cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compositionally graded joints between magnetically dissimilar alloys achieved through directed energy deposition

Abstract Compositionally graded cylinders comprising FeCo-2V, a soft magnetic alloy, and 316L stainless steel, were produced by directed energy deposition incorporating two different gradient lengths. Five distinct regions in the microstructure were observed in both the as-printed and annealed gradients. When normalized for the gradient length, the gradients showed similar grain size and microhardness profiles. In tensile tests, the as-printed samples failed in the 316L region with an effective total “composite” strain of 20-30% and overall strength approaching that of wrought 316L. The annealed samples failed in the FeCo-2V region. Neither exhibited failure in the gradient region. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to calculate tensile strength as a function of composition, showing good correlation to experimental trends but not absolute values. This work demonstrates the tunability of site-specific properties using blown powder directed energy deposition to gradually grade from FeCo-2V to 316L stainless steel in a monolithic component.
Informing the Development of a Standardized Clinical Definition of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: Protocol for a Modified-Delphi Expert Panel.

Background: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a postnatal withdrawal syndrome that most commonly results from prenatal opioid exposure. Every 15 minutes, an infant is born in the United States with signs of NAS. The field lacks a standardized clinical definition of NAS, complicating discussions on programmatic and policy development to support opioid-exposed mothers and infants. Objective: The goal of this paper is to describe a protocol for a systematic expert panel process to inform the development of a clinical definition of NAS. Methods: We will conduct two three-round online modified-Delphi panels using the ExpertLens system and will follow the recommendations for Conducting and REporting of DElphi Studies (CREDES). One panel will focus on developing key components of a clinical definition of NAS, and the second panel will focus on neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), which is a term that has come into use to differentiate opioid-exposed infants from infants exposed to other substances in utero. However, there is lack of agreement on the precise clinical definition of NOWS and how it is distinct from or overlaps with NAS. Each panel will complete two rating rounds and a discussion round using a similar protocol. We will analyze all rating data descriptively and determine the presence of agreement within and between the two panels. We will also perform thematic analysis of the qualitative comments to contextualize the panel findings. Results: The panels were convened between October 29 and December 17, 2020. Their results were disseminated and discussed at a national conference on NAS that took place on March 17-18, 2021. Conclusions: A standardized clinical definition of NAS will help to better characterize NAS incidence and to design effective clinical, public health, and policy interventions to support opioid-exposed mother-infant dyads.
Tree nut consumption and prevalence of carotid artery plaques: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study

While tree nut consumption has been shown to be cardioprotective, a few studies have examined the relationship between tree nut consumption and carotid atherosclerosis. We tested the hypothesis that tree nut consumption would be inversely related with carotid atherosclerosis in adults. We cross-sectionally analyzed data from 4536 participants of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Family Heart Study conducted in the United States. Dietary patterns among participants were variable, tree nut consumption was self-reported using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and B-mode ultrasound of the carotid arteries was used to assess for the presence of carotid artery plaques (primary outcome) and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of prevalent carotid artery plaques and linear regression was used to estimate adjusted mean cIMT across categories of nut consumption. The mean age was 52.3 years (SD = 13.6), 95.6% of the participants were white, and 54% were female. The median tree nut intake was 1–3 servings/month. Odds ratios (95% CI) for prevalent carotid artery plaques were 1.0 (reference), 1.03 [0.86, 1.4], 0.89 [0.70, 1.13], and 0.96 [0.73, 1.26] for tree nut consumption of almost never, 1–3 times/month, 1/week, and 2+/week, respectively, adjusting for age, sex, race, field center, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, creatinine, energy intake, fruit and vegetable consumption, exercise, and education. In secondary analysis, there was a suggestive inverse association of tree nut consumption with cIMT in the internal carotid artery, but not the common carotid or bifurcation. Our data showed no association between tree nut consumption and prevalence of carotid artery plaques in adults.
High expression of NFX1-123 in HPV positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Background High-risk human papillomaviruses (HR HPV) cause nearly all cervical cancers and, in the United States, the majority of head and neck cancers (HNSCCs). NFX1-123 is overexpressed in cervical cancers, and NFX1-123 partners with the HR HPV type 16 E6 oncoprotein to affect multiple growth, differentiation, and immune response genes. However, neither the expression of NFX1-123 nor the levels of these genes have been investigated in HPV positive (HPV+) or negative (HPV-) HNSCCs. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas Splicing Variants Database and HNSCC cell lines were used to quantify expression of NFX1-123 and cellular genes increased in cervical cancers. Results NFX1-123 was increased in HPV+ HNSCCs compared to HPV- HNSCCs. LCE1B, KRT16, SPRR2G, and FBN2 were highly expressed in HNSCCs compared to normal tissues. Notch1 and CCNB1IP1 had greater expression in HPV+ HNSCCs compared to HPV- HNSCCs. Conclusion NFX1-123 and a subset of its known targets were increased in HPV+ HNSCCs.
Color Removal from Pulp Mill Effluent Using Coal Ash Produced from Georgia Coal Combustion Power Plants

