cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrostatic charging of micro- and nano-particles for use with highly energetic applications

Abstract Electrostatically charging spherical and cylindrical conducting particles against an electrode with an applied electric field is investigated both theoretically and experimentally as a method of charging micro- and nano-particles for use with a variety of high energy and high velocity applications, which include nano-particle electrostatic space propulsion systems, materials processing, and nano-printing. Increasing the particles' charge-to-mass ratios is critical for maximizing their velocities when accelerated with applied electric fields, which requires minimizing the particles' sizes down to the micro- and nano-meter ranges for some applications. An analysis reveals that the charge-to-mass ratio is maximized with low aspect ratio particles when the maximum electric field strength, which is at the top of the particles, is held constant. Experimental results of charging titanium and aluminum spherical and cylindrical particles are presented, which suggest that under appropriate conditions, the particles are charged as predicted by theory. But that electrical contact resistance between the particles and electrode can influence the charging time. An analysis of the expected particle charging times is presented, which shows a strong dependence on the conductivity and thickness of the oxide layer coating the particles.
Bulimia and depression

Fifty-six adult females with DSM-III bulimia were evaluated for personal and family histories of other psychopathologies. Forty-three subjects (77%) evidenced mild depression of which 13 (23%) reported moderate-severe symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory--a finding confirmed with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the SCL-90-D scale. A personal history of affective disorder was found in 52%, while 59% reported first degree relative(s) with affective disorder. Subjects with first-degree relatives with drug dependence, alcoholism, or depression had an earlier onset of bulimia than those without such relatives. Bulimia may be symptomatically or pathophysiologically related to depression.
Tertiary and quaternary chloride effects of the partially ligated (CN-met) hemoglobin intermediates.

Abstract Heterotropic effects of NaCl were studied using CN-met hemoglobin, which has been found to follow the same rules of homotropic cooperativity as CO-Hb and O2-Hb [Huang and Ackers, Biochemistry,35 (1996) 704; Huang et al., Biophys. J., 71 (1996) 2094]. Modulation of heme site cooperativity by NaCl was determined in this study for all partially ligated CN-met intermediates by measuring their dimer-to-tetramer assembly free energies as a function of NaCl concentration (0.08–1.4 M; pH 7.4, T = 21.5°C). Thermodynamic linkage analysis yielded the contributions to heme site binding cooperativity for all 16 reactions of the binding cascade, and also their apparent changes in bound salt. The principal findings were as follows; (i) At each [NaCl] the ten tetrameric species exhibited three discrete cooperative free energy levels; (ii) positional isomers of the doubly ligated tetramers were distributed among two of these levels according to their specific configurations of ligated sites, in conformity with the symmetry rule mechanism of hemoglobin cooperativity [Ackers et al., Science 255 (1992) 54]; (iii) the apparent moles of NaCl release followed the same configuration-specific distribution as that of heme site cooperativity, i.e., this parameter was synchronized according to the same response clusters. The system thus manifests both a “tertiary chloride effect” and a “quaternary chloride effect”, which parallel the tertiary and quaternary Bohr effects [Daugherty et al., Biochemistry, 33 (1994) 10345; Perrella et al., Biochemistry, 33 (1994) 10358] and the tertiary and quaternary enthalpy effects [Huang and Ackers, Biochemistry, 34 (1995) 6316]. Comparison with findings on the stoichiometric O2-binding linkages over an identical range of conditions [Doyle et al., Biophys. Chem., 64 (1997)] revealed that the overall NaCl release upon ligating all four hemes is identical for O2 and CN-met, whereas the detailed distributions of apparent chloride release showed variations between the two ligands, i.e., CN-met Hb showed only a negligible quaternary enhancement at all [NaCl] conditions and a larger tertiary chloride effect compared with O2-Hb. Possible origins of these variations are considered.
Shrinkage estimation for robust and efficient screening of single-SNP association from case-control genome-wide association studies

Population-based case-control design has become one of the most popular approaches for conducting genome-wide association scans for rare diseases like cancer. In this article, we propose a novel method for improving the power of the widely used single-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) two-degrees-of-freedom (2 d.f.) association test for case-control studies by exploiting the common assumption of Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) for the underlying population. A key feature of the method is that it can relax the assumed model constraints via a completely data-adaptive shrinkage estimation approach so that the number of false-positive results due to the departure of HWE is controlled. The method is computationally simple and is easily scalable to association tests involving hundreds of thousands or millions of genetic markers. Simulation studies as well as an application involving data from a real genome-wide association study illustrate that the proposed method is very robust for large-scale association studies and can improve the power for detecting susceptibility SNPs with recessive effects, when compared to existing methods. Implications of the general estimation strategy beyond the simple 2 d.f. association test are discussed. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:740–750, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. y
Correction of Renal Hypertension after Kidney Transplantation from a Donor with Gitelman Syndrome

