cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The WASP: an atonomous surface vessel for the University of Alaska

The vision of the autonomous surface vessel program is to develop an instrumented boat capable of robust, automatic sampling of oceanographic data at specific locations and depths in estuary and coastal waters. The objective of the WASP project was to develop an initial prototype of such a system including software, physical hardware and electronic components. The physical structure includes pontoons, vertical supports, and a platform housing the vessel's power source, onboard electronics and payload. The onboard electronics control the movement and functionality of the vessel and the payload of scientific instruments are attached to a winch for taking readings at depth. Also, the user interface developed for the wireless communication and control of the vessel is Internet based allowing the user to control the vessel anywhere in the world. This prototype will be integrated and tested in Elkhorn Slough during the summer of 2005 as part of an SCU-MBARI project. The work performed to date has been critical in the development of the ASV concept which is expected to lead to an operational system deployed in the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Alaska and other national estuaries.
Determinants of psychology service utilization in a palliative care outpatient population.

Objective Research has demonstrated that treating cancer patients' psychological and physical health leads to improved overall health. This may be especially true for palliative care patients facing serious illness. This study examines the proportion and determinants of psychology service utilization in an outpatient palliative care population. Methods Data from an existing clinical database in an outpatient palliative clinic utilizing a collaborative care model to deliver psychology services were explored. This study was framed by Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Service Use, which incorporates three main components: predisposing, enabling, and need factors to model health service utilization. The sample (N = 149) was majority middle aged, female, and White with a primary diagnosis of cancer. Cross-tabulations were conducted to determine how many patients who met screening criteria for depression or anxiety sought psychology services. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess for predisposing, enabling, and need factor determinants of psychology service utilization. Results Among patients who met criteria for moderate depression or anxiety, 50% did not access readily available psychology services. Enabling factors were the strongest determinant of psychology utilization. Factors associated with need for psychology services (i.e., emotional distress and psychological symptom burden) did not reach significance in determining psychology service use. Conclusions This study extends current knowledge about psychology utilization to palliative care outpatients receiving care within a collaborative care model. Directions for future research include further investigation of care models that optimize enabling strategies to enhance access to these services, and examination of patient-reported barriers to receiving this care. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of the Nano-Dust Analyzer (NDA) for operation under solar UV illumination

Abstract The performance of the Nano-Dust Analyzer (NDA) instrument is analyzed for close pointing to the Sun, finding the optimal field-of-view (FOV), arrangement of internal baffles and measurement requirements. The laboratory version of the NDA instrument was recently developed ( O׳Brien et al., 2014 ) for the detection and elemental composition analysis of nano-dust particles. These particles are generated near the Sun by the collisional breakup of interplanetary dust particles (IDP), and delivered to Earth׳s orbit through interaction with the magnetic field of the expanding solar wind plasma. NDA is operating on the basis of impact ionization of the particle and collecting the generated ions in a time-of-flight fashion. The challenge in the measurement is that nano-dust particles arrive from a direction close to that of the Sun and thus the instrument is exposed to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The performed optical ray-tracing analysis shows that it is possible to suppress the number of UV photons scattering into NDA׳s ion detector to levels that allow both high signal-to-noise ratio measurements, and long-term instrument operation. Analysis results show that by avoiding direct illumination of the target, the photon flux reaching the detector is reduced by a factor of about 103. Furthermore, by avoiding the target and also implementing a low-reflective coating, as well as an optimized instrument geometry consisting of an internal baffle system and a conical detector housing, the photon flux can be reduced by a factor of 106, bringing it well below the operation requirement. The instrument׳s FOV is optimized for the detection of nano-dust particles, while excluding the Sun. With the Sun in the FOV, the instrument can operate with reduced sensitivity and for a limited duration. The NDA instrument is suitable for future space missions to provide the unambiguous detection of nano-dust particles, to understand the conditions in the inner heliosphere and its temporal variability, and to constrain the chemical differentiation and processing of IDPs.
The stabilizing influence of parenchymal tethering on airway reopening

To elucidate the influence of parenchymal tethering, a series of reopening experiments was performed on freshly excised canine lobes in a vacuum chamber. In each experiment, a triple-lumen catheter was inserted into a non-cartilaginous airway (2-3 mm diameter) and alveolar capsules were placed on the lung surface to provide atmospheric pressure to the alveoli and measure alveolar pressure (P/sub alveoli/). Lung volumes were set by fixing the vacuum pressure (P/sub vacuum/), hence establishing the transpulmonary pressure (P/sub L/=P/sub alveoli/-P/sub vacuum/). The airway was then collapsed by suction through one of the catheter's three lumens. During subsequent constant-flow air delivery through the second lumen, the third lumen measured the pressure needed to reopen the collapsed airway. The authors noticed two types of distinct reopening behavior: (1) an unstable low-frequency fluttering phenomenon characteristic of small P/sub L/ in which the airway tends to recollapse after being reopened and (2) stable reopening phenomena at large P/sub L/ in which parenchymal tethering kept the airway patent after the airway pressure either forced the airway walls apart or ruptured the lining fluid meniscus. >
The in vitro transmission frequency of the t12 mutation in the mouse

