cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conformational transitions of the H,K-ATPase studied with sodium ions as surrogates for protons.

Following a recent demonstration that H,K-ATPase can active transport Na+ at a low rate (Polvani, C., Sachs, G., and Blostein, R. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 17854-17859), we have looked for and found effects of Na+ ions on the conformational state of gastric H,K-ATPase labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Na+ ions reverse the K(+)-induced quench of the fluorescein fluorescence and somewhat enhance fluorescence in the absence of K+ ions. Equilibrium titrations of the cation effects show that Na+ and K+ ions are strictly competitive with apparent dissociation constants of KNa+ = 62 mM (n = 2) and KK+ = 6.6 mM (n = 2). The observations demonstrate that Na+ ions bind to and stabilize the high fluorescence E1 form of the protein while K+ ions stabilize the low fluorescence E2 form. Elevation of pH from 6.4 to 8.0 increased the apparent affinity of the Na+ ions from approximately 62 to 10.2 mM, consistent with competition between protons and Na+. The action of Na+ to stabilize the E1 form was used to measure the rate of the E2K—-E1Na transition with a stopped-flow fluorimeter. The rate at pH 6.4 and 20 degrees C is 18.1 s-1. In addition the rate of the reverse conformational transition E1K—-E2K has been measured at several K+ concentrations. From the hyperbolic dependence on K+ concentration a maximal rate of 211 +/- 32 s-1 and intrinsic K+ dissociation constant on E1 of 64.6 +/- 3.3 mM have been estimated. The kinetic and equilibrium data are self-consistent and thus support the proposed action of Na+ and K+ ions. Compared with Na,K-ATPase, the H,K-ATPase exhibits a lower affinity for Na+ on E1 and a much faster rate of the E2K—-E1Na transition, but a similar affinity for K+ ions on E1 and rate of the transition E1K—-E2K. The significance of the similarities and differences in cation specificity and rates of conformational changes of Na,K- and H,K-ATPases is discussed.
Inhibition of Polyuridylic Acid-Directed Protein Synthesis by Aurintricarboxylate in Extracts of Escherichia coli

Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) inhibits protein synthesis directed by polyuridylic acid. All steps tested are inhibited by ATA. We conclude that inhibition of polyphenylalanine formation is an additive effect of inhibition of various steps in the protein synthetic machinery.
Integrate hardware/software device testing for use in a safety-critical application

In train and transit applications, the occurrence of a single hazard (fault) may be quite catastrophic resulting in significant societal costs, ranging from loss of life to major asset damages. The axiomatic safety-critical assessment process (ASCAP) has been demonstrated as a competent method for assessing the risk associated with train and transit systems. ASCAP concurrently simulates the movement of n-trains within a given system from the perspective of the individual trains. During simulation, each train interacts with a series of appliances that are located along the track, within the trains and at a central office. Within ASCAP, each appliance is represented by a probabilistic multistate model, whose state selection is decided using a Monte Carlo process. In lieu of exercising this multistate model for a given appliance, the ASCAP methodology supports the inclusion of actual appliances within the simulation platform. Hence, an appliance can be fault tested in a simulation environment that emulates the actual operational environment to which it will be exposed. The ASCAP software can interface with a given appliance through an input/output (I/O) node contained within its executing platform. This node provides the ASCAP software with the capability of communicating with an external device, such as a track or an onboard appliance. When a train intersects with a particular appliance, the actual appliance can be queried by the ASCAP simulator to ascertain its status. This state information can then be used by ASCAP in lieu of its multi-state model representation of the appliance. This simulation process provides a mechanism to determine the appliance's ability to perform its intended safety-critical function in the presence of hardware/software design faults within its intended operational environment. By being able to quantify these effects prior to deploying a new appliance, credible and convincing evidences can be prepared the to ensure that overall system safety will not be adversely impacted.
Nietzsche’s Challenge to Physical Geography

Using the philosophy of Nietzsche as a stimulus, I aim to engage physical geographers and fellow scientists to reconsider their roles as scientists and to make their work more action-oriented and powerful. I outline the false mystique of science and the misconception of seeing science as independent of people and society. I make a case that science gains its power by the way we attach meaning to it and its findings, and that we should act on our ability to bestow that power. Through Nietzsche, I argue that we are challenged to overcome our trained tendency toward detached environmental science and instead put in place a new physical geography that includes meaning and action. We have the opportunity to do so in practical ways, by being reflexive and acknowledging the context of our science, and by finding more ways to communicate our ideas in support of action to change our world.
Implications for Earth and space in new K–12 science standards

New science standards for national K–12 science education are in the process of being written by a states-led team of writers organized by Achieve, Inc., with important implications for teaching Earth and space sciences. The final version of these “Next Generation Science Standards” (NGSS) is scheduled to be released in early 2013, but a second draft of the standards will be made public in December 2012. Members of the Earth and space science (ESS) research communities can review this draft of NGSS and provide constructive feedback. Such feedback will help ensure that American students receive instruction that is accurate, relevant, and engaging.
On nonsingular value based design of controllers for robust stability

