cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flux of particulate matter through copepods in the Northeast water polynya

Particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) production by large calanoid copepods was investigated on the northeast Greenland shelf during August 1992 and May to August 1993. Both Calanus hyperboreus and C. glacialis females, when suspended in seawater collected from the chlorophyll maximum, produced about 40 pellets per day, which contained a carbon and nitrogen content equivalent to 8% and 6% of body carbon, respectively, and 2% of body nitrogen. In experiments, the carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio by weight of suspended particulates, C. hyperboreus, and fecal pellets was 6.7, 7.7 and 28.5, respectively. The unusually high C:N ratio for pellets, in part, may be attributed to elevated ratios of > 20μm size fractions of particulate organic matter, the size fraction more common in the diet of these large copepods and the fraction dominated by diatoms according to microscopic and pigment data. The implied elevated C:N ratios of large phytoplankton cells were probably due to nitrogen deficiency, as shown by other studies in this region. In addition, female C. hyperboreus appeared to be more efficient in assimilating nitrogen than carbon, which also would have contributed to high C:N ratios in egested pellets. Unfractionated POC concentrations explained 54% of the variability in carbon egestion and 70% of the variability in nitrogen egestion in copepods, whereas copepod body content accounted for little of the variation on the short time scales of the experiments. Carbon egestion by C. hyperboreus was positively correlated with POC concentrations at the depth of the chlorophyll maximum, while nitrogen egestion was negatively correlated with PON concentrations in the euphotic zone. Estimates of potential community egestion rates for the upper water column indicate that copepods represent a major pathway of organic carbon transformation in this Arctic shelf system. On average, copepods may have ingested 45% of the primary production and egested fecal matter equivalent to 20% of the carbon and 12% of the nitrogen particulate flux sedimenting from the surface layer. However, several lines of evidence suggest that pellets were remineralized in the water column and, hence, may have contributed little organic carbon and nitrogen to the benthos.
Uniform Power Allocation with Thresholding over Rayleigh Slow Fading Channels with QAM Inputs

In this paper, we consider the power allocation problem that minimizes the outage probability for Rayleigh slow fading channels with equiprobable QAM inputs. We focus on the uniform power allocation with thresholding (UPAT) policy that assigns nonzero constant power only to a subset of the subchannels. This simple suboptimal policy can significantly alleviate the feedback overhead and the complexity compared to the optimal mercury/water-filling (MWF) solution. Through asymptotic analysis and numerical simulations, we first show that the optimal UPAT, namely, the UPAT with the optimal threshold, performs close to MWF if the constellation size M is large enough that log2 M ≫ R, where R is the fixed target transmission rate. This condition log2 M ≫ R turns out to define a natural system operating point. As we show through numerical results, if log2M ≈ R, both MWF and the optimal UPAT perform poorly due to having too small M and their performance can be significantly improved by using a larger M. From these results, we conclude that for a given target transmission rate, the optimal UPAT performs close to MWF as long as the constellation size is chosen appropriately not to limit the performance.
Frictional Behavior and Surface Failure of Acrylic Denture Teeth

The wear characteristics of acrylic denture teeth were investigated under single- and double-pass sliding. The response of acrylic teeth to sliding was that of a relatively ductile material. The wear characteristics were affected similarly by environments of water and saliva. The "enamel" surfaces showed more resistance to penetration and were less susceptible to surface damage than the "dentin" surfaces. The effect of the second pass was to increase track width and cause a more severe mode of surface failure.
PET imaging of the pre-synaptic dopamine uptake sites in rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP).

BACKGROUND Rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) is a genetic movement disorder characterized by abrupt onset over hours to days of bradykinesia, postural instability, dysphagia, dysarthria, and severe dystonic spasms with decreased levels of the dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid (HVA), in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). METHODS We imaged the dopamine re-uptake system with [O-methyl-11C]β-CFT ([11C]β-CFT) in three severely affected individuals with RDP and four patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). Results were compared with those of age-matched normal volunteers. RESULTS Positron emission tomography images from those patients with IPD demonstrated a dramatic reduction in the volume of distribution of [11C]β-CFT whereas patients with RDP showed slightly elevated values. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that patients with RDP do not have a decrease in the number of dopamine re-uptake sites. Our findings suggest that, unlike the situation in IPD, low CSF HVA concentrations seen in RDP patients are not the result of degeneration of striatal dopamine terminals or loss of dopamine re-uptake sites.
Frequency and predictability effects in eye fixations for skilled and less-skilled deaf readers

The illiteracy rate in the deaf population has been alarmingly high for several decades, despite the fact that deaf children go through the standard stages of schooling. Much research addressing this issue has focused on word-level processes, but in the recent years, little research has focused on sentence-levels processes. Previous research (Fischler, 1985) investigated word integration within context in college-level deaf and hearing readers in a lexical decision task following incomplete sentences with targets that were congruous or incongruous relative to the preceding context; it was found that deaf readers, as a group, were more dependent on contextual information than their hearing counterparts. The present experiment extended Fischler's results and investigated the relationship between frequency, predictability, and reading skill in skilled hearing, skilled deaf, and less-skilled deaf readers. Results suggest that only less-skilled deaf readers, and not all deaf readers, rely more on contextual cu...
Solution structure of the N-terminal zinc fingers of the Xenopus laevis double-stranded RNA-binding protein ZFa

