cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complaint Behavior as a Factor in Cruise Line Losses: An Analysis of Brand Loyalty

Abstract This paper examines the complaint behavior and financial loss to a cruise line that result from brand switching by their most loyal customers. These effects are based on the fact that passengers can be classified by their type of brand loyalty. Based upon the previously published works of Jones and Sasser (1995) and validated by Cartwright and Baird (1999), the following classification is used in this paper. “Apostles” are the most brand loyal customers who also bring in additional cruise passengers. “Loyalists” are considered highly satisfied customers. They are also repeat passengers, but do not bring in as many additional cruise customers as Apostles. “Mercenaries” are driven by price. This group is only loyal so long as that cruise line maintains the cheapest price. The fourth group, “Hostages,” is loyal to the cruise line because there is no viable alternative. The final group in this classification is “Guerrillas” who are Apostles who have been scorned. An Apostle becomes a Guerrilla becaus...
Bisphosphonate-induced depletion of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate alters processing of Ras superfamily GTPases

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4728 Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the bone marrow affecting thousands of people annually in the United States. Treatment with imatinib mesylate has been successful in some cases of CML, however other cases of CML appear to resist this drug through over-expression of the oncogenic bcr-abl fusion protein and subsequent signaling through the Ras superfamily of GTPases. Among the drugs that are used to inhibit Ras superfamily signaling are bisphosphonates, which are used clinically for treatment of bone metastasis as well as osteoporosis. Some bisphosphonates deplete cells of isoprenoid pyrophosphates which leads to inhibition of protein isoprenylation, a modification necessary for activation of Ras superfamily proteins. A previous study from our lab on the mechanism(s) of action of a series of dialkyl isoprenoid bisphosphonates of varying chain lengths showed that a ten carbon geranyl moiety was required to specifically inhibit geranylgeranylation of Rap1a and not farnesylation of Ras. For this study, we treated human CML derived K562 cells with various geranyl isoprenoid bisphosphonates. Levels of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) were measured through conjugation to dansylated peptides, separation by HPLC, and fluorescence detection. These results show that treatment of K562 cells with these bisphosphonates results in depletion of intercellular GGPP levels and a simultaneous increase in FPP levels. Interestingly, the olefin stereochemistry had little effect on the potency of the geranyl-containing bisphosphonates. The active compounds are more potent and specific for geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate depletion than pamidronate or zoledronate, two bisphosphonates commonly used in the clinical. This data suggests that a new generation of non-nitrogen bisphosphonates can be developed for improved treatment of imatinib mesylate resistant CML.
Federal Licensing and Atomic Energy

Since passage of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954,1 industry has participated to a progressively increasing extent in the development and utilization of nuclear energy. Such participation, however, is dependent in large part upon approbation received from the Atomic Energy Commission under a statutory licensing scheme. In dealing with some governmental agencies, for example the Securities and Exchange Commission or the United States Patent Office, industry is primarily represented by attorneys. To date, this has not been the case in licensing of industry by the Atomic Energy Commission. Most licensing has been effected by the AEC after negotiating with and receiving applications from the scientific and technical personnel of industry. It now appears that the attorney's place in nuclear energy licensing will be limited largely to the conduct of hearings in contested cases where a license application is acted upon unfavorably by the Commission and in cases where a license, once issued, is thereafter threatened with suspension, modification or revocation by the Commission. The federal licensing scheme in the nuclear energy field is based on various congressional findings in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to the effect that nuclear materials and the facilities which produce or use them are affected with the public interest and that their utilization affects interstate and foreign commerce and must be regulated in the national interest and in order to provide for the common defense and security and to protect the health and safety of the public.2
THE IMPACT OF ROLE MODELS ON OUT OF TREATMENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN ADDICTS: AN INSIDE PERSPECTIVE

This article describes the findings of a qualitative study that examines the influence that positive role models in recovery from drug addiction had on a sample of 20 African-American male addicts. This article explains the effect of stigma and shame on drug addicts. It provides insight and understanding of what deters them from disclosing their drug use and seeking treatment, and explains the positive influence that recovering role models had on the addicts in this study in their decision to stop using drugs. These findings provide an insider perspective of drug addiction, and increase our knowledge of how to more effectively engage drug addicts. Data was collected using one-time taped interviews with 20 African-American male drug addicts. The findings suggest: (1) drug treatment was often perceived as ineffective, a last resort, or as punishment for addicts' behavior; (2) many respondents feared being stigmatized and shamed once they disclosed their drug use; (3) most reported having difficulty imagining their lives as different following treatment; (4) the strongest influence participants' reported was of former addicts acting as positive role models who engaged participants in a safe, non-judging manner around stopping their drug use. By exploring this topic we learned how this sample interpreted “entering treatment,” the barriers they encountered, and what influenced their decisionmaking process regarding treatment. This study helps recognize the benefits of using former drug addicts as role models to do outreach with active addicts due to their ability to understand and relate to this population.
An optimized autoregressive forecast error generator for wind and load uncertainty study