The relationship between the kidney and blood pressure control is complex. Monogenetic forms of hypertension have recently been identified that implicate specific mutations responsible for blood pressure control. The thiazide sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) has been implicated in the control of blood pressure, however a direct link between the kidney NCC and blood pressure regulation is lacking. Here, we report a case of chimerism in which a kidney from a patient with Gitelman syndrome was transplanted into a non-Gitelman hypertensive recipient. After transplantation, postural hypotension resulted, necessitating discontinuation of all antihypertensive medications used for treatment of calcineurin-induced hypertension. This is the first reported case of acquired Gitelman syndrome after transplantation. Transplantation of a Gitelman "kidney" into a hypertensive recipient provides additional support for the role of the kidney NCC in blood pressure regulation. Furthermore, this case suggests the potential use of thiazide diuretics in the treatment of calcineurin-induced hypertension.
Synthesis of long chain acyl-enzyme thioesters by modified fatty acid synthetases and their hydrolysis by a mammary gland thioesterase

Abstract The fatty acid synthetase multienzyme from lactating rat mammary gland was modified either by removal of the two thioesterase I domains with trypsin or by inhibiting the thioesterase I activity with phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride. The modified multienzymes are able to convert acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, and NADPH to long chain acyl moieties (C 16 C 22 ), which are covalently bound to the enzyme through thioester linkage, but they are unable to release the acyl groups as free fatty acids. A single enzyme-bound, long chain acyl thioester is formed by each molecule of modified multienzyme. Kinetic studies showed that the modified multienzymes rapidly elongate the acetyl primer moiety to a C 16 thioester and that further elongation to C 18 , C 20 , and C 22 is progressively slower. Thioesterase II, a mammary gland enzyme which is not part of the fatty acid synthetase multienzyme, can release the acyl moiety from its thioester linkage to either modified multienzyme. Kinetic data are consistent with the formation of an enzyme—substrate complex between thioesterase II and the acylated modified multienzymes. The present study demonstrates that the ability of thioesterase II to modify the product specificity of normal fatty acid synthetase is most likely attributable to the capacity of thioesterase II for hydrolysis of acyl moieties from thioester linkage to the multienzyme.
Risk Factors for Pain After Mastectomy/Lumpectomy

PURPOSE: Careful study of risk factors that predispose an individual to developing postmastectomy pain (PMP) after breast cancer surgery has not been reported. This study examined potential risk factors for PMP including demographic, disease, and treatment variables, as well as surgical factors, such as surgical technique and number of lymph nodes removed. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY: Data were collected via telephone interviews and review of medical records. Pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory. The sample included 134 breast cancer survivors who were a mean age of 55 years (SD = 9) and a mean of 35 months postsurgery (SD = 19). RESULTS: Women with PMP (n = 36) were not significantly different from women without PMP (n = 98) on demographic, disease, treatment, or surgical variables. PMP intensity was not significantly associated with age at diagnosis, time postsurgery, or time posttreatment. Contrary to expectation, PMP was found in women postlumpectomy without axillary dissection, women whose intercostobrachial nerve was spared, and women without documented postoperative complications. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that cases of PMP cannot uniformly be identified based on the presence or absence of certain factors. Findings also underscore the need to screen all women for PMP after breast cancer surgery, particularly given the availability of effective pain management therapies. KEY TERMS: Complications; Neoplasm, breast; Pain, postmastectomy; Risk factors
Epitaxial crystals of Bi2Pt2O7 pyrochlore through the transformation of δ–Bi2O3 fluorite

Bi2Pt2O7 pyrochlore is thought to be one of the most promising oxide catalysts for application in fuel cell technology. Unfortunately, direct film growth of Bi2Pt2O7 has not yet been achieved, owing to the difficulty of oxidizing platinum metal in the precursor material to Pt4+. In this work, in order to induce oxidation of the platinum, we annealed pulsed laser deposited films consisting of epitaxial δ–Bi2O3 and co-deposited, comparatively disordered platinum. We present synchrotron x-ray diffraction results that show the nonuniform annealed films contain the first epitaxial crystals of Bi2Pt2O7. We also visualized the pyrochlore structure by scanning transmission electron microscopy, and observed ordered cation vacancies in the epitaxial crystals formed in a bismuth-rich film but not in those formed in a platinum-rich film. The similarity between the δ–Bi2O3 and Bi2Pt2O7 structures appears to facilitate the pyrochlore formation. These results provide the only route to date for the formation of epitaxial Bi2Pt2O7.
Exploration of an interaction threshold for the joint toxicity of trichloroethylene and 1,1-dichloroethylene: utilization of a PBPK model

