cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interleukin-1β : a bridge between inflammation and excitotoxicity?

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a proinflammatory cytokine released by many cell types that acts in both an autocrine and/or paracrine fashion. While IL-1 is best described as an important mediator of the peripheral immune response during infection and inflammation, increasing evidence implicates IL-1 signaling in the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders. The biochemical pathway(s) by which this cytokine contributes to brain injury remain(s) largely unidentified. Herein, we review the evidence that demonstrates the contribution of IL-1beta to the pathogenesis of both acute and chronic neurological disorders. Further, we highlight data that leads us to propose IL-1beta as the missing mechanistic link between a potential beneficial inflammatory response and detrimental glutamate excitotoxicity.
Self broadening and linestrength determinations in the ν2 and ν5 bands of CH3F

Abstract Self broadening coefficients and line strengths were determined for several transitions in CH 3 F. The data reported here are the result of a new analysis of data originally recorded in 1993. This new analysis uses a Voigt profile to model the line shape for the previously recorded data. There is good agreement between the results reported here and results reported elsewhere using Rautian and Galatry line profiles to analyze a different data set collected for the same lines.
Formation of benzophenone and α,α-diarylacetophenone metabolites of the antiestrogen nitromiphene (CI628) in the presence of rat cecal contents

Abstract Incubation of the nonsteroidal antiestrogen nitromiphene (CI628) with rat cecal content suspension under aerobic or anaerobic conditions resulted in extensive biotransformation, yielding three metabolites, as determined by thin-layer chromatography. These metabolites were not recovered from incubation mixtures containing previously frozen suspension, and recoveries were decreased (that of nitromiphene was increased) when incubations were carried out in the presence of 2 mM EDTA. Spectral and chromatographic comparison of two of the purified metabolites resulted in their structural characterization, as p-[β(N-pyrrolidinyl)ethoxy]p′- methoxybenzophenone, and a similarly substituted α,α-diphenyl-acetophenone. These metabolites are, in turn, due formally to ethylenic bond cleavage and nitro group reduction/hydrolysis of nitromiphene.
Alteration of cartilage matrix morphology with histological processing

SUMMARY An interlacunar network in the extracellular matrix of femoral head articular cartilage of neontal rats was seen by light microscopy to: (1) consist of elements, 0·5 μm thick, which occurred as individual elements, as bundles of elements, and as fused elements, (2) stain intensely with toluidine blue, methylene blue, and safranin O, and (3) connect chondrocytes by inserting on the chondrocyte capsules which were composed of morphologically and cytochemically similar material. By electron microscopy, the single elements were seen to be composed of thicker, denser staining areas of the honeycomb appearing matrix and the fused elements appeared as non-membrane bound channels containing granular material. Articular cartilage was processed using combinations of fixatives, dehydrating agents, and embedding media. Regardless of fixation, demineralization, or embedding, the network was not seen after dehydration of the cartilage with methanol, ethanol, acetone or tert-butanol but was seen after dehydration with aqueous solutions of glycol methacrylate, propylene oxide, 2-propanol or 2,2-dimethoxypropane. Network visualization following a variety of methods demonstrated that no single fixative, dehydrating agent, or embedding medium caused its formation. The presence of the network in different cartilage zones, its consistent morphology by light and electron microscopy, the uniformity of the elements in their connection with the chondrocytes, and presence in fresh-frozen sections suggest the network may be real, but rigorous evidence for its existence in vivo is still required. Since cartilage morphology was altered by histological methods, especially dehydration, common methods used in studying connective tissue matrix should be evaluated to determine their effect on matrix morphology.
Evidence for two independent mechanisms in the pyridoxal 5' - phosphate-mediated photoinactivation of phosphoglucose isomerase.

Abstract Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, which is believed to bind to the active site of phosphoglucose isomerase, has been shown to sensitize the enzyme toward irradiation by white light. During the process of photoinactivation, the substituted pyridine moiety and radioactivity from the tritium label at C4′ were incorporated into the protein. The presence of oxygen was not essential for either the inactivation or the incorporation processes. Although inactivation occurred at a faster rate when molecular oxygen was present, incorporation of label did not increase proportionately. A substrate analog (5-phosphoarabinonate), added to the enzyme pyridoxal 5′-phosphate reaction mixture, afforded complete protection against photoinactivation in the absence of oxygen. However, only partial protection was obtained when oxygen was present. Photoinactivation experiments performed in solutions enriched with D2O or containing sodium azide suggest that under aerobic conditions, singlet oxygen was inactivating the enzyme. Inactivation which occurred in the absence of oxygen proceeded with the incorporation of one pyridoxal 5′-phosphate molecule per inactivated subunit. The process of photoinactivation is believed, therefore, to involve two mechanisms which are capable of proceeding simultaneously and independently.
Consistent approximation of a nonlinear optimal control problem with uncertain parameters

