cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas transport model for the magmatic system at Mount Pinatubo, Philippines: Insights from (210Pb)/(226Ra)

Abstract Measurements of 226Ra–210Pb disequilibria in eruptive products have the potential to track the accumulation or loss of volatiles in magmatic systems on timescales of decades because the intermediate nuclide, 222Rn, follows the gas phase. We present measurements of 210Pb–226Ra disequilibria for whole-rock samples representing a time sequence of tephra through the June 15, 1991 cataclysmic eruption of Mount Pinatubo volcano, Philippines. Mount Pinatubo volcano is a dacitic system that did not significantly vent gases at the surface prior to eruption, and we can, therefore, isolate the 210Pb–226Ra disequilibria due to gas accumulation without complications due to 222Rn loss during degassing. Pyroclastic samples have (210Pb)/(226Ra)0 ranging from 1.01 to 1.10; averaging 1.06. A sample of the post-climactic dome has (210Pb)/(226Ra)0 = 1.12. Previous uranium-series degassing studies have suggested that 210Pb excesses are created by rapid volatile transport (carrying the intermediate daughter 222Rn) and subsequent volatile accumulation and decay of 222Rn to 210Pb. However, bubbles in viscous dacite magma cannot rise at speeds needed to provide a flux of 222Rn large enough to cause measurable disequilibria in the 210Pb–226Ra system. In addition, there is little evidence for magmatic sources large enough to supply a rapid flux of 222Rn. Therefore, we present a model in which 210Pb–226Ra disequilibria is established during basaltic recharge of the Pinatubo reservoir. The relatively low viscosity of basaltic magma allows for differential gas motion and the production of 210Pb excess in localized basaltic melt. Transport of volatiles and 210Pb-rich basalt through a crystal matrix and the formation of bubble plumes in the dacitic reservoir produces a mixed magma with 210Pb excess. Through this mechanism, the timescale of gas transport and accumulation is constrained, not by the half-life of 222Rn (3.8 days), but rather by the half-life of 210Pb (22.6 years). Bubble plume motion preserves disequilibria and creates a zone of eruptable dacite with 210Pb excess alleviating the need for gas transport on very short time-scales. Using the rate of decay of 210Pb coupled with published trace element data, we present a quantitative investigation of this new conceptual model and propose that changes in 210Pb values with time may suggest changing conditions of magma supply at volcanoes.
Effect of leukotriene modifier drugs on the safety of oral aspirin challenges

Background Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease can be diagnosed with oral aspirin challenges and treated with aspirin desensitization. Objective To evaluate whether controller medications, particularly leukotriene modifier drugs, taken during oral aspirin challenges can reduce the risk of severe asthmatic responses. Methods The medical records of 676 patients who had undergone oral aspirin challenges, followed by aspirin desensitization, were reviewed. Asthmatic responses were stratified based on severity of bronchospastic response or lack of response. The effect of pretreatment with controller medications on the outcome of oral aspirin challenges was measured. Results Leukotriene modifier drugs had the most significant effect in protecting the lower airways from severe reactions ( P =.004). The protective effect of leukotriene modifier drugs was observed in patients already taking systemic corticosteroids, where the addition of leukotriene modifier drugs significantly shifted the response toward a milder asthmatic response ( P Conclusion Protection from significant aspirin-induced bronchospasm during oral aspirin challenge can be accomplished with leukotriene modifier drugs. The use of a combination of inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting β-agonists, systemic corticosteroids, and leukotriene modifier drugs stabilized underlying airways in preparation for a reasonably safe and accurate oral aspirin challenge. However, only pretreatment with leukotriene modifier drugs enhanced the safety of oral aspirin challenge in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease by significantly decreasing the degree of asthmatic responses. Therefore, outpatient oral aspirin challenges in most well-selected patients appear to be a reasonable decision.
Numerical Techniques for Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Continuous-Time Diffusion Processes

Stochastic differential equations often provide a convenient way to describe the dynamics of economic and financial data, and a great deal of effort has been expended searching for efficient ways to estimate models based on them. Maximum likelihood is typically the estimator of choice; however, since the transition density is generally unknown, one is forced to approximate it. The simulation-based approach suggested by Pedersen (1995) has great theoretical appeal, but previously available implementations have been computationally costly. We examine a variety of numerical techniques designed to improve the performance of this approach. Synthetic data generated by a Cox-Ingersoll-Ross model with parameters calibrated to match monthly observations of the U.S. short-term interest rate are used as a test case. Since the likelihood function of this process is known, the quality of the approximations can be easily evaluated. On datasets with 1,000 observations, we are able to approximate the maximum likelihood e...
Impact of pacing speech with a miniature electronic metronome upon the manner in which a stutterer is perceived