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling and gas uptake experiments were utilized to verify the competitive inhibition mechanism of interaction between trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE) and to investigate the presence of an interaction threshold between the two chemicals. Initially, gas uptake experiments were conducted on Fischer 344 rats where the initial concentrations of both DCE and TCE were 2000∶0, 0∶2000, 2000∶2000, 1000∶0, 1000∶1000, and 500∶500 ppm, respectively. When the different modes of inhibition interactions (competitive, uncompetitive and noncompetitive) were employed in the PBPK model, the model description of the competitive inhibition interaction provided the best description of the declining concentrations in the gas uptake chamber. Furthermore, to predict the range at which the interaction threshold would be found, the PBPK model included a mathematical description of the percentage of enzyme sites occupied by either chemical in the presence or the absence of the other. By comparing the percentage of occupied sites by one chemical, in the presence of the other, to those sites occupied in the absence of the latter, the PBPK model predicted a range of concentrations (100 ppm or less) of either chemical where the competitive inhibition interaction would not be observed. Consequently, gas uptake experiments were designed where the initial concentration was selected at 2000 ppm for one chemical while the other chemical was set at 100 in one experiment and 50 ppm in another. Under these conditions, the best simulation to the concentration depletion curves in the gas uptake system of the chemical in the higher concentration was obtained when the PBPK model was run under the assumption of no-interaction. This substantiated the model predictions of the presence of observable interaction only at concentrations higher than 100 ppm.
Characterization of the Single Particle Mixing State of Individual Ship Plume Events Measured at the Port of Los Angeles

Ship emissions contribute significantly to gaseous and particulate pollution worldwide. To better understand the impact of ship emissions on air quality, measurements of the size-resolved chemistry of individual particles in ship emissions were made at the Port of Los Angeles using real-time, single-particle mass spectrometry. Ship plumes were identified through a combination of ship position information and measurements of gases and aerosol particles at a site 500 m from the center of the main shipping channel at the Port of Los Angeles. Single particles containing mixtures of organic carbon, vanadium, and sulfate (OC-V-sulfate) resulted from residual fuel combustion (i.e., bunker fuel), whereas high quantities of fresh soot particles (when OC-V-sulfate particles were not present) represented distinct markers for plumes from distillate fuel combustion (i.e., diesel fuel) from ships as well as trucks in the port area. OC-V-sulfate particles from residual fuel combustion contained significantly higher leve...
Jasmonic acid treatment and mammalian herbivory differentially affect chemical defenses and growth of wild mustard (Brassica kaber)

Jasmonic acid (JA) is a wound-related hormone found in most plants that, when applied exogenously, can induce increases in levels of chemical defenses in patterns similar to those induced by mechanical damage or insect feeding. Relative to responses to insect and pathogen attack, chemical responses of herbaceous plants to mammalian herbivore attack have been little studied. In a field experiment, we compared the effects of JA treatment and naturally occurring mammalian herbivory on the expression of trypsin inhibitors, glucosinolates, peroxidase activity and growth of wild mustard (Brassica kaber). Exogenous JA significantly increased trypsin inhibitor activity and glucosinolate concentration, and moderately increased peroxidase activity in the eighth true leaves of five-week-old plants, relative to untreated controls. In contrast, levels of these chemical defenses in the eighth true leaves or in regrowth foliage of plants that had ∼80% of their leaf area removed by groundhogs (Marmota monax) did not differ from that in undamaged and untreated controls. Although exogenous JA significantly elevated levels of chemical defenses, it did not affect height of plants through the season and only slightly reduced time to first flower. Groundhog herbivory significantly reduced height and delayed or abolished flowering, but these effects were not substantial unless coupled with apical meristem removal. We hypothesize that the lack of effect of groundhog herbivory on chemical defenses may be due in part to the speed and pattern of leaf area removal by groundhogs, or physiological constraints caused by leaf area loss. Despite having no effect on chemical defense production, leaf area loss by groundhogs was more costly to growth and fitness than the effects of JA application in this study, but only substantially so if coupled with apical meristem removal. We suggest that in general, costs of defense production in plants are likely to be minimal when compared to the risk of losing large amounts of leaf area or primary meristematic tissue. Thus, if they are effective at deterring herbivory, the benefits of inducible defense production likely outweigh the costs in most cases.
Inhibition of the Growth of Murine Malignant Melanoma by Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I. poly C) markedly inhibits the growth of both light grey and jet black B-16 malignant melanomas borne by C-57 black mice. The survival time of mice bearing B-16 malignant melanomas is prolonged by treatment with poly I. poly C. Inocula of tumor cells ordinarily sufficient to result inevitably in fatal melanomatosis in all control mice do not kill all the mice which have been treated with poly I. poly C.
Interval-Valued Degrees of Belief: Applications of Interval Computations to Expert Systems and Intelligent Control

Usually, expert systems use numbers to describe the experts' degree of belief in their statements. In practice, however, it is difficult to assign an exact numerical value to the expert's degree of belief. At best, we can get an interval of possible values. This fact leads to the use of interval-valued degree of belief. When intervals are used to describe degrees of belief, then computations with intervals must be used to process them. In this paper, we describe applications of such interval computations to expert systems and to intelligent control.
Gene expression alterations in connexin null mice extend beyond the gap junction

