cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Basic nuclear proteins in the Oömycete fungus Achlya bisexualis

A comparison was made of the basic proteins extracted from the chromatin and nuclei of Achlya bisexualis, Blastocladiella emersonii, and Pisum sativum. Extraction of purified chromatin and nuclei of the Chytridiomycete, B. emersonii followed by gel electrophoresis produced no detectable protein bands. Extractions of purified nuclei and chromatin by either mineral acid or CaCl2 from the Oomycete A. bisexualis resulted in several protein bands following separation by disc gel electrophoresis. Monitoring the nucleic acids during the nuclear isolation procedure as well as comparing electropherograms of basic nuclear proteins with basic ribosomal proteins suggests no significant contamination of the nuclear preparations with ribosomes. Carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography of the A. bisexualis nuclear basic proteins resolved three distinct fractions. Gel electrophoresis of the CM cellulose fractions indicated heterogeneity of each fraction. Amino acid analysis of the CM fractions showed that they were all lysine-rich and meet the basisity requirements of histones.
The dpn and tdn coupling constants from forward neutron-deuteron dispersion relations☆

Forward dispersion relations for nd scattering using unpolarized total cross sections are evaluated at low energies (Elab < 20 MeV). Comparison with real parts deduced from near forward differential cross sections allows us to determine the coupling strengths of the nearlying p- and t-pole in an attractively direct way, free from theoretical information on nd amplitudes, in principle. The present best fit gives a very consistent picture. The dnp strength is right on the value deduced from triplet np scattering, indicating a quite accurate determination of the (less well known) tnd coupling constant.
Solving Relative Two-Point Boundary Value Problems: Spacecraft Formation Flight Transfers Application

The dynamics of reconfiguration of a formation of spacecraft is studied. The problem is posed as a two-point boundary value problem where the initial and final positions and times are known, and the necessary velocities for the reconfiguration transfers must be found. An algorithm is presented that solves this problem for reconfiguration about a nominal trajectory in arbitrary gravity fields, providing a nonlinear analytical solution to this problem in the spatial domain. The technique being developed is based on a novel application of Hamiltonian dynamics, generating functions, canonical transformations, and the Hamilton‐Jacobi equation. A specific example of reconfiguration of spacecraft about an Earth‐sun libration point is studied that shows that the optimal transfer time depends strongly
Analysis of Ovarian Gene Expression in Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β Knockout Mice

FSH is a heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone that is produced in the gonadotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. It acts on Sertoli cells of the testis and granulosa cells of the ovary. We previously demonstrated that FSHβ knockout female mice are infertile due to a block in folliculogenesis preceding antral stage development. To investigate aberrations of ovarian gene regulation in the absence of FSH, we analyzed the expression of several important marker genes using Northern blot and in situ hybridization techniques. Key findings are as follows: 1) Follicles of FSHβ knockout mice develop a well organized thecal layer, which is positive for P450 17α-hydroxylase and LH receptor messenger RNAs (mRNAs). This indicates that theca recruitment is completed autonomously with respect to FSH. 2) Granulosa cells in FSH-deficient mice demonstrate an increase in FSH receptor mRNA, and decreases in P450 aromatase, serum/glucocorticoid-induced kinase, and inhibin/activin subunit mRNAs. These data support studies that ...
14-3-3 proteins bind to histone and affect both histone phosphorylation and dephosphorylation

14-3-3 proteins appear to play a critical role in Ca2+-stimulated secretion in permeabilized chromaffin cells. 14-3-3 proteins have been reported to be both stimulators and inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). We have found that 14-3-3 proteins, isolated on the basis of their ability to enhance secretory activity, stimulated histone phosphorylation by PKC, but they had no effect on myosin light chain phosphorylation by PKC. 14-3-3 proteins were also found to inhibit the rate of [32P]histone dephosphorylation but not the rate of [32P]myosin light chain dephosphorylation. Cross-linking experiments and affinity chromatography demonstrated that 14-3-3 proteins bind to histones. These results suggest that at least some of the reported effects of 14-3-3 proteins on PKC activity may result from 14-3-3 proteins binding to histone.
Organ interactions in the regulation of hematopoiesis: in vitro interactions of bone, thymus, and spleen with bone marrow stem cells in normal, Sl/Sld and W/Wv mice.

Hematopoietic cell differentiation is influenced by organ-dependent microenvironmental factors as well as humoral regulators. A technique is described for examining certain aspects of the hemopoietic inductive microenvironment in vitro. Suspension and agar cultures of mouse bone marrow were used to study the effects of organ stromal factors on cellular proliferation and differentiation. Bone, spleen, and thymus fragments from irradiated mice were placed in direct contact with or separated by a Nuclepore membrane from syngeneic marrow cells growing in suspension cultures. Normal adult mouse bone and spleen influenced granulocytic differentiation as well as cell proliferation. In this system, bone marrow and organ fragments from W/Wv and Sl/Sld mice behaved like those of their non-anemic littermates. The most prominent difference between W/Wv and Sl/Sla mice and their normal counterparts was observed in the induction of CFU-C from splenic precursors under the influence of CSA. In both types of anemic mice, in vitro generation of CFU-C from spleen was abnormal in young animals but was corrected by four months of age.
The effect of a transverse pressure gradient on the stability of couette flow