This paper presents a first-order autoregressive algorithm used to generate real-time (RT), hour-ahead (HA) and day-ahead (DA) wind and load forecast errors in time series. The modeled error time series preserve the characteristics of the historical forecast data sets. Four statistical characteristics are considered: the means, the standard deviations, the autocorrelations and the cross-correlations. A stochastic optimization routine was used to find an optimal set of parameters that minimize the differences of the four characteristics between the generated error series and the targeted ones. The obtained parameters were then in due order of succession used to produce the RT, HA and DA forecasts. This method, although implemented as a first-order regressive random forecast error generator, can be extended to higher orders. Simulation results have shown that the methodology produces random forecast error series that have statistics similar to those derived from real data sets. The wind and load forecast error generator can be used in wind integration studies to produce wind and load forecast in time series for stochastic planning processes. Our future studies will focus on reflecting the diurnal and seasonal differences of the wind and load statistics and on implementing them in the random forecast generator. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Common Neural Progression to Meaning in About a Third of a Second

Delineating the neurobiology of language comprehension calls for an understanding of when and how (and not just where) inputs make contact with semantic memory (semantic access) to yield meaning. We examine this temporally extended function through the lens of event-related brain potentials (ERPs) measured to linguistic in comparison with nonlinguistic inputs, both in isolation and in larger language contexts. Extant data suggest remarkable consistency in the time course and nature of processing across input types: 150 ms for basic level (face, object, string) categorization and 150 ms more for perceptual grouping and generating a structured representation of individual items, followed by semantic access starting at about 300 ms. However, the presence of context information allows information to be activated in advance and creates expectancies at all levels of analysis that permit semantically yoked effects from the earliest levels of sensory processing and beyond.
A risk‐aware generation dispatch including wind power for a power grid subjected to hurricanes

SUMMARY A multi-area risk-aware generation dispatch algorithm is proposed in this paper based on contingency-constrained AC optimal power flow for a power grid subject to imminent large-scale hurricanes. The proposed solution enables both preventive and corrective operation modes. A geospatial model is developed, which allows for the computation of correlated outage probabilities of transmission lines and wind farms due to the wind fields of hurricanes. The proposed algorithm minimizes the operational cost of the power grid as well as the expected risks of overload and over/undervoltage events subject to different contingency scenarios. To maintain a realistic case study, historical data on the past hurricanes in the USA have been used for geo-statistical analysis. In addition, the IEEE 118-bus test power system has been mapped onto the map of the state of Texas and has been used as the test bed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vapor pressures of mixtures of gasolines and gasoline-alcohol blends

An investigation was conducted to deter mine the change in Reid vapor pressure (RVP) which results when gasoline and various gaso line-alcohol blends are mixed. Such mixing occurs in vehicle fuel tanks when a motorist buys gasolines and blends alternately. When nixing a gasoline with a gasoline-alcohol blend of the same RVP, the resulting mixture always had a higher RVP, due to the non-linear effect of alcohol concentration in gasoline on RVP. Even when a blend had a much lower RVP than gasoline, some mixtures of the two still had higher RVP's than the gasoline. When two conmon commercial blends, 10 percent ethanol and 10 percent 0xinol^TV50, both having the same RVP, were mixed in various proportions there was essentially no change in RVP. The results of this study suggest that the presence of both gasolines and blends in the marketplace can lead to higher in-use evapora­tive emissions from vehicles, even if the blends meet the same volatility standards as gasoline.
Islands in a sea of obligation: Limits of the duty to rescue

John Harris muses, "If we sometimes take comfort from the reflection that no man is an island, we may sometimes ponder just how, or how far, we are involved in mankind."2 I cite Harris's musing not as a preface to criticizing it but simply because I find it fascinating. I have tried to imagine what it would be like to take comfort from the reflection that no man is an island. I am involved in certain patterns of interdependence, and not others. The bare fact of being so involved seems neither lamentable nor comforting. To be sure, I am glad I can depend on others in the ways I do, but I equally am glad I need not depend on others in the ways I do not. It is a near-miraculous fact that I live in a society that can support full-time intellectuals. Making a living as an intellectual means that in some ways I am not an island. So be it. I take no comfort from that. Is it only in some ways that I am not an island? I do not know why some people will find that thought disturbing, but I realize they will. I take no comfort from that either. My main question is: if we have a duty to rescue in a local emergency, must we also have a duty to rescue people from chronic famine in foreign countries? Most of the literature in this area seems to consist of reflections on thought experiments. It's not my style,
Channels with arbitrarily varying channel probability functions in the presence of noiseless feedback

