cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corneal lenticule harvest using a microkeratome and an artificial anterior chamber system at high intrachamber pressure.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the safety and accuracy of a manual microkeratome and an artificial anterior chamber used at high intrachamber pressure to harvest corneal lenticules for lamellar keratoplasty. Setting Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA. Methods forty-seven human eye-bank corneoscleral rims were mounted on an artificial anterior chamber. a manual microkeratome was used to perform lamellar keratectomy at a mean intrachamber pressure of 95.8 mm hg ± 4.8 (sd). two thicknesses (300 μm and 360 μm microkeratome heads) and diameters (8.0 mm and 9.0 mm) were attempted, and the resultant lenticules were analyzed by pachymetry and digital photography Results In the 9.0 mm/360 μm group, corneal perforation occurred in 12 of 17 lenticules (71.2%). Except for this group, 24 of 30 corneas (80.0%) showed a less than 0.5 mm deviation from the expected diameter. Neither the horizontal nor the vertical diameter differences were statistically significant ( P > .05). The difference between the horizontal and vertical diameters was within ±0.2 mm in 23 corneas (76.7%). Three (10.0%) corneal beds contained a slightly uneven keratectomy margin. Conclusions This system provided accurate and smooth lenticules for lamellar keratoplasty. The precision and accuracy of the obtained corneal lenticules were better than those in previous reports. However, the 9.0 mm diameter/360 μm thickness head with high intrachamber pressure should not be applied in the clinical setting without further testing. In this laboratory study, a minimal corneal thickness of 588 μm was required to avoid perforation.
Kinetics of cooperative protein folding involving two separate conformational families

Abstract The master equation that describes the kinetics of protein folding is solved numerically for a portion of Staphylococcal Protein A by a Laplace transformation. The calculations are carried out with 50 local-minimum conformations belonging to two conformational families. The master equation allows for transitions among all the 50 conformations in the evolution toward the final folded equilibrium distribution of conformations. It is concluded that the native protein folds in a fast cooperative process. The global energy minimum of a native protein can be reached after a sufficiently long folding time regardless of the initial state and the existence of a large number of local energy minima. Conformations representing non-native states of the protein can transform to the native state even if they do not belong to the native conformational family. Given a starting conformation, the protein molecule can fold to its final conformation through different paths. Finally, when the folding reaches the equilibrium distribution, the protein molecule adopts a set of conformations in which the global minimum has the largest average probability.
Isotope study on diffusion in CaSO4 formed during sorbent-flue-gas reaction

In sorbent-flue-gas reactions, porous CaO sorbent particles are used to capture SO{sub 2} by formation of CaSO{sub 4}. Because of the large molar volume of CaSO{sub 4}, the internal surface area which is originally available for reaction diminishes as CaSO{sub 4} forms. Once the CaSO{sub 4} layer forms, further sorbent sulfation is believed to be controlled by the product layer diffusion process. It has been suggested that the product layer diffusion occurs by gaseous diffusion (Simons and Garman, 1976) and by ionic diffusion (Bhatia and Perlmutter, 1981). In this work, a two-stage sulfation experiment using {sup 32}SO{sub 2} and {sup 34}SO{sub 2} was performed. For the first stage of sulfation, at 1,300 C, 5,000 ppm {sup 32}SO{sub 2}/air mixture was passed into the mullite tube and circulated out through the bubbler continuously. This stage lasted for 14 days. When the first stage was terminated, the tablets were removed from the furnace and examined. At the beginning of the second stage sulfation, 5,000 ppm {sup 32}SO{sub 2}/air mixture was first used during the heating period. As soon as the tube temperature reached 1,300 C, the mechanical pump was turned on and the pressure in the tube was reduced immediately. Upon themore » completion of the evacuation, isotope gas 75%{sup 34}SO{sub 2}-25%{sup 32}SO{sub 2} was introduced into the mullite tube. Appropriate amount of air was also introduced into the tube such that the total SO{sub 2} concentration was roughly 5,000 ppm. The second stage sulfation lasted for three days. The SIMS analysis was performed by Microelectronics Center in North Carolina.« less
Cytogenetic results from a chronic feeding study of MeIQx in mice

Abstract The primary food mutagens found in cooked meat are the heterocyclic aromatic amines, including 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx). High dose, acute exposures of MeIQx produce hepatic tumours in some mouse and rat strains. By assaying chromosome damage it may be possible to correlate aberrations with exposure to a mutagen. Whole chromosome painting by fluorescence in situ hybridization allows the rapid screening of metaphase chromosomes for rearrangements. This technique was applied to female mice (C57BL/6) chronically fed 100–400 ppm MeIQx for up to 6 months. Two tissues, blood and bone marrow, were screened with multicolour whole chromosome painting probes (1, 2, 3 and 8). The mice showed no outward signs of toxicity at any dose and very few chromosome aberrations were observed. A slight but significant increase in sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) was seen at 400 ppm in blood at 6 months. When MeIQx was removed from the diet for 1 month there was an apparent decline in SCEs only for animals previously given the 400 ppm diet.
Methyl xanthines enhance taste: evidence for modulation of taste by adenosine receptor.