This paper focuses on a non-standard constrained nonlinear optimal control problem in which the objective functional involves an integration over a space of stochastic parameters as well as an integration over the time domain. The research is inspired by the problem of optimizing the trajectories of multiple searchers attempting to detect non-evading moving targets. In this paper, we propose a framework based on the approximation of the integral in the parameter space for the considered uncertain optimal control problem. The framework is proved to produce a zeroth-order consistent approximation in the sense that accumulation points of a sequence of optimal solutions to the approximate problem are optimal solutions of the original problem. In addition, we demonstrate the convergence of the corresponding adjoint variables. The accumulation points of a sequence of optimal state-adjoint pairs for the approximate problem satisfy a necessary condition of Pontryagin Minimum Principle type, which facilitates assessment of the optimality of numerical solutions.
Efficient assessments of urban tree planting potential within or near the southern Piedmont region of the United States

Abstract Urban forest carbon offset projects have the potential to draw substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere, increase green space, and possibly generate revenue for landowners in cities capable of trading credits associated with these projects. The area of 15 cities in or near the Piedmont region of the southern United States on which trees could be potentially planted was explored in this analysis. The objectives were to assess a straightforward time-efficient method of classifying land and to determine the extent of the open and plantable areas in these cities. Overall accuracy of the classification process ranged from about 69% to 95%, and on average was 80.1%. The average producer’s accuracy for all land classes in all 15 cities was 84.2%, while the average producer’s accuracy for the open land class was 78.7%. The average user’s accuracy for all land classes and the open class was about 80%. We estimate the amount of open, tree-plantable area in these 15 cities to be a little over 43,300 hectares (ha), comparable to the size of Washington, DC, or about 36 new Harvard Forests (Massachusetts). Extrapolating these results to the entire Piedmont region, the total plantable area in cities would amount to about 438,500 ha, and potentially allow 108 million tons of CO 2 to be sequestered, with a value of about 1.084 billion U.S. dollars. Given the small sample size and the variation within the results, the most conservative 95% confidence interval around these estimates suggests that the plantable area today is between about 274,300 ha and 645,100 ha.
Hemodynamic actions of acute ethanol after resuscitation from traumatic brain injury

Background: The purposes of this study were to determine how clinically relevant levels of acute ethanol (EtOH) influence cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), cerebral venous O 2 saturation (Scvo 2 ), and systemic hemodynamics after fluid resuscitation from traumatic brain injury (TBI); and to test the hypothesis that the actions of EtOH on these variables are mediated by adenosine. Methods: Anesthetized swine were ventilated (FIO 2 = 0.4) and instrumented. In protocol 1, EtOH (3.5 g/kg, n = 11) or its vehicle (n = 17) was administered orally before TBI + 40% hemorrhage. At 90 minutes post-TBI, resuscitation consisted of shed blood + saline. In protocol 2, either saline (n = 15) or an adenosine-regulating agent (5-amino-4-imidazolecar-boxamide riboside) in saline (1 mg/kg bolus + 12 mg/kg/h intravenously [i.v.]) (n = 5), was administered i.v. before TBI + 45% hemorrhage. At 90 minutes post-TBI, resuscitation consisted of saline only (three times shed blood volume). In protocol 3, EtOH was administered i.v. (1 g/kg; 20% vol/vol in saline) followed by either an adenosine receptor antagonist (theophylline, 10 mg/kg) or an adenosine uptake inhibitor (dipyridamole, 0.25 mg/kg). Results: In protocol 1, with no EtOH, 11 of 17 (65%) survived post-TBI hypotension. Mean arterial blood pressure, cardiac index, and mixed venous oxygen saturation were stable for 1 hour at 40% to 60% below their respective baselines, whereas lactate increased three- to fourfold (all p < 0.05). After fluid resuscitation, most variables rapidly corrected, but intracranial pressure was increased 10 to 15 mm Hg (p < 0.05). With EtOH, 9 of 11 (82%) survived post-TBI hypotension (p = 0.42 vs. no EtOH). After resuscitation from TBI, there were significant effects of EtOH on systemic hemodynamics (mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, mixed venous oxygen saturation), on CPP, on lactate, and on Scvo 2 at normo- and hypercapnia (all p < 0.05). The data from protocol 2 showed that essentially none of these changes were duplicated with an adenosine-regulating agent. In protocol 3, i.v EtOH produced small but significant changes in Scvo 2 , intracranial pressure, and lactate, at normo-, hyper-, and hypocapnia. Dipyridamole and theophylline tended to have opposite, albeit small and not statistically significant, effects on these variables relative to EtOH alone. Conclusion: Acute EtOH (200-300 mg/dL) did not increase mortality after TBI + secondary hypotension, as long as cardiopulmonary support was provided. With EtOH, CPP was maintained and cerebral blood flow appeared to be adequate, if not excessive, with respect to cerebral metabolic demand, as judged by changes in Scvo 2 at normo-, hyper-, and hypocapnia. These changes were probably not mediated, but might have been modulated, by increases in endogenous adenosine.
Concepts and effectiveness of the cover-coefficient-based clustering methodology for text databases

