cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Localization of Cysteine 302 at the Active Site of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase

The superreactive cysteine was first identified in human cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase El isozyme, before its primary structure was known, as a part of 35 residue tryptic peptide (Hempel, 1981; Hempel and Pietruszko, 1981; Hempel et al., 1982) by employing iodoacetamide. When the primary structures of the El and E2 isozymes were established (Hempel et al., 1984, 1985; Hsu et al., 1985), this cysteine was found to occupy position 302 in a 500 amino acid residue polypeptide chain. Iodoacetamide fulfilled all criteria for an aldehyde-competitive, active-site-directed reagent with the exception of total inactivation of the mitochondrial E2 isozyme. Since that time, other investigators have also attempted to identify active site residues. Coenzyme-based affinity reagents (von Bahr-Lindstrom et al., 1985) identified cysteines 369 and 302, Nethylmaleimide identified cysteine 49 and 162 (Tu and Weiner, 1988 a,b) and dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde identified serine 74 (Loomes et al., 1990). Our laboratory developed a substrate-based affinity reagent, bromo-acetophenone (MacKerell et al., 1986), which identified glutamate 268 (Abriola et al., 1987).
Employing a ZTP Riboswitch to Detect Bacterial Folate Biosynthesis Inhibitors in a Small Molecule High-Throughput Screen.

Various riboswitch classes are being discovered that precisely monitor the status of important biological processes, including metabolic pathway function, signaling for physiological adaptations, a...
Sustained successful peanut oral immunotherapy associated with low basophil activation and peanut-specific IgE.

Background Oral immunotherapy (OIT) can successfully desensitize many peanut-allergic subjects, but clinical tolerance diminishes over time on discontinuation, or low-dose maintenance, of peanut. Therefore, to improve the efficacy and sustainability of such therapy, we sought to identify biomarkers and clinical tools that can predict therapeutic outcomes and monitor treatment responses. Objective We evaluated whether basophil activation in whole blood, and plasma levels of peanut-specific immunoglobulins, are useful biomarkers for peanut OIT. Methods We longitudinally measured, before, during, and after OIT, basophil activation in whole blood ex vivo in response to peanut stimulation, and peanut-specific IgE (sIgE) and peanut-specific IgG4 (sIgG4), in a large, single-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 2 peanut OIT study. We compared basophil responsiveness and peanut-specific immunoglobulins between those who were clinically reactive and those who were tolerant to peanut oral challenges. Results Peanut OIT significantly decreased basophil activation, peanut sIgE, Ara h 1, Ara h 2, and Ara h 3 IgE levels, and sIgE/total IgE, but increased sIgG4/sIgE. Participants who became reactive to 4 g of peanut 13 weeks off active OIT exhibited higher peanut-induced basophil activation ex vivo and higher peanut sIgE levels and sIgE/total IgE, but lower sIgG4/sIgE. Notably, participants entering the study with low basophil responsiveness were more likely to achieve treatment success. Substantial suppression of basophil activation was required to maintain long-term clinical tolerance after peanut OIT. Conclusions Assessments of peanut-induced basophil activation and peanut-specific immunoglobulins can help to predict treatment outcomes, and to differentiate transient desensitization versus sustained unresponsiveness after OIT.
Additively Manufactured Interdigitated Capacitors Using Barium Titanate Nanocomposite Inks

This paper demonstrates additively manufactured interdigitated capacitors whose capacitance is enhanced with the use of nanocomposite dielectric materials. Interdigitated capacitors are fabricated on an alumina (99.5% purity) substrate, and nanocomposite dielectric films composed of polyvinylidene fluoride and varying concentrations of barium titanate nanoparticles are deposited on the capacitors to increase the energy storage capacity of the device both via a needle and aerosol jet printing. These capacitors achieve a maximum capacitance of 1.28 pF, a maximum quality factor of 126, and take up an area of 0.646 mm2. Using aerosol jet printing, feature sizes of 15 µm are achieved. Additionally, this paper characterizes the dielectric properties of the nanocomposite ink used by fitting measured results to a model. Measured and simulated results are shown.
Parents’ expectations for the educational attainment of their children: A cross-national study using PIRLS 2011

This study comparatively examines variation among the expectations of parents worldwide for the educational attainment of their children. The data are from the 2011 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS). A two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used to estimate multilevel and multi-contextual effects on such expectations. The results reveal that parents in the Middle East had the highest expectations for the educational attainment of their children, followed by parents in East Asia and the Pacific region. Parents in European regions expressed the lowest expectations; however, they expressed significantly higher expectations for their daughters’ educational attainment than for their sons’. In European countries, immigrant parents had significantly higher expectations for the educational attainment of their children than did nonimmigrant parents, but the opposite was true in the Middle East, East Asia, and the Pacific. These results suggest that although parents who belong to different nations and different cultures share norms and values regarding educational attainment, regional differences persist as the result of social, cultural, and economic differences.
From nanoscale interface characterization to sustainable energy storage using all-solid-state batteries

