cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleotide sequence divergence among DNA fractions of different syngens of Tetrahymena pyriformis.

The magnitude of the differences in base sequence of DNA fractions derived from different syngens of the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis was investigated. Each DNA was fractionated into unique and repeated sequences by hydroxylapatite chromatography, and the fractions were tested by in vitro molecular hybridization techniques. The amount of hybrid formed and the thermal stability of the hybrid molecules were examined at different incubation temperatures (50 and 65 C) for unique sequences and at 50 C for repeated sequences. The extent of the reactions involving either unique or repeated sequences was nearly complete when the two DNAs compared were derived from the same syngen. Moreover, intrasyngenic hybrids formed at 50 C (and 65 C for unique sequences) exhibit a high degree of thermal stability. In contrast, the extent of the reactions involving sequences derived from different syngens was low, as expected from the effect of mismatching on rate of reassociation, and intersyngenic hybrids formed at 50 C have low thermal stability. The reaction of unique sequences is further reduced at 65 C and the intersyngenic hybrids formed have a higher thermal stability than those formed at 50 C. The degree to which thermal stability is lowered was then used to estimate the percentage of mispaired bases. The average divergence of unique sequences between syngens is large and of the magnitude found for rodent DNAs from different genera or for Drosophila DNAs from nonsibling species. The repeated sequence fraction may contain more than one component and may be more conserved than the unique sequence fraction.
Appearance of adenosine triphosphate in the perfusate from working frog heart.

Frog hearts (Rana pipiens) were perfused in situ with Ringer's solution and the perfusate tested on firefly extract for the presence of ATP. At a normal perfusion pressure of 8 cm. H2O the rate of release of ATP into the perfusate was 8.8 (+/- S.E.1.7) pmoles.min-1. When the workload was increased by raising the perfusion pressure to 12 cm. H2O the rate of release increased to 28.3 (+/- S.E.4.8) pmoles.min-1. The rate of release was found to be proportional to the amount of workload imposed upon the heart. It is postulated that the trigger for release is hypoxia and that the release of ATP from the cardiac cell will augment contractility of the myocardium through its action upon adjacent cells via the P2 purinergic receptor. cells via the P2 purinergic receptor.
Critical fluctuations in high-temperature superconductors and the Ettingshausen effect

We study the fluctuation Ettingshausen effect in a type-II superconductor using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation. The free-fluctuation theory predicts a divergence in the Ettingshausen coefficient at T=${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}2}$(H), in conflict with the recent data of Palstra et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 3090 (1990)]. Including interactions through a self-consistent Hartree approximation eliminates the divergence and provides a quantitative explanation of the experiments.
EXPERIENCE IN RENAL TRANSPLANTATION IN CHILDREN

Thirty-four renal transplants were performed in 32 children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 21 over the past 3 years. Some children with unusual syndromes such as Juene's nail-patella, and congenital oxalosia were transplanted. Nineteen out of 26 (73%) living-related transplants and 4 out of 8 (50%) cadaveric transplants are functioning. Thirty-one out of 32 patients (97%) are surviving. Graft loss has been due to acute progressive rejection, chronic rejection, and recurrent membranoproliferative glomerulonephrltis. Craatinine clearance and concentrating ability is maintained in many grafts indicating prolonged survival even in some patients with recurrent glomerulonephritis. Patterns of serum complement levels and urinary protein excretion are reviewed post-transplant. Growth patterns are also reviewed in the younger children.
Development of the Ca-Au-In icosahedral Quasicrystal and two crystalline approximants: practice via pseudogap electronic tuning.

Electronic tuning and syntheses to gain the icosahedral quasicrystal (i-QC) (Ca14.1(2)Au44.2(8)In41.7(7), e/a = 1.98) and two approximant crystals (ACs) are reported. The tuning was derived from Na2Au6In5, another cubic Mg2Zn11-type structure, for which the Fermi level (e/a = 1.77) should tune to a calculated pseudogap (e/a = 2.02) under a rigid band assumption. The 1/1 AC, Ca3Au12.2(1)In6.3(2) (e/a = 1.73), crystallizes in space group Im3, with a = 15.152(2) A, Z = 8, and the 2/1 AC, Ca12.6(1)Au37.0(2)In39.6(6) (e/a = 2.01), in Pa3, with a = 24.632(3) A , Z = 8. Both have substantially fixed compositions according to lattice dimensions. Structure analyses reveal that both ACs contain triacontahedral clusters as the basic building blocks at the body-centered and primitive cubic unit cell levels, respectively. Densities-of-states (DOS) analyses for the 1/1 AC structure reveal a pseudogap at e/a = 2.00, close to the point at which the i-QC was predicted and experimentally tuned. Phase relationships of the...
Keeping it to ourselves: Technology, privacy, and the loss of reserve

Abstract This article discusses the loss of reserve, a critical component of privacy, caused by technological advances. I define reserve as our ability to control what information about us is disclosed, and what is not. As technology evolves, the protective inefficiencies of the early information age have given way to increasing intrusiveness, with corresponding impacts on the level of privacy we enjoy. As people embrace new technologies, they neglect to assess the impact on the privacies they claim to cherish. Of the four facets of privacy—solitude, intimacy, anonymity, and reserve—the erosion of privacy may have its greatest effect on the loss of reserve. The negative impact of technology on reserve is examined, along with the need for meaningful societal discourse regarding the role of technology in our everyday lives.
Don't drink the water.

