cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANTIDIURETIC MATERIAL IN THE SUPRAOPTIC NUCLEUS

Two FUNCTIONS have been attributed to the supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus: trophic innervation of the neurohypophysis and secretion. The first is well established, and according to Magoun and Ranson (1939) “few connections in the nervous system rest upon the volume of supporting evidence which has been brought forward for that between the supraoptic nuclei and the neurohypophysis.” In silver stained sections of normal tissue, it is possible to follow the origin and course of the nerve fibers which pass from the hypothalamus down the pituitary stalk to the posterior lobe (Fig. 1). After transection of the pituitary stalk, not only is there a degeneration of the fibers distal to the lesion and an atrophy of the posterior lobe, but a retrograde process leads to the death and disappearance of 80 to 95% of the neurons in the supraoptic nuclei (Rasmussen, 1940; Heinbecker and White, 1941; Magoun and Ranson, 1939).
Comparison of I-125 sources used for permanent interstitial implants

The increase in the number of manufacturers of 125I sources used in prostate brachytherapy has generated many questions in the radiation oncology community. In this investigation, the physical and dosimetric characteristics were evaluated for the following sources listed by marketing company and source model: Nycomed-Amersham 6711 (OncoSeed), Nycomed-Amersham 6702, Mentor IoGold, UroMed Symmetra, Imagyn IsoSTAR, UroCor, (PSA, Mallincrkrodt) ProstaSeed, Syncor PharmaSeed, SourceTech Medical, (BARD) 125Implant (BrachySource), Med-Tec I-Plant, Best Medical Model 2301, DraxImage BrachySeed, and International Brachytherapy, Inc. (IBT) InterSource125. The investigation examined the differences in design, construction, and the dosimetric characteristics created from each source. The dosimetric characteristics of the new sources were compared to that of the Amersham 6711 source. Parameter studies have led to the development of a simple equation that can be used to clinically convert the standard 6711 source strength to an equivalent strength of a new source.
How Technical Communication Textbooks Fail Engineering Students

Twelve currently popular technical communication textbooks are analyzed for their treatment and discussions of the types of writing that engineers produce. The analysis reveals a persistent bias toward humanities-based styles and genres and a failure to address the forms of argument and evidence that our science and engineering students most need to master to succeed as rhetoricians in their fields. The essay ends with recommendations and calls upon instructors to reenvision the service course in technical communication.
Functional mitral insufficiency in acute myocardial ischemia.

Abstract In open-chest experiments in the dog, left ventricular failure was produced by serial ligation of branches of the left coronary artery. The evidence for left heart failure was (1) elevation of end-diastolic pressure of the left ventricle above a normal value of 10 to 12 mrn. Hg, and (2) increase of end-systolic volume. These hemo-dynamic changes preceded by many hours arterial hypotension or central venous hypertension. Nine of 17 dogs with left heart failure presented hemodynamic and angiocardiographic evidence of significant degrees of mitral insufficiency. In all animals, mean left atrial and V wave pressures rose above control values. A systolic thrill was palpable over the distended left atrium. In three experiments the entire chamber of the left atrium became opacified after left ventricular injection. Left ventricular angiocardiography was more informative than the left atrial pressure for the detection of mitral insufficiency in the early stages of ventricular failure. Examination of the left atrial pressure curve appeared to be a more reliable index for quantitation of mitral reflux at late stages of heart failure. In the absence of any structural damage to the mitral valve in all the experiments, the resulting mitral insufficiency is described as functional.
The growth of low dislocation density Sr1−x, Bax Nb2O6 crystals

The dislocation structures of both pure and Nd doped strontium barium niobate crystals, grown by the Czochralski method, were studied using an etch pit technique. It was determined that dislocations in the boule were being propagated from the seed and were confined to the center of the crystal. Typical dislocation density was 5x104 cm−2. Through the careful control of growth parameters and use of seed material cut from the dislocation free outer portion of a crystal, it was possible to grow crystals with very low dislocation densities, 1x102 cm−2, and on occasion dislocation free crystals.
On the basics for simulation of feedback-based stock trading strategies: An invited tutorial session

This paper provides an overview of our CDC tutorial session covering the basics of simulation and performance evaluation associated with stock trading via feedback control methods. The specific trading algorithms which we describe fall under the umbrella of “pure technical analysis” in that they are model-free with no parametrization of the stock-price process assumed. True to technical analysis, we adopt the point of view that the stock price p(t) is an external input with no predictive model for its evolution. The feedback controller adapts the investment level I(t) based on the evolution of the trading gains or losses over time. In the introductory talk, it is explained how this point of view “opens doors” for new research contributions from the control community. The simulations which we consider are of two types: In some cases, the controller's performance is studied using synthetic classes of stock prices such as Geometric Brownian Motion. In other cases, real historical prices are brought into play. We refer to such a real-price simulation as a “backtest.” Once we cover the trading mechanics, the notion of “benchmark price classes,” data acquisition and coding of algorithms, the focal point becomes performance evaluation. That is, with g(t) denoting cumulative gains or losses, we describe a number of metrics which are used to evaluate the performance associated with the trajectory pair (I(·), g(·)). Whereas the first half of the tutorial concentrates on trading a single stock, the last half addresses multi-asset portfolios, educational aspects and the notion of trading competitions.
Proton nuclear magnetic relaxation in aqueous copper(II) amine chelate solutions

