cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future of Airplane Aeroelasticity

Aeroelasticity is still dynamic, challenging, and a key part of cutting-edge airplane technology. Emerging trends, as well as challenges and needs in the field of airplane aeroelasticity, are surveyed and discussed. The paper complements other overview papers on various aspects of the fixed-wing aeroelastic problem, published recently for the centennial year of flight. It includes an extensive bibliography and emphasizes those aspects of aeroelastic technology development not covered thoroughly elsewhere.
Relationship of students' perceptions of faculty to scholastic achievement: Are popular instructors better educators?

Student evaluation of the faculty is a standard practice in most medical schools. Implied in these evaluations is the notion that popular instructors (ie, those considered outstanding by the students) are better educators, whose teaching translates into higher scores for their students on examinations. We tested this hypothesis by comparing students' evaluations of the faculty with levels of academic achievement in a second-year pathology course. Objective measures of academic achievement included scores on final comprehensive examinations, final course grade, and performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). During the 4 years studied (1990 to 1995), students belonging to groups with the highest ratings for their instruction performed no better than those with the poorest ratings. There was no correlation between students' perceptions of quality in teaching and their academic achievement. Our results indicate that students' evaluations of the faculty are subjective and do not correlate with objective results used in the assessment of student knowledge. Popular instructors are not necessarily better educators.
Multiscale Texture Segmentation of Dip-cube Slices using Wavelet-domain Hidden Markov Trees

Wavelet-domain hidden Markov models (HMMs) are powerful tools for modeling the statistical properties of wavelet transforms. By characterizing the joint statistics of wavelet coe cients, HMMs e ciently capture the characteristics of many real-world signals. When applied to images, the model can characterize the joint statistics between pixels, providing a very good classi er for textures. Utilizing the inherent tree structure of waveletdomain HMMs, classi cation of textures at various scales is possible, furnishing a natural tool for multiscale texture segmentation. In this paper, we introduce a new multiscale texture segmentation algorithm based on wavelet-domain hidden Markov trees (HMTs). We apply this new technique to the segmentation of dip-cube time slices.
Polyamine Synthesis in Maize Cell Lines

Uptake of [14C]putrescine, [14C]arginine, and [14C]ornithine was measured in five separate callus cell lines of Zea mays. Each precursor was rapidly taken into the intracellular pool in each culture where, on the average, 25 to 50% of the total putrescine was found in a conjugated form, detected after acid hydrolysis. Half-maximal labeling of each culture was achieved in less than 1 minute. Within this time frame of precursor incorporation, only putrescine derived from arginine was conjugated, indicating that putrescine pools derived from arginine may initially be sequestered from ornithine-derived putrescine. The decarboxylase activities were measured in each culture after addition of exogenous polyamine to the growth medium to assess differential regulation of the decarboxylases. Arginine and ornithine decarboxylase activities were augmented by added polyamine, the effect on arginine decarboxylase being eightfold greater than on ornithine decarboxylase. Levels of extractable ornithine decarboxylase were consistently 15- to 100-fold higher than arginine decarboxylase, depending on the titer of extracellular polyamine. Taken as whole the results support the idea that there are distinct populations of polyamine that are initially sequestered after the decarboxylase reactions and that give rise to separate end products and possibly have separate functions.
The pathophysiology of proximal neurofilamentous giant axonal swellings: implications for the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Neurofilamentous giant axonal swellings are observed in a number of human disorders, although they can manifest at different locations (i.e. proximal or distal) along the axon. Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of these changes has resulted from correlations of ultrastructural changes with abnormalities in the axonal transport of neurofilament proteins in experimental models produced by toxic chemicals. Using single, high doses of either acrylamide or 2,5-hexanedione, a reduction in neurofilament transport has been shown in the rat sciatic nerve. In contrast to the distal axonal swellings observed upon repeated exposures to these agents, modest proximal axonal swellings containing increased neurofilament content are found following high dose exposures. Thus, regardless of the location of swelling production, a defect in slow transport appears to underlie swelling formation. beta,beta'-Iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) produces proximal neurofilamentous giant axonal swellings which are indistinguishable from those observed in some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although not a model for ALS, IDPN provides a means to study the functional consequences of proximal giant axonal swellings. Intracellular recordings from IDPN-intoxicated cats reveal a number of abnormalities which may have electrophysiological counterparts in ALS, suggesting that the swellings may be important in the expression of the disease. Although axonal degeneration is rarely observed in the cat, perikaryal recordings reveal a number of alterations which are strikingly similar to those obtained from chromatolytic motor neurons following nerve transection. A perturbation of "trophic" signals from the periphery may be involved in the generation of axotomy-like changes in IDPN-intoxicated cats.
Sensitivity of antennae of male and femaleIps paraconfusus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) to its pheromone and other behavior-modifying chemicals.

