cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial calcium is decreased by high glucose and is improved by reduction of protein O-GlcNAcylation in cardiac myocytes (1078.2)

Increased nuclear protein O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine glycosylation (O-GlcNAcylation) mediated by high glucose treatment or the hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus contributes to cardiac myocyte dysfunction. Mitochondrial proteins in cardiac myocytes are also submitted to O-GlcNAcylation, however, whether excessive O-GlcNAcylation alters mitochondrial function is incompletely studied. We have previously demonstrated decreased mitochondrial calcium concentration in cardiac myocytes exposed to high glucose. We hypothesize that excessive O-GlcNAcylation may be responsible of this maladaptive phenomenon and that reducing excessive O-GlcNAcylation may return mitochondrial calcium levels to normal. Our objective was to test this hypothesis, therefore, we incubated cultured neonatal mouse myocytes in high glucose (HG, 25mM) for 72 hours and inhibited O-GlcNAcylation by adenoviral expression of a dominant negative mutant of the O-GlcNAc transferase (dnOGT). As expected, mitochondrial calcium levels were reduced...
Reviews: A Complex History of the Commercial Internet [review of The Internet and American Business (Aspray, W. and Ceruzzi, P.E., Eds.; 2008)]

The intertwining of the Internet with private-market production and consumption in the US so far has been told only from an "internalist" perspective, largely by the professional business press and mostly about a few ongoing examples of online business success, especially Amazon.com and Google.
The use of deep oral swabs as a surrogate for transoral tracheal wash to obtain bacterial cultures in dogs with pneumonia.

Objective To determine agreement in bacterial culture and susceptibility (BC&S) between deep oral swab (DOS) and routine transoral tracheal wash (TOTW) in dogs with pneumonia. Design Prospective study, performed between 2008 and 2010 with no follow-up period. Setting University teaching hospital. Animals Five puppies and 5 adult dogs with community or hospital-acquired pneumonia. Measurements and Main Results A DOS was collected from each patient; dogs were then briefly anesthetized with propofola for a routine TOTW. Routine microbiology techniques were used for culture. Positive culture results were obtained from all 20 swabs. Results of BC&S were compared between the 2 sites. In all puppies, there was no agreement between DOS and TOTW. In adult dogs, 2 patients with hospital-acquired infection (HAI) had complete agreement between the BC&S results from DOS and TOTW. Two adult dogs had some similarity in BC&S results, and the final dog had no relationship between cultures. Conclusions DOS is not an appropriate alternative to TOTW to obtain samples for BC&S in puppies with pneumonia. In adult dogs, traditional TOTW remains the gold standard, but DOS may be considered in dogs with suspected HAI. Further work is needed to confirm this preliminary finding.
A quasi‐static dual particle method for solids based on dual particle dynamics

SUMMARY A dual particle method for problems in solid mechanics, on the basis of dual particle dynamics, is extended to applications of quasi-static deformations of solids. The general approach incorporates the discrete strong form of the governing equation, a Lagrangian representation of a moving least squares approximation of field variables and a spatial discretization comprised of two particle sets: motion points and stress points. The quasi-static dual particle method introduced in this work incorporates geometric and material nonlinearities as well as a modified method for applying traction boundary conditions. Some computational exercises are performed to verify the correct implementation of the method, show convergence behavior, and demonstrate the improved performance of the modified traction boundary condition application method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Relationship of Storms and Substorms Determined From Mid-latitude Ground-based Magnetic Maps

Using data from a worldwide chain of mid- and low-latitude magnetic observatories, we construct maps of the magnetic disturbance field that display the temporal and spatial development of the storm time ring current, partial ring current and the substorm current wedge. While there is significant variability between storms, in general, the ring current produces an asymmetric depression in the northward magnetic field that becomes symmetric in the late recovery phase. The initial depression, attributed to a partial ring current, is largest on the afternoon and night side. Magnetic substorms generally produce an enhancement in the northward magnetic field within a limited longitudinal region corresponding to the location of the substorm current wedge. From the mid-latitude maps of the magnetic disturbance we can measure the magnitude, location, and extent of the substorm expansion phase disturbance. We find that large substorm expansions are generally associated with an enhancement of the dusk-side partial ring current, but they appear superposed upon an independently developing ring current. This is consistent with recent model simulations using the Michigan Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model (RAM). Growth of the ring current appears more related to the enhancement of the cross-magnetospheric electric field than to individual substorm expansions.
Comparison of complication rates for unilateral and bilateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) using a modified Clavien grading system