Male mice which are heterozygous for a recessive lethal mutation (+ / t L ) transmit the t L mutation in non-Mendelian ratios. In the present studies, spermatozoa obtained from + / t 12 males were used to fertilize ova from + / t 12 females in vitro . The frequency of transmission of the t 12 mutation determined from these in vitro studies was compared with the frequency of transmission of this mutation in normal and delayed matings. The data show that the transmission frequency of the t 12 mutation, in vitro , is Mendelian and is the same as the transmission frequency of the t 12 mutation in vivo when matings are delayed until the time of ovulation.
Some effects of charge and structure upon ionic interactions of nucleic acids.

The interaction of heat-denatured calf-thymus DNA with small cations has been studied under varying conditions of acidity and ionic strength, using conductimetric methods. It is shown that protonation of some of the bases has a large effect upon the combination with divalent ions such as Ba2+ and Mg2+, but that the tetraamine, spermine, continues to react stoichiometrically, displacing protons from the bases in the process. It is also shown that native DNA reacts strongly with the divalent ions, so that differences in the shape of the conductimetric titration curves of native and denatured material cannot be ascribed to differences in accessibility of reactive sites. The conductivity changes accompanying denaturation in 10−3M NaCl are shown to define a typical sigmoid curve if percentage change in conductivity is plotted against temperature. Conductimetric methods have also been applied to the s-RNA isolated from Escherichia coli. The results are discussed in connection with other evidence concerning s-RNA-cation interactions.
Using stable isotope mixing in a Great Lakes coastal tributary to determine food web linkages in young fishes.

We characterized stable isotope mixing along a river-Great Lake transition zone in the St. Louis River, an important fish nursery inwestern LakeSuperior, and useditto identify food web linkages supporting young fish production. We observed a broad, spatial pattern in the carbon stable isotope ratio (δ 13 C); downriver enrichment in particulate organic carbon and aquatic vegetation δ 13 C, as well as pelagic, benthic and littoral invertebrate δ 13 C, reflected isotope mixing along the river-lake transition zone. Fishes with similarly enriched δ 13 C were used to identify bentho- pelagic and littoral trophic pathways. River and Lake Superior organic matter (OM) sources contributed to both pathways. Differences between the δ 13 C in fishes and invertebrate prey revealed that fish production was supported at multiple spatial scales. The result was that the food web specific to any location along the transition zone incorporat- ed multiple OM sources from across the watershed.
Income Inequality and Redistributive Spending: Evidence from Panel Data of Texas Counties

AbstractThe relationship between redistributive spending and income inequality has been of interest to researchers for several decades. Existing literature has largely focused on country-level studies and may be broadly divided into two groups: studies that find a positive relationship between the two and studies that find a negative relationship. The positive association is usually explained through the median voter theory and the negative association through the social insurance theory.This study offers a test of the median voter and social insurance hypotheses by examining the relationship between economic inequality, voter turnout and redistributive spending at the sub-national level among the 50 largest counties in Texas over years 2006 to 2012. One of the advantages of using a regional sample is that counties are relatively more homogeneous and allow for the collection of better records across time. Random effects models suggest that income inequality is positively associated with redistributive spe...
Analysis of the embryonic lineage of vertebrate taste buds

In all vertebrates, taste buds are the last sensory receptors to appear late in embryonic development. They are thought to arise locally from the oropharyngeal epithelium, although this hypothesis has not been tested experimentally. Alternatively, taste buds have been proposed to arise from neuroectodermal cells that migrate from peripheral neurogenic sources to the oropharyngeal epithelium and give rise to taste bud precursor cells. In order to determine the exact embryonic lineage of the cells of vertebrate taste buds, we have employed a combination of endogenous and exogenous cell marking techniques to follow neuroectodermal and endodermal cells through development. We find, in the ambystomatid salamander used in our studies, taste buds arise locally within the endodermally-derived epithelium lining the oropharyngeal cavity, and do not receive a contribution from neuroectodermal sources, i.e. ectodermal placodes or cephalic neural crest.
Interaction of artificial phospholipid membranes with isolated polymorphonuclear leucocytic granules.

