cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MEMBRANE BILAYER ASSEMBLY IN NEURAL TISSUE OF RAT AND SQUID AS A CRITICAL PHENOMENON - INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE AND MEMBRANE-PROTEINS

Cell membrane bilayers have been reconstructed in vitro utilizing total lipid extracts from rat neural tissue (forebrain, cerebellum, brainstem and spinal cord) and from the optic lobe and fin nerve of the squid Loligo pealei. In agreement with the critical state theory of bilayer assembly (Gershfeld, N.L. 1986. Biophys. J. 50:457-461; Gershfeld, NL.L. 1989. J. Phys. Chem. 93:5256-5261), these lipid extracts spontaneously formed purely unilamellar structures in aqueous dispersion, but only at a critical temperature, T*, which was species dependent. For all the rat tissues T* = 37 +/- 1 degrees C; for squid neural extracts T* = 15.5 +/- 1.4 degrees C. These values correspond to 'physiological' temperatures for both organisms, implying that their lipid metabolism is geared to permit spontaneous assembly of unilamellar membranes at the ambient temperature in the tissues. Membrane protein composition had little or no effect on critical bilayer formation.
Adjustment to relationship dissolution in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual partners

Twenty-six gay, 24 lesbian, and 49 heterosexual (19 male and 30 female) individuals who were separated from their relationship partner for about 6 months provided reasons why their relationship ended and rated their current separation distress. Relative to partners in heterosexual couples, those in gay or lesbian couples did not differ in reasons for the separation or in level of separation distress. Aspects of relationship quality assessed shortly before the separation occurred did not predict later separation distress. However, individuals who indicated that problems with intimacy were the cause of the separation were unlikely to be distressed by the separation, whereas individuals who indicated that problems with communication were the cause of the separation were likely to be distressed by the separation. Separation distress was positively related to the severity of neurotic symptoms reported when the relationship was intact and was negatively related to the extent to which the separation was expected. It is concluded that separation distress is more strongly related to personal strategies for coping with stress than to relationship-related events leading to separation.
Next generation manufacturing execution system (mes) enabling fully integrated fab automation in 300mm technology development and manufacturing

After a three year development and integration effort, Intel has successfully implemented a next generation MES system (referred to as MES300 henceforth this paper) in its state-of-the-art Technology Development fab DID, Oregon. MES300 provides integration of all MES functionality in an extensible framework based architecture, thereby enabling delivery of an active, fab event driven suite of capabilities. The new system provides flexibility in modeling and executing technology development in an automated fab operations environment, thereby delivering world-class information turns crucial for rapid process development. In addition, the new system enables fully automated fab operations for efficient high-volume manufacturing. MES300 is currently being simultaneously deployed in two other 300 mm high-volume manufacturing fabs as part of the 65 nm process technology transfer. This paper will include the following sections: (a) 300 mm automation drivers; (b) 300 mm technology and manufacturing requirements, legacy MES system deficiencies; (c) key elements of the next generation MES architecture implemented at Intel; (d) brief review of system design, development, test and deployment strategy; (e) sample of key capabilities delivered to date in DID/65 nm generation.; and (f) look-ahead on how MES300 is being leveraged to delivering industry leading automation capabilities in the next couple of year
Quasinormal modes of Reissner-Nordström black holes.

We present a matrix-eigenvalue algorithm for accurately computing the quasinormal frequencies and modes of charged static black holes. The method is then refined through the introduction of a continued-fraction step. We believe the approach will generalize to a variety of nonseparable wave equations, including the Kerr-Newman case of charged rotating black holes.
Molecular profile of reactive astrocytes—Implications for their role in neurologic disease

The central nervous system responds to diverse neurologic injuries with a vigorous activation of astrocytes. While this phenomenon is found in many different species, its function is obscure. Understanding the molecular profile characteristic of reactive astrocytes should help define their function. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of molecules whose levels of expression differentiate activated from resting astrocytes and to use the molecular profile of reactive astrocytes as the basis for speculations on the functions of these cells. At present, reactive astrocytosis is defined primarily as an increase in the number and size of cells expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein. In vivo, this increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells reflects predominantly phenotypic changes of resident astroglia rather than migration or proliferation of such cells. Upon activation, astrocytes upmodulate the expression of a large number of molecules. From this molecular profile it becomes apparent that reactive astrocytes may benefit the injured nervous system by participating in diverse biological processes. For example, upregulation of proteases and protease inhibitors could help remodel the extracellular matrix, regulate the concentration of different proteins in the neuropil and clear up debris from degenerating cells. Cytokines are key mediators of immunity and inflammation and could play a critical role in the regulation of the blood-central nervous system interface. Neurotrophic factors, transporter molecules and enzymes involved in the metabolism of excitotoxic amino acids or in the antioxidant pathway may help protect neurons and other brain cells by controlling neurotoxin levels and contributing to homeostasis within the central nervous system. Therefore, an impairment of astroglial performance has the potential to exacerbate neuronal dysfunction. Based on the synopsis of studies presented, a number of issues become apparent that deserve a more extensive analysis. Among them are the relative contribution of microglia and astrocytes to early wound repair, the characterization of astroglial subpopulations, the specificity of the astroglial response in different diseases as well as the analysis of reactive astrocytes with techniques that can resolve fast physiologic processes. Differences between reactive astrocytes in vivo and primary astrocytes in culture are discussed and underline the need for the development and exploitation of models that will allow the analysis of reactive astrocytes in the intact organism.
Identifying Variables Responsible for Data not Missing at Random