Abstract The methyl xanthines (MX), theophylline, caffeine, and theobromine, are potent antagonists of adenosine receptors. Adaptation of the human tongue to methyl xanthines at concentrations ranging from 10 −5 M to 10 −2 M was found to potentiate taste. The artificial sweetener acesulfam-K, which has a bitter component, was potentiated the most by MX, i.e., approximately 100%. This increase in perceived intensity for acesulfam-K occurred at 10 −5 M MX, a concentration known to inhibit adenosine receptors but below that required to inhibit phosphodiesterase. Increasing the concentration of MX as high as 10 −2 M did not increase the degree of enhancement appreciably. Taste enhancement was found for NaCl and quinine hydrochloride as well. When 10 −5 M adenosine was added to the MX, the potentiation was reversed. The human results were confirmed by animal studies in which single unit extracellular recordings were made from the nucleus of the solitary tract. These results suggest that the inhibitory A 1 adenosine receptor plats an important local role in taste perception.
The Promiscuity of Print: John Clare's "Don Juan" and the Culture of Romantic Celebrity

This essay offers a new reading of John Clare's "Don Juan," a hard-hitting and deliberately vulgar denunciation of English society and letters. In his extended Byronic performance, Clare harnesses Byron's famed sexual appetite and strong Romantic irony to dramatic effect, defiantly redeploying the machinery of literary celebrity that had produced him as "The Northamptonshire Peasant Poet." Tracing Clare's imaginative and textual investments in prostitutes and boxers, figures located at the margins of London's criminal underworld, I show how the compulsive misogyny of "Don Juan" and its obscene sexual punning form part of a concerted, if not entirely coherent, response to a culture increasingly organized by the spectacle of celebrity.
A novel pressurized CHP system with water extraction and refrigeration

Abstract A novel Cooling, Heat, and Power (CHP) system has been proposed that features a semi-closed Brayton cycle with pressurized recuperation, integrated with a Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System (VARS). The semi-closed Brayton cycle is called the High Pressure Regenerative Turbine Engine (HPRTE). The VARS interacts with the HPRTE power cycle through heat exchange in the generator and the evaporator. Waste heat from the recirculated combustion gas of the HPRTE is used to power the absorption refrigeration unit, which cools the high-pressure compressor inlet of the HPRTE to below ambient conditions and also produces excess refrigeration in an amount which depends on ambient conditions. Water produced as a product of combustion is intentionally condensed in the evaporator of the VARS, which is designed to provide sufficient cooling for the inlet air to the high-pressure compressor, water extraction, and for an external cooling load. The computer model of the combined HPRTE/VARS cycle predicts that with steam blade cooling and a medium-sized engine, the cycle will have a thermal efficiency of 49% for a turbine inlet temperature of 1400 °C. This thermal efficiency is in addition to the large external cooling load generated in the combined cycle which is 13% of the net work output. In addition it also produces up to 1.4 kg of water for each kg of fuel consumed, depending upon the fuel type. When the combined HPRTE/VARS cycle is optimized for maximum thermal efficiency, the optimum occurs for a broad range of operating conditions. Details of the multivariate optimization procedure and results are presented in the paper. Previous studies have demonstrated the following attributes of the combined HPRTE/VARS cycle: attaining high part power efficiency in a compact package, threefold specific power increase over the state of the art, reduced IR signatures due to lower exhaust temperature, significant reduction of exhaust particulates and smoke, constant high-pressure compressor inlet temperature and order-of-magnitude reductions in emissions such as NOx, CO and unburned hydrocarbons. The integrated nature of this system allows overall reduction in size and weight of approximately 50% relative to conventional equipment. The combination of positive attributes makes the HPRTE combined cycle engine attractive for future mobile power applications in terms of performance as well as life cycle cost.
The use of GTX as second-line and later chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose There are limited data regarding the role of second-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) after the failure of initial chemotherapy. No data exist on the use of GTX after the failure of first-line therapy.
A Magneto-Nanosensor Immunoassay for Sensitive Detection of Aspergillus Fumigatus Allergen Asp f 1

We report a magneto-nanosensor biochip for fungal detection. The chip is made of arrays of giant magnetoresistive (GMR) spin-valve sensors, and is able to detect protein biomarkers at low concentrations in solutions. As a demonstration, a standard curve for fungal pathogen Asp f 1 was obtained by measuring signals from various concentrations of Asp f 1 spiked in PBS solutions, indicating a detection limit of ~ 100 pg/ml. Five positive and negative Asp f 1 solution samples were discriminated correctly in blind experiments. Our data suggest that the magneto-nanosensor biochips are very promising as sensitive diagnostic devices for fungal pathogens. Given the generality of the detection scheme used in the magneto-nanosensor, we anticipate that the platform will be very useful for the detection of many types of biomarkers.
Presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in brain and human and rat but not mouse serum detected by a sensitive and specific immunoassay