In this study, Coal Fly Ash (CFA), a byproduct of coal combustion power plants, was used as an adsorbent to remove color from locally-obtained pulp mill effluent (PME). Batch adsorption studies were conducted to determine the adsorption parameters that would result in the maximum color removal from PME at the lowest CFA dosage and process cost. The effects of operating variables on color removal were studied by varying: 1) CFA dosage, 2) initial PME pH, and 3) contact time. The findings indicate that the optimum CFA dosage for cost-effective color removal was 100.0 g/L (80.5% removal) given an initial effluent color concentration below 900 mg/L Pt-Co color units. For effluent samples with a color concentration over 900 mg/L Pt-Co color units, the optimum CFA dosage was 250.0 g/L (80.4% removal). In addition, no pH adjustment of the PME was required for maximum color removal. A kinetic study showed that color removal by CFA occurred rapidly in the first hour, and adsorption equilibrium was achieved at 24 hours. Additionally, the kinetic and isotherm adsorption data was best described by the Ho et al. kinetic model and the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, respectively. Overall, this research found CFA to be a promising low-cost adsorbent for the removal of color from PME.
22R-Hydroxycholesterol and 9-cis-Retinoic Acid Induce ATP-binding Cassette Transporter A1 Expression and Cholesterol Efflux in Brain Cells and Decrease Amyloid β Secretion

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a major regulator of peripheral cholesterol efflux and plasma high density lipoprotein metabolism. In adult rat brain we found high expression of ABCA1 in neurons in the hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, cholinergic basal forebrain, and hippocampus. Large neurons of the cholinergic nucleus basalis together with CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons were among the most abundantly immunolabeled neurons. Glia cells were largely negative. Because cholesterol homeostasis may have an essential role in central nervous system function and neurodegeneration, we examined ABCA1 expression and function in different brain cell types using cultures of primary neurons, astrocytes, and microglia isolated from embryonic rat brain. The basal ABCA1 mRNA and protein levels detected in these cell types were increased markedly after exposure to oxysterols and 9-cis-retinoic acid, which are ligands for the nuclear hormone liver X receptors and retinoic X receptors, respectively. Functionally, the increased ABCA1 expression caused by these ligands was followed by elevated apoA-I- and apoE-specific cholesterol efflux in neurons and glia. In non-neuronal and neuronal cells overexpressing a human Swedish variant of amyloid precursor protein, 22R-hydroxycholesterol and 9-cis-retinoic acid induced ABCA1 expression and increased apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux consequently decreasing cellular cholesterol content. More importantly, we demonstrated that these ligands alone or in combination with apoA-I caused a substantial reduction in the stability of amyloid precursor protein C-terminal fragments and decreased amyloid beta production. These effects of 22R-hydroxycholesterol may provide a novel strategy to decrease amyloid beta secretion and consequently reduce the amyloid burden in the brain.
Test Reliability: A Practical Exemplification of Ordinary Language Philosophy

Although reliability has received a greater amount of scholarly psychometric attention than any other assessment topic, its interpretation and use by the world of test consumers has been neglected. In this essay, I shall argue that there is a problem here: that the word “reliability” does not mean to the test-consuming public what it means to test specialists, resulting in avoidable confusion and likely mistakes. The test-consuming public to whom I refer consists of parents, school board members, foundation personnel, legislators, governors, presidents, and prime ministers.
Ontology-Driven Conceptual Modelling

In the last decade, ontologies have become a hot issue in the conceptual modeling community, which is chiefly due to the emergence of new application areas such as Electronic Commerce and the Semantic Web. The implementation of large-scale information systems, as well as their semantic interoperability, seem to be only tractable on the basis of ontologies as abtract domain models.
The Structure of Surfaces

The structure of a surface influences many of its important properties. For example, the chemical, electronic, and vibrational properties of surfaces are affected by small changes (i.e., 0.01 to 0.05 A) in the surface bond lengths. The surfaces of most semiconductors and of some noble metals are reconstructed, producing new and important properties of the surface region. Indeed, modern surface science is anchored on the ability of novel microscopic and spectroscopic techniques to yield quantitative information about surface structure.
Chapter 21 – Using Single-Column Models to Improve Cloud-Radiation Parameterizations

