cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Surface Profile Measurement of Microlenses Using the Shack–Hartmann Wavefront Sensor

We present a 3-D surface profiling method for microlenses that utilizes a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. This method applies to both solid microlenses and liquid-liquid interfaces in liquid microlenses. The wavefront at the aperture stop of a microlens is measured by a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and is then used to calculate the 3-D surface profile of the microlens. Three types of microlenses-a photoresist microlens, a hydrogel-driven tunable liquid lens, and an electrowetting-driven tunable liquid lens-were fabricated and measured. The variable-focus liquid lenses were tested within a wide focal length range. The obtained surface profiles were fitted to spherical and conical surface models to study their geometrical properties. The photoresist microlens was found to be approximately spherical. For the hydrogel-driven microlens, the profile was smooth and nearly spherical at the center but became steep and linear at the aperture edges. The electrowetting-driven liquid lens was also fitted better with the conical model, and its conic constant was determined. The obtained surface profiles were used to estimate the optical properties of microlenses in an optical analysis software package. The comparison between the simulation and experiment results indicated that the accuracy of the estimation is rough and the error could be due to the wavefront measurement and surface fitting approximation.
Quantification of Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides by Nitrate Accumulation on Titanium Dioxide Photocatalytic Concrete Pavement

Field trials of photocatalytic pavements were recently initiated and are being considered by many states (e.g., Virginia, Texas, New York, and Missouri). Results from this study are from the country's first air-purifying asphalt and concrete photocatalytic pavements on December 20, 2010. The test area was a pavement site located on the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge. The objective of this study was validation of photocatalytic degradation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) at the test site by measuring nitrate salts (NO3) deposited on the pavement surface. With quantification of the nitrate levels produced in the field attributable to photocatalytic activity, measurements were correlated to laboratory test results of NOx reduction efficiency. A field sampling procedure of NO3 deposited on the pavement surface is presented. On the basis of the results of the experimental program, the proposed method to quantify photocatalytic efficiency through nitrate measurements was successful. There was definit...
Post-opioid receptor adaptations to chronic morphine; Altered functionality and associations of signaling molecules

Opioid desensitization/tolerance mechanisms have largely focused on adaptations that occur on the level of the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) itself. These include opioid receptor phosphorylation and ensuing trafficking events. Recent research, however, has revealed additional adaptations that occur downstream from the opioid receptor, which involve covalent modification of signaling molecules and altered associations among them. These include augmented isoform-specific synthesis of adenylyl cyclase (AC) and their phosphorylation as well as augmented phosphorylation of the G(beta) subunit of G(beta gamma). The aggregate effect of these changes is to shift mu-opioid receptor-coupled signaling from predominantly G(i alpha) inhibitory to (G(i)-derived) G(beta gamma) stimulatory AC signaling. Most recently, chronic morphine has been shown to enhance the association (interaction) between MOR and G(s), which should provide an additional avenue for offsetting inhibitory MOR signaling sequelae. The unfolding complexity of chronic morphine-induced sequelae demands an evolving broader and more encompassing perspective on opioid tolerance-producing mechanisms. This should facilitate understanding tolerance within the context of physiological plasticity that is activated by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse. Additional research is required to integrate the various tolerance-producing adaptations that have been elucidated to date. Specifically, the relative contribution to opioid tolerance of identified adaptations is still unknown as is the extent to which they vary among different regions of the central nervous system.
Percutaneous absorption of lidocaine hydrochloride in vivo

AbstractThe percutaneous absorption of lidocaine hydrochloride was investigated in vivo using the hairless (hr-1/hr-1) mouse as an experimental model. Following topical application of 2 mg lidocaine hydrochloride in concentrated aqueous solution, concentrations of the drug were measured in plasma obtained at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hr. The mean plasma concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 mg/1 over the 6 hr study period while individual concentrations were as high as 2.4 mg/1. With each successive hour, peak plasma concentrations increased. This study suggests that percutaneous absorption could be a convenient route for prolonged administration of lidocaine hydrochloride and could conceivably yield plasma concentrations approaching the therapeutic range for antiarrhythmic control in humans. This information may also be important for persons using the drug as a topical anesthetic.
Suppression of tumor necrosis factor-activated nuclear transcription factor-κB, activator protein-1, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and apoptosis by β-lapachone

Beta-lapachone, the product of a tree from South America, is known to exhibit various pharmacologic properties, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. In the present report, we examined the effect of beta-lapachone on the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced activation of the nuclear transcription factors NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in human myeloid U937 cells. TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation, p65 translocation, IkappaBalpha degradation, and NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression were inhibited in cells pretreated with beta-lapachone. Direct treatment of the p50-p65 heterodimer of NF-kappaB with beta-lapachone had no effect on its ability to bind to the DNA. Besides myeloid cells, beta-lapachone was also inhibitory in T-cells and epithelial cells. Beta-lapachone also suppressed the activation of NF-kappaB by lipopolysaccharide, okadaic acid, and ceramide but had no significant effect on activation by H2O2 or phorbol myristate acetate, indicating that its action is selective. Beta-lapachone also abolished TNF-induced activation of AP-1, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK or MEK). TNF-induced cytotoxicity and activation of caspase-3 were also abolished by beta-lapachone. Because reducing agents (dithiothreitol and N-acetylcysteine) reversed the effect of beta-lapachone, it suggests the role of a critical sulfhydryl group. Overall, our results identify NF-kappaB, AP-1, and apoptosis as novel targets for beta-lapachone, and this may explain some of its pharmacologic effects.
Verbal conditioning with verbal and monetary reinforcers.