The recent discovery of highly conductive solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) has led to tremendous progress in the development of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Though promising, they still face barriers that limit their practical application, such as poor interfacial stability, scalability challenges and production safety. Additionally, efforts to develop sustainable manufacturing of lithium ion batteries are still lacking, with no prevailing strategy developed yet to handle recyclability of ASSBs. To date, most SSE research has been largely focused on the discovery of novel electrolytes. Recent review articles have extensively examined a broad spectrum of these SSEs using evaluation factors such as conductivity and chemical stability. Recognizing this, in this Review we seek to evaluate SSEs beyond conventional factors and offer a perspective on various bulk, interface and nanoscale phenomena that require urgent attention within the scientific community. We provide a realistic assessment of the current state-of-the-art characterization techniques and evaluate future full cell ASSB prototyping strategies. We hope to offer rational solutions to overcome some major fundamental obstacles faced by the ASSB community, as well as potential strategies toward a sustainable ASSB recycling model.
Chapter 3 – Diatomic Molecules

The absolute partial cross-sections (partial and total) of diatomic molecules (H2, N2, O2, CO, NO, HCl) have been studied experimentally and theoretically, drawing conclusions from various sources. Autoionization is the path used for producing protons with higher kinetic energy; Rydberg series describe the energy levels associated with partially removing an electron from the ionic core; and shape resonance generates energetic electrons. The shapes and magnitudes of the absolute partial cross-sections change with instrumental resolution. Line sources, synchrotrons, and electron energy analysers have been used to achieve partition in nitrogen molecules. In hydrogen molecules, the Franck–Condon factors and relative vibrational intensities, and the absolute partial cross-section for each vibrational level in the photoionization of H2 at 21.2 eV have been determined, plotted and tabulated. In other molecules, absolute partial cross-sections have been studied by the photoionization method in the outer and inner valence regions, taking into account the molecular electronic configuration in its ground state. The absolute total ionization cross-section at the peak can be estimated from the relative photoionization spectrum of Berkowitz. In the molecules studied, we found deviations from the independent particle behavior. For example in CO, ionization from the three outermost orbitals complies with the independent particle picture, and this breaks down as we approach the inner valence region above 20 eV. Several shake-up states are reported at lower energies. Fluorescent and line source measurements, branching ratios and synchrotron determinations have been used to correlate, and several pieces of evidence have been combined to come to a final conclusion. From the adiabatic ionization potential (AIP: H2, 23.583; O2, 12.070; NO, 9.2643) of diatomic molecules to the dissociative ionization threshold, the absolute partial cross-section is nearly the same as the absolute total ionization cross-section in the dissociative photoionization cross-sections. The decay mechanism of various absorption features has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and coincidence methods.
Cross-reactive anti-hemagglutinin (HA) IgG responses are shaped by previous long-interval monovalent H5 vaccination and highly correlated with HA antigenic distance

Avian H5 influenza is an emerging influenza strain with the potential for human pandemic spread. One unresolved issue in pandemic vaccine preparedness is to what extent a vaccine recall response depends on the interval between the priming and boosting vaccinations. In this study, we analyzed the anti-H5 HA IgG responses to an H5 A/Indonesia/5/2005 boosting vaccination in three cohorts: (1) a short interval boosting cohort that received a prime and boost 28 days apart, (2) a long-interval boosting cohort that received an H5 A/Vietnam/203/2004 priming vaccination 5 years before boosting, and (3) a double long-boost cohort that received single doses of all three vaccines separated by 5-6 year intervals. Anti-HA IgG levels were measured using a multiple-plex assay against 21 H5 and 16 seasonal strains covering both influenza phylogenetic groups. We used the antigentic distance between the vaccine strain and each HA in the assay panel to de1ne the antibody response landscape. Both single and double long-interval boosting with the H5 variant vaccine elicited a broad antibody response to all H5 subtype strains, and double boosting resulted in sustained, vaccine-speci1c, anti-HA IgG levels over a six month period. Antibody-mediated immune responses were shaped by prior H5 exposure history, and the magnitude of both vaccine speci1c and cross-reactive anti-H5 HA IgG responses was highly correlated with the relative antigenic distance between the measured and the vaccine HAs. We conclude that the relative antibody landscape method can be used to quantify the phenomenon of antigenic imprinting on human influenza vaccine immune responses. IMPORTANCEA signi1cant obstacle to development of a universal influenza vaccine is understanding the relationship between multidimensional host humoral immunity, prior antigen exposure, and viral antigenicity. In this study, we used a multiplexed antibody assay to measure antibody cross-reactivities against antigenically similar H5 influenza virus strains. This work uses a novel method, relative antibody landscapes, to analyze the relationship between immune response and antigenic distance between the target H5 vaccine HA and other HAs in the assay after a boosting vaccination. This method improves analysis of immune responses by relating antigen exposure history to the influenza vaccination antibody response. This study also revealed that multiple vaccine boosting over several years can generate high levels of long-lasting cross-reactive antibodies against the priming H5 strains vaccine that subjects received, suggesting the HA imprinting mechanism(s) have a strong influence in the adult antibody response to H5 MIV vaccination.
Michaelis-like complex of SARS-CoV-2 main protease visualized by room-temperature X-ray crystallography.

