cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen reduction pathways in estuarine sediments: Influences of organic carbon and sulfide

Potential rates of sediment denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) were mapped across the entire Niantic River Estuary, CT, USA, at 100–200 m scale resolution consisting of 60 stations. On the estuary scale, denitrification accounted for ~ 90% of the nitrogen reduction, followed by DNRA and anammox. However, the relative importance of these reactions to each other was not evenly distributed through the estuary. A Nitrogen Retention Index (NIRI) was calculated from the rate data (DNRA/(denitrification + anammox)) as a metric to assess the relative amounts of reactive nitrogen being recycled versus retained in the sediments following reduction. The distribution of rates and accompanying sediment geochemical analytes suggested variable controls on specific reactions, and on the NIRI, depending on position in the estuary and that these controls were linked to organic carbon abundance, organic carbon source, and pore water sulfide concentration. The relationship between NIRI and organic carbon abundance was dependent on organic carbon source. Sulfide proved the single best predictor of NIRI, accounting for 44% of its observed variance throughout the whole estuary. We suggest that as a single metric, sulfide may have utility as a proxy for gauging the distribution of denitrification, anammox, and DNRA.
A Multivariant Assessment and Treatment Technique for Alcohol Problems

Traditional alcohol treatment systems employ a binary procedure in the assessment and treatment of alcohol problems. The binary approach has come under critical review and an alternative multivariant approach has been suggested. The purpose of this paper is to propose a multivariant design developed in clinical practice. The goals of the presentation are to stimulate concern for multivariant techniques and to assess their impact on treatment outcome.
Solving NP-complete problems in the tile assembly model

Formalized study of self-assembly has led to the definition of the tile assembly model, a highly distributed parallel model of computation that may be implemented using molecules or a large computer network such as the Internet. Previously, I defined deterministic and nondeterministic computation in the tile assembly model and showed how to add, multiply and factor. Here, I extend the notion of computation to include deciding subsets of the natural numbers, and present a system that decides SubsetSum, a well-known NP-complete problem. The computation is nondeterministic and each parallel assembly executes in time linear in the input. The system requires only a constant number of different tile types: 49. I describe mechanisms for finding the successful solutions among the many parallel assemblies and explore bounds on the probability of such a nondeterministic system succeeding and prove that probability can be made arbitrarily close to one.
Joseph N. Scanlon: the man and the plan

Purpose – The paper aims to describe the career and contributions of Joseph Scanlon in gaining labor‐management cooperation through employee participation and sharing the gains from cost savings.Design/methodology/approach – The paper makes use of archives and unpublished sources; correspondence with Scanlon's daughter and a previous colleague; Scanlon's writings; and secondary sources as needed.Findings – Joseph Scanlon used his experiences to develop a plan that encouraged union‐management cooperation and workers and managers sharing gains from improved productivity. Scanlon's background is examined and how his colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, especially Douglas McGregor, provided the venue for his ideas to flourish and gain widespread acceptance. An analysis of 117 studies over a period of six decades is used to identify the conditions that appear to promote or to interfere with the Scanlon Plan.Practical implications – The Scanlon Plan illustrates a means to promote labor‐managemen...
Structural safety of an ocean outfall against hurricane damage

Abstract Ocean outfall pipelines, made of cast iron with concrete coating, are used to carry secondary-treated effluent which has almost the same density as freshwater. The pipelines, which are laid in trenches backfilled with sand and rock boulders, are often insufficiently protected in the event of a major storm. This paper presents a study on the prediction of the wave/wave-induced hydrodynamic forces and erosion that would result from a hurricane, and evaluates the potential for damage to the structure due to a Category 4 hurricane, i.e. a hurricane (measured on a scale of 1–5) with a wind velocity between 131 and 155 m.p.h. and storm surges of 13–18 ft above normal, which may lead to major beach erosion. The investigation includes liquefaction analysis, evaluation of scour due to wave breaking, vertical and horizontal stability analyses, and recommendations for a concrete flexible revetment scour protection system. Both fully exposed and partially buried pipelines are considered in the stability analysis. A detailed discussion of the main elements of a scour protection system, including the revetment underlayer, cellular units, tendons, and pin anchors is presented, with typical illustrations. Further study is needed to include possible pipeline breakout from the seafloor which results from fluctuating lift forces caused by an induced gap at the pipe-soil interface.
Technical Note: On the possibly missing mechanism of 15 μm emission in the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT)

