cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced binding of altered H-NS protein to flagellar rotor protein FliG causes increased flagellar rotational speed and hypermotility in Escherichia coli.

Abstract H-NS is an Escherichia coli nucleoid protein known only to function as a modulator of gene expression. In this study, we found that specific single amino acid substitutions in H-NS caused an approximately 50% increase in flagellum rotational speed. In fluorescence anisotropy and chemical cross-linking assays, H-NS interacted with the flagellar torque-generating rotor protein FliG to form a complex with a K d of 2.15 μm. Furthermore, one of the altered H-NS proteins that exhibited high speed flagellum rotation bound FliG 50% tighter than wild-type H-NS. These results demonstrate the first non-regulatory role for H-NS and provide a direct correlation between H-NS-FliG binding affinities, flagellar rotation, and motor torque generation.
Prognostic significance of mitral regurgitation in acute myocardial infarction

To define the frequency, natural history and clinical correlates of the murmur of mitral regurgitation (MR) detected after myocardial infarction, clinical data from 849 patients with documented acute myocardial infarction were analyzed. A murmur suggestive of MR was present on admission in 76 patients (9%). Patients with MR on admission were older and more apt to be female and nonwhite. They also had a significantly greater frequency of prior infarction and signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure. There was no difference in the location (anterior or inferior) of infarction. Patients with MR on admission had a 36% mortality compared to 16% for those who developed MR later in the hospitalization and 15% for those without MR by auscultation (p less than 0.001). Correction for differences in baseline variables indicated that the presence of MR on admission did not contribute independently to mortality. Thus, the murmur of MR derives its prognostic significance from integration of multiple clinical, radiographic and electrocardiographic characteristics.
A Database Encryption Scheme Which Allows the Computation of Statistics Using Encrypted Data

Davida, Wells and Kam used the Chinese Remainder Theorem to construct an encryption system allowing access to individual data fields of a record in a relational database. Their system is public-key in the sense that the read and write keys of a given data field are different. In this paper we present a database encryption system based on ideas similar to theirs. It is not public key, but has some other useful features. It makes possible the computation of averages and other statistics pertinent to unencrypted data, but it uses only encrypted data in the computation.
Dynamics of spontaneous neural activity in the simian motor cortex: The dimension of chaotic neurons

Abstract Single unit recordings of the spontaneous activity of neurons in the precentral and postcentral gyri of the squirrel monkey cortex were obtained and the dimensions of the corresponding attractors were calculated. Two distinct population of neurons including a group of low dimensional neurons were identified.
The maximum potential a PEM fuel cell cathode experiences due to the formation of air/fuel boundary at the anode

In this short communication, a misconception about the maximum potential a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathode experiences due to the formation of fuel/air boundary at the anode during startup/shutdown is clarified. It is shown, conceptually, that the maximum potential experienced by a cathode in PEMFC under such condition is about twice the potential observed when one connects a driving fuel cell to a driven cell (electrolyzer), both of which having the same physical characteristics and operating under the same conditions.
Laryngectomy rehabilitation: a perspective from the United States of America.

Purpose of reviewIt is important on a periodic basis to evaluate and re-evaluate the standard of care in your area and to compare it to the care provided in other parts of the world. This can result in modifications and improvement in the patient's outcome.Recent findingsOver the last year, addition
Activation of DNA replication in the iris epithelium by lens removal.

The pattern of DNA replication during the initial stages of Wolffian lens regeneration has been examined by an autoradiographic study of tritiated thymidine uptake in zero to five-day regenerates (Triturus viridescens). Scanning of complete sets of serial sections for each iris revealed the absence of labeled cells in normal, one-, and two-day iris epithelia, and a very infrequent occurrence of labeled iris epithelial cells in some three-day regenerates. After this stage, cell labeling is seen in all iris epithelia. Cell labeling frequency increases markedly by four days, and is at a very high level in five-day regenerates. Further data indicate that labeling begins in the dorsal sector of the iris epithelium. By five days after lens removal, however, it reaches similar levels in dorsal, lateral, and ventral sectors. Thus, DNA replication is induced throughout the iris epithelium after lens removal, even though the lateral and ventral sectors of the iris epithelium do not participate in actual lens formation. Comparison between the outer and inner laminae of the iris epithelium shows that during all stages studied the great majority of labeled cells are in the inner lamina.
ADVANTAGES AND USE OF A CO2 METER ON A FORCED DOWNDRAFT PERIODIC KILN AS TO TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION1