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Standardised complication reporting for urological procedures has been encouraged. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has an acceptably low complication rate, with high-grade complications being rare. A recent review shows that complication rates for PCNL vary from 15% to 60%, but the Clavien system has not been used in all studies. Also, no study has directly compared unilateral and bilateral procedures. In a direct comparison retrospective study, we showed that bilateral procedures had a higher overall complication rate and suggest that this is probably due to an increased number of percutaneous tracts. OBJECTIVE • To compare complication rates of unilateral vs bilateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) using the modified Clavien grading system. PATIENTS AND METHODS • Single-institution retrospective chart review. • Identified patients who had synchronous bilateral PCNL (B-PCNL) over an 11-year period (2000–2011). • B-PCNL patients were matched by age, gender, and stone burden per renal unit with patients who underwent unilateral PCNL (U-PCNL) over the same period. • Complications were recorded and classified using the modified Clavien classification system, and then compared with a two-sided chi-square test of proportions. RESULTS • In all, 47 B-PCNL patients [mean (range) age 54 (14–84) years] and 78 U-PCNL patients [mean (range) age 54 (17–91 years] were compared. The mean (range) stone burden per renal unit was 2.8 (0.7–7.0) cm and 2.9 (0.7–9.0) cm, respectively. • The overall complication rate was higher for B-PCNL (53.2% vs 30.8%, P= 0.013). Rates of Grade I and Grade II complications trended toward being higher in the B-PCNL group. Low-grade complications (Grade I and II combined) occurred more often in the B-PCNL group (P= 0.011); the most common low-grade complication was fever. • Two procedures terminated for poor visualisation due to bleeding were successfully completed in delayed fashion with no transfusion and were classified as Grade I complications. • There were equivalently low rates of Grade III complications. There were no Grade IV or V complications. CONCLUSIONS • B-PCNL carries a higher overall complication rate than U-PCNL when the modified Clavien system is used for classification. • Patients undergoing U-PCNL who have more than one tract dilatation have a higher complication rate than those who have only one tract dilatation. • High-grade complications are uncommon for both procedures.
Questioning the decision‐making capacity of surrogates

When patients are unable to make medical decisions for themselves due to cognitive impairment, surrogate decision makers are often called on to guide the medical team. Important to any decision made on behalf of the patient is that the decision reflects the values and preferences of the patient in light of the patient's clinical status and prognosis. Challenges arise for the medical team when surrogates themselves have questionable decision-making capacity due to psychosocial issues, conflict of interest, or the obvious projection of their own personal values and treatment preferences instead of the patient's. Even if an alternative surrogate is available, there is no consensus on when and how to switch from the primary surrogate to the alternative surrogate. This paper uses a clinical case to explore the notion of surrogate decision-making capacity, offering guidance for determining when it is appropriate to defer to an alternative surrogate, as well as guidance for managing the process of appointing the alternative as the new primary decision maker.
Comparative analysis of embryonic cell lineage between Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis elegans

Comparative genomic analysis of important signaling pathways in Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis elegans reveals both conserved features and also differences. To build a framework to address the significance of these features we determined the C. briggsae embryonic cell lineage, using the tools StarryNite and AceTree. We traced both cell divisions and cell positions for all cells through all but the last round of cell division and for selected cells through the final round. We found the lineage to be remarkably similar to that of C. elegans. Not only did the founder cells give rise to similar numbers of progeny, the relative cell division timing and positions were largely maintained. These lineage similarities appear to give rise to similar cell fates as judged both by the positions of lineally equivalent cells and by the patterns of cell deaths in both species. However, some reproducible differences were seen, e.g., the P4 cell cycle length is more than 40% longer in C. briggsae than that in C. elegans (p<0.01). The extensive conservation of embryonic development between such divergent species suggests that substantial evolutionary distance between these two species has not altered these early developmental cellular events, although the developmental defects of transpecies hybrids suggest that the details of the underlying molecular pathways have diverged sufficiently so as to not be interchangeable.
Odor-evoked gene regulation and visualization in olfactory receptor neurons

Odorant-evoked activity contributes to olfactory epithelium organization and axon targeting. We examined the consequences on gene expression of a genetic disruption of the channel responsible for olfactory transduction. Genes encoding calcium-binding EF-hand motifs, were among the most highly regulated transcripts consistent with the central role of Ca2+ influx in neuronal depolarization. Several genes encoding integral membrane proteins are also highly regulated. One gene, Lrrc3b, was regulated more than 10-fold by odorant activity. Changes in expression occur within thirty minutes and are maintained for several hours. In genetic disruptions of Lrrc3b, a Lrrc3b-promoter-driven reporter adopts the activity-regulated expression of the endogenous gene. Individual olfactory glomeruli have a wide spectrum of activity levels that can be modulated by altering odor exposure. The Lrrc3b reporter mouse permits direct assessment of activity in identified glomeruli. In stable odorant environments, activity-regulated proteins provide a characteristic signature that is correlated with the olfactory receptor they express.
Cost prediction for ray shooting in octrees