Abstract Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion measurements are reported for aqueous solutions of copper(II) ion in solutions of ammonia, 1,2-diaminoethane and triethylenetetraamine. The water proton spin relaxation efficiency is increased dramatically over the hexaaquocopper(II) ion rate when square planar complexes are formed. The major factor contributing to this change is the development of a large hyperfine coupling between the coordinated amine protons and the copper(II) center that dominates low field relaxation rates. The relaxation is generally controlled by the rate of ligand exchange which is catalyzed by high ligand concentration. The triethylenetetraamine complex is substitutionally inert on the time scale of the nuclear spin relaxation and the water proton relaxation induced is dominated by the relative translational motion of the water and the metal center, i.e. outer sphere effects.
Ship hull characteristics from surface wake synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery

Improved data collection and processing technologies along with the use of high resolution spectral techniques will make it possible to obtain estimates of Kelvin wave amplitude function A( ), ship speed U, and ship heading from synthetic aperture radar images of ship wakes. This paper presents a series of methods for deriving additional hull characteristics such as the length L, volume V, and offsets (x,z) from this spectral and surface wave information. The first method estimates the ship length by taking Fourier transform of the slope amplitude function kA . The remaining estimates make use of the hull inversion code developed by Wu in 1991. The accuracy of the hull offsets predicted by the code is first determined for various options for solving the linear inversion problem. In this case, both the magnitude and phase of A ( ) are known in addition to the hull draft H. Since the draft is not often known a priori, the accuracy of the code is determined next by predicting the volume of the ship for an approximate though plausible input value of H. Finally, the accuracy of the non-linear inversion problem of obtaining offsets along the entire hull is investigated when only the magnitude but not the phase of A( ) is known.
Optimization of Whey-Based or Nonfat Dry Milk-Based Media for Production of pH Controlled Bulk Lactic Cultures,

Abstract Optimal percents of ingredients in phosphate-whey medium for preparing bulk lactic cultures were determined by multiple regression analysis. The optimum formula included 5.2% whey solids, .71% yeast autolyzate, and .43% casein hydrolyzate. This formulation increased cell population 36% and culture activity 38% over the control (5% whey solids, .4% yeast autolyzate, .1% casein hydrolyzate). Cost analysis suggested no significant advantage of the modified over the control formula. Several media were compared to a commercial phage inhibitory medium for ability to propagate lactic cultures under pH control and protect them during 14-h storage at 27°C. Nonfat dry milk-based media with stimulants added gave more stimulation and provided more protection than commercial phage resistant medium or whey-based blends. Commercial phage inhibitory medium was made comparable by reducing solids to 8% and by adding stimulants. Casein hydrolyzate was more stimulatory than intact casein, but the latter was more protective of ripened cultures during 14-h storage at 27°C.
Technology for low noise aircraft - The NASA Quiet Engines

Review of the major goals, procedures, and results of the Quiet Engine Program that was initiated four years ago and is now nearing completion. This program has developed and demonstrated, in full-scale, experimental engine tests, technology advances which, if applied to the design of future aircraft, will help produce equipment with noise levels considerably lower than the older narrow-body aircraft and significantly lower than the new wide-body aircraft flying at present. However, the application of this noise reduction technology will result in increases in aircraft operating costs. Future aircraft noise reduction research should, therefore, consider improvements in the economics associated with noise reduction technology.
A lag in intracellular degradation of mutant alpha1-antitrypsin correlates with the liver disease phenotype in homozygous PiZZ alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency: Wu Y, Whitman I, Molmenti E, Moore K, Hippenmeyer P, Perlmutter DH. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1994; 91: 9014–9018

