cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A mutation that affects female and male germ cells differentially in Drosophila melanogaster meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Abstract The sex-linked, recessive mutation fs 231, of Drosophila melanogaster , is associated with a closely linked gene lon . Presumably both mutations were induced by the same mutagen treatment. Fs 231 females are sterile, while males are fertile. The longevity of adult lon homozygotes and hemizygotes is reduced, and the rate of preadult development slowed. Crossover studies localized lon to 21.7 and fs 231 to 22.7. The B138L/B170R deficiency was shown to include fs 231, but not lon . In homozygous females, cystocytes often undergo complete cytokinesis, continue dividing, and generate ovarian tumors. The tumors contain hundreds of cells, about 40% of which are interconnected by ring canals enclosing typical fusomes. Such clusters contain 2–13 cells. Some of the tumor cells stop dividing and differentiate into pseudonurse cells as the females age. The ovaries from fs/fs − females contain agametic as well as tumorous ovarioles. We conclude that the product of the fs 231 + gene is required by oogonia and by the cystocytes formed from them. The mutated gene is hypomorphic, producing a defective product that functions well enough to allow oogonia to populate most ovarioles, if 2 copies of fs 231 are present, but not if there is only one. The testes of males hemizygous for fs 231 contain numerous bundles of morphologically normal sperm, and the distribution of the numbers of sperm per bundle is similar to that of wild type males. Thus, although the cystocyte divisions appear similar in the 2 sexes, some mutations disturbing cystocyte cytokinesis in one sex have little effect on the other.
Regulation of Firing Frequency in a Computational Model of a Midbrain Dopaminergic Neuron

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the mammalian midbrain exhibit unusually low firing frequencies in vitro. Furthermore, injection of depolarizing current induces depolarization block before high frequencies are achieved. The maximum steady and transient rates are about 10 and 20 Hz, respectively, despite the ability of these neurons to generate bursts at higher frequencies in vivo. We use a three-compartment model calibrated to reproduce DA neuron responses to several pharmacological manipulations to uncover mechanisms of frequency limitation. The model exhibits a slow oscillatory potential (SOP) dependent on the interplay between the L-type Ca2+ current and the small conductance K+ (SK) current that is unmasked by fast Na+ current block. Contrary to previous theoretical work, the SOP does not pace the steady spiking frequency in our model. The main currents that determine the spontaneous firing frequency are the subthreshold L-type Ca2+ and the A-type K+ currents. The model identifies the channel densities for the fast Na+ and the delayed rectifier K+ currents as critical parameters limiting the maximal steady frequency evoked by a depolarizing pulse. We hypothesize that the low maximal steady frequencies result from a low safety factor for action potential generation. In the model, the rate of Ca2+ accumulation in the distal dendrites controls the transient initial frequency in response to a depolarizing pulse. Similar results are obtained when the same model parameters are used in a multi-compartmental model with a realistic reconstructed morphology, indicating that the salient contributions of the dendritic architecture have been captured by the simpler model.
TENSOR PROPAGATOR FOR ITERATIVE QUANTUM TIME EVOLUTION OF REDUCED DENSITY MATRICES. I: THEORY

For common condensed phase problems described by a low‐dimensional system coupled to a harmonic bath, Feynman’s path integral formulation of time‐dependent quantum mechanics leads to expressions for the reduced density matrix of the system where the effects of the harmonic environment enter through an influence functional that is nonlocal in time. In a recent Letter [Chem. Phys. Lett. 221, 482 (1994)], we demonstrated that the range of the nonlocal interactions is finite even at zero temperature, such that the nonlocal kernel extends over only a few time steps if the path integral is expressed in terms of accurate quasiadiabatic propagators. This feature arises from disruption of phase coherence in macroscopic environments and leads to Markovian dynamics for an augmented reduced density tensor, permitting iterative time evolution schemes. In the present paper we analyze the structure and properties of the relevant tensor propagator. Specifically, we show that the tensor multiplication scheme rigorously conserves the trace of the reduced density matrix, and that in cases of short‐range nonlocality it leads to Redfield‐type equations which are correct to all orders in perturbation theory and which take into account memory effects. We also argue that a simple eigenvector analysis reveals (without actual iteration) the nature of the dynamics and of the equilibrium state, and directly yields quantum reaction or relaxation rates.
A semi-analytical model for dense via structures with shared antipad configurations

We present a semi-analytical model for dense vias in an infinite parallel-plate environment with a shared-antipad configuration. The network parameters are estimated based on reciprocity. The field from the reciprocal source is highly localized, making the mode matching computation converge very fast. In addition, the near field can be expressed in a closed-form, making the method computationally efficient. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed algorithm.
Calcium channel blockade: central hemodynamic effects.

