cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical estimate of the spin diffusion constant in iron

A theoretical estimate of the spin diffusion constant in iron based on the self consistent formalism of Bennett and Martin is found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental values of Collins et al.
Roles of Residues Arg-61 and Gln-38 of Human DNA Polymerase η in Bypass of Deoxyguanosine and 7,8-Dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine.

Like the other Y-family DNA polymerases, human DNA polymerase η (hpol η) has relatively low fidelity and is able to tolerate damage during DNA synthesis, including 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxoG), one of the most abundant DNA lesions in the genome. Crystal structures show that Arg-61 and Gln-38 are located near the active site and may play important roles in the fidelity and efficiency of hpol η. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to replace these side chains either alone or together, and the wild type or mutant proteins were purified and tested by replicating DNA past deoxyguanosine (G) or 8-oxoG. The catalytic activity of hpol η was dramatically disrupted by the R61M and Q38A/R61A mutations, as opposed to the R61A and Q38A single mutants. Crystal structures of hpol η mutant ternary complexes reveal that polarized water molecules can mimic and partially compensate for the missing side chains of Arg-61 and Gln-38 in the Q38A/R61A mutant. The combined data indicate that the positioning and positive charge of Arg-61 synergistically contribute to the nucleotidyl transfer reaction, with additional influence exerted by Gln-38. In addition, gel filtration chromatography separated multimeric and monomeric forms of wild type and mutant hpol η, indicating the possibility that hpol η forms multimers in vivo.
Biosynthetic conversion of α-methylbutyric acid to tiglic acid in Datura meteloides

Abstract The administration of RS -α-methylbutyric-[1- 14 C] acid to Datura meteloides plants resulted in the formation of radioactive meteloidine. A systematic degradation indicated that essentially all the activity was located at C-1 of the tiglic acid moiety of the alkaloid.
One size does not fit all: the influence of age at surgery on outcomes following Norwood operation

Background Given our large catchment area that often results in later presentation age, we sought to understand our institutional outcomes for the Norwood operation in the context of published data. Specifically, we studied whether operative and late death post-Norwood are dependent on age at operation.
Vav-Rac1-Mediated Activation of the c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase/c-Jun/AP-1 Pathway Plays a Major Role in Stimulation of the Distal NFAT Site in the Interleukin-2 Gene Promoter

Vav, a hematopoiesis-specific signaling protein, plays an important role in T-cell development and activation. Vav upregulates the expression of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene, primarily via activation of the distal NFAT site in the IL-2 gene promoter (NFAT-IL-2). However, since this site cooperatively binds NFAT and AP-1, the relative contribution of Vav to NFAT versus AP-1 activation has not been determined. Here, we studied the respective roles of the AP-1 and NFAT pathways in the T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated, Vav-dependent activation of NFAT-IL-2. Although Vav stimulated the transcriptional activity of an NFAT-IL-2 reporter gene, it failed to stimulate the transcriptional or DNA-binding activities of an AP-1-independent NFAT site derived from the human gamma interferon gene promoter. Vav also did not stimulate detectable Ca(2+) mobilization and nuclear translocation of NFATc or NFATp. On the other hand, Vav induced the activation of Rac1 or Cdc42 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), enhanced the transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of AP-1, and induced increased phosphorylation of c-Jun. Dominant-negative Vav and/or Rac1 mutants blocked the TCR-mediated stimulation of these events, demonstrating the physiological relevance of these effects. Vav also associated with Rac1 or Cdc42 in T cells, and anti-CD3 antibody stimulation enhanced this association. These findings indicate that a Rac1-dependent JNK/c-Jun/AP-1 pathway, rather than the Ca(2+)/NFAT pathway, plays the predominant role in NFAT-IL-2 activation by Vav.
Comparison of heteronymous monosynaptic Ia facilitation in young and elderly subjects in supine and standing positions.

Background The control of posture and balance is a primary concern among the elderly. Postural instability has been identified as a contributor to the greater incidence of falling among this segment of the population. One important neuromuscular mechanism identified as important in the control of posture and balance is the segmental reflex system. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of presynaptic inhibition in modulating the reflex system in young and elderly subjects.Methods To estimate the influence of body position on presynaptic inhibition to the soleus motor pool between young and elderly subjects, 11 young (mean age = 23.9 yrs.) and 9 elderly (mean age = 72.1 yrs.) subjects were examined in two different body positions: supine and standing. This study utilized the heteronymous facilitation protocol, as described by Hultborn et at. (1987). to estimate presynaptic inhibition of the la afferent pathway onto the soleus o-motoneuron pool. Maximal soleus H-reflex (H-max) and motor response ...
Binding studies with the 5-HT1B receptor agonist [3H]CP-96,501 in brain tissues