The antennal sensitivities of both male and femaleIps paraconfusus were found generally to be greatest for conspecific aggregation pheromones (ipsdienol, ipsenol); intermediate for an additional conspecific pheromone (cis-verbenol), an aggregation synergist (2-phenylethanol), and pheromones/allomones of sympatric species (trans-verbenol, verbenone, and frontalin); and lowest for both host terpenes (alpha-pinene and myrcene) and other bark beetle-produced odorants (exo-brevicomin and linalool). Of the enantiomeric compounds tested, antennae of both sexes did not differ in sensitivity between thetrans-verbenol enantiomers at low dosage levels; but at higher dosages, the conspecific-produced enantiomer, (1R,4S,5R)-(+)-trans-verbenol, elicited larger mean EAG responses than its antipode, (1S,4R, 5S)-(−)-trans-verbenol. At the mid-dosage range, female antennae tended to be slightly more responsive to (S)-(−)-verbenone than to (R)-(+)-verbenone, while male antennae were equally responsive to stimulations by either verbenone enantiomer. In field bioassays there was a large and significant reduction in trap catches ofI. paraconfusus on traps where the (S)-(−)- or (R)-(+)-enantiomers of verbenone were evaporated beside logs containing boring conspecific males. Only when the (S)-(−)-enantiomer of verbenone was evaporated beside logs containing boring males did the sex ratio ofI. paraconfusus trapped shift from female-dominated to male-dominated attraction. Thus both physiological and behavioral data suggest a differential chiral sensitivity of female beetles for the verbenone enantiomers. The relative sensitivities between different chiral compounds derived from one or the other of the common precursoral host terpenes, (S)-(−)- and (R)-(+)alpha-pinene or myrcene, are discussed.
Thanks to Carol O'Sullivan

Computer Graphics and Applications Editor in Chief Gabriel Taubin bids farewell to Carol O'Sullivan, who served as the magazine's associate editor in chief for special issues and as an editorial board member.
Westernization and cultural resistance in tattooing practices in contemporary Japan

This article examines the popular culture of tattooing in Japan and sheds light on attempts by traditional tattooists to retain a vital presence in the modern-to-postmodern transitional periods. Explaining the values, beliefs and practices associated with tattooing during the pre-modern period, it discusses how these are shaped and modified by modern cultural practices, and how they are being impacted by globalization. While drawing on historical and cross-cultural research on tattooing in Japan, this article incorporates three tattooists' experiences as examples of contemporary practices. By resisting the impact of globalization, traditional tattooists preserve their own practices and pass them on to the next generation.
The P22 Tail Machine at Subnanometer Resolution Reveals the Architecture of an Infection Conduit

The portal channel is a key component in the life cycle of bacteriophages and herpesviruses. The bacteriophage P22 portal is a 1 megadalton dodecameric oligomer of gp1 that plays key roles in capsid assembly, DNA packaging, assembly of the infection machinery, and DNA ejection. The portal is the nucleation site for the assembly of 39 additional subunits generated from multiple copies of four gene products (gp4, gp10, gp9, and gp26), which together form the multifunctional tail machine. These components are organized with a combination of 12-fold (gp1, gp4), 6-fold (gp10, trimers of gp9), and 3-fold (gp26, gp9) symmetry. Here we present the 3-dimensional structures of the P22 assembly-naive portal formed from expressed subunits (gp1) and the intact tail machine purified from infectious virions. The assembly-naive portal structure exhibits a striking structural similarity to the structures of the portal proteins of SPP1 and phi29 derived from X-ray crystallography.
Alternative approaches for the use of metrics to order programs by complexity

Abstract With many program complexity metrics available, it is difficult to rank programs by complexity: the different metrics can give different indications. There are two parts to this problem. First, because different metrics can measure the same program attribute, we need a method of evaluating a given program attribute based on the values of all metrics that measure this attribute. Second, because different metrics can measure distinct program attributes, we need a method of evaluating the overall program complexity based on the values of all program attributes. This article compares two methods of simultaneously detecting those aspects of software complexity measured by the Halstead metrics and the McCabe cyclomatic complexity number. The first method synthesizes a combined metric by weighting each Halstead metric to reflect program attributes measured by the cyclomatic complexity number. The second method uses principal components analysis. This method derives a relative complexity metric, which represents each complexity metric in proportion to the amount of unique variation that it contributes. A validation study establishes a useful statistical relationship between this relative complexity metric and faults for a military telecommunications development effort.
Homodyned-K fluctuation model

The statistics of the matched filter output are examined for the case of a nonfluctuating target in K-type clutter. The resulting "homodyned-K" backscatter model is a generalization of the classic Rayleigh-Rice model and has applications in radar, sonar, optics, and ultrasonic medical imaging. This paper presents exact and asymptotic equations for the probability density function, survival function, moments, and parameter estimation. The exact equations are expressed as infinite series. Also provided are proof of the series' convergence and guidance for their numerical computation. Examples illustrating the model's application to radar and sonar are presented using electromagnetic and acoustic backscatter data.
Effect of Nanoparticle Deposition on Rewetting Temperature and Quench Velocity in Experiments With Stainless Steel Rodlets and Nanofluids