A new algorithm for document clustering is introduced. The base concept of the algorithm, the cover coefficient (CC) concept, provides a means of estimating the number of clusters within a document database and related indexing and clustering analytically. The CC concept is used also to identify the cluster seeds and to form clusters with these seeds. It is shown that the complexity of the clustering process is very low. The retrieval experiments show that the information-retrieval effectiveness of the algorithm is compatible with a very demanding complete linkage clustering method that is known to have good retrieval performance. The experiments also show that the algorithm is 15.1 to 63.5 (with an average of 47.5) percent better than four other clustering algorithms in cluster-based information retrieval. The experiments have validated the indexing-clustering relationships and the complexity of the algorithm and have shown improvements in retrieval effectiveness. In the experiments two document databases are used: TODS214 and INSPEC. The latter is a common database with 12,684 documents.
Media Review: Peacocks, Chameleons, Centaurs: Gay Suburbia and the Grammar of Social Identity

(2012). Media Review: Peacocks, Chameleons, Centaurs: Gay Suburbia and the Grammar of Social Identity. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 113-118.
A fluid-ion and particle-electron model for low-frequency plasma instabilities

We have developed a hybrid (particle/fluid) computer code for the study of quasi-neutral micro-instabilities for inhomogeneous plasmas that are immersed in a magnetic field. The ions are treated in the fluid approximation, retaining perpendicular E x B and polarization drifts as well as the parallel momentum and ion temperature equations. The electrons are represented as particles with perpendicular E x B drifts and parallel kinetics, thus exactly describing the effects of trapped electrons and electron-wave resonances. The code may be used in the study of low frequency (@w < @WPini, where @W"i = eB/m"ic) universal mode drift waves, ion-pressure-driven modes, or curvature-driven modes. At present we have implemented an electrostatic, two-dimensional, slab geometry version of the code. The model has been tested extensively for sound-wave propagation, the collisionless (universal mode) drift wave real frequency and growth rate, the @h"i-mode real frequency and growth rate, and the fluctuation spectrum has been elucidated. As a nonlinear test case, we have also studied the nonlinear properties of the collisionless drift wave.
Generation of Coordinative Unsaturation at Osmium via Ring-Opening Equilibration of a 2-Pyridonato Chelate Complex

Ring opening of a strained chelate complex of osmium has been investigated as a means to transient coordinative unsaturation under mild conditions in normally kinetically inert, third-row, platinum-group metals. cis-L4Os(H)(NC5H4X) (L = PMe3; X = O (1), NH (2), S (3)) were prepared by treatment of fac-L3Os(H)(η2-CH2PMe2) with 2-(HX)C5H4N. An X-ray structure determination establishes 1 to be the κN tautomer with the keto group pointed away from the hydride and toward the PMe3 ligand trans to hydride. NMR spectra support the κN structure in solution. Which nitrogen is coordinated in 2 is not established, but NMR supports the κS tautomer of 3 in solution. At 80 °C in C6D6, 1 incorporates L‘ (P(CD3)3) in a first-order reaction (t1/2 ≈ 14 min) stereospecifically at site b (trans to hydride) with ΔH⧧ = 26.9 ± 1.4 kcal/mol and ΔS⧧ = 3.8 ± 4.4 eu for the substitution. Complex 2 at 80 °C also exchanges with L‘ only in site b, but more slowly than 1 (t1/2 ≈ 3.5 h). Sublimation of 1 at 55 °C under vacuum yields mer-...
Dilute solution rheology: experimental results and finitely extensible nonlinear elastic dumbbell theory

Abstract Experimental results for intrinsic viscosity and for intrinsic complex viscosity of polymer solutions were compared with the rheological predictions of the finitely extensible, nonlinear elastic (FENE) dumbbell theory of a dilute suspension. The FENE dumbbell adequately models the intrinsic viscosity of flexible polymers, but less successfully portrays the behavior in small amplitude oscillatory motion. Expressions for the high frequency asymptotic limit of the intrinsic complex viscosity of a FENE dumbbell suspension, and the mean-square end-to-end distance of FENE dumbbells in steady shear flow are given.
Childhood Guillain-Barré syndrome: clinical and electrophysiologic features predictive of outcome.

