with the next two women presenting for labor management, matched for parity, gestational age, delivery history (previous cesarean delivery) and type of labor (spontaneous or induced). There was no significant difference in the adjusted matched odds of cesarean delivery between the study group and control group overall (16.8 vs 11.9%; odds ratio (OR) 1.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98 to 2.97), even when subanalyzed according to parity. There was also no significant difference in adjusted matched odds of operative vaginal delivery for the study group and control group, 15.9 vs 8.9% (OR 1.06; 95% CI 0.32 to 3.51). Among patients with a prior cesarean, those who underwent successful ECV had a cesarean delivery rate of 11.1% compared with 16.7% in the matched control group (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.47 to 7.43). Cesarean delivery and operative vaginal delivery rates following successful ECV are not increased in our data set compared with matched controls, even in patients with a prior cesarean delivery. This information may be useful when counseling patients who are contemplating an ECV attempt due to non-cephalic presentation at term.
Demographic, psychosocial, and contextual correlates of tobacco use in sexual minority women.

Demographic, psychosocial, and contextual correlates of tobacco use among sexual minority women (SMW) were assessed using data from a larger lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) study. Of the 171 participants, 42% (n = 71) were smokers. However, 61% of smokers reported a recent quit attempt, and 39% were taking action toward or planning to quit. In multivariable logistic regression, lack of insurance, frequent attendance at LGBT bars, greater awareness of anti-smoking messages, and fewer perceived deterrents to smoking were associated with greater odds of smoking. Our findings provide additional support for elevated smoking rates among SMW and help to identify factors associated with smoking in this population. Awareness of prevention campaigns, recent quit attempts, and intention to quit were high, suggesting opportunities for smoking cessation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health
An Improved Turbulent Mixing Model

Abstract In application to turbulent reactive flows, both stochastic models and pdf methods require a model of turbulent mixing. Models currently in use are due to Curl (1963), Dopazo (1979), and Janicka, Kolbe, and Kollmann (1979). For the simple case of decaying fluctuations of a passive scalar in homogeneous turbulence, measurements suggest that the probability density function (pdf) tends to a Gaussian. All the moments of the standardized Gaussian pdf are finite and, in particular, the fourth moment (the flatness factor) is equal to 3. It is shown that the existing models produce pdf's that differ significantly from the Gaussian; in particular, the predicted flatness factors are infinite. An improved class of mixing models is presented that produces pdf's with finite standardized moments. The shape of the pdf produced depends upon the choice of two model parameters. These parameters can be chosen so that the flatness is as small as 3.12 (cf. 3 for a Gaussian), while the recommended model, which has a ...
Early and accurate analysis of SoCs: oxymoron or real?

This presentation discusses the major problems in doing early estimation of various design metrics in systems-on-chip (SoC) design, and explains why early and accurate are usually contradictory terms. It then describes a tool for early estimation and analysis of SoCs which is capable of quickly evaluating cross-domain effects between component selection, architectural decisions, floorplanning, wiring estimation and die size prediction.
Does productivity drive diversity or vice versa? A test of the multivariate productivity-diversity hypothesis in streams.