Abstract. Accurate knowledge of the rate as well as the mechanism of excitation of the bending mode of CO2 is necessary for reliable modeling of the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) region of the atmosphere. Assuming the excitation mechanism to be thermal collisions with atomic oxygen, the rate coefficient derived from the observed 15 μm emission by space-based experiments (kATM = 6.0 × 10−12 cm3s−1) differs from the laboratory measurements (kLAB =(1.5-2.5) × 10−12 cm3s−1) by a factor of 2–4. The general circulation models (GCMs) of Earth, Venus, and Mars have chosen to use a median value of kGCM = 3.0 × 10−12 cm3s−1 for this rate coefficient. As a first step to resolve the discrepancies between the three rate coefficients, we attempt to find the source of disagreement between the first two. It is pointed out that a large magnitude of the difference between these two rate coefficients (kx ≡ kATM - kLAB) requires that the unknown mechanism involve one or both major species: N2, O. Because of the rapidly decreasing volume mixing ratio (VMR) of CO2 with altitude, the exciting partner must be long lived and transfer energy efficiently. It is shown that thermal collisions with N2, mediated by a near-resonant rotation-to-vibration (RV) energy transfer process, while giving a reasonable rate coefficient kVR for de-excitation of the bending mode of CO2, lead to vibration-to-translation kVT rate coefficients in the terrestrial atmosphere that are 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than those observed in the laboratory. It is pointed out that the efficient near-resonant rotation-to-vibration (RV) energy transfer process has a chance of being the unknown mechanism if very high rotational levels of N2, produced by the reaction of N and NO and other collisional processes, have a super-thermal population and are long lived. Since atomic oxygen plays a critical role in the mechanisms discussed here, it suggested that its density be determined experimentally by ground- and space-based Raman lidars proposed earlier.
On nonconvergence of adjoint semigroups for control systems with delays

It is shown that the adjoints of a spline-based approximation scheme for delay equations do not converge strongly.
Temperature-sensitive Mutant of the Caenorhabditis elegans Neurotoxic MEC-4(d) DEG/ENaC Channel Identifies a Site Required for Trafficking or Surface Maintenance

DEG/ENaC channel subunits are two transmembrane domain proteins that assemble into heteromeric complexes to perform diverse biological functions that include sensory perception, electrolyte balance, and synaptic plasticity. Hyperactivation of neuronally expressed DEG/ENaCs that conduct both Na+ and Ca2+, however, can potently induce necrotic neuronal death in vivo. For example, Caenorhabditis elegans DEG/ENaC MEC-4 comprises the core subunit of a touch-transducing ion channel critical for mechanosensation that when hyperactivated by a mec-4(d) mutation induces necrosis of the sensory neurons in which it is expressed. Thus, studies of the MEC-4 channel have provided insight into both normal channel biology and neurotoxicity mechanisms. Here we report on intragenic mec-4 mutations identified in a screen for suppressors of mec-4(d)-induced necrosis, with a focus on detailed characterization of allele bz2 that has the distinctive phenotype of inducing dramatic neuronal swelling without being fully penetrant for toxicity. The bz2 mutation encodes substitution A745T, which is situated in the intracellular C-terminal domain of MEC-4. We show that this substitution renders both MEC-4 and MEC-4(d) activity strongly temperature sensitive. In addition, we show that both in Xenopus oocytes and in vivo, substitution A745T disrupts channel trafficking or maintenance of the MEC-4 subunit at the cell surface. This is the first demonstration of a C-terminal domain that affects trafficking of a neuronally expressed DEG/ENaC. Moreover, this study reveals that neuronal swelling occurs prior to commitment to necrotic death and defines a powerful new tool for inducible necrosis initiation.
Mediators of oligodendrocyte differentiation during remyelination

Myelin, a dielectric sheath that wraps large axons in the central and peripheral nervous systems, is essential for proper conductance of axon potentials. In multiple sclerosis (MS), autoimmune-mediated damage to myelin within the central nervous system (CNS) leads to progressive disability primarily due to limited endogenous repair of demyelination with associated axonal pathology. While treatments are available to limit demyelination, no treatments are available to promote myelin repair. Studies examining the molecular mechanisms that promote remyelination are therefore essential for identifying therapeutic targets to promote myelin repair and thereby limit disability in MS. Here, we present our current understanding of the critical extracellular and intracellular pathways that regulate the remyelinating capabilities of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) within the adult CNS.
President Bush's major post-Katrina speeches: Enhancing image repair discourse theory applied to the public sector

Abstract When Hurricane Katrina swept the Gulf Coast, President Bush's newly formed Department of Homeland Security received its first test and failed. In Katrina's aftermath, Bush not only had to manage one of the nation's worst natural disasters, but also had to quell political backlash about the federal government's response to Katrina. This study examines: (a) how Bush presented the federal response to Katrina in his speeches; (b) how Bush responded to the public's criticism in his speeches; and (c) how effective Bush's speeches were in repairing his tarnished image.
Recruitment of Three Generations of African American Women Into Genetics Research