SARS-CoV-2 emerged at the end of 2019 to cause an unprecedented pandemic of the deadly respiratory disease COVID-19 that continues to date. The viral main protease (Mpro) is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and is therefore an important drug target. Understanding the catalytic mechanism of Mpro, a cysteine protease with a catalytic site comprising the noncanonical Cys145–His41 dyad, can help in guiding drug design. Here, a 2.0 A resolution room-temperature X-ray crystal structure is reported of a Michaelis-like complex of Mpro harboring a single inactivating mutation C145A bound to the octapeptide Ac-SAVLQSGF-CONH2 corresponding to the nsp4/nsp5 autocleavage site. The peptide substrate is unambiguously defined in subsites S5 to S3′ by strong electron density. Superposition of the Michaelis-like complex with the neutron structure of substrate-free Mpro demonstrates that the catalytic site is inherently pre-organized for catalysis prior to substrate binding. Induced fit to the substrate is driven by P1 Gln binding in the predetermined subsite S1 and rearrangement of subsite S2 to accommodate P2 Leu. The Michaelis-like complex structure is ideal for in silico modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro catalytic mechanism.
Grundlagen unscharfer Entscheidungsmodelle

Die im vorangegangenen Kapitel eingefuhrten allgemeinen Begriffe und Moglichkeiten der Unscharfenmodellierung werden nun in Zusammenhang mit un-scharfen Entscheidungsmodellen gebracht. Von zentraler Bedeutung ist dabei der Begriff der unscharfen Entscheidung, der auf vagen Formulierungen des Entscheidungstragers innerhalb von Planungs- und Entscheidungssituationen basiert.
Attention Focusing and Anomaly Detection in Systems Monitoring

Any attempt to introduce automation into the monitoring of complex physical systems must start from a robust anomaly detection capability. This task is far from straightforward, for a single definition of what constitutes an anomaly is difficult to come by. In addition, to make the monitoring process efficient, and to avoid the potential for information overload on human operators, attention focusing must also be addressed. When an anomaly occurs, more often than not several sensors are affected, and the partially redundant information they provide can be confusing, particularly in a crisis situation where a response is needed quickly. The focus of this paper is a new technique for attention focusing. The technique involves reasoning about the distance between two frequency distributions, and is used to detect both anomalous system parameters and 'broken' causal dependencies. These two forms of information together isolate the locus of anomalous behavior in the system being monitored.
Identification of anti-renal cell carcinoma agents using pharmacological synthetic lethal screening

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4699 Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant lesion of the kidney, comprising approximately 3% of all adult cancers. The primary treatment for clinically localized RCC is surgical removal of the lesion. There are some promising new approaches with VEGF/PDGF interactive agents. Remissions to these agents have been seen in a significant percentage of patients. One of the most significant advances in the past decade in our understanding of RCC is the identification of the von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) gene. The VHL gene is a tumor suppressor gene that has been found to be disabled either through mutations or through hypermethylation in over 75% of all RCC cases. Although it has been proven difficult for small molecule based cancer therapies to exclusively target a loss-of-function mutation like the VHL gene, recent advances in the drug development field provides new prospective for such strategy. In this study, we used a pharmacological synthetic lethal screening approach (Wang et al, Proc. AACR, 45:1421, 2004) to identify new agents that target specifically renal cancer cells with VHL deficiency. To do so, a pair of isogenic cell lines (786-O-vector and 786-O-VHL) for the VHL gene were generated and used to screen chemical libraries using the standard MTS-based cell proliferation assay. After screening about 10,000 compounds (the NCI diversity set and a subset of the NanoSyn Pharm library), we identified 3 potential leads that showed greater than 2 fold selectivity against the renal cancer cell line with inactivated VHL gene (786-O-vector), compared to the cell line with wildtype VHL (786-O-VHL). The IC50s of the compounds in the VHL deficient cell line range from low nanomolar to low micromolar. The selectivity of the compounds was further confirmed in a second pair of VHL isogenic cell lines. We are currently characterizing the potential mechanism of action of these compounds using flow cytometry and apoptosis assays. Further development of these leads can potentially lead to new therapies for the treatment of patients with RCC. (This work was supported by a grant from the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission)
Enhanced spontaneous emission from an optical antenna coupled WSe 2 monolayer

A self-aligned process is developed to couple monolayer WSe 2 (30nm × 300nm) to a silver cavity-backed slot-antenna. Optical emission measurements show 340x enhancement in spontaneous emission. Carrier lifetimes of <1ps are measured by streak camera.
Using laser diffraction data to obtain accurate particle size distributions: the role of particle composition