Notes on forced downdraft system used on dry-pressed electrical porcelain fired to cone 12 flat are discussed. The type and general construction of the kiln, heat distribution, fuel used per firing, and the use of the CO2 meter for adjusting the draft for various conditions to get uniformly fired kilns, both as to time of firing and appearance of ware, are given.
Organic light-emitting devices for ultralightweight color flat panel displays

We review recent progress in small molecule organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) with emphasis on their potential application to lightweight, head-up displays. We discuss OLEDs grown on thin, flexible, plastic substrates which may be bent over a radius of curvature of as little as 0.7 cm without damage and exhibit operating voltages and efficiencies similar to OLEDs grown on conventional glass substrates. Transparent OLEDs grown on such substrates create the potential for a new type of lightweight, full- color, OLED pixel in which the R, G and B emission layers are vertically stacked to provide a simple fabrication process, minimum pixel size, and maximum fill factor.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Perceptual attention focus prediction for multiple viewers in case of multimedia perceptual compression with feedback delay

Human eyes have limited perception capabilities. Only 2 degrees of our 180 degree vision field provide the highest quality of perception. Due to this fact the idea of perceptual attention focus emerged to allow a visual content to be changed in a way that only part of the visual field where a human attention is directed to is encoded with a high quality. The image quality in the periphery can be reduced without a viewer noticing it. This compression approach allows a significant decrease in bit-rate for a video stream, and in the case of the 3D stream rendering, it decreases the computational burden. A number of previous researchers have investigated the topic of real-time perceptual attention focus but only for a single viewer. In this paper we investigate a dynamically changing multi-viewer scenario. In this type of scenario a number of people are watching the same visual content at the same time. Each person is using eye-tracking equipment. The visual content (video, 3D stream) is sent through a network with a large transmission delay. The area of the perceptual attention focus is predicted for the viewers to compensate for the delay value and identify the area of the image which requires highest quality coding.
Dietary restraint and eating behavior in the natural environment

The influence of caloric labeling on meal selection with subjects differing in dietary restraint was investigated in a cafeteria restaurant. The three lowest calorie food selections within three food categories (i.e., salads, vegetables, entrees) were identified by labels. Within a multiple-baseline design, each food category was labeled for three evenings in a randomly determined order. Three hundred thirty-six male and female customers completed the Restraint Scale and were categorized as overweight or normal weight. Females and customers with high restraint scores chose and estimated that they chose lower calorie foods with neither effect for labeling nor a labeling-by-restraint interaction evident. Customers high in restraint also underestimated the caloric values of their selections.
Experimental verification of bremsstrahlung production and dosimetry predictions for 15.5 MeV electrons

The radiation produced by a 15.5-MeV monoenergetic electron beam incident on optimized and nonoptimized bremsstrahlung targets is characterized using the ITS Monte Carlo code and measurements with equilibrated and nonequilibrated TLD dosimetry. Comparisons between calculations and measurements verify the calculations and demonstrate that the code can be used to predict both bremsstrahlung production and TLD response for radiation fields that are characteristic of those produced by pulsed simulators of gamma rays. The comparisons provide independent confirmation of the validity of the TLD calibration for photon fields characteristic of gamma-ray simulators. The empirical Martin equation, which is often used to calculate radiation dose from optimized bremsstrahlung targets, is examined, and its range of validity is established. >
"Electron Tweezers" as a Tool for In-situ Manipulation and Processing of Individual Metal Nanoparticles in a Two-Phase Partially Molten Alloy

Vladimir P. Oleshko and James M. Howe University of Virginia, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Charlottesville, VA 22904 Understanding physical principles for controlling the dynamic behavior of nanoparticles in inhomogeneous gas (liquid) – solid systems is becoming increasingly important for nanoscience and technology. Nondestructive trapping of micron- and nano-sized dielectric and metal particles in a liquid using a laser beam, which is refracted by the particle and transfers momentum to it, is known as a single-beam gradient force optical trap, or optical tweezers [1]. Recent experiments utilizing partially molten submicron-sized Al-Si alloy spheres and a focused electron beams in a medium-voltage TEM [2] and theoretical calculations of linear and angular momentum transfer from an electron beam to small particles [3] indicate that optical trapping of particles using electron beams may occur. Such thermally assisted “electron tweezers” potentially can be utilized for manipulation and processing of individual nanoobjects and fabrication of assembled nanodevices with up to atomic level sensitivity and lateral resolution provided by modern electron optical systems. In this work, we demonstrate electron-beam trapping of solid nanoparticles inside opaque submicron-sized Al-Si alloy spheres using energy filtering TEM (EFTEM) and parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy (PEELS). Thermally assisted motion of crystalline Al nanospheres confined within the partially molten Al-Si particles was initiated by the electron beam, which was used to control and to observe the trapping in real-time by plasmon spectroscopic imaging (Fig. 1). Such approaches enable
Effect of a femoral arteriovenous fistula on lower extremity venous hemodynamics after femorocaval reconstruction.