Successful outcomes for studies on health disparities depend on recruitment of research participants. Obtaining willing participants, protecting their rights, and acknowledging their contribution to research is as important as seeking answers to the study phenomena. Recruiting research participants can be an arduous process for investigators. Although literature has published participant recruitment methods, investigators sometimes underestimate the time and intensity required to attract eligible participants into research studies. This article reports on methods used to recruit 42 African American generational triads (grandmothers, mothers, and granddaughters) into a hypertension genetics study, the lessons learned, and suggestions for successful recruitment.
Development of the near-death phenomena knowledge and attitudes questionnaire

In the first study of nurses' knowledge of and attitudes toward near-death phenomena and patients who have experienced them (NDErs), 20 registered nurses in Intensive or Cardiac Care Units completed a questionaire containing 29 true/false/undecided statements about near-death phenomena (alpha reliability .83), 29 Likert items concerning attitudes toward such phenomena (alpha .84), and 25 Likert items concerning attitudes toward care of NDErs (alpha .81). The revised questionnaire has high levels of content and construct validity, and acceptable levels of internal consistency, and is therefore a valid and reliable tool.
On a Method of Paired Representation: Enhancement and Decomposition by Series Direction Images

In the paired representation, a two-dimensional (2-D) image is represented uniquely by a complete set of 1-D signals, so-called splitting-signals, that carry the spectral information of the image at frequency-points of specific subsets that divide the whole domain of frequencies. Image processing can thus be reduced to processing of splitting-signals and such process requires a modification of only a few spectral components of the image, for each signal. For instance, the ?-rooting method of image enhancement can be fulfilled through processing one or a few splitting-signals. Such process can even be accomplished without computing the 2-D Fourier transforms of the original and enhanced images. To show that, we present an effective formula for inverse 2-D N×N-point paired transform, where N is a power of 2. The representation of the image and 2-D DFT by paired splitting-signals leads to the new concepts of direction and series images, that define the resolution and periodic structures of the image components, which can be packed in the form of the "resolution map" of the size of the image. Simple method of image enhancement by series images is described.
Pathologic changes in the lung following single and multi-fraction irradiation

Abstract The limiting factor in the treatment of malignant disease with irradiation is the tolerance of normal tissue irradiated. In the present study the right lungs of rats were exposed to single doses of 2000 rad of X-radiation, to 10 × 200 rad, or to 5 × 400 rad. Animals from each group were sacrificed monthly for 6 months post exposure. Sections of lung were examined by light microscopy (LM) and by scanning or transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). A focal exudative lesion was seen at 2 months after the single dose; it progressed to a proliferative and then reparative, fibrotic lesion by 6 months. Changes in epithelial lung components, particularly the presence of Type II pneumocytes, were found with both LM and TM. Vascular changes were less pronounced. A striking finding was the presence of mast cells in the alveolar walls. Neither of the mufti-fraction schedules produced any of these changes, except hyperplasia of Type II cells following 5 × 400 rad. The possible implication of Type II and mast cells in radiation pneumonitis and fibrosis is discussed.
Representation of women and pregnant women in HIV research: a limited systematic review.

Background HIV-related outcomes may be affected by biological sex and by pregnancy. Including women in general and pregnant women in particular in HIV-related research is important for generalizability of findings. Objective To characterize representation of pregnant and non-pregnant women in HIV-related research conducted in general populations. Data Sources All HIV-related articles published in fifteen journals from January to March of 2011. We selected the top five journals by 2010 impact factor, in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Study Eligibility Criteria HIV-related studies reporting original research on questions applicable to both men and women of reproductive age were considered; studies were excluded if they did not include individual-level patient data. Study appraisal and synthesis methods. Articles were doubly reviewed and abstracted; discrepancies were resolved through consensus. We recorded proportion of female study participants, whether pregnant women were included or excluded, and other key factors. Results In total, 2014 articles were published during this period. After screening, 259 articles were included as original HIV-related research reporting individual-level data; of these, 226 were determined to be articles relevant to both men and women of reproductive age. In these articles, women were adequately represented within geographic region. The vast majority of published articles, 183/226 (81%), did not mention pregnancy (or related issues); still fewer included pregnant women (n=33), reported numbers of pregnant women (n=19), or analyzed using pregnancy status (n=9). Limitations Data were missing for some key variables, including pregnancy. The time period over which published works were evaluated was relatively short. Conclusions and implications of key findings. The under-reporting and inattention to pregnancy in the HIV literature may reduce policy-makers’ ability to set evidence-based policy around HIV/AIDS care for pregnant women and women of child-bearing age.
Identification of Chemically Selective Displacers Using Parallel Batch Screening Experiments and Quantitative Structure Efficacy Relationship Models

