cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated Monolithic Mixers on GaAs for Millimeter and Submillimeter Wave Applications

The development of surface-oriented Schottky diodes for use as detectors and mixers has provided the potential for reliable low-cost monolithic receivers and the possibility of receiver arrays for the microwave, millimeter and submillimeter wave regions. Applications range from radio astronomy, plasma diagnostics and spectroscopy to large military imaging systems. Improved materials growth, ion-implantation and proton-bombardment-isolation technologies which have made the present surface-oriented devices possible are discussed. Integrated monolithic receivers in which antennas, transmission lines, and other circuit components are integrated with surface-oriented devices on a GaAs wafer are described.
Risk Dynamics with Heterogeneous Borrowers and Intermediaries

This paper studies the effects of borrowers' balance sheet heterogeneity on economywide risks and fragility, together with effects from intermediary balance sheet channel. We build a continuous time heterogeneous agents model with financial frictions and analytically characterize the transition dynamics. Once the economy moves to high leverage states, it tends to stay there — a leverage trap. Transition speed increases (decreases) when the economy is leveraging up (deleveraging) and when interest rate is lower. Tail uncertainty lasts longer during transition. Intermediary failure risk can lead to severe decline in borrowing/lending activities that could further slow the recovery process.
Symmetry Parameters for Mycielskian Graphs

The Mycielskian construction, denoted μ(G), takes a finite simple graph G to a larger graph with of the same clique number but larger chromatic number. The generalized Mycielskian construction, denoted μt(G), takes G to a larger graph with the same chromatic number but with larger odd girth. In this chapter we look at symmetry parameters of μ(G) and μt(G) in terms of the same parameters of G. These symmetry parameters include determining number, distinguishing number, and cost of distinguishing.
Summoning Knowledge in Plato’s Republic: Smith, Nicholas D., New York: Oxford University Press, 2019, pp. ix + 205, US$72 (hardback).

This is a compact and action-packed book. In only 186 pages, Nicholas Smith brings together many strands from his four decades of work on Plato’s Republic to provide penetrating analyses of its epi...
Isolation of fungal rDNA from bottlenose dolphin skin infected with Loboa loboi

Fungal-specific primers targeted for highly conserved genomic nucleic acid sequences were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify DNA from lobomycosis lesions in a bottlenose dolphin. Sequence alignments of this DNA possessed high homology to fungal ribosomal DNA sequences found in the genus Cladosporium. When used for in situ hybridization, the riboprobe transcribed from a cloned PCR-generated fragment bound to Loboa loboi cells. These results support the hypothesis that L. loboi in dolphin tissue is a fungus.
Dynamic stability analysis of pillar based on loading-unloading response ratio theory

By the finite difference software package fast lagrangian analysis of continua(FLAC),a time-relied analysis is carried out to study failure process of heterogeneous serial and parallel rock pillars under cyclic dynamic loading.The theory of loading-unloading response ratio(LURR) is introduced to analyze dynamic stability of pillar.A LURR model of pillar is established by studying the laws of loading-unloading response ratio of pillar under dynamic loading.Through analyzing on the failure process of pillar,the loading-unloading parameter is determined as the periodical variation of dynamic loading.The displacement of pillar key point and elastic strain energy evolution regularities of failure elements are selected as loading-unloading response parameters respectively.Thereafter,the LURR time series of pillar is determined during the period of dynamic loading.It is found that the parameter Y of LURR can measure unstable degree of pillar.It can be applied to evaluate the stable state or predict the peak strength of pillar effectively.The results show that the loading-unloading response ratio theory is a very effective nonlinear dynamic analysis method in the dynamic stability prediction of underground pillar.
On-the-fly Adaptation of Backscatter Modulator Impedances Using Digitally-Tuned Capacitors