In this article we study a channel with arbitrarily varying channel probability functions in the presence of a noiseless feedback channel (a.v.ch.f.). We determine its capacity by proving a coding theorem and its strong converse. Our proof of the coding theorem is constructive; we give explicitly a coding scheme which performs at any rate below the capacity with an arbitrarily small decoding error probability. The proof makes use of a new method ([1]) to prove the coding theorem for discrete memoryless channels with noiseless feedback (d.m.c.f.). It was emphasized in [1] that the method is not based on random coding or maximal coding ideas, and it is this fact that makes it particularly suited for proving coding theorems for certain systems of channels with noiseless feedback. As a consequence of our results we obtain a formula for the zero-error capacity of a d.m.c.f., which was conjectured by Shannon ([8], p. 19).
Rate equations versus Bloch equations in multiphoton ionization

The Wilcox-Lamb method of deriving rate equations from Bloch equations is outlined using as an example a two-level atomic model. Computer-generated plots directly comparing solutions of these rate equations and of Bloch equations for a three-level atomic model are illustrated. Two cases of interest are discussed: copropagating and counterpropagating laser beams. Some comments concerning collisional accessing and ionizing of atoms in a very broad Doppler profile are made.
Evolutionary Benchmark Subsetting

To improve simulation efficiency and relieve burdened benchmarking efforts, this research proposes a survival-of-the-fittest evolutionary methodology. The goal is to subset any given benchmark suite based on its inherent workload characteristics, desired workload space coverage, and total execution time. Given a user-specified workload space coverage threshold, the proposed technique can systematically yield the "fittest" time-efficient benchmark subset.
Attitudes and Beliefs About Domestic Violence: Results of a Public Opinion Survey II. Beliefs About Causes

This report presents findings from a public opinion survey designed to measure beliefs about the causes of domestic violence (DV) based on telephone interviews with 1,200 residents across six New York State communities. Findings reveal substantial diversity and complexity among beliefs and interesting similarities and differences across open- and close-ended questions regarding explanations for partner abuse. Most respondents think about the causes of violence in the context of individual problems, relationships, and families, not as a problem with roots in our society or culture. Few believe that women are the cause of their own abuse, one fourth still believe that some women want to be abused, and most believe that women can end abusive relationships. Secondhand experiences with DV were associated with some beliefs about causes of abuse, and gender, age, education, and race were associated with certain beliefs in predictable ways.
A simple reference state makes a significant improvement in near‐native selections from structurally refined docking decoys

Near-native selections from docking decoys have proved challenging especially when unbound proteins are used in the molecular docking. One reason is that significant atomic clashes in docking decoys lead to poor predictions of binding affinities of near native decoys. Atomic clashes can be removed by structural refinement through energy minimization. Such an energy minimization, however, will lead to an unrealistic bias toward docked structures with large interfaces. Here, we extend an empirical energy function developed for protein design to protein–protein docking selection by introducing a simple reference state that removes the unrealistic dependence of binding affinity of docking decoys on the buried solvent accessible surface area of interface. The energy function called EMPIRE (EMpirical Protein-InteRaction Energy), when coupled with a refinement strategy, is found to provide a significantly improved success rate in near native selections when applied to RosettaDock and refined ZDOCK docking decoys. Our work underlines the importance of removing nonspecific interactions from specific ones in near native selections from docking decoys.
Severe babesiosis and Borrelia burgdorferi co-infection

A 73-year-old man from upstate New York visited his primary care physician with a bull’s eye rash in his right arm and fatigue. He traveled to the state of Massachusetts in the week before the lesion’s appearance, where he spent most of his time outdoors and had a tick bite in that same arm. He was initially diagnosed with Lyme disease and was given a prescription for amoxicillin. The fatigue persisted, and 3 weeks later, he presented to our hospital with intermittent fever (38.8°C), chills and night sweats. His medical history was remarkable for coronary heart disease and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. On physical examination, the patient was febrile and tachycardic with a normal respiratory rate. The rest of the examination was otherwise unremarkable. No distinctive rashes, jaundice, lymphadenopathy, swollen joints or hepatosplenomegaly were appreciated. Initial laboratory studies revealed thrombocytopenia (60 × 109/l) with normal white and red blood cell counts; they also showed undetectably low levels of haptoglobin, unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, increased fraction of reticulocytes (6.1%) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels (726 U/l), all consistent with early hemolysis. A radiography of the chest yielded normal findings. Lyme disease was confirmed by elevated indirect immunofluorescent antibodies, immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG fractions, against Borrelia burgdorferi . A peripheral blood smear was examined under light …
LABIAL KINEMATICS DURING SPEECH IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSONIAN RIGIDITY