Binding studies in rat brain membranes have shown that [3H]CP-96,501 is a selective, high affinity radioligand for 5-HT1B receptors. Additional studies with [3H]CP-96,501 in brain tissues of several other species were undertaken to investigate its utility in detecting this receptor subtype. The presence of 5-HT1B receptors in brain membranes of the hamster and gerbil was demonstrated with [3H]CP-96,501. This finding was confirmed by [3H]5-HT binding experiments that also indicated the presence of other 5-HT1 subtypes (possibly 5-HT1D, 5-HT1E) in these species as well as the rat. Negligible specific binding of [3H]CP-96,501 was found in membranes of guinea pig brain, dog hypothalamus, bovine caudate, pig choroid plexus, and several human brain tissues, consistent with the reported absence of the 5-HT1B receptor subtype in these species. Autoradiographic examination of rat brain sections labeled by [3H]CP-96,501 showed a dense localization in areas known to be enriched in 5-HT1B receptors (e.g., globus pallidus, substantia nigra, superior colliculus, subiculum). On the other hand, brain sections of dog and guinea pig appeared to show no specific binding of [3H]CP-96,501 by autoradiography, in agreement with the lack of brain 5-HT1B receptors in these tissues. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Angle between principal axis triples

SUMMARY The principal axis angle ξ0, or Kagan angle, is a measure of the difference between the orientations of two seismic moment tensors. It is the smallest angle needed to rotate the principal axes of one moment tensor to the corresponding principal axes of the other. This paper is a conceptual review of the main features of ξ0. We give a concise formula for calculating ξ0, but our main goal is to illustrate the behaviour of ξ0 geometrically. When the first of two moment tensors is fixed, the angle ξ0 between them becomes a function on the unit ball. The level surfaces of ξ0 can then be depicted in the unit ball, and they give insights into ξ0 that are not obvious from calculations alone. We also include a derivation of the known probability density of ξ0. The density is proportional to the area of a certain surface . The easily seen variation of with t then explains the rather peculiar shape of . Because the curve is highly non-uniform, its shape needs to be considered when analysing distributions of empirical ξ0 values. We recall an example of Willemann which shows that ξ0 may not always be the most appropriate measure of separation for moment tensor orientations, and we offer an alternative measure.
An alkylative strategy to the C-13 to C-21 sector of discodermolide

Abstract An approach to the C-13 to C-21 sector of the immunosuppressive marine natural product discodermolide (1) is described. The C-15 to C-16 bond is formed by diastereoselective alkylation of a ketone enolate. Either diastereomer of alkylation can be obtained by selecting the appropriate counter ion. The C-16 to C-21 subunit is prepared in two steps from 11.
A Short Course in Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding the human infant is becoming much more popular in this country. It offers a number of advantages to the baby and is ideally suited for an infant's nutrition. However, it does not come naturally as the nursing mother soon learns. It is up to the health professional to support the nursing couple and to help ensure their success.
LLNL Center for Microtechnology: capabilities, customers, case study -- HANAA (Handheld Nucleic Acid Analyzer)

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an enzyme-based chemical reaction that manufactures copies of one or more identifying regions of double-stranded DNA sequences (target sequences). These copies of target DNA are known as "amplicons". By creating millions of these copies of the identifying sequences (when they are present!), PCR allows researchers to detect by them, and hence the presence of the relevant organism, with techniques such as electrophoresis, flow cytometry, or spectrometry. Although there are numerous commercial PCR instruments that are designed for bench-top use in a laboratory, the challenges of building a battery-powered instrument that could perform such assays in the field.
Seeing is believing: new updates on coronary microvascular dysfunction.

“Seeing is believing.” This idiom certainly holds true when it comes to the topic of the coronary circulation. The epicardial vasculature has always captured widespread attention; after all, it is the site of acute coronary syndromes. It has also been considered to be the main culprit of abnormal stress tests and anginal symptoms. Reflections of myocardial ischemia such as these, however, are the consequence of a mismatch between oxygen/nutrient supply and demand, and this could be for various reasons, far beyond the scope of epicardial coronary artery disease. Indeed, the myocardial cells are intertwined with the coronary microcirculation, and functional or structural compromise on this level would lead to the same ischemic end result as functional or structural obstruction of the epicardial circulation. Yet, our inability to visualize the microcirculation with standard imaging techniques has left us with a lack of concrete evidence commonly required to convince us. Thus, the coronary microcirculation has remained as mysterious now as it always has been and likely always will [1]. Against this background, one can respond in no other way but in appreciation of how this topic is presented in an updated manner by Drs. Petersen and Pepine [2] in this edition of Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine. Indeed, one might want to take note of a number of very important points as they arise. First of all, they do recommend abandoning the term “cardiac syndrome X” as they see no definition consensus. The most commonly used definition has been the triad of angina, positive stress testing, and normal coronary arteries on angiography [3]. Certainly, cardiac syndrome X is not synonymous with microvascular dysfunction or even microvascular angina. However, for some providers, this terminology allowed them to provide a working diagnosis without any further testing. Deserting this terminology may thus leave patients referred to
Impact of national traumatic events on consumer purchasing

The purpose of this research is to evaluate differences in consumer perception before and after national traumatic events such as the terrorist attacks that took place on 11 September 2001. The authors found a significant difference in consumer ethnocentrism, patriotism, time management, attitude towards regulation of business and product quality following the terrorist attacks. These differences impact consumer purchase decision processes and become important to businesses that are targeting these consumers with their product offerings. In addition, marketing managers' understanding of change in consumer perceptions and attitude should impact how consumer products are marketed.
Mood and Contextual Commitment

Many recent analyses of mood selection in Romance and Balkan rely on the idea that subjunctive is triggered by a modal predicate whose meaning is comparative. We work out a precise version of this idea, which we call the Proto-Standard Theory, and show that it runs into problems with a variety of indicative-selecting predicates in French. We then develop and argue in favor of an alternative account based on individuals being Contextually Committed towards the modal parameters used to give the meaning of the predicate.
Improving the differential file technique via batch operations for tree structured file organizations

This paper presents a combined algorithm to perform batch insertion, deletion, and update for tree structured files. The efficiency of the algorithm is analyzed for performing updates only and insertions only. A cost analysis example is reviewed to demonstrate that batch operations for tree structured files achieve the advantages of a differential database representation and, at the same time, avoid the drawbacks previously attributed to the use of differential files.
Transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the quiescence factor and putative tumor suppressor p150Sal2

The evolutionarily conserved SALL genes encode transcription factors with roles in embryonic development. The product of the SALL2 gene was first identified as a binding partner of the mouse polyoma virus large T antigen and later shown to possess tumor suppressor-like functions. Independent studies identified SALL2 as a factor regulating the quiescent state in human fibroblasts. Here, we investigate factors that regulate the expression of SALL2 and turnover of p150Sal2 in growing vs. resting cells. The transcription factor AP4 increases along with SALL2 in quiescent cells and positively regulates SALL2 expression. TGFβ effectively inhibits expression of SALL2 and its regulator AP4 when added to quiescent fibroblasts. TGFβ repression of SALL2 and AP4 is independent of the induction of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) by TGFβ. p150Sal2 disappears rapidly on restoration of serum. In both growing fibroblasts and established ovarian surface epithelial cells, p150Sal2 undergoes polyubiquitination and proteosomal degradation. A CUL4/DDB1 E3 ligase containing RBBP7 as the p150Sal2 receptor has been identified as mediating the destruction of p150Sal2 as cells transition from a quiescent to an actively growing state.—Sung, C. K., Dahl, J., Yim, H., Rodig, S., Benjamin, T. L. Transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the quiescence factor and putative tumor suppressor p150Sal2.
Method Inlining, Dynamic Class Loading, and Type Soundness

Method inlining is an optimisation that can be invalidated by later class loading. A program analysis based on the current loaded classes might determine that a method call has a unique target, but later class loading could add targets. If a compiler speculatively inlines methods based on current information, then it will have to undo the inlining when later classes invalidate the assumptions. The problem with undoing inlining is that the optimised code might be executing at the time of undo and therefore require a complicated, on-the-fly update of the program state. Previous work presented techniques for dealing with invalidation including on-stack replacement, preexistence analysis, extant analysis, and code patching. Until now, it has been an open question whether such operations can be done in a type-safe manner, and no formal proof of correctness exists in the literature. In this paper we present a framework for reasoning about method inlining, dynamic class loading, and type soundness. Our example language has both a nonoptimising and an optimising semantics. At the point of dynamically loading a class, the optimising semantics does a whole-program analysis, inlines calls in the newly loaded code, and patches the invalidated inlinings in all previously loaded code. The patching is based on a new construct that models in-place update of machine code—a technique used by some virtual machines to do speculative method inlining. The two semantics are equivalent and both have a type soundness property—proving correctness and type safety of the optimisation. Our framework can form the basis of virtual machines that represent optimised code in a typed low-level language.
Impaired multiple object tracking in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Background Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) occurs in approximately 1:4,000 live births with a complex and variable presentation that includes medical, socioemotional and psychological symptoms with intellectual impairment. Cognitive impairments in spatiotemporal and visuospatial attention have also been reported. However, maintenance of selective attention to dynamic and interacting objects has not been systematically investigated in children with 22q11.2DS.
Measles Elimination in the United States

In 1962, immediately preceding the licensure of the first measles vaccines in the United States, when measles was a nearly universal disease, Alexander Langmuir described the medical importance of measles to the country and put forth the challenge of measles eradication [1]. Although most patients recovered without permanent sequelae, the high number of cases each year made measles a significant cause of serious morbidity and mortality. Langmuir showed that 190% of Americans were infected with the measles virus by age 15 years [1]. This equated to roughly 1 birth cohort (4 million people) infected with measles each year. Not all cases were reported to the public health system; from 1956 to 1960, an average of 542,000 cases were reported annually. By the late 1950s, even before the introduction of measles vaccine, measles-related deaths and case fatality rates in the United States had decreased markedly, presumably as a result of improvement in health care and nutrition. From 1956 to 1960, an average of 450 measles-related deaths were reported each year (∼1 death/ 1000 reported cases), compared with an average of 5300 measles-related deaths during 1912‐1916 (26 deaths/ 1000 reported cases) [2]. Nevertheless, in the late 1950s, serious complications due to measles remained frequent and costly. As a result of measles virus infections, an average of 150,000 patients had respiratory complications and 4000 patients had encephalitis each year; the latter was associated with a high risk of neurological sequelae and death. These complications and others resulted in an estimated 48,000 persons with measles being hospitalized every year [3].
Molecular Shot Noise, Burst Size Distribution, and Single-Molecule Detection in Fluid Flow: Effects of Multiple Occupancy