Der Einfluss eines transversalen Druck-Gradienten auf die Stabilitat einer Couette-Stromung ist durch direkte Losung der Differentialgleichungen untersucht worden. Es stellt sich heraus, dass fur besondere Werte von Drehzahl und Druck-Gradient die Kurve der neutralen Stabilitat zwei Minima besitzt; dies fuhrt zu unstetigem Verhalten der kritischen Wellenzahl. Eingehende Resultate sowohl fur die Eigenwerte (Taylor-Zahl und Wellenzahl) als auch die Eigenfunktionen (Radial- und Transversal-Komponenten der Storungsgeschwindigkeit) werden hier vorgelegt fur den Fall, dass der aussere Zylinder still steht.
Specimen adequacy and diagnostic specificity of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations of nonpalpable thyroid nodules.

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (USG-FNA) is a safe, effective, and dependable test used to assess thyroid nodules. However, the size of the lesion can adversely affect the outcome of the procedure. The aim of this study was to assess specimen adequacy and diagnostic specificity in USG-FNA of thyroid nodules measuring ≤1.5 cm. A total of 219 thyroid FNAs were performed in a one year; 26 were obtained by pathologists, 139 by clinicians, and 54 by radiologists under ultrasound guidance. Of the 54 ultrasound-guided aspirates, 19 cases (35%) were performed on nodules ≤1.5 cm (range 0.8–1.5 cm, mean 1.3 cm). Cytologic material from these 19 cases was reviewed along with corresponding available follow-up surgical material. Standard criteria for specimen adequacy and established morphologic criteria for diagnostic specificity were assessed in each case. All 19 cases met criteria for specimen adequacy, and in 17 cases (89%) specific cytologic diagnoses were made (cellular/adenomatous nodule––2 cases, colloid nodule––10 cases, Hashimoto's thyroiditis––4 cases, and papillary cystic carcinoma––1 case). The diagnoses were confirmed by surgical follow-up in six cases including the case of papillary carcinoma. One case diagnosed as suspicious for a papillary carcinoma subsequently was found to be a follicular adenoma by histology. In one case, a diagnosis of lymphocytic thyroiditis versus intrathyroidal lymphoid tissue was made (See Table I). In majority of cases of USG-FNA of nonpalpable thyroid nodules, adequate material may be obtained for a specific cytopathologic diagnosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:188–190. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tolvaptan for the Management of Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion: Lessons Learned in Titration of Dose

Objective: To report a patient with idiopathic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) who developed profound aquaresis with symptomatic extracellular fluid depletion after...
The abundance, distribution, and correlation of viruses, phytoplankton, and prokaryotes along a Pacific Ocean transect

Concentrations of virus-like particles (VLP), prokaryote-like particles (PLP), chlorophyll a, and zeaxanthin were determined at 9–12 depths (0–250 m) for each of 13 stations along a 3,800-km transect from the coastal waters of Monterey Bay, California (36.62°N, 122.25°W) to the open ocean Hawaii Ocean Time-Series (HOTS) station near Hawaii (22.69°N, 158.12°W). We collected VLP and PLP, the latter of which included heterotrophic bacteria and cyanobacteria, in glutaraldehyde-fixed samples on 0.02-µm Anodisc filters. The samples were stained with the nucleic acid dye Yo-Pro-1 and quantified by epifluorescence microscopy. Measurements of Chl a and zeaxanthin were used as indicators of total phytoplankton and cyanobacteria biomass, respectively.With the exception of the most coastal station, depth-integrated VLP and PLP abundance was similar at all stations along the transect; all stations showed a decrease of VLP and PLP with depth. Standard multiple regression analysis showed that logarithmically
Effect of Acid Type on Kinetics and Mechanism of Dental Enamel Demineralization

The influence of acid type (pKa effects) of weak organic acid buffers on dissolution kinetics of dental enamel was critically examined for rigorous testing of the behavioral validity of the physical model of Patel et al. (1987). Quantitative evaluation of this model indicated that monitoring initial dissolution rates was a viable approach to critical testing of the model. Initial dissolution rates were determined in 0.1 mol/L acetate (pKa = 4.77), benzoate (pKa = 4.20), and salicylate (pKa = 2.98) buffers (pH = 4.50, mu = 0.50), with ground bovine enamel blocks of known surface area mounted in a rotating disk apparatus. The Levich theory was used to study dependence of dissolution rates on stirring rates in these buffers. The experimental data were analyzed by the physical model which includes pKa effects, complexation of the buffer anion with the other ions, surface kinetics, simultaneous diffusion and equilibrium of all species in enamel pores, diffusion layer thickness, and bulk solution composition. The KIAP (formula: see text) governing the dissolution reaction and the surface resistance factor were deduced from the model. Dissolution kinetics was also followed in these buffers in the presence of calcium or phosphate common ions. In effect, by conducting both the stirring rate studies and common ion experiments, we derived the driving force function independently by these two techniques. The results obtained in this study were consistent with the model, indicating that pKa effects on the dissolution of dental enamel can be accounted for quantitatively by the model, and it was found that weak acids do not influence either the apparent solubility or the surface reaction process of bovine dental enamel.
Global gauge anomalies for simple Lie algebras.

