cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibodies to gamma globulin in the serum of children and adults.

Sera from 200 infants (0 to 6 months of age), 1,282 children (6 months to 16 years), and 1,989 adults, who were outpatients or inpatients of the University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, were tested for the presence of antibodies to gamma globulin as represented by five different anti-D sera. The frequency of such antibodies (11.3%) was significantly higher in children between six months and five years of age than in older children (4.1%) or adults (6.3%). The frequency of “nonspecific” antibodies against gamma globulin was higher in adults (5.4%) than in children (0.8%). Eighty-five of 1,282 (6.6%) samples from children had useable antibodies and 18 of 1,989 (0.9%) samples from adults had useable antibodies. There was no correlation between the occurrence of the antibody and sex, diagnosis, or history of transfusion. The data indicate, however, that a correlation with race may exist.
In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of topical ofloxacin and other ototopical agents.

Background, Ototopical agents are extensively used for otitis externa (OE), acute otitis media identified by otorrhea in patients who have tympanostomy tubes (AOM-TT) and chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The quinolones have particular value as ototopical agents because of the broad spectrum of antibacterial activity of importance in otic diseases and the high concentrations of antibacterial activity at the site of infection. Methods. A survey of literature on in vitro activity and microbiologic efficacy in clinical trials of quinolone otic products for OE, AOM-TT and CSOM. Results. OE: Floxin otic and Cortisporin TC otic suspension were equally effective in eradicating the three major pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus. CSOM: Ofloxacin otic was effective in an open label trial in uniform eradication of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter spp. AOM-TT: Ofloxacin otic and amoxicillin/clavulanate (by mouth) were equivalent clinically; rates of eradication of initial pathogens were similar for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, but ofloxacin otic was superior in eradication of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Conclusions. In each of the studies of OE, CSOM and AOM-TT, ofloxacin otic solution was effective in eradicating the bacterial pathogen from the site of infection: equivalent to Cortisporin for children with OE; superior to amoxicillin/clavulanate for patients with AOM-TT who had acute drainage; and effective in eradicating bacterial pathogens from the external canal of patients with CSOM.
Teen Pregnancy and Education: Politics of Knowledge, Research, and Practice

This article explores the politics surrounding the education of pregnant/mothering students. Utilizing Title IX, which guarantees the rights of pregnant/mothering students to an education equal to ...
Dark Side of Fortune: Triumph and Scandal in the Life of Oil Tycoon Edward L. Doheny

"Dark Side of Fortune" contains all the elements of a Hollywood thriller. Filling in one of the most important gaps in the history of the American West, Margaret Leslie Davis' riveting biography follows Edward L. Doheny's fascinating story from his days as an itinerant prospector in the dangerous jungles of Mexico, where he built the $100-million oil empire that ushered in the new era of petroleum. But it was a tale that ended in tragedy, when - at the peak of his economic power - Doheny was embroiled in the notorious Teapot Dome scandal and charged with bribing the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Few captains of industry have matched Doheny's drive to succeed and his far-reaching ambition. Drawn to the West in search of fortune, he failed at prospecting before finding oil in a smelly, tar-befouled lot in Los Angeles in 1892. Certain that the substance had commercial value, he envisioned steamships and locomotives no longer powered by coal, but by oil. After developing massive oil wells in Mexico, Doheny built an international oil empire that made him one of the wealthiest men in the world. But in 1924 the scandal of Teapot Dome engulfed him. As accusations mounted, he hired America's top legal talent for his defense. During the ten-year-long litigation, Doheny's only son was mysteriously murdered by a family confidant. The government's case against Doheny ended in an astounding jury decision: The cabinet official accused of taking a bribe from Doheny was found guilty and sent to prison, yet Doheny was fully acquitted. Despite the verdict, the scandal had overshadowed the achievements of a lifetime, and he died in disgrace in 1935. Margaret Leslie Davis recreates the legal drama and adds details of behind-the-scenes strategy gleaned from the personal diaries and archives of Doheny's famed defense attorneys. Previously hidden personal correspondence adds to this first complete portrait of the man and answers questions about Doheny that have eluded historians for almost seventy-five years.
Formation of A ternary complex between yeast aminoacyl-tRNA binding factor, GTP, and aminoacyl-tRNA

A supernatant factor from yeast that, with GTP, causes binding of aa-tRNA∗ to ribosomes, forms a ternary complex with GTP and Phe-tRNA which is excluded by Sephadex G-200 and passes through the Millipore filter. The complex of GTP-binding-factor-Phe-tRNA is bound much more rapidly to ribosomes than the separately added components.
Biosurfactant-enhanced removal of residual hydrocarbon from soil