Several zinc finger proteins have been discovered recently that bind specifically to double-stranded RNA. These include the mammalian JAZ and wig proteins, and the seven-zinc finger protein ZFa from Xenopus laevis. We have determined the solution structure of a 127 residue fragment of ZFa, which consists of two zinc finger domains connected by a linker that remains unstructured in the free protein in solution. The first zinc finger consists of a three-stranded β-sheet and three helices, while the second finger contains only a two-stranded sheet and two helices. The common structures of the core regions of the two fingers are superimposable. Each finger has a highly electropositive surface that maps to a helix-kink-helix motif. There is no evidence for interactions between the two fingers, consistent with the length (24 residues) and unstructured nature of the intervening linker. Comparison with a number of other proteins shows similarities in the topology and arrangement of secondary structure elements with canonical DNA-binding zinc fingers, with protein interaction motifs such as FOG zinc fingers, and with other DNA-binding and RNA-binding proteins that do not contain zinc. However, in none of these cases does the alignment of these structures with the ZFa zinc fingers produce a consistent picture of a plausible RNA-binding interface. We conclude that the ZFa zinc fingers represent a new motif for the binding of double-stranded RNA.
Epstein-Barr virus latently infected cells are selectively deleted in simulated-microgravity cultures.

Rotating-wall vessels (RWVs) allow for the cultivation of cells in simulated microgravity. Previously, we showed that the cultivation of lymphoblastoid cells in simulated microgravity results in the suppression of Epstein—Barr virus (EBV) reactivation. To determine if the suppression generated by simulated microgravity could be reversed by changing to static culture conditions, cells were cultured in an RWV for 5 d, and then switched to static conditions. Following the switch to static conditions, viral reactivation remained suppressed (significantly lower) relative to static control cultures over a 4-d period. Additionally, experiments were conducted to determine if chemical treatment could induce viral reactivation in cells from simulated-microgravity cultures. Cells were cultured in static flask cultures and in simulated microgravity in RWVs for 4–7 d. The cells were then transferred to 50-cm3 tubes, and treated with 3 mM n-butyrate for 48 h, or 18 ng/ml of phorbol ester, viz., 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) for either 2 or 48 h, under static conditions. Although EBV was inducible, the cells from simulated-microgravity cultures treated withn-butyrate displayed significantly lower levels of viral-antigen expression compared with the treated cells from static cultures. Also, incubation with TPA for 2–3 h, but not for 48 h, reactivated EBV in cells from RWV cultures. In contrast, EBV was inducible in cells from static cultures treated for either 2–3 or 48 h with TPA. TPA reactivation of EBV following a 2–3-h period of treatment indicates that the protein kinase C signal-transduction pathway is not impaired in lymphoblastoid cells cultured in simulated microgravity. However, the exposure of B-lymphoblastoid cells from simulated-microgravity cultures to TPA for more than 3–4 h triggered a lytic event (apoptosis or necrosis), which prevented replication of the virus. Thus, EBV-infected cells in simulated microgravity were negatively selected in the absence of any cytotoxic cells.
Clinically Enlarged Lateral Pelvic Lymph Nodes Do Not Influence Prognosis after Neoadjuvant Therapy and TME in Stage III Rectal Cancer

The significance of lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPLN) in rectal cancer remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of patients with LPLNs identified on pretherapy imaging who were treated with neoadjuvant therapy followed by proctectomy without LPLN dissection. Pretherapy imaging of patients with stage III rectal cancer was reviewed to determine perirectal and LPLN enlargement. Data were collected on preoperative therapy, operative resection, adjuvant therapy, and patient outcomes and were correlated to the presence or absence of preoperatively identified LPLNs (LPLN+ and LPLN−). Of the 53 patients identified who were treated between 2000 and 2005, 30 (57%) were LPLN+ on preoperative imaging. All patients received preoperative radiation therapy and total mesorectal excision. The local recurrence was 13%, and there was no difference related to LPLN status. A comparison of the overall and disease-free survival in patients with and without enlarged LPLNs revealed no difference. The LPLNs that were identified on pretherapy imaging do not affect the overall or disease-free survival after the neoadjuvant therapy and proctectomy in stage III rectal cancer. A lateral pelvic lymph node dissection does not appear to be justified in stage III patients with LPLNs on pretherapy imaging who receive neoadjuvant therapy.
Efficiency bounds implied by multiperiod conditional moment restrictions

