cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ongoing investigation of collector cleaning by surface wave plasma in the Illinois NXE:3100 chamber

A hydrogen plasma cleaning technique to clean Sn (tin) off EUV collector optics is studied in detail. The cleaning process uses hydrogen radicals and ions (formed in the hydrogen plasma) to interact with Sn-coated surfaces, forming SnH4 and being pumped away. This technique has been used to clean a 300mm-diameter stainless steel dummy collector optic, and EUV reflectivity of multilayer mirror samples was restored after cleaning Sn from them, validating the potential of this technology. This method has the potential to significantly reduce downtime and increase source availability as it occurs in-situ. While previous experiments have been conducted using an RF capacitively coupled plasma, a microwave-generated surface wave plasma (SWP) is advantageous due to its high density, low electron temperature, and ability to be generated locally where etching is needed. Langmuir probe measurements of the surface wave plasma show electron temperatures of 1 to 5 eV and plasma densities on the order of 10^11-12 cm-3. Previous experiments have shown etch rates of greater than 10 nm/min over a 2 inch diameter circular plasma area with an unoptimized SWP launcher. Peak etch rates of 94.9 nm/min were measured in the immediate vicinity of the plasma source. A custom launcher was designed for the 3100 collector and tested in the NXE:3100 chamber at Illinois at standard operating conditions. Previous results at different pressures have been presented, but the flow rate dependency was never investigated. Etch rates at commercially viable pressures and different flow rates were explored and these results will be presented.
V1 microcircuit dynamics: altered signal propagation suggests intracortical origins for adaptation in response to visual repetition

Our survival depends on our brains rapidly adapting to ever changing environments. A well-studied form of adaptation occurs whenever we encounter the same or similar stimuli repeatedly. We show tha...
The sporadic nature of Legionella pneumophila, Legionella pneumophila Sg1 and Mycobacterium avium occurrence within residences and office buildings across 36 states in the United States.

Aim Premise plumbing may disseminate the bacteria Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium, the causative agents for legionellosis and pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterium disease respectively. Methods and results Using quantitative PCR, the occurrence and persistence of L. pneumophila, L. pneumophila serogroup (Sg)1 and M. avium were evaluated in drinking water samples from 108 cold water taps (residences: n = 43) and (office buildings: n = 65). Mycobacterium avium, L. pneumophila and L. pneumophila Sg1 were detected 45, 41 and 25% of all structures respectively. Two occurrence patterns were evaluated: sporadic (a single detection from the three samplings) and persistent (detections in two or more of the three samples). Conclusions The micro-organism's occurrence was largely sporadic. Office buildings were prone to microbial persistence independent of building age and square footage. Microbial persistence at residences was observed in those older than 40 years for L. pneumophila and was rarely observed for M. avium. The microbial occurrence was evenly distributed between structure types but there were differences in density and persistence. Significance of and impact of the study The study is important because residences are often suspected to be the source when a case of disease is reported. These data demonstrate that this may not be the case for a sporadic incidence.
A Comparison of Turbulent Mass Transfer at Gas-Liquid and Solid-Liquid Interfaces

Measurements are presented for the rate of oxygen absorption from flowing air to a flowing water layer with heights of the liquid varied from 0.05 to 0.55 cm. For thick layers (m+ > 45) the dimensionless mass transfer coefficient, \( \bar{K}/v_{1}^{*} \), is constant and approximately equal to what has been measured by Tsacoyannis (1976) for much thicker layers (1–3.5 cm). For m+ < 45, \( \bar{K}/v_{1}^{*} \) decreases with decreasing m+. The measured values of \( \bar{K} \) for oxygen absorption ara much larger than what would be predicted from results of studies of mass transfer to solid boundaries. Mass transfer at a gas-liquid interface differs because damping of concentration fluctuations in the concentration boundary layer is smaller and because there are additional sources of velocity fluctuations than wall turbulence. One possible interpretation of the results is that mass transfer is controlled by velocity fluctuations that originate from high frequency capillary waves at the interface.
Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) monitor their immediate acoustic environment vigilantly

As part of an initial effort to determine if acoustic signals can be used to discourage eagles from entering wind turbine facility airspaces and thereby reduce morbidity/mortality collision rates, behavioral responses of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) to a battery of both natural and synthetic acoustic stimuli of varying spectral complexities were studied. Each signal was directed randomly to one of two loudspeakers in a sequence of ~10 trials, and the stimulus order was randomized for each bird. A variant of an observer-based psychoacoustic protocol was implemented, and judges were instructed to report the absence or presence of a response, response strength, and other distinctive response attributes. In pilot studies, subjects responded to ~74% of trials across all stimuli. Responsivity was greater to spectrally complex stimuli (~80% vs 59%), and greater responsivity was observed to natural stimuli than to synthetic stimuli (~82% vs 69%). Responsive subjects oriented correctly in the direction of the signal source in ~74% of trials. A significant difference in overall responsivity was not observed across stimulus sets, although habituation was observed across repeated trials when responses to all stimulus types were combined. The relevance of findings in relation to the design of deterrence/alerting protocols will be discussed. [Work supported by DOE Grant No. DE-EE0007881.]
Non-opioid analgesics