Parallel batch screening experiments were carried out to examine how displacer chemistry and salt counterions affect the selectivity of batch protein displacements in anion exchange chromatographic systems. The results indicate that both salt type and displacer chemistry can have a significant impact on the amount of protein displaced. Importantly, the results indicate that, by changing the displacer, salt counterion, or both, one can induce significant selectivity changes in the relative displacement of two model proteins. This indicates that highly selective separations can be developed in ion exchange systems by the appropriate selection of displacer chemistry and salt counterion. The experimental batch screening data were also used in conjunction with various molecular descriptors to generate quantitative structure efficacy relationship (QSER) models based on a support vector machine feature selection and regression tool. The models resulted in good correlations and successful predictions for an external test set of displacers. A star plot approach was shown to be a powerful tool to aid in the interpretation of the QSER models. These results indicate that this modeling approach can be employed for the a priori prediction of displacer efficacy as well as for providing insight into displacer design and the selection of proper mobile-phase conditions for highly selective separations.
Flame retardancy of polystyrene nanocomposites based on an oligomeric organically-modified clay containing phosphate

Novel modified clays, which may enable the formation of flame retarded polystyrene nanocomposites by melt or solution blending, have been prepared using an ammonium salt which contains an oligomeric material consisting of vinylbenzyl chloride, styrene and vinyl phosphate reacting with dimethylhexadecylamine. These nanocomposites have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimetry and the evaluation of mechanical properties. Melt blending is an effective, economical way to produce intercalated nanocomposites with greatly reduced peak heat release rate and a decreased total heat release; the polymer does not all undergo thermal degradation.
BZLF1, an Epstein–Barr virus immediate–early protein, induces p65 nuclear translocation while inhibiting p65 transcriptional function

We have previously demonstrated that the Epstein-Barr virus immediate-early BZLF1 protein interacts with, and is inhibited by, the NF-kappaB family member p65. However, the effects of BZLF1 on NF-kappaB activity have not been intensively studied. Here we show that BZLF1 inhibits p65-dependent gene expression. BZLF1 inhibited the ability of IL-1, as well as transfected p65, to activate the expression of two different NF-kappaB-responsive genes, ICAM-1 and IkappaB-alpha. BZLF1 also reduced the constitutive level of IkappaB-alpha protein in HeLa and A549 cells, and increased the amount of nuclear NF-kappaB to a similar extent as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment. In spite of this BZLF1-associated increase in the nuclear form of NF-kappaB, BZLF1 did not induce binding of NF-kappaB to NF-kappaB responsive promoters (as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay) in vivo, although TNF-alpha treatment induced NF-kappaB binding as expected. Overexpression of p65 dramatically inhibited the lytic replication cycle of EBV in 293-EBV cells, confirming that NF-kappaB also inhibits BZLF1 transcriptional function. Our results are consistent with a model in which BZLF1 inhibits the transcriptional function of p65, resulting in decreased transcription of IkappaB-alpha, decreased expression of IkappaB-alpha protein, and subsequent translocation of NF-kappaB to the nucleus. This nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB may promote viral latency by negatively regulating BZLF1 transcriptional activity. In situations where p65 activity is limiting in comparison to BZLF1, the ability of BZLF1 to inhibit p65 transcriptional function may protect the virus from the host immune system during the lytic form of infection.
Cell cycle control by the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio in early Drosophila development

We have studied the role of the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio in the early development of Drosophila, using mutants and experimental manipulations that alter nuclear density. Haploid embryos produced by either maternal or paternal effect mutations compensate for haploidy by an extra nuclear division during the syncytial blastoderm stage. Decreasing the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio in wild-type embryos by ligation can cause a similar extra blastoderm division. Conversely, increasing this ratio can cause the omission of a blastoderm division. The duration of mitotic cycles is affected by the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio four cycles before the terminal blastoderm division. Transcription patterns in haploid embryos indicate that transcriptional activation is not directly controlled by the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio, but may be an effect of the lengthening of interphase periods.
Canonical correlation for stochastic processes

Abstract A general notion of canonical correlation is developed that extends the classical multivariate concept to include function-valued random elements X and Y . The approach is based on the polar representation of a particular linear operator defined on reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces corresponding to the random functions X and Y . In this context, canonical correlations and variables are limits of finite-dimensional subproblems thereby providing a seamless transition between Hotelling’s original development and infinite-dimensional settings. Several infinite-dimensional treatments of canonical correlations that have been proposed for specific problems are shown to be special cases of this general formulation. We also examine our notion of canonical correlation from a large sample perspective and show that the asymptotic behavior of estimators can be tied to that of estimators from standard, finite-dimensional, multivariate analysis.
Visual methodologies through a feminist lens: South African soap operas and the post-apartheid nation

Using a discussion of South African soap operas, I will place the idea of visuality in a discourse analysis that incorporates a feminist epistemological lens, or an epistemology that integrates reflexivity and an acknowledgment of the dialogic nature of visual media. Through this discussion, I will examine the possibilities that dialogism provides for unpacking and exploring the politics of imperfect translation between the visual and the textual. These methodological interventions, I argue, will help enrich discussions of the visual’s role in the contested realm of geographic imaginations and move beyond the distanced position of the masculine gaze.
Medial septal modulation of entorhinal single unit activity in anesthetized and freely moving rats.

Reversible inactivation of the medial septal area results in a spatial memory impairment and selective disruption of hilar/CA3, but not CA1, location-specific discharge. The present study examined the possibility that such septal deafferentation produces effects on hippocampal function by altering physiological properties of the primary input and output structures for hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex and the subiculum, respectively. Single unit activity of hippocampal, entorhinal, and subicular cells was recorded before, during, and after septal injection of lidocaine in anesthetized rats. When compared to hippocampal cells, relatively few subicular and entorhinal cells showed a change in mean firing rate following septal inactivation. Entorhinal unit responses to septal inactivation (via tetracaine injection) were also examined in freely moving rats performing a spatial maze task. About one-third of entorhinal cells showed enhanced or reduced firing rates of 40% or more. Also, the spatial distribution of cells found in the superficial, but not deep, entorhinal layers became less clear following septal inactivation. Together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that manipulation of the medial septum affects hippocampal function via its septosubicular and septoentorhinal projections in addition to the more direct septohippocampal pathway. Since entorhinal cortical function was affected by tetracaine injection into the septum, it does not appear that direct entorhinal-CA1 afferents were primarily responsible for the maintenance of CA1 location-specific neural activity in previous septal inactivation experiments. Rather, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that the persistence of CA1 place fields was accomplished by intrahippocampal neural network operations.
Caregiving and gingival symptom reports: psychophysiologic mediators.

OBJECTIVE: We first assessed the association of caregiving with gingival symptom reports. We then assessed whether the observed relationship was mediated by psychophysiologic host factors.METHODS: Caregivers of spouses with Alzheimer's disease (n = 123) were compared with demographically similar noncaregiver spouses (n = 117).RESULTS: The percentage of caregivers (17%) who reported gingival symptoms was twice that of noncaregivers (8.5%) (p < .05), despite the fact that caregivers and noncaregivers did not differ in oral health care. The relationship between caregiving and gingival symptom reports was mediated by psychophysiologic variables. Caregivers were higher on hassles (p < .05), depressed mood (p < .05), and metabolic risk (insulin, glucose, obesity; p < .05) than were noncaregivers. Greater gingival symptom reports were also associated with greater hassles (p < .01), depressed mood (p < .001), and metabolic risk (p < .001). Measures of subcutaneous fat, inflammation, and frank diabetes were related to gingival symptom reports but not to caregiver status.CONCLUSIONS: A higher percentage of caregivers reported gingival symptoms than noncaregivers. These results have implications for research on aging, psychophysiology, and chronic stress.
Prediction of statistical strengths of twisted fibre structures

A new approach, based on Daniels' statistical model for a parallel fibre bundle and the recent results on yarn mechanics by the present author, is introduced to predict the strengths of twisted yarns including the effects of interfibre friction and the fibre fragmentation mechanism during yarn extension. By calculating the lateral pressure in a twisted yarn, the critical fibre length of the fibre fragmentation process has been determined, and was found to decrease together with the increasing yarn strain. This, according to the Weakest link theorem, will lead to a substantial increase of fibre strength. Incorporating this conclusion into Daniels' result yielded a more realistic prediction of the strength and its boundary for a twisted fibre structure. The key differences between a filament yarn and a short-fibre yarn and their effects on strengths are also discussed. The major results from the study are illustrated schematically.
Periorbital (preseptal) cellulitis in children

Infections of the eye can be periorbital (preseptal) or orbital in origin. The management of children with periorbital cellulitis varies with the clinical presentation. Some children have trivial or self-limited disorders, while others can have sight- or life-threatening problems. Thorough physical examination helps the clinician to differentiate among the causes of periorbital cellulitis and between periorbital and orbital cellulitis. The differential diagnosis of periorbital cellulitis includes conjunctivitis, hordeolum, dacryocystitis, dacryoadenitis, bacteremic cellulitis, traumatic cellulitis and inflammatory edema secondary to sinusitis. Orbital cellulitis, although very much less common than periorbital cellulitis, is the most common cause of unilateral proptosis in children.
Psychopathy and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: New Insights on Developmental Pathways to Offending

