cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving mass accuracy of high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of intact antibodies

The glycosylation profile of intact antibody due to the galactose and fucose heterogeneity in the N-linked sugars was determined with instrument resolution of 5000 and 10,000. After deconvolution of electrospray ionization mass spectra to complete convergence, several extra peaks appeared in addition to the peaks observed in the original mass spectra. The artificial peaks were avoided if deconvolution was stopped after a smaller number of iterations. A standard antibody was used as an external calibrant to minimize mass measurement errors during long-period experiments. Precision of four consecutive LC/MS measurements of the same antibody was 10 ppm (±1.5 Da). By using this approach, the masses of 11 intact antibodies were measured. All antibodies containing N-terminal glutamines had a negative mass shift due to the formation of pyroglutamate (−17 Da). Although the pyroglutamate variant of intact antibody was not resolved from the unmodified variant, this modification led to a mass shift proportional to the percentage of N-terminal pyroglutamate. By accurately measuring the mass shift we were able to quantify the abundance of pyroglutamic acid on intact antibodies. Mass accuracy in measuring different antibodies was below 30 ppm (±4 Da). The accurate mass measurement can be an effective tool for monitoring chemical degradations in therapeutic antibodies.
Bioengineering of crop plants and resistant biotype evolution in insects: Counteracting coevolution

The use, as opposed to the procurement, of transgenic crop plants is discussed in this paper. Transgenic crop plants must not be used until appropriate strategies for their use have been designed and not before crop plants with a variety of insect defenses have been developed. The use of a crop plant with a single defense will pose as strong a selection pressure as the use of a single synthetic insecticide, since insect herbivores are able to evolve effective counter-defenses. The defenses of insects in natural plant-insect associations and with regard to synthetic insecticides are described to demonstrate that there is nothing unique about insecticide resistance. It is the inevitable alternative to local extinction in response to a persistent and predictable selection pressure. Plants counteract insect defensive evolution by keeping the selection pressure as variable as possible. This leads to the conclusion that the best use of biotechnology in crop protection is to reintroduce chemical diversity into crop plants.
Medication errors during medical emergencies in a large, tertiary care, academic medical center

Abstract Purpose Evaluate the rate, type and severity of medication errors occurring during Medical Emergency Team (MET) care at a large, tertiary-care, academic medical center. Methods A prospective, observational evaluation of 50 patients that required MET care was conducted. Data on medication use were collected using a direct-observation method whereby an observer documented drug information such as drug, dose, frequency, rate of administration and administration technique. Subsequently, a team of three clinicians assessed rate, type and severity of medication errors using definitions consistent with United States Pharmacopeia MEDMARX system. Severity was assessed on a scale of minor, moderate and severe. Results One hundred eighty six doses were observed for 36 different medications. A total of 296 errors were identified; of these 196 errors (66%) were inappropriate aseptic technique. Of the remaining 100 errors, 46% were prescribing errors, 28% administration technique errors, 14% mislabeling errors, 10% drug preparation errors and 2% improper dose prescribing. Examples included: (1) prescribing errors, (2) administering wrong doses, (3) mislabeling, and (4) wrong administration technique such as not flushing intravenous medication through intravenous access. The rate of medication administration errors was 1.6 errors/dose including aseptic technique and 0.5 errors/dose excluding aseptic technique. A notable portion (14%) of errors was considered at least moderate in severity. Conclusions One out of 2 doses was administered in error after errors of using inappropriate aseptic technique were excluded. There is a need for education and systematic changes to prevent medication errors during medical emergencies as an effort to avoid harm.
Genetic variation and association mapping of silica concentration in rice hulls using a germplasm collection

An association analysis on the genetic variability for silica concentration in rice hulls was performed using a “Mini-Core” set of 174 accessions representative of the germplasm diversity found in the USDA world collection of rice. Hull silica concentration was determined in replicated trials conducted in two southern states in the USA and was analyzed for its association with 164 genome-wide DNA markers. Among the accessions, the average silica concentration ranged from 120 to 251 mg g−1. Ample variation was seen within each of the five sub-populations of rice, as well as the 14 geographic regions that the accessions originated from. There was also an effect due to location and accession × location (G × E) interaction demonstrating the importance of assessing silica concentration across multiple environments. Twelve markers on ten chromosomes were significantly associated with hull silica concentration. Six markers (RM5644, RM5371, RM1335, RM283, RM263, and RM178) corroborated quantitative trait locus for silica concentration identified in other mapping studies. Our results provide germplasm and genetic markers that will assist breeding efforts to develop cultivars that have either high or low hull silica concentration. High silica hulls are good raw material for silica based industrial compounds, while low silica hulls are more biodegradable.
Regular ideals in commutative rings, sublattices of regular ideals, and Prüfer rings