Abstract In this article we study a class of econometric models that imply a set of multiperiod conditional moment restrictions. These restrictions depend on an unknown parameter vector. We construct an extensive class of consistent, asymptotically normal estimators of this parameter vector and calculate the greatest lower bound for the asymptotic covariance matrices of estimators in this class. In so doing, we extend results reported by Hansen (1985) and Stoica, Soderstrom, and Friedlander (1985), by allowing for more general forms of nonlinearities and temporal dependence. Many dynamic econometric models imply that the expectation of a function of a currently observed data vector and an unknown parameter vector conditioned on information available at some point in the past is 0. We focus on models in which the conditioning information is lagged more than one time period, as in the models considered by Barro (1981), Dunn and Singleton (1986), Eichenbaum and Hansen (1987), Eichenbaum, Hansen, and Singleto...
From activated patient to pacified activist: A study of the self-care movement in the United States

Abstract Self-care education programs in operation in the United States during the mid-1980s are surveyed by mailed questionnaire to determine the nature and content of the curricula of these programs, their organizational sponsorship, the level and types of staff working in them, and their principal prevention emphases. Results indicate that over 75% of these programs offer instruction or sponsored activities intended to help individuals or their families to: (1) increase wellness or health status through lifestyle change: (2) reduce an established risk factor; and/or (3) prevent the onset of illness or injury. Fifty-five percent of the organizations offering these services classified themselves as health services delivery organizations. A surprising finding, given the American popular media treatment of self-care as a ‘movement’, is that relatively few laypersons function as instructors in these programs. The paper describes the way in which self-care has been absorbed into the mainstream of American health care, even though the concept of self-care has tended to drop from scholarly attention in the socio-medical sciences in the United States.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHEAR VISCOSITY AND STRUCTURE OF A MODEL COLLOIDAL SUSPENSION

We use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate whether two different structural quantities, free volume per particle and a metric for local translational order, can be related to the shear rate–dependent viscosity of a model colloidal fluid. Our results suggest that while the characteristic auto correlation time of the free volumes (a dynamic quantity) qualitatively tracks the shear viscosity of the fluid, the shear rate–dependent average free volume (a static quantity) does not. On the other hand, the translational order metric does appear to be strongly correlated to the shear viscosity over a wide range of conditions.
Entrainment of circus movement tachycardia utilizing an accessory pathway with long retrograde conduction times during ventricular and atrial stimulation

An unusual case is presented in which a circus movement tachycardia incorporating an accessory pathway with long retrograde conduction time was transiently entrained. Overdrive high right atrial stimulation produced entrainment without atrial fusion since collision of anterograde and retrograde impulses took place within the accessory pathway. Tachycardia termination occurred when, at a faster pacing rate, an atrial impulse that collided in the accessory pathway was blocked at the atrioventricular (AV) node. In contrast, the entrainment seen during right ventricular apical stimulation was characterized by the occurrence of both fusion and collision within the ventricles. The tachycardia was terminated when a pure paced impulse that collided in the normal pathway was blocked in a retrograde direction in the accessory pathway. These data indicate that: 1) transient entrainment of this arrhythmia (circus movement tachycardia) can be identified by the classical criteria used to diagnose it, provided that fusion and collision occur within the ventricles; and 2) the accessory pathway is the weak link for tachycardia termination only during ventricular pacing since the AV node is the weak link during atrial stimulation.
An adaptive algorithm for corrupted images

Noise is ever-present in communication channels and can produce devastating degradation to the images at the receiver end. In this paper, a novel approach to detecting different types of noise models in corrupted images is presented. Basically, it is a two-step process that has the ability to handle real-time applications due to its computational simplicity. The proposed algorithm handles error correction more efficiently in the second stage of processing, given a means to detect the type of noise present in the first stage. This algorithm will be verified and tested against existing methods on different noise models. Preliminary results show that this methodology can accurately detect and compensate for various noise sources common in multimedia applications, such as impulse, Gaussian, and uniform noise, with minimal loss to the integrity of the original digital image.
Effect of Hydroxyl-Functionalization on the Structure and Properties of Polypropylene

Hydroxyl-modified polypropylenes (PPOH) with side chains containing OH groups were synthesized by copolymerization of the propylene and undecenyloxytrimethylsilane monomers. Copolymers with hydroxyl concentration up to ∼4 mol % were produced by hydrolysis of the propylene–undecenyloxytrimethylsilane copolymers and their structural, thermal and rheological properties were compared with that of unmodified polypropylene (PP). The presence of H-bonding between the hydroxyl groups led to a densification of the amorphous domains and an increase in the glass-transition temperature with increasing hydroxyl concentration. The incorporation of comonomer in the PP backbone led to a reduction in the melting point, as predicted by Flory’s theory of melting point depression in copolymers. During crystallization, the OH containing polymer segments are excluded from the crystalline domains and their presence disrupt the growth behavior leading to reduced lamellar thickness, leaving the α-monoclinic crystal structure unaf...
The diagnosis of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade by 12-lead ECG. A technology assessment.