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of several endogenous proteins that play key roles in neuronal development and homeostasis. We describe here the characterization and use of a sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) for BDNF protein. Recombinant BDNF was detected at concentrations as low as 10 pg/ml, whereas the EIA did not detect NT-3, NT-4/5, or NGF at concentrations as high as 100 ng/ml. Because BDNF protein sequences are identical among humans, mice, and rats, we utilized the BDNF EIA to detect BDNF in the circulation or brain regions of these species. High concentrations of BDNF were detected in human and rat serum, and up to 50-fold lower BDNF levels were present in citrated human or rat plasma. The BDNF signal (66-141 pg/ml) in 20% human plasma was completely blocked by pre-exposure of plasma to a monoclonal antibody (Mab) specific for BDNF but not by exposure to 5-fold greater concentrations of an irrelevant Mab of the same isotype (IgG1). There was a significant and positive correlation (r = +0.86) between plasma levels of BDNF and serotonin, an indoleamine that is specifically released from activated platelets. These results are consistent with the view that the BDNF detected in human and rat plasma is derived from platelet degranulation, and that circulating levels of BDNF are negligible. In contrast to human or rat serum, mouse serum contained no detectable BDNF. However, BDNF protein was readily detectable at 108-256 ng/g of tissue in hippocampus, frontal cortex, and neostriatum of mice and rats. Thus, the failure to detect BDNF in murine serum was not due to an assay defect but highlights a significant species difference in the tissue-specific expression of BDNF that may be of biological importance. The presence of BDNF protein in blood and brain regions at quantities which greatly exceed those described for NGF confirm the abundant distribution of this broadly-acting neurotrophic factor.
Anatomic and Hemodynamic Correlations in Carotid Artery Stenosis

Pressures were measured in the carotid arteries of 61 patients proximal and distal to atherosclerotic plaques which were carefully studied by angiography and anatomical dissection. (1) An atherosclerotic plaque causing a constriction of less than 47% luminal diameter leaving a lumen greater than 3.0 mm in diameter never caused pressure drops of greater than 10 mm Hg. Stenoses of greater than 63% luminal diameter leaving lumens less than 1.0 mm in diameter always caused pressure drops. (2) Atherosclerotic plaques producing defects which narrowed the lumen fell into a distinct pattern: (a) Type 1 lesions—This basic lesion filled the bulb of the internal carotid artery near its origin, causing a 1 to 2 cm smooth elliptical encroachment on the lumen. (b) Type 2 lesions—Short localized areas of thickening in addition to the basic lesion caused bar-like defects of the lumen at the origin of the internal carotid artery or near the distal end of the lesion. (c) Type 3 lesions—Multiple bar-like defects were sometimes seen. (d) Type 4 lesions—The areas of increased thickening of the lesion were sometimes quite narrow, producing diaphragm-like defects on the lumen. Although theoretically these various types of stenoses should produce different hemodynamic changes, insufficient numbers of observations were made to corroborate these presumptions. (3) Angiograms in general mimicked the gross appearance of the plaques and predicted the actual degree of stenosis produced but did not identify many diaphragm defects, ulcerations, or small thrombi.
Ability of 3-carboxysalsolinol to produce ethanol-like discrimination in rats.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible generalization to 3-carboxysalsolinol (3C-SAL) in a group of rats trained to discriminate a low dose of ethanol (200 mg/kg IP) from the nondrug condition and in another group trained to discriminate 0.16 mg/kg IP apomorphine (AP) from the nondrug condition using a drug discrimination paradigm. In test sessions, ED50 for ethanol was 52.0 mg/kg and ED50 for AP was 0.01 mg/kg. In the ethanol-trained rats, 1.8 mg/kg 3C-SAL produced drug responses. In the AP-trained rats, 200 mg/kg ethanol produced drug responses whereas 1.8 mg/kg 3C-SAL produced only a partial drug response. The results are in harmony with the hypothesis that salsolinol in the central nervous system of the rat may be responsible for the discriminability of ethanol. The possible involvement of dopaminergic systems is discussed.
Some Observations on the Cognitive Ability of Very Young Children