Quenching of small stainless steel rods in pure water and nanofluids with alumina and diamond nanoparticles at low concentrations (0.1 vol%) was investigated experimentally. The rods were heated to an initial temperature of ∼1000 °C and then plunged into the test fluid. The results show that the quenching behavior of the nanofluids is nearly identical to that of pure water. However, due to nanofluids boiling during the quenching process, some nanoparticles deposit on the surface of the rod, which results in much higher quenching rate in subsequent tests with the same rod. It is likely that particle deposition destabilizes the film-boiling vapor film at high temperature, thus causing the quenching process to accelerate, as evident from the values of the quench front speed measured by means of a high-speed camera. The acceleration strongly depends on the nanoparticle material used, i.e., the alumina nanoparticles on the surface significantly improve the quenching, while the diamond nanoparticles do not. The possible mechanisms responsible for the quench front acceleration are discussed. It is found that the traditional concept of conduction-controlled quenching cannot explain the acceleration provided by the nanoparticle layer on the surface.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
DnrD cyclase involved in the biosynthesis of doxorubicin: purification and characterization of the recombinant enzyme.

Mutations in the Streptomyces peucetius dnrD gene block the ring cyclization leading from aklanonic acid methyl ester (AAME) to aklaviketone (AK), an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway to daunorubicin (DNR) and doxorubicin. To investigate the role of DnrD in this transformation, its gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the DnrD protein was purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme was shown to catalyze the conversion of AAME to AK presumably via an intramolecular aldol condensation mechanism. In contrast to the analogous intramolecular aldol cyclization catalyzed by the TcmI protein from the tetracenomycin (TCM) C pathway in Streptomyces glaucescens, where a tricyclic anthraquinol carboxylic acid is converted to its fully aromatic tetracyclic form, the conversion catalyzed by DnrD occurs after anthraquinone formation and requires activation of a carboxylic acid group by esterification of aklanonic acid, the AAME precursor. Also, the cyclization is not coupled with a subsequent ...
The chemical thermodynamics of nuclear materials VI. (Plutonium + hydrogen)

Abstract The standard enthalpies of formation of cubic PuH x (c), where x = 1.99, 2.21, and 2.62, were determined by solution calorimetry as −(170.8±2.9), −(179.5±2.1), and −(199.5±2.8) kJ·mol −1 , respectively. These results are in reasonable agreement with the enthalpies obtained by Gibbs-Duhem integration of the equilibrium hydrogen pressure for (plutonium + hydrogen) over the composition range PuH 1.9 to PuH 3.0 .
Effect of flow rates and the slope of the linear concentration gradient on peak areas in high pressure liquid chromatography.

Abstract The effect of flow rates and the slope of the linear concentration gradient on peak areas in high pressure liquid chromatography was investigated. It was found that within limits the slope of the gradient had no effect on the peak areas. However, the peak areas were inversely proportional to the flow rates. Therefore, for accurate quantitative analyses by high pressure liquid chromatography using a linear gradient elution mode, flow rates must be accurately determined and controlled. Then calibrations obtained at one set of flow rarer can be applied to other flow rates with the appropriate proportionality factor.
A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship Between Nonoffending Caregiver Support and Postdisclosure Functioning in Sexually Abused Children.

Postdisclosure caregiver support has long been considered a key factor in the functioning of children after their disclosure of sexual abuse, and numerous studies and reviews support this relationship. Yet, a closer look at this literature suggests that support for this relationship might not be as strong or consistent as reported. The purpose of this article is to review studies assessing the relationship between caregiver support of sexually abused children and postdisclosure functioning of their children. Studies were collected using various search engines, and the tables of contents of certain child maltreatment journals were reviewed. To be included, studies had to be published prior to 2012 and to quantitatively capture the bivariate relationship between a quantified assessment of nonoffending caregiver (NOC) support anytime after the child’s sexual abuse disclosure and a quantified assessment of at least 1 of the 11 types of postdisclosure functioning in the children. Twenty-nine studies met the cr...
An extension of Moore's result for closed queuing networks

In this communication, Moore's result for the normalization constant of a closed queuing network of exponential servers is extended to the case of nondistinct traffic intensities. We then show that this result can be applied to various more general closed and semiclosed queuing networks with a product-form solution.
MEMBRANE JUNCTIONS IN THE INTERMEMBRANE SPACE OF MITOCHONDRIA FROM MAMMALIAN TISSUES

