cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliability consideration for advanced microelectronics

Recent advances in the design and fabrication techniques of microelectronic devices have resulted in tremendous improvements in system functionality, performance and power consumption. These improvements have been fueled by tremendous growth in the semiconductor industry and increasing demand for hand-held and wireless electronic systems. However, these same advances also impact the stability, reliability and fault tolerance of the devices and systems in question. In addition, the increasing dependence of our society on these advanced systems translates to a higher need for assuring the reliability and long life of such systems. In order to achieve the desired system performance characteristics, device manufacturers have developed a suite of material systems and semiconductor processes which can satisfy the customer needs. As an example, the demand for faster device switching speeds and low power consumption have resulted in the utilization of new metalization systems and dielectric materials. The limits of device processing technology are continually being pushed to the limit by the utilization of new and advanced processing tools and techniques. Establishing the reliability of these new processes and systems is a constant challenge and requires a detailed understanding of the failure mechanisms and the environments of operation. This presentation will address current technology trends and the impact on fault tolerance and reliability including radiation effects of terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications.
High-frequency oscillatory ventilation with partial liquid ventilation in a model of acute respiratory failure

Objective: To determine whether there is an improvement in oxygenation when partial liquid ventilation and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation are combined in the treatment of acute lung injury, compared with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation alone. Design: Controlled animal trial. Setting: Research laboratory in a university setting. Subjects: Ten 3-kg piglets. Interventions: Anesthetized piglets underwent high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, with mean airway pressure of 20 cm H 2 O, before induction of acute lung injury with repeated saline lavage. When Pao 2 values were <100 torr (<13.3 kPa), five animals were randomized to receive escalating doses (3, 15, and 30 mL/kg) of perflubron at 60-min intervals. The other five animals remained on high-frequency oscillatory ventilation only. Sham dosing was performed at 60-min intervals in these animals. Arterial blood gases were obtained in both groups at baseline, after injury, and after perflubron and sham doses. Measurements and Main Results: Statistically significant improvements in oxygenation were demonstrated in animals that received 3 mUkg of perflubron with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation compared with animals receiving high-frequency oscillatory ventilation alone (253 ± 161 vs. 90 ± 30 torr [33.65 ± 21.46 vs. 12.0 ± 4.0 kPa], p <.05). Improvements in oxygenation with additional administration of perflubron were not greater than the improvements seen in the high-frequency oscillatory ventilation-only group. Paco 2 and pH were similar in both groups at all times. No hemodynamic compromise occurred in either group of animals. Conclusions: The combination of low-dose perflubron with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation leads to more rapid improvement in arterial oxygenation than high-frequency oscillatory ventilation alone, in a piglet model of acute lung injury. Although the group receiving high-frequency oscillatory ventilation alone eventually achieved Pao 2 values that were equivalent to the group receiving high-frequency ventilation and perflubron, the combination of perflubron with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation may permit effective oxygenation and ventilation at lower mean airway pressures by facilitating alveolar expansion and decreasing intrapulmonary shunt.
Spin trapping of lipid-derived radicals in liposomes

Electron-spin resonance-spin trapping has been used to detect lipid-derived radicals in liposomes. Using the lipid-soluble spin trap 2-methyl-nitrosopropane (MNP), we have detected both the lipid and hydrogen-atom spin adducts in liposomes composed of a fully saturated phospholipid (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, DMPC) with various mol fractions of unsaturated phospholipid (1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoylphosphatidylcholine, PAPC) or fatty acid (arachidonic acid, AA). The lipid-derived spin adduct formed during autoxidation of liposomes was separated by thin-layer chromatography and found to co-migrate with the product(s) formed by direct addition of MNP to the corresponding unsaturated lipid or fatty acid. Both the MNP-PAPC and MNP-AA spin adducts showed some restriction of rotational motion when in the liposome bilayer (rotational correlation times 0.72 and 0.69.10(-9) s, respectively), and nitrogen hyperfine coupling constants (14.94-14.96 G) consistent with a hydrophobic localization. Radical versus non-radical mechanisms of spin adduct formation during liposome autoxidation were separated using alpha-tocopherol as a radical scavenger. The utility of nitroso spin traps in trapping of radicals in liposomes is discussed.
Plasticity in Alzheimer's disease: Too much or not enough?