: Despite differences in vasodilatation, inotropy and chronotropy between verapamil, nifedipine and diltiazem when tested in vitro, these drugs will produce similar central hemodynamic effects in healthy young or middle-aged individuals, provided they are given in equipotent doses. The individual profiles of hemodynamic action of these calcium channel blockers are briefly reviewed and discussed.
The impact of patients' gender, race, and age on health care professionals' pain management decisions: An online survey using virtual human technology

Background Previous literature indicates that biases exist in pain ratings. Healthcare professionals have been found to use patient demographic cues such as sex, race, and age when making decisions about pain treatment. However, there has been little research comparing healthcare professionals’ (i.e., physicians and nurses) pain decision policies based on patient demographic cues.
Cascade Reactions during Coronafacic Acid Biosynthesis: Elongation, Cyclization, and Functionalization during Cfa7-Catalyzed Condensation

Herein, the biogenesis of the hydrindane ring system within coronafacic acid (CFA) has been investigated. These studies reveal that in addition to the canonical polyketide chain elongation and functionalization encoded by type I polyketide synthase (PKSs), cascade reactions can take place during assembly line-like biosynthesis. Indeed, upon Cfa7-catalyzed Claisen condensation between enzyme-bound malonate and an N-acetylcysteamine (SNAC) thioester, latent reactivity within the elongated enzyme-bound intermediate is unveiled. This reactivity translates into an intramolecular cyclization, which can proceed in a facile manner as observed by the enzyme-independent cyclization of a linear beta-ketothioester intermediate.
Heavy quark spectroscopy results from CLEO-c

We present a collection of results from the analysis of the approximately 25 million ψ ( 2 S ) decays collected with the CLEO-c detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring. We report the most precise measurements of the magnetic dipole transitions to the ground state of the charmonium system: B ( ψ ( 2 S ) → γ η c ) = ( 4.32 ± 0.16 ± 0.60 ) × 10 −3 and B ( J / ψ → γ η c ) = ( 1.98 ± 0.09 ± 0.30 ) % . In addition we study purely electromagnetic decays of the χ c 0 , 2 and J / ψ states, with the first observation of a 3γ decay of meson: B ( J / ψ → 3 γ ) = ( 1.2 ± 0.3 ± 0.2 ) × 10 −5 . Finally we present a precision measurement of the h c mass M ( h c ) = 3525.28 ± 0.19 ± 0.12 MeV / c 2 and, therefore, the hyperfine splitting in P-wave charmonium Δ M h f ( 1 P ) = + 0.02 ± 0.19 ± 0.13 MeV / c 2 .
Moving beyond lean and mean.

Traditional downsizing strategies often ignore the fact that corporate resources are inefficiently deployed. Here is a six‐step approach to realigning, eliminating, and reallocating resources to improve overall operations.
Passing Markers: A Theory of Contextual Influence in Language Comprehension*

Most Artificial Intelligence theories of language either assume a syntactic component which serves as “front end” for the rest of the system, or else reject all attempts at distinguishing modules within the comprehension system. In this paper we will present an alternative which, while keeping modularity, will account for several puzzles for typical “syntax first” theories. The major addition to this theory is a “marker passing” (or “spreading activation”) component, which operates in parallel to the normal syntactic component.
Modeling and control of active gravity off-loading for deployable space structures

The mechanics of deployable space structures are examined through ground based testing to predict the structures' deployment in a microgravity environment. In order to simulate the microgravity conditions a test article would experience in space, a method of counteracting the loads and deflections induced by gravity is required. This is accomplished through various gravity off-loading methods, which introduce forces opposite and equal to the force of gravity acting upon a test article throughout its deployment. Current gravity off-loading methods are passive rail-cart systems with their movement forced due to their physical coupling with a test article; this introduces unwanted boundary conditions, such as inertia and side-loading from a test article's transverse movement. Therefore, an active gravity off-loading method is being developed that will deploy simultaneously with a test article. This method employs motorized carts with active position control based upon the lead angle of the off-loading cable. The maximum allowable lead angle is designed to be ±5°, with the intention of minimizing the forcing of the carts' longitudinal deployment. System dynamics and kinematics analytical modeling is derived. Simulated system results from the analytical system model and preliminary results from the prototype are presented.
Charge-transfer exciton and ionic levels in organic crystals

By means of external photoelectric emission produced by double-exciton annihilation within the crystal, a mobile charge-transfer (CT) state consisting of a hole and an electron on adjoining lattice sites has been identified in tetracene and anthracene. The energy of this state is 2.9 e.v. in tetracene and 3.45 e.v. in anthracene; there can be no intrinsic charge-carrier generation in these materials at energies less than these CT energies. A study of delayed electroluminescence in anthracene provides evidence for the existence of a broad, upper conductivity band; measurements of the efficiency of generating CT excitons as a function of the energy of the exciting light indicate that in anthracene, the broad upper conductivity level starts at about 4 e.v., and in tetracene, at about 3.5 e.v. From photoconductivity measurements made in the short ultraviolet region, it appears that the lowest, narrow-band conductivity level in tetracene appears 3.1 e.v. above the ground state of the crystal, and at about 3.7 e.v. in anthracene. A maximum value for the CT exciton-exciton recombination coefficient (β) in anthracene is estimated to be 10−9 cm.3 sec.−1. From an examination of the delayed fluorescence produced in anthracene by α-particle bombardment, it is concluded that the lifetime of the CT exciton T(CT) is less than 10−6 sec. The efficiency of generating the CT exciton in anthracene using light of energy 4.4 e.v. is about 2%, based on the values for β(CT) and T(CT) given above.
Signal recovery with similarity constraints

The method of projections onto convex sets (POCS) is a technique for restoring signals from the available data and prior constraints. In general each additional constraint helps to narrow the set of feasible solutions consistent with the data and prior constraints. We discuss a new constraint, which we call similarity. The similarity constraint is associated with a closed, convex set and hence is useful in POCS. We compute the similarity projector, discuss its properties, and illustrate its application in signal recovery and synthesis with examples.
Invariant shape solutions of the spinning three craft Coulomb tether problem

In this paper we study shape-preserving formations of three spacecraft, where the formation keeping forces arise from the electric charges deposed on each craft. Inspired by Lagrange’s 3-body problem, the general conditions that guarantee preservation of the geometric shape of the electrically charged formation are derived. While the classical collinear configuration is a solution to the problem, the equilateral triangle configuration is found to only occur with unbounded relative motion. The three collinear spacecraft problem is analyzed and the possible solutions are categorized based on the spacecraft mass–charge ratio. Precise statements on the number of solutions associated with each category are provided. Finally, a methodology is proposed to study boundedness of the collinear solution that is inspired by past understanding and results for the 3-body problem. Given the initial position and the velocity vectors of each craft along with the charges, analytical solutions are provided describing the resulting relative motion.
Flow Cytometric Reticulocyte Analysis and the Reticulocyte Maturity Index

Reticulocyte analysis has evolved to one of the accepted and routinely practiced clinical applications of flow cytometry technology. Similar to CD4 measurements, FCM technology has contributed to documented improvements in reticulocyte counting precision over previous microscope-based techniques. The ability to FCM instruments to quantitate fluorescence intensity has been utilized to derive a parameter of reticulocyte maturity, which we have termed the reticulocyte maturity index. The FCM-derived RMI parameter offers an additional perspective to assess the erythropoietic response in anemic patients over reticulocyte counting alone and provides further insight into the differential diagnosis of anemia. Clinical utility of the RMI has been reported in monitoring expensive, new-technology therapies, such as bone marrow transplantation and erythropoietin therapy. FCM reticulocyte analysis is still not fully mature, but is in a state of continued evolution. Needs exist for (i) improved software for data analysis, (ii) newer automation techniques to improve interlaboratory correlations, and (iii) further validation and refinement of the reticulocyte maturity index parameter.
Preliminary Impressions of the Effects of a Proficiency-Based Language Requirement1

The last few years have seen a proliferation of articles on proficiency-based instruction. To date, however, there have been relatively few publications which provide results and describe the effects of proficiency-based programs. The purpose of this article is to provide some preliminary data, thoughts, and impressions on the effect of the proficiency-based foreign language requirement instituted within the last five years at the University of Pennsylvania. The observations are divided into four general categories: effects on the faculty; effects on teaching assistants (training and attitudes); effects on the curriculum (materials and methods); and effects on students (proficiency test scores, oral interview and CEEB correlations, attitudes and motivation). The findings and observations suggest that important and valuable changes have taken place in the language learning/language teaching environment but caution is urged in the need to create realistic and well understood standards rather than an emphasis merely on proficiency and testing.
Bacilli in milk. I. Spore germination and growth.

Abstract The influence of the heat treatment of the spore and of the milk upon germination, outgrowth, and subsequent vegetative cell growth of Bacillus cereus 7 spores was determined in raw (unheated), pasteurized (62.8 C-30min), high-heated (100 C-10min), autoclaved (121 C-10min) skimmilks. Pollowing 2 hr incubation at 35C, the per cent germination for the unheated spores was 27.3, 89.7, 65.2, and 15.6, and for the heat-shocked (80 C-12min) spores it was 67.8, 99.5, 94.9, and 83.5 in raw, pasteurized, high-heated, and autoclaved skimmilks, respectively. The time required for the spores to germinate, outgrow, and initiate active cell multiplication ranged from 124min for the heat-shocked spores in pasteurized milk to 355min for the unheated spores in raw milk. When vegetative cells in exponential growth were inoculated into the various milk systems, the rate of growth for the first 30min in raw milk was approximately one-half that for pasteurized or high-heated milk. However, upon continued incubation no differences in generation time or number of generations were noted between the raw and heated milks. Heat treatment of the spore stimulated germination and subsequent outgrowth; whereas, heat treatment of the milk affected the initial rate of active cell multiplication.
Antibiotic use in neonatal intensive care units and adherence with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 12 Step Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance.

Background:The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 12-Step Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance was launched to educate clinicians about antimicrobial resistance and provide strategies to improve clinical practice, including antimicrobial utilization.Methods:A multicenter retros
Librarians' Role in Reach Out and Read

ABSTRACT Librarians serving pediatricians have an opportunity to participate in establishing and/or maintaining a Reach Out and Read (ROR) program at their workplace. Reach Out and Read is a pediatric preliteracy program that targets at-risk children living in poverty. It addresses the link between poverty and illiteracy by equipping pediatricians with the tools they need to incorporate literacy counseling information into pediatric primary care visits so that these children enter school ready to learn to read. The purpose of this article is to illustrate by example how librarians can support their institution's ROR program.
A generic readout environment for prototype pixel detectors

Abstract Pixel detectors for experimental particle physics research have been implemented with a variety of readout formats and potentially generate massive amounts of data. Examples include the PSI46 device for the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment which implements an analog readout, the Fermilab FPIX2.1 device with a digital readout, and the Fermilab Vertically Integrated Pixel device. The Electronic Systems Engineering Department of the Computing Division at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has developed a data acquisition system flexible and powerful enough to meet the various needs of these devices to support laboratory test bench as well as test beam applications. The system is called CAPTAN (Compact And Programmable daTa Acquisition Node) and is characterized by its flexibility, versatility and scalability by virtue of several key architectural features. These include a vertical bus that permits the user to stack multiple boards, a gigabit Ethernet link that permits high speed communications to the system and a core group of boards that provide specific processing and readout capabilities for the system. System software based on distributed computing techniques supports an expandable network of CAPTANs. In this paper, we describe the system architecture and give an overview of its capabilities.
Preferential effect of bleomycin on newly replicated chromatin in nuclei from L1210 cells.

Abstract This study determined whether nascent chromatin in nuclei from leukemia L1210 cells constitutes a preferential target for bleomycin. No differences were seen in fragmentation of nascent and bulk DNA as judged by DNA double-stranded cleavage and the release of acid-soluble material or subnucleosomal (under 8 S) fragments. In contrast, bleomycin-induced chromatin aggregation (Woynarowski, J.M., Gawron, L.S. and Beerman, T.A. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 910, 149–156) occurred preferentially in nascent chromatin as indicated by a retarded solubilization of nascent chromatin and generation of a fast-sedimenting material (above 45 S) in the sedimentation profiles of drug-released nascent chromatin. This preferential aggregation disappeared completely when chromatin became older than 10 min. The drug aggregation activity did not distinguish nascent and mature presolubilized oligonucleosomes. The results suggest that bleomycin recognizes higher-order structures of nascent chromatin.
Coming Too Late: Freud, Belatedness, and Existential Trauma

In discussing the impact of traumatic experience on the workings of memory, Bessel van der Kolk and Onno van der Hart challenge one of the central tenets of Freudian psychoanalysis—the concept of repression—at least as it relates to trauma. Like Freud, especially from the writing of Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920) onward, van der Kolk and van der Hart are interested “in the role of overwhelming experiences on the development of psychopathology” (158). But against Freud’s theory of repression as a response to trauma, they offer a new way of understanding what it means for the traumatized psyche not to be able to lay claim to a past experience in the form of a conscious relation to it. Concerned both with how, in general terms, “memories are stored in the mind” and, more particularly, with the “disruptive impact of traumatic experiences” on the storage and retrieval of memories (158), van der Kolk and van der Hart argue that trauma’s disabling of the mind has less to do with repression as an active refusal of an experience—its forced relocation to a hidden region that escapes conscious attention1—than with dissociation, a process whereby the mind, faced with an incomprehensible experience, fails to organize that experience within an unfolding temporal order—fails, that is, to assign it narrative coherence. Where such coherence (“narrative memory”) is lacking, they argue, the mind cannot assimilate an experience into a broader life narrative. In this model, in other words, trauma renders experience inaccessible to conscious thought through the failed psychic integration of that experience: the experience cannot be assimilated into the broader cognitive patterns that are central to memory and, through memory, to the possibility of continuous or narrative self-
Method for calculating a Lyapunov exponent

A new method is presented for calculating the leading Lyapunov exponent directly from experimental data for systems having a strange attractor with dimensionality near 2. The method is exact for one-dimensional maps and gives good results for systems that have approximate one-dimensional maps associated with them even in the presence of some noise. Numerical examples are given.
Graphitic Carbon Nanofiber (GCNF)/Polymer Materials. II. GCNF/Epoxy Monoliths Using Reactive Oxydianiline Linker Molecules and the Effect of Nanofiber Reinforcement on Curing Conditions

Reactive (r-) graphitic carbon nanofibers (GCNFs) with 3,4’-oxydianiline (ODA), r-GCNF-ODA, capable of covalent binding to an epoxy resin during thermal curing, are prepared by reaction of GCNFs surface-derivatized with ODA linker molecules (GCNF-ODA) with butyl glycidyl ether. The thermal curing characteristics of r-GCNF-ODA/epoxy resin mixtures having nanofiber loadings of 0.3 wt% and 1.3 wt% are analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The quality of the cured GCNF/epoxy nanocomposites is assessed through bending tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These results indicate that the presence of r-GCNF-ODA nanofibers affects the thermal curing process, and that additional heating is required to achieve cured nanocomposites at higher nanofiber loadings. Reaction of GCNF-ODA nanofibers with butyl glycidyl ether prior to mixing with an epoxy resin gives more welldispersed r-GCNF-ODA/epoxy resin mixtures and r-GCNFODA/epoxy nanocomposites having better flexural strength than the corresponding GCNF-ODA/epoxy materials. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:128–135, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
Relative Expression of Aromatase Cytochrome P450 in Human Fetal Tissues as Determined by Competitive Polymerase Chain Reaction Amplification

The aromatase enzyme complex is responsible for the conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens. Aromatase activities ranging from moderate to very low have been measured in human fetal tissues. The inability to demonstrate aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450AROM) messenger RNA (mRNA) in several fetal tissues by northern blotting has been attributed to low levels of specific message. In order to identify and compare P450AROM mRNA levels in fetal tissues, we developed a specific competitive polymerase chain reaction amplification technique. This reaction uses coamplification of a rat P450AROM complementary RNA to normalize differences in amplification efficiencies. Using this technique, P450AROM mRNA was identified in all fetal tissues studied including; liver, lung, brain, skin, intestine, kidney, spleen, and heart. Fetal liver contained far more P450AROM mRNA per total RNA than any other tissues studied. Fetal brain and intestine also tended to have slightly higher levels than other tissues.
Studies on Starter Metabolism. II. The Influence of Heating Milk on the Subsequent Response of Starter Cultures

Summary 1.A study of starter responses in a series of fluid milks which had been subjected to heat treatments ranging from 62° C. for 30 minutes to 120° C. for 60 minutes revealed the following: (a)Gradual increases in severity of exposure resulted in an initial stimulation, followed by a zone of inhibition, followed by another zone of stimulation, and terminating in a second area of heat-induced inhibition. (b)The primary zone of stimulation occurred at exposures from 62° for 30 minutes to 72° for 40 minutes. The first zone of heat-induced inhibition was initiated at exposures equivalent to 72° for 45 minutes and extended through 82° for 10 minutes to 120 minutes, as well as at 90° from 1 to 45 minutes. This inhibition was arrested and stimulation was reinduced by heating at 90° for 60 to 180 minutes, or autoclaving (120°) for 15 to 30 minutes. The final zone of inhibition occurred after autoclaving for longer than 30 minutes. 2.There was a marked variation in starter responses in raw and pasteurized milk, but the differences between starters were considerably diminished in milks heated to 72 or 95° for 30 minutes. 3.The first and second phases of the heat-induced stimulation-inhibition-stimulation-inhibition cycle could be duplicated by the addition of denatured serum protein or cysteine hydrochloride. The transition from stimulation to inhibition occurred at exposures which resulted in concentrations of 0.15 to 0.20 mgm. denatured serum protein nitrogen or from 10 to 20 γ cysteine per ml. 4.Artificially supplemented cysteine augmented the sulfhydryl groups made available by heating. In raw and low-heat milks, cysteine was stimulatory; in highly heated milks, cysteine was inhibitory.
Lessons from the war on dietary fat

Conventional dietary guidelines put forth by health care institutions and providers for the past 40 years have stressed the importance of reducing the amount of dietary fat consumed. Such a diet is purported to mitigate metabolic risk factors and optimize the ability to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight. However, over the past 35 years obesity rates in the United States have risen dramatically though the level of dietary fat consumed by U.S. adults has fallen. This review examines the potential reasons for this paradox. Various meta-analyses, controlled trials, and cohort studies have demonstrated that reducing dietary fat intake provides for very little weight loss unless accompanied by equal or greater reductions in total energy intake. Due to both psychological (e.g., the tendency for people to eat more of what they consider low fat) and physiological (e.g., the low satiety that accompanies carbohydrate intake) factors, reducing total caloric intake while simultaneously reducing fat intake is a...
Computational implementation of non-linear convex hull reformulation

Abstract Lee and Grossmann [Lee, S., & Grossmann, I. E. (2000). New algorithms for nonlinear generalized disjunctive programming. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 24, 2125–2141] have developed a reformulation for nonlinear Generalized Disjunctive Programming (GDP) problems that obtains from the intersection of the convex hulls of every disjunction. In order to computationally implement this method, it is necessary to reformulate the problem in such a way so as to avoid division by zero in the nonlinear inequalities present amongst the convex hull constraints, while preserving the convex nature of the problem. To accomplish this, we propose to replace the original set of nonlinear constraints by two different sets of convex constraints that circumvent the aforementioned problem and that approximate the original set of constraints exactly at their limit. Furthermore, we compare the two sets of approximating constraints against each other and give rigorous theoretical conditions under which one is superior to the other. Finally, we illustrate the efficiency of both approximations on a variety of numerical examples draw from the Chemical Engineering and Operations Research literature.
Capillary plexus development in the day five to day six chick chorioallantoic membrane is inhibited by cytochalasin D and suramin.

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a valuable model for evaluating angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Our purpose was to characterize the formation of the CAM vasculature, in particular the capillary plexus, between days five and six after fertilization and to examine the mode of action of cytochalasin D and suramin on vascular development during this interval. The CAM increased 20-fold in size between days five and six, during which time the capillary plexus forms by both migration of mesodermal blood vessels toward the ectoderm and by the formation of new vessels from angioblasts near the ectoderm. Between days five and six, the CAM becomes thinner, and the density of the mesodermal cells decreases. To determine the mode of action of anti-angiogenic drugs on the day five to day six CAM, various concentrations of cytochalasin D or suramin were added directly to day five CAMs, and their effects were evaluated on day six. Both drugs significantly inhibited CAM growth, altered branching patterns of the major vessels, decreased area of the major vessels, and inhibited the formation of the capillary plexus by inhibiting both vasculogenesis and the migration of mesodermal blood vessels to the ectoderm. Cytochalasin D also inhibited compartmentalization of the plexus. Cytochalasin D and suramin were inhibitory at similar doses. This study provides new information on early CAM development, establishes the mode of action and dose dependency of cytochalasin D and suramin on day five to day six CAMs, and demonstrates that the day five to day six CAM provides a useful assay to examine the effect of anti-angiogenic drugs on blood vessel development, including capillary plexus formation.
ZnT7, a Novel Mammalian Zinc Transporter, Accumulates Zinc in the Golgi Apparatus

ZnT7, a novel member of the zinc transporter (ZnT) family, was identified by searching the expressed sequence tag (EST) databases with the amino acid sequence of ZnT1. Like the other ZnT proteins, the protein (387 amino acids) predicted from this gene contains six transmembrane domains and a histidine-rich loop between transmembrane domains IV and V. We show that Znt7 is widely transcribed in mouse tissues with abundant expression in the liver and small intestine and moderate expression in the kidney, spleen, brain, and lung. An affinity-purified antibody raised against the amino acids 299–315 of mouse ZnT7 specifically reacted with the proteins with apparent molecular masses of 85, 43, and 65 kDa in small intestine and lung tissues by Western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence microscope analysis reveals that ZnT7 is localized in the Golgi apparatus and cytoplasmic vesicles. Exposure of the ZnT7-expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to zinc causes an accumulation of zinc in the Golgi apparatus, suggesting that ZnT7 facilitates zinc transport from the cytoplasm into the Golgi apparatus.
Solar irradiance on flat-plate collectors in urban environments

Abstract A numerical climatic model has been developed in order to simulate the solar irradiance that would be available to a flat-plate collector sited at street level within a typical urban setting. Results confirm that the available irradiance can be substantially reduced by the presence of horizonal obstructions. It is additionally evident that the optimal collector azimuth may vary by as much as 60° from due south—in the mid-latitude northern hemisphere. Losses of available irradiance, associated with the popular practice of facing collectors due south and tilting them as a simple function of latitude, appear to be as high as 10–15% when compared to the total solar irradiance available at an optimal collector orientation as determined by simulation.
Anisotropic Nature of High-Temperature Superconductivity in Single-Crystal Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 − x

We report the first contact-free measurements of the upper critical fields, ${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{c}2}$(T), of single-crystal ${\mathrm{Y}}_{1}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$. In contrast to resistive measurements reported by others, we find that the anisotropy near ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ is temperature independent in agreement with the expectations of anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau theory. Estimates of the anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau and London parameters are reported. These indicate that despite the large anisotropy in ${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{c}2}$ (5:1), the inferred low-temperature interplanar coherence length (${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{z}}$=7 A\r{}) remains larger than the Cu-O layer spacing of 3.9 A\r{}. The superconductivity in ${\mathrm{Y}}_{1}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$ thus remains fundamentally three dimensional in nature for a substantial temperature range below ${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$.
Geochemistry of tin in rivers and estuaries

Abstract On the basis of measurements from a large number of rivers from pristine and polluted regions, we estimate the riverine fluxes of tin to the oceans to be 0.76 × 106molyr−1 for the dissolved fraction and 300–600 × 106 mol yr−1 for the paniculate fraction. The paniculate flux agrees with the flux calculated from denudation rates. Estuaries were found not to have a large effect upon the transport of tin to the oceans. Evidence for the remobilization of tin was found in an estuary that is highly polluted with tin from mining and smelting activities. Monobutyltin was found to be present in polluted estuaries and is presumed to be a degradation product of tributyltin additives to antifouling paint.
Weyl gauge fixing and BRS symmetry in string theory

The Weyl freedom in string theory is incorporated into the BRS symmetry in the conformal-type gauge fixing. This clarifies the origins of the requirements such as D = 26 and the intercept condition. The physical equivalence of the reparametrization invariant and Weyl invariant path integral measures at D = 26 is established. The anomaly associated with the BRS transformation is explicitly evaluated, and the possible theory at D < 26 from the BRS viewpoint is also briefly discussed.
Effects of anandamide on cannabinoid receptors in rat brain membranes

Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide) is a compound recently isolated from porcine brain as a putative endogenous ligand at cannabinoid receptors. The present studies examined the effects of anandamide on cannabinoid receptor binding sites and adenylyl cyclase in rat brain membranes. Receptor binding experiments, conducted at 25 degrees for 90 min, apparently resulted in significant degradation of anandamide, since anandamide (10 microM) had little effect on [3H]WIN 55212-2 binding in cerebellar membranes. Addition of the general serine protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) protected against this degradation, resulting in an IC50 value of 90 nM for anandamide versus [3H]WIN 55212-2 binding. Anandamide inhibited adenylyl cyclase in cerebellar membranes in a GTP-dependent manner, exhibiting a maximal inhibition level slightly less than that of WIN 55212-2 and CP-55,940, with an IC50 value of 1.9 microM. The effect of anandamide on adenylyl cyclase was region-specific, with maximal inhibition occurring in cerebellum and striatum. These results suggest that anandamide acts at G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors in brain with properties similar to those of exogenous cannabinoids.
Naturally Occurring Osmolytes Modulate the Nanomechanical Properties of Polycystic Kidney Disease Domains

Polycystin-1 (PC1) is a large membrane protein that is expressed along the renal tubule and exposed to a wide range of concentrations of urea. Urea is known as a common denaturing osmolyte that affects protein function by destabilizing their structure. However, it is known that the native conformation of proteins can be stabilized by protecting osmolytes that are found in the mammalian kidney. PC1 has an unusually long ectodomain with a multimodular structure including 16 Ig-like polycystic kidney disease (PKD) domains. Here, we used single-molecule force spectroscopy to study directly the effects of several naturally occurring osmolytes on the mechanical properties of PKD domains. This experimental approach more closely mimics the conditions found in vivo. We show that upon increasing the concentration of urea there is a remarkable decrease in the mechanical stability of human PKD domains. We found that protecting osmolytes such as sorbitol and trimethylamine N-oxide can counteract the denaturing effect of urea. Moreover, we found that the refolding rate of a structurally homologous archaeal PKD domain is significantly slowed down in urea, and this effect was counteracted by sorbitol. Our results demonstrate that naturally occurring osmolytes can have profound effects on the mechanical unfolding and refolding pathways of PKD domains. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that osmolytes such as urea or sorbitol may modulate PC1 mechanical properties and may lead to changes in the activation of the associated polycystin-2 channel or other intracellular events mediated by PC1.
Increasing the Noticeability of Warnings: Effects of Pictorial, Color, Signal Icon and Border

Because of the importance of noticeability on subsequent comprehension and compliance to warnings, guidelines suggest increasing the salience or conspicuity of warnings. Surprisingly, only a small amount of research has examined different methods of increasing the noticeability of warnings. Therefore, the current research orthogonally manipulated four salience variables (pictorial, color, signal icon and border) to determine their effect on noticeability of warning information. Subjects viewed 96 simulated alcohol labels on a computer, half with a warning and half without. Subjects indicated whether or not a warning was on the label and response latencies were recorded. The results showed that warnings containing a pictorial, color or an icon had significantly faster response times than warnings without them. However, the addition of a border did not improve response times. More detailed analyses showed interactions between the four salience manipulations. These results demonstrate that pictorials, color ...
Beyond two dark energy parameters

Our ignorance of dark energy is generally described by a two-parameter equation of state. In these approaches, a particular ad hoc functional form is assumed, and only two independent parameters are incorporated. We propose a model-independent, multiparameter approach to fitting dark energy and show that next-generation surveys will constrain the equation of state in three or more independent redshift bins to better than 10%. Future knowledge of dark energy will surpass two numbers (e.g., $[{w}_{0},{w}_{1}]$ or $[{w}_{0},{w}_{a}]$), and we propose a more flexible approach to the analysis of present and future data.
Development and characterization of green fluorescent protein mutants with altered lifetimes.

Multiple-probe fluorescence imaging applications demand an ever-increasing number of resolvable probes, and the use of fluorophores with resolvable fluorescence lifetimes can help meet this demand. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants have been widely used in spectrally resolved multiprobe imaging, but as yet, there has not been a systematic set of mutants generated with resolvable lifetimes. Therefore, to generate such mutants, we have utilized error-prone PCR and fluorescence lifetime imaging to screen for mutants of UV-excited green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) that exhibit altered fluorescence decay lifetimes. This has resulted in the isolation of GFPuv mutants displaying at least three distinctly different lifetimes in the range of 1.9−2.8 ns. Mutation of Y145 to either histidine or cysteine was found to shift the fluorescence lifetime of GFPuv from 3.03 ± 0.03 to 2.78 ± 0.05 ns for the Y145H mutant and to 2.74 ± 0.05 ns for Y145C. Some of the shorter-lifetime mutants exhibited excitation ...
Preconcentration and Determination of a Phospholipid at a Surface Modified by Layer‐by‐Layer Assembly