Studies of orofacial motor control in Parkinson's disease (PD) have demonstrated that these subjects may exhibit hypokinesia and bradykinesia, as well as increased muscle tone. Yet the relationship between aberrations of orofacial movement and muscle rigidity remains unclear. Measures of labial muscle rigidity and movement were made for 12 parkinsonian and 9 age-matched control subjects. Displacement amplitude, peak instantaneous velocity, and movement time were evaluated during repetitive syllable productions. The results showed that while mean parkinsonian displacement amplitudes and velocities were lower than the normal control subjects, there was no statistical relationship between labial rigidity and the degree of movement abnormality. It is concluded that while rigidity may play a part in the overall disability, it does not sufficiently explain the labial articulatory difficulties associated with parkinsonism. This is in agreement with the literature on limb rigidity and movement aberrations in PD, suggesting that rigidity and bradykinesia may represent independent pathophysiological phenomena.
On the calculation of oscillator strength for electronic transitions using “effective core” methods

We examine the effect on calculated oscillator strengths for electronic transitions caused by reintroducing the nodes of valence orbitals in effective core methods through a simple Schmidt orthogonalization. This refinement is then tested within the Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap (INDO) model, a valence orbital only model, in both configuration interaction and Random-Phase Approximation (RPA) calculations. It is shown that the differences in oscillator strengths calculated using the dipole-length and dipole-velocity formulations are reduced somewhat for π * transitions and significantly for n π* transitions. The oscillator strengths calculated from the dipole-length formalism by the RPA model are in best accord with experiment. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Phylogeography of the high intertidal isopod Ligia pallasii Brandt, 1833 (Isopoda: Oniscidea) from the Aleutian Islands to Monterey Bay

The genetic diversity and historical demography of the high intertidal isopod Ligia pallasii Brandt, 1833 from the eastern Pacific were assessed using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from portions of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene collected at 21 sites spanning more than 4000 km of coastline from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska to Central California. Most of the 86 haplotypes (92%) were unique to a sampling location, but the two most common haplotypes were shared across 1000’s of kilometers in the northern-most part of the distribution, where the lowest level of genetic diversity was found consistent with postglacial range expansion. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three moderately well-supported clades (N, C, S) separated by Cape Mendocino (40.0°N) and Point Arena (38.9°N). The three clades in Ligia pallasii were shallow compared to the deep divergences found in the congener “Ligia occidentalis” that is sympatric for part of the range, and maybe a cryptic species complex. The distribution of genetic diversity within L. pallasii as well as in all North American Ligia spp. examined to date follows a pattern of lower genetic divergence at higher latitudes. The observed pattern suggests that processes (gene flow, selection, and drift) that lead to genetic divergence may vary as a function of latitude.
New exact solutions in non-linear elasticity

Abstract In this work, we establish several new exact solutions to boundary value problems in non-linear elasticity. We show that in the case of the torsion of a slab, in addition to the classic torsion solution, there exist an infinity of solutions which are not symmetric. We study several associated boundary value problems. We also show that a nonlinearly elastic slab can exhibit nonuniform uniaxial extension solutions, in addition to the classic uniform uniaxial extension solution.
THE SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF HUMOR ON AN OPEN PSYCHIATRIC WARD.

The functions served by humor on the psychiatric ward are not unlike those served by this activity in other social situations such as that of the bi-racial interaction.
A mixed-initiative scheduling workbench: integrating AI, OR and HCI

Abstract In this paper we describe a decision support system for scheduling called MacMerl . This system weaves together numeric and symbolic computing techniques to form a ‘scheduler's workbench’. MacMerl has two major components. The first is a Scheduling Kernel which includes a Generative Scheduler, a Constraint Checker, and a Reactive Scheduler. The second is a Manual Scheduler which permits the human to create or modify schedules and includes a Critiquer as well as access to routines in the Scheduling Kernel. Taken together, these components support an approach to problem solving we call mixed-initiative scheduling in which the human and the machine interact in a coherent and cooperative manner to solve complex production scheduling problems.
Detecting Abnormalities in Choroidal Vasculature in a Mouse Model of Age-related Macular Degeneration by Time-course Indocyanine Green Angiography

Indocyanine Green Angiography (or ICGA) is a technique performed by ophthalmologists to diagnose abnormalities of the choroidal and retinal vasculature of various eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). ICGA is especially useful to image the posterior choroidal vasculature of the eye due to its capability of penetrating through the pigmented layer with its infrared spectrum. ICGA time course can be divided into early, middle, and late phases. The three phases provide valuable information on the pathology of eye problems. Although time-course ICGA by intravenous (IV) injection is widely used in the clinic for the diagnosis and management of choroid problems, ICGA by intraperitoneal injection (IP) is commonly used in animal research. Here we demonstrated the technique to obtain high-resolution ICGA time-course images in mice by tail-vein injection and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. We used this technique to image the choroidal lesions in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration. Although it is much easier to introduce ICG to the mouse vasculature by IP, our data indicate that it is difficult to obtain reproducible ICGA time course images by IP-ICGA. In contrast, ICGA via tail vein injection provides high quality ICGA time-course images comparable to human studies. In addition, we showed that ICGA performed on albino mice gives clearer pictures of choroidal vessels than that performed on pigmented mice. We suggest that time-course IV-ICGA should become a standard practice in AMD research based on animal models.
Chebyshev optimization of sparse FIR filters using linear programming with an application to beamforming