The ray shooting problem arises in many different contexts and is a bottleneck of ray tracing in computer graphics. Unfortunately, theoretical solutions to the problem are not very practical, while practical methods offer few provable guarantees on performance. Attempting to combine practicality with theoretical soundness, we show how to provably measure the average performance of any ray-shooting method based on traversing a bounded-degree spatial decomposition, where the average is taken to mean the expectation over a uniform ray distribution. An approximation yields a simple, easy-to-compute cost predictor that estimates the average performance of ray shooting without running the actual algorithm. We experimentally show that this predictor provides an accurate estimate of the efficiency of executing ray-shooting queries in octree-induced decompositions, irrespective of whether or not the bounded-degree requirement is enforced, and of the criteria used to construct the octrees. We show similar guarantees for decompositions induced by kd-trees and uniform grids. We also confirm that the performance of an octree while ray tracing or running a radio-propagation simulation is accurately captured by our cost predictor, for ray distributions arising from realistic data.
Marine snow: major site of primary production in coastal waters

Fragile aggregate particles, or ‘marine snow’, were collected by SCUBA from coastal surface waters using trace metal-free techniques, and their primary production (rates of photosynthesis by associated phytoplankton) was determined relative to corresponding water column production. Primary production associated with these particles was found to range from 11 to 58% of total production, indicating that large particles can have an important role as major sites of primary production in the marine environment. Our results suggest that the use of water bottles to collect samples for productivity measurements may not sample large particles adequately in certain conditions, and thus may lead to underestimates of primary production.
The effective interaction arising from the irregular surface of a small metallic particle

Abstract The calculation of the eigenvalues of free electrons, confined by an irregular surface, is transformed into that of electrons confined by a spherical surface, but subject to an effective interaction. A perturbation series is developed to investigate the spacing distribution of electrons in small, irregular metallic particles at low temperatures.
Numerical simulations of enhancement cavity dynamics driven by femtosecond frequency combs

Numerical simulations of a frequency comb resonant with an enhancement cavity are performed to study nonlinear dynamics resulting from intracavity ionization. Results highlight the critical role played by transverse spatial effects, previously excluded in simulations.
Primate-specific miR-576-3p sets host defense signalling threshold

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to regulate viral infection, but the miRNAs that target intracellular sensors and adaptors of innate immunity have not been fully uncovered. Here we conduct an miRNA mimic screen and validation with miRNA inhibitors in cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to identify miRNAs that regulate viral-host interactions. We identify miR-576-3p as a robust regulator of infection by VSV and other RNA and DNA viruses. While an miR-576-3p mimic sensitizes cells to viral replication, inhibition of endogenous miR-576-3p prevents infection. miR-576-3p is induced by IRF3 concomitantly with interferon and targets STING, MAVS and TRAF3, which are critical factors for interferon expression. Interestingly, miR-576-3p and its binding sites are primate-specific and miR-576-3p levels are reduced in inflammatory diseases. These findings indicate that induction of miR-576-3p by IRF3 triggers a feedback mechanism to reduce interferon expression and set an antiviral response threshold to likely avoid excessive inflammation.
Hyperspectral Radiometric Accuracy Improvements

Using on-orbit solar cross calibrations, the HyperSpectral Imager for Climate Science improves radiometric accuracy of measured Earth scenes to <0.5%, helping establish benchmark measurements for space-borne climate studies in the 350–2300 nm spectral range.
Intelligent sensor system communication for robot workcell integration

The sensing systems for flexible automation and robotics systems are increasing in complexity and require more data processing. Dedicated microprocessors and stand-alone sensor systems are being used more often to relieve the increased processing burden. This leads naturally to a modular approach for building systems. A system comprising interchangeable ‘Intelligent Sensor Modules’ is presented, along with a set of possible algorithms and methods for inter-modular communication. As an example of the modular approach, the generic task of inserting a peg from a random orientation is implemented by constructing a simple modular system (consisting of a microprocessor controlled tactile array sensor, a robot, and a host microcomputer) by using the techniques presented herewith.
Experimental studies on failure mechanisms of impacted composite plates

Abstract The failure mechanisms of dynamically loaded composite plates are dependent upon the velocity of impact and on the loading area. In the present studies, representative extensible and inextensible fibre types embedded in an epoxy material have been fabricated and tested at velocities below and near the plate penetration velocity using blunt-ended impactors. Several important parameters have been investigated, including fibre type, fibre orientation, ply arrangement and matrix-fibre interaction. Differences in plate failure mechanisms are reported for extensible and inextensible fibre types with a generator strip mechanism described for the latter fibre type. Since the delamination process occurs at the expense of loss of kinetic energy of the impactor, such fibre types, properly oriented, are suggestive of superior performance in certain ballistic applications.
Teaching assistant anxiety and coping strategies in the classroom

This study examined anxiety in new graduate teaching assistants, the coping strategies they plan to use to deal with their anxiety, and the relationships of coping strategy plans with their anxieties. Study results indicated a negative relationship between TA communication apprehension and the likelihood to use visualization, and the likelihood to seek help from mentors. TA state anxiety and likelihood of using systematic desensitization were negatively correlated as well. Positive correlations were found between TA teaching anxiety and likelihood to spend time preparing material and preparing delivery.
Methods of Analysis with Response-Shift Bias.