When data are not missing at random (NMAR), maximum likelihood (ML) procedure will not generate consistent parameter estimates unless the missing data mechanism is correctly modeled. Understanding NMAR mechanism in a data set would allow one to better use the ML methodology. A survey or questionnaire may contain many items; certain items may be responsible for NMAR values in other items. The paper develops statistical procedures to identify the responsible items. By comparing ML estimates (MLE), statistics are developed to test whether the MLEs are changed when excluding items. The items that cause a significant change of the MLEs are responsible for the NMAR mechanism. Normal distribution is used for obtaining the MLEs; a sandwich-type covariance matrix is used to account for distribution violations. The class of nonnormal distributions within which the procedure is valid is provided. Both saturated and structural models are considered. Effect sizes are also defined and studied. The results indicate that more missing data in a sample does not necessarily imply more significant test statistics due to smaller effect sizes. Knowing the true population means and covariances or the parameter values in structural equation models may not make things easier either.
Aristotle on adequate explanations

There is a theory in Aristotle that is popularly known as the doctrine of four causes. This paper is meant as a modest beginning toward showing that the theory in question should not be construed in this manner. Properly understood it is the Stagirite's account of what constitutes an adequate explanation. For the most part, the examination of Aristotle's theory in this paper will be restricted to some key passages from Book II of the Physics. Though a full account, involving the analyses of all of the passages in which aitia is discussed is beyond the scope of this paper, I do not find at present anything in Aristotle that would contradict the sketch outlined here.
Surveying Board and Care Homes: Issues and Data Collection Problems

National information is seriously lacking concerning the number and types of board and care homes, their residents, and the quality of services provided. Shortcomings in current living arrangement classification procedures used in federal surveys are critically examined. A definition and classification system is proposed that would transcend state and local government differences caused by differences in licensure and regulations.
Structural reliability of ceramic materials

Abstract The effect of materials properties on the structural reliability of ceramics is reviewed. For low temperature applications, methods for estimating reliability are in an advanced state of development. The parametric equations that are used to describe failure can be explained in terms of a crack growth model in which failure occurs primarily as the result of the growth of defects from a subcritical to a critical size. Recent modifications of this model have made it possible to explain microstructure and residual stress effects in terms of resistance curve behavior. As a consequence, reliability techniques can be applied to most fine ceramics at room temperature. At elevated temperatures, however, methods of assessing reliability are not as well developed. At high levels of applied load, failure occurs by subcritical crack growth from pre-existing flaws, in which case failure is governed by the same equations that govern failure at room temperature. At low levels of applied load, failure occurs by creep rupture, which involves the generation of new flaws by the creep process. Because failure by creep rupture is not yet well characterized theoretically, lifetimes are given only in terms of parametric representations in the controlling variables.
EBR-II Metallic Driver Fuel—A Live Option

The exceptional performance of metallic driver fuel has been demonstrated by the irradiation of a large number of Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) driver-fuel elements of uranium-5 wt percent fissium clad in austenitic stainless steel. High burnup with high reliability has been achieved by a close coupling of element design and materials selection. The irradiation performance has been improved by decreasing the fuel smear density, increasing the plenum volume, increasing the cladding thickness, and selecting a higher-strength, lower-swelling cladding alloy which exhibits less fuel-cladding chemical interaction. Quantification of reliability has allowed full utilization of the element lifetime. Lifetimes much greater than 10 at. percent could be achieved by a design change of the restrainer, which currently limits life. Use of U-Pu-Zr fuel alloy with current cladding material would provide higher-temperature capability. Metallic fuel systems with their inherently superior breeding and irradiation performance are a capable and attractive next-generation power systems. 19 refs.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus in a postmenopausal woman. Case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Background. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare sarcoma which characteristically occurs in non genitourinary sites in children. Case. We present a case of uterine embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a postmenopausal patient who presented with increasing abdominal girth, early satiety, weight loss, and pelvic pain. Conclusion. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma does not commonly originate from the uterine corpus, and it is rarely seen in postmenopausal patients. A review of the literature confirms the unique nature of this case.
Semiclassical and quantum mechanical aspects of one- and two-nucleon transfer