The idea that productivity regulates species diversity is deeply ingrained in the field of ecology. Yet, over the past few decades, an increasing number of experiments have shown that species diversity controls, rather than simply responds to, biomass production. These contrasting perspectives have led to a seeming paradox: Is diversity the cause or the consequence of biological production? Here we present empirical evidence for the multivariate productivity-diversity (MPD) hypothesis, which argues that differing perspectives on productivity-diversity relationships can be resolved by recognizing that historical research has focused on how resource supply regulates both the productivity and richness of local competitors, whereas more recent studies have focused on how the richness of a colonist pool regulates the efficiency by which resources are captured and converted into new tissue. The MPD hypothesis predicts that three pathways operate concurrently to generate productivity- diversity relationships in nature: (1) resource supply directly limits the standing biomass and/or rate of new production by primary producers, (2) producer biomass is directly influenced by the richness of species that locally compete for resources, and (3) resource supply rate indirectly affects producer biomass by influencing the fraction of species from a colonist pool that locally coexist. To examine whether this set of pathways explains covariation between productivity and diversity in natural streams, we used nutrient-diffusing agar ''patches'' to manipulate resource supply rates in 20 streams throughout the Sierra Nevada mountain range, California, USA. We then measured the fraction of periphyton species from the stream colonist pool co-occurring on each nutrient patch, as well as the standing biomass and rates of primary production. Natural patterns of covariation agreed with predictions of the MPD hypothesis. Algal biomass was an increasing function of nutrient supply, and an increasing function of local richness. The fraction of species from the colonist pool found co- occurring on a patch was a concave-down function of nutrient supply, causing nutrients to indirectly affect biomass via control over local richness. These results suggest that the MPD hypothesis is a viable explanation of patterns of diversity and productivity in natural stream ecosystems, and that it has potential to merge the historical view that productivity drives diversity with a parallel view that diversity drives productivity.
Assembly of procollagen mRNA translation products into pepsin-resistant structures.

Abstract Proteolytic digestion was used to probe the conformation of the preproα chains synthesized by a mRNA-dependent reticulocyte lysate from chicken calvarial RNA. Pepsin-resistant α1- and α2-like chains were recovered even from translation reactions that were not preincubated below the reported T m of the unhydroxylated triple helix. The pepsin-resistant structures were stable to thermal denaturation at 45 °C and a fraction remained resistant to peptic digestion at 30 °C. Interchain disulfide bonds did not appear to be required for the formation or thermal stability of these structures. Pepsin resistance is normally interpreted as evidence for a triple-helical conformation. Therefore, these results suggest that the in vitro synthesized preproα chains contain the requisite information to associate in register for correct helix folding. The unusual thermal stability of these structures is not understood, but this may indicate assembly into higher orders of structure.
Hydrogenation of Nitrobenzene to 4-Aminophenol over Supported Platinum Catalysts

The conversion of nitrobenzene (NB) to p-aminophenol (PAP) takes place by way of an initial partial hydrogenation to produce phenylhydroxyl amine (PHA) which then undergoes an in situ acid-catalyzed rearrangement to PAP. This reaction is most commonly run using Pt/C catalysts in the presence of aqueous sulfuric acid and a surfactant to assist in dispersing the NB throughout the reaction medium. The yield of PAP is closely related to those reaction parameters which facilitate first the partial hydrogenation step and second the acid-promoted rearrangement before further hydrogenation to aniline can take place. The effect which a number of reaction parameters such as hydrogen pressure, reaction temperature, stirring rate, and the amounts of NB, the catalyst, and the surfactant present in the reaction mixture had on the rate and selectivity of the hydrogenation was examined. Optimization of these parameters led to the formation of PAP at a selectivity (PAP/AN) of 5.4 with a productivity of over 80,000 g PAP/g...
Dosage compensation and gene expression on the mammalian X chromosome: one plus one does not always equal two

Counting chromosomes is not just simple math. Although normal males and females differ in sex chromosome content (XY vs. XX), X chromosome imbalance is tolerated because dosage compensation mechanisms have evolved to ensure functional equivalence. In mammals this is accomplished by two processes—X chromosome inactivation that silences most genes on one X chromosome in females, leading to functional X monosomy for most genes in both sexes, and X chromosome upregulation that results in increased gene expression on the single active X in males and females, equalizing dosage relative to autosomes. This review focuses on genes on the X chromosome, and how gene content, organization and expression levels can be influenced by these two processes. Special attention is given to genes that are not X inactivated, and are not necessarily fully dosage compensated. These genes that “escape” X inactivation are of medical importance as they explain phenotypes in individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies and may impact normal traits and disorders that differ between men and women. Moreover, escape genes give insight into how X chromosome inactivation is spread and maintained on the X.
Stochastic Models for Wireability Analysis of Gate Arrays