If water exists in permanently shadowed terrain on the moon as suggested by a number of investigators (Watson et al., 1961; Arnold, 1979; Hodges, 1980; Nozette et al., 1996; Duke and Whittaker, 1997) and strongly supported by the Lunar Prospector neutron flux measurements (Feldman et al., 1998), the results of studies on another volatile, namely mercury (Hg), are quite relevant. Whereas water has not been positively found, a large number of studies has established the presence of Hg in lunar samples. Its presence and volatile behavior are important when considering water as probably the most important in situ lunar resource. Here we show that the amount of Hg in lunar cold traps may be comparable to the amounts of water.
Posttraining injections of MK-801 produce a time-dependent impairment of memory in two water maze tasks.

The role of glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in memory storage processes was examined using systemic posttraining injections of MK-801. Male Long-Evans rats received an eight-trial (30-s ITI) training session on a spatial or cued water maze task. In the spatial task, a submerged escape platform was located in the same quadrant of the maze on all trials. In the cued task, a visible escape platform was located in a different quadrant of the maze on each trial. Following Trial 8 in both tasks, the rats received a posttraining intraperitoneal injection of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, or 0.2 mg/kg) or saline. On a retention test session 24 h later, latency to mount the escape platform was used as a measure of memory. In both tasks, the retention test escape latencies of animals given MK-801 (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) were significantly higher than those of saline-injected controls, indicating a drug-induced impairment of memory. Injections of MK-801 (0.05 mg/kg) did not affect retention when administered 2 h posttraining in either task, indicating that the effects of MK-801 on retention are not due to an influence on non-mnemonic factors. Control experiments indicated that the memory impairing effects of MK-801 were due to an influence on memory for the type of discrimination training given (i.e., spatial or cued) and not due to an influence on a mnemonic strategy common to both tasks. The findings indicate a time-dependent role for NMDA receptor function in memory storage processes.
Long term activity of modified ZnO nanoparticles for transesterification

Abstract Biodiesel can be produced by the transesterification of natural oils with methanol using modified ZnO nanoparticles as catalyst. Crude algae oil, corn oil from DDGs, crude palm oil, crude soybean oil, crude coconut oil, waste cooking oil, food-grade soybean oil and food-grade soybean oil with 3% water and 5% FFA addition were converted into FAME within 3 h using this new catalyst. The ZnO nanoparticles were reused 17 times without any activity loss in a batch stirred reactor and the average yield of FAME was around 93.7%. ZnO nanoparticles were used continuously for 70 days in a fix bed continuous reactor and the average yield of FAME was around 92.3%. XRD, ICP, TEM and HRTEM were used to characterize the long term used catalyst structure. Results show that this catalyst is a mixture of wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles and some amorphous materials and that the used catalysts have similar crystal structure to fresh catalyst. ICP results show that this catalyst does not dissolve in biodiesel, methanol, oil and glycerine–methanol solutions. It has a stable crystal structure under the reaction conditions. The high catalytic activity, long catalyst life and low leaching properties demonstrate these modified ZnO nanoparticles have potential in a commercial biodiesel production process.
Loss of stiffness due to fibers breaking in a weakly bonded composite

Abstract The stiffness loss associated with a dilute concentration of fiber breaks in a composite with a weak interface is studied. An expression for the instantaneous tangent modulus, which is directly related to the external work done on the composite, is derived. This expression involves results which can be obtained from the solution to the problem of a single broken fiber which is weakly bonded to an infinite matrix. Numerical results for the tangent modulus are then presented, utilizing a recent integral equation solution to the single fiber problem. It is found that, at low stresses, the tangent modulus corresponds to the perfectly bonded limit; it then diminishes with increasing load, due to progressive slippage at the interface. A simple expression for the asymptotic limit as the slip zone becomes long can be obtained from an elementary analysis.
"Separated" versus "Contact" Ion-Pair Structures in Solution from Their Crystalline States: Dynamic Effects on Dinitrobenzenide as a Mixed-Valence Anion