The present study investigated the effects of verbal and monetary reinforcers on the verbal behavior of 44 college females. Ss were instructed to “say words.” After each block of responses, a light...
Changing responsibilities for financial management in an era of TQM

Examines six issues to decide whether total quality management (TQM) concepts can improve the effectiveness of company‐wide financial activities, i.e. the finance function. These issues address the basic role of a central finance department; TQM concepts in specific financial processes including capital budgeting and working capital management; competitive benchmarking; and personnel skills needed for the future. The finance function in most organizations has been pulled in many directions recently by downsizing, technology, ethical issues and, of course, TQM. The central finance office (CFO) needs to understand how TQM issues may not be a negative constraint on the finance process but actually assist in re‐engineering the finance process for the future. Defines the service role of the finance function and how it can be decentralized throughout the organization. Presents many issues in a question format which allows the finance manager to organize the implications of TQM in the total finance operation. Also investigates various financial processes such as capital budgeting and working‐capital management.
Spectroscopy and photochemistry of tetrakis(1-norbornyl)chromium(IV)

Abstract Dominant electronic spectral features in the complex tetrakis(1-norbornyl)titanium(IV) are due to ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) transitions. Near-ultraviolet irradiation of this complex in non-polar solvents yields homolytic cleavage of the titanium—norbornyl bond as a consequence of this LMCT excitation. Quantum yields were measured using a liquid chromatographic method.
Molecular mechanisms underlying defective expression of blood group antigens

O VER 250 blood group antigens have been placed in 25 blood group systems based on their mode of inheritance.1 Antigens within a blood group system are encoded by alternative alleles of a gene. Genes encoding 22 of these systems have been cloned and sequenced, and the molecular bases of many antigens and phenotypes have been delineated. 2-5 This review describes our current understanding of the different mechanisms underlying molecular defects that cause decreased or no expression of blood group antigens as seen in the weak or null phenotypes. At the genomic level, large DNA deletions encompassing whole genes are the most obvious defects accounting for lack of antigen expression. Other, more subtle, variations in DNA consisting of nucleotide (nt) substitution, insertion, or deletion of 1 or few nts also are found. Such defective nt sequences can have deleterious effects at many steps in the pathway leading from DNA to antigen at the red blood cell (RBC) surface. These steps include (1) transcriptional control dictating how often a given gene is transcribed, (2) control of RNA splicing, processing, and the stability of the transcript, (3) translational regulation that selects which mRNA species are translated into protein and which are degraded, (4) post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation and interactions with other proteins, that allow correct folding of the protein for transport to the cell surface and preserve its stability there (Table 1).
Econometrically accounting for identities and restrictions in models of interregional migration.

Abstract Interregional demographic identities and other restrictions are explicitly taken into account in a simple time-series model of interregional migration. This goal is accomplished through the imposition of adding-up constraints on the estimated coefficients of a multi-equation linear system and by testing for homogeneity and symmetry. The pitfalls of utilizing the described procedures for migration analysis and forecasting are discussed. Full implementation of the technique is shown to require far more time-series observations on interregional migration than are commonly available.
THE COORDINATION CHEMISTRY OF HNO: FROM WARREN ROPER TO HEMOGLOBIN

The coordination chemistry of the one-electron reduced form of nitric oxide, termed a nitroxyl or nitrosyl hydride (NO- or HNO), is described anecdotally through the author's discovery of a stable HNO adduct of myoglobin, HNO-Mb, as an illustration of how different areas of chemistry, such as organometallic and bioinorganic, overlap and influence one another in unexpected ways. HNO is short-lived in solution, and many fundamental characteristics of HNO, such as the widely cited values of its oxidation potential and pKa, have been significantly revised through collaborations of theoreticians, biologists, and physical chemists. The very first HNO metal complex was discovered in Warren Ropers lab in 1970, with some 27 years before the next fully characterized example was reported by Hillhouse. Hillhouse in turn helped guide our characterization of HNO-Mb. As with oxymyoglobin, there are several possible descriptions of bonding for HNO-adducts, we present an analogy to the π-bonding interactions of a Fischer ...
The Differential Diagnosis of Posterior Uveal Melanoma