Abstract In this paper we investigate regularly generated, regular, semiregular, and faithful ideals in a commutative ring R and the sublattices they determine. Connections with multiplicative lattice theory are given. Given a Prufer ring R we show that there is a Prufer domain D with the sublattice of regular ideals of R isomorphic to the lattice of ideals of D . Numerous examples of rings with zero divisors having certain properties are given. A Prufer ring with an invertible ideal that is not generated by regular elements is constructed. An example is given to show that the intersection of two regular principal ideals need not be generated by regular elements.
Multilayer film preparation of poly(4-vinylphenol) from aqueous media

The use of weak polyelectrolytes in multilayer polymer systems provides a means of altering the physico-chemical properties of these thin films. This paper examines the limits of the polyanions by incorporating the extremely weak polyelectrolyte, poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVPh), into a multilayer system with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) from a dilute aqueous media. Film growth was monitored using absorption spectroscopy and revealed a clear linear trend in film thickness. The surface morphology, thickness, and swelling of the multilayer films systems were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Film thickness greatly depended upon the pH of the polymer precursor solutions; 50-layer systems created at pH 12.5 and 11.0 were 8.2 and 246.6 nm thick, respectively, a difference of over 2900%. This is the first report on the incorporation of PVPh into a multilayer system from an aqueous media.
Monoclonal Antibodies as Drugs or Devices: Practical and Regulatory Aspects

(1986). Monoclonal Antibodies as Drugs or Devices: Practical and Regulatory Aspects. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy: Vol. 12, No. 1-2, pp. 107-227.
The use of static analysis to detect malware in embedded systems

Malware is prolific and not always detected until the damage has occurred. The use of Formal Static Analysis techniques to ensure that software-based safety systems are free from compiler introduced errors is well established (Pavey, Winsborrow, 1995) [1]. This technique ensures that the executable binary code created by the compiler is mathematically equivalent to the original source code. This paper reports on extending this technique to detect malware inserted into executable code. The Source-Code Comparison process was originally developed by British Energy for the verification of the Primary Reactor Protection System software of the Sizewell `B' Nuclear Power Plant. The process takes the executable binary file that is resident on the target computer and re-creates the equivalent assembler code using disassembler tools. This is then formally compared to the original source code using the MALPAS Compliance Analysis tool, and any discrepancies are revealed. The process has the ability to detect any executable binary code that cannot be traced back to the source code, and may therefore be used to detect the presence of malware in the executable. The paper reports on experiments conducted by Atkins to determine whether modern control executable software can be formally proven against the original code. The applicability of the process to software developed for general purpose operating systems (e.g. Windows) will also be evaluated.
Battery free wireless sensor networks: Theory and applications

One of the major hurdles in wide spread use of wireless sensor networks is power consumption, i.e., the battery limitations. For several years, researchers tried to minimize power consumption of wireless nodes by designing more efficient data collection, transmission, storage, and processing methods. In this position paper, we will review the paradigm changing battery-free wireless sensing, which was originally designed for monitoring NASA's inflatable lunar habitat and ended up being commercialized for monitoring jet engines, brain injury detection, and indoor navigation. Theory and practical applications presented in this paper will cover basic research in a University lab to commercial products for Army, Air Force, NASA, NFL and several future directions.
A correlation between fluid-induced damage and anomalous fluid sorption in polymeric composites

A mechanism is presented to explain the experimental observations that, under exposure to ambient fluid or humidity, desorption and resorption behaviors of polymeric composite samples do not replicate the initial absorption process. It is shown that the above disparities can be attributed to damage, in the form of distributed fiber/matrix interfacial microcracks, which is caused by residual hygrothermal and mechanically induced stresses. Such damage occurs in the interior of composite samples during the early stages of initial fluid absorption, and subsequently in regions adjacent to exterior boundaries during the early stages of desorption. The extents of the foregoing damage regions can be assessed by stress analysis. A certain portion of the fluid remains entrapped within the damaged regions, or attached by adsorption to the faces of the microcracks, which act like capillary channels. Analytical diffusion models, which account in part for the presence of the abovementioned damage and based upon equivalent diffusivity and capillary action, respectively, are presented and shown to yield results that exhibit all the experimentally recorded characteristics.
Comparison of contagious ecthyma virus genomes by restriction endonucleases.

Restriction enzyme analysis withKpnI revealed heterogeneity among 10 different strains of contagious ecthyma virus from sheep, muskox, Dall sheep and humans. Hybridization of electroblots indicated deletion of DNA segments and changes in nucleotide sequences.
Physicochemical conditions and benthic macroinvertebrates of a tertiary sewage treatment system

Physicochemical conditions and benthic macroinvertebrates were studied in the Beaumont, Texas sewage treatment plant from August, 1973 to June, 1974. Physicochemical conditions varied seasonally with the amount of precipitation and discharge from the plant. Extreme physico-chemical parameters in the receiving stream were noted during times of precipitation and rice field drainage and the low during discharge and dry weather. Extremes in the holding pond and aeration pond occurred during the summer months when low discharge and low precipitation caused an algal bloom. A total of 55 species of benthic macroinvertebrates was collected. Community structure was analyzed using the diversity index $$\bar d = - \Sigma (n_i /n)Log_2 (n_i /n)$$ Annual diversity per individual ranged from 1.38 at Station 7 (52 meters below the outfall) to 2.23 at Station 6 (above the outfall). There was a general trend of decreasing values through the aeration pond, increasing through the holding pond and increasing downstream in the receiving stream.
Comparison of soluble starch synthases and branching enzymes from leaves and kernels of normal and amylose-extender maize

