cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GLP-1-derived nonapeptide GLP-1(28-36)amide inhibits weight gain and attenuates diabetes and hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese mice.

Abstract Background The metabolic syndrome is an obesity-associated disease manifested as severe insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and diabetes. Previously we proposed that a nonapeptide, FIAWLVKGRamide, GLP-1(28–36)amide, derived from the gluco-incretin hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), might have insulin-like actions. Recently, we reported that the nonapeptide appears to enter hepatocytes, target to mitochondria, and suppress glucose production and reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the effects of GLP-1(28–36)amide were examined in diet-induced obese, insulin-resistant mice as a model for the development of human metabolic syndrome. Methods and results Three- to 11-week infusions of GLP-1(28–36)amide were administered via osmopumps to mice fed a very high fat diet (VHFD) and to control mice on a normal low fat diet (LFD). Body weight, DXA, energy intake, plasma insulin and glucose, and liver triglyceride levels were assessed. GLP-1(28–36)amide inhibited weight gain, accumulation of liver triglycerides, and improved insulin sensitivity by attenuating the development of fasting hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in mice fed VHFD. GLP-1(28–36)amide had no observable effects in control LFD mice. Surprisingly, the energy intake of peptide-infused obese mice is 25–70% greater than in obese mice receiving vehicle alone, yet did not gain excess weight. Conclusions GLP-1(28–36)amide exerts insulin-like actions selectively in conditions of obesity and insulin resistance. The peptide curtails weight gain in diet-induced obese mice in the face of an increase in energy intake suggesting increased energy expenditure. These findings suggest utility of GLP-1(28–36)amide, or a peptide mimetic derived there from, for the treatment of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.
Pseudo Jahn–Teller origin of bending instability of triatomic molecules

Abstract For several decades the bending of linear molecules in degenerate states has been assumed to be due to the Renner–Teller effect (RTE), whereas the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect (PJTE) has been completely ignored. But in a recent publication of ab initio calculations performed on a series of triatomics it was shown that the contribution of the PJTE to their bending instability is much larger than that of the RTE. This raised the question of whether the finding of the essential role of the PJTE in the instability is a particular case for the molecules studied or a general trend. The problem is important not only for rationalizing the experimental observations and ab initio calculations of such systems, but also for a correct interpretation of their spectra, as the PJTE, by admixing excited states of different symmetry (opposite parity) to the ground one, influences significantly their spectroscopic properties. To contribute to the solution of this problem we performed ab initio calculations of electronic structure and energy profiles of a group of triatomic systems including CH 2 + , H 2 O + , SiH 2 + , PH 2 , and HNF which have a Π twofold degenerate state in the linear configuration, but are bent in the equilibrium geometry. For them we formulated the combined RTE and PJTE problem and, by calculating ab initio the Renner–Teller vibronic coupling constant g and estimating the other parameters by fitting the PJTE equations to the ab initio calculated energy profiles, we show that in all the cases under consideration the PJTE contribution is significantly larger than that of the RTE. The parameters of the equilibrium geometry and electronic structure of these systems obtained in our calculations are in good agreement with those reported in other publications.
Microbes in antarctic waters of the Drake Passage: Vertical patterns of substrate uptake, productivity and biomass in January 1980

Microbial distribution, substrate uptake, productivity and biomass were investigated in the water column of the Drake Pasage, Antarctica. Organic substrate uptake and productivity were determined by the utilization of [14C] and [3H] glucose and by the incorporation of [3H] adenine and [3H] thymidine into RNA and DNA. Microbial biomass was estimated by ATP concentrations and bacterial abundance by epifluorescence direct counts. Estimates of glucose uptake and productivity indicate that microbes were most active in surface waters and least active below 100 m. Although glucose uptake was generally less than 10 ng/l·h, microbes maintained a low available glucose pool. Glucose concentrations varied from undetectable to 7.5 μg/l with a turnover time of 5–20 days in the euphotic zone and greater than 365 days in Circumpolar Deep Waters. Microbes respired 12 to 32% of the assimilated [14C] glucose. Microbes responsible for the uptake of dissolved organic cabon in the euphotic zone were in the 3 μm, most likely on particles. Microbial ATP-biomass decreased rapidly with increasing water depth and most (∼60–70%) of the ATP-biomass was due to microbes >3 μm. Although bacterial numbers were high (>108 cells/l) at several stations, there were generally between 107 and 108 cells/l with increasing water depth. Bacterial biomass was estimated at <3% of the microbial biomass (7.3 gC/m2) in the euphotic zone. Conservative estimates of secondary productivity by microbes were between 0.5 and 3.0 mg C/m2·d (0.2–54 ng C/l·d).
Task for the Study of Perceptual Learning and Performance Variables

