cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
G-CSFR ubiquitination critically regulates myeloid cell survival and proliferation.

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR) is a critical regulator of granulopoiesis. Mutations in the G-CSFR in patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) transforming to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) have been shown to induce hypersensitivity and enhanced growth responses to G-CSF. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of the ubiquitin/proteasome system in the initiation of negative signaling by the G-CSFR. To further investigate the role of ubiquitination in regulating G-CSFR signaling, we generated a mutant form of the G-CSFR (K762R/G-CSFR) which abrogates the attachment of ubiquitin to the lysine residue at position 762 of the G-CSFR that is deleted in the Δ716 G-CSFR form isolated from patients with SCN/AML. In response to G-CSF, mono-/polyubiquitination of the G-CSFR was impaired in cells expressing the mutant K762R/G-CSFR compared to cells transfected with the WT G-CSFR. Cells stably transfected with the K762R/G-CSFR displayed a higher proliferation rate, increased sensitivity to G-CSF, and enhanced survival following cytokine depletion, similar to previously published data with the Δ716 G-CSFR mutant. Activation of the signaling molecules Stat5 and Akt were also increased in K762R/G-CSFR transfected cells in response to G-CSF, and their activation remained prolonged after G-CSF withdrawal. These results indicate that ubiquitination is required for regulation of G-CSFR-mediated proliferation and cell survival. Mutations that disrupt G-CSFR ubiquitination at lysine 762 induce aberrant receptor signaling and hyperproliferative responses to G-CSF, which may contribute to leukemic transformation.
Computer modeling of in terferograms of flowing plasma and determination of the phase shift

Interferograms of the flowing gas contain information about the phase shift between the object and the reference beams. The determination of the phase shift is the first step in getting information about the inner distribution of the density in cylindrically symmetric discharges. Slightly modified Takeda method based on the Fourier transformation is applied to determine the phase information from the interferogram. The least squares spline approximation is used for approximation and smoothing intensity profiles. At the same time, cubic splines with their end-knots conditions naturally realize “hanning windows” eliminating unwanted edge effects. For the purpose of numerical testing of the method, we developed a code that for a density given in advance reconstructs the corresponding interferogram.
Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Pulsed-MOVPE InN Alloy Grown on GaN / Sapphire by 3ω Method

The thermal conductivity of high-quality narrow-bandgap (0.77eV) InN grown on GaN on sapphire substrate by pulsed- MOVPE method was measured and analyzed. To accurately extract the thermal conductivities of GaN and InN films grown on sapphire substrate, 2D multilayer thermal diffusion model and extended 3ω slope technique are employed. The thermal conductivity of sapphire substrate measured is 41 W/(mK). The thermal conductivity of undoped GaN film is measured as 108 W/(mK). High-quality pulsed-MOVPE grown InN film exhibits thermal conductivity of 126 W/(mK), which is higher in comparison to the previously-reported value of porous InN ceramics 45 W/(mK), yet lower than the theoretical value 176 W/(mK) based on phonon scattering.
Dual-modality imaging

Abstract In comparison to conventional medical imaging techniques, dual-modality imaging offers the advantage of correlating anatomical information from X-ray computed tomography (CT) with functional measurements from single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or with positron emission tomography (PET). The combined X-ray/radionuclide images from dual-modality imaging can help the clinician to differentiate disease from normal uptake of radiopharmaceuticals, and to improve diagnosis and staging of disease. In addition, phantom and animal studies have demonstrated that a priori structural information from CT can be used to improve quantification of tissue uptake and organ function by correcting the radionuclide data for errors due to photon attenuation, partial volume effects, scatter radiation, and other physical effects. Dual-modality imaging therefore is emerging as a method of improving the visual quality and the quantitative accuracy of radionuclide imaging for diagnosis of patients with cancer and heart disease.
A client-server computational tool for integrated artificial intelligence curriculum

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT is to increase students’ interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as to promote learning of the topics that comprise the subject. We describe the development of a Web-based multimedia delivery method to accomplish this goal. The highlight of the course material is an integrated simulation environment that allows students to develop and test AI algorithms in a dynamic, uncertain, visual environment.
Erratum to: “An association between reduced interhemispheric EEG coherence in the temporal lobe and genetic risk for schizophrenia” [Schizophr. Res. 49 (2001) 129–143]