There have been several reports describing paracrystalline arrays in the intermembrane space of mitochondria. On closer inspection these structures appear to be junctions of two adjoining membranes. There are two types. They can be formed between the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes (designated outer-inner membrane junctions) or between two cristal membranes (intercristal membrane junctions). In rat heart, adjoining membranes appeared associated via a central dense midline approximately 30 A wide. In rat kidney, the junction had a ladder-like appearance with electron-dense "bridges" approximately 80 A wide, spaced 130 A apart, connecting the adjoining membranes. We have investigated the conditions which favor the visualization of such structures in mitochondria. Heart mitochondria isolated rapidly from fresh tissue (within 30 min of death) contain membrane junctions in approximately 10–15% of the cross sections. This would indicate that the percentage of membrane junctions in the entire mitochondrion is far greater. Mitochondria isolated from heart tissue which was stored for 1 h at 0°–4°C showed an increased number of membrane junctions, so that 80% of the mitochondrial cross sections show membrane junctions. No membrane junctions are observed in mitochondria in rapidly fixed fresh tissue or in mitochondria isolated from tissue disrupted in fixative. Thus, the visualization of junctions in the intermembrane space of mitochondria appears to be dependent upon the storage of tissue after death. Membrane junctions can also be observed in mitochondria from other stored tissues such as skeletal muscle, kidney, and interstitial cells from large and small intestine. In each case, no such junctions are observed in these tissues when they are fixed immediately after removal from the animal. It would appear that most studies in the literature in which isolated mitochondria from tissues such as heart or kidney were used were carried out on mitochondria which contained membrane junctions. The presence of such structures does not significantly affect normal mitochondrial function in terms of respiratory control and oxidative phosphorylation.
An Evaluation of the Impact of a Cosmetics Class on Breast Cancer Patients

This article reports the findings from an evaluation of Ihe "Look Good, Feel Better" program, a cosmetics class designed to restore the appearance and self-image of women with cancer. The participants were 121 women who were hospitalized for breast surgery. A quasiexperimental design was used in which 45 patients (experimental group) who participated in a class in early afternoon were compared with 76 patients who had not yet participated in a later class. The results indicated that patients in the experimental group reported significantly greater improvements in their mood and perceptions of their attractiveness when compared with the control group. These findings provided preliminary support for the benefits of the program for breast cancer patients.
An assessment of two domains for predicting achievement

Achievement and developmental domain test scores of 226 pupils in Grade 3 were used to predict scholastic performance. The developmental scores added significantly to predictability afforded by the achievement tests alone. Consideration for the use of both domains was urged.
On the L-functions associated with certain exponential sums

Abstract By use of p -adic analytic methods, we study the L -functions associated to certain exponential sums defined over a finite field. Estimates for the degree of this L -function as rational function are obtained. In an “asymptotic” sense, these estimates are shown to be best possible. Precise determination of the degree is computed in the one-variable case.
Involvement of multiply bonded dirhenium complexes in mixed-metal assemblies. Isolation and characterization of a new type of Re4Pd2 cluster.

The Re−Clt bond that is cis to the μ-CO unit in the edge-sharing bioctahedral complex Re2(μ-Cl)(μ-CO)(μ-dppE)2Cl3(CO) (1b; dppE = Ph2PC(CH2)PPh2) is labile toward substitution by anionic and neutral thiocyanate and cyanide containing metal fragments to afford mixed-metal Re4Pd2, Re2W, and Re2Pt assemblies. These products (3−5) retain the ReRe bond of the parent dirhenium(II) complex as demonstrated by the crystal structure of the Re4Pd2 cluster [Re2(μ-Cl)(μ-CO)(μ-dppE)2Cl2(CO)]2(μ-NCS)2[Pd2(μ-SCN)(μ-NCS)Cl2].
Sustainable development: An introduction

Abstract The methodologies and key results of the papers in this special issue are summarized, with emphasis on the limits to growth that developing and postsocialist economies are likely to face over the coming 5 to 10 years.
Thermodynamics of fluids in random microporous materials from scaled particle theory

The thermodynamic properties of fluids confined to disordered porous solids are studied using a scaled particle theory approach. For simple hard sphere fluids in matrices of hard spheres, this method is of comparable accuracy to those previously introduced. In past studies of such systems, a strong thermodynamic similarity between the partly quenched and fully annealed cases has been evident; an exception to this behavior occurs when the diameters are nonadditive. For adsorbed polymeric molecules, on the other hand, the scaled particle theory introduced in this paper is the only route to the thermodynamics yet presented. The partition coefficients for polymers at infinite dilution in matrices of various porosities agree well with simulation over many orders of magnitude. For bulk polymers, the scaled polymer predictions are in much closer agreement with simulation than those of the traditional pressure and compressibility equations.
Simplified predictive criteria for the onset of chaos

Two alternative criteria for predicting the onset of chaos are presented. Both are based on the notion that it is the interaction between a stable and nearby unstable limit cycle pair in the phase space that disrupts the stable motion, thereby producing chaotic behavior. The first criterion is based upon an intersection of the unstable and stable limit cycle orbits in the phase plane. The second criterion proposes that an energy equivalence between the stable and unstable limitcycles may be responsible for the loss of periodicity of the stable motion. Both criteria are tested numerically using three distinct softening spring oscillators and their predictive capabilities are discussed. The results of this study, particularly for the energy criterion, are encouraging.
System level implementation of beam position monitors with local data processing capability for the Cornell Electron Storage Ring

We describe the architecture and system-level implementation of a bunch-by-bunch beam position monitoring system for the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR). With this system an individual readout module is supplied for each detector. Each readout module is equipped with its own digital signal processor (DSP) which provides automatic gain and timing control for the acquisition of signals corresponding to particular bunches in the ring. The DSPs also provide local data processing for applications such as multiturn averaged position information, betatron phase measurements, and bunch-by-bunch tune measurements.
Induced Hypertension for the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Direct Effect on Cerebral Blood Flow

The best treatment for symptomatic cerebral ischemia from presumed vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage remains a matter of controversy. A direct effect of any treatment modality on regional cerebral blood flow has never been documented. In a series of 43 patients operated on for ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms, five patients (11.6%) developed clinical signs of cerebral ischemia postoperatively. In four of those patients, the diagnosis of "vasospasm" was made with measurements of cerebral blood flow (133Xe inhalation or intravenous injection, 10-16 detectors, cerebral blood flow infinity). Treatment with induced arterial hypertension with phenylephrine was instituted. Hemodilution was instituted in one patient; the other three patients already had hematocrits in the range of 33. Within 1 hour, the cerebral blood flow measurement was repeated to document the effect of treatment. The average pretreatment hemispherical blood flow on the operated side was 18.8 mL/100 g per minute, on the contralateral side 21.0 mL/100 g per minute. With treatment these flows increased to 30.8 and 35.8 mL/100 g per minute, respectively. There was also an immediate and obvious positive clinical effect in all patients. The role of measurement of cerebral blood flow in the clinical management of vasospasm is discussed. We stress the theoretical and practical advances of measurements of cerebral blood flow over cerebral angiography, especially in comatose patients.
Properties of filamentary sublimation residues from dispersions of clay in ice

During vacuum sublimation experiments on simulated Martian polar deposits and cometary dirty ices, a fluffy filamentary sublimate residue material with unique physical properties was produced. The silica-to-silica bonds that we believe join the particles together are the result of conditions that may exist in some Martian polar deposits and on some cometary surfaces. Submicron particles of montmorillonite clay thinly dispersed (1 : 1000 clay/water) and not contacting one another in water ice can form very-low-density structures (density as low as 10 ~ gcm 3) during sublimation of the ice. The lightweight constructs, when viewed in scanning electron microscopy micrographs, are composed of long network chains of the clay particles. The material is sufficiently electrically conductive to drain away the scanning electron microscopy charge. It is also resistant (no change in electronic properties are apparent) to scanning electron microscopy electron-beam heating for hours in vacuo. Infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns of the sublimate residues show little difference from spectra and patterns of the original minerals. Heating in an oven, in air, to 370°C produces little change in the structure of the sublimate residual material. The particle bonding forces are strong and produce a resilient, elastic lightweight material. The material is porous and will allow vapors to diffuse through it, and its thermal conductivity is very low. These properties produce a high-performance vacuum insulation. This material may have applications for insulating ice bodies (solid cryogens) in space. The incoming heat is partially carried away by the out-flowing water vapor. ~ 1986 Academic Press. Inc.
Microwave scattering model for grassland and short vegetation canopies

The prediction of microwave scattering from grasslands is complicated by two physical characteristics of these canopies. The first is the relatively small vertical extent of the vegetation which at low frequencies mandates the use of a coherent scattering formulation. In this case, the total scattering power is not just the summation of the scattered power of each constituent element; the inner product terms are significant as well. To account for these coherent terms, the relative physical locations of the canopy constituents, as well as their individual scattering, must be known. The other difficulty with predicting the scattering from grassland is the preponderance of long constituent elements extending from the top of the canopy down to the soil surface. These elements, therefore, cannot be modeled as point targets illuminated by a uniform plane wave. However, if the diameters of the constituents are electrically small, an approximation can be employed which leads to an easy scattering solution for long, thin dielectric cylinders illuminated by a non-uniform plane wave. Using Foldy's theorem, the coherent wave in the vegetation canopy can be estimated, and the scattered fields for each long thin constituent element immersed in this non-uniform wave can then be determined. The scattered field from each element is then coherently added to the scattered field of the other elements of the plant, and again to the scattered fields from the other plants of the canopy. >
Feedforward Backpropagation Neural Networks in Prediction of Farmer Risk Preferences

An out-of-sample prediction of Kansas farmers' responses to five surveyed questions involving risk is used to compare ordered multinomial logistic regression models with feedforward backpropagation neural network models. Although the logistic models often predict more accurately than the neural network models in a mean-squared error sense, the neural network models are shown to be more accommodating of loss functions associated with a desire to predict certain combinations of categorical responses more accurately than others.
The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence – By Timothy H. Breen

The paradox of the American Revolution is that North Americans had to destroy the British Empire to save the liberties it purportedly extended to them. In Marketplace of Revolution, Timothy Breen e...
Evaluation of a hydrogen laser vacuum ultraviolet source for photoionization mass spectrometry of pharmaceuticals

A photoionization hydrogen laser time-of-flight mass spectrometer system (H2-TOFMS) has been evaluated for the rapid analysis of drugs of abuse and pharmaceutical agents extracted from prescription tablets and spiked urine samples. The spectra obtained using the H2-TOFMS showed primarily intact molecular ions (M+*) after introduction by a heated probe and irradiation with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons from the laser. Samples analyzed by this technique required only a simple solid-phase extraction step; no chromatographic separation or derivatization was necessary to identify the drugs of abuse or pharmaceutical agents.
A note on the hadamard criterion for an incompressible isotropic elastic material