AFTER the engulfment of particles by rabbit polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes, the membrane of granulocytic lysosomes fuses with the membrane of the phagocytic vacuole, thereby allowing lysosomal enzymes access to the ingested material1. To try to understand this specific interaction between lysosomal and vacuolar membranes, we have studied a cell-free system containing isolated PMN granules with artificial model membranes substituted for the vacuolar membrane.
Kinetics of the reduction of hematite to magnetite near its Curie transition

Abstract I report the reduction of Fe 2 O 3 to Fe 3 O 4 in approximately 5% H 2 around the Curie transition temperature of 575°C of Fe 3 O 4 . Powder samples of hematite from J.T. Baker Chemical Co. were sintered in air at approximately 1000°C for 8 h to coarsen the material in order to ensure a reaction rate around 575°C. SEM and TEM measurements were performed to verify the particle size of these materials. Image analyses were performed using a desktop computer to calculate the particle size. X-ray data revealed that the starting samples were single-phase hematite with an impurity phase of less than 5% Fe 3 O 4 . The purpose is to investigate whether there is any anomalous behavior during the reduction of Fe 2 O 3 to Fe 3 O 4 in the vicinity of the magnetic transition temperature of either magnetite or gamma Fe 2 O 3 . Hydrogen reductions were performed in the temperature range of 500–630°C using a Perkin-Elmer TG-7. I will discuss the data in light of the regular Hedvall effect which occurs upon the oxidation of magnetite.
Triple-barrel Organization of ENaC, a Cloned Epithelial Na+ Channel

A cloned rat epithelial Na+ channel (rENaC) was studied in planar lipid bilayers. Two forms of the channel were examined: channels produced by the alpha subunit alone and those formed by alpha, beta, and gamma subunits. The protein was derived from two sources: either from in vitro translation reaction followed by Sephadex column purification or from heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes and isolation of plasma membranes. We found that either alpha-rENaC alone or alpha- in combination with beta- and gamma-rENaC, produced highly Na(+)-selective (PNa/PK = 10), amiloride-sensitive (Kamili = 170 nM), and mechanosensitive cation channels in planar bilayers. alpha-rENaC displayed a complicated gating mechanism: there was a nearly constitutively open 13-picosiemens (pS) state and a second 40-pS level that was achieved from the 13-pS level by a 26-pS transition. alpha-, beta-, gamma-rENaC showed primarily the 13-pS level. alpha-rENaC and alpha,beta,gamma-rENaC channels studied by patch clamp displayed the same gating pattern, albeit with > 2-fold lowered conductance levels, i.e. 6 and 18 pS, respectively. Upon treatment of either channel with the sulfhydryl reducing agent dithiothreitol, both channels fluctuated among three independent 13-pS sublevels. Bathing each channel with a high salt solution (1.5 M NaCl) produced stochastic openings of 19 and 38 pS in magnitude between all three conductance levels. Different combinations of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-rENaC in the reconstitution mixture did not produce channels of intermediate conductance levels. These findings suggest that functional ENaC is composed of three identical conducting elements and that their gating is concerted.
Contact Area Modeling and On-Line Estimation in Resistance Spot Welding

Contact areas at both electrode-to-sheet and sheet-to-sheet interfaces are important in the resistance spot welding process. Given electrode force and welding time, contact areas strongly affect the amount of electrical current needed to make a good weld. In production, process variation such as electrode wear and misalignment causes the contact areas to vary. This effect contributes largely to the quality variation of resistance spot welds. This paper proposes a model-based approach to contact area estimation in the resistance spot welding process. A finite element analysis procedure is used to characterize the contact area behaviors. Based on the understanding from the simulations, a lumped parameter model, together with its calibration and estimation procedures, is developed for on-line applications. The proposed method is demonstrated successful under various process conditions including electrode size, force, welding time and current. It provides important information for on-line monitoring and control of the resistance spot welding process.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Scaling Behavior of the Magnetoconductivity of Dilute 2D Electrons: Transition to a Spin Ordered Phase

For a broad range of electron densities n and temperatures T, the in-plane magnetoconductivity of the two-dimensional system of electrons in silicon MOSFETs can be scaled onto a universal curve with a single parameter H σ (n, T), where H σ obeys the empirical relation H σ = A(n) Δ(n) 2 + T 2 ] 1/2 . The characteristic energy k B Δ associated with the magnetic field dependence of the conductivity decreases with decreasing density, and extrapolates to 0 at a critical density no, signaling the approach to a zero-temperature quantum phase transition. We show that H σ = AT for densities near n 0 .
The embeddedness of age: Toward a social control perspective.