Abstract Liver injury in PiZZ α 1 -antitrypsin (α 1 -AT) deficiency probably results from toxic effects of the abnormal α 1 -AT molecule accumulating within the ER of liver cells. However, only 12–15% of individuals with this same genotype develops liver disease. Therefore, we predicted that other genetic traits that determine the net intracellular accumulation of the mutant α 1 -AT molecule would also determine susceptibility to liver disease. To address this prediction, we transduced skin fibroblasts from PiZZ individuals with liver disease or without liver disease with amphotropic recombinant retroviral particles designed for constitutive expression of the mutant α 1 -AT Z gene. Human skin fibroblasts do not express the endogenous α 1 -AT gene but presumably express other genes involved in postsynthetic processing of secretory proteins. The results show that expression of human α 1 -AT gene was conferred on each fibroblast cell line. Compared to the same cell line transduced with the wild-type α 1 -AT M gene, there was selective intracellular accumulation of the mutant α 1 -AT Z protein in each case. However, there was a marked delay in degradation of the mutant α 1 -AT Z protein after it accumulated in the fibroblasts from ZZ individuals with liver disease (“susceptible hosts”) as compared to those without liver disease (“protected hosts”). Appropriate disease controls showed that the lag in degradation in susceptible hosts is specific for the combination of PiZZ phenotype and liver disease. Biochemical characteristics of α 1 -AT Z degradation in the protected hosts were found to be similar to those of a common ER degradation pathway previously described in model experimental cell systems for T-cell receptor a subunits and asialoglycoprotein receptor subunits, therefore, raising the possibility that the lag in degradation in the susceptible host is a defect in this common ER degradation pathway. Thus, these data provide evidence that other genetic traits that affect the fate of the abnormal α 1 -AT Z molecule, at least in part, determine susceptibility to liver disease. These data also validate a system for elucidating the biochemical/genetic characteristics of these traits and for examining the relevance to human disease of pathways for protein degradation in the ER.
Diversity of free-living ‘naked’ amoeboid organisms

Amoeboid organisms are phylogenetically diverse, some being more closely related to plants or metazoans than to each other. Amoeboid organisms are ecologically successful, having been isolated on all continents, including Antarctica, as well as being the main predators controlling bacterial populations in soil. The classification of these organisms has historically relied upon morphological characteristics. The application of electron microscopy, comparison of enzymic profiles after electrophoretic separation, and analysis of nucleic acid fractions have provided reliable bases for classifying amoeboid organisms. The extent of diversity of these organisms has been recognized, as methods to detect, culture, characterize and identify them has increased. It is reasonable to anticipate that the current 40 000 species of protists will increase substantially as amoeboid organisms are cultivated from poorly accessible niches and from extreme environs.
Glomerular sieving of anionic and neutral bovine albumins in proteinuric rats

Glomerular sieving of anionic and neutral bovine albumins in proteinuric rats. To characterize the defect in glomerular permeability leading to albuminuria in rats made nephrotic acutely by infusion of hexadimethrine (HDM) or chronically by administration of Adriamycin® (doxorubicin) (Adria), we developed and validated a tissue accumulation method for simultaneous determination of the glomerular sieving coefficients (GSC) of anionic 131 I-labeled bovine albumin (BSA-pI 4.9) and 125 I-labeled charge-modified neutral BSA (nBSA-pI 7.5 to 8.0). Total filtered marker was calculated by adding marker excreted in the urine to that filtered but reabsorbed by the tubules. The latter was determined by subtracting interstitial marker present in the left kidney, rendered non-filtering by ureteral ligation during mannitol diuresis, from the total marker accumulating within the right, filtering kidney. Experiments showed that markers circulated and were excreted intact and were neither degraded nor deiodinated during the period of the clearance studies. In control animals the GSC of nBSA (0.026 ± 0.004) greatly exceeded that of BSA (0.0006 ± 0.0002), demonstrating the normal charge dependence of permeability. Both proteinuric groups had marked increases in the GSC of BSA (HDM: 0.021 ± 0.005; Adria: 0.025 ± 0.004), which correlated with appearance of rat albumin in their urine. HDM rats also had a twofold increase in the GSC of nBSA (0.049 ± 0.005), indicating alteration of the size dependence of permeability. The absolute increase of GSC of BSA and nBSA was similar, suggesting that albuminuria resulted from appearance of new "pores" in the glomerular filter that were not charge selective for proteins of the size of albumin. Thus, infusion of HDM, which binds to and neutralizes GBM anions, appears to produce albuminuria by inducing a structural change in the glomerular filter. Conversely, Adria rats had no significant increase in the GSC of nBSA (0.031 ± 0.005), indicating no significant change in the size dependence of permeability for proteins of the size of albumin. In these animals, the GSC of the anionic BSA approached that of the neutral nBSA, indicating that Adriamycin induces albuminuria by markedly reducing the normal charge dependence of permeability.
Comparison of Lithium Gadolinium Borate Crystal Grains in Scintillating and Nonscintillating Plastic Matrices

We present a method for detecting neutrons using scintillating lithium gadolinium borate crystal grains in a plastic matrix while maintaining high gamma rejection. We have procured two cylindrical detectors, 5" × 5", containing 1% crystal by mass and with the crystal grains having a typical dimension of 1 mm. One detector was made with scintillating plastic, and one with nonscintillating plastic. Pulse shape analysis was used to reject gamma ray backgrounds. The scintillating detector was measured to have an intrinsic fast fission neutron efficiency of 0.4% and a gamma sensitivity <; 4.93 × 10-9, while the nonscintillating detector had a neutron efficiency of 0.6 or 0.7%, depending on analysis integration limits, with gamma sensitivity <; 4.93 × 10-9 and (3.25 ±2.84) × 10-7, respectively. We determine that increasing the neutron detection efficiency by a factor of 5-6 will make the detector competitive with moderated 3He tubes, and we discuss several simple and straightforward methods for obtaining or surpassing such an improvement. We end with a discussion of possible applications, both for the scintillating-plastic and nonscintillating-plastic detectors.
Contamination Control for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Multi-Angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR)

The contamination control activity performed for the Multi-Angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR) consisted of an overall system analysis for susceptibility to molecular and particulate contamination from both internal and external sources at the most sensitive sensor wavelength. This analysis considered the system long and short-term radiometric stability requirements, the expected sources of contaminants, the transport of those contaminants to the sensors, and the expected effects of those contaminants on sensitive surfaces. The derived requirements, including specific budgets, and a plan to meet them during assembly, test, and storage, were documented in the EOS MISR Contamination Control Plan. The final phase of control came from monitoring the hardware (recording data and implementing cleaning procedures) during assembly and thermal vacuum testing prior to shipment to the EOS integrator.
Interfacial Thermal Transport in Carbon Nanotubes

There is significant amount of research to analyze the thermal, electrical and other physical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). However, the energy transport mechanism at the contact of two tubes is still not well understood. This study investigates the interfacial thermal interaction between two carbon nanotubes using molecular dynamics simulation and wavelet methods. We place the tubes in a crossed configuration and pass a high temperature pulse along one of the CNTs while keeping other ends fixed, and analyze the interaction of this pulse with other nanotube. We apply this technique for nanotubes of chirality in the range of (5,0) to (10,0) to observe the response of tubes with changing diameter. This thermal pulse analysis shows that the coupling between the two tubes is very weak and may be dominated by the slow moving phonon modes with high energy. We perform a wavelet analysis of thermal pulse propagation along a CNT and its impact on another CNT in cross contact. Wavelet transformations of the heat pulse show how different phonon modes are excited and how they evolve and propagate along the tube axis depending on its chirality.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Applying General Strain Theory to Youth Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Scholarly research on commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of youth has been impeded due to difficulties in researching hidden and vulnerable populations. Drawing from Agnew’s general strain theory, this study utilized multigroup structural equation modeling to explore similarities and differences in vulnerability to CSE across gender. The strain reactive pathway, linking caregiver strain to youth susceptibility to CSE, was tested with data from 1,354 serious youthful offenders, 8.4% of whom indicated CSE. Findings revealed that caregiver strain, such as arrests and substance use, similarly impacted nurturing of boys and girls. Across both genders, poor nurturing was linked to higher negative psychosocial emotion, running away, and initiating substance use and sexual relationships at earlier ages. For males, negative psychosocial emotion and earlier initiation of sexual relationships were significantly related to CSE. In contrast, vulnerability of females was more strongly linked to earlier substance use.
Conversion Disorder: “An Adverse Reaction” to Watch Out For

A subject was enrolled in a multicenter, double-blinded clinical trial of ofloxacin-containing multidrug therapy for leprosy by the World Health Organization in 1992 and she developed multiple physical symptoms a few hours after taking the regimen. Physical examination and laboratory work-ups could not support a medical diagnosis and she was eventually dropped from the study. Decoding revealed that she belonged in the control group given the World Health Organization/multiple drug therapy–multibacillary regimen. In the course of treatment, she was diagnosed with conversion disorder and was subsequently treated with an antipsychotic.
The evolution of the human pelvis: changing adaptations to bipedalism, obstetrics and thermoregulation

The fossil record of the human pelvis reveals the selective priorities acting on hominin anatomy at different points in our evolutionary history, during which mechanical requirements for locomotion, childbirth and thermoregulation often conflicted. In our earliest upright ancestors, fundamental alterations of the pelvis compared with non-human primates facilitated bipedal walking. Further changes early in hominin evolution produced a platypelloid birth canal in a pelvis that was wide overall, with flaring ilia. This pelvic form was maintained over 3–4 Myr with only moderate changes in response to greater habitat diversity, changes in locomotor behaviour and increases in brain size. It was not until Homo sapiens evolved in Africa and the Middle East 200 000 years ago that the narrow anatomically modern pelvis with a more circular birth canal emerged. This major change appears to reflect selective pressures for further increases in neonatal brain size and for a narrow body shape associated with heat dissipation in warm environments. The advent of the modern birth canal, the shape and alignment of which require fetal rotation during birth, allowed the earliest members of our species to deal obstetrically with increases in encephalization while maintaining a narrow body to meet thermoregulatory demands and enhance locomotor performance.
Methylphenidate and dexmethylphenidate formulations for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Purpose Current literature on the safety and efficacy of various intermediate- and long-acting preparations of methylphenidate and dexmethylphenidate for pediatric attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is reviewed. Summary The efficacy of methylphenidate in controlling ADHD symptoms is firmly established. Given the drug’s relatively short half-life in pediatric patients (about 2.5 hours), a number of intermediate- and long-acting products have been developed; these extended-release methylphenidate products provide the same efficacy as immediate-release (IR) formulations, with the convenience of less frequent dosing. Intermediate-acting methylphenidate preparations have effects lasting as long as 8 hours, but peak concentrations are not attained for up to 5 hours, and many patients may require twice-daily dosing. Long-acting methylphenidate products developed to address these challenges include a controlled-release tablet and bimodal-delivery capsules containing mixtures of IR and extended-release beads (durations of effect, 8–12 hours). Options for patients with difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules include a once-daily transdermal delivery system and a once-daily liquid formulation. Dexmethylphenidate (the more pharmacologically active d -isomer of racemic methylphenidate) can provide efficacy comparable to that of IR methylphenidate at half the dose; an extended-release form of dexmethylphenidate can provide less fluctuation in peak and trough concentrations than the IR form. Methylphenidate and dexmethylphenidate products in capsule form can be opened and sprinkled on applesauce. Conclusion The various formulations of IR and intermediate- and extended-release methylphenidate and dexmethylphenidate can be useful options in satisfying patients’ individual needs in the management of ADHD. All are equally efficacious in controlling ADHD symptoms.
Sensation Seeking, Puberty, and Nicotine, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use in Adolescence