The goal of optimizing restorative sprouting in Alzheimer's disease is based on the premise that sprouting is beneficial and is deficient in AD. The beneficial aspects of neuronal plasticity have been questioned, however, and other studies suggest that some aspects of sprouting may be exaggerated in AD and contribute to the formation of plaques, tangles, and other neuropathological hallmarks of this disorder. Manipulation of the sprouting response may represent a promising treatment strategy in AD, but whether the goal is to augment or impede sprouting may depend upon the extent of the damage and the severity of the disease state.
Children and adolescent psychopharmacology

The treatment of childhood onset of mental illness can be perplexing. Mental illness does not always wait until adulthood; the National Institute of Mental Health estimates 12 million children and adolescents have a diagnosable mental disorder. The availability of evidence that guides treatment tends to be sparse and few medications are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the use in those who suffer yet are younger than eighteen. One notable exception, attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has garnered enough evidence for solid treatment options. Drs. Linn, Murray, Smith and Fuentes review clinical considerations in the management of ADHD in a pediatric population.
Integrating Software Engineering Process in an Undergraduate Curriculum

This tutorial is intended to assist faculty members and administrators who are designing or modifying undergraduate software engineering curricula, and who wish to learn about alternative approaches to incorporating software engineering process. Curricular recommendations developed by the Joint Task Force on Computing Curricula, formed by the IEEE Computer Society and the Association for Computing Machinery, provide a context for this discussion. The applicability of the Personal Software Process (PSP) and the Team Software Process (TSP), developed by the Software Engineering Institute, is also considered. Experienced software engineering educators may benefit from the presentations, hands-on exercises, and group discussions, but the tutorial is designed primarily for educators with less experience in software engineering curriculum development
Subject-specific Patterns of Femur-labrum Contact are Complex and Vary in Asymptomatic Hips and Hips With Femoroacetabular Impingement

Background Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) may constrain hip articulation and cause chondrolabral damage, but to our knowledge, in vivo articulation and femur-labrum contact patterns have not been quantified.
HYDRATION OF GAS PHASE PROTEINS : FOLDED +5 AND UNFOLDED +7 CHARGE STATES OF CYTOCHROME C

Free energy changes for the first steps in the hydration of the +5 and +7 charge states of gas-phase cytochrome c have been determined from equilibrium constant measurements at 271 K. Previous ion mobility studies (Shelimov, K. B.; Jarrold, M. F. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 10313) indicate that the +5 charge state is tightly folded in the gas phase, while the +7 charge state is partially unfolded under the conditions employed. Free energy changes have been determined for the adsorption of the first nine water molecules on the folded +5 charge state and the first five water molecules on the unfolded +7 charge state. The free energy changes for transfer from bulk water to the hydration shell of the protein are remarkably small, between −2 and −7 kJ mol-1, indicating that the charge is very effectively shielded in both the unfolded and folded conformations. The free energy changes for initial hydration of the folded +5 charge state are significantly more negative than for the unfolded +7 state. This may ind...
Enhanced percolative properties from partial solubility dispersion of filler phase in conducting polymer composites (CPCs)

Abstract A variant of the standard solubility parameter concept was applied in the development of a partial-solution mixing model for this work. When correlated to polymer swelling ratios, it served as a useful tool for process control and percolation development. Polymer compositions of poly(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and poly(styrene butadiene styrene) block copolymers, in powder form, were classified into narrow particle size ranges and controllably coated with graphite filler in a solvent of defined solubility parameter. A percolation concentration of 0.23 vol.% was achieved for partial-solution mixing, which was a decade lower than that for a conventional solution mixing process. Further, the mean resistivity and standard deviation were much less for the classified than for a broad particle size range, by factors of ∼14 and ∼3, respectively. Compressive yield strength, used as a measure of composite cohesion, was 32 MPa, about 25–60% higher than for dry, wet or solution mixing. The application of solubility parameter as a control aid in partial-solution mixing (PSM) was found also to be an effective tool in control of electrical percolation.
QoS-driven power control for downlink multiuser communications over parallel fading channels in mobile wireless networks

We propose a power adaptation scheme for downlink multiuser communications over parallel fading channels in mobile wireless networks. This model can be applied to the case of time division or frequency division downlink transmission over broadcast channels in cellular networks. Specifically, our proposed scheme aims at optimizing the sum of the weighted effective capacity over all users each with a specified statistical delay quality of services (QoS) constraint, called QoS exponent. Using a two-step method, we derive the optimal power adaptation policy for the above problem. Numerical evaluations are also presented to investigate the impact of the delay QoS on optimizing the weighted sum effective capacity and that on the power allocation across different users.
Cyclic AMP in brain areas: Effects of amphetamine and norepinephrine assessed through the use of microwave radiation as a means of tissue fixation

Microwave radiation (MWR) was used to sacrifice rats and rapidly fix the brainin situ. When rats were exposed to MWR the temperature of the brain quickly approached 90°C and adenyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase were totally and irreversibly inactivated in the brain. By using MWR as the method of sacrifice enzymatic activity was arrestedin situ and the brain could be accurately dissected and cyclic AMP concentrations determined in discrete regions. It was found that there was a differential distribution of cyclic AMP in the rat brain with the cerebellum and brain stem containing the highest levels and the cortex and hippocampus the lowest concentrations. Decapitation led to a 4-fold increase in cyclic AMP levels in the whole brain, but the increase in specific areas was not uniform. Administration of pentobarbital was associated with a reduction in the concentration of cyclic AMP in all areas examined. Amphetamine did not change the nucleotide level in any brain area studied at the times tested. Similarly, direct injection of norepinephrine into the ventricular system of the brain also did not alter cyclic AMP levels in any brain area. The inability of norepinephrine to increase AMP levels in the brainin vivo is in contrast to the marked rise in nucleotide concentrations produced in brain slices incubatedin vitro in the presence of norepinephrine.
Phosphorylation of the sodium--potassium adenosinetriphosphatase proceeds through a rate-limiting conformational change followed by rapid phosphoryl transfer.