Abstract The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as ‘an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in such terms of such damage’. This definition of the pain experience thus combines both the phenomenon of nociception (the sensory nervous system's response to certain harmful or potentially harmful stimuli) and pain perception (process by which pain is recognized and interpreted by the brain). The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines an analgesic as any drug that relieves pains electively without blocking the conduction of nerve impulses, markedly altering sensory perceptions, or affecting consciousness. This selectivity is an important distinction between an anaesthetic and an analgesic drug. Analgesics can thus be broadly classified according to their role primarily on nociception as well as pain perception, both of which are intimately integrated to the pain experience. An understanding of the pain pathway is inherent to a good understanding of how therapeutic targets can act as analgesics. An overview of this is discussed in this article to understand rationale for therapeutic intervention. Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Opioids have been used as a mainstay for pain management for centuries. As the problem of chronic pain has risen to epidemic proportions, so has the incidence of increase in opioid use as well as misuse and abuse of prescription opioids resulting in increasing morbidity and mortality. While being effective for acute pain and cancer pain management, opioids have not been very effective for the management of chronic pain or neuropathic pain. All other analgesics that do not produce analgesia through a primary effect on opioid receptors can be labelled as non-opioid analgesics (NOA). This article will aim to provide an overview of the pain pathway in relation to the therapeutic targets for providing analgesia, commonly used NAOs and their brief introduction.
Attitudes, Supervaluations, and Vagueness in the World

I consider two possible sources of vagueness. The first is indeterminacy about which intension is expressed by a word. The second is indeterminacy about which referent (extension) is determined by an intension. Focusing on a Fregean account of intensions, I argue that whichever account is right will matter to whether vagueness turns out to be a representational phenomenon (as opposed to being “in the world”). In addition, it will also matter to whether supervaluationism is a viable semantic framework. Based on these considerations, I end by developing an argument against supervaluational semantics that depends, instead, on anti-Fregean (Millian) assumptions.
The effect of family welfare support on the likelihood of having another child and parents’ labor supply

Abstract Governments have recently attempted to reverse the below-replacement fertility rates in Europe by reducing child-rearing costs through child benefits, grants and paid leaves. This article examines the causal effect of family allowances on the likelihood of having another child, and on the extensive and intensive margins of labor supply. Evidence from Switzerland suggests that higher child benefits incentivize parents to have more children but do not affect their employment choice. The effect is larger for low-income families. These findings imply that policies aimed at improving the economic well-being of families are likely to increase fertility rates without distorting labor market outcomes.
Relatedness needs and negative fantasies as the origins of obsessive thinking in romantic relationships

Surprisingly little experimental research has been conducted regarding the origins of obsessive thinking. Based on prior research on basic psychological needs (Sheldon and Gunz in J Pers 77(5):1467–1492, 2009) and future fantasies (Kappes and Oettingen in J Exp Soc Psychol 47(4):719–729, 2011), we proposed that a threat to the need for relatedness increases obsessive thinking about a romantic partner (i.e., a need-relevant target) when combined with a negatively valenced future fantasy about the partner. We tested this hypothesis in three experiments: Experiment 1, administered online, used a meta-cognitive relatedness threat manipulation, a scenario-based fantasy valence manipulation, and a measure of obsessive thinking. Experiment 2 used a modified fantasy valence manipulation, a new obsessive thinking measure, and a measure of romantic proximity-seeking. Experiment 3 used cyberball to manipulate relatedness threat in the lab. An internal meta-analysis revealed that threats to relatedness (vs. no threat) and negative fantasies (vs. positive fantasies) both led to small increases in obsessive thinking; however, inconsistent evidence emerged for the hypothesized threat-by-fantasy valence interaction.
Determining optimum customer participation level in services: perceptual biases and congruence

The effect of increased customer participation on service quality remains an enduring dialogue in the services literature. We study the relationship between increased customer participation (i.e., customer workload) and service quality from the theoretical lens of perceptual congruence, a perceptual state in which a customer and a front-line employee have similar perceptions of a co-produced service output. We use an analytical model that relates customer work allocation to perceptual congruence through perceptual biases of a customer and employee. Based on our model, we identify four cases for the service design and present strategies to increase customer work allocation while keeping the perceptual congruence. While the term 'bias' may have a negative connotation, proper management of perceptual biases could allow a service to increase customer work allocation and achieve perceptual congruence at the same time.
Class I and class IV alcohol dehydrogenase (retinol dehydrogenase) gene expression in mouse embryos.

