cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Warpage analysis and improvement for a power module

Comparing with the single-chip power packages, the power modules usually have a much larger size due to multiple die built inside. This may induce quite a big package warpage in the assembly process, especially after molding, which makes the package warpage big impact on the DBC substrate, as well as on the silicon die when mounting the power module to an external heat sink during application. Therefore, in this paper, the warpage after molding process of a power module is investigated, and an improvement method is introduced. After molding, the DBC side of the power module may have convex warpage. To reduce the convex warpage, the pre-concave warpage of the DBC substrate is generated during molding process, to balance off part of the convex warpage. However, the concave profile at the DBC side may cause some flash issue around the DBC area during transferring molding process. Both FEA modeling and practical measurement of the package warpage of the power module are conducted thoroughly. It is found that the trends of FEA simulation results are consistent with the measurement data for the package warpage. By balancing off the warpage issue and flash issue, a better option of the preconcave warpage of the DBC substrate is presented for mass production.
GPCR ligand dendrimer (GLiDe) conjugates: adenosine receptor interactions of a series of multivalent xanthine antagonists.

Previously, G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists were tethered from polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers to provide high receptor affinity and selectivity. Here, we prepared GPCR ligand–dendrimer (GLiDe) conjugates from a potent adenosine receptor (AR) antagonist; such agents are of interest for treating Parkinson’s disease, asthma, and other conditions. Xanthine amine congener (XAC) was appended with an alkyne group on an extended C8 substituent for coupling by Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry to azide-derivatized G4 (fourth-generation) PAMAM dendrimers to form triazoles. These conjugates also contained triazole-linked PEG groups (8 or 22 moieties per 64 terminal positions) for increasing water-solubility and optionally prosthetic groups for spectroscopic characterization and affinity labeling. Human AR binding affinity increased progressively with the degree of xanthine substitution to reach Ki values in the nanomolar range. The order of affinity of each conjugate was hA2AAR > hA3AR > hA1AR, while the...
Mass spectrometric characterization of a three-enzyme tandem reaction for assembly and modification of the novobiocin skeleton

The tripartite scaffold of the natural product antibiotic novobiocin is assembled by the tandem action of novobiocin ligase (NovL) and novobiocic acid noviosyl transferase (NovM). The noviosyl ring of the tripartite scaffold is further decorated by a methyltransferase (NovP) and a carbamoyltransferase (NovN), resulting in the formation of novobiocin. To facilitate kinetic evaluation of alternate substrate usage by NovL and NovM toward the creation of variant antibiotic scaffolds, an electrospray ionization/MS assay for obtaining kinetic measurements is presented for NovL and NovM separately, in each case with natural substrate and the 3-methyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid analog. Additionally, assays of tandem two-enzyme (NovL/NovM) and three-enzyme (NovL/NovM/NovP) incubations were developed. The development of these assays allows for the direct detection of each intermediate followed by its utilization as substrate for the next enzyme, as well as the subsequent formation of final product as a function of time. This MS tandem assay is useful for optimization of conditions for chemoenzymatic generation of novobiocin and is also suitable for evaluation of competitive usage of variant substrate analogs by multiple enzymes. The studies presented here serve as a platform for the subsequent expansion of the repertoire of coumarin-based antibiotics.
Latrunculin A and its C-17-O-carbamates inhibit prostate tumor cell invasion and HIF-1 activation in breast tumor cells.

Latrunculin A (1) and B are macrolides reported by Kashman and coworkers from the Red Sea sponge Negombata magnifica Kelly-Borges and Vacelet (Podospongiidae).1 Latrunculins are reported to decrease intraocular pressure and increase outflow facility without corneal effects in monkeys.2,3 Latrunculin B and analogs showed antiangiogenic, antimetastatic, and antimicrobial activities.4 The most important biological effects of latrunculins are their abilities to disrupt microfilament organization and inhibit microfilament-mediated processes without affecting the organization of the microtubular system.5 The latrunculins bind reversibly to the cytoskeleton actin monomers, forming 1:1 complexes with G-actin and disrupting polymerization.5 Actin-active agents are attracting more attention in the field of cancer chemotherapy because microfilament and microtubule proteins form versatile dynamic polymers that can define cell polarity, organize cytoplasmic organelles, control cell shape and promote stable cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions, and generate protrusive forces required for migration.6–8 These functions usually fail and become abnormal in cancer cells. 6–8 Based on X-ray crystallography, the binding site of 1 has been located between subdomains II and IV, in the vicinity of the ATP binding cleft of the protein target in the actin monomer.9,10 The binding pharmacophores of 1 to G-actin were identified as follows: C-1 carbonyl oxygen through water to glutamate 214 carboxy, C-17 lactol hydroxyl to arginine 210 NH (major binding), C-17 pyran oxygen to tyrosine 69 hydroxy, thiazolidinone NH to aspartate 157 carboxy, and thiazolidinone C-20 carbonyl oxygen to threonine 186 hydroxy.9,10 Only the thiazolidinone NH group acts as a hydrogen bonding donor while the rest of the binding functions act as hydrogen bonding acceptors.9,10 Semi-synthetic carbamoylation products of the C-17 lactol group in 1 were produced to study the pharmacological effects of the addition of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors at this key position. This study reports the anti-invasive and HIF-1 inhibitory activities of latrunculin A (1) and its semi-synthetic analogs (2–6).
The Third Party Standpoint, Postmodernism, and the Study of Social Transactions