In a previous paper [1], we considered the propagation of a plane sinusoidal wave in an incompressible isotropic elastic material, which is subjected to an initial static pure homogeneous deformation with principal extension ratios λ1,λ2, λ3.
Effect of Cathodic Polarization of n-TiO_2 Thin Films on Their Photoresponse towards Water Splitting Reactions

Cathodic reduction of Titanium oxide (n-TiO_2) thin films was investigated as an alternative approach to customary hydrogen modification of n-TiO_2 under hydrogen gas stream at high temperature. Hydrogen modification of n-TiO_2 was carried out electrochemically under cathodic polarization. The photo-response of the electrochemically hydrogen modified n-TiO_2 (HM-n-TiO_2) exhibited a four-fold enhancement in their photoresponse compared to n-TiO_2 during water splitting under solar simulated light. The photoactivity of HM-n-TiO_2 suffers a substantial decrease after heat-treatment at 200°C, remarkably the photoactivity of these samples was fully repaired after re-hydrogenation under similar conditions. The electrodes were characterized using electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques.
Molecular Genetic Analyses of Mating Pheromones Reveal Intervariety Mating or Hybridization in Cryptococcus neoformans

The sexual mating of the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is important for pathogenesis studies because the fungal virulence is linked to the α mating type (MATα). We characterized C. neoformans mating pheromones (MFα 1 and MFa1) from 122 strains to understand intervariety hybridization or mating and intervariety virulence. MFα 1 in three C. neoformans varieties showed (a) specific nucleotide polymorphisms, (b) different copy numbers and chromosomal localizations, and (c) unique deduced amino acids in two geographic populations of C. neoformans var. gattii. MFα 1 of different varieties cross-hybridized in Southern hybridizations. Their phylogenetic analyses showed purifying selection (neutral evolution). These observations suggested that MATα strains from any of the three C. neoformans varieties could mate or hybridize in nature with MATa strains of C. neoformans var. neoformans. A few serotype A/D diploid strains provided evidence for mating or hybridization, while a majority of A/D strains tested positive for haploid MFα 1 identical to that of C. neoformans var. grubii. MFα 1 sequence and copy numbers in diploids were identical to those of C. neoformans var. grubii, while their MFa1 sequences were identical to those of C. neoformans var. neoformans; thus, these strains were hybrids. The mice survival curves and histological lesions revealed A/D diploids to be highly pathogenic, with pathogenicity levels similar to that of the C. neoformans var. grubii type strain and unlike the low pathogenicity levels of C. neoformans var. neoformans strains. In contrast to MFα 1 in three varieties, MFa1 amplicons and hybridization signals could be obtained only from two C. neoformans var. neoformans reference strains and eight A/D diploids. This suggested that a yet undiscovered MFa pheromone(s) in C. neoformans var. gattii and C. neoformans var. grubii is unrelated to, highly divergent from, or rarer than that in C. neoformans var. neoformans. These observations could form the basis for future studies on the role of intervariety mating in C. neoformans biology and virulence.
A compact phase interpolator for 3.125G Serdes application

This paper describes an area-efficient, low-voltage, low-power phase interpolator for clock recovery in a 3.125/2.5 Gbps dual mode serial link application. It has been implemented in both 0.15 /spl mu/m and 0.13 /spl mu/m digital CMOS processes. It occupies 0.02 mm/sup 2/ and dissipates less than 10 mW in both processes. The measurement results from the 0.13 /spl mu/m transceiver show a BER<10/sup -14/ with the presence of /spl plusmn/200 ppm frequency offset and 0.65 UI/sub p-p/ combined deterministic, random and sinusoidal jitter.
Nanostructured high-temperature superconductors: Creation of strong-pinning columnar defects in nanorod/superconductor composites

A chemical approach to the formation of columnar defects involving the growth and incorporation of MgO nanorods into high temperature superconductors (HTS’s) has been developed. MgO nanorods were incorporated into Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oz, Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oz, and Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3Oz superconductors at areal densities up to 2 × 1010/cm2. Microstructural analyses of the composites demonstrate that the MgO nanorods create a columnar defect structure in the HTS matrices, form a compositionally sharp interface with the matrix, and self-organize into orientations perpendicular and parallel to the copper oxide planes. Measurements of the critical current density demonstrate significant enhancements in the MgO nanorod/HTS composites at elevated temperatures and magnetic fields compared with reference samples.
Post-War Government and Politics of the Soviet Far East