Measures of robustness based on singular values are known to be overly conservative and therefore can sometimes give misleading predictions of instability. It is desirable then to have alternative measures of robustness which are less conservative than singular values. Such a measure is given here, and leads to a design scheme that is a direct extension of the Rosenbrock Nyquist array design method, which has proved successful in a range of industrial applications. In this way, the generalised Nyquist array is reasserted as a viable scheme for the design of robust multivariable control systems.
Cross-lagged panel analysis of the relation between attraction and perceived similarity

Abstract Cross-lagged panel analyses of the relation between attraction and perceived similarity to Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford were reported. The analyses were based on a panel of U.S. adults for 1972–1974–1976. The cross-lagged analysis involving Nixon was supportive of the causal flow being predominantly from attraction to perceived similarity. This conclusion was sustained in multivariate analysis. For ford, the cross-lagged correlations between attraction and perceived similarity were not significantly different. However, multivariate analyses suggested that the effect of attraction to Ford on perceived similarity to him remained significant even when numerous control variables were used. In contrast, the effect of perceived similarity to Ford on attraction to him was reduced to nonsignificance when controls were entered in regression analyses.
Endothelial PKCδ activation attenuates neutrophil transendothelial migration

The process of neutrophil extravasation is involved in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases; however our understanding of the role of endothelial second messengers in the regulation of leukocyte emigration is still incomplete. We investigated this using an in vitro model of neutrophil migration across human endothelial cells. Activation of endothelial protein kinase C (PKC) by either phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or bryostatin-1 (a potent PKCδ and e activator) completely abolished neutrophil migration mediated by either endothelial TNF-α stimulation or LTB4. Pretreatment with Go-6983 (PKCα, β, δ, inhibitor) prior to addition of bryostatin-1 restored LTB4 induced PMN migration, while pretreatment with Go-6976 (PKCα and β inhibitor) did not. PKCδ specific siRNA knockdown of PKCδ expression in endothelial cells also restored LTB4 induced PMN migration. In addition, PMA and bryostatin-1 both increased endothelial adhesion to the substratum that was also reversed using PKCδ siRNA knockdown of PKCδ expression. PMA and bryostatin-1 additionally altered the staining pattern of FAK[pY397], paxillin, and vinculin from a dot-like pattern to a dash-like pattern around the cell perimeter. While PMA reduced transendothelial resistance (TER), bryostatin-1 had no effect on TER. These observations show that endothelial PKCδ activation eliminates neutrophil transendothelial migration through a mechanism unrelated to endothelial barrier integrity. These data are consistent with PKCδ mediated increased cell substrate adhesion as a limiting factor for neutrophil transendothelial migration towards a chemoattractant.
A thin-layer chromatographic procedure for the separation of aspirin, cocaine, caffeine, codeine, heroin, 6-monoacetyl morphine, and morphine

A thin-layer Chromatographic method is reported for the separation of aspirin, cocaine, caffeine, codeine (or quinine), heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine and morphine from each other. The procedure, however, does not separate codeine and quinine from each other, although it does separate either alkaloid from the other components. The method employs basic silica gel G plates with ethanol-isopropanol-xylene-chloroform mixture (12·5∶:12·5∶:25∶:50) as developing solvent.
Approaches to the nonparametric analysis of limited longitudinal data sets

The traditional goals of longitudinal studies are many: consideration of stability and change; description of patterns of development and behavior; and understanding of the processes involved in disease, including disease onset, recovery, response to treatment, natural history of the aging process, and identification of factors that predict age-related outcomes. Researchers in aging seek to unravel the impact and interaction of physical and psychological processes on human development, health, and disease. From the point of view of statistical analysis, the critical aspect of data obtained from longitudinal studies is the inherent correlational structure of multiple measurements made on a single subject or other experimental unit, which must be appropriately treated in the analysis of the data. We discuss a series of nonparametric approaches that are both analytically accessible and particularly well suited to the analysis of sparse or otherwise limited longitudinal data.
Platelet aggregates in hypercholesterolemic rhesus monkeys