The development of generic principles is advocated as the goal of sociology. Recent postmodern concerns with particularistic and local explanations are compared with the New Iowa School's commitmen...
Knowledge production from different worlds: what can happen when technical writers speak for engineers

At the turn of the 20th century, technical writers in the United States were mostly engineers who both developed technology and wrote about it. During World War II, however, some engineers seeking to increase the efficiency of technology development separated their engineering from their communication tasks. This trend opened up a new occupation for non-engineering technical writers who communicated knowledge made by engineers. While this specialization may have allowed engineers to develop technology more efficiently, it also allowed non-scientists to give voice to scientific knowledge and by the 1970s created tensions between practitioners in scientific fields and liberal arts-trained technical writers. How could non-scientists give scientific knowledge its material form through communication? And did this arrangement between engineers and writers too often render engineers mute within their own professions? This paper traces a cultural history of technical writing practice in the United States and explores current trends in the academy which aim to prepare engineers more adequately for communicating about their work. Finally, this paper suggests that technical editors, as distinguished from traditional technical writers, can accommodate both an engineer's need to give voice to technology developments and a writer's contributions to shaping that voice into effective communication.
Impaired pancreatic development in Hif2-alpha deficient mice.

Abstract Accumulating data suggest the existence of a link between hypoxia and maintenance of the undifferentiated cell state, but little is known about the cellular signaling mechanisms underlying this process. Recent reports reveal a direct link between components of the hypoxia signaling pathway and Notch pathway in maintaining precursor cells in an undifferentiated state. Here, we report that in the developing mouse pancreas, Hif2-α is expressed in pancreatic progenitor cells, but its expression is lost in committed endocrine progenitors as well as in differentiated endocrine and exocrine cells. In an attempt to analyze the function of HIF2-α in the developing pancreas, we studied Hif2-α−/− pancreas. Our analyses revealed that in addition to the decreased size and branching, the Hif2-α deficient pancreas also displayed impaired notch signaling and cell differentiation. Finally, we found that HIF2-α binds directly to Notch-IC and that the responsible site for this interaction is within the RAM domain of Notch protein. These results suggest that HIF2-α is required for normal mouse pancreatic development.
Pattern of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene 1 Expression Is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Objectives The tumor suppressor BRCA1 is a nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein that when in the nucleus is required for DNA repair whereas when in the cytoplasm is important in activating cell death processes. Although BRCA1 mutations have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its role in disease progression is yet to be determined. We hypothesized that BRCA1 expression pattern could be used as a prognostic biomarker.
Application of optimal control theory to bioremediation

Abstract In situ bioremediation is a remediation technology in which the indigenous subsurface bacteria are stimulated by injecting compounds to provide food and energy. The stimulated bacteria break down the target contaminants into less harmful substances. The way the compounds are injected is a crucial component of the technology. We use techniques from the theory of optimal control of distributed parameter systems to characterize an “optimal” injection function in a tube bioreactor. The state system, the set of equations that govern the evolution of bioremediation, is a “hybrid” system consisting of both partial and ordinary differential equations.
Estrogen replacement therapy and frontotemporal dementia

Abstract Objective: To examine the relationship between estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Methods: We examined the files of thirty female patients diagnosed with FTD at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)-Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Fresno between the years of 1994 and 1999. Twenty-one patients (70%) were found to have been taking ERT at the time of their evaluation. This was compared with an estimate of estrogen use in a similar cohort from the general population (24%). Results: Chi-square (χ2) analysis found this number to be significantly greater than estimates from the general population significant (χ2[df=1, N=30]=34.803, P
On classical charged particles

Abstract The Dirac equations of motion (in the framework of special relativity) and the momentum law for a system of classical (nonquantum) charged particles interacting with each other and with an incident electromagnetic field are reviewed for closed and open systems, and presented in a manner which leads to an Action Principle which is free of divergent integrals and in which all interactions are mediated by fields; no direct (action-at-a-distance) interaction between pairs of charges is required.
Distances between normal populations when covariance matrices are unequal

The definition of distance between two populations of equal covariance matrices is extended to two and more than two populations with unequal covariance matrices and Rao’s U test for testing the conditional contribution of a subset of variables to the distance is extended to this situation, even when sample sizes are not necessarily the same.
No More Foreigners? The Remaking of German Naturalization and Citizenship Law, 1990–2000