Abstract An anionic monorhamnolipid biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated for its potential to remove residual hexadecane from sand columns. In a series of column experiments, residual hexadecane saturation was established by pumping 14C-hexadecane into water-saturated sand columns and then flushing with water at a velocity of 25 cm h−1. Monorhamnolipid solutions of varying concentration were then applied to the columns at a velocity of 15 cm H−1 to remove the residual hexadecane. Of the rhamnolipid concentrations tested, which ranged from 40 to 1500 mg l−1, the optimal concentration for residual removal was 500 mg l−1, approximately ten times the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Approximately 84% of the residual was removed from the column packed with 20 30 mesh sand, and 22% was removed from the 40 50 mesh column. The primary mechanism for residual removal was mobilization (displacement and dispersion), whereas solubilization was found to be insignificant. The performance of monorhamnolipid was compared with that of two synthetic surfactant solutions on a mass basis (500 mg l−1) for the 40 50 mesh sand. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.2 X cmc), and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (38 × cmc), removed 0% and 6.1% of the residual saturation, respectively.
Relations of mineral-soil C and N to climate and texture: regional differences within the conterminous USA

Soil is a prominent component of terrestrial C and N budgets. Soil C and N pools are influenced by, and may reciprocally influence, many environmental factors. Our objective was to determine the quantitative relations of surface mineral-soil organic C, N, and C/N ratios to climate and soil texture across seven ecological regions that make up the conterminous USA. Up to 608 soil profiles per region and their corresponding climates were evaluated with regression analysis. The organic C pool (kg C m−2) in the upper 20 cm of mineral soil was positively related to mean annual precipitation, evapotranspiration and clay content in all regions. It was negatively related to a temperature/precipitation index in all regions and negatively related to mean annual temperature, except in the northwest temperate forest region. Soil C/N ratios were negatively related to clay or silt content in all regions. These relations are consistent with concepts of moisture and temperature controls on detrital production, differential effects of temperature on detrital production and decomposition, and stabilization of organic matter by clay and silt. Differences in quantitative relations among regions may be related to vegetation-composition effects on soil organic matter processes, clay mineralogy, and faunal mixing of surface organic horizons with mineral soil. Regional differences also occurred in the importance of climate vs. soil texture in explaining the variability in soil C. The regional differences indicate the importance of using region-specific, rather than generalized, equations for projecting long-term soil responses to climate change and for conducting ecosystem-model calibration or validation.
ISCHEMIA AND ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING IN THE BUFFER-PERFUSED PIGEON HEART

Abstract Isolated pigeon hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer with 1.25 mM Ca++ at a pressure of 60 cm H2O and paced at 210 beats per min. After an equilibration perfusion of 30 min, hearts were subjected to 10 min global ischemia and then reperfused for 30 min. Left ventricular +dP/dtmax, systolic, and end diastolic pressures differed significantly from baseline values during reperfusion as did the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). When the hearts were preconditioned by interruption of flow for two 2.5-min intervals, followed by 10 min of ischemia and then reperfusion, the short periods of ischemia, followed by reperfusion, protected the hearts against the longer bout of ischemia as evidenced by significant differences between the left ventricular (LV) pressure, +dP/dtmax, LV end diastolic pressure and LDH values obtained from the hearts of control vs. preconditioned hearts. Substitution of 1 μM adenosine for the preconditioning ischemia also resulted in the preconditioning response. Ischemic preconditioning (IP) was not blocked by addition of 100 μM 8-(-p-sulfophenyl) theophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist. Therefore, isolated, perfused bird hearts can be preconditioned, and the mechanism may involve adenosine receptors, although their activation is not necessary for IP to occur. Factors in addition to adenosine are likely involved.
Morphing wings for unmanned aircraft

Abstract Here a computational model is presented which predicts the force, stroke and energy needed to overcome aerodynamic loads encountered by morphing wings, to perform aircraft manoeuvres. The aerodynamic load algorithms have been verified against more time-expensive codes. The overall model allows for desired flight-path inputs and variable control algorithms. The four modules that make up the model integrate well, to make a tool that enables the study of the required actuator requirements for morphing wings.
Phosphorylation of Nrf2 at Ser40 by Protein Kinase C in Response to Antioxidants Leads to the Release of Nrf2 from INrf2, but Is Not Required for Nrf2 Stabilization/Accumulation in the Nucleus and Transcriptional Activation of Antioxidant Response Element-mediated NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase-1 Gene Expression