Electrochemical oxidation of a phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), was accomplished at a 4-aminothiophenol (ATP)-modified gold electrode coated with a layer-by-layer assembly of an electrochemical catalyst (dirhodium phosphomolybdic acid), a trapping agent for PC (a cyclophane, CP, derivative, 1,4-xylylene-1,4-phenylene-diacetate), and a spacer (generation-4 polyamidoamine dendrimer, PAMAM). The layer-by-layer assembly process and the trapping of PC was verified by quartz crystal microbalance measurements; Au|ATP|CP|PAMAM|CP trapped (1.5±0.4)×10−9 mol cm−2 of PC. The electrocatalytic oxidation of PC yielded a current that varied linearly with concentration over the range 1–50 μM; the R2 value was 0.996.
On flexural waves in cylindrically anisotropic elastic rods

A rod theory is developed for long waves in an elastic circular cylinder with cylindrical anisotropy. Detailed results for flexural waves and cylindrical orthotropy are given. The theory uses the method of Frobenius in the radial direction so that the equation of motion is satisfied exactly. Then, the equations arising from the lateral boundary condition are truncated properly, leading to a rod theory.
Logistics: simulation based decision support for supply chain logistics

Supply chain logistics planning is a complex process in both military and civilian operations. Poor planning may lead to system instability that might seriously influence the ability of the supply chain to satisfy its customers or might affect a combat mission. Therefore, correct decisions need to be made to optimize the performance of the system. It is important that the right information is transferred to the concerned unit that needs to receive the right information. Our model features a decision support system that aids human in making decisions and studies the role of a decision support system in enhancing the performance of the supply chain logistics system. The model is object oriented in nature, which helps in rapid prototyping of the different components of the system.
Paternal attachment, parenting beliefs and children's attachment

Relationships between fathers' romantic attachment style, parenting beliefs and father–child attachment security and dependence were examined in a diverse sample of 72 fathers of young children. Paternal romantic attachment style was coded based on fathers' endorsement of a particular style represented in the Hazan and Shaver Three‐Category measure of attachment. Fathers also reported on their children's attachment security using the Waters Attachment Q‐Sort. Fathers who rated themselves as secure had low levels of abuse potential and parenting stress and high levels of parenting efficacy and knowledge of child development. Abuse potential was also related to children's dependency, whereas parenting stress was related to children's security. The results suggest that fathers with different romantic attachment styles may have different ideas about parenting that result in different patterns of attachment security and dependence in their children.
Atomism, Pluralism, and Conceptual Content

Conceptual atomists argue that most of our concepts are primitive. I take up three arguments that have been thought to support atomism and show that they are inconclusive. The evidence that allegedly backs atomism is equally compatible with a localist position on which concepts are structured representations with complex semantic content. I lay out such a localist position and argue that the appropriate position for a non-atomist to adopt is a pluralist view of conceptual structure. I show several ways in which conceptual pluralism provides an advantage in satisfying the empirical and philosophical demands on a theory of conceptual structure and content.
MECHANICAL INTERPRETATION OF COMPRESSIVE STRESS‐STRAIN RELATIONSHIPS OF SOLID FOODS

True compressive stress-strain relationships of various solid foods have been demonstrated in a three-dimensional display that has included the tests true strain histories. The shapes of the stress-strain curves and complementary relaxation and compressiblity data indicated the existence of two antagonistic mechanisms which regulated the stress levels. These were internal fractures which tended to decrease the mechanical strength of the deformed specimens and structural compaction that had the tendency to increase it. It has also been demonstrated that the true stresses could be influenced by the specimen dimensions as well as by the strain rate.
Deviations from Bragg's Rule for the Stopping Cross Sections of Deuterium in Titanium and Zirconium Deuteride Films

The ratios of the stopping cross sections of deuterium ions in titanium and zirconium deuteride films to those in the pure metals have been determined at incident deuteron energies from 300 keV to 2.0 MeV. These ratios are evaluated from measurements of the yields of deuteron elastic scattering in the deuteride films and in films of the pure metals. Although the absolute stopping cross sections cannot be evaluated from the measurements, use of the Brice yield equation allows the ratios of the cross sections in the deuterides to those in the pure metals to be determined. Significant deviations from Bragg’s rule are found and these results are in general agreement with recent measurements at lower deuteron energies (40–200 keV). These measurements represent some of the largest deviations from strict additivity of stopping powers yet observed.
The Acetabular Reamer: A Unique Tool for Anterior Iliac Crest Bone Graft Harvesting

Bone grafting is often required in craniofacial reconstruction. Morselized corticocancellous bone grafts are particularly useful in applications such as filling and contouring irregular bony defects. Obtaining grafts of this consistency by traditional methods is difficult. An efficient harvesting method that can produce such grafting material in clinically useful quantities is needed. We report the use of a mechanical acetabular reamer for the purpose of harvesting a bone graft from the iliac crest.