Objective This study was designed to determine the diagnostic value of 12-lead ECG for pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University hospital. Patients Hospitalized patients with and without pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Measurements and results In a blinded manner, we reviewed 12-lead ECGs from 136 patients with echocardiographically diagnosed pericardial effusions (12 of whom had cardiac tamponade) and from 19 control subjects without effusions. We examined the diagnostic value of three ECG signs: low voltage, PR segment depression, and electrical alternans. We found that all three ECG signs were specific but not sensitive for pericardial effusion (specificity, 89 to 100%; sensitivity, 1 to 17%) and cardiac tamponade (specificity, 86 to 99%; sensitivity, 0 to 42%). None of the ECG signs were associated with pericardial effusions of all sizes, but low voltage was associated with large and moderate pericardial effusions (odds ratio=2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.9 to 6.5; p=0.06) and with cardiac tamponade (odds ratio=4.7; 95% CI=1.1 to 21.0; p=0.004). In contrast, PR segment depression was associated only with cardiac tamponade (odds ratio=2.0; 95% CI=1.0 to 4.0; p=0.05), while electrical alternans was not associated with either pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade. Conclusions Low voltage and PR segment depression are ECG signs that are suggestive, but not diagnostic, of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Because these ECG findings cannot reliably identify these conditions, we conclude that 12-lead ECG is poorly diagnostic of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade.
Characteristics and treatability of urban runoff residuals

Abstract Characterization and treatability studies were conducted on stormwater residuals obtained from a field-assembled sedimentation basin in Racine, Wisconsin; from swirl and helical bend separators in Boston, Massachusetts; and from an in-line upsized storm conduit in Lansing, Michigan. The residuals were analyzed for the traditional parameters, namely solids, BOD 5 , COD, TOC, nutrients, as well as 9 metals, 8 pesticides and PCB. The characteristics varied considerably for different storm events and from site to site, and were also found to be considerably different in some areas to those of typical municipal residues or sludge. Bench scale treatability studies including gravity thickening, centrifugation, lime stabilization, buchner funnel filtration and capillary suction time demonstrated that all the sludges can be concentrated and dewatered readily by physical methods.
The uptake of I 131-labeled thyroxine and triiodothyronine by the neurohypophysis.

THE localization of I131 in the hypophysis of rabbits injected with I131- f labeled thyroxine was first reported by Joliot, Courrier, Horeau and Sue (1). This observation, which suggested a possible mechanism by which the level of circulating thyroxine controls the secretion of thyrotropin by the anterior pituitary, was confirmed by other workers (2-9) Surprisingly, however, it was found by all these investigators that the site of greatest concentration of I131 was not the anterior pituitary, but rather K the neurohypophysis. For example, Jensen and Clark (3) examined the I131-activity in different parts of the brain of normal and thyroidectomized rabbits injected with radiothyroxine, and, using both counting and radio-autographic technqiues, found that the I131 localized in the neural lobe of the pituitary and in the median eminence of the tuber cinereum, but not the pituitary and in the median
FeSe-MnSe phase relationships in the presence of excess iron

The subsolidus phase relationships of iron selenide and manganese selenide are examined both with and without excess metallic iron. In the presence of excess metal, where the situation is similar to that existing in steels, the FeSe-MnSe pseudobinary has a peritectic at 976 ±3°C (1249 K) with the following phases: Fe (<0.3 wt pctMn) (s), (Fe,Mn)Se(2.5 wt pet MnSe) (s), (Mn,Fe)Se(48.5 wt pct FeSe) (s), and a selenidiliquid (4.3Mn, 37.7Fe, 58 wt pet Se). A minimum is observed in the liquidus surface at ∼920°C and FeSe-9 wt pet MnSe. A qualitative liquidus surface is proposed for the Fe-FeSe-MnSe-Mn section on the basis of these results.
The Influence of Competitive and Cooperative Group Game Play on State Hostility

Most research on violent video game play suggests a positive relationship with aggression-related outcomes. Expanding this research, the current study examines the impact group size, game motivation, in-game behavior, and verbal aggression have on postgame play hostility. Consistent with previous research, group size and verbal aggression both displayed a significant positive relationship with hostility. From these results, avenues for future research on anti- and prosocial outcomes from group gaming are offered.
Heteroditopic ruthenium(II) bipyridyl receptor with adjacent saccharide and phosphate binding sites

Abstract A luminescent ruthenium(II) bipyridyl receptor with pendant boronic acids is synthesized and shown to bind phosphorylated sugars in water. The association constant for fructose-6-phosphate is log Ka = 3.1 M−1 at 298 °K. The receptor simultaneously binds saccharide phophate sitive cooperativity.
The Frequency Behavior of the Intermodulation Distortions of Modified Uni-Traveling Carrier Photodiodes Based on Modulated Voltage Measurements

The effect of modulated voltage on the nonlinear response of an InGaAs-InP charge-compensated modified uni-traveling carrier photodiode is characterized using a modulated bias measurement setup. Based on experimental results for the dependence of responsivity and photodetector capacitance on bias voltage, we use a simple equivalent circuit model to explain the frequency characteristics of the intermodulation distortions caused by the modulated bias. Good agreement has been achieved between the simulation and measurement.
Age-related changes in the asthmatic phenotype in children.