Soluble starch synthases (SS) and branching enzymes (BE) from 20-day-old maize leaves and 22-day-old seeds of normal andamylose-extender (ae) were purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Elution profiles of leaf extracts showed one major SS and two BE fractions from both genotypes. The SS fractions from normal andae leaf extracts were capable of citrate-stimulated starch synthesis and had different reaction rates with various primers. The two BE fractions from normal leaf extracts differed significantly from each other but not when compared to the same BE fromae. Comparison of BE fractions fromae and normal leaves showed no differences based on chromatographic, kinetic, and immunological properties. Comparison of the leaf enzymes with endosperm enzymes showed major differences. Leaf extracts did not contain SSII or BEIIb observed in endosperm extracts. Developingae endosperm lacks BEIIb activity andae is the structural gene for BEIIb. The tissue specific expression of BEIIb in the endosperm provides the basis for explaining the tissue-specific expression ofae. We propose that as BEIIb is expressed in the endosperm, but not leaves, allelic substitution at theae locus modifies only endosperm starch synthesis.
Effects of mes [2(n‐morpholino)‐ethanesulfonic acid] and ph on mineral nutrient uptake by mycor‐rhizal and nonmycorrhizal maize

Abstract Mycorrhizal (+VAM) and nonmycorrhizal (‐VAM) maize (Zea mays L.) plants were grown in sand culture in a greenhouse to determine effects of MES [2(N‐morpholino)‐ethanesulfonic acid] (2.0 mM) and pH (4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0) on mineral nutrient uptake. Plants were inoculated with the vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) isolate Glomus intraradices UT143. Shoot and root dry matter yields were lower in plants grown with MES (+MES) than without MES (‐MES), and decreased as pH increased. Shoot concentrations of N, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Zn were generally higher in +MES than in ‐MES plants, and nutrient contents of most nutrients were generally higher in + MES than in ‐MES plants. Concentrations of N, Ca, Mg, and Mn increased and P, S, and Fe decreased, while contents of all measured nutrients except Mn and Zn decreased as pH increased. Concentrations of Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu were higher in +VAM than in ‐VAM plants, and contents of P and Ca were higher in ‐VAM than in +VAM plants and Zn content was higher in +VA...
Spin-fluctuation-induced optical spectral diffusion in Pr3+:YAlO3.

We report a quantitative study of spectral diffusion in a solid-state system by measuring the stimulated echo relaxation. The spectral diffusion process in Pr{sup 3+}:YAlO{sub 3} at low temperatures (2.0 K) is found to be dominated by the relaxation of the frozen core'' of nearest neighboring Al spins. The decay of the echo signal is found to be fully described by a simple spin-flip diffusion model and by a first-principle calculation. The complete understanding of the spectral diffusion process in this simple model system establishes a quantitative basis for using coherent optical techniques to study slow dynamics in complex systems.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE FIBRILLAR NETWORK AND SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM IN SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS OF ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES (VAR. SUUM).

The fibrillar network and sarcoplasmic reticulum of Ascaris smooth muscle cells have been examined with the electron microscope. The fibrillar network, first described in Ascaris smooth muscle cells by Apathy (3), is seen to consist of a three-dimensional network of filaments that are 70–80 A thick, show a 360 A periodicity, and extend throughout the entire smooth muscle cell. This network extends between myofibrils and is here in close association with membranes of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The sarcoplasmic reticulum is composed of regularly repeating, sarcolemmal infoldings that penetrate between myofibrils in the form of transverse sarcotubules. The sarcotubules come in contact with cisternae to form triads and dyads. Sarcotubular and cisternal membranes are triple layered, 75–80 A thick membranes. The morphology of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and associated fibrillar network in this smooth muscle is compared to the sarcoplasmic reticulum of fast striated muscles.
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).

Most diseases can be controlled. With adequate investment short-term success can almost always be guaranteed in any setting. In the poorest countries however such success will be limited unless the more fundamental causes of poverty and inequity are also addressed. This requires that the world’s poorest be freed from the cycle of debt unfair trade restrictions and undemocratic international policymaking that protects the wealthy at the expense of the poor. The GFATM was created in 2002 in response to growing international concerns about the global impact of these diseases. It is a new financial instrument not an implementing agency. “Its purpose is to attract manage and disburse additional resources through a new private/public initiative that will make a sustainable and significant contribution to the reduction of infections illness and death from these diseases thereby contributing to poverty reduction as part of the Millennium Development Goals.” It is intended to target people and countries in greatest need and supports programmes that have been designed collaboratively involving government donors the private sector and civil society. To date it has disbursed over US$113 million to programmes in 53 countries and committed $1.5 billion over 2 years to 154 programmes in 93 countries. (authors)
Transformed B Cell Lines Express Cell-Associated Tumor Necrosis Factor and Mediate Natural Cytotoxic Activity