The sodium-potassium adenosinetriphosphatase of sheep kidney, preincubated with sodium and magnesium (E.Nae), reacts with 0.01-2.00 mM ATP to form covalent phosphoenzyme (E-P). The first order rate constant for phosphorylation increases hyperbolically with ATP concentration with a maximum value of (4.6 +/- 0.9) x 10(2) s-1 and K0.5 = 75 +/- 25 microM (ph 7.4, 25 degrees C, 120 mM NaCl, and 3 mM MgCl2). If the phosphoryl-transfer step were rate-limiting, the approach to equilibrium to give 50% E-P in the presence of ADP would follow kobsd=Kf+Kr+9.2 x 10(2) s-1. However, the formation of phosphoenzyme from E.Na3 with 1.0 mM ATP plus 2.0 mM ADP proceeds to 50% completion with kobsd=(4.2 +/- 0.8) x 10(2) s-1. This result show that phosphoryl transfer from bound ATP to the enzyme is not the rate limiting step for phosphoenzyme formation from E.Na3. The result is consistent with a rate-limiting conformational change of the E.Na3.ATP intermediate that is followed by rapid phosphoryl transfer, with kcat > or = 3000 s-1.
Designer Controlled Behavioral Synthesis

This paper describes features of EXEL, a graphic language that gives the designer control over the behavioral synthesis process. Control is achieved by allowing the designer to partially specify the structural design into which the description is going to be compiled, or by binding desired variables and operators to particular components or connections, and binding desired operations to particular states of the final design. EXEL's compiler runs on SUN-3 workstations and is written in C and SUNVIEW.
Linearization of radiative heating and cooling rates for the case of non-scattering planetary atmospheres

Abstract Rates of radiative heating and cooling of the non-scattering planetary atmosphere and scattering underlying surface are analytically linearized with respect to the atmospheric and surface parameters. Resulting expressions for sensitivities of radiative heating and cooling rates are used to formulate the linearized 1D radiative model of atmospheric dynamics which directly incorporates the relevant linearized atmospheric and surface parameters. Applications to more sophisticated models of atmospheric dynamics, as well as extension to the case of presence of atmospheric scattering, are briefly discussed.
Metric variation and sexual dimorphism in the dentition of Ouranopithecus macedoniensis.

Abstract The fossil sample attributed to the late Miocene hominoid taxon Ouranopithecus macedoniensis is characterized by a high degree of dental metric variation. As a result, some researchers support a multiple-species taxonomy for this sample. Other researchers do not think that the sample variation is too great to be accommodated within one species. This study examines variation and sexual dimorphism in mandibular canine and postcanine dental metrics of an Ouranopithecus sample. Bootstrapping (resampling with replacement) of extant hominoid dental metric data is performed to test the hypothesis that the coefficients of variation (CV) and the indices of sexual dimorphism (ISD) of the fossil sample are not significantly different from those of modern great apes. Variation and sexual dimorphism in Ouranopithecus M 1 dimensions were statistically different from those of all extant ape samples; however, most of the dental metrics of Ouranopithecus were neither more variable nor more sexually dimorphic than those of Gorilla and Pongo . Similarly high levels of mandibular molar variation are known to characterize other fossil hominoid species. The Ouranopithecus specimens are morphologically homogeneous and it is probable that all but one specimen included in this study are from a single population. It is unlikely that the sample includes specimens of two sympatric large-bodied hominoid species. For these reasons, a single-species hypothesis is not rejected for the Ouranopithecus macedoniensis material. Correlations between mandibular first molar tooth size dimorphism and body size dimorphism indicate that O. macedoniensis and other extinct hominoids were more sexually size dimorphic than any living great apes, which suggests that social behaviors and life history profiles of these species may have been different from those of living species.
Land use change and carbon exchange in the tropics. II: Estimates for the entire region