Abstract Purpose: To study the hemodynamic effects of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) used as an adjunct to venous reconstructions and to determine the optimal size for such a fistula. Methods: A model of limb circulation with an AVF (in vitro system) was constructed with silicon elastic tubes and 40% glycerin solution as the fluid medium. Pulsatile arterial flow and venous return was maintained with a roller pump and a centrifugal assist device. Flows and pressures were measured for three different fistula diameters (3, 4, and 5 mm). A canine model of venous hypertension with outflow obstruction was constructed in 15 adult mongrel dogs. After 7 to 13 days an externally supported 8-mm expanded polytetrafluoroethylene femorocaval graft was implanted with a distal AVF (3 mm, n=5; 4 mm, n=5; 5 mm, n=5). Arterial and venous flows and venous pressures were measured proximal and distal to the fistula before and after exercise. Results: In the in vitro system, flows through the venous graft increased with increasing fistula size, but venous return decreased progressively, increasing the distal venous pressure. In the canine model, flow in the venous graft increased with each AVF ( p p Conclusion: AVFs increased flow through the femorocaval grafts, yet they impeded venous return. The ideal AVF-to-graft ratio used in our study was 0.375, because it increased graft flow, permitted forward flow in the femoral vein while reducing pressure, and improved venous return with exercise. (J Vasc Surg 1996;24:793-9.)
Aneuploidy assessed by DNA index influences the effect of iron status on plasma and/or supernatant cytokine levels and progression of cells through the cell cycle in a mouse model.

Abstract Aneuploidy, a condition associated with altered chromosome number, hence DNA index, is frequently seen in many diseases including cancers and affects immunity. Iron, an essential nutrient for humans, modulates the immune function and the proliferation of normal and cancer cells. To determine whether impaired immunity seen in iron-deficient subjects may be related to aneuploidy, we measured spleen cell DNA index, percent of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, plasma and/or supernatant IL-2, IL-10, IL-12, and interferon-gamma in control, pair-fed, iron-deficient, and iron-replete mice ( N = 20–22/group). The test and control diets differed only in iron content (0.09 mmol/kg versus 0.9 mmol/kg) and were fed for 68 days. Mean levels of hemoglobin and liver iron stores of iron-deficient and iron-replete mice were 40–60% lower than those of control and pair-fed mice ( P P P P
Using Automated Essay Scores as an Anchor When Equating Constructed Response Writing Tests

Assessments consisting of only a few extended constructed response items (essays) are not typically equated using anchor test designs as there are typically too few essay prompts in each form to allow for meaningful equating. This article explores the idea that output from an automated scoring program designed to measure writing fluency (a common objective of many writing prompts) can be used in place of a more traditional anchor. The linear-logistic equating method used in this article is a variant of the Tucker linear equating method appropriate for the limited score range typical of essays. The procedure is applied to historical data. Although the procedure only results in small improvements over identity equating (not equating prompts), it does produce a viable alternative, and a mechanism for checking that the identity equating is appropriate. This may be particularly useful for measuring rater drift or equating mixed format tests.
Infiltration and retention tests as related to spillway design floods

This paper presents a correlation between infiltration rates indicated by field infiltrometer tests, and retention as indicated by studies of the difference between storm rainfall and stream flow for the same area. A measure of the least probable retention which will occur concurrently with a maximum possible rainstorm has been an uncertain factor in the derivation of the maximum probable flood for use in determining the inflow design flood for determining reservoir and spillway capacities. The paper presents results of a series of infiltrometer test runs on plots of ground selected as representative of the various soil-land use complexes to be found under maximum flood hazard conditions in the Kansas River Basin. A comparison is developed between the results of these infiltrometer tests, applied to several storm areas, and the relationship between the retention determined in an analysis of these several storms and the resultant flood runoff. The apparent correlation obtained indicates that infiltration and retention tests can be used successfully to supplement other methods of determining design retention rates and to facilitate the extension and transposition of accepted minimum retention rates to adjacent or comparable drainage areas.
Charge storage phenomena in Al- γ -Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -Si structures