A stochastic model for estimating measures of placement and routing on gate arrays is presented. Three important problems are addressed: estimating the dimensions of the routing channels, estimating the routability of a channel given the number of tracks, and determining the distribution and moments of wire lengths. In the context of wiring space estimation, exact and asymptotic formulas for the dimensions of routing channels are presented. Next, an expression for the probability that a routing channel with a given number of tracks will be routable is derived, and its asymptotic properties are examined. Finally, a model that characterizes the relationship between wire length distributions and partitioning of logic is developed. The model provides a firm mathematical basis for Rent's rule from which the distribution of wire lengths can be determined. That is, Rent's rule, or in general any similar relation, contains all the information about wire lengths. Based on this, estimates for the average wire length are derived. Numerical results from both simulated and real chips are presented.
Simplifying the synthesis of SIgA: Combination of dIgA and rhSC using affinity chromatography

The mucosal epithelia together with adaptive immune responses, such as local production and secretion of dimeric and polymeric immunoglobulin A (IgA), are a crucial part of the first line of defense against invading pathogens. IgA is primarily secreted as SIgA and plays multiple roles in mucosal defense. The study of SIgA-mediated protection is an important area of research in mucosal immunity but an easy, fast and reproducible method to generate pathogen-specific SIgA in vitro has not been available. We report here a new method to produce SIgA by co-purification of dimeric IgA, containing J chain, and recombinant human SC expressed in CHO cells. We previously reported the generation, production and characterization of the human recombinant monoclonal antibody IgA2 b12. This antibody, derived from the variable regions of the neutralizing anti-HIV-1 mAb IgG1 b12, blocked viral attachment and uptake by epithelial cells in vitro. We used a cloned CHO cell line that expresses monomeric, dimeric and polymeric species of IgA2 b12 for large-scale production of dIgA2 b12. Subsequently, we generated a CHO cell line to express recombinant human secretory component (rhSC). Here, we combined dIgA2 b12 and CHO-expressed rhSC via column chromatography to produce SIgA2 b12 that remains fully intact upon elution with 0.1M citric acid, pH 3.0. We have performed biochemical analysis of the synthesized SIgA to confirm the species is of the expected size and retains the functional properties previously described for IgA2 b12. We show that SIgA2 b12 binds to the HIV-1 gp120 glycoprotein with similar apparent affinity to that of monomeric and dimeric forms of IgA2 b12 and neutralizes HIV-1 isolates with similar potency. An average yield of 6 mg of SIgA2 b12 was achieved from the combination of 20mg of purified dIgA2 b12 and 2L of rhSC-containing CHO cell supernatant. We conclude that synthesized production of stable SIgA can be generated by co-purification. This process introduces a simplified means of generating a variety of pathogen-specific SIgA antibodies for research and clinical applications.
Generalized exponential operators in the continuation of the confluent hypergeometric functions

Abstract Use of successive continuation procedures for the confluent hypergeometric functions is developed, analyzed, and then applied to the evaluation of Bessel functions K 0 ( x ), K 1 ( x ), K iv ( x ), as well as Fourier series Σ n =1 ∞ cos( nc ) K 0 ( nb ). A Miller formula for K iv ( x ) and K iv ′ ( x ) is also discussed.
Video capsule endoscopy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The small bowel has been a difficult organ for gastroenterologists to evaluate. Small bowel radiographs and CT scanning have not had a high diagnostic rate, especially in patients presenting with small bowel bleeding. The video capsule "endoscope" has allowed for the direct visualization of the small bowel mucosa. This new technique provides direct viewing of the entire small bowel much like conventional endoscopy. RECENT FINDINGS A series of studies have shown that video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is superior to barium radiography studies, CT scanning, and push enteroscopy for diagnosing disorders of the small bowel. Numerous case reports of angioectasias, Crohn disease, small bowel tumors, and other small bowel disorders have been reported. A recent study proposes that VCE helped to direct therapy and had a great impact in patient care. SUMMARY Capsule endoscopy provides higher rates and more accurate diagnosis of small bowel diseases. The future of this technology could improve the ability to visualize the small bowel and improve the treatment of patients with small bowel disorders.
The innervation of the urethra of the female cat