Sparse FIR filter design, where some tap weights are zero, is of interest as a means of reducing the expense or enhancing the performance of a filter, as a result of fewer or more efficiently placed multipliers. We show that for certain classes of filters with moderately wide passbands, it is possible to increase the stopband suppression by up to 20 dB without increasing the number of multipliers, simply by increasing the number of delay elements, zeroing the appropriate taps, and optimizing the other taps using linear programming. Another use for sparse FIR filters is for the case where multipliers have failed. Graceful degradation can be achieved in some types of FIR filters by optimally adjusting the functional elements to compensate for the failed multipliers. This approach can also be used to minimize the peak sidelobe level for beamformers that may have failed elements. For the beamforming cases considered, the peak sidelobe level was decreased by as much as 5 dB.
High density rewritable media for near-field optical recording

High density rewritable media for near-field recording are fabricated and their writing and readout characteristics are examined. High density substrates for rewritable media are prepared using a phase transition mastering technique to overcome the limitation of the deep UV laser recorder. A cover-layer with a UV curable material is coated on the rewritable media and its surface properties are discussed to apply for cover-layer incident near-field recording configuration. The effective numerical aperture of a pick up with a solid immersion lens is 1.46, which could cope with the recording density of about 70 GB per disc. The performance of readout signals were investigated, and compared the properties between 320 nm and 200 nm of the track pitch in the substrate.
Oxidation of Crude Corn Oil with and without Elevated Tocotrienols

Kernels and oil from corn with increased concentrations of tocotrienols (T3) due to the transgenic expression of a homogentisic acid geranylgeranyl transferase (HGGT) gene from two growing years were characterized for tocol and fatty acid compositions. The crude extracted oil was analyzed for oxidative properties and compared to non-transformed material derived from the plants grown at the same location and during the same year. No significant difference was observed in composition of major fatty acids. Both the seed (kernel) and extracted crude oil from the HGGT expressing corn had a 18-fold increase in tocotrienol content from 300 to 5,400 ppm in oil. There was a concurrent 18% decrease in tocopherol content, 1,150 ppm total tocopherols in control oil declining to 940 ppm in HGGT oil. Although tocopherols and tocotrienols are generally considered antioxidants, they may exhibit prooxidant effects at higher concentrations and they should be tested. Crude oil was extracted from control and transformed corn produced during 2005 and 2006 yielding four oil samples that were evaluated for their oxidative properties. The formation of lipid hydroperoxides, a primary oxidation product, was evaluated at 60 °C over 9 days by measuring the peroxide value (PV). Resistance to oxidation or induction period (IP) was measured using an Oxidative Stability Instrument. There was a slight decrease in hydroperoxide formation in the HGGT oil compared to the corresponding control but was less than the year to year differences. The induction period was the same for the 2005 oils, with or without the increased tocotrienol content, but the crude oil with enhanced tocotrienol had a longer IP than the control crude oil in the 2006 samples.
Networked Urbanism: Social Capital and the City

Networked Urbanism: Social Capital and the City Talja Blokland & Mike Savage (Eds) Hampshire, England, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2008. 241pp., £55.00 (hb) ISBN 978-0-7546-7201-2. Networked Urbani...
Modeling actuarial data with a composite lognormal-Pareto model

The actuarial and insurance industries frequently use the lognormal and the Pareto distributions to model their payments data. These types of payment data are typically very highly positively skewed. Pareto model with a longer and thicker upper tail is used to model the larger loss data, while the larger data with lower frequencies as well as smaller data with higher frequencies are usually modeled by the lognormal distribution. Even though the lognormal model covers larger data with lower frequencies, it fades away to zero more quickly than the Pareto model. Furthermore, the Pareto model does not provide a reasonable parametric fit for smaller data due to its monotonic decreasing shape of the density. Therefore, taking into account the tail behavior of both small and large losses, we were motivated to look for a new avenue to remedy the situation. Here we introduce a two-parameter smooth continuous composite lognormal-Pareto model that is a two-parameter lognormal density up to an unknown threshold value...
How to read a research article.

Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, presents informed practice based on available data, and innovates new practices through research and experimental learning.
Accumulation and efflux of polychlorinated biphenyls in Escherichia coli

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental pollutants that have been associated with numerous adverse health effects in human and animals. Hydroxylated PCBs (HPCBs) are the product of the oxidative metabolism of PCBs. The presence of hydroxyl groups in HPCBs makes these compounds more hydrophilic than the parent PCBs. One of the best approaches to break down and remove these contaminants is bioremediation; an environmentally friendly process that uses microorganisms to degrade hazardous chemicals into non-toxic ones. In this study, we investigated the cellular accumulation and toxicity of selected PCBs and HPCBs in Gram-negative bacteria, using Escherichia coli as a model organism. We found that none of the five PCBs tested were toxic to E. coli, presumably due to their limited bioavailability. Nevertheless, different HPCBs tested showed different levels of toxicity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the primary multidrug efflux system in E. coli, AcrAB-TolC, facilitated the efflux of HPCBs out of the cell. Since AcrAB-TolC is constitutively expressed in E. coli and is conserved in all sequenced Gram-negative bacterial genomes, our results suggest that the efflux activities of multidrug resistant pumps may affect the accumulation and degradation of PCBs in Gram-negative bacteria.
Gandalf: Software development environments

Different programming projects require different environments, but handcrafting a separate environment for each project is not economically feasible. Gandalf solves this problem by permitting environment designers to generate families of software development environments semiautomatically without excessive cost. Environments generated using Gandalf address programming environments, which help ease the programming process, as well as system development environments, which reduce the degree to which a software project is dependent on the good will of its members. Gandalf environments integrate programming and system development, permitting interactions not available in traditional environments. The paper covers the basic characteristics of Gandalf environments. The method used to generate these environments, the structure and function of several existing environments, and ongoing research on the project.
Class-associative pattern recognition using joint transform correlation

In this paper, we investigate the latest advancements in real time pattern recognition using the joint transform correlator (JTC) architectures and algorithms. We propose two class associative correlation filters to detect a class of objects consisting of dissimilar patterns. For enhanced performance, both phase and amplitude information is incorporated in the class detection filters. To suppress undesired crosscorrelation between selected objects a new algorithm is introduced. In addition fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation is utilized to enhance the correlation performance, thus ensuring strong and equal correlation peak for each element of the selected class. The feasibility of the proposed technique has been tested by computer simulation.
Ocular Onchocerciasis in the Horse

Summary The microfilariae Onchocerca cervicalis are capable of producing a variety of lesions in the equine eye. Ocular lesions are initiated by dead, rather than living microfilariae. The clinical features of diseases of the conjunctiva, cornea, uveal tract, lens and retina produced by this parasite are described, together with methods of their diagnosis and treatment. The relationship of ocular onchocerciasis to periodic ophthalmia is discussed. Resume Les microfilaires Onchocerca Cervicalis peuvent provoquer des lesions oculaires chez le Cheval. Ces lesions sont plutot engendrees par les microfilaires mortes. Les caracteres cliniques, des affections dues a ce parasite, a tous les niveaux de l'oeil—conjonctive, cornee, tractus uveal, cristallin, retine—sont alors decrits, avec indication des methodes de diagnostic et du traitement. Les relations entre l'Onchocercose oculaire et la Fluxion priodique sont envisagees. Zusammenfassung Die Mikrofilarie Onchocerca cervicalis ist imstande ein ganzes Spektrum von Lasionen im Auge des Pferdes hervorzurufen, wobei diese Lasionen eher durch tote als durch lebende Mikrofilarien provoziert werden. Das klinische Bild der Krankheiten der Konjunktiva, der Cornea, Uvea, Linse und Retina, wird beschrieben, zusammen mit Methoden der Diagnose und Behandlung. Die Beziehung der Onchocercase des Auges zu periodischer Augenentzundung wird diskutiert. Sumario La microfilaria oncoserca cervicalis es capaz de producir una gran variedad de lesiones en el ojo del caballo. Las lesiones comienzan con la muerte en lugar de las microfilarias vivas. Las semejansas clinicas de las enfermedades de la conjuntiva, cornea, tracto uvela, lente y retina producidas por este parasito son decritas junto con los metodos de su diagnostico y tratamiento. Se discute tambien la relacion de la oncocercosis con la oftalmia periodica.
Influence of terminal phenyl groups on the side chains of phosphazene polymers : Structure-property relationships and polymer electrolyte behavior

A series of single- and mixed-substituent polyphosphazenes with a combination of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy and 2-(2-phenoxyethoxy)ethoxy side groups were synthesized and evaluated to determine the effect of variations in side group ratios on the physical properties and ionic conductivity of gels. The 2-(2-phenoxyethoxy)ethoxy side groups increased the Tg values of both the solid polyphosphazenes and the gel electrolytes relative to the control polymer poly[bis(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)phosphazene] (MEEP) but decreased the ionic conductivity. Specifically, as the content of 2-(2-phenoxyethoxy)ethoxy side groups increased, the glass transition temperatures (Tg) also increased, from −79 °C for MEEP to −21 °C for poly[bis(2-(2-phenoxyethoxy)ethoxy)phosphazene]. A gel polymer electrolyte derived from MEEP had an ionic conductivity of 3.9 × 10-4 S/cm at 25 °C, one of the highest measured for a MEEP-type system. The gel electrolyte derived from the polymer with all phenyl-terminated substituents had an ionic co...
Nikon EB Stepper: the latest development status