Each of four adult stutterers was videotaped both while speaking in theirusual manner and while pacing their speech with a miniature electronic metronome. The videotape of each stutterer's “usual” and “metronome” speech was rated by each of eight observers on the Iowa Scale of Stuttering Severity and on 81 semantic differential scales. Statistical analyses of the data indicated that while the stutterers were judged to stutter less severely when they paced their speech with the metronome, pacing speech with a metronome did not necessarily result in less adverse attention being called to their speech. The more severe the stutterer, the more likely the observers were to indicate by their ratings that his speech called less adverse attention to itself while he paced it. Clinical implications are discussed.
On the fracture toughness enhancement due to stress-induced phase transformation in shape memory alloys

Abstract A finite element analysis is carried out to model quasi-static stable crack growth in shape memory alloys under plane strain, mode I loading. The small scale transformation assumption is employed in the calculations using displacement boundary conditions on a circular region that encloses the stress-induced phase transformation zone. The crack is assumed to propagate in the region of elastically-deformed, fully-transformed martensitic zone ahead of the crack tip with the crack-tip energy release rate maintained at a critical value and the analysis is accomplished using the virtual crack closure technique. Results pertaining to the influence of stress-induced phase transformation on the near-tip mechanical fields and the ratio of the far-field energy release rate to the crack-tip energy release rate are presented, showing fracture toughness enhancement in accordance with experimental observations. Moreover, the effect of plastic dissipation on the fracture resistance of SMAs is discussed.
HIV vaccines--where are we going?

Carole Heilman (Division of AIDS at the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) and David Baltimore (President of the California Institute of Technology) review current research efforts toward developing anti-HIV vaccines. While recognizing the extraordinary challenges involved in developing a vaccine, Heilman and Baltimore stress that important steps have been taken and that as such there is room for optimism.
Studies on the possible role of 2-OH-estradiol in the control of sexual behavior in female rats.

Abstract In vitro studies have revealed that 2-OH-estradiol can be produced in the brain and that it can compete with estradiol for hypothalamic cytosol binding sites. In the present study ovariectomized female rats received 2-OH-estradiol via sc or iv injections and/or via direct intracerebral implantation either alone or in combination with vehicles, estradiol or testosterone. Behavioral tests after sc progesterone priming indicated that 2-OH-estradiol has relatively weak estrogenic, and no apparent anti-estrogenic or antiaromatization activity in the induction of sexual receptivity.
Police bargaining, arbitration, and fringe benefits

Data from a national sample of 500 to 600 U.S. cities with over 25,000 in population indicated that the practice of police collective bargaining has a positive, strong association with fringe benefits (measured by city contributions for police retirement and insurance benefits per police officer). The availability of arbitration, however, seems to have little or no influence on the dollar amount of police fringes, and neither the current nor the prior use of arbitration (i.e., actually receiving an arbitration award) has any consistent association with police fringes. The results indicate that collective bargaining and regional location influence the level of police fringes more than do other variables.
Merging healthcare and technology: a multi-disciplinary health information technology (HIT) curriculum (abstract only)

Please be patient with us as we move to our new computer system' is a common sign at healthcare providers' offices. Mandates from the federal government are merging the fields of healthcare and information technology and experts predict a significant increase in jobs related to Health Information Technology (HIT). In this poster session, we will share our new HIT curriculum (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a major in Health Information Technology) along with the process followed to develop this curriculum. Developed in collaboration with nursing educators and in consultation with HIT professionals, this unique multi-disciplinary program blends technology and healthcare to prepare students for a wide variety of opportunities in the evolving field of HIT.
Plasma-treated triazole as a novel organic slow-release paint pigment for corrosion control of AA2024-T3

Triazole is effective for corrosion control of AA2024-T3 which is well known to contain Cu-rich intermetallics. However, it cannot be used as a paint pigment because of its high water-solubility. In this research, we present a novel method to modify water-soluble triazole particles using a plasma polymerization technique. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOFSIMS) confirmed the presence of an ultrathin polymer film on the particles. The plasma-treated triazole was used as a paint pigment in a water-based epoxy coating. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques and immersion tests, it was demonstrated that the encapsulated water-soluble inhibitor could slowly release into the environment to protect a metal as needed. This technique is a feasible and promising method to promote the replacement of chromate pigments in paints.
Why People Like Where They Live: Individual- and Community-Level Contributors to Community Satisfaction

Using multi-level modeling in 26 communities, this study examines contributors to three domains of community satisfaction—overall satisfaction, social life satisfaction, and infrastructure satisfaction. Human capital/demographic and social capital/network contributors emerge at both the individual and community levels in accounting for variation in community satisfaction. Some effects remain the same across levels and domains, but some effects differ. For example, living near family members increases satisfaction in all domains at the individual level, but at the community level, it decreases satisfaction in all domains. Residing in communities high in urbanicity reduces overall satisfaction, but has no effect on infrastructure satisfaction. Moreover, both individual and community level factors matter and impact community satisfaction.
An integral analysis of condensing annular‐mist flow

The application of integral techniques to the analysis of a high vapor velocity, two-phase, annular-mist, single-component condensing flow system is presented. A time-averaged annular liquid film thickness is defined, and appropriate interfacial and wall shear stress correlations are employed to account for the wavy nature of the interface between the entrainment-laden gaseous core and the axisymmetric annular liquid film. An empirical entrainment correlation is utilized to determine the amount of liquid flowing as entrained particles in the high velocity core region. The velocity and enthalpy distributions in the gaseous core and the annular liquid film are assumed as the power-law type. The resulting set of four nonlinear ordinary differential equations is solved numerically with the use of a digital computer. A comparison with experimental data for condensing steam is obtained. The analytical model accurately predicts the condenser length necessary for complete condensation and also predicts the dynamic quality, the heat transfer characteristics, and the static pressure distribution throughout the condensation length. The integral analysis presents some insight into the complex mechanisms and interactions which occur in high vapor velocity, two-phase, annular-mist flows and also indicates the need for improved experimental techniques to further this understanding.
A specimen MPI application: N-Queens in parallel

The generalized problem of placing n queens on an n-by-n board provides an "embarrassingly parallel" problem for parallel solution. This paper expands on the discussion presented in the May 2005 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal [1], specifically taking the parallel execution through Java threads and bringing it into an application in C taking advantage of MPI.
Essential Lymphocyte Function Associated 1 (LFA-1): Intercellular Adhesion Molecule Interactions for T Cell–mediated B Cell Apoptosis by Fas/APO-1/CD95

B cells are susceptible to Fas ligand (FasL)+ CD4+ Th1 cell–mediated apoptosis. We demonstrate that blocking the interactions between lymphocyte function associated (LFA)-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule(ICAM)-1 and ICAM-2 completely suppresses Fas-dependent B cell lysis. Antibodies to CD2 and CD48 partially suppress B cell apoptosis, whereas anti-B7.1 and anti-B7.2 antibodies have no effect. Also, B cells from ICAM-1–deficient mice are resistant to FasL+ T cell–mediated death. Our results suggest that LFA-1/ICAM interactions are crucial for Th1 cell–mediated B cell apoptosis and may contribute to the maintenance of B cell homeostasis in vivo.
Kinetic description of metal nanocrystal oxidation: a combined theoretical and experimental approach for determining morphology and diffusion parameters in hollow nanoparticles by the nanoscale Kirkendall effect

The oxidation of colloidal metal nanocrystals to form hollow shells via the nanoscale Kirkendall effect has been investigated using a combined theoretical and experimental approach. A generalized kinetic model for the formation of hollow nanoparticles describes the phenomenon and, unlike prior models, is applicable to any material system and accounts for the effect of surface energies. Phase diagrams of the ultimate oxidized nanoparticle morphology and the time to achieve complete oxidation are calculated, and are found to depend significantly upon consideration of surface energy effects that destabilize the initial formation of small voids. For the oxidation of Cu nanocrystals to Cu2O nanoparticles, we find that the diffusion coefficients dictate the morphological outcomes: the ratio of to controls the void size, determines the time of oxidation and is largely irrelevant in the kinetics of oxidation. The kinetic model was used to fit experimental measurements of 11 nm diameter Cu nanocrystals oxidized in...
Pediatric atomoxetine ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers, 2003-2005.

Limited information exists on potentially adverse consequences following pediatric atomoxetine ingestions reported to poison control centers. Using pediatric atomoxetine ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers during 2003–2005, the proportion of cases involving serious outcomes (medical outcomes classified as moderate effects, major effects, death, or judged as potentially toxic exposures) was determined for selected variables and evaluated for statistical significance by calculating the rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Of 501 cases identified, 31 (6%) involved serious outcomes. Higher serious outcome rates were found with a maximum dose of >2.8 mg/kg or >200 mg or >4 tablets. Serious outcome rates were also higher if the exposure involved intentional self-harm or the patient was already at or en route to a health care facility when the poison control center was contacted or referred to a health care facility by the poison control center. The severity of the outcome associated...
THE LIPID-LADEN MACROPHAGE AS A MARKER OF ASPIRATION IN NEONATES WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE

The diagnosis of aspiration secondary to gastroesophageal reflux is difficult unless it is massive. In order to determine whether the presence of lipid-laden macrophages in tracheal aspirates is useful diagnostically we prospectively evaluated samples stained with Oil-Red-O in ventilator-dependent neonates fed orogastrically. By grading the amount of intracellular Oil-Red-O per 100 macrophages we computed a semiquantitative index. NPO infants served as controls. Measurement of lactose in the aspirates was used as the index of aspiration and was considered positive when lactose value was >mean+2SD of controls. Forty three aspirates were obtained from 25 neonates. Eleven infants had at least one value of lactose suggestive of aspiration. The mean raacrophage index for aspirators of 194±14 was greater than the index of nonaspirators (122±5, p<0.001). The testing characteristics of lipid indexes were: We conclude that the sole presence of lipid-laden macrophages in lower respiratory secretions is a nonspecific marker of lung disease. However, a computed lipid-laden macrophage index ≥175 is a rapid and specific test that may be helpful in diagnosing aspiration in chronic lung disease.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy: technique and initial experience