In order to carry out the experimental program, suggested in outline form in the first article of a series, dealing with the effects of experience on perceptual behavior (I), it was necessary to discover or develop a number of tasks sensitive to the major learning and performance variables and easily adaptable to experimental needs. In working with individual Ss in this laboratory, the cards from the Rorschach Test have been found useful (2). When groups of Ss are to be tested, inverted alphabet printing, suggested by Kimble (7), can be used, although the motor component is appreciable and the material is familiar. A task, developed by DuBois and Bunch (4), can be used when one wishes to work with classes or other groups. This task requires S to indicate which two of four half-shaded squares are identical. The authors recommend use of 30 such large squares per page of work, and as many pages as one wishes. It was felt that another paper-and-pencil test was needed as a companion to the DuBois-Bunch task in order to be able to generalize results. This new task should be novel, require relatively little in the way of motor work, provide a permanent record, be sensitive to important variables, and lend itself readily to experimental manipulation. After some search and study of possibilities, it was decided to adapt tests which had been developed by Tsai and Partington, which tests are similar to puzzles often appearing in children's activity books and comics. In both of these tests, a series of numbers or letters is scattered randomly over a page. S's task is to trace a line as rapidly as possible through the numbers or letters in their proper sequence, beginning with "1" or "a." T sal '1 had found that the time required to complete his form of the test was significantly related to pilot washout rate in the Chinese Air Force, and also, to scores on the United States army drop board test for truck drivers (6). Partington (8, 9) recommended both the letter and number forms of his test for detecting brain injury and multiple sclerosis. Cozan (3) found Partington's test useful in industrial mental ability testing. The Tsai-Partington Numbers Test, as the present modification is called, is a booklet of several pages. The first page gives the instructions to S and a
Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 4‐aza‐5α‐sitostane and the 4‐methyl derivative

Synthesis of 4-aza-5α-sitostane (IX), and 4-methyl-4-aza-5α-sitostane (XII) were accomplished through a set of reactions involving oxidative opening of ring A of α,β-unsaturated ketone, ring closure, followed by catalytic hydrogenation and lithium aluminum hydride reduction, respectively. The antimicrobial activity for X and XII is reported.
Reactions of bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) phosphate with hydroxylamine.

For dephosphorylation of bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) phosphate (BDNPP) by hydroxylamine in water, pH region 4−12, the observed first-order rate constant, kobs, initially increases as a function of pH, but is pH-independent between pH 7.2 and pH 10. The initial BDNPP cleavage by nonionic NH2OH (<0.2 M) involves attack by the OH group and follows first-order kinetics, but the overall initial reaction of BDNPP liberates ca. 1.7 mol of 2,4-dinitrophenoxide ion (DNP). This initial reaction generates a short-lived O-phosphorylated hydroxylamine, 2, followed by three possible reactions: (1) reaction of 2 with hydroxylamine, generating 2,4-dinitrophenyl phosphate (DNPP, 3), which subsequently forms DNP; (2) intramolecular displacement of the second DNP group and rapid decomposition of the cyclic intermediate to form phosphonohydroxylamine and eventually inorganic phosphate; (3) a novel rearrangement with intramolecular aromatic nucleophilic substitution involving a cyclic intermediate and migration of the 2,4-dinitro...
Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry on Silicon Nanowell Arrays

This paper describes a new technique for fabrication of nanostructured porous silicon (pSi) for laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Porous silicon nanowell arrays were prepared by argon plasma etching through an alumina mask. Porous silicon prepared in this way proved to be an excellent substrate for desorption/ionization on silicon (DIOS) mass spectrometry (MS) using adenosine, Pro−Leu−Gly tripeptide, and [Des−Arg9]-bradykinin as the model compounds. It also allows the analyses of complex biological samples such as a tryptic digest of bovine serum albumin and a carnitine standard mixture. Nanowell array surfaces were also used for direct quantification of the illicit drug fentanyl in red blood cell extracts. This method also allows full control of the surface features. MS results suggested that the pore depth has a significant effect on the ion signals. Significant improvement in the ionization was observed by increasing the pore depth from 10 to 50 nm. These substrates are useful for laser de...
An investigation of tidal and nontidal current patterns in Western Hawk Channel, Florida Keys

Abstract Current and wind data collected during the summer of 1992 and the fall and winter of 1993–1994 are used to characterize near-bottom flow patterns at a study site in Hawk Channel southwest of Key West. Currents are dominated by along-channel motions with low-frequency reversals occurring over time scales of 2–3 weeks. A seaward deflection of along-channel flow is apparent in both records. Harmonic analysis indicates that tidal co-oscillations contribute 6–10% and 48–70% of the total variance of the along-channel and across-channel currents, respectively. Spectral analysis indicates a close coupling between along-channel wind stress and along-channel currents at periodicities of 2–3 days. A comparison of across-channel winds and across-channel currents suggests an inverse relationship indicating an upwind return flow of near-bottom currents.
Extracellular matrix as an inductive template for temporomandibular joint meniscus reconstruction: a pilot study.