Determining the effect of tropical land use on the carbon dioxide (CO2) content of the atmosphere requires: (a) estimates of the rates of land use change, (b) estimates of the difference between the carbon stored in forests and that stored in pastures and cultivated fields, and (c) a consideration of the fate of carbon stored in the cleared vegetation. The first article of this series analyzed land use in four tropical countries and estimated the carbon released to the atmosphere as a consequence of changes in land use. This article estimates the carbon released from the entire tropical region based on the two published studies of land use change for the tropics as a whole that distinguish between temporary and permanent land use: Seiler and Crutzen (1980) and Lanly (1982). We combine these estimates with two estimates of the difference in carbon storage between forests and fields derived from Whittaker and Likens (1975) and Brown and Lugo (1982), and the two scenarios of the fate of cleared vegetation, developed in the previous article, to produce several complete sets of data describing the necessary parameters to calculate carbon exchange. These data sets, entered into our model, produce a range of estimates of the annual release of carbon from tropical vegetation in 1980 of from 0.6 to 1.8 BMT/year, with the more likely range being 0.9–1.2 BMT/year. Our preliminary analysis suggests that the release from tropical soils due to land use change adds about an additional 0.3 BMT C/year, so that the total release is probably between 1.2 and 1.5 BMT C/year. Peng and others (1983) reported that new models of the oceanic carbon cycle can accommodate at least 1.2 BMT C/year in 1980 from forests and soils. Our results indicate that, given the uncertainties in the size of both the biotic release and oceanic uptake, the global carbon budget may be balanced if there is no significant release from nontropical ecosystems due to land use change and all mature ecosystems are in collective equilibrium with the atmosphere.
Expression of mineralocorticoid type I and glucocorticoid type II receptors in astrocyte glia as a function of time in culture.

Abstract In the present study we have examined the expression of mineralocorticoid Type I and glucocorticoid Type II receptors in astrocyte glia maintained in culture for different periods of time. Cytosolic mineralocorticoid Type I receptors were labeled with [3H]aldosterone (ALDO) in the presence of a 500-fold molar excess of the potent Type II receptor ligand RU 28362. [3H]Dexamethasone (DEX) was used to label cytosolic Type II receptors. Both Type I and Type II receptor binding was saturable in astrocyte glia that had been maintained in culture for 20 and 30 days following final plating (i.e. 20- and 30-day-old cultures). Scatchard analysis of [3H]ALDO binding revealed a single calss of Type I receptors, with dissociation constants (Kd) of 0.45 ± 0.12 nM and 0.53 ± 0.07 nM, respectively, in 20- and 30-day-old cultures. The number of Type I receptors in 30-day-old cultures was nearly half that found in 20-day-old cultures (22.06 vs 42.64 fmol/mg protein). Linear Scatchard plots were also obtained for [3H]DEX binding to cytosol prepared from 20- and 30-day-old cultures. There were no significant differences in the Kd or Bmax values for [3H]DEX binding in 20- or 30-day-old cultures, i.e. 2.06 ± 0.15 nM and 247.36 ± 18.16 fmol/mg protein for 20-day-old cells and 2.3 ± 0.74 nM and 261.02 ± 3.08 fmol/mg protein for 30-day-old cells. These Bmax values are more than double the Bmax value for [3H]DEX binding observed in our previous studies in 10-day-old astrocyte glial cultures. Switching cultured astrocyte glial from serum-supplemented to serum-free medium had no significant effects on the Kd values of Type I or Type II receptors in all the cultures tested. However, treatment with serum-free medium increased the number of Type I receptors in 30-day-old cultures to a level similar to that found in 20-day-old cultures. Taken together, these binding data suggest that Type I and Type II receptors are expressed differently in astrocyte glia as a function of time in culture.
Solid-Phase Synthesis of Acyclic and Cyclic Amino Acid Derived Urea Peptidomimetics Using Phoxime Resin †

The use of Phoxime resin 2 (phosgenated p-nitrophenyl(polystyrene)ketoxime) in the synthesis of acyclic and heterocyclic amino acid derived ureas is described. Resin 2 was previously shown to be a useful precursor in the solid-phase preparation of nonsymmetric ureas from thermolysis of corresponding primary amine oxime carbamates and subsequent trapping with an amine in solution. Generation of functionalized polymer-supported primary amine oxime carbamates (3 and 9) for further diversification was accomplished by addition of amino acids or substituted hydrazines to resin 2. The use of these functionalized oxime carbamate resins for the generation of acyclic α-ureidoacetamides 5, 3-aminohydantoins 7, and 1,2,4-triazine-3,6-diones 8 is suitable for combinatorial library generation.
Branched chain amino acid aminotransferase isoenzymes of Pseudomonas cepacia.

Pseudomonas cepacia grew rapidly using a mixture of all three branched chain amino acids as carbon source, but failed to use individual branched chain amino acids as sole carbon source. Extracts of bacteria grown on branched chain amino acids had between 2- and 3-fold higher levels of alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent branched chain amino acid aminotransferase activity than extracts of glucose-grown bacteria. The increase in enzyme activity was due to the presence of a second aminotransferase not detected in extracts of glucose-grown bacteria. The enzyme, which presumably plays a role in branched chain amino acid degradation, had an apparent molecular weight (mol.wt.) of 75,000. The other aminotransferase was formed constitutively and apparently functions in synthesis of branched chain amino acids. It was more stable than the 75,000 mol.wt. enzyme, and was purified to homogeneity and found to be a 180,000 mol.wt. oligomer containing 6 subunits of approximately 30,000 mol.wt. Antiserum prepared against the purified enzyme inhibited its activity but failed to influence the activity of the 75,000 mol.wt. aminotransferase, suggesting that the two isoenzymes are encoded by different genes.
From Gutenberg to Gates: Media Matters

