cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Co/Cu multilayers with reduced magnetoresistive hysteresis

Abstract Practical applications of Co/Cu multilayers (MLs) require copper thicknesses either ≈ 9 A or ≈ 20 A corresponding to the first or second antiferromagnetic maximum (AFM). The first AFM has much smaller magnetoresistive hysteresis than the second, but also has lower sensitivity. We discuss application of these MLs when low hysteresis is required. For the first AFM we may improve the sensitivity while retaining low hysteresis by increasing the cobalt thickness to 30–40 A. At the second AFM we can reduce the magnetoresistive hysteresis by reducing the cobalt thickness to ∼ 3 A. A particularly attractive combination of high sensitivity and low hysteresis is obtained at the second AFM by alternating such very thin Co layers with 15 A thick Co layers.
NRADD, a novel membrane protein with a death domain involved in mediating apoptosis in response to ER stress.

NRADD, a novel membrane protein with a death domain involved in mediating apoptosis in response to ER stress
Silicon is a frequent component of atmospheric nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are the largest fraction of aerosol loading by number. Knowledge of the chemical components present in nanoparticulate matter is needed to understand nanoparticle health and climatic impacts. In this work, we present field measurements using the Nano Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (NAMS), which provides quantitative elemental composition of nanoparticles around 20 nm diameter. NAMS measurements indicate that the element silicon (Si) is a frequent component of nanoparticles. Nanoparticulate Si is most abundant in locations heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities. Wind direction correlations suggest the sources of Si are diffuse, and diurnal trends suggest nanoparticulate Si may result from photochemical processing of gas phase Si-containing compounds, such as cyclic siloxanes. Atmospheric modeling of oxidized cyclic siloxanes is consistent with a diffuse photochemical source of aerosol Si. More broadly, these observations indicate a previously overlooked anthropogenic source of nanoaerosol mass. Further investigation is needed to fully resolve its atmospheric role.
Alkaline phosphatase activity of human cell cultures: kinetic and physical-chemical properties.

Some physicochemical properties of alkaline phosphatase of human cells grown in vitro have been studied. Using 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol buffer, a pH optimum of 10.6 was noted. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by 4 × 10−3M Be++, 4 × 10−4M Zn++, and 4 × 10−5M cysteine, and showed a broad specificity against organic monophosphates. Although striking quantitative differences in alkaline phosphatase activity were observed between various established cell lines, no differences were noted in any of these properties. However, qualitative differences were found in regard to the effect of heat on enzyme activity and stability with a variety of cell lines. In general, enzyme preparations of those cell lines with the lowest phosphatase activity showed the greatest stability at higher temperatures. Conversely, preparations of those cell lines with the highest activity at 38 °C. were inactivated most rapidly at higher temperatures. The kinetics of thermal inactivation suggested molecular heterogeneity of the enzyme produced by cells with high activity. Mixing experiments with heatlabile and heat-stable phosphatases appeared to exclude the presence of extrinsic heatinactivating or stabilizing factors in the enzyme preparations.
Probabilistic Evaluation of the Dynamics and Predictability of the Mesoscale Convective Vortex of 10–13 June 2003

Abstract This study examines the dynamics and predictability of the mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) of 10–13 June 2003 through ensemble forecasting. The MCV of interest developed from a preexisting upper-level disturbance over the southwest United States on 10 June and matured as it traveled northeastward. This event is of particular interest given the anomalously strong and long-lived nature of the circulation. An ensemble of 20 forecasts using a 2-way nested mesoscale model with horizontal grid increments of 30 and 10 km are employed to probabilistically evaluate the dynamics and predictability of the MCV. Ensemble mean and spread as well as correlations between different forecast variables at different forecast times are examined. It is shown that small-amplitude large-scale balanced initial perturbations may result in very large ensemble spread, with individual solutions ranging from a very strong MCV to no MCV at all. Despite similar synoptic-scale conditions, the ensemble MCV forecasts vary greatl...
Challenges in the Implementation of Outcomes-Based Assessment Program Review in a California Community College District

The purpose of this study was to explore the manner in which a community college district planned to implement a systematic outcomes-based assessment program review process in order to have results inform institutional, district, and state policy discussions. Data derived from this grounded theory study indicated that there was not a shared conceptualization across institutional and district leadership for the identification of the audience that would use the data generated from the program review process. This finding is typical for many institutions, particularly as leadership desires to honor the individual uniqueness of each college.
A Re-Evaluation of the Pleistocene Hellbender, Cryptobranchus guildayi