Mammalian alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) exists as several classes of related enzymes, all linked evolutionarily to the medium-chain ADHs present in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals (Kaiser et al., 1993). One distinctive feature of the mammalian ADH family is the ability of some members to act as retinol dehydrogenases as well as ethanol dehydrogenases (Zachman and Olson, 1961; Mezey and Holt, 1971; Boleda et al., 1993). ADH classes I and IV have been demonstrated to function in this manner in both humans and rodents (Yang et al., 1993; Boleda et al., 1993). This feature may be important since it implies that these classes of ADH may participate in the conversion of retinol (vitamin A alcohol) to its active forms including retinal and retinoic acid, the latter functioning as a transcriptional regulatory ligand controlling cellular differentiation (De Luca, 1991). It further implies that excessive ethanol consumption may competitively inhibit retinol oxidation by ADH, thus leading to under-utilization of vitamin A. This point is particularly critical when one considers a potential connection between vitamin A utilization by developing embryos and fetal alcohol syndrome, a form of teratogenesis characterized by ethanol-in-duced brain and craniofacial abnormalities (Duester, 1991).
The ability to screw-retain single implant-supported restorations in the anterior maxilla: A CBCT analysis.

Abstract Statement of problem Evidence to validate the routine use of angled screw-channel abutments in the anterior maxilla is sparse. If properly planned, they might provide surgical and prosthetic benefits. Purpose The purpose of this observational study was to determine the prevalence of digitally placed implants in the anterior maxilla that would allow screw-retained implant-supported restorations with either a straight or an angled screw-channel abutment. Material and methods Two hundred cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans met the inclusion criteria for retrospective analysis and digital implant planning. Virtual implants were planned for randomly selected anterior maxillary teeth by using the anatomic crown and root position. Virtual abutments of varying angulation were attached to the implants to determine the ability to screw retain a restoration with either a straight or an angled screw-channel abutment. Results One hundred fifty-two (76%) sites required an angled screw-channel abutment to enable screw retention. Forty-eight (24%) sites allowed screw retention with a straight abutment. The percentage of implants requiring angled or straight abutments varied significantly among anterior teeth (P Conclusions Angled abutments allowed for screw-retained restorations on digitally planned implants in the anterior maxilla. The required angular correction to a screw-retained restoration was ≤15 degrees. Screw-retained restorations were frequently achievable (76%) with the use of angled screw-channel abutments or with straight abutments (24%), and lateral incisors presented a greater need for angled screw-channel abutments.
Incarceration History and HIV Care Among Individuals Living with HIV in Florida, 2014-2018.

The present study examines the HIV continuum of care outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH) who have either recent ( 12-months) incarceration history compared to those without an incarceration history. A self-administered survey (as part of the Florida Cohort Study (n = 932)) was used to collect data on demographic information, linkage to care, retention in care, HIV medication adherence, viral suppression, and incarceration history. Those with recent incarceration history were least likely to report HIV medication adherence greater than or equal to 95% of the time (χ2 = 8.79; p = 0.0124), always take their medications as directed (χ2 = 15.29; p = 0.0005), and to have durable viral suppression (χ2 = 16.65; p = 0.0002) compared to those distally or never incarcerated. In multivariable analyses, those never and distally incarcerated had greater odds of care linkage ([vs recently incarcerated] AOR = 2.58; CI: 1.31, 5.07; p = 0.0063, AOR = 2.09; CI: 1.11, 3.95; p = 0.0228, respectively). Those never incarcerated had greater odds of taking ART as directed ([vs recently incarcerated] AOR = 2.53; CI: 1.23 – 5.19; p = 0.0116). PLWH with an incarceration history may need more on-going monitoring and follow-up HIV care than those without previous incarceration regardless of when incarceration occurred.
Carmelita Torres and bodies of resistance: Reclaiming young Latinas’ bodies within hegemonic discourse

Polemical rhetorics are often applied to young Latina activists’ bodies. This phenomenon finds roots in early print media and has been left largely unchallenged. While contemporary media adheres to these practices, the activists in question are today able to speak back and redress their misrepresentation within the dominant narrative. Ultimately, this article questions how and why such rhetorics have persisted throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, employing Carmelita Torres, the instigator of the 1917 Bath Riots, as a foundational resource. By posing Torres’s example against three contemporary activists, this article determines that, though hegemonic discourses mediate Latina bodies in problematic and limiting ways, contemporary Latinas resist the negative coding of their bodies and reclaim the discourse surrounding their actions.
The Grell–Freitas (GF) convection parameterization: recent developments, extensions, and applications

Abstract. Recent developments and options in the GF (Grell and Freitas, 2014; Freitas et al., 2018) convection parameterization are presented. The parameterization has been expanded to a trimodal spectral size to simulate three convection modes: shallow, congestus, and deep. In contrast to usual entrainment and detrainment assumptions, we assume that beta functions (BFs), commonly applied to represent probability density functions (PDFs), can be used to characterize the vertical mass flux profiles for the three modes and use the BFs to derive entrainment and detrainment rates. We also added a new closure for nonequilibrium convection that improved the simulation of the diurnal cycle of convection, with a better representation of the transition from shallow to deep convection regimes over land. The transport of chemical constituents (including wet deposition) can be treated inside the GF scheme. The tracer transport is handled in flux form and is mass-conserving. Finally, the cloud microphysics have been extended to include the ice phase to simulate the conversion from liquid water to ice in updrafts with resulting additional heat release and the melting from snow to rain.
Finding the Constitution: An Economic Analysis of Tradition's Role in Constitutional Interpretation