Purpose A device consisting of powdered porcine urinary bladder extracellular matrix (UBM-ECM) encapsulated within sheets of the same material was investigated as a scaffold for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) meniscus reconstruction. Materials and Methods Five dogs underwent unilateral resection of the native meniscus and replacement with a UBM-ECM device. Necropsies were performed at 3, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. Two additional dogs underwent bilateral resection of the meniscus with replacement with a UBM-ECM device on 1 side, leaving the contralateral side empty as a control. Necropsies were performed at 24 weeks for bilaterally treated animals. Results Macroscopically, the UBM-ECM implants were remodeled rapidly and were indistinguishable from newly deposited host tissue at all time points. Microscopically, remodeling was characterized by a dense infiltration of predominantly CD68 + mononuclear cells and smooth muscle actin–positive fibroblast-like cells at early time points changing with time to a sparse population of smooth muscle actin–negative spindle-shaped cells resembling those of the native fibrocartilaginous TMJ meniscus. Furthermore, the remodeling process showed deposition of predominantly type I collagen, the density and organization of which resembled those of the native meniscus by the 24-week time point. Ingrowth of calsequestrin-positive skeletal muscle tissue was also observed at the periphery of the remodeled UBM-ECM device and was similar to that found at the attachment site of the native meniscus to the surrounding soft tissues. Histologic results were identical for samples excised from both unilaterally and bilaterally treated animals. No adverse changes in the articulating surfaces of the condyle or fossa were observed in UBM-ECM–implanted joints. In the bilaterally treated animals, the unimplanted control side was characterized by degeneration and pitting of the articulating surfaces of both the condyle and the fossa, with disorganized bands of fibrous connective tissue observed within the joint space. Conclusion Results of this study suggest that the UBM-ECM device provides an effective interpositional material while serving as an inductive template for reconstruction of the TMJ meniscus.
The determination of cuprous ion in copper proteins

Abstract The reagent 2,2′-biquinoline in glacial acetic acid has been used by a number of workers to measure cuprous-ion concentration in copper proteins. It is shown that the use of this reagent with Limulus hemocyanin gives incorrect results because of the presence of sulfhydryl groups in the protein which are capable of reducing cupric ion. The addition of three moles of p-mercuribenzoate per mole of copper is just sufficient to prevent this reduction. It is also possible to avoid reduction of cupric ion by modification of the biquinoline reagent with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The modified method is generally applicable to the measurement of protein-bound cuprous ion in the presence of reducing groups or molecules.
Abnormal findings on multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging predict subsequent biopsy upgrade in patients with low risk prostate cancer managed with active surveillance

Purpose To determine the ability of multiparametric MR imaging to predict disease progression in patients with prostate cancer managed by active surveillance.
Larval spicules, cilia, and symmetry as remnants of indirect development in the direct developing sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma

Nonfeeding larvae of the echinoid Heliocidaris erythrogramma were raised in culture and examined for expression of a larval skeleton and for the arrangement of the ciliated band. Opaque larvae were fixed, cleared, and examined under polarized light for evidence of calcification. By 35 hr after fertilization (at 22 degrees C), a pair of triradiate spicules was present at the posterior end of the larvae. Each member of this pair formed a fenestrated spicule as it grew laterally. This pair and another pair which formed subsequently, were arranged across a plane of bilateral symmetry orthagonal to the juvenile oral aboral axis. These paired larval spicules can be identified as reduced expressions of postoral and posterodorsal rods found in plutei, and their expression indicates that the juvenile rudiment of H. erythrogramma forms on the left side and that larval body axes are conserved in this modified larva. By 44 hr the ciliated band formed as an incomplete transverse loop of three segments at the posterior end and on the dorsal surface of the ovoid larva. Cilia in these segments grew to lengths of 45-50 microns, longer than other swimming and feeding cilia reported for echinoderm larvae. Band segments are interpreted as expressions of epaulettes (specialized swimming bands) rather than the feeding ciliated band of the pluteus. The ciliated band segments and the larval spicules are both bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the same plane and indicate conserved larval bilateral symmetry despite the major asymmetry of the fates of cells on either side of this plane in their contribution to juvenile development.
A Valveless Counterpulsation Left Ventricular Assist Pump in the Descending Aorta: Hemodynamic Benefit with a Reduced Risk of Cerebral Emboli

Abstract Because of valve malfunction and cerebral embolism reported with use of the total artificial heart, the descending aorta was reexamined as a site for a valveless counterpulsation left ventricular assist pump. The pump was introduced into the thoracic aorta at the level of the eighth thoracic vertebra in 11 canine right-heart bypass preparations. Heart rate (110 beats per minute), stroke volume (20 ml), and mean arterial pressure (80 or 100 mm Hg) were precisely controlled. The pump ejection volume was adjusted to equal 1 time or 2 times the stroke volume of the dog. A 20-ml ejection led to an 11% reduction in left atrial pressure, an 11% reduction in peak left ventricular pressure, and a 20% reduction in tension time index (all, p p p p To assess the relative risk of cerebral embolism, albumin spheres (40 to 60 μg) labeled with technetium-99 were injected into the pump chamber in 5 dogs (40-ml ejection, 2.1 ± 0.1 times the dog's stroke volume). Simultaneous sampling from the descending aorta and brachiocephalic artery revealed that 90 ± 4% of the total counts were from the descending aorta and 10 ± 4% were from the brachiocephalic artery. Exposure of the cerebral circulation to blood that had passed through the pump was approximately one-tenth that of the lower body. This valveless counterpulsation left ventricular assist pump, positioned in the descending aorta, significantly improved cardiac function with a greatly reduced risk of cerebral embolism.
Transplantation of CD15-Enriched Murine Neural Stem Cells Increases Total Engraftment and Shifts Differentiation Toward the Oligodendrocyte Lineage

Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation is a promising therapeutic approach for neurological diseases. However, only a limited number of cells can be transplanted into the brain, resulting in relatively low levels of engraftment. This study investigated the potential of using a cell surface marker to enrich a primary NSC population to increase stable engraftment in the recipient brain. NSCs were enriched from the neonatal mouse forebrain using anti-CD15 (Lewis X antigen, or SSEA-1) in a “gentle” fluorescence-activated cell sorting protocol, which yielded >98% CD15-positive cells. The CD15-positive cells differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes in vitro, after withdrawal of growth factors, demonstrating multipotentiality. CD15-positive cells were expanded in vitro and injected bilaterally into the ventricles of neonatal mice. Cells from enriched and unenriched donor populations were found throughout the neuraxis, in both neurogenic and non-neurogenic regions. Total engraftment was similar at 7 days postinjection, but by 28 days postinjection, after brain organogenesis was complete, the survival of donor cells was significantly increased in CD15-enriched grafts over the unenriched cell grafts. The engrafted cells were heterogeneous in morphology and differentiated into all three neural lineages. Furthermore, in the CD15-enriched grafts, there was a significant shift toward differentiation into oligodendrocytes. This strategy may allow better delivery of therapeutic cells to the developing central nervous system and may be particularly useful for treating diseases involving white matter lesions.
Suppression of SCARA5 by Snail1 is essential for EMT-associated cell migration of A549 cells

Accumulating evidence indicates that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) might be a key event for cancer progression. The upregulation of Snail1, one of the most extensively studied EMT regulators, has been implicated in cancer metastasis, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to identify that Snail1 targets regulating EMT-associated cancer cell migration. Human lung carcinoma A549 cells were treated with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), and EMT-associated phenotypic and functional alterations were monitored. TGF-β1 induced typical EMT-like morphological changes, ‘cadherin switching’ and cell migration in A549 cells. TGF-β1 stimulation induced rapid and persistent upregulation of Snail1. Moreover, Snail1 upregulation was required for EMT-associated cell migration. Several metastasis suppressors with putative Snail1-binding sites in their promoters were dramatically repressed in A549 cells during TGF-β1-induced EMT. Gain- and loss-of Snail1 function experiments demonstrated that scavenger receptor class A member 5 (SCARA5) was negatively regulated by Snail1. Importantly, SCARA5 downregulation was essential for EMT-induced migration in A549 cells. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that Snail1 could bind to the E-box elements in SCARA5 promoter, implying that SCARA5 is a direct Snail1 target modulating cancer cell mobility during EMT. In addition, we showed that DNA methyltransferase 1 was physically associated with Snail1 to silence SCARA5 expression with an unidentified DNA methylation-independent mechanism, suggesting the complexity of Snail1-mediated epigenetic regulation. Collectively, our data demonstrated that EMT-regulator Snail1 suppresses the expression of SCARA5 to promote cancer progression, highlighting the possibility to target Snail1 and SCARA5 for cancer treatment.
Extension Of The Modulation Transfer Function Concept To Solid State Imagers Optically Coupled To Fiber-Optic Faceplates

ABSTRACT This paper describes an extension of the MTF concept to solid state imagers optically coupled to fiber-optic faceplates.An analysis of the image formation is presented and the limita­ tions of the conventional MTF concept are discussed.An MTF simulation is performed for a fiber-optic faceplate with a Sum fiber diameter, a line-scan CCD image sensor with a 13pm pixel pitch and the same sensor optically coupled to the faceplate.The MTFs of the sensor with and without the faceplate, measured using a knife-edge technique, are compared to the simulated MTFs and found to be in good agreement provided that imperfect Extra Mural Absorption (EMA) is included in the analysis. I. INTRODUCTION The MTF is a well established figure of merit of the overall image quality of many optical imaging systems. Strictly speaking, the MTF cannot be defined for fiber-optic faceplates or CCD image sensors since these sampled systems are not isoplanatic [1]. However, their Point Spread Function (and its Fourier Transform) remains of great use in assessing their image quality performance parameters.
Psychological Processes and Neural Mechanisms for Action: The Legacy of Steven W. Keele