Media consolidation and convergence have increasingly changed the way individuals as both consumers and citizens access, process, and communicate information at the local, national, and global levels. Media industries and institutions influence public perception and occupy our time at work and at home more and more. Media literacy has become recognized as a twenty-first-century skill necessary for civic competence and the development of informed, responsible citizens. Although it has long been established in the curricula of other nations, it is relatively new in the United States. Media literacy is not simply teaching with media—rather, it entails teaching about media. Key frameworks such as the Text, Audience, and Production (TAP) model, which is explained in this article, can be used to help students systematically analyze and evaluate the wide range of media texts they are exposed to on a daily basis. The author discusses how media literacy is also compatible with several of the major strands identifi...
The intrarenal renin-angiotensin system in hypertension.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a well-studied hormonal cascade controlling fluid and electrolyte balance and blood pressure through systemic actions. The classical RAS includes renin, an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin (Ang) I, followed by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) cleavage of Ang I to II, and activation of AT 1 receptors, which are responsible for all RAS biologic actions. Recent discoveries have transformed the RAS into a far more complex system with several new pathways: the (des-aspartyl 1 )-Ang II (Ang III)/AT2 receptor pathway, the ACE-2/Ang (1-7)/Mas receptor pathway, and the prorenin-renin/prorenin receptor/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, among others. Although the classical RAS pathway induces Na + reabsorption and increases blood pressure, several new pathways constitute a natriuretic/vasodilator arm of the system, opposing detrimental actions of Ang II through Ang II type 1 receptors. Instead of a simple circulating RAS, several independently functioning tissue RASs exist, the most important of which is the intrarenal RAS. Several physiological characteristics of the intrarenal RAS differ from those of the circulating RAS, autoamplifying the activity of the intrarenal RAS and leading to hypertension. This review will update current knowledge on the RAS with particular attention to the intrarenal RAS and its role in the pathophysiology of hypertension.
Thermal pressure in the laser‐heated diamond anvil cell

Estimation of the thermal elastic effect is necessary for the calibration of the pressure and temperature conditions during laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments, since above 800K, the standard technique of using ruby florescence to measure pressure fails. Continuum calculations based upon the thermoelastic equations for an elastic medium were used to estimate the thermal pressure resulting from a radially symmetric temperature gradient in an elastic sphere with zero displacement on its surface. This calculation corresponds to the thermal pressure generated in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell sample that is compressed without a pressure medium. This solution must fall between circumstances where the sample is held at constant pressure and where the sample is held at constant volume. It is shown here that the thermal pressure in an elastic medium with a Gaussian temperature gradient is approximately 40–60% of the thermodynamic value of the thermal pressure in a material raised to some constant temperature with the volume constrained to be constant. Even though the thermal pressure correction can be significant in terms of the total pressure that the sample experiences, these calculations indicate that the correction can be estimated to approximately 10%.
Down-regulation of amygdala and insula functional circuits by varenicline and nicotine in abstinent cigarette smokers.

Background Although the amygdala and insula are regarded as critical neural substrates perpetuating cigarette smoking, little is known about their circuit-level interactions with interconnected regions during nicotine withdrawal or following pharmacotherapy administration. To elucidate neurocircuitry associated with early smoking abstinence, we examined the impact of varenicline and nicotine, two modestly efficacious pharmacologic cessation aids, on amygdala- and insula-centered circuits using resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Methods In a functional magnetic resonance imaging study employing a two-drug, placebo-controlled design, 24 overnight-abstinent smokers and 20 nonsmokers underwent ∼17 days of varenicline and placebo pill administration and were scanned, on different days under each condition, wearing a transdermal nicotine or placebo patch. We examined the impact of varenicline and nicotine (both alone and in combination) on amygdala- and insula-centered rsFC using seed-based assessments. Results Beginning with a functionally defined amygdala seed, we observed that rsFC strength in an amygdala-insula circuit was down-regulated by varenicline and nicotine in abstinent smokers. Using this identified insula region as a new seed, both drugs similarly decreased rsFC between the insula and constituents of the canonical default-mode network (posterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial/dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, parahippocampus). Drug-induced rsFC modulations were critically linked with nicotine withdrawal, as similar effects were not detected in nonsmokers. Conclusions These results suggest that nicotine withdrawal is associated with elevated amygdala-insula and insula–default-mode network interactions. As these potentiated interactions were down-regulated by two pharmacotherapies, this effect may be a characteristic shared by pharmacologic agents promoting smoking cessation. Decreased rsFC in these circuits may contribute to amelioration of subjective withdrawal symptoms.
Differences in thyroid function between bipolar manic and mixed states