This study examined the relation between psychopathy and anxiety in 130 juvenile offenders. Adolescents were administered three psychopathy scales (PCL-YV, APSD, and SRP-II), a measure of psychopathology (APS), and subsequently followed prospectively in the community for three years in order to track recidivism. Three mediational models were tested to determine whether psychopathy mediates the relation between anxiety (trait anxiety, fearlessness, and trauma) and future offending. Findings indicated that psychopathy mediated the relation between two types of anxiety (trait anxiety and fearlessness) and recidivism when using the PCL-YV as an index for psychopathy. These influences were not supported when using self-report measures of psychopathy (APSD and SRP-II) and the meditational models did not apply to the anxiety subtype of trauma for any of the psychopathy measures. The PCL-YV mediational models provide new insights on the relation between psychopathy anxiety and offending. Specifically, pathways from fearlessness to psychopathy and later offending were in the expected direction. Surprisingly, higher levels of trait anxiety were linked with higher levels of psychopathy and subsequent offending. This developmental difference is in contrast with theory and the adult literature on this topic. The results from the current study suggest that both fear and anxiety may be important considerations in treatment planning for the reduction of adolescent offending.
Reliability, thermal, and power modeling and optimization

This tutorial provides an overview of challenges to designing and implementing reliable integrated circuits and systems, and suggests areas for future study. It illustrates some concepts in detail, explaining the challenges of appropriately considering the impact of temperature on reliability in fault-tolerant systems. Finally, it points out considerations that may influence adoption of reliability modeling and optimization techniques and stresses the importance of considering the most relevant fault processes during reliability modeling and optimization.
Heat production profiles from batch aerobic thermophilic processing of high strength swine waste

The literature reports several cases where biological wastewater solids or swine wastes have been aerobically oxidized at thermophilic temperatures. Although the heat generated is reported, little information is given about the heat production profiles with time and average values reported for the overall runs. These studies have also generally been in the medium-to-low concentration ranges for swine processes. This paper reports on work done in a laboratory batch reactor with the objectives of generating the actual heat release time profiles in higher strength swine wastes (6 to nearly 10% total solids). Significant amounts of heat were generated, and the amounts generated were determined by two methods [total solids removal calorimetry and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal] with good agreement. Linear models were constructed showing that the biological heat production is strongly related to the specific air flow rates through the reactors and the interaction between air flow rate and solids or COD concentrations. At 55° C, nitrification was not detected and the nitrogen in the waste was converted to ammonia, which subsequently strips into the exhaust air. In some cases, ammonia was recovered with acid absorbers. In the 2.0-L reactor with 1.2 L of reaction mixture, energy production rates ranged from 0.7 to 2.43 W and COD removal ranged from 28.5 to 62.7% with a common residence time of 6 days. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2005
LONG-TERM EFFECT OF PHOTOTHERAPY ON VISUAL FUNCTION VELMA DOBSON AND RICHARD M. COWETT

Controversy exists over the possible untoward effects of phototherapy as treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Of particular concern has been the possibility of damage to the eye. In a previous study scotopic visual function was found to be normal in 4-year-old children who had received prolonged exposure to room light (90 ft.-c.) in an intensive care nursery (Dobson, Riggs, & Siqueland). This study has now been extended to a group of 15 4-year-olds who were exposed to phototherapy (500 ft.-c.) for at least 42 consecutive hours in the neonatal period. Visual function was examined through the use of the electroretinogram (ERG), a technique which is capable of detecting loss of scotopic vision due to retinal damage in light-exposed animals. The results are as follows: There are no significant differences in mean ERG amplitudes or rates of dark adaptation between those children who were placed under phototherapy and those who were not. The children also underwent ophthalmological examination. To date we have no evidence that visual impairment was incurred by children who had been subjected to phototherapy in the neonatal period.
Surface diffusion probed by linear optical diffraction

Abstract It is demonstrated that linear diffraction off an adsorbate monolayer grating can be used to study surface diffusion of the adsorbates. The signal-to-noise ratio is greatly enhanced with a polarization modulation scheme. The example of CO on Ni(110) shows that the coverage dependence of the surface diffusion coefficient can be significant.
Children Smuggled into the United States from Central America and China: A Case Study of the Unaccompanied Minors Shelter Care Program

This case examines the origins of the Unaccompanied Minors Shelter Care Program (UMSCP). It describes early implementation challenges when providing essential services for children smuggled into the United States. The paper articulates the importance of employee training, thereby promoting productivity and quality management of public programs. The case informs theories of social culture, program implementation, and administrative evil.
DNA Polymerase and Topoisomerase II Inhibitors from Psoralea corylifolia