This article discusses two ways in which age is embedded-in sociology and in society. By embeddedness in sociology I mean that sociological theory and research have continuously developed ideas about age. Furthermore, these ideas have been divided into macro- and microsociological perspectives. Age has been defined as chronology, as a cultural object, as a structural property of societies, and as a social group. In the first half of this article four strands of sociological interest in age derived from these definitions are identified. In the second half, the way age is embedded in society is discussed. Integrating macro- and microsociological analyses, a rubric of social control is developed suggesting that age-linked norms control individual behavior, emotions and relations in the public domain. Biological processes, economic conditions, individual definitions and the private sphere modify those norms. The interaction of these domains renders age norms flexible and subject to change.
Electronic Raman and Infrared Spectra of Isotopically Controlled “Blue” Diamonds

We report the first observation of the electronic Raman effect in semiconducting p-type, isotopically controlled diamonds. The Raman transition between the spin-orbit split 1s ground states of boron acceptors occurs at ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2.07\left(1\right)$ and 2.01(1) meV in natural and ${}^{13}\mathrm{C}$ diamonds, respectively. Polarization features show the transition to be predominantly ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{5}$ in character, placing an upper limit on the ratio of the nonspherical Luttinger parameters of the valence band. Host-isotope-related self-energy shifts are observed in both the electronic infrared and Raman spectra.
WE‐E‐BRD‐08: Next‐Generation Deformable Patient Modeling for Monte Carlo Assessment of Organ Doses

Purpose: Whole‐body patient models of various sizes and postures are needed for the assessment of organdoses in CTimaging, internal nuclear medicine and external‐beam radiation treatment procedures. This paper discusses a deformable mesh‐based modeling method to create patient‐specific phantoms that are morphed by changing to 5th‐ to 95th‐percentiles of body height and weight, as well as internal organ volume and masse. Method and Materials: The mesh‐based reference adult male and female phantoms were deformed by mainly two different percentile data: 1) the whole‐body size percentile data which were defined by the anthropometric parameters such as height and weight from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). 2) individual internal organ percentile data which were derived by the cumulative pattern analysis based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 23 and 89 references. These mesh‐based percentile phantoms were converted into the voxel‐based phantoms. The final step is to link the voxel phantom with correct tissue density and elemental composition, so that radiation transport through the human‐body phantom was modeled correctly in a Monte Carlo code. Results: The whole‐body size percentile models have been created by the NHANES anthropometric data and the details of organ percentiles derived from ICRP references. The deformability of the RPI reference adult phantoms has been shown through the demonstration of percentiles‐ and postures‐specific adult models. Conclusion: A next generation deformable patient modeling method has been demonstrated. With the mesh deformation algorithms, the individual organs are able to be deformed to match the volumes and masses with desired organ percentiles. The flexible modeling allows patients to be represented in various sizes and postures for the purpose of Monte Carlodose calculations. This study also identified the need for further research to develop method to run Monte Carlo calculations in mesh geometry directly.
Surgical outcomes of isolated caudate lobe resection: a single series of 19 patients.

Background. Isolated caudate lobe resection is a complex surgical procedure that requires technical expertise and knowledge of the surgical anatomy. Methods. All consecutive patients who were operated on for isolated caudate lobe resections by the senior author were studied. En bloc resections with adjacent hepatic parenchyma (as part of extended hepatectomies) or partial resections of the caudate lobe were excluded. Follow-up was completed by outpatient evaluation and mail correspondence. Results. Nineteen patients met the inclusion criteria (6 male, 13 female). Mean age (±SD) was 52 (±3) years. Primary diagnoses were colorectal metastases, hemangioma, hepatocellular carcinoma, adenoma, and neuroendocrine metastases. Margins were negative in all but 1 patient. One patient needed inferior vena cava resection. Pringle's maneuver was used in 1 patient (5%). Mean (±SD) operative time was 211 (±15) minutes, and estimated blood loss was 760 (±150) mL. Median blood transfusion was 0 U (range, 0-4). Complications (bile leak) were seen in 1 patient (5%). Median length of stay was 7 days (range, 4-14). There were no perioperative deaths. Conclusions. Isolated caudate lobe resection is a feasible procedure that can be done with low morbidity/mortality. Sound surgical judgment and detailed knowledge of the caudate lobe anatomy are keys for a safe performance of this procedure. (Surgery 2002;132:697-709.)
The XXVth Anniversary of the International Union of Psychological Science

Abstract The First International Congress of Psychology was held in 1889, under the presidency of T. A. Ribot, in Paris, France. Eighty-seven years later, psychologists from throughout the world will meet once again in Paris, for the XXIst International Congress under the presidency of Paul Fraisse. The International Union of Psychological Science (I.U.P.S.) was a natural growth from the International Organizing Committees of the earliest congresses; it was formally established at the XHIth International Congress of Psychology, held in Stockholm, Sweden, in July 1951. A long and distinguished series of international congresses had served psychology well but the rapid growth of psychology and the need for improved scientific communication and professional development throughout the world required an ongoing organization that would provide continuity. As the Union approaches the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary at the forthcoming Paris Congress, it is time to examine what has been accomplished and w...
Seed Size, Sediment, and Spatial Heterogeneity: Post-Flood Species Coexistence in Dryland Riparian Ecosystems

Floods create landscape heterogeneity through erosion and deposition of sediment, but more information is needed on how these physical processes influence plant communities. We conducted two glasshouse experiments to determine how assemblages of riparian seeds with different traits respond to burial by sediment, and to determine whether species diversity increases in response to heterogeneous sediment deposition. In experiment #1, three sediment treatments were applied to soil collected from the riparian zone of a semi-arid river, and in experiment #2, seeds from 30 plant species were subject to three sediment and two soil moisture treatments. We found that seed mass, wetland affinity, and phylogeny all influence capacity to emerge from depth, with sediment thus acting as an environmental filter. Small-seeded wetland species were abundant in a treatment that simulated flood wetting with no sedimentation, while deposition of sediment (0.2 to 10 cm) favored large-seeded mesic and xeric species, and to a lesser extent monocots (vs. eudicots). Rapid drawdown of water further increased emergence for large, buried seeds, suggesting that deep sedimentation together with rapidly draining water can terrestrialize post-flood communities. Although spatially heterogeneous sediment depth creates patchy community assemblages, it did not increase diversity in comparison to uniform lack of sedimentation.
Cross strip anode readouts for large format, photon counting microchannel plate detectors: developing flight qualified prototypes of the detector and electronics

Photon counting microchannel plate (MCP) imagers have been the detector of choice for most UV astronomical missions over the last two decades (e.g. EUVE, FUSE, COS on Hubble etc.). Over this duration, improvements in the MCP laboratory readout technology have resulted in better spatial resolution (x10), temporal resolution (x1000) and output event rate (x100), all the while operating at lower gain (x 10) resulting in lower high voltage requirements and longer MCP lifetimes. One such technology is the parallel cross strip (PXS) readout. Laboratory versions of PXS electronics have demonstrated < 20 μm FWHM spatial resolution, count rates on the order of 2 MHz, and temporal resolution of ~ 1ns. In 2012 our group at U.C. Berkeley, along with our partners at the U. Hawaii, received a Strategic Astrophysics Technology grant to raise the TRL of the PXS detector and electronics from 4 to 6 by replacing most of the high powered electronics with application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) which will lower the power, mass and volume requirements of the PXS detector. We were also tasked to design and fabricate a "standard" 50mm square active area MCP detector incorporating these electronics that can be environmentally qualified for flight (temperature, vacuum, vibration). The first ASICs designed for this program have been fabricated and are undergoing testing. We present the latest progress on these ASIC designs and performance and show imaging results from the new 50 x 50 mm XS detector.
Interactions of GABAA Receptor Activation and Light on Period mRNA Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

Activation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) resets the circadian clock during the day and inhibits the ability of light to reset the clock at night. Light in turn acts during the day to inhibit the phase-resetting effects of GABA. Some evidence suggests that Period mRNA changes in the SCN are responsible for these interactions between light and GABA. Here, the hypothesis that light and the GABA A receptor interact by altering the expression of Period 1 and/or Period 2 mRNA in the SCN is tested. The GABA A agonist muscimol was injected near the SCN just prior to a light pulse, during the mid-subjective day and the early and late subjective night. Changes in Period 1 and Period 2 mRNA were measured in the SCN by in situ hybridization. Light-induced Period 1 mRNA was inhibited by GABA A receptor activation in the early and late subjective night, while Period 2 mRNA was only inhibited during the late night. During the subjective day, light had no effect on the ability of muscimol to suppress Period 1 mRNA hybridization signal. Thus, light and GABA A receptor activation inhibit each other's ability to induce behavioral phase shifts throughout the subjective day and night. However, only in the late night are these behavioral effects correlated with changes in Period gene expression. Together, our data support the hypothesis that the interacting effects of light and GABA are the result of the opposing actions of these stimuli on Period mRNA, but only during the subjective night.
Methyl parathion degradation in soil: influence of soil--water tension.