Abstract Background Our study objective was to develop a technique for robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy and to evaluate feasibility of the technology to address the technical limitations of conventional laparoscopy. Methods The study design was a case series analysis in a university hospital. Sixteen consecutive patients underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy and were assessed for outcomes. Robot-assisted hysterectomy technique was refined and is described. Results There were no conversions to laparotomy. The mean uterine weight was 131.5 g (range 30 to 327 g). Median operating time was 242 minutes (range 170 to 432). Average estimated blood loss was 96 mL (range 50 to 300 mL). One patient experienced a delayed thermal bowel injury, 2 developed postoperative infections, and 1 developed a vaginal cuff hematoma that was managed expectantly. The median length of hospital stay was 1.5 days. Conclusions Robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy is a feasible and promising new technique that may overcome surgical limitations seen with conventional laparoscopy.
Alcohol, hypertension, and stroke

The authors compared the drinking habits of stroke patients and controls who were matched for the variables of age, sex, race, and day of the week admitted to the hospital. Rates of alcoholism were similar in the two groups. However, stroke patients were more likely to be current drinkers than controls, and were more likely to have been drinking within 24 hr of admission to the hospital, most of them rather heavily. Among the stroke patients, alcoholism was associated with hypertension, with being a current drinker, and with drinking at index, i.e., within 24 hr of the first symptoms of stroke. Of those stroke patients who were drinking at index, there were significant associations with being black, alcoholic, and hypertensive. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Development and validation of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays to detect elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses-2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHVs) can cause lethal hemorrhagic disease in both African and Asian elephants. At least seven EEHV types have been described, and sensitive real-time PCR tests have been developed for EEHV1A and 1B, which are associated with the majority of characterized Asian elephant deaths. Despite growing knowledge of the different EEHV types, the prevalence of each type within African and Asian elephants remains to be determined and there is considerable need for diagnostic tests to detect and discriminate between each EEHV species for clinical management of African and Asian elephants that develop illness from one or more of these viruses. To begin to address these issues, we developed real-time PCR assays for EEHV2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Overall, each assay had robust PCR efficiency, a dynamic linear range over 5log(10) concentrations, a limit of detection of 10 copies/test reaction with 100% sensitivity, and low intra- and inter-assay variability. Each assay proved to be specific for the EEHV targets for which it was designed, with the exception of EEHV3 and EEHV4, which was expected because of greater DNA sequence similarity between these two EEHV species than the others. These new tools will be useful for conducting surveys of EEHV prevalence within captive and range country elephants, for diagnostic testing of elephants with suspected EEHV-associated disease, and for managing the treatment of elephants with EEHV-induced illness.
An Issue Hiding in Plain Sight: When Are Speech-Language Pathologists Special Educators Rather Than Related Services Providers?

Purpose Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; as amended, 2004), speech-language pathology services may be either special education or a related service. Given the absence of...
Adaptive Main-Beam Nulling for Narrow-Beam Antenna Arrays

Narrow-beam, low-sidelobe antennas may be used to enhance communication in the presence of sidelobe interferers. Protection against main-beam interferers as well can be obtained through the use of an adaptive multibeam antenna. Such an antenna, suitable for time-multiplexed, multichannel signals is described here. The objective is to permit successful communication and signal direction-of-arrival tracking in the presence of a large number of sidelobe interferers and a small number of main-beam interferers.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS OF WOMEN: The Burger Court and the Sexual Revolution in American Law

This article analyzes the revolution in Constitutional Law concerning sex discrimination that has been brought about by the Burger Court. It provides an overview of both the doctrinal changes and the policy changes that have composed this legal revolution. It identifies certain policy areas that have troubled the Burger Court during this process and attempts to explain why some policy problems have proved more intractable than others. It concludes with a modest suggestion for dealing with those problems.
Enabling distributed generation powered sustainable high-performance data center

The necessity for capping carbon emission has significantly restricted the potential of modern data centers. For this matter, both industry and academia are proactively seeking opportunities on cross-layer power management schemes that could open a door for sustainable high-performance computing platform. In this paper we investigate an emerging trend in the IT industry: using promising onsite distributed generation (DG) techniques to provide premium clean energy to the computing load. We develop data center power demand shaping (PDS), a novel technique that allows data centers to utilize onsite green energy efficiently. In contrast to prior design, PDS takes advantage of a so-far unexplored power supply feature, i.e., the load following capabilities of DG systems to avoid the high performance penalty issue incurred during supply tracking. In addition, PDS features two adaptive power management schemes: DGR Boost and UPS Boost. These two workload-aware optimization methods leverage mature computer tuning knobs to achieve attractive data center performance improvement. Using real-world data center traces and industry data of distributed generation systems, we show that our technique can come within 1.2% performance of an ideal oracle, which is roughly a 37% improvement over existing supply tracking based design. Our design could save over 100 metric tons of carbon emissions annually for a 10MW data center.
Lossless compression of variable-precision floating-point buffers on GPUs