We present a fully-digital backscatter communication circuit that uses digitally-tuned capacitors (DTCs) to optimize the backscatter modulator impedances across variations in antenna impedance and incident carrier wave power. The circuit transmits 1 Mbps single side band frequency-shift keying backscatter modulation in the 915 MHz and 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands. By using DTCs to optimize the backscatter modulator impedances, the desired side band power was increased by 2.85 dB at 915 MHz and 1.91 dB at 2.4 GHz while the undesired side band power was reduced by 3.08 dB at 915 MHz and 3.10 dB at 2.4 GHz.
Comparison of Preoperative Chemoradiation With Radiation or Chemotherapy Alone in Patients with Non-Metastatic, Resectable Retroperitoneal Sarcoma.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Optimal preoperative therapy regimen in the treatment of resectable retroperitoneal sarcoma remains unclear. This study compares the impact of preoperative radiation, chemoradiation, and chemotherapy on overall survival. MATERIALS/METHODS The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2015 with non-metastatic, resectable RPS with follow up through 2017, treated with preoperative therapies followed by surgery. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox multivariable analysis. Propensity score matching was used to address selection bias. RESULTS A total of 1253 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 210 patients (17%) receiving chemoradiation, 850 patients (68%) receiving radiation, and 193 patients (15%) receiving chemotherapy. On Cox multivariable analysis compared to preoperative chemoradiation, preoperative radiation was not associated with improved OS (hazards ratio [HR] 0.98, 95% CI 0.76-1.25, P = 0.84), while preoperative chemotherapy was associated with worse OS (HR 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-2.18, P < 0.001). Recent years of diagnosis (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08-1.58, P = 0.007), elderly age (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10-1.59, P = 0.003), male gender (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.43, P = 0.047), lower income (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.43, P = 0.049), poorly differentiated (HR 2.53, 95% CI 1.84-3.48, P < 0.001) or other tumor grade (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.75-3.40, P < 0.001), and positive surgical margin (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.12-1.68, P = 0.002) were associated with worse OS. Similar findings were observed in 199 and 128 matched pairs for preoperative radiation and chemotherapy respectively when compared to preoperative chemoradiation. CONCLUSION Our study suggested an OS benefit in using preoperative chemoradiation compared to chemotherapy alone, but OS outcomes were comparable between preoperative chemoradiation and radiation alone. Further studies are warranted to optimize preoperative therapies.
BIOSYNTHESIS OF SACCHARIDES FROM GLYCOPYRANOSYL ESTERS OF NUCLEOTIDES ("SUGAR NUCLEOTIDES").

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the enzymic synthesis of numerous glycosides, including oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, which is subsequently effected by the transfer of a glycosyl residue from a saccharide donor to an appropriate acceptor. Transglycosylations involve only a redistribution of glycosidic linkages among saccharides, not a net increase in the number of such linkages. Another mechanism for the enzymic synthesis of saccharides is one that occurs through the transfer of the glycosyl group from a glycosyl phosphate to an appropriate acceptor. The evidence for the participation of glycosyl nucleotides in the biosynthesis of numerous glycosides, including disaccharides and polysaccharides, are described in the chapter.
Demand for Urban Forests and Economic Welfare: Evidence from the Southeastern U.S. Cities

This study examines the relationship between urban forests and household income and population density in the 149 cities with populations over 40,000 in nine southeastern states. Our empirical results show that urban forest percentage across the cities has characteristics of the environmental Kuznets curve. We find that household income around $39,000 is a threshold that changes the relationship between income and urban forest coverage from negative to positive, whereas the impact of population density on urban forests is just the opposite, from positive to negative when population density is around 180 persons per square kilometer.
Tax Reform in Industrial Countries and the Impact of the U.S. Tax Reform Act of 1986

This paper surveys many of the tax reforms that industrial countries have recently carried out or that have proposed to carry out. In addition to describing those reforms, the paper attempts to identify common features. A trait common to many of these reforms is the lowering of the tax rates for income taxes, accompanied by a widening of the bases. A reduction in the number of rates for individual income taxes is another. The paper emphasizes that these reforms represented a response to changes in political winds as well as to accumulating technical knowledge about the negative effects of taxes on economic efficiency.
Rapidity dependence of soft mesons as a signature of resonance matter production in nucleus-nucleus collisions

Enhanced production of soft---i.e., low transverse momentum---pions has been experimentally observed in nucleus-nucleus collisions at beam energies of 14.5{ital A} GeV [the Brookhaven National Laboratory Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS)] and 200{ital A} GeV (CERN Super Proton Synchrotron). Here the rapidity dependence of soft pion and kaon production for the reaction Si(14.5{ital A} GeV)+Au is studied in the framework of the relativistic quantum molecular dynamics (RQMD) approach. The softest mesons from decaying resonance matter, which turns out to be the main production mechanism in RQMD, show a peculiar rapidity dependence, a weakening of the signal in the central rapidity region of the participant nucleons. This is in striking contrast to expectations from all other suggested mechanisms like mean fields, collective flow, and quantum statistical effects. The prediction can be tested by forthcoming experiments at the AGS in the near future. It is also predicted that a similar, though quantitatively much weaker, signal can be observed in the kaon spectra.
An improved Ada run-time system interface

Abstract It is desirable to have a clean, simple interface between the run-time environment that supports execution of Ada programs and the code generated by an Ada compiler. This would permit building run-time environments to fit the needs of different applications without the need for modification, or even deep understanding, of the compiler. Building “custom” run-time systems appears necessary to achieve the performance required for diverse real-time embedded applications. However, it is not currently possible, except at great cost and with collaboration of the compiler developer. An additional benefit of having a well-defined run-time system interface is that a run-time system developed to work with one compiler could easily be adapted to work with another compiler as long as both compilers conform to the interface conventions. A procedure-level interface can be specified fairly simply and so as not to excessively limit the implementation options of the compiler and run-time system developers. One such possible interface is presented, based on lessons learned on the FSU/AFATL Ada compiler project and more recent studies of the trade-offs encountered in implementing Ada for small real-time multiprocessor systems.
Biplot Analysis of Agronomic and Fusarium Head Blight Resistance Traits in Spring Wheat

ABSTRACT Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, is one of the most devastating wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) diseases. To effectively create wheat cultivars that possess optimal agronomic and FHB resistance levels, an understanding of trait relationships is needed. The objectives of this research were: (i) to use genotype × trait (GT) biplot analysis to determine associations among several agronomic and FHB resistance traits, and (ii) to compare and select genotypes based on agronomic and FHB performance using a collection of widely grown cultivars and elite experimental breeding lines. Genotype × trait biplots were constructed using data from 2004, 2005, and across the two years. In general, biplots revealed that desirable levels of agronomic performance were highly associated with desirable levels of FHB resistance. Through observing GT biplots and genotype grand means for 13 traits, we were unable to identify genotypes that produced the most grain and/or had the highest grai...
An interdisciplinary model of complexity in embedded intelligent real-time systems

Abstract Embedded Intelligent Real-Time Systems (EIRTS) are proliferating in many safety-critical large-scale systems where safety and reliability are important. EIRTS are often introduced in safety-critical large-scale systems to improve the reliability and safety, although, in many cases, they also increase the system's complexity. Defining, understanding, and measuring the complexity in EIRTS can aid us in designing and building more reliable and effective EIRTS, particularly in safety-critical settings. In this paper, we focus on the challenges associated with modeling and measurement of complexity in EIRTS and the possible impact areas of this complexity in safety-critical large-scale settings. We propose an interdisciplinary model for EIRTS complexity that shows four different complexities, metrics for measuring them, and impact areas for each complexity type. An application of our model to a real-life EIRTS is also shown along with quantification and operationalization of architectural/structural complexity which is one of four proposed complexities in our model.
Asynchronous replication of deoxyribonucleic acid in root tip chromosomes of Tradescantia paludosa.

Abstract The asynchronous replication of DNA in parts of chromosomes in the root tips of Tradescantia paludosa was found to occur. Generally, the terminal portions of the chromosome arms were found to continue DNA duplication near the end of the DNA synthetic period while other parts of the chromosomes had ceased to synthesize. The localization of the DNA synthesis to specific sites on the chromosomes was found to correspond to an overall decrease in synthesis per nucleus during that portion of the synthetic period.
Exploiting area/delay tradeoffs in high-level synthesis

This paper proposes an enhanced scheduling approach for high-level synthesis, which relies on a multi-cycle behavioral timing analysis step that is performed before and during scheduling. The goal of this analysis is to accurately evaluate the criticality of operations and determine the most suitable candidate resources to implement them. The efficiency of the approach is confirmed by testing it on industrial examples, where it achieves, on average, 9% area savings after logic synthesis.
Structural studies of products of antigen-antibidy-compliment interaction☆☆☆

Abstract Soluble complexes possessing high sedimentaion coefficients were obtained from reductively dissolved precipitates formed at equivalence by the reaction of protein antigens with papain-digested immune globulins in the presence of fresh serum. Analyses of these soluble molecular aggregates isolated by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation indicated the presence of Fab and Fc fragments from the immune globulin in addition to protein components from the serum source. Two of such protein components were identified immunologically to be components of the hemolytic complement system. The function of Fc antibody fragment in the course of antigen-antibody-complement interaction is discussed.
An Empirical Examination of Youths' Perceptions of Spirituality as an Internal Developmental Asset During Adolescence

This mixed method study explores youths' perceived conceptions of spirituality and tests whether spirituality is an additional internal developmental asset (IDA). Spirituality was assessed using an open-ended question asking youth to define spirituality followed by a closed-ended item gauging the extent to which their definition reflected their own spirituality. Using grounded theory to assess youths' qualitative responses resulted in the creation of 10 “spiritual categories.” Quantitative analyses revealed that youths' self-assessment of spirituality had significant concurrent effects on six domains of positive youth development (PYD). However, the longitudinal change model only revealed a significant effect between youths' self-ratings of spirituality and their later Character scores. Additionally, we tested if religious identification moderated the relations between youth spirituality and the domains of PYD but no significant effects were found. The significant findings provide support for the notion t...
A solution to the stone paradox

1) Can God create a stone that He cannot lift? and 2) Does it follow from either an affirmative or a negative answer to question 1) that God is not omnipotent? The second question is clearly troublesome. (The first question is primarily of interest only in so far as it leads to the second one.) It raises the question of whether it is logically permissible to accept a fundamental article of the Christian faith. This problem has come to be known in philosophical and religious lit erature as 'the stone paradox'. The basic argument of the paradox is as follows: A. (1) Either God can create a stone which He cannot lift, or God cannot create a stone which He cannot lift. (2) If God can create a stone which He cannot lift, then God is not omnipotent (since He cannot lift the stone in question). (3) If God cannot create a stone which He cannot lift, then God is not omnipotent (since He cannot create the stone in question). (4) Therefore, God is not omnipotent. A survey of the recent literature on the stone paradox will show that the paradox warrants a more complete analysis than has heretofore been given. In this paper I shall show that argument A is unsound, that the appearance of necessity which attaches to the conclusion dissolves when the paradox is given adequate formal representation. In section I, I shall consider what is meant by 'omnipotent' in the context of the stone paradox. Because of the context, I shall not even mention any modern theological discussion of omnipotence. Rather I shall adopt a notion of omnipotence which accords fairly well with our most common intuitions concerning omnipotence and divine agency, and on which the stone paradox poses the strongest threat to any belief in divine omnipotence. I shall then attempt to develop this notion of omnipotence into its most clear and perspicuous form.
Political Parties in Rough Weather

Though lightly regarded by many observers, political parties have been able to steer presidential nominations to insider favorites in all nine of the contested cases from 1980 to 2000. Democrats had more trouble in 2004, but still managed to avoid insurgent Howard Dean. This paper explains how today’s presidential parties – understood as coalitions of elected officials, interest and advocacy groups, and ideological activists – have learned to work together in the socalled Invisible Primary to affect the outcome of the state-by-state primaries and caucuses. The paper concludes with a discussion of the influence of parties in the pre-Iowa phase of the 2008 nominations.
Perceived duration, visual persistence, and neural integration.

Varying stimulus intensity while measuring the perceived duration/visual persistence of brief light flashes has yielded disparate results. Some studies have found a direct relationship between the two variables; others have found an inverse relationship. Several models have been suggested to unify this behavioral literature. They invoke the absolute intensity and the nature of the judgment as explanatory variables. We now present physiological data whose analysis was motivated by these models. We measured the duration of photoreceptor potentials as a function of light intensity and response measure. One response measure was. the length of time required for the response to decline from the peak by a criterion amount. The other response measure was the length of time a response stayed above a criterion level. These data suggest that each behaviorally based model captured a different aspect of a single underlying mechanism and that a melding of the two critical concepts would harmonize all of the results: In this melding, the sensory signals that mediate visual perception would have the type of complex intensity- and time-dependent properties found in real neural responses.
The Earliest Indian Reference to Muslims in a Buddhist Philosophical Text of Circa 700

ABBREVIATIONS: BO: Bo dong Pan chen 'Jigs med grags pa. Spyod [read: Dpyod\ pa pa'i tsliad ma'i gnas gtan la dbab pa and Spyod [read: Dpyod] pa pa'i lugs dgag pa, Encyclopedia Tibetica. The Collected Works of Bo dong Pan chen Phyogs las mam rgyal, ed. S.T. Kazi, vol. 7 (New Delhi: Tibet House, 1969), 85-297, 37CM19. BRANG: Brang ti Dpal ldan 'tsho byed. Shes bya rab gsal rgyas pa [Bdud rtsi snying po y an lag brgyad/gsang pa (sic) man ngag gis (sic) rgyud kyi spy i don shes bya rab gsal rgyas pa], handwritten dbu med manuscript, Cultural Palace of Nationalities, Beijing, catalogue no. 002291; fols. 48. BU: Bu ston Rin chen grub. Bde bar gshegs pa'i bstan pa'i gsal byed chos kyi 'byung gnas gsnng rab rin po che'i mdzod, The Collected Works of Bu ston [and Sgra tshad pa] [Lhasa print]. Part 24. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1971: 633-1056.
Muon spin relaxation and magnetic measurements on Ba 0.63 K 0.37 BiO 3 : Evidence for polaronic strong-coupling phonon-mediated pairing

A penetration depth measurement was carried out on the optimally doped bismuthate superconductor ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{0.63}{\mathrm{K}}_{0.37}{\mathrm{BiO}}_{3}$ $({T}_{c}=29.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K})$ using the muon-spin-relaxation technique. We find that the temperature dependence of the penetration depth $\ensuremath{\lambda}(T)$ of this compound is in excellent agreement with strong-coupling phonon-mediated superconductivity with a reduced energy gap of $2\ensuremath{\Delta}(0)∕{k}_{B}{T}_{c}=4.4$ and a retarded electron-phonon coupling constant ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{e\text{\ensuremath{-}}p}=1.4$. The observed large reduced energy gap rules out the possibility of pairing mechanisms based on coupling to high-energy electronic excitations. Quantitative data analyses indicate that high-temperature superconductivity in bismuthates arises from the Cooper pairing of polaronic charge carriers.
Diffuse infiltrating neuroendocrine tumor of the uterus: MRI appearance

AbstractA rare case of neuroendocrine tumor of the uterus is presented. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated diffuse enlargement of the uterus without a discrete mass. The vessels in the myometrium were not distorted. Histologically, tumor cells diffusely infiltrated the myometrium as well
The clinical distinction between regional postinfarction pericarditis and other causes of postinfarction chest pain: ancillary observations regarding the effect of lytic therapy upon the frequency of postinfarction pericarditis, postinfarction angina, and reinfarction.

Recently two types of atypical T-wave evolution were recognized as electrocardiographic (ECG) markers of regional postinfarction pericarditis. The sensitivity and specificity of these of these changes for this condition were 100 and 77%, respectively. The major purpose of this investigation is to show how these ECG changes can be used to differentiate among postinfarction pericarditis, postinfarction angina, and reinfarction. Even appropriately constructed serial monitor lead ECGs can be used to make this distinction. The ease of correctly distinguishing among the three causes of postinfarction chest pain utilizing a carefully elicited history and ECG criteria is discussed. In addition, a secondary objective was to assess the effect of lytic therapy on the incidence of postinfarction pericarditis. Among the 200 patients in this study, lytic therapy halved the incidence of postinfarction pericarditis, which is in accord with the larger Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Streptochinasi nell'Infarto Miocardico (GISSI) study.
Loss of HLA-DR Expression by Human Epidermal Cells After Growth in Culture

These studies present evidence that when human epidermal cells are grown in culture they lose both the ability to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T lymphocytes in vitro and their expression of HLA-DR antigens. Our results also show that epidermal cells incubated with anti-HLA-DR serum lose their ability to stimulate the proliferation to allogeneic T lymphocytes in a mixed skin cell-lymphocyte reaction.
Matching Verbal Description to Music Excerpt: The Use of Language by Blind and Sighted Children

Forty-one sighted and 17 blind children listened individually to six short music excerpts and described them orally. Each child's descriptions were recorded, transcribed, and randomly ordered. Then, a panel of 10 music teachers attempted to assign each description to its intended excerpt. Teachers were able to match description to excerpt with about the same degree of accuracy for blind and sighted children. Descriptions were more easily matched at successive grade levels. Analysis of types of language used showed that sighted children remained consistent in number of musical elements described across age-groups; however, blind students increased substantially in their descriptions of musical elements at each successive level (kindergarten, primary, upper elementary). Sighted children used significantly more metaphors and emotional descriptors than did blind children. The use of temporal language increased with age, particularly among the blind students, but there were no statistical differences due to vi...
Sparsity in unions of subspaces for classification and clustering of high-dimensional data

In many problems in signal/image processing, machine learning and computer vision, data in multiple classes lie in multiple low-dimensional subspaces of a high-dimensional ambient space. We consider the two problems of classification and clustering of data in a union subspaces using sparse representation techniques. We use the idea that the collection of data forms a self-expressive dictionary in which a new data point can write itself as a linear combination of points from the same class/subspace. First, we consider the classification problem where the training data in each class form a few groups of the dictionary and correspond to a few subspaces. We formulate the classification problem as finding a few active subspaces in the union of subspaces using two classes of convex optimization programs. We investigate conditions under which the proposed optimization programs recover the desired solution. Next, we consider the clustering problem, where the goal is to cluster the data in a union of subspaces so that data points in each cluster correspond to points in the same subspace. We propose a convex optimization program based on sparse representation and use its solution to infer the clustering of data using spectral clustering. We investigate conditions under which the proposed convex program successfully finds a sparse representation of each point as a linear combination of points from the same subspace. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed classification and clustering algorithms through synthetic and real experiments.
Status of Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities in a Watershed Experiencing High Rates of Fossil Fuel Extraction: Tenmile Creek, a Major Monongahela River Tributary

Over the summer and fall seasons, 2006–2010, we surveyed the fish and macroinvertebrate communities of the Tenmile Creek basin in southwestern Pennsylvania, an area undergoing accelerated extraction of energy resources—historically coal and more recently natural gas associated with the Marcellus formation. Tenmile Creek, its major South Fork (SF), and numerous tributaries drain a basin of 875 km2. The drainage network is characterized as warm-water, low-gradient, and net alkaline. The purpose was to provide synoptic baseline data on water quality and the resident aquatic communities in terms of species richness, stress tolerance, and trophic structure. Overall, we sampled 20 stations on the 2 main branches and 1 on each of the 12 tributaries. We collected 26,375 fishes representing nine families and 54 species/hybrids along with 989 macroinvertebrates from 25 separate taxa. The parameter which defines water quality here is specific conductance which ranges from natural background levels of about 400 μS/cm on the minimally impaired Tenmile mainstem to 4,500 μS/cm on its SF. Diverse fish and macroinvertebrate communities were documented at levels of specific conductance exceeding 1,000 μS/cm, well above the 300 μS/cm criterion to protect aquatic life proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency for streams in the Central Appalachian Region. South Fork fish communities exhibit impairment at levels of specific conductance approaching the maximum observed here.
Minimal Cut Sets and the Use of Failure Modes in Metabolic Networks

A minimal cut set is a minimal set of reactions whose inactivation would guarantee a failure in a certain network function or functions. Minimal cut sets (MCSs) were initially developed from the metabolic pathway analysis method (MPA) of elementary modes (EMs); they provide a way of identifying target genes for eliminating a certain objective function from a holistic perspective that takes into account the structure of the whole metabolic network. The concept of MCSs is fairly new and still being explored and developed; the initial concept has developed into a generalized form and its similarity to other network characterizations are discussed. MCSs can be used in conjunction with other constraints-based methods to get a better understanding of the capability of metabolic networks and the interrelationship between metabolites and enzymes/genes. The concept could play an important role in systems biology by contributing to fields such as metabolic and genetic engineering where it could assist in finding ways of producing industrially relevant compounds from renewable resources, not only for economical, but also for sustainability, reasons.
Extending the family of UNCG-like tetraloop motifs: NMR structure of a CACG tetraloop from coxsackievirus B3.

Stable RNA tetraloop motifs are found frequently in biologically active RNAs. These motifs carry out a wide variety of functions in RNA folding, in RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions. A great deal of knowledge about the structures and functions of tetraloop motifs has accumulated largely due to intensive theoretical, biochemical, and biophysical studies on three most frequently occurring families of tetraloop sequences, namely, the cUNCGg, the cGNRAg, and the gCUUGc sequences. Our knowledge surely is not exhaustive, and efforts are still being made to gain a better understanding. Here we report the NMR structure of a uCACGg tetraloop that occurs naturally within the cloverleaf RNA structure of the 5'-UTR of coxsackievirus B3. This tetraloop is the major determinant for interaction between the cloverleaf RNA and viral 3C protease, which is an essential part of a ribonucleoprotein complex that plays a critical role in the regulation of viral translation and replication. Our structure shows that the CACG tetraloop is closed by a wobble U.G base pair. The structure of the CACG tetraloop is stabilized by extensive base stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions strikingly similar to those previously reported for the cUUCGg tetraloop. Identification of these hallmark structural features strongly supports the existence of an extended YNCG tetraloop family. The U.G base pair closing the stem and the A residue in the loop introduce some small structural and themodynamic distinctions from the canonical cUUCGg tetraloop that may be important for recognition by the viral 3C protease.
Surface chemical characterization by Auger signal decomposition: Silicon nitride

Abstract The silicon-L 23 VV Auger signals from both plasma-deposited silicon nitride and pyrolytically-deposited silicon oxynitride films have been synthesized using experimentally determined component signals representing Si-Si, Si-N, Si-H and Si-O bonding. All of the signals had been corrected for loss features by background subtraction and loss deconvolution and were in the integral, N ( E ), mode. The accuracy with which this curve synthesis technique fits the Auger spectra for this type of material in terms of differing states of chemical bonding indicates that silicon nitride/oxynitride films deposited by conventional methods are simple mixtures of elemental Si and two component Si-X (X=N, O and H) systems. Meaningful use of these techniques of curve decomposition/synthesis for extracting chemical bonding information depends strongly on working with a complete set of component curves, all of which have good signal-to-noise statistics and accurate energy calibrations.
Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Analysis of Carbon Nanohorn-Quantum Dot Complexes

Carbon nanoparticles have the potential to significantly impact the medical field over the next decade. Currently, carbon nanoparticles are being studied for a myriad of applications, including drug delivery, selective laser therapy, imaging, and biosensing. The most common type of carbon particles being investigated are carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are attractive materials for medical applications because of their physical properties and the ease with which they can be surface modified; however, there is a great deal of controversy over their possible toxicity. A more novel type of CNT that was discovered in 1999 by Iijima et al. is the carbon nanohorn [1]. Individual single-walled nanohorns (SWNHs) are single graphene sheets that roll into a conical open ended structure. The open ends of these cones are then attracted to one another through van der Waals interactions and form a flower-like final structure [2]. SWNHs are more favorable for medical applications because they are produced without the use of metal catalysts abating the concern of toxicity associated with CNTs.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Compact optical system for imaging underwater and through the air/sea interface

Typical line-of-sight (LOS)/monostatic optical imaging systems include a laser source and receiver that are co-located on the same platform. The performance of such systems is deteriorated in turbid ocean water due to the large amount of light that is scattered on the path to and from an object of interest. Imagery collected with the LOS/monostatic system through the air/sea interface is also distorted due to wave focusing/defocusing effects. The approach of this project is to investigate an alternate, non-line-of-sight (NLOS)/bistatic approach that offers some advantages over these traditional LOS/monostatic imaging techniques. In this NLOS system the laser and receiver are located on separate platforms with the laser located closer to the object of interest. As the laser sequentially scans the underwater object, a time-varying intensity signal corresponding to reflectivity changes in the object is detected by the distant receiver. A modulated laser illuminator is used to communicate information about the scan to the distant receiver so it can recreate the image with the collected scattered light. This NLOS/bistatic configuration also enables one to view an underwater target through the air-sea interface (transmitter below the surface and receiver above the surface) without the distortions experienced with the LOS/monostatic sensor. In this paper, we will review the results of recent laboratory water tank experiments where an underwater object was imaged with the receiver both below and above the sea surface.
Modeling the Circular Shear in Light Activated Shape Memory Polymers With Three Networks

Shape memory polymers (SMP’s) are polymers that have the ability to retain a temporary shape, which can revert back to the original shape on exposure to specific triggers such as increase in temperature or exposure to light at specific wavelengths. A new type of shape memory polymer, light activated shape memory polymers (LASMP’s) have been developed in the past few years. In these polymers the temporary shapes are fixed by exposure to light at a specific wavelength. Exposure to light at this wavelength causes the photosensitive molecules, which are grafted on to the polymer chains, to form covalent bonds. These covalent bonds are responsible for the temporary shape and act as crosslinks. On exposure to light at a different wavelength these bonds are cleaved and the material can revert back to its original shape. A constitutive model of LASMP’s which based on the notion of multiple natural configurations has been developed (see Sodhi and Rao [1]). It has been applied to model the circular shear of light activated shape memory polymer with two networks. In this work we use this model to analyze the mechanical behavior of LASMP’s with three different networks undergoing a circular shear deformation cycle. This involves study of the behavior of the LASMP’s when two temporary configurations are formed by exposing the polymer to light at different time during the deformation process. In addition, we show that these materials are able to undergo complex cycles of deformation due to the flexibility with which these temporary configurations can be formed and removed by exposure to light.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The Buckling of a Vertical Liquid Column

Etude de l'ecoulement sinusoidal d'une colonne verticale heurtant une surface horizontale. On montre experimentalement que l'obstacle solide provoque le flambage de la colonne liquide en forme de sinusoide plane (statique) dont la longueur d'onde est a l'echelle du diametre local de la colonne
The Psychotherapist's Own Psychotherapy: Educating and Developing Psychologists.

In this article, the author synthesizes 25 years of his research on the personal therapy of mental health professionals. The author summarizes the high prevalence of personal treatment, its use by seasoned practitioners, its personal and professional goals, its typically positive outcomes, and its lasting lessons concerning the practice of psychotherapy. Particular attention is devoted to the therapist's selection of a personal therapist and the conduct of treatment with patients who are themselves psychotherapists in comparison with patients who are laypersons. The cumulative results indicate that personal therapy is an emotionally vital, interpersonally dense, and professionally formative experience that should be central to the development of health care psychologists.
Keyhole limpet hemocyanin, a novel immune stimulant with promising anticancer activity in Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Background Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) is a recently described immune stimulant and hapten carrier derived from a circulating glycoprotein of the marine mollusk Megathura crenulata. We previously reported that KLH has significant antiproliferative effects in vitro against breast, pancreas, and prostate cancers. We hypothesized that KLH would be effective against Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma in an in vitro model. Methods Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines (SEG-1 and BIC-1) were cultured using standard techniques. Cells were plated at 1 × 10 5 and KLH was added at concentrations ranging from 400ng to 100μg/well. After 24 and 72h incubation, cells were assayed for viability using the MTT technique. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Apoptosis was evaluated using a cell death detection kit after 16 hours of incubation with KLH. Results KLH treatment significantly (p Conclusions KLH directly inhibits the growth of human Barrett's esophageal cancer in vitro by apoptotic and nonapoptotic mechanisms.
Unusual redox response of M=Ni in YBa2(Cu1-xMx)3Oy

Abstract We report here on the changes in behavior, including transitions from superconducting to semiconducting, as a function of heat treatment of YBa2(Cu1-xNix)3Oy with x=0.05. In particular, conventional materials prepared by slow cooling from ∼ 1200 K (designated OP for oxygenating preparations), show superconducting onset temperatures of Tc∼75 K. This is also the case when materials are quenched from air annealing temperatures TA≥1123 K and subsequently reoxygenated at Ta=673 K. However, when OP are air annealed at TA=1023 K, quenched to liquid N2 (designated K parent or Kp in this state), and subsequently reoxygenated at Ta=673 K (designated as Ko compound), no superconductivity is observed in the resistivities down to 4.2 K. Also, magnetic susceptibilities of Ko compounds show relatively large effective magnetic moments and either no, or only trace amounts of, superconductivity. Both Kp (quenched from TA=1023 K) and Ko were orthorhombic, while the conventional parents (quenched from TA≥1123 K) were tetragonal. Possible origins for this unusual Ko phenomenology are discussed and comparisons are drawn with other cases where thermal treatment results in loss of superconductivity.
The ups and downs of addiction: role of metabotropic glutamate receptors

