cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A frequency domain spectroscopy system working at telecommunication wavelengths without using short-carrier-lifetime photoconductors

We demonstrate, for the first time, a telecommunication-compatible terahertz frequency-domain spectroscopy system without requiring any short-carrier-lifetime photoconductors. The ultrafast response of the terahertz source and detector is achieved by incorporating plasmonic antenna electrodes and a thin layer of epitaxially-grown In0.53Ga0.47As to confine optical generation very close to the antenna electrodes. As a result, a short carrier transit time for most of the photocarriers is provided, inducing an ultrafast photocurrent for terahertz generation and detection. This design approach enables larger flexibility for the choice of photoconductors and operation wavelengths without being limited by the availability of short-carrier-lifetime photoconductors.
The Failure of Accommodative Monetary Policy Before Quantitative Easing (QE) and Its Success After; the “Pushing on a String Problem”

This chapter examines the success of accommodate monetary policy before and after the quantitative easing program was introduced. Data are presented to show it was a failure 1960–2007, but successful after that due to the huge size of the accommodation program after the QE program started in 2008, fully offsetting crowd out. This chapter also examines the “pushing on a string” problem that developed in the QE era. This problem limits of the FR’s ability to stimulate the economy when loanable funds are increased far in excess of the current demand for loans. It concludes large increases in reserves created by the FR during the QE period went unused because of insufficient demand, something tied strongly to the overall size of the economy.
Acceptability of virtual prenatal care: thinking beyond the pandemic.

Obstetrical providers have had to rapidly rethink how to provide comprehensive prenatal care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. At our institution, we implemented a risk-stratified approach to incorpo...
Superhero Fantasy in Crisis

This chapter considers the monster-as-superhero and the superhero-as-monster. Beginning with an overview of the various crises affecting contemporary society, including authoritarianism, political unrest, insurrection, racism, and the climate crisis. This chapter considers how the superhero-as-monster assuages audiences’ anxieties by comparing the restorative fantasy narratives with a reflective fantasy, Gojira (1954) the original Godzilla film. The most recent iteration of the character under Legendary Entertainment’s MonsterVerse perfectly exhibits the current fad of restorative cinematic superheroes. This chapter also takes up Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy that, along with Gojira, represents an example of the possibilities of superhero fantasy and in the reflective narrative mode. The chapter considers this transformation of cinematic Batman into the Dark Knight as it considers the trilogy’s presentation of authoritarianism.
The Impact of Individual Differences on the Use of Risk Reduction Strategies in Organizational Purchasing

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of individual characteristics of organizational buyers on the use of risk reduction strategies. The results suggested that years of formal education, gender, and CFM certification status all have major impacts on risk reduction strategy use. Conversely, years of buying experience and age were found to have relatively little affect on the propensity to use various risk reduction strategies.
Mutational analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 1 strict late UL38 promoter/leader reveals two regions critical in transcriptional regulation.

Abstract The unusual TATA homology TTTAAA at -31 relative to the transcriptional start site of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strict late (gamma) UL38 gene defines the 5' extent of this promoter in recombinant virus. We have further analyzed this promoter by generating recombinant viruses containing nested deletions 3' of the transcriptional start site and with recombinant viruses containing specific promoter/leader alterations. A recombinant virus containing the UL38 promoter/leader from -50 to +9 expressed reporter gene enzyme levels at approximately 10% of those from a recombinant containing the full viral promoter/leader (-50 to +99). The accumulation of reporter gene mRNA in infections with the -50 to +9 recombinant was still regulated with gamma kinetics. Further removal of UL38 leader sequences resulted in a nearly complete loss of expression. Analysis of promoter chimera recombinant viruses has shown that sequences downstream of the TATA box and spanning the transcriptional start site of the UL38 promoter are functionally distinct from those of either the beta UL37 gene or the beta gamma VP16 (UL48) gene; thus, we conclude that sequences from -31 to +9 of the UL38 gene constitute a core gamma promoter. Further deletional and substitutional analyses have also demonstrated the presence of a 14-bp element (the downstream activation sequence) located between +20 to +33 in the nontranslated leader region which is required for full levels of transcription.
The New Computing Archipelago: Intranet Islands of Practice

This paper examines the growth of grass roots intranets as an extension of end-user computing. This perspective helps to characterize the nature of intranet development and use as “islands of practice” and provides a background against which the rapid proliferation of organizational intranets in the 1990s can be compared and contrasted with the explosion of personal computers and “islands of end-user computing” in the 1980s. This retrospective analysis of end-user computing is based on academic and business journal literature. The contemporary analysis of intranet development and use is based upon preliminary results from an ongoing qualitative study ofmidwest U.S. firms in various industries. These analyses highlight two phenomena that are likely to define the shape of intranets and future computing movements: (I) the integration of “intranet islands, ” not only within the firm but also across organizational boundaries, and (2) the role changes among IS and business area professionals as they work with intranet technologies. The discussion of these phenomena examines the ways in which intranets present unique opportunities for understanding the initiation and widespread uses of a new technology, while at the same time illuminating the changes in organizational roles that so often attend technological interventions.
“Et nulle autre me faict plus proprement homme que cette cy:” Michel de Montaigne's embodied masculinity