Abstract The portion of the urethra of the female cat which lies between the urethralvesical junction and the external sphincter is a centrally coordinated adjunct to the total sphincter mechanism which plays an active role in integrated mictural function. Simultaneous recordings of pressure changes in the isolated bladder, urethra, and external sphincter show that the urethra relaxes in synchrony with the external sphincter when the bladder contracts as the result of an evoked mictural reflex. A physiological analysis of the afferent and efferent components of the innervation of the urethra indicates that the inhibitory nerve supply of the urethra, derived principally from the pelvic nerves, is supplemented by impulses mediated via the hypogastric nerves. In addition, the hypogastric nerves contribute excitatory fibers to the innervation of the urethra. The latter fibers are antagonistic to the pelvic nerves. Central integration of reflexes synergises the parasympathetic and sympathetic impulses which regulate urethral resistance. These data are derived by means of simultaneous recordings of pressure changes in the isolated bladder and urethra which occur in response to electrical stimulation of their afferent and efferent neural supply in high spinal (C2) preparations. A pharmacological analysis indicates that the inhibitory as well as excitatory fibers contributed to the innervation of the urethra by the hypogastric nerves are adrenergic. On the other hand, a question is raised concerning the possibility of the pelvic nerve inhibitory fibers being noncholinergic in nature. The tone of the urethra of the female cat is not dependent upon its parasympathetic and sympathetic innervation.
Normative, descriptive and formative approaches to describing normal work area

This paper examines normative and formative approaches toward describing normal work area. Squires’ model of normal work area is an example of a normative approach, which prescribes the shape of normal work area. Squires’ model has been taken as the starting point for more recent attempts to delineate reach boundaries in the workplace. However, his original paper does not present the derivation for his model or his claim that the distal boundary of his normal work area can be described by a prolate epicycloid. This paper presents the derivation for Squires’ model and shows that the resulting curve is not a prolate epicycloid, but a related form, a hypotrochoid. It then identifies shortcomings of normative models, like Squires’, notably the viability of the reach assumptions on which such normative models are based and their inability to deal with context-conditioned variability in the workplace. Finally, it examines the application of formative models, which attempt to identify constraints on the types of...
Prevalence and Outcome of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in Two Nursing Centers in Georgia

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and validity of aggressive diagnosing and eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization. DESIGN: An observational study of MRSA colonization. SETTING: Two skilled nursing facilities in Georgia. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-seven residents of the abovementioned skilled nursing facilities INTERVENTION: No changes were made in either nursing facility practices or patient treatments. MEASUREMENTS: The presence or absence of MRSA colonization was determined at the beginning of the study, after hospitalizations or absences from the facility, and 12 months after initial testing. RESULTS: Eighty-seven participants began the study, and 56 completed it. At the beginning of the study, 17.9% of the 56 who later completed the study were positive for MRSA. By the end of the study, colonization had decreased to 14.3%. The difference in the number of positive cultures for residents returning from the hospital compared with those returning from non-hospital settings was not statistically significant (P = .546). No deaths or hospitalizations were attributable to MRSA infection. CONCLUSION: Because no significant correlation was found between MRSA colonization and active MRSA-related infections, patients colonized by MRSA should not be barred from admission to nursing homes.
Detachment of axopodia from the heliozoan, Echinosphaerium nucleophilum.

Abstract Agitation of live cells in 10% ethanol produced a loosening of cortical cytoplasm and mass release of axopodia from their anchorages. A balloon-like swelling quickly formed at the proximal end and, about 15 min after detachment, at points along the axopodium. The dense core shaft, presumably the axoneme, was still visible under phase contrast shortly after detachment, but it dissolved within 30 min. The detached axopodia did not change in appearance, however, when the medium included 0.6 mM MgSO4, 1 mM GTP, and 50–150 mM EGTA, pH 7, at either room temperature or 4 °C. This procedure can serve as a starting point for combined biochemical-ultrastructural investigation of these axopodia and the unique characteristics of their microtubules.
1406 INTRAVENOUS NITROGLYCERIN (NTG) IN THE TREATMENT OF PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OF THE NEWBORN (PPHN)

1406 INTRAVENOUS NITROGLYCERIN (NTG) IN THE TREATMENT OF PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OF THE NEWBORN (PPHN)
Autoxidation of platinum(IV) hydrocarbyl hydride complexes to form platinum(IV) hydrocarbyl hydroperoxide complexes.