A Far Eastern Republic appeared on the Pacific coast of Siberia when the Russians began to organize themselves after their Revolution. This new Republic, vvith its capital at Chita, was recognized by the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic on May 14,1920. Its life was short. At the time of its recognition by its large Western neighbor it asked for military aid. Two years later, on February 17, 1922, it concluded a Treaty of Economic Union with that neighbor.1 On February 22 of the same year it joined with the R.S.F.S.R. and the other Republics which had emerged from the Russian Empire in a protocol.2 This Protocol conferred on the R.S.F.S.R. the task of representing all of the Republics, including the Far Eastern Republic, at the first meeting with the Western World at Genoa in 1922. On November 13, 1922, the National Assembly of the Far Eastern Republic went further. It voted to transfer all power to a revolutionary Committee appointed by the R.S.F.S.R. The Far Eastern Republic ceased to exist.8 Since the dissolution of the Far Eastern Republic, the Soviet Far East has had no government of its own or policy distinct from that existing in the U.S.S.R. as a whole. A study of the Soviet Far East has become a study of the U.S.S.R., with special reference to the administrative structure of the eastern regions of Siberias and to Soviet policy as ithas been manifested bythe U.S.S.R. in its relations with other powers in the Far East.
Coping with Stress: A Study of Male Adolescents' Coping Strategies as Related to Adjustment

In an effort to explore the possible relationship between coping strategies and adjustment levels in stressed high school students, 174 male students were first administered the High School Social Readjustment Scale to identify the high stress subjects. High stress individuals were then given a Coping Style Questionnaire and two adjustment measures: the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Neuroticism Scale Questionnaire in order to establish typical strategies employed in dealing with stress for different adjustment levels. Problem-focused strategies, such as "Taking Positive Action" and "Seeking Information," were the most frequently reported strategies. Comparisons between better and more poorly adjusted students produced only modest relationships with a trend for the former to rely more on active strategies and the latter to rely more on dependent strategies of coping with stress.
Molecular Traffic Jams on DNA

All aspects of DNA metabolism—including transcription, replication, and repair—involve motor enzymes that move along genomic DNA. These processes must all take place on chromosomes that are occupied by a large number of other proteins. However, very little is known regarding how nucleic acid motor proteins move along the crowded DNA substrates that are likely to exist in physiological settings. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding how DNA-binding motor proteins respond to the presence of other proteins that lie in their paths. We highlight recent single-molecule biophysical experiments aimed at addressing this question, with an emphasis placed on analyzing the single-molecule, ensemble biochemical, and in vivo data from a mechanistic perspective.
Relation between homocysteine and B-vitamin status indicators and bone mineral density in older Americans

Abstract Recent studies have found a connection between hyperhomocysteinemia and hip fracture. If this association is causal, it could be mediated through detrimental effects of low B-vitamin status on bone mineral density (BMD). Studies have linked homocysteine (Hcy) and the established Hcy determinants folate and vitamin B12, to BMD, but results have been inconsistent. Furthermore, only one study considered the specific marker of tissue vitamin B12 status, methylmalonic acid (MMA), and none have considered red blood cell (RBC) folate. To further explore associations between Hcy and B-vitamin status indicators and bone health, we used data collected on older (i.e., aged >55 years) men and women who underwent DEXA scans of the hip as participants in phase 2 of the third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( n = 1550). We used BMD at the total hip as a continuous outcome variable in some analyses. In others, we used osteoporosis defined on a sex- and race/ethnicity-specific basis according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. After adjusting for demographic factors, body mass index, and other osteoporosis risk factors, BMD decreased and osteoporosis increased significantly with increasing serum MMA quartile category ( P
A LEAN Approach toward Automated Analysis and Data Processing of Polymers using Proton NMR Spectroscopy

To maximize utilization of expensive laboratory instruments and to make most effective use of skilled human resources, the entire chain of data processing, calculation, and reporting that is needed to transform raw NMR data into meaningful results was automated. The LEAN process improvement tools were used to identify non-value-added steps in the existing process. These steps were eliminated using an in-house developed software package, which allowed us to meet the key requirement of improving quality and reliability compared with the existing process while freeing up valuable human resources and increasing productivity. Reliability and quality were improved by the consistent data treatment as performed by the software and the uniform administration of results. Automating a single NMR spectrophotometer led to a reduction in operator time of 35%, doubling of the annual sample throughput from 1400 to 2800, and reducing the turn around time from 6 days to less than 2.
Impact of Nuclear Technology on Highway Engineering

MODERN AUTOMOTIVE TRANSPORTATION REQUIRES WISE HANDLING, PROCESSING AND TESTING OF NATURAL MATERIALS FOR HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION. NEW MATERIALS ARE BEING USED TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE HIGHWAY STRUCTURE. NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IS RAPIDLY BEING APPLIED AS A TOOL FOR MEASURING AND TESTING MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. PERFORMANCE OF NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTS FOR MATERIAL SUITABILITY AND SPEED OF MEASURING BY NUCLEAR METHODS PROVIDE BETTER PROCESSING AND CONSTRUCTION CONTROLS. THE FLOW OF MATERIALS CAN BE MEASURED AND TESTED BY EXTREMELY SMALL QUANTITIES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS. SUCH TRACER TECHNIQUES ASSIST BOTH IN MATERIAL PRODUCTION AND IN HIGHWAY STRUCTURAL DESIGN. NUCLEAR ENERGY ALSO HAS SOME PROMISE FOR CHANGING THE CONSISTENCY OF INFERIOR SOILS TO PRODUCE A SUITABLE ENGINEERING MATERIAL. NUCLEAR POWER, HEAT AND EXPLOSIVES MAY AFFECT HIGHWAY LOCATION, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES, AND EVENTUALLY MAY BRING ABOUT NEW PRINCIPLES AND TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHWAY ENGINEERING.
Physical and structural basis for polymorphism in amyloid fibrils