Purpose of reviewTo review the changes in the asthma phenotype as children progress from childhood into young adulthood.Recent findingsSome children with asthma in the early school years improve symptomatically during adolescence and young adulthood, with less frequent remissions and increased relap
Grain shapes and growth kinetics of the cylinder phase in a block copolymer solution

The ordering kinetics of the cylinder phase were characterized using polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Measurements were made on a poly(styrene-b-isoprene) diblock copolymer with block lengths o...
ICU Sedation: A Review of Its Pharmacology and Assessment

The need for appropriate sedation in the intensive care unit is paramount. Critically ill patients are exposed to multiple adverse stimuli stemming from both their illness and their environment. If left unchecked, these stimuli may often produce potentially harmful physiologic sequelae in patients who already have compromised physiologic reserve. The most useful sedative agents in such circumstances are those which are readily titratable and have manageable side effects. This typically focuses discussion on the intravenous administration of analgesic sedatives (opioids), anxiolytic and amnestic sedatives (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, etomidate, propofol), dissociative sedatives (ketamine), and the antipsychotic sedatives (butyrophenones). With ready titratability, though, comes the need for efficient monitoring and assessment of the degree of sedation. While no measure is without bias, this can effectively be done via the subjective means of a sedation scoring scheme or the more objective means of elect...
Long-term follow-up of polymyalgia rheumatica: Evidence for synovitis

Records of all patients with the diagnoses of PR or GCA who were seen at the Mason Clinic between 1968 and March 1981 were reviewed. The number of patients with biopsyproven temporal arteritis is complete since it was drawn from the log of biopsy specimens in the Section of Pathology. The records of polymyalgia patients were retrieved from the computer bank which includes most but not every patient with that diagnosis who was seen at the Mason Clinic during the study period. The diagnosis of PR was based on age greater than 50 years and three of the following: (1) pain in the neck, shoulder, or pelvic girdle; (2) marked morning stiffness, lasting more than one hour; (3) elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); and (4) rapid response to 20 mg prednisone or less. A positive test for rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibody excluded the diagnosis. For 75% of the patients, information was available in the chart since they were followed at the Mason Clinic. All of them had been seen on at least one occasion by a rheumatologist. By letter or phone call to the patient or family physician it was possible to determine whether those patients who were not followed by us were still taking prednisone, still had symptoms, or had developed evidence of GCA, RA, other significant disease, or corticosteroid toxicity. The follow-up information was quite complete. Information was unavailable for only nine patients. Sixteen were followed for one year and the remainder from one to 16 years,
Long-term outcome of ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol ablation of selected "recurrent" neck nodal metastases in 25 patients with TNM stages III or IVA papillary thyroid carcinoma previously treated by surgery and 131I therapy.

Background Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol ablation (UPEA) of neck nodal metastases (NNM) has rarely been reported in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with advanced localized disease. Methods We ablated 25 PTC patients with stage III or IVA disease (mean age 58 years) who had “recurrent” NNM after surgery and 131 I therapy. Diagnosis of 37 selected NNM was proven by ultrasound-guided biopsy. UPEA was usually performed in 2 outpatient sessions. Results After UPEA, 35 of 37 NNM (95%) decreased in size. None had significant Doppler flow. Seventeen (46%) disappeared on rescanning. Serum thyroglobulin fell in 19 of 22 (86%) without thyroglobulin autoantibodies. None of the UPEA-treated NNM, followed on average for 5.4 years, required further intervention. Six patients (24%) subsequently developed 18 “new” recurrences. Of the 18, 15 (83%) were managed successfully by UPEA rather than operation. None of the 25 patients developed permanent hoarseness or have died from PTC. At our institution, where patients undergoing nodal dissections are charged $35–45,000, each outpatient UPEA procedure saves health providers approximately $38,400. Our 25 ablated patients, by avoiding 40 further neck reexplorations, on average, saved $61,440 in charges. Conclusion UPEA for NNM in advanced localized PTC has proved safe and effective. It is also considerably less expensive than the conventional operative alternative of nodal dissection.
Effects of multi-element acoustic treatment on compressor inlet noise

An analytic and experimental study was conducted with the objective of developing both a basic understanding of axially segmented inlet acoustic treatment liners, and design procedures for enhancing the suppression of compressor inlet radiated noise. Anechoic chamber measurements demonstrated that the multielement treatment produced significantly more low frequency suppression than uniform treatment. Further, in-duct spinning mode patterns generated by the rotating vehicle were successfully measured and used as input to an analytical prediction procedure, providing significant improvement in inlet suppression predictions. The study indicated that phased inlet liners can be designed to provide increased noise suppression compared to uniform treatment.
Expression of the Leishmania tarentolae ubiquitin-encoding and mini-exon genes