We present a new mathematical approach for calculating burst size distributions for the detection of fluorescent molecules introduced into a fluid flow at different rates. The burst size distributions reflect the passage of more than one molecule through the detection volume in close succession. The calculations are based upon a physical model appropriate for the fluorophore phycoerythrin under the conditions of no saturation of excitation, negligible triplet-state dynamics, and negligible detector dead time. The model includes photophysical properties of the fluorophore phycoerythrin (absorption cross section, fluorescence quantum yield, and photostability); diffusion; sample stream hydrodynamics; spatially dependent optical detection efficiency; and excitation laser beam characteristics. Good agreement is found between the mathematical model and experimental results with phycoerythrin.
Detritus, trophic dynamics and biodiversity

Traditional approaches to the study of food webs emphasize the transfer of local primary productivity in the form of living plant organic matter across trophic levels. However, dead organic matter, or detritus, a common feature of most ecosystems plays a frequently overlooked role as a dynamic heterogeneous resource and habitat for many species. We develop an integrative framework for understanding the impact of detritus that emphasizes the ontogeny and heterogeneity of detritus and the various ways that explicit inclusion of detrital dynamics alters generalizations about the structure and functioning of food webs. Through its influences on food web composition and dynamics, detritus often increases system stability and persistence, having substantial effects on trophic structure and biodiversity. Inclusion of detrital heterogeneity in models of food web dynamics is an essential new direction for ecological research.
Listening to the Victorian Telephone: Class, Periodicals, and the Social Construction of Technology

On July 11, 1877, the British periodical Fun, a Punch imitator, ran a humorous piece called “The Telephone and How to Apply It.” Responding to Alexander Graham Bell's receipt of the US Patent for t...
NMR Calculations for Paramagnetic Molecules and Metal Complexes

Abstract Molecules and metal complexes with paramagnetic ground states or low-energy paramagnetic electronic excited states may exhibit profound effects due to electron paramagnetism on NMR parameters such as nuclear magnetic shielding constants and indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling. This review discusses different approaches that can be used to calculate such effects from first principles, either with or without employing fictitious spin Hamiltonian parameters. Case studies are presented, along with an overview of selected recently published computational studies of NMR chemical shifts of paramagnetic systems.
Decreased perfusion pressure modulates renin and ANG II type 1 receptor gene expression in the rat kidney

To determine whether decreased perfusion pressure affects the abundance and distribution of renin and its mRNA and the expression of the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor gene within the kidney, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to aortic coarctation proximal to the renal arteries (Coarc, n = 8) and compared with sham-operated rats (Sham, n = 6). Renal renin distribution was determined by immunocytochemistry using a specific polyclonal antibody against rat renin. Renin mRNA was assessed by in situ hybridization to a 35S-labeled oligonucleotide complementary to rat renin mRNA. Kidney AT1 mRNA levels were determined by Northern analysis using a 1,133-base pair rat AT1 cDNA. Femoral arterial blood pressure, measured 24 h after surgery, was lower in Coarc than in Sham rats (75 +/- 5.4 vs. 122 +/- 2.3 mmHg, P < 0.05). Aortic coarctation increased the percent of juxtaglomerular apparatuses (%JGA) containing renin and its mRNA (85 +/- 2.5 and 66 +/- 2.8 vs. 49 +/- 5.3 and 36 +/- 1.7%, Coarc vs. Sham, P < 0.05) and the intensity of hybridization signals (497 +/- 89 vs. 71 +/- 12 grains/JGA, Coarc vs. Sham, P < 0.05). In addition, recruitment of renin gene expressing cells was observed along afferent arterioles in Coarc rats, whereas renin and its mRNA were limited to the JGAs in Sham rats. Renal AT1 receptor gene expression was threefold lower in Coarc than in Sham rats. We conclude that reduction of perfusion pressure after abdominal aortic coarctation acutely enhances renin gene expression and downregulates AT1 receptor gene expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The role of MatP, ZapA and ZapB in chromosomal organization and dynamics in Escherichia coli

Despite extensive research over several decades, a comprehensive view of how the Escherichia coli chromosome is organized within the nucleoid, and how two daughter chromosomes segregate has yet to emerge. Here we investigate the role of the MatP, ZapA and ZapB proteins in organizing the replication terminus (Ter) region and in the chromosomal segregation process. Quantitative image analysis of the fluorescently labeled Ter region shows that the replication terminus attaches to the divisome in a single segment along the perimeter of the cell in a MatP, ZapA and ZapB-dependent manner. The attachment does not significantly affect the bulk chromosome segregation in slow growth conditions. With or without the attachment, two chromosomal masses separate from each other at a speed comparable to the cell growth. The separation starts even before the replication terminus region positions itself at the center of the nucleoid. Modeling of the segregation based on conformational entropy correctly predicts the positioning of the replication terminus region within the nucleoid. However, the model produces a distinctly different chromosomal density distribution than the experiment, indicating that the conformational entropy plays a limited role in segregating the chromosomes in the late stages of replication.
Red Herring or the Death of the Exclusionary Rule

This article discusses Herring v. United States in which the Court held, 5-4, that evidence found after the defendant was arrested due to faulty information provided by a police from another county would not be excluded. The holding was narrow: "When police mistakes leading to an unlawful search are the result of isolated negligence attenuated from the search, rather than systemic error or reckless disregard of constitutional requirements, the exclusionary rule should not apply." However, the opinion contains much language suggesting that the Court is prepared to abandon the rule, which has been the foundation of criminal procedure since 1961. This article discusses just what Herring held, and what its implications may be.
On the Role of Marketing Theory

"Theory" in Popular Language Words mean different things to different people and there is little point in arguing definitions. But meaningful discussion is only possible if the connotation of a word is the same to all who employ it. This has not been the case in the use of the word "theory," which means one thing to the layman and something entirely different to the theorist. As a result, the public has a distorted view of the goals and methods of theoretical research. In common parlance "theoretical" is taken to be a contradictory either of "factual" or of "practical." "A theory" is the term often used to denote an allegation of fact for which no evidence has been presented. Unverified statements about the chemical composition of some compound, or about the behavior of some group of Australian aborigines, or about the nature of the so-called "canals" on Mars are all likely to be labeled theories. However, in
Influence of mother's milk on incidence of spontaneous aortic lesions in weanling rabbits.

Summary and conclusionNewborn rabbits were exchanged between does previously shown to be members of families that were either “resistant or anon-resistant” with respect to incidence of spontaneous; non-lipid, medial lesions. Lesions were found at 8 weeks of age only in the rabbits nursed by does of the non-resistant family. These data suggest that a factor is present in rabbit milk which either enhances the formation of the non-lipid, medial aortic lesion found in weanling rabbits of non-resistant strains or which, in resistant rabbits, protects against an ubiquitous lesion-inducing agent.
Hand Gesture and Mathematics Learning: Lessons From an Avatar

A beneficial effect of gesture on learning has been demonstrated in multiple domains, including mathematics, science, and foreign language vocabulary. However, because gesture is known to co-vary with other non-verbal behaviors, including eye gaze and prosody along with face, lip, and body movements, it is possible the beneficial effect of gesture is instead attributable to these other behaviors. We used a computer-generated animated pedagogical agent to control both verbal and non-verbal behavior. Children viewed lessons on mathematical equivalence in which an avatar either gestured or did not gesture, while eye gaze, head position, and lip movements remained identical across gesture conditions. Children who observed the gesturing avatar learned more, and they solved problems more quickly. Moreover, those children who learned were more likely to transfer and generalize their knowledge. These findings provide converging evidence that gesture facilitates math learning, and they reveal the potential for using technology to study non-verbal behavior in controlled experiments.
Using a Scanner-based Minirhizotron System to Characterize Sweetpotato Adventitious Root Development during the Initial Storage Root Bulking Stage

A scanner-based minirhizotron (MR) system detected initial adventitious root dvplonment associated with transplant establishment. The system also docu(AR) development associated with transplant establishment. The system also documented the transition of ARs into pencil roots (PRs) and, in some cases, storage roots (SRs). In general, the MR system underestimated destructive sampling-based (DS) estimates of newly initiated AR (NAR), PR, and SR counts. Angled or vertical single sampling tubes underestimated NAR count by 85% and 79%, respectively. Regardless of installation position, single tube-based measurements underestimated PR and SR count by 83% and 95%, respectively. However, it was found that two vertically installed tubes underestimated NAR count by only 48%. The potential ability of paired sampling tubes to discriminate NAR count differences in response to experimental treatments was confirmed in a simple rain shelter experiment. The paired MR and DS systems detected 83% and 56% reduction in NAR count among plots with rain shelters, respectively. However, it appeared that the presence of tubes interfered with SR formation of monitored AR segments. Despite this limitation, the results show the potential for incorporating MR systems in ongoing and future studies that aim to qualitatively and quantitatively document sweetpotato AR system response to agroclimatic variables and management interventions during the initial SR bulking stage.
Status of Cadmium Pollution in Foods in Daxing District of Beijing from 2008 to 2009