The hospital records of 27 children with the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the time to recovery, patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of children whose times to complete or partial recovery extended beyond 2 months from onset of the disease; group 2 consisted of children who attained a full recovery within 2 months from onset of the disease. The clinical and electrophysiologic features of the two groups were statistically compared for their predictive value of outcome. Three clinical features (maximum disability score at presentation, intubation, and cranial nerve involvement) were predictive of poor outcome, whereas one electrophysiologic feature (conduction block) was predictive of favorable outcome. There was also a significant correlation between maximum disability score at presentation and the probability of intubation.
Effect of Bovine Plasmin on αs1 -B and κ-A Caseins

Abstract Both α s1 - and κ-caseins were incubated at 37C in the presence of bovine plasmin (.28mg/ml) prepared from fresh blood plasma. The electrophoretic pattern of κ-casein A was unchanged following 60-min incubation with plasmin. However, the electrophoretic band corresponding to α s1 -casein B gradually disappeared during the initial 30-min incubation with plasmin. Proteolysis was accompanied by the formation of one polypeptide band with electrophoretic mobility slightly slower than α s1 -casein B and several bands with faster electrophoretic mobilities. Two of the faster electrophoretic bands contained phosphorus. Estimates of molecular weights were 20,500, 12,300, and 10,300 daltons for three of these early degradation products of α s1 -casein B by plasmin.
Splitting the Academy: The Emotions of Intersectionality at Work

Using labor market theory, we assess how we have constructed the teaching of required courses on diversity, with the potential splitting of the academy into distinctive labor markets. In-depth interviews with instructors of color and nonminorities who teach required diversity-education courses at a predominately white university are qualitatively assessed and describe the differences in the emotional labor attached to this segmented academic market. We identify specific dimensions of diversity teaching that attach to the job conditions of secondary labor markets, including the distortion of work loads and evidence of differential barriers in the emotional labor attached. These labor market conditions may structurally limit opportunities for career survival and advancement of minority and female instructors.
Mechanical crack propagation drives millisecond daughter cell separation in Staphylococcus aureus

When Staphylococcus aureus undergoes cytokinesis, it builds a septum, generating two hemispherical daughters whose cell walls are only connected via a narrow peripheral ring. We found that resolution of this ring occurred within milliseconds (“popping”), without detectable changes in cell volume. The likelihood of popping depended on cell-wall stress, and the separating cells split open asymmetrically, leaving the daughters connected by a hinge. An elastostatic model of the wall indicated high circumferential stress in the peripheral ring before popping. Last, we observed small perforations in the peripheral ring that are likely initial points of mechanical failure. Thus, the ultrafast daughter cell separation in S. aureus appears to be driven by accumulation of stress in the peripheral ring and exhibits hallmarks of mechanical crack propagation.
Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) impairs growth while malnutrition worsens EAEC infection: a novel murine model of the infection malnutrition cycle

Background Enteroaggregative E.. coli is emerging as an increasingly recognized cause of persistent mildly inflammatory diarrhea in the United States, especially among patients with AIDS as well as among children in whom it is accompanied by growth shortfalls.
Monotone Inductive Definitions in Explicit Mathematics

The context for this paper is Feferman's theory of explicit mathematics, T0. We address a problem that was posed in [6]. Let MID be the principle stating that any monotone operation on classifications has a least fixed point. The main objective of this paper is to show that T0 + MID, when based on classical logic, also proves the existence of non-monotone inductive definitions that arise from arbitrary extensional operations on classifications. From the latter we deduce that MID, when adjoined to classical T0, leads to a much stronger theory than T0.
Cadaverine Prevents the Escape of Shigella flexneri from the Phagolysosome: A Connection between Bacterial Dissemination and Neutrophil Transepithelial Signaling

Shigella flexneri causes bacillary dysentery in humans by invading epithelial cells of the colon, which is characterized by an acute polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL)-rich inflammation. Our recent studies demonstrated that cadaverine, a polyamine, specifically acts to abrogate transepithelial signaling to PMNL induced by S. flexneri. Here, insight is provided into the cellular mechanisms by which cadaverine attenuates the ability of Shigella species to induce PMNL signaling. It was found that cadaverine retards the lysis of the Shigella species-containing vacuole, suggesting that a blockade is established, in which the pathogen is prevented from adequately interacting with the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, an IcsA mutant of S. flexneri that cannot interact with the cytoskeleton and spreads intercellularly fails to induce transmigration of PMNL. Results indicate that cadaverine-induced compartmentalization of Shigella species to the phagolysosome might be a protective response of the host that directly contributes to the diminished ability of PMNL to transmigrate across model intestinal epithelia.
Modified Spectrophotometric Method for the Determination of Traces of Boron Using Quinalizarin in a Sulfuric-Acetic Acid Medium