Abstract The short-term and long-term effects of induced hypercholesterolemia on platelet aggregates were determined in rhesus monkeys by a platelet count-ratio technique. Twenty control animals had normal values. Seven of the controls were then made hypercholesterolemic by an atherogenic diet containing 1.2% cholesterol, and aggregates were determined between three and nine weeks when the average serum cholesterol was essentially constant at 540 ± 47 mg/dl. Platelet aggregate values were unchanged from those found in the control state after three weeks of hypercholesterolemia, but increased aggregates were found at six weeks and even more aggregates at nine weeks. After 40 weeks of hypercholesterolemia, however, normal values were found despite an average serum cholesterol of 622 ± 41 mg/dl. The prevalence of increased platelet aggregates in long-term hypercholesterolemia was studied in fifty monkeys fed the same atherogenic diet for 28 months. Normal values were found in all but eight animals (16%); within this subgroup that had increased aggregates, five were given a cholesterol-free diet. Serum cholesterol fell toward control values; decreased aggregates were found at three weeks and normal values at six weeks. The data indicate that experimental hypercholesterolemia (preponderantly hyperbetalipoproteinemia) provided an essential background for the occurrence of increased platelet aggregates, but that hypercholesterolemia per se did not account for this phenomenon. The nature of other responsible factors, perhaps related to arterial injury, remains to be clarified.
Social networks and mathematical models: A research commentary on “Critical Mass and Willingness to Pay for Social Networks” by J. Christopher Westland

Abstract This brief research commentary on Westland’s (2010) article in this issue of Electronic Commerce Research and Applications is intended to add two cautionary notes. He attempts to answer two questions: What is critical mass? And how one can manage a network’s growth to reach that mass? He proposes a model for social networks, and shows how the model might possibly be managed. What needs to be remembered is that models are always imperfect. And even when they do describe well the natural behavior of some system, they may not fit as well, once some external influence begins affecting that system. Hence Westland’s contribution should be regarded as a definite step forward, but not necessarily the definitive answer to either of the questions it attempts to solve.
The Riskless Rate of Interest and the Market Price of Risk: A Correction

An earlier paper in this Journal' addressed the question: How does the market price of risk respond to a change in the riskless rate of interest? The main finding of that paper was that, within the context of a one-period asset pricing model with normally distributed returns and negative exponential utility in the rate of return, an increase in the riskless rate of interest leads to an increase in the market price of risk. This paper corrects an error in the previous paper and derives a new result which shows that the market price of risk is independent of the riskless rate of interest in the assumed model.
Measurement of rheological and ultrasonic properties of food and synthetic polymer melts

A slit die viscometer has been used in conjunction with a co-rotating twin screw extruder to study the rheological behaviour of maize grits, potato powder and low density polyethylene, as a function of feed rate, screw speed and temperature. The shear viscosity of both maize and potato decreased with increasing feed rate. Increasing the temperature or screw speed at any given feed rate also reduced the viscosity. The ultrasonic velocity through the material has also been shown to be sensitive to the extruder operating conditions. Overall, the ultrasonic velocity decreased as screw speed and temperature increased and feed rate decreased.
Urinary tract anomalies detected by prenatal ultrasound examination at Mayo Clinic Rochester.

Objective To determine the frequency of fetal urinary tract anomalies and to characterize the types of such abnormalities detected on ultrasonography and the outcome of affected patients during a 15-year period at our institution. Design We retrospectively reviewed the findings on maternal prenatal ultrasound examinations and the postnatal medical records of 56 children with urinary tract abnormalities detected by prenatal ultrasound examination at Mayo Clinic Rochester from November 1979 to June 1994. Results Of the 56 children, 18 (32 %) had severe urinary tract anomalies in conjunction with oligohydramnios, pulmonary hypoplasia, and perinatal death (Potter's syndrome). The other 38 infants had various urinary tract abnormalities—most commonly, isolated hydronephrosis and multicystic dysplasia of the kidney. Six of the 38 children had more than one renal abnormality detected prenatally. Reflux was noted in association with prenatally detected urinary tract abnormalities in 4 of 32 newborns (12 %) who underwent voiding cystourethrography. In fetuses with normal amniotic fluid volume, the perinatal outcome was good. Children with lower urinary tract obstruction had evidence of more severe renal dysfunction than did those with involvement at more proximal levels. The presence or absence of urinary tract obstruction postnatally could not be determined reliably on the basis of prenatal ultrasound appearance. Conclusion In this study, more than half of all prenatally detected urinary tract abnormalities were isolated hydronephrosis or multicystic dysplasia or the kidney. Postnatal renal function could not be reliably predicted on the basis of prenatal ultrasound findings.
Abnormal fibrin structure and inhibition of fibrinolysis in patients with multiple myeloma