Abstract Cryptobranchus guildayi has been described as an extinct species of large salamander that is related closely to the modern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis. The validity of this extinct taxon has been questioned; thus, an expanded osteological sample of modern Hellbenders was compared to the C. guildayi fossil material. Based on our analysis of the fossil material, all morphological characters used to define C. guildayi can be observed in specimens of C. alleganiensis, or are based on misidentifications. Therefore, C. guildayi is considered to be conspecific with C. alleganiensis and taxonomically should be considered a junior synonym of the latter. The reassignment of the C. guildayi specimens to C. alleganiensis expands the prehistoric geographical range of the modern species to the Potomac River and its tributaries and also extends the age of the species into the Irvingtonian North American land mammal age.
Multilayer High-Gradient Insulators

High voltage systems operated in vacuum require insulating materials to maintain spacing between conductors held at different potentials, and may be used to maintain a nonconductive vacuum boundary. Traditional vacuum insulators generally consist of a single material, but insulating structures composed of alternating layers of dielectric and metal can also be built. These "high-gradient insulators" have been experimentally shown to withstand higher voltage gradients than comparable conventional insulators. As a result, they have application to a wide range of high-voltage vacuum systems where compact size is important. This paper describes ongoing research on these structures, as well as the current theoretical understanding driving this work.
Neural regeneration and the peripheral olfactory system

The peripheral olfactory system is able to recover after injury, i.e., the olfactory epithelium reconstitutes, the olfactory nerve regenerates, and the olfactory bulb is reinnervated, with a facility that is unique within the mammalian nervous system. Cell renewal in the epithelium is directed to replace neurons when they die in normal animals and does so at an accelerated pace after damage to the olfactory nerve. Neurogenesis persists because neuron-competent progenitor cells, including transit amplifying and immediate neuronal precursors, are maintained within the population of globose basal cells. Notwithstanding events in the neuron-depleted epithelium, the death of both non-neuronal cells and neurons directs multipotent globose basal cell progenitors, to give rise individually to sustentacular cells and horizontal basal cells as well as neurons. Multiple growth factors, including TGF-α, FGF2, BMPs, and TGF-βs, are likely to be central in regulating choice points in epitheliopoiesis. Reinnervation of the bulb is rapid and robust. When the nerve is left undisturbed, i.e., by lesioning the epithelium directly, the projection of the reconstituted epithelium onto the bulb is restored to near-normal with respect to rhinotopy and in the targeting of odorant receptor-defined neuronal classes to small clusters of glomeruli in the bulb. However, at its ultimate level, i.e., the convergence of axons expressing the same odorant receptor onto one or a few glomeruli, specificity is not restored unless a substantial number of fibers of the same type are spared. Rather, odorant receptor-defined subclasses of neurons innervate an excessive number of glomeruli in the rough vicinity of their original glomerular targets. Anat Rec (New Anat) 269:33–49, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The development of an in-process surface roughness adaptive control system in end milling operations

An in-process surface roughness adaptive control (ISRAC) system in end milling operations was researched and developed. A multiple regression algorithm was employed to establish two subsystems: the in-process surface roughness evaluation (ISRE) subsystem and the in-process adaptive parameter control (IAPC) subsystem. These systems included not only machine cutting parameters such as feed rate, spindle speed, and depth of cut, but also cutting force signals detected by a dynamometer sensor. The multiple-regression-based ISRE subsystem predicted surface roughness during the finish cutting process with an accuracy of 91.5%. The integration of the two subsystems led to the ISRAC system. The testing resulted in a 100% success rate for adaptive control, proving that this proposed system could be implemented to adaptively control surface roughness during milling operations. This research suggests that multiple linear regression used in this study was straightforward and effective for in-process adaptive control.
Lead content of pet foods.

Animals fed lead in test diets accumulate this element in their organs, as shown by the feeding of waste paper containing lead to beef cattle. Lead was not detected in edible muscle tissue but measurable quantities were found in liver and kidney. These organ meats are the main ingredients of some pet foods. Since increasing evidence suggests that subtoxic levels of dietary lead might be detrimental to animals, canned dog and cat food were examined for their lead content.
SPIN-POLARIZED PHOTOELECTRON DIFFRACTION USING CIRCULARLY POLARIZED X RAYS

The observation of spin-dependent photoelectron diffraction using circularly polarized x rays is reported for Fe films on Cu(001). Circularly polarized x rays produce spin-polarized photoelectrons from the Fe 2[ital p] doublet, and intensity asymmetries in the 2[ital p][sub 3/2] level are observed. Fully spin-specific multiple-scattering calculations reproduce the experimentally determined energy and angular dependences. An analytical procedure is introduced which removes exchange shift contributions to the Fe 2[ital p] asymmetry, and focuses instead upon intensity variations due to spin-dependent diffraction.
QCD phase diagram at nonzero temperature, baryon, and isospin chemical potentials in random matrix theory