The platinum(IV) hydride complexes TpMe2PtR2H (TpMe2 = hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, R = Me (1a), Ph (1b)) react with molecular oxygen to form platinum(IV) hydroperoxide complexes TpMe2PtR2OOH (R = Me (2a) and Ph (2b), respectively) in high yield. The results of kinetic and mechanistic studies of these reactions are consistent with the net insertion of molecular oxygen into the Pt(IV)−H bonds occurring via radical chain mechanisms. The radical chain pathways resemble, in many respects, those documented for autoxidations of organic substrates, but significant differences are also evident. The autoxidations of 1a and 1b both autoaccelerate, but the nature of the rate accelerations and the dependence of the rates on the hydroperoxide products are not the same. The different rate laws observed for the reactions of TpMe2PtR2H complexes with molecular oxygen can be rationalized on the basis of similar initiation and propagation events with different chain termination steps.
Particle size distribution by area analysis: Modifications and extensions of the Saltykov method☆

Abstract The stereological problem of estimating the size distribution of particles in a sample volume from area analysis of a planar slice is examined. Two approaches to the problem are considered. The first involves selection of size interval end points related by a constant multiplier, C . A computer algorithm is developed for calculating spherical intersection probabilities for any set of size intervals having end points related by any C . A table of coefficients for the estimation of the number of particles per unit volume in thirty size intervals whose end points are related by C =10 0.1 (the Saltykov multiplier) is presented. A table based on C =10 0.05 , is also presented. The computing formula is shown to be independent of absolute end point values and a generator of an invariant set of probabilities for any particular value of C . The second approach provides an algorithm for computer solution of the general problem where the values of size interval end points need not be related, and where the particle shape, i.e. intersection probability function, may change from interval to interval. The practical implications of all computing methods are briefly discussed.
The allocation and distribution effects of population abatement expenditures on the U.S. economy

Abstract The impact of air, water and solid waste pollution abatement expenditures on the structure of the U.S. economy is estimated. First, the input requirements of pollution abatement technology are determined. The 1971 input-output table is adjusted to reflect the input needs of pollution abatement technology. This revised direct input coefficients matrix is subsequently used to estimate the effect of pollution abatement expenditures on the structure of prices, final bill of goods, primary input requirements and level and relative share of various income classes. For this purpose, the household sector is introduced as a distinct decision-making unit such that the consumption expenditures on goods and services by various income classes is dependent upon its income and prices. A general model is developed to determine simultaneously the multiplier effect of changes in technology, prices and incomes on the gross output and primary input requirements and on the income generation/distribution of the U.S. economy.
Combined infrared and mass spectrometric study of reactions of adsorbed NO and CO on 0.5 wt% Rh/SiO2 catalyst

Abstract NO adsorption, CO adsorption, NO temperature-programmed desorption and decomposition (TPD), and temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) of NOCO have been studied over 0.5 wt% Rh/SiO2 catalysts by a combined infrared and mass spectrometric technique. Infrared study reveals that the high wavenumber RhNOδ− at 1723–1740 cm−1 is the dominant adsorbate during TPD and TPR with NO:CO = 1:1. During TPR, CO reduces part of Rh surface resulting in the formation of the low wavenumber Rh-NOδ−1 at 1634–1680 cm−. Increasing CO partial pressure (i) promotes the formation of Rh0 sites, producing linear CO, (ii) increases the selectivity to N2O below the light-off temperature, (iii) raises the light-off temperature, and (iv) promotes the formation of SiNCO and RhNCO. Comparison of results of the present study with those of previous studies on 4 wt% Rh/SiO2 shows that different dispersion of Rh crystallites on SiO2 support results in significant variation in chemisorptive and reactive properties of Rh metal for the NOCO reaction.
Enhancement of lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophil oxygen radical production by tumor necrosis factor alpha