Qualitative structural concepts about dynamic ion pairs, historically deduced in solution as labile solvent-separated and contact species, are now quantified by the low-temperature isolation of crystalline (reactive) salts suitable for direct X-ray analysis. Thus, dinitrobenzenide anion (DNB-) can be prepared in the two basic ion-paired forms by potassium-mirror reduction of p-dinitrobenzene in the presence of macrocyclic polyether ligands: LC (cryptand) and LE (crown-ethers). The crystalline “separated” ion-pair salt isolated as K(LC)+//DNB- is crystallographically differentiated from the “contact” ion-pair salt isolated as K(LE)+DNB- by their distinctive interionic separations. Spectral analysis reveals pronounced near-IR absorptions arising from intervalence transitions that characterize dinitrobenzenide to be a prototypical mixed-valence anion. Most importantly, the unique patterns of vibronic (fine-structure) progressions that also distinguish the “separated” from the “contact” ion pair in the cryst...
Effect of facility background gases on internal erosion of the 30-cm Hg ion thruster

Sputtering erosion of the upstream side of the molybdenum screen grid by discharge chamber ions in mercury bombardment thrusters was considered. Data which revealed that the screen grid erosion was very sensitive to the partial pressure of certain background gases in the space simulation vacuum facility were presented along with results of tests conducted to evaluate this effect. It is shown from estimates of the screen grid erosion in space that adequate lifetime for proposed missions exists.
Non-isothermal SO2 absorption by water droplets—the effects of precipitation intensity, sulfate aerosol scavenging and aqueous S(IV) oxidation

Abstract Analysis of the simultaneous absorption and chemical reaction of SO 2 in water droplets falling in a non-uniform temperature field is extended to include the effects of raindrop size distribution, aerosol scavenging and S(IV) oxidation. Presented results indicate that non-isothermal effects on SO 2 absorption by water droplets can be important in gas-absorption calculations and interpretation of ground level samples. For example, for low initial pH rains the effect of rainfall rate on ground level bulk samples is dramatically different than that predicted by isothermal models. Furthermore, in the below-cloud region both SO 2 absorption and sulfate aerosol scavenging are shown to impact significantly on the solution chemistry, whereas, the effects of S(IV) oxidation are not important. In addition, simulation results are analyzed in terms of washout ratios and scavenging coefficients; which, in turn, are parameterized by drop size, pH, rainfall intensity and temperature.
A further note on contrastive rhetoric

The concept of Contrastive Rhetoric was first articulated in 1966. In the intervening decade, a number of studies have been undertaken to test the basic assumption that the organization of paragraphs written in any language by individuals who are not native speakers of that language will be influenced by the rhetorical preferences of the native language. In retrospect, some dozen studies by a variety of scholars are reviewed. Since the primary assumption appears to have survived analysis, a preliminary taxonomy of syntactic devices operating on inter‐sentence transitions and a framework for the analysis of discourse blocs are developed.
Précis of tracking truth

In Tracking Truth I undertook a broader project than is typical today toward questions about knowledge, evidence, and scientific realism. The range of knowledge phenomena is much wider than the kind of homely examples such as "She has a bee in her bonnet" that are often the fare in discussions of knowledge. Scientists have knowledge gained in sophisticated and deliberate ways, and non-human animals have reflexive and rudimentary epistemic achievements that we can easily slip into calling "knowledge." What is it about knowledge that makes it natural for us to use the same word in cases that are so vastly different? How is it possible for knowledge to have evolved? What is it about knowledge that it should enhance our power over nature, as Francis Bacon observed? What is it about evidence and knowledge that makes you more likely to have the latter when you have the former? Specialization is necessary to progress, but the division of labor it requires has allowed such questions to fall through the gaps between discussions.
Design, fabrication, and calibration of stress sensors embedded in a TSV interposer in a 300mm wafer

In this study, the design, fabrication, and calibration of the piezoresistive stress sensors [1–18] embedded in a TSV (through silicon via) interposer in a 300mm wafer are investigated. The results presented herein should be useful for the development of 3D integration such as measuring the strength of the TSV device and interposer wafers, during and after all the processes such as wafer thinning, SiO 2 deposition, metallization, and electroplating.
The mereological constancy of masses

It is controversial whether masses (what mass nouns refer to) exist. But on the assumption that they do, here are two uncontroversial facts about them: first, they satisfy a fusion principle which takes any set of masses of kind K and yields a mass fusion of kind K; secondly, a mass must have all and only the same parts at every time at which it exists. These two theses are usually built into the concept ‘mass’. I argue that the latter follows from the former. This shows that the concept ‘mass’ is unified, not gerrymandered. Moreover, since my arguments show that any entity which follows a certain fusion principle is also mereologically constant, and since these two properties are sufficient for being a mass, my arguments make it easier to argue that there are masses.
The side-vertex method for interpolation in triangles☆

Abstract Interpolation schemes which assume prescribed values on the boundary of a triangle are presented. The development of these interpolants is based upon univariate interpolation along line segments joining a vertex and a side. Initially, methods which only interpolate to function values on the boundary are described. This is followed by the application of several techniques which extend these methods so as to include interpolation to first order derivatives on the boundary.
Biofeedback of Heart Rate Variability and Related Physiology: A Critical Review