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the relationship among nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use; level of sensation seeking (SS); and pubertal development. Method: Subjects were early and middle adolescent males and females recruited from a psychiatric clinic ( n = 77) and two general pediatric clinics ( n = 131). SS was measured by using the Sensation Seeking Scale for Children. Pubertal development was measured with a modified Pubertal Development Scale that was completed by the adolescent and his/her parent about the adolescent. Adolescent self-reports of nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use were also obtained using questionnaires. Results: SS was higher in males and females who reported nicotine and alcohol use and in males who reported marijuana use. SS was positively associated with pubertal development in males and females, even when controlling for age. Furthermore, SS mediated the relationship of pubertal development and drug use in males and females. Conclusions: The observation that SS mediates the relationship between pubertal development and drug use in males and females may contribute to understanding changes in drug use that are seen during adolescence. In addition, SS is associated with drug use and is easily measured in a variety of clinical settings.
Emigration Behavior of Spotted Salamanders on Golf Courses in Southern Rhode Island

Abstract Few studies have investigated the emigration behavior of adult ambystomatid salamanders in fragmented landscapes. We assessed the emigration behavior of 30 Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) by implanting transmitters in 2003. Study sites, all in southern Rhode Island, included an active golf course, a golf course under construction, and a closed-canopy forest that served as a control site. Maximum dispersal distances from breeding ponds ranged from 44–467 m (mean = 145, SE = 20 m), with the maximum distance twice as far as prior studies on this species. Spotted Salamanders exhibited distinct preferences for terrestrial habitats by avoiding fairways and selecting forested uplands and forested wetlands. The use of forested wetlands was unusual because most past research has suggested avoidance of this habitat by Spotted Salamanders. We documented adult Spotted Salamanders crossing fairways to adjacent forest patches; thus, fairways were not a dispersal barrier. Compared to random points, ad...
Multimode Surface Waves for Selected Focal Mechanisms—II. Dip‐Slip Sources*

Summary. A summary is given of the multimode, Rayleigh wave response characteristics for strike-slip sources. The sources are located at various depths within the crust of a shield structure.
Regulation of MAP kinase pathway activity in vivo in human skeletal muscle.

Insulin and exercise potently stimulate glucose metabolism and gene transcription in vivo in skeletal muscle. A single bout of exercise increases the rate of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and m...
500 kHz Frame Rate Nitric Oxide Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence Imaging

We demonstrate that the incorporation of seven amplifiers into an Nd:YAG burst mode laser system amplifier chain, in combination with the use of CS2 as the working medium in a Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) Phase Conjugate Mirror (PCM), results in very substantial increases in the realizable energy per pulse, the total pulse train length, and the uniformity of the intensity envelope, especially for burst frequencies exceeding 100 kHz. Using the enhanced system stable trains of twenty pulses at burst frequencies of 500 kHz are demonstrated, with individual pulse energy at 1064 nm of 100 mJ, and pulse to pulse uniformity of +/- 10%. Conversion efficiency to the second (532 nm) and third (355 nm) harmonic wavelengths of ~50% and 35-40%, respectively is also achieved. Use of the third harmonic output of the burst mode laser as a pump source for a simple, home built Optical Parametric Oscillator produces pulse trains of broadly wavelength tunable output. Sum-Frequency mixing of OPO signal output at 622 nm with residual output from the 355 nm pump beam is shown to produce uniform bursts tunable output at ~226 nm, with individual pulse energy of ~0.3 mJ. Time correlated, 20 pulse NO Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) image sequences at 500 kHz are demonstrated in a nominally Mach 3 wind tunnel.
All-Pairs: An Abstraction for Data-Intensive Computing on Campus Grids