We generalize the formula by Elitzur and Nair on the global-anomaly coefficients in even (D = 2n)-dimensional space and analyze global anomalies for Sp(2N), SO(N), and SU(N) groups. In particular, we show that any irreducible representation of any Sp(N) and SU(2) group has no global anomalies in D = 8k dimensions. In D = 8k+4 dimensions, SU(2) has Z/sub 2/-type global anomalies only if the spin J of an irreducible representation has the form J = (12(1+4l) = 1)2, (52,9)2,... For any SU(N) group in D = 2n, the global-anomaly coefficients can be expressed in terms of so-called unstable James numbers of Stiefel manifold SU(n+1)SU(n-k) and generalized Dynkin indices Q/sub n/..mu../sub 1/(..omega..) for SU(n+1)
Optimum locations for consumers on a theoretical central place landscape

Individual consumers on a theoretical central place landscape expend costs for obtaining goods from places of higher order than their home place. This cost is a function of distance between home and higher order places, and the number of trips made to these places. On a hypothetical landscape with five orders of places, travel costs decrease as the order of the home place increases, with least costs at the fifth order center (zero), and greatest at the first order places. No significant relationship is found between distance from home place to the central fifth order metropolis.
A New Analytical Model of SET Latching Probability for Circuits Experiencing Single- or Multiple-Cycle Single-Event Transients

As technology scales down, more single-event transients (SETs) are expected to occur in combinational circuits and thus contribute to the increase of soft error rate (SER). We propose a systematic analysis method to precisely model the SET latching probability. Due to the decreased critical charge and shortened pipeline stage, the SET duration time is likely to exceed one clock cycle. In previous work, the SET latching probability is modeled as a function of SET pulse width, setup and hold times, and clock period for single-cycle SETs. Our analytical model does not only include new dependent parameters such as SET injection location and starting time, but also precisely categorizes the SET latching probabilities for different parameter ranges. The probability of latching multiple-cycle SETs is specifically analyzed in this work to address the increasing ratio of SET pulse width over clock period. We further propose a method that exploits the boundaries of those dependent parameters to accelerate the SER estimation. Simulation results show that the proposed analysis method achieves up to 97% average accuracy, which is applicable for both single- and multiple-cycle SETs. Our case studies on ISCAS'85 benchmark circuits confirm our analysis on the impact of SET injection location and starting time on the SET latching probability. By exploiting our analytical model, we achieve up to 78% simulation time reduction on the process of SET latching probability and SER estimation, compared with Monte-Carlo simulation.
Defects of graphene on Ir(111): Rotational domains and ridges

We use low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to study different orientations of single-layer graphene sheets on Ir(111). The most-abundant orientation has previously been characterized in the literature. Using selective-area LEED we find three other variants, which are rotated $14\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$, $18.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$, and $30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ with respect to the most common variant. The $\ensuremath{\sim}30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$-rotated structure is also studied by STM. We propose that all four variants are moir\'e structures that can be classified using simple geometric rules involving periodic and quasiperiodic structural motifs. In addition, LEEM reveals that linear defects form in the graphene sheets during cooling from the synthesis temperature. STM shows that these defects are ridges, suggesting that the graphene sheets delaminate locally as the Ir substrate contracts.
A Next Step: Discussion to Consider Unifying the ERS and Joint Committee Standards.

The advice offered by the ERS Standards is highly consistent with that offered by the Joint Committee Standards; however, the author calls into question the need for independent standard-setting efforts and proposes that the ERS and the Joint Committee consider merging their standard-setting programs.
Altered c-fos expression in the parabrachial nucleus in a rodent model of CFA-induced peripheral inflammation

Increases in the expression of immediate early genes have been shown to occur in the lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn after peripheral inflammation. Given that the pontine parabrachial nucleus has been implicated in nociceptive as well as antinociceptive processes and is reciprocally connected with the spinal cord dorsal horn, it seems likely that peripheral inflammation will cause alterations in immediate early gene expression in this nucleus. To test this hypothesis we examined cFos-like immunoreactivity in a rodent complete Freund's adjuvant-induced peripheral inflammatory model of persistent nociception. Unilateral hind paw injections of complete Freund's adjuvant produced inflammation, hyperalgesia of the affected limb, and alterations in open field behaviors. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated a bilateral increase in cFos-like immunoreactivity in the lateral and Kolliker-Fuse subdivisions of the parabrachial nucleus at 6 and 24 hours postinjection and an ipsilateral decrease below basal levels in the Kolliker-Fuse subdivision at 96 hours postinjection when compared to saline controls. Taken together, these results suggest that select parabrachial neurons are activated by noxious somatic inflammation. These active parabrachial neurons are likely to participate in ascending nociceptive and/or descending antinociceptive pathways.
Alternatively spliced isoforms of the NMDAR1 glutamate receptor subunit: Differential expression in the basal ganglia of the rat