Summary Children aged 2-51/2 to 5-1/2 were pretrained on two three-choice simple discrimination problems presented consecutively, which were followed by training on 10 unique oddity sets. Transfer data were obtained from those Ss who learned the oddity problems by presenting five new oddity sets. All three Groups learned the second pretraining problem more quickly than the first, although on both problems the two older Groups learned faster than the youngest Group. Nearly all the Ss learned to select the correct stimuli on the 10 three-choice oddity sets. Sixty-four percent of the children between 2-1/2 and 4-1/2 evidenced transfer to the five new oddity sets, indicating comprehension of the oddity relationship and the ability to respond on the basis of this higher-order solution. This finding is contrary to that predicted by contemporary theories of cognitive development (e.g., 3, 8). The remaining Ss had either learned to choose the odd stimulus, but were unable to maintain a relational choice when pres...
Society for French Historical Studies

within the former Soviet Union contributed to the gathering's success by further encouraging, in the field of labor history, the open and frank ex change that has now become an important part of Russian historical re search. It also strengthened a foundation for continuing mutual discussions and interaction between Russian and international scholars, which oc curred in the Soviet past only cautiously. No new singular paradigm was expected or desired from all of this. As Russian scholars question and rethink their own intellectual traditions, they are becoming no less diverse in their methodological and interpretive orientations than their Western colleagues. In this sense, the old intellectual divide between us is becoming increasingly thin. The proceedings of the conference will soon be published in Russia. We also anticipate publication in English of a large selection of the papers.
Perception of the major/minor distinction: V. Preferences among infants

Six-month-old infants expressed musical preferences by choosing one of two directional targets to look at, one of which produced a major chord and the other a minor chord. Over repeated testing in this way, no reliable preference for either harmony was expressed. However, a comparable choice between consonant and dissonant chords produced reliable preference for consonant harmonies.
A new addressing solution for scalable routing in the presence of mobility

The routing architecture in today's IP networks relies on IP addresses that are overloaded in the sense that they are used as both identifiers (IDs) and addresses (locators). This makes it hard to support the need for multi-homing, traffic engineering, and mobility while maintaining address hierarchy that is essential for scalable routing. Thus, there is a need to separate identifiers from locators. In this paper we discuss a novel approach to this separation and define an architecture that exploits this separation to achieve routing scalability. While most of current proposals to ID-address separation are focused on solving the multi-homing and traffic engineering problems for commercial Internet, we develop a solution that addresses these two problems as well as the need to support network mobility which is more important for the GIG tactical domains. Besides scalability, our protocol solution (address-identifier mapping system - AIMS) provides rapid response to mobility by making IDs flat and portable while keeping addressing hierarchical and dynamic.
Exchange Interaction in Solid He 3

On the basis of our previous theory used to calculate the static properties of crystalline ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ at $T=0$, we compute the exchange interaction of the nuclear spins in bcc ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ as a function of molar volume, obtaining good agreement with experiment. Comparison with the theories of Nosanow and co-workers and of Guyer and Zane shows that the success of the theory is mainly due to the effective-force constant used in the computations.
Glycerol accumulation and water content in larvae of Limenitis archippus: Their importance to winter survival

Abstract Half-grown (third instar) larvae of the viceroy butterfly enter facultative winter diapause in response to short-day photoperiod after constructing tubular silk hibernacula in the basal portions of partly eaten willow leaves. Larval water content soon decreases from 80% to about 55%. No detectable quantities of glycerol occur in diapausing larvae maintained at room temperature. Subjection to cold and freezing temperatures causes high levels of glycerol to accumulate (up to 1.9 M or 7.8 g%) within the larvae. These metabolic changes probably lower the supercooling points of the larval fluids and retard both nucleative and inoculative freezing. Diapause termination is not photoperiod dependent, but involves an increase in water content and glycerol breakdown. An unidentified enzyme possibly removes the phosphate group from α-glycerophosphate, thus forming glycerol in the diapausing larvae.
Preparation and characterization of porous silica-coated multifibers for solid-phase microextraction.

C18-bonded silica-coated multifibers were prepared and studied as a stationary phase for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The porous multifiber SPME provided larger absorption capacity and higher absorption rate compared to a polymer-coated single fiber. Its absorption rate was 10 times higher than that of a commercial 100-μm poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-coated fiber. Its high extraction efficiency enabled the positive identification of unknown compounds at sub-part-per-billion level in full-scan mode with a benchtop quadruple GC/MS. The desorption temperature indicated that the analyte interactions with the C18-bonded silica were stronger than those with the PDMS polymer. The dependence of the equilibration time on the molecular weight was not observed for the porous multifiber SPME. The boundary layer between the fiber coating and the sample matrix could be the absorption control step in SPME under mild agitation. The special experimental conditions in the porous multifiber SPME, such as air interfe...
3-methoxybenzidine: A potent inhibitor of cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P-450

The effect of 3-methoxybenzidine on the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone was investigated using a reconstituted enzyme system comprised of adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450scc purified from bovine adrenal cortex. Under conditions where the cytochrome P-450scc concentration was rate-limiting, 3-methoxybenzidine was found to be a potent inhibitor, causing 50% inhibition at 7 microM when using a cholesterol concentration of 70 microM. The parent compound, benzidine, was much less effective, exhibiting an I50 value of approximately 40 microM. No effect of 3-methoxybenzidine was observed on the adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin-catalyzed reduction of cytochrome c by NADPH, and it is concluded that 3-methoxybenzidine acts on cytochrome P-450scc in inhibiting cholesterol side chain cleavage.
Is gradient descent appropriate for entropy-based source separation?