This chapter explores the potential of single-column models (SCMs) in attacking the central questions of cloud-radiation feedbacks in climate. The basic idea of the SCM is to force and constrain an isolated time-dependent atmospheric global climate models (GCM) column with estimates of observed advective flux convergences, then to compare the output with observations to judge the realism of the parameterizations. The SCM is a convenient testbed for examining many aspects of the ways in which GCMs treat subgrid physical processes. A variety of parameterizations representing cumulus convection, cloud prognostication, cloud-radiative properties, cloud water budgets, and precipitation are tested and used for intercomparison. The SCM is numerically integrated in time as an initial value problem that is forced and constrained by observational data. The solar radiation parameterization calculates the absorption of solar radiation within each of the model layers. The sensitivity test performed with the “optimized” values of A and B is admittedly simple, and more rigorous analyses are required to yield a satisfactory and physically consistent cloud prognostication scheme for the western tropical Pacific. SCM proves to be a useful and economical tool in parameterization development.
Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Summary form only given. Implementations of OCT, which take advantage of the spectral bandwidth of low coherence sources for tissue spectroscopy, have not yet been reported. We describe a novel technique for depth-resolved coherent backscatter spectroscopy, which is an extension of OCT technology. Our system incorporates an OCT scanner illuminated by a superluminescent diode (SLD) at 1.3-/spl mu/m center wavelength. In the low-coherence interferometer, a scanning reference mirror generates the temporal cross-correlation function of light reflected from the reference mirror, and that backscattered from the sample arm target. A separate helium-neon interferometer is utilized for digital correction of artifacts in the low-coherence interferometer output due to nonlinearities in the reference arm retroreflector stage velocity. The low-coherence interferometric signal is digitally demodulated and filtered to obtain the complete complex envelope of the interferometric signal, which is required for the spectroscopic technique. Using this system, low-coherence interferograms with accurate sampling intervals and high dynamic range (>98 dB) are acquired.
Artificial intelligence approach to controlling SRM drives with manufacturing imperfections

This paper introduces the problem of parameter variation in mass production of switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive. Eccentricity has been chosen as an example to show the effects of manufacturing tolerances on the steady state and dynamics of the SRM drives. Artificial intelligence methods have been employed to overcome the effects of parameter variation on the drive control. Comparison of results with classical approaches shows a significant improvement in performance of the SRM drive.
On the overhead-delay tradeoff in carrier sense collision channels

In this paper, we study the impact of delay constraints on the throughput of a queued multiple-access system. We model the channel as a collision channel with carrier sense to capture the inherent information sharing due to broadcast nature of the wireless channels. Since the queue state information is unknown to other nodes and a delay-bounded communication is desired, we show that a fraction of throughput is lost as protocol overhead. More importantly, we show that there is a tradeoff between protocol overhead and queuing delay; larger delays allowing smaller overheads. In addition, we show that larger network loads can also be used to reduce protocol overhead, which is in direct contrast of the behavior exhibited by commonly used medium access protocols
Unique solutions of spacecraft structural dynamics problems.

New ideas and techniques recently put to use at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for structural dynamics of spacecraft are presented. This paper deals with practical problems rather than elaborate mathematical theories and is concerned with the system approach for structural dynamics, an approach which has received attention in the recent past owing to the use of the fast Fourier transform algorithm which permits an economical use of digital computers. Concept of dynamics mass in the frequency domain is introduced. Reaction forces and moments at the base of a spacecraft in boosted flight configuration are determined. A combination of digital and analog techniques for special problems is presented. The examples reported are on actual spacecraft.
Probabilistic model for temperature and turbidity in a reservoir withdrawal

Abstract The development and application of a probabilistic modeling framework to conduct a priori simulations (forecasts) of temperature (Tw) and turbidity (Tn,w) in the withdrawal of a water supply impoundment, Schoharie Reservoir, N.Y., is documented. The model framework incorporates previously tested transport/hydrothermal and turbidity submodels, long-term (57 years) records of meteorology, hydrology, and operations, and empirical models to specify other drivers, including tributary temperature and turbidity inputs, over the same period. The probabilistic framework closely simulates the observed wide variations in Tw and Tn,w for an 18-year period. The major sources of variability for both Tw and Tn,w were demonstrated to be variations in hydrologic and linked operating conditions. Application of the probabilistic framework indicates the goal for Tw could be met continuously with a multi-level intake (MLI) facility instead of the existing single, fixed-depth intake. However, this management alternati...
Nonorthogonal wavelet edge detector with four filter-coefficients

Interaction of edges in a detection process often cause displacements of detected edges at large scales. We consider a wavelet-based multiscale edge detector for reducing the degree of edge interactions. A symmetric scaling function corresponding to (c0, c3) equals (0.05, 0.05) is selected from solutions to the four-coefficient dilation equations, which leads to a four- coefficient filter yielding a minimum interaction between edges. Experimental results are presented to show its detection and localization performance.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Sophocles's Oedipus the King and Spielberg's Minority Report

(2005). Sophocles's Oedipus the King and Spielberg's Minority Report. The Explicator: Vol. 63, No. 4, pp. 194-197.
Arterial blood pressure immediately after thermal injury: The role of anesthesia