The charge storage effect in layered dielectrics was investigated using Al-Al2O3-SiO2-Si (MAOS) capacitor structures, prepared by pyrolytic deposition ofγ-Al2O3 on thermally oxidized silicon. The thickness of the underlying SiO2 (tSiO 2 ) in these structures was chosen such that the storage characteristics could be monitored by the capacitance-voltage technique in two conduction regimes. In the regime (t SiO 2 > 50A) where charge accumulation at (or removal from) the Al2O3-SiO2 interface is due to the conductivity difference between the dielectric layers, the switching characteristics of the MAOS devices subjected to long dc pulses exhibit decreasing reversibility with decreasing tSiO 2. In the direct tunneling regime (tSiO 2 < 35A), application of positive or negative pulses of μsec duration to the devices results in a unidrectional flatband-voltage shift to increasingly higher positive values. A tentative model of multilevel trapping will be presented to explain these experimental observations.
Binding of 2,6- and 2,7-Dihydroxynaphthalene to Wild-Type and E-B13Q Insulins: Dynamic, Equilibrium, and Molecular Modeling Investigations†

The binding of phenolic ligands to the insulin hexamer occurs as a cooperative allosteric process. Investigations of the allosteric mechanism from this laboratory resulted in the postulation of a model consisting of a three-state conformational equilibrium and the derivation of a mathematical expression to describe the insulin system. The proposed mechanism involves allosteric transitions among two states of high symmetry, designated T3T3‘ (a low affinity state) and R3R3‘ (a high affinity state), and a third state of lower symmetry, designated T3oR3o (a state of mixed low and high affinities). To further characterize this mechanism, we present rapid kinetic fluorescence studies, equilibrium binding isotherms, and molecular modeling investigations for the Co(II)-substituted wild-type and E-B13Q mutant hexamers. These studies show that the measured on and off rates (kon and koff) for the binding of the allosteric ligands 2,6- and 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene provide an independent measure of the dissociation co...
Electronic spin transition of iron in the Earth's deep mantle

Electronic spin is a quantum property of every electron, associated with its intrinsic angular momentum. Though there are no suitable physical analogies to describe the spin quantum number, there are two possibilities, called spin ‘up’ and spin ‘down.’ The electronic structure of iron in minerals is generally such that valence electrons will more abundantly occupy different spatial orbitals and maintain the same spin than occupy the same spatial orbital and assume opposite spin, called ‘spin-paired.’ To the astonishment of mineral physicists, pressure-induced electronic spin-pairing transitions of iron that were predicted nearly 50 years ago recently have been detected in major mantle-forming oxides and silicates in ultrahigh-pressure experiments at lower-mantle pressures [e.g., Badro et al., 2003, 2004; Lin et al., 2005]. If such a spin transition is occurring in the Earth's lower mantle, there may be profound geophysical implications.
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: Clinical assessment and treatment

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are closely related illnesses of uncertain etiology. This article reviews the research literature on these biobehavioral conditions, with an emphasis on explanatory models, clinical evaluation of comorbid psychiatric disorders, assessment of stress factors, pharmacologic and alternative therapies, and cognitive-behavioral treatment studies. Furthermore, clinical protocols suitable for professional practice are presented based on an integration of the authors' clinical observations with published data. The article concludes with the recognition that mental health professionals can offer substantial help to these patients.
Requirement of heme to replace the sparking sterol function in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

At least four distinctive sterol functions have been defined in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One of these functions, identified as sparking, has the lowest quantitative requirement for sterol, but has the greatest structural specificity. Based on studies utilizing a yeast strain auxotrophic for both heme and sterol biosynthesis, it had been reported that a delta 5-sterol was essential for the growth of the organism. We demonstrate here that heme, and not a heme precursor, can replace the delta 5-sparking sterol requirement of heme auxotrophic strains of yeast.
The relationship of destination selection attributes to psychological, behavioral and demographic variables.

The study reported here identifies four market segments based on seven attributes considered important in selecting a family vacation destination. The four market segments were analyzed to determine what psychological, behavioral, and demographic variables, two behavioral characteristics and one demographic variable, were statistically significant in differentiating the four market segments.
Overview of renal assist systems.