A modified spectrophotometric method for the determination of boron with quinalizarin in a sulfuric-acetic acid medium is proposed. The sensitivity of the method is 0.00037μg/cm2. The optimum concentration range is 0.06 to 0.25 ppm of boron.
Analysis of Graduates' Perceptions of an Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program in Nursing

Rapid expansion of second-degree programs as one approach to addressing the nursing shortage by increasing the number of graduates in shorter periods of time prompted the need for program evaluation to identify the outcomes, strengths, and best practices of these programs. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry to analyze the responses of 28 of 56 recent graduates of an accelerated baccalaureate program. Respondents rated components of the program from preadmission to graduation on a Likert scale and responded to open-ended questions regarding strengths and weaknesses of the program. Analysis included descriptive statistics for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data. The analysis showed a high degree of similarity between the quantitative and qualitative data. Highly rated program components, that is, opportunity for graduate course work and integration with graduate students, clinical skill practice and experiences, variety of teaching methodologies, peer and faculty support, were reflected in the themes of cohort bonding, variety of clinical experiences, and supportive faculty and staff. Outcomes of program satisfaction, National Council Licensure Examination pass rates, successful nursing employment, and graduate school attendance were supported by the data.
Mathematical properties of ordered amplitude graphs

Abstract This paper elaborates on some mathematical aspects of the ordered hadronic amplitudes. In particular, a systematic way of constructing the ordered Hilbert space is presented and it is shown to be the most general Hilbert space consistent with unitarity of the S -matrix. A number of topological properties of the ordered amplitude are analyzed and finally the ordered S -matrix is shown to be cluster decomposable and crossing systemetric.
Misacylation of tRNA with methionine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Accurate transfer RNA (tRNA) aminoacylation by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases controls translational fidelity. Although tRNA synthetases are generally highly accurate, recent results show that the methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) is an exception. MetRS readily misacylates non-methionyl tRNAs at frequencies of up to 10% in mammalian cells; such mismethionylation may serve a beneficial role for cells to protect their own proteins against oxidative damage. The Escherichia coli MetRS mismethionylates two E. coli tRNA species in vitro, and these two tRNAs contain identity elements for mismethionylation. Here we investigate tRNA mismethionylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. tRNA mismethionylation occurs at a similar extent in vivo as in mammalian cells. Both cognate and mismethionylated tRNAs have similar turnover kinetics upon cycloheximide treatment. We identify specific arginine/lysine to methionine-substituted peptides in proteomic mass spectrometry, indicating that mismethionylated tRNAs are used in translation. The yeast MetRS is part of a complex containing the anchoring protein Arc1p and the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS). The recombinant Arc1p–MetRS–GluRS complex binds and mismethionylates many tRNA species in vitro. Our results indicate that the yeast MetRS is responsible for extensive misacylation of non-methionyl tRNAs, and mismethionylation also occurs in this evolutionary branch.
The effects of helium implantation on microstructural evolution in an austenitic alloy

Abstract Specimens of a model austenitic alloy (Fe-17Cr-16.7Ni-2.5Mo) in the solution-annealed and 20% cold-worked conditions have been implanted with 10 to 50 appm helium at room temperature and subsequently annealed at temperatures between 600 and 900°C. These specimens and unimplanted specimens were irradiated in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor to a dose of about 4.7 dpa at 350, 550 and 600°C. The irradiation resulted in the production of about 65 appm helium by transmutation reactions. Transmission electron microscopy has revealed that the as-implanted microstructure consists of a high density of small point defect clusters that evolve into a mixed bubble and faulted loop microstructure during postimplantation annealing. Bubbles become visible after annealing for one hour at temperatures greater than about 700°C. Up to 750°C, Frank faulted interstitial loops grow and the loop size distribution coarsens. The upper cut-off temperature for observing loops is dependent on the level of helium implantation. The major influence of the helium pre-injection in the specimens irradiated to 4.7 dpa in the as-implanted condition is to suppress void formation relative to the unimplanted or the implanted and aged specimens. This suppression is apparently the result of helium being distributed and trapped on a fine scale due to the high initial sink density in the as-implanted specimens. However, when the microstructure coarsens during the postimplantation anneals, the helium coalesces into large bubbles that can convert to voids during the subsequent irradiation. This sequence is consistent with the theoretical explanation of void formation from bubbles which grow by gas and vacancy accumulation until they reach a critical size beyond which further growth is bias-driven rather than due to gas. An interesting new observation was that a high density of large stacking fault tetrahedra were observed in these specimens after irradiation at 550 and 600°C.
A Non-Contacting Length Comparator with 10 Nanometer Precision

A non-contacting length comparator utilizing two specially designed photo-electric micro-scopes has been constructed. Performance tests of this comparator, using lapped and polished steel surfaces demonstrate a resolution of -1 nanometer, a precision of--10 nanometers, and a linear range in excess of 50 micrometers.
The outcome index and system outcome score: a method of quality assurance through outcome analysis in the special care area.