A criterion for semiclassical or quantum-mechanical behavior in heavy-ion reactions is derived in terms of the number of contributing partial waves. The predictions are compared with one- and two-nucleon transfer reactions induced by 78-MeV $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ ions on $^{144}\mathrm{Nd}$.
USE OF RADIOISOTOPE INDUCED X-RAY FLUORESCENCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The rapid assay of the trace multi-element content of environmental samples (lake sediment) is described. The method utilized X-ray fluorescence induced by a109Cd radioisotopic source with energy dispersive quantitative detection of the characteristic X-rays of nine elements, ranging from Ti to Zr using Si(Li) semiconductor detector. The method precludes pre-digestion or chemical treatment of the samples, and compairs favorably with the results of atomic absorption assay methods.
Optimization of Peptide Hydroxamate Inhibitors of Insulin- Degrading Enzyme Reveals Marked Substrate-Selectivity

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is an atypical zinc-metallopeptidase that degrades insulin and the amyloid s-protein and is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. We recently developed the first effective inhibitors of IDE, peptide hydroxamates that, while highly potent and selective, are relatively large (MW > 740) and difficult to synthesize. We present here a facile synthetic route that yields enantiomerically pure derivatives comparable in potency to the parent compounds. Through the generation of truncated variants, we identified a compound with significantly reduced size (MW = 455.5) that nonetheless retains good potency (ki = 78 ± 11 nM) and selectivity for IDE. Notably, the potency of these inhibitors was found to vary as much as 60-fold in a substrate-specific manner, an unexpected finding for active site-directed inhibitors. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that potent, small-molecule IDE inhibitors can be developed that, in certain instances, can be hi...
On the influence of task relevance and stimulus probability on event-related-potential components.

Abstract Fifteen subjects were presented with series of tones. Any one tone was either loud or soft, and in any one series the probability of one tone intensity was either 0.9 or 0.1. Subjects were instructed to count the frequent tones or to count the rare tones. The stimuli were also presented while the subjects were solving a word-puzzle. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 9 scalp locations (F 3 , C 3 , P 3 , F z , C z , P z , F 4 , C 4 , P 4 ) referred to linked mastoids. ERP components were measured with a Principal Components analysis and the relations between these measures and the independent variables were evaluated with the ANOVA procedure. This paradigm allowed an evaluation of the effect of stimulus probability, stimulus relevance, and task relevance on the waveform of the ERPs. We conclude that the P350 component is enhanced whenever the eliciting stimulus is both rare and in some sense relevant to the subject's task and the degree of enhancement is greatest when the rare—relevant tone is loud. A "slow wave" component which follows P350 is related to the same variables but has a scalp distribution quite different from that of P350. The slow waves shows a progressive shift in polarity from negative to positive from the frontal to the parietal sites, while the P350 is of nearly equal amplitude (and positive) at the central and parietal sites and has a smaller (positive) amplitude at F z . A third prominent component, negative in polarity, peaking at about 210 msec, is most pronounced following rare stimuli, whether or not they were task relevant. The amplitude of N210 tended to be largest at the frontal electrode. This study then demonstrates that when suitable measurement techniques are used, multiple endogenous ERP components can be observed, each related to distinct aspects of cognitive behavior.
At the Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi.

To travel by auto-rickshaw through New Delhi is to understand the profound truths of the Yom Kippur liturgy, "Man's origin is dust and dust is his end, each of us is a shattered urn, grass that must wither, a flower that will fade...." Each ride is a journey to the precipice. The drivers seem quite sane as you bargain for the fare, but once you crawl into the tiny rear seat and they maneuver the flimsy, top-heavy vehicle onto the expressway, you realize sanity is a thin veneer indeed. They weave in and out among other "autos," huge trucks, cows, crowded buses, and an occasional elephant. It's best not to look, but simply to pray. The trip prepared me well for the challenge of my visit to the Lok Nayak Hospital, where I had been invited to speak about bioethics to the neonatologists there. Lok Nayak, a fourteen-hundred-bed public hospital, serves the most thickly populated areas of Old Delhi. Last year, doctors there cared for ten million outpatients, 360,000 emergency patients, and forty thousand inpatients. Students and residents packed the conference room I entered. They looked bored but friendly. Not many Western visitors came to Lok Nayak. I was introduced as an expert in bioethics. My host, the chief of neonatology, could not leave it at that. "Bioethics in America," he went on, "deals mostly with issues that are irrelevant to the situations we face in India. They talk and write about liver transplants or saving babies with Trisomy. Here, we are more concerned with resource allocation and public health interventions to lower infant and maternal mortality in the villages." It was a curious speech, coming as it did from the head of neonatology. I took the bait. "I wonder whether the sorts of issues we struggle with are really so different," I said. "For example, one of the issues we deal with is trying to decide whether there's a birth weight cutoff below which we should not offer resuscitation and NICU care." "We also struggle with that," the chief said, "but our world is different. Here, we seldom treat babies who weigh less than fifteen hundred grams or are less than thirty-two weeks. We have too many deliveries and not enough beds." He seemed oddly proud, in the way that some neonatologists in the States do when they tell me they never resuscitate babies younger than twenty-four weeks. That pride signals tough-minded realism, as opposed to the sentimental idealism that would allow less clear-eyed doctors to offer hopeless, harmful, and wasteful therapies to desperate parents. "We also have birthweight cutoffs and struggle to find the right balance between prevention and crisis intervention," I told him. …
Changing placental concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin and its subunits during gestation.

ABSTRACT The secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) varies quantitatively as well as qualitatively throughout pregnancy. There have been no systematic studies of the placental content of free hCG subunits. Human placentas were obtained from normal term pregnancies or elective abortions and analyzed for altered forms of hCG and its subunits. The tissue was extracted and gel filtered on a calibrated Sephadex G-100 column. Each fraction was radioimmunoassayed for hCG, hCGα and hCGβ in respective homologous radioimmunoassay systems. All placental extracts contained hCG and hCGα; however, the concentrations of those two glycoproteins varied qualitatively and quantitatively with progression of pregnancy. The absolute amount of hCG and hCGα decreased after the first trimester but the relative quantity of hCGα exceeded that for immunoreactive hCG by more than 10-fold in the last two trimesters. In addition to native hCGa, another molecular species of hCGα became apparent in the second trimester. The sign...
The Corporate Person and Social Control: Responding to Deregulation

The need for a coherent left position on the issue of public control of business activities has been heightened by the experience of massive deregulation. This paper offers such a position, proposing a policy as a nonreformist reform in Gorz' sense. The patterns of regulatory law development and lack of effective enforcement in the United States and current right-wing attacks on regulation are outlined. Next, the corporation's component "persons": shareholders, directors, managers and workers are examined, to see which sanctions fall on which people, and what might constitute more appropriate "incidence" of sanctions, given the current United States political climate. Third, a proposal for extension of the personal liability logics applied to pension fund managers to the directors of businesses which violate laws, combined with utilization of available and more stringent sanctions on corporations themselves is developed. The rationale and precedent for such actions are presented, and I conclude with an ar...
Use of hydroxyurea in the measurement of DNA repair by the BND cellulose method

Hydroxyurea inhibition is a convenient method of suppressing replicative DNA synthesis for DNA excision-repair measurement by the BND cellulose technique. Nonetheless, hydroxyurea can introduce artefacts by direct reaction with repair-inducing compounds and by long-term inhibition of the overall repair process. A simple technique of overcoming these problems is described. Cells are reacted with repair-inducing compounds in the absence of hydroxyurea, the cells are washed free of inducer, hydroxyurea is added to 2 mM, and after a short period to establish replication inhibition, 3H dThd is added and repair measured over a one-hour incubation period.
HIV patients in the HCUP database: a study of hospital utilization and costs.

This study examines the utilization of hospital care by HIV patients in all hospitals in eight states (California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina)...
Effects of age and flavor preexposures on taste aversion performance

Rats (Rattus norvegicus) 19, 30, 90, and 180 days of age received one pairing of 12% sucrose (w/v) and an intraperitoneal (ip) injection (2% body weight) of either.15 M lithium chloride (LiCl) or.9% saline. Testing with a two-bottle choice procedure showed that, relative to saline-injected controls, aversion effects in LiCl groups increased with age at conditioning. In Experiment 2, 19- and 90-day-old rats received zero, one, or three exposures to 12% sucrose prior to pairing sucrose with an injection (ip) of.15 M LiCl or.9% saline. Testing with a two-bottle choice yielded reliably greater aversion effects for adult rats than for pups. However, both age groups showed reliably increasing attenuation of taste aversion with increasing preexposures.
A three-dimensional phase-field model for computer simulation of lamellar structure formation in γTiAl intermetallic alloys

A three dimensional phase-field model of α′2→α2+γ transformation is developed to simulate the formation of coherent multi-domain lamellar structures in γTiAl intermetallic alloys. The model takes into account the effect of coherency strain associated with the lattice rearrangement accompanying the phase transformation, and the anisotropy in interfacial energy. Simulation studies based on the model successfully predicted the essential features associated with the multi-domain lamellar structures observed experimentally. It is shown that the coherency strain accommodation is the dominating factor responsible for the formation of the lamellar structure. The neighboring lamellae of γ phase are found to have either a twin or a pseudo-twin relationship, with the former being dominant. It is found that strain-induced correlated nucleation plays an important role in the formation of the twined lamellae. The lamellar thickness is determined by the interplay among the elastic strain energy, interfacial energy and bulk chemical free energy. Domains within individual lamellae are isotropic and domain boundaries are smoothly curved. No special self-accommodating morphological patterns are observed on the (0001)α2 plane, which is very different from the pattern formation predicted for the coherent hexagonal → O-phase transformations.
Evaluation of a simple method for reconstructing asymmetrically sampled echo data