In the consideration of systems for renal assist, several questions arise in relation to physiologic control achieved with a given system and design of optimum renal assist. Approaches to these problems require consideration of the available techniques, definition of treatment goals, i.e., how to monitor control, the application of models to better characterize a system and its behavior, and the application of new techniques or combinations of techniques to optimize renal assist.
Mother-Child Conflict Interaction in the Toddler Years: Behavior Patterns and Correlates

We examined mother-child (M-C) conflict behavior during the toddler years. The nature of M-C conflict behaviors, whether conflict behavior differed by context, and factors that were associated with conflict interactions were examined. We used data collected as part of the National Evaluation of the Healthy Steps for Young Children Program. 378 M-C dyads participated in this study. Videotaped observational data at 16–18 months were used to code conflict behaviors using an event recording method. Results showed that M-C conflict were more likely to be initiated by the mothers and that conflict interactions were influenced by context of interaction, family, maternal, and child temperamental factors. In this study, we provide a foundation for understanding parent-child conflict interaction prior to age two.
The Politics of Location: Doing Feminist Research at “Home”*

Feminist research methodologies have many advantages over more traditional positivist methodologies. Feminist research is differentiated from nonfeminist research in terms of its critiques of universality and objectivity and its emancipatory purpose. Drawing on my own research on the survival strategies of low-waged women workers in Worcester, Massachusetts, I argue that we need to examine more critically our feminist research methods in terms of the unequal power relationships on which the research process necessarily rests.
Potential Competition between Hybrid Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis x M. americana) and Striped Bass (M. saxatilis) in the Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina

Gillnet surveys from 1990 to 1992 and from 1996 to 1999 indicated a two-fold decrease in native striped bass (Morone saxatilis) populations and a concomitant two-fold increase in hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis × M. americana) in the Cape Fear River estuary, North Carolina. Gut content analysis indicated high diet overlap, and tagrecapture data suggested that hybrid striped bass participate in spawning migrations. These data provide circumstantial evidence that hybrid striped bass compete with striped bass for food and that they may compete for mates or habitat on the spawning grounds. Increasing abundance of adult hybrid striped bass in this system elevates the likelihood of hybrid introgression. We recommend that stocking of hybrid striped bass be terminated to preserve native striped bass populations.
Analysis of Transit Quality of Service and Employment Accessibility for the Greater Chicago, Illinois, Region

A variety of transit decision support tools have been developed in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area in recent years, including the Regional Transportation Asset Management System of the Regional Transit Authority and the Spatial Decision Support System of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Although the Chicago metropolitan area has a variety of public transportation services, the quality of service available in an area and the extent to which transit allows area residents to access employment opportunities spread out across the six-county region vary substantially. This paper focuses on a spatial analysis of the variations of local transit service quality indicators as well as a composite regional employment accessibility measure. It explores the quality of the transit system in the Chicago region through a set of supply- and demand-side indicators at the census tract level. The supply-side indicators include a composite index of transit availability and frequency and transit station asset information. The demand-side measures include the computation of the regional employment accessibility index using a gravity model and transit travel times from travel demand models. A series of these indicators is mapped over the Chicago region at the census tract level. The paper also ranks census tracts on the local transit measures, as well as on the regional transit-based employment accessibility measures, and identifies those areas that are well off and worst off in regard to both types of indexes. The paper draws policy conclusions emanating from each of these categories.
Volatile factor in soil fungistasis.

SOIL fungistasis was originally described by Dobbs and Hinson1 as a widespread phenomenon in which viable fungal spores were unable to germinate in natural soil. Although no precise and universally accepted explanation for this phenomenon is available, fungistasis is usually considered to result from biological activity in soil2,3. Failure to extract an inhibitory factor5–7 has led to the nutritional theory2,3 that the phenomenon can be explained wholly by the lack of nutrients essential for germination in the soil micro-environments of fungal spores. On the other hand, some have suggested that there are inhibitors in soil, the effects of which are nullified by the addition of suitable nutrients4,6,8,9. We report here evidence of a volatile factor in soil which induces fungistasis.
Border gateway protocol (BGP) and traceroute data workshop report