The latest development status of EB Stepper is reported. The experimental data include the latest resist image data exposed by 100keV electron beam, mask error factors and dosage margins at several backscattered electron levels, transmission data of continuous membrane reticles, and recommended structures for alignment marks, etc. The basic studies related to system design are also explained, those are the strategy for the management of reticle deformation and the stitching accuracy in overlaid layers, etc. Through these data, the resolution capability down to 50nm technology node is clearly shown and alignment/stitching capability is also described. The requirement to a continuous membrane reticle is indicated from experimental data.
Structure of (Deuterated PEO)−(PPO)−(Deuterated PEO) Block Copolymer Micelles As Determined by Small Angle Neutron Scattering

The structure of (deuterated ethylene oxide)23−(propylene oxide)34−(deuterated ethylene oxide)23 block copolymer micelles was studied in the unimer-to-micelle transition region using small angle neutron scattering (SANS). A three-parameter core−corona model fit to the set of scattering curves obtained with various mixtures of D2O and H2O as the solvent yielded the aggregation number, the core and corona radii, and the water contents of the core and the corona. The results showed that the micellar core cannot consist of PPO only but must contain significant quantities of water. The micelle aggregation number increased with temperature while the core and corona radii were constant over a 10 °C temperature region above the critical micellization temperature. The values of the corona radius obtained from the model fit (56−57 ± 3 A) are in a good agreement with the hydrodynamic radius of the micelle (56−61 ± 2 A) measured by dynamic light scattering.
Increased adrenocorticotropin, cortisol, and arginine vasopressin secretion in primates after the antiglucocorticoid steroid RU 486: dose response relationships.

The antiglucocorticoid steroid, RU 486, elevated plasma ACTH concentrations when administered im at 0700 h in a dose of 1.0 mg/kg in nonhuman primates (Macacafascicularis; P < 0.05). The duration, but not the magnitude, of this response increased after 5.0 mg/kg RU 486 im; release of ACTH did not rise further after 10 mg/kg. Peak ACTH elevations occurred 1−2 h after RU 486 administration. Plasma cortisol concentrations peaked 4 h after RU 486 administration and the response was significant only after 5.0 mg/kg RU 486. Plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations also increased after RU 486 but the increase occurred only after the 10.0 mg/kg dose {P < 0.05). The AVP elevation was greatest 4 h after 10 mg/kg RU 486 and was abolished by dexamethasone pretreatment. We conclude that: 1) RU 486 elevates plasma ACTH, cortisol,and AVP concentrations in a manner which is both dose and time dependent, 2) ACTH releaseoccurred at an order of magnitude lower dose than did AVP release, and 3) plasma AVP changes aft...
Short communication: amino acid transporters in porcine mammary gland during lactation.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine whether mRNA transcripts for the amino acid (AA) transporter proteins CAT-1, CAT-2B, B 0,+ , and ASCT1 are present in porcine mammary tissue (MT). Transcript abundance on d 7 and 17 of lactation was determined by Northern blot analysis, and absolute quantification was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Porcine MT expresses CAT-1, CAT-2B, B 0,+ , and ASCT1 during lactation. Preliminary findings indicate that B 0,+ mRNA abundance tended to decrease on d 17 compared with that on d 7.
Zeroes of primary summand functions on compact solvmanifolds

Abstract The fact that continuous functions in primary summands of the Heisenberg manifold must vanish somewhere was proven by L. Auslander and R. Tolimieri, who deduced from this theorem the classical results on the vanishing of theta functions, as well as important applications to wavelets and radar ambiguity functions. The Heisenberg theorem seemed to depend on the presence of a central character, but the result is here extended to include primary summand functions on all compact nilmanifolds and to three-dimensional compact solvmanifolds which are not n-tori.
RANTES upregulation in the Alzheimer's disease brain: A possible neuroprotective role

Numerous studies demonstrate inflammatory proteins in the brain and microcirculation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and implicate inflammation in disease pathogenesis. However, emerging literature suggests that neuroinflammation can also be neuroprotective. The chemokine RANTES has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including AD. The objectives of this study are to determine the expression of RANTES in AD microvessels, its regulation in endothelial cells and its effects on neuronal survival. Our data show elevated expression of RANTES in the cerebral microcirculation of AD patients. Treatment of neurons in vitro with RANTES results in an increase in cell survival and a neuroprotective effect against the toxicity of thrombin and sodium nitroprusside. Oxidative stress upregulates RANTES expression in rat brain endothelial cells. Developing strategies to augment neuroprotection and diminish inflammatory activation of multifunctional mediators such as RANTES holds promise for the development of novel neuroprotective therapeutics in AD.
Blood pressure responses to the Valsalva maneuver in cardiac patients with and without congestive failure.