To develop models for transcription and trans-splicing in kinetoplastid protozoa, we have characterized ubiquitin (Ubi) gene organization and mRNA processing in Leishmania tarentolae (Lt). Three ubi loci were characterized: two discrete Ubi-extension protein 52 (EP52)-encoding genes (ubiA and ubiB) and a polymorphic polyubiquitin-encoding gene (ubiC). The three loci resided on chromosomes of 2.05 Mb, 630 kb and 2.9 Mb, respectively. On the basis of upstream flanking gene identity, ubiB appears to be the homologue of the tandemly repeated ubi-EP52/1 and 2 in Trypanosoma brucei (Tb). Similar to Trypanosoma cruzi, Lt did not contain a homologue of the ubi-EP76 that has been found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and multicellular organisms. All three Lt ubi loci were transcribed. The primary transcripts from the ubi loci were processed at the 5'-end by trans-splicing with the mini-exon. A Lt mini-exon gene (min) that gave rise to a 95-nt primary transcript, which is the second template in the trans-splicing reaction, was also characterized.
Near- and Mid-Infrared Transmission Cells for the Study of Reverse Micelle Phases in Supercritical Fluids

The design and construction of near- and mid-infrared transmission cells for the study of liquid, gaseous, and fluid systems at elevated pressures and temperatures are described. The cells can be used to pressures as high as 800 bar and temperatures exceeding 100°C. Typical spectra of reverse micelle phases in liquid propane and supercritical xenon through the near- and mid-infrared range are presented. The utility of applying FT-IR spectroscopy, and the transmission cells described here, to study reverse micelle and micro-emulsion phases in supercritical fluids is clearly demonstrated.
The mechanism of acicular ferrite in weld deposits

Abstract Research has shown that the acicular ferrite microstructure in steel weld metal, which provides an optimum combination of strength and toughness, is indeed intragranularly nucleated bainite. It is possible to maximize the content of acicular ferrite by increasing the intragranular nucleation sites while maintaining a critical weld metal cooling rate and the steel hardenability. This paper highlights recent research related to nucleation and growth of acicular ferrite during decomposition of austenite.
Atmospheric oxidation of 1,3-butadiene: characterization of gas and aerosol reaction products and implications for PM 2.5

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was generated by irradiating 1,3-butadiene (13BD) in the presence of H2O2 or NOx. Experiments were conducted in a smog chamber operated in either flow or batch mode. A filter/denuder sampling system was used for simultaneously collecting gas- and particle-phase products. The chemical composition of the gas phase and SOA was analyzed using derivative-based methods (BSTFA, BSTFA + PFBHA, or DNPH) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the derivative compounds. The analysis showed the occurrence of more than 60 oxygenated organic compounds in the gas and particle phases, of which 31 organic monomers were tentatively identified. The major identified products include glyceric acid, d-threitol, erythritol, d-threonic acid, meso-threonic acid, erythrose, malic acid, tartaric acid, and carbonyls including glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, acrolein, malonaldehyde, glyceraldehyde, and peroxyacryloyl nitrate (APAN). Some of these were detected in ambient PM2.5 samples, and could potentially serve as organic markers of 13BD. Furthermore, a series of oligoesters were detected and found to be produced through chemical reactions occurring in the aerosol phase between compounds bearing alcoholic groups and compounds bearing acidic groups. SOA was analyzed for organic mass to organic carbon (OM /OC) ratio, effective enthalpy of vaporization (Δ Hvapeff), and aerosol yield. The average OM /OC ratio and SOA density were 2.7 ± 0.09 and 1.2 ± 0.05, respectively. The average Δ Hvapeff was −26.08 ± 1.46 kJ mol−1, a value lower than that of isoprene SOA. The average laboratory SOA yield measured in this study at aerosol mass concentrations between 22.5 and 140.2 μg m−3 was 0.025 ± 0.011, a value consistent with the literature (0.021–0.178). While the focus of this study has been examination of the particle-phase measurements, the gas-phase photooxidation products have also been examined. The contribution of SOA products from 13BD oxidation to ambient PM2.5 was investigated by analyzing a series of ambient PM2.5 samples collected in several locations around the United States. In addition to the occurrence of several organic compounds in field and laboratory samples, glyceric acid, d-threitol, erythritol, erythrose, and threonic acid were found to originate only from the oxidation of 13BD based on our previous experiments involving chamber oxidation of a series of hydrocarbons. Initial attempts have been made to quantify the concentrations of these compounds. The average concentrations of these compounds in ambient PM2.5 samples from the California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) study ranged from 0 to approximately 14.1 ng m−3. The occurrence of several other compounds in both laboratory and field samples suggests that SOA originating from 13BD oxidation could contribute to the ambient aerosol mainly in areas with high 13BD emission rates.
Attentively efficient controllers for event-triggered feedback systems