Although tissues become exposed to both exogenous and endogenous cell-activating mediators during infection, there is little appreciation of the effects of subjecting cells to multiple mediators. We examined the hypothesis that the response of neutrophils to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is significantly altered in the presence of the endogenous mediator tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). The data showed that human neutrophils pretreated with TNF for 10 to 30 min, displayed significantly enhanced superoxide production in response to LPS (from either Escherichia coli K-235 or E. coli 0127:B8), measured as lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence (CL), seen as an increase in the initial peak rate as well as the total CL accumulated over the incubation period. TNF amplified the response to LPS at 1 to 100 U of TNF/10 6 neutrophils and was able to enhance the response to a wide range of concentrations of LPS (0.01 to 1,000 ng/ml). The TNF-induced increase in the LPS response was paralleled by an increase in LPS binding to the neutrophils, which could be abrogated by an anti-CD14 monoclonal antibody. The results demonstrate that TNF significantly increases the LPSinduced release of oxygen radicals in neutrophils through the upregulation of cell surface CD14. Neutrophils, while playing a key role in microbial killing in infections, may become harmful to host tissues as a result of their nonspecific stimulation by both endogenous and exoge
A new approach to the realization of nonrecursive digital filters

A new realization of nonrecursive digital filters that are used to operate on analog signals is proposed. This realization requires no multiplications, and exploits the relative simplicity of delta modulation as a means for analog to digital conversion. This realization also permits a mechanization as a "very fast" digital filter, using read-only memory (ROM). An evaluation of this realization in terms of computation time storage requirements and mean-squared error is presented. These characteristics are compared with their counterparts for existing realization methods of nonrecursive digital filters. Computer simulation results that tend to confirm the theoretical results of the error analysis are included.
Structural and regulatory evolution of cellular electrophysiological systems

Cellular electrophysiological systems, like developmental systems, appear to evolve primarily by means of regulatory evolution. It is suggested that electrophysiological systems share two key features with developmental systems that account for this dependence on regulatory evolution. For both systems, structural evolution has the potential to create significant problems of pleiotropy and both systems are predominantly computational in nature. It is concluded that the relative balance of physical and computational tasks that a biological system has to perform, combined with the probability that these tasks may have to change significantly during the course of evolution, will be major factors in determining the relative mix of regulatory and structural evolution that is observed for a given system. Physiological systems that directly interface with the environment will almost always perform some low-level physical task. In the majority of cases this will require evolution of protein function in order for the tasks themselves to evolve. For complex physiological systems a large fraction of their function will be devoted to high-level control functions that are predominantly computational in nature. In most cases regulatory evolution will be sufficient in order for these computational tasks to evolve.
Student Preferences: Goal-Setting and Self-Assessment Activities in a Tertiary Education Environment.

This article reports the results of student preferences with respect to intervention studies integrated into college level Japanese language courses in two consecutive years. The initial study was ...
Relationship of age, injury severity, injury type, comorbid conditions, level of care, and survival among older motor vehicle trauma patients

The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to compare age, injury severity, injury types, selected comorbidities, level of care (at trauma center [TC] and non-trauma center [NTC] hospitals), and survival among older motor vehicle trauma patients (N = 1,478). Patients admitted to both levels of care had similar comorbid conditions. TC patients had a higher injury severity, whereas NTC patients had a greater proportion of soft tissue injuries. Results of logistic regression analyses subsequent to group comparisons revealed that higher injury severity was associated with TC admission. The likelihood of TC admission of severely injured patients decreased in the presence of spinal, internal, and head injuries. Internal injuries, liver, renal, and cardiovascular diseases were associated with non-survival while hypertension was associated with survival. Special attention is needed when triaging older trauma patients because their injuries may be covert, thus putting them at risk for admission to a level of care that may be inappropriate given the extent of their injuries.
Effect of the Level of Inquiry of Lab Experiments on General Chemistry Students’ Written Reflections