Writing in a period of considerable anxiety about gender roles, Montaigne (1533–92) developed a series of reflections on gender and masculinity in which he destabilized the gender and sexual hierarchies of early-modern France. First, drawing on an increasingly global archive of information about non-European societies, he argued that culture plays a major role in shaping the lives and experiences of women. Secondly, his understanding of nature enabled him to foster a notion of the equality of the sexes, even as he recognized that nature creates certain differences between men and women. Finally, on these foundations, Montaigne constructed a vision of masculinity that stresses it as an ethical value, one that he opposes above all to cruelty. Montaigne's sexual politics were, I suggest, at least in part a response to the Wars of Religion that had led to an excess of barbarity in early-modern France.
Nucleosynthesis and Neutron-Capture Cross Sections

The role of neutron capture reactions in the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in stars is reviewed. Maxwellian-averaged capture cross sections at 30 keV are presented for most isotopes across the periodic table. Unmeasured cross sections are obtained by interpolations based on the systematic variation of cross sections with neutron number for odd- and even-Z nuclides. The empirical correlation of capture cross sections and s-process abundances is shown, and a consistent set of r-process abundances derived.
Evolution: Selectionist View

The selectionist view of molecular evolution maintains that a large fraction of molecular variation seen in natural populations is due to beneficial mutations. Keywords: molecular; variation; selection
Management of Second Trimester Fetal Demise in a Noncommunicating Uterine Horn.

Mullerian anomalies are uncommon but when present they can increase the risk of obstetrical complications. Anomalies such as bicornuate and unicornuate uterus can also increase the surgical risks of pregnancy termination. The diagnostic approach and surgical management must be individualized for each patient so that the termination procedure is safe and preserves fertility. We present a case of a patient with a 17-week pregnancy with fetal demise in a noncommunicating right uterine horn. Laparotomy and hysterotomy were required for evacuation of the fetus. The use of appropriate imaging studies to diagnose suspected uterine anomalies and a flexible and individualized operative strategy are essential for reducing complications associated with the termination of abnormal or unintended pregnancies in women with Mullerian anomalies.
Differential effect of neuraminidase-treatment on the surface charge-associated properties of rat reticulocytes and erythrocytes. Studies by partitioning in two-polymer aqueous phases.

Rat reticulocytes undergo charge-associated surface changes, detectable by cell partitioning in charged dextran-poly(ethylene glycol) aqueous phase systems, as they become mature erythrocytes. Young reticulocytes have a lower partition coefficient, i.e., quantity of cells in the top phase as a percentage of total cells added, than do mature erythrocytes. Sialic acid is the main charge-bearing group on red blood cells and, in the case of the rat, most of the sialic acid can be removed by treatment of the cells with neuraminidase (Vibrio cholerae). By combining isotopic 59Fe-labeling of reticulocytes with countercurrent distribution of the entire red blood cell population in charged dextran-poly(ethylene glycol) aqueous phases we have now studied the relative effect of neuraminidase-treatment on rat reticulocytes and mature erythrocytes. It was found that neuraminidase-treatment (a) does not eliminate surface differences, detectable by partitioning, between rat reticulocytes and erythrocytes and (b) reduces the partition coefficient of mature erythrocytes to a greater extent than the partition coefficient of reticulocytes indicating a differential effect of this enzyme on the two cell populations.
Suppression of Host Immune Response by the Core Protein of Hepatitis C Virus: Possible Implications for Hepatitis C Virus Persistence

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen causing mild to severe liver disease worldwide. This positive strand RNA virus is remarkably efficient at establishing chronic infections. Although a high rate of genetic variability may facilitate viral escape and persistence in the face of Ag-specific immune responses, HCV may also encode proteins that facilitate evasion of immunological surveillance. To address the latter possibility, we examined the influence of specific HCV gene products on the host immune response to vaccinia virus in a murine model. Various vaccinia/HCV recombinants expressing different regions of the HCV polyprotein were used for i.p. inoculation of BALB/c mice. Surprisingly, a recombinant expressing the N-terminal half of the polyprotein (including the structural proteins, p7, NS2, and a portion of NS3; vHCV-S) led to a dose-dependent increase in mortality. Increased mortality was not observed for a recombinant expressing the majority of the nonstructural region or for a negative control virus expressing the beta-galactosidase protein. Examination of T cell responses in these mice revealed a marked suppression of vaccinia-specific CTL responses and a depressed production of IFN-gamma and IL-2. By using a series of vaccinia/HCV recombinants, we found that the HCV core protein was sufficient for immunosuppression, prolonged viremia, and increased mortality. These results suggest that the HCV core protein plays an important role in the establishment and maintenance of HCV infection by suppressing host immune responses, in particular the generation of virus-specific CTLs.
Design and implementation of area efficient multi-ported memories with write conflict resolution