Abstract Previous studies have suggested that schizophrenic patients show resting EEG changes such as frequency-slowing and decreased coherence in the frontal and temporal area. We sought to determine whether these findings are also found in clinically unaffected siblings of schizophrenics and estimate heritability by calculating relative risk. We investigated two independent data sets: (1) from the NIMH St. Elisabeths campus (59 schizophrenics, 76 unaffected siblings and 32 unrelated normal controls) and (2) from the NIH-campus (Bethesda) (59 schizophrenics, 90 unaffected siblings and 26 unrelated normal controls). We computed power spectra and coherence on the first data set and then tried to replicate the results on the second data set. Power spectrum analysis suggested that schizophrenics are cortically hypoactivated, whereas in unaffected siblings, a tendency for hyperactivation was found. In contrast, spectral coherences (0.5–5 Hz) were reduced in both data sets in the temporal lobe areas in schizophrenics and in their unaffected siblings. Changes were most pronounced for the interhemispheric coherence linking both posterior temporal lobe areas. Relative risk calculations ( λ s ) ranged between 3.7 and 9.8, depending on phenotype definition. Thus, while power spectrum EEG abnormalities may be state-dependent, reduced coherence as a possible measure of neuronal synchronization is familial and potentially a heritable trait related to genetic risk for schizophrenia.
Time, Rank, and Social Control*

Members of organizations treat time as something and scarce that may be possessed and traded and that is repeatedly the object of contracts. Observations in hospital Intensive Care Units show both formal patterns of greater time advantage for those of high rank and informal patterns of renegotiation and manipulation of time. Organizations can examine informal time use by members and select and promote those who willingly put in time for the organization. Putting in extra time for others can be used as an indicator of attitudinal conformity, which helps the organization assure behavioral compliance by the higher ranked, who are typically in less observable positions.
Influences of support fibers on vaporizing fuel droplets

Abstract Detailed computational modeling is performed to study influences of support fibers on vaporizing fuel droplets. Droplets are supported on thin fibers and vaporize in high-temperature and high-pressure environments with cross flows that are perpendicular to the fiber. Droplet Reynolds numbers, based on initial droplet diameters are 0.1, 4, and 30. The temperature distribution inside a support fiber is almost one-dimensional with significant gradients being formed only along the fiber axis, leading to heat transfer along the fiber into a droplet. Strong capillary flows can be generated on the surface of a droplet because of heating from the support fiber. The capillary flows can influence droplet size histories by causing faster mixing within droplets, leading to reduced vaporization rates at early times.
Use of the Lognormal Distribution Function To Describe Orientational Relaxation in Optically Nonlinear Polymers

Second harmonic generation decay has been used to follow the orientational relaxation of dipolar chromophores either dissolved in (guest−host) or chemically attached to (side chain) an amorphous polymer host. The guest−host system investigated is the chromophore lophine-1 in a polyimide host and the side-chain system is the dye molecule Disperse Red 1 chemically attached to a poly(methyl methacrylate) backbone. The relaxation at any given temperature is characterized by a functional form arising from a lognormal distribution of relaxation times. From the temperature dependence of the parameters in this function, we can obtained activation enthalpies and entropies for the relaxation process in these two polymer systems. These quantities can be related to other quantities such as the isobaric coefficient of thermal volume expansion and the activated volume. Also investigated is the effect of aging on the relaxation process.
Input and Marketing Economies: Impact on Structural Change in Cotton Farming on the Texas High Plains

This study isolates the degree of pecuniary economies existing for input purchases and marketing on cotton farms in the Texas Southern High Plains. The results indicate that substantial cost and marketing economies are being realized by the largest farms in the region.
Prevalence and Features of Intermittent Explosive Disorder in a Clinical Setting

OBJECTIVE To determine the lifetime and current prevalence, along with other characteristics such as age at onset, patterns of comorbidity, and interest in treatment, of DSM-IV intermittent explosive disorder (IED) in an outpatient psychiatric sample. METHOD 1300 individuals presenting for outpatient psychiatric treatment at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, R.I., underwent structured diagnostic assessment for Axis I and II disorders. The diagnosis of IED was made according to DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS 6.3% (SE, +/- 0.7%) of patients met criteria for lifetime DSM-IV IED, and 3.1% +/- 0.5% of patients met criteria for current DSM-IV IED. While DSM-IV IED was the current principal diagnosis in only 0.6% +/- 0.2% of patients, most patients with current DSM-IV IED (80%) were interested in treatment for their intermittent aggressive behavior. Only lifetime alcohol/drug disorder was more frequent in DSM-IV IED compared with non-IED patients. Age at onset for DSM-IV IED peaked in the teen years, was earlier for men than women, and occurred earlier than all comorbid disorders, with the exception of phobic anxiety disorders, suggesting that IED cannot be attributed to most comorbid conditions. CONCLUSIONS DSM-IV IED in psychiatric samples is far more common than previously thought. DSM-IV IED develops early in life, especially in male patients, and its development may be independent of most other disorders.
Piezospectroscopic study of Be double acceptors in Ge.

Under uniaxial stress the single-hole (1s${)}^{2}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}(1s)(np) excitation spectrum of Ge(${\mathrm{Be}}^{0}$) shows splittings and polarization effects. These piezospectroscopic effects were observed for a compressive force F along [111] and along [100]. They are interpreted in terms of ${T}_{d}$ site symmetry for the substitutional Be acceptors when unstressed and a deformation-potential theory in which the phenomenological deformation-potential constants characterizing the single-hole states determine the behavior of the (1s${)}^{2}$ as well as the (1s)(np) levels. The shear-deformation-potential constants have been deduced for the ground state and the excited state of the D transition. Pronounced level-crossing effects in the intensities of the stress-induced components of the G transition are observed.
Global Wiring on a Wire Routing Machine

A new global wiring algorithm designed for implementation on special purpose physical design machines is described. This algorithm computes more accurate estimates of wiring channel demand and supply than other known algorithms. It also makes better use of this information in determining wire routes. By exploiting the parallel processing capability of an interconnected array of microcomputers, the global wiring is completed effectively and quickly even for large chips.
Manipulation of Thiocillin Variants by Prepeptide Gene Replacement: Structure, Conformation, and Activity of Heterocycle Substitution Mutants

Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 converts the C-terminal 14 residues of a 52-mer prepeptide into a related set of eight variants of the thiocillin subclass of thiazolyl peptide antibiotics by a cascade of post-translational modifications that alter 13 of those 14 residues. We have introduced prepeptide gene variants into a knockout strain to conduct an alanine scan of all 14 progenitor residues, as well as a serine scan of the six cysteine residues that are converted to thiazoles in the mature natural product. No mature scaffolds were detected for the S1A and S10A mutants, consistent with their roles as the source of the pyridine core. In both the alanine and serine scans, only one substitution mutant failed to produce a mature scaffold: cysteine 11. Cysteine to serine mutants gave mixture of dehydrations, aromatizations, and unaltered alcohol side chains depending on position. Overall, substitutions that altered the trithiazolylpyridine core or reduced the conformational rigidity of the 26-membered macrocyclic loop led to loss of antibiotic activity. In total, 21 peptide mutants were cultured, from which production of 107 compounds was observed and 94 compounds, representing 17 structural mutants, were assayed for antibiotic activity. High-resolution NMR solution structures were determined for one mutant and one wild-type compound. These structures demonstrate that the tight conformational rigidity of the natural product is severely disrupted by loss of even a single heterocycle, perhaps accounting for the attendant loss of activity in such mutants.
Yields from Commercially Available Ready-to-Cook Ducklings

Abstract Seven commercially available brands of two ducklings each were dissected for edible and inedible yields. Carcass weights, part weights, and percent yields varied even though ducklings were of similar age. These differences are attributed in part to variations in diets, growth rates, and muscle conformation of duckling strains. A highly significant positive correlation was found between die length of the keel bone and breast weight.
Observations and a Model of the Mean Circulation over the Middle Atlantic Bight Continental Shelf

Analyses of current time series longer than 200 days from 33 sites over the Middle Atlantic Bight continental shelf reveal a consistent mean circulation pattern. The mean depth-averaged flow is equatorward, alongshelf, and increases with increasing water depth from 3 cm s 1 at the 15-m isobath to 10 cm s 1 at the 100-m isobath. The mean cross-shelf circulation exhibits a consistent cross-shelf and vertical structure. The near-surface flow is typically offshore (positive, range 3t o 6c m s 1 ). The interior flow is onshore and remarkably constant (0.2 to 1.4 cm s 1 ). The near-bottom flow increases linearly with increasing water depth from 1c m s 1 (onshore) in shallow water to 4 cm s 1 (offshore) at the 250-m isobath over the slope, with the direction reversal near the 50-m isobath. A steady, two-dimensional model (no along-isobath variations in the flow) reproduces the main features of the observed circulation pattern. The depth-averaged alongshelf flow is primarily driven by an alongshelf pressure gradient (sea surface slope of 3.7 10 8 increasing to the north) and an opposing mean wind stress that also drives the near-surface offshore flow. The alongshelf pressure gradient accounts for both the increase in the alongshelf flow with water depth and the geostrophic balance onshore flow in the interior. The increase in the near-bottom offshore flow with water depth is due to the change in the relative magnitude of the contributions from the geostrophic onshore flow that dominates in shallow water and the offshore flow driven by the bottom stress that dominates in deeper water.
The Effects of Manganese(II) And Iron(II) on the Cathodoluminescence Signal in Synthetic Apatite