Mean arterial blood pressure was measured in anesthetized rats. The duration that the rats were under anesthesia with ether or methohexital was brief, and the animals were allowed to awaken early after injury. Three hemodynamic measurements were compared: (1) lowest mean arterial blood pressure, (2) duration at lowest mean arterial blood pressure, and (3) time to recover initial mean arterial blood pressure. In these studies the anesthetic agents reduced mean arterial blood pressure by 36%, recovering to normal pressures within 24 to 39 minutes. During the hemodynamic observation period, no significant additional hemodynamic effects as a result of the thermal injury were seen. Administration of resuscitation fluid did not significantly affect hemodynamics during the observation period in this study. These studies demonstrate that anesthesia dominates the short-term cardiovascular effects of thermal injury, and therefore caution is required in the interpretation of acute cardiovascular effects immediately after thermal injuries with patients under general anesthesia.
A study of one dimensionality and isochoric deformation during the passage of tensile waves: A new experiment in which tensile and compressive waves are generated in the same specimen is described and the significance of surface-angle measurements is discussed

An experiment is described which makes possible simultaneous observations of tensile-wave profiles in the tubular portion and compressive-wave profiles in the solid portion of the same specimen. An elastic wave in a hard bar induces plastic deformation in the soft specimen on its arrival at the interface of the bar and the specimen. Stress history in the hard bar and strain, as well as surface-angle history in the specimen, are measured using wire resistance gages and Bell's diffraction-grating technique, respectively. Surface-angle measurements are shown to demonstrate that, during the passage of tensile waves, the stress state is one dimensional in the tubular specimen based on the premise and consistent with observation that the deformation is isochoric.
Detection of Anisotropic Hyperfine Components of Chemically Prepared Carotenoid Radical Cations: 1D and 2D ESEEM and Pulsed ENDOR Study

Canthaxanthin and 8‘-apo-β-caroten-8‘-al radical cations chemically prepared on activated silica−alumina and in CH2Cl2 solution containing AlCl3 were studied by pulsed EPR and ENDOR spectroscopies. Both the 1D three-pulse ESEEM and the 2D HYSCORE spectra of the carotenoid−AlCl3 mixtures exhibited the 27Al nuclei peak at 3.75 MHz. This indicates electron-transfer interactions between carotenoids and AlIII ions resulting in the formation and stabilization of carotenoid radical cations. Davies ENDOR measurements of the canthaxanthin radical cation on silica−alumina determined the hyperfine couplings of β protons belonging to three different methyl groups with aH1 = 2.6 MHz, aH2 = 8.6 MHz, and aH3 ca. 13 MHz. The principal components of the proton hyperfine tensors were obtained from HYSCORE spectra in AlCl3 solutions and on the solid support. Identification of the protons was made on the basis of isotropic hyperfine couplings determined by RHF−INDO/SP molecular orbital calculations. In frozen AlCl3 solution,...
An investigation of the lead tin yellows type I and II and their use in Bohemian panel paintings from the Gothic period

Presented article summarizes the results of a broad-based survey on painting techniques used during the High and Late Gothic period in the Bohemian panel paintings located in the collections of the National Gallery in Prague. The work is focused on the specific use of yellow pigments – lead tin yellow type I and type II in the panel painting from the period around 1340–1550. In the scientific investigation supplementary microscopic and spectral analyses were made. A representative range of 57 micro-samples collected from the 36 panel paintings of the 21 Masters and their workshops was investigated by the methods of optical microscopy on polarizing microscope (OM). Molecular analysis of both types of yellow was performed using Raman micro-spectroscopy (RMS). The use of this technique was crucial for the nondestructive differentiation between each type of lead-tin yellow. Thanks to the Raman spectroscopy it was possible for the first time to map the usage of lead tin yellow type I and II in such a broad range. Combination of the analytical techniques brought the knowledge about the morphology of the grains and variability of the use of the lead tin yellows in the Bohemian panel paintings. The contribution offers a systematic view on the outcomes and in a synoptic way consults the results of respective scientific methods. It clearly confirms both the temporally and locally specific use of both types of lead tin yellows. The presented facts are the results of interdisciplinary collaboration among the scientists and the art historian.
Mars: North-polar atmospheric warming during dust storms

Viking observations of the two 1977 dust storms on Mars yield winter polar atmosphere temperature measurements that indicate a strong spatial and temporal dependence in the process of polar warming. Very little dust appears to be contained in the upper atmosphere; the data do not allow a determination of dust abundance in the lower atmosphere to be made. Surges appear in the polar warming that are prevalent only on one side of the pole, corresponding to the evening side of the 1977 observations. The polar atmospheric warming occurred during the second, but not the first, of the 1977 global dust storms.
Job duties and job interests as predictors of intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction

Abstract The present research develops the argument that actual job duties are a significant determinant of job satisfaction, especially intrinsic satisfaction. It is further argued that the degree of fit between job duties and interests in these job duties should be related to satisfaction. To test these hypotheses, data were collected on job duties, job interests and job satisfaction from 629 enlisted naval personnel on three aircraft carriers and associated air squadrons. The results indicated that satisfaction could be predicted from job duties and that intrinsic satisfaction was better predicted than was extrinsic satisfaction. Only partial support was given to the hypothesis that discrepancy between interests and job duties could predict satisfaction.
The Global Music Archive at Vanderbilt University: An Interview with Holling Smith‐Borne