State dependent event-triggered systems sample the system state when the difference between the current state and the last sampled state exceeds a state-dependent threshold. These systems exhibit the efficient attentiveness property when the the length of the inter-sampling interval increases monotonically as the sampled state approaches the equilibrium. The efficient attentiveness property may partly explain why event-triggered systems sometimes exhibit inter-sampling intervals that are much longer than those found in comparably performing periodically sampled control systems. This paper establishes sufficient conditions under which an event-triggered system is attentively efficient. These conditions depend on the relative rates of growth in the class K functions used in dissipative characterizations of the input-to-state stability (ISS) property. Since these functions determine the type of controller used by the system, these results suggest that a suitable choice of controller has a greatly increase the inter-sampling intervals seen in event-triggered control systems. In other words, the design of attentively efficient event-triggers with sufficiently long sampling intervals may really be an issue of nonlinear controller design.
Holographic bound in Brans-Dicke cosmology

We apply the holographic principle to Brans-Dicke cosmology. We analyze the holographic bound in both the Jordan and Einstein frames. The holographic bound is satisfied for both the $k=0$ and $k=\ensuremath{-}1$ universes, but it is violated for the $k=1$ matter-dominated universe.
Inferences Using DNA Profiling in Forensic Identification and Paternity Cases

Forensic laboratories use lengths of fragments from several locations of human DNA to decide whether a sample of body fluid left at the scene of a crime came from a suspect or whether a sample recovered from a suspect's clothing is the victim's. Using an inferential approach called "match/binning," they first decide whether there is a match between the lengths of DNA fragments from the suspect and crime samples. If there is a match, they then calculate a "match proportion." This is the proportion of a data base of DNA fragment lengths that would similarly match, that is, occur in an interval or "bin" containing the fragment length of the crime sample. Match/binning is a reasonable inferential method in a scientific setting, and in other settings that allow for flexibility, but it has several characteristics that make it undesirable for use in courts. One is that it is based on a yes/no decision: there is an arbitrary cut-off point and some fragments deemed not to match can be arbitrarily close to others that do match. Another is that the same match proportion applies for suspects whose fragment lengths just barely match the lengths of the corresponding fragments in a crime sample as for suspects whose fragment lengths match perfectly. This article describes an alternative approach, one that is not based on a yes/no match criterion. The distribution of a laboratory's measure- ment errors is used to infer the form of the likelihood function. Then the likelihood ratio of guilt to innocence is calculated and Bayes' theorem is applied. The focus of this approach is the contribution of the DNA evidence to the probability that a suspect is guilty. An important step is estimating the population distribution of fragment lengths, attemp- ting to account for both laboratory measurement error and sampling variability. The two approaches are compared in an actual murder case (New York v. Castro). Applying a laboratory's match criterion literally re- sulted in an exclusion, but its scientists claimed a match and calculated a match proportion that was very small. Applying Bayes' theorem shows that the correct conclusion is far less clear. DNA profiling is also useful in inferring parentage, for example in cases of disputed paternity. Bayes' theorem allows for calculating the probability that an alleged father is the true father.
Ocean Radar Backscatter Relationship with Near-Surface Winds: A Case Study during FASINEX

A case study of the ocean radar backscatter dependence on near-surface wind and wind stress is presented using the data obtained on February 18, 1986 during the Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment. The particular wind-wave conditions and their variations across a sharp sea surface temperature front are described. The small change in wind speed across the front cannot account for the large change in wind stress implying significant changes in the drag coefficient and surface roughness length. The results strengthen the hypothesis that radar backscatter is closely correlated to wind stress, and therefore, could be used for remote sensing of the wind stress itself over the global oceans.
Estrogen increases G protein coupled receptor kinase 2 in the cortex of female rats.

Abstract Treatment of ovariectomized female rats with estrogen for 2 days reduces α2-adrenoceptor binding density by 25%, increases G protein coupled receptor kinase (GRK) activity by 50% and elevates GRK 2 protein levels by 50% in the frontal cortex. These results suggest that estrogen may decrease α2-adrenoceptor expression in the frontal cortex of female rats by regulating GRK 2.
The role of prophylactic tamsulosin (Flomax®) on obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms in patients undergoing prostate 125i seed implants for prostate carcinoma: a single institution double-blind randomized study

Materials/Methods: A double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized trial for patients undergoing 125I prostate implant (PI) comparing prophylactic tamsulosin vs placebo was performed. Eligibility criteria included patients undergoing PI, who were not taking tamsulosin or other alpha-blockers prior to PI. Patients received either placebo or tamsulosin (0.8 mg to be taken PO once a day). All patients started the medication 4 days prior to prostate implant and continued for a duration of 60 days. Patients were taken off the study if they developed urinary retention, had intolerable urinary symptoms, or wished to discontinue the trial. The American Urologic Association (AUA) symptom index questionnaire was used at baseline and on a weekly basis for 8 weeks to assess the irritative and obstructive urinary symptoms after PI. Irritative urinary symptoms included nocturia, urgency, and daytime urinary frequency. Obstructive urinary symptoms included the force of urinary stream, hesitancy, feeling of bladder emptiness, and straining to start urination. Irritative and obstructive symptoms were evaluated for the entire study period utilizing repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and unpaired t-tests for week by week comparisons.
Thin film conductive polymers on aluminum surfaces: interfacial charge-transfer and anticorrosion aspects