Howard and his colleagues have discovered an instrumentation related contamination which confounds the results of studies which employ self-report measures in a pre/post or posttest only design. This confounding influence is referred to as response-shift bias. Research has demonstrated that the traditional methods of analysis (i.e., analysis of posttests only, analysis of pre/post difference scores, and analysis of covariance using prescores (ANCOVA)) do not consider response-shift bias and produce biased estimates of the treatment effect. A retrospective pre/post design is recommended by Howard and his colleagues to control for response-shift bias. The only method of analysis which yields an unbiased estimate of the treatment effect is posttest minus retrospective pretest difference scores. The purpose of the present study is to determine the relative loss in statistical power of the traditional methods of analysis when response-shift bias is present. Analytic and Monte Carlo techniques were employed to ...
Persistence profile of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in shallow and deep Gulf waters and sediments: Effect of water temperature and sediment–water partitioning characteristics

Persistence profiles of selected polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed depending on temperature variations in the water column and water-sediment interactions in the Gulf of Mexico. The PAHs studied include anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene. The half-lives of PAHs in the deep waters (over 1000 m) are about twice as long as those in the shallow areas (100-150 m), and almost 2.5 times as long as those in the top layer (0-10 m) of the water column. The half-lives of the PAHs in the sediments are significantly longer. Among the PAHs studied, chrysene is the most persistent in the water column, and pyrene is the most persistent in the sediments. The half-life of chrysene in the shallow and deep waters is over 2.5 and about 5 years, respectively. For pyrene, the half-life in the shallow and deep sediments is about 9 and 16 years, respectively.
Retrogressive dissolution of garnet: Effect on garnet-biotite geothermometry

Cation-exchange geothermometry is predicated on the basis of chemical equilibration between phases involved in ion-exchange reactions. If chemical equilibrium is attained between the phases at any temperature and subsequently locked in, temperature determinations should be consistent throughout a given sample. The attainment of chemical equilibrium is commonly inferred where phases used for thermobarometry are in mutual contact or where sharp, straight grain boundaries exist between grains. Thermometric determinations on garnet-biotite pairs in a metapelite from the Cheyenne belt, Wyoming, illustrate the problem of using these criteria to infer chemical equilibrium. In one example, garnet-biotite pairs from different parts of a single zoned garnet grain yield apparent temperatures that range over 150°C and are anomalously higher than documented metamorphic conditions. Almandine garnets from low- to intermediate-grade pelitic rocks commonly show strong compositional zoning. Retrograde modification coupled with strain-induced dissolution of garnet may result in meaningless temperatures because of nonequilibration of phases used for geothermometry. Apparent textural equilibrium or mutual contact of grains may not be indicative of chemical equilibrium. Dissolution of garnet under conditions of biotite stability can produce garnet-biotite pairs with sharp, straight grain boundaries suggestive of textural equilibrium. In the absence of visible truncation of compositional zones, compositional maps or microprobe traverses both parallel and normal to schistosity are necessary to evaluate the possibility of dissolution. Failure to do so may result in the incorrect interpretation of T-P determinations.
Epinephrine- and norepinephrine-evoked potential changes of frog primary afferent terminals: Pharmacological characterization of α and β components