In this work, we explore the lossless compression of 32-bit floating-point buffers on graphics hardware. We first adapt a state-of-the-art 16-bit floating-point color and depth buffer compression scheme for operation on 32-bit data and propose two specific enhancements: dynamic bucket selection and a Fibonacci encoder. Next, we describe a unified codec for any type of floating-point buffer: color, depth, geometry, and GPGPU data. We also propose a method to further compress variable-precision data. Finally, we test our techniques on color, depth, and geometry buffers from existing applications. Using our enhancements to an existing technique, we have improved bandwidth savings by an average of 1.26x. Our unified codec achieved average bandwidth savings of 1.5x, 7.9x, and 2.9x for color (including buffers incompressible by past work), depth, and geometry buffers. Even higher savings were achieved when combined with our variable-precision technique, though specific ratios will depend on the tolerance of the application to reducing its precision.
Evaluation of Salmonid Sperm Motility for Cryopreservation

Abstract Basic methodology for evaluating motility of salmonid sperm is presented. Problems and pitfalls that are commonly encountered are identified, and suggestions are made for avoiding them. Sperm dilution in preparation for cryopreservation is discussed.
Scheduling heterogeneous real-time traffic over fading wireless channels

We develop a general approach for designing scheduling policies for real-time traffic over wireless channels. We extend prior work, which characterizes a real-time flow by its traffic pattern, delay bound, timely throughput requirement, and channel reliability, to allow clients to have different deadlines and allow a variety of channel models. In particular, our extended model consider scenarios where channel qualities are time-varying, the access point may not have explicit information on channel qualities, and the access point may or may not employ rate adaptation. Thus, our model allows the treatment of more realistic fading channels as well as scenarios with mobile nodes and the usage of more general transmission strategies. We derive a sufficient condition for a scheduling policy to be feasibility optimal, and thereby establish a class of feasibility optimal policies. We demonstrate the utility of the identified class by deriving a feasibility optimal policy for the scenario with rate adaptation, time-varying channels, and heterogeneous delay bounds. When rate adaptation is not available, we also derive feasibility optimal policies for both scenarios where the access point may or may not have explicit knowledge on channel qualities. For the scenario where rate adaptation is not available but clients have different delay bounds, we describe a heuristic. Simulation results are also presented, which indicate the usefulness of the scheduling policies for more realistic and complex scenarios.
Life as Art/Art as Life: Dramatizing the Life and Work of Frida Kahlo

Working from the conventions of the artist biopic in which intense personal suffering is the outward manifestation of a (male) artist's innate creative forces, Julie Taymor's film Frida (2002) heightens the emotional nature of the female artist even more. Taymor conjoins Kahlo's physical suffering with other forms of emotional excess, most notably an intense love of, and engagement with, life to establish an intensity of feeling that drove her art.
Determination of fibrinogen in plasma by high-performance immunoaffinity chromatography.

A high-performance immunoaffinity chromatographic (HPIAC) method for fibrinogen was developed which had several advantages over existing methodologies including increased linear range and no interference from heparin. Several modifications of usual HPIAC procedures were necessary including the employment of a methacrylate polymeric support to reduce non-specific adsorption and the addition of urea to a pH 2.1 elution buffer to affect elution. A significant split-peak effect (i.e., unretained fibrinogen) was noted at higher flow-rates and at higher fibrinogen concentrations, which was shown to be temperature-dependent, with the amount of fibrinogen retained on the column increasing with increased temperature.
Teachers' use of curriculum to support students in writing scientific arguments to explain phenomena

The role of the teacher is essential for students' successful engagement in scientific inquiry practices. This study focuses on teachers' use of an 8-week chemistry curriculum that explicitly supports students in one particular inquiry practice, the construction of scientific arguments to explain phenomena in which students justify their claims using evidence and reasoning. Participants included 6 teachers and 568 students. Videotapes, teacher questionnaires, and student pre- and posttests were analyzed to develop case studies that characterized the support the teachers provided their students for scientific argumentation and subsequent student learning. Patterns from the case studies suggest that one particular instructional practice, the way teachers defined scientific argumentation, characterized teachers' support and influenced the other practices they used in their classrooms. In some cases, the teachers' definitions of scientific argumentation did not align with the intended learning goal in the curriculum materials. These teachers' greater simplification of this complex inquiry practice resulted in decreased learning gains in terms of students' ability to write scientific arguments to explain phenomena using appropriate evidence and reasoning. Educative curriculum materials can have a positive impact on teachers' classroom support for scientific argumentation, but how the teachers use these materials influences student learning. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed93: 233–268, 2009
Upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars.

It is argued that the single-layer ionosphere at 125 kilometers discovered in the Mariner IV occultation experiment is an Fl region coinciding with the ultraviolet photoionization peak. The CO2 density there must be of the order of 1011 molecules per cubic centimeter. Such a density is consistent with the properties of the lower atmosphere by Mariner IV anid the temperature model of Chamberlain and McElroy if the atmosphere is mainly CO2 below 70 kilometers. The absence of an F2 region can be explained even if the density ratio of O to CO2 is 100 at 230 kilometers on the basis of the rapid conversion of O+ to O2 by CO2. Thus a model with an exospheric temperature of 400°K, a modest degree of CO2 dissociation, and diffusive separation above 70 kilometers is possible.
Extensive contacts between ADAMTS13 exosites and von Willebrand factor domain A2 contribute to substrate specificity.

