cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
6 – System Control

Publisher Summary The 'A4 has considerable flexibility in configuring its memory and timing. Its buses can be expanded, internal memories and ports can be remapped, control signals and chip selects can be used for external devices, and memory can be expanded. This chapter describes how EEPROM can be programmed and how the E clock can be controlled. Applications of these concepts, including the design of an external memory and the writing of a reset handler are discussed. Object-oriented programming realizes a clean way to use expansion memory. Overloaded cast, assignment, and index operators make n-dimensional arrays stored in expanded memory as easy to use as 'A4 RAM global variables. The 6812 has a background debug module (BDM) that communicates over a single wire. The host is generally a microcontroller that can translate commands from the user, via a personal computer, to the BDM and send data to and from the BDM.
Treatment of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Nearly two decades have past since the beginning of research on the diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Despite significant increases in our understanding of the pathogenesis of VAP and the operating characteristics of various diagnostic methods, the primary goal of this research into diagnosis - improved treatment and prevention strategies - remains in its infancy. Rather than the well-designed, critically reviewed studies now being performed in VAP diagnosis (1,2), the majority of data regarding treatment of VAP continues to come from pharmaceutical industry sponsored trials, designed only to show equivalence to already marketed drugs.
Cord blood and adult endothelial stem/progenitor cells are highly X-ray sensitive but their mode of cell death is both dose and age dependent

4619 The ability to isolate and characterize endothelial stem/progenitors should lead to a better understanding of their role in radiation-induced tumor response and normal tissue injury. We have characterized the X-ray sensitivity of four high proliferative potential endothelial stem/progenitor cell isolates from cord blood (CBM4, CBF10) and from adult peripheral blood (EPC060805 and LM2). Irradiation with 160 kVp X-rays revealed these cells to be all equally and highly radiation sensitive with 3 Gy killing > 90% of the cells, without the induction of apoptosis. However, at high radiation doses (10Gy or greater) despite extensive and equal cell killing, the cord blood endothelial progenitors underwent substantial apoptosis but the adult endothelial progenitors did not. In addition, after 10 Gy, a stabilization of DNA damage response p53 protein and an increase in the proapoptoic Bax protein were observed only in the cord blood endothelial progenitors. Furthermore, recent studies reveal that after 10 Gy instead of apoptosis the adult endothelial progenitors undergo radiation-induced senescence. Cell cycle and Western analysis revealed evidence of cell cycle checkpoints induction in both the cord blood and adult endothelial progenitors. The data indicate that while these endothelial progenitor cells are equally radiation sensitive their mode of cell death is dose and age dependent, and appears independent of cell cycle checkpoint function.
Deploying agents in the network to detect intrusions

Intrusion Detection in a network is defined as identifying activities which violate security policies. Traditional Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) are centralized in nature where a central node collects data from every node and detects whether any abnormal activity is taking place in the network. In our research we propose to use intelligent mobile agents to detect intrusions in a network. An agent is a piece of program which will execute specified operations on a node in a network. The agents act as guards which essentially roam the network periodically to check whether any node in the network is under attack. When an agent visits a node, it scans the log file to identify any abnormal activity taking place in that node. In our previous research we proposed algorithms for finding initial locations and roaming pattern of agents. In this research, we have built the prototype of an agent and deployed it in a virtual network to test its performance by simulating intrusions. We have also tested the performance of the prototype by deploying the agents on PlanetLab which is a testbed in the Internet connecting more than 1300 machines all over the world. From our experiments we have observed that the performance of the agent based intrusion detection system depends on the size and topology of the network.
Smad2 role in mesoderm formation, left-right patterning and craniofacial development

Signalling by the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of proteins depends on the phosphorylation and activation of SMAD proteins by heteromeric complexes of ligand-specific type I and type II receptors with serine/threonine-kinase activity1. The vertebrate SMAD family includes at least nine members, of which Smad2 has been shown to mediate signalling by activin and TGF-β2,3,4,5. In Xenopus, Smad2 can induce dorsal mesoderm, mimicking Vg-1, activin and nodal2,4. Here we investigate the function of Smad2 in mammalian development by generating two independent Smad2 mutant alleles in mice by gene targeting. We show that homozygous mutant embryos fail to form an organized egg cylinder and lack mesoderm, like mutant mice lacking nodal6,7 or ActRIB, the gene encoding the activin type-I receptor8. About 20 per cent of Smad2 heterozygous embryos have severe gastrulation defects and lack mandibles or eyes, indicating that the gene dosage of Smad2 is critical for signalling. Mice trans-heterozygous for both Smad2 and nodal mutations display a range of phenotypes, including gastrulation defects, complex craniofacial abnormalities such as cyclopia, and defects in left–right patterning, indicating that Smad2 may mediate nodal signalling in these developmental processes. Our results show that Smad2 function is essential for early development and for several patterning processes in mice.
How Do You Formulate a Testable Exciting Hypothesis