A simple method for reconstructing echo data with a large degree of sampling asymmetry was investigated. The method is based on the application of an optimized data sampling window before standard Fourier transform magnitude reconstruction. The performance of this "windowed direct" reconstruction was evaluated with theoretical simulations and experimental measurements and compared with that of the half-Fourier method. With the proper selection of data sampling window parameters, highly asymmetric echo data reconstructed with standard Fourier transform magnitude algorithms produced images similar in quality to those reconstructed with the half-Fourier method. Windowed direct reconstruction provides a simple and computationally fast alternative to more sophisticated algorithms and may be particularly applicable for specialized or developmental applications.
Thomas Denison Wood's Hope and Reality: A Philosophic Review

(1984). Thomas Denison Wood's Hope and Reality: A Philosophic Review. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 55, Including Leisure Today, pp. 66-68.
Diabetes mellitus induced by low-dose interleukin-2

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a potent immunomodulator that has been associated with the clinical development of autoimmune disorders. However, diabetes mellitus has not been reported in patients treated with single-agent IL-2. We conducted a clinical trial of a protracted daily schedule of subcutaneously administered low-dose IL-2. A patient with advanced colorectal cancer, treated with 1.5×106 international units of IL-2 daily, developed insulin-requiring diabetes during therapy. Hyperglycemia improved during treatment interruption and recurred with reinstitution of IL-2. The diabetes in this patient developed in the context of T cell and natural killer cell expansion, and the presence of islet cell autoantibodies was documented. We postulate that, in this patient, IL-2 reversed the anergy of autoreactive T cells that had escaped clonal deletion. It is possible that prolonged daily exposure to immunomodulatory doses of IL-2 will result in the development of autoimmune phenomena not observed with other schedules of administration.
Zonal image analysis of tumour vascular perfusion, hypoxia, and necrosis.

A number of laboratories are utilising both hypoxia and perfusion markers to spatially quantify tumour oxygenation and vascular distributions, and scientists are increasingly turning to automated image analysis methods to quantify such interrelationships. In these studies, the presence of regions of necrosis in the immunohistochemical sections remains a potentially significant source of error. In the present work, frozen MCa-4 mammary tumour sections were used to obtain a series of corresponding image montages. Total vessels were identified using CD31 staining, perfused vessels by DiOC7 staining, hypoxia by EF5/Cy3 uptake, and necrosis by haematoxylin and eosin staining. Our goal was to utilise image analysis techniques to spatially quantitate hypoxic marker binding as a function of distance from the nearest blood vessel. Several refinements to previous imaging methods are described: (1) hypoxia marker images are quantified in terms of their intensity levels, thus providing an analysis of the gradients in hypoxia with increasing distances from blood vessels, (2) zonal imaging masks are derived, which permit spatial sampling of images at precisely defined distances from blood vessels, as well as the omission of necrotic artifacts, (3) thresholding techniques are applied to omit holes in the tissue sections, and (4) distance mapping is utilised to define vascular spacing. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1831–1836. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600343 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK
Pre- and Para-Medications in Bronchoscopy* The Concept of “Broncho-Softening”

With a view to improving the technique and, consequently, the results of bronchial endoscopy, the authors have systematically employed, as premedication, diethazine combined with atropine; and in some cases, an anesthetic steroid (P 55). A certain “broncho-softening effect” is obtained with the first drug; a tranquilizing effect, accompanied by a veritable glottal gaping, with the second. But the broncho-softening effect is, first and foremost, linked with para-medication, which consists of a small dose of a synthetic curare-like compound, diiodide of succinylcholine, the action of which is potentiated by the addition of an equally small dose of lignocaine. The concept of “broncho-softening” under the influence of succinylcholine, in particular, permits an extension of the field of exploration of the bronchoscope, revealing sometimes a lesion which would be inaccessible with standard technique, and even allowing an otherwise impracticable biopsy.
Cultivation of Type 2 Dengue Virus in Rhesus Kidney Tissue Culture.

Sumary and conclusionsMouse-passaged type 2 dengue virus of the New Guinea C strain was cultivated in trypsinized rhesus kidney tissue cultures grown directly on glass surfaces and incubated in the stationary state at 35°C virus was maintained in this system of tissue culture through 18 passages during 176 days. Culture fluid from the 18th passage representing a 10-41.5 dilution of the original infected mouse brain was infective for mice. 2) The infected culture cells exhibited characteristic degeneration indistinguishable from that associated with infection of tissue cultures with type 1 dengue virus. Infectivity of the virus was neutralized by specific antiserum as indicated by the fact that the degeneration was suppressed completely by homologous immune rabbit serum, but not by heterologous serum. It appeared that the cellular degeneration produced by type 2 virus mixed with anti-type 1 serum was a little milder than that produced by the same virus mixed with the control non-immune serum. Although furt...
Factors for intermedia extrapolation in biodegradability assessment