The central goal of this exploratory study was to characterize the effects of experiments involving different levels of inquiry on the nature of college students’ written reflections about laboratory work. Data were collected in the form of individual lab reports written using a science writing heuristic template by a subset of the students enrolled in the first and second semester of general chemistry at a research-intensive university. Our findings indicate that the level of inquiry of the experiments seems to affect three main areas of students’ reflections: knowledge, evaluation, and improvements. In the case of knowledge, our findings were particularly interesting as higher levels of inquiry were associated with a smaller proportion of reflective statements in this area. However, these types of reflections shifted from mostly focusing on factual knowledge to largely concentrating on procedural knowledge and metacognitive knowledge. In general, our results elicit trends and highlight issues that can h...
Reconstruction of 4D-CT from a single free-breathing 3D-CT by spatial-temporal image registration

In the radiation therapy of lung cancer, a free-breathing 3D-CT image is usually acquired in the treatment day for image-guided patient setup, by registering with the free-breathing 3D-CT image acquired in the planning day. In this way, the optimal dose plan computed in the planning day can be transferred onto the treatment day for cancer radiotherapy. However, patient setup based on the simple registration of the free-breathing 3D-CT images of the planning and the treatment days may mislead the radiotherapy, since the freebreathing 3D-CT is actually the mixed-phase image, with different slices often acquired from different respiratory phases. Moreover, a 4D-CT that is generally acquired in the planning day for improvement of dose planning is often ignored for guiding patient setup in the treatment day. To overcome these limitations, we present a novel two-step method to reconstruct the 4D-CT from a single free-breathing 3D-CT of the treatment day, by utilizing the 4D-CT model built in the planning day. Specifically, in the first step, we proposed a new spatial-temporal registration algorithm to align all phase images of the 4D-CT acquired in the planning day, for building a 4D-CT model with temporal correspondences established among all respiratory phases. In the second step, we first determine the optimal phase for each slice of the free-breathing (mixed-phase) 3D-CT of the treatment day by comparing with the 4D-CT of the planning day and thus obtain a sequence of partial 3D-CT images for the treatment day, each with only the incomplete image information in certain slices; and then we reconstruct a complete 4D-CT for the treatment day by warping the 4D-CT of the planning day (with complete information) to the sequence of partial 3D-CT images of the treatment day, under the guidance of the 4D-CT model built in the planning day. We have comprehensively evaluated our 4D-CT model building algorithm on a public lung image database, achieving the best registration accuracy over all other state-of-the-art methods. Also, we have validated our proposed 4D-CT reconstruction algorithm on the simulated free-breathing data, obtaining very promising 4D-CT reconstruction results.
Differences in Arginine Requirement for Growth Among Arginine-Utilizing Mycoplasma Species

The essentiality of arginine for initiation of growth of arginine-utilizing, nonglycolytic Mycoplasma species from small populations was studied by growing the organisms in a semisynthetic medium proven to be free from arginine by chemical and biological assays. Initiation of growth of two strains of M. arginini did not require arginine, whereas another strain of M. arginini required 4 mM arginine, as did M. gallinarum. M. hominis grew in 0.4 mM arginine. A species which utilizes both arginine and glucose, N. fermentans, did not require arginine but did require glucose for growth. When mycoplasmata were grown in human heteroploid cell cultures employing medium free from arginine but supplemented with citrulline, similar results were obtained: two M. arginini strains grew in the absence of arginine, whereas growth of M. gallinarum and M. hominis and a third M. arginini strain was dependent on arginine even though mammalian cells were present. The arginine deiminases were heterogeneous serologically: antisera to M. hominis and M. arginini showed reciprocal inhibition of their enzymes but did not inhibit arginine deiminase from M. gallinarum. Antiserum to M. gallinarum inhibited only M. gallinarum enzyme.
Synthesis of antitumor ansamycins. 2. A formal synthesis of (±)-macbecin I