The metalloprotease ADAMTS13 efficiently cleaves only the Tyr1605-Met1606 bond in the central A2 domain of multimeric von Willebrand factor (VWF), even though VWF constitutes only 0.02% of plasma proteins. This remarkable specificity depends in part on binding of the noncatalytic ADAMTS13 spacer domain to the C-terminal α-helix of VWF domain A2. By kinetic analysis of recombinant ADAMTS13 constructs, we show that the first thrombospondin-1, Cys-rich, and spacer domains of ADAMTS13 interact with segments of VWF domain A2 between Gln1624 and Arg1668, and together these exosite interactions increase the rate of substrate cleavage by at least approximately 300-fold. Internal deletion of Gln1624-Arg1641 minimally affected the rate of cleavage, indicating that ADAMTS13 does not require a specific distance between the scissile bond and auxiliary substrate binding sites. Smaller deletions of the P2-P9 or the P4′-P18′ residues on either side of the Tyr1605-Met1606 bond abolished cleavage, indicating that the metalloprotease domain interacts with additional residues flanking the cleavage site. Thus, specific recognition of VWF depends on cooperative, modular contacts between several ADAMTS13 domains and discrete segments of VWF domain A2.
Real-time queueing theory

The paper presents an approach to real time system scheduling. The approach, called real time queueing theory, includes customer timing requirements into queueing models. With real time queueing models, one is able to explicitly characterize the dynamic behavior of the customer lead time profile process where lead time=deadline minus current time. In spite of the infinite dimensionality of these processes, in the heavy traffic case, a simple description of lead time profile process is presented, and this description is shown to be very accurate when compared against simulations. Real time queueing theory offers the promise of providing real time system predictability for systems characterized by substantial stochastic behavior (such as ATM networks and multimedia systems). Possible generalizations are discussed.
Piezoelectrically driven vertical cavity acoustic transducers for the convective transport and rapid detection of DNA and protein binding to DNA microarrays with SPR imaging—A parametric study

Mixing within the microdomain is limited because convective mixing cannot be achieved since diffusion dominates as the main form of transport. Hence microassays can take on the order of 1 to 72 h, without the aid of a passive or active mixer to shorten the time of transport of a target molecule to a probe (Lai et al., 2004). Liu et al. (2002, 2003) developed a low cost cavitation microstreaming based mixer which is easy to implement and use, but no comprehensive study has been done to optimize such a mixer for various applications. We present a study of the effects of various frequencies and cavity parameters on mixing using dye and surface based assays with protein, DNA, and nanoparticles to obtain an optimum mixing frequency and configuration for a wide range of assay applications. We present a novel method to monitor real time binding using surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) coupled with a vertical cavity acoustic transducer (VCAT) micromixer for various biomolecule surface assays. The combination of VCAT and SPRI allows assay signal saturation within one minute while conserving reagent volume. The kinetic rate constant for adsorption (k(a)) and desorption (k(d)) as well as the limit of detection (LOD) of 5 nM for the DNA duplex formation are reported using this VCAT micromixer.
In Vitro Steroidogenesis by Dissociated Rat Follicles, Primary to Antral, Before and After Injection of Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin

Prepubertal female rats were injected s.c. with 5.0 IU eCG, and ovaries were collected 24 and 48 h post-eCG, on Day 25, as well as from an untreated group also on Day 25. Large antral follicles were manually dissected, and the ovarian remnants were incubated with collagenase overnight to liberate preantral follicles from adhering stromal cells. The viability of the follicles was established by normal histology and lack of pyknotic granulosa cells (GCs) and by their ability to secrete steroids. After a 1-h baseline incubation, either 10 ng LH or 100 ng FSH was added for an additional hour, and the media-before and after gonadotropin administration-were used to measure progesterone, androstenedione, and estradiol by RIA. A distinct hierarchy existed in steroid synthesis, with the maximal production by the largest (700 microm) antral follicles. The major steroid that had accumulated after addition of LH at 48 h post-eCG was androstenedione (1099 pg/follicle per hour), followed by equal amounts of progesterone (155 pg/follicle per hour) and estradiol (191 pg/follicle per hour). There was a precipitous drop in steroid production by 550-microm and 400-microm antral follicles, especially in estradiol for the latter-sized follicles (0.08 pg/follicle per hour). Preantral follicles also produced progesterone and androstenedione after addition of LH. For example, follicles 222 microm in diameter with 4-5 layers of GCs and well-developed theca responded to LH at 48 h post-eCG by accumulating androstenedione (37 pg/follicle per hour) and progesterone (6 pg/follicle per hour) but negligible estradiol. The smallest follicles secreting steroids, 110-148 microm in diameter, had 2-4 layers of GCs. However, primary follicles (1 layer of GCs and no theca) did not synthesize appreciable amounts of any steroid. Although small preantral follicles were consistently stimulated by LH, FSH was ineffective. This result differs from findings in the hamster showing that intact preantral follicles with 1-4 layers of GCs and no theca respond to FSH by secreting progesterone in vitro (Roy and Greenwald, Biol Reprod 1987; 31:39-46). The technique developed to collect intact rat follicles should be useful for numerous investigations.
Isolation of β-Ag3AsSe3, (Me3NH)[Ag3As2Se5], K5Ag2As3Se9, and KAg3As2S5 : Novel solid state silver thio- and selenoarsenates from solvento-thermal synthesis

Abstract Three new solid state silver selenoarsenates and one thioarsenate prepared from hydro- and methanothermal synthesis are described. β-Ag 3 AsSe 3 (I) and (Me 3 NH)[Ag 3 As 2 Se 5 ] (II) were synthesized hydrothermally at 110°C from a mixture of AgBF 4 /3K 3 AsSe 3 and AgBF 4 /3K 3 AsSe 3 /6Me 3 NHCl, while K 5 [Ag 2 As 3 Se 9 ] (III) and K[Ag 3 As 2 S 5 ] (IV) were synthesized methanothermally at 110°C from a mixture of AgBF 4 /3K 3 AsS 3 and AgBF 4 /3K 3 AsSe 3 , respectively. β-Ag 3 AsSe 3 (I) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (No. 62) with a = 8.111(1) A, b = 11.344(2) A, c = 20.728(3) A, Z = 8, V = 1907(1) A 3 . This compound is a new allotrope of α-Ag 3 AsSe 3 and has a complex three-dimensional structure composed of distorted trigonal planar and tetrahedral Ag + ions and [AsSe 3 ] 3− units. (Me 3 NH)[Ag 3 As 2 Se 5 ] (II) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P − 1 (No. 2) with a = 10.119(2) A, b = 18.010(4) A, c = 14.932(3) A, α = 110.20 (1)°, β = 103.98(2)°, γ = 99 99(1)°, Z = 2, V = 729.3(8) A 3 . The [Ag 3 As 2 Se 5 ] n − n anion in (II) has a complex two-dimensional layered structure with tetrahedral Ag + ions and [As 2 Se 5 ] 4− units. K 5 [Ag 2 As 3 Se 9 ] (III) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (No. 62) with a = 12.599(2) A, b = 12.607(4) A, c = 14.067(3) A, Z = 8, V = 2234(1) A 3 . The [Ag 2 As 3 Se 9 ] 5 n − n anion in (III) has a two-dimensional layered structure with tetrahedral Ag + ions and two different kinds of selenoarsenate units, [AsSe 4 ] 3− and [As 2 Se 5 ] 4− . K[Ag 3 As 2 S 5 ] (IV) also crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (No. 62) with a = 19.210(2) A, b = 16.867(2) A, c = 6.3491(7) A, Z = 8, V = 2057.2(7) A 3 . The [Ag 3 As 2 S 5 ] n − n anion in (IV) possesses a complicated two-dimensional structure with tetrahedral Ag + ions and two kinds of thioarsenate ligands, [AsS 3 ] 3− and [As 3 S 7 ] 5− . The thermal stability and optical absorption properties of these compounds are reported.
Absorption sensitivity enhancement in methyl fluoride at 1200 cm - 1 using Stark polarization rotation

Polarization rotation using a modulated electric field is demonstrated in methyl fluoride vapor as a technique to reduce source noise in diode-laser absorption spectroscopy. A comparison of this technique with amplitude modulation and Stark modulation is presented, showing that this technique decreases the effect of source noise and thus provides improved sensitivity. A discussion is presented of the magnitude of the polarization rotation for different J, K rotational transitions that occur in a symmetric top. The effect of the crossing angle of the polarization analyzer on the polarization rotation signal and the source-noise reduction is studied in order to obtain the operating conditions for maximum signal-to-noise ratio.
NEUTRALIZATION OF EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA VIRUS : THE LINEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE QUANTITY OF SERUM AND THE QUANTITY OF VIRUS NEUTRALIZED.

A linear relationship exists between the logarithm of the quantity of epidemic influenza virus neutralized and the logarithm of the quantity of antiserum which is capable of achieving this result. This relationship is the same for the serum of a ferret convalescent from experimental influenza as for the serum of a rabbit immunized with the virus. By means of the linear relationship between virus and antiserum it is possible to determine a fixed, rather than a relative, value for the neutralizing capacity of a serum.
Effects of composition and metal particle size on ethane dehydrogenation over PtxSn100−x/Mg(Al)O (70 ⩽ x ⩽ 100)

Abstract The effects of composition and metal particle size of platinum catalysts on ethane dehydrogenation were investigated on PtxSn100−x/Mg(Al)O (70 ⩽ x ⩽ 100) catalysts prepared with average particle sizes between ∼2 and 7 nm. At high conversions, catalyst deactivation from coke formation was a strong function of particle size and Sn/Pt. Deactivation decreased significantly with decreasing particle size and increasing Sn addition. To understand the true initial activity of un-deactivated catalysts, further experiments were run at low residence time conditions to limit ethene formation. For a fixed average particle size, ethane TOF and the selectivity to ethene increased with increasing content of Sn in the PtSn particle. For Pt and Pt3Sn compositions, ethane TOF increased with increasing particle size, while the selectivity to ethene was not strongly affected. The observed effects of particle size and composition are attributed to a combination of geometric and electronic factors.
Dynasore inhibits removal of wild-type and ΔF508 cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) from the plasma membrane

Dynasore, a small molecule inhibitor of dynamin, was used to probe the role of dynamin in the endocytosis of wild-type and mutant CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator). Internalization of both wild-type and ‘temperature-corrected’ ΔF508 CFTR was markedly inhibited by a short exposure to dynasore, implicating dynamin as a key element in the endocytic internalization of both wild-type and mutant CFTR. The inhibitory effect of dynasore was readily reversible upon washout of dynasore from the growth media. Corr-4 ({2-(5-chloro-2-methoxy-phenylamino)-4′-methyl-[4,5′]-bithiazolyl-2′-yl}-phenyl-methanonone), a pharmacological corrector of ΔF508 CFTR biosynthesis, caused a marked increase in the cell surface expression of mutant CFTR. Co-incubation of ΔF508 CFTR expressing cells with Corr-4 and dynasore caused a significantly greater level of cell surface CFTR than that observed in the presence of Corr-4 alone. These results argue that inhibiting the endocytic internalization of mutant CFTR provides a novel therapeutic target for augmenting the benefits of small molecule correctors of mutant CFTR biosynthesis.
Novel therapeutic targets in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disorder of clonal plasma cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and secrete a mono- clonal protein detectable in the blood and/or urine. In the last decade, the outcome of patients with MM has markedly improved owing to the introduction of agents such proteasome inhibi- tors (bortezomib) and immunomodulatory drugs (thalidomide, lenalidomide) as induction, consolidation, and maintenance strat- egies. Nonetheless, drug resistance leading to relapse commonly occurs, and novel therapies are urgently needed. In this review, we will describe the most promising new approaches to treat MM, including those based on targeting protein homeostasis, enhanc- ing anti-MM immunity, targeting MM with monoclonal antibod- ies and immunotoxins, modulating bone metabolism, targeting histone modifications, targeting genomic instability and cell cycle alterations, and the use of genomic profiling to provide personal- ized therapies. These advances will continue to transform MM into a chronic illness, and have curative potential.
Educating knowledge engineers on knowledge acquisition

Even though many universities are offering programs in knowledge engineering, it's a rarity that a course on knowledge acquisition is included in the knowledge engineering curriculum content. At George Washington University, a course on knowledge acquisition is required as part of the Master of Science program in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems. This paper describes the need for more university courses on knowledge acquisition, which then can contribute to improving the state-of-the-art in expert systems development. >
Loss of a Universal tRNA Feature

tRNAHis has thus far always been found with one of the most distinctive of tRNA features, an extra 5′ nucleotide that is usually a guanylate. tRNAHis genes in a disjoint alphaproteobacterial group comprising the Rhizobiales, Rhodobacterales, Caulobacterales, Parvularculales, and Pelagibacter generally fail to encode this extra guanylate, unlike those of other alphaproteobacteria and bacteria in general. Rather than adding an extra 5′ guanylate posttranscriptionally as eukaryotes do, evidence is presented here that two of these species, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Caulobacter crescentus, simply lack any extra nucleotide on tRNAHis. This loss correlates with changes at the 3′ end sequence of tRNAHis and at many sites in histidyl-tRNA synthetase that might be expected to affect tRNAHis recognition, in the flipping loop, the insertion domain, the anticodon-binding domain, and the motif 2 loop. The altered tRNA charging system may have affected other tRNA charging systems in these bacteria; for example, a site in tRNAGlu sequences was found to covary with tRNAHis among alphaproteobacteria.
Bounds for convex variational programming problems arising in power system scheduling and control

The convex variational programming problem has been found of practical importance to power system scheduling and control. Convex variational programming problems are closely related to the convex programming problems treated by Kuhn and Tucker [8]. Among their positive attributes are the absence of difficulties with weak relative minima and with saddle-point or conjugate-point conditions. As a result it is feasible to develop dual-variational problems and to provide estimates for bracketing the extreme value of the functional of the variational problem when gradient or successive approximations methods are employed for determination of near optimal control schedules. This paper develops necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimal control schedule and a means for numerically determining bounds to the extreme value of the functional. Applications are given to the problem of hydrothermal power system coordination.
“Broken Windows” and fractured history: The use and misuse of history in recent police patrol analysis

In a recent and provocative article entitled “Broken Windows,” James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling propose a new role orientation for the urban police in America. They argue that the police should replace their current preoccupation with crime control and concentrate instead on dealing with small order maintenance problems. Their argument is based upon a synthesis of recent police research and an analysis of police history. This article critiques the analysis of police history offered by Wilson and Kelling. It disputes their argument that American police officers enjoyed a high degree of legitimacy in the eyes of urban neighborhood residents in the years before the advent of the patrol car. It also offers a different interpretation of the impact of technological innovation upon patterns of police-citizen contacts during the past fifty years.