cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of effectiveness of excimer laser angioplasty in patients with acute coronary syndromes in those with versus those without normal left ventricular function.

Depressed left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) adversely affects procedural outcome during percutaneous coronary revascularization. This study examined the acute results, effectiveness, and safety of excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) in patients with acute coronary ischemic syndromes whose LVEF was depressed (<40%) versus those with preserved LVEF. One hundred patients with acute coronary syndromes (51 with unstable angina and 49 with acute myocardial infarction) underwent ELCA. Twenty-five patients (group 1) (29 lesions; 72% thrombotic) had decreased LVEF (mean 28 ± 6%) and 75 patients (group 2) (81 lesions; 60% thrombotic) had preserved LVEF (mean 53 ± 8%). Group 1 had a higher incidence of 3-vessel disease, Q-wave acute myocardial infarcton, cardiogenic shock, diabetes, and hypertension. High laser success (87% group 1 vs 93% group 2, p = NS) and procedural success (93% group 1 vs 98% group 2, p = NS) were achieved in both groups. Minimal luminal diameter in group 1 increased from 0.7 ± 0.5 to 1.4 ± 0.5 mm after the laser procedure and finally to 3.0 ± 0.4 mm; in group 2, minimal luminal diameter increased from 0.7 ± 0.4 to 1.3 ± 0.5 mm after the procedure to a final of 3.0 ± 0.5 mm. The laser energy vaporized 75% of thrombus burden from the target lesion in group 1 versus 79% in group 2 (p = NS). Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow in group 1 increased from 1.4 ± 1.2 to 2.7 ± 0.7 by laser and finally to 2.9 ± 0.3, and in group 2 from 2.0 ± 1.0 to 2.8 ± 0.6 after the laser procedure to a final of 2.9 ± 0.4. There were no deaths, emergency bypass surgeries, strokes, or acute vessel closures in either group. Thus, ELCA is a safe and feasible revascularization modality for patients with acute coronary syndromes whose LVEF is depressed. The laser energy vaporizes a large thrombus burden from the treated plaque. Angiographic intracoronary thrombus does not adversely affect device and procedural success in these select patients.
Field curvature aberration

This paper provides an overview of field curvature aberration correction. It is known that for sharp imaging on a flat surface the Petzval sum must be zero or nearly so. However, current lenses for mobile phones depart from this principle to some extent. We provide an insightful discussion about some mechanisms for the correction of field curvature aberration.
A low-power, radiation-resistant ASIC for SDD-based x-ray spectrometers

We present an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for high resolution X-ray spectrometers (XRS) in radiation harsh environment (such as Jovian system). The ASIC was designed to read out signals from low resistivity pixelated Silicon-Drift-Detectors (SDD) to ensure radiation hardness. The readout is done by wire-bonding the anodes to the inputs of the ASIC. The ASIC dissipates 32 mW and provides 16 channels of low-noise charge amplification, high-order shaping with baseline stabilization, discrimination, pile-up rejection, and peak detection with analog memory. The readout is sparse and based on a custom low-power tri-stable low-voltage differential signaling digital interface. A unit of 64 SDD pixels, read out by four ASICs, covers an area of 12.8 cm2, and dissipates less than 20 mW/cm2. The ASICs were powered on and irradiated using a beam line with 203 MeV protons, to total doses ranging from 0.25 Mrad to 12 Mrad. Performance degradation due to radiation-induced leakage current was observed to peak around 2 Mrad dose. Critical contributors to the degradation were identified through simulation and measurements, and corresponding circuitry was thus modified to address the issues. Measurements on the radiation-resistant design have shown excellent radiation resistance at total doses ranging from 1 to 8 Mrad.
Efficient Impulse Momentum Formulation for Multi-Flexible Body Systems

This paper presents the generalization of the divide and conquer impulse momentum formulation to systems with flexible bodies. The approach utilizes a hierarchic assembly-disassembly process by traversing the system topology in a binary tree map to solve for the jumps in the system generalized speeds and the constraint impulsive loads in linear and logarithmic cost in serial and parallel implementations, respectively. The coupling between the unilateral and bilateral constraints is handled efficiently through the use of kinematic joint definitions. The equations of motion for the system are produced in a hierarchic sub-structured form. The generalized impulse momenta equations of flexible bodies are derived using a projection method. The equations are then cast into a format amenable to be incorporated in the basic divide and conquer form. The solution of the equations using the hierarchic assembly disassembly process by using the boundary conditions are discussed for free floating, anchored trees and kinematically closed loop systems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Temporal Filtering of Reward Signals in the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex during a Mixed-Strategy Game

The process of decision making in humans and other animals is adaptive and can be tuned through experience so as to optimize the outcomes of their choices in a dynamic environment. Previous studies have demonstrated that the anterior cingulate cortex plays an important role in updating the animal's behavioral strategies when the action outcome contingencies change. Moreover, neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex often encode the signals related to expected or actual reward. We investigated whether reward-related activity in the anterior cingulate cortex is affected by the animal's previous reward history. This was tested in rhesus monkeys trained to make binary choices in a computer-simulated competitive zero-sum game. The animal's choice behavior was relatively close to the optimal strategy but also revealed small systematic biases that are consistent with the use of a reinforcement learning algorithm. In addition, the activity of neurons in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex that was related to the reward received by the animal in a given trial often was modulated by the rewards in the previous trials. Some of these neurons encoded the rate of rewards in previous trials, whereas others displayed activity modulations more closely related to the reward prediction errors. In contrast, signals related to the animal's choices were represented only weakly in this cortical area. These results suggest that neurons in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex might be involved in the subjective evaluation of choice outcomes based on the animal's reward history.
The application of ab initio molecular orbital theory to structural moieties of carbohydrates

Abstract Ab initio molecular orbital calculations were made on methoxymethanol, a model for the hemiacetal and acetal moieties in aldopyranoses and methyl aldopyranosides, thereby improving on the previous calculations using methanediol. The new calculations confirmed the favored conformations already deduced, and gave, for the conformational-energy differences and CO bond-length variations, values more appropriate to the carbohydrate systems, as confirmed by a re-examination of the experimental data from crystal-structure determinations. From the results, it was predicted that the OCH3 bond in methyl aldopyranosides is lengthened; this is supported by the experimental data. An examination of the angles and bond-lengths in the pyranoid ring and of the linkage bonds of oligosaccharides indicated that similar electronic effects involving the oxygen lone-pair electrons apply to oligo- and poly-saccharides.
Control of ciliary motility: A unifying hypothesis

Ciliary motility in ciliates such as Paramecium or Tetrahymena is the mechanism by which cellular behaviour is regulated and on which survival depends. As a consequence, protozoan cilia have elaborate sensing systems built into them, probably by intraciliary transport (ICT-orthologous to intraflagellar transport). As a response to stimuli, 2nd messenger concentration around the axoneme increases. A unifying hypothesis suggests that for rapid responses the 2nd messengers act on axonemal dynein to change the rates of doublet sliding, which in turn affects ciliary parameters that control behaviour.
A Study on Clay Particle Effect to the Mechanical Properties of Pultruded Composites Under Shear Loading

A micromechanical investigation aimed at examining the mechanical behavior of pultruded polymer composites containing hexagonal platelet shaped fillers under shear loading is presented. Micromechanical models that account for the presence of inhomogeneities such as the clay fillers and voids in matrix materials were developed to estimate the inplane shear properties. The analytical results were obtained based on the consideration of shape effect of filler and void, and then were compared with the properties determined by an experimental program. For the experiments, pultruded polymer composites containing clay fillers and voids as well as E-glass fiber and vinylester resin were selected, analyzed and tested under shear loading. The effects of the volume fractions of the constituents on the mechanical properties of the composites were also investigated.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Interspecies pharmacokinetic scaling of BSH in mice, rats, rabbits, and humans.

Sodium mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate or BSH is an important compound for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The total clearance and steady state volume of distribution of BSH in humans and in laboratory animals were analyzed as a function of species body weight using the allometric equation for interspecies scaling. Significant linear relationships were obtained between log CL t (Lh -1 ) and log W(kg) (r = 0.972 ; p = 0.028) as well as log V SS (L) and log W(kg) (r = 0.999 ; p = 0.0005). The corresponding allometric equations were CL t =0.127 W 0.68 and V SS =1.557 W 0.87 , respectively. BSH clearance in various species was shown to be a constant fraction (0.26) of creatinine clearance, the relationship being independent of body weight. Thus BSH clearance in various species occurred at similar pace when measured by a physiological parameter (creatinine clearance) rather than chronological time. Interspecies scale-up of plasma concentration-time data for the four species using a complex Dedrick plot resulted in similar profiles. Our results indicate that the BSH data obtained in laboratory animals could be utilized to generate preliminary estimates of the pharmacokinetic parameters in humans. These parameters can serve as guidelines for better planning of clinical studies.
Composition of Ceanothus Gregii Oil as Determined by Steam Distillation and Solid-Phase Microextraction

Abstract Ceanothus gregii Gray was collected from the Jornada Experimental Range in south central New Mexico. Current year's growth was collected from ten plants found within an approximate 50 m radius of N32°40.605′ and W106°33.486′at an altitude of 1,741 m during July 2001. Composite samples of the plants were steam distilled in triplicate, and the composite oil was analyzed using both GC-FID and GC/MS. The volatile composition of the same plants was also examined using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with a 100 mm polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Mass spectra and retention indices were used to identify 41 previously described compounds. Methyl salicylate (16.8%), hexanal (11.8%) and decanal (7.0%) were the major identified compounds.
Inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 derived from gp41 transmembrane protein: structure--activity studies.

We synthesized analogues of gp41(553−590), 1, and evaluated them for their inhibitory activity against HIV-1 in MT4 cell assay (IC50(1) = 2.7 μM). (The numbering scheme for gp41 (e.g., gp41(553−590) for 1) adapted throughout the text is from ref 6.) Gradual truncation of either the N- or C- terminal end of gp41(553−590) resulted in a substantial loss of inhibitory properties of resulting compounds. Unexpectedly, simultaneous truncations of both N- and C- termini of gp41(553−590) resulted in a potent heptadecamer, 13, IC50 = 10.4 μM. Coupling of a racemic α-aminotetradecanoic acid (Atd) to gp41 fragments afforded diastereomeric conjugates, most of which were chromatographically separable. In this series, pentadecamer 27 had an IC50 of 8.9 μM, while its Atd diastereomer 28 was much less inhibitory. This finding is consistent with relative inhibitory potencies of other Atd-containing diastereomeric pairs and could reflect a chiral sense of Atd residue interacting with the receptor. Compounds 13 and 27, which...
Preschool Classroom Teachers' Perceptions of Useful Music Skills and Understandings

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the music skills and understanding taught during preservice training that in-service preschool classroom teachers perceived, as practical and beneficial. A 31-item questionnaire was developed and mailed to directors of 89 public and. private preschool programs where music specialists were not used. The mailing resulted in a return of 210 individually returned forms, representing 66% of the total mailing. Results demonstrated that the teacher skills and. understandings that were considered most useful were those that provided students with direct music experiences. These skills, which teachers learned in preservice training, included movement activities, using rhythm instruments, and singing experiences. More traditional music skills and understandings, such as those taught in courses such as music theory and. history, were not perceived to be useful to preschool instructors. Descriptive information revealed that although most teachers held a college degree...
Esterase polymorphisms in Microtus ochrogaster: interaction and linkage.

Three polymorphic loci have been identified in the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster. Together they control a group of plasma esterases which can be separated using starch gel electrophoresis. A structural locus, Es-1, produces an enzyme which from genetic evidence appears to be a dimer. The allele Es-1a produces a wholly active subunit, and homozygotes give a single enzyme band. The product of the second allele, Es-1o, cannot form active enzyme on its own but will dimerize with the Es-1a subunit, giving a hybrid enzyme with a slower electrophoretic mobility than the pure Es-1a enzyme. The third allele, Es-1−, has no detectable product. A second structural locus, Es-2, is linked to Es-1. The allele Es-2a produces a single enzyme band, but the second allele Es-2− has no detectable product. A modifier locus, Me, changes the mobility of the Es-1 enzymes. Mef is dominant over mes, and in homozygotes for mes the mobility is reduced.
‘Seeing voices’: fused visual/auditory verbal hallucinations reported by three persons with schizophrenia‐spectrum disorder

Objective: The neurocognitive basis of verbal/auditory hallucinations remains uncertain. A leading hypothesis is that these hallucinations correspond to ordinary inner speech mislabeled as non-self. However, some studies suggest pathogenic activation of receptive language neurocircuitry as the cause. A form of visualized verbal hallucinations not previously reported in the literature is described that may shed light on this controversy. Method: Review of three cases. Results: Two patients described visual hallucinations of speech-like lip and mouth movements fused with simultaneous auditory verbal hallucinations superimposed on perceptions of faces of actual persons in their immediate environment. A third patient described similar experiences incorporated into visual hallucinations of human figures who also exhibited finger and hand movements corresponding to American Sign Language. Conclusion: These fused, multimodal verbal hallucinations seem unlikely to be due to inner speech mislabeled as non-self, and instead suggest top-down re-shaping of activation in visual processing brain centers by pathogenically active receptive language neurocircuitry.
Cube corner retroreflector test and analysis

Cube corner retroreflectors with nominal dihedral angles of 90 deg 0 min 1.5 sec were fabricated, tested, and analyzed to determine the return energy in the annular ring of the far field diffraction pattern required by the Laser Geodynamic Satellite. Performance was assessed for variations in the dihedral angles, optical surfaces, and thermal environment. Despite relatively high independent axial and radial sensitivities, the changes caused by the anticipated thermal environment were found to be negligible; however, there were substantial variations between the analytical predictions and measured performance.-
Mediastinal Staging Prior to Surgical Resection

Documenting the anatomic extent of lung cancer before surgical resection has value in therapeutic decision-making. In the past, documenting mediastinal disease spared the patient the morbidity of an exploratory thoracotomy. 1 Currently, the presence of stage IIIA lung cancer is an indication for neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. 2 In the future, it is likely that tissue biopsies will be used for biomarkers staging, 3 tissue typing for oncogenic mutations, 4 and/or drug sensitivity testing. 5 The pathophysiologic assumption in cancer staging is that the progressive growth of the primary tumor eventually leads to the embolic spread of metastatic cells to the lymphatic system and subsequently to the blood circulation. This predictable sequence of tumor progression has led to staging systems designed to provide consistent descriptions of the anatomic extent of cancers at specific times in their clinical progression. Denoix and colleagues
Decreased Response of Human Milk Leukocytes to Chemoattractant Peptides

ABSTRACT. To test the hypothesis that neutrophils and macrophages in human milk may not defend by classical inflammatory mechanisms, experiments were conducted to ascertain whether adherence, orientation, and directed motility of these leukocytes would be enhanced by exposure to chemoattractant peptides including N-formyl-L-methionyl- L-phenylalanine and N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl- L-phenylalanine and C5a generated from zymosan activated human serum. Adherence and spatial orientation were tested on coverglasses and in Zigmond chambers, and chemotaxis was examined by Boyden chambers and a subagarose technique. Whereas, the adherence, orientation, and directed movement of adult peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes were significantly enhanced by those chemotactic agents, human milk leukocytes failed to respond. The failure of the response of human milk leukocytes was not due to alterations in maternal peripheral blood leukocytes but appeared to be due partially to inhibitors in human milk. The experiments suggest that human milk leukocytes may be modified in the mammary gland to protect by noninflammatory mechanisms.
Propensity Representations of Probability

In recent years a propensity interpretation of probability, thought of primarily as an objective interpretation, has become popular with a number of philosophers, and there has developed a rather large philosophical literature on it. The concept of propensity itself is not a new one. The Oxford English Dictionary cites clear and simple uses of propensity and its general meaning already in the seventeenth century, for example, from 1660 ‘Why have those plants...a propensity of sending forth roots?’ So the idea of this interpretation of probability is to use the general physical idea of objects having various physical propensities, for example, a propensity to dissolve when placed in water, and to extend this idea to that of probability. As is also clear from these discussions, propensities can be looked upon as dispositions (a rather detailed discussion of this point can be found in Chapter 4 of Mellor, 1971).
Filopodia are induced by aquaporin-9 expression

Abstract Understanding filopodial formation in motile cells is a pertinent task in cell biology. In the present study we show that expression of the human water channel aquaporin-9 (AQP9) in different cell lines induces the formation of numerous filopodial extensions. Several lines of evidence support the role of aquaporins functioning both as a water channel and signaling participant. The number of filopodia is decreased by site-directed serine substitutions in putative PKC-binding or -phosphorylation sites at amino acid position 11 and 222 in AQP9. The filopodial phenotype obtained with wild-type AQP9 is associated with elevated levels of active Cdc42, while serine-deleted mutants have reduced levels of GTP-Cdc42. Co-transfection with inhibitory N-WASP CRIB completely abolishes wild-type AQP9-induced filopodia formation. Active PKCζ phosphorylates wild-type AQP9 and myristoylated PKCζ pseudosubstrate inhibits the formation of filopodia in AQP9-expressing cells. Expression of wild-type AQP9, but not mock or serine substituted mutants, increases sensitivity to hypo-osmolaric conditions, yielding a rapid morphological rounding of cells and cell death starting as early as 24 h post-transfection. We propose that increased water influx through AQP9 is critically involved in the formation of membrane protrusions, and that AQP9-induced actin polymerization is augmented by activation of Cdc42 and PKCζ.
In vivo cross-linking reveals principally oligomeric forms of α-synuclein and β-synuclein in neurons and non-neural cells.

Aggregation of α-synuclein (αSyn) in neurons produces the hallmark cytopathology of Parkinson disease and related synucleinopathies. Since its discovery, αSyn has been thought to exist normally in cells as an unfolded monomer. We recently reported that αSyn can instead exist in cells as a helically folded tetramer that resists aggregation and binds lipid vesicles more avidly than unfolded recombinant monomers (Bartels, T., Choi, J. G., and Selkoe, D. J. (2011) Nature 477, 107–110). However, a subsequent study again concluded that cellular αSyn is an unfolded monomer (Fauvet, B., Mbefo, M. K., Fares, M. B., Desobry, C., Michael, S., Ardah, M. T., Tsika, E., Coune, P., Prudent, M., Lion, N., Eliezer, D., Moore, D. J., Schneider, B., Aebischer, P., El-Agnaf, O. M., Masliah, E., and Lashuel, H. A. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287, 15345–15364). Here we describe a simple in vivo cross-linking method that reveals a major ∼60-kDa form of endogenous αSyn (monomer, 14.5 kDa) in intact cells and smaller amounts of ∼80- and ∼100-kDa forms with the same isoelectric point as the 60-kDa species. Controls indicate that the apparent 60-kDa tetramer exists normally and does not arise from pathological aggregation. The pattern of a major 60-kDa and minor 80- and 100-kDa species plus variable amounts of free monomers occurs endogenously in primary neurons and erythroid cells as well as neuroblastoma cells overexpressing αSyn. A similar pattern occurs for the homologue, β-synuclein, which does not undergo pathogenic aggregation. Cell lysis destabilizes the apparent 60-kDa tetramer, leaving mostly free monomers and some 80-kDa oligomer. However, lysis at high protein concentrations allows partial recovery of the 60-kDa tetramer. Together with our prior findings, these data suggest that endogenous αSyn exists principally as a 60-kDa tetramer in living cells but is lysis-sensitive, making the study of natural αSyn challenging outside of intact cells. Background: αSyn is central to Parkinsonism, but its native state is unsettled. Results: A new, facile method for cross-linking αSyn in living cells, including neurons, reveals a major 60-kDa form consistent with a tetramer. Cell lysis destabilizes it, yielding mostly monomers. Conclusion: αSyn exists principally as a metastable tetramer in vivo. Significance: Models of native αSyn as an unfolded monomer should be reconsidered.
Superantigen-primed T cells exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p- dioxin (TCDD) replicate poorly following recall encounter

The current study investigated the effect of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the ability of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA)-primed T cells to divide by dual-labeling the cells with 5,6–carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and antibodies against the specific T cell receptors. C57BL/6 wild-type mice were injected ip with TCDD (10 μg/kg body weight) followed by hind footpad injections of SEA (10 μg/footpad). The draining popliteal lymph nodes (PLN) were harvested 1–4 days posttreatment, labeled with CFSE and cultured for 1–4 days without further stimulation or in the presence of the recall antigen. TCDD-exposed SEA-reactive Vβ3+ and Vβ11+ T cells showed decreased cell divisions upon in vitro culture in the absence of any stimulation, which correlated with increased levels of apoptosis. The recall cell-division response was also defective in SEA-reactive T cells isolated from TCDD-exposed mice. However, during the recall response, cells from TCDD-exposed mice did not exhibit a defect in apoptosis, suggesting the defective recall response may result from a state of anergy rather than increased apoptosis. Using AhR knockout (KO) mice, we found AhR involvement in the regulation of defective cell division and apoptosis induced by TCDD. Together, these data demonstrate, while TCDD-induced apoptosis may account for the decreased primary T cell proliferative response, that the reduced cell division seen during subsequent exposure to recall antigen may result from a state of anergy. The study also demonstrates that a combined use of superantigen and CFSE may offer a simple and useful tool to monitor the ability of immunotoxicants to alter the proliferative responsiveness of antigen-specific T cells.
Methionine and Protein Requirements of Lines of Chickens Established by Growth-Rate Selection on a Methionine Deficient Diet

Abstract IN RECENT years, studies of amino acid biochemistry have centered about the following areas: 1. the detection and elucidation of minor pathways of intermediary metabolism; 2. the characterization of mechanisms, both humoral and nervous, controlling the rates of metabolic interconversions; 3. the quantitative assessment of the in vivo contribution of the established pathways to metabolism in general and 4. the determination of the mode and mechanism of the individual enzymatic reactions. It is likely that progress in these areas could be greatly accelerated by the use of lines of chickens developed through selection for efficiency of utilization of specific amino acids. The possibility of doing this has been indicated by several recent reports. Griminger and Fisher (1962) have shown that the growth potential of chicks reared on lysine and arginine deficient diets is inherited. However, selection was not attempted, nor was evidence provided that the absolute requirements of the chicks…
Simulation of soot formation in turbulent premixed flames

Abstract A subgrid model for soot dynamics is developed for large-eddy simulation (LES) that uses a method of moments approach with Lagrangian interpolative closure (MOMIC) so that no a priori knowledge of the particles' distribution is required. The soot model is implemented within a subgrid mixing and combustion model so that reaction–diffusion–MOMIC coupling is possible without requiring ad hoc filtering. The model includes the entire process, from the initial phase, when the soot nucleus diameter is much smaller than the mean free path, to the final phase, after coagulation and aggregation, where it can be considered to be in the continuum regime. A relatively detailed multispecies ethylene–air kinetics for gas phase combustion is used here to study the effect of inflow turbulence, the carbon–oxygen (C/O) ratio, and multicomponent species diffusion coefficients on soot production in turbulent premixed flames. The results show that soot formation occurs when the C/O ratio is above the critical value, in good agreement with past observations. Furthermore, we observe that turbulence increases the collision frequency between the soot particles. As a result, the coagulation rate increases and the total average surface area of the soot particles per unit volume decreases. In addition, the rate of surface growth decreases with the increase in the turbulence intensity. Finally, the inclusion of species transport properties is shown to affect the general structure of the flame in the form of wider curvature probability density function tails and higher turbulent flame speed. In addition, the effect on the relative thermal to molecular diffusivity at the subgrid level (Lewis number effect) changes the surface growth rate and the soot production level.
Evaluating the performance of the genetic neuro scheduler using constant as well as changing crossover and mutation rates

The Genetic Neuro Scheduler uses Genetic Algorithms to find effective production schedules for Job Shop Problems. Experiments have shown that the used crossover operator limits the search for good solutions. These experiments and possible improvements are demonstrated in this paper.
A particle-tracking scheme for simulating pathlines in coupled surface-subsurface flows

Abstract A Lagrangian particle tracking scheme has been extended to simulate advective transport through coupled surface and subsurface flows. This extended scheme assumes a two-dimensional flow field for the overland domain and a three-dimensional flow field for the subsurface domain. Moreover it is assumed that the flow fields are simulated by a cell centered finite difference method. Pathlines in both the subsurface and the overland domain are simulated by classical particle tracking methods. Exchange of particles between the two domains is simulated by newly-developed algorithms presented in this study. Different algorithms are used depending on the direction of the exchange across the interface between the two domains. In the subsurface domain knowledge about a particle’s pathline is enough to detect a transfer to the surface domain and the solution is straightforward. However, in the two-dimensional overland domain pathlines are parallel to the land surface. Therefore the velocity field in the overland domain alone cannot be used to detect a transfer to the subsurface. We propose a relatively simple algorithm to estimate the probability of transfer to the subsurface domain. It is shown that this algorithm can also be used to handle the transfer from the overland domain to the atmosphere domain. The algorithm to estimate the transfer probabilities is based on the mass balance of water on a streamtube aligned with the particle’s pathline. This newly developed technique ensures that transit time distributions can be simulated accurately. These new relationships are implemented in an existing particle tracking code and are verified using analytical solutions for transit times.
RELIABILITY VALIDATION VIA SUCCESS-FAILURE TESTING: A HIDDEN CONTROVERSY

[This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] Binomial confidence limit expressions are shown in terms of the cumulative binomial distribution, which is discrete, and in equivalent representations of either the beta-distributional or F-distributio..
Flow field analysis of an intermeshing counterrotating twin screw extruder

The intermeshing counterrotating twin screw extruder is widely used for compounding, devolatilization, blending, and reactive extrusion. A fluid dynamics analysis package-FIDAP, using the finite element method, was implemented to simulate the 3-D flow patterns in the region of conveying elements and shearing discs of a Leistritz LSM30.34 twin screw extruder. The rheological behavior of the fluid was described by a power law model. The flow fields were characterized in terms of velocity profiles, pressure distributions, shear stresses generated, and a parameter λ quantifying the elongational flow components. The influence of screw rotational speed and axial pressure difference on the flow characteristics was also analyzed. A comparison between the flow characteristics in the shearing discs operated in a corotating or counterrotating mode was also presented.
Lewis base activation of Lewis acids: development of a Lewis base catalyzed selenolactonization.

The concept of Lewis base activation of Lewis acids has been applied to the selenolactonization reaction. Through the use of substoichiometric amounts of Lewis bases with “soft” donor atoms (S, Se, P) significant rate enhancements over the background reaction are seen. Preliminary mechanistic investigations have revealed the resting state of the catalyst as well as the significance of a weak Bronsted acid promoter.
Increased Binding of Stroke-Induced Long Non-Coding RNAs to the Transcriptional Corepressors Sin3A and coREST

LncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs) are thought to play a significant role in cellular homeostasis during development and disease by interacting with CMPs (chromatin-modifying proteins). We recently showed that following transient focal ischemia, the expression of many lncRNAs was altered significantly in rat brain. We currently analyzed whether focal ischemia also alters the association of lncRNAs with the CMPs Sin3A and coREST (corepressors of the RE-1 silencing transcription factor). RIP (RNA immunoprecipitation) combined with lncRNA microarray analysis showed that 177 of the 2497 lncRNAs expressed in rat cerebral cortex showed significantly increased binding to either Sin3A or coREST following ischemia compared with sham. Of these, 26 lncRNAs enriched with Sin3A and 11 lncRNAs enriched with coREST were also up-regulated in their expressions after ischemia. A majority of the lncRNAs enriched with these CMPs were intergenic in origin. Evaluation of the expression profiles of corresponding protein-coding genes showed that their expression levels correlate with those of the lncRNAs with which they shared a common locus. This is the first study to show that stroke-induced lncRNAs might associate with CMPs to modulate the post-ischemic epigenetic landscape.
Epoxide hydrase and mixed-function oxidase activities of rat liver nuclear membranes

Abstract Rat liver nuclei have 2 to 12% of the corresponding microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, aminopyrine and benzphetamine N -demethylase, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and epoxide hydrase activities. Nuclear membranes were prepared from isolated liver nuclei by a sucrose density centrifugation technique. A 2.5- to 10.2-fold increase in the specific enzyme activities was observed in nuclear membrane as compared to intact nuclei. Several properties of the rat liver nuclear membrane and microsomal epoxide hydrase have been compared. Nuclear epoxide hydrase was similar to the corresponding microsomal enzyme in being induced by phenobarbital whereas 3-methylcholanthrene did not produce any effects. Nuclear membrane and microsomal epoxide hydrase were inhibited to a similar degree by 1,1,1-trichloropropene oxide, cyclohexene oxide, an trans -stilbene oxide. The apparent K m value of nuclear membrane epoxide hydrase was 20 μ m for benzo( a )pyrene 4,5-oxide, which is 5.5-fold lower than the corresponding microsomal K m value (112 μ m ). Nuclear membranes were prepared from isolated nuclei of rat kidney, lung, spleen, and heart by the DNase digestion method. Epoxide hydrase activity in intact nuclei was in the following order: kidney > lung ⋙ spleen, or heart. Increases of 2.2- and 2.5-fold in specific epoxide hydrase activity were observed in kidney and lung when nuclear membranes were compared to intact nuclei. DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide
Levels of C'3 in the Serum of Patients with Pemphigus

The serum concentration of C'3 in 31 patients with pemphigus (10 patients with pemphigus vulgaris and 21 patients with Brazilian pemphigus foliaceus) was measured as β 1 Δ -globulin by the method of single radial immunodiffusion using commercially available agar plates containing antiserum to β 1 Δ -globulin. Serum from 15 healthy adults was used to provide the normal mean C'3 level which was 116.1 ± 17.9 mg/100ml. Levels ≥50% of normal were considered to be significantly elevated and were noted in 40% of patients with pemphigus vulgaris and in 57% of patients with Brazilian pemphigus foliaceus, while levels of C'3 ≤50% of normal, considered in the present study to be significantly low, were noted in only 1 case.
RORA and posttraumatic stress trajectories: main effects and interactions with childhood physical abuse history.

Background Longitudinal studies of posttraumatic stress (PTS) have documented environmental factors as predictors of trajectories of higher, versus lower, symptoms, among them experiences of childhood physical abuse. Although it is now well-accepted that genes and environments jointly shape the risk of PTS, no published studies have investigated genes, or gene-by-environment interactions (GxEs), as predictors of PTS trajectories. The purpose of this study was to fill this gap. Methods and Materials We examined associations between variants of the retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) gene and trajectory membership among a sample of predominantly non-Hispanic Black urban adults (N = 473). The RORA gene was selected based on its association with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the first PTSD genome wide association study. Additionally, we explored GxEs between RORA variants and childhood physical abuse history. Results We found that the minor allele of the RORA SNP rs893290 was a significant predictor of membership in a trajectory of consistently high PTS, relatively to a trajectory of consistently low PTS. Additionally, the GxE of rs893290 with childhood physical abuse was significant. Decomposition of the interaction showed that minor allele frequency was more strongly associated with membership in consistently high or decreasing PTS trajectories, relative to a consistently low PTS trajectory, among participants with higher levels of childhood physical abuse. Conclusion The results of the study provide preliminary evidence that variation in the RORA gene is associated with membership in trajectories of higher PTS and that these associations are stronger among persons exposed to childhood physical abuse. Replication and analysis of functional data are needed to further our understanding of how RORA relates to PTS trajectories.
Retrograde aldol-type reactions involving thiamin in aqueous solution: Evidence for changes in transition-state structure

Abstract Cleavage of racemic 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)- and 2-(1-hydroxyaryl)-3-R-4-methylthiazolium ions to the corresponding aldehyde and thiazolium ion in aqueous solution is catalyzed by oxygen-containing and amine buffer bases at 40°C and ionic strength 1.0 m (KCl). The buffer base-catalyzed reactions are formulated as general acid catalysis of the departure of thiazolium ion from the alcoholate anion of the substrate (general base catalysis of thiazolium ion attack on the aldehyde in the reverse direction). Bronsted α values decrease from 0.38 to 0.21 for general acid catalysis of the cleavage of (2-1-hydroxyethyl)-R-4-methylthiazolium ions (R = C6F5CH2, 4-aminopyrimidinyl, Bzl). The decrease in α with decreasing pKa of C(2)-H in the leaving thiazolium ion is described by a positive interaction coefficient p xy′ = ∂α ∂ p K lg = 0.3 ± 0.1 . Bronsted α values increase from 0.39 (R′ = Ph) to 0.48 (R′ = 4-CF3-Ph) for the corresponding reactions with 2-(HOCH(R′))thiamin. The increase in α as the carbon electrophile becomes less stable is described by a positive interaction coefficient p xy = sol∂α ∂σ para = 0.2 ± 0.1 . These positive interaction coefficients support a nonenforced concerted reaction mechanism with an important component of proton transfer in the transition state. Mechanistic implications for thiamin diphosphate-dependent enzymes are discussed.
Conventional dose hypertonic saline provides optimal gut protection and limits remote organ injury after gut ischemia reperfusion.

Background Hypertonic saline (HS) resuscitation prevents neutrophil mediated injury after shock. The optimal dose is not known, but appears as a result of osmotic stress. We hypothesized that a dose dependent effect exists related to increasing tonicity and that the optimal gut protective dose would provide better protection against remote organ injury than large volume isotonic crystalloids. Methods In experiment 1, rats were assigned to controls (sham/no resuscitation, sham/4 mL/kg 7.5% HS, superior mesenteric artery occlusion [SMAO]/no resuscitation), SMAO/equal volume (4 mL/kg 0.9% NS, 4 mL/kg 2.5% HS, 4 mL/kg 5% HS, 4 mL/kg 7.5% HS and 4 mL/kg 10% HS) or SMAO/equal sodium (33 mL/kg 0.9% NS, 12 mL/kg 2.5% HS, 6 mL/kg 5% HS, 4 mL/kg 7.5% HS, and 3 mL/kg 10% HS). In experiment 2, rats were assigned to the same control groups, and to either SMAO/NS (33 mL/kg 0.9% NS, equal salt load) or SMAO/HS (4 mL/kg 7.5% HS). The SMAO was clamped for 60 minutes and boluses given 5 minutes before clamp removal. After 6 hours of reperfusion, ileum and lungs were harvested for analysis of histologic injury, myeloperoxidase (MPO) as an index of neutrophil mediated injury, and serum ALT and AST drawn as markers of liver injury. Results In experiment 1, equal volume and equal sodium decreased injury and inflammation with increasing tonicity in a dose dependent fashion, with the optimal effect seen at 7.5%. In experiment 2, NS resuscitation resulted in minimal improvement of SMAO-induced lung injury and inflammation or increases in serum ALT and AST whereas HS resuscitation significantly decreased these parameters. Conclusion The protective effect of HS is related to increased tonicity. While NS had little effect on SMAO-induced remote organ injury, optimal dose HS resuscitation was quite protective. This supports the growing evidence that HS protection may be because of its gut protective effects.
The genome of Cyanothece 51142, a unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacterium important in the marine nitrogen cycle

Unicellular cyanobacteria have recently been recognized for their contributions to nitrogen fixation in marine environments, a function previously thought to be filled mainly by filamentous cyanobacteria such as Trichodesmium. To begin a systems level analysis of the physiology of the unicellular N2-fixing microbes, we have sequenced to completion the genome of Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, the first such organism. Cyanothece 51142 performs oxygenic photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation, separating these two incompatible processes temporally within the same cell, while concomitantly accumulating metabolic products in inclusion bodies that are later mobilized as part of a robust diurnal cycle. The 5,460,377-bp Cyanothece 51142 genome has a unique arrangement of one large circular chromosome, four small plasmids, and one linear chromosome, the first report of a linear element in the genome of a photosynthetic bacterium. On the 429,701-bp linear chromosome is a cluster of genes for enzymes involved in pyruvate metabolism, suggesting an important role for the linear chromosome in fermentative processes. The annotation of the genome was significantly aided by simultaneous global proteomic studies of this organism. Compared with other nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, Cyanothece 51142 contains the largest intact contiguous cluster of nitrogen fixation-related genes. We discuss the implications of such an organization on the regulation of nitrogen fixation. The genome sequence provides important information regarding the ability of Cyanothece 51142 to accomplish metabolic compartmentalization and energy storage, as well as how a unicellular bacterium balances multiple, often incompatible, processes in a single cell.
Differences in motives and points of attachment by season ticket status: a case study of ACHA

We investigated differences in motives (vicarious achievement, aesthetics, drama, escape, social interaction, aggression, knowledge, appreciation of physical skill, interest in hockey and interest in college sport) between Season Ticket Holders (STH) and Single Game Ticket Purchasers (SGP) attending a national tournament for intercollegiate club hockey teams. STH and SGP differed on the number of games attended and the number of games intending to attend, giving support for our hypothesis that STH were fans and SGP were spectators. Because we found no significant group differences on team identification (cognitive loyalty), we controlled for it to determine if the two groups differed on motives. We found significant group differences on five motives: escape, knowledge, drama, aggression and interest in hockey. In contrast, the two groups did not differ on vicarious achievement, aesthetics, appreciation of physical skills, social interaction and interest in collegiate sport. All respondents rated these motives relatively highly in general.
Engaging middle school teachers and students with alice in a diverse set of subjects

This paper describes the integration of the Alice 3D virtual worlds environment into a diverse set of subjects in middle school, including the development of tutorials, example worlds and lesson plans. In the summer of 2008 our experiences with middle school teachers included three-weeks of training in Alice and guidance in the development of lesson plans. Our experiences with middle school students involved two one-week summer camps of instruction in Alice. We found both the teachers and the students strongly engaged with Alice. The teachers created lesson plans with Alice worlds to interactively teach a topic and other lesson plans in which students build an Alice world on a particular topic either from scratch or using a template world. The students in the Alice camps had both instruction in Alice and free time to develop Alice worlds of their choice. We found that the students used a large variety of basic Alice concepts and computer science concepts in the worlds they built in their free time.
Phase-controlled rectifier line-current harmonics and power factor as a function of firing angle and output filter inductance

Normalized design relationships are presented for line-current harmonics, line-current fundamental phase angle, displacement power factor, purity factor, overall power factor, and DC output voltage as a function of firing angle and noninfinite output filter inductances for both single- and three-phase phase-controlled rectifiers. The design relationships are useful for both the analysis of existing rectifiers and the design of new rectifiers. These accurate design relationships are essential for attacking the problems caused by high rectifier line-current harmonics and low power factor. >