Abstract Convergent synthesis of (±)-2 a key intermediate in the Merck synthesis of macbecin I (1.), incorporates the chelation-mediated coupling of a lithiated aryl subunit and the γ-hydroxy aldehyde equivalent 8 to establish a critical connective element of the parent ansamycin.
Core Structures of Dislocations within CdTe Grains

CdTe is well known as an excellent photovoltaic material for high efficiency solar cell applications because it has a direct band-gap, low fabrication cost and high optical absorption coefficient. However, the nonradiative recombination and low average minority carrier lifetime caused by the defects in CdTe solar cells limit its efficiency. So far, grain boundaries (GB) have been considered to be the major origin of the nonradiative recombination. However, we show that CdTe grains contain many dislocations that could limit device efficiency. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was used to determine the atomic structure of intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults and their terminating partial dislocation cores. Z-contrast images are sensitive to atomic number and are able to distinguish Cd and Te atomic columns. Unpaired Cd and Te atomic columns were found to form the partial dislocation cores, suggesting the presence of dangling bonds. These defects are likely to be electrically active, and may be the origin of the low minority carrier lifetime.
Synthesis and structural analysis of functionalized poly (?-caprolactone)-based three-arm star polymers

Hydroxyl-functionalized three-arm poly(ϵ-caprolactone)s (PGCL-OHs) were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of ϵ-caprolactone in the presence of glycerol (as the core) and stannous octoate. The effect of the feed ratio of ϵ-caprolactone to glycerol on the ring-opening polymerization was studied. These three-arm PGCL-OHs were then converted into double-bond-functionalized three-arm poly(ϵ-caprolactone)s (PGCL-Mas) by the reaction of PGCL-OH with maleic anhydride in the melt at 130 °C. The quantitative conversion of hydroxyl functionality was achieved at a low molecular weight. The resulting PGCL-OH and PGCL-Ma were characterized with gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1127–1141, 2002
Properties of water in calcium- and hexadecyltrimethylammonium-exchanged bentonite

Dynami cal and thermodynamic properties of water at room temperature in Ca- and hexade- cyltrimethylammonium- (HDTMA) exchanged bentonite were determined for 4 different water contents (-0.03-0.55 g water g-i clay). Incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) was used to measure the translational and rotational mobility of water in the clays, while chilled mirror dewpoint psychrometry measured water activity of the samples, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) provided information about the temperature of dehydration and X-ray diffraction (XRD) quantified layer spacings for the clays. The neutron scattering data were fit to a jump diffusion model that yielded mean jump lengths, jump diffusion residence times and rotational relaxation times for water in the clays. Mean jump lengths were quite similar for the 2 different cation saturations at equivalent water contents, and decreased with in- creasing water content. The fitted jump lengths ranged from 0.27-0.5 nm and were 2-4 times larger than that found for bulk water (0.13 nm). Jump diffusion residence times were 3-30 times longer than that for bulk water (1.2 ps) and also decreased with increasing water content. The residence times were somewhat shorter for HDTMA-clay as compared with Ca-clay at equivalent water contents. Rotational motion was less strongly influenced than translational motion by the presence of the clay surface. The energy state of water in the 2 cation saturations were quite different; dehydration temperatures for the HDTMA-clay were approximately 30 ~ lower than the Ca-clay at equal water contents, while water activities, as p/po, were up to 0.6 units higher. A linear relationship was found between water acti,sity and the translational diffusion coefficient, although at the highest water content, the diffusion coefficient of water for the HDTMA-clay was approximately 30% higher than that measured for bulk water.
Second Generation Analytical Photo-Compton Current Methods

Analytical transport methods have been developed to predict photo-Compton currents (PCC) in many geometries. This paper presents the "second generation" status of these methods including: (1) a method of determining the azimuthal in addition to the polar angular dependence; (2) an extension to higher order expansions which more accurately predict angular distributions; (3) more accurate back yields of low atomic number materials at high photon energies; and (4) more accurate electron scattering cross sections. The analytical methods have now evolved to the point that almost any quantity associated with vacuum photoemission can generally be calculated to within 20% agreement with Monte Carlo predictions and experimental data.