The first reaction of many reviewers to a research proposal or a journal article is either excitement or boredom. If the proposal is boring, they are unlikely to vote a high rating. In almost any science, a necessary but not sufficient condition for something to be important – which in this context means being fundable, being reportable in good scientific journals, and perhaps having an impact on the field – is that it is exciting. When you talk to your friends about your research idea, your proposal should elicit excitement; if it does not, you should think more about your ideas. This chapter suggests that when someone expounds a belief or a theory, excitement is created by the credible possibility that it is not true. The greatest compliment to the person proposing the idea is to say, “I do not believe it!” This chapter shows that a way to generate excitement is to compare two or more reasonable hypotheses and propose research to show that one of them predicts data better than the other(s). It will help you to craft a proposal that says, “I believe that these relationships hold and I am going to test them in such a way that I predict something that others do not predict.”
Nowell-Smith Meets Visconti, Redux: The Old and the New, on the 3rd edition of Geoffrey Nowell-Smith's Luchino Visconti

Geoffrey Nowell-Smith _Luchino Visconti_ (Third Edition) London: British Film Institute, 2003 ISBN 0-85170-961-3 250 pp.
Logic Design Principles: With Emphasis on Testable Semicustom Circuits

Logic design principles: with emphasis on testable semicustom circuits , Logic design principles: with emphasis on testable semicustom circuits , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی
Non-Equilibrium Ionization in Puppis A

High resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the brightest knot of emission in the Puppis A supernova remnant shows that it is made up of ionizing plasma, far from equilibrium. Flux measurements in several X-ray lines enable us to determine the non-equilibrium conditions: electron temperature, ion populations, and time since the knot was heated by the supernova shock. Imaging and spectroscopic data from the Einstein Observatory together suggest that this knot is a cloud of density about 10 cm-3 which has recently been shocked to a temperature 7 × 106 K. Radio and optical data on the region appear consistent with this picture.
Palladium-catalyzed Reactions Using NHC Ligands

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have attracted increasing attention since their discovery. Notably, they have allowed for major advances in palladium-catalyzed reactions. Mainly known for their application in cross-coupling reactions, this review intends to provide a broader overview of (NHC)-palladium systems in organic transformations.
A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY DEFINES A GEOGRAPHICALLY CONSERVED SURFACE PROTEIN EPITOPE OF BABESIA EQUI MEROZOITES

Babesiosis is a tick-borne hemoparasitic disease affecting horses worldwide. To investigate mechanisms of immunity to this parasite, the antibody response of infected horses to Babesia equi merozoite proteins was evaluated. Immunoprecipitation of B. equi merozoite antigens with sera from infected horses revealed 11 major proteins of 210, 144, 108, 88, 70, 56, 44, 36, 34, 28, and 25 kDa. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 36/133.97, which binds to live merozoites, immunoprecipitated proteins of 44, 36, 34, and 28 kDa. When immunoprecipitations were performed with in vitro translation products of merozoite mRNA, MAb 36/133.97 immunoprecipitated proteins of 38, 28, 26, and 23 kDa which comigrated with proteins immunoprecipitated by sera from infected horses at 10(-3) to 10(-4) dilutions. In Western blot analysis, MAb 36/133.97 recognized proteins of 44, 36, 34, and 28 kDa, and a 28-kDa protein was identified by sera from infected horses at a dilution of 10(-4). MAb 36/133.97 bound to B. equi isolates from Florida and Europe. Furthermore, the binding of MAb 36/133.97 to merozoite proteins was inhibited by sera of infected horses from 19 countries. Collectively, these data indicate MAb 36/133.97 binds to a geographically conserved peptide epitope on multiple B. equi merozoite proteins, including a merozoite surface protein, and MAb 36/133.97 reacts with a B. equi protein immunodominant in infected horses.
Combining innate immunity with radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

The widely shared goal of cancer immunotherapy is to stimulate an immune response of sufficient quality and magnitude to destroy primary malignancies and their metastases. Cancer immunotherapy has taken many cues from the development of successful antimicrobial vaccines. Antimicrobial vaccines rely
Two Sp sites are important cis elements regulating the upstream promoter region of the gene for rat type I hexokinase.

Abstract Multiple transcriptional start sites have been identified for the gene encoding the rat Type I isozyme of hexokinase (White, J. A., Liu, W., and Wilson, J. E., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 335, 161–172, 1996); these are clustered at positions approximately −460, −300, and −100 relative to the translational start codon (ATG, with A being +1). PC12 cells and H9c2 cells were transfected with luciferase reporter constructs containing genomic sequence between positions −3366 and −171. Marked (85%) decrease in promoter activity was associated with deletion of sequence between −742 and −516. In DNase I footprinting experiments, two regions, called P1 (−552 to −529) and P2 (−480 to −458) boxes, were protected by proteins present in nuclear extracts from PC12 cells. Mutation or deletion of the P2 box had no effect on promoter activity; protection in this region, which includes the most upstream cluster of transcriptional start sites, is attributed to binding of RNA polymerase II or associated factors. In contrast, mutations or deletions in the P1 box had markedly detrimental effects on promoter activity and on binding of proteins in PC12 cell nuclear extracts. Maintenance of a consensus Sp1 binding site centrally located in the P1 box was critical for both promoter activity and binding. A second Sp1 site (−570), just upstream from the P1 box, was also shown to be functionally important but no protection of this region was detected in footprinting experiments, presumably reflecting lower affinity at this site under the conditions used. Supershift experiments demonstrated the involvement of Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 in formation of complexes with the P1 box region and implicate these transcription factors in regulating promoter activity associated with this region. Another series of reporter constructs, including sequence between −171 and −1, permitted detection of an additional promoter activity downstream from −364. While not yet extensively characterized, it is already evident that the cis elements influencing the downstream promoter activity are distinct from the Sp factors determined to be important in expression from the upstream promoter region.
Recent advances in the chemistry of aromatic cyclic oligomers

Development of an efficient and convenient means for preparation of aromatic cyclic oligomeric carbonates has made these materials available for a wide range of polymerization and processing studies. Building on the workbased on bisphenol A cyclics, recent efforts have concentrated on the preparation of new cyclics which afford polymers with properties substantially different from bisphenol A polycarbonate. Cyclic systems have been developed which lead to polycarbonates with improved solvent resistance, either through cross-linking or via crystallization. Polycarbonates with both high or low glass transition temperatures have also been achieved.
Highly Efficient Electron-Transporting Polymers for Light-Emitting Diodes

A series of well-defined oligomers were synthesized to provide insight on the effect of the position of cyano substituents on the electronic properties of conjugated molecules and polymers. Two copolymers PF3CNP1 and PF1CNP1 composed of 9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene and 2,5-dicyanobenzene have been synthesized based on this model study. By attaching two electron-withdrawing cyano groups onto the phenylene ring, the electron affinity and electron transporting ability of polyfluorenes are greatly enhanced. The devices employing a conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as the hole injecting layer, and the cyano- containing copolymers as the emitting and electron-transporting layer showed a much improved electroluminescence (EL) efficiency and brightness compared to that of the homopolymer, poly(9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene) (PHF) with the same device configuration. It is ascribed to the smaller energy barrier for electron injection and higher electron mobility due to increased electron affinity of the polymers through the cyano substituents. The device based on PF3CNP1 has the best performance with a low turn-on voltage (3.4 V), bright blue emission (5430 cd/m2 at a bias voltage of 7.4 V), and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 0.50 % due to both optimized electron affinity and charge carrier mobility.
Market‐focused management: a model for US academic health centers

This paper describes managed care, competition and high health care costs and reductions in funding as the major market forces that affect US academic health centers. As academic health centers continue to preserve their missions of providing patient care, educating and training health professionals and conducting research, they are negatively impacted by these market changes, thus, resulting in increased expenses and lowered revenue. A key component to surviving in difficult times is market‐focused management. This paper develops a model to show the path of senior level management teams in their decision making. Through the performance of essential managerial roles, senior level managers are responsible for strategies that result in the long‐term viability and growth of academic health centers.
An examination of a 3D corner-step experiment

Abstract This paper presents results of LDV measurements in a complex three-dimensional (3D) turbulent flow. The experimental configuration studied, shown in Fig. 1 , provides a complex 1 parameter (step height) three-dimensional flow with two-dimensional (2D) relaxation limits in the spanwise direction (that is, 2D channel flow and 2D backstep). Note that this flow is more complex than the simple 2D back-step described by Eaton and Johnston, 1981 , AIAA Journal, vol. 19, pp. 1093–1100. However, when spanwise limits are taken out from either side of the centerline the flow relaxes to two well studied 2D flows. On the block side, the spanwise limit results in a 2D turbulent channel flow. On the step side, the spanwise limit results in the 2D back-step flow. In the center region of the facility, however the flow is strongly 3D. The data presented here, was taken with a three component laser Velocimetry system, thus all three velocity components can be measured simultaneously. The results presented here clearly indicate that this flow provides a complex 3D flow for turbulence model calibration with the added attraction of the 2D spanwise limits. In the region within two stepheights either side in span of the streamwise step edge, secondary flows are observed. In addition, a spanwise evolving streamwise reattachment length is seen. The prediction of the secondary motions along with the spanwise evolving streamwise reattachment length found here will provide a challenging test for any turbulence model.
Effects of Interferon-γ and Other Cytokines on Collagen Synthesis in Fetal Rat Bone Cultures*