Background: High rales of thyroid axis abnormalities have been reported in most studies of patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. Mixed states share similarities with rapid-cycling, including close temporal occurrence of manic and depressive symptoms, predominance in women, poor outcome, and less robust response to lithium compared with pure mania: however, thyroid axis abnormalities have not been well studied in mixed mania. Methods: To test the hypothesis that mixed states are associated with a higher prevalence of hypothyroidism than pure mama, immunorcactive triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were determined from serum obtained at the time of admission in 37 consecutive patients with DSM-HI-R bipolar disorder, manic or mixed. Results: The mean TSH concentration was significantly higher, and the mean T4 concentration was significantly lower in patients with mixed mania compared with pure mania. There were no significant differences in T3 concentration or in previous lithium exposure. Conclusions: These findings suggest thyroid axis dysfunction is more common in bipolar mixed than in bipolar manic patients.
Endothelial hypoxic stress proteins

Top of pageAbstract Moxonidine inhibits Na+/H+ exchange in proximal tubule cells and cortical collecting duct. The imidazoline receptor agonist moxonidine has been recently introduced as an antihypertensive therapy. Imidazoline specific binding sites have also been found in the kidney. Moxonidine induced natriuresis and diuresis in clearance studies in rats. Related substances such as various guanidinium derivatives have been shown to inhibit Na+/H+ exchange in several preparations. We therefore examined whether the renal effects of moxonidine could be mediated by an inhibition of the Na+/H+ exchanger. Intracellular pH (pHi) was measured microfluorimetrically with BCECF in proximal LLC-PK1 cells and in the principal cells of rat cortical collecting ducts (CCD). In LLC-PK1 cells moxonidine (10 mol/liter) had no effect on the basal pHi; however, it reduced the Na+/H+ activity reversibly by 43 4% (N = 26) when the exchanger was activated by cellular acidification. In rat CCD cells moxonidine slightly decreased basal pHi by 0.08 0.03 pH units (N = 12). After acidification the recovery rate of pHi was reduced with moxonidine by 45 6% (N = 18). The effects of moxonidine could be mimicked in both cell types by inhibitors of the Na+/H+ exchanger (HOE 694, amiloride). In the presence of the imidazoline receptor antagonist ida-zoxan (10 mol/liter) the effects of moxonidine were almost completely inhibited. The 2antagonist yohimbine (10 mol/liter) did not significantly alter the effects of moxonidine in both cell types. These data suggest that in LLC-PK1 and in rat CCD cells, Na+/H+ is inhibited by moxonidine via an activation of the imidazoline receptor. Keywords: moxonidine, hypertension, Na+/H+ exchange, blood pressure control, imidazoline-receptor agonist, antihypertensive drugs
Observations of neutral atoms in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud

New observations of lines from neutral atoms in the lines of sight to three stars in the Rho Oph cloud are combined with literature data to look for evidence of density-enhanced regions with higher elemental depletions than those characterizing the cloud as a whole. The depletions inferred from neutral species, however, are comparable to those measured directly from observations of ions, suggesting that no strong density enhancements exist in the observed lines of sight. This conclusion is supported by electron densities derived from the observed ionization fractions, which also show no evidence for a strong variation of density with depth in the cloud. It appears that the overall density (and overall level of depletion) in the cloud is higher than in typical diffuse clouds, despite the apparent lack of strong condensations with enhanced relative depletions.
Lessons Learned From the First-Year Evaluation of a Small-Scale Home Visitation Program

ABSTRACT Home visitation programs to prevent child maltreatment are offered in many communities. Agencies in these communities want to help families in need while under increased pressure to provide effective services. Funding is limited and competitive; some agencies might choose to limit funds spent on supervision, training, and evaluation as a way to provide more direct service. In this article, we use an implementation science framework and the results of an evaluation of a small home visitation program to underscore the importance of ongoing training and supervision, attention to fidelity, and program evaluation. The evaluation included 17 families entering the program during 21 months. Evaluators visited families in their homes at the beginning of the program and again 10 months later. Like many other well-intended, small-scale programs, this one “borrowed” from evidence-based models and expanded enrollment criteria in an attempt to better serve families. Findings from the evaluation suggest that th...
Dedicated vs. Shared Networks for Safety and Controls: An analysis of the trade-offs involved

The choice of implementing a safety system on a dedicated network or on a shared network (with a control system) rests solely on the system cost involved. To determine which option leads to a lower overall system cost, a two-tiered normalized weighted cost calculator approach that evaluates the trade-offs is presented. Applying the calculator to the decision process shows that either solution could be determined to be optimal, depending on the weights applied to specific cost factors as a result of the application environment.
High strain-rate behavior of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites:

The high strain-rate constitutive behavior of polymer composites with various natural fibers is studied. Hemp, hemp/glass hybrid, cellulose, and wheat straw-reinforced polymeric composites have been manufactured, and a split-Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus has been designed to measure the dynamic stress–strain response of the materials. Using the apparatus, compressive stress–strain curves have been obtained that reveal the materials’ constitutive characteristics at strain rates between 600 and 2400 strain/s. Primary findings indicate that natural fibers in thermoset composites dissipate energy at lower levels of stress and higher strain than glass-reinforced composites. In the case of thermoplastic matrices, the effect on energy dissipation of natural fibers vs. conventional talc reinforcements is highly dependent on resin properties. Natural fibers in polypropylene homopolymer show improved reinforcement but have degraded energy dissipation compared to talc. Whereas in polypropylene copolymer, natural ...
Imaging of a Target Through Random Media Using a Short-Pulse Focused Beam

A general formulation of a theory of imaging through random obscuring layers is described. Previously we presented a theory for the temporal behavior of a short pulse scattered from a random medium and from a point target. In this paper, we generalize our study to include the imaging of objects of finite size and the actual imaging pattern at the receiver. This involves the study of two-frequency fourth order moments. Numerical examples are given to illustrate several important features, including the optical depth, backscattering enhancement, shower curtain effects, aperture size, bandwidth and target size.
Is there any physiological role for gonadotrophin oligosaccharide heterogeneity in humans? II. A biochemical point of view

Heterogeneity of gonadotrophin oligosaccharides caused either by pharmacological intervention or which occurs naturally during normal physiological changes is well documented. Recent advances in structure determination of oligosaccharides has to some extent led to a better appreciation of how oligosaccharide heterogeneity may affect protein folding, stability, measurement and modulation of receptor binding. Here it is discussed how carbohydrate structure can impact upon gonadotrophin structure and function. It is well documented that oligosaccharides can serve as a cognate site for protein binding. One functional aspect of gonadotrophin glycosylation heterogeneity is the modulation of receptor binding affinity, yielding partially agonistic glycoforms. Carbohydrate heterogeneity is problematic for a clinical chemist if immunochemical assays are sensitive to heterogeneity. However, even measurements made without such interference may not accurately reflect the biological activity that is a collective result of all isoforms in the circulation, and perhaps of the genotype of each individual. Moreover, oligosaccharide heterogeneity may affect heterodimer stability, therefore, biological activity and immunochemical activity, not to mention clearance. It seems reasonable to conclude that from a biochemical point of view, oligosaccharide heterogeneity is of considerable importance. However, accurate measurement of isoforms in blood, and appropriate in-vitro bioassays that are insensitive to matrix effects are needed to define the physiological significance of each glycoform, and thereby better define target therapeutics and interpret diagnostic results.
Microhabitat use in a stream fish assemblage

We examined microhabitat use among fishes in a 37-m section of Coweeta Creek, North Carolina. Numerical abundances of species changed substantially during the 17-month study period. Microhabitat availability, however, did not change markedly during our investigation. Seasonal principal component analyses of microhabitat availability and fish microhabitat use data extracted two main patterns of non-random microhabitat use. Clinostomus funduloides, Notropis eoccogenis and Semotilus atromaculatm were significantly over-represented in deep areas with low to intermediate velocities and depositional substrata. Campostoma oligolepis, Coitus bairdi, Etheostoma blennioides, Rhinichthys cataractae and Salmo gairdneri all occurred in intermediate to deep microhabitats with moderate to high velocities and erosional substrata. Five of seven species exhibited seasonal variation in microhabitat utilization, whereas six species displayed size-related variation in use. Size-related variation was probably ontogenetic. We attributed most seasonal changes in microhabitat use to variations in microhabitat availability. We used canonical analysis of discriminants to identify factors maximizing interspecific differences in microhabitat use. This analysis indicated that species could be assigned to either a benthic or a water column guild. Species within a guild generally could not be differentiated statistically, whereas members of different guilds were readily separable. These patterns persisted throughout the study, despite changes in numerical abundances of assemblage members. There was no evidence of either exploitation or interference competition for microhabitat, consequently it is unlikely that spatial resources were limiting during our study.
Compressed sensing radar surveillance networks

We study the problem of sensor fusion in a simplified radar surveillance application. A potentially large number of narrowband radars with isotropic antennas monitor a two-dimensional area for an unknown number of targets. We use techniques from compressive sensing to distribute efficient projections of network observations, allowing for reconstruction of the target scene using a single snapshot of sensor data. We avoid the use of a fusion node, allowing all radars to individually estimate target locations after iterative communication with neighboring sensors. We study the robustness of the discretization of continuous target locations, comparing estimation performance of basis pursuit reconstruction methods to a sparse estimator based on a model-robust formulation. We test the approach on simulated scenarios, showing tradeoffs in the resolution of target localization as well as the communication bandwidths required for this inter-radar cooperation scheme.
The regulation of feeding and metabolic rate and the prevention of murine cancer cachexia with a small-molecule melanocortin-4 receptor antagonist