The antioxidant response element (ARE) and transcription factor Nrf2 regulate basal expression and antioxidant induction of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) and other detoxifying genes. Under normal conditions, Nrf2 is targeted for proteasomal degradation by INrf2. Oxidative stress causes release of Nrf2 from INrf2. Nrf2 translocates to the nucleus, binds to the ARE, and activates gene expression. In this study, we demonstrate that protein kinase C (PKC) plays a significant role in the regulation of ARE-mediated NQO1 gene expression and induction in response to t-butylhydroquinone. Treatment of HepG2 cells with the PKC inhibitors staurosporine and calphostin C repressed ARE-mediated induction of a luciferase reporter as well as that of the endogenous NQO1 gene. Similar experiments with inhibitors of MEK/ERK, p38, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and tyrosine kinases failed to repress ARE-mediated gene expression. The PKC inhibitor staurosporine blocked the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, suggesting that Nrf2 might be the target for PKC regulation. A Prosite search revealed the presence of seven putative PKC sites in mouse Nrf2. The PKC site at Ser40 is conserved among species and lies in the Neh2 domain, which interacts with INrf2. We demonstrate that phosphorylation of Ser40 is necessary for Nrf2 release from INrf2, but is not required for Nrf2 stabilization/accumulation in the nucleus and transcriptional activation of ARE-mediated NQO1 gene expression. A peptide that competes with endogenous Nrf2 for INrf2 binding was able to induce ARE activity more effectively than t-butylhydroquinone, and Nrf2 that accumulated in the nucleus as a result was not phosphorylated.
A continuing common-source outbreak of botulism in a family.

Abstract In December, 1974, three cases of botulism occurred in a family; two were fatal. The first patient died after a 10-day illness without botulism being suspected. 4 days later, after a 2-day illness, the second patient was diagnosed as having botulism after a cardiorespiratory arrest; she died 3 days later. In the third patient, the only symptom was dysphagia. Clostridium botulinum type B was found in stool specimens from all three patients. Home-canned (bottled) mushrooms, which were found to contain C. botulinum type B and its toxin, were believed to be responsible for the outbreak; mushrooms were found at necropsy in the gastrointestinal tracts of both patients who died. Heat treatment of the mushrooms during canning had been inadequate.
Measuring Pediatric Resident Competencies in Adolescent Medicine

Abstract Purpose To compare third-year pediatric resident competence on an adolescent medicine with competence in treating younger children. Methods The participants were third-year residents (2010 [n = 24] and 2011 [n = 23]) at University of Colorado School of Medicine. Resident competence was measured in the domains of professionalism, communication, and history-taking skills in a multicase Objective Structured Clinical Examination. Results Percent correct scores in professionalism, history-taking, and communication skills on the adolescent case ranked in the bottom half of cases in both years. T-tests comparing mean score difference between the adolescent case and pediatric cases combined were statistically significant for professionalism (79.57 ± 4.15 vs. 89.51 ± 14.14, p = .01) and history taking (66.27 ± 11.02 vs. 75.10 ± 18.40, p = .05). Conclusions Resident's history taking addressed immediate issues but not public health issues with adolescents. The professionalism findings suggest that residents engage in less patient-centered care when caring for adolescents, even while their communication skills remain on par.
Evidence for microporosity and dislocations in Pb(Cd) alloys from positron annihilation studies

Abstract The temperature dependence of lineshape parameters obtained from Doppler profile measurements (from 7 to 350 K) is presented for rolled and unrolled Pb, Pb(Cd), and Pb(Tl) alloys. It is demonstrated that positrons can be used to detect microporosity and dislocations in Pb(Cd) alloys. The porosity is greatly reduced by rolling. Positron trapping by the Pb(Cd) alloys in the as-worked state is attributable to dislocations.
Pharmacological activity of some esters of germine with acetic acid.

Five esters of germine with acetic acid were investigated for their pharmacological activity on the circulation of cats, for their veratrinic effect on the sartorius muscle of the frog, and for their toxicity in mice.
Three dimensional thermal sensor for intravascular flow monitoring

A novel design and assembly technology was developed for a three-dimensional (3-D) thermal flow sensor based on convective heat transfer to reduce detection error caused by position variation of a sensor inside the flow of narrow and curved geometries, such as coronary artery. The 3-D sensor has three independent sensing elements equally distributed around the catheter tube. This arrangement introduces three independent information channels, and cross-comparisons were utilized to provide accurate flow measurement. The resistance of the sensing elements was measured at approximately 1-1.2 KΩ with the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) at 0.086 %/°C. Using a constant-current circuit, the three sensing elements were heated to about 10 °C above ambient temperature. Flow testing was implemented in a pipe channel at two positions: on the wall or along the center line. When the sensor was in contact with the pipe, output voltage of the sensing element facing the pipe wall changed less than 0.6 mV. Meanwhile, other two sensing elements which were facing the flow field had a maximum output change of 3.3-3.5 mV. Placing the sensors at the center line of the pipe resulted in an almost equal output voltage change for all sensing elements. Therefore, we demonstrated the capability of 3-D thermal flow sensor for detecting the position of the catheter in the flow channel, thereby providing an accurate flow measurement.
The exaptive excellence of spandrels as a term and prototype