Since the beginning of the 1990s, Germany has been taking controversial policy measures that had been quite unimaginable, even in the 1980s. On the one hand, regulations for asylum seekers and ethnic Germans have gradually become restrictive in nature. On the other hand, changes to the Citizenship and Nationality Law of 1913 (Reichs und Staatsangehorigkeitsgesetz) and the Alien Act of 1965 (Auslandergesetz) have dramatically altered the naturalization process. Before the passage of the new German citizenship law in 1999, the acquisition of citizenship in Germany was solely based on the principle of descent (jus sanguinis). This paper attempts to explain why German government altered its citizenship policy and introduced birthright citizenship. It reviews the post-war contextual factors that have shaped the debate on citizenship and asks whether it is external or internal factors, that is international-level norms and institutions or domestic politics, that led to the change. If domestic politics can fully explain the adoption of the new citizenship law, what domestic forces played an important role? Was state action taken in the name of protecting “the national interest” or was it party politics? What role did societal forces play in the making of new citizenship policy? Did the act seek to mitigate anti-foreigner sentiment growing in Germany since the 1990s? Using archival and documentary research and secondary data on socio-economic and demographic trends in Germany, this paper concludes that domestic politics explain the changes in the citizenship law. I argue that granting and withholding national citizenship, including birthright citizenship, is exclusively in the hands of a nation state. Considering a purely ethnocultural understanding of nation-hood now includes legal and territorial components, the new German citizenship law is a major reform at the both theoretical and conceptual level. However, the practical consequences of the new naturalization process remain to be seen. The main question for the future research agenda is whether the new naturalization and citizenship laws will bring full integration of foreigners living in German society.
DISTRIBUTION AND STABILITY OF PYROPHOSPHATASE IN SOILS

Abstract Pyrophosphatase activity in soils is concentrated in surface soils and decreases with depth. Statistical analysis indicates that the activity of this enzyme is correlated with organic C in surface soils and in soil profiles. Pyrophosphatase activity is also correlated with the percentage clay and with the mole fraction of Mg/(Mg + Ca) in water extract of 18 surface soils examined. It is significantly but negatively correlated with percentage CaCO3 equivalent in surface soils. Storage of field-moist samples for 2 months at 5°C is a satisfactory method for preserving soil samples for assay of this enzyme in soils. Air-drying of field-moist samples results in decreases in pyrophosphatase activity ranging from 23 to 41% (av 35%). Heating field-moist and air-dried samples for 1 h before assay of activity showed that Pyrophosphatase is inactivated at temperatures above 60°C.
Xenin-25 Potentiates Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Action via a Novel Cholinergic Relay Mechanism

The intestinal peptides GLP-1 and GIP potentiate glucose-mediated insulin release. Agents that increase GLP-1 action are effective therapies in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, GIP action is blunted in T2DM, and GIP-based therapies have not been developed. Thus, it is important to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of GIP action. We developed mice lacking GIP-producing K cells. Like humans with T2DM, "GIP/DT" animals exhibited a normal insulin secretory response to exogenous GLP-1 but a blunted response to GIP. Pharmacologic doses of xenin-25, another peptide produced by K cells, restored the GIP-mediated insulin secretory response and reduced hyperglycemia in GIP/DT mice. Xenin-25 alone had no effect. Studies with islets, insulin-producing cell lines, and perfused pancreata indicated xenin-25 does not enhance GIP-mediated insulin release by acting directly on the beta-cell. The in vivo effects of xenin-25 to potentiate insulin release were inhibited by atropine sulfate and atropine methyl bromide but not by hexamethonium. Consistent with this, carbachol potentiated GIP-mediated insulin release from in situ perfused pancreata of GIP/DT mice. In vivo, xenin-25 did not activate c-fos expression in the hind brain or paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus indicating that central nervous system activation is not required. These data suggest that xenin-25 potentiates GIP-mediated insulin release by activating non-ganglionic cholinergic neurons that innervate the islets, presumably part of an enteric-neuronal-pancreatic pathway. Xenin-25, or molecules that increase acetylcholine receptor signaling in beta-cells, may represent a novel approach to overcome GIP resistance and therefore treat humans with T2DM.
Computed tomographic and angiographic demonstration of gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm in a pancreatic pseudocyst.

Abstract The complementary use of computed tomography and angiography in two patients with bleeding gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm associated with pancreatic pseudocyst is presented.
Solubilization of High-Affinity, Guanine Nucleotide-Sensitive μ-Opioid Receptors from Rat Brain Membranes†