Two large studies from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) have listed the various lesions which may clinically resemble malignant melanomas of the posterior uvea (pseudomelanomas). The studies from the AFIP were based upon histologic examination of eyes which were enucleated. The present study reports on 400 consecutive patients who were referred but who proved, by clinical evaluation, rather than by enucleation, to have a pseudomelanoma. Although about 40 different conditions were found to simulate melanoma, the more commonly encountered ones included suspicious choroidal nevus (26.5%), disciform degeneration (12.5%), peripheral disciform degeneration (11%), congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (9.5%), and choroidal hemangioma (8%). The authors believe that this series provides the clinician with a differential diagnosis for posterior uveal melanomas which accurately reflects the clinical problem confronting ophthalmologists today.
Risk-Aware Workload Distribution in Hybrid Clouds

This paper explores an efficient and secure mechanism to partition computations across public and private machines in a hybrid cloud setting. We propose a principled framework for distributing data and processing in a hybrid cloud that meets the conflicting goals of performance, sensitive data disclosure risk and resource allocation costs. The proposed solution is implemented as an add-on tool for a Hadoop and Hive based cloud computing infrastructure. Our experiments demonstrate that the developed mechanism can lead to a major performance gain by exploiting both the hybrid cloud components without violating any pre-determined public cloud usage constraints.
Analyzing the Relationships Between Culture and Mentoring

The purpose of this manuscript is to present a theoretical model of culture from which a conceptual framework has been built that can be used to conduct a cultural analysis. The paper presents definitions and components of culture and its role in our expanding global society. It then relates these to research findings related to the relationship between mentoring and culture. This information is used to create a cultural framework of mentoring which can be used to conduct a cultural analysis of the context in which a mentoring program exists in order to take actions that will aid in fostering its success. A model for using the framework in practice is presented.
Stereological measurements of atrial ultrastructures in the guinea-pig.

Mit morphometrischen Methoden wurde beim Meerschweinchen eine quantitative Analyse von Volumen und Oberflachenareal der Ultrastrukturkomponenten der Herzvorhof-Muskulatur durchgefuhrt, die mit dem Erregungs-Kontraktions-Kopplungsvorgang und der Erschlaffung verknupft sind.
Comparison of the structure and aspects of the proteinase-binding properties of cystic fibrotic alpha-macroglobulin with normal alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Summary: Considerable attention has been focused recently on α2-macro-globulin (α2M), a major endopeptidase inhibitor in blood plasma, as a possible source of the primary defect in cystic fibrosis (CF). We report here studies designed to compare the structure of CF α2M with normal α2M to determine if there is a difference. The physicochemical properties of purified α2M as revealed by various electrophoretic techniques, covalent proteinase binding properties, and primary structural studies on a variety of partial hydrolyzates of CF α2M and normal α2M are compared. These studies were carried out on eight different individual isolates of CF α2M and three age-matched normal α2M preparations and α2M isolated from fetal cord blood. Three properties of CF α2M were studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE): (1) the existence of four identically-sized subunits in the native molecule (10), (2) the cleavage of this subunit into fragments of approximately 100,000 daltons upon interaction with proteinases (10), and (3) the cleavage of an alkaline/heat sensitive bond to produce 120,000 and 60,000 dalton fragments (11). Both CF and normal α2M were cleaved to the extent of 79–87%. CF α2M behaves identically with normal α2M with regard to all these properties. Salvesen and Barrett (24) have demonstrated that varying proportions of several [125I]-labeled proteinases form SDS-stable, non-reducible links to normal α2M. Two of the CF α2M preparations were studied to determine if similar covalent binding of proteinases occurred. The positions of the labeled and % of proteinase bound bands in SDS/reduced PAGE system were identical for normal α2M and CF α2M. These results indicate that CF α2M behaves normally with regard to covalent binding of proteinases. Qualitative comparison of the peptide fragments separated by SDS-PAGE or isoelectric focusing of CF and normal α2M produced by partial proteolysis with trypsin, chymotrypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V-8 proteinase did not reveal any differences unique to CF α2M. The cyanogen bromide fragmentation studies and the cysteine cleavage studies also indicated that no major change in the positions of methionyl residues or cysteinyl/cystinyl residues has occurred in CF α2M. The failure of all these different studies and those reported by others to demonstrate any differences between CF and normal α2M makes it highly unlikely that there is a primary defect in α2M in CF. Speculation: The abnormalities previously reported that are associated with α2-macroglobulin-proteinase complexes in cystic fibrosis do not arise from a primary defect in the structure of α2-macroglobulin.
S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase: An Important Regulator in Human Asthma

Rationale: Nitric oxide bioactivity, mediated through the formation of S-nitrosothiols (SNOs), has a significant effect on bronchomotor tone. S-Nitrosoglutathione is an endogenous bronchodilator that is decreased in children with asthmatic respiratory failure and in adults with asthma undergoing segmental airway challenge. Recently we showed that S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) regulates endogenous SNOs. Mice with genetic deletion of GSNOR are protected from airway hyperresponsivity in an allergic asthma model.Objectives: We hypothesized that GSNOR is increased in human asthma and correlates with lung SNO content and airway reactivity.Methods: We recruited 36 subjects with mild asthma with FEV1 88.5 ± 2.3% predicted and 34 healthy control subjects with FEV1 100.7 ± 2.5% predicted. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in all subjects. Cell counts, differentials, GSNOR activity, and SNO levels were determined in BAL.Measurements and Main Results: SNO content was decreased in asthmatic BAL compa...
Roles of Drosophila DJ-1 in survival of dopaminergic neurons and oxidative stress.