Abnormal clot structures have been reported in patients with multiple myeloma, and purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) has been shown to influence fibrin assembly in purified systems. Recently fibrin structure has been demonstrated to be a major determinant of fibrinolytic rates. This study examined the effects of purified polyclonal and monoclonal myeloma IgG on fibrin structure and fibrinolysis in plasma clots. Clotting was initiated by the addition of thrombin (1.0 NIH units/ml) and calcium (10 mmol/L). Gelation was monitored as a time-dependent increase in optical density (633 nm). Fibrin fiber size (mu = mass-length ratio) was measured by scanning the gel from 800 to 400 nm. Two preparations of polyclonal IgG and plasma samples from 10 patients with myeloma were studied. Both Sandoglobulin (Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp.) and Gamimmune (Miles Inc., Cutter Biological) decreased final gel turbidity as the IgG concentration increased from 0 to 15 mg/ml. Because of its high maltose content, Gamimmune produced more-pronounced effects. Over a concentration range of 0 to 15 mg IgG per milliliter, mu decreased from 1.25 to 0.59 x 10(13) daltons/cm for Sandoglobulin and from 1.30 to 0.18 x 10(13) daltons/cm for Gamimmune. Polyclonal IgG at 15 mg/ml prolonged clot lysis induced by tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) from 800 seconds to > 12 hours. Similar effects were noted in myeloma clots. mu values in myeloma clots were significantly smaller than mu values in comparable normal clots. mu became smaller and lysis times became increasingly prolonged as the IgG level increased. High IgG concentrations induce thin fiber formation and impair fibrinolysis in plasma gels. These results demonstrate that fibrinolysis is inhibited in myeloma clots and that the degree of inhibition is correlated with IgG-mediated alterations in fibrin structure. Thin fibrin fibers may contribute to thrombotic risk in myeloma.
Impact Behavior and High-Energy Absorbing Materials

Impact behaviors of structures are gaining more research attention due to increasing demand for designing structures under extreme loading. At the same time, effective protection of structures from low-velocity impact and blast loading and the development of various high-energy absorbing materials as well as strengthening and retrofit-hardening techniques for conventional materials and structures are also of contemporary interest. This special issue on “Impact Behavior and High-Energy Absorbing Materials” is the second part of a two-issue series July Qiao and Binienda 2008 and October the present issue 2008 . It provides a comprehensive survey of theoretical, computational, and experimental investigations of impact mechanics and highenergy absorbing materials. The issue begins with a review paper, followed by papers on several relevant topics. These range from impact response of prestressed composite laminates to indentation behavior of sandwich structures, dynamic enhancement mechanism of metallic hollow sphere material, full-scale blast test of a masonry structure retrofitted with fiber-reinforced polymer composites, experimental characterization of residual tensile strength of woven graphite epoxy laminates due to low-velocity impact, and concrete confined by a prefabricated composite jacket for potential impact protection. Qiao, Yang, and Bobaru provide a comprehensive review of the theoretical, computational, and experimental study of impact mechanics and high-energy absorbing materials. Different theoretical models rigid-body dynamics, elastic, shock, and plastic wave propagation, and nonclassical or nonlocal models and computational methods finite-element, finite-difference, and meshfree methods used in impact mechanics are reviewed and discussed. In particular, some recent developments in numerical simulation of impact e.g., peridynamics and new design concepts proposed as high-energy absorbing materials lattice and truss structures, hybrid sandwich composites, metal foams, magneto-rheological-MR-fluids, porous shape memory alloys are emphasized. Recent studies on experimental evaluation and constitutive modeling of strain-rate-dependent polymer matrix composites, for example, are also presented in some papers in this special issue. The review is intended to help readers in identifying starting points for research in modeling and simulation of impact problems and in designing energy-absorbing-materials and structures. Using Fourier series expansion and Laplace transform, Zheng and Binienda obtained an analytical solution for the impact response of a simply supported laminated composite plate under prestresses, in which a linearized elastoplastic contact law was adopted when considering permanent indentation during impact.
The Stability of Acetylsalicylic Acid in Suspension

The effect of temperature and concentration on the hydrolysis rate of acetylsalicylic acid suspensions was studied. As would be expected for a zero-order reaction the more concentrated suspensions showed a longer half-life. The effect of additives on the stability of the aqueous suspensions was evaluated. Fifty per cent (w/v) crystalline sorbitol exerted the most pronounced stabilizing action. It raised the half-life of an aqueous suspension containing 6.5 Gm. of acetylsalicoylic acid in 100 ml. of water from 1,748 hours to 3,396 hours at 25°.
Characterization of the melanin-dispersing hormone fraction of the eyestalks of Uca pugilator by electrophoresis.

Abstract Extracts prepared from the eyestalks of Uca pugilator were subjected to highvoltage vertical starch-gel electrophoresis to study the behavior of the melanindispersing fraction of the eyestalk extract in an electrical field. Separations were made in a pH range from 2.05 to 8.15 with McIlvaine buffer and at pH 8.9 with barbital buffer. During electrophoresis the apparatus was placed at about 3°C and an aluminum plate closely applied to the Saran-wrapped gel mold acted as a heat sink to dissipate the heat created in the gel. Over the range of hydrogen ion concentrations employed the biologically active fraction migrated as a single component. The isoelectric point appeared to be about pH 5.15. The hormonal activity migrated as much as 10 cm and responded in a manner predictable for an ampholyte to changes in voltage and pH. The assay procedure resolved the width of the active band within 1 or 2 cm of gel.
The bias of the least squares estimator over interval constraints