Abstract In screening-level biodegradability assessment for xenobiotic chemicals it is often necessary to extrapolate from one environmental medium or set of conditions to another, to derive an estimate of biotransformation rate in the medium of interest. To develop a basis for such extrapolation we conducted a comparative analysis of biodegradation data from grab sample studies, focusing on (i) relative rates of aerobic biodegradation in fresh water and surface soil; and (ii) relative rates of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation in surface soil. The results of this data review are expressed as a series of factors that represent ratios of biodegradation half-lives under the respective conditions. These factors may be used in chemical screening and in setting priorities for further review.
Isolation and identification of manganese-reducing bacteria and estimates of microbial Mn(IV)-reducing potential in the Black Sea

During the summer of 1988, profiles of major and minor nutrients in the western and central basins of the Black Sea showed a pronounced suboxic zone in which could be seen distinct zones of nitrate, manganese and iron reduction. Enrichment culture techniques, used to determine relative levels of microbial Mn(IV) and Fe(III) reduction potential, indicated very high levels of iron-reducing potential throughout the suboxic zone, and high levels of Mn(IV)-reducing potential in both the nitrate reduction (55 m) and the Mn(IV) reduction (85 m) zones. Bacteria were also directly isolated from various depths in the water column and tested for their ability to reduce Mn(IV). Using these direct techniques, the major group of organisms isolated from the 80–90 m (Mn reduction) zone were in the genus Shewanella, accounting for up to 20–50% of the total bacterial viable counts, and up to 1–5 × 105 bacteria per ml. At other depths, there were fewer Mn(IV)-reducing bacteria, and those that were found were in different taxonomic groups, including Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., and some unidentified Gram-negative rods and coccobacilli. All of these bacteria were respiratory bacteria, and many were capable of both Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction.
Cell-free incorporation of newly synthesized myosin subunits into thick myofilaments.

Although a substantial literature exists on thein vitro polymerization of purified myosin, little is known about native thick filament assembly, remodeling or turnover. We have recently described a cell-free system (Boucheet al., 1988) to examine the interactions between thick filaments and soluble, newly synthesized myofibrillar proteins. In the present manuscript we describe our studies on myosin heavy (MHC) and light chain (LC) incorporation into myofibrils or native and synthetic thick filaments.35S-labeled myofibrillar proteins or myosin subunits were synthesized in a reticulocyte lysate translation system after which myofibrils or myofilaments were added and incubated with these proteins in the lysate. The added filaments were then sedimented and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and fluorography to establish which of the labeled protein subunits were co-pelleted. Operationally, this co-sedimentation of labeled proteins with myofilaments has been termed ‘protein incorporation’. We observed that newly synthesized MHC, LCs 1, 2 and 3 all incorporated into the thick filaments. However, the quantity and specificity of LC incorporation depended upon the structure or composition of the filaments. LCs 1 and 3 were preferentially incorporated into myofibrils and native thick filaments, whereas LC2 was selectively taken up by synthetic filaments prepared from purified myosin. These results suggest that soluble MHCs and LCs interact independently with myofilaments. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that selective removal of soluble MHCs, or of a single LC, did not alter the incorporation of the remaining myosin subunits. Similarly, MHCs synthesized in the absence of LCs also incorporated into myofilaments or myofibrils. We propose that myosin subunits are capable of independent incorporation into and exchange from myofilaments.
“Spiritual Sluts”: Uncovering Gender, Ethnicity, and Sexuality in the Post-Secular

In recent years, I have become increasingly aware of the growing importance of the term “post-secular” in discussions of religion in post-industrial societies. It seems as though it's important to ...
The effect of intersegmental knee moments on patellofemoral contact mechanics in cycling

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bicycle pedal design on the mechanics of the patellofemoral joint. Previous research determined that for certain riders the non-driving varus and internal knee moments could be reduced by switching from fixed to free floating pedals (Ruby and Hull, 1993). It was postulated that the presence of varus and internal knee moments during fixed pedal cycling may adversely affect patellofemoral joint contact mechanics which could lead to the development of anterior knee pain. To investigate the effect of pedal design the hypothesis that varus and internal intersegmental knee moments significantly increase patellofemoral contact pressure, contact area and contact force was tested. To test this hypothesis cycling loads were simulated in vitro using a six-degree-of-freedom load application system (LAS). Using the LAS, varus moments ranging from 0-20 Nm and internal knee moments ranging from 0-10 Nm were applied simultaneously with quadriceps force at knee flexion angles of 60 and 90 degrees. Patellofemoral contact patterns were measured using pressure sensitive film. An applied 10 Nm internal moment significantly increased both contact area by 16% and contact force by 22% at 90 of flexion. The application of a 20 Nm varus moment modestly yet significantly increased contact area by 6% and contact force by 5%. When applied in combination, varus and internal knee moments increased contact area and force by as much as 29% and 28% respectively. The mean contact pressure was not significantly increased by either of the two moments. The results suggest that non-driving intersegmental knee moments subject the patellofemoral joint to loads and contact patterns which may accelerate the development of chondromalacia.
Viscoelastic material response with a fractional-derivative constitutive model