Objective To understand the status of cadmium pollution in Daxing district of Beijing and to provide the scientific basis for reducing polluted foods. Method The contents of cadmium in foods were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry based on the national standard method GB /T 5009. 15—2003. Results The positive rate for cadmium in 248 food samples monitored in 2008-2009 was 74. 2% ,and the rate of exceeding standard was 6. 45% . Conclusion Cadmium pollution was detected in all kinds of foodstuffs in Daxing District. Reinforcing surveillance and controlling food production to protect consumers’health should not be neglected.
Ferret, Rabbit, and Rodent Anesthesia

Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents are increasingly presented to veterinarians for evaluation and treatment. The owners of these animals expect a high level of medical and surgical care. Consequently, veterinarians are more often required to provide intensive anesthetic management of these animals. The variability of anesthetic agents used and patient responses are addressed in this article. The consequences of size for anesthetic management are discussed. Successful small mammal anesthesia requires following general anesthetic principles, awareness of limitations, and maintenance of high standards of care.
Multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic and high-performance liquid chromatographic characterization of silica, grafted with specifically deuterated 4-((propylamino)methyl)benzoic acid

Specifically deuterated 4-((propylamino)methyl)benzoic acid-grafted silica (PAMBA-silica) was prepared by benzylation of propylamino-grafted silica (PA-silica) by either in situ reduction by sodium cyanoborodeuteride (NaCNBD3) of the Schiff base, formed by the reaction between PA-silica and 4-formylbenzoic acid, or by NaCNBD3 reduction of the isolated Schiff base. The PAMBA-silicas, which contain amine and carboxylic acid functionalities, were characterized by elemental analysis, (13)C, (29)Si, and (2)H solid state NMR, and HPLC. Solid state (13)C NMR revealed that PAMBA-silica prepared by the in situ method consists of di-benzylated, mono-benzylated, and unreacted amino-groups while PAMBA-silica prepared by the two-step synthesis consists of only mono-benzylated and unreacted amino-groups. (29)Si solid-state NMR spectra indicated that no significant loss of propylamine groups had occurred during benzylation. Nearly ideal uniaxial rigid-limit (2)H NMR spectra of grafted 4-PAMBA ligands indicates that they form a rigid structure, which provides effective electrostatic screening of inner positive charges when the ligands are in zwitterionic form. HPLC columns packed with PAMBA-silica and PA-silica were evaluated for ionic solutes at different pH of the mobile phase. Retention times increased for cations and decreased for anions at increasing pH. These trends show that PAMBA-silicas act as cation and anion exchangers at high and low pH, respectively. The pKa values of grafted carboxylic acid, determined from HPLC of weakly retaining solutes, are close to pKa of the solution PAMBA.
Reform and Revenge

Looking back at the aims of Prussian reformers and patriots between 1807 and 1813, to whom he had belonged, the Prussian statesmen Baron vom Stein wrote: Our chief idea was to rouse a moral, religious, patriotic spirit in the nation, to inspire it anew with courage, self-confidence, a readiness to make any sacrifice for independence from foreigners and national honor, and to seize the first opportunity to begin the bloody and hazardous struggle for both. As he had before, Stein emphasized in his reminiscences written in 1823 that, after the devastating defeat in the 1806–07 war, all aims of Prussian policy were subordinated to one “universal objective” – military liberation from Napoleonic domination. All Prussian reform initiatives were dedicated to the “chief idea” of a “national rising” ( Erhebung ). In his view, this applied not just to policies for which he was responsible as Prussian Minister of State between October 1807 and November 1808; the governments under Baron vom Stein zum Altenstein and Burggrave zu Dohna-Schlobitten (1808–10) as well as Baron von Hardenberg (1810–22), who followed him in this leading position, set similar priorities. Some historians share this assessment, stressing that Prussia “had to rebuild a state which had been defeated and sliced in two, and which was still bleeding from its wounds,” and that, until 1813, the three governments differed only in their specific responses to this challenge.
Detecting and quantifying organic contaminants in sediments with nuclear magnetic resonance

ABSTRACTWe have conducted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of relaxation times T1 and T2 as well as the diffusion coefficient D to detect and quantify gasoline, diesel, crude oil, and trichloroethylene (TCE) in sediment samples containing water. The sediment samples were coarse sand, fine sand, and a sand-clay mixture. We found that water, gasoline, diesel, and crude oil all exhibited similar signal amplitudes per unit volume, whereas TCE exhibited one-tenth the signal. The ability to use T2 measurements to distinguish the contaminant signal from the water signal depended on the bulk-fluid properties as well as the sediment texture and grain size. In the T2 distributions for samples containing equal volumes of contaminant and water, the contaminant signal could be resolved for crude oil in sand and for gasoline and TCE in the sand-clay mixture. Adding the diffusion measurement, using either pulsed or static gradients, made it possible to distinguish diesel and crude oil in all of the s...
Contact Angle Analysis of Biomedical Polymers: From Air to Water to Electrolytes

The surface characterization of biomedical materials prior to the early 1960’s consisted primarily of relatively qualitative observations as to whether surfaces were hydrophobic or hydrophilic (1). Contact angle techniques were well-known and were widely applied in industry, and general correlations had evolved between blood interactions in glass as opposed to siliconized glass tubes. Vroman was just beginning his studies on protein interactions with surfaces (2). There was considerable interest during this time period on the interaction of cells in culture with solid substrates, and there was some attempt to correlate and quantitate that interaction through contact angle measurements (3).
Synesthetic Photisms and Hypnagogic Visions: a Comparison.

I have been a synesthete all my life and thought I understood my synesthetic perceptions rather well when, suddenly, in 2013, I began to see a new kind of internal image: hypnagogic visions. These visions, a normal state of consciousness, are known to occur somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. They appeared to me as another source of photisms, in addition to my usual synesthetic experiences. But when I described these new visions to some researchers there was a wide range of reactions, from concern, to acknowledgement of similar experiences. While hypnagogic visions are different in some ways from my synesthesia, which I previously described in my paper, Visions Shared: A Firsthand Look into Synesthesia and Art (Steen, 2001, Leonardo 34 , pp. 203–208), I find they share some commonalities. In this paper I will explore both the visual similarities and differences in my synesthetic photisms and hypnagogic visions, discuss when my hypnagogic images first appeared, and where I see them. I will compare the triggers or lack of them, range of colors, lines, shapes, geometric ornamentations, and movements I see, and mention seeing usually separate synesthetic photisms and hypnagogic visions occur in the same experience.
Optical Properties of Airborne Soil Organic Particles

The impact of water droplets on soils has recently been found to drive emissions of airborne soil organic particles (ASOP). The chemical composition of ASOP include macromolecules such as polysaccharides, tannins, and lignin (derived from degradation of plants and biological organisms), which determine light absorbing (brown carbon) particle properties. Optical properties of ASOP were inferred from the quantitative analysis of the electron energy-loss spectra acquired over individual particles using transmission electron microscopy. The optical constants of ASOP are compared with those measured for laboratory generated particles composed of Suwanee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA) reference material, which is used as a laboratory surrogate of ASOP. The chemical composition of the particles was analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy with near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. ASOP and SRFA...
Modeling and Stability Analysis of Active Differential-Mode EMI Filters for AC/DC Power Converters

In this paper, the active differential-mode (DM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter topology for ac/dc converters is first briefly investigated. The active DM EMI filter model was developed based on the models of filter components including a current transformer, a high-pass filter, an operational amplifier, and a class AB amplifier. The system model including the active filter, ac/dc converter, and line impedance stabilization networks (LISNs) are explored. With the developed system model, the loop gain and insertion gain of the active filter are derived. Based on the loop gain, the stability of the active filter is investigated and the compensation is applied to achieve stability and good EMI reduction. Both simulations and experiments are conducted to validate the developed technique.
The disinformation order: Disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions:

Many democratic nations are experiencing increased levels of false information circulating through social media and political websites that mimic journalism formats. In many cases, this disinformat...
Are injuries only skin deep? The quandary of the ‘Found Down’ patient:

IntroductionThe ‘found down’ patient presents a unique circumstance for the clinician in that the patients are often unable to provide history of the events preceding their presentation to the emer...
Masses of developmental and genetic origin affecting the paediatric craniofacial skeleton

Although rare, masses and mass-like lesions of developmental and genetic origin may affect the paediatric craniofacial skeleton. They represent a major challenge in clinical practice because they can lead to functional impairment, facial deformation and disfigurement. The most common lesions include fibrous dysplasia, dermoid cysts, vascular malformations and plexiform neurofibromas. Less common lesions include torus mandibularis and torus palatinus, cherubism, nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, meningoencephalocele and nasal sinus tract. This article provides a comprehensive approach for the evaluation of children with masses or mass-like lesions of developmental and genetic origin affecting the craniofacial skeleton. Typical findings are illustrated and the respective roles of computed tomography (CT), cone beam CT (CBCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences and ultrasonography (US) are discussed for the pre-therapeutic assessment, complex treatment planning and post-treatment surveillance. Key imaging findings and characteristic clinical manifestations are reviewed. Pitfalls of image interpretation are addressed and how to avoid them. • Masses of developmental and genetic origin may severely impair the craniofacial skeleton. • Although rare, these lesions have characteristic imaging features. • CT, MRI and ultrasonography play a key role in their work-up. • Recognition of pivotal imaging pearls and diagnostic pitfalls avoids interpretation errors.
Safe Schools? Transgender Youth’s School Experiences and Perceptions of School Climate