We studied conductive polymers as an anti-corrosion coating on 7075-T6 aluminum alloys. A double strand polyaniline molecular complex was used as the coating material. The new double strand polyaniline complex is advantageous compared with the traditional polyaniline by improvements in processability and stability. Potentiodynamic tests show that the coating is effective for protection against corrosion. The results are consistent with a passive film formation protection mechanism. Further data shows the coating provides additional corrosion protection for the metal surface when a scratch is present on the surface, suggesting the coatings have damage resistant properties.
Scattering properties of natural snow and frost - Comparison with icy satellite photometry

The Hapke (1986) equation is presently fit to ascertain the single-scattering albedo of the icy satellites of Uranus and Neptune and the one-term Henyey-Greenstein particle-phase function g for each of the Middleton and Mungall (1952) goniophotometric data samples. There emerge both very high single-scattering albedos and strongly forward-scattering particle phase functions; while these are in keeping with Mie theory-based theoretical considerations, they contrast with the observed backscattering behavior of icy satellites. It is suggested the icy satellite frost grains are aggregated into particles of complex texture, which produce the unusual backscattering behavior.
Silencing herpes simplex virus with a vaginal microbicide.

Vaginal application of small interfering RNA fragments specific to a gene for herpes simplex virus 2 prevented infection in mice.
CRISPR-Cas Immunity against Phages: Its Effects on the Evolution and Survival of Bacterial Pathogens

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loci are arrays of short repeats separated by equally short “spacer” sequences [1]–[3]. Along with the CRISPR-associated (cas) genes, they encode an adaptive immune system of archaea and bacteria that protects the cell against viral infection [4]. Remarkably, this system is capable of inserting a short piece of an infecting viral genome as a spacer in the CRISPR array [4], [5] (Figure 1A). The spacer sequence is transcribed and processed to generate a small antisense RNA (the CRISPR RNA or crRNA) (Figure 1B) [6] that is used as a guide for the recognition and destruction of the invader in subsequent infections (Figure 1C) [7]. Thus, spacer acquisition immunizes the bacterium and its progeny against the virus from which it was taken. Because spacers are incorporated in sequential order, CRISPR loci reflect the history of viral infection of the host. Cas proteins participate in all the different steps of this pathway, namely the insertion of spacer sequences into the CRISPR array [8], [9], the biogenesis of crRNAs [10], [11], and the destruction of the infecting viral genome [12], [13]. Figure 1 The CRISPR immunity pathway. Distribution of CRISPR-Cas Loci among Bacterial Pathogens In spite of the unique role that CRISPR-Cas loci play in antiviral defense, they are not universal. To date, the CRISPR database [14], a webtool that determines the presence of CRISPR arrays in completed genomes, indicates that 119/141 archaeal (84%) and 1012/2113 bacterial (48%) genomes contain CRISPR loci. In bacteria, there are species in which all strains have CRISPR loci, some in which only some strains have these loci, and species without strains having CRISPR loci. Therefore it is not possible to determine unequivocally that lack of CRISPR in certain strains or species is due to loss of these loci. However, because CRISPR sequences are spread thorough horizontal gene transfer [15], [16] and can be easily lost [17]–[20], it has been hypothesized recently that CRISPR are in a constant state of flux and can appear and disappear depending on the selective forces of the environment [20]. The same type of uneven distribution is found when we look at the presence of CRISPR loci in bacterial pathogens in the CRISPR database (http://crispr.u-psud.fr/crispr/).
AGA technical review: malnutrition and cachexia, chronic diarrhea, and hepatobiliary disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Abstract Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary system are among the most common complications associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These disorders not only result in major morbidity but mortality as well. With increasing use of prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, the incidence of opportunistic gastrointestinal disorders has increased. 1–3 Significant progress has been made in the last decade in characterizing the spectrum of pathogens involving the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary systems, determining the pathophysiological mechanisms of these diverse processes, and defining management options. Despite these encouraging advancements, many questions remain unanswered. The purpose of this review is to evaluate and synthesize the published clinical research pertaining to three important HIV-related complications: malnutrition and cachexia, chronic diarrhea, and hepatobiliary disease. A separate review addresses disorders of the esophagus. 4 Attention here is focused on etiology and pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnostic strategies, and efficacy of current treatment options. Recommendations for managing patients with these complications are provided based on the weight of the clinical evidence. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1996;111:1724-1752