Multiported memories (MPMs) are essential building blocks for increasing issue width in today's superscalar processors and enabling instruction level parallelism. FPGAs are an attractive platform for realizing MPMs, as they contain dual ported embedded memory blocks of fixed number and size which can be used to construct memories with more ports. The Live Value Table (LVT) technique has been used to construct MPMs with an arbitrary number of ports. Here we describe modifications to LVT enabling us to construct MPMs which are superior with respect to area of both block RAMS (BRAMs) and logic elements (LEs). As an example, we build a 32-bit wide, 256-bit deep 4W/8R memory containing 43% fewer LEs and 75% fewer BRAMS, compared to an MPM based on the original LVT techniques. We also study the effect of write port to read port ratios on performance and we propose a hardware mechanism for write conflict detection and resolution.
Structure and Dynamics of Disordered Proteins

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Resonance Assignments of Disordered Proteins 3 Useful Diagnostic NMR Parameters 4 Estimation of Polypeptide Chain Dynamics 5 Future Prospects 6 Acknowledgements 7 Biographical Sketches
Normalized names for clinical drugs: RxNorm at 6 years

Objective In the 6 years since the National Library of Medicine began monthly releases of RxNorm, RxNorm has become a central resource for communicating about clinical drugs and supporting interoperation between drug vocabularies. Materials and methods Built on the idea of a normalized name for a medication at a given level of abstraction, RxNorm provides a set of names and relationships based on 11 different external source vocabularies. The standard model enables decision support to take place for a variety of uses at the appropriate level of abstraction. With the incorporation of National Drug File Reference Terminology (NDF-RT) from the Veterans Administration, even more sophisticated decision support has become possible. Discussion While related products such as RxTerms, RxNav, MyMedicationList, and MyRxPad have been recognized as helpful for various uses, tasks such as identifying exactly what is and is not on the market remain a challenge.
Interferon α/β Receptor–Deficient Mice as a Model for Ebola Virus Disease

A major obstacle in ebolavirus research is the lack of a small-animal model for Sudan virus (SUDV), as well as other wild-type (WT) ebolaviruses. Here, we expand on research by Bray and by Lever et al suggesting that WT ebolaviruses are pathogenic in mice deficient for the type 1 interferon (IFN) α/β receptor (IFNα/βR-/-). We examined the disease course of several WT ebolaviruses: Boneface (SUDV/Bon) and Gulu variants of SUDV, Ebola virus (EBOV), Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), Tai Forest virus, and Reston virus (RESTV). We determined that exposure to WT SUDV or EBOV results in reproducible signs of disease in IFNα/βR-/- mice, as measured by weight loss and partial lethality. Vaccination with the SUDV or EBOV glycoprotein (GP)-expressing Venezuelan equine encephalitis viral replicon particle vaccine protected these mice from SUDV/Bon and EBOV challenge, respectively. Treatment with SUDV- or EBOV-specific anti-GP antibodies protected mice from challenge when delivered 1-3 days after infection. Serial sampling experiments revealed evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation in the livers of mice infected with the Boneface variant of SUDV, EBOV, and BDBV. Taken together, these data solidify the IFNα/βR-/- mouse as an important and useful model for the study of WT EBOV disease.
Sex-dependent and race-dependent association of XPNPEP2 C-2399A polymorphism with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-associated angioedema.

BackgroundAngioedema is a rare adverse effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which occurs more commonly in women and black Americans. Angioedema is thought to result from decreased degradation of vasoactive peptides. During ACE inhibition, bradykinin is primarily inactivated by a
Controversies in Lung Cancer Screening

There remains an extensive debate over lung cancer screening, with lobbying for and against screening for very compelling reasons. The National Lung Screening Trial, International Early Lung Cancer Program, and other major screening studies favor screening with low-dose CT scans and have shown a reduction in lung cancer–specific mortality. The increasing incidence of lung cancer and the dismal survival rate for advanced disease despite improved multimodality therapy have sparked an interest in the implementation of national lung cancer screening. Concerns over imaging workflow, radiation dose, management of small nodules, overdiagnosis bias, lead-time and length-time bias, emerging new technologies, and cost-effectiveness continue to be debated. The authors address each of these issues as they relate to radiologic practice.
Recursive algorithm for wave-scattering solutions using windowed addition theorem

A review of a recursive algorithm with a more succinct derivation is first presented. This algorithm, which calculates the scattering solution from an inhomogeneous body, first divides the body into N subscatterers. The algorithm then uses an aggregate T matrix and translation formulas to solve for the solution of n+1 subscatterers from the solution for n subscatterers. This recursive algorithm has reduced computational complexity. Moreover, the memory requirement is proportional to the number of unknowns. This algorithm has been used successfully to solve for the volume scattering solution of two-dimensional scatterers for Ez -polarized waves. However, for Hz -polarized waves, a straightforward application of the recursive algorithm yields unsatisfactory solutions due to the violation of the restricted regime of the addition theorem. But by windowing the addition theorem, the restricted regime of validity is extended. Consequently, the recursive algorithm with the windowed addition theorem works well eve...
The Vlasov Poisson System with Steady Spatial Asymptotics