We introduce a random matrix model with the symmetries of QCD at finite temperature and chemical potentials for baryon number and isospin. We analyze the phase diagram of this model in the chemical potential plane for different temperatures and quark masses. We find a rich phase structure with five different phases separated by both first and second order lines. The phases are characterized by the pion condensate and the chiral condensate for each of the flavors. In agreement with lattice simulations, we find that in the phase with zero pion condensate the critical temperature depends in the same way on the baryon number chemical potential and on the isospin chemical potential. At nonzero quark mass, we find, remarkably, that the critical end point at nonzero temperature and baryon chemical potential is split in two by an arbitrarily small isospin chemical potential. As a consequence, there are two crossovers that separate the hadronic phase from the quark-gluon plasma phase at high temperature. Detailed analytical results are obtained at zero temperature and in the chiral limit.
An aging study of triple GEMs in Ar–CO2

Abstract An aging study was performed using triple GEMs and a print circuit board (PCB) with an intense X-ray radiation source. The GEM chamber consists of three identical GEMs and a large gas gain (6000) was shared by them. The chamber and its gas circulation line was carefully cleaned and constructed with stainless steel materials. The detector was irradiated continuously about 750 h without interruption until a large amount of charge was accumulated. A single-wire counter served as a monitoring device to check the beam and ambient conditions. The quality of the Ar–CO 2 gas was checked by gas chromatography and no measurable amount of hydrocarbons were found. 27 mC/mm 2 was accumulated with no noticeable degradation and no deposit or discoloration was found in an optical check.
Domain walls in SU(5)

We consider the Grand Unified SU(5) model with a small or vanishing cubic term in the adjoint scalar field in the potential. This gives the model an approximate or exact Z$_2$ symmetry whose breaking leads to domain walls. The simplest domain wall has the structure of a kink across which the Higgs field changes sign ($\Phi \to -\Phi$) and inside which the full SU(5) is restored. The kink is shown to be perturbatively unstable for all parameters. We then construct a domain wall solution that is lighter than the kink and show it to be perturbatively stable for a range of parameters. The symmetry in the core of this domain wall is smaller than that outside. The interactions of the domain wall with magnetic monopole is discussed and it is shown that magnetic monopoles with certain internal space orientations relative to the wall pass through the domain wall. Magnetic monopoles in other relative internal space orientations are likely to be swept away on collision with the domain walls, suggesting a scenario where the domain walls might act like optical polarization filters, allowing certain monopole ``polarizations'' to pass through but not others. As SU(5) domain walls will also be formed at small values of the cubic coupling, this leads to a very complicated picture of the evolution of defects after the Grand Unified phase transition.
Cell detachment model for an antibody-based microfluidic cancer screening system.

We consider cells bound to the floor of a microfluidic channel and present a model of their flow-induced detachment. We approximate hydrodynamic force and cell elastic response using static finite-element simulation of a single cell. Detachment is assumed to occur when hydrodynamic and adhesive forces are roughly equal. The result is extended to multiple cells at the device level using a sigmoidal curve fit. The model is applied to a microfluidic cancerscreening device that discriminates between normal epithelial cells and cells infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), on the basis of increased expression of the transmembrane protein R6 integrin in the latter. Here, the cells to be tested are bound to a microchannel floor coated with anti R6 integrin antibodies. In an appropriate flow rate range, normal cells are washed away while HPV-infected cells remain bound. The model allows interpolation between data points to choose the optimal flow rate and provides insight into interaction of cell mechanical properties and the flow-induced detachment mechanism. Notably, the results suggest a significant influence of cell elastic response on detachment.
Diffusion of the solvated electron in mixtures of polar solvents and the two absorber model

Abstract Diffusion coefficients of the solvated electron in mixtures of alcohols and water are analyzed for a two absorber model of the solvated electron for mutually unreactive binary mixtures of polar solvents. Analysis suggests that the characteristic diffusion coefficient of each kind of solvated electron is the same for all mixture compositions.
Weighted and deterministic entropy measure for image registration using mutual information

Previous image registration schemes based on mutual information use Shannon's entropy measure, and they have been successfully applied for mono- and multimodality registration. There are cases, however, where maximization of mutual information does not lead to the correct spatial alignment of a pair of images. Some failures are due to the presence of local or spurious global maxima. In this paper we explore whether the normalization of mutual information via the use of a weight based on the size of region of overlap, improves the rate of successful alignments by reducing the presence of suboptimal extrema. In addition, we examine the utility of a deterministic entropy measure. The results of the present study indicate that: (1) the normalized mutual information provides a larger capture range and is more robust, with respect to optimization parameters, than the non-normalized mutual information, and (2) the optimization of mutual information with the deterministic entropy measure takes, on average, fewer iterations than when using Shannon's entropy measure. We conclude that the normalized mutual information using the deterministic entropy measure is a faster and more robust function for registration than the traditional mutual information.
The Indirect Effect of Ethnic Heterogeneity on the Likelihood of Civil War Onset