Several isoforms of the NMDAR1 glutamate receptor subunit are produced by alternative mRNA splicing of three cassette sequences. Using in situ hybridization with exon-specific probes, we have observed differential regional expression of a cassette in the amino terminus of the NMDAR1 subunit, Insertion I, which confers distinct structural and physiologic properties. The differential distribution of expression is most prominent in the basal ganglia, where only the subthalamic nucleus expresses the insertion at high levels.
The syntheses of pyridazino[1,2-a] pyridazine derivatives of furan, pyridazine and pyrrole by diels-alder reactions

Diels-Alder adducts were formed in the lead tetraacetate oxidations of substituted cyclic hydrazides of furan, pyridazine and pyrrole dicarboxylic acids in the presence of 1,3-cyclo-hexadiene or 1,3-cyclopentadiene. The products resulting were furo[3,4-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]-pyridazine-6,10-diones, pyridazino[4,5-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]pyridazine-6,11-diones, and pyrrolo-[3,4-g]pyridazino[1,2-a]pyridazine-6,10-diones, respectively. Some hydrogenations and ring opening reactions were studied.
Comprehensive data infrastructure for plant bioinformatics

The iPlant Collaborative is a 5-year, National Science Foundation-funded effort to develop cyberinfrastructure to address a series of grand challenges in plant science. The second of these grand challenges is the Genotype-to-Phenotype project, which seeks to provide tools, in the form of a web-based Discovery Environment, for understanding the developmental process from DNA to a full-grown plant. Addressing this challenge requires the integration of multiple data types that may be stored in multiple formats, with varying levels of standardization. Providing for reproducibility requires that detailed information documenting the experimental provenance of data, and the computational transformations applied to data once it is brought into the iPlant environment. Handling the large quantities of data involved in high-throughput sequencing and other experimental sources of bioinformatics data requires a robust infrastructure for storing and reusing large data objects. We describe the currently planned workflows to be developed for the Genotype-to-Phenotype discovery environment, the data types and formats that must be imported and manipulated within the environment, and we describe the data model that has been developed to express and exchange data within the Discovery Environment, along with the provenance model defined for capturing experimental source and digital transformation descriptions. Capabilities for interaction with reference databases are addressed, focusing not just on the ability to retrieve data from such data sources, but on the ability to use the iPlant Discovery Environment to further populate these important resources. Future activities and the challenges they will present to the data infrastructure of the iPlant Collaborative are also described.
Actin in oogenesis

Summary The laser-scanning confocal microscope employed in conjunction with various specific agents and antibodies conjugated to fluorescent dyes reveals details of the actin scaffolding of developing oocytes and the nuclei of attendant cells. The employment of DNase I followed by anti-DNase I antibody has been particularly useful in revealing otherwise cryptic actin-containing structures. The cortical cytoskeleton of developing moth eggs was found to bind both poly (A)+RNA and RNA Pol II. Exposure to cytochalasin D disrupted the actin of the cortex, and at the same time caused redistribution of the proteins and RNA associated with the cytoskeleton. Cytochalasin also had dramatic effects on the structure of nuclei of nurse and follicle cells. Taken in context of the actin network in nuclei uncovered by DNase-anti-DNase treatment, these results suggest that actin plays a major structural and perhaps functional role in insect nuclei.
Few apparent short-term effects of elevated soil temperature and increased frequency of summer precipitation on the abundance and taxonomic diversity of desert soil micro- and meso-fauna

Frequent hydration and drying of soils in arid systems can accelerate desert carbon and nitrogen mobilization due to respiration, microbial death, and release of intracellular solutes. Because desert microinvertebrates can mediate nutrient cycling, and the autotrophic components of crusts are known to be sensitive to rapid desiccation due to elevated temperatures after wetting events, we studied whether altered soil temperature and frequency of summer precipitation can also affect the composition of food web consumer functional groups. We conducted a two-year field study with experimentally-elevated temperature and frequency of summer precipitation in the Colorado Plateau desert, measuring the change in abundance of nematodes, protozoans, and microarthropods. We hypothesized that microfauna would be more adversely affected by the combination of elevated temperature and frequency of summer precipitation than either effect alone, as found previously for phototrophic crust biota. Microfauna experienced normal seasonal fluctuations in abundance, but the effect of elevated temperature and frequency of summer precipitation was statistically non-significant for most microfaunal groups, except amoebae. The seasonal increase in abundance of amoebae was reduced with combined elevated temperature and increased frequency of summer precipitation compared to either treatment alone, but comparable with control (untreated) plots. Based on our findings, we suggest that desert soil microfauna are relatively more tolerant to increases in ambient temperature and frequency of summer precipitation than the autotrophic components of biological soil crust at the surface.
Infectious Diseases at the Boston City Hospital: The First 60 Years