Abstract The effects of superfused epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) on the membrane potential of primary afferent fibers of the isolated frog spinal cord were studied by sucrose gap recordings from the dorsal root. In all preparations both E and NE, applied in concentrations ranging from 0.1 μM to 1.0 mM, produced a hyperpolarization of afferent terminals. In many instances this was followed by a slow depolarization and, in a small number of cords, a small depolarization preceded the increase in membrane potential. E- and NE-induced hyperpolarizations were blocked by the selective α2-antagonists yohimbine and piperoxan, but not by the selective α1-antagonists prazosin and corynanthine or by the s-blockers propranolol and sotalol. The α2-agonists clonidine, α-methylnorepinephrine and guanabenz also hyperpolarized terminals, causing a change in potential that was reduced by yohimbine and piperoxan. Taken together, these results suggest that α2-receptors mediate the hyperpolarizing effects of E and NE. The s-agonist isoproterenol evoked a slow depolarization similar to that produced by E and NE. The isoproterenol-depolarization was antagonized by propranolol. Sometimes, application of E and NE after superfusion with yohimbine produced only a depolarization of the dorsal root and this depolarization was sensitive to propranolol. It would appear therefore that the late depolarization seen after the application of E and NE is produced by activation of s-receptors. In contrast, the α1-agonist phenylephrine elicited a short latency, short duration depolarization similar to those seen preceding approximately 10% of the E- and NE-hyperpolarizations. Such short-latency depolarizations were blocked by prazosin and corynanthine. The major component of the response to both E and NE is indirectly mediated through a synaptic process: application of Mn2+, Mg2+, procaine or tetrodotoxin in concentrations sufficient to block synaptic transmission substantially reduced, but never eliminated, the actions of the catecholamines. Interneurons are probably involved because mephenesin, which reduces interneuronal transmission, significantly decreased the E and NE effects. Furthermore, interneurons which secrete excitatory amino acids and/or GABA may mediate the indirect effects of the catecholamines on afferent terminals because (−)baclofen and d,l -α-aminoadipate decrease, and picrotoxin and bicuculline increase, the dorsal root (DR) effects of E and NE. These results indicate that catecholamines can alter the membrane potential of afferent fibers indirectly and probably directly and' that such effects are produced by activation of both α- and s-receptors. These results may be important in understanding the pharmacological basis of previous reports which have shown that catecholamines can affect the transmission of sensory information in the spinal cord.
Demonstration of beta-oxidation and acetoacetate formation in a mouse hepatoma.

SummarySlices of a transplanted mouse hepatoma, C954, oxidized octanoate-1-C14 to C14O2 and acetoacetate-1, 3-C14. Isotopic ace-toacetate accumulated in quantities approaching that recovered in respiratory CO2. The distribution of isotope in the ketone body is consistent with the view that the short-chain fatty acid was degraded by β-oxidation, the resulting C2 fragments condensing to form ace-toacetate as well as being oxidized to CO2.
Global Warming Shifts the Monsoon Circulation, Drying South Asia

AbstractMonsoon rainfall over South Asia has decreased during the last 5 to 6 decades according to several sets of observations. Although sea surface temperature (SST) has risen across the Indo-Pacific warm pool during this period, the expected accompanying increased rainfall has occurred only in the tropical western Pacific.The above changes noted in observations are also seen in a coupled climate model, but only when the model includes the recent increase in greenhouse gas concentration. The hypothesis that the robust rise in SST over the warm pool, perhaps anchored by an increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, is instrumental in the east–west shift in monsoon rainfall (enhanced rainfall over tropical western Pacific and decreased rainfall over South Asia) is proposed. A suite of controlled experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model has been performed to isolate the impact of regional SST warming trends on the dryness over South Asia. Model experiments support the hypothesis that the r...
Comparison of the Sealing of Resilon, Pro Root MTA, and Super-EBA as Root-End Filling Materials: A Bacterial Leakage Study

The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the root-end sealing of the Resilon/Epiphany system (RES) to Pro Root MTA and Super-EBA using a bacterial leakage system. Fifty-five extracted teeth were instrumented and root-ends were resected and ultrasonically prepared. Test materials were placed in the root-end preparations; Streptococcus salivarius was introduced coronally and the apical 4 mm were immersed in BHI culture medium with phenol red indicator. Bacterial leakage was monitored every 24 h for 4 wk. All positive controls leaked within 24 h; none of the negative controls leaked. Based on χ2 analysis (p < 0.05), RES and MTA leaked significantly less than Super-EBA. There was no statistical difference between RES and MTA. RES may be a viable option as a root-end filling material with good surgical isolation.
PM10 and ozone control strategy to improve visibility in the los angeles basin

Abstract The greater Los Angeles metropolitan area is in violation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ambient standards for both ozone and PM 10 . Accompanying these violations are hazy summer conditions, with current annual median visibility in the inland portions of Los Angeles running about 13 km, and visibilities decreasing to about 3 km on the 90th percentile days (worst days). The USEPA has given the local air pollution control agency until 2010 to bring the area into compliance with these standards. Because of continued population growth, accompanying light industry, dependence on private motor vehicles, and adverse natural meteorological conditions, emission reductions costing billions of dollars will be needed between now and 2010. The combination of emission reductions which will result in the fastest ozone and PM 10 cleanup at the lowest cost are presented. Substantial emission reductions in NO x , reactive hydrocarbons, SO x , ammonia, soot and fugitive dust will result in visibility improvements in the Los Angeles area. However, enactment of this comprehensive control strategy will only improve the annual median visibility to about 20 km and the 90th percentile days to 6.5 km. Significant changes in fine mass will result in relatively small changes in perceived visibility since the human eye is unable to differentiate visual range changes even as large as 40% in an urban landscape typical of Los Angeles.
Identifying some major determinants of entrepreneurial partnership, using a confounded factorial conjoint choice experiment