ABSTRACT Synthetic carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) minerals produced with a range of manganese(II) and iron(II) concentrations exhibit varying intensities of luminescence when examined by cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography. Manganese(II) activates luminescence in CFA, with a rapid increase in relative luminescent intensity (RLI) between 40 and 100 ppmw Mn. A sample with less than 40 ppmw Mn is considered non-luminescent based on visual criteria. Above 100 ppmw Mn, the RLI value asymptotically approaches a maximum at about 400 ppmw Mn and remains constant to 1000 ppmw Mn. Iron(II) quenches luminescence and effectively reduces the RLI value of CFA samples with high Mn concentrations. This quenching behavior is not dependent on absolute Fe concentrations but rather on Mn/Fe ratios. Samples with Mn Fe weight ratios below 1 have lower RLI values than samples with Mn/Fe ratios above 1, regardless of the absolute Mn or Fe concentrations. RLI values increase linearly as Mn/Fe ratios increase from 0 to 1, then remain approximately constant at a bright luminescence with Mn/Fe ratios increasing from 1 to 6. For the CFA samples examined here, a plot of Mn versus Fe concentrations with an overlay of observed luminescent intensities reveals fields of bright, dull, and non-luminescence. Although this is a common procedure in characterizing carbonate luminescence, this is the first such plot for CFA. Both Mn/Ca and Fe/Ca are higher in the solid phase (CFA) compared with the precipitating solution. The best estimate from these experiments of the effective partition coefficient (D = (metal/Ca in solid)/(metal/Ca in solution)) for Mn incorporation in CFA is 2, and that for Fe is 13. Due to changing metal/calcium solution concentrations during precipitations, these Ds were estimated using assumptions about precipitation rates and solution composition changes during the course of experiments and are not representative of equilibrium values.
Racial halo on evaluative rating: General or differential?

Abstract This study was to investigate the nature of racial bias in black raters when rating pupils' writings. The three writings were: Negative writing—describing how the ratee was treated as a devil by an unfair teacher; Neutral writing—describing an episode the ratee saw; and Positive writing—describing how the ratee was treated as an angel by a kind teacher. Effects of pupils' race and sex on a group of 90 and another 108 black raters' ratings on the three writings were analyzed. Results of the two-way ANOVA indicated that (a) on the negative writing raters manifested significantly high racial bias in favor of blacks against whites and orientals, (b) on the neutral writing there was little evidence to support existence of racial bias on the part of raters, and (c) on the positive writing raters' bias was significantly sex-directed rather than race-oriented. Results of the study were interpreted as an indication of raters' differential biasing effects on rating, assuming that raters espoused specific assumptions about ratees when evaluating ratees' criterion performance.
Effect of structural anisotropy on the coarsening kinetics of diblock copolymer striped patterns

We compare the time evolution of striped pattern correlation lengths for three different poly(styrene-$b$-methyl methacrylate) $(\mathrm{PS}\text{\ensuremath{-}}b\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{PMMA})$ diblock copolymer materials having comparable molecular diffusion rates. Striped patterns formed from cylindrical-phase materials coarsen with enhanced growth exponents and have reduced disclination diffusion activation energies as compared to striped patterns formed from smectic A lamellar-phase materials. The observed differences stem from distinct topological constraints in cylindrical (columnar) and lamellar (SmA) striped patterns. Cylindrical domains create a channel for layer breaking without molecule interdiffusion, facilitating an enhanced rate of pattern coarsening and reducing the disclination diffusion activation energy.
Maater: crowdsourcing to improve online journalism

A system that acts as a tool to correct inaccuracies and biases in online news articles is needed to alleviate the flow of misinformation perpetuated by the fast paced nature of the Internet. We propose Maater, which counteracts these issues by leveraging crowdsourced corrections and fact checking to help other readers engaged with a particular article better understand it. The system incorporates user-generated in-line commentary and corrections, which are vetted by other readers through a ranking system. Highly ranked comments gain more social value and are prominently displayed. This provides corrections with greater prominence than they are given by news outlets.
Wide-Range Neutron Counting for Yield Prediction of PET Agents in Cyclotron Irradiations

As PET is moving into the clinical setting, the instrumentation from yesterday's research laboratory is being pressed into routine use in a setting which is intolerant of any unreliability. At the University of Wisconsin, a system of three neutron detectors has been developed to asses the progress of target irradiations in real time. The triad of detectors consists of an NE213 liquid scintillator, a 238U fission detector, and a proton recoil telescope to be able to detect neutron fluence rates over a span of six decades. The signals from these detectors are the inputs to a leaky integrator which calculates the build up of activity in the target. In this way, the cyclotron operator can easily monitor the irradiation and take immediate action, if required, as opposed to finding an empty target at the end of bombardment and falling hopelessly behind schedule. The ability to accurately predict target yields by wide-range neutron counting adds a measure of reliability to radiopharmaceutical production and will facilitate PET becoming a routine clinical tool.
Accumulation of atmospheric mercury in forest foliage

Abstract We used unique mesocosms to examine the role that plants play in accumulating and transforming atmospheric Hg. Several stands of quaking aspen were grown in large gas-exchange chambers in Hg-enriched soil (12.3±1.3 μg g−1), and the Hg content in the vegetation was determined over time. Foliar Hg concentrations increased as a function of leaf age and leveled off after 2–3 months in the oldest tissue with a mean tissue concentration of 150 ng g−1. Approximately 80% of the total Hg accumulated in the aboveground biomass was found in the leaves, and roughly 1% of that Hg was methylated. Leaves of additional aspen grown within the mesocosms in containers of low Hg soil (0.03±0.01 μg g−1) exhibited foliar Hg concentrations similar to those of trees grown in the Hg-enriched soil. Leaf rinses and surrogate Teflon surfaces were analyzed to characterize surface deposition processes. Small gas-exchange systems were used to measure stomatal uptake of Hg vapor, and the mean Hg flux was −3.3 ng m−2 h−1. These experiments showed that almost all of the Hg in foliar tissue originated from the atmosphere. Thus, in the fall when deciduous trees enter dormancy and leaves senesce, litterfall would represent a new Hg input to terrestrial ecosystems.
A New Factor, Not Vitamin G, Necessary for Hatchability

Abstract BYERLY, Titus, and Ellis (1933) found that diets consisting of cereal grains, their by-products, alfalfa leaf meal, minerals, and cod liver oil are deficient in some factor, or factors, necessary for the production of eggs of high hatchability. This deficiency is satisfied by range, milk, and certain protein concentrates of animal origin, but not by certain protein concentrates of vegetable origin. Recent investigations by Halpin, Holmes, and Hart (1933) indicate that many diets for laying hens are deficient in vitamin G, and that the hatchability on such diets is low. Their basal diet, composed of yellow corn, oats, wheat bran, wheat middlings, meat scraps, common salt, and cod liver oil, plus scratch feed, grit, and crushed oyster shell, gave a hatchability of only 11 percent whereas the addition of skimmilk or chopped alfalfa hay to the diet raised the hatchability to over 70 percent. In order to determine if vitamin . . .
AMPA‐selective glutamate receptor subtype immunoreactivity in the aged human hippocampal formation

It has been hypothesized that, in Alzheimer's disease, glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity contributes to the degeneration of selected populations of neurons. In the present study, immunocytochemical techniques were used to determine the distribution and anatomical features of GluR1- and GluR2/3-immunolabeled cell bodies and processes within the hippocampal formation of normal (i.e., no pathology) elderly humans. The results of this study provide an essential baseline with which to compare the expression and distribution of glutamate receptor subunits within the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. With respect to GluR1 immunoreactivity, the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus displays the most intense immunolabeling of any hippocampal structure. Contributing to this intense labeling are apical dendrites that arise from neurons within the adjacent granule cell layer. Interestingly, GluR1-labeled neurons account for a relatively small percentage of the total number of neurons as revealed by Nissl staining in the granule cell layer. In contrast, GluR2/3-labeled neurons are densely distributed throughout the granule cell layer, yet they provide relatively few processes to the adjacent molecular layer compared to GluR1-positive processes. GluR1 labeling is also prominent within the CA fields of Ammon's horn, with CA2 > CA3 > CA1 > or = CA4. Most prominent within the CA fields are the labeled dendrites of pyramidal neurons. In many instances, apical dendrites can be traced into the adjacent stratum radiatum, where they impart a deep striated appearance to this region of the hippocampus. Robust GluR2/3 labeling is also observed within the pyramidal layer of Ammon's horn, with an order of staining intensity similar to that observed for GluR1. However, unlike GluR1 labeling, which is localized predominantly along dendrites, GluR2/3 labeling is observed primarily in association with cell bodies. Collectively, these data suggest that the molecular composition of the AMPA receptor complex may differ between the dendrite and soma of granule and pyramidal neurons within the hippocampal formation, so functionally we may predict that these two regions of the neuron would respond differently following glutamate receptor stimulation.
Microwave‐Heating Temperature Profiles for Thin Slabs Compared to Maxwell and Lambert Law Predictions

Slabs of agar gel were heated in a microwave oven. Temperatures were measured at various depths into the sample to experimentally determine the internal temperature profile. These were compared to power and temperature profiles predicted from Lambert's law, Maxwell's field equations and a Combined equation. Lambert's law and the Combined equation predicted a much slower heating rate than found experimentally, while Maxwell's field equations gave a much more accurate prediction. Because of the internal standing waves that are created, a small variation in sample thickness could make a large difference in heating rate for thin samples.
Screening for Pain in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors Using the Pain Thermometer

Numerous instruments have been developed to measure pain within various populations; however, there remains limited understanding of how these tools are applicable to childhood cancer survivors. This study compared a single-item screening measure, the Pain Thermometer (PT), with a more in-depth measure, the Brief Pain Survey (BPS), in a cohort of childhood brain tumor survivors. Ninety-nine survivors (aged 13-32 years) with a median time from diagnosis of 9.9 years (range = 2-18 years) completed the 2 instruments. Thirty-seven survivors (37.4%) were identified on the BPS as having clinically significant pain, but the PT was not found to be an accurate tool for identifying these pain cases. Application of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of PT ratings against BPS criterion indicated overall concordance between measures. No cutoff score on the PT were identified that resulted in acceptable sensitivity, meaning pain cases identified on the BPS would be missed on the PT. Findings suggest that ...
A probe of Brønsted site acidity in zeolites : 13C chemical shift of acetone

13C NMR spectroscopy has been used to characterize the adsorption of acetone (C-2 13C-labeled 2-propanone), at coverages of less than one molecule per Bronsted-acid site, in the molecular sieves H-ZSM-5, H-mordenite, H-ZSM-12, H-ZSM-22, chemically dealuminated H-Y, SAPO-5, MgAPO-5, and BeAPO-5. It is shown that the trace of the chemical shift tensor for the carbonyl carbon at 125 K measures the ability of the site to form a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl oxygen and, therefore, can be used as a measure of the intrinsic acidity of the site. The sites in all of the materials investigated were nearly homogeneous, with the isotropic shifts for most of the molecular sieves falling in the range observed for solutions of acetone in trifluoroacetic acid. In addition, the lineshape and linewidths of the 13C NMR powder patterns at room temperature provide a measure of the molecular motion of adsorbed acetone and are strongly affected by the size of the framework channels.
New Field System for Measuring Degree of Consolidation of Concrete During Vibration

Significant progress has been made in the development of a field prototype device for slipform pavers to measure the degree of consolidation of concrete during vibration. The device operates on the principle that since air is an insulator and fresh concrete is a conductor, electrical impedance measurements can indicate the release of air during the consolidation of fresh concrete. When the air is released from the fresh concrete through the process of vibration, the electrical impedance of the concrete drops in value. The device, which is based on the impedance bridge, is portable, battery-powered, noise resistant, and easy to operate. Fresh concrete has been found to be equivalent to an RC (resistor and capacitor in parallel) circuit in terms of its electrical response. Limited tests indicate that the entrapped air is released at a faster rate than entrained air, creating two distinct parts to the AC-resistance curve against time of vibration. The intersection of these two curves represents the point at ...
CONFORMATIONAL SEARCH IN ENKEPHALIN ANALOGUES CONTAINING A DISULFIDE BOND

A systematic conformational search has been performed for the 14-membered ring in model compounds for disulfide-containing enkephalin analogues. The model compounds examined are [formula: see text], and the corresponding compounds with L-amino acids at the C-terminus. About 100 starting conformations were generated for each compound with the RNGCFM program and energy minimized with the AMBER program. Between 21 and 38 conformers within 3 kcal/mole of the apparent global minimum were found for each compound. There appeared to be fewer possible conformations of the disulfide-containing side chain than of the main chain. [formula: see text], whose parent compound is selective for opioid delta receptors, was found to prefer conformers with a positive dihedral angle of the disulfide bond, which is consistent with the previous proposal that delta-receptor selectivity may be associated with this conformational preference. Additional calculations were performed on the complete structure of [formula: see text] (DPDPE) with various possible conformations of the tyrosine and phenylalanine side chains. Conformational free energies and entropies were computed for these conformers from the molecular vibrations obtained from a normal mode analysis. As was found previously, conformers with low energies tended to have lower entropies, which resulted in a narrowing of the free energy differences between conformers. A conformer is identified that has the lowest energy hitherto found for DPDPE. It is suggested that DPDPE may be a useful compound for evaluating conformational search strategies because of its relatively small size and the number of conformers that have already been identified. Conformational energy calculations are also reported for naltrindole using the MM2(87) program. Naltrindole, which incorporates two aromatic 6-membered rings in a rigid structure, is a highly selective and potent opioid delta-receptor antagonist and may be an important clue regarding the biologically active conformer of DPDPE. Various conformers of DPDPE have been superimposed quantitatively onto the structure of naltrindole using the SUPER program and those conformers of DPDPE that are the best fit to naltrindole are reported.
Effects of Livestock Grazing on Grasshopper Abundance on a Native Rangeland in Montana

Livestock grazing can affect habitat quality for grasshoppers through effects on food and oviposition site availability, microclimate, and other factors. Because of this, some authors have suggested that grazing programs can be used to help manage pest grasshopper populations. In a 6-yr study, we controlled access of cattle to replicated experimental plots on an Agropyron spicatum/Poa sandbergii pasture to create consistent year-to-year differences in postgrazing plant cover, with resultant affects on microclimate. After sampling grasshoppers multiple times after grazing treatments each summer, we found evidence of between-treatment differences in grasshopper abundance for the entire assemblage during 4 of the 6 yr. Some species, including Melanoplus sanguinipes (perhaps the worse rangeland grasshopper pest in the western United States), tended to be more abundant on ungrazed plots, whereas Melanoplus gladstoni often had greater densities on heavily-grazed plots. The effect of grazing on grasshopper densities in this study was lower in magnitude and less consistent among years than in a study we conducted simultaneously at a nearby site where the vegetation was dominated by the exotic species crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). Our results generally support proposals that grazing could be used to reduce pest grasshopper densities, although the effectiveness of a particular grazing scheme may vary among sites, years, and grasshopper and vegetation assemblages.
The effects of different methods of accounting for observations from euthanized animals in survival analysis.

The issue of euthanasia is unique to veterinary clinical studies evaluating survival time. The decision to euthanize an animal is based on several factors including the health of the animal but also age and cost of treatment. The literature shows inconsistent methods used to account for observations from euthanized animals. Also, over 50% and up to 100% of animals in many studies have been euthanized. Our study illustrates the effects of different methods of accounting for observations from euthanized animals in survival analysis. Three data sets with different proportions of outcomes (alive, lost-to-follow-up, dead due to disease of interest, dead due to other disease, euthanized due to disease of interest, euthanized due to other disease) were used. Each data set was stratified according to treatment or a group characteristic (e.g. tumor type). Our methods for accounting for observations from euthanized animals were established from methods used in the literature and included right-censoring. Kaplan-Meier product-limit survival-function estimation was performed on each data set. Different methods resulted in inconsistent conclusions of significant differences between strata. At times, the ranking of the estimates of median survival time for strata was reversed. Right-censoring and use of Kaplan-Meier methods is inappropriate to evaluate observations from euthanized animals because censoring of such observations is informative. The current methods used by clinical investigators are inadequate to measure survival time reliably.
The Stakeholder Research Tradition: Converging Theorists—Not Convergent Theory

The article focuses on questions concerning the validity of a convergent stakeholder theory that would allow the theoretical integration of stakeholder research. It states that the proposed convergent theory lacks empirically testable constructs and explanatory relationships that could be found in established social scientific theories, and that conditions need to be identified where empirical and theoretical limitations can be tolerated so to allow for an empirically adequate and more complete theory. It suggests stakeholder theory could best be characterized as a stakeholder research tradition incorporating shared concepts and normative concerns for organizational-stakeholder relations.
Optimizing acid-base bifunctional mesoporous catalysts for the henry reaction: effects of the surface density and site isolation of functional groups.

We report on the effects of the surface density and the spacing between grafted organoamines (and residual ungrafted silanols) of amine-functionalized mesoporous materials on their (cooperative) catalytic activity in the Henry reaction. The spacing between the bifunctional groups (amines and silanols), their site isolation, and their surface density were controlled by one-step or two-step grafting of a series of organosilanes containing linear alkylamine, alkyldiamine, alkyltriamine, and meta- and para-substituted aromatic amines onto mesoporous silica in ethanol and/or toluene. The grafting in ethanol produced site-isolated, flexible alkylamines, alkyldiamines, and alkyltriamines of different tether lengths and rigid meta- and para-substituted aromatic amines and high surface area materials, whereas the grafting in toluene resulted in closely spaced organoamines and materials with lower surface areas. The spacing between the organoamine groups was probed by complexing cupric ions with the amines and by m...
Stable dimeric aromatic cation-radicals. Structural and spectral characterization of through-space charge delocalization

The spontaneous assembly of aromatic cation−radicals (D+•) with the parent donor (D) to afford the paramagnetic dimer (D)2+• is accompanied by a dramatic color change. For example, spectral (UV−vis and ESR) and X-ray crystal structure analyses establish the molecular association of octamethylbiphenylene cation−radical with its neutral counterpart to produce the mixed-valence or dimeric cation−radical in which the positive charge is completely delocalized over both aromatic moieties. The use of the sterically hindered cation−radicals confirms the new spectral or charge-resonance (CR) band to result in dimeric cation−radicals in which the intermolecular separation occurs at an optimum distance allowed by van der Waals contacts. The striking similarities between the classical donor/acceptor (EDA) complexes and the dimeric cation−radicals (D)2+• (both in terms of the geometrical requirement as well as the appearance of new absorption bands) suggest that the latter can be considered as particular examples of M...
Effect of route of administration and distribution on drug action

The extent and time course of drug action can be markedly affected by the route of drug administration into the patient as well as the pattern of drug distribution within the patient. Drugs which are rapidly cleared by hepatic processes will show a decreased extent of availability following oral administration due to metabolism of drug on its first pass through the liver. The magnitude of this first pass will depend on the blood flow to the liver and the intrinsic clearing ability of the liver (i.e., the ability of the organ to eliminate the drug independent of the rate at which drug is brought to the organ). Drug distribution in the patient will depend on the blood flow to various sites in the body as well as the partition coefficient of the drug between the blood and the distributive organs. Protein binding both in the plasma and in the tissues will markedly affect this distribution. However, free drug concentrations are generally relieved to be the effective determinant in drug therapy. Often a redistribution due to changes in protein binding will have little effect on the therapeutic efficacy since, although total drug distribution changes, free concentrations in the plasma remain essentially similar.
Total synthesis of bryostatin 7 via C-C bond-forming hydrogenation.

The marine macrolide bryostatin 7 is prepared in 20 steps (longest linear sequence) and 36 total steps with five C–C bonds formed using hydrogenative methods. This approach represents the most concise synthesis of any bryostatin reported, to date.
Global gene regulation in Yersinia enterocolitica: effect of FliA on the expression levels of flagellar and plasmid-encoded virulence genes

This study describes the involvement of the sigma factor of the flagellar system, FliA, in global gene regulation of Yersinia enterocolitica. In addition to exhibiting a positive effect upon the expression levels of eight class III flagellar operons, FliA also exhibited a negative effect upon the expression levels of four virulence operons that are located on the pYV virulence plasmid. These are yadA, virC, yopQ, and the insertion element ISYen1. While the positive effect on class III flagellar operons by FliA is most likely direct, the negative effect on the virulence operons appears to require the known transcriptional activator of these genes, VirF. This was determined using microarray analysis, quantitative PCR and a search for putative binding sites for FliA. In addition to the FliA regulation of flagellar and plasmid-encoded virulence genes, we studied temperature regulation of these genes. While wild-type cells exhibited increased expression levels of flagellar genes and decreased expression levels of plasmid-encoded virulence genes at 25°C (as compared to 37°C), temperature dependence of gene expression was much reduced in the fliA mutants. We conclude that FliA contributes to the inverse temperature regulation of flagellar and plasmid-encoded virulence genes. We present a network of transcriptional regulation around FlhD/FlhC and FliA.
Hydrogen dissociation on high-temperature tungsten

Abstract H 2 dissociation on polycrystalline tungsten is measured from 1700 to 3000 K using the filament temperature ( T ) change and a normalized H-atom density at the chamber surface. The dissociation probability per H 2 filament collision ( P diss ) saturates at 0.40 at high T and has a 2.25 ± 0.05 eV apparent activation energy when P diss ≪ 1. This activation energy is consistent with prior data and models, but the H 2 pressure dependence is not. P diss is independent of the H 2 pressure for this entire T range and the 1–85 mTorr pressure range studied, contradicting the primary model that has been used to explain H 2 dissociation on tungsten and other metals. We show that some apparently contradictory prior measurements are actually consistent with our observations and with each other, once this pressure dependence of P diss is recognized.
Hecke Algebras and Semisimplicity of Monoid Algebras

Abstract We begin by constructing Hecke algebras for arbitrary finite regular monoids M. We then show that the semisimplicity of the complex monoid algebra C M is equivalent to the semisimplicity of the associated Hecke algebras and a condition on induced group characters. We apply these results to finite Lie-type monoids M. We show that the monoid algebra FM over a field F is semisimple if and only if the characteristic of F does not divide the order of the unit group G. This is accomplished by developing formulas for the unities of C J, J a J -class of M. The unity is explicitly given when G is a simply connected Chevalley group and J is associated with a Borel subgroup of G.
Classical approximation for the calculation of two-proton correlation functions for emissions with long lifetimes.

The classical approximation for calculating two-proton correlation functions at small relative momenta is evaluated for emission from long-lived sources. For emission times larger than approximately 500 fm/{ital c}, the classical approximation is valid. For shorter emission times, antisymmetrization and the strong nuclear interaction become increasingly important. For emission with long lifetimes, distortions in the Coulomb field of heavy reaction residues appear to be of minor importance.
Inhibition of transforming growth factor-β restores endothelial thromboresistance in vein grafts

Background Thrombosis is a major cause of the early failure of vein grafts (VGs) implanted during peripheral and coronary arterial bypass surgeries. Endothelial expression of thrombomodulin (TM), a key constituent of the protein C anticoagulant pathway, is markedly suppressed in VGs after implantation and contributes to local thrombus formation. While stretch-induced paracrine release of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is known to negatively regulate TM expression in heart tissue, its role in regulating TM expression in VGs remains unknown. Methods Changes in relative mRNA expression of major TGF-β isoforms were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in cultured human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells (HSVSMCs) subjected to cyclic stretch. To determine the effects of paracrine release of TGF-β on endothelial TM mRNA expression, human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) were co-cultured with stretched HSVSMCs in the presence of 1D11, a pan-neutralizing TGF-β antibody, or 13C4, an isotype-control antibody. Groups of rabbits were then administered 1D11 or 13C4 and underwent interpositional grafting of jugular vein segments into the carotid circulation. The effect of TGF-β inhibition on TM gene expression was measured by qPCR; protein C activating capacity and local thrombus formation were measured by in situ chromogenic substrate assays; and VG remodeling was assessed by digital morphometry. Results Cyclic stretch induced TGF-β1 expression in HSVSMCs by 1.9 ± 0.2-fold (P Conclusion TM downregulation in VGs is mediated by paracrine release of TGF-β1 caused by pressure-induced vessel stretch. Systemic administration of an anti-TGF-β antibody effectively prevented TM downregulation and preserved local thromboresistance without negative effect on VG remodeling.
On Fisher's Criticism of Mendel's Results With the Garden Pea

IT is generally agreed that the overall results from experiments with the garden pea reported by Gregor Mendel ([1866][1]) conform more closely with the ratios theoretically expected (such as 3:1, 1:2:1, etc.) than one might reasonably expect to obtain on a chance basis. Particularly troubling are