Today, campus grids provide users with easy access to thousands of CPUs. However, it is not always easy for nonexpert users to harness these systems effectively. A large workload composed in what seems to be the obvious way by a naive user may accidentally abuse shared resources and achieve very poor performance. To address this problem, we argue that campus grids should provide end users with high-level abstractions that allow for the easy expression and efficient execution of data-intensive workloads. We present one example of an abstraction-All-Pairs-that fits the needs of several applications in biometrics, bioinformatics, and data mining. We demonstrate that an optimized All-Pairs abstraction is both easier to use than the underlying system, achieve performance orders of magnitude better than the obvious but naive approach, and is both faster and more efficient than a tuned conventional approach. This abstraction has been in production use for one year on a 500 CPU campus grid at the University of Notre Dame and has been used to carry out a groundbreaking analysis of biometric data.
The rectangular loop antenna as a dipole

An integral equation for the current in a rectangular loop of wire is derived for a loop that is driven by two generators located at the centers of one pair of opposite sides. The EMF's are equal in magnitude and in phase in the sense that they maintain currents in the generators that are in the same direction relative to the coordinate system and, therefore, in opposite directions from the point of view of circulation around the loop. An approximate solution is obtained for the distribution of current around the loop and for the driving-point impedance. It is shown that the solution for the rectangle of wire reduces to that of the symmetrically driven folded dipole when one dimension is made electrically small and to a section of transmission line driven simultaneously at both ends when the other dimension is made small. The loop that is electrically small in both directions is also examined.
Evaluation of Cloud Physical Properties of ECMWF Analysis and Re-Analysis (ERA) against CERES Tropical Deep Convective Cloud Object Observations

Abstract This study presents an approach that converts the vertical profiles of grid-averaged cloud properties from large-scale models to probability density functions (pdfs) of subgrid-cell cloud physical properties measured at satellite footprints. Cloud physical and radiative properties, rather than just cloud and precipitation occurrences, of assimilated cloud systems by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational analysis (EOA) and 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) are validated against those obtained from Earth Observing System satellite cloud object data for the January–August 1998 and March 2000 periods. These properties include the ice water path (IWP), cloud-top height and temperature, cloud optical depth, and solar and infrared radiative fluxes. Each cloud object, a contiguous region with similar cloud physical properties, is temporally and spatially matched with EOA and ERA-40 data. Results indicate that most pdfs of EOA and ERA-40 cloud physical and radiative pro...
CTLA4-Ig inhibits allergic airway inflammation by a novel CD28-independent, nitric oxide synthase-dependent mechanism

The T-cell response to antigen depends on coordinate signaling between costimulatory and inhibitory receptors. The altered function of either may underlie the pathophysiology of autoimmune and/or chronic inflammatory diseases and manipulation of these pathways is an important emerging area of therapeutics. We report here that the immunosuppressant drug CTLA4-Ig inhibits the effector phase of allergic airway inflammation through a CD28-independent, nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent mechanism. Using mice deficient in both B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and CD28, we demonstrate that simultaneous deficiency of an inhibitory receptor can rescue the in vivo but not the in vitro CD28-deficient phenotype. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inflammation in CD28/BTLA-double-deficient mice is suppressed by CTLA4-Ig. This suppression is reversed by treatment with the NOS inhibitor, N6-methyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA). In addition, CTLA4-Ig is ineffective at inhibiting inflammation in NOS2-deficient mice when given at the effector phase. Thus, CD28 and BTLA coordinately regulate the in vivo response to inhaled allergen, and CTLA4-Ig binding to B7-proteins inhibits the effector phase of inflammation by a CD28-independent, NOS-dependent mechanism.
Spatial and temporal trends for water-flow velocity and bed-material sediment transport in the lower Mississippi River

Where rivers near the coastline, the receiving basin begins to influence flow, and gradually varied, nonuniform flow conditions arise. The section of the river affected by nonuniform flow is typically referred to as the backwater segment, and for large lowland rivers, this portion of the river can extend many hundreds of kilometers above the outlet. River morphology and kinematics vary in the backwater segment; however, these channel properties have not been explicitly related to properties of the flow and sediment-transport fields. This study examines the influence of spatially and temporally varying flow velocity and sediment transport on channel properties for the lower 800 km of the Mississippi River, a section of the river that includes the backwater segment. Survey transects (n = 2650) were used to constrain the cross-sectional area of water flow every ∼312 m along the Mississippi River channel for eight successive intervals of water discharge. Assuming conservation of water discharge, the local flow velocity was calculated at each transect by dividing water discharge by the local measurement of cross-sectional flow area. Calculated flow velocity was converted to total bed stress using a dimensionless friction coefficient that was determined by optimizing the match between a predicted and a measured water-surface profile. Estimates for the skin-friction component of the total bed stress were produced from the values for total shear stress using a form-drag correction. These skin-friction bed-stress values were then used to model bed-material transport. Results demonstrate that in the lower Mississippi River, cross-sectional flow area increases downstream during low- and moderate-water discharge. This generates a decrease in calculated water-flow velocity and bed-material transport. During high-water discharge, the trend is reversed: Cross-sectional flow area decreases downstream, producing an increase in calculated water-flow velocity and bed-material transport. An important contribution of this work is the identification of a downstream reversal in the trend for channel cross-sectional area due to variable water discharge. By accounting for the spatial divergences in sediment transport predicted over an average annual hydrograph, we demonstrate the tendency for channel-bed aggradation in much of the backwater reach of the Mississippi River (150–600 km above the outlet); however, a region of channel-bed erosion is calculated for the final 150 km. These results help to explain the spatial variability of channel morphology and kinematics for the lower Mississippi River, and they can be extended to other lowland river systems near the coastline.
Papain‐gel degrades intact nonmineralized type I collagen fibrils