During the 60 years that followed the opening of the Boston City Hospital in 1864, Boston experienced severe epidemics of diphtheria, scarlatina, and measles. The South Department was created to isolate patients, primarily children, who suffered from those diseases. Smallpox was a serious public health problem, and typhoid fever, pneumonia, and tuberculosis continued to cause high mortality. Diagnoses became more accurate and nursing care improved, although for most diseases treatment was not markedly better. The influenza epidemic in 1918 demonstrated how little could be done for patients. Nonetheless, the reputation of the hospital grew, and it gained increased acceptance in the community as medicine became more scientific.
Absorption, Fluorescence and Chemiluminescence Spectra of 2,4,5-Triphenylimidazole (Lophine) and 2-(p-Dimethyl-Aminophenyl)-4,5-Diphenylimidazole in Micellar Solutions

Abstract Lophine and its derivatives, well known for their chemiluminescent properties, are exceptionally hydrophobic. The solubilization of lophine and 2-p-dimethylamino-substituted lophine in micellar solutions enabled us to conduct spectroscopic and chemiluminescence studies in these media. From absorption, fluorescence and chemiluminescence spectra, it became evident that lophine is solubilized in the Stern layer-core region of the cationic CTAB micelle and in the outer polar region of the anionic SDS micelle, while 2-(p-dimethylaminophe-nyl)-4,5-diphenylimidazole is found in the polar region of CTAB micelle. This work is still in progress.
A neuronal isoform of protein kinase G couples mitogen-activated protein kinase nuclear import to axotomy-induced long-term hyperexcitability in Aplysia sensory neurons

The induction of a long-term hyperexcitability (LTH) in vertebrate nociceptive sensory neurons (SNs) after nerve injury is an important contributor to neuropathic pain in humans, but the signaling cascades that induce this LTH have not been identified. In particular, it is not known how injuring an axon far from the cell soma elicits changes in gene expression in the nucleus that underlie LTH. The nociceptive SNs of Aplysia (ap) develop an LTH with electrophysiological properties after axotomy similar to those of mammalian neurons and are an experimentally useful model to examine these issues. We cloned an Aplysia PKG (cGMP-dependent protein kinase; protein kinase G) that is homologous to vertebrate type-I PKGs and found that apPKG is activated at the site of injury in the axon after peripheral nerve crush. The active apPKG is subsequently retrogradely transported to the somata of the SNs, but apPKG activity does not appear in other neurons whose axons are injured. In the soma, apPKG phosphorylates apMAPK (Aplysia mitogen-activated protein kinase), resulting in its entry into the nucleus. Surprisingly, studies using recombinant proteins in vivo and in vitro indicate that apPKG directly phosphorylates the threonine moiety in the T-E-Y activation site of apMAPK when the -Y- site contains a phosphate. We used inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, soluble guanyl cyclase, or PKG after nerve injury, and found that each prevented the appearance of the LTH. Moreover, blocking apPKG activation prevented the nuclear import of apMAPK. Consequently, the nitric oxide-PKG-MAPK pathway is a potential target for treatment of neuropathic pain.
Comparison of miconazole– and ketoconazole–induced release of K+ from Candida species

Relatively high concentrations of miconazole caused immediate and rapid release of K+ from strains of Candida albicans and Can. parapsilosis. Ketoconazole did not. These results support the recent hypothesis that ketonocazole, unlike related antifungal imidazole-containing drugs, cannot exert a direct membrane damaging effect.
Site- and ground motion-dependent nonlinear effects in seismological model predictions

We investigate the empirical relationship between site response nonlinearity, soil properties, and ground motion characteristics, as a first step to enable efficient integration of nonlinear analyses in broadband ground motion simulations. For this purpose, we use 24 downhole array sites with detailed geotechnical information and subject the profiles to broadband ground motion synthetics. We quantify the extent of soil nonlinearity in site-specific response analyses by estimating the divergence between linear and nonlinear ground surface predictions. We show that the parameters controlling the nonlinear response are V_(S30) (weighted averaged shear wave velocity in the top 30 m of the soil profile), the site amplification at the fundamental frequency (Amp), the peak ground acceleration (PGA), and the frequency index (FI), a quantitative measure we define to characterize how well the incident motion can “see” the near-surface soil layers. Using the synthetic results, we quantitatively describe the error introduced in ground motion predictions when nonlinear effects are not accounted for, and show that the error is both site and ground motion dependent. Our study indicates that to characterize the susceptibility of a soil profile to nonlinear effects, V_(S30) should be complemented with measures of the soil–rock impedance contrast, as well as measures of the ground motion intensity and frequency content.
High speed all-optical PRBS generation using binary phase shift keyed signal based on QD-SOA

A scheme to generate return-to-zero on-off keying (RZ-OOK) high speed all-optical pseudo random bit sequence (PRBS) using binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) signal based on quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-SOA) has been designed and studied. The PRBS is generated by a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) composed of all-optical logic XOR and AND gates. The XOR gate is composed of a pair of QD SOA Mach-Zehnder interferometers, which can generate BSPK signal to realize all-optical logic XOR gate. Results show that this scheme can mitigate the patterning effects and increase the operation speed to ~250Gb/s.
Hardness Indentation Studies On Metallic Glasses

Vickers micro-hardness indentations have been performed on a number of amorphous metals. The effects of changes in indentation load on the hardness and appearance of indents will be discussed for amorphous Al87Ni7Gd6. In addition, the effects of changes in test temperature on the micro-hardness and appearance of indentations in Vitreloy I are presented. A transition in deformation/flow character was detected with increasing test temperature for the Vitreloy I specimens. In addition, preliminary hardness data obtained at room temperature on an iron based metallic glass exhibited values in excess of 12 GPa without cracking.
Comparison of mortality with home hemodialysis and center hemodialysis: a national study.