Abstract Natural cytotoxic (NC) activity is mediated by a cell-associated form of TNF-α. Here, we have characterized the NC-like properties of cloned murine transformed B cell lines. Several B cell lines cause the lysis of NC/TNF-α-susceptible target cells, but not NC/TNF-α-resistant target cells. Furthermore, lysis of targets by B cell lines involves a nonsoluble (i.e., cell-associated) mechanism that is blocked by anti-TNF antibody. Target cells selected for resistance to a B lymphoma cell line expressing NC-like activity are resistant to splenic NC-mediated lysis, resistant to TNF-α-mediated lysis, and have increased tumorigenicity in BALB/c mice. Thus, these B cell lines may serve as cloned effectors which lyse cells using a cell-associated TNF-dependent mechanism analogous to NC lysis. Furthermore, it is possible that the expression of TNF by transformed B cells is autostimutatory and is involved in their malignant transformation.
Charles horton Cooley and the futuristic vision

Charles Cooley, on the eastern edge of the Chicago School, did not contribute directly to the literature of the future. Nonetheless, his basic concepts are guideposts to the social implications of futuristic technology, in this study, limned by Arthur C. Clarke. The question remains, however, whether Cooley's naturalistic bias can adequately address the moral dimensions of the envisioned future.
A genetic algorithm method for optimizing fuzzy decision trees

Fuzzy decision trees exploit the popularity of decision tree algorithms for practical knowledge acquisition and the representative power of the fuzzy technology. They are extensions of ID3 trees, with the tree-building routine modified to utilize fuzzy instead of strict domains, and with new inferences combining fuzzy defuzzification with the inductive methodology. As ID3 trees, they require that real-valued and multivalued domains be partitioned prior to tree construction. In this paper, we introduce a methodology aimed at relaxing this requirement. This is done by optimizing the domain partitions. This optimization is based on genetic algorithms, designed to process constraints associated with this task. A simple illustration is also given.
Anatomic site-specific positive margins in organ-confined prostate cancer and its impact on outcome after radical prostatectomy.

Abstract Objectives The impact of a positive surgical margin in otherwise confined prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy remains unclear. We analyzed the outcome of a large number of patients with organ-confined prostate cancer according to the presence and anatomic site of margin positivity. Methods We evaluated 2712 prostatectomy patients with Stage pT2NO cancer (ie, no evidence of extraprostatic disease, seminal vesicle or regional node involvement) and no prior therapy who were treated by radical prostatectomy between 1987 and 1995 at Mayo Clinic. A total of 697 patients (26%) had positive margins. To assess the effect of margin status in the absence of treatment, 378 patients with postoperative adjuvant therapy were not considered for the study group; the final group consisted of 2334 patients. Results Overall, 253 (58%) tumors were positive at the apex and/or urethra, 85 (19%) at the prostate base, 11 (2.5%) at the anterior prostate, and 174 (40%) at the posterior prostate; 89 (20%) had at least two margins involved and 21 (8.3%) had more than two involved. The apex/urethra was the only positive anatomic site in 183 (42%). Five-year survival free of clinical recurrence or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) biochemical failure (postoperative serum PSA of 0.2 ng/mL or more) for patients with a single positive margin was 79% for apex or urethra, 78% for anterior/posterior, and 56% for prostate base. Five-year survival free of clinical recurrence or PSA (biochemical) failure was slightly higher for those with one versus two margin-positive regions (77% versus 68%, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that positive surgical margins were a significant predictor of clinical recurrence and PSA (biochemical) failure (relative risk 95% confidence interval): 1.65 [1.24, 2.18]) after controlling for Gleason grade, preoperative PSA, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy. The effect of margin positivity on recurrence at a specific anatomic site (versus negative margins or positive at a different anatomic site) revealed the prostate base to be the only significant anatomic site when adjusted for grade, PSA, and ploidy. Five-year survival free of the combined clinical or PSA failure end point for those with versus those without positive margins at the prostate base was 56% versus 85%, respectively (P Conclusions Positive surgical margins are a significant predictor of recurrence in Stage pT2NO cancer, which is independent of grade, PSA, and DNA ploidy. The impact of positive margin status on recurrence-free survival appears to be anatomic and site-specific, with prostate base positivity significantly associated with poor outcome. The benefit of adjuvant therapy based on anatomic site-specific margin positivity remains to be tested in order to optimize recurrence-free survival.
TDL absorption sensors for gas temperature and concentrations in a high-pressure entrained-flow coal gasifier

Abstract We report the first tunable diode laser (TDL) absorption measurements for gas temperature and species concentrations in a pilot-scale, high-pressure, entrained-flow, oxygen-blown, slagging coal gasifier with pressures up to 18 atm and temperatures to 1800 K. Three locations in the gasifier flow were investigated: (1) the reactor core, (2) the exit of the reactor where a water spray quenches the reaction products (pre-quench), and (3) in the gasifier product stream before particulate clean-up (post-quench). Gas temperature was measured by three pairs of H2O transitions with distinct temperature dependence at all three locations using five distributed feedback (DFB) lasers near 1.4 μm. CO, CO2 and H2O concentrations were measured at the post-quench location using DFB lasers near 2.3 μm, 2.0 μm and 1.4 μm, respectively. Fixed-wavelength, 1f-normalized, wavelength-modulation-spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f) was used for all the measurements. Usable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) > 10 was achieved with one second averaging even at gasifier conditions with large particulate loading where the non-absorption transmission loss was >99.99% from light scattering and the thermal emission was intense. The work demonstrates the capability of TDL sensors to monitor transient changes in gas temperature providing a potentially valuable control sensor for gasifier performance. In addition, measurements of CO, CO2 and H2O in the gasifier product stream showed good promise for monitoring the syngas heating value. The potential advantages of using higher WMS harmonics under high-pressure conditions were also investigated.
Meniscal allograft transplantation in the sheep knee : Evaluation of chondroprotective effects

BackgroundEarly protection of articular cartilage, before degenerative changes appear on radiographs, should result in better long-term results, but scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of meniscal transplantation is lacking.PurposeTo assess the chondroprotective effects of a new meniscal allograft transplantation animal model and evaluate a magnetic resonance imaging parameter, T2 mapping, in articular cartilage after meniscectomy and meniscal transplantation.Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsForty-five skeletally mature sheep were placed into 3 surgical groups lateral meniscectomy (n = 24), meniscal allograft transplant (n = 17), and sham (n = 4). Animals were sacrificed at 2, 4, or 12 months. Cartilage was assessed by gross inspection, magnetic resonance imaging, T2 mapping, biomechanical testing, and semiquantitative histologic analysis.ResultsThere were no differences between the sham operation and nonoperated control limbs. Compared with control limbs, meniscectomy resulted i...
15N hydrogen profiling: Scientific applications

Abstract The 15 N hydrogen profiling method is discussed together with its use in a number of applications. It is shown that the width of the nuclear resonance used in this method is 0.4 keV (c.m.) which is less than half the published value. It is shown that many aspects of glass hydration are in agreement with the interdiffusion model of Doremus, that hydrogen surface contaminationscan be important in neutron “bottles”, and that there is a correlation between hydrogen content and the transition temperature, T c , for Nb 3 Ge superconductors.
Transmitter diversity in carotid body afferent neurons: dopaminergic and peptidergic phenotypes.

Abstract Hypoxie stimulation of carotid body chemoreceptors is conveyed to the brainstem by primary sensory neurons whose peripheral axons run in the carotid sinus nerve. While considerable attention has focused on defining chemical neuroregulators released by glomus cells in the carotid body, our understanding of the morphology, distribution and transmitter phenotype of these carotid body afferent neurons remains limited. Carotid body afferent neurons were labeled by microinjection of the retrograde tracer, Fluorogold, into the vascularly isolated rat carotid body. In addition, immunoelectron microscopy was used to correlate transmitter phenotype with ultrastructural features of afferent terminals in the carotid body. Our results indicate that 41% of all carotid body afferent neurons express tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, whereas 7% contain substance P. Tyrosine hydroxylase- and substance P-positive neurons constitute separate subpopulations of carotid body afferents, as these two phenotypes were not colocalized. Most of the tyrosine hydroxylase-containing carotid body afferent neurons were small- or medium-sized (mean cell diameter 15–20 μm) and located in the distal petrosal ganglion, whereas the majority of substance P-containing carotid body afferent neurons were medium- to large-sized (mean cell diameter 20–29 μm) and located in the proximal petrosal ganglion and jugular ganglion. These differences strengthen the notion that these catecholaminergic and peptidergic carotid body afferent neurons give rise to functionally distinct subsets of chemoafferent fibers. To further characterize the catecholaminergic phenotype expressed by tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the petrosal ganglion, we examined the colocalization of tyrosine hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase, the dopamine-synthesizing enzyme. Eighty-six per cent of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the distal petrosal ganglion also contained DOPA decarboxylase; as these cells do not express the norepinephrine-synthesizing enzyme, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, these data indicate that the catecholaminergic carotid body afferent neurons are dopaminergic. Finally, ultrastructural analysis of the peripheral processes of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive afferent terminals in the carotid body demonstrated endings in close opposition to Type I glomus cells, consistent with a role for dopaminergic afferent neurons in carotid body chemoreception. One possibility is that these cells, in addition to their role as afferents, constitute a morphologic substrate for dopaminergic “efferent” inhibition in the carotid body.
A complex gene regulatory mechanism that operates at the nexus of multiple RNA processing decisions.

Expression of crs1 pre-mRNA, encoding a meiotic cyclin, is blocked in actively growing fission yeast cells by a multifaceted mechanism. The most striking feature is that crs1 transcripts are continuously synthesized in vegetative cells, but are targeted for degradation rather than splicing and polyadenylation. Turnover of crs1 RNA requires the exosome, similar to previously described nuclear surveillance and silencing mechanisms, but does not involve a non-canonical poly(A) polymerase. Instead, crs1 transcripts are targeted for destruction by a factor previously implicated in turnover of meiotic RNAs in growing cells. Like exosome mutants, mmi1 mutants splice and polyadenylate vegetative crs1 transcripts. Two regulatory elements are located at the 3′ end of the crs1 gene, consistent with the increased accumulation of spliced RNA in polyadenylation factor mutants. This highly integrated regulatory strategy may ensure a rapid response to adverse conditions, thereby guaranteeing survival.
The Mg-concentration dependence of the strength of A1Mg alloys during glide-controlled deformation

Analyse des caracteristiques de la deformation d'alliages Al-Mg contenant 8 ou 10% de magnesium. Combinees avec des donnees existantes sur les alliages Al-Mg a faible teneur en Mg, les resultats experimentaux permettant de montrer que la resistance au fluage des alliages Al-Mg dans un regime de glissement controle est independante de la teneur en magnesium
Intersubject coregistration of brain images: a phantom study

Inter-subject coregistration is a powerful neuroimaging technique that enables comparison and detection of morphological differences across groups of subjects. The present study uses digital phantoms to evaluate errors in two widely employed approaches to inter-subject coregistration of structural MR images of the brain: the manual step-wise approach and the automated method provided with the software package SPM96. Phantoms were constructed by deforming a high resolution T1-weighted MR image in which we have embedded 12 landmarks. For the manual method the accuracy ranged from 0.8 mm in quadrigeminal plate to 2.4 mm in superior central sulcus and occipital lobe. The average error was 1.5 mm. For the automated SPM96 method and the 9 parameter model, the accuracy ranged from 0.8 mm to 2.1 mm and averaged 1.1 mm. Error of the manual method correlated strongly with the distance from the center of the image (r equals 0.77, slope equals .020, p equals .003). The linear correlation of the error obtained with the automated method with the distance was poor (r equals 0.39, slope equals .008, p > 0.2). The results suggest that the inferior performance of the manual method is due to its step-wise approach and to a relatively large rotational error.
Expression of doublecortin, a neuronal migration protein, in unipolar brush cells of the vestibulocerebellum and dorsal cochlear nucleus of the adult rat

Doublecortin (DCX) is a microtubule-associated protein that is critical for neuronal migration and the development of the cerebral cortex. In the adult, it is expressed in newborn neurons in the subventricular and subgranular zones, but not in the mature neurons of the cerebral cortex. By contrast, neurogenesis and neuronal migration of cells in the cerebellum continue into early postnatal life; migration of one class of cerebellar interneuron, unipolar brush cells (UBCs), may continue into adulthood. To explore the possibility of continued neuronal migration in the adult cerebellum, closely spaced sections through the brainstem and cerebellum of adult (3-16 months old) Sprague-Dawley rats were immunolabeled for DCX. Neurons immunoreactive (ir) to DCX were present in the granular cell layer of the vestibulocerebellum, most densely in the transition zone (tz), the region between the flocculus (FL) and ventral paraflocculus (PFL), as well as in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). These DCX-ir cells had the morphological appearance of UBCs with oval somata and a single dendrite ending in a brush. There were many examples of colocalization of DCX with Eps8 or calretinin, UBC markers. We also identified DCX-ir elements along the fourth ventricle and its lateral recess that had labeled somata but lacked the dendritic structure characteristic of UBCs. Labeled UBCs were seen in nearby white matter. These results suggest that there may be continued neurogenesis and/or migration of UBCs in the adult. Another possibility is that UBCs maintain DCX expression even after migration and maturation, reflecting a role of DCX in adult neuronal plasticity in addition to a developmental role in migration.
Marine phytoplankton at the Weddell Sea ice edge: Seasonal changes at the specific level

The Antarctic ice edge acts as a dynamic frontal system on the phytoplankton in the water column. Austral spring and autumn cruises to the Weddell Sea ice edge provided the opportunity to compare phytoplankton at the beginning of biological spring and at the end of biological autumn. The USCGC icebreakers Westwind (1983) and Glacier (1986) went into the sea ice, and the RV Melville (1983 and 1986) completed the transects in the adjacent open ocean. Field samples were observed alive on board ship to record different lifestages near the ice edge. In both seasons cell numbers were low under the ice, and single cells or short chains were the common growth habit. In spring in the open ocean, long chains of vegetative cells with large vacuoles and gelatinous colonies of diatoms and of prymnesiophytes dominated; in autumn in the open ocean close to the accreting ice edge, short chains, single cells, and resting spores were mostly packed with storage products. Enlarged cell diameters and auxospores also occurred near the ice cover in the autumn. Species from the following genera are included: the diatoms Leptocylindrus, Stellarima, Thalassiosira, Eucampia, Corethron, and Chaetoceros, the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis, and the chrysophyte Distephanus.
A simple noise correction scheme for diffusional kurtosis imaging.

Purpose Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) is sensitive to the effects of signal noise due to strong diffusion weightings and higher order modeling of the diffusion weighted signal. A simple noise correction scheme is proposed to remove the majority of the noise bias in the estimated diffusional kurtosis.
HPV vaccination: are we initiating too late?

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is recommended in early adolescence. While limited data suggest that patients frequently delay initiation of the three-dose series, age-based variability in initiation of HPV vaccination and its clinical relevance are not well described. Thus, this study aims to characterize HPV vaccination delay among adolescent and young adult females. Methods This retrospective cohort study examined age at HPV vaccination initiation and missed opportunities for receipt of the first vaccine dose (HPV1) among 11–26 year-old females ( n = 22,900) receiving care at 16 urban academically-affiliated ambulatory care clinics between 2007 and 2011. Predictors of timely vaccination and post-licensure trends in age at HPV1 receipt were assessed using multivariable logistic regression and a generalized linear mixed model, respectively. Chlamydia trachomatis and Papanicolaou screening before HPV vaccination initiation, as markers of prior sexual experience and associated morbidity, were examined in a subcohort of subjects ( n = 15,049). Results The proportion of 11–12 year-olds who initiated HPV vaccination increased over time (44.4% [2007] vs. 74.5% [2011], p vs. 15.9 ± 4.0 years, p = 0.45). Spanish language was a positive predictor (AOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.05–2.48) of HPV vaccination initiation among 11–12 year-olds in 2011. The majority (70.8–76.4%) of unvaccinated subjects experienced missed vaccination opportunities. Of the subcohort, 36.9% underwent Chlamydia screening before HPV1 receipt (19.1% with ≥1 positive result). Of those with prior Papanicolaou screening (16.6%), 32.1% had ≥1 abnormal result. Conclusions These low-income, minority females frequently delayed initiation of HPV vaccination. Many had evidence of prior sexual experience and associated morbidity, placing them at risk of HPV-related complications. Promoting timely HPV vaccination and reducing missed vaccination opportunities are crucial.
Some Consequences of Solar Wind Induction in the Moon

A review is given of empirical and theoretical research into lunar induction excited by the solar wind. Transfer functions are discussed along with the bulk electrical-conductivity profile for the moon, limits on resolution and uniqueness, and comparisons of various conductivity models. Estimates of the lunar internal temperature profile are examined, sources for permanent magnetization of lunar rocks are considered, and the extreme frequency limit for detection of a lunar core is assessed. It is noted that there is no convincing evidence for a metallized lunar core with a radius of 500 km or larger.
Control of local error stabilizes integrations

Codes for the solution of the initial value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations adjust their step sizes so as to keep the estimated local errors smaller than a given tolerance and, at the same time, solve the problem as efficiently as possible. Step sizes providing the desired accuracy may be too large for stability, yet this does not cause the popular codes to become unstable. The theory explaining why this is so holds only in very restricted circumstances. This paper broadens and deepens the theory for explicit Runge-Kutta methods.
LAND COVER ALONG AN URBAN-RURAL GRADIENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR WATER QUALITY

Development pressures in rural mountainous areas of the United States hold crucial implications for water quality. Especially important are changes in the extent and pattern of various land uses. We examine how position along an urban-rural gradient affects landscape patterns in a southern Appalachian watershed, first by testing for the effect of distance from an urban center on land-cover change probabilities and then simulating the implied development of a landscape at regular distance intervals. By simulating a common hypothetical landscape we control for variable landscape conditions and define how land development might proceed in the future. Results indicate that position along the urban- rural gradient has a significant effect on land-cover changes on private lands but not on public lands. Furthermore, position along the gradient has a compounding effect on land- cover changes through interactions with other variables such as slope. Simulation results indicate that these differences in land-cover changes would give rise to unique "landscape signatures" along the urban-rural gradient. By examining a development sequence, we identify patterns of change that may be most significant for water quality. Two locations along the urban-rural gradient may hold disproportionate influence over water quality in the future: (1) at the most remote portion of the landscape and (2) at the outer envelope of urban expansion. These findings demonstrate how landscape simulation approaches can be used to identify where and how land use decisions may have critical influence over environmental quality, thereby focusing both future research and monitoring efforts and watershed protection measures.
Characterization, stability, and origin of natural radiation-induced defects in the biogenic calcite of Belemnitella americana from the Upper Cretaceous: An electron paramagnetic resonance study