A collisionless plasma is modeled by the Vlasov-Poisson system in three space dimensions. A fixed background of positive charge, which is independent of time and space, is assumed. The situation in...
Zebrafish as a neurotoxicological model

At a time when common regulatory pathways are being identified in several different species and genomics is beginning to allow comparisons of genes, how they are arranged on chromosomes and how they are regulated, zebrafish has emerged as a valuable and complementary vertebrate model. Some of the characteristics that prove of value are described and illustrated. Fluorescent transgenic lines of zebrafish embryos are presented for time-line studies with neurotoxicants. While genetic knockout technology has yet to be developed for the model, the anti-sense, morpholino approach allows for knockdown of expression of genes for the 3 day, embryonic period. This can provide for phenocopies of mutant genes for those genes essential to embryonic development or it can provide for a limited inhibition of gene expression that allows subsequent development of the fish. With the zebrafish genomic sequencing effort, microarray technology is now developing for the model system. These resources and technologies allow one to challenge the system with toxicants, and to view the immediate effects of the toxicants with transgenic embryos that fluoresce in part or all of the nervous system. Behavioral and learning protocols have been developed for the organism so that early exposures can be assayed for effects upon adult fish. Microarray technology should allow for one to identify specific genes and pathways affected by a neurotoxicant. In the future, these approaches should provide a working protocol for exploring molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicants. This type of complementary approach should then allow for more efficient examination and testing of mechanisms in mammalian models.
Aberrant nodulation response of Vigna umbellata to a Bradyrhizobium japonicum NodZ mutant and nodulation signals

The (Brady)rhizobium nodulation gene products synthesize lipo-chitin oligosaccharide (LCO) signal molecules that induce nodule primordia on legume roots. In spot inoculation assays with roots of Vigna umbellata, Bradyrhizobium elkanii LCO and chemically synthesized LCO induced aberrant nodule structures, similar to the activity of these LCOs on Glycine soja (soybean). LCOs containing a pentameric chitin backbone and a reducing-end 2-O-methyl fucosyl moiety were active on V. umbellata. In contrast, the synthetic LCO-IV(C16:0), which has previously been shown to be active on G. soja, was inactive on V. umbellata. A B. japonicum NodZ mutant, which produces LCO without 2-O-methyl fucose at the reducing end, was able to induce nodule structures on both plants. Surprisingly, the individual, purified, LCO molecules produced by this mutant were incapable of inducing nodule formation on V. umbellata roots. However, when applied in combination, the LCOs produced by the NodZ mutant acted cooperatively to produce nod...
A model for the candle-like burning of polymers

Polymers have been burned in a candle-like manner in a slowly rising gaseous atmosphere and the limiting ratio of oxygen to inert gas in the atmosphere required to sustain steady burning has been determined. This ratio, n ox / n i , is shown to be approximately a linear function of the heat capacity of the inert gas for atmospheres of argon, nitrogen or carbon dioxide with oxygen. On the other hand, n ox / n i values determined in helium-oxygen do not obey this relationship; they are higher by 50 per cent or more than corresponding values in argon-oxygen. A model for the burning is developed in which the stability of the leading edge of the flame is critical. It is proposed that n ox / n i ratios must exceed some limiting value in order to maintain the necessary temperature and stability in this critical region. If it is further assumed that for a given polymer the minimum flame temperature, stoichiometry of flame reactions and molar heat loss from the critical region are the same in all inert gases except helium, the steady-flow energy equation leads to the experimentally-observed linear relationship between n ox / n i and the heat capacity of the inert gas. For observed values of n ox / n i the model yields plausible values of flame temperature and molar heat loss. Since values of these parameters are not known, it is not possible to check the model further. The anomalously high n ox / n i values in helium-oxygen are believed to result from higher rates of heat loss from the critical flame region which result from the high thermal conductivity of helium.
“Thumbmb” urethroplasty A modification and comparative study

Abstract Of 20 patients treated by a modified “thumb” urethroplasty technique, only 1 required a new repair. This new method adds a “dog-ear” protrusion from the thumb-shaped flap of scrotal skin. The “dog-ear” is invaginated into the distal urethral ostium. Also trimmed tip of flap is invaginated into the proximal ostium. This technique provides better postoperative results and prevents fibrosis around either the distal or proximal ostium of the repaired segment.
Synthesis of chemoreversible prodrugs of ara-C with variable time-release profiles. Biological evaluation of their apoptotic activity