Connexin43 (Cx43) is the principal gap junction protein between astrocytes in the neonatal brain and also interconnects neural precursor cells during CNS development. In an attempt to understand global effects of expression of the Cx43 gap junction gene on development and function of the nervous system, we have compared gene expression patterns in cultured astrocytes and brains from wildtype mice with those in which Cx43 is deleted as well as in spinal cords of experimental autoimmune encepahlomyelitis (EAE) mice. One surprising result obtained from high densitity mouse cDNA studies was the large number of genes that were statistically altered in mice with decreased expression of Cx43. These altered genes encode proteins with a wide range of functions within cells, and thus deletion of normal gap junction expression appears to result in globally altered glial functions in addition to disruption of intercellular communication. Here we discuss those results in the context of the strategies and data analysis paradigms that we are using in such studies.
Thresholds for tolerance: the impact of racial and ethnic population composition on the vote for california propositions 187 and 209

Abstract An analysis of the vote on two California initiatives is used to test the relative merits of competing social science theories: Conflict Theory and Contact Theory. The current study tests the two frameworks by examining factors related to voting behavior on California’s Proposition 187 (1994), which was intended to bar illegal immigrants from access to such public services as education, health care, social services, and welfare; and Proposition 209 (1996), which amended the state constitution to forbid consideration of race or gender in public employment, state and local contracting, and admission to higher education. Findings generally support conflict theory, identifying a relationship between specific minority populations and support for the propositions. Voting was also associated with unemployment and percentage of registered Republicans.
Dynamically evolving double layers and density depletions

[1] Electric fields parallel to an ambient magnetic field in collisionless plasmas are most likely localized in double layers (DLs). Using one-dimensional Vlasov simulations, we study the localization processes for DLs in the return current region of the auroral plasma, in which the density decreases with increasing altitude. If there is a preexisting density cavity in the plasma, the DL forms in the cavity localizing the field-aligned (parallel) potential drop in it. If there is no preexisting cavity in the plasma, the cavities are created by plasma instabilities localizing the parallel fields in them. Performing several simulations by varying the length of the simulated plasma, depth of the density depletion in the initial cavities, and the magnitude of the large-scale density gradient, we learned that the DLs formed in the cavities and associated plasma response are highly dynamic. The dynamic response of a DL includes its (1) progressive motion into the lower-density plasma, (2) weakening or complete dissolution, and (3) reformation depending on the evolution of the electron current. The associated dynamic response of the plasma includes (1) evolving level of electron and ion accelerations, (2) double and counterstreaming of both electrons and ions, (3) generation of nonlinear wave structures like electron phase space holes (EHs), and (4) strong perturbations in the electron current caused by the EHs. The reformation of the DLs in the remains of old density depletions is associated with a cavitational instability, which has a threshold condition like that for the Buneman instability. When the evolving electron current exceeds the threshold, it triggers redeepening of the remnant depletions by the cavitational instability as well as the reformation and/or regrowth of a DL. The temporal plasma response associated with the decay, regrowth, and/or reformation of double layers greatly adds to the complexities of the plasma electrodynamics driven simply by a static and stationary DL. We suggest that many of the highly dynamic behaviors of the auroral return current plasma, as observed from FAST, could be the consequences of such temporal behavior of DLs.
CITIZEN RESPONSE TO PROPOSALS FOR METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENTAL INTEGRATION: TOWARD A CONCEPTUAL MODEL

Past studies have attempted to identify the correlates of citizen response to proposals for governmental integration. The inconsistency of the findings of such research indicates the need to formulate a general conceptual model in order to assess the interrelationships among the variables previously considered and to estimate the adequacy of current efforts in order to explain response to governmental integration proposals. Such a general model is formulated and tested using survey data. The inadequacy of the general model used in explaining citizen responses to a proposed type of governmental integration, city-county consolidation, by respondents living in unincorporated areas adjacent to the City of Atlanta, suggests the need for development and inclusion of explanatory variables designed to represent contextual variations specific to a particular metropolitan setting.
Charge separation associated with frost growth

Observations have shown that negatively charged ice fragments are ejected from ice surfaces growing by water vapour deposition. Laboratory experiments with exaggerated temperature and vapour gradients were performed to quantify the charge transfer and its dependence on temperature and water vapour density. It was found that the temperature of the growing ice plays a strong role in determining the rate of charge transfer, with a pronounced maximum in the range −15 °C to −25 °C, but the growth history of the ice surface is also shown to be important. The temperature and vapour gradients employed in the study are unrepresentative of those encountered in the atmosphere, but the underlying physics of this phenomenon may be applicable to phenomena that do operate in thunderclouds. The physical processes responsible for the charge transfer remain unidentified.
The Colonization Response of Lotic Chironomid Larvae to Substrate Size and Heterogeneity