Abstract The rostrum of Belemnitella americana (Morton) from the Marshalltown formation (Kmt, Upper Cretaceous) of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The rostrum composed of biogenic calcite possessed inorganic radical centers CO 2 − , SO 2 − , and SO 3 − with isotropic resonances with g values of 2.0007, 2.0057, and 2.0031, respectively. SO 3 − was found to also display an axially symmetric resonance typical of that seen in calcite of geologic origin with g ⊥ =2.0036 and g ∥ =2.0021. Mn 2+ signals of orthorhombic symmetry and very narrow line width (∼0.1 mT) were also noted (| D |=9.3 mT (∼0.009 cm −1 ), | E |=3.1 mT (∼0.003 cm −1 )). Isochronal annealing studies reveal that these inorganic radical species reside in energy traps that are significantly deeper than previously determined as revealed by their annealing temperatures: SO 2 − (isotropic), T * ∼340 °C; SO 3 − (isotropic), T * ∼230 °C; SO 3 − (axial), T * ∼190 °C. These data suggest that these spin centers may be used to extend the upper limit for dating purposes to times on the order of 1 Ma for SO 3 − (axial) and 200–300 Ma for SO 3 − (isotropic). Spin–spin and spin–lattice relaxation studies employing progressive microwave saturation were determined for all sulfur-based radical species and found to be consistent with the supposition of the isotropic signals existing in environments that are conducive to dynamic averaging of the g -anisotropy.
Synthesis of 15N‐labeled isobutylidene diurea, oxamide, and ureaforms for use in agronomic studies

Abstract Evaluating the long‐term environmental effects of controlled‐availability nitrogen (N) fertilizers is best done with 15N‐labeled materials. Simple bench‐scale methods not requiring elaborate apparatus are described for synthesizing 15N‐enriched isobutylidene diurea (IBDU) and oxamide suitable for such purpose. IBDU is prepared by reacting 15N‐labeled urea with isobutyr‐aldehyde. Oxamide is made by reacting 15N‐labeled ammonia (NH3) with ethyl oxamate. No specific method but a general description is provided for synthesizing ureaform because the chemical composition of the family of polymers known as ureaform varies with reactant ratios and reaction conditions.
A new sample substrate for imaging and correlating organic and trace metal composition in biological cells and tissues

Many disease processes involve alterations in the chemical makeup of tissue. Synchrotron-based infrared (IR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopes are becoming increasingly popular tools for imaging the organic and trace metal compositions of biological materials, respectively, without the need for extrinsic labels or stains. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) provides chemical information on the organic components of a material at a diffraction-limited spatial resolution of 2–10 μm in the mid-infrared region. The synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF) microprobe is a complementary technique used to probe trace element content in the same systems with a similar spatial resolution. However to be most beneficial, it is important to combine the results from both imaging techniques on a single sample, which requires precise overlap of the IR and X-ray images. In this work, we have developed a sample substrate containing a gold grid pattern on its surface, which can be imaged with both the IR and X-ray microscopes. The substrate consists of a low trace element glass slide that has a gold grid patterned on its surface, where the major and minor parts of the grid contain 25 and 12 nm gold, respectively. This grid pattern can be imaged with the IR microscope because the reflectivity of gold differs as a function of thickness. The pattern can also be imaged with the SXRF microprobe because the Au fluorescence intensity changes with gold thickness. The tissue sample is placed on top of the patterned substrate. The grid pattern’s IR reflectivity image and the gold SXRF image are used as fiducial markers for spatially overlapping the IR and SXRF images from the tissue. Results show that IR and X-ray images can be correlated precisely, with a spatial resolution of less than one pixel (i.e., 2–3 microns). The development of this new tool will be presented along with applications to paraffin-embedded metalloprotein crystals, Alzheimer’s disease, and hair composition.
Data dissemination in vehicular ad hoc networks

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) have been envisioned to be useful in road safety and many commercial applications. Although VANET is a kind of mobile ad hoc network, many unique characteristics of VANET bring out new research challenges. For example, due to fast vehicle movement, the link topology changes rapidly. As a result, many well studied structures for efficient data dissemination such as tree, cluster and grid, are extremely hard to be set up and maintained. Also, the network density is highly dynamic. The traffic density is low in rural areas and during night, which may result in frequent disconnections and network partitions. Thus, data dissemination techniques should address these unique characteristics of VANET. The specific goal of this dissertation is to provide cohesive solutions for data dissemination in VANETs. Different algorithms and protocols are applied based on where the vehicles are and how far they are from the roadside units. First, we design and evaluate schemes for vehicles far away from the roadside units. To deal with the frequent disconnection problem in sparsely connected VANET, we adopt the idea of carry and forward. Different from existing works, we make use of the predictable mobility in VANET, which is limited by the traffic pattern and the road layout. Second, we design and evaluate pushed-based solutions for vehicles near the roadside units. To reduce the bandwidth consumption, data poured from the source are buffered and rebroadcasted at the intersections. Analytical models are developed to provide guidelines to maximize the dissemination capacity. Third, we propose a relay-based solution for vehicles approaching the one-hop range of a roadside unit. With relay from vehicles close to the roadside unit, vehicles faraway can still access the roadside unit with high rate rate. Finally, we study the benefit of using the vehicular infrastructure mesh network to disseminate data. We design and implement a cooperative cache based scheme which allows mesh stations to cooperatively cache data for vehicles within the mesh network coverage.