The recent untimely illness and death of Steven W. Keele is a great loss for psychology in general and for the field of motor control in particular. Steve Keele was a pioneer in the study of the psychological processes and neural mechanisms underlying attention and motor control. Steve was a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Motor Behavior from 1969 to 1974 and served on the Editorial Board from 1974 to 1977, and again from 1980 until his retirement in 1997. Steve served as head of the University of Oregon Psychology Department from 1992-1995, and, although he retired in 1997, he continued to perform important research until he became ill in early 2005.
Self-managing energy-efficient multicast support in MANETs under end-to-end reliability constraints

Dynamic networks, e.g. Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs), call for self-healing routing protocols to tolerate topological changes imposed by node mobility. Moreover, emerging time-critical MANET applications such as disaster response and rescue, and battlefield operations, require support for real-time, reliable data streaming, while maintaining energy efficiency. However, most of the energy-efficient routing protocols rely on configuration parameters which need to be estimated and specified before the deployment phase. This paper proposes a self-managing, energy-efficient multicast routing suite based on the self-stabilization paradigm. This suite uses (i) WECM, a Waste Energy Cost Metric designed for energy-efficient route selection, (ii) SS-SPST-E, a Self-Stabilizing, Shortest-Path Spanning Tree protocol for Energy efficiency based on WECM to maintain an energy-efficient, self-healing routing structure, (iii) SS-SPST-Efc, an enhanced SS-SPST-E with fault containment to decrease stabilization latency, (iv) AMO, an Analytical Model for Optimization framework to reduce the energy overhead of the route maintenance mechanism, and (v) self-configuration mechanisms that observe, estimate and disseminate the optimization parameters. The WECM's innovation is that it considers the overhearing energy wasted. The AMO framework considers the link state change rate, application data traffic intensity, application packet delivery requirements, and the stabilization latency. Numerical evaluations show that SS-SPST-E slightly increases the energy consumption when compared with non-adaptive energy-efficient protocols such as EWMA because of its mechanism to handle mobility. Simulation results show that SS-SPST-Efc achieves the maximum balance between the energy-reliability trade-off while conforming to the end-to-end packet delivery requirement with an accuracy between 80% and 100%. The energy-reliability balance, measured in terms of the packet delivery ratio (PDR) per millijoules of energy expended, is at least 24% and 27% higher in SS-SPST-E and SS-SPST-Efc, respectively, when compared to the MAODV and ODMRP protocols.
Turn geometry for minimizing band broadening in microfabricated capillary electrophoresis channels

Turns in microfabricated capillary electrophoresis channels generally result in degraded separation quality. To circumvent this limitation, channels were constructed with different types of turns to determine the design that minimizes turn-induced band broadening. In particular, tapered turns were created by narrowing the separation channel width before the start of a turn and widening the channel after the turn is complete. The radius of curvature of the turn, the length over which the channel is tapered, and the degree of tapering were explored. The column efficiencies were determined by examining the resolution of the 271/281 base pair doublet in the separation of a φX174 HaeIII DNA sizing ladder. Tapered turns with the smallest radius of curvature (250 μm), the shortest tapering length between the separation and turn widths (55 μm), and the largest tapering ratio (4:1 separation channel width to turn channel width) produced the highest resolution separations. These results are discussed by comparison ...
Tool use by the forest ant Aphaenogaster rudis : Ecology and task allocation

Debris dropping behavior by ants during foraging has been labeled alternately as tool use or a protective behavior. To address this controversy, we investigated the circumstances under which the common forest ant Aphaenogaster rudis drops and retrieves debris in the forests of Vermont, in the U.S.A. We tested the hypotheses, first, that debris dropping functions to protect workers from entanglement or drowning in liquids, and second, that debris dropping functions as part of foraging tool use. To determine how workers are allocated to the debris dropping and retrieval tasks, we studied individually marked foragers in the field and laboratory. Our results provide evidence that the debris dropping behavior of Aphaenogaster rudis deserves to be labeled as foraging tool use; A. rudis ants do not drop debris in non-food substances that present a hazard of entanglement or drowning to workers. We also found that potential tools represent a small, but non-negligible, percentage of the items that A. rudis foragers bring back to their colonies. Furthermore, debris dropping by A. rudis at baits discouraged colonization by other ant species. Finally, we provide the first evidence that tool use is a specialized task performed by a subset of A. rudis foragers within each colony at any given point in time. The execution of this task by a small proportion of workers may enhance the competitive ability of this ecologically dominant forest ant.
Quasi-static behavior of polymer composite flywheel rims

In this work, the correspondence principle is used to relate quasi-static elastic properties of composite materials to time-dependent properties of its constituent materials (i.e., fiber and matrix). Application of Prony series combined with the multi-data fitting method is used to enhance the efficiency of the direct inverse Laplace transform and the calculation of the time-dependent stiffness matrix. Results show that elastic properties in directions other than fiber-reinforcement directions have a time-dependent character. Accelerated time-dependent deformation studies of two flywheel rim designs for a period equivalent to 31 years show that multi-direction reinforcement will suffer minimum change of dimension over time compared with hoop reinforcement only. Polym. Compos. 25:527–534, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Corneal flap displacement and drift in LASIK: comparison of Hansatome and Automated Corneal Shaper microkeratomes.