A rubber coupon is modeled as a viscoelastic material by a fractional-derivative constitutive law to capture the material behavior over a broad frequency range. The coupon, of finite length, is clamped at one end and subject to either a forced loading or a deflection at the other end. The physical response profile of the material for this distributed model is examined in terms of a relaxation response, associated with a branch-cut integration, and a modal response.
Cortical-limbic mechanisms and response control: A theoretical review

The literature dealing with the behavioral effects produced by lesions of the septum, frontal cortical areas, and the hippocampus is reviewed. It is concluded that the dorsomedial septum, the dorsolateral frontal cortex (and homologous structures), and the dorsal hippocampus form a nodal point within a larger neuronal system that is involved in response regulation. A model describing the response regulatory processes mediated by this frontal cortical-limbic system is proposed. Motor programs are written in frontal cortex and temporarily stored in hippocampus. Feedback stimuli derived from response initiation and maintenance are compared against the stored hippocampal motor program. If the feedback information matches with the expected outcomes dictated by the motor program, the response sequence is terminated. If comparator deviations arise, the frontal cortical areas are signaled of error and a new motor program is written. Hippocampal theta activity is postulated to be a correlate of comparator activation and feedback analysis.
The Evolution of Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery

Metabolic surgery is defined as “the operative manipulation of a normal organ or organ system to achieve a biological result for a potential health gain.” The evolution of metabolic/bariatric surgery can be viewed from several perspectives: (1) realization that bariatric surgery has always been and will always be metabolic surgery; (2) lessons to be learned from the six dominant procedures; (3) overview of the other operations that have been proposed; (4) discussion of mechanisms of action; (5) physiology of energy metabolism; and (6) introduction to the emerging concept of inflammation. This review will end with thoughts on the present and future outcomes from the knowledge we have gained from metabolic/bariatric surgery. The author concludes with the statement: Metabolic surgery is cognitive surgery.
Towards Automatic Generation of Security-Centric Descriptions for Android Apps

To improve the security awareness of end users, Android markets directly present two classes of literal app information: 1) permission requests and 2) textual descriptions. Unfortunately, neither can serve the needs. A permission list is not only hard to understand but also inadequate; textual descriptions provided by developers are not security-centric and are significantly deviated from the permissions. To fill in this gap, we propose a novel technique to automatically generate security-centric app descriptions, based on program analysis. We implement a prototype system, DescribeME, and evaluate our system using both DroidBench and real-world Android apps. Experimental results demonstrate that DescribeME enables a promising technique which bridges the gap between descriptions and permissions. A further user study shows that automatically produced descriptions are not only readable but also effectively help users avoid malware and privacy-breaching apps.
Thin film formation during splashing of viscous liquids.

After impact onto a smooth dry surface, a drop of viscous liquid initially spreads in the form of a thick lamella. If the drop splashes, it first emits a thin fluid sheet that can ultimately break up into droplets causing the splash. Ambient gas is crucial for creating this thin sheet. The time for sheet ejection, ${t}_{ejt}$, depends on impact velocity, liquid viscosity, gas pressure, and molecular weight. A central air bubble is trapped below the drop at pressures even below that necessary for this sheet formation. In addition, air bubbles are entrained underneath the spreading lamella when the ejected sheet is present. Air entrainment ceases at a lamella velocity that is independent of drop impact velocity as well as ambient gas pressure.
Can sedimentary leaf waxes record D/H ratios of continental precipitation? Field, model, and experimental assessments

Abstract D / H ratios of leaf waxes (δ D wax ) derived from terrestrial plants and preserved in lake sediments can provide important information on past continental hydrology. Ideally, δ D wax can be used to reconstruct precipitation D / H ratios (δ D P ) which is a well-established paleoclimate proxy. However, many other factors, such as vegetation and relative humidity (RH), also affect δ D wax variation. How the combination of these factors affects sedimentary δ D wax is unclear. Here, we use a transect of 32 lake surface sediments across large gradients of precipitation, relative humidity, and vegetation composition in the southwestern United States to study the natural factors affecting sedimentary δ D wax . δ D values of C 28 n -alkanoic acids show significant correlation with δ D P values ( R 2 = 0.76) with an apparent isotopic enrichment of ∼99 ± 8‰, indicating that sedimentary δ D wax values track overall δ D P variation along the entire transect. Leaf waxes produced by plants grown under controlled conditions (RH = 80%, 60%, 40%) show a small increase in D / H ratios as RH decreases, consistent with prediction from the Craig-Gordon model. However, the isotopic effect of RH on δ D wax along the natural transect is partially countered by the opposing influence of vegetation changes. The correlation between δ D wax and δ D P values is significantly higher ( R 2 = 0.84) in the drier portions of the transect than in the wetter regions ( R 2 = 0.64). This study suggests that D / H ratios of sedimentary leaf waxes can be used as a proxy for precipitation δ D variations, with particularly high fidelity in dry regions, although more studies in other regions will be important to further test this proxy.
Clinical Observations With the Amiodarone/Warfarin Interaction: Dosing Relationships With Long-term Therapy