Papain-gel has been utilized as a chemo-mechanical material for caries removal due to its ability to preserve underlying sound dentin. However, little is known about the effect of the papain enzyme on intact type I collagen fibrils that compose the dentin matrix. Here we sought to define structural changes that occur in intact type I collagen fibrils after an enzymatic treatment with a papain-gel. Intact and nonmineralized type I collagen fibrils from rat tail were obtained and treated with a papain-gel (Papacarie) for 30 s, rinsed with water and imaged using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Additionally, polished healthy dentin specimens were also treated using the same protocol described above and had their elastic modulus (E) and hardness (H) measured by means of AFM-based nanoindentation. AFM images showed that the papain-gel induced partial degradation of the fibrils surface, yet no rupture of fibrils was noticed. The distinction between gap and overlap zones of fibrils vanished in most regions after treatment, and overlap zones appeared to be generally more affected. Mechanical data suggested a gradual decrease in E and H after treatments. A significant two-fold drop from the values of normal dentin (E=20+/-1.9, H=0.8+/-0.08 GPa) was found after four applications (E=9.7+/-3.2, H=0.24+/-0.1 GPa) (P<0.001), which may be attributed to the degradation of proteoglycans of the matrix. In summary, this study provided novel evidence that intact nonmineralized type I collagen fibrils are partially degraded by a papain-gel.
Merging Thermodynamics and Evolution: How the Studies of High- Pressure Adaptation may Help to Understand Enzymatic Mechanisms

Copyright: © 2012 Davydov DR. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Increasing interest of researchers to the use of high hydrostatic pressure has marked recent trends in structural biology [1-4]. It became clear that, along with the exploration of the effects of temperature, the use of pressure as a variable parameter is indispensable for detailed understanding of the mechanisms of protein-protein interactions, protein folding and conformational transitions.
Kinetics of Inward-Rectifier K+ Channel Block by Quaternary Alkylammonium Ions: Dimension and Properties of the Inner Pore

We examined block of two inward-rectifier K+ channels, IRK1 and ROMK1, by a series of intracellular symmetric quaternary alkylammonium ions (QAs) whose side chains contain one to five methylene groups. As shown previously, the ROMK1 channels bind larger QAs with higher affinity. In contrast, the IRK1 channels strongly select TEA over smaller or larger QAs. This remarkable difference in QA selectivity between the two channels results primarily from differing QA unbinding kinetics. The apparent rate constant for binding (kon) of all examined QAs is significantly smaller than expected for a diffusion-limited process. Furthermore, a large (∼30-fold) drop in kon occurs when the number of methylene groups in QAs increases from three to four. These observations argue that between the intracellular solution and the QA-binding locus, there exists a constricted pathway, whose dimension (∼9 A) is comparable to that of a K+ ion with a single H2O shell.
Infertility, fertility treatment, and risk of hypertension

Objective To evaluate the association between infertility and fertility treatments on subsequent risk of hypertension. Design Cohort study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) A total of 116,430 female nurses, followed from 1993 to June 2011, as part of the Nurses' Health Study II cohort. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Self-reported, physician-diagnosed hypertension. Result(s) Compared with women who have never reported infertility, infertile women were at no greater risk of hypertension (multivariable adjusted relative risk (RR) = 1.01, with 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.94–1.07]). Infertility due to tubal disease was associated with a higher risk of hypertension (RR = 1.15 [1.01–1.31]), but no other diagnoses were associated with hypertension risk, compared with women who did not report infertility (ovulatory disorder: RR=1.03 [0.94–1.13]; cervical: RR=0.88 [0.70–1.10]; male factor: RR=1.05 [0.95–1.15]; other reason: RR=1.02 [0.94–1.11]; reason not found: RR=1.02 [0.95–1.10]). Infertile women collectively had 5,070 cases of hypertension. No clear pattern between use of fertility treatment and hypertension was found among infertile women (clomiphene citrate: RR=0.97 [0.90–1.04]; gonadotropin alone: RR=0.97 [0.87–1.08]; intrauterine insemination: RR=0.86 [0.71–1.03]; in vitro fertilization: RR=0.86 [0.73–1.01]). Conclusion(s) Among this relatively young cohort of women, no apparent increase occurred in hypertension risk among infertile women, or among women who had undergone fertility treatment previously.
An Ultrastructural Study of Pulmonary Bronchiolar and Alveolar Epithelium in Sheep