While once again perusing for music resources off the beaten path, I came across a very exciting collection of global music housed at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. According to inf...
Endosomal deubiquitinating enzymes control ubiquitination and down-regulation of protease-activated receptor 2.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl ubiquitinates the G protein-coupled receptor protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2), which is required for postendocytic sorting of activated receptors to lysosomes, where degradation terminates signaling. The mechanisms of PAR2 deubiquitination and its importance in trafficking and signaling of endocytosed PAR2 are unknown. We report that receptor deubiquitination occurs between early endosomes and lysosomes and involves the endosomal deubiquitinating proteases AMSH and UBPY. Expression of the catalytically inactive mutants, AMSH(D348A) and UBPY(C786S), caused an increase in PAR2 ubiquitination and trapped the receptor in early endosomes, thereby preventing lysosomal trafficking and degradation. Small interfering RNA knockdown of AMSH or UBPY also impaired deubiquitination, lysosomal trafficking, and degradation of PAR2. Trapping PAR2 in endosomes through expression of AMSH(D348A) or UBPY(C786S) did not prolong the association of PAR2 with β-arrestin2 or the duration of PAR2-induced ERK2 activation. Thus, AMSH and UBPY are essential for trafficking and down-regulation of PAR2 but not for regulating PAR2 dissociation from β-arrestin2 or PAR2-mediated ERK2 activation.
Screpanti versus Marx on exploitation: a comment

Abstract Ernesto Screpanti recently claimed to prove that Marx's value theory is logically inconsistent. Jettisoning the value theory, he then reconstructed Marx's theory of exploitation in a manner that supposedly preserves the gist of the original. This note shows that Screpanti's proof of inconsistency is invalid and that his reconstruction contradicts the original theory of exploitation in significant ways, for instance by implying that workers who perform surplus labor can exploit capitalists.
Identification of a specific region in the e1 fusion protein involved in zinc inhibition of semliki forest virus fusion.

ABSTRACT The enveloped alphaviruses infect cells via a low-pH-triggered membrane fusion reaction mediated by the viral transmembrane protein E1. During fusion, E1 inserts into the target membrane and refolds to a hairpin-like postfusion conformation in which domain III (DIII) and the juxtamembrane stem pack against a central core trimer. Although zinc has previously been shown to cause a striking block in alphavirus fusion with liposome target membranes, the mechanism of zinc9s effect on the E1 fusion protein is not understood. Here we developed a cell culture system to study zinc inhibition of fusion and infection of the alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Inclusion of 2 mM ZnCl 2 in the pH 5.75 fusion buffer caused a decrease of ∼5 logs in SFV fusion at the plasma membrane. Fusion was also inhibited by nickel, a chemically related transition metal. Selection for SFV zinc resistance identified a key histidine residue, H333 on E1 DIII, while other conserved E1 histidine residues were not involved. An H333N mutation conferred resistance to both zinc and nickel, with properties in keeping with the known pH-dependent chelation of these metals by histidine. Biochemical studies demonstrated that zinc strongly inhibits formation of the postfusion E1 trimer in wild-type SFV but not in an H333 mutant. Together our results suggest that zinc acts by blocking the fold-back of DIII via its interaction with H333.
Parent Perspectives of an Evidence-Based Intervention for Children with Autism Served in Community Mental Health Clinics

Research suggests that improvements to community mental health (CMH) care for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are needed. Recent research examining the feasibility of training CMH therapists to deliver a package of evidence-based practice intervention strategies (EBPs) targeting challenging behaviors for school-age children with ASD offers initial support for such efforts to improve care. Specifically, quantitative data from a recent pilot study indicate that CMH therapists with limited ASD experience can deliver an EBP intervention with fidelity and perceive it as useful to their practice. Further, client attendance is high and children demonstrate improvement on standardized measures. To further understand the feasibility and impact of training CMH therapists to deliver EBPs, this mixed-methods study examined parent perspectives of the process and impact of outpatient psychotherapy for 13 parents of children ages 5–13 with ASD whose therapists were trained to deliver the EBP intervention. Results complement and expand previously reported quantitative data on psychotherapy process indicating that parents are highly involved in treatment for their children, perceive a strong therapeutic alliance with their children’s therapist, and highlight that treatment was different once therapists began delivering the intervention. Results also indicate themes related to parents’ perceptions of positive child and parent outcomes that provide important details on the specific gains that were observed during treatment. Study findings underscore the importance of parent perspectives in understanding the process and impact of implementing EBPs in CMH settings for families of children with ASD.
Corporate Governance, Takeovers, and Top-Management Compensation: Theory and Evidence