An ethanol extract of Psoralea corylifolia caused strong DNA polymerase inhibition in a whole cell bioassay specific for inhibitors of DNA replication enzymes. Bioassay-directed purification of the active compounds led to the isolation of the new compound corylifolin (1) and the known compound bakuchiol (2) as DNA polymerase inhibitors. On the basis of the structures of 1 and 2, resveratrol (3) was tested and found to be active as a DNA polymerase inhibitor in this bioassay. Neobavaisoflavone (4) was isolated as a DNA polymerase inhibitor, daidzein (5) as a DNA polymerase and topoisomerase II inhibitor, and bakuchicin (6) as a topoisomerase II inhibitor.
Meta-Attention in Learning Disabled and Normal Students:

Learning disabled (LD) and normal children (non-LD), matched on age and IQ level, were probed on their awareness of attentional processes. Children were required to make forced choices regarding th...
Abnormal beta adrenergic responsiveness in allergic subjects: Analysis of isoproterenol-induced cardiovascular and plasma cyclic adenosine monophosphate responses

Abstract Beta adrenergic responses were compared between normal control subjects and patients with allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis and a group of asymptomatic individuals with positive immediate hypersensitivity skin tests. Two responses to infused isoproterenol were monitored: increases in pulse pressure and plasma cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Although the normal control subjects responded with increases in pulse pressure of greater magnitude than the other groups in response to infused isoproterenol, the differences in responsiveness were more apparent when the concentration of isoproterenol required to increase the pulse pressure ≧22 mm Hg was compared. The 25 control subjects required 8.04 ± 0.48 ng/kg/min isoproterenol, whereas the 17 asthmatic patients required 14.25 ± 1.21 (p
Southern California Professionals Speak Out: Textile Competencies for Interior Designers

A survey of professional members of two chapters of the American Society of Interior Design in Southern California was conducted to determine the criteria used as well as the textile competencies needed to specify textiles. Descriptive statistics were used, and the results indicated that appearance was the leading criterion followed by compliance with required codes and standards. Manufacturer labels were an important source of information for textile specification decisions. Identification of textile competencies centered around fabric characteristics and performance characteristics directly related to interior applications. Responses supported the importance of a strong textiles background for today's professionals. Academia is challenged to provide the appropriate coursework which should include components on codes/standards as well as application experience. Summary The results of this study point to the importance placed on a strong background in textiles by professional interior designers. Textile specification criteria, especially appearance and performance, rely on textile competencies for satisfactory choices. Label information is unusable for decision making if the designer does not comprehend the significance of the information due to an inadequate background in textiles. Responses from Southern California professional interior designers supported the importance of a strong textiles background. They look to academia for the acquisition of textile competencies. Textile coursework should include fabric characteristics competencies and performance characteristics competencies directly related to interior applications. Codes/ standards should be a component in textile coursework servicing interior design majors. Information regarding textile labeling should be important to the textile industry. Results indicate a clear call for more information on performance characteristics, specifically codes/standards. Though regulations vary by jurisdiction, an effort by the textile industry to provide comprehensive codes/standards label information would be helpful. The next step in this research is to contact colleges and universities that have interior design programs and determine the specific competencies incorporated in textile coursework taken by interior design students. By developing a comprehensive picture of designated necessary competencies and textile course content, the issues of lack of background, program deficiencies in textiles, and the overall feeling of a lack of adequate textile background can be addressed.
Cooperativity between the Ras-ERK and Rho-Rho kinase pathways in urokinase-type plasminogen activator-stimulated cell migration.

Binding of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to its receptor activates diverse cell signaling pathways. How these signals are integrated so that cell physiology is altered remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that migration of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells on serum-coated surfaces is stimulated by agents that activate ERK, including uPA, epidermal growth factor, and constitutively active MEK1. The promigratory activity of these agents was entirely blocked not only by the MEK-specific antagonist PD098059, but also by antagonists of the Rho-Rho kinase pathway, including Y-27632 and dominant-negative RhoA (RhoA-N19). uPA did not significantly increase the level of GTP-bound RhoA, suggesting that the constitutive activity of the Rho-Rho kinase pathway may be sufficient to support ERK-stimulated cell migration. Paradoxically, Y-27632 and RhoA-N19 increased ERK phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells, providing further evidence that ERK activation alone does not promote cell migration when Rho kinase is antagonized. When MCF-7 cell migration was stimulated by ERK-independent processes such as expression of the β3 integrin subunit or changing the substratum to type I collagen, Y-27632 and RhoA-N19 failed to inhibit the response. This study supports a model in which the Ras-ERK and Rho-Rho kinase pathways cooperate to promote cell migration. Neutralizing either pathway is sufficient to block the response to agents that stimulate cell migration by activating ERK.
Nonnegative ODF estimation via optimal constraint selection

We consider the problem of estimating a nonnegative orientation distribution function (ODF) from high angular resolution diffusion images. Since enforcing nonnegativity of the ODF for all directions on the sphere leads to an optimization problem with infinitely many constraints, prior work cannot guarantee the nonnegativity of the estimated ODF. The first contribution of this paper is to show that, under certain conditions, a single constraint is sufficient to guarantee the nonnegativity of the estimated ODF in all directions. Otherwise, when these conditions are violated, we propose an iterative algorithm that enforces one constraint at a time and is guaranteed to converge to the optimal nonnegative ODF. Experiments on synthetic and real data show that our methods produce more accurate solutions than prior work at a reduced runtime.
Fertile indica and japonica rice plants regenerated from protoplasts isolated from embryogenic haploid suspension cultures

A system to regenerate fertile rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants (both indica and japonica varieties) from protoplasts isolated from anther-derived embryogenic haploid suspension cultures has been established. Green plants were regenerated from protoplast-derived cell clusters five months after suspension culture initiation. Protoplast yields and subsequent growth of the protoplast-derived microcalli were enhanced by transferring suspension cells into AA medium (Muller et al. 1978) three to four days prior to protoplast isolation. Protoplasts were cultured initially in Kao medium (Kao et al. 1977) and in association with nurse cells for four weeks. Protoplast-derived microcalli were transferred onto N6 (Chu et al. 1975) or MS (Murashige and Skoog 1962) media for callus proliferation. Callus growth was more rapid and the calli were more enbryogenic when grown on N6 medium. The 2,4-D concentration used to develop the suspension culture was important. Cell cultures grown in medium containing 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D released protoplasts whose plating efficiency was higher than for protoplasts obtained from suspension cultures grown in 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D. However, suspension cells grown in 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D were superior with regard to the ability of protoplast-derived calli to regenerate green plants. Amongst several hormone treatments evaluated, a combination of 0.5 mg/l NAA + 5.0 mg/l BAP resulted in the largest number of green plants regenerated. There were no significant differences between BAP or kinetin regarding total number of plants regenerated. More than 200 green plants have been produced form six independently initiated suspension cell lines. The number of regenerated plants per 10(6) protoplats plated anged from 0.4 to 20.0, and the average seed fertility of single panicles of these RO plants was about 40%.
Echoes of an Institute: Veterans of the National Writing Project Reflect upon Returning to Graduate School

College teachers essentially became students again in June 2001, as they concentrated on academic reading and writing under the tight deadlines of a summer immersion program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Six of these mid-career students, including myself, were women who had been through the National Writing Project within the previous five years. I conducted personal interviews with the other five of them to study the impact of the Writing Project experience on their academic and emotional attitudes as they again returned to the role of student in the doctoral program in rhetoric and linguistics. Their observations were close to my own: the experience of the National Writing Project had prepared them not only for the immersion quality of the summer program itself, but for conversation within the discipline of writing instruction, a field that in recent years has been developing its own voice in the academy.
Semiconductor detectors for nuclear spectrometry, I

Abstract These papers were prepared primarily as background information for attendees at the meeting who have not been directly concerned with the development of detectors. The first chapter contains information on semi-conductor materials and the theory of junctions necessary for an understanding of detectors. In the second chapter the methods of making detectors by diffusion and also by lithium drifting are detailed and the relative merits of different types of detectors are discussed. We then consider the problems associated with obtaining good energy resolution in detector systems dealing primarily with electrical noise and statistical fluctuations of the charge produced in the detector. In the final chapter, a semi-theoretical treatment of the detector pulse shape considerations is given and the subject of radiation damage is discussed. While the treatment is generally applicable to detector systems the author has made no effort to write a review of the voluminous literature on this subject. The methods of detector manufacture, for example, are representative of only a portion of our own group's work in this area and are only to be regarded as indicative of a general technique. Other papers presented at the conference describe methods used by other groups.
On the levels of alkyl and alk-1-enyl glycerolipids in normal and neoplastic tissues: a method of quantification.

A method is described for the quantification of the constituentO-alkyl andO-alk-1-enyl glycerols of neutral lipids or phospholipids. The method involves chemical degradation, the preparation of derivatives, and quantification by gas chromatography using internal standards. Alk-1-enyl moieties are converted to alkyl substituted dioxanes in the presence of 1,1-dimethoxyheptadecane as standard; alkyl glycerols are analyzed as isopropylidene derivatives using 1-O-heptadecyl glycerol as internal standard. The method is applied to the quantification of alkyl and alk-1-enyl glycerols derived from total lipids of rat heart, liver, testes, and brain and of various transplantable tumors, i.e. amelanotic melanoma, melanoma B16, sarcoma T241, and Novikoff hepatoma. The levels of alkyl glycerols range from 0.11–1.07% total lipids and those of alk-1-enyl glycerols from 0.49–5.03%. The data are compared to those obtained by other methods.