High-affinity mu-opioid receptors have been solubilized from rat brain membranes. In most experiments, rats were treated for 14 days with naltrexone to increase the density of opioid receptors in brain membranes. Occupancy of the membrane-associated receptors with morphine during solubilization in the detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethyl]-1-propane sulfonate appeared to stabilize the mu-opioid receptor. After removal of free morphine by Sephadex G50 chromatography and adjustment of the 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethyl]-1-propane sulfonate concentration to 3 mM, the solubilized opioid receptor bound [3H][D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly-Dl5]-enkephalin([3H]DAMGO), a mu-selective opioid agonist, with high affinity (KD = 1.90 +/- 0.93 nM; Bmax = 629 +/- 162 fmol/mg of protein). Of the membrane-associated [3H]-DAMGO binding sites, 29 +/- 7% were recovered in the solubilized fraction. Specific [3H]DAMGO binding was completely abolished in the presence of 10 microM guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate). The solubilized receptor also bound [3H]diprenorphine, a nonselective opioid antagonist, with high affinity (KD = 1.4 +/- 0.39 nM, Bmax = 920 +/- 154 fmol/mg of protein). Guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) did not diminish [3H]diprenorphine binding. DAMGO at concentrations between 1 nM and 1 microM competed with [3H]diprenorphine for the solubilized binding sites; in contrast, [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin, a delta-selective opioid agonist, and U50488H, a kappa-selective opioid agonist, failed to compete with [3H]diprenorphine for the solubilized binding sites at concentrations of < 1 microM. In the absence of guanine nucleotides, the DAMGO displacement curve for [3H]diprenorphine binding sites better fit a two-site than a one-site model with KDhigh = 2.17 +/- 1.5 nM, Bmax = 648 +/- 110 fmol/mg of protein and KDlow = 468 +/- 63 nM, Bmax = 253 +/- 84 fmol/mg of protein. In the presence of 10 microM guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), the DAMGO displacement curve better fit a one- than a two-site model with KD = 815 +/- 33 nM, Bmax = 965 +/- 124 fmol/mg of protein.
Human-in-the-Loop Distributed Simulation and Validation of Strategic Autonomous Algorithms

The goal of most current Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) research is to develop algorithms which allow a single agent or possibly a team of agents to operate completely autonomously without human interaction. Most of these autonomous algorithms operate at a high, strategic level and assume that low level tasks such as state stabilization and signal tracking have already been realized. The di‐culty in verifying and validating strategic algorithms in an actual ∞ight test is that implementing these algorithms require the development of many other lower-level subsystems which are not directly related to the strategic algorithms. This paper presents both an architecture and hardware implementation of a ground based, distributed testing environment that is used in the Autonomous Flight System Laboratory to test strategic level algorithms in an e‐cient manner. This system allows human interaction at very speciflc points to avoid developing a fully autonomous system, but still preserves the function and contributions of the strategic algorithm. This architecture and ground based testing facility greatly reduces development time and allows algorithms to be tested with little approximations before implementing them on a fully autonomous system.
Breaking the boundary for whole-system performance optimization of big data

MapReduce plays an critical role in finding insights in Big Data. The performance optimization of MapReduce programs is challenging because it requires a comprehensive understanding of the whole system including both hardware layers (processors, storages, networks and etc), and software stacks (operating systems, JVM, runtime, applications and etc). However, most of the existing performance tuning and optimization are based on empirical and heuristic attempts. It remains a blank on how to build a systematical framework which breaks the boundary of multiple layers for performance optimization. In this paper, we propose a performance evaluation framework by correlating performance metrics from different layers, which provides insights to efficiently pinpoint the performance issue. This framework is composed of a series of predefined patterns. Each pattern indicates one or more potential issues. The behavior of a MapReduce program is mapped to the corresponding resource utilization. The framework provides a holistic approach which allows users at different levels of experience to conduct MapReduce program performance optimization. We use Terasort benchmark running on a 10-node Power7R2 cluster as a real case to show how this framework improves the performance. By this framework, we finally get the Terasort result improved from 47 mins to less than 8 mins. In addition to the best practice on performance tuning, several key findings are summarized as valuable workload analysis for JVM, MapReduce runtime and application design.
Commercial managed care plans leaving the Medicaid Managed Care Program in New York State: Impact on quality and access

To develop sufficient managed care capacity to accomplish the goal of transitioning Medicaid recipients into managed care, state policymakers have relied on commercial health maintenance organizations to open their panels of providers to the Medicaid population. However, while commercial health maintenance organization involvement in Medicaid managed care was high initially, since 1996 New York State has had 14 commercial plans leave the New York State Medicaid Managed Care Program. It has been speculated that the exodus of these commercial plans would have a negative impact on Medicaid enrolleeś access and quality of care. This paper attempts to evaluate the impact of this departure from the perspective of quality and access measures and plan audit performance. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluation the effect of commercial managed care plans leaving the Medicaid program. The overall performance of plans that remained in the program was compared to that of the plans that chose to leave for the two time periods 1996–1997 and 1998–2000. Access to care, quality of care, and annual audit performance data were analyzed. The departure of commercial health plans from the New York State Medicaid Managed Care Program has not had a statistically significant negative effect on the quality of care provided to Medicaid recipients as evaluated by standardized performance measures. In addition, there were no instances when there was a negative impact of the exit of the commercial plans on access to care. Managed care plans that chose to remain in Medicaid passed the Quality Assurance Reporting Requirements audit at a significantly (P<.01) higher rate than plans that chose to leave.
Positive temporal sharp waves on EEG recordings of healthy neonates: a benign pattern of dysmaturity in pre-term infants at post-conceptional term ages.

Abstract One complete sleep cycle was selected in each of ninety-four 3 h EEG recordings on 52 healthy neonates from 29 to 43 weeks 3A (28 pre-term (PT)/24 full-term (FT)); 51 who are neurodevelopmentally normal up to at least 18 months of age. Each recording was reviewed to identify positive temporal sharp waves (PTS). This wave form was compared to another commonly occurring wave form, temporal theta of prematurity (PTΘ). 588 PTS and 626 PTΘ observations were tabulated in terms of frequency, amplitude, morphology, left: right predominance, and sleep state at 6 post-conceptional age ranges up to term. Mean PTS for FT, PT and pre-term at post-conceptional term age (PTT) infants, respectively, were 1.5 ± 0.85, 2.8 ± 2.5, 2.0 ± 1.6 per sleep cycle. PTS amplitudes (μV) were 59.7 ± 23.5, 38.2 ± 17.8, and 51.8 ± 29.3. The peak incidence of PTS occurs at older post-conceptional ages than PTΘ ( r = 0.21, P = 0.0001). PTT infants had more PTS ( X 2 = 32.5, P = 0.001) than FT infants. Similar numbers and descriptions of PTΘ were noted between neonatal groups at post-conceptional term ages. While pathological PTS waves have been described in FT neonates and infants (Chung and Clancy: Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol., 1991, 79: 256–263), benign PTS waves are also present on recordings of healthy pre-term and full-term neonates. PTS are electrographically similar to PTΘ, but are more EEGs of healthy neonates will improve the assessment of encephalopathic recordings obtained for clinical reasons. Persistence of PTS at post-conceptional term ages in the pre-term group may reflect an alteration in brain maturation because of prematurity or the extrauterine experience. Increased numbers of this pattern at post-conceptional term ages reflect transient brain dysmaturity in an otherwise asymptomatic infant.
From “Gay Marriage Controversy” (2004) to “Endorsement of Same-Sex Marriage” (2012): Framing Bisexuality in the Marriage Equality Discourse

The current study analyzes the evolution of language used to discuss marriage equality in The New York Times between February and May 2004 and February and May 2012. Specifically, the study examines how sexual orientation labels were used as modifiers for “marriage,” “couples,” and “individuals.” Results indicate that the language evolved from a focus on the sexual orientation label gay in 2004 to a more inclusive language, with same-sex as the predominant modifier for marriage and couples in 2012. Further, while the overall language in The New York Times became more inclusive of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community at large, bisexual women and men are still largely absent within the marriage equality discourse.
Comparison of neurite growth in three dimensional natural and synthetic hydrogels

Extracellular matrix incorporated within a scaffold plays an important role in assisting cell behavior in neural tissue engineering. In this study, we investigated how the concentration of fibronectin (FN) affected neurite growth when incorporated within a synthetic polymer gel made of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or a natural polymer gel of collagen I. Mechanical and chemical properties of the scaffold were varied by using a range of concentrations of gels and FN. Rheology was used to determine the mechanical stiffness of hydrogels and neurite length and viability were measured to evaluate cell response. In both types of gels, increasing the concentration of the base scaffold (PEG or collagen) increased the mechanical stiffness as denoted by G∗. Neurite lengths in PEG gels increased with increasing FN concentration and decreased with increasing G∗. In collagen gels, FN reduced neurite extension for the lowest concentrations of collagen (0.4–0.6 mg/mL) while FN increased neurite extension for mid and high ...
The Rate of 2,2-Dichloropropane Transformation in Mineral Micropores: Implications of Sorptive Preservation for Fate and Transport of Organic Contaminants in the Subsurface

Nanometer scale pores are ubiquitous in porous geologic media (soils and sediments). Sorption of organic contaminants in micropores (< or = 2 nm) can inhibittheir hydrolytic transformation due to the limited availability of reactive water within hydrophobic micropore spaces. As a test case, we studied the dehydrohalogenation of 2,2-dichloropropane (2,2-DCP) sorbed in the micropores of several model mineral solids. In the micropores of a hydrophobic dealuminated Y zeolite, CBV-780, 2,2-DCP dehydrohalogenation proceeded significantly slower than in bulk aqueous solution and eventually stopped. This was attributed to the depletion of reactive water molecules in the micropore spaces. The 2,2-DCP sorbed in the micropores of more hydrophilic solids (aquifer sediment, aquifer sand, and silica gel) also transformed slower than in aqueous solution, and the reaction no longer followed first-order kinetics. Results of transport modeling support that reactive contaminants sorbed in microporous minerals can be preserved over geological time scales under conditions that limit desorption. This study shows that hydrophobic micropores in geological media may act as an important sink for anthropogenic organic contaminants in the subsurface, and that sorption in micropores may significantly increase the persistence of the sorbed contaminants.
Mechanism Unknown: Prostaglandin E2 May Improve HSC Therapies

A recent publication in Nature by North et al. (2007) has implicated the eicosanoid prostaglandin E2 in enhancement of hematopoietic stem cell function in zebrafish and in mice. This work may have practical therapeutic value, but much remains to be determined before this possibility is realized.
A Heritage of Literacy in the Home

One hundred percent literacy is a relatively modern goal. According to The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago (n.d.), writing was invented in 3200 BC. However, it wasn't until the Indu...
On convexity issues of short-term hydrothermal scheduling

This paper introduces a convex and normally constrained hydrothermal scheduling method. Convexity is achieved by using a hydro water loss term and a piece-wise linear representation of the relationship between water head and volume. A basic technique is developed for obtaining normal constraints, developed for the first time in this paper, by converting the conditional constraints into unconditional constraints. An example of the conditional constraints is the hydrothermal unit on/off status being expressed as a function of the unit minimum up/down times. Unit start-up and shut-down variables are summed over the minimum-up time and the minimum-down time and the summations are being limited to one. In each case this is to prevent immature unit start-up or shut-down. This allows the hydrothermal scheduling problem to become an ordinary mixed integer problem that can be solved by using standard commercial mixed integer programming solvers. These solvers can be purchased on the market for a few thousand dollars, far below the prices of the specially designed hydrothermal scheduling software products from consulting firms. The algorithm developed in this paper is tested for different cases with good results, especially for small hydrothermal systems.
Comparing foodborne illness risks among meat commodities in the United States

Food-safety regulatory agencies are often tasked with oversight of a broad range of food commodities. For these agencies to regulate multiple commodities effectively, they need to develop policies and allocate resources that consider the varying magnitudes of the risk of illness that each of the commodities poses to the broad population of consumers. Process modeling is used in risk assessment to estimate the likelihood of illness by modeling contamination of raw foods, the microbial dynamics of pathogens between production and consumption, and dose–response relationships for the pathogen to estimate the risk and total number of illnesses for a specific commodity. Nevertheless, these models are usually unique to each commodity and constructed using different models and data sources, which can produce estimates that are difficult to compare. An alternative approach is presented that stems primarily from public health data. It uses simple methods to estimate various risk metrics simultaneously for multiple pathogens and commodities. This alternative approach is used to compare multiple risk metrics for beef, lamb, pork, and poultry for both Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7. The implications of the different risk metrics are discussed with respect to current regulatory efforts in the United States.
A replication study of violent and nonviolent subjects: cerebrospinal fluid metabolites of serotonin and dopamine are predicted by plasma essential fatty acids

Abstract Background: Among an independent group of subjects selected for their history of violent, impulsive behaviors and nonviolent control subjects, we attempted to replicate the finding that plasma docosahexaenoic acid concentrations were negatively correlated with cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (CSF 5-HIAA) concentrations. Methods: CSF 5-HIAA and homovanillic acid (HVA), fasting total cholesterol, and plasma fatty acid concentrations were examined in violent and nonviolent subjects matched for their severity of alcohol dependence. Results: Violent subjects had significantly higher lifetime violence and hostility ratings and lower concentrations of CSF 5-HIAA than nonviolent subjects. Plasma docosahexaenoic acid was negatively correlated with CSF 5-HIAA only among violent subjects. Conclusions: This observational study suggests that dietary essential fatty acids may change neurotransmitter concentrations. Prospective dietary intervention trials will be required to determine if increasing dietary intake of docosahexaenoic acid will increase or decrease either CSF 5-HIAA concentrations or impulsive and violent behaviors.
Effect of amino acid analogs on the development of thermotolerance and on thermotolerant cells

Exposure of HA-1 Chinese hamster fibroblasts to amino acid analogs has been shown to have a heat-sensitizing effect as well as inducing the heat shock response (Li and Laszlo, 1985a). In this study, we have examined the effect of amino acid analogs on the development of thermotolerance after a brief heat shock or exposure to sodium arsenite and the effect of amino acid analogs on cells that are already thermotolerant. Exposure of HA-1 cells to amino acid analogs inhibited the development of thermotolerance following a mild heat shock or treatment with sodium arsenite. However, cells that were already thermotolerant were resistant to the sensitizing action of amino acid analogs. The refractoriness of thermotolerant cells to amino acid analog treatment developed in parallel with thermotolerance. The uptake of the arginine analog, canavanine, and its incorporation into proteins was not altered in the thermotolerant cells. Furthermore, another biological consequence of exposure to amino acid analogs, sensitization to ionizing radiation, also was not altered in the thermotolerant cells. The inhibition of the development of thermotolerance by amino acid analogs and the refractoriness of thermotolerant cells to the heat-sensitizing action of amino acid analogs lend further support the role of heat-shock proteins in the phenomenon of thermotolerance. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mouse strain differential neointimal response in vein grafts and wire-injured arteries.