Objectives The interaction between amiodarone and warfarin has only been described in patients being followed up for relatively short time periods. The objectives of this study were to characterize the interaction between these two agents in a clinical situation over a longer period of time in a larger cohort of patients, and to determine the relationship between the maintenance dose of amiodarone and the resultant need to adjust the dose of warfarin. Design This was an observational trial of a cohort of patients receiving a stable warfarin regimen in whom oral amiodarone was initiated. Patients received both amiodarone and warfarin for at least 1 year, and the dosage of warfarin was adjusted as clinically necessary to achieve an international normalized ratio of 2 to 3. Data from a total of 43 patients were analyzed. Results At baseline, prior to initiation of amiodarone, the warfarin dose was 5.2 ± 2.6 mg/d. The magnitude of the interaction between these two agents peaked at 7 weeks, which resulted in a 44% mean maximum reduction in the warfarin dose. The warfarin dose inversely correlated with the maintenance dose of amiodarone ( r 2 = 0.94, p Conclusions The magnitude of the amiodarone/warfarin interaction is highly dependent on the maintenance dose of amiodarone. This relationship can aid clinicians in adjusting the dose of warfarin patients receiving long-term amiodarone treatment.
Modeling of thermal stresses in a graded Cu/W joint

Abstract Thermally induced stresses and strains in a CuCrZr alloy–W joint are analyzed using finite element methods. The effect on stress and strain of using different materials as interlayers to join CuCrZr to W is examined and compared to geometries without an interlayer (sharp interface). Oxygen free high conductivity copper (OFHC) and several types of graded structures formed with OFHC and W are used as the different interlayer materials. Temperature dependence of the properties in addition to plasticity and strain hardening are considered in the finite element formulation. The use of an OFHC Cu interlayer results in the maximum reduction of stress compared to the sharp interface, but also in large highly localized plastic strains that increase under operation conditions. The residual stress is slightly higher for OFHC/W graded interlayers, but still significantly lower than for the sharp interface. However, a notable difference for the graded interlayers is that the plastic strain is greatly reduced compared with the OFHC interlayer.
Bundle of His Recordings in Congenital Complete Heart Block

Six children, aged between 3 and 19 years, with congenital complete heart block without associated cardiac disease were studied by His bundle electrography. All were symptomatic with resting ventricular rates over 40 beats/min, and electrocardiograms that showed a normal axis and QRS complex. His bundle to ventricular activation was within the normal range in all and the block was proximal to the bundle of His. Ventricular and atrial pacing did not result in retrograde or antegrade conduction. All the patients were thought to have a lesion proximal to the site where the bundle of His potential was recorded and, therefore, were unlikely to develop symptoms or require treatment.
Average height in a partially ordered set

The average height of an element x in a finite poset P is the expect below x in a random linear extension of P. We prove a number of theorems about average height, some intuitive and some not, using a recent result of L.A. Shepp.
Cerumen types in Eskimos.

High frequencies of dry type cerumen were found in Eskimos of the Nome and Bethel areas of Alaska, supporting the assumption of decreasing frequency of dry cerumen with increasing distance from the Bering Strait.
Aging kidney donors and recipients: risks and challenges

Until recently, patients with end-stage renal disease were denied access to renal transplantation solely based on older age. In the 1990s, improvements in surgical techniques and immunosuppressive therapies led to increased access and acceptable rates of graft and patient survival for older and higher risk patients. More recently, efforts to meet the growing demand for transplantation have included the increased use of older donor organs. However, the increasing shift toward both older donors and recipients in kidney transplantation in the USA has led to new controversies and challenges. Transplant physicians are now faced with rationing a limited resource and maximizing long-term outcomes for recipients of all ages.
Organoiron complexes formed in the reaction of diiron enneacarbonyl with semibullvalene

Abstract Semibullvalene reacts with diiron enneacarbonyl to give four iron carbonyl complexes, C 8 H 8 Fe 2 (CO) 8 (XI) possessing an intact semibullvalene skeleton, C 8 H 8 Fe(CO) 3 (XII) and C 8 H 8 Fe 2 (CO) 7 (XIII) resulting from a cleavage of the cyclopropane ring, and C 8 H 6 Fe 2 (CO) 6 , formed by further skeletal rearrangement of XIII.