In recent years, the Supreme Court has increasingly looked to "tradition" as a source of constitutional values. Justice Scalia has articulated a majoritarian view of tradition that looks to the legislative practices of state legislatures. Justice Souter has articulated a model that looks to Supreme Court precedent as a source of tradition, so-called "common law constitutionalism." Both have also found recent academic adherents: Michael McConnell has defended Scalia?s model, and David Strauss has done the same for Souter. While Scalia, Souter, and their academic followers are correct in celebrating tradition as a source of constitutional values, they have celebrated the wrong traditions. In this paper, we develop a model of tradition and show how tradition, properly understood, can be a source of constitutional values. Tradition is compatible with constitutionalism in identifying widely-shared community values that should be subject to constitutional precommitment and can be an effective mechanism for constitutional change. "Constitutionally efficient" traditions are those that emerge from decentralized evolutionary processes over a long period of time, bubbling up from society. The sources of tradition articulated by Scalia and Souter lack these conditions for constitutional efficiency; hence, they should be rejected as sources of constitutional values. We offer an alternative model of constitutionally-efficient traditions. Our article is followed by a Comment by Professor John McGinnis of Cardozo Law School and a brief Reply to McGinnis.
Interannual Variability of the Atmosphere-Ocean System

The functioning of the tropical atmosphere in the course of the average annual cycle and the role of weather disturbances in these processes are discussed in Chapters 6 and 7, while Chapter 4 provides an orientation on the characteristic average mode of operation of the low-latitude oceans. This background is required for the understanding of year-to-year variations which are to be explored in the present chapter. The mechanisms of interannual variability of the combined atmosphere-hydrosphere system are manifest in changes of the atmospheric and oceanic circulation and extreme events — especially rainfall anomalies — in the regional climates. Regional climate anomalies appear in part related to circulation changes on the scale of the global tropics.
The intermittently turbulent region of the boundary layer

There is increasing evidence that fully developed turbulent shear flows exhibit a velocity structure that is more coherent than generally expected. It is possible to detect an ordered, relatively coherent structure that moves randomly in space and time and has characteristic lifetimes and length scales which are, in general, much larger than the dissipation scale of the flow.
Autoimmune Disease: Mechanisms

The immune system provides protection against infections and repairs tissue damage induced by physical trauma. Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune response inadvertently inflicts damage to tissues in the body. Similar features between autoimmune diseases suggest that common pathogenic mechanisms could lead to the development of autoimmune disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Activation of specific innate immune pathways is a characteristic of many autoimmune diseases. Innate immune cell activation directs antigen-specific autoimmune T and B cells to cause tissue pathology under the influence of sex hormones. Thus, most autoimmune diseases occur predominantly in one sex or the other such as type I diabetes, Crohn's disease and myocarditis in men vs. thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus in women. Importantly, at least 80% of all autoimmune diseases occur in women. Current research targets these common immune mechanisms in an effort to develop better therapies and to prevent autoimmune disease. Key Concepts Genes and the environment contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases. Nearly 80% of autoimmune diseases occur in women. Sex hormones regulate inflammation and alter autoimmune disease in animal models. Estrogens increase auto-antibodies, which are key diagnostic criteria for most autoimmune diseases. Many theories exist for how infections and chemicals could cause autoimmune diseases. Microbial and/or chemical activation of innate immunity must occur at the same time as damage to self-tissues in order for autoimmune disease to develop. Dysregulation of peripheral immunoregulatory mechanisms is a key characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Successful treatment of autoimmune diseases might require the targeting of multiple effector pathways. Keywords: genetics; epigenetics; environment; sex hormones; infection; innate immunity; tolerance
Teachers Attitudes toward Their Included Students with Disabilities

This investigation examines teachers' attitudes toward their included students with disabilities. Seventy general education teachers of inclusive elementary classrooms nominated three of their students to prompts corresponding with the attitudinal categories of attachment, concern, indifference, and rejection. Consistent with predictions based on a theory of instructional tolerance, chi-square analyses indicated that included students with disabilities were significantly underrepresented in the attachment category, and significantly overrepresented in the concern and rejection categories. Greater experience teaching in inclusive classes was also associated with higher rates of concern nominations for included students with disabilities. Results are discussed in regard to their implications for inclusive policies and practice.
Exploiting Interactions among Polymorphisms Contributing to Complex Disease Traits with Boosted Generative Modeling