We examine, both theoretically and empirically, top-management compensation in the presence of agency conflicts when shareholders have delegated governance responsibilities to a self-interested Board of Directors (BOD). We develop a theoretical framework that explicitly incorporates the BOD as a strategic player, models the negotiation process between the CEO and the BOD in designing CEO compensation, and considers the impact of potential takeovers by large shareholders monitoring the CEO-BOD negotiations. In equilibrium, internal governance by the BOD and external takeover threats by a large shareholder act as substitutes in imposing managerial control, especially in constraining management's profligacy in awarding equity-based compensation to itself. The model emphasizes factors in the design of compensation contracts that are rarely considered in the literature, such as equity ownership of the largest outside shareholder and the firm's bankruptcy risk. It also provides new perspectives on factors that are often considered in the literature, such as firm size, firm performance, equity ownership of the BOD, and BOD structure. Our empirical tests lend considerable support for our theoretical predictions. Equity ownership of the largest external shareholder, that of the BOD, and the default risk, are strongly negatively related to the size of CEO equity compensation. Consistent with the theoretical model, these factors do not significantly influence the growth of fixed (or non-performance-related) compensation. We also find that the equity ownership of the BOD is more important in managerial compensation control than other BOD related variables, such as BOD size or the proportion of outside directors.
Abstract 5156: Upstream activation of PTEN.

The PTEN tumor suppressor is among the most frequently altered genes of cancer. PTEN suppression at the protein level is critically associated with disease since PTEN is haploinsufficient in many cancer types, including prostate. We have recently shown strong cooperation between protein phosphatases and PTEN to suppress PI 3-Kinase and AKT signaling in prostate cancer. Intriguingly, our findings showed that PTEN status orchestrates a PHLPP2 response by controlling the protein levels of this phosphatase. Yet, little is known about genes that control the levels and activity of PTEN to a degree that they critically maintain its function in disease. Therefore, it is assumed that PTEN is constitutively active in normal cells. Here we identify the upstream activation mechanism of PTEN and discuss the consequences for cancer diagnosis and therapy with PI 3-Kinase pathway inhibitors.
The Annihilation of Low-Energy Antiprotons in Nuclei

We discuss the effect of antiproton annihilation within nuclei from the perspective of realistic intranuclear cascade calculations (INC). The results indicate a significant energy deposition for a class of annihilations that are shown to occur relatively deep within the nucleus. In addition, promising experimental observables and triggers are identified. The calculations are especially relevant to LEAR antiproton-nucleus experiments, particularly PS 187. This experiment is described here and possible future investigations are suggested.
Molecular and endocrine biomarkers in non‐involved breats: Relevance to cancer chemoprevention

The animal models for chemoprevention of breast cancer have provided important experimental systems to evaluate the efficacy of tumor suppression by dietary macro- and micronutrients. In the initiation/promotion cascade, early occurring premalignant changes constitute less extensively examined aspects of disease progression. Molecular, endocrine and cellular biomarkers may provide clinically relevant endpoints for prevention of breast cancer that focus on downregulation of preneoplastic transformation. In vitro models derived from non-involved murine and human mammary tissues are utilized to identify molecular, endocrine and cellular markers that are perturbed in response to such diverse initiators as viruses and chemical carcinogens. This upregulation was manifested as persistent Ras p21-GTP binding, altered C16 alpha/C2 hydroxylation of estradiol, and hyperplasia preceding tumorigenesis. Prototypic chemopreventive agents such as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, retinoids, and indole-3-carbinol were capable of downregulating all of the preneoplastic markers perturbed by initiators. Experimental modulation of these biomarkers in murine and human mammary tissue prior to the expression of a fully transformed tumorigenic phenotype is suggestive of their potential clinical application in chemopreventive intervention for breast cancer.
A comparative structural characterization of two cellobiohydrolases from Trichoderma reesei: a high resolution electron microscopy study

Abstract The molecular structure of two homogeneously purified cellobiohydrolases from Trichoderma reesei has been studied employing high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and digital image processing. By combining low dose TEM, a 3% (w/v) solution of methylamine tungstate as the negative staining agent, and digital image processing, it has been possible to view intact molecular architectures of cellobiohydrolases from Trichoderma reesei. Cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) and Cellobiohydrolase II (CBH II) have ellipsoidal heads and long, extended helical tails. CBH I is composed of a head with an average diameter of 4.5 ± 0.5 nm. The average length of CBH I is 15.1 ±1.3 nm. CBH II's head has an average diameter of 4.4 ± 0.3 nm. The average length of CBH I is 13.4 ± 2.6 nm. Overall, the structure of the digitally enhanced TEM images of these two glycosyl hydrolases correlated reasonably well with the reported models based on small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray crystallography, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging studies, thereby establishing the reliability of high resolution TEM studies in a novel way. The linker regions (LRs) of the two CBHs have been visualized. The LRs of both enzymes are probably helical in nature, suggesting an extended peptide sequence that lacks secondary structure due to the absence of amino acid/amino acid interactions in this region. A possible structural and functional role of O-glycosylation affiliated with these linker regions is discussed on the basis of combining the TEM observations with known biochemical data.
Drainage Ditches as Sediment Sinks on the Coastal Plain of North Carolina