Control of trabecular bone volume is mediated by local events. Recently, it has been shown that the cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor a (TNFα), and TNFβ [also called lymphotoxin (LT)] produced by immune cells all stimulate osteoclast activity, whereas the lymphokine interferon-γ (IFNγ) inhibits osteoclast activity stimulated by these agents. We report here the effects of each of these cytokines on bone collagen content measured as incorporation of proline into collagen and noncollagen protein in 20-day-old fetal rat calvariae. We found that IL-1, LT, and TNF decreased bone collagen synthesis and, to a lesser degree, noncollagen protein synthesis when the bones were exposed continuously to these agents. In addition, these cytokines stimulated DNA synthesis in the calvariae. In contrast to its action on bone resorption, where it opposed the resorptive effects of IL-1, TNF, and LT, IFNγ inhibited bone collagen synthesis and had an additive effect with TNF and LT when bones were exposed to...
On embedding incomplete symmetric latin squares

Abstract Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for the extendibility of an r × r symmetric Latin rectangle to an n × n symmetric Latin square. These conditions imply that any incomplete n × n symmetric Latin square can be embedded in a complete symmetric Latin square of order 2 n . Also, any incomplete n × n symmetric diagonal Latin square can be embedded in a complete symmetric diagonal Latin square of order 2 n + 1.
The Pharmacokinetic Principles Behind Scaling from Preclinical Results to Phase I Protocols

Extrapolation of animal data to assess pharmacokinetic parameters in humans is an important tool in drug development. Allometric scaling has many proponents, and many different approaches and techniques have been proposed to optimise the prediction of pharmacokinetic parameters from animals to humans. The allometric approach is based on the power function Y = aWb, where the bodyweight of the species is plotted against the pharmacokinetic parameter of interest on a log-log scale. Clearance, volume of distribution and elimination half-life are the 3 most frequently extrapolated pharmacokinetic parameters. Clearance is not predicted very well (error between predicted and observed clearance > 30%) using the basic allometric equation in most cases. Thus, several other approaches have been proposed. An early approach was the concept of neoteny, where the clearance is predicted on the basis of species bodyweight and maximum life-span potential. A second approach uses a 2-term power equation based on brain and body weight to predict the intrinsic clearance of drugs that are primarily eliminated by phase I oxidative metabolism. Most recently, the use of the product of brain weight and clearance has been proposed. A literature review reveals different degrees of success of improved prediction with the different methods for various drugs. In a comparative study, the determining factor in selecting a method for prediction of clearance was found to be the value of the exponent. Integration of in vitro data into in vivo clearance to improve the predictive performance of clearance has also been suggested. Although there are proponents of using body surface area instead of bodyweight, no advantage has been noted in this approach. It has also been noted that the unbound clearance of a drug cannot be predicted any better than the total body clearance (CL). In general, there is a good correlation between bodyweight and volume of the central compartment (Vc); hence, Vc does not face the same complications as CL. The relationship between elimination half-life (t 1/2 beta) and bodyweight across species results in poor correlation, most probably because of the hybrid nature of this parameter. When a reasonable prediction of CL and Vc is made, t 1/2 beta may be predicted from the equation t 1/2 beta = 0.693 Vc/CL.
Applied Sport Psychology Supervision Experience: A Qualitative Analysis

We examined the supervision experience of graduate trainees in applied sport psychology. Semistructured interviews conducted with sport psychology trainees were analyzed through the use of consensual qualitative research methodology. Three domains emerged from the analysis: programmatic factors, supervision process, and supervision content. The results provide insights (e.g., desired supervisor qualities) into the aspects of supervision that trainees feel address their needs, as well as instances in which the supervision experience could be improved. The findings may have implications (e.g., areas of potential growth for sport psychology supervision) for future research directions on supervision in applied sport psychology and could offer potential areas of consideration for current supervisors.
The arrangement of fibrous collagen in cornea using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy

In recent years, interest in studying the components of the cornea and their arrangement, with emphasis on the corneal stroma, has expanded rapidly. By determining the corneal stroma’s organization in detail, we will understand better the relationship between its structure and functionality. Here, the cornea’s collagen lamellae were scanned using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy, in order to determine the orientation of fibers in different directions within a two-dimensional cross section. A unique algorithm was used to quantitatively measure the directions. Cross sections were obtained at several different depths in each sample. This work offers supplemental sectioning revelations to the methods historically used to scan at the lamella level, such as X-ray diffraction.
Increased manganese superoxide dismutase activity, protein, and mRNA levels and concurrent induction of tumor necrosis factor α in radiation‐initiated Syrian hamster cells

The levels of the antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) are frequently decreased in tumor cells and increased in normal cells upon treatment with ionizing radiation. We studied Mn-SOD at different stages during the neoplastic conversion of radiation-initiated Syrian hamster embryo HDR-3 cells. Mn-SOD activity and the concentration of Mn-SOD protein and mRNA increased gradually during the malignant transformation of HDR-3 cells after radiation exposure; fully neoplastic cells showed greater Mn-SOD levels than preneoplastic and normal 84-3 cells. Inhibitors of superoxide (SO) anion production (thenoyltrifluoroacetone and rotenone) decreased the concentration of Mn-SOD mRNA, raising the possibility that the generation of SO radicals participated in the upregulation of Mn-SOD in cells transformed by exposure to radiation. We observed an increase in the concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in HDR-3 cells relative to mock-irradiated cells. Together with the observation that TNF alpha stimulates the production of SO by mitochondria and increases the level of Mn-SOD mRNA in other experimental systems, our results suggest that as normal 84-3 cells undergo malignant transformation induced by ionizing radiation they produce TNF alpha, to which the cells respond by increasing the concentration of Mn-SOD mRNA and protein and the activity of the enzyme.
Role of Structural Water in the Stabilization of the KcsA C-Type Inactivated Selectivity Filter: Evidence from High-Resolution Structures

A first glimpse into the structural changes underlying the interconversion between conductive and non-conductive C-type inactivated forms of the K+ channel selectivity filter (SF) at modest resolution was obtained from crystal structure of open-inactivated KcsA (O/I) [1]. On the basis of these structures, we developed a set of double cysteine crosslinking pairs that sharply increase the resolution of KcsA crystals with its gate trapped in the open configuration. Here, we present the crystal structures of KcsA locked-open (O) together with mutations that stabilize either the C-type inactivated filter, Y82A (O/I); or the fully conductive filter, E71A (O/O) @ 2.3 and 2.1 A, respectively. Comparison of these structures helps identify a novel water network (H2O_1, H2O_2 and H2O_3) behind the channel SF that stabilizes the O/I conformation of the channel. H2O_1 interacts with the backbone carbonyl groups of V76 and E71 from a neighboring subunit and with H2O_2+H2O_3 within the same subunit. In KcsA, the presence of the E71 residue on the channel pore helix is essential to drive the channel to the O/I state while providing a high-dielectric media suitable for the formation of this water-molecule network behind the SF. The intersubunit nature of this interaction, which is present only in the O/I state, provides a cogent structural explanation for the cooperative character of the C-type inactivation process in K+ channels. Additionally, we propose that the formation of a similar water-molecules mediated H-Bond network behind the SF of other K+ channels is essential to stabilize the O/I state.1. Cuello, L.G., et al. Nature, 2010. 466(7303): p. 203-8.
Adsorption bonds involving interfacial surface states

Abstract Electric field modulation of the specular reflectance at the metal-electrolyte interface induces changes in the energy positions, and thus the spectral structure, associated with intrinsic surface states. These states are particularly sensitive to adsorption bonds formed with species which interact with the surface. On Ag(110) we demonstrate the sensitivity of the surface states to the presence of Cl in the bulk solution and show that, when Cl is not adsorbed, the surface is very much like that found in ultra-high vacuum.
Improving the art and science of disaster medicine and public health preparedness.

Media reports from around the world contain stories almost daily of natural or man-made disasters and their consequences. Although it is tempting to attribute these reports to both proliferation of the modern media (with 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week coverage) and the public's appetite for bad news, it is also true that natural disasters are increasing in magnitude and freqeuncy and will continue to affect immense numbers of people. The reasons for this increase are multifactorial but are based in large measure on 3 important developments that are related: (1) overpopulation, (2) population migration to cities (urbanization) and to coastal areas, and (3) climate change. Language: en
Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging of autism.

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain structures and function is uniquely suited to characterize the range of neuroanatomical and physiological changes that characterize the autism phenotype as it develops over time. In this review, we examine the scientific literature in MRI as applied to autism and related areas, over approximately the last decade, discussing findings which have emerged, methodological stumbling blocks which have been identified, and potential future directions. Structural MRI studies have recently begun to elucidate the neurodevelopmental underpinnings and brain–behavior relationships in autism while fMRI studies, building on the wealth of data in normal individuals, are beginning to characterize the underlying neuropsychological deficits of the disorder. Together, these two methods combine to contribute to a better understanding of the neural basis and brain phenotype of this disorder.
Scan time reduction in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the human brain.

A simple technique is described for scan time reductions in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the human brain. Scan time is reduced by approximately 35% while preserving spatial resolution by reducing the field of view (FOV) and number of phase-encoding steps in the transverse direction of the brain. A multislice MRSI of the brain is demonstrated which takes approximately 20 min with a square FOV, and 13 min with a reduced FOV. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the reduced FOV scan was measured to be 15% lower than that of the full FOV scan, which is close to the expected theoretical value of 19% based on the square root of the scan time. The method can be applied with any sequence, and requires minimal software and no hardware modifications. Scan time in MRSI is minimized in this method by using FOVs no larger than the dimensions of the object to be imaged. The method may also be combined with other fast MRSI techniques to provide further scan time reductions.
End-of-life communication: ethnic differences between Korean American and non-Hispanic White older adults.

Objective: This study examined ethnic differences in end-of-life communication between Korean American and non-Hispanic White older adults using the Health Belief Model as a conceptual framework. M...
Ultrafast laser-induced microexplosions: explosive dynamics and submicrometer structures

Tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses can be nonlinearly absorbed inside transparent materials, creating a highly excited electron-ion plasma. These conditions exist only in a small volume at the laser focus. This tight confinement and extreme conditions lead to an explosive expansion -- a microexplosion. In solid materials, a microexplosion can result in permanent structural changes. We find that the damage produced by femtosecond pulses in this way is surprisingly small, with only a 200-nm diameter. Material left at the center of the microexplosion is either amorphous and less dense or entirely absent. The threshold for breakdown and structural change is nearly independent of material. Time- resolved measurements of microexplosions in water allow us to observe the dynamics of the explosive expansion. The structural changes in solids resulting from microexplosions allow for three-dimensional data storage and internal microstructuring of transparent solids.
Morphological changes in human nuclear cataracts of late-onset diabetics

The ultrastructure of human diabetic lens nuclei is described for the first time. Two cataractous lenses from late-onset diabetics were examined using transmission electron microscopy to determine the type and distribution of cellular disruptions. The diabetic lens nuclei were compared to a transparent nucleus from a normal human lens. Cellular damage to the exterior region of the diabetic lens nuclei was extensive, especially at the cortical-nuclear interface. Areas of lens fiber condensation as well as areas of cytoplasmic loss were observed in the outer nucleus. Morphological defects commonly seen in this region included: multilamellar membrane aggregates, voids where cytoplasmic material was lost, deposits in the extracellular spaces, density variations between adjacent fiber cells, and heterogeneously staining globules. The opaque central regions of the nuclei displayed relatively little cell damage, but fiber cells were very irregular in shape and packing. The ultrastructure of inner nuclear fiber cells was comparable to that seen in the normal lens and in age-related nuclear cataracts in non-diabetics. It appears that the effect of hyperglycemia on lens fiber cells is dependent on their age and stage of differentiation.
Cyst-induced toxoplasmosis in cats

SYNOPSIS. The life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii is described from cats orally inoculated with Toxoplasma cysts. Five new structural stages of Toxoplasma designated as “types” A-E were found in the epithelial cells of the small and large intestine. Type A is the smallest of all 5 intestinal Toxoplasma types. It occurs as collections of 2-3 organisms in the jejunum 12–18 hr after infection. Type B organisms are characterized by a centrally located nucleus, a prominent nucleolus and dark blue cytoplasm giving rise to the appearance of bipolar staining with Giemsa. Type B occurs 12–54 hr after infection and appears to divide by simple endodyogeny and by multiple endodyogeny (endopolygeny). Type C organisms are elongate with subterminal nuclei and strongly PAS-positive cytoplasm. They occur at 24–54 hr and divide by schizogony. Type D organisms are smaller than type C and contain only a few PAS-positive granules. They occur from 32 hr to 15 days after inoculation and account for over 90% of all parasites in the small intestine during this time. Three subtypes divide by endodyogeny, schizogony and by splitting of their merozoites from the main nucleated mass without leaving a residual body. Type E organisms resemble one of the subtype D which divide by schizogony, but they leave a residual body. They occur from 3–15 days after inoculation. Gametocytes occur thruout the small intestine but more commonly in the ileum 3-15 days after infection. Male gametocytes contain on an average of 12 microgametes and comprise 2–4% of the gametocyte population. The prepatent period after cystinduced infection is 3–5 days with the peak oocyst production between 5–8 days and a patent period varying from 7–20 days. Variable numbers of trophozoites are present in the lamina propria of the small intestine and in the extra-intestinal tissues within a few hr after inoculation. After 9–10 days cysts were seen in the heart and later in the brain. The lesions of toxoplasmosis are compared in newborn and weanling kittens and in adult cats after oral and subcutaneous inoculation with cysts. After the ingestion of cysts, newborn kittens developed enteritis, hepatitis, myocarditis, myositis, pneumonitis and encephalitis and were moribund by the 9th day. Kittens aged 2 weeks and older developed enteritis, myocarditis, encephalitis and myositis but often survived; adult cats usually remained asymptomatic. After subcutaneous inoculation of cysts, newborn and weanling kittens died of acute toxoplasmosis with severe pneumonia, myocarditis, encephalitis and hepatitis.
Effects of varying the processing parameters on the interface-state density and retention characteristics of an MNOS capacitor

Abstract The p+-gridded MNOS capacitor was fabricated to facilitate the study of the effects of Write/Erase cycling and of varying the processing parameters on the interface-state density in an MNOS nonvolatile memory device. A model is derived for this device, which enables the extraction of the device parameters using the quasi-static C−V (QSCV) technique. The distribution of the interface-state density across the forbidden energy gap of silicon was deduced from QSCV measurements. Interface-state density minima between 1.8 × 1011 and 9.1 × 1011eV−1cm−2 near the silicon midgap were obtained. The effects of processing variations on the Si/SiO2 interface-state density distribution and the retention characteristics of the MNOS were studied.
Proteomic study of amyloid beta (25-35) peptide exposure to neuronal cells: Impact on APE1/Ref-1's protein-protein interaction

The genotoxic, extracellular accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) protein and subsequent neuronal cell death are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). APE1/Ref-1, the predominant apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease and essential in eukaryotic cells, plays a central role in the base excision repair (BER) pathway for repairing oxidized and alkylated bases and single-strand breaks (SSBs) in DNA. APE1/Ref-1 is also involved in the redox activation of several trans-acting factors (TFs) in various cell types, but little is known about its role in neuronal functions. There is emerging evidence for APE1/Ref-1's role in neuronal cells vulnerable in AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, as reflected in its nuclear accumulation in AD brains. An increase in APE1/Ref-1 has been shown to enhance neuronal survival after oxidative stress. To address whether APE1/Ref-1 level or its association with other proteins is responsible for this protective effect, we used 2-D proteomic analyses and identified cytoskeleton elements (i.e., tropomodulin 3, tropomyosin alpha-3 chain), enzymes involved in energy metabolism (i.e., pyruvate kinase M2, N-acetyl transferase, sulfotransferase 1c), proteins involved in stress response (i.e., leucine-rich and death domain, anti-NGF30), and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotien-H (hnRNP-H) as being associated with APE1/Ref-1 in Aβ(25-35)-treated rat pheochromocytoma PC12 and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell lines, two common neuronal precursor lines used in Aβ neurotoxicity studies. Because the levels of some of these proteins are affected in the brains of AD patients, our study suggests a neuroprotective role for APE1/Ref-1 via its association with those proteins and modulating their cellular functions during Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity.
Fuzzy cluster analysis of molecular dynamics trajectories.

We propose fuzzy clustering as a method to analyze molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories, especially of proteins and polypeptides. A fuzzy cluster analysis locates classes of similar three-dimensional conformations explored during a molecular dynamics simulation. The method can be readily applied to results from both equilibrium and nonequilibrium simulations, with clustering on either global or local structural parameters. The potential of this technique is illustrated by results from fuzzy cluster analyses of trajectories from MD simulations of various fragments of human parathyroid hormone (PTH). For large molecules, it is more efficient to analyze the clustering of root-mean-square distances between conformations comprising the trajectory. We found that the results of the clustering analysis were unambiguous, in terms of the optimal number of clusters of conformations, for the majority of the trajectories examined. The conformation closest to the cluster center can be chosen as being representative of the class of structures making up the cluster, and can be further analyzed, for example, in terms of its secondary structure. The CPU time used by the cluster analysis was negligible compared to the MD simulation time. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Edge-effect contribution to the extinction of light by dielectric disks and cylindrical particles

The extinction efficiency factor associated with the scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave impinging on a basal face of a dielectric disk or a cylindrical particle is investigated by employing the physical-geometric optics hybrid (PGOH) method and the discrete-dipole approximation (DDA) method. It is found that the derived extinction efficiency factor from the PGOH is a function of the thickness of the disk, or the length of the cylinder, and the refractive index, but is independent of the diameter and shape of the cross section of the basal face of the particle. Furthermore, the oscillations of the extinction efficiency factor versus the thickness or length of the particle do not diminish if the particle is not absorptive. The values of the extinction efficiency factor simulated from the DDA method are quite different from those computed from the PGOH, although the size parameter of the particle is in the commonly recognized geometric optics regime. To explain the difference, the concept of the edge effect associated with the tunneling rays in the semiclassical scattering theory is generalized from the case of spherical particles to that of nonspherical particles based on the localization principle. Accordingly, the edge-effect contribution can be distinguished and removed from the extinction cross section calculation by the DDA method. The remaining part of the extinction cross section, associated with the interference between the transmitted rays and incident rays, agrees well with the results computed from the PGOH, and the agreement illustrates the presence of the edge effect in the case of nonspherical particles with surfaces that have no curvature along the incident direction. It is found that the asymptotic extinction efficiency factor may not necessarily converge to 2, but it depends on the specific physical processes of the interference between diffracted and transmitted light and of the edge effect.
Use of promethazine to hasten adaptation to provocative motion