Abstract Four soil-water tensions ranging from 10 kPa to 1.5 MPa were employed to study the effect of soil-water tension on methyl parathion degradation, metabolism and bound-residue formation in two soils. Uniformly ring-labeled [ 14 C]methyl parathion was used. Mineralization was rapid in soils at 10 and 33 kPa. Results from the disappearance of 14 C-activity indicated that methyl parathion could be also rapidly mineralized in soils at 100 kPa, while mineralization at 1.5 MPa was slower. Nonextractable 14 C-activity (bound residues) was formed rapidly during 7–14 days in the soils maintained at 100 kPa and lower. The formation of nonextractable 14 C-activity in the 1.5 MPa soils was slower but increased steadily during 28 days. Since no methyl aminoparathion was detected, it was suggested that the insecticide was hydrolyzed initially to p -nitrophenol and subsequently was reduced to p -aminophenol. The reduction was favored in moist soils (10 and 33 kPa) but was resisted in dry soil (1.5 MPa).
Solubilization of the neutral and charged forms of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, or methyl-β-cyclodextrin in water

The solubility of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) in hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD), or methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MebetaCD) at pH 3.0 and 8.8 reported by Hanna et al. [J. Hazard. Mater. B100 (2003) 109] is reevaluated in this paper. The complexations of the individual dissolved forms were examined. As expected, the neutral TCP complexes more strongly with the cyclodextrins than the charged species. However, in spite of its lower complexation constant, the charged form of TCP forms more complex with each CD, and thus is solubilized to a greater extent.
The dependent shop sequencing algorithm A general algorithm for solving flow shop, job shop, and dependent shop sequencing problems

This article describes a heuristic algorithm which will yield an optimal or near optimal minimal makespan solution to a specific type of sequencing/scheduling problem defined as the dependent sequencing problem which includes the pure job-shop and flow-shop sequencing problems. The name ‘ dependent sequencing ’ was selected for this model since it reflects the possibility of interdependence between activities of the technological processing order graph (GTPO) not present in ‘ pure ’ job -shop or f low-shop sequencing models. There are some approaches to this class of problem which provide optimal solutions, but their time to solutions and/or theoretical approaches make them difficult to understand and apply. Recent articles in the literature have recommended that research in the sequencing/ scheduling area be directed toward developing practical approaches which can be easily understood and applied. The dependent shop algorithm utilizes extensions of PERT/CPM techniques which are widely known and therefor...
OH fluorescence images of the quenching of a premixed flame during an interaction with a vortex

Local quenching of a premixed laminar flame has been imaged using OH planar laser induced fluorescence as the flame interacts with the well-defined strain field of a single laminar vortex. This flame-vortex interaction represents a fundamental “building block” of premixed turbulent combustion. Since the OH concentrations reach a maximum in the flame-front which is 10 times larger than the value in the burnt gas, the measured [OH] profiles indicate the instantaneous shape of the reaction zone. Local quenching is confirmed by the disappearance of the reaction zone. Four different vortex strengths were studied; the weakest vortex causes flame wrinkling only; stronger vortices create pockets of unburned gas. Local quenching occurs at the leading edge of the vortex when the Karlovitz number (based upon the vortex diameter and rotational velocity) exceeds 0.17, which is significantly less than the value 1 predicted previously. Quenching is believed to result from a combination of flame stretch and radiative heat loss in the burnt gas. Effects of flame curvature are quantified; the highest OH fluorescence intensities occur when the flamefront is convex towards the reactants, as expected for these flames for which Lewis number
High cholesterol-induced neuroinflammation and amyloid precursor protein processing correlate with loss of working memory in mice.

Recent findings suggest that hypercholesterolemia may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like dementia but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the cognitive performance in rodent models of hypercholesterolemia in relation to neuroinflammatory changes and amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, the two key parameters of AD pathogenesis. Groups of normal C57BL/6 and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-deficient mice were fed a high fat/cholesterol diet for an 8-week period and tested for memory in a radial arm maze. It was found that the C57BL/6 mice receiving a high fat diet were deficient in handling an increasing working memory (WM) load compared to counterparts receiving a control diet while the hypercholesterolemic LDLR−/− mice showed impaired WM regardless of diet. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the presence of activated microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampi from high fat-fed C57BL/6 mice and LDLR−/− mice. Consistent with a neuroinflammatory response, the hyperlipidemic mice showed increased expression of cytokines/mediators including TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, NOS2 and COX2. There was also an induced expression of the key APP processing enzyme i.e., BACE1 in both high fat/cholesterol-fed C57BL/6 and LDLR−/− mice accompanied by an increased generation of C-terminal fragments (CTFs) of APP. Although ELISA for Aβ failed to record significant changes in the non-transgenic mice, a 3-fold increase in Aβ-40 accumulation was apparent in a strain of transgenic mice expressing wt hAPP on high fat/cholesterol diet. The findings link hypercholesterolemia with cognitive dysfunction potentially mediated by increased neuroinflammation and APP processing in a non-transgenic mouse model.
Exact local solution of the continuous network design problem via stochastic user equilibrium assignment

Abstract The continuous Network Design Problem (NDP) deals with determining optimal expansions for the capacities of a street network, subject to the constraint that the street traffic volumes must be the outcome of a user-optimal equilibrium assignment. Although the use of deterministic equilibrium methods tends to produce computationally intractable problems, in this paper it is shown that a stochastic user equilibrium based on the logit model leads to a differentiable and large-scale, but tractable, version of the NDP. A procedure for computing the derivatives of the stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) assignment without having to first compute the route choice probabilities is given, and this procedure is coupled with two standard algorithms for solving nonlinear programs, the generalized reduced gradient method and sequential quadratic programming. These algorithms are tested on several example networks, and the results of these tests suggest that the SUE-constrained version of the NDP offers both a promising heuristic for solving DUE-constrained problems as well as a viable procedure in its own right.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inducesc-fmsRNA Expression in Murine Tissue Macrophages

The macrophage-colony stimulating factor receptor, c-fms, is induced by IL-2 in monocytes and is suppressed by LPS, LPS plus IFN-gamma, phorbol esters, and colony stimulating factor in monocytes/macrophages. Here we show that c-fms RNA is induced by treatment of murine tissue macrophages with TNF-alpha. This induction is suppressed by co-treatment with LPS, IFN-gamma, LPS plus IFN-gamma, aspirin, and ox LDL. c-fms expression is required for the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of monocytes/macrophages. Our findings indicate a way by which TNF-alpha, as well as LPS, IFN-gamma, aspirin, and ox LDL impinge upon macrophage biology.
Genetic Correlation Between Innate Alcohol Preference and Fear-Potentiated Startle in Selected Mouse Lines

Background: There is a high rate of co-occurrence between anxiety and alcohol-use disorders in humans that may arise from the inheritance of common genes that increase the risk for both psychiatric disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a genetic relationship exists between innate alcohol preference and propensity to develop learned fear, using the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm, in 2 mouse lines selectively bred for high or low alcohol preference. Methods: Alcohol-naive, male, and female mice from replicate pairs of lines selectively bred for high alcohol preference and low alcohol preference were randomly assigned to a fear-conditioned or control group. Mice in the fear-conditioned group received 20 pairings of a light stimulus and footshock; the control group received the same number of exposures to light and footshock, except that these stimuli were explicitly unpaired. During testing for FPS, acoustic stimuli were presented both in the presence and in the absence of the light stimulus. Results: In both replicate pairs of lines, mice selectively bred for high alcohol preference showed greater FPS than mice selectively bred for low alcohol preference. No sex differences in FPS were found in any line. Control groups did not show FPS. Conclusion: These findings suggest that common genes mediate both innate alcohol preference and propensity to develop learned fear in these selected mouse lines.
Problems encountered in detecting a targeted gene by the polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract We have investigated problems encountered when using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect recombinants in gene targeting experiments in which homologous recombination occurs between incoming DNA and an endogenous target sequence. The targeting system studied was designed to correct a human sickle-cell β-globin-encoding gene ( HBB S ) on human chromosome 11 by replacing the defective gene with incoming DNA carrying normal HBB sequences. Two sets of experiments were executed which led to the isolation of a clone of cells having the sickle-cell gene corrected. We found that a positive control system was essential to allow a real targeting event to be distinguished from various types of false positives that arise during the diagnostic PCR.
Resource Utilization of Living Donor Versus Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation Is Similar at an Experienced Transplant Center

Although living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been shown to decrease waiting-list mortality, little is known of its financial impact relative to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). We performed a retrospective cohort study of the comprehensive resource utilization, using financial charges as a surrogate measure-from the pretransplant through the posttransplant periods-of 489 adult liver transplants (LDLT n = 86; DDLT n = 403) between January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2006, at a single center with substantial experience in LDLT. Baseline characteristics differed between LDLT versus DDLT with regards to age at transplantation (p = 0.02), male gender (p < 0.01), percentage Caucasians (p < 0.01) and transplant model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (p < 0.01). In univariate analysis, there was a trend toward decreased total transplant charges with LDLT (p = 0.06), despite increased surgical charges associated with LDLT (p < 0.01). After adjustment for the covariates that were associated with financial charges, there was no significant difference in total transplant charges (p = 0.82). MELD score at transplant was the strongest driver of resource utilization. We conclude that at an experienced transplant center, LDLT imposes a similar overall financial burden than DDLT, despite the increased complexity of living donor surgery and the addition of the costs of the living donor. We speculate that LDLT optimizes transplantation by transplanting healthier and younger recipients.
Evaluation of microarray-based DNA methylation measurement using technical replicates: the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study