This paper examines the role that slope-channel linkages and seasonal variations in vegetation play in explaining spatial and temporal variations in sediment flux through agricultural drainage ditches in eastern North Carolina. We used biannual cross-sectional surveys of drainage ditches to assess erosion/deposition during a five-year period in the headwaters of a small agricultural watershed. Although net accumulations of sediment were observed in three-fourths of the cross sections surveyed, the rate of sedimentation varied considerably from ditch to ditch and cross section to cross section. The ditches were sediment sinks during the growing season in summer and autumn when they became choked with dense vegetation growth, and more hydraulically efficient after removal of vegetation in December during annual maintenance operations. The ditches experienced erosion or modest deposition while the vegetation was dormant during the late winter/early spring. Sediment was delivered to the ditches from isolated ...
Topographic variations in chaos on Europa: Implications for diapiric formation

[1] Disrupted terrain, or chaos, on Europa, might have formed through melting of a floating ice shell from a subsurface ocean [Carr et al., 1998; Greenberg et al., 1999], or breakup by diapirs rising from the warm lower portion of the ice shell [Head and Pappalardo, 1999; Collins et al., 2000]. Each model makes specific and testable predictions for topographic expression within chaos and relative to surrounding terrains on local and regional scales. High-resolution stereo-controlled photoclinometric topography indicates that chaos topography, including the archetypal Conamara Chaos region, is uneven and commonly higher than surrounding plains by up to 250 m. Elevated and undulating topography is more consistent with diapiric uplift of deep material in a relatively thick ice shell, rather than melt-through and refreezing of regionally or globally thin ice by a subsurface ocean. Vertical and horizontal scales of topographic doming in Conamara Chaos are consistent with a total ice shell thickness >15 km. Contact between Europa's ocean and surface may most likely be indirectly via diapirism or convection.
Disruption of Embryonic Red Blood Cell Development by Ea4-Peptide of Rainbow Trout Pro-IGF-I in Medaka (Oryzias latipes)

E-peptides are proteolytic cleavage products of pre-pro-insulin-like growth factor (Pre-pro-IGF) I and II in posttranslational processing of the pre-pro-hormones. Rainbow trout (rt) Ea4- and human (h) Eb-peptides possess unique anti-tumor activities in established human and fish cancer cells. This paper reports on the effects of rtEa4- and hEb-peptides in fish embryos during early embryonic development. Introduction of either rtEa4 or hEb gene into newly fertilized medaka (Oryzias latipes) eggs by electroporation resulted in abnormal embryonic development of heart, red blood cells, and vasculature. Red blood cells in heart-defective embryos were stained with diaminofluorene (DAF) which revealed a drastic reduction of red blood cells in defective embryos, suggesting that, in addition to heart defects, embryonic red blood cell development may also be disrupted by the E-peptide. The temporal expression patterns of the transcription factor GATA-1 gene, an essential regulator of hematopoiesis during embryonic development, were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). GATA-1 mRNA was detected at 24 hours postfertilization (hpf), then raised to a higher level at 30 hpf. It was maintained at this level until 100 hpf (>4 days). At 5 days postfertilization (dpf), the expression level of GATA- 1 gene decreased and remained at that level until hatching. The number of GATA-1 transcripts in transgenic embryos at 4 dpf was determined by quantitative real-time RT PCR. Whereas the GATA-1 mRNA in nontransgenic embryos at 4 dpf was 7.15 x 10(5)/3 microg of total RNA, that of the heart defective transgenic embryos at the same stage was 1.35 x10(5)/3 microg of total mRNA. These results suggest that rtEa4- or hEb-peptide may be responsible for disrupting embryonic hematopoiesis in medaka embryos by reducing the expression of the GATA-1 gene.
A graphical interval logic for specifying concurrent systems

This article describes a graphical interval logic that is the foundation of a tool set supporting formal specification and verification of concurrent software systems. Experience has shown that most software engineers find standard temporal logics difficult to understand and use. The objective of this article is to enable software engineers to specify and reason about temporal properties of concurrent systems more easily by providing them with a logic that has an intuitive graphical representation and with tools that support its use. To illustrate the use of the graphical logic, the article provides some specifications for an elevator system and proves several properties of the specifications. The article also describes the tool set and the implementation.
Topography of Proteoglycan and Glycosaminoglycan Free Chain Expression in 3T3 Fibroblasts and Human Keratinocytes