In an earlier study, the authors found that severely motion sick individuals could be greatly relieved of their symptoms by intramuscular injections of promethazine (50 mg) or scopolamine (.5 mg). Comparable 50-mg injections of promethazine also have been found effective in alleviating symptoms of space motion sickness. The concern has risen, however, that such drugs may delay or retard the acquisition of adaptation to stressful environments. In the current study, we controlled arousal using a mental arithmetic task and precisely equated the exposure history (number of head movements during rotation) of a placebo, control group and an experimental group who had received promethazine. No differences in total adaptation or in rates of adaptation were present between the two groups. Another experimental group also received promethazine and was allowed to make as many head movements as they could, before reaching nausea, up to 800. This group showed a greater level of adaptation than the placebo group. These results suggest a strategy for dealing with space motion sickness that is described.
FREESCO: Statistical event generator for nuclear collisions☆

Abstract Title of program: FREESCO Catalogue number: AALV Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. Ireland (see application form in this issue) Computers: CDC-6600, -7600, VAX-750, -780, -8600, CRAY-1,… Programming language used: Fortran 77 High speed storage required: 71 680 bytes Number of bits per word: 32 Peripherals required: output device for error messages, mass storage device for nuclear data input and recording of generated events Number of lines in program: 1779
Solving the Economic Lot‐Scheduling Problem Using the Method of Prime Subperiods

In recent years the reported successes of Japanese production systems, particularly the just-in-time approach to inventory control, has caused managers to focus more of their attention on efficient decision-making procedures for determining production schedules that minimize inventory costs. One such potential area of attention is the economic lot-scheduling problem (ELSP), which occurs in a variety of manufacturing environments where machining operations are prevalent. The economic lot-scheduling problem addresses the determination of lot sizes for N products with constant demand (and cycled through one machine with a given production rate) to minimize setup and inventory costs. The most successful solution approaches to the ELSP have been based on the concept of a basic period that is of sufficient length for the production of all items, even though each item might not be produced during each repetition of the basic period. This paper proposes a heuristic approach to the solution of the ELSP (referred to as the method of prime subperiods), which is an extension of the basic period approaches. The procedure is described and demonstrated via an example and then tested using a set of six example problems previously employed in the literature related to the ELSP. The results indicate as good or superior performance by the proposed method of prime subperiods.
Hole superconductivity in the dilute limit

Abstract We study the mechanism of hole superconductivity in the limit where the number of holes in the band goes to zero. The model describes a single band with on-site and nearest-neighbor Coulomb repulsions as well as a hopping interaction that gives rise to pairing of holes. The Schrodinger equation for a single pair of holes yields an analytic condition on the parameters to give rise to binding. In one and two dimensions this conditions coincides with the condition for non-zero Tc obtained from BCS theory in the limit where the density of holes approaches zero, while in three dimensions it is more stringent. The dependence of the pair binding energy on the parameters in the Hamiltonian is discussed. We study also the behavior of pair susceptibilities in the ladder sum approximation, which is expected to be accurate in the dilute limit. This expectation is checked by comparison between the ladder sum approximation and Monte Carlo results for the attractive Hubbard model. For the parameter regime where pairing originates in the hopping interaction, the on-site pair susceptibility is suppressed by the interactions at intermediate temperatures and only increases significantly very close to the transition temperature. In contrast, the “extended s-wave” pair susceptibility is enhanced over a large temperature range.
Derivatives of the Perron root of a positive reciprocal matrix: With application to the analytic hierarchy process

The derivatives of the Perron root of an essentially nonnegative matrix have been thoroughly studied in the literature. This paper presents a refinement of these results to a special class of essentially nonnegative matrices, namely, positive reciprocal matrices. This class of matrices arises in Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, a decision-analysis method which is based upon pairwise comparisons among a set of alternatives over various criteria. Formulas for the first and second partial derivatives of the Perron root of a positive reciprocal matrix are developed, and the use of these formulas in conjunction with Saaty's method is illustrated.
Functional bowel disorders in pregnancy: effect on quality of life, evaluation and management

Objective To characterize functional bowel disorders in a population of pregnant women, evaluating effects on quality of life, management and follow up. Design Prospective cohort. Setting University center, USA. Population Women in the first trimester (n = 104). Methods After enrollment evaluations, measures were repeated in the third trimester. Overall bowel function was assessed using the Rome III Questionnaire for Functional Bowel Disorders. Quality of life symptoms were assessed with the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality of Life Measure. Physician documentation of bowel symptoms and subsequent treatment in pregnancy were ascertained by retrospective chart review. Main outcome measure Quality of life in first trimester. Results A majority (75%) of the women at the first trimester evaluation reported having one or more functional bowel disorders. The overall quality of life status was rated highly functional, with a total average score of 94.9. Of the 75 women reporting functional bowel disorders, only 18 (24%) were identified in the medical record. Overall documentation of any bowel function was identified in the majority (64%) of cases. Most commonly, no discussion of treatment was documented, and follow up was recorded in only 27% of women with dysfunction. Conclusions Nearly three-quarters of women in the first trimester report symptoms consistent with functional bowel disorders. Overall quality of life measures are highly rated. There is a discrepancy between what women report regarding bowel dysfunction and what is documented by providers within the medical record.