DNA methylation is a widely studied epigenetic phenomenon; alterations in methylation patterns influence human phenotypes and risk of disease. As part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (HM450) BeadChip was used to measure DNA methylation in peripheral blood obtained from ~3000 African American study participants. Over 480,000 cytosine-guanine (CpG) dinucleotide sites were surveyed on the HM450 BeadChip. To evaluate the impact of technical variation, 265 technical replicates from 130 participants were included in the study. For each CpG site, we calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to compare variation of methylation levels within- and between-replicate pairs, ranging between 0 and 1. We modeled the distribution of ICC as a mixture of censored or truncated normal and normal distributions using an EM algorithm. The CpG sites were clustered into low- and high-reliability groups, according to the calculated posterior probabilities. We also demonstrated the performance of this clustering when applied to a study of association between methylation levels and smoking status of individuals. For the CpG sites showing genome-wide significant association with smoking status, most (~96%) were seen from sites in the high reliability cluster. We suggest that CpG sites with low ICC may be excluded from subsequent association analyses, or extra caution needs to be taken for associations at such sites.
Feature article - Some of the considerations for materials operating under high-voltage, direct- current stresses

This article identifies the important electrical parameters that need to be measured and understood to establish the reliability of devices operating under DC voltages. Thus there is a strong economic and technical reason to understand and master the use of materials in HVDC applications. The basic electrotechnical data have been reported often, yet the ways in which they can be usefully combined have been addressed less frequently. This article addresses the ways in which the data might be used under DC conditions. A description then is provided of how the electrotechnical data can be combined in a coherent manner to enable estimates to be made of the device reliability. Typical data for a range of insulation classes have been extracted from the sources available and are presented here to illustrate the calculations. Areas of further useful work also are identified.
Effects of retinoids on ultraviolet-induced carcinogenesis.

The evidence for effects of the retinoids on UV-induced carcinogenesis is sparse. Clinical observations indicate that topical RA can cause significant regression of pre-malignant actinic keratoses. Also there is some evidence that this agent can cause dissolution of some basal cell epitheliomas. However this latter effect does not appear to be of therapeutic value. Systemic retinoids are of little value in the treatment of premalignant and malignant cutaneous lesions though 13-cis-retinoic acid might be of use in the basal cell nevus syndrome. Examination of the influence of the retinoids on photocarcinogenesis essentially has been confined to RA and animal experimentation. RA in nontoxic concentrations can both stimulate and inhibit photocarcinogenesis depending upon the circumstances of the study. The mechanisms of these responses are not clear. Influences on DNA synthesis directly and/or indirectly or on immune responses may be involved in both effects. Preliminary studies with oral 13-cis-retinoic acid have not demonstrated any effects to date on UV-induced skin cancer formation.
On classifying driving-while-intoxicated offenders The experiences of a citywide DWI drug court

In 1995, Municipal Court Judge Stephen Ryan initiated one of the nation's first drug courts specifically designed for alcoholic driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Beginning in January 1997, Judge Ryan allowed researchers unrestricted access to defendants in this court. The researchers collected survey data from three primary groups of convicted DWI offenders. Each group was created by the court's classification staff: (1) nonalcoholic first- and second-time DWI offenders, (2) alcoholic first- and second-time DWI offenders, and (3) chronic three-time (or more) DWI offenders. This exploratory study addressed a single question: How different are the personal characteristics, crime histories, and attitudes of the three offender groups? The analysis revealed that the three groups were different in ways that were expected, given their different levels of formal justice system processing, and ways that could prove troubling for public policy analysts and practitioners.
Alkmaion’s discovery that brain creates mind: A revolution in human knowledge comparable to that of Copernicus and of Darwin

Abstract Without special examination the brain offers no clue that it is the organ of the mind. From the dawn of time man thus either ignored the problem as to the source of thought, or attributed it to a variety of anatomical structures, usually the heart. The brain held no place in such intuitions, and in most languages it is analogized to bone marrow. Furthermore, nothing in early medical systems claimed any intellectual capacity for the brain; and the Egyptians, so fastidious in care for their afterlife, heedlessly discarded the brain in funerary practice. It was thus a unique event in world history when Alkmaion of Kroton (Alcmaeon, ca. 500 bc ), based on anatomical evidence, proposed that the brain was essential for perception. Although no writings of Alkmaion survived, it was probably via a fortuitous linkage that his idea of the mental primacy of the brain was transmitted to, and preserved within, the teachings of the Hippocratic school. Nothing, of course, was secure as to mechanism, two millennia unfolding until the search for mind passed from the ventricles to the cerebral cortex. Nonetheless, Alkmaion was the beginning, and the ensuing understanding that he initiated is still transforming humanity’s perception of the natural world, and their place within it.
Identifying retinal vessel networks in ocular fundus images

An automated analysis of ocular fundus images allows ophthalmologists to diagnose or prognosticate diseases more effectively based on reliable fundus evaluations. This paper presents a computer method to identifying one of the most important features in fundus images, the retinal vascular network.