Many small businesses fail before their fifth anniversary, with proportionally more minority owned businesses failing than others. The bulk of these failing entities is often organized in the form of sole proprietorship, while sound business partnerships could potentially be conducive to better prospective entrepreneurships. The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of prospective partners’ characteristics, on the willingness of business respondents to become business partners. In the process, we used a confounded factorial conjoint choice experimental design. We found “Values sharing”, “Term orientation”, and “Community membership” to be among the most influential factors for the determination of entrepreneurial partnership. The effect direction of “shared-attributes” suggested a central need for complementary diversity in the process of sound business partnership formation. Respondents were more likely to partner with technically skilled prospective partners, than with managerially skilled ones. White respondents displayed more of a preference for business partners who did not share their values, compared to their Black counterparts. The confounded factorial conjoint choice experiment approach used in this study proved to be a helpful tool for investigating factors that influence sound business partnership formation.
Superfluid helium film in zero gravity

The behaviour of nearly-saturated superfluid helium films several hundred Angstroms thick was investigated under zero gravity conditions in a small cryostat carried on a 0.3 m diameter, 3 m long sounding rocket, using a quartz microbalance technique. The flight provided 30 s of high acceleration, about 5 min. of zero gravity, and 90 s of mg acceleration. The temperature of the experiment ranged from 1.67 to 2.15 K. In contrast to ground test results, thick films uniformly distributed on all surfaces were observed in zero gravity.
Erratum to The Art and Angst of the Mentoring Relationship

In the Summer 1997 issue of Academic Psychiatry (Volume 21, No. 2), the last name of one of the co-authors of the article “The Art and Angst of the Mentoring Relationship” (pages 61—71) was misspelled. The second-author’s name is Marc S. Litle, M.D., not Little, which was printed in the issue. Our sincere apologies to Dr. Litle, and we regret the error.
Time resolved detection of electrochemical effects by surface plasmon resonance measurements: a simple technique using a large area single cell photodiode

This work discusses a relatively simple method for time resolved detection of electrochemical effects using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) under potentiodynamic conditions. A previously noted phenomenological framework for measuring SPR shifts at a fixed angle is quantified and developed in detail. The SPR experiments are performed with a collimated laser beam at a fixed wavelength using the Kretschmann configuration. The instrument uses a commonly available fast photodiode for signal detection, and has an angular resolution of 10 −3 deg. As a model electrochemical system, we use a chromium-supported gold film, controlled by cyclic voltammetry in an aqueous electrolyte of 0.1 M NaNO3. The transient SPR response of the electrode to voltage variations contains features of certain interfacial effects that cannot be detected using electrochemical measurements alone. This SPR technique is suitable for studying both faradaic and nonfardaic reactions. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Reproductive studies of Brahman cattle II. Luteinizing hormone patterns in ovariectomized Brahman and Hereford cows before and after injection of gonadotropin releasing hormone

Abstract Six Brahman and six Hereford long-term ovariectomized cows were bled via tail vessel at 15 minute intervals for a period of 4 hours. Serum was collected and analyzed via radioimmunoassay (RIA) for luteinizing hormone (LH) to determine if ovariectomized Brahman and Hereford cows have pulsatile LH patterns and if breed of animal influenced LH patterns. Brahman and Hereford ovariectomized cattle did have pulsatile LH patterns. Although the trend was for higher LH levels in Hereford than Brahman cows there were no significant differences in mean serum LH levels, number or magnitude of LH peaks or serum LH pulse height. Six Brahman and five Hereford long-term ovariectomized cows were injected (IM) with a single dose of 500μg of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Animals were bled via tail vessel at 15 minute intervals for a period of 6 hours. Serum was assayed for LH via RIA to determine if ovariectomized Brahman and Hereford cows differ in GnRH induced LH response. All animals showed increased serum LH in response to GnRH injection within the first 15 minute collection interval. There were no significant differences in duration of response between ovariectomized Brahman or Hereford cows. Ovariectomized Brahman cows had significantly lower (P
Dual Processions of the Holy Spirit: Development of a Theological Tradition

The theology of the Holy Spirit waited through the early Christian centuries until the main doctrines regarding the Trinity and the person of Christ had been forged. Even then pneumatology was introduced ‘by the back door’, in Theodore Campbell's phrase, that of how the Son was placed in the Father, Son and Spirit confession. While prayers to the Spirit were not lacking in the earliest liturgies, still, at Nicea the doctrine ‘had been disposed of in lapidary brevity’, as Jaroslav Pelikan has described the credal line, ‘and we believe in the Holy Spirit’. ‘Nor does there seem to have been a single treatise dealing specifically with the person of the Spirit composed before the second half of the fourth century’. After Nicea, however, controversy concerning the Spirit erupted ‘with a vengeance’, producing the same kind of energy that had accompanied the Christological debates. Pneumatomachi, Tropici, and Macedonians, though losers in the fight for orthodox doctrine on the Spirit's nature, had mounted formidable campaigns, as Arians had done over the relationship of Christ to the Father. But disagreement over the Spirit had an even greater impact than Arian opposition in that the filioque remains a principal difference between the Catholic and Orthodox, and now Catholic and Anglican, creeds.
An Eighteenth-Century Visual Representation of the Black Population in Trujillo del Perú: Picturing Cultural and Social Difference

In 1785, the Bishop of Trujillo, Baltasar Martinez Companon decided to record a complete history of the province of Trujillo del Peru based on his observations about the inhabitants, cultural pract...
A Comparison of the Adrenal Histology, Reproductive Condition, and Serum Corticosterone Concentrations of Prairie Deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) in Captivity

Serum corticosterone concentrations and adrenal histology were studied in deermice maintained in laboratory populations or as pairs. Animals from populations had highly significantly smaller reproductive organs than did controls. Both sexes from populations had smaller absolute adrenal weights and histological evaluation revealed smaller adrenal cortical and medulla area compared to controls. However, the relative adrenal weight was larger in both sexes of animals from populations and the serum corticosterone concentrations were also significantly higher in both sexes of population-inhibited animals when compared with controls. Several correlations of corticosterone concentration with reproductive condition are presented and there is a discussion of the relationship of increased corticosterone concentration with reproductive inhibition.
In search of sun-climate connection using solar irradiance measurements and climate records

The Earth's temperature has risen approximately 0.5 degree-C in the last 150 years. Because the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased nearly 30% since the industrial revolution, a common conjecture, supported by various climate models, is that anthropogenic greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming. Another probable factor for the warming is the natural variation of solar irradiance. Although the variation is as small as 0.1 % it is hypothesized that it contributes to part of the temperature rise. Warmer or cooler ocean temperature at one part of the Globe may manifest as abnormally wet or dry weather patterns some months or years later at another part of the globe. Furthermore, the lower atmosphere can be affected through its coupling with the stratosphere, after the stratospheric ozone absorbs the ultraviolet portion of the solar irradiance. In this paper, we use wavelet transforms based on Morlet wavelet to analyze the time-frequency properties in several datasets, including the Radiation Budget measurements, the long-term total solar irradiance time series, the long-term temperature at two locations for the North and the South Hemisphere. The main solar cycle, approximately 11 years, are identified in the long-term total solar irradiance time series. The wavelet transform of the temperature datasets show annual cycle but not the solar cycle. Some correlation is seen between the length of the solar cycle extracted from the wavelet transform and the North Hemisphere temperature time series. The absence of the 11-year cycle in a time series does not necessarily imply that the geophysical parameter is not affected by the solar cycle; rather it simply reflects the complex nature of the Earth's response to climate forcings.
Take a close look at phishing

The outcomes of phishing attacks are dramatically increasing every day. Attacks on financial services companies have been doubling each year compared to previous years. It is very important for companies to come up with new ways to solve phishing problems because it can become a major loss to well-known companies. Also, it can cause consumers to lose confidence in doing business online, which can affect many companies with an online presence. Not any type of technology can stop phishing attacks, but there are many ways to enable phishers from accomplishing their goals. Consumer education can increase the awareness of the phishing threat and other online vulnerabilities. Lastly, biometrics should become one of the major aspects and play an important role to combat phishing because it provides different steps to authenticate users.
Neutron dosimetry for a general 252Cf brachytherapy source.

This paper extends previous work to characterize neutrondosimetry in the vicinity of 252 Cf brachytherapysources. A general source is examined with an arbitrary length, diameter, and encapsulation using Monte Carlo methods. Fast neutrondosimetry and thermal neutron fluence rates were determined in a variety of clinically relevant media of varying dimensions. Applicator Tube, point source, high dose rate VariSource, and high dose rate μSelectron source geometries were analyzed. Fast neutrondosimetry was relatively independent of encapsulation thickness for an assortment of encapsulation materials less than 2 mm thick. Large variations in phantom size made minimal differences in the fast neutrondose close to the source. Specific source geometries were compared with dosimetry obtained from a simplified point model. The consequence of these results is a convenient means of accurately predicting clinical fast neutrondosimetry characteristics around a general 252 Cf brachytherapysource in a variety of media without requiring neutron transport. Thermal neutron fluence rates were determined for a variety of source encapsulation materials, encapsulation thicknesses, and phantom sizes. At a distance of 3 cm from the source center, the thermal neutron fluence rate for a 30 cm diameter phantom was a 2.65 times greater than for a 10 cm diameter water phantom. These results demonstrate 252 Cf thermal neutron fluence rate is relatively independent of encapsulation thickness and composition, yet highly dependent on hydrogen mass density and phantom size for phanta with diameters <30 cm.
Rheology of a Combined Main-Chain/Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polymer in the Thermotropic and Lyotropic States