Abstract Synthesis of heparan sulfate-free chains by human keratinocytes is upregulated during terminal differentiation. The cellular location of this product class and the significance of the differentiation effect are unknown. Differential plasma membrane shearing with cationized colloidal silica was used to evaluate the compartmentalization of the heparan and chondroitin sulfate free chains and their respective proteoglycans in 3T3 fibroblasts and human keratinocytes. The method exploits the topologic segregation of plasma membranes of adherent cells into ventral, dorsal, and intracellular domains and the selective binding of the silica to the dorsal membranes, which by shearing can be separated from ventral membranes adherent to the substratum. Analysis of membrane preparations from sheared cells that had been prelabeled with [ 3 s]-sulfate revealed the proteoglycans to be predominantly ventral, at which location a matrix binding function could be accommodated. Proteoglycans were also recovered from dorsal and intracellular membranes, suggesting active trafficking between intra- and extra-cellular sites. In contrast, the major fraction of heparan and chondroitin sulfate free chains was either cytosolic or associated with intracellular membranes, with the remaining -20% segregated to dorsal and ventral membranes. These results suggest different cellular functions for the proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycan free chains. The partial localization of the free chains to peripheral membranes is compatible with our prior hypothesis that they arise by processing of precursor proteoglycans on cell surfaces. Following this origin, the free glycosaminoglycan polymers could be available to bind ligands such as cytokines prior to transport to intracellular sites of action.
The long-term total intravenous feeding of infants using peripheral veins.

Abstract Fourteen infants under 3 mo of age received parenteral hyperalimentation for periods ranging from 16 to 205 days. The infusate consists of a commercial fat emulsion, amino acids, glucose, electrolytes, and vitamins. The solutions were administered through peripheral veins; no central venous catheters were ever used. All infants gained weight during the observation period, and no major complications were noted.
Balloon occlusion of a recurrent carotid-cavernous fistula previously treated by carotid ligations

A carotid-cavernous fistula recurred 16 years after a Hamby procedure. The recurrence was manifested by subarachnoid hemorrhage originating from dilated draining pial veins. The fistula was closed with a balloon catheter introduced through a patent remnant of the cervical carotid artery. Patients who have previously undergone Hamby trapping and embolization should be reassessed for an occult fistula that could predispose them to intracranial bleeding.
A general involvement of acceptor ribonucleic acid in the initial activation step of glutamic acid and glutamine

Abstract The glutamyl- and glutaminyl-ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthetases have been partially purified from yeast and pork liver, and the amino acid-dependent adenosine triphosphate-pyrophosphate exchange reactions catalyzed by these enzymes have been studied. Analogous to the results obtained previously with the glutamyl- and glutaminyl-RNA synthetases from Escherichia coli , the glutamyl-RNA synthetases from yeast and pork liver were found to catalyze the glutamate-dependent exchange reaction only at high concentrations of glutamate in the absence of acceptor RNA. The addition of acceptor RNA greatly decreases the concentration of glutamic acid necessary to promote the exchange reaction. With the glutaminyl-RNA synthetases from yeast and pork liver, no detectable exchange reaction is observed except in the presence of acceptor RNA. From these data, it appears that there is a general involvement of acceptor RNA in the initial activation step of glutamic acid and glutamine.
Lean hospitals: a new challenge for facility designers

This article presents a literature review of a wide array of implementation studies of Lean healthcare practices, performed worldwide. Firstly, we review some fundamentals of Lean thinking. Second, we describe the continuous work improvement cycle along with some commonly used Lean tools. We then examine how the implementation of Lean practices has affected hospitals and their users. Furthermore, we review the encountered challenges and opportunities. Finally, we present process- and technology improvement ideas to address the urgent needs and critical shortcomings of current healthcare practices. Lean practices are becoming increasingly widespread in the healthcare industry. Readers new to them might like to investigate their applicability more deeply.
An analysis of the water-level monitoring system for a boiling-water reactor

Abstract The water-level instrumentation system is very important to the overall safety of a BWR. This system is being monitored by the Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) that is being installed in Georgia Power Company's Plant Hatch. One of the most significant functions of the SPDS is the comparison of redundant instrument readings and formation of the best estimate of each parameter from those readings which are consistent. When comparing water-level instrument readings, it is necessary to correct the individual readings for differences between current and calibration conditions as well as for differences between calibration conditions for the multiple instruments. This paper documents the examination of the water-level instrumentation system at Plant Hatch and presents the development of the equations that were used to determine the differences between indicated and actual water levels.
Promise of a low power mobile CPU based embedded system in artificial leg control

This paper presents the design and implementation of a low power embedded system using mobile processor technology (Intel Atom™ Z530 Processor) specifically tailored for a neural-machine interface (NMI) for artificial limbs. This embedded system effectively performs our previously developed NMI algorithm based on neuromuscular-mechanical fusion and phase-dependent pattern classification. The analysis shows that NMI embedded system can meet real-time constraints with high accuracies for recognizing the user's locomotion mode. Our implementation utilizes the mobile processor efficiently to allow a power consumption of 2.2 watts and low CPU utilization (less than 4.3%) while executing the complex NMI algorithm. Our experiments have shown that the highly optimized C program implementation on the embedded system has superb advantages over existing PC implementations on MATLAB. The study results suggest that mobile-CPU-based embedded system is promising for implementing advanced control for powered lower limb prostheses.