In 1979, Lewontin and I borrowed the architectural term “spandrel” (using the pendentives of San Marco in Venice as an example) to designate the class of forms and spaces that arise as necessary byproducts of another decision in design, and not as adaptations for direct utility in themselves. This proposal has generated a large literature featuring two critiques: (i) the terminological claim that the spandrels of San Marco are not true spandrels at all and (ii) the conceptual claim that they are adaptations and not byproducts. The features of the San Marco pendentives that we explicitly defined as spandrel-properties—their necessary number (four) and shape (roughly triangular)—are inevitable architectural byproducts, whatever the structural attributes of the pendentives themselves. The term spandrel may be extended from its particular architectural use for two-dimensional byproducts to the generality of “spaces left over,” a definition that properly includes the San Marco pendentives. Evolutionary biology needs such an explicit term for features arising as byproducts, rather than adaptations, whatever their subsequent exaptive utility. The concept of biological spandrels—including the examples here given of masculinized genitalia in female hyenas, exaptive use of an umbilicus as a brooding chamber by snails, the shoulder hump of the giant Irish deer, and several key features of human mentality—anchors the critique of overreliance upon adaptive scenarios in evolutionary explanation. Causes of historical origin must always be separated from current utilities; their conflation has seriously hampered the evolutionary analysis of form in the history of life.
High-quality AlGaN/GaN superlattices for near- and mid-infrared intersubband transitions

A pulsed layer-by-layer deposition (PLLD) technique possessing triple growth rates compared to conventional growth techniques is developed by metal−organic chemical vapor deposition to realize high-quality high-aluminum content ordered AlXGa(1−X)N (0.5 < X). X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and transmission measurements are employed to demonstrate control over aluminum content, structural uniformity, and optical quality in the ordered AlXGa(1−X)N. To show the feasibility of device applications, AlXGa(1−X)N as barrier and GaN as well are employed in superlattices demonstrating intersubband transitions in the infrared regime. Effects of well width and barrier aluminum content on the intersubband absorption characteristics are reported.
Li+/Mg2+ competition at therapeutic intracellular Li+ levels in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

OBJECTIVES One proposed mechanism of lithium action in the treatment of bipolar disorder is that Li+ competes with Mg2+ for Mg2+ binding sites within the cell. In this study, we investigated this competition at therapeutic intracellular Li+ levels in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS We used fluorescence spectroscopy and a Mg2+ indicator, furaptra, to investigate this competition in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for determination of the intracellular Li+ levels. RESULTS The neuroblastoma cells, incubated in 15 mM or 30 mM Li+-containing buffer, showed a significant increase in free intracellular Mg2+ levels [using a positive linear within-groups contrast t-test, the 15 mM condition produced t(2) = 5.0, one-tailed p 0.96]. At the earlier times during the incubation (1 or 10 min for the 15 mM or 30 mM Li+-containing buffers), the intracellular Li+ concentrations were 0.6-2.5 mM, values which are comparable to those reached in the brain of Li+-treated patients. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that competition between Li+ and Mg2+ can occur at therapeutic intracellular Li+ levels.
A developmental view of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma based on experimental research

Summary On the basis of experimental research, using rabbit uterine epithelium as a model, it is postulated that human endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma may be due to derangement of intrinsic growth mechanisms such as cell proliferation, migration, loss and differentiation. Ovarian hormones, estrogen inhibitor or amplifying factors, prostaglandins, stroma-epithelial interactions, proteolytic activity and hormone receptors, all regulate the described intrinsic growth mechanisms, and their excess or lack could result in altered growth patterns. It is also proposed that different types of endometrial carcinoma could result from neoplastic transformation of cells at different stages of differentiation. Since cells at those stages could respond to various hormones in different ways, it would seem of therapeutic value to know the cell of origin in each type of endometrial carcinoma.
A rotor section aerodynamic design package using the direct iterative surface curvature method

Abstract A rotor section aerodynamic design package is developed by coupling the constrained direct iterative surface curvature (CDISC) design method with the FPX rotor code. The coupling between the CDISC design and the FPX flow analysis is fully automated. The CDISC design method employs a predictor–corrector procedure iteratively to determine a surface geometry which produces a target pressure distribution, where the target pressure distribution is either pre-defined or automatically generated through flow and geometry constraints. The FPX code is an extended full-potential rotor computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, which solves the three-dimensional unsteady full-potential equation in a strong conservative form using an implicit approximate-factorization finite-difference scheme with entropy and viscosity corrections. Application of the CDISC design method coupled with the FPX rotor code is done for rotor blades in hovering motion. A few design examples are presented to demonstrate the capability and efficiency of the new package in rotor section design.
NMR studies of novel inhibitors bound to farnesyl-protein transferase

Farnesyl-protein transferase (FPTase) catalyzes the posttranslational farnesylation of the cysteine residue located in the carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide of the Ras oncoprotein. Prenylation of this residue is essential for the membrane association and cell-transforming activities of ras. Inhibitors of FPTase have been demonstrated to inhibit ras-dependent cell transformation and thus represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of human cancers. The FPTase-bound conformation of a tetrapeptide inhibitor, CVWM, and a novel pseudopeptide inhibitor, L-739,787, have been determined by NMR spectroscopy. Distance constraints were derived from two-dimensional transferred nuclear Overhauser effect experiments. Ligand competition experiments identified the NOEs that originate from the active-site conformation. Structures were calculated with the combination of distance geometry and restrained energy minimization. Both peptide backbones are shown to adopt nonideal reverse-turn conformations most closely approximating a type III beta-turn. These results provide a basis for understanding the spatial arrangements necessary for inhibitor binding and selectivity and may aid in the design of therapeutic agents.
“But They are Like You and Me”: Gay Civil Servants and Citizenship in a Cosmopolitanizing Singapore

In July 2003, Singapore's then-Prime Minister triggered public outrage by declaring that the state would now employ openly gay Singaporeans as civil servants. Besides questioning how such a seemingly inconsequential statement could generate such controversy, I also interrogate why the state had reversed its previously homophobic stance. I argue that, as a city-state with aspirations to become a global city, Singapore attempted to market the “difference” of its sexual minorities to appear cosmopolitan and attractive to the “creative class” of professional labor. By contradicting the sexual exclusivity inherent in normative notions of citizenship, however, this cosmopolitanizing drive triggered the moral outrage. Furthermore, I assert that despite its apparent message of tolerance, the state's declaration remained an empty marketing ploy. While it has enabled homosexual Singaporeans to assess their status as citizens, the state has neither legalized it nor struck down existing anti-sodomy legislation that fundamentally contradicts it. By exposing the declaration as only an exploitative facade that discursively conscripted gay and lesbian Singaporeans into cosmopolitanizing the country for the state, I highlight the limits of discourses of difference in Singapore.
Best practices for perioperative nursing care for weight loss surgery patients.

Objective: To describe the unique nursing responsibilities involved in providing nursing care to severely obese weight loss surgery patients and to develop evidence-based guidelines for safe patient care. Research Methods and Procedures: We performed a systematic review of the scientific literature using MEDLINE and CINAHL. A specific search of nursing journals from 1985 to 2004 identified 134 articles; 16 were found to be pertinent. These were reviewed in detail and used in the context of this report. The quality of the evidence was graded according to a system derived from established evidence-based models. Recommendations were developed from published evidence and expert opinion. Results: This Task Group found that safe and competent nursing care requires assessment of, and provision for, the complex physical and psychological needs of weight loss surgery patients. We developed evidence-based guidelines for preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care that address risk factors unique to severely obese patients. We also addressed issues related to the use of proper body mechanics and positioning to avoid on-the-job injury to nursing staff. Discussion: We found that patient safety is best served when nurses are specifically trained to deal with the physical, medical, and psychosocial needs of severely obese patients and when they play an integral role in the multidisciplinary healthcare team. This role should start with a patient's first contact with the system and continue through discharge and follow-up. Special attention needs to be paid to the widespread bias and discrimination that severely obese individuals often experience.
Space solar cell edge, interconnect, and coverglass designs and their effect on spacecraft charging and plasma interactions

One of the principal design drivers for space solar arrays is solar cell arcing into the plasma due to spacecraft charging. The amount of spacecraft charging and the resulting differential voltages on space solar cell edges and interconnects is related to the cell edge, interconnect and coverglass designs. For example, the International Space Station (ISS) did not charge up to expected levels because of its closely spaced solar cells, wrap-through interconnects, and coverglass overhangs, which serve to choke off electron collection and prevent the concomitant negative charging that would otherwise occur on its high voltage solar arrays.
Tandem Hairpin Motif for Recognition in the Minor Groove of DNA by Pyrrole–Imidazole Polyamides

Linking hairpin recognition units “tail-to-turn” in the minor groove of DNA results in the extension of hairpin polyamide binding site size to 11 base pairs. A twelve-ring tandem hairpin (see diagram) binds its match DNA site at picomolar concentrations with unprecedented sequence specificity.
Design Drivers of Energy-Efficient Transport Aircraft

The fuel energy consumption of subsonic air transportation is examined. The focus is on identification and quantification of fundamental engineering design tradeoffs which drive the design of subsonic tube and wing transport aircraft. The sensitivities of energy efficiency to recent and forecast technology developments are also examined. Background and Motivation Early development of the modern jet transport, starting with the DeHavilland Comet and Boeing 707 in the 1950’s, was strongly driven by range requirements. With the imperatives of rising fuel costs and increased environmental concerns, more recent developments have focused on fuel economy and also on noise. Of the three main drivers of fuel economy — aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion — the latter has seen the largest improvements, not surprisingly because in the 1950’s turbojet and turbofan engines were a very young technology. As engine technology maturation has now reached the levels of the other disciplines, further improvements will have to come from all technologies. The recent and ongoing NASA Aeronautics research, 1 in particular the N+1,2,3 programs 2 target a wide range of aerodynamic, structural, and propulsion technologies towards this goal.
Vegetation Removal Effects on Soil Quality in a Native Tallgrass Prairie Fragment in East-Central Arkansas

Abstract Severe fragmentation as a result of the introduction and expansion of mechanized agriculture has decimated the once dominant tallgrass prairie throughout much of the mid-western and mid-southern United States. In Arkansas, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is charged with managing many of the remaining remnant tallgrass prairie fragments as Natural Areas. Though managed nearly annually by prescribed burning, a number of Natural Areas in Arkansas are hayed at least once a year. Since haying removes aboveground vegetation, many essential plant nutrients contained in that vegetation are also removed and are not returned to the same soil from which they were extracted. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of vegetation removal (i.e., haying) on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties of a native tallgrass prairie fragment in east-central Arkansas. The study site was the Konecny Prairie Natural Area, which contains three areas of differing durations of v...
Outage-based admission region in multi-class cellular systems

We present an approach to defining probability of outage as a system-wide QoS measure for cellular systems. We describe how to use this approach to define an admission region where the requirements on probability of outage are satisfied. We illustrate the approach by constructing the aforementioned admission region for a few examples.
Trilinear modeling of event-related potentials.

This paper describes a method for estimating a set of spatial components (brain maps) and temporal components (waveforms) of brain potentials. These components play the role of bases of a coordinate system, in the sense that the brain potentials of any subject can be represented as superpositions of these components. The representation is unique given the spatial and temporal components, and this decomposition is particularly appealing for comparing the brain potentials of different subjects (say alcoholics and controls). It can also be used for single trial modeling, clinical classification of patients, and data filtering. The method is based on the topographic component model (TCM, Mocks 1988) which models brain potentials in a trilinear form. We extend the TCM in two aspects. First, the diagonal amplitude matrix is replaced by a general loading matrix based on some neurophysiological considerations. Secondly, the number of spatial components and the number of temporal components can be different. The spatial components and temporal components are obtained respectively by performing singular value decomposition (SVD). This method is illustrated with visual P3 data.
Detecting and understanding the roles of nitric oxide in biology.

We are pursuing a dual strategy for investigating the chemistry of nitric oxide as a biological signaling agent. In one approach, metal-based fluorescent sensors for the detection of NO in living cells are evaluated, and a sensor based on a copper fluorescein complex has proved to be a valuable lead compound. Sensors of this class permit identification of NO from both inducible and constitutive forms of nitric oxide synthase and facilitate investigation of different NO functions in response to external stimuli. In the other approach, we employ synthetic model complexes of iron−sulfur clusters to probe their reactivity toward nitric oxide as biomimics of the active sites of iron−sulfur proteins. Our studies reveal that NO disassembles the Fe−S clusters to form dinitrosyl iron complexes.
The nature of divergent-field surge-voltage endurance in epoxy resin

An experimental study has been conducted to quantify the voltage endurance of electrical grade epoxy resin insulation when subjected to pulse voltages in a divergent field. Voltage endurance has been quantified as a function of pulse width, repetition rate, and polarity. Supporting measurements of free radical generation have been made by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and the progress of the aging mechanism tracked by sensitive photonic emission measurements. The results suggest (at least for positive polarity) that estimates of endurance under pulse voltage conditions can be made from conventional power frequency data, However, it is shown that a correction is necessary to allow for the effects of waveform, and a theory is advanced for that purpose.
Case study: fertility decline in Iran

Iran has experienced one of the most successful family planning programs in the developing world, with 64 percent decline in total fertility rate (TFR) between 1986 and 2000. This paper focuses on Iranians’ unique experience with implementation of a national family planning program. Recognition of sensitive moral and ethical aspects of population issues resulted in successful collaboration of technical experts and religious leaders. Involvement of local health workers, women health volunteers and rural midwives led to great community participation. Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data in 2000 indicated a TFR of 2.0 births per women and 74 percent contraceptive use among married women. This case study will help policy makers and researchers in Moslem countries and other developing countries with high fertility rate to consider a successful family program as a realistic concept with positive impacts on nation’s health and human development.
Notch Signaling and Developmental Cell-Cycle Arrest in Drosophila Polar Follicle Cells