The rheological behavior of a combined main-chain/side-chain liquid-crystalline polymer, PSHQ4−7CNCOOH, has been investigated in both the thermotropic and lyotropic states. The synthesis procedures for PSHQ4−7CNCOOH are described in a previous paper. In this study transient shear flow, steady-state shear flow, oscillatory shear flow, and time evolution of dynamic moduli upon cessation of shear flow of PSHQ4−7CNCOOH in the thermotropic state have been investigated. Only positive values of first normal stress difference (N1) in steady-state shear flow were observed over the entire range of shear rates and temperatures investigated. One of the objectives of this study was to investigate the role of the side-chain mesogenic groups (7CNCOOH), which were grafted onto the flexible methylene units of the main-chain backbone (PSHQ4), in influencing the rheological behavior of PSHQ4−7CNCOOH in the thermotropic state. Thus, for comparison, the rheological behavior of PSHQ4 was also investigated. Another objective of...
Genetic risk assessment in women over 35: natural pregnancies compared to assisted reproductive technology pregnancies

The number of women of advanced maternal age (AMA), as well as the number of AMA women who utilize assisted reproductive technology (ART), has increased, yet very few studies have been conducted to understand their experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in genetic risk assessment and decision-making between two groups of AMA women: those who had natural pregnancies and those who had ART pregnancies. The main hypothesis of the study was that AMA women with natural pregnancies would be more likely to elect prenatal diagnostic procedures than would AMA women with ART pregnancies because the latter would have greater anxiety about the risk of miscarriage. The alternative hypothesis was that the ART experience would desensitize women to invasive procedures, leading them to view prenatal diagnostic procedures as low-risk. The method used for study was a questionnaire, administered over a 7-month period of time at the Stanford University Hospital Genetic Counseling Clinic. Case study interviews were later conducted to obtain detailed information about individuals' experiences as women of advanced maternal age. The data indicated that the use of assisted reproductive technology did not shape the women's decision whether to undergo prenatal diagnostic testing, but the sample size was very small (p > .05). Trends in questionnaire and interview responses suggested that maternal age and the associated risk of fetal abnormality were the predominant factors shaping the risk assessment of the women in the study, not the use of ART. The alternative hypothesis, that ART may lead to desensitization toward prenatal diagnostic procedures, was supported by the interviews.
Structural, electrical, and vibrational properties of Ti-H and Ni-H complexes in Si

Hydrogen passivates many electrically active impurities in Si. While most passivation reactions are understood experimentally and theoretically, the interactions between H and transition-metal (TM) impurities of the $3d$ series are poorly understood. H does trap at various TMs but new electrically active levels in the gap appear following hydrogenation. No specific complex has been assigned to any of these new lines and even the number of hydrogen atoms involved is only assumed. Electrical studies of Ti-H and Ni-H interactions have sometimes produced conflicting results. We report here the results of systematic first-principles studies of Ti-H and Ni-H interactions in Si. The stable structures, binding energies, electrical properties, and vibrational spectra are predicted. Several of the observed complexes are identified. We find one electrically inactive Ti-H complex, ${{\text{Ti}}_{i}{\text{H}}_{4}}$, but no inactive Ni-H complex. We show that, if enough H is available, substitutional Ti and Ni are expelled to interstitial sites, leaving a partially H-saturated vacancy.
On-column nitrosation of amines observed in liquid chromatography impurity separations employing ammonium hydroxide and acetonitrile as mobile phase.

Abstract The availability of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns capable of operation at pH values up to 12 has allowed a greater selectivity space to be explored for method development in pharmaceutical analysis. Ammonium hydroxide is of particular value in the mobile phase because it is compatible with direct interfacing to electrospray mass spectrometers. This paper reports an unexpected N-nitrosation reaction that occurs with analytes containing primary and secondary amines when ammonium hydroxide is used to achieve the high pH and acetonitrile is used as the organic modifier. The nitrosation reaction has generality. It has been observed on multiple columns from different vendors and with multiple amine-containing analytes. Ammonia was established to be the source of the nitroso nitrogen. The stainless steel column frit and metal ablated from the frit have been shown to be the sites of the reactions. The process is initiated by removal of the chromium oxide protective film from the stainless steel by acetonitrile. It is hypothesized that the highly active, freshly exposed metals catalyze room temperature oxidation of ammonia to NO but that the actual nitrosating agent is likely N2O3.