Drug addiction is characterized by drug-induced positive affect, followed by withdrawal-associated negative affect. Such drug-induced positive and negative affective states provide crucial sources of motivation that drive compulsive drug consumption. Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors, which are responsible for slow glutamate-mediated neurotransmission, are located throughout limbic and cortical brain regions that are implicated in drug addiction. Emerging evidence indicates that mGlu receptors regulate many behavioral actions of addictive drugs. In particular, group I mGlu receptors play an important role in regulating the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Furthermore, group II mGlu receptors have been implicated in the synaptic adaptations that occur in response to chronic drug exposure and contribute to the aversive behavioral syndrome observed during withdrawal. These findings increase our understanding of the pathological processes that are associated with the development of drug addiction, and might ultimately lead to new therapies for the treatment of this disorder.
Mammary Epithelial-specific Deletion of the Focal Adhesion Kinase Gene Leads to Severe Lobulo-Alveolar Hypoplasia and Secretory Immaturity of the Murine Mammary Gland

Integrin-mediated cell adhesion and signaling is required for mammary gland development and functions. As a major mediator of integrin signaling, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has been implicated to play a role in the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of mammary epithelial cells in previously studies in vitro. To assess the role of FAK in vivo, we created mice in which FAK is selectively deleted in mammary epithelial cells. The mammary gland FAK conditional knock-out (MFCKO) mice are viable, fertile, and macroscopically indistinguishable from the control littermates. In virgin MFCKO mice, mammary ductal elongation is retarded at 5 weeks of age but reaches the full extent by 8 weeks of age compared with the control mice. However, the MFCKO females are unable to nurse their pups due to severe lobulo-alveolar hypoplasia and secretory immaturity during pregnancy and lactation. Analysis of the mammary epithelial cells in MFCKO mice showed reduced Erk phosphorylation, expression of cyclin D1, and a corresponding decrease in proliferative capability compared with the littermate controls. In addition, phosphorylation of STAT5 and expression of whey acidic protein are significantly reduced in the mammary glands of MFCKO mice, suggesting defective secretory maturation in these mice. Therefore, the combination of the severe lobulo-alveolar hypoplasia and defective secretory differentiation is responsible for the inability of the MFCKO females to nurse their pups. Together, these results provide strong support for a role of FAK in the mammary gland development and function in vivo.
Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis: parents' preferences regarding counseling at the time of infants' sweat test.

Newborn screening (NBS) protocols for cystic fibrosis (CF) are the first regional population-based programs to incorporate DNA analysis into their procedures. Research about these programs can inform policy and practice regarding how best to counsel families with abnormal NBS results. The grounded theory method guided interviews with 33 families whose infants had abnormal CF NBS results. A dimensional analysis of these interviews provided a theoretical framework describing parents’ preferences regarding counseling during their infant's sweat test appointment. This framework describes the contexts and characteristics of the two main dimensions of parents’ preferences: factual information and emotional support. Factual information included learning about the probability of a CF diagnosis, CF disease facts, sweat test procedure, and CF genetics. Social support consisted of offering parents a choice about the timing and amount of CF information, showing empathy for their distress, instilling hope, personalizing counseling, and providing hospitality. This framework also explains the consequences of counseling that matched versus mismatched parental preferences in these domains. Counseling that matched parents preferences reduced parents’ distress while mismatched counseling tended to increase parents’ worry about their infant.
Outcomes of suicidal behaviors

Abstract Research issues associated with outcomes of suicidal behavior include: the appropriate length of time to follow subjects is at least two years, psychiatric controls without a history of suicide attempt are a recommended comparison group, quantitation of traits such as aggression or impulsivity is desirable. Clinical issues include the following: the diathesis for suicide is a trait, the most universal risk factor across groups is the presence of depression, yet under-treatment, such as inadequate dosing of antidepressants and high rates of drop-out from psychotherapy, is a major problem. Other issues include that treatment must take a lifelong perspective, there is an ongoing need for psychoeducation of practitioners and the public, outreach to institutions such as schools, hospitals and jails is needed, when a child or adolescent exhibits suicidal behavior, parents should be screened for psychiatric illness, there is an urgent need to remedy barriers to treatment including insurance coverage obstacles, long wait-lists, and fragmentation of mental healthcare. Improvements should include a focus on step-down treatments and the integration of primary care and mental healthcare. Establishing a national registry of serious suicidal behavior to aid research, and clinical trials of treatments for suicidal behavior is important. Subpopulations for study include children, adolescents, the elderly, institutionalized persons, community samples (as distinct from clinical samples), persons with a family history of suicide (for genetic linkage studies), attempters versus completers, single versus multiple attempters and persons who drop out of treatment.