The cellular population lining the bronchiolar and alveolar epithelium of the lower respiratory tract of three clinically healthy, purebred Suffolk lambs of both sexes and 3-4 months old was studied using a transmission-electron microscope. The epithelium of primary and secondary bronchioles consisted of four cell types: basal cells, intermediate cells, ciliated cells, and non-ciliated (Clara) cells, whereas the epithelium of terminal and respiratory bronchioles consisted of only two kind of cells: ciliated and Clara cells. The alveolar wall, including alveolar ducts and saccules, was covered by type I and type II pneumocytes. In addition, the presence of pulmonary intravascular macrophages was a constant in most of the alveolar capillaries. The morphologic characteristics of all these cells are described in detail and discussed.
Essay. Teaching comparative religions in Kosovo: what I learned

In July 2001 I taught a course at the University of Pristina called Comparative Religions : Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Islam. Though I had offered an Introduction to World Religions course for many years, this was a new challenge, both because of the special context and because of the religious commitments of the students. While not forgetting that I was the professor, I allowed the students to lead me to a considerable extent, and they did so, in unexpected directions. They also prompted me to reflect anew on basic issues such as the purpose of such courses and their impact, particularly on those who have suffered recent emotional damage.
Privacy Control in Smart Phones Using Semantically Rich Reasoning and Context Modeling

We present our ongoing work on user data and contextual privacy preservation in mobile devices through semantic reasoning. Recent advances in context modeling, tracking and collaborative localization have led to the emergence of a new class of smart phone applications that can access and share embedded sensor data. Unfortunately, this also means significant amount of user context information is now accessible to applications and potentially others, creating serious privacy and security concerns. Mobile OS frameworks like Android lack mechanisms for dynamic privacy control. We show how data flow among applications can be successfully filtered at a much more granular level using semantic web driven technologies that model device location, surroundings, application roles as well as context-dependent information sharing policies.
Servo-hydraulic actuator control for real-time hybrid simulation

Real-time hybrid simulation combines experimental testing with numerical simulation, enabling the complete structural system to be considered in an experiment. The method presents an economical and effective technique to physically evaluate the behavior of rate-dependent seismic devices and to validate performance-based design procedures. Accurate servo-hydraulic actuator control is necessary for a successful real-time hybrid simulation. Inherent servo-hydraulic actuator dynamics can lead to actuator delay that results in a desynchronization between the measured restoring force(s) and the integration algorithm, leading to inaccurate results and possible instability in the simulation. This paper presents an adaptive compensation scheme to achieve accurate actuator control in real-time hybrid simulation. Experimental evaluation of the proposed adaptive scheme is conducted for a single-degree-of-freedom moment resisting frame with an elastomeric damper. The performance of the adaptive compensation scheme is compared with other compensation methods. It is shown that the adaptive compensation scheme is able to achieve accurate actuator control in real-time hybrid simulation.
Systematic and differential myelination of axon collaterals in the mammalian auditory brainstem

A brainstem circuit for encoding the spatial location of sounds involves neurons in the cochlear nucleus that project to medial superior olivary (MSO) neurons on both sides of the brain via a single bifurcating axon. Neurons in MSO act as coincidence detectors, responding optimally when signals from the two ears arrive within a few microseconds. To achieve this, transmission of signals along the contralateral collateral must be faster than transmission of the same signals along the ipsilateral collateral. We demonstrate that this is achieved by differential regulation of myelination and axon caliber along the ipsilateral and contralateral branches of single axons; ipsilateral axon branches have shorter internode lengths and smaller caliber than contralateral branches. The myelination difference is established prior to the onset of hearing. We conclude that this differential myelination and axon caliber requires local interactions between axon collaterals and surrounding oligodendrocytes on the two sides of the brainstem.
Evolution of Calcareous Nannoplankton and the Recovery of Marine Food Webs After the Cretaceous-Paleocene Mass Extinction

Abstract The calcareous nannoplankton underwent a major diversification between 60 Ma and 61 Ma with the appearance of two important Cenozoic genera, Fasciculithus and Sphenolithus. We have studied the evolution of these genera at four deep-sea sites using a combination of biostratigraphic and assemblage analyses. Our data show that the first appearances of both genera are time transgressive between sites by up to 1 myr, suggesting that these taxa were highly specialized or that ocean environments were heterogeneous. The interval of diversification coincided with a major turnover among nannoplankton assemblages involving an increase in taxa adapted to oligotrophic environments and a decrease in those suited to mesotrophic settings. The opening of niche space for oligotrophs such as Fasciculithus and Sphenolithus coincides with the radiation of oligotrophic planktonic foraminifers, including the genus Morozovella. The appearance of both groups occurred about 1 myr after the recovery of the biologic pump fo...