PURPOSE: To describe and compare the displacement of corneal flaps created during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) procedures performed with two different microkeratomes and analyze parameters (for example, pupil-to-hinge distance, drift during suction) that might affect the flap displacement or be influenced by flap displacement. DESIGN: This work was based on a cross-sectional study design. METHODS: Images copied from video recordings of 206 consecutive LASIK surgeries were analyzed to determine the distance from pupil center to corneal flap hinge (pupil-to-hinge distance), the hinge size, the distance from the center of the pupil to the margins of the flap, and the positions of the suction ring before and after vacuum in corneal flaps created by the Hansatome and the Automated Corneal Shaper (ACS) microkeratomes. Accurate measurements of all these variables could be obtained in 121 eyes (Hansatome: n = 66, right eye (OD) = 27 eyes, left eye (OS) = 39 eyes; ACS: n = 55, OD = 25 eyes, OS = 30 eyes), which were included in the analysis. Formulas were derived to calculate from the measurements the magnitude and direction of the drift of the suction ring during vacuum and the final displacement of the corneal flap. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) drift of eyes during suction with the Hansatome was 0.27 ± 0.02 mm and with the ACS was 0.12 ± 0.02 mm (P < .001). The Hansatome induced, on average, more biased (temporal vs random) drift than did the ACS. The mean final displacement of the center of the flap from the center of the pupil was of equal magnitude for the two instruments (0.37 ± 0.02 mm and 0.36 ± 0.02 mm with the Hansatome and ACS, respectively). CONCLUSION: The drift induced by the Hansatome contributes to the horizontal component of the final decentration of the corneal flaps. This tendency for drift and the resultant decrease in pupil-to-hinge distance should be considered to minimize flap displacements during LASIK.
Critical damping conditions for third order muscle models: implications for force control.

One's ability to exert controlled forces on the environment, such as when manipulating fragile objects, is very important in everyday life. This suggests that force regulation is a necessary component of motor control. In robotics, an effective way to implement force control is by imposing a low contact impedance with critical damping, and using admittance control to regulate force output [1,2]. Human limbs can be modeled as second order mechanical systems, under the assumption that tendons are much stiffer than muscle fibers. The mechanical properties of muscle fibers alone render the implementation of the aforementioned direct force control strategy as not efficient. Several studies have demonstrated that the exertion of force onto the environment results in an increase in muscle stiffness [3–5] and a reduction of muscle damping to under critical values [6,7]. Modeling tendons and contractile elements independently requires higher than second order muscle-tendon models [8]. The presence of a tendon elastic element favors an oscillatory response to external disturbances that normally needs to be eliminated [9]. We demonstrated that a higher order model always exhibits an oscillatory free response and cannot be critically dampened for mechanical parameters included within the normal physiological range. This requires the force controller implemented by the central nervous system (CNS) to employ active feedback and feed-forward regulation. We propose that oscillations, whether part of an external disturbance or of the system's response, can be actively compensated for by the CNS with a position control approach, as long as a predictive model of the perturbation, and an internal model of the system's biomechanics are available. This model of control is in agreement with findings previously published by our group that showed how the implementation of an internal feed-forward model trajectory can be part of a force-regulation strategy [10].
Inhibition of interleukin 1 synthesis by tenidap: a new drug for arthritis.

Abstract Tenidap is a new antiarthritic drug of novel chemical structure. This study shows the effects of tenidap on the in vitro synthesis of interleukin 1 (IL-1). IL-1 production by murine peritoneal macrophages was induced either by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or by phagocytosis of zymosan. With either stimulus, tenidap inhibited IL-1 production as measured by a quantitative competitive IL-1 receptor binding assay. Approximately 20 ng/mL of IL-1 was produced by 10 6 macrophages in response to LPS and about half that amount was produced in response to zymosan. Fifty percent inhibition of IL-1 production by tenidap was found of 3 μM for both stimuli. Using goat anti-1L-1α and Western blot analysis, the appearance of intracellular 34 kDA pro-IL-1α was inhibited by tenidap down to 3 μM. Tenidap decreased [ 35 S]Met incorporation into cellular protein at 30 μM but not at 10 or 3 μM, indicating selectivity for IL-1 inhibition relative to total protein synthesis. Because tenidap inhibited IL-1 induction by both zymosan and LPS, it must act subsequently to receptor triggering. As the appearance of IL-1 was inhibited both intracellularly and extracellularly, the primary drug effect cannot be on secretion.
Vapor‐liquid equilibrium for salt containing systems: Correlation of binary solvent data and prediction of behavior in multicomponent solvents