Cachexia is metabolic disorder characterized by anorexia, an increased metabolic rate, and loss of lean body mass. It is a relatively common disorder, and is a pathological feature of diseases such as cancer, HIV infection, and renal failure. Recent studies have demonstrated that cachexia brought about by a variety of illnesses can be attenuated or reversed by blocking activation of the melanocortin 4 subtype receptor (MC4-R) within the central nervous system. Although the potential use of central MC4-R antagonists for the treatment of cachexia was supported by these studies, utility was limited by the need to deliver these agents intracerebroventricularly. In the current study, we present a series of experiments demonstrating that peripheral administration of a small molecule MC4-R antagonist can effectively stimulate daytime (satiated) food intake as well as decrease basal metabolic rate in normal animals. Furthermore, this compound attenuated cachexia and preserved lean body mass in a murine cancer model. These data clearly demonstrate the potential of small molecule MC4-R antagonists in the treatment of cachexia and underscore the importance of melanocortin signaling in the development of this metabolic disorder.
In Vitro Antibacterial Activities of Phloxine B and Other Halogenated Fluoresceins against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Fluorescein dyes in which the benzoic acid moiety has been tetrachlorinated (50 to 100 μg/ml) inhibit in vitro Staphylococcus aureus growth (MIC, 25 μg/ml). Specifically, under standard room illumination, phloxine B at a concentration of 100 μg/ml killed 99% of the cultures (mid-log phase). It also reduced S. aureus CFU by 104. Structure-activity analysis revealed that the activity against S. aureus increases with the increase in the number of the substituting halogens in the hydroxyxanthene moiety.
New ketene equivalents for the Diels–Alder reaction. Vinyl sulphoxide cycloadditions

1-Phenylsulphinyl-1-trimethylsilylethene and phenyl vinyl sulphoxide have been shown to be effective ketene equivalents for the Diels–Alder reaction.
The role of behavioural theories in educational interventions for paediatric asthma

Controlling paediatric respiratory disease requires a significant change in the behaviour of all stakeholders: patient, family, clinician, community and health system. The good management of asthma by patients requires that they learn what works and does not work for them given their particular circumstances. Asthma interventions can help patients to improve their self-regulation and achieve better health status, quality of life and personal goals. Many asthma interventions do not, however, achieve change because they are not based on sound theories of behaviour. They fail to teach patients how to observe, judge and react appropriately to their change efforts. Successful interventions have been based on theoretical principles and have generally combined strategies for preventing and managing an asthma episode and managing the social and behavioural factors associated with the disease.
Breastfeeding Mothers Returning to Work: Possibilities for Information, Anticipatory Guidance and Support from US Health Care Professionals

Today, more mothers in the United States are in the labor force, and returning to the workforce presents numerous challenges for the breastfeeding mother. Although it as been demonstrated that maternal employment is associated with a decrease in the length of time a mother continues to breastfeed, health care providers are in a unique position to enhance a mother's breastfeeding success as she transitions back into the workplace. This article describes various commonly perceived obstacles to combining breastfeeding and working and provides examples of information, anticipatory guidance, and support that health care providers can use to assist a breastfeeding mother with a successful return to the workforce. J Hum Lact. 25(2):226-232.
Detectability of minerals on desert alluvial fans using reflectance spectra

The visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of soil samples collected from desert alluvial and colluvial surfaces in the Cuprite mining district, Nevada, were analyzed. These surfaces are downslope from hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks that contain spectrally characteristic minerals such as alunite and kaolinite. Coarse fractions of the soils on the alluvial fans are mineralogically variable and express the upslope lithologies; fine fractions are remarkably similar mineralogically and spectrally in all samples because of dilution of local mineral components by regionally derived windblown dust. Theoretical models for spectral mixing and for particle-size effects were used to model the observed spectral variations. Diagnostic mineral absorption bands in the spectra of fan materials were enhanced by computationally removing the spectrum of the homogeneous fine-soil component. Results show that spectral mixing models are useful for analyzing data with high spectral resolution obtained by field and aircraft spectrometers.
Learning Dialogue Management Models for Task-Oriented Dialogue with Parallel Dialogue and Task Streams

Learning dialogue management models poses significant challenges. In a complex taskoriented domain in which information is exchanged via parallel, interleaved dialogue and task streams, effective dialogue management models should be able to make dialogue moves based on both the dialogue and the task context. This paper presents a data-driven approach to learning dialogue management models that determine when to make dialogue moves to assist users’ task completion activities, as well as the type of dialogue move that should be selected for a given user interaction context. Combining features automatically extracted from the dialogue and the task, we compare two alternate modeling approaches. The results of an evaluation indicate the learned models are effective in predicting both the timing and the type of system dialogue moves.
The Image of Both Churches

The Image of both Churches after the most wonderful and heavenly Revelation of Saint John the Evangelist, containing a very fruitful exposition or paraphrase upon the same, wherein it is conferred with the other scriptures and most authorized histories. Compiled by John Bale, an exile also in this life for the faithful testimony of Jesus.