A scoring system intended to assess mortality risk and permit surveillance, evaluation and comparison of medical care was developed in our Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Five simple clinical components were identified and assigned scores according to their statistically validated relationship to mortality and the summation of the component scores resulted in a daily System Outcome Score (SOS). Cluster analysis was used to divide the creation data set of 2,777 patients into suitable groupings of scores to predict mortality and the clustering was confirmed for reproducibility with a validation set of an additional 2,860 patients.
Optically transparent gripper for microassembly

Production of complex Micro-Opto Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) often requires assembly of a system from individual components built by mutually incompatible processes. This fabrication step also constitutes the largest portion of the total cost (about 80%), and is one of the major roadblocks to successfully implementing a complex microsystem. Our previous experience with such systems shows, that gripping and manipulation of microparts significantly differs from the assembly of macroscopic devices. The main difference stems from the increased role of the surface electrostatic forces and the reduced influence of body forces such as gravity. This paper describes one possible use of the surface forces in the development of a novel optically transparent electrostatic microgripper. The principle of operation, design and simulation of the new device are described. Several models describing the gripping force are also presented. The out-of-plane and in-plane holding (frictional) forces are measured as a function of the applied voltage for two common materials - silicon and nickel. The fabrication sequence and the materials used are discussed.
Near-Roadway Air Quality: Synthesizing the Findings from Real-World Data

Despite increasing regulatory attention and literature linking roadside air pollution to health outcomes, studies on near roadway air quality have not yet been well synthesized. We employ data collected from 1978 as reported in 41 roadside monitoring studies, encompassing more than 700 air pollutant concentration measurements, published as of June 2008. Two types of normalization, background and edge-of-road, were applied to the observed concentrations. Local regression models were specified to the concentration-distance relationship and analysis of variance was used to determine the statistical significance of trends. Using an edge-of-road normalization, almost all pollutants decay to background by 115−570 m from the edge of road; using the more standard background normalization, almost all pollutants decay to background by 160−570 m from the edge of road. Differences between the normalization methods arose due to the likely bias inherent in background normalization, since some reported background values...
Changes with age in cerebral capillary morphology

Age related alterations in cerebral capillary morphology were investigated in 4-, 10-, and 20-year-old Macaque monkeys and in 1-, 14-, 35-, 180-, and 800-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats. This study revealed the following changes with increasing age: a significant decrease in cerebral capillary wall thickness in frontal cortex in monkeys but not in rats; a significant increase in the thickness of basal lamina (BL) of cerebral capillaries in rats but not in monkeys, however there was a marked increase in this parameter in the monkey between 4 and 10 years of age; a significant decline in cerebral capillary endothelial mitochondrial content in monkeys whereas a significant decline in this parameter in rats was found only when the peak content at 35 days was contrasted with that at 800 days of age; and, aberrant tight junctions and thickened BL in one of five 20-year-old monkeys. These findings suggest impairment of barrier characteristics of cerebral capillaries with increasing age in both the rat and the monkey.
An extension of the correlates of war formal alliance data set, 1648–1815

Arguing that most empirical studies of war arbitrarily limit themselves to analyses of the state system after 1815, this paper develops extensions of the Correlates of War formal alliance and syste...
An analysis of a model of the MPS MX missile system using geometric programming

Abstract Six years ago, Mishins and Sarin defined and solved a cost optimization model of the MPS MX missile system using a computer (Appl. Math. Modelling 1985, 9, 139-142) . We show that this model can be solved virtually by inspection for a general case, using some recently published approaches of geometric programming.
Influence Diagnostics for Linear Longitudinal Models

Abstract Influence diagnostics are important for analyzing cross-sectional regression studies, because they allow the analyst to understand the impact of individual observations on the estimated regression model. In this article we consider the role of influence diagnostics in subject-specific longitudinal models. Diagnostics are proposed under both fixed and random subject effects. Our approach is based on subject deletion, which in this setting involves deleting a group of correlated observations. We develop partial influence statistics to understand the combined impact of observations from a subject on population parameters. Simple computational formulas make the procedures feasible. Finally, we illustrate the use of our new influence statistics by examining a dataset to model a taxpayer's charitable givings.
The relationship between ethical and customer-oriented service provider behaviors