When salts or electrolytes are encountered in the design of separation equipment, the effects of these electrolytes on the vapor-liquid equilibrium behavior of nonelectrolytes are often neglected. This is the case because there has not been a method for the correlation of data for salt containing systems which can be used for varying salt and solvent compositions. Boone, Rousseau, and Schoenborn (1976) proposed a method for correlating data from binary solvent-salt systems which are not restricted in this manner. This work proposes an extension that correlates phase equilibrium behavior using the Prausnitz UNIQUAC equation, which can be used for systems having regions of immiscibility. In addition, the model used for binary solvent systems is extended to multisolvent salt systems, and it is shown that vapor-liquid equilibrium data for these systems can be predicted from data on binary solvent-salt systems.
Evolution of X-ray calorimeter spectrometers at the Lawrence Livermore Electron Beam Ion Trap

High-resolution broadband, non-dispersive x-ray calorimeter spectrometers have been under development for spaceflight since 1984. As an offshoot of the significant NASA investment in this technology, we have developed a series of calorimeter instruments for laboratory use and installed them at the Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The calorimeter instruments at EBIT have significantly enhanced the capabilities of our laboratory astrophysics program including broad-band measurements of emission from charge exchange recombination and absolute cross sections for collisional excitation. The first Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) calorimeter instrument was installed at the EBIT facility in July of 2000 and has seen two major upgrades. The performance of the instrument has significantly improved from the initial instrument that had a resolving power of ~500 at 6 keV, and essentially no quantum efficiency at energies above 20 keV, to the current instrument that has a resolving power of 1350 and 95% quantum efficiency at 6 keV, and a resolving power of 1800 and 32% quantum efficiency at 60 keV.
Planar Poincare chart - A planar graphic representation of the state of light polarization

The planar Poincare chart, which represents the complete planar equivalence of the Poincare sphere, is proposed. The four sets of basic lines are drawn on two separate charts for the generalization and convenience of reading the scale. The chart indicates the rotation of the principal axes of linear birefringent material. The relationships between parameters of the two charts are given as 2xi-2phi (orientation angle of the major axis-ellipticity angle) pair and 2alpha-delta (angle of amplitude ratio-phase difference angle) pair. The results are useful for designing and analyzing polarization properties of optical components with birefringent properties.
Slip in entangled polymer solutions

Slip in entangled polymer solutions was studied using a plane−Couette shear flow cell. On a bare silica surface, a log−log plot of slip velocity vs shear stress displayed several power law regimes....
Influence of legacy-tree retention on group-selection opening persistence

Abstract Single-tree selection, a common uneven-aged silvicultural technique, has been known to simplify stand structure and reduce species richness over time. Alternative techniques, such as group selection and biological legacy-tree retention, have the potential to achieve more ecologically based management objectives such as enhancing species diversity and stand structural complexity. Forty-nine harvest gaps ranging in area from 200 to 1500 m 2 and 20 reference sites were evaluated in 2004 and 2011. Group-selection openings were assessed to determine whether the range of gap sizes considered would persist long enough for regenerating mid-tolerant tree species to successfully recruit into the overstory. We estimated gap closure rates based on observed rates of lateral crown expansion into the openings by border trees and legacy trees. Canopy gaps were projected to remain open for 41–91 years depending on legacy-tree retention and initial opening size. Centrally located legacy trees reduced opening longevity most substantially in small openings, but only minimally impacted medium and large gaps. Openings larger than 500 m 2 were projected to persist long enough for mid-tolerant tree species to successfully recruit into the overstory. Legacy trees responded vigorously to full-crown release (exhibiting nearly a 3-fold increase in diameter increment versus reference trees) and experienced a relatively low mortality rate of 1.17% year −1 .
Maintenance of female mimicry as a reproductive strategy in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

In species where male reproductive success is dependent on male competition and aggression, alternative reproductive patterns, thought to represent a reduction in male reproductive effort, sometimes occur. Female mimicry in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) is an example of an obligate alternative male strategy. Female mimics are small, sexually mature males which mimic the details of female behavior, and gain access to functional females attracted to the nests of large, aggressive territorial males. The costs of female mimicry relative to nesting male behavior are discussed and two hypotheses, deception and mutual gain, are presented to explain the tolerance and ‘courtship’ of female mimics by nesting males.
A Color Image Analysis Method for Assessment of Germination Based on Differential Fluorescence Staining of Bacterial Spores and Vegetative Cells Using Acridine Orange

Color fluorescence image analysis of acridine orange (AO) stained germinating Bacillus subtilis var. niger bacteria revealed a cell population initially dominated by small green spores followed by the emergence of at least three additional discernible subpopulations in response to stimulation with D-glucose. These subpopulations were small, round or oblong red cells; intermediate to large metachromatic cells; and large red rods. Large green rods were rarely observed. An increase in red emissions (i.e., putative RNA synthesis) was sometimes seen as early as 90 min after exposure to D-glucose and uptake of AO at room temperature. This may represent either metabolic recovery from quiescence or RNA synthesis associated with germination. In the absence of D-glucose, or using autoclaved bacteria in the presence of glucose, no relative increase in the red signal was observed despite hours of observation. Digital image analysis was used for relative measurement of red, green and blue signals and to correlate the ...
Isolation and characterization of a fibrogenic factor from CCl4-damaged rat liver