Although there has been great success in identifying disease genes for simple, monogenic Mendelian traits, deciphering the genetic mechanisms involved in complex diseases remains challenging. One major approach is to identify configurations of interacting factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that confer susceptibility to disease. Traditional methods, such as the multiple dimensional reduction method and the combinatorial partitioning method, provide good tools to decipher such interactions amid a disease population with a single genetic cause. However, these traditional methods have not managed to resolve the issue of genetic heterogeneity, which is believed to be a very common phenomenon in complex diseases. There is rarely prior knowledge of the genetic heterogeneity of a disease, and traditional methods based on estimation over the entire population are unlikely to succeed in the presence of heterogeneity. We present a novel Boosted Generative Modeling (BGM) approach for structure-model the interactions leading to diseases in the context of genetic heterogeneity. Our BGM method bridges the ensemble and generative modeling approaches to genetic association studies under a case-control design. Generative modeling is employed to model the interaction network configuration and the causal relationships, while boosting is used to address the genetic heterogeneity problem. We perform our method on simulation data of complex diseases. The results indicate that our method is capable of modeling the structure of interaction networks among disease-susceptible loci and of addressing genetic heterogeneity issues where the traditional methods, such as multiple dimensional reduction method, fail to apply. Our BGM method provides an exploratory tool that identifies the variables (e.g., disease-susceptible loci) that are likely to correlate and contribute to the disease.
Shortened pain response time following repeated algesiometric tests in rats

Abstract Administration of the hot-plate test once every week for 5 to 8 weeks resulted in a progressive shortening of pain response time in spontaneously hypertensive, normotensive Wistar-Kyoto and Charles River rats. Furthermore, this gradual change in nociceptive response did not appear to be affected by the strain, degree of maturity, or blood pressure status of the animals. It is speculated that re-exposure of the rats to the same algesiometric test may result in “learning,” habituation or anticipatory escape behavior.
Calculation of cooling of3He by adiabatic demagnetization of a paramagnetic salt

In an effort to better understand the various factors involved in refrigeration by adiabatic demagnetization, we have set up a computer model of a paramagnetic salt in contact with liquid3He. This model has been used to study the cooling of the3He from an initial temperature of 20 mK, which is typical of the temperature achieved in a dilution refrigerator. The effects of various demagnetization schedules, heat leaks, and varying ratios of salt to liquid have been studied. The model was used to simulate an actual demagnetization and gave excellent agreement with measured temperatures. We also show how the model can be extended to the case of nuclear demagnetization.
A protein geranylgeranyltransferase from bovine brain: implications for protein prenylation specificity.

Abstract A protein geranylgeranyltransferase (PGT) that catalyzes the transfer of a 20-carbon prenyl group from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to a cysteine residue in protein and peptide acceptors was detected in bovine brain cytosol and partially purified. The enzyme was shown to be distinct from a previously characterized protein farnesyltransferase (PFT). The PGT selectively geranylgeranylated a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C terminus of the gamma 6 subunit of bovine brain G proteins, which have previously been shown to contain a 20-carbon prenyl modification. Likewise, a peptide corresponding to the C terminus of human lamin B, a known farnesylated protein, selectively served as a substrate for farnesylation by the PFT. However, with high concentrations of peptide acceptors, both prenyl transferases were able to use either peptide as substrates and the PGT was able to catalyze farnesyl transfer. Among the prenyl acceptors tested, peptides and proteins with leucine or phenylalanine at their C termini served as geranylgeranyl acceptors, whereas those with C-terminal serine were preferentially farnesylated. These results suggest that the C-terminal amino acid is an important structural determinant in controlling the specificity of protein prenylation.
Vegetative Characteristics of Bachman's Sparrow Habitat in the West Gulf Coastal Plain

Abstract While Peucaea aestivalis (Bachman's Sparrow) will use several habitat types (e.g., pine savanna, pine plantations, clear cuts, abandoned fields), specific vegetative conditions must be present for a site to be acceptable. Bachman's Sparrow presence/absence was examined in forested (mature Pinus palustris [Longleaf Pine] forest and mid-aged pine plantations) and early successional habitats (clear cuts and three-year-old pine plantations) to determine which vegetation variables were best for predicting sparrow occurrence. Across all sampled habitats, the probability of Bachman's Sparrow presence increased with increases in canopy cover and percent grass groundcover. Probability of presence decreased with increases in shrub-layer rating and percent bare ground. When considering only forested habitats, the probability of Bachman's Sparrow presence increased with increasing canopy cover and percent grass groundcover, but decreased with increasing canopy height, shrub height, and stand basal area. In e...
Mood and anxiety fluctuation in Parkinson's disease associated with levodopa infusion: Preliminary findings

Pilot data on mood and anxiety changes in 15 Parkinson's disease patients with motor fluctuations are described based on ratings every 30 min for 5 h bracketing a 2-h constant-rate levodopa infusion. Robust mood and anxiety effects slightly preceded but temporally paralleled fluctuations in motor tapping scores. Research nurse ratings blind to patient ratings corroborated the changes. The magnitude of changes in mood and anxiety scores did not correlate with the magnitude of changes in tapping scores. The findings of this uncontrolled study suggest mood and anxiety fluctuations may be a common and potentially important component of levodopa-induced fluctuations.
The cytoplasmic escape and nuclear accumulation of endocytosed and microinjected HPMA copolymers and a basic kinetic study in hep G2 cells

The development of macromolecules as drugs and drug carriers requires knowledge of their fate in cells. To this end, we studied the internalization and subcellular fate of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers in Hep G2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells. Semiquantitative fluorometry confirmed that galactose was an effective ligand for receptor-mediated endocytosis for Hep G2 cells. The rate of internalization of a galactose-targeted copolymer was almost 2 orders of magnitude larger than that of the nontargeted copolymer. Confocal fluorescent microscopy of both fixed and live cells revealed that the polymer entered the cells by endocytosis. After longer incubation times (typically >8 hours), polymer escaped from small vesicles and distributed throughout the cytoplasm and nuclei of the cells. Polymer that entered the cytoplasm tended to accumulate in the nucleus. Microinjection of the HPMA copolymers into cells' cytoplasm and nuclei indicated that the polymers partitioned to the nucleus. The data from fixed cells was confirmed by microscopy of live, viable cells. To examine the effect of the fluorescent dye on the intracellular fate, polymers with fluorescein, Oregon Green 488, Lissamine rhodamine B, and doxorubicin were tested; no significant differences were observed.
Dissociation of H-2 recognition by antibody and cytotoxic T cells of a cloned murine leukemia cell line.

The differential expression of H-2 specificities recognized by antibody and by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) has been studied using a clone (FY7) of the C57BL/6 leukemia cell line FBL-3 (H-2 b /H-2 b ). Unlike C57BL/10 spleen cells, EL-4 lymphoma cells and Y57-2C leukemia cells (allH-2 b /H-2 b ), FY7 failed to induce the primary in vitro generation of anti-H-2b CTL by (B10.A x A)F1 (H-2 a /H-2 a or (B10.D2 x BALB/c)F1 (H-2 d /H-2 d ) responder spleen cells. In addition, FY7 was not lysed by, and did not competitively inhibit anti-H-2b CTL. Quantitative absorption tests with H-2Kb and H-2Db antisera revealed that FY7 expressed these antigens in quantitatively similar amounts to EL-4. The H-2Kb product of FY7 appeared to be identical with that of C57BL/10 spleen cells both in apparent molecular weight and isoelectric point. Yet FY7 failed to inhibit anti-H-2Kb CTL competitively in a cold target inhibition assay. Possible mechanisms are discussed for the lack of T-lymphocyte recognition of the H-2Kb-gene product expressed by FY7.
Inhibitors of the intracellular Ca2+ release mechanism prevent muscarinicinduced Ca2+ influx in rat sublingual mucous acini

The effects of inhibitors of the intracellular Ca2+ release mechanism on divalent cation fluxes were examined in acinar cells loaded with the Ca2+-sensitive, Mn2+-quenchable dye, fura-2. TMB-8 and dantrolene (DTL) dramatically inhibited the carbachol (CCh)-stimulated increase in [Ca2+]i and Mn2+ influx. These agents do not directly inhibit divalent cation entry since addition of TMB-8 or DTL after CCh stimulation did not block Mn2+ influx. TMB-8 did not influence the [Ca2+]i increase or the Mn2+ influx produced by thapsigargin. These results indicate that TMB-8 and DTL do not interfere with divalent cation influx by inhibiting a step distal to depletion of the intracellular Ca2+ pool. TMB-8 and DTL did not significantly influence the muscarinic-stimulated production of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol tetrakisphosphate (IP4), although TMB-8, but not DTL, did decrease the CCh-stimulated 1,4,5-IP3 levels approximately 55%. The above results directly demonstrate that the filling state of the intracellular Ca2+ store primarily regulates the Ca2+ entry mechanism in sublingual mucous acinar cells.
Realizability of lossless reciprocal and nonreciprocal broadband matching networks

Abstract Given the source and load impedances and a preassigned transducer power-gain characteristic, the necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a lossless reciprocal and a nonreciprocal equalizer which, when operating between the two given impedances, yields the desired transducer power-gain characteristic. It is shown that the realization of a broadband matching network can be accomplished by means of the driving-point synthesis using either a reciprocal or a nonreciprocal network.
Analysis of 48-pulse based STATCOM and UPFC performance under balanced and fault conditions

Convertible Static Compensator (CSC) which is a versatile Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) technology has been installed on Marcy 345 kV substation and increases power transfer capability, operational functionality, and power flow controllability of the New York Power Authority (NYPA) transmission system. This paper presents a comprehensive description of CSC inverter 48-pulse wave construction along with introduction of control strategy deployed in CSC when it is operating as a STATCOM and UPFC. STATCOM and UPFC steady state and dynamic operation PSCAD simulation results under different testing conditions including unbalanced condition and faults are presented. This paper also provides comprehensive analysis of the STATCOM response to negative sequence and harmonic voltage components on the transmission line during fault conditions. The amounts of DC-link capacitance that lead to maximum and minimum of fundamental negative sequence current on the tie line and 120 Hz oscillation on the DC-link voltage are calculated. Simulation results of STATCOM performance with different DC-link capacitance during fault condition will be shown. At the end of the paper, one exiting problem regarding to UPFC operation of NYPA CSC has been addressed and illustrated with precise simulation results.
Experimental studies of oxygen incorporation during growth of Y-Ba-Cu-O films by pulsed-laser deposition (Abstract Only)

We have grown thin films of YBa2Cu3O7jj in an oxygen atmosphere by pulsed-laser deposition using two synchronized lasers, separated by a variable delay (lps-10 ms). The ablated fragments from the first laser leads to the formation of a blast wave in 02, leaving behind a rarefied ambient. If the second laser is triggered before the 02 pressure returns to equilibrium, the resulting films show a decrease in transition temperature with an expanded c-lattice parameter caused by defects in the non-chain sites of YBa 2Cu3076. This demonstrates that a sufficiently high concentration of oxygen is needed during the time period that the fragments travel and deposit on the substrate. Based on the above understanding, we have been able to grow YBa2Cu3O76 films in a low pressure background (10-10 Ton) by using a pulsed, high intensity jet of 02. The oxygen source is provided by a pulsed molecular beam valve, and the opening of the valve and the triggering of the laser are synchronized with appropriate delay so that the supersonic gas jet and the ablated fragments arrive at the substrate at the same time. This provides the necessary oxygen to form the YBCO phase while maintaining a low oxygen background. The YBCO phase is not formed if the oxygen pulse is provided either before or after the arrival of the ablation fragments at the substrate. The ability to grow superconducting films at low background pressures should allow usage of in situ analysis techniques, such as reflection high-energy electron diffraction, during pulsed laser deposition.
Development of a Minimally Invasive, Injectable, Shape Memory Suture and Delivery System

Suturing in space-confined surgical settings encountered during microsurgical procedures can be technically complex and time intensive. This paper presents the development of a new injector and new shape-memory alloy clip that can replace conventional suture. Engineering and surgical assessments of the injector and clips were performed. A prototype of the delivery system was tested in simulated surgical settings and compared to conventional suturing techniques for surgical time and wound strength. In various micro-surgical scenarios, the new injectable system proved to be 5 to 20-times more efficient and to have wound strengths over three-times that of conventional suturing. Further, the wounds closed by the shape-memory alloy clips could be forced to open and then recover to a watertight state, unlike conventional sutures which break upon failure. This new injector and shape-memory alloy clips proved to be quicker, stronger, and technically easier than conventional suturing. Future work is underway to test the injectable delivery system and the shape-memory alloy clips using a real-time, in vivo porcine model.
Ethanol and Hormesis

This article provides a detailed assessment of the toxicological and pharmacological literature concerning alcohol-induced biphasic dose-response relationships. The assessment reveals that alcohol-induced hormetic-like dose-response relationships are commonly observed, highly generalizeable according to model and endpoint and quantitative feature of the dose response. These findings have important implications affecting study design, animal model, and endpoint selection as well as clinical applications.
Hybrid-Polarity SAR Architecture

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) often is constrained to transmit only one polarization. Within this constraint, two aggressive measurement objectives are 1) full characterization and exploitation of the backscattered field, and 2) invariance to geometrical orientations of features in the scene. Full characterization implies coherent dual-polarization to support the four Stokes parameters. These are rotationally invariant with respect backscatterer orientation if and only if the transmission is circularly polarized. Given that the data products are the Stokes parameters, the receivers can use any orthogonal polarization basis. A SAR in hybrid-polarity architecture (CL-pol) transmits circular polarization and receives two orthogonal mutually coherent linear polarizations, which is one manifestation of compact polarimetry. The resulting radar is relatively simple to implement, and has unique self-calibration features and low susceptibility to noise and cross-channel errors. It is the architecture of choice for two lunar radars scheduled for launch in 2008. Data from a CL-pol SAR yield to decomposition strategies such as the m-delta method introduced in this paper.
Dimension-Exchange-Based Load Balancing on Injured Hypercubes

We study a global load balancing scheme on hypercubes with faulty links based on the dimension exchange scheme, where each node exchanges workloads with its neighbors along selected dimensions in such a way that their loads become equal. An algorithm that can tolerate n-1 faulty links is first presented and it can be extended to connected hypercubes with up to 2n - 3 faulty links. Comparisons between the proposed scheme with the conventional dimension-exchange-based scheme are also presented. Simulation results show that very little overhead is introduced in our scheme.
Immobilization of β-Glucosidase on carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are demonstrated as a good support for the immobilization of β-Glucosidase. This is an enzyme with high molecular weight (ca. 135 kDa). A high enzyme loading of 630 mg per gram of support was achieved in 12 h. The link between the enzyme and the carbon nanotubes surface was by electrostatic interactions due to the different charges of the enzyme and the support at the pH of the immobilization. Immobilized β-Glucosidase showed a catalytic activity above 400 U/g on the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (p-NPG).
Depletion of abundant plasma proteins and limitations of plasma proteomics.