Abstract N 4 -Dipeptidyl slow-release forms of the anticancer drug ara -C were prepared by acylation of the lithiated nucleotide with 4,4-dialkyloxazolinones. An azapeptide prodrug of ara -C was obtained by condensation of an amino acid hydrazide with an activated nucleotide urea. The use of unnatural amino acid residues at N 4 prevented nonspecific proteolytic cleavage in biological medium. ara -C prodrugs 10, 15, 17 , and 19 released active drug with half-lives from a few minutes to several days, respectively. Activation via intramolecular N 4 -deacylation did not require enzymatic intervention but was strictly dependent on the structure of the peptide chain. The prodrugs 10, 15 , and 17 produced similar growth inhibition as ara -C in cultured murine leukemia cells while the azapeptide prodrug 19 was less potent reflecting the slow release of active drug with this compound. All four prodrugs retained the ability to induce apoptosis in human HL-60 leukemia cells with kinetics dictated by the rate of intramolecular N 4 -deacylation. This the first demonstration for the control of apoptotic cell death by the modulation of drug release from prodrugs.
Spectral signatures and optic coefficients of surface and reservoir rocks at COIL, CO 2 , and Nd:YAG laser wavelengths

Approximately 40 different reservoir and surface rock samples were lased using high power COIL (λ = 1.315 μm), CO 2 (λ = 10.6 μm) and Nd:YAG (λ = 1.06 μm) lasers. Spectrum of the samples in the wavelength region from 0.35 to 15.387 μm was obtained. The objectives of this research are to make a detailed study of the spectral properties and optic signatures of rock samples, including reservoir rocks collected from a depth of more that 8,000 ft, in order to predict the energy absorbed when a laser hits a rock. The optical coefficients [extinction/reflection (E), scattering (S), absorption (K) and emission (F)] of these rocks are critically investigated against rock chemistry, grain size, mode of occurrence, porosity, cementing matrix and rock textures, and total organic content. This research, initiated for the petroleum industry, develops a relationship between reflectance and rock properties that are commonly known and used as correlation parameters for other reservoir characterization uses. Our results show that: (1) More than 25% of the COIL and Nd:YAG laser energy is reflected and/or scattered by rocks with more than 85% SiO 2 content. (2) Surface and reservoir sandstones have almost the same spectral features and hence similar optic coefficients. (3) Rocks with high porosity have greater reflection coefficients (at the COIL and Nd:YAG wavelengths) compared to those having lower porosity. (4) The reflectance at the CO 2 laser wavelength (10.6 μm) is not a function of porosity or grain size.
Arabian Jazz and the Need for Improvising Arab Identity in the US

The term "jazz" in the title of Diana Abu-Jaber's novel Arabian Jazz (1993) implies a process of improvisation and intertwining. As an essen tial characteristic of jazz music, improvisation manifests itself linguisti cally in Arabian Jazz, even as it intertwines with the novel's major themes. Matussem Ramoud, a Jordanian immigrant to the United States and a main character in Abu-Jaber's novel, is a jazz drummer and a devotee of John Coltrane's music, particularly the composition "Naima." Matussem and his daughters Jemorah and Melvina are struggling to find their place in the American setting of upstate New York after Matussem's American-born wife, Nora, dies during a visit to Jordan. The Arab side of the family wants Matussem and his daughters to move back to Jordan permanently, or at the very least to see Jemorah and Melvina marry Arab men. The characters' dilemma of remaining in or leaving the United States is exacerbated by the racism they face in upstate New York. Their straddling of two cultures, two families, two identities, and especially two languages causes a need to improvise and intertwine their individual and collective identities as Arab Americans. The contrapuntal lines of the characters' negotiations are accompanied by linguistic improvisations in English and in the Arabic words that find their way into the text. In Matussem's untranslated name and Coltrane's "Naima," however, the moments of linguistic, musical, and translational improvisation enter a condition of dialectic density: the blue note. Like the musical blue note, which inflects a musical (usually major) scale of play by reaching for a note from outside the scale, the linguistic blue note forces a dominant language to enter into dialogue with a word imported from another language. In combination, the untranslated Arabic name "Matussem" and the musical piece and untranslated name "Naima" create a potent dialectic of both a linguistic and musical blue note. In order to gauge the density of the blue note, it is necessary to explore the improvisational and intertwining elements that provoke its manifesta tion. Early in Arabian Jazz, Melvina asks her sister Jemorah to remember a Bedouin saying: "In the book of life, every page has two sides" (6). The "two sides" are in fact multiple sets of two sides (two cultures, two families, two identities, and two languages) that culminate in the term
Yoga discovered on the net

The ancient practices of yoga are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. This review of Web sites provides opportunities for both beginning and seasoned yoga practitioners to discover yoga on the Internet. The emphasis is on sites that provide full text or references to articles, and that can help one find suitable yoga teachers to assist in the exploration of the many facets of yoga.
Mollusks and Mass Harvesting in the Middle Holocene

AbstractArchaeological excavations at California Channel Island sites have produced a history of roughly 12,000 years of maritime subsistence, technological change, human-environmental interactions, and cultural evolution. These excavations provide valuable data on the dynamics of Channel Island nearshore marine ecosystems and the adaptive strategies of maritime hunter-gatherers who foraged, fished, and hunted in them for millennia. In this article, we summarize the context, chronology, and implications of two Middle Holocene sites on San Miguel Island, where black turban snails ( Tegula funebralis ) dominate the faunal assemblages. We discuss the dominance of small shellfish in relation to optimal foraging theory and the general belief that larger-bodied animals were more attractive to ancient coastal foragers.
The Stony brook Multiprocessing Materials Simulator

A parallel processing system with substantial computational power for the simulation of materials has been designed and constructed at Stony Brook. Although primarily designed to implement the molecular dynamics algorithm, the system is highly efficient in carrying out simulations that exhibit high degrees of local interaction. Our studies show that this system is capable of performance, for this application, which is comparable to the Cray-l at a small fraction of the cost.
Oil-spill research program of the US Minerals Management Service

Abstract Current oil-spill research funded by the US Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), emphasizes technology development in the fields of in situ burning, spill counter-measure standardization using large wave tank testing, remote sensing and oil-spill trajectory analysis. Research projects include efforts in large field observational programs, surface drifters, and modeling to support trajectory simulation in the Gulf of Mexico and the Santa Barbara Channel. Research progress is outlined with emphasis on data-sharing and collaborative efforts.
A general framework for modeling growth and division of mammalian cells

Modeling the cell-division cycle has been practiced for many years. As time has progressed, this work has gone from understanding the basic principles to addressing distinct biological problems, e.g., the nature of the restriction point, how checkpoints operate, the nonlinear dynamics of the cell cycle, the effect of localization, etc. Most models consist of coupled ordinary differential equations developed by the researchers, restricted to deal with the interactions of a limited number of molecules. In the future, cell-cycle modeling--and indeed all modeling of complex biologic processes--will increase in scope and detail. A framework for modeling complex cell-biologic processes is proposed here. The framework is based on two constructs: one describing the entire lifecycle of a molecule and the second describing the basic cellular machinery. Use of these constructs allows complex models to be built in a straightforward manner that fosters rigor and completeness. To demonstrate the framework, an example model of the mammalian cell cycle is presented that consists of several hundred differential equations of simple mass action kinetics. The model calculates energy usage, amino acid and nucleotide usage, membrane transport, RNA synthesis and destruction, and protein synthesis and destruction for 33 proteins to give an in-depth look at the cell cycle. The framework presented here addresses how to develop increasingly descriptive models of complex cell-biologic processes. The example model of cellular growth and division constructed with the framework demonstrates that large structured models can be created with the framework, and these models can generate non-trivial descriptions of cellular processes. Predictions from the example model include those at both the molecular level--e.g., Wee1 spontaneously reactivates--and at the system level--e.g., pathways for timing-critical processes must shut down redundant pathways. A future effort is to automatically estimate parameter values that are insensitive to changes.
Blood Pressure Management and Evolution of Thrombolysis-associated Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background There is limited knowledge on the radiographic features of thrombolysis-induced hemorrhage. The factors that influence early hematoma expansion have not been elucidated. Methods Patients presenting with a symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) as a result of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for acute ischemic stroke and had noncontrast computed tomographic (CT) scans of the head were included in this retrospective study. Calculation of hematoma volumes was obtained. Analysis of covariance was used to evaluate for the effect of baseline blood pressure (BP) on initial hematoma volume and further growth. Results Of 267 patients who were treated with intravenous tPA for acute ischemic stroke at our facility between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2009, 17 patients developed symptomatic ICH and were included in the final analysis. There was a positive correlation between baseline level of systolic BP after thrombolysis and initial hematoma volume (r = 0.46; P = .03) but not for the diastolic BP (r = 0.07; P = .40). There was a significant increase in mean hematoma volume expansion when comparing results between the first and second CT scans (median 9 hours, 22 minutes; 14.9 ± 19.6 cm 3 to 26.0 ± 26.7 cm 3 ; P = .04). There was also a negative association between the reduction of systolic BP and hematoma growth (r = -0.67; P = .02), but no correlation with change in diastolic BP (r = -0.22; P = .28). Conclusions Once diagnosed, thrombolysis-induced symptomatic ICH undergoes significant early expansion in size. Systolic BP may play a role in hematoma expansion.
Injustice at Intersecting Scales: On ‘Social Exclusion’ and the ‘Global Poor’

It is widely appreciated today that injustices can arise on different scales — some are national, some regional, some global. Thus, the notion of a plurality of scales of justice is intuitively plausible. What may be less evident is the idea that some important injustices are best located not on any one single scale but rather at the intersection of several scales. This article argues that this is the case for one of the core characteristic injustices of the present era: namely, ‘the social exclusion of the global poor’.
Interface Instability and Morphology Evolution of Thin Films Induced by Electrostatic Interaction

Experiments have shown that a thin polymer film subjected to an electrostatic field may lose stability at the polymer-air interface, leading to uniform self-organized pillars emerging out of the film surface. This paper presents a three dimensional model to account for this behavior. Attention is focused on a fully nonlinear evolution simulation to reveal the dynamic process from an early perturbation to late structure formation. Energetic components involving the interface energy and dielectric effect, and kinetics of coupled viscous flow and diffusion are incorporated into a phase field framework. The semi-implicit Fourier spectral method and preconditioned biconjugate-gradient method are applied for high efficiency and numerical stability. The simulations reveal rich dynamics of the pattern formation process, and show that the kinetic constraint of the substrate can essentially limit structure coarsening. The pillar size is insensitive to the film thickness while the distance between pillars and the growth rate are significantly affected. The study also suggests an approach to control structural formation in thin films with a designed electric field.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
WE‐E‐T‐617‐04: IMRT and Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer

Purpose: Radiotherapy of cervical cancer is usually delivered through a combination of external-beam and intracavitary-brachytherapy treatments. A portion of the external-beam treatment is often delivered with a midline block, either straight or tapered at the edges, to avoid overdosing the brachytherapy dose distribution. This study investigates the replacement of the midline block with intensity-modulated-radiation-therapy (IMRT), matching the IMRT dose to the biologically-equivalent brachytherapy dose distribution, while additionally achieving optimized target coverage and minimized critical organ doses. Method and Materials: CT scans of a female pelvic phantom were imported into a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) to calculate the dose distribution of a high-dose-rate (HDR) tandem and ovoid treatment delivering 650cGy to point A. A planning target volume (PTV), the rectum, and the bladder were segmented. The brachytherapy dose distribution was converted to its biologically-equivalent dose distribution, at 180cGy daily fractions, using the linear-quadratic equation and an α/β ratio of 10, by modifying the HDR source's radial-dose function (RDF) values. A set of IMRT fields, at 180cGy/fraction, was planned to deliver a dose of 720cGy to the target for each HDR fraction while accounting for implant dose. The IMRT fields geometry included two scenarios; AP/PA parallel-opposed fields, mimicking the conventional split-field pelvis treatments with a midline block, and a 5-field coplanar beam arrangement that had the potential to improve target coverage and reduce critical-organ doses. Results: The single-source RDF values were successfully modified to compute the biologically-equivalent dose distribution of the HDR treatment. The TPS was able to calculate IMRT field fluence maps, in both scenarios, to obtain dose volume histograms of the target and the critical organs as prescribed. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that IMRT doses distributions for cervical cancer treatment can be biologically matched to brachytherapy dose distributions, thus improving target coverage and sparing critical structures.
Characterisation of ferritic weld microstructures using various electron microscopy techniques: a review

AbstractThis paper presents a review of the different electron microscopy techniques for characterisation of weld microstructures with an emphasis on the techniques to determine morphology, composition and structure determination of ferritic weld metal. The focus will be on techniques which provide an advantage due to either ease of use or greater depth of information, thereby supplementing the information obtained by traditional characterisation techniques such as scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The use of electron backscattered diffraction with orientation imaging microscopy as a tool to understand phase transformation paths and ferrite variant selection will be discussed. The use of energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry and electron energy loss spectrometry as complementary techniques to determine chemical composition of precipitates will be described. The advantages of annular dark field imaging and bright field scanning transmission electron microscopy for imaging pr...
A target chamber for charged particle induced x-ray fluorescence studies

Abstract A target chamber is described which combines extremely low acquisition cost with precision adjustment and exchange of as many as 26 targets without breaking chamber vacuum. The chamber was designed for particle induced x-ray fluorescence studies and allows great detection efficiency due to its small target-detector distance. To expand its usefulness, the chamber can also hold one solid state surface barrier detector at 90° with respect to the beam. This feature allows charged particle studies as well as particle-gamma ray coincidence measurements.
Market definition and dominant position abuse under the new electricity trading arrangements in England and Wales

Abstract The electricity regulator in England and Wales has published a consultation paper on the application of the UK Competition Act 1998 to the energy sectors. The consultation is vital: the law and economics of detecting anti-trust violations in energy are still evolving in both the US and Europe. At the heart of anti-trust analysis are the reasons why prices deviate from marginal cost: scarcity rent, (static) market power, and (dynamic) tacit collusion. Under the new electricity trading arrangements (NETA), market definition could be quite confusing, and the absence of an indicator of locational value clouds the signals for investments in generation and transmission. Moreover, large players in a pay-as-bid auction, as applied in NETA, possess an informational advantage which helps establish a dominant position. The irony is that many of the policy difficulties associated with market definition and dominant position abuse under the Pool, the market instituted upon privatisation in 1990, are unlikely to be resolved completely under NETA.
Implementing Total Quality Management:: A Model for Research Libraries