Abstract A fibrogenic factor which stimulates collagen production without cell proliferation of rat skin fibroblast cultures was isolated from CCl 4 -damaged rat liver. (1) The factor was isolated from saline extracts of CCl 4 -induced fibrotic rat liver and fractionated by Sephadex G-50S gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The original extract produced a 6-fold increase in collagen synthesis and the active factor eluted from gel filtration columns in a region corresponding to 5000 daltons. (2) The active factor was destroyed by heat (57°C, 30 min), phospholipase C digestion, but was insensitive to proteolytic enzymes or phospholipase A. Chemical analysis of the partially purified factor revealed relatively high quantities of phosphorus (3%) and low quantities of protein (13.3%), neutral sugar (1.9%) and uronic acid (4.9%). The possibility of this component being a complex phospholipid containing polypeptide is suggested. (3) Fibrogenic properties of the isolated factor was enhanced by apparent oxidation in air, to a more active, yet insoluble complex. Attempts to solubilize the oxidized product completely destroyed its biological activity.
Exposure of pacific herring to weathered crude oil: Assessing effects on ova

In order to determine if exposure to Exxon Valdez oil would adversely affect progeny, reproductively mature Pacific herring were confined in water contaminated with weathered crude oil. Progeny were generally not affected by a 16-d parental exposure to initial aqueous concentrations of ≤58 μg/L total polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), yielding concentrations of up to 9.7 μg/g in ova. In contrast, previous research indicated that a 16-d direct exposure of herring eggs to similarly weathered oil was detrimental to developing embryos at total initial PAH concentrations of 9 μg/L. Progeny of exposed fish could have been insulated from toxic effects for two reasons. First, as an apparent result of partitioning and metabolism in parental tissues, lower concentrations and less toxic PAHs were preferentially accumulated by ova (primarily naphthalenes; 84–92%). Second, peak exposure concentrations occurred before cell differentiation. The opposite was true for directly exposed eggs; the more toxic multi-ring PAHs (e.g., phenanthrenes and chrysenes) and alkyl-substituted homologues were accumulated, and internal concentrations increased during cell division, differentiation, and organ development. Thus, Pacific herring embryos are more critically sensitive to oil pollution than are gametes.
Counting Points on Curves and Abelian Varieties Over Finite Fields

We develop efficient methods for deterministic computations with semi-algebraic sets and apply them to the problem of counting points on curves and Abelian varieties over finite fields. For Abelian varieties of dimension g in projective N space overFq, we improve Pila?s result and show that the problem can be solved in O((logq)?) time where ? is polynomial in g as well as in N. For hyperelliptic curves of genus g overFq we show that the number of rational points on the curve and the number of rational points on its Jacobian can be computed in (logq)O(g2logg)time.
Cardiac complications of intensive dose mitoxantrone and cyclophosphamide with autologous bone marrow transplantation in metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Fifteen women with metastatic breast cancer undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation were treated with an intensive induction regimen including cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone in a phase I-II stydy. The cardiotoxicity of these two drugs in combination have not been previously reported. Three patients developed deeply inverted T-waves during or shortly following conclusion of high-dose chemotherapy with associated declines in ejection fraction of 0.04, 0.19 and 0.27. One patient developed a brief episode of congestive heart failure which resolved with supportive care. These three patients were the only ones to have received previous left chest wall radiotherapy during the course of their disease, prior to treatment with autologous bone marrow rescue. No patient developed dysrhythmia or QRS changes during a mean hospital stay of 33.7 days (range 27–40 days).
Designing radiotherapy software components and systems that will work together

The radiation treatment planning and delivery process requires that many different computerized data sources, software tools, and computer control systems be smoothly integrated. These include computer-controlled accelerators and new digital imaging modalities. At the same time, the applications themselves are becoming increasingly complex. In radiotherapy, the variety of components to integrate is much greater than in other areas of clinical medicine, growing out of more than a 30-year history of use of highly stylized traditional computer applications and many rigid conventions and practices associated with these computer programs. The introduction of new tools and computer-controlled equipment influenced the evolution of radiotherapy planning software, leading us to take a new look at how radiotherapy planning is done. Addressing and solving these integration problems as a serious research undertaking is vital to continued success in deploying computer applications for clinical use. New software design ideas such as object oriented design, behavioral abstraction, and mediators can solve these problems. Our experience shows that the time and effort to build high-quality adaptable modular systems can be kept modest and within the reach of a small development team.
In the 1960s There Was No Free Love—In the 1990s There is No Safe Sex

(1994). In the 1960s There Was No Free Love—In the 1990s There is No Safe Sex. Journal of American College Health: Vol. 42, Alcohol and Other Drugs on the College Campus, pp. 298-302.