Many blind source separation (BSS) methods are based on minimization of entropy-based criteria. Gradient-based methods have been observed to converge slowly when applied to such criteria. In this paper, we argue that the non-convex “bird's beak” shape of such criteria is the reason why gradient BSS methods perform poorly. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel local parameter optimization method based upon curve fitting to a density-based entropy measure. Simulations show that the novel method can be used as an effective refinement procedure for an existing BSS method.
Cognitive Socialization Across Ethnocultural Contexts: Literacy and Cultural Differences in Intellectual Performance and Parent-Child Interaction

A comparative study of parent-child interaction and its relation to children's intellectual achievement is presented. The question of cultural continuities in cognitive development was examined. The cross-national design also illustrates some of the problems encountered when such relationships are studied across social contexts in general. The results suggest that although interaction characteristics are related to children's intellectual achievement, that relation is moderated by context factors that may operate differently in each culture. The findings are discussed in terms of how literacy mediates parents' teaching styles in ways that remain culturally ingrained. Research issues and recommendations for future research and policy are discussed.
Rationale and feasibility of chemoprovention of hepatocellular carcinoma by cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a growing health problem worldwide. The limited treatment and poor prognosis of this disease emphasizes the importance of developing effective prevention, including chemoprevention. Improvement in early diagnosis of HCC and regular screen of individuals with increased risk for HCC provide the possibility of effective chemoprevention for HCC in the future. Hepatocarcinogenesis is best described as a continuity of regeneration, proliferation, unregulated hyperplasia, dysplasia, and malignant transformation. Uncontrolled proliferation of hepatocytes clearly plays a key role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been associated with tumorigenesis of colon cancer. Selective COX-2 inhibitors possess potent suppression on the growth of colon cancer. Overexpression of COX-2 has also recently been demonstrated in patients with HCC, especially in nontumorous tissue with cirrhosis and well-differentiated tumorous tissue. In vitro studies have revealed that both NS-398, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, and sulindac, an analog of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, effectively inhibit growth of human hepatoma cell lines, which is mediated by a decreased rate of cell proliferation. Although further in vivo studies are required in animal models to confirm these findings and define optimal doses for future clinical trials in human subjects, these findings provide a rationale for the use of COX-2 inhibitors as HCC chemoprevention. (J Lab Clin Med 2002;139:234-43)
A THERMODYNAMIC MODEL FOR THE HELIX-COIL TRANSITION COUPLED TO DIMERIZATION OF SHORT COILED-COIL PEPTIDES

A simple thermodynamic formalism is presented to model the conformational transition between a random-coil monomeric peptide and a coiled-coil helical dimer. The coiled-coil helical dimer is the structure of a class of proteins also called leucine zipper, which has been studied intensively in recent years. Our model, which is appropriate particularly for short peptides, is an alternative to the theory developed by Skolnick and Holtzer. Using the present formalism, we discuss the multi-equilibriatory nature of this transition and provide an explanation for the apparent two-state behavior of coiled-coil formation when the helix-coil transition is coupled to dimerization. It is found that such coupling between multi-equilibria and a true two-state transition can simplify the data analysis, but care must be taken in using the overall association constant to determine helix propensities (w) of single residues. Successful use of the two-state model does not imply that the helix-coil transition is all-or-none. The all-or-none assumption can provide good numerical estimates when w is around unity (0.35
Anthropogenic influences on shoreline and nearshore evolution in the San Francisco Bay coastal system

Abstract Analysis of four historical bathymetric surveys over a 132-year period has revealed significant changes to the morphology of the San Francisco Bar, an ebb-tidal delta at the mouth of San Francisco Bay estuary. From 1873 to 2005 the San Francisco Bar vertically-eroded an average of 80 cm over a 125 km 2 area, which equates to a total volume loss of 100 ± 52 million m 3 of fine- to coarse-grained sand. Comparison of the surveys indicates the entire ebb-tidal delta contracted radially, with the crest moving landward an average of 1 km. Long-term erosion of the ebb-tidal delta is hypothesized to be due to a reduction in the tidal prism of San Francisco Bay and a decrease in coastal sediment supply, both as a result of anthropogenic activities. Prior research indicates that the tidal prism of the estuary was reduced by 9% from filling, diking, and sedimentation. Compilation of historical records dating back to 1900 reveals that a minimum of 200 million m 3 of sediment has been permanently removed from the San Francisco Bay coastal system through dredging, aggregate mining, and borrow pit mining. Of this total, ∼54 million m 3 of sand-sized or coarser sediment was removed from central San Francisco Bay. With grain sizes comparable to the ebb-tidal delta, and its direct connection to the bay mouth, removal of sediments from central San Francisco Bay may limit the sand supply to the delta and open coast beaches. SWAN wave modeling illustrates that changes to the morphology of the San Francisco Bar have altered the alongshore wave energy distribution at adjacent Ocean Beach, and thus may be a significant factor in a persistent beach erosion ‘hot spot’ occurring in the area. Shoreline change analyses show that the sandy shoreline in the shadow of the ebb-tidal delta experienced long-term (1850s/1890s to 2002) and short-term (1960s/1980s to 2002) accretion while the adjacent sandy shoreline exposed to open-ocean waves experienced long-term and short-term erosion. Therefore, the recently observed accelerating rates of bay sediment removal, ebb-tidal delta erosion, and open coast beach erosion are all correlated temporally.
Experiences of Medical Professional Liability Insurers with Medical Malpractice

A doctor's third-party liability is one of the highest risk classes. This is not due to increasing claims expenditure only, but in particular to the issue of long-tail claims. This class imposes high demands on a third party liability insurer (underwriter), who must not only be well-versed in pricing and underwriting and highly competent in settling claims in both a professional and socially responsible manner, but has a duty to exhaust all possibilities of risk management.
Can Manure Replace the Need for Starter Nitrogen Fertilizer

Current New York land grant university fertility guidelines for corn (Zea mays L.) recommend the use of 22 to 34 kg N ha -1 of band-applied starter fertilizer. On-farm research was conducted in 2006 and 2007 on a western New York dairy farm with an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)-corn rotation to evaluate the need for starter N for corn in regularly manured fields. In 2009, the study was expanded to include 21 fields varying in soil type, manure history, and soil N supply potential as expressed by the Illinois soil N test (ISNT). At the western New York farm, there was no increase in corn silage yield or quality with starter N use in first-, second-, or fourth-year corn fields. The results of the statewide assessment also showed that for fields with optimal ISNT-N, manure could replace starter N without a decline in corn silage yield or quality. Starter N fertilizer application was needed for optimal yield in fields deficient or marginal in ISNT-N and without a manure history. For such fields, manure could replace the need for starter N as long as sufficient N was applied with the manure, indicated by corn stalk NO 3 test (CSNT) results between 750 and 2000 mg NO 3 -N kg -1 . A response of silage yield to starter N was common when CSNT-N was <750 mg NO 3 -N kg -1 . We conclude that manure can replace the need for starter N, but rates should be adjusted to obtain CSNT values between 750 and 2000 mg kg -1 .
An institutional support framework for increasing faculty participation in postsecondary distance education

Abstract The increasing importance of distance education compels postsecondary institutions to 1) reduce existing barriers to faculty participation in distance education, and 2) provide support services that will ensure student access to high‐quality instructional programs. This article presents an institutional support framework that can assist higher education institutions in meeting these needs by appropriately balancing the application of technologies and the development of human resources.
LIGHT AND HEAVY MESON MASSES USING A QCD ORIENTED BETHE-SALPETER EQUATION

A unified model of light to heavy meson spectroscopy based on the Bethe-Salpeter equation with a strongly motivated QCD kernel is presented. The color Coulombic part has the momentum dependence of the running coupling constant. Confinement is achieved using the standard linear potential with the addition of a new flavor dependent constant term which has a logarithmic quark mass dependence. We compare our calculated results with those of Mittal and Mitra.
The morning glory wave of southern California

A pulse-like disturbance traveling across the Los Angeles basin was observed on 12 October 2001 with seismographs of the TriNet network. This wave had a period of about 1000 s and a propagation speed of about 10 m/s, much slower than seismic waves. The seismograph data were compared with barograph data, and a good correlation was found so the wave was determined to be atmospheric in origin. It had amplitude of about 1 mbar, but it was not known what process could produce such a wave. Since the initial finding, we have inspected all the TriNet barograph and seismograph data for a period of two and a half years (from January 2000 to August 2002) and found four more similar events. Each of the events has amplitude between 0.8 and 1.3 mbar, a period between 700 and 1400 s, and a propagation speed between 5 and 25 m/s. We conclude that these waves are internal gravity waves trapped in a stable layer formed by a temperature inversion. Some of these waves have large amplitudes and develop into solitary waves (nonlinear internal gravity waves) similar to the spectacular “morning glory” wave observed in Australia. We call these waves the LA morning glory waves. The LA morning glory wave is probably excited by either stormy weather, winds such as the Santa Ana winds, or large teleseismic events. The morning glory wave could contribute to the recently reported excitation of the background free oscillations of the Earth. Additionally, because of its large amplitude it could have important implications for aviation safety, as was suggested earlier for the morning glory waves in Australia.
Performance of CMS ECAL with first LHC data

Abstract In the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the high resolution Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECAL), consisting of 75 848 lead tungstate crystals and a silicon/lead preshower, will play a crucial role in the physics program. In preparation for the data taking a detailed procedure was followed to commission the ECAL readout and trigger, and to pre-calibrate, with test beam and cosmic ray data, each channel of the calorimeter to a precision of 2% or less in the central region. The first LHC collisions have been used to complete the detector commissioning and will have to provide the first in situ calibration. In this talk the CMS ECAL status and performance with the first collisions delivered from LHC will be reviewed.
USP22 Antagonizes p53 Transcriptional Activation by Deubiquitinating Sirt1 to Suppress Cell Apoptosis and Is Required for Mouse Embryonic Development

The NAD-dependent histone deacetylase Sirt1 antagonizes p53 transcriptional activity to regulate cell-cycle progression and apoptosis. We have identified a ubiquitin-specific peptidase, USP22, one of the 11 death-from-cancer signature genes that are critical in controlling cell growth and death, as a positive regulator of Sirt1. USP22 interacts with and stabilizes Sirt1 by removing polyubiquitin chains conjugated onto Sirt1. The USP22-mediated stabilization of Sirt1 leads to decreasing levels of p53 acetylation and suppression of p53-mediated functions. In contrast, depletion of endogenous USP22 by RNA interference destabilizes Sirt1, inhibits Sirt1-mediated deacetylation of p53 and elevates p53-dependent apoptosis. Genetic deletion of the usp22 gene results in Sirt1 instability, elevated p53 transcriptional activity and early embryonic lethality in mice. Our study elucidates a molecular mechanism in suppression of cell apoptosis by stabilizing Sirt1 in response to DNA damage and reveals a critical physiological function of USP22 in mouse embryonic development.
Models of HERG Gating

HERG (Kv11.1, KCNH2) is a voltage-gated potassium channel with unique gating characteristics. HERG has fast voltage-dependent inactivation, relatively slow deactivation, and fast recovery from inactivation. This combination of gating kinetics makes study of HERG difficult without using mathematical models. Several HERG models have been developed, with fundamentally different organization. HERG is the molecular basis of IKr, which plays a critical role in repolarization. We programmed and compared five distinct HERG models. HERG gating cannot be adequately replicated using Hodgkin-Huxley type formulation. Using Markov models, a five-state model is required with three closed, one open, and one inactivated state, and a voltage-independent step between some of the closed states. A fundamental difference between models is the presence/absence of a transition directly from the proximal closed state to the inactivated state. The only models that effectively reproduce HERG data have no direct closed-inactivated transition, or have a closed-inactivated transition that is effectively zero compared to the closed-open transition, rendering the closed-inactivation transition superfluous. Our single-channel model demonstrates that channels can inactivate without conducting with a flickering or bursting open-state. The various models have qualitative and quantitative differences that are critical to accurate predictions of HERG behavior during repolarization, tachycardia, and premature depolarizations.
D-wave superconductor as a model of high Tc superconductor

Abstract We analyse bulk properties of d-wave superconductor, which is considered relevant to high Tc superconductor, within weak coupling theory. The electronic density of states exhibits a lograthismic peak at E=Δ. Further if we identify this Δ with energy gap, we obtain Δ(0) T c =2.14 somewhat larger than the BCS value. These are rather consistent with experimental observation.
Plasininogen Purification by Acid Extraction

SummaryThe procedures described above utilize a previously undescribed property of plasminogen, solubility in dilute mineral acid, to extract it from placental and plasma fractions. Purification of over 250-fold has been obtained by successive extractions with 0.2N H2SO4 and precipitations at pH 5.2. The total yield has ranged from a minimum of about 10% to almost complete recovery of the enzyme present in the starting material, with an average recovery of about 30%.
Conjugated polymers: Long and winding polymeric roads

Poorly ordered films of conjugated polymers that show high charge mobility recently challenged the idea that disorder is detrimental for electrical conduction. Systematic studies now reveal that long polymeric chains can bridge small crystalline domains thus supporting charge transport on length scales relevant for device operation.
Theory of one-photon high-resolution absorption optical spectroscopy

We consider in this paper the Doppler-broadened absorption by two-level molecules of a gas from a weak traveling electromagnetic plane wave in the presence of an oppositely traveling strong plane wave at the same frequency. Here the absorption spectrum exhibits a dip that broadens and deepens as the gas is increasingly saturated by the strong wave. This saturation effect has been employed in the recent experiments on the fine structure of atomic hydrogen performed by H\"ansch, Shahin, and Schawlow (HSS). The form, linewidth, and strength of saturation dips in the fine-structure lines are studied for experimental parameters appropriate to the hydrogen experiment. In addition, saturation line-shape curves are calculated for experimental situations in which the strengths of the stronger field give rise to stronger or weaker saturation of the gas medium and varying degrees of Doppler broadening exist. The calculation of shape of the saturation dip and absorption curves for a Doppler-broadened gas of two-level atoms is made exactly; in effect, the strong field is treated as arbitrarily strong by avoiding a perturbation-theory treatment in favor of the exact solutions for a driven two-level system. The general behavior found is in accord with intuition and experimental observations by HSS. There is an optimum saturation power which gives a prominent dip and beyond which the dip suffers "power broadening."
Influence of Citric Acid on the Formation of Hydroxyapatite Powders by Using Ca(NO3)2-P2O5 Ethanol Solution System