Summary The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). While the etiology of sporadic PD remains elusive, an inherited form of early-onset familial PD is linked to mutations of DJ-1 [1]. To understand the biological function of DJ-1 and its relevance to the pathogenesis of PD, we investigated the function of DJ-1 using Drosophila . Drosophila possesses two homologs of human DJ-1: DJ-1α and DJ-1β. We found that DJ-1α is expressed predominantly in the testis, while DJ-1β is ubiquitously present in most tissues, resembling the expression pattern of human DJ-1. Loss-of-function DJ-1β mutants demonstrated an extended survival of dopaminergic neurons and resistance to paraquat stress, but showed acute sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide treatment. We showed a compensatory upregulation of DJ-1α expression in the brain of the DJ-1β mutant and demonstrated that overexpression of DJ-1α in dopaminergic neurons is sufficient to confer protection against paraquat insult. These results suggest that Drosophila homologs of DJ-1 play critical roles in the survival of dopaminergic neurons and response to oxidative stress.
Structure and sequence of a UDP glucose pyrophosphorylase gene of Dictyostelium discoideum

Abstract Cell-cell contact and exogenous cAMP regulate the expression of uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase (UDPGP) of Dictyostelium discoideum (B. Haribabu, A. Rajkovic and R. P. Dottin, 1986, Dev. Biol., Vol. 113, 436-442). cAMP appears to regulate gene expression in Dictyostelium by transmembrane signal transduction (B. Haribabu and R. Dottin, 1986, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6, 2402-2408). To further characterize the mechanism of action of cAMP on the expression of this gene and the nature of the defects in UDPGP mutants that abort development, we sequenced the cDNA and the genomic DNA, including intervening and flanking sequences. The deduced amino acid sequence predicts a polypeptide of 57,893 d. molecular weight. Three short (100-200 nucleotides) A+T rich introns occur within the coding sequences but only one of them contains a sequence TAACTAAC, similar to the yeast lariat acceptor site. The 5' flanking sequences are also A+T rich and contain an oligo A tract (-14 to -24), a TATA box (-25 to -32), and a short G+C rich region (-63 to -101) which may be a control region. From -196 to -209 is a sequence AAAGTAGTATTCAA which matches in 11 of its 14 nucleotides, a sequence found upstream from the hormonally regulated P-enolypyruvate carboxykinase gene of rat.
Using Ethics Vignettes in Introductory Finance Classes: Impact on Ethical Perceptions of Undergraduate Business Students

A number of ethical scandals in the past decade have raised awareness of ethical issues in business. J. M. D'Aquila, D. F. Bean, and E. G. Procario- Foley (2004) reported that 97% of business leaders perceive American businesses as ethical, versus 24.5% of students. G. R. Laczniak, M. W. Berkowitz, R. G. Brooker, and J. P. Hale (1995) provided evidence that business leaders feel unfairly maligned and that their actual behavior is positive. Thus, a discrepancy exists between students' and practitioners' perceptions of business ethics, and this discrepancy is a concern because business students become practitioners on graduation. J. Merritt (2003) suggested that the job of cleaning up corporate America lies with management education. Given that many scandals have involved financial impropriety, finance faculty have been at the center of the debate about whether ethics should be integrated into the curriculum, and if so, how.
Herpes simplex virus as a transneuronal tracer

NORGREN, R.B. AND M.N. LEHMAN. Herpes simplex virus as a transneuronal tracer. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV 22 (6) 695–708, 1998. Determining the connections of neural systems is critical for determining how they function. In this review, we focus on the use of HSV-1 and HSV-2 as transneuronal tracers. Using HSV to examine neural circuits is technically simple. HSV is injected into the area of interest, and after several days, the animals are perfused and processed for immunohistochemistry with antibodies to HSV proteins. Variables which influence HSV infection include species of host, age of host, titre of virus, strain of virus and phenotype of infected cell. The choice of strain of HSV is critically important. Several strains of HSV-1 and HSV-2 have been utilized for purposes of transneuronal tract-tracing. HSV has been used successfully to study neuronal circuitry in a variety of different neuroanatomical systems including the somatosensory, olfactory, visual, motor, autonomic and limbic systems.
Effects of Simulated Injury on Tissue Deformation and Mechanical Properties of the Anteroinferior Glenohumeral Capsule