This study examines the relationship between the ethical behavior and customer orientation of insurance sales agents engaged in the selling of complex services, e.g. health, life, auto, and property insurance. The effect of ethical and customer-oriented behavior, measured by the SOCO scale (Saxe and Weitz, 1982), on the annual premiums generated by the agents is also investigated. Customeroriented sales agents are found to engage in less unethical behavior than their sales-oriented counterparts. Further, sales-oriented agents are found to perceive greater levels of unethical behavior among their significant others. Alarmingly, higher levels of sales premiums are found among those agents who engage in unethical behavior.
A fertility table for the analysis of human reproduction

Abstract Birth order instead of age of women is considered the basic variable in the study of human reproduction. In the proposed table, parity of women is the main criterion used to summarize the reproductive experience of a study population. The elements of the table serve to describe the fertility pattern of a female population; to determine the population distribution by completed family size; and to estimate the parity progression ratios, the parity specific fertility rates, the mean waiting time between the ith birth and the completion of family, and others. The table can be used to test the temporal difference and difference between countries in fertility and to evaluate the effectiveness of family planning programs. A fertility table based on current U.S. data has been constructed for illustration.
Active microcantilever device for biological agent detection

The measurement of binding forces between specific antigen-antibody pairs presents a powerful tool for sensitive detection with applications in medical diagnostics, bioagent sensing, and environmental monitoring. The ability to detect single molecular binding events with an AFM, using the technique of dynamic force spectroscopy, is a known capability; however, reliance on traditional AFM architectures limits the use of this method to laboratory environments. The approach presented here uses active piezoelectric microcantilevers, providing electronic output for detection of molecular binding. Functionalization of this device with specific antibodies provides a platform for a stand-alone detection device. As the microcantilever can be operated as both a sensor and an actuator, the detection scheme includes actuating the cantilever to present an antibody bound to the cantilever tip to a second antibody bound to a fixed substrate. If a target antigen is present in solution, the cantilever detects the mechanical strain and vibrational response created by the binding force and subsequent rupture of the antigen-antibody pair. This detection strategy distinguishes this work from resonance-based cantilever devices that respond to changes in cantilever mass based on adsorption of numerous antigen molecules. In this research, piezoelectric microcantilevers were fabricated, and initial results were obtained demonstrating transient response caused by rupture of nonspecific adhesion forces in air and water environments. Analytical results are also presented relating geometrical parameters with sensor performance.
Organization, attendance, speakers, and sessions: A study of four scientific conference series

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Conference series on neutron activation analysis (NAA) in life sciences has been compared to another IAEA conference series and to two other conference series. No great differences in multiple attendees, speakers, chairmen, or diversity of session subjects was seen. The NAA meetings do appear to be less formalized than the others.
Electron microscope visualization of the products of Bacillus subtilis transformation

Abstract The reduced alkalinity required to denature DNA in which bromouracil has replaced thymine has permitted the visualization of the molecular products of transformation of Bacillus subtilis with bromouracil-substituted DNA. The appearance of these molecules suggests that several distinct segments of a single bound DNA molecule can be integrated into the genome of a recipient bacterium.
Solvable models of classical lattice gases

We study classical lattice gases at fixed temperature but variable fugacity. It is shown how the thermodynamic functions may be calculated exactly provided the Boltzmann weights are representable as principal minors of a convolution operator. We explicitly construct this operator for the cluster models of Fisher and Felderhof.
Slabs and shear wave reflectors in the midmantle

[1] An extensive analysis of multiple ScS reverberation data sets sampling regions of active or recent subduction reveals evidence of midmantle reflections apparently stemming from fragments of subducted slabs or from the interaction between subducted slabs and the surrounding mantle. Transition zone reflectors are detected beneath the southwest Pacific Ocean and Melanesia with mean depths of ∼850 and 1100 km in the majority of source–receiver corridors crossing the study area. The observations are most spatially coherent beneath the Coral and Tasman Seas. Coincident observations of the two reflectors along most seismic corridors suggests (but does not mandate) the existence of two distinct reflectors rather than bimodal depth distribution of a single reflector or distributed scatterers. Beneath North America, reflectors at depths of ∼1380 and 1530 km are seen in the midcontinent region; further east, the reflections are shallower, with depths near 940 and 1130 km. Unlike the southwest Pacific, the reflectors are not paired in any of the individual source–receiver corridors. This and the depth variability of the observations indicate that the reflector (or reflectors) in the Americas is (are) fragmented from west to east (transecting source–receiver corridors). The impedance contrasts of these features rival that of the 660-km discontinuity, suggesting that individual fragments of the reflecting surfaces must be relatively continuous and flat from north to south (along individual corridors) to maintain a strong apparent impedance contrast. The reflections in both study areas are unlikely to be the result of slabs interacting with a chemical boundary layer or small-scale scatterers within the midmantle. More likely these reflectors result from a pressure–temperature-dependent phase transition within or around subducting slabs.
FRACTAL DIMENSION, PRIMES, AND THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY

Many sequences from number theory, such as the primes, are defined by recursive procedures, often leading to complex local behavior, but also to graphical similarity on different scales — a property that can be analyzed by fractal dimension. This paper computes sample fractal dimensions from the graphs of some number-theoretic functions. It argues for the usefulness of empirical fractal dimension as a distinguishing characteristic of the graph. Also, it notes a remarkable similarity between two apparently unrelated sequences: the persistence of a number, and the memory of a prime. This similarity is quantified using fractal dimension.
Celebration: William Farr (1807–1883)—an appreciation on the 200th anniversary of his birth

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Recombineering-based dissection of flanking and paralogous Hox gene functions in mouse reproductive tracts

Hox genes are key regulators of development. In mammals, the study of these genes is greatly confounded by their large number, overlapping functions and interspersed shared enhancers. Here, we describe the use of a novel recombineering strategy to introduce simultaneous frameshift mutations into the flanking Hoxa9, Hoxa10 and Hoxa11 genes, as well as their paralogs on the HoxD cluster. The resulting Hoxa9,10,11 mutant mice displayed dramatic synergistic homeotic transformations of the reproductive tracts, with the uterus anteriorized towards oviduct and the vas deferens anteriorized towards epididymis. The Hoxa9,10,11 mutant mice also provided a genetic setting that allowed the discovery of Hoxd9,10,11 redundant reproductive tract patterning function. Both shared and distinct Hox functions were defined. Hoxd9,10,11 play a crucial role in the regulation of uterine immune function. Non-coding non-polyadenylated RNAs were among the key Hox targets, with dramatic downregulation in mutants. We observed Hox cross-regulation of transcription and splicing. In addition, we observed a surprising anti-dogmatic apparent posteriorization of the uterine epithelium. In caudal regions of the uterus, the normal simple columnar epithelium flanking the lumen was replaced by a pseudostratified transitional epithelium, normally found near the more posterior cervix. These results identify novel molecular functions of Hox genes in the development of the male and female reproductive tracts.
Role of the liver in the catabolism of serum haptoglobin.

Summary1. The fate of I125-labelled human haptoglobin (Hp) and its hemoglobin complex (Hp-Hb) was studied in the isolated perfused rat liver as well as in intact animals. 2. No significant removal of either free or complexed Hp from the perfusate occurred during 4 hours of liver perfusion. 3. In intact animals, the T½ of I125 Hp-Hb was considerably shorter (2 hours) than that of free I125 Hp (19 hours); in both groups, hepatic uptake per gram of tissue was less than splenic uptake, and was minimal. 4. It is concluded that the liver, the major site of Hp synthesis, is of limited importance in the degradation of this protein and of its hemoglobin complex.
Money laundering countermeasures with primary focus upon terrorism and the USA Patriot Act 2001

Outlines the changing nature of terrorism, and details the contents of the Patriot Act as a response to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, including the Act’s provisions for surveillance techniques like pen register and trap and trace, amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 1978, together with some protections from abuse of traditional constitutional rights. Moves on to the origins and nature of the assets funding terrorism, and then to Title III of the Act, which is specifically concerned with money laundering, and the nature of offshore banking. Finally, looks at the role of the courts, and whether judicial review will survive jurisdictional challenges in matters of national security; discusses two recent cases involving the State Department against Iranian organisations. Concludes that the Act has many flaws but is an important and probably essential tool against terrorism.
The mediating role of monitoring in the association of religion with self-control

Religiosity is related to a variety of positive outcomes and the nature of this relationship has long been a topic of inquiry. Recently, it was proposed that an important piece of this puzzle may be the propensity for religious beliefs to promote self-control, a trait that is linked to a range of benefits. How religion translates into self-control, however, remains unclear. We examined the extent to which religiosity’s relationship with self-control is mediated by self-monitoring, perceived monitoring by God, and perceived monitoring by other people. Results revealed that more religious people tended to monitor their standing regarding their goals (self-monitoring) to a greater degree, which in turn related to more self-control. Also, religious people tended to believe that a higher power was watching them, which related to greater self-monitoring, which in turn was related to more self-control.