This study leverages a statistical model to answer an empirical puzzle: given that popular conventional wisdom and many theories of ethnic conflict suggest that the ethnic composition of a society ...
Optical clearing and multiphoton imaging of paraffin-embedded specimens

New labeling, imaging, or analysis tools could provide new retrospective insights when applied to archived, paraffin-embedded samples. Deep-tissue multiphoton microscopy of paraffin-embedded specimens is achieved using optical clearing with mineral oil. We tested a variety of murine tissue specimens including skin, lung, spleen, kidney, and heart, acquiring multiphoton autofluorescence and second-harmonic generation, and pump-probe images This technique introduces the capability for non-destructive 3-dimensional microscopic imaging of existing archived pathology specimens, enabling retrospective studies.
Comparison of solid-state and submerged-state fermentation for the bioprocessing of switchgrass to ethanol and acetate by Clostridium phytofermentans

The conversion of sustainable energy crops using microbiological fermentation to biofuels and bioproducts typically uses submerged-state processes. Alternatively, solid-state fermentation processes have several advantages when compared to the typical submerged-state processes. This study compares the use of solid-state versus submerged-state fermentation using the mesophilic anaerobic bacterium Clostridium phytofermentans in the conversion of switchgrass to the end products of ethanol, acetate, and hydrogen. A shift in the ratio of metabolic products towards more acetate and hydrogen production than ethanol production was observed when C. phytofermentans was grown under solid-state conditions as compared to submerged-state conditions. Results indicated that the end product concentrations (in millimolar) obtained using solid-state fermentation were higher than using submerged-state fermentation. In contrast, the total fermentation products (in weight of product per weight of carbohydrates consumed) and switchgrass conversion were higher for submerged-state fermentation. The conversion of xylan was greater than glucan conversion under both fermentation conditions. An initial pH of 7 and moisture content of 80 % resulted in maximum end products formation. Scanning electron microscopy study showed the presence of biofilm formed by C. phytofermentans growing on switchgrass under submerged-state fermentation whereas bacterial cells attached to surface and no apparent biofilm was observed when grown under solid-state fermentation. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting consolidated bioprocessing of a lignocellulosic substrate by a mesophilic anaerobic bacterium under solid-state fermentation conditions.
A Model of Business School Students' Acceptance of a Web-Based Course Management System

As business schools increasingly seek to incorporate Web-based information and communication technologies into the instructional process, there is a need for rigorous research into the factors affe...
Functional Consequences of the Sustained or Transient Activation by Bax of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore

Abstract The overexpression of Bax kills cells by a mechanism that depends on induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) (Pastorino, J. G., Chen, S.-T., Tafani, M., Snyder, J. W., and Farber, J. L. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 7770–7775). In the present study, purified, recombinant Bax opened the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP). Depending on its concentration, Bax had two distinct effects. At a concentration of 125 nm, Bax caused the release of the intermembranous proteins cytochrome c and adenylate kinase and the release from the matrix of sequestered calcein, effects prevented by the inhibitor of the PTP cyclosporin A (CSA). At this concentration of Bax, there was no detectable mitochondrial swelling or depolarization. These effects of low Bax concentrations are interpreted as the consequence of transient, non-synchronous activation of the PTP followed by a prompt recovery of mitochondrial integrity. By contrast, Bax concentrations between 250 nm and 1 μmcaused a sustained opening of the PTP with consequent persistent mitochondrial swelling and deenergization (the MPT). CSA prevented the MPT induced by Bax. Increasing concentrations of calcium caused a greater proportion of the mitochondria to undergo the MPT in the presence of Bax. Importantly, two known mediators of apoptosis, ceramide and GD3 ganglioside, potentiated the induction by Bax of the MPT. The data imply that Bax mediates the opening of the mitochondrial PTP with the resultant release of cytochrome c from the intermembranous space.
Schadenfreude Caused by the Exposure of Hypocrisy in Others

Two studies examined whether and why seeing people suffer because of their hypocrisy can produce schadenfreude. Study 1 provided an initial demonstration of the phenomenon by showing that participants were indeed more pleased by learning that someone was caught for an immoral action when this person had criticized others for a similar action earlier. Study 2 showed that participants' schadenfreude was more intense when the immoral action matched precisely what the person had been criticizing others for doing earlier. Perceptions of hypocrisy consistently mediated the pattern of findings across the two studies. Perceptions of the deservingness of the misfortune and disgust over the hypocritical behavior also appeared to play mediational roles in explaining schadenfreude, though less consistently than perceptions of hypocrisy.
Prevalence of hot flushes and night sweats around the world: a systematic review