Comparison of mortality with home hemodialysis and center hemodialysis: A national study. We sought to determine whether lower mortality rates reported with hemodialysis (HD) at home compared to hemodialysis in dialysis centers (center HD) could be explained by patient selection. Data are from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) Special Study Of Case Mix Severity, a random national sample of 4,892 patients who started renal replacement therapy in 1986 to 1987. Intent-to-treat analyses compared mortality between home HD ( N =70) and center HD patients ( N = 3,102) using the Cox proportional hazards model. Home HD patients were younger and had a lower frequency of comorbid conditions. The unadjusted relative risk (RR) of death for home HD patients compared to center HD was 0.37 ( P P = 0.02). When additionally adjusted for comorbid conditions, this RR increased marginally (RR = 0.58, P = 0.03). A different analysis using national USRDS data from 1986/7 and without comorbid adjustment showed patients with training for self care hemodialysis at home or in a center ( N = 418) had a lower mortality risk (RR = 0.78, P = 0.001) than center HD patients ( N = 43,122). Statistical adjustment for comorbid conditions in addition to age, sex, race, and diabetes explains only a small amount of the lower mortality with home HD.
Optimizing subpixel rendering using a perceptual metric

— ClearType is a subpixel-rendering method designed to improve the perceived quality of text. The method renders text at subpixel resolution and then applies a one-dimensional symmetric mean-preserving filter to reduce color artifacts. This paper describes a computational method and experimental tests to assess user preferences for different filter parameters. The computational method uses a physical display simulation and a perceptual metric that includes a model of human spatial and chromatic sensitivity. The method predicts experimentally measured preferences for filters for a range of characters, fonts, and displays.
A review of generic health status measures in patients with low back pain.

Generic health status measures are designed to broadly assess the concepts of health, disability, and quality of life. Although generic health status measures are often less responsive to changes in specific conditions than disease-specific instruments, they are important for broad comparisons of the relative impact of different conditions or treatments on the health of the population. The short-form instruments developed from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), the MOS SF-36 and SF-12, have been widely used in the evaluation of low back pain. These instruments are discussed in depth elsewhere in this Focus Issue. However, numerous other generic health status measures have been developed, and many of them have been evaluated in patients with back pain. In this article, the properties of four of these other generic health status measures (the Sickness Impact Profile [SIP], the Nottingham Health Profile [NHP], the Duke Health Profile [DUKE], and the COOP/WONCA charts, a revised and shortened version of the original charts developed by the Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative Information Project [COOP] which was modified by the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners and Family Physicians [WONCA]) are evaluated and compared with the MOS measures, when applicable.
Universal Product Codes: An Adjunct to Traditional Saleforce Controls

Marketing affects and supports the entire organisation. Improvements or reductions in waste within the firm will also have an impact on the firm′s marketing effort. Marketing functions, such as financing the sale, risk taking, storing products, and transporting cannot be eliminated. The article considers the traditional methods of cost controls and applications of technology by the salesforce.
Panglossian Tendencies in Economics: The Case of Theoretical Welfare Economics

Some critics allege that many if not most economists are subject to "Panglossian tendencies" — that is, they are too quick to make excuses for apparently dysfunctional aspects of the status quo. This paper examines theoretical welfare economics as a possible exemplar of "Panglossian tendencies." A major focus is on the absence from both the pedagogic and the professional literatures of two key concepts bearing upon the evaluation of Pareto efficiency and social welfare maximization as competing criteria of economic policy analysis: the "isowelfare function" and the "supra-welfare region." These concepts are explicated herein using the familiar Edgeworth-Bowley box diagram illustrating the twoindividual, two-good pure exchange model. A higher level of awareness and appreciation among economists of these concepts might serve the beneficial purpose of downgrading the perceived significance of Pareto efficiency as an operational criterion of economic performance.
Ultrastructure of the cells of the ovarian interstitial gland in hypophysectomized rats

The fine structure of the interstitial gland of the ovary was studied in hypophysectomized rats and in hypophysectomized rats after denervation of the ovary or stimulation of the ovarian plexus. Hypophysectomized rats were used to eliminate gonadotropic influences on interstitial cells. In hypophysectomized rats, there was a large amount of intercellular space and cells had irregularly shaped nuclei and a large nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio. Prominent cytoplasmic features included small mitochondria with an electron-dense matrix, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, polysomes and large osmiophilic lipid droplets. Interstitial cells from stimulated ovaries had reduced intercellular space and a reduced nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio. Mitochondria had tubular cristae; smooth endoplasmic reticulum-surrounded lipid droplets, and large polysomes were present. After section of the ovarian plexus, intercellular space was increased and filopodia were numerous. Cytoplasmic features included mitochondria with a dense matrix and indistinct cristae, large electronlucent lipid droplets, and variously sized multivesicular structures. These observations suggest that stimulation of the ovarian plexus in hypophysectomized rats causes regressed cells to assume the fine structural features of active steroidogenic cells. In contrast, interruption of the ovarian nerve supply causes a qualitative and quantitative increase in ultrastructural features characteristic of regressed steroidogenic cells. These responses of interstitial gland cells to denervation and stimulation provide morphological evidence for a functional role for the adrenergic nerves to this ovarian compartment.
Rapid isolation of anopheline mosquito eye-colour mutants, based on larval colour change.

. A method is presented for the rapid isolation of eye-colour mutants in anopheline mosquitoes based on their inability to undergo a background-stimulated morphological colour change. For application of this method, larval mosquitoes, whose grandfathers had been mutagenized, were reared in black containers and examined with the naked eye en masse during the third or fourth instar. The vast majority of larvae became dark-coloured; however, rare exceptional pale larvae were observed and examined individually microscopically. Approximately half of the pale types examined were eye-colour mutants. By this method, seven sex-linked mutations in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae s.s. were easily isolated. Additional existing anopheline eye-colour mutants in An. gambiae and An. stephensi were tested and were found to be unable to undergo colour change. Several applications of this simple technique are suggested.
A five-coordinate Pt(II) complex of pyridylmethylaminediacetate

Preparation et caracterisation spectrometrique IR et RMN du complexe du platine (II) avec un compose derive de la pyridine
Exact nonequilibrium transport through point contacts in quantum wires and fractional quantum Hall devices

We have recently calculated exact nonequilibrium quantum transport properties through a point contact in a Luttinger liquid. Using a particular quasiparticle basis of the Hilbert space dictated by integrability, we here compute explicitly the exact I(V) characteristic and conductance out of equilibrium as a function of driving voltage V and temperature T. These are described by universal scaling functions of two variables, the scaled point-contact interaction strength, and V/T. The differential-conductance curve as a function of the interaction strength broadens significantly as V/T is increased, and develops a pronounced maximum at a (universal) critical value (eV/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$T)=7.188 68. . .. In addition, we derive an exact duality between strong and weak backscattering. The theory presented here has recently been realized experimentally in resonant tunneling-transport experiments between edge states in fractional quantum Hall effect devices. In this context the exact duality is between electron tunneling and Laughlin-quasiparticle tunneling.
Removal of toluene in a vapor-phase bioreactor containing a strain of the dimorphic black yeast Exophiala lecanii-corni.

Stricter regulations on volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants have increased the demand for abatement technologies. Biofiltration, a process in which contaminated air is passed through a biologically active bed, can be used to remove these pollutants from air streams. In this study, a fungal vapor-phase bioreactor containing a strain of the dimorphic black yeast, Exophiala lecanii-corni, was used to treat a gas stream contaminated with toluene. The maximum toluene elimination capacity in short-term tests was 270 g m−3 h−1, which is 2 to 7 times greater than the toluene elimination capacities typically reported for bacterial systems. The fungal bioreactor also maintained toluene removal efficiencies of greater than 95% throughout the 175-day study. Harsh operating conditions such as low moisture content, acidic biofilms, and nitrogen limitation did not adversely affect performance. The fungal bioreactor also rapidly reestablished high toluene removal efficiencies after an 8-day shutdown period. These results indicate that fungal bioreactors may be an effective alternative to conventional abatement technologies for treating high concentrations of pollutants in waste gas streams.© 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 75: 550–558, 2001.
AXISYMMETRIC POTENTIAL FLOW IN A CIRCULAR TUBE

Axisymmetric Green's functions and the associated stream functions, which satisfy the boundary condition that the wall of the tube is a stream surface, are presented for various singularities. These include a source on the axis an axially-oriented doublet, a source ring, a source disk, and a vortex ring. Results are expressed as integrals of the modified Bessel functions. These can be applied to formulate Fredholm integral equations of either the first or second kind for determining the axisymmetric, irrotational flow about bodies of revolution in a tube. In the present work, only those of the first kind are treated, including integral equations for axial source and doublet distributions, and a vortex sheet on the surface of the body. Three different methods for solving each of these three integral equations are examined: the method of piecewise-constant singularity elements of von Karman, Kaplan's method of expanding the unknown distribtuion as a series of Legendre polynomials, and solutions by a technique of eliminating peaks in the kernel (representing integrals by means of a quadrature formula) and solving the resulting set of linear equations by means of a suitable iteration formula. Numerical results for three of the methods, applied to a spheroid, are presented. The resulting added masses and a comparison with predictions from slenderbody theory are given in Appendixes.
Structure and magnetic properties of magnetron-sputtered Fe/Cu multilayered thin films.

The structure and magnetic properties of Fe/Cu multilayered films with a constant total Fe thickness of 1050 A but varying Fe-layer thickness from 6.3 to 42 A and varying Cu to Fe thickness ratio from 1 to 3 were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. Samples were prepared at room temperature on mica, glass, and silicon substrates using the dc-magnetron-sputtering method. For films with the same Fe-layer thickness, it was found that the magnetic moment of Fe decreases with increasing thickness ratio of Cu to Fe. For films with a Cu to Fe thickness ratio of 3, it was found that the magnetic moment of Fe decreases with decreasing thickness of the individual Fe layers. XRD and XAFS results revealed that in the multilayered films, Cu has a well-defined fcc structure with minimal amount of structural disorder independent of the individual layer thickness or thickness ratio. On the other hand, quantitative analysis of EXAFS data revealed that the crystal structure of Fe changes with decreasing thickness of the Fe layers from distorted bcc (for 42- and 21-A-thick Fe layers) to fcc (for 10.5- and 6.3-A-thick Fe layers) in films with the Cu layermore » three times thicker than the Fe layer. The single-phase fcc Fe of the 6.3-A Fe/19-A Cu multilayered film was found to have a lattice constant of 3.596 A and is ferromagnetic with a Curie temperature of 210 K and a spontaneous magnetization of [similar to]690 emu/cm[sup 3].« less
A free boundary problem related to singular stochastic control: the parabolic case

(1991). A free boundary problem related to singular stochastic control: the parabolic case. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 16, No. 2-3, pp. 373-424.
Verapamil attenuates ATP depletion during hypoxia: 31P NMR studies of the isolated rat heart.

Abstract To test whether verapamil protects myocardial high-energy phosphate content during hypoxia by reducing pre-hypoxic cardiac work or secondary to metabolic events that occur during hypoxia, we compared the relation between myocardial performance and high-energy phosphate content during normoxia, hypoxia and reoxygenation using 31 P NMR spectroscopy in isolated, isovolumic buffer-perfused rat hearts. Function was reduced either by supplying verapamil or by altering work mechanically. During normoxia, supplying verapamil (10 −6.5 to 10 −5 m ) decreased cardiac performance, increased both creatine phosphate content and intracellular pH, but had no effect on ATP content. During hypoxia, supplying verapamil attenuated ATP and creatine phosphate depletion, and during reoxygenation, ATP content was higher in verapamil-supplied hearts. In hearts in which prehypoxic performance was reduced mechanically, high-energy phosphate content during hypoxia and reoxygenation was preserved to the same extent as in hearts treated with 10 −6.5 m verapamil. During reoxygenation, neither verapamil-pretreatment nor mechanical reduction of pre-hypoxic performance affected the creatine phosphate content or indices of cardiac performance, expressed as percentage of pre-hypoxic values. Since reducing pre-hypoxic workload, either by supplying 10 −6.5 m verapamil or mechanically, produced indistinguishable effects on ATP and creatine phosphate contents during hypoxia and reoxygenation, we conclude that the primary mechanism of action of verapamil in hypoxic injury in the buffer-perfused rat heart is the reduction of pre-hypoxic energy demand.
Preferences for Rape Reduction Strategies

The present study examined the effects of two subject variables (sex of subject and feminist attitudes) and two strategy variables (strategy aggressiveness and locus of responsibility for change) on the perceived effectiveness and desirability of four rape reduction strategies. Fifty-three females and 36 males served as subjects in a 24 factorial design. Although women rated all strategies as more effective and desirable than did men, attitude toward sex roles was a more pervasive determinants of patterns of perceived effectiveness and desirability than was subject sex. Generally, aggressive strategies were rated as more effective than nonaggressive strategies, and strategies placing the locus of responsibility for change on women were considered more effective than strategies requiring men and society to take action. Strategies that were consistent with sex-role stereotypes (women avoiding rape by passive behavior and men and society fighting rape by aggressive treatment of rapists) were seen as more eff...
H-Spaces of Rank Two and Non-Cancellation Phenomena

The homotopy classification of 1-connected, finite-dimensional H-spaces of rank two, whose study was begun by Curtis-Mislin [1], Hilton-Roitberg [4] and Zabrodsky [10], has been recently completed by Mimura-Nishida-Toda [5]. The emphasis in the papers [1, 4, 10] is on rank two H-spaces without homological 2-torsion. In this case, it is shown in [1, 4, 10] that, aside from the classical examples, the only occurrences of H-spaces are certain of the (total spaces of) principal Sa-bundles over S 7. In fact, if Eko ~ denotes the bundle whose classifying map is k ~o, where tn is the Blakers-Massey generator s, then, from [3, 8], all Eke o except perhaps for k = 2 , 6 do actually admit H-structures, while from [10], E2~ and E6w do not admit H-structures. Among these seven principal bundles, precisely two, namely E,o=Sp(2) and Es,~, admit loop-space structures. For these spaces, we have the non-cancellation phenomenon referred to in the title, namely E~• 3, E,o~Eso,, (1.1)
The behavior of alkoxides with allyl(chloromethyl)dimethylsilanes and (chloromethyl)dimethylvinylsilane; the abilities of allyl and vinyl groups to migrate from pentacoordinate silicon

Abstract Sodium methoxide in tetrahydrofuran attacks silicon in allyl(chloromethyl)dimethylsilane and in (chloromethyl)dimethylvinylsilane with displacement of chloride and 1,2-migration of the allyl and the vinyl groups to give 1-(3-butenyl)methoxydimethylsilane and allylmethoxydimethylsilane.