The glenohumeral joint is the most dislocated major joint in the body with most dislocations occurring anteriorly. [1] The anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament (AB-IGHL) is the primary passive restraint to dislocation and experiences the highest strains during these events. [2,3] It has been found that injuries to the capsule following dislocation include permanent deformation, which increases joint mobility and contributes to recurrent instability. [4] Many current surgical repair techniques focus on plicating redundant tissue following injury. However, these techniques are inadequate as 12–25% of patients experience pain and instability afterwards and thus may not fully address all capsular tissue pathologies resulting from dislocation. [5] Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of permanent deformation on the mechanical properties of the AB-IGHL during a tensile elongation. Improved understanding of the capsular tissue pathologies resulting from dislocation may lead to new repair techniques that better restore joint stability and improve patient outcome by placating the capsule in specific locations.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Development of ultraviolet‐reflecting butterfly scales: How to make an interference filter

Light and electron microscope studies of development of the ultraviolet-reflecting scales of male Colias eurytheme butterflies show that basic developmental processes are similar to those of other scales. The ridges form between bundles of microfilaments and as they form they buckle to produce the lamellae seen in the adult scales. There is evidence that the buckling may be purely in response to mechanical stress and that some of the bundles of microfilaments may produce such stresses.
The Impact of Perceived Community Prosperity on Job Satisfaction of Black and White Workers

Data collected from black and white workers in three organizations indicate that workers living in communities with different perceived levels of prosperity have different job satisfaction. A relat...
Calculating a node's reputation in a mobile ad hoc network

Behavior grading is crucial to the operation of a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). Our Key Management System project has established a behavior grading and tracking mechanism through the use of X.509 v3 certificates with appropriate extensions. Our distributed, node-centric approach to reputation management processes nodal behavior feedback and provides a reputation index that nodes use to determine trustworthiness of their peers before establishing IPsec security associations. Behavior feedback is "aged" in a three-window weighted average, which emphasizes current behavior while conservatively approximating behavior trends over time. The windowed approach maintains non-reputable evidence, which supports the reputation calculation and facilitates the exchange of behavior information with new nodes as they join the network.
Vasodilatory effects of nifedipine, methoxyverapamil, and sodium nitroprusside on contractile responses of the ewe uterine artery at term pregnancy

The differential inhibitory effect of the vasodilators on contractile responses to norepinephrine, serotonin, and potassium on isolated uterine artery ring segments from pregnant ewes within 2 weeks of term was quantified and correlated with the source of Ca ++ for the vasoconstrictors producing the smooth muscle contraction. The contraction evoked by the vasoconstrictors was dependent on extracellular Ca ++ and in agonist-induced contractions also on an intracellular pool of Ca ++ . Nifedipine effectively inhibited K'-induced (90 mmol/L) contractions (antagonist concentration to reduce the maximum contractile effect to the agonist to 50%, 1.95 ± 0.9 × 10 −8 mot/L), whereas it was relatively ineffective in blocking norepinephrine-induced (10-5 mot/L) or serotonin-induced (10 −5 mot/L) vasoconstriction (antagonist concentration to reduce the maximum contractile effect to the agonist to 50%, 1.38 ± 0.4 × 10 −4 mot/L and 2.04 ± 0.4 × 10 −5 mol/L, respectively). Methoxyverapamil (D-600) strongly inhibited serotonin-induced contractions (antagonist concentration to reduce the maximum contractile effect to the agonist to 50%, 3.3 ± 0.3 × 10 −7 mot/L). The phasic rather than the tonic components of the serotonin- and norepinephrine-induced contractions were more effectively inhibited by D-600 ( p p −7 mot/L and 8.2 ± 0.6 × 10 −7 mot/L, respectively). On the basis of these findings it is concluded that D-600 and sodium nitroprusside are more effective than nifedipine in blocking contractile responses due to receptor stimulation, and therefore might be more effective in the treatment of hypertensive emergencies in which these amines might be implicated.
Interpenetrating polymer networks based on poly(chloroprene) and poly(carbonate-urethane)

Simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SIN's) of poly(chloroprene) (CR) and poly(carbonate-urethane) (PCU) were prepared and characterized. The effect of composition on the phase morphology of full IPN's of CR/PCU has been studied by DSC and SEM. A single phase morphology of IPN's has achieved when the content of CR component is below 50 wt %. The microphase separation of the component networks in the IPN's occurred in samples whose weight percentage of the CR component was 50% and higher. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cycling the Representer Algorithm for Variational Data Assimilation with the Lorenz Attractor

Realistic dynamic systems are often strongly nonlinear, particularly those for the ocean and atmosphere. Applying variational data assimilation to these systems requires a tangent linearization of the nonlinear dynamics about a background state for the cost function minimization. The tangent linearization may be accurate for limited time scales. Here it is proposed that linearized assimilation systems may be accurate if the assimilation time period is less than the tangent linear accuracy time limit. In this paper, the cycling representer method is used to test this assumption with the Lorenz attractor. The outer loops usually required to accommodate the linear assimilation for a nonlinear problem may be dropped beyond the early cycles once the solution (and forecast used as the background in the tangent linearization) is sufficiently accurate. The combination of cycling the representer method and limiting the number of outer loops significantly lowers the cost of the overall assimilation problem. In addition, this study shows that weak constraint assimilation corrects tangent linear model inaccuracies and allows extension of the limited assimilation period. Hence, the weak constraint outperforms the strong constraint method. Assimilated solution accuracy at the first cycle end is computed as a function of the initial condition error, model parameter perturbation magnitude, and outer loops. Results indicate that at least five outer loops are needed to achieve solution accuracy in the first cycle for the selected error range. In addition, this study clearly shows that one outer loop in the first cycle does not preclude accuracy convergence in future cycles.
The Efficiency of Mixing in Turbulent Patches: Inferences from Direct Simulations and Microstructure Observations