Objective Many studies have evaluated the relationships between ethnicity and culture, prevalence of menopausal symptoms, and attitudes toward them, but few have assessed menopausal symptoms across cultures world-wide. This paper aims to systematically review the prevalence of hot flushes and night sweats, two prevalent symptoms of menopause, across the menopausal stages in different cultures and considers potential explanations for differences in prevalence rates.Design Sixty-six papers formed the basis for this review. Studies were organized by geographic region, and results are presented for North America, Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, Latin America, South Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Studies were included if they provided quantitative information on the occurrence of hot flushes. This report focuses on hot flushes and night sweats, the most common menopausal symptoms reported in epidemiologic studies.Results Studies reviewed indicate that vasomotor symptoms are highly prevalent in mo...
Fixed-Width Estimation of the Mean of Logistic Response Function Using Spearman-Karber Estimator

In this paper we study the asymptotic properties of the sequential fixed-width rule developed for the estimation of the mean of the logistic response function based on the quantal responses observed at equally spaced dose levels. The Spearman-Karber (S-K) and Spearman-type variance (S-T-V) estimator are used for the mean and variance, respectively, in the sequential estimation. We compute the coverage probabilities and stopping times of the Spearman-Karber estimation procedure on the basis of a small simulation study.
Extension of finite length signals for sub-band coding

Some problems associated with sub-band coding of images are investigated. The filtering operations needed for splitting an input into different frequency bands, as well as their reconstruction, require an extension beyond the length of the finite signal. If not properly made, the necessary signal extension can yield distortion of the reconstructed signal, and it may complicate the compression of high-pass frequency bands. Five different methods of signal extensions have been investigated for sub-band coding. It turns out that extending the signal so that continuity is maintained may be a sufficient remedy, as shown in an image coding example.
Self-gated 4D whole-heart imaging

Background Suppressing cardiac and respiratory motion artifacts are major challenges in cardiac MRI. The conventional methods of ECG and diaphragm navigator gating require tedious setup, reduce the imaging efficiency significantly, are susceptible to drifts in heart rate or respiratory pattern, and can be unreliable at higher field strengths [1]. In this work, we propose a fully self-gated 4D imaging scheme with continuous 3D radial acquisition and retrospective cardiac and respiratory motion detection to overcome these limitations.
Spatial and temporal analysis of the Drosophila FMRFamide neuropeptide gene product SDNFMRFamide: Evidence for a restricted expression pattern

The expression of SDNFMRFamide, one of five different FMRFamide-containing peptides encoded by the Drosophila melanogaster FMRFamide gene, has been determined. To study expression, we generated antisera to the N-terminus of SDNFMRFamide to avoid crossreactivity with FMRFamide-containing peptides. The antisera were purified and the specificity characterized. SDNFMRFamide immunoreactive material is present in the central nervous system throughout development. Immunoreactivity is first observed in embryonic neural tissue in a cluster of cells in the subesophageal ganglion and immunoreactive fibers projecting from these cells to the brain and ventral ganglion. This pattern of expression is also observed in neural tissue dissected from larva, pupa, and adult. Double-labelling experiments indicate that cells recognized by SDNFM-antisera are also stained with FMRFamide antisera. Based on position, SDNFMRFamide immunoreactive material is expressed in a limited number of cells that contain the FMRFamide polypeptide precursor. This finding suggests that the Drosophila FMRFamide precursor undergoes differential post-translational processing.
Heat of adsorption on heterogeneous adsorbents

Abstract The isosteric heat of adsorption is a critical design variable in estimating the performance of an adsorptive gas separation process. The heats can be strong and complex functions of adsorbate loadings when the adsorbent is energetically heterogeneous. Ignoring these characterisitics in process design can lead to serious errors. Only calorimetric heat measurements (pure and multi-component gas) can reveal the complex nature of the adsorbent heterogeneity. Examples of calorimetrically measured heats for adsorption of pure SF 6 and CO 2 on a silicalite sample bonded with alumina, and those for binary CO 2 –C 2 H 6 mixtures on NaX zeolite are cited to demonstrate the complexity of the subject. The loading dependence of the binary heats is found to be counter-intuitive. A simple analytic thermodynamic model of patchwise heterogeneity is proposed to describe the isosteric heat of adsorption of a single gas and those for the components of a binary gas mixture.
Aquaporins in health and disease

The molecular basis of membrane water-permeability remained elusive until the recent discovery of the aquaporin water-channel proteins. The fundamental importance of these proteins is suggested by their conservation from bacteria through plants to mammals. Ten mammalian aquaporins have thus far been identified, each with a distinct distribution. In the kidney, lung, eye and brain, multiple water-channel homologs are expressed, providing a network for water transport in those locations. It is increasingly clear that alterations in aquaporin expression or function can be rate-limiting for water transport across certain membranes. Aquaporins are likely to prove central to the pathophysiology of a variety of clinical conditions from diabetes insipidus to various forms of edema and, ultimately, they could be a target for therapy in diseases of altered water homeostasis.
Production of leukotrienes and prostaglandins in the rat uterus during periimplantation period

We have measured by radioimmunoassay the production of leukotrienes (LTC4 and LTB4) and prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2 alpha) in the rat uterus on Days 1 through 6 of pregnancy. The production is defined as the synthesis minus the degradation for a defined period. The production of LTC4 or LTB4 remained unaltered on days 1-3, but exhibited a marked increase on Day 4 showing a peak at noon. This was then followed by a sharp decline on Day-5 morning. A small but consistent peak in uterine LT production was also noticed on Day-5 noon prior to implantation and this was followed by a decline on Day-6 morning i.e. after initiation of implantation. The production profile of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha showed a striking resemblance to that of LTs; one exception being that maximal PG production was noticed on Day-4 morning and preceded the peak production of LTs. These vasoactive arachidonate derivatives reached their peak production rates at around the time when a surge in estrogen level is noticed in the uterus on Day 4. Implantation is a local proinflammatory type of reaction that is associated with increased uterine vascular permeability. Vascular changes in inflammatory reactions are provoked by two kinds of chemical mediators: vasodilators and agents that increase vascular permeability. PGs (especially of the E series) are known as vasodilators, while LTs and histamine mediate increases in vascular permeability. Therefore, an interaction between LTs, PGs, and histamine could be important for uterine preparation for implantation and/or implantation per se.
Note on Linearly Compact Abelian Groups

By a group A is meant throughout an additively written abelian group. A is said to have linear topology if there is a system of subgroups Ui (i∈I) of A such that, for a ∈ A, the cosets a+Ui(i∈I) form a fundamental system of neighborhoods of a. The group operations are continuous in any linear topology; the topologies are always assumed to be Hausdorff, that is, ∩iUi = 0. A linearly compact group is a group A with a linear topology such that if aj+Aj (j∈I) is a system of cosets modulo closed subgroups Aj with the finite intersection property (i.e. any finite number of aj+Aj have a non-void intersection), then the intersection ∩j(aj+Aj) of all of them is not empty.
Role of the Active Site Cysteine of DpgA, a Bacterial Type III Polyketide Synthase†

DpgA is a bacterial type III polyketide synthase (PKS) that decarboxylates and condenses four malonyl-CoA molecules to produce 3,5-dihydroxyphenylacetyl-CoA (DPA-CoA) in the biosynthetic pathway to 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine, a key nonproteinogenic residue in the vancomycin family of antibiotics. DpgA has the conserved catalytic triad of Cys/His/Asn typical of type III PKS enzymes, and has been assumed to use Cys160 as the catalytic nucleophile to create a series of elongating acyl-S-enzyme intermediates prior to the C8 to C3 cyclization step. Incubation of purified DpgA with [14C]-malonyl-CoA followed by acid quench during turnover leads to accumulation of 10−15% of the DpgA molecules covalently acylated. Mutation of the active site Cys160 to Ala abrogated detectable covalent acylation, but the C160A mutant retained 50% of the Vmax for DPA-CoA formation, with a kcat still at 0.5 catalytic turnovers/min. For comparison, a C190A mutant retained wild-type activity, while the H296A mutant, in which the side ...
Solution structure of the toluene 4-monooxygenase effector protein (T4moD).

Toluene 4-monooxygenase (T4MO) from Pseudomonas mendocina catalyzes the NADH- and O2-dependent hydroxylation of toluene to form p-cresol. The complex consists of an NADH oxidoreductase (T4moF), a Rieske ferredoxin (T4moC), a diiron hydroxylase [T4moH, with (αβγ)2 quaternary structure], and a catalytic effector protein (T4moD). The solution structure of the 102-amino acid T4moD effector protein has been determined from 2D and 3D 1H, 13C, and 15N NMR spectroscopic data. The structural model was refined through simulated annealing by molecular dynamics in torsion angle space (DYANA software) with input from 1467 experimental constraints, comprising 1259 distance constraints obtained from NOEs, 128 dihedral angle constraints from J-couplings, and 80 hydrogen bond constraints. Of 60 conformers that met the acceptance criteria, the 20 that best satisfied the input constraints were selected to represent the solution structure. With exclusion of the ill-defined N- and C-terminal segments (Ser1−Asn11 and Asp99−Met...
Grading of vesicoureteral reflux by radionuclide cystography

Thirty-six children with urinary tract infection aged 6 months to 14 years (mean age 4 1/2 years) were studied sequentially using direct radionuclide (RNC) and conventional voiding cystourethrography (VCU). Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was detected equally well by both methods. Twenty-seven refluxing ureters were found by RNC, 23 by VCU and 22 by both methods. Radiologic grade of reflux may be determined approximately with the isotope technique from the volume of regurgitating urine and duration of reflux, at a much decreased radiation exposure. Residual urine was also measured by RNC and found to be higher in children with VUR. RNC is a reliable method for detecting and grading VUR and should effectively replace VCU as the follow-up examination of choice.
Addressing the disconnect between the good and the popular