In this study, nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were synthesized via a simple sol-gel method using Ca(NO3)2•4H2O and P2O5 as starting materials. Two different precursors, with and without citric acid (CA), were prepared. The transformation process of HA from precursors, purity and particle size of the obtained HA powders were evaluated. HA derived from the precursor with CA showed a different transformation process from that without CA. It was observed that the content of CaO as an unavoidable major impurity was reduced due to the addition of CA. In the calcined powders from the CA-free precursor, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed an intense CaO peak. For the calcined powders from the CA-addition precursor, XRD analysis showed a very weak CaO peak. It was also found that the synthesized HA powders from precursor with CA were finer than those without CA. The mechanism of the influence of CA on the formation, purity and particle size distribution of HA powders was discussed.
The Measurement of Voltage by the Use of the Star Effect

The theory of the Stark effect is reviewed with regard to its possible application of measuring voltages. It is pointed out that the effect can be used only to measure relative voltage and that the accuracy is likely to be limited by the accuracy with which the electrode separation can be determined. Therefore, the most sophisticated types of molecular frequency standards may not be required. The Stark method appears to hold a particular advantage for the measurement of high voltage since no voltage divider is required. Also, two possible methods of comparing ac voltages to dc voltages are discussed. Finally, an experimental Stark voltmeter employing a millimeter wave Fabry-Perot absorption cell is discussed. Calculations concerning J=2?3 transition of methyl cyanide at 55 Gc indicate that in principle the precision obtainable with a field strength of 104 volts/cm should be in the neighborhood of one part in a million, if the effects of field inhomogeneities can be kept within comparable limits.
Loudness interacts with semantics in auditory warnings to impact rear-end collisions

This study examined the impact of semantic and acoustics parameters of in-vehicle collision warning system (CWS) alarms on driver response. Thirty participants drove a simulated vehicle through scenarios containing five different unexpected hazard events. As drivers approached the hazard event one of four CWS alarms, counter balanced with the hazard event type, or no alarm (control) was presented. Alarms consisted of the signal word "Notice" or "Danger" presented at either 70 or 85 dBA. Rear-end collision events resulted in the highest crash rate, accounting for 45.4% of all crashes. In these scenarios, CWSs significantly reduced crash rates. CWS alarms with an intermediate urgency level achieved through an interaction of semantics and acoustics ("Danger" at 70 dB and "Notice" at 85 dB) resulted in significant reductions in crash probability. Providing an extremely urgent signal word, "Danger" at a high acoustically urgent presentation level - 85 dB was not effective in reducing crashes, nor was a low urgency signal word, "Notice" presented at a low acoustical urgency level - 70 dB. Implications of these results for the design and implementation of CWS systems and auditory alarms in general, are discussed.
Radioisotope Scanning of the Precordial Distribution of Iodide in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

Precordial scanning of the distribution of radioiodine (I 131 -labeled iodide) in patients with myocardial infarction has been suggested by others as a means of delineating the infarcted area. Attempts to localize radioiodine in 14 precordial scans of 12 patients with myocardial infarction resulted in the demonstration of localized areas of radioactivity in seven scans. This collection of radioactivity was found to be within the stomach, resulting from the normal concentration of radioiodine that occurs in gastric secretions.
An introduction to the nutrition and metabolism of choline

Choline is a ubiquitous water soluble nutrient, often associated with the B vitamins; however, not yet officially defined as a B vitamin. It is important in the synthesis of phospholipid components of cell membranes, and plasma lipoproteins, providing structural integrity as well as being important in cell signaling; it is also important in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and the oxidized form of choline, glycine betaine, serves as an important methyl donor in the methionine cycle. It is present in a wide variety of foods, and is endogenously synthesized in humans through the sequential methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine. The present article represents an introduction to the nutrition, metabolism, and physiological functions of choline and choline derivatives in humans. The association of choline and choline derivatives in risk of chronic disease, including: neural tube defects, coronary artery disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and memory, and cystic fibrosis is reviewed.
Identifying neuronal assemblies with local and global connectivity with scale space spectral clustering

A nonparametric approach is proposed to identify clusters of functionally interdependent neurons, independent of the time scale at which they are maximally correlated. The neural point processes are represented in a N-dimensional scale space using the Haar wavelet transform. A similarity measure between any given pair of neurons is defined in the scale space. Clusters of ''similar'' neurons are identified by first reducing the N-dimensional scale space representation using principal components to obtain a Q-dimensional space. The weighted principal components are subsequently used to connect each neuron to the others in a graph representation. A probabilistic spectral clustering algorithm is used to perform graph partitioning by maximizing cluster compactness. Performance is compared to that of the k-means and the expectation-maximization algorithms for 120 neurons with time-varying intensity functions consisting of spontaneous background activity and phased response elicited at distinct time scales.