As our understanding of the molecular structures of amyloid fibrils has matured over the past 15 years, it has become clear that, while amyloid fibrils do have well-defined molecular structures, their molecular structures are not uniquely determined by the amino acid sequences of their constituent peptides and proteins. Self-propagating molecular-level polymorphism is a common phenomenon. This article reviews current information about amyloid fibril structures, variations in molecular structures that underlie amyloid polymorphism, and physical considerations that explain the development and persistence of amyloid polymorphism. Much of this information has been obtained through solid state nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. The biological significance of amyloid polymorphism is also discussed briefly. Although this article focuses primarily on studies of fibrils formed by amyloid-β peptides, the same principles apply to many amyloid-forming peptides and proteins.
Contortrostatin activates ERK2 and tyrosine phosphorylation events via distinct pathways.

Abstract We report that cells adhering to contortrostatin show transient increases in activation of Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase 2 (ERK2). The kinetics and degree of activation are similar to cells adhering to fibronectin or vitronectin. We have recently shown that contortrostatin induces tyrosine phosphorylation in tumor cells. Contortrostatin is shown here to stimulate activation of ERK2 in suspended cells, but this activation follows a different dose-response pattern than contortrostatin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Since contortrostatin induces tyrosine phosphorylation via αvβ3, we explored the effects of an αvβ3-blocking antibody, 7E3, on contortrostatin-stimulated ERK2 activation. While 7E3 completely blocks the effect of contortrostatin on tyrosine phosphorylation, this antibody had no effect on activation of ERK2. In cells lacking expression of αvβ3, tyrosine phosphorylation was unaffected by contortrostatin treatment, but ERK2 was activated. This is strong evidence that contortrostatin is regulating tyrosine phosphorylation events and ERK2 activation via separate pathways and through different integrin receptors.
Transverse propagation of action potentials between parallel chains of cardiac muscle and smooth muscle cells in PSpice simulations

We previously examined transverse propagation of action potentials between 2 and 3 parallel chain of cardiac muscle cells (CMC) simulated using the PSpice program. The present study was done to examine transverse propagation between 5 parallel chains in an expanded model of CMC and smooth muscle cells (SMC). Excitation was transmitted from cell to cell along a strand of 5 cells not connected by low-resistance tunnels (gap-junction connexons). The entire surface membrane of each cell fired nearly simultaneously, and nearly all the propagation time was spent at the cell junctions, the junctional delay time being about 0.3 – 0.5 ms (CMC) or 0.8 – 1.6 ms (SMC). A negative cleft potential (Vjc) develops in the narrow junctional clefts, whose magnitude depends on the radial cleft resistance (Rjc), which depolarizes the postjunctional membrane (post-JM) to threshold. Propagation velocity (θ) increased with amplitude of Vjc. Therefore, one mechanism for the transfer of excitation from one cell to the next is by the electric field (EF) that is generated in the junctional cleft when the pre-JM fires. In the present study, 5 parallel stands of 5 cells each (5 × 5 model) were used. With electrical stimulation of the first cell of the first strand (cell A1), propagation rapidly spread down that chain and then jumped to the second strand (B chain), followed by jumping to the third, fourth, and fifth strands (C, D, E chains). The rapidity by which the parallel chains became activated depended on the longitudinal resistance of the narrow extracellular cleft between the parallel strands (Rol2); the higher the Rol2 resistance, the faster the θ. The transverse resistance of the cleft (Ror2) had almost no effect. Increasing Rjc decreases the total propagation time (TPT) over the 25-cell network. When the first cell of the third strand (cell C1) was stimulated, propagation spread down the C chain and jumped to the other two strands (B and D) nearly simultaneously. Transverse propagation of excitation occurred at multiple points along the chain as longitudinal propagation was occurring, causing the APs in the contiguous chains to become bunched up. Transverse propagation was more erratic and labile in SMC compared to CMC. Transverse transmission of excitation did not require low-resistance connections between the chains, but instead depended on the value of Rol2. The tighter the packing of the chains facilitated transverse propagation.
Cell-bound C3b stimulates human monocyte release of prostaglandin E and thromboxane B2

Particle-bound C3b stimulated enhanced release of prostaglandin E and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) from human peripheral blood monocytes in vitro. Particle-bound C3b stimulation was correlated to the ability of the particles to bind to the monocytes. Monocytes stimulated with particle-bound and fluid-phase C3b always released more TxB2 than PGE. These data suggest that ligation of the C3b receptor on human monocytes results in enhanced arachidonic acid metabolism.