Low heart rate variability (HRV) characterizes several medical and psychological diseases. HRV biofeedback is a newly developed approach that may have some use for treating the array of disorders in which HRV is relatively low. This review critically appraises evidence for the effectiveness of HRV and related biofeedback across 14 studies in improving (1) HRV and baroreflex outcomes and (2) clinical outcomes. Results revealed that HRV biofeedback consistently effectuates acute improvements during biofeedback practice, whereas the presence of short-term and long-term carry-over effects is less clear. Some evidence suggests HRV biofeedback may result in long-term carry-over effects on baroreflex gain, which is an area most promising for future investigations. On the other hand, concerning clinical outcomes, there is ample evidence attesting to efficacy of HRV biofeedback. However, because clinical and physiological outcomes do not improve concurrently in all cases, the mechanism by which HRV biofeedback results in salutary effects in unclear. Considerations for the field in addressing shortcomings of the reviewed studies and advancing understanding of the way in which HRV biofeedback may improve physiological and clinical outcomes are offered in light of the reviewed evidence.
IL-21 is required for optimal antibody production and T cell responses during chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Previous studies have indicated that Il21r−/− mice chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii display a defect in serum IgG; however, the basis for this antibody defect was not defined and questions remain about the role of IL-21 in promoting the production of IL-10, which is required to limit infection-induced pathology during toxoplasmosis. Therefore, Il21−/− mice were challenged with T. gondii to determine whether IL-21 impacts the parasite-specific CD8+ T cell response, its contribution to thymus-dependent antibody production after infection, and balance between protective and pathogenic responses. Whereas IL-21 has been implicated in the differentiation of IL-10 producing CD4+ T cells no immune-mediated pathology was evident in Il21−/− mice during the acute response, nor was there a defect in the development of this population in chronically infected Il21−/− mice. However, Il21−/− mice displayed a defect in IgG production after infection that correlated with a decrease in GC B cell numbers, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell numbers in the brain were reduced over the course of the chronic infection leading to a decrease in total IFN-γ production and an increase in parasite numbers associated with susceptibility to toxoplasmic encephalitis. Together, these results identify a key role for IL-21 in shaping the humoral and cellular response to T. gondii, but indicate that IL-21 has a limited role in regulating immunopathology.
Knowledge engineering approaches in developing expert simulation systems

Two approaches to knowledge engineering are demonstrated using the soybean insect pest management expert simulation system SMARTSOY. SMARTSOY incorporates the soybean crop growth simulation model SOYGRO as part of its knowledge base. The positivistic approach to knowledge engineering attempts to duplicate thought processes of domain experts in order to arrive at conclusions while the normative approach attempts to duplicate the conclusions of domain experts without consideration of their thought processes. These contrasting approaches require different knowledge engineering techniques and validation procedures. Validation, evaluation and calibration of the two approaches are demonstrated using SMARTSOY for 84 field scenarios.
Cartagena de Indias. La ciudad y sus monumentos

Publicaciones de la Escuela de Estudios Hispanoamericanos de Sevilla. LV (No general). Serie 2a No 20. 322 paginas, 170 figuras
Florida Public Health Training Center: Evidence-Based Online Mentor Program.

The Florida Public Health Training Center (FPHTC) at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health (COPH) developed and implemented an Online Mentor Program (OMP) designed to suppo...
Ethical Aspects of Outcome Studies in Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions:

The domain of outcome research is enormous and the consequences weighty. Ethical, practical, and political goals of evaluation have insured a multitude of outcome studies concerning social, behavioral, and educational interventions as well as critiques thereof and descriptions of how to conduct related research. We have a rich literature guiding the design, conduct, reporting, and dissemination of outcome studies as well as a rich literature showing that such studies are often flawed and often hype inflated claims of knowledge (or ignorance). Uncertainties are often ignored resulting in harm to clients. I suggest that a focus on avoidable ignorance and its harmful consequences as well as taking advantage of Grice’s maxims of discourse guided by ethical obligations of professionals to do more good than harm will increase the percentage of sound outcome studies and accurate reporting.
Absorption density control in waveguide photodiode-analysis, design, and demonstration

A modal analysis is conducted for analyzing the absorption profile of high power waveguide photodiodes designed for analog optical link. The excitation of guided modes with large filling factor in the absorber is identified as a limiting factor for the performance of waveguide photodiodes at high optical power, including power handling capability, and bandwidth-efficiency product. A waveguide photodiode design, which spatially separates the input waveguide from the absorber in the lateral direction, is analyzed and experimentally demonstrated to suppress the excitation of mode with large filling factor. Photocurrent>60 mA under − 4 V bias is measured, with 0.80 A/W responsivity. This design illustrates that high power handling capability can be achieved without compromising the bandwidth-efficiency product.
Nervousness and Hysteria of Mature Female Chickens

A type of abnormal nervousness and hysteria, e.g., adding nests and perches to community cages and and hysteria affecting White Leghorn female chickens 35 or more weeks of age was investigated in nine experiments. Experimental flocks in which the malady consistently occurred were housed in large group (community) cages. Limited information was obtained on three cases in commercial flocks housed on the floor. Social pressure resulting from high population density appeared to be primary causative factor, with pain apparently contributing to the final break to hysteria. Claw removal at one day of age prevented hysteria but not nervousness in one experiment. Colored light, feeding added niacin or a mild tranquilizer were not successful preventives. Short term feeding of a high level of niacin, claw trimming and forced molting afforded relief in some cases while a heavy sedative was ineffective as a curative. Modification of the environment to reduce social pressure was successful in preventing nervousness and hysteria, e.g., adding nests and perches to community cages and moving flocks to less crowded housing. Strain differences in tendency to develop hysteria were demonstrated. There were positive indications of physiological changes associated with hysteria.
Design Study for Axial Injection of Polarized Ions into the Princeton University Cyclotron

A design study is in progress for an axial injection system for the Princeton University AVF cyclotron with particular emphasis on polarized beam such as 3He++.
Falls Risk Assessment and Modification

Home health clinicians are uniquely qualified to fully evaluate patient falls risk and carry out clinical interventions to reduce risk. The objectives of this article are to give home health providers an update on the risk factors for falling, review the current guideline recommendations for prevention of falls, and provide a stepwise approach to evaluate patients and apply the clinical literature to decrease falls in older patients living at home. Many falls may be prevented with patient screening, assessment of risk, and modification of risk factors. Since the risk of falling is an interaction between three groupings of patient-specific factors, namely, environmental factors, diseases/disorders, and medication use, a multifactorial fall risk assessment can help identify the factors to consider modifying in an individual patient.
Nasal tip support: A finite element analysis of the role of the caudal septum during tip depression

Objectives/Hypothesis Although minor and major tip support mechanisms have been described in detail, no quantitative models exist to provide support for the relative contributions of the structural properties of the major alar cartilage, the fibrous attachments to surrounding structures, and the rigid support structures in an objective manner. Study Design The finite element method was used to compute the stress distribution in the nose during simple tip compression, and then identify the specific anatomic structures that resist deformation and thus contribute to tip support. Additionally, the impact of caudal septal resection on nasal tip support was examined. Methods The computer models consisted of three tissue components with anatomically correct geometries for skin and bone derived from computed tomographic data. Septum, upper lateral cartilages, and major alar cartilages were fitted within the model using three-dimensional computer-aided design software. Five-millimeter nasal tip compression was performed on the models with caudal septal resection (3 and 5 mm) and without resection to simulate palpation, then the resulting spatial distribution of stress and displacement was calculated. Results The von Mises stress in the normal model was primarily concentrated along the medial crural angle. As caudal septum length was reduced, stress was redistributed to adjacent soft tissue and bone, resulting in less force acting on the septum. In all models, displacement was greatest near the intermediate crura. Conclusions These models are the first step in the comprehensive mechanical analysis of nasal tip dynamics. Our model supports the concept of the caudal septum and major alar cartilage providing the majority of critical load-bearing support. Level of Evidence N/A Laryngoscope, 124:649–654, 2014
Age- and sex-related differences in the tissue Doppler imaging parameters of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

BACKGROUND The effect of age and gender on tissue Doppler imaging measurements comparing the septal and mitral annulus needs to be investigated. METHODS We investigated in 276 outpatients in a university cardiology practice the relationship of age and gender to left atrial (LA) size, LA volume, mitral pulse-wave Doppler E/A ratio, E/Ea ratios by tissue Doppler image of mitral annular velocity (TDI), and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) by TDI. RESULTS Mitral E/A inflow was statistically decreased with age. E/Ea ratios of the lateral and mean of both lateral and septal annulus showed a statistical increase with age, while the E/Ea ratio of the septal annulus did not correlate with age. When comparing men and women of all ages, the mean LA volume for men was 59.2 cm3 +/- 24.36 cm3 versus 48.54 cm3 +/- 16.14 cm3 (P-value < 0.0001) and the mean LA size was 4.0 + 0.51 cm for men and 3.65 + 0.47 for women (P-value < 0.0001). There was no statistical difference between men and women when looking at mitral E/A inflow ratio, deceleration time, E/Ea ratio of the septal annulus, E/Ea ratio of the lateral annulus, E/Ea ratio of the mean of both septal and lateral annulus, and grades of LVDD. CONCLUSION In patients 70 years of age or older, the mean diastolic grade was mild-to-moderate LVDD when using lateral or mean of septal and lateral annular measurements. When only the septal annular measurements were used to determine diastolic grade, all four age groups showed a mean of mildly to moderately impaired LVDD and showed no correlation with age. There were no differences in tissue Doppler imaging measurements between men and women.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease and graft failure after lung transplantation

In spite of advances in lung transplantation, the median survival after lung transplant remains less than 5 years, an outcome that is significantly worse than other solid organ transplants. Efforts to understand the unique hurdles faced in lung transplant have revealed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a risk factor for ultimate graft failure. The link between GERD and chronic lung rejection parallels the association between GERD and other forms of lung disease such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Understanding how GERD predisposes to graft failure is an important issue as it may lead to therapies such as surgical correction that aim to lessen the exposure of the pulmonary epithelium to gastric contents. Here, we review the link between GERD and lung disease and discuss the preclinical and clinical studies that are starting to elucidate a mechanism for this association.
Variability in the nucleic acid binding site size and the amount of single-stranded DNA-binding protein in Escherichia coli

The Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB), essential for DNA replication, recombination and repair, can undergo a thermally induced irreversible conformational change which does not eliminate its biological activity, but changes the number of nucleotides it covers (binding site size) when binding to a single-stranded nucleic acid lattice. The binding site size of native and conformationally changed SSB was also found to be a function of the molecular mass of the polynucleotide, an observation which is unusual for single-stranded DNA binding proteins and will greatly affect the affinity relationship of this protein for nucleic acids. A radioimmunoassay used to quantitate in SSB level in cells revealed the number of SSB tetramers to be larger than initial estimates by a factor of as much as six. All these data suggest that the biological role of SSB and its mechanism of action is by far more complex than originally assumed.
GAG-ID: Heparan Sulfate (HS) and Heparin Glycosaminoglycan High-Throughput Identification Software

Heparin and heparan sulfate are very large linear polysaccharides that undergo a complex variety of modifications and are known to play important roles in human development, cell–cell communication and disease. Sequencing of highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides like heparin and heparan sulfate by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) remains challenging because of the presence of multiple isomeric sequences in a complex mixture of oligosaccharides, the difficulties in separation of these isomers, and the facile loss of sulfates in MS/MS. We have previously introduced a method for structural sequencing of heparin/heparan sulfate oligosaccharides involving chemical derivatizations that replace labile sulfates with stable acetyl groups. This chemical derivatization scheme allows the use of reversed phase LC for high-resolution separation and MS/MS for sequencing of isomeric heparan sulfate oligosaccharides. However, because of the large number of analytes present in complex mixtures of heparin/HS oligosaccharides, the resulting LC-MS/MS data sets are large and cannot be annotated with existing glycomics software because of the specifically designed chemical derivatization strategy. We have developed a tool, called GAG-ID, to automate the interpretation of derivatized heparin/heparan sulfate LC-MS/MS data based on a modified multivariate hypergeometric distribution to weight the annotation of more intense peaks. The software is tested on a LC-MS/MS data set collected from a mixture of 21 synthesized heparan sulfate tetrasaccharides. By testing the discrimination of scoring with this system, we show that stratifying peaks into different intensity classes benefits the discrimination of scoring, and GAG-ID is able to properly assign all 21 synthetic tetrasaccharides in a defined mixture from a single LC-MS/MS run.
Local blur estimation and super-resolution

Until now, all super-resolution algorithms have presumed that the images were taken under the same illumination conditions. This paper introduces a new approach to super-resolution, based on edge models and a local blur estimate, which circumvents these difficulties. The paper presents the theory and the experimental results using the new approach.
Using the Two-Burn Escape Maneuver for Fast Transfers in the Solar System and Beyond

The two-burn maneuver to escape the gravitational pull of a central body is described. The maneuver, originally suggested by Hermann Oberth, improves efficiency considerably for a wide range of missions of interest in space exploration and scientific investigation. A clear delineation of when the maneuver is more effective is given, as are methods to extract the most advantage when using the maneuver. Some examples are given of how this maneuver can enable exploration of the outer solar system, near interstellar space, and crewed missions to Mars and beyond. The maneuver has the potential to halve the required infrastructure associated with a crewed mission to Mars and achieve increased solar escape velocities with existing spacecraft technologies.
Biaxial orientation of polypropylene by hydrostatic solid state extrusion. Part I: Orientation mechanism and structural hierarchy

The structure which results from solid state extrusion using biaxial orientation is analyzed for oriented polypropylene. Structural changes on the spherulitic, lamellar, and macromolecular level during orientation are investigated using optical microscopy (OM), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The results show that polypropylene spherulites undergo stepwise biaxial affine deformation and deform homogeneously into a disc-like morphology. During this spherulitic flattening process, lamellar rotation into the planar direction occurs prior to lamellar break-up at a baxial draw ratio of about 1.5. On the macromolecular level, the crystalline c-axis orients in the plane concurrently with the lamellar break-up, while the crystalline b*-axis gradually orients normal to the plane. Amorphous chains are also oriented preferentially in the plane of deformation. A hierarchical model is proposed to illustrate the nature of the orientation in the flattened spherulites.
Trap Type, Chirality of α-Pinene, and Geographic Region Affect Sampling Efficiency of Root and Lower Stem Insects in Pine

Abstract Root and lower stem insects cause significant damage to conifers, vector phytopathogenic fungi, and can predispose trees to bark beetle attacks. The development of effective sampling techniques is an important component in managing these cryptic insects. We tested the effects of trap type and stereochemistry of α-pinene, in combination with ethanol, on catches of the root colonizing weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Hylobius spp. [mostly Hylobius pales (Herbst)], and Pachylobius picivorus (Germar), the root colonizing bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) Hylastes porculus Erickson, and the lower stem colonizing bark beetle Dendroctonus valens (LeConte). We tested for inter-regional differences by conducting similar field assays in the northern (Wisconsin) and southern (Louisiana) United States. The more effective trap type varied with region. Root weevils were caught primarily in pitfall traps in Wisconsin, whereas they were caught mostly in lower stem flight traps in Louisiana. In Wisconsin, r...
Optical Properties of Molybdenum and Ruthenium

In the spectral range 0.5 14 eV (23 eV for Mo) the reflectance was represented by an inverse power function where the exponent was determined with the aid of the reflectance measured at 50° incidence for hv<11.9 eV. The imaginary part of the dielectric constant, ∊2, has shoulders at about 2.2 and 4.0 eV for Mo and 1.6 eV for Ru. The loss functions Im[1/∊] and Im [1/(1+∊)] have peaks at 10.8 and 9.9 eV, respectively, for Mo, and 10.2 and 8.7 eV, respectively, for Ru. Interband transitions dominate for 0.5≲hv≲10.0 eV.
Light curable dental composites designed with colloidal crystal reinforcement.

Abstract Objectives Methods to prepare dental composites with a periodic filler arrangement were developed following a strategy of colloidal crystallization. The aims of this study were to determine the influence of suspension medium, silane treatment and amine additive on colloidal particle redispersion and subsequent ordering, and to evaluate the effect of filler ordering on mechanical properties of composites. Methods Dry monodisperse silica particles (spherical, ∼500-nm diameter) were redispersed in selected solvents and monomers ( e.g. triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, TEGDMA) to form sediments or dispersions with ordered particle arrangements. Ordering was evaluated by microscopy and mechanical properties of the composites were measured using compression tests ( n = 6). Results A face-centered cubic packed structure could form in both the sediment from silica dispersions in polar solvents and stable dispersions in TEGDMA. Dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was found to disrupt an ordered structure when non-silanized silica particles were used. Silanization with 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPS) promoted filler ordering. Standard compression tests on composites containing 60 wt% silica in TEGDMA with or without DMAEMA indicated that DMAEMA had a clearly significant effect ( p p = 0.12). Significance Significant increases in compressive strength (16%), failure strain (71%), and toughness (135%) were observed for composites with ordered filler compared to non-ordered composites.
Continuous microwave drying of the seeds of the invasive Chinese tallow tree.

The Chinese tallow tree (CTT) (Triadica sebifera) is an invasive species in the Southeastern portion of the USA. With lipid content between 40% and 55%, the tree's non-edible seeds are a valuable source for biofuel production. In situ transesterification is a proposed method for optimizing the transesterification process since it does not require prior oil extraction; however, for yields greater than 98%, the moisture content of the seeds should be less than 2%. In this paper we highlight an innovative microwave assisted drying method, used for the first time for these seeds, as a solution which drastically reduces the drying time and energy consumption compared to other drying methods. To optimize the microwave-assisted drying of CTT seeds, temperatures of 25 and 55 °C were tested with microwave powers of 0, 200, and 600 W using a continuous microwave drying system. The decrease in moisture content is greatest at 600 W of microwave power, with ambient temperature having little effect on the heat generation. The drying rate to power consumption ratio is greatest with a combination of 600 W at 25 °C ambient temperature. The microwave assisted drying reduced the drying time to about 300 seconds compared to the 4 h required for conventional oven drying. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
A cumulative normal distribution model for simulation of electron beam profiles.

Abstract A mathematical model for the electron beam profile has been developed using parameters of the cumulative normal distribution. The central feature of this model involved the derivation of an expression for penumbra width, w , as a function of depth and energy. The value of w was used in a derived analytical function to find σ, the parameter that uniquely defines the shape of the cumulative normal distribution. There was excellent agreement with measured beam profiles produced by a Varian Clinac 18 electron linear accelerator, thereby allowing us to use this model to generate isodose curves of considerable accuracy.
Poecilogony in an estuarine opisthobranch: planktotrophy, lecithotrophy, and mixed clutches in a population of the ascoglossan Alderia modesta

A San Diego population of the opisthobranch mollusc Alderia modesta (Loven, 1844) exhibits poecilogony, the presence of two development modes within a single species. In spring, half of the adults spawned masses containing ∼300 eggs with a mean diameter of 68 μm. After 3 d, these egg masses hatched planktotrophic veligers with a maximum shell dimension of 116 μm. The remaining adults spawned masses containing ∼30 eggs with a mean diameter of 105 μm. These egg masses hatched after 5 to 6 d, releasing lecithotrophic larvae with a maximum shell dimension of 186 μm. About 1% of field-collected adults produced mixed clutches containing a continuum of larval sizes, spanning the size extremes of planktotrophy and lecithotrophy and hatching larvae with a mean maximum shell dimension of 152 μm. Adults producing planktotrophic and lecithotrophic larvae were interfertile, and no hybrid breakdown was observed through the F3 generation. When starved, adults which previously produced only lecithotrophic larvae switched to producing planktotrophic larvae or mixed clutches with both planktotrophic and lecithotrophic larvae. Sequence-polymorphisms from a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene support the conclusion that the two reproductive morphs represent a single species. Most of the lecithotrophic larvae and a small percentage of the larvae from mixed clutches were metamorphically competent within 3 d of hatching. A. modesta is the only molluscan species as yet known to have both planktotrophic and pelagic lecithotrophic development within a single natural population.
XPF-ERCC1: on the bubble

In this issue of Structure , Das et al. report the structure of the helix-hairpin-helix dimerization domain of XPF bound to ssDNA. These results provide insight into the architecture of nucleotide excision repair machinery and how it interacts with damaged DNA substrates.
Prescription stimulant use is associated with earlier onset of psychosis

A childhood history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in psychotic disorders, yet prescription stimulants may interact adversely with the physiology of these disorders. Specifically, exposure to stimulants leads to long-term increases in dopamine release. We therefore hypothesized that individuals with psychotic disorders previously exposed to prescription stimulants will have an earlier onset of psychosis. Age of onset of psychosis (AOP) was compared in individuals with and without prior exposure to prescription stimulants while controlling for potential confounding factors. In a sample of 205 patients recruited from an inpatient psychiatric unit, 40% (n = 82) reported use of stimulants prior to the onset of psychosis. Most participants were prescribed stimulants during childhood or adolescence for a diagnosis of ADHD. AOP was significantly earlier in those exposed to stimulants (20.5 vs. 24.6 years stimulants vs. no stimulants, p < 0.001). After controlling for gender, IQ, educational attainment, lifetime history of a cannabis use disorder or other drugs of abuse, and family history of a first-degree relative with psychosis, the association between stimulant exposure and earlier AOP remained significant. There was a significant gender × stimulant interaction with a greater reduction in AOP for females, whereas the smaller effect of stimulant use on AOP in males did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, individuals with psychotic disorders exposed to prescription stimulants had an earlier onset of psychosis, and this relationship did not appear to be mediated by IQ or cannabis.
Prognostic Role of Elevated Myeloperoxidase in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is intimately involved in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Small studies have shown that high levels of MPO are a poor prognostic factor in patients presenting with ACS. However, due to the small nature of these studies, the relationship between MPO and outcomes has not been confirmed. Here we aimed to examine the prognostic value of MPO in patients with ACS. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis to compare the long-term prognosis of ACS patients with high MPO and low MPO levels. The literature was retrieved by formal searches of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, OVID, and web of knowledge) from inception to November 2013. A total of 16 trials were included in this meta-analysis involving 10572 patients. Data were analyzed using random-effects model and study quality was assessed using appropriate scales. RESULTS: High MPO group was associated with overall worse outcomes than low MPO group in terms of recurrent myocardial infarction (9% [211 of 2336] vs. 7.7% [240 of 3101], odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92-2.15, p 0.11); all cause mortality (8% [236 of 2920] vs. 5% [209 of 4263], OR 1.83, 95% CI: 1.31-2.54, p <0.0004) and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) (24% [334 of 1400] vs. 14% [133 of 949], OR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.46-2.85, p< 0.0001) (Figure). CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis examining the long-term outcomes in ACS patients, high MPO levels were associated with worse outcomes. These observations support prospective trials tailoring more aggressive therapy to patients with suspected worse prognosis. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Lyda Esain: A Hotelera's Story

A biography of Lyda Esain, an American-born Basque who owned and managed the Fresno Basque Hotel in Fresno, California for thirty-five years, and who played a major role in Fresno's Basque community.
Chronic Total Occlusion PCI: Is This the Ultimate Test of the Importance of Complete Revascularization?∗

Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) represent one of the last major technical challenges for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Recently, there have been major technological improvements in CTO recanalization including the introduction of the retrograde approach [(1)][1]. These improvements have