For several decades universities have taught programming languages as a fundamental part of their un-dergraduate curriculum. These courses cover the core topics used in the design of good programming languages. However, widely used commercial languages quite often seem to go against the conventional wisdom of good language design that is taught in these courses. This disconnect between what is taught as good language design and what languages are used in industry has put the programming language course in a bind. Specifically, as computer science departments feel the increased pressure to add new emerging topics, many departments are choosing to remove the programming language course from the core curriculum. In this position paper, we argue that the disconnect between good language design and industry practice is exactly why a programming language course should be a crucial ingredient in any undergraduate computer science education.
Fluoroaromatic Resists for 157-nm Lithography

Lithography with 157-nm fluorine lasers is rapidly emerging as the next evolutionary step in optical lithography and is clearly seen as the likely successor to 193-nm lithography. As has been demonstrated with the transition to shorter wavelengths in the past, the resist materials that were developed for the longer wavelength applications are too absorbent for practical use as high-resolution single layer resist with 157-nm radiation. Fluorine containing polymers have been demonstrated to be more transparent in this spectral region than pure hydrocarbon polymers. We have developed and evaluated a number of unique fluoroaromatic-based 157-nm resists including 4-hexafluoroisopropanol styrene copolymers with t-butyl acrylate and acetyl blocked 4-hexafluoroisopropanol styrene. Our recent resist designs are shown to have imaging capability down to 70nm with a 0.60 NA microstepper.
Effects of Long-Term Changes in the Benthic Community on Yellow Perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron

Abundance, mortality, age and growth, food habits, and energetics of a yellow perch Perca flavescens population were investigated in eutrophic Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron during May to October, 1986 to 1988, and compared population characteristics with historical data from times when eutrophic conditions were less severe. During 1986 to 1988, yellow perch were abundant, but grew slowly and experienced high natural mortality. A size threshold was present at 150 to 180 mm beyond which few individuals survived, and sex ratios became biased toward males. An energetic model suggested that yellow perch were food limited; as they increased in size they spent a greater proportion of the growing season near maintenance ration. Low feeding rates were a consequence of subsistence on small chironomid larvae. Piscivory provided little energetic relief. Historical data suggested that availability of large benthic prey such as nymphs of the burrowing mayfly Hexagenia was important to yellow perch. Yellow perch formerly consumed Hexagenia, but mayflies were extirpated from Saginaw Bay during 1953 to 1965, and never recovered. When Hexagenia was present, yellow perch growth was moderate to fast depending on population size, size thresholds were not present, and yellow perch reached large size and older age despite moderate to high fishing mortality. Decreases in yellow perch growth rates during 1952 to 1955 coincided with extirpation of Hexagenia. Fast growth of yellow perch did occur after Hexagenia became extirpated, but only when fishing mortality was high, population size was small, and some large benthic invertebrates remained. Eutrophication of Saginaw Bay appeared to affect yellow perch by changing species composition and reducing size structure of the benthic community.
Context-insensitive alias analysis reconsidered

Recent work on alias analysis in the presence of pointers has concentrated on context-sensitive interprocedural analyses, which treat multiple calls to a single procedure independently rather than constructing a single approximation to a procedure's effect on all of its callers. While context-sensitive modeling offers the potential for greater precision by considering only realizable call-return paths, its empirical benefits have yet to be measured.This paper compares the precision of a simple, efficient, context-insensitive points-to analysis for the C programming language with that of a maximally context-sensitive version of the same analysis. We demonstrate that, for a number of pointer-intensive benchmark programs, context-insensitivity exerts little to no precision penalty. We also describe techniques for using the output of context-insensitive analysis to improve the efficiency of context-sensitive analysis without affecting precision.
The initial and aftermarket performance of IPOs in an emerging market: evidence from Istanbul stock exchange

Abstract This paper empirically analyzes the initial and after-market returns for the Turkish initial public offerings (IPOs) to provide an emerging market case of international evidence on performances of IPOs. The sample consists of 163 firms listed and traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange during the period of 1990–1996. The results show that the Turkish IPOs are underpriced on initial trading day on average of 13.1%. The initial underpricing is 11.7% for industrial firms, 15% for financial firms and 17.6% for others. In terms of sub-sectors the highest return is obtained in Tourism/Transportation group, while the lowest return is observed in Machinery/Equipment group. With the exception of Banking group, all of the sub-sectors experienced statistically significant initial underpricing. The investigation of factors influencing the initial performance show that size of issuer, rising stock market between the date of public offering and first trading day, institutional ownership, and self-issued offerings are significant determinants of underpricing.
Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Characteristics of Li-Ion Battery for Use in Hybrid Locomotives