Ce modele pour l'implantation du management total de la qualite (TQM) dans une bibliotheque de recherche a ete en partie developpe par l'Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Une mise au point definitionnelle sur la combinaison des termes de modeles et d'implementation appliquee au TQM est d'abord faite, soulignant de plus que la theorie et la terminologie en TQM ne sont figees. Les grandes lignes du modeles sont presentees comme un processus de 10 etapes relevant de quatre phases. L'approche est consideree comme flexible et applicable de differentes manieres a des situations variees
Vaccine design: emerging concepts and renewed optimism

Arguably, vaccination represents the single most effective medical intervention ever developed. Yet, vaccines have failed to provide any or adequate protection against some of the most significant global diseases. The pathogens responsible for these vaccine-recalcitrant diseases have properties that allow them to evade immune surveillance and misdirect or eliminate the immune response. However, genomic and systems biology tools, novel adjuvants and delivery systems, and refined molecular insight into protective immunity have started to redefine the landscape, and results from recent efficacy trials of HIV and malaria vaccines have instilled hope that another golden age of vaccines may be on the horizon.
Rapid determination of venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection.

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic technique for simultaneous measurement of plasma venlafaxine (VEN) and its active metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV) is described. The process begins with the extraction of VEN and ODV, with maprotiline (MAP) as internal standard, from human plasma into an intermediate organic mixture of hexane–isoamyl alcohol and finally into an aqueous solution of 0.05% phosphoric acid. Isocratic separation of VEN, ODV and MAP is carried out by utilizing a reversed-phase butyl-bonded column (C4/E) with mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 40 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.8 (50:50, v/v). Detection of VEN, ODV and MAP is done by mean of fluorimetry with excitation and emission wavelengths set at 276 and 598 nm, respectively. As low as 1.0 ng/ml VEN is detectable; while the limit of detection for ODV is 5 ng/ml. C.V. (%) of intra-day samples for both VEN and ODV are less than 10% at three concentrations tested (10.0, 50.0, 100.0 ng/ml). Similarly, over the same nominal concentrations, the precision of inter-day (5 days) samples also results in C.V. (%) smaller than 10% for both compounds, except for ODV measured at 10 ng/ml (C.V.<15%). Approximately, 100% VEN can be extracted from plasma; whereas, for ODV the recovery rate is nearly 70%. This present method is rapid, sensitive, accurate and simple for routine clinical monitoring of plasma VEN and its major metabolite ODV.
Whole-body transcriptome of selectively bred, resistant-, control-, and susceptible-line rainbow trout following experimental challenge with Flavobacterium psychrophilum

Genetic improvement for enhanced disease resistance in fish is an increasingly utilized approach to mitigate endemic infectious disease in aquaculture. In domesticated salmonid populations, large phenotypic variation in disease resistance has been identified but the genetic basis for altered responsiveness remains unclear. We previously reported three generations of selection and phenotypic validation of a bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) resistant line of rainbow trout, designated ARS-Fp-R. This line has higher survival after infection by either standardized laboratory challenge or natural challenge as compared to two reference lines, designated ARS-Fp-C (control) and ARS-Fp-S (susceptible). In this study, we utilized 1.1 g fry from the three genetic lines and performed RNA-seq to measure transcript abundance from the whole body of naive and Flavobacterium psychrophilum infected fish at day 1 (early time-point) and at day 5 post-challenge (onset of mortality). Sequences from 24 libraries were mapped onto the rainbow trout genome reference transcriptome of 46,585 predicted protein coding mRNAs that included 2633 putative immune-relevant gene transcripts. A total of 1884 genes (4.0% genome) exhibited differential transcript abundance between infected and mock-challenged fish (FDR < 0.05) that included chemokines, complement components, tnf receptor superfamily members, interleukins, nod-like receptor family members, and genes involved in metabolism and wound healing. The largest number of differentially expressed genes occurred on day 5 post-infection between naive and challenged ARS-Fp-S line fish correlating with high bacterial load. After excluding the effect of infection, we identified 21 differentially expressed genes between the three genetic lines. In summary, these data indicate global transcriptome differences between genetic lines of naive animals as well as differentially regulated transcriptional responses to infection.
Brooks Parsimony Analysis: a valiant failure

A recent comparison of two methods for examining correlated host and parasite phylogenies, namely TreeMap 1.0 and Brooks Parsimony Analysis concluded that the latter method performed better and is to be preferred. Reevaluation of the examples contrived for that study demonstrates that the two methods were only compared on one kind of problem (widespread parasite) for which there is an easy fix for TreeMap 1.0. Other kinds of problems like host-switching among sister taxa or host-switching over great distances across a host tree befuddle BPA even as they are readily resolved parsimoniously by TreeMap 1.0. These difficulties, compounded with inaccurate counting of ad hoc hypotheses required by its solutions render BPA unsuitable for comparison of host and parasite phylogenies.