Temporal and spatial regulation of cell division is critical for proper development of multicellular organisms. An important aspect of this regulation is cell-cycle arrest, which in many cell types is coupled with differentiated status. Here we report that the polar cells--a group of follicle cells differentiated early during Drosophila oogenesis--are arrested at G2 phase and can serve as a model cell type for investigation of developmental regulation of cell-cycle arrest. On examining the effects of String, a mitosis-promoting phosphatase Cdc25 homolog, and Notch signaling in polar cells, we found that misexpression of String can trigger mitosis in existing polar cells to induce extra polar cells. Normally, differentiation of the polar cells requires Notch signaling. We found that the Notch-induced extra polar cells arise through recruitment of the neighboring cells rather than promotion of proliferation, and they are also arrested at G2 phase. Notch signaling is probably involved in down-regulating String in polar cells, thus inducing the G2 cell-cycle arrest.
Three-dimensional myocardial scarring along myofibers after coronary ischemia-reperfusion revealed by computerized images of histological assays

Adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute myocardial infarction is characterized by LV dilatation and development of a fibrotic scar, and is a critical factor for the prognosis of subsequent development of heart failure. Although myofiber organization is recognized as being important for preserving physiological cardiac function and structure, the anatomical features of injured myofibers during LV remodeling have not been fully defined. In a mouse model of ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation, our previous histological assays demonstrated that broad fibrotic scarring extended from the initial infarct zone to the remote zone, and was clearly demarcated along midcircumferential myofibers. Additionally, no fibrosis was observed in longitudinal myofibers in the subendocardium and subepicardium. However, a histological analysis of tissue sections does not adequately indicate myofiber injury distribution throughout the entire heart. To address this, we investigated patterns of scar formation along myofibers using three-dimensional (3D) images obtained from multiple tissue sections from mouse hearts subjected to I/R injury. The fibrotic scar area observed in the 3D images was consistent with the distribution of the midcircumferential myofibers. At the apex, the scar formation tracked along the myofibers in an incomplete C-shaped ring that converged to a triangular shape toward the end. Our findings suggest that myocyte injury after transient coronary ligation extends along myofibers, rather than following the path of coronary arteries penetrating the myocardium. The injury pattern observed along myofibers after I/R injury could be used to predict prognoses for patients with myocardial infarction.
Efforts on real-time implementation of PSO based PMSM parameter identification

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) are widely used in high performance applications. Accurate PMSM model is very important to advanced control system designs. However, the identification of PMSM parameters is very difficult due to the model complexity. In our previous paper, we proposed a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based parameter identification algorithm. In that paper, it has been shown that the algorithm could successfully identify model parameters from simulated and experimental data. In this paper, we describe how the algorithm can be implemented in real time. Real time implementation will result in more efficient and more accurate identification. Some preliminary simulation results are provided in this paper. The algorithm can be easily implemented in dSPACE controller and tested via real time hardware-in-the- loop (HIL) simulations. The implementation techniques can be extended to other online identification applications.
Rapid Detection of Amphetamine in Urine by Micro Thin-Layer Chromatography and Fluorescence

A rapid, inexpensive, and simple screening procedure for the detection of amphetamine abuse was developed for use by laboratories without sophisticated equipment. A small volume of extract from a pH-adjusted urine specimen is used to spot a high-resolution micro TLC plate. The developed TLC plate is sprayed with a solution of fluorescamine in dry acetone. When viewed under ultraviolet illumination, amphetamines and other compounds with a primary amino group complexed with fluorescamine appear as greenish or bluish-white fluorescent spots. Secondary or tertiary amines do not react with fluorescamine. About 20 min is required to perform the procedure; the lower limit of detectability is approximately 100 ng/ml urine.
Pathologic Aspects of Lung Cancer

A rare cancer at the beginning of this century, cancer of the lung has become the leading cause of cancer deaths in males in the United States (Ro-Descu, 1977; Silverberg, 1983), and is predicted to become the leading cause of cancer death in females in the United States by 1985 (Carr, 1981). The absolute incidence of lung cancer has almost doubled, decade by decade (Rodescu, 1977; Silverberg, 1983). It is possible that in the United States we shall see as many as 300,000 new cases annually by 2,000 A.D. (Rosenow and Carr, 1979).
Modeling privacy control in context-aware systems

Significant complexity issues challenge designers of context-aware systems with privacy control. Information spaces provide a way to organize information, resources, and services around important privacy-relevant contextual factors. In this article, we describe a theoretical model for privacy control in context-aware systems based on a core abstraction of information spaces. We have previously focused on deriving socially based privacy objectives in pervasive computing environments. Building on Ravi Sandhu's four-layer OM-AM (objectives, models, architectures, and mechanisms) idea, we aim to use information spaces to construct a model for privacy control that supports our socially based privacy objectives. We also discuss how we can introduce decentralization, a desirable property for many pervasive computing systems, into our information space model, using unified privacy tagging.
Modelling and analysis of multi-converter DC power electronic systems using the generalized state space averaging method

This paper presents a modular approach for the modelling and simulation of multi-converter DC power electronic systems based on the generalized state space averaging method. These systems may consist of many individual converters connected together to form large and complex systems. In addition to simplifying the analysis procedure, by using the proposed method, time step for analysis of the system can be increased. Therefore, required computation time and computer memory for complex systems can be reduced considerably. In this paper, after introducing the proposed method, results of applying the method to a representative system will be presented.
The Hydraulics of an Evolving Upwelling Jet Flowing around a Cape

Upwelling jets flow alongshore in approximate geostrophic balance with the onshore pressure gradient induced by coastal upwelling. Observations of such jets have shown that they often move offshore downstream of capes, leaving a pool of upwelled water inshore. Comparisons are made between this behavior and the hydraulic transition of a potential-vorticity-conserving coastal current as it passes a topographic anomaly at which it is exactly critical to long coastal-trapped waves. An analytic 1.5-layer model of coastal hydraulics with constant potential vorticity in each layer predicts flow fields (i.e., jet separation) in critical situations that resemble observations. When scales approximate Cape Blanco on the Oregon coast, separation occurs at a jet transport of around 0.76 3 106 m3 s21, similar to observed transports. Time-dependent, semigeostrophic calculations suggest that, during an upwelling season, the jet would evolve from a weak flow, which was subcritical everywhere and symmetric about the cape, to an exactly critical state that made a transition from subcritical to supercritical structure at the head of the cape. The predicted flow field at critical transition consists of a narrow upwelling jet upstream of the cape that moves offshore and broadens at the cape. This critical state would be accompanied by a downstream jump back to subcritical conditions. Further upwelling-favorable winds would lead to transient waves that propagated upstream and downstream, modifying the upstream and downstream conditions and restoring criticality. Thus, the head of the cape exerts hydraulic control on the flow and prevents the jet transport from increasing above its critical level. Inherent in the hydraulic approach is the assumption that alongshore scales are large. For realistic alongshore scales, solutions modified by coastline curvature suggest that the convexity of the head of a cape slightly inhibits the transition to a strongly upwelled downstream state by increasing the required critical transport. In the presence of topographic features with finite alongshore scale, the hydraulic approach can be used to construct a flow field, although this flow field has an inherent error arising from the implicit assumptions regarding scales. Estimation of this error for topography representing Cape Blanco suggests that in places the cape is rather abrupt for hydraulic theory to be valid.
Novel NAD(P)H Oxidase Inhibitor Suppresses Angioplasty-Induced Superoxide and Neointimal Hyperplasia of Rat Carotid Artery

Neointimal proliferation occurring after vascular or endovascular procedures is a major complication leading to end-organ or limb ischemia. In experimental models, balloon injury has been shown to induce NAD(P)H oxidase to produce vascular superoxide anion (O2*-) production, which has been implicated in cell proliferation, but a direct link is still unclear. We postulated that inhibition of arterial NAD(P)H oxidase, resulting in decreased O2*-, would lessen the neointimal hyperplasia caused by balloon injury to the common carotid artery (CCA). Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with osmotic minipumps containing either vehicle, a cell-permeant peptide that inhibits NAD(P)H oxidase (gp91ds-tat, 10 mg/kg per day), or a scrambled peptide control (scrmb-tat). Two days after pump implantation, the left CCA was injured using an intravascular balloon embolectomy catheter (2F Fogarty). Systolic blood pressure was monitored by tail cuff. Fourteen days after injury, CCAs were harvested and analyzed by digital morphometry. Rats in both groups remained normotensive, with no significant differences in systolic blood pressure. Reactive oxygen species measurements after injury indicated a significant reduction in vascular O2*- in rats infused with gp91ds-tat, and the neointima/media area and thickness ratios were significantly lower in their arteries compared with control. On the contrary, no significant change in overall CCA diameter was observed in any group. Our data indicate that in response to balloon injury of the rat carotid artery, NAD(P)H oxidase activity contributes to neointimal hyperplasia and is involved in vascular cell proliferation and migration during restenosis.
Olivine zoning and retrograde olivine-orthopyroxene-metal equilibration in H5 and H6 chondrites

Electron microprobe studies of several H5 and H6 chondrites reveal that olivine crystals exhibit systematic Fe-Mg zoning near olivine-metal interfaces. Olivine Fa concentrations decrease by up to 2 mol% toward zoned taenite + kamacite particles (formed after relatively small amounts of taenite undercooling) and increase by up to 2 mol% toward zoneless plessite particles (formed after ~200 °C of taenite undercooling). The olivine zoning can be understood in terms of localized olivine-orthopyroxene-metal reactions during cooling from the peak metamorphic temperature. The silicate-metal reactions were influenced by solid-state metal phase transformations, and the two types of olivine zoning profiles resulted from variable amounts of taenite undercooling at temperatures <700 °C. The relevant silicate-metal reactions are modeled using chemical thermodynamics. Systematic olivine Fe-Mg zoning adjacent to metal is an expected consequence of retrograde silicate-metal reactions, and the presence of such zoning provides strong evidence that the silicate and metallic minerals evolved in situ during cooling from the peak metamorphic temperature.