The time evolution of mixing in turbulent overturns is investigated using a combination of direct numerical simulations (DNS) and microstructure profiles obtained during two field experiments. The focus is on the flux coefficient G, the ratio of the turbulent buoyancy flux to the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate e .I n observational oceanography, a constant value G5 0.2 is often used to infer the buoyancy flux and the turbulent diffusivity from measured e. In the simulations, the value of G changes by more than an order of magnitude over the life of a turbulent overturn, suggesting that the use of a constant value for G is an oversimplification. To account for the time dependence of G in the interpretation of ocean turbulence data, a way to assess the evolutionary stage at which a given turbulent event was sampled is required. The ratio of the Ozmidov scale LO to the Thorpe scale LT is found to increase monotonically with time in the simulated flows, and therefore may provide the needed time indicator. From the DNS results, a simple parameterization of G in terms of LO/ LT is found. Applied to observational data, this parameterization leads to a 50%‐60% increase in median estimates of turbulent diffusivity, suggesting a potential reassessment of turbulent diffusivity in weakly and intermittently turbulent regimes such as the ocean interior.
Repression of Androgen Receptor Transcription through the E2F1/DNMT1 Axis

Although androgen receptor (AR) function has been extensively studied, regulation of the AR gene itself has been much less characterized. In this study, we observed a dramatic reduction in the expression of androgen receptor mRNA and protein in hyperproliferative prostate epithelium of keratin 5 promoter driven E2F1 transgenic mice. To confirm an inhibitory function for E2F1 on AR transcription, we showed that E2F1 inhibited the transcription of endogenous AR mRNA, subsequent AR protein, and AR promoter activity in both human and mouse epithelial cells. E2F1 also inhibited androgen-stimulated activation of two AR target gene promoters. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of E2F-mediated inhibition of AR, we evaluated the effects of two functional E2F1 mutants on AR promoter activity and found that the transactivation domain appears to mediate E2F1 repression of the AR promoter. Because DNMT1 is a functional intermediate of E2F1 we examined DNMT1 function in AR repression. Repression of endogenous AR in normal human prostate epithelial cells was relieved by DNMT1 shRNA knock down. DNMT1 was shown to be physically associated within the AR minimal promoter located 22 bps from the transcription start site; however, methylation remained unchanged at the promoter regardless of DNMT1 expression. Taken together, our results suggest that DNMT1 operates either as a functional intermediary or in cooperation with E2F1 inhibiting AR gene expression in a methylation independent manner.
The Chromokinesin, KLP3A, Drives Mitotic Spindle Pole Separation during Prometaphase and Anaphase and Facilitates Chromatid Motility

Mitosis requires the concerted activities of multiple microtubule (MT)-based motor proteins. Here we examined the contribution of the chromokinesin, KLP3A, to mitotic spindle morphogenesis and chromosome movements in Drosophila embryos and cultured S2 cells. By immunofluorescence, KLP3A associates with nonfibrous punctae that concentrate in nuclei and display MT-dependent associations with spindles. These punctae concentrate in indistinct domains associated with chromosomes and central spindles and form distinct bands associated with telophase midbodies. The functional disruption of KLP3A by antibodies or dominant negative proteins in embryos, or by RNA interference (RNAi) in S2 cells, does not block mitosis but produces defects in mitotic spindles. Time-lapse confocal observations of mitosis in living embryos reveal that KLP3A inhibition disrupts the organization of interpolar (ip) MTs and produces short spindles. Kinetic analysis suggests that KLP3A contributes to spindle pole separation during the prometaphase-to-metaphase transition (when it antagonizes Ncd) and anaphase B, to normal rates of chromatid motility during anaphase A, and to the proper spacing of daughter nuclei during telophase. We propose that KLP3A acts on MTs associated with chromosome arms and the central spindle to organize ipMT bundles, to drive spindle pole separation and to facilitate chromatid motility.
Physiology and molecular biology of the lignin peroxidases of Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

The white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium produces lignin peroxidases (LiPs), a family of extracellular glycosylated heme proteins, as major components of its lignin-degrading system. Upto 15 LiP isozymes, ranging in Mr values from 38000 to 43000, are produced depending on culture conditions and strains employed. Manganese-dependent peroxidases (MnPs) are a second family of extracellular heme proteins produced by P. chrysosporium that are also believed to be important in lignin degradation by this organism. LiP and MnP production is seen during secondary metabolism and is completely suppressed under conditions of excess nitrogen and carbon. Excess Mn(II) in the medium, on the other hand, suppresses LiP production but enhances MnP production. Nitrogen regulation of LiP and MnP production is independent of carbon and Mn(II) regulation. LiP activity is also affected by idiophasic extracetlular proteases. Intracellular cAMP levels appear to be important in regulating the production of LiPs and MnPs, although LiP production is affected more than MnP production. Studies on the sequencing and characterization of lip cDNAs and genes of P. chrysosporium have shown that the major LiP isozymes are each encoded by a separate gene. Each lip gene encodes a mature protein that is 343–344 amino acids long, contains 1 putative N-glycosylation site, a number of putative O-glycosylation sites, and is preceded by a 27–28-amino acid leader peptide ending in a Lys-Arg cleavage site. The coding region of each lip gene is interrupted by 8–9 introns (50–63 bp), and the positions of the last two introns appear to be highly conserved. There are substantial differences in the temporal transcription patterns of the major lip genes. The sequence data suggest the presence of three lip gene subfamilies. The genomic DNA of P. chrysosporium strain BKMF-1767 was resolved into 10 chromosomes (genome size of 29 Mb), and that of strain ME-446 into 11 chromosomes (genome size of 32 Mb). The lip genes have been localized to five chromosomes in BKMF-1767 and to four chromosomes in ME-446. DNA transformation studies have reported both integrative and non-integrative transformation in P. chrysosporium.
Employee Rights and Their Impact On Personnel Decisions By Managers in the Hospitality Industry

Employee rights and employer awareness of areas of current conflict and sensitivity are the subjects of this paper. The focus is upon four areas: hiring, investigation of employee misconduct, firing, and post-employment decisions by management.
Part II: defining and quantifying individual and co-cultured intracellular proteomes of two thermophilic microorganisms by GeLC-MS2 and spectral counting

Probing the intracellular proteome of Thermotoga maritima and Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus in pure and co-culture affords a global investigation into the machinery and mechanisms enduring inside the bacterial thermophilic cell at the time of harvest. The second of a two part study, employing GeLC-MS2 a variety of proteins were confidently identified with <1% false discovery rate, and spectral counts for label-free relative quantification afforded indication of the dynamic proteome as a function of environmental stimuli. Almost 25% of the T. maritima proteome and 10% of the C. saccharolyticus proteome were identified. Through comparison of growth temperatures for T. maritima, a protein associated with chemotaxis was uniquely present in the sample cultivated at the non-optimal growth temperature. It is suspected that movement was induced due to the non-optimal condition as the organism may need to migrate in the culture to locate more nutrients. The inventory of C. saccharolyticus proteins identified in these studies and attributed to spectral counting, demonstrated that two CRISPR-associated proteins had increased expression in the pure culture versus the co-culture. Further focusing on this relationship, a C. saccharolyticus phage-shock protein was identified in the co-culture expanding a scenario that the co-culture had decreased antiviral resistance and accordingly an infection-related protein was present. Alterations in growth conditions of these bacterial thermophilic microorganisms offer a glimpse into the intricacy of microbial behavior and interaction.
ESD susceptibility characterization of an EUT by using 3D ESD scanning system

Electrostatic discharges (ESD) can lead to soft-errors (e.g., bit-errors, wrong resets etc.) in digital electronics. The use of lower threshold voltages and faster I/O increases the sensitivity. In the analysis of ESD problems, an exact knowledge of the affected pins and nets is essential for an optimal solution. In this paper, a three dimensional ESD scanning system which has been developed to record the ESD susceptibility map for printed circuit board is presented and the mechanisms that the ESD event couples into the digital devices is studied. The ESD susceptibility of a fast CMOS EUT is characterized by generating the susceptibility map of the EUT. A series of measurements of the noise coupled into a sensitive trace and pin during an ESD soft error event are presented.
Corals of the Aleutian Islands

A unique feature of the benthic habitat in the Aleutian Islands is the presence of a highly diverse and abundant coral and sponge community. These communities likely provide important habitat for a variety of fish and invertebrate species. Summaries of historical data and recent direct observations with a submersible indicate that the Aleutian Islands may harbour the highest diversity and abundance of coldwater corals in the world. There are 69 documented taxa (species and subspecies) of coral in the Aleutians of which 25 are endemic. Within the Aleutian Islands, there is an increase in diversity of corals west of about longitude 169°W. This shift in diversity is consistent with the hypothesis of an ecological boundary in the vicinity of Samalga Pass. Given the endemism and high diversity and abundance of corals in the Aleutians, there is evidence that this region is the evolutionary centre of origin for some taxa of coldwater corals.
Psychosocial Predictors of Needle Sharing among Intravenous Drug Users