Abstract We show that the interval constrained least squares estimator for a regression model is in general bias. The bias and some of its properties are given when the regression residuals are normally distributed.
Maternal rations affect the food preferences of weanling rats: II

Rat pups found a garlic-laced food to be less preferred than unadulterated Purina Lab Chow. A tolerance for the nonpreferred rations was established, however, by the exposure of developing rat pups to maternal females fed a garlic-tainted food.
System Modeling and Design Optimization for a Next-Generation Unattended Sensor

We are developing a next-generation unattended sensor that can detect and identify radiation sources while operating on battery power for several weeks. The system achieves smaller size and weight over systems that use NaI:Tl and 3He detectors by using a relatively new scintillator, Cs2LiYCl6:Ce (CLYC). This material can detect both gamma rays and thermal neutrons, has best-case energy resolution under 4% full width at half maximum at 662 keV, and allows for particle discrimination by pulse amplitude as well as pulse shape. The overall design features an array of sixteen CLYC detectors, each read out by a photomultiplier tube and custom pulse processing electronics. A field-programmable gate array analyzes the energy spectra using computationally efficient algorithms for anomaly detection and basic isotope identification. In this paper, we report the results of a modeling study to optimize various parameters of the unattended sensor for best performance. Key parameters include the number and placement of detectors, dimensions and weight of the moderator, and location of the batteries. These results have guided the design of the proof-of-concept prototype.
Efficiency of shock wave compression in a microchannel

The efficiency of compression processes tends to decrease dramatically when the overall dimensions are scaled down to micron level. Then it can be assumed that the compression is more efficient if no moving parts are involved in the process. This is achieved by replacing, at least partially, turbo-compressor stages with a wave rotor. The work starts with estimating wave rotor efficiency at microscale by extrapolation. Then, an analytical model is introduced from which the theoretical efficiency of compression process in a microchannel is deduced. Knowing the inlet conditions and the pressure gain across the shock, the overall efficiency of the compression can be calculated. The model assumes constant friction along the walls and no heat exchange with the surroundings. The results suggest that an efficiency of 70–80% can be achieved in the channels of an ultra-micro wave rotor. It is shown that if the inlet temperature is high enough (about 1500 K), the efficiency is even higher, up to 90%.
SPECT Imaging for Detecting Coronary Artery Disease and Determining Prognosis by Noninvasive Assessment of Myocardial Perfusion and Myocardial Viability

Basic knowledge of active and passive transport mechanisms for concentrating monovalent cations in myocardial cells led to the investigation of the application of radioisotopes of potassium, thallium, rubidium, and ammonia to the in vivo noninvasive assessment of regional myocardial perfusion and viability utilizing gamma camera or positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging technology. Subsequently, technetium-99m (Tc-99m)-labeled isonitriles (sestamibi and tetrofosmin), which bind to mitochondrial membranes, emerged as superior imaging agents with single photon emission tomography (SPECT) imaging. When any of these imaging agents are injected intravenously during either exercise or pharmacologic stress, myocardial defects in tracer uptake represent either abnormal regional flow reserve or myocardial scar reflecting of coronary artery disease (CAD). The major clinical indications for stress SPECT or PET myocardial perfusion imaging are for detection of CAD as the cause of chest pain and risk stratification for prognostication. Patients with normal stress myocardial perfusion scans have an excellent prognosis with 50% uptake compared to normal uptake have a better long-term outcome with revascularization than with medical therapy with enhanced left ventricular function and improved survival. Other applications of SPECT imaging include the evaluation of cardiac sympathetic function, assessment of myocardial metabolism in health and disease, and molecular imaging of coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial stem cell therapy.
The Effects of Nanomolar Concentrations of Taxol on Microtubule Polymerization

Microtubules are intracellular polymers that assemble from heterodimeric αβ-tubulin subunits. Polymerizing microtubules exhibit dynamic instability, a GTP-hydrolysis-driven phenomenon in which they alternate abruptly between phases of growth and relatively rapid shortening. The kinetics of tubulin subunit exchange at the microtubule tip, which are crucial to processes such as mitosis, are affected by the chemotherapeutic drug taxol, but the precise mechanism of action at therapeutic concentrations remains unclear. An understanding of how taxol alters exchange kinetics may assist in the development of new chemotherapeutic drugs.We observe microtubules polymerized at 4.5 micromolar tubulin and at 1-480 nanomolar taxol using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), achieving improvements in spatial and temporal resolution of, respectively, 1 and 2 orders of magnitude compared to previous taxol studies. We measure microtubule length changes to within 25 nm at 8 Hz, and we detect changes in the structure of the microtubule tip. We find that taxol potently affects microtubule growth at concentrations as low as 10 nM. At these concentrations we observed higher variability in growth rate than seen under control conditions, especially on long timescales (on the order of 100 seconds). In some cases, microtubules switched between normal growth and periods of very slow growth. Further, we have found that 10 nM taxol almost completely suppresses rapid shortening, and beginning at 100 nM taxol, the tubulin on and off rates gradually decrease, though the microtubule net growth rate (excluding periods of very slow growth in taxol-microtubules) remains constant.
Water Resources Science, Policy, and Politics for the Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades are a remnant of what was once a 15,000 km2 (5,600 mi2) wetland in central and southern Florida where water resource management now is the primary agent of landscape change. ...
Computation of autoionization lifetimes via a “golden rule” - like formula

Abstract A formal discussion, and some numerical examples for the 2s2p 1,3Pu autoinizing states of He and H−, indicates that usefully accurate autoionization lifetimes of atoms and molecules can be computed with commonly used techniques of electronic structure calculation.
Stable quantitative EEG difference in post-LSD visual disorder by split-half analysis: evidence for disinhibition.

Abstract Hallucinogen persisting perceptual disorder (HPPD) may follow the ingestion of LSD or other hallucinogens in a subset of users. It is characterized by chronic, intermittent or constant visual hallucinations of many sorts persisting beyond the period of acute drug effects. We studied 44 LSD-induced HPPD subjects and 88 matched controls to search for spectral and evoked potential differences using quantitative EEG (gEEG). HPPD subjects demonstrated faster alpha frequency and shorter VER (visual evoked response) latency, consistent with prior animal and human data on response to acute LSD administration which suggest LSD-induced cortical disinhibition. AER (auditory evoked response) latency was prolonged consistent with a differential LSD effect upon visual and auditory systems. The exploratory T -statistic significance probability mapping (T-SPM) technique demonstrated HPPD-control differences mostly involving temporal and left parietal scalp regions, confirmed by a split-half analysis. Significant variables were all derived from the long latency flash VER and click AER. None were derived from spectral analyzed EEG data. Canonical correlation between SPM-derived measures and variables reflecting disease severity was highly significant. A between-group stepwise discriminant analysis based upon a full set of gEEG measures demonstrated 87% prospective classification success by jackknifing and 88% success in a separate split-half analysis.
Thresholding for higher-order statistical denoising

Hard thresholding seems to work well for denoising signals using higher-order statistics. We statistically examined the best values for hard thresholding and related this to the fraction of wavelet coefficients set to zero to obtain the minimum MSE. In addition, we found that the minimum MSE obtained was less sensitive to the threshold when implemented based on a third-order parameter rather than the noise power. Alternatively, we found that this approach to thresholding could be implemented by setting a fixed fraction of wavelet coefficients to zero.
Modification of polymethylhydrosiloxane by dehydrocoupling reactions catalyzed by transition metal complexes: Evidence for the preservation of linear siloxane structures

Polysiloxanes with pendant poly(ethylene oxide) side chains (4 were prepared by the dehydrocoupling reaction of poly(methylhydrosiloxane) (PMHS, 3 with 2-(2-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)ethanol (1 and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (2 using a metal catalyst. Catalysts investigated were tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate, Rh(Ph3P)3Cl, and Pd2(dba)3. The reaction of a cyclic siloxane, D4 H, with 1 catalyzed by Pd2(dba)3 was also carried out to synthesize siloxane 6. The polysiloxanes were characterized by 1H NMR, 29Si NMR, FT-IR, and GPC. 29Si NMR study of these comb-like polysiloxanes revealed that there is a significant difference in the structure of the siloxane polymers prepared depending upon the catalyst. M, D, and T units were observed when tin(II) was used as a catalyst, but only M and D units were detected when Rh(Ph3P)3Cl or Pd2(dba)3 was employed. Furthermore, M and T units are negligible for the cyclic siloxane 3 using Pd2(dba)3. A mechanism is proposed to account for these observations.
A smartphone app to extend use of a cloud-based irrigation scheduling tool

An irrigation scheduling tool was created on a cloud-based server.Key stakeholder members requested a phone app to increase ease of use.WISE will benefit agricultural producers, irrigation managers, research scientists. Irrigation in Colorado, a headwaters state, is crucial for viable agricultural production; consequently, with the foreseen population growth, there will become a greater demand placed on precious water resources. Technology must be adopted and embraced as part of the solution to water shortage. Researchers at Colorado State University have created an online evapotranspiration-based irrigation scheduling tool called Water Irrigation Scheduling for Efficient Application (WISE) that uses the soil water balance method and data queries from Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (CoAgMet) and Northern Colorado Water Conservation District (NCWCD) weather stations. To expedite and mobilize required user interaction with the software interface, a smartphone app has been developed that allows users to quickly view their soil moisture deficit, weather measurements, and the ability to input applied irrigation amounts into WISE. Potential users: agricultural producers, irrigation managers, and research scientists, will benefit from this app as it allows lite access to the tool from any location within a cellular data network. Technology such as the scheduling tool and smartphone app, when adopted within Colorado and the western United States, allow irrigators another tool to better utilize water resources.
Politeness and modal meaning in the construction of humiliative discourse in an early eighteenth-century network of patron–client relationships

This article approaches the study of pragmatic meaning in English modal verbs like can, may, and shall in early eighteenth-century English prose using the techniques of corpus linguistic analysis, politeness theory, and social network analysis. The study is based on a quantitative survey of modal expressions across registers in a corpus of fourteen early eighteenth-century authors, which yields relative frequencies of occurrence according to genre and to author. Together with the sociohistorical information provided by the strategic coalitions constructed to develop, nurture and maintain relationships between clients and literary and political patrons, this survey provides the context for a pragmatic study of politeness strategies. The subsequent qualitative examination of letters in the oeuvres of selected authors yields a rich picture of individual pragmatic variation. The study reveals that although the corpus as a whole exhibits trends for different usages in different genres, the letters exhibit a predominance of modal expressions that may be used to index the facework involved in building and maintaining relationships of patronage. Within this genre, modal choice is influenced by a writer's sense of the relationship with the patron as well as the degree of risk and cost involved in the communication.
Hexapole transport and focusing of vibrationally excited NO molecules prepared by optical pumping

Abstract We present a detailed report of experiments where hexapole focusing is combined with stimulated emission and Franck–Condon optical pumping techniques on a molecular beam. We show that this approach allows one to achieve a high degree of control over the molecule's ro-vibronic quantum numbers, its laboratory frame velocity, and its transverse divergence. Specifically, new ways of manipulating beams of vibrationally excited molecules emerge, including: (1) transverse refocusing and concomitant improved efficiency for transport of the vibrationally excited molecules, (2) relative enrichment of the concentration of the vibrationally excited molecules with respect to the unexcited portion of the beam, and (3) orientation of vibrationally excited molecules. Laser induced fluorescence, fluorescence depletion, Franck–Condon pumping, stimulated emission pumping, resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization, and hexapole focusing all provide spectroscopic probes into the detailed characteristics of this experiment.
Fostering IPv6 migration through network quality differentials

Although IPv6 has been the next generation Internet protocol for nearly 15 years, new evidences indicate that transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6 is about to become a more pressing issue. This paper attempts to quantify if and how such a transition may unfold. The focus is on "connectivity quality," e.g., as measured by users' experience when accessing content, as a possible incentive (or disincentive) for migrating to IPv6, and on "translation costs" (between IPv6 and IPv4) that Internet Service Providers will incur during this transition. The paper develops a simple model that captures some of the underlying interactions, and highlights the ambiguous role of translation gateways that can either help or discourage IPv6 adoption. The paper is an initial foray in the complex and often puzzling issue of migrating the current Internet to a new version with which it is incompatible.
A Parametric Study of Temperature and Volumetric Flow Rate Parameters of a Data Center Using Multi-Zone Building Energy Simulation

Energy consumption and thermal management have become key challenges in the design of large-scale air-cooled data centers, where perforated tiles are used together with cold and hot aisles to improve thermal management. Although building energy simulation can be used to estimate annual energy consumption of any building, its application in data centers has been very limited in open literature. In this paper, EnergyPlus was utilized to study selected important parameters about perforated tiles, which potentially affect the energy consumption and thermal management of a data center. The data center model has 1120 servers distributed in four rows of rack. The data center with various boundary conditions was investigated under a typical U.S. climate — hot and humid, in Miami, Florida. The key parameters about the temperature and the volumetric flow rate of the supply side have been extensively investigated. A multi-zone approach that resolves the hot and cold aisles was used to simulate the data center. Annual overall energy consumption were compared and analyzed. The simulation results show that energy consumption of the data center is significantly affected by the supply temperature and the system fan supply air flow rate under different conditions. In addition, an optimal supply temperature of 11.8°C, and air flow rate of 2.5 m3/s were found to be the most preferred selection for the data center model investigated.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Response sequence difficulty in an incremental repeated acquisition (learning) procedure

Incremental repeated acquisition (IRA) procedures require subjects to learn a different sequence of behavioral responses during each experimental session with required response sequences increasing incrementally in length as subjects demonstrate mastery of shorter response chains. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether some response sequences are more or less difficult to acquire than others. If true, then sequence difficulty must be considered as a potential confound when attempting to assess the effects of drugs and other experimental manipulations on learning. Accuracy for each response sequence was assessed using control data from two large rodent studies, and each sequence was classified as easy, moderate or hard. Sequences that required responses on adjacent levers were easier (characterized by higher accuracies) to acquire than those that required responses on non-adjacent levers. In addition, sequences that required responses on only two of three response levers were easier to acquire than those that required responses on all three levers. These results provide strong evidence for differing levels of response sequence difficulty in IRA procedures with sequence difficulty seeming to be dependent on whether or not responses are required on adjacent levers.
A method for rapid measurement of intrarenal and other tissue pressures.

A rapid method for measuring tissue pressures has been designed. A pressure of 250 mm. Hg is imposed on a manometer. Then the system is allowed to discharge into a needle cannula inserted in the tissue. The manometer forces out fluid (about 10 c.mm.) until the pressure within it is the same as that within the tissue. Records of the pressure changes are made. Each observation takes about a minute. The method gives results that are closely comparable with other reports of tissue pressures. With this method, the pressure in the following organs of dogs was found to be: kidney, 26 mm. Hg, cerebral cortex, 0 to 5 mm., muscle, 1 to 10 mm., spleen, S to 16 mm., subcutaneous tissue, 0 to 3 mm., and liver –2 to 14 mm. The reliability of the method was tested on the kidneys of decerebrate dogs. Measurements were found to be the same within narrow limits over a period of an hour; they were the same when taken simultaneously in different regions of the same kidney or in opposite kidneys. They were independent of the volume of fluid forced into the tissue. Similar pressures were observed with 1 or 5 or 10 holes bored in the shaft of the cannulating needle. The intrarenal pressure was also measured by inserting a needle cannula into the tissue and then allowing the pressure to reach equilibrium passively with a manometer. This method gave similar results. The intrarenal pressure has now found to be the same when measured by three different technics.
The contiguity of probability measures and asymptotic inference in continuous time stationary diffusions and Gaussian processes with known covariance

Abstract We establish contiguity of families of probability measures indexed by T, as T → ∞, for classes of continuous time stochastic processes which are either stationary diffusions or Gaussian processes with known covariance. In most cases, and in all the examples we consider in Section 4, the covariance is completely determined by observing the process continuously over any finite interval of time. Many important consequences pertaining to properties of tests and estimators, outlined in Section 5, will then apply.
Communication about end-of-life care between language-discordant patients and clinicians: insights from medical interpreters.

Background: Communication about health care and especially end-of-life care is difficult for clinicians and patients when they do not speak the same language. Our purpose was to improve understandi...
Age and survivorship of diapausing eggs in a sediment egg bank

We determined the densities of diapausing eggs of the copepod Diaptomus sanguineus in sediments from two small freshwater lakes in Rhode Island. Sediment cores, sliced at 1-cm intervals, showed that egg densities ranged between 4 X 10 4 and 8 x 10 4 eggs/m 2 near the sediment surface and declined to very low values at depths of 10-15 cm in both lakes, although eggs were found as deep as 30 cm in the sediment of one lake. Between 10 and 50% of these eggs hatched in short-term laboratory experiments, and actual egg viability is probably higher. 210 Pb-dating revealed relatively constant sedimentation rates in both lakes, and we use this information to estimate egg ages. In one lake, the mean diapausing-egg age is 70.4 yr (median age = 45.9 yr) and the maximum age of eggs we hatched was 332 yr. In the other lake, the mean egg age is 48.9 yr (median age = 35.9 yr) and the maximum age of eggs we hatched was 112 yr. We calculated egg mortality rates by regressing In(egg density) on the age of the sediment from which the eggs were taken to obtain estimates of 1.1 and 1.5% mortality/yr for the two lakes. Diapausing eggs of zooplankton represent a long-lived life history stage of an otherwise short-lived organism. They provide generation overlap that can have substantial significance for both ecological and evolutionary dynamics.
Reasoning about Concurrency for Security Tunnels

There has been excellent progress on languages for rigorously describing key exchange protocols and techniques for proving that the network security tunnels they establish preserve confidentiality and integrity. New problems arise in describing and analyzing establishment protocols and tunnels when they are used as building blocks to achieve high-level security goals for network administrative domains. We introduce a language called the tunnel calculus and associated analysis techniques that can address functional problems arising in the concurrent establishment of tunnels. In particular, we use the tunnel calculus to explain and resolve cases where interleavings of establishment messages can lead to deadlock. Deadlock can be avoided by making unwelcome security compromises, but we prove that it can be eliminated systematically without such compromises using a concept of session to relate tunnels. Our main results are noninterference and progress theorems familiar to the concurrency community, but not previously applied to tunnel establishment protocols.
The Effects of Self-Confrontation, Role Playing, and Response Feedback on the Level of Self-Esteem.

The purpose of this study was to investigate some of the ways in which self‐esteen might be enhanced. Two videotape treatments (a playback and no playback condition), two role playing treatments (a high status and low status condition), and three reinforcement or feedback treatments (a positive reinforcement, and a no reinforcement condition), were employed. The results showed that self‐esteem varied positively as a function of the form (positive or negative) of response feedback.