The magnitude of gender identity-related disparities in school-based outcomes is unknown because of a lack of representative studies that include measures of gender identity. By utilizing a representative sample generalizable to a broader population, this study elucidates the size of gender identity-related disparities, independent of sexual orientation, in school experiences associated with school connectedness and perceptions of school climate. Additionally, the inclusion of and comparison to results of a large non-representative sample allows for more direct comparisons to previous studies of the school experiences of transgender youth. The analyses in this study primarily draw on a sample of 31,896 youth representative of the middle and high school population in California who participated in the 2013-2015 California Student Survey (a subsample of the California Healthy Kids Survey, which includes the largest known sample of transgender youth). Over half the sample identified their sex as female (51.3%), and 398 identified as transgender (1.0%). The sample was racially and ethnically diverse: 30.7% identified as multiracial, 33.0% as White, 11.1% as Asian, 7.4% as Black, and 52.9% as Hispanic. Findings from multilevel analyses show that relative to non-transgender youth, transgender youth were more likely to be truant from school, to experience victimization and bias-based bullying, and to report more negative perceptions of school climate, though did not differ in self-reported grades. The findings have implications for improving school policies and practices to create safer and more supportive school climates for all youth.
NK CYTOTOXICITY IN INTERFERON TREATED MELANOMA PATIENTS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity in interferon-treated melanoma patients. The IFN study described in the chapter utilized sixteen patients with metastatic malignant melanoma who had metastases to subcutaneous tissues and/or lungs. The patients were treated with daily intramuscular doses of l × 106, 3 × 106, or 9 × 106 units of human leukocyte interferon (IFN) for 42 consecutive days. The IFN was provided by the American Cancer Society as a part of a multi-institutional trial. Peripheral blood lymphoid cells (PBL) were obtained daily for two days prior to treatment, daily for three days following initiation of treatment, and weekly thereafter. NK cytotoxicity was measured against the K562 myeloid leukemia cell line, and in some experiments, additional targets were included. Both the standard 51Cr-release assay and the single-cell binding and cytolysis assay were used for measurement of cytotoxicity. In the study, a rather consistent decline in NK activity was found 24 hours after the first dose of IFN. Subsequently, cytotoxic activity increased, with the most consistent and largest increase in activity after seven consecutive days of IFN treatment.
Cytochemical Techniques for the Subcellular Localization of Enzymes in Microorganisms

Methods to localize intracellular sites of enzymes with electron microscopy grew directly from light microscopic histochemistry. Techniques, such as Gomori’s (1952) for acid phosphatase activity, which had as end products heavy metal ions with sufficient mass to scatter electrons, were directly applicable for electron microscopy if noncoagulative fixatives were used. Introduction of catalytic osmiophilic polymer generation (Hanker et al., 1972a) made substrates previously valuable only for light microscopy useful for electron microscopy. In the most widely used strategies for electron microscopic localization of enzymes in microorganisms, enzymes are not viewed directly, but reactions with end products impart electron density to the sites of enzyme activity. There are numerous strategies for the cytochemical localization of enzymes, and this chapter will emphasize three of these: (1) ion capture and precipitation of products; (2) ferricyanide reduction and product amplification; and (3) oxidative polymerization of diaminobenzidine. Thus, this discussion is not exhaustive of all techniques used for microorganisms but is illustrative of rationales used in attempting to identify sites of enzyme activities.
Regulation of Cholesterol Metabolism in Normal and Malignantly Transformed Tissue in Vivo

Cholesterol is an essential structural component of eukaryotic cell membranes and serves as the immediate precursor for a number of essential vitamins, steroid hormones and bile salts. Tissues may acquire cholesterol through several pathways. First, all tissues can synthesize cholesterol from acetyl CoA through a tightly regulated pathway in which HMG CoA Reductase is the rate-limiting enzyme. Second, tissues may acquire cholesterol from the receptor dependent and receptor independent uptake of low density lipoproteins(LDL). Finally, the liver also takes up chylomicron cholesterol via the chylomicron remnant receptor pathway. With the development of newer techniques, it has become possible to quantitate the flux of cholesterol through each of these pathways in the various organs of the body in vivo. Such studies have now been carried out in several animal species under a variety of experimental conditions. More recently, these techniques have been used to quantitate rates of cholesterol acquisition through the various metabolic pathways during malignant transformation.
Enhanced Cas12a editing in mammalian cells and zebrafish

Type V CRISPR-Cas12a systems provide an alternate nuclease platform to Cas9, with potential advantages for specific genome editing applications. Here we describe improvements to the Cas12a system that facilitate efficient targeted mutagenesis in mammalian cells and zebrafish embryos. We show that engineered variants of Cas12a with two different nuclear localization sequences (NLS) on the C terminus provide increased editing efficiency in mammalian cells. Additionally, we find that pre-crRNAs comprising a full-length direct repeat (full-DR-crRNA) sequence with specific stem-loop G-C base substitutions exhibit increased editing efficiencies compared with the standard mature crRNA framework. Finally, we demonstrate in zebrafish embryos that the improved LbCas12a and FnoCas12a nucleases in combination with these modified crRNAs display high mutagenesis efficiencies and low toxicity when delivered as ribonucleoprotein complexes at high concentration. Together, these results define a set of enhanced Cas12a components with broad utility in vertebrate systems.