The demand for the development of hybrid electric locomotives is increasing due to increased demand and cost of diesel oil, uncertainty in the steady supply of oil, and increased emissions standards. Electrical energy is lost from diesel-electric locomotives in the form of heat during dynamic braking. Using a regenerative braking system can improve the overall efficiency as it can be used later to provide traction force during acceleration. The objective of this study is to evaluate experimentally battery performance considering different discharge and charge rate, and investigate the thermal management requirements and thermal runaway effect of the batteries under a variety of environmental conditions. This was done in an environmental chamber, which controls temperature and humidity. This chamber is also fitted with an external window designed to allow thermal imaging from outside the unit. The batteries were monitored with thermal sensors and a thermal imaging camera while they were run through different load scenarios. Loads were applied using a computerized battery analyzer, which allows control over discharge rates and load cycles. Results indicate high discharge rates, above 1 C, and low operating temperatures, below 20 °C, greatly diminish capacity.
Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of the human immunodeficiency virus inhibitor 1-ethoxymethyl-6-phenylselenenyl-5-ethyluracil in rodents

Abstract 1-(Ethoxymethyl)-6-(phenylselenenyl)-5-ethyluracil (E-EPSeU) has been shown to exhibit potent and selective activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vitro. The pharmacokinetics of E-EPSeU were characterized after intravenous administration of 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg to rats. Plasma and urine concentrations of E-EPSeU were determined by HPLC. The plasma protein binding of E-EPSeU averaged 86 ± 4% and the blood: plasma concentration ratio was unity. E-EPSeU concentrations after the 5 mg/kg dose were too low to reliably characterize the pharmacokinetics. The pharmacokinetics of E-EPSeU were independent of dose over the range of 10–15 mg/kg. Plasma concentrations of E-EPSeU declined in a bi-exponential manner with terminal half-life of 0.45 ± 0.12 h (mean ± S.D.). The steady-state volume of distribution was 0.091 ± 0.031 l/kg, suggesting the compound distributed primarily into blood. The systemic clearance (0.63 ± 0.13 l/h/kg) was moderate and limited, in part, by protein binding. No parent compound was detected in urine. E-EPSeU-related toxicities were observed at high doses. One rat, out of 5, died 4 h after 15 mg/kg of E-EPSeU was administered and two rats administered 20 and 25 mg/kg died within 1 h. Two mice, out of 5, administered 30 mg/kg/day of E-EPSeU intraperitoneally for 6 days died during the experiment, while significant loss of body weight was observed in the surviving mice. However, body weight of the surviving mice returned to control values within 2 weeks after E-EPSeU treatment was stopped. While toxicities were observed after high doses of E-EPSeU, effective anti-HIV E-EPSeU plasma concentrations were achieved without toxicities by administering lower doses.
Single-molecule field-effect transistors : A computational study of the effects of contact geometry and gating-field orientation on conductance-switching properties

The relation of geometric features to the effect of gating electric fields on the conductance through conjugated systems is investigated by electronic transmission calculations employing Green's function based modeling. Switching is only induced if the field is applied in an orientation which results in energy shifting of the molecular orbitals. This is found to depend on the orientation of the field with respect to the plane defined by the molecular conjugation. The switching can be quenched by structural rearrangement of the chemical bonds to the bulk, where the relative position of the electrodes is modified.
On effects of arrival rate and burstiness in the queueing system: Analysis of Lb / D /1

This paper studies a single-server queueing system with deterministic service time in which arrivals are regulated by the leaky-bucket mechanism. This paper intends to improve quantitative understanding of the effects of arrival rate and burstiness on the average delay of queueing systems. The study is directed toward identifying the worst traffic of arrivals allowed by the leaky-bucket regulation and clarifying the effects of the leaky bucket parameters (which represent the arrival rate and burstiness) on the average queueing delay. The arrival traffic that maximizes the average queueing delay is characterized as the repetition of the following three phases: bulky arrival, greedy arrival for a specified length of interval, and then no arrival till the token bucket is full. The average queueing delay for the worst traffic is expressed as a function the leaky bucket parameters.
Using the Braden Q Scale to Predict Pressure Ulcer Risk in Pediatric Patients

The Braden Q Scale for Predicting Pediatric Pressure Ulcer Risk (Braden Q Scale) is a widely used, valid, and reliable pediatric-specific pressure ulcer risk assessment tool. Since its original publication, requests for clarification on how best to use the tool across the wide spectrum of pediatric patients commonly cared for in health care systems have been received. Common clarifications focus on using the Braden Q Scale as originally designed; specifically, not using untested derivations of the tool, and not using the Braden Q Scale to predict medical device-related pressure damage. The purpose of this article is to provide practical information on how best to use the Braden Q Scale and how to score a pediatric patient's risk for pressure ulcers. Accurate assessment of patient risk for pressure ulcers is the first step in guiding appropriate nursing interventions that prevent pressure ulcers. Patient assessment, scoring, and common clinical scenarios are presented.