Background Neointimal development is seen clinically after both vein grafting and balloon catheterization, but may not represent the same pathology under these 2 conditions. This study compared the degree of neointimal hyperplasia after vein grafting or arterial-injury grafts in 2 strains of mice: C57Bl/6 and FVB. Methods and Results Jugular vein branches were interpositioned as grafts in the femoral artery of syngenic-matched mice, with graft harvest at 30 days. Wire-injured carotid arteries were grafted to the carotid arteries of syngenic-matched mice, with graft harvest at 14 days. Histomorphometry revealed no strain differences in vein grafts in the extent of position-dependent neointimal thickening or lumen cross-sectional area. Both strains showed significantly thicker neointima and less lumen area at the proximal graft site (vs the mid-graft; p<0.05). In contrast, a significantly greater neointimal thickness was found in the wire-injured carotid grafts of FVB mice vs those of C57Bl/6 mice (p<0.05). Conclusions Neointimal formation shows a vessel-dependent, strain-dependent difference, with greater arterial neointimal thickening in FVB mice. These data suggest that different mechanisms operate for arterial-injury- vs vein-graft-associated neointimal development and that the difference has a genetic basis. (Circ J 2007; 71: 1649 - 1652)
Conserved Walker A cysteines 431 and 1074 in human P-glycoprotein are accessible to thiol-specific agents in the apo and ADP-vanadate trapped conformations.

P-Glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-binding cassette efflux transporter involved in the development of multidrug resistance in cancer cells. Although the mechanism of P-gp efflux has been extensively studied, aspects of its catalytic and transport cycle are still unclear. In this study, we used conserved C431 and C1074 in the Walker A motif of nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) as reporter sites to interrogate the interaction between the two NBDs during the catalytic cycle. Disulfide cross-linking of the C431 and C1074 residues in a Cys-less background can be observed in the presence of M14M and M17M cross-linkers, which have spacer arm lengths of 20 and 25 A, respectively. However, cross-linking with both cross-linkers was prevented in the ADP-vanadate trapped (closed) conformation. Both C431 and C1074 alone or together (double mutant) in the apo and closed conformations were found to be accessible to fluorescein 5-maleimide (FM) and methanethiosulfonate derivatives of rhodamine and verapamil. In addition, C1074 showed 1.4- and 2-fold higher degrees of FM labeling than C431 in the apo and closed conformations, respectively, demonstrating that C1074 is more accessible than C431 in both conformations. In the presence of P-gp substrates, cross-linking with M17M is still observed, suggesting that binding of substrate in the transmembrane domains does not change the accessibility of the cysteines in the NBDs. In summary, the cysteines in the Walker A motifs of NBDs of human P-gp are differentially accessible to thiol-specific agents in the apo and closed conformations.
Ionic conductivity across the disorder–order phase transition in the NdO1.5–CeO2 system

Abstract Solid solutions of NdxCe1 − xO2 − δ (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.55) are prepared via solid-state reactions and the grain ionic conductivity is measured using a two-probe ac impedance spectroscopy technique. The lattice parameters increased linearly with Nd content for 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.45. Both XRD and neutron diffraction analyses indicate at x = 0.50 the highly defective fluorite stabilizes into a C-type rare earth oxide structure with an associated doubling of the unit cell. The conductivity of the compounds follows an Arrhenius-type behavior showing a maximum conductivity of 0.054(1) S cm− 1 for Nd0.15Ce0.85O1.925 at 700 °C with an associated activation energy of 0.726(5) eV. The activation energy increases significantly during the phase transition from 35% to 40% Nd due to the stabilization of oxygen vacancies. The pre-exponential factor increased as well, resulting in an effective gradual decrease of conductivity across the phase transition.
Incidence of pests and arthropod natural enemies in zucchini grown with living mulches

Abstract The use of living mulches to reduce the density of silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring, and melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, and the conveyances of aphid-transmitted virus, papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W), and squash silverleaf disorder on zucchini, Cucurbita pepo L. was evaluated during 1995 and 1996 in Oahu, Hawaii. Living mulches used were buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and yellow mustard ( Sinapis alba L.). Mean densities of aphids were significantly lower in zucchini grown with living mulch both years of the study. In contrast, whiteflies were lower only during the second year. The severity of squash silverleaf disorder was significantly higher in bareground zucchini compared with living mulch-diversified zucchini during both experiments. The percentage of zucchini plants displaying PRSV-W during the early season was significantly lower on zucchini grown in living mulches during both years of the study. The delay in PRSV-W in living mulch resulted in a higher percentage of fruits by weight displaying viral symptoms in bareground zucchini. Reductions in pest activities in living mulch-diversified zucchini resulted in higher marketable yields only during one year of the study.
Effect of adrenalectomy and adrenocorticoid replacement on lactational performance in mice.

SummaryHormone substitution therapy experiments involving adrenalectomized lactating Webster-Swiss albino mice suggest that normal daily adrenocorticosteroid secretion of lactating mice approximates 100 μg HCA per day or its equivalent in glucocorticoid activity and 50 μg DOCA per day or its equivalent in mineralocorticoid activity.
An attempt at an inexhaustible site in Lower Manhattan

Date: 18 February 2014Time: 7:35 pmLocation: 186 Vernon Ave., Brooklyn, NYWeather: IndoorsThere are many things in Place Saint-Sulpice…. A great number, if not the majority, of these things have be...
Diabatic heating, divergent circulation and moisture transport in the African monsoon system

The dynamics of the West African monsoon system is studied through the diagnosis of the roles of diabatic heating in the divergent circulation and moisture transport. The divergent circulation is partitioned into latent-heating and non-latent-heating (the sum of surface sensible heat flux and radiative heating) driven components based on its field properties and its relationship with diabatic heating profiles. Roles of latent and non-latent diabatic heating in the moisture transport of the monsoon system are thus distinguished. The gradient in surface sensible heat flux between the Saharan heat-low and the Gulf of Guinea drives a shallow meridional circulation, which transports moisture far into the continent on the northern side of the monsoon rain band and thereby promotes the seasonal northward migration of monsoon precipitation. In contrast, the circulation directly associated with latent heating is deep and the corresponding moisture convergence maximum is within the region of precipitation and thus enhances local monsoon precipitation. Meanwhile, latent heating also induces dry air advection from the north. The seasonal northward migration of precipitation is encouraged by neither of the two effects. On the other hand, the divergent circulation forced by remote latent heating influences local moisture distribution through advection. Specifically by bringing Saharan air from the north, and driving moisture to the adjacent oceans, global latent heating has an overall drying effect over the Sahel. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Explaining the Rising Wage-Productivity Gap of the 1980s: Effects of Declining Employment and Unionization:

This paper investigates causes of the dramatic increase in the wage-productivity gap—the divergence between the growth rates of aggregate productivity and real wages - in the post-1981 period. Using a two-step estimation procedure which incorporates three-digit industry wage regression coefficients into an aggregate wage growth identity equation, it finds that employment decline within unionized industries explains 18% of the post-1981 increase in the gap and that declining union ability to raise wages may explain as much as another 25%. Imports, on the other hand, do not appear to explain the gap independently of employment effects.
Prophet Inequalities for Averages of Independent Non-Negative Random Variables

On demontre un theoreme qui affine les resultats de Krengel et Sucheston (1977, 1978) dans lesquels la constante faible 2(1+√3) etait obtenue
Exploring the Relationship between Transition and Educational Reform Initiatives.

This article explores the relationship between the school-to-career transition research findings and current school reform initiatives. We identified three compilations of secondary transition-related research (i.e., Kohler, 1993; Hughes, Hwang, Kim, Killian, Jarmer, & Alcantara, 1997; Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997) as sources documenting empirical trends within the field. To analyze the information these compilations provided, we grouped their results into four categories using a framework originally developed by Phelps and Wermuth (1992): (a) program administration, (b) curriculum and instruction, (c) support services, and (d) formalized articulation and communication categories. We compared this information to the reform policy and practices agenda to understand future challenges to the provision of transition services. We argue that secondary special educators should align their advocacy and research efforts within a "whole school reform" context as opposed to a "students with disabilities" context.
A black-box iterative solver based on a two-level Schwarz method

We propose a black-box parallel iterative method suitable for solving both elliptic and certain non-elliptic problems discretized on unstructured meshes. The method is analyzed in the case of the second order elliptic problems discretized on quasiuniform P1 and Q1 finite element meshes. The numerical experiments confirm the validity of the proved convegence estimate and show that the method can successfully be used for more difficult problems (e.g. plates, shells and Helmholtz equation in high-frequency domain.)
Cystectomy and urinary diversion: A safe procedure for elderly patients

Cystectomy and urinary diversion have been done on 28 patients more than age seventy with a zero perioperative mortality. Nine female patients with an average age of 77.6 years and 19 male patients with an average age of 74.4 years with 3 patients being greater than age eighty, are the subject of this review. Complication rate, blood loss, and hospital stay were not significantly different from patients having cystectomy and urinary diversion who were seventy years of age or less. Twenty-seven of the 28 patients had muscle-invading tumors; 12 patients are alive with a median survival of greater than thirty months. Five of 10 patients who did not receive radiation therapy are alive; 7 of 18 patients who received some form of radiation therapy are alive. Six patients had been treated initially with 7,000 rad for definitive therapy of bladder carcinomas. In carefully selected patients, when appropriate attention is paid to general patient status, cardiovascular system, pulmonary function, and fluid and electrolyte status, cystectomy and diversion can be completed with an acceptable rate of morbidity.
Women's health care centers: Barriers or opportunities?

Abstract A proactive plan is required to minimize societal, health provider, and the individual woman's barriers to the implementation of comprehensive holistic women's health centers.