This study examined the relationship between health beliefs and needle sharing in a sample of 226 heroin detoxification clients. Zero-order correlations revealed that needle sharing was positively associated with perceived susceptibility and AIDS anxiety, and negatively associated with self-efficacy and communication skill in negotiating safe needle practices. Logistic regression analysis showed that demographic and situational factors also play a role in needle sharing. White race and injection of drugs in shooting galleries or other public places increase the odds of sharing a "dirty" needle, while that probability decreases sharply as a function of drug users' self-efficacy. This last finding suggests that preventive clinical interventions such as counseling or psychoeducational groups maybe needed to help drug users develop confidence in resisting needle sharing.
The statistical upper mantle assemblage

A fundamental challenge in modern mantle geochemistry is to link geochemical data with geological and geophysical observations. Most of the early geochemical models involved a layered mantle and the concept of geochemical reservoirs. Indeed, the two layer mantle model has been implicit in almost all geochemical literature and the provenance of oceanic island basalt (OIB) and mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) [van Keken et al., Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 30 (2002) 493–525]. Large-scale regions in the mantle, such as the ‘convective’ (i.e. well-stirred, homogeneous) upper mantle, sub-continental lithosphere, and the lower mantle were treated as distinct and accessible geochemical reservoirs. Here we discuss evidence for a ubiquitous distribution of small- to moderate-scale (i.e. 10^2–10^5 m) heterogeneity in the upper mantle, which we refer to as the statistical upper mantle assemblage (SUMA). This heterogeneity forms as the result of long-term plate tectonic recycling of sedimentary and crustal components. The SUMA model does not require a convectively homogenized MORB mantle reservoir, which has become a frequently used concept in geochemistry. Recently, Kellogg et al. [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 204 (2002) 183–202] modeled MORB and OIB Sr and Nd isotopic compositions as local mantle averages of random distributions of depleted residues and recycled continental crustal material. In this model, homogenization of the MORB source region is achieved by convective stirring and mixing. In contrast, in the SUMA model, the isotopic compositions of MORB and OIB are the outcome of homogenization during sampling, by partial melting and magma mixing (e.g. [Helffrich and Wood, Nature 412 (2001) 501–507]), of a distribution of small- to moderate-scale upper mantle heterogeneity, as predicted by the central limit theorem. Thus, the ‘SUMA’ acronym also captures what we consider the primary homogenization process: sampling upon melting and averaging. SUMA does not require the participation of distinct (e.g. lower mantle) reservoirs to explain OIB compositions. The complementary methods outlined in this work and in e.g. Kellogg et al. and Helffrich and Wood, provide a strong link between geochemical data and potential geophysical observables, such as the degree of partial melting, size of the melting regime, the characteristic length scales of the chemical heterogeneity and bathymetry, seismic scattering and anisotropy. We support the view that statistical distributions of lithologic components and sampling theory should replace the concept of distinct, isolated geochemical reservoirs, and extensive convective stirring prior to sampling.
Obscure Occult GI Bleeding: An Iatrogenic Tale?

A 63-year-old female nurse-anesthetist was initially evaluated in the outpatient clinic with a 4-week history of intermittent mid-epigastric abdominal pain that was colicky, often postprandial, non-radiating and would usually last for 15–30 min. Her symptoms were associated with intermittent postprandial nausea and abdominal distension. She denied any history of melena, hematochezia, constipation, diarrhea, or excess of flatus. Her appetite was decreased but without weight loss. On review of systems, she had noted some recent fatigue but denied any fevers, chills, or night sweats. Her medical history included severe sigmoid diverticulosis for which she had undergone a partial colectomy 5 years earlier. Furthermore, she had a history of co-incident duodenal and gastric ulcers in the remote past, associated with Helicobacter pylori gastric infection that was later eradicated. She had an appendectomy at age 15, and in her forties an abdominal hysterectomy for menorrhagia. She had also had multiple orthopedic surgeries for arthritic conditions, including left and right knee meniscectomies, release of Dupuytren’s contractures in her right and left hands, and a fusion of lumbosacral vertebrae for degenerative spondylolisthesis. Physical Findings
Economic analysis of fuel cell installations at commercial buildings including regional pricing and complementary technologies

Abstract This paper presents results from sensitivity studies conducted using the Distributed Generation Build-out Economic Assessment Tool (DG-BEAT). The viability of meeting commercial building loads with a stationary fuel cells is studied under different conditions of electricity pricing, dispatch strategies, and complementary technologies. Key findings support the notion that fuel cells are becoming economically viable alternatives in California, New York and Connecticut at installed costs of $7000–10,000/kW. Michigan is identified as another state well suited to fuel cell development with heat recovery. Fuel cell installations reduce net carbon emissions for commercial buildings by 20–30% when compared to local, time-resolved, grid emissions. Grid sell-back, at 50% retail price, significantly improves the economics of a base load fuel cell, but has little impact for a dispatchable system. At installed costs below $5000/kW, load following capability results in significant additional cost reductions as the generating capacity is increased beyond the building's base load requirements. Complementary technologies such as chillers and thermal storage have a pronounced impact, particularly in warmer climates. Installing fuel cells paired with electric chillers and thermal storage in Florida at buildings with exceptionally high air conditioning demands can achieve the same economic benefit as a typical New York building.