Compensated cardiac patients, like normal subjects, on performing the Valsalva maneuver show a decrease in systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressures during the blowing effort and a characteristic hypertensive overshoot after the release of the strain. Cardiac patients in congestive failure show the "failure response" with a maintenance of the systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressures during the expiratory strain and an absence of the overshoot afterwards. Experimental and clinical observations in patients indicate that this "failure response" is due to elevation of the right ventricular diastolic pressure, which interferes with the normal obstruction of venous return during the blowing effort of the Valsalva maneuver.
On a principle of virtual work for thermo-elastic bodies

A principle of virtual work is proposed for thermo-elastic bodies. From it are derived the equations of motion, the Cauchy stress principle and the Gibbs relations. The principle is also used to analyse the response of internally constrained bodies.
Performance Analysis and Evaluation of PCIe 2.0 and Quad-Data Rate InfiniBand

High-performance systems are undergoing a major shift as commodity multi-core systems become increasingly prevalent. As the number of processes per compute node increase, the other parts of the system must also scale appropriately to maintain a balanced system. In the area of high-performance computing, one very important element of the overall system is the network interconnect that connects compute nodes in the system. InfiniBand is a popular interconnect for high- performance clusters. Unfortunately, due to limited bandwidth of the PCI-Express fabric, InfiniBand performance has remained limited. PCI-Express (PCIe) 2.0 has become available and has doubled the transfer rates available. This additional I/O bandwidth balances the system and makes higher data rates for external interconnects such as InfiniBand feasible. As a result, InfiniBand quad-data rate (QDR) mode has become available on the Mellanox InfiniBand host channel adapter (HCA) with a 40 Gb/sec signaling rate. In this paper we perform an in-depth performance analysis of PCIe 2.0 and the effect of increased InfiniBand signaling rates. We show that even using the double data rate (DDR) interface, PCIe 2.0 enables a 25% improvement in NAS parallel benchmark IS performance. Furthermore, we show that when using QDR on PCIe 2.0, network loopback can outperform a shared memory message passing implementation. We show that increased interconnection bandwidth significantly improves the overall system balance by lowering latency and increasing bandwidth.
Biplane cineangiographic determinations of left ventricular function: Pressure-volume relationships

Abstract A biplane cineangiocardiographic technique with filming speeds of 30 or 60 frames per second is described to estimate the instant-to-instant changes of left ventricular volume in man. The results of postmortem studies in 13 human hearts and in 6 patients with various forms of heart disease are presented. Ninety-seven volume observations were made in the 13 postmortem hearts over a volume range of 30 to 150 c.c. The volume calculations were based upon the assumption that the chamber could be mathematically represented by the formula for an ellipsoid. The standard error of estimate was ± 5.6 c.c. and the correlation coefficient was 0.986. The angiographic left ventricular stroke volumes in a patient without anatomic left ventricular disease were 55, 60, 54, and 50 c.c., an average of 54.7 c.c. per beat. This compared favorably with the dyedilution stroke volume of 52.2 c.c. per beat. A second patient with a ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus had consecutive angiographic stroke volumes of 79 and 82 c.c., an average of 80.5 c.c. per beat. This compared favorably to the pulmonary blood flow of 82 c.c. per beat determined by the Fick method. The remaining 4 patients had valvular insufficiency and/or stenosis. The regurgitant flow per beat ranged from 13 to 109 c.c. Pressure and volume were related for the construction of pressure volume loops and the determination of the left ventricular pressure-volume work for ejection. The hemodynamic significance and changes in the contour of the loops in the various pathophysiologic states are described. The pressure-volume work was determined from the loops and compared to the stroke work calculated from conventional laboratory techniques. The determination of the pressure-volume work was demonstrated to be more informative than the conventional calculation of stroke work. The clinical application of ventricular volume measurements will provide additional information concerning the left ventricular hemodynamics of the normal and diseased state.
The evolution of dense embedded memory in high performance logic technologies

Embedded memory (eMemory) plays a key role in the performance of modern multi-core processors, and for a broad class of cache-balanced systems, can account for up to 70% of the die area. Memory is highly diagnosable and is an excellent process-learning vehicle besides pushing lithographic and process capability to the limit. Here we look at ways to increase embedded memory capacity and performance in two ways: integrating dense embedded DRAM using Deep Trench (DT) capacitors into high performance logic and using 3-dimensional integration (3Di) to integrate even larger amounts of cache close to the processing units. We also address how the DT capacitors can significantly improve overall chip performance by reducing mid-frequency power supply noise on these chips. We show that this holistic approach to embedded memory makes judicious use of SRAM, DRAM and extends to 3Di and provides the basis of “orthogonal” scaling beyond that provided by conventional lithographic scaling alone.