Suspended particle composition has a large influence on light scattering by small ( 250 µm) produced little effect; however, particles smaller than the lower limit (<1.25 µm) influenced concentrations over the entire LISST size range and produced counterintuitive effects, such as increased concentrations in the largest size bins.
Hydrologic-response simulations for the North Fork of Caspar Creek: second-growth, clear-cut, new-growth, and cumulative watershed effect scenarios

This study demonstrates that comprehensive hydrologic-response simulation can be a useful tool for studying cumulative watershed effects. The simulations reported here were conducted with the Integrated Hydrology Model (InHM). The location of the 473 ha study site is the North Fork of the Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed, near Fort Bragg, California. Existing information from a long-term monitoring programme and new soil-hydraulic property measurements made for this study were used to parameterize InHM. Long-term continuous wet-season simulations were conducted for the North Fork catchments and main stem for second-growth, clear-cut and new-growth scenarios. The simulation results show that the increases and decreases, respectively, for throughfall and potential evapotranspiration related to clear-cutting had quantifiable impacts on the simulated hydrologic response at both the catchment and watershed scales. Model performance was best for the new-growth simulation scenarios. To improve upon the simulations reported here would require additional soil-hydraulic property information from across the study area. Although principally focused on the integrated hydrologic response, the effort reported here demonstrates the potential for characterizing distributed responses with physics-based simulation. The search for a comprehensive understanding of hydrologic response will require both data-intensive discovery and concept-development simulation, from both integrated and distributed perspectives. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Production test methods for measuring 'out-of-band' interference of ultra wide band (UWB) devices

The recent increase in demand within the wireless user community for short-range, very high rate data transmission (data, video) devices has spurred the growth of a new generation of 4G devices, viz. ultra-wideband (UWB). Due to its wide band of operation (3.1-10.6GHz) and non-conventional transmit/receive scheme (using short-duration, narrow baseband pulses), spectral power leakage to outside frequency bands causes interference with other wireless standards. In this paper, we focus on 'out-of-band' interference testing of UWB devices during production test. Due to stringent FCC spectrum regulations and very low power spectral density levels of the associated signals (-41.3dBm/MHz), production testing for interference is a big challenge and can incur significant test time, resulting in increased test cost. We propose a simple, low-cost test methodology for testing UWB devices. Simulation results are presented for a typical home environment. The channel model used can be easily modified and incorporated in any production test environment. Results show that using simple tests, estimates of 'out-of-band' interference can be obtained easily using the proposed test methodology.
Neoglycoproteins, Chemistry of

Natural glycoproteins often contain heterogeneous oligosaccharide chains, which make it difficult to elucidate the structure–activity relationship of the carbohydrates of these glycoproteins. Neoglycoproteins were developed to overcome such a problem. Neoglycoproteins are proteins modified with carbohydrates of defined structures. The modification can be random or specific and can use chemical or enzymatic methods. The protein functional groups most often used are α/ɛ-amino groups, β/γ-carboxyl groups, γ-carboxylamides, sulfhydrils, and phenols. In some cases, existing glycans on glycoproteins can be modified to make the glycan structures homogeneous. Alternatively, glycopeptides or glycoproteins can be synthesized totally de novo, without using any natural proteins, peptides, or oligosaccharides. In addition to providing homogeneous carbohydrate structures on a single protein, neoglycoproteins also provide a multivalency effect (glycoside clustering effect). The use of neoglycoproteins greatly promoted the understanding of the roles of carbohydrates in biologic systems, which led to some clinically important development.
Comparison of the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in rabbit tissues.

Abstract The pH-activity profiles of pure glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) from rabbit muscle, liver and heart are compared with the profiles obtained in crude extracts of these tissues. No significant differences were found among the pure enzymes and the crude extracts with the exception of unusual activity of the crude heart extract at a low ph. These findings suggest that there are no significant differences in the properties of this enzyme in different rabbit tissues and that there are no readily detectable alterations of the enzymatic activity in the physiological pH range as the result of interaction with other intracellular components. These findings are discussed in relation to the behavior of other glycolytic enzymes.
A Brief Review of Catastrophe Theory and a Test in a Corporate Failure Context

Catastrophe theory (CT) is a mathematical theory that attempts to describe a system exhibiting discontinuous behavior under continuous stimuli. Although CT has been used to describe corporate bankruptcy, this is an application that has not been tested. This paper reviews CT and provides such a test. We construct a time series of stock returns on companies that have filed for Chapter 11. Under certain, frequently occurring conditions, CT would predict a structural shift in firm stock returns as the data of filing is approached. Results confirm that such a shift does occur and in a way consistent with the CT prediction. Our findings both support the use of CT to describe corporate bankruptcy and raise questions about some techniques frequently used to study bankruptcies.
Edge-integrity: a survey

Abstract We consider the problem of efficiently breaking a graph into small components through the removal of edges. One measure of how easily this can be done is the edge-integrity, defined to be the minimum sum of the number of edges removed and the order of a largest remaining component, taken over all sets of edges. In this paper we present a survey of results concerning this parameter.
Antifertility effects of antisperm cell-mediated immunity in mice

C57BL/6 female mice were immunized with allogeneic (DBA/2) sperm in Freund's adjuvant either subcutaneously (s.c.), transcervically into the uterine lumen (i.u.), or with a combination of s.c. and i.u. immunization approaches. Control mice received DBA/2 lymphocytes, human erythrocytes or saline in adjuvant using the same immunization protocols. Immunization with sperm or control cells in adjuvant exclusively by s.c. or i.u. approaches did not affect subsequent fertility, although sperm-injected mice from both protocols had high titers of circulating antisperm antibodies. In contrast, mice that were immunized with sperm in adjuvant by a combination of s.c. and i.u. injections demonstrated significant reductions in fertilization rate and number of viable fetuses and an increased rate of fetal resorption when compared with non-immunized and control-immunized mice. Mice receiving sperm by the s.c./i.u. protocol had high titers of antisperm antibodies and a marked infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages into the uterine endometrium. To determine whether cellular immune mechanisms contributed to the infertility effect, T lymphocytes from spleens and pelvic lymph nodes of s.c./i.u. sperm-immunized mice and non-immunized mice were passively transferred to naive syngeneic female recipients which were subsequently mated. The total number of fetuses on day 15 of pregnancy was significantly reduced in mice receiving T-lymphocytes from sperm-immunized mice and a significant increase in fetal resorption sites was also observed. These mice did not have detectable titers of circulating antisperm antibodies, but had a significant infiltration of CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages in the uterine epithelium and endometrium. These data indicate that intrauterine antisperm cell-mediated immunity can be induced in mice by a combination of systemic and intrauterine immunizations and provide evidence for the existence of reproductive tract mucosal antisperm cellular immune responses that adversely affect fertility and pregnancy.
Molecular cloning of sheep lung dipeptidase: a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored ectoenzyme that converts leukotriene D4 to leukotriene E4

Sheep lung dipeptidase was released from a plasma membrane preparation by digestion with a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. The dipeptidase was purified to homogeneity using affinity chromatography followed by high performance liquid chromatography. The NH2-terminal sequence was determined and employed to prepare a probe to clone the c-DNA of the enzyme. The primary structure of sheep lung dipeptidase, deduced from the c-DNA exhibited a high homology to kidney dipeptidases cloned from other animal species. Northern analysis detected the m-RNA of the dipeptidase in lung, kidney, and intestinal tissues of the sheep.
Pollen- and seed-mediated transgene flow in commercial cotton seed production fields.

Background Characterizing the spatial patterns of gene flow from transgenic crops is challenging, making it difficult to design containment strategies for markets that regulate the adventitious presence of transgenes. Insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton is planted on millions of hectares annually and is a potential source of transgene flow.
Inflammatory Response and Neurodevelopmental Outcome After Open-Heart Surgery in Children

Long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae are commonly detectable in children after open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The objective of the study was to determine the neurodevelopmental outcome in these children in relation to postoperative inflammatory reaction. This is a prospective, observational study on children with congenital heart defects (n = 32) undergoing elective open-heart surgery in a tertiary pediatric cardiac center. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed in the median 6 months after CPB. Neurological examination was done in all children before the operation and, additionally, complete neurodevelopmental status was assessed preoperatively in 14 children. Three hours after the end of CPB, plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were strongly elevated (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a rise of neutrophils and C-reactive protein at 24 h postoperatively (p < 0.001). Intellectual performance after surgery was correlated with preoperative performance, r ( S ) = 0.83, p < 0.001 (mean IQ scores after CPB = 90.4 +/- 18.4 and before CPB = 87.5 +/- 14.5, p = 0.20). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that preoperative IQ scores accounted for 83.8% of the variance of postoperative IQ scores (p < 0.0001). Inflammatory variables were not significant predictors of postoperative IQ scores. The frequency of neuromotor abnormalities at 6 months after CPB was influenced by the presence of a cyanotic heart defect, duration of CPB and aortic clamp time, and plasma levels of IL-6 shortly after CPB (R (2) = 67.8%, p = 0.002). In conclusion, in the examined population, preexisting neurodevelopmental impairment is frequent and predicts postoperative outcome. The high frequency of postoperative neuromotor disabilities seems to be associated with the type of congenital heart defect but also with the procedure and possible complications of CPB.
Pencil beam observation of a large microwave outburst at 94.8 GHz.

Radiotelescopic observations of an impulsive outburst of the sun on Mar. 27, 1969 are discussed in terms of the location and size of the source region. Two different methods have been used for this purpose. It is concluded that the outburst region was 30 seconds or less in diameter. Based on this diameter, a peak source equivalent temperature of 7 million K is indicated.
Hypolipidemic Activity of 6-Amino-2-mercapto-5-methyl-pyrimidine-4-carboxylic Acid and Related Derivatives in Rodents

6-Amino-2-mercapto-5-methylpyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid proved to be a potent hypolipidemic agent in rodents at the low dose of 20 mg/kg/d. The agent effectively reduced the liver enzyme activities required for the synthesis of triglycerides and cholesterol. Lower lipid levels in tissue were observed in mice but not in rats. Preliminary studies indicate that the agent accelerated the excretion of cholesterol and its metabolites from the body. The agents lowered the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol content and raised the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol content. These changes in liporotein cholesterol content suggest that the agent may be helpful in protecting against coronary disease. The agent is more effective than the commercially available agent, i.e., clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/d.
DETERMINATION OF IODINE CONCENTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION IN RAT THYROID FOLLICLES BY ELECTRON-PROBE MICROANALYSIS

The concentration and the distribution of iodine in various sized follicles of rat thyroid glands have been analyzed by electron-probe microanalysis. The results of the iodine analysis were grouped according to uncorrected lumen diameter size. No significant differences in iodine concentration were observed among the various size categories. When the results for all follicles from a given sample were pooled, the standard error of the mean was approximately 4%. Usually 40–50 follicles per animal were analyzed. The concentration of iodine ranged from 0.9 to 2.1% by weight among individual animals. Scanning pictures and step-scan analysis showed the iodine distribution to be quite uniform across the colloid area. Several techniques of sample preparation were used; they produced no significant differences in the iodine concentrations observed. Sodium concentration, also determined in all samples, was found to vary from 2 to 9% by weight. Because of the mobility of the sodium ion, its distribution was greatly affected by the method of sample preparation. The technique that best preserved the natural chemistry of the sample was that of freezing the tissue, sectioning, and then freeze-drying.
An Efficient Route to Mesoporous Silica Films with Perpendicular Nanochannels

Mesoporous silica films with cylindrical pores oriented normal to the substrate are prepared by selective deposition of silica within the poly(hydroxy styrene) domains of poly(-methyl styrene-b- hydroxy styrene) template films using supercritical carbon dioxide as a delivery medium. Atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (see figure) studies confirm the vertical alignment of the cylindrical pores.
Reduced expression of α2C-adrenoceptors in rat striatum following antisense oligodeoxynucleotide infusion

The predominate subtypes of alpha2-adrenoceptors in the brain are alpha2A and alpha2C. The lack of selective ligands for these receptors hampers their functional characterization. We exploited an antisense strategy as an alternative pharmacological tool to study alpha2C-adrenoceptors. In rat striatum (caudate-putamen), alpha2-adrenoceptors were characterized using the subtype-non-selective antagonist [3H]2-(2-methoxy-1,4-benzodioxan-2-yl)-2-imidazoline ([3H]RX821002). Specific [3H]RX821002 binding was saturable and to a single class of high-affinity sites. Curves for the inhibition of [3H]RX821002 binding by the alpha2C-selective compound, prazosin, were fit best by a model assuming binding to two sites, presumably reflecting binding to alpha2A- and alpha2C-adrenoceptors. A 15-mer phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (alpha2C AS) complementary to the alpha2C-adrenoceptor mRNA, or a random sequence (RS) was administered to rats continuously for 4.5 days directly into the striatum. Compared to RS infusions, alpha2C AS infusions induced a 35% reduction in the Bmax of [3H]RX821002 in striatal homogenates (P < 0.05). Curves for the inhibition of [3H]RX821002 binding by prazosin were fit best by a model assuming a single interaction in alpha2C AS-infused rats and to a model assuming two sites in RS-infused rats. These results are consistent with the conjecture that both alpha2A- and alpha2C-adrenoceptors occur in the rat striatum and also demonstrate the feasibility of an antisense approach to examine the functional role of subtypes of alpha2C-adrenoceptors in the brain.
Defining imagination: Sartre between Husserl and Janet

The essay traces the double, phenomenological and psychological, background of Sartre’s theory of the imagination. Insofar as these two phenomenological and psychological currents are equally influential for Sartre’s theory of the imagination, his intellectual project is situated in an inter-disciplinary research area which combines the descriptive analyses of Edmund Husserl with the clinical reports and psychological theories of Pierre Janet. While Husserl provides the foundation for the prevailing theory of imagination as pictorial representation, Janet’s findings on obsessive behavior enrich an alternative current in Sartre’s thinking about imagination as spontaneous and self-determined creativity.
Cognitive Illusions of Authorship Reveal Hierarchical Error Detection in Skilled Typists

The ability to detect errors is an essential component of cognitive control. Studies of error detection in humans typically use simple tasks and propose single-process theories of detection. We examined error detection by skilled typists and found illusions of authorship that provide evidence for two error-detection processes. We corrected errors that typists made and inserted errors in correct responses. When asked to report errors, typists took credit for corrected errors and accepted blame for inserted errors, claiming authorship for the appearance of the screen. However, their typing rate showed no evidence of these illusions, slowing down after corrected errors but not after inserted errors. This dissociation suggests two error-detection processes: one sensitive to the appearance of the screen and the other sensitive to keystrokes.
VLSI architecture for high-speed image reconstruction: considerations for a fixed-point architecture

The amount of data generated by computed tomography (CT) scanners is enormous, making the image reconstruction operation slow, especially for 3-D and limited-data scans requiring iterative algorithms. The inverse Radon transform, commonly used for CT image reconstructions from projections, and the forward Radon transform are computationally burdensome for single-processor computer architectures. Fortunately, the forward Radon transform and the back projection operation (involved in the inverse Radon transform) are easily calculated using a parallel pipelined processor array. Using this array the processing time for the Radon transform and the back projection can be reduced dramatically. This paper describes a unified, pipelined architecture for an integrated circuit that computes both the forward Radon transform and the back projection operation at a 10 MHz data rate in a pipelined processor array. The trade-offs between computational complexity and reconstruction error of different interpolation schemes are presented along with an evaluation of the architecture's noise characteristics due to finite word lengths. The fully pipelined architecture is designed to reconstruct 1024 pixel by 1024 pixel images using up to 1024 projections over 180 degrees. The chip contains three pipelined data-paths, each five stages long, and uses a single multiplier.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Environmental and Health Aspects of Lighting: Mercury

(1994). Environmental and Health Aspects of Lighting: Mercury. Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 138-156.
Synchronization of distributed multimedia data in an application-specific manner

One of the distinctive features of multimedia systems is the wide range of applications they intend to cover, stretching the gamut from entertainment to life-critical applications such as real-time remote surgery. In the face of such a wide spectrum of applications, protocols used to deal with various issues in multimedia systems should be adaptable to the application. Synchronization is one of the key characteristics of a multimedia system. In this paper, we propose a mechanism for synchronization of distributed media data, the accuracy of which can be tailored to the intended application. The model is extended for both stored and live multimedia data. The synchronization mechanism we propose ensures synchronization for all possible temporal relations. The performance of our scheme is evaluated and some implementation issues are discussed.
TH‐A‐213AB‐05: Robust Plan Optimization for Calypso Gated Hypo‐Fractionated Prostate Treatment Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

Purpose: To develop a robust optimization algorithm which incorporates a Calypso‐guided gating strategy into the optimization process to maximize clinical target volume (CTV) coverage and organs at risk (OAR) sparing in the presence of intra‐fractional motion. Method: In a computer simulation, intra‐fractional motion traces from prior treatments with Calypso were converted to a probability distribution function (PDF), truncated using a patient specific gating window, and renormalized to yield a new PDF with Calypso‐gated interventions. In lieu of a conventional PTV, multiple instances of CTV and OARs were replicated and displaced to extreme positions inside the gating window representing possible delivery scenarios. When optimizing the volumetric modulated arc therapy plan, doses to the CTV and OARs were calculated as a sum of doses to the replicas weighted by the PDF to account for motion. A robust plan meeting the clinical constraints was produced and compared to the counterpart conventional margin (PTV) plan. Calypso traces from a separate testingdatabase served to simulate motion during gated delivery. Dosimetric end points extracted from 4D dose accumulations for each trace were utilized to evaluate potential clinical benefit. Results: Five prostate cases from a hypofractionated protocol (42.5 Gy in 5 fractions) were retrospectively investigated. The patient specific gating window resulted in tight anterior and inferior action levels (∼1mm) to protect rectal wall and bladder wall, and resulted in an average of four beam interruptions per fraction in the simulation. The robust‐optimized plans achieved the same average CTV D95 coverage of 40.5Gy as the PTV‐optimized plans, but with reduced patient‐averaged rectum wall D1cc by 2.2 Gy and bladder wall mean dose by 2.9Gy. Conclusion: Integration of an intra‐fractional motion management strategy into the robust optimization process is feasible and may yield improved OAR sparing compared to the standard margin approach.
Dilatation and Pulsation of the Left Subclavian Artery in the Roentgen-Ray Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta: Roentgenkymographic Studies in Thirteen Cases

Postero-anterior chest roentgenograms in 17 of 20 patients with coarctation of the aorta showed widening of the left upper mediastinal shadow attributed to dilatation of the left subclavian artery; pulsations of this vessel were evident in 12 of 13 cases with roentgenkymograms. In 3 of the latter cases rib notching was absent or equivocal. The subclavian pulsations may be observed fluoroscopically. Recognition of dilatation and pulsation of the left subclavian artery may provide roentgenologic corroboration of a diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta even in the absence of rib notching.
Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Pyridines for Planar Polymers. Maximized π-Conjugation in Electron Deficient Macromolecules

Synthetic routes to planar polypyridines are described. Two pyridine monomers for the step growth polymerization are prepared starting from 2,5-lutidine via 2,5-dibromopyridine-3,6-dicarboxylic acid as the common intermediate. The dicarboxylic acid serves as the key intermediate for the preparation of both the A and B components for the step-growth polymerization. Several novel transformations on sensitive pyridine cores are disclosed while preparing the monomers for the condensation polymerizations. A bis(Curtius) rearrangement followed by tert-butyl alcohol capture of the bis(isocyanate) effects the high-yielding conversion of carbonyl moieties to the tert-butoxycarbonyl-protected aryldiamine. Lithium−halogen exchange on the protected diaminopyridine followed by stannylation affords the required dimetalated diamine monomer. Treatment of the pyridine(dibromodiacid chloride) with mild cuprates or organocopper reagents affords the pyridine(dibromodiketones). Pd/Cu-catalyzed couplings of dibromopyridines wi...
The Emperor John VIII Slept Here

THERE are many texts relating to Graeco-Latin relations at the Council of Ferrara-Florence. They are largely of a formal nature, showing the participants of the Council in full dress, more rarely en deshabille. The minor records of the Council, however, are often as interesting, if not so important, as the theological and other arguments advanced at the many sessions and the solemn decrees which finally embodied the best efforts of the assembled intelligence of Christendom.' Sylvester Syropoulos, for example, relates in his so-called Vera historia unionis non verae how, in April 1438 when the Council first began to meet in Ferrara, the Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini invited Bessarion, George Gemistus Pletho, and George Amiroutzes to dine with him for the discussion of philosophical problems.2 If this is an attractive picture, we may contrast Syropoulos' description of Amiroutzes during the eleventh session at Ferrara (18 November 1438) when he stood with two companions in a far corner, facing the intractable Marcus Eugenicus of Ephesus, but out of sight of the Council, surreptitiously jeering and making funny faces at the Ephesian to distract him from the defense of Orthodoxy.3 Almost sixty years ago Jorga published, in the second series of his Notes et extraits, dozens of accounts, relating to Greek affairs, paid by the apostolic treasury for the expenses of Byzantine ambassadors, and of other officials and agents "going into Greece on the affairs of our lord, the pope, and of the Church." Drafts were drawn in favor of shipowners and landlords, copyists and couriers. The
Development of microbend sensors for pressure, load, and displacement measurements in civil engineering

We are developing low cost, rugged, and reliable fiberoptic sensors to meet current and future needs in civil engineering, including those of smart civil structures. Our work has concentrated on load, pressure, and displacement sensors, including pore water pressure sensors. We have built and demonstrated sensors in the laboratory with loads up to 50 lb., water pressures of 100 psi, and displacements up to 1 mm. Repeatability of sensor measurements are within 5% and are being improved with continued development. The range and sensitivity of the sensors can be easily changed without changing the basic sensor design. We also have multiplexed two water pressure sensors on a single fiber. We describe the sensor construction and experimental performance.
COLOR-MAGNITUDE RELATION AND MORPHOLOGY OF LOW-REDSHIFT ULIRGs IN SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY

We present color-magnitude and morphological analysis of 54 low-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs; 0.018 < z < 0.265 with z median = 0.151), a subset of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite 1 Jy sample, in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The ULIRGs are both bright and blue: they are on average 1 mag brighter in than the SDSS galaxies within the same redshift range, and 0.2 mag bluer in 0.1 g – 0.1 r. They form a group in the color-magnitude diagram distinct from both the red sequence and the blue cloud formed by the SDSS galaxies: 24 out of the 52 unsaturated objects (~46%) lie outside the 90% level number density contour of the SDSS galaxies. The majority (47, or ~87%) have the colors typical of the blue cloud, and only four (~7%) sources are located in the red sequence. While ULIRGs are popularly thought to be precursors to a QSO phase, we find few (three, or ~6%) in the "green valley" where the majority of the X-ray- and IR-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are found. Moreover, none of the AGN-host ULIRGs are found in the green valley. For the 14 previously spectroscopic identified AGNs (~28%), we perform point-spread function subtractions and find that on average the central point sources contribute less than one-third to the total luminosity, and that their high optical luminosities and overall blue colors are apparently the result of star formation activity of the host galaxies. Visual inspection of the SDSS images reveals a wide range of morphologies including many close pairs, tidal tails, and otherwise disturbed profiles, in strong support of previous studies and the general view of ULIRGs as major mergers of gas-rich disk galaxies. A detailed morphology analysis using Gini and M 20 coefficients shows that slightly less than one-half (~42% in g band) of the ULIRGs are located in the merger region defined by morphology studies of local galaxies, while the remaining sources are located in the region of late-type and irregular galaxies. The heterogeneous distribution of ULIRGs in the G-M 20 space is qualitatively consistent with the results found by numerical simulations of disk-disk mergers, and our study also shows that the measured morphological parameters are systematically affected by the signal-to-noise ratio and thus the merging galaxies can appear in various regions of the G-M 20 parameter space. We briefly discuss the origins of the uncertainties and note that the morphology measurements should be implemented with caution for low physical resolution images. In general, our results reinforce the view that ULIRGs contain young stellar populations and are mergers in progress, but we do not observe the concentration of ULIRGs/AGN in the green valley as found by other studies. Our study provides a uniform comparison sample for studying dusty starbursts at higher redshifts such as Spitzer MIPS 24 μm-selected ULIRGs at z = 1-2 or submillimeter galaxies.