On Monday, 22 August 2011, CAIDA hosted a one-day workshop to discuss scalable measurement and analysis of BGP and traceroute topology data, and practical applications of such data analysis including tracking of macroscopic censorship and filtering activities on the Internet. Discussion topics included: the surprisingly stability in the number of BGP updates over time; techniques for improving measurement and analysis of inter-domain routing policies; an update on Colorado State's BGPMon instrumentation; using BGP data to improve the interpretation of traceroute data, both for real-time diagnostics (e.g., AS traceroute) and for large-scale topology mapping; using both BGP and traceroute data to support detection and mapping infrastructure integrity, including different types of of filtering and censorship; and use of BGP data to analyze existing and proposed approaches to securing the interdomain routing system. This report briefly summarizes the presentations and discussions that followed.
Ontology-Based Malfunction Forecast and Root Cause Analysis in Product Design

In product design, passing undetected errors to the downstream can cause error avalanche, could diminish product acceptance and largely increase the overall cost. Yet, it is difficult for designers to collect all the related potential errors from different departments in the initial design phase. In order to deal with these problems, this paper puts forward an ontology based method to integrate related history error data from different data sources of multiple departments in an enterprise. By using the advantages of ontologies and ontology-based information systems in knowledge management and semantic reasoning, the method enables the investigation of the root cause of the related potential malfunctions in the early product design phase. The framework can provide warnings and root causes of related potential errors in design based on history data and further continuously improve the product design. In this manner, this method is expected to reduce the knowledge limitation of designers in the initial design phase, help designers consider the problems in the whole enterprise and the product life cycle more completely, facilitate design improvement more accurately and efficiently, and further reduce the cost of the overall product life cycle.© 2012 ASME
A spatial model incorporating dynamic, endogenous network interdependence: A political science application

Abstract We propose applying the multiparametric spatiotemporal autoregressive (m-STAR) model as a simple approach to estimating jointly the pattern of connectivity and the strength of contagion by that pattern, including the case where connectivity is endogenous to the dependent variable ( selection ). We emphasize substantively-theoretically guided (i.e., structural) specifications that can support analyses of estimated spatiotemporal responses to stochastic or covariate shocks and that can distinguish the possible sources of spatial association: common exposure, contagion, and selection (e.g., homophily ). We illustrate this approach to dynamic, endogenous interdependence–which parallels models of network–behavior co-evolution in the longitudinal networks literature–with an empirical application that aims to disentangle the roles of economic interdependence, correlated external and internal stimuli, and EU membership in shaping labor market policies in developed democracies in recent years.
The Physical Web

The Internet of Things (IoT) is in its infancy, similar to the state of the Internet before the World Wide Web made it an indispensable tool for communication, business and entertainment. A similar revolution is needed for the IoT to become really useful. This presentation discusses important problems with today's IoT involving discovery and control, and proposes some solutions based on a concept referred to as the Physical Web, an integration of the IoT with Web technologies.
Reliability Analysis and Countermeasures on Type Selection of Boiler Induced Draft Fans

For the retrofit of precipitation and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system, stalling issue of the boiler axial-flow induced draft fan (IDF) was analyzed. By testing the running characteristic parameter of IDF at the scene, and combining with its characteristic: curve, it was discovered that the actual working point of IDF nears its theory stall line, and stalling issue would appear during running. In order to make the actual working point of IDF keeping away from its theory stall line and avoid the stalling issue of IDF, KSE ( the steady implement of function ) equipment was installed at the entrance of the IDF' to changing the position of IDF theory stall line. The stalling issue of IDF was analyzed and probed, and the problem that the stall margin selection should be considered carefully in IDF retrofit and type selection was presented, which gives some useful suggestion for the similar retrofit in power plant.
Effects of chronic sazetidine-A, a selective α4β2 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors desensitizing agent on pharmacologically-induced impaired attention in rats