The colonization patterns of larval chironomid midges were studied on clean sieved sediments (range 0.25-4.0 mm; pure and mixed) placed in a third order stream in NW Pennsylvania, USA. Chironomid abundance and species richness were significantly different among four sites for homogeneous and mixed sediments. Species richness increased with sediment particle size. Fourteen of the 18 most common species had significant substrate preferences. The interpretation of two cluster analyses of sediment samples indicated two assemblages of chironomid species, each of which appeared to correlate with particular sediments, indicating some assemblage level sediment preference. Sediment size, but not heterogeneity, appears to be a strong factor in the species richness pattern of the community, and in the microhabitat choices of individual chironomid species, in this sandy environment.
Preferential Attachment of Human Gingival Fibroblasts to the Resin Ionomer Geristore

The resin ionomer Geristore has been used extensively for root perforation repairs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate oral in vitro biocompatibility of the resin ionomer Geristore compared to two other dental perforation repair materials, Ketac-Fil and Immediate Restorative Material (IRM). Growth and morphology of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of HGFs cells grown on test materials as well as cytotoxicity assays using eluates from test materials. SEM analysis showed that HGFs attached and spread well over Geristore with relatively normal morphology. SEM showed that fibroblasts did not attach and spread well over Ketac-Fil or IRM as cells appeared much fewer with rounded and different morphology than fibroblasts grown on Geristore. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that HGFs proliferated in the presence of Geristore eluates and not in the presence of Ketac-Fil or IRM eluates. In vitro interpretation indicates that Geristore is less cytotoxic to gingival fibroblasts.
Detection and characterization of breast masses with ultrasound tomography: clinical results

We report on a continuing assessment of the in-vivo performance of an operator independent breast imaging device based on the principles of acoustic tomography. This study highlights the feasibility of mass characterization using criteria derived from reflection, sound speed and attenuation imaging. The data were collected with a clinical prototype at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit MI from patients recruited at our breast center. Tomographic sets of images were constructed from the data and used to form 3-D image stacks corresponding to the volume of the breast. Masses were identified independently by either ultrasound or biopsy and their locations determined from conventional mammography and ultrasound exams. The nature of the mass and its location were used to assess the feasibility of our prototype to detect and characterize masses in a case-following scenario. Our techniques generated whole breast reflection images as well as images of the acoustic parameters of sound speed and attenuation. The combination of these images reveals major breast anatomy, including fat, parenchyma, fibrous stroma and masses. The three types of images are intrinsically co-registered because the reconstructions are performed using a common data set acquired by the prototype. Fusion imaging, utilizing thresholding, is shown to visualize mass characterization and facilitates separation of cancer from benign masses. These initial results indicate that operatorindependent whole-breast imaging and the detection and a characterization of cancerous breast masses are feasible using acoustic tomography techniques.
MINERAL CONTENT AND PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF BROILER MEAT FROM TWO STRAINS AND THREE REGIONS OF PRODUCTION

Contents of moisture, fat, protein, and eight minerals in commercial broiler breast and thigh meat were defined by analyzing 15-bird lots in a factorial design of two sexes × two commercial strains × three widely separated regions of production. Small but statistically significant differences due to strain, sex, and region were found for many of the variables examined. Region significantly influenced all the element levels except phosphorus in both breast and thigh flesh. Calcium levels found were about half those previously reported. The differences are probably not nutritionally important under normal consumption patterns.
Temperature dependence of the Young’s modulus and shear modulus of pure nickel, platinum, and molybdenum

A pulse-echo technique utilizing a wave guide operating at high temperatures has been used to measure the variation in the Young’s modulus and shear modulus of pure platinum, nickel, and molybdenum in the temperature range from 25 to 1000°. With the exception of Ni in the temperature range below the Curie point, linear behavior was found for all three metals. The significance of the linear relation between temperature and the elastic constants for Mo to the observed nonlinearity of the Arrhenius plot of the diffusivity of carbon in Mo is discussed.
Using service-learning and global virtual team projects to integrate sustainability into the technical communication curriculum

Technical communication students need to be prepared to address issues of sustainability in their professional careers and in their personal lives as concerned global citizens. Sustainability is truly a global issue; environmental concerns do not stop at national borders. In order to address complex global issues like sustainability, technical communication students need to develop global competency. The skill set associated with global competency includes knowledge of intercultural communication, respect for cultural differences, and awareness of the complex and interdependent nature of the world. Globally competent individuals are aware of the relationship between global and local events. Service-learning and global virtual team projects are effective means for facilitating the development of global competency in students. This paper describes specific projects and assignments that can be used to integrate sustainability issues into the curriculum and discusses the benefits of such projects to students, faculty, and the community.
Sex differences in nonverbal communication

An experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between sex-role attitudes, affiliation, and dominance and nonverbal communication styles in men and women in same- and opposite-sex dyads. Women were found to elicit more warmth and men more anxiety from their partners. Evidence was found for a possible monitoring mechanism through which women adjust their nonverbal communications to fit the male in the interaction. Liberalism in sex-role attitudes was found to correlate with nonverbal warmth in men. The nonverbal presentations of men and women in the microprocesses of dyadic interaction were found to relate significantly to the macrostructure of societal sex roles.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New Mixed Orthovanadate-Pyrovanadate Series: MBa2V3O11 or MBa2V2PO11 with M = Bi, In, or a Rare Earth

Abstract A new series of vanadates with the general formula M Ba 2 V 3 O 11 , where M may be Bi, In, or a rare earth, has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction. The general formula may be rewritten as M Ba 2 (VO 4 )(V 2 O 7 ) to emphasize that there is one orthovanadate group and one pyrovanadate group in each formula unit. Up to one-third of the vanadium may be replaced by phosphorous, leading to the general formula M Ba 2 V 2 PO 11 . However, phosphorous shows no preference between the ortho and pyro groups. Both M Ba 2 V 3 O 11 and M Ba 2 V 2 PO 11 crystallize in the monoclinic system with the space group P 2 1 / c and Z = 4. The cell parameters from single crystal X-ray data of BiBa 2 V 3 O 11 are a = 12.332(4) A, b = 7.750(4) A, c = 11.279(4) A, β = 103.22(3)°, V = 1049(1) A 3 ; and for BiBa 2 PO 11 are a = 12.266(2) A, b = 7.615(2) A, c = 11.312(2) A, β = 103.32(2)°, V = 1028.2(2) A 3 . The Bi atom coordinates to six oxygen atoms forming a distorted octahedron, and the edge sharing of BiO 6 octahedra results in a BiO 4 chain along the b axis. There are two types of Ba atoms with coordination numbers of 10 and 11. There are three types of tetrahedral (T) atoms in these structures. The nonequivalent T atoms of the pyro group give T-O-T angles of 167 and 171° in BiBa 2 V 3 O 11 and BiBa 2 V 2 PO 11 , respectively. Isostructural M Ba 2 V 3 O 11 compounds were prepared in which M is In, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, or Lu.
HDAC turnover, CtIP acetylation and dysregulated DNA damage signaling in colon cancer cells treated with sulforaphane and related dietary isothiocyanates

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and acetyltransferases have important roles in the regulation of protein acetylation, chromatin dynamics and the DNA damage response. Here, we show in human colon cancer cells that dietary isothiocyanates (ITCs) inhibit HDAC activity and increase HDAC protein turnover with the potency proportional to alkyl chain length, i.e., AITC < sulforaphane (SFN) < 6-SFN < 9-SFN. Molecular docking studies provided insights into the interactions of ITC metabolites with HDAC3, implicating the allosteric site between HDAC3 and its co-repressor. ITCs induced DNA double-strand breaks and enhanced the phosphorylation of histone H2AX, ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) and checkpoint kinase-2 (CHK2). Depending on the ITC and treatment conditions, phenotypic outcomes included cell growth arrest, autophagy and apoptosis. Coincident with the loss of HDAC3 and HDAC6, as well as SIRT6, ITCs enhanced the acetylation and subsequent degradation of critical repair proteins, such as CtIP...
An Approach to Radiosensitizing Cervical Cancer by Use of Chemical Modulators of Nucleoside Metabolism.

Although radiation alone is the treatment of choice for patients with cervical cancer that is not surgically respectable, locoregional failures rates approach 50% for locally advanced stages of disease. Therefore, decades of clinical trials using chemoradiotherapy have been performed in an attempt to enhance cure rates. Unfortunately, the addition of chemotherapy has not been shown to unequivocally improve outcome compred with radiation alone. Reasons for this include inadequate radiation doses, radiation treatment delays caused by higher acute toxicities of combined modality therapy, and insufficient understanding of both the optimal sequencing and mechanisms of radiosensitizers. Some of the chemotherapy agents tested include the fluoropyrmidines (5-fluorouracil [5-FU]), the halogenated thymidine analogues (iododeoyxuridine [IdUrd] and bromodeoyxuridine [BrdUrd]) and hydroxyurea (HU). This article focuses on clinical results using these compounds, the evolving understanding of these different types of drug-radiation interactions, and potential new strategies for the use of these radiosensitizers in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.
Old timers and new mobile lifestyles

Abstract Retired persons have begun to establish new forms of communities that are adapted to their contemporary needs. Such communities are often temporary and associated with new lifestyle adaptations. Mobile travel has permitted one new mode for retirees, particularly for those who adopt full-time mobility, permitted by recreational vehicles, and actively engage in new styles of retirement life. This example partially refutes disengagement theory, as it has most generally been employed. Restricted use of disengagement theory following lifestyle changes among retirees is recommended.
Ultimate locking angles for conjugate and monoclinal kink bands

Abstract Honea, Reches and Johnson have introduced a theory of conjugate and monoclinal kinking in rocks. A correction is required in expressions for the ultimate locking angles of kink bands.
Starch Cooking with Limited Water as Affected by Zein and Guar Gum

DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) peak temperature of starch was decreased by adding zein, but was increased by adding guar gum. Adding zein increased the initial rate of starch cooking, but adding guar gum decreased it. Kinetic studies were carried out at 115, 125, and 135 degrees C. At 25 degrees C, zein absorbed less water than waxy corn starch, especially at water activities >0.6 where guar gum absorbed more water than starch. The strong binding of water by guar gum increased DSC-peak-temperature and decreased the initial rate of starch cooking. The relatively weak binding of water by zein decreased DSC peak temperature and increased the initial rate of starch cooking. Although water sorption data at cooking temperatures are difficult to measure, the kinetic data at these temperatures and DSC data could be used to supplement the sorption data.
WARD-IDENTITY TECHNIQUES AND LOW-ENERGY PION--NUCLEON SCATTERING.

We examine the low-energy s- and p-wave πN partial-wave amplitudes calculated from an expansion of the on-mass-shell πN scattering amplitude to second order in the pion four-momenta. The starting point for the expansion is an expression for the scattering amplitude obtained by applying Ward-identity techniques to three- and four-point functions composed of isotopic vector currents and nucleon field operators obeying postulated equal-time commutation rules. Numerical estimates for the three important expansion parameters are obtained by comparing the sum of the known N, ϱ, N∗(1236) contributions to the s- and p-wave scattering lengths and the s-wave effective ranges with experiment. The resultant amplitudes give good agreement with the experimentally determined partial-wave amplitudes at Tπ = 58 MeV. The values obtained for the non-pole parameters imply a significant contribution from the σ-commutator.
Effect of dietary tetrapyrroles on gut pigmentation and perienteric fluid hemoglobin concentration in Ascaris lumbricoides

Abstract Ascaris lumbricoides was maintained for 46 days in three pigs fed diets enriched with different metalloporphyrins. Diets, host gut contents, and washed worm guts were differentially extracted for carotenoids, bile pigments, porphyrins and metalloporphyrins, and extracts were compared by spectrophotometric and qualitative chemical tests. Host gut contents from a control diet with no added porphyrin contained carotenoids and bilirubin; worms from this host contained bilirubin and an unidentified metalloporphyrin. An alfalfa-enriched diet yielded phaeophytin A in host gut contents, while worm gut tissue contained an unidentified metalloporphyrin different from the controls. Host gut contents and worms from a blood meal-enriched diet both contained protoheme IX; perienteric fluid concentration in these worms (0·211 mM) was five times that of the other groups. The presence of metalloporphyrins in guts of worms reared on linear tetrapyrroles suggests the ability to convert these compounds to heme.
Models and customer-centric system performance measures using fuzzy reliability

This paper proposes a new perspective and methodology to model the behavior of the system/component using the theory and methods for fuzzy sets. We use the indicator or performance or substitute variable which is well understood by the customer to fuzzify the states of the system. Thus, the success/failure events are treated as fuzzy sets. Fuzzy reliability is defined and compared to the traditional binary states and multi-state reliability modeling. The concept of fuzzy random variable is introduced to model the dynamic behavior of time to fuzzy failure. Customer-centric system performance measures are developed based on fuzzy reliability modeling. Numerical examples show how fuzzy reliability models and relevant measures can be applied to evaluate complex system and the advantages over the classic reliability analysis in decision making.
Multiple walking speed-frequency relations are predicted by constrained optimization.

A person constrained to walk at a given speed v on a treadmill, chooses a particular step frequency f and step length d=v/f. Testing over a range of speeds generates a speed-frequency (v-f) relationship. This relationship is commonly posited as a basic feature of human gait. It is often further posited that this curve follows from minimum energy cost strategy. We observed that individuals walking under different constraint circumstances--walking to a range of fixed metronome frequencies (fixed f) or over a range of spaced markers (fixed d)--produce speed-frequency relations distinct from the constrained v relation. We show here that three distinct speed-frequency curves, similar to those observed, are predicted by the assumption that a walking person optimizes an underlying objective function F (v, f) that has a minimum at the preferred gait. Further, the metabolic cost of transport is a reasonable approximate candidate for the function F.
Autotrophic ammonia oxidation in a deep-sea hydrothermal plume

Direct evidence for autotrophic ammonia oxidation is documented for the first time in a deep-sea hydrothermal plume. Elevated NH4+ concentrations of up to 341±136 nM were recorded in the plume core at Main Endeavour Field, Juan de Fuca Ridge. This fueled autotrophic ammonia oxidation rates as high as 91 nM day−1, or 92% of the total net NH4+ removal. High abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria within the plume core (1.0–1.4×104 cells ml−1) accounted for 7.0–7.5% of the total microbial community, and were at least as abundant as methanotrophs. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were a substantial component of the particle-associated communities (up to 51%), with a predominance of the r-strategist Nitrosomonas-like cells. In situ chemolithoautotrophic organic carbon production via ammonia oxidation may yield 3.9–18 mg C m−2 day−1 within the plume directly over Main Endeavour Field. This rate was comparable to that determined for methane oxidation in a previous study, or at least four-fold greater than the flux of photosynthetic carbon reaching plume depths measured in another study. Hence, autotrophic ammonia oxidation in the neutrally buoyant hydrothermal plume is significant to both carbon and nitrogen cycling in the deep-sea water column at Endeavour, and represents another important link between seafloor hydrothermal systems and deep-sea biogeochemistry.
Functional Defects of NK Cells Treated with Chloroquine Mimic the Lytic Defects Observed in Perforin-Deficient Mice

NK cells are the primary effectors mediating acute rejection of incompatible bone marrow cell grafts. To reduce rejection, we evaluated the ability of chloroquine (CHQ) to prevent perforin-dependent NK cell activity. Perforin is a key cytotoxic component released from the lytic granules of activated NK cells. Generation of functional perforin requires an acidic protease activity that occurs in the secretory, lytic lysosomes. Our hypothesis was that CHQ, a lysosomotropic reagent, would raise the pH of the acidic compartment in which perforin is processed and thereby block perforin maturation and cytotoxicity. We have measured NK cytotoxicity in vivo by clearance of YAC-1 tumor cells from the lungs and by rejection of incompatible bone marrow transplants and in vitro by cytolysis of YAC-1 and Jurkat cells. The engraftment of bone marrow cells was monitored by recolonization of the spleen with hemopoietic cells from transplants of MHC class I-deficient bone marrow cells into lethally irradiated recipient mice. Transplant rejection was compared in two inbred strains of mice: 129, which apparently use perforin-dependent cytotoxicity, and C57BL/6, in which rejection can be perforin-independent. CHQ treatment reduced NK cell activity in 129 mice in which perforin is important for mediating rejection. CHQ affected the fraction of NK cell cytolysis that was Fas independent. In addition, we found that CHQ prevents perforin processing by LAK cells in vitro. These data indicate that CHQ may impair rejection of incompatible bone marrow transplants and other functions mediated by NK and cytotoxic T cells.
Managing Product Quality By Integrating Operations Research and Artificial Intelligence Technologies

This paper describes a model-based expert system called Quality and Reliability Expert System (QRES). QRES is a hybrid system for quality management applications. QRES implements quality and reliability prediction models of Operations Research (OR) technology in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software technology area known as Expert Systems (ES) or Knowledge Based Systems (KBS). QRES is presently used to: ? Identify problem areas in manufacturing production lines ? Identify where to make improvements which maximize quality levels at the least cost ? Predict production quality levels for new components and assemblies during design and developmentQRES performs quality and reliability analysis using: ? Object data structures ? Defect cause/effect correlation ? Quality trend in process ? Process control ? Correlation between product types and their defect mechanisms ? Interactive graphics ? Detailed hypertext help with examples
Rtp801 Suppression of Epithelial mTORC1 Augments Endotoxin-Induced Lung Inflammation

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of cellular responses to environmental stress. mTOR (and its primary complex mTORC1) is, therefore, ideally positioned to regulate lung inflammatory responses to an environmental insult, a function directly relevant to disease states such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome. Our previous work in cigarette smoke–induced emphysema identified a novel protective role of pulmonary mTORC1 signaling. However, studies of the impact of mTORC1 on the development of acute lung injury are conflicting. We hypothesized that Rtp801, an endogenous inhibitor of mTORC1, which is predominantly expressed in alveolar type II epithelial cells, is activated during endotoxin-induced lung injury and functions to suppress anti-inflammatory epithelial mTORC1 responses. We administered intratracheal lipopolysaccharide to wild-type mice and observed a significant increase in lung Rtp801 mRNA. In lipopolysaccharide-treated Rtp801−/− mice, epithelial mTORC1 activation significantly increased and was associated with an attenuation of lung inflammation. We reversed the anti-inflammatory phenotype of Rtp801−/− mice with the mTORC1 inhibitor, rapamycin, reassuring against mTORC1-independent effects of Rtp801. We confirmed the proinflammatory effects of Rtp801 by generating a transgenic Rtp801 overexpressing mouse, which displayed augmented inflammatory responses to intratracheal endotoxin. These data suggest that epithelial mTORC1 activity plays a protective role against lung injury, and its inhibition by Rtp801 exacerbates alveolar injury caused by endotoxin.
Aggregating Disparate Estimates of Chance

We consider a panel of experts asked to assign probabilities to events, both logically simple and complex. The events evaluated by dierent experts are based on overlapping sets of variables but may otherwise be distinct. The union of all the judgments will likely be probabilistic incoherent. We address the problem of revising the probability estimates of the panel so as to produce a coherent set that best represents the group’s expertise.