Immunoaffinity depletion with antibodies to the top 7 or top 14 high-abundance plasma proteins is used to enhance detection of lower abundance proteins in both shotgun and targeted proteomic analyses. We evaluated the effects of top 7/top 14 immunodepletion on the shotgun proteomic analysis of human plasma. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of immunodepletion on detection of proteins across detectable ranges of abundance. The depletion columns afforded highly repeatable and efficient plasma protein fractionation. Relatively few nontargeted proteins were captured by the depletion columns. Analyses of unfractionated and immunodepleted plasma by peptide isoelectric focusing (IEF), followed by liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), demonstrated enrichment of nontargeted plasma proteins by an average of 4-fold, as assessed by MS/MS spectral counting. Either top 7 or top 14 immunodepletion resulted in a 25% increase in identified proteins compared to unfractionated plasma. Although 23 low-...
Variation in competitive abilities of plants and microbes for specific amino acids

Microbes are assumed to possess strong competitive advantages over plants for uptake of nutrients from the soil. The finding that non-mycorrhizal plants can obtain a significant fraction of their N requirement from soil amino acids contradicts this assumption. The amino acid glycine (Gly) has been used as a model amino acid in many recent studies. Our preliminary studies showed that Gly was a poor substrate for microbial growth compared to other amino acids. We tested the hypothesis that the alpine sedge Kobresia myosuroides competes better for Gly than for other amino acids because of decreased microbial demand for this compound. Soil microbial populations that could grow using Gly as a sole carbon source were about 5 times lower than those that could grow on glutamate (Glu). Gly supported a significantly lower population than any of the ten other amino acids tested except serine. In contrast, K. myosuroides took up Gly from hydroponic solution at faster rates than Glu. In plant-soil microcosms, plants competed with soil microbes 3.25 times better for Gly than for Glu. We conclude that the low microbial demand and the rapid plant uptake of Gly relative to other amino acids allow Gly to be an especially important nitrogen source for K. myosuroides.
The relationship of plasma catecholamines to peripheral blood flow and thermoregulation during exercise in the heat

1. 1.|Male rats (350 g) were exercised to exhaustion in a climatic chamber (30°C) on a motor-driven treadmill (11 m/min, 6°C incline) to determine the role of adrenergic hormonal activity in the control of blood flow during exercise in the heat. 2. 2.|During exercise, significant (P < 0.05) increases occurred in both central and peripheral temperature and blood pressure, metabolic rate and plasma corticosterone. Epinephrine and norepinephrine were only moderately increased. However, at exhaustion both peripheral temperature and blood pressure decreased while the plasma catecholamines levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated. 3. 3.|We concluded that as the rat approaches hyperthermic exhaustion, a catecholamine-induced vasoconstriction of the tail contributed to sustaining central blood pressure and cardiac output at the expense of peripheral temperature regulation.
A Drosophila model linking diet-induced metabolic disease and cancer.

Results We demonstrate that high dietary sucrose, but not high dietary fat transforms Ras/Src-activated cells from localized growths to aggressive tumors with emergent metastases. Surprisingly, while most tissues displayed aspects of metabolic dysfunction including insulin resistance, Ras/Src-activated tumors retained insulin pathway sensitivity and exhibited an increased ability to import glucose. We provide evidence that this reflects increased insulin signaling, which in turn acts through Wingless/ Wnt signaling to promote diet-mediated malignant phenotypes within Ras/Src-activated tumors [3]. These fly models should provide useful paradigms to study the link between metabolic dysfunction and tumorigenesis in the context of a whole animal.
Postnatal development of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in the brain

This study aimed to characterize postnatal development of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in the brain. Postnatal day (P)1, P21 and P70 Sprague–Dawley® rats were treated with saline or 0.25 mg/kg LPS for 2 h, and the mRNA expression of neuroinflammatory mediators in the brain was determined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The kinetics of LPS-induced neuroinflammatory mediators in the brain of P1 and P21 animals was determined using RT-PCR, and the kinetics of LPS-induced cytokines in the serum were determined using ELISA. The basal levels of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, CD14, and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88) were measured at the mRNA and protein levels using RT-PCR and Western blot assay respectively. The mRNA expression levels of cytokines and chemokines were considerably increased in P21 and P70 brains but not significantly altered in P1 brain at 2 h following LPS stimulation. Instead, the induction of cytokines and chemokines was significantly delayed in the brain of P1 animals following LPS stimulation, which was associated with diminished Myd88 production in P1 brain. In parallel, the cytokine response in the serum of P1 animals after LPS stimulation was also delayed compared to P21 animals. TLR-4-mediated innate immunity in the brain was significantly delayed in P1 animals, and underwent significant development during the early postnatal period.