Nicotine and nicotinic agonists have been shown to improve attentional function. Nicotinic receptors are easily desensitized, and all nicotinic agonists are also desensitizing agents. Although both receptor activation and desensitization are components of the mechanism that mediates the overall effects of nicotinic agonists, it is not clear how each of the two opposed actions contributes to attentional improvements. Sazetidine-A has high binding affinity at α4β2 nicotinic receptors and causes a relatively brief activation followed by a long-lasting desensitization of the receptors. Acute administration of sazetidine-A has been shown to significantly improve attention by reversing impairments caused by the muscarinic cholinergic antagonist scopolamine and the NMDA glutamate antagonist dizocilpine. In the current study, we tested the effects of chronic subcutaneous infusion of sazetidine-A (0, 2, or 6 mg/kg/day) on attention in Sprague-Dawley rats. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of chronic sazetidine-A treatment on attentional impairment induced by an acute administration of 0.02 mg/kg scopolamine. During the first week period, the 6-mg/kg/day sazetidine-A dose significantly reversed the attentional impairment induced by scopolamine. During weeks 3 and 4, the scopolamine-induced impairment was no longer seen, but sazetidine-A (6 mg/kg/day) significantly improved attentional performance on its own. Chronic sazetidine-A also reduced response latency and response omissions. This study demonstrated that similar to its acute effects, chronic infusions of sazetidine-A improve attentional performance. The results indicate that the desensitization of α4β2 nicotinic receptors with some activation of these receptors may play an important role in improving effects of sazetidine-A on attention.
Convex Hull Discretization Approach to the Global Optimization of Pooling Problems

The pooling problem is an important optimization problem that is encountered in process operation and scheduling. Because of the presence of bilinear terms, the traditional formulation is nonconvex...
Cross sections and analyzing powers for quenched spin excitations in 40,48Ca at Ep

The inelastic cross sections and analyzing powers for spin excitations in /sup 40,48/Ca have been measured at E/sub p/ = 334 MeV. The data for excited states in /sup 40/Ca at 8.424 MeV (2/sup -/) and 10.31 MeV (1/sup +/) and the 10.22-MeV (1/sup +/) state in /sup 48/Ca are fairly well described by microscopic distorted-wave impulse approximation calculations. Normalizations of the calculated cross sections to the experimental data show that these spin excitations are quenched. We deduce B(M2)up-arrow = 281 ..mu../sub N//sup 2/fm/sup 2/ for the 8.42-MeV 2/sup -/ state in /sup 40/Ca.
Pooled association genome scanning: validation and use to identify addiction vulnerability loci in two samples

Association genome scanning is of increasing interest for identifying the chromosomal regions that contain gene variants that contribute to vulnerability to complex disorders, including addictions. To improve the power and feasibility of this approach, we have validated “10k” microarray-based allelic frequency assessments in pooled DNA samples and have used this approach to seek allelic frequency differences between heavy polysubstance abusers and well characterized control individuals. Thirty-eight loci contain SNPs that display robust allele frequency differences between abusers and controls in both European- and African-American samples. These loci identify an alcohol/acetaldehyde dehydrogenase gene cluster and genes implicated in cellular signaling, gene regulation, development, “cell adhesion,” and Mendelian disorders. The results converge with previous linkage and association results for addictions. Pooled association genome scanning provides a useful tool for elucidating molecular genetic underpinnings of complex disorders and identifies both previously understood and previously unanticipated mechanisms for addiction vulnerability.
The anomalous magnetic moment of the electron and the quantum electrodynamics determination of the fine-structure constant

We report the present status of our calculation of the eighth-order quantum electrodynamics (QED) contribution to the electron anomalous magnetic moment a e . Combining the tentative result with the very precise measurement of a e by the University of Washington group, one can determine the fine-structure constant a to a precision of 2 × 10−8. Our result is compared with other determinations of a including that of the quantized Hall effect.
Matrix analysis of microring coupled-resonator optical waveguides

We use the coupling matrix formalism to investigate continuous-wave and pulse propagation through microring coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs). The dispersion relation agrees with that derived using the tight-binding model in the limit of weak inter-resonator coupling. We obtain an analytical expression for pulse propagation through a semi-infinite CROW in the case of weak coupling which fully accounts for the nonlinear dispersive characteristics. We also show that intensity of a pulse in a CROW is enhanced by a factor inversely proportional to the inter-resonator coupling. In finite CROWs, anomalous dispersions allows for a pulse to propagate with a negative group velocity such that the output pulse appears to emerge before the input as in “superluminal” propagation. The matrix formalism is a powerful approach for microring CROWs since it can be applied to structures and geometries for which analyses with the commonly used tight-binding approach are not applicable.
Integration of funded faculty research, capstone experiences and industry requirements

This paper presents a senior design strategy integrating funded faculty research and industry requirements. Students participating in this type of senior design are directly involved with all the aspects of a complete system development cycle focusing on user needs and requirements. All the aspects of the project represents higher quality and larger scale than typical senior design projects, and in this way better resemble industry projects. The case study presented herein is a practical industrial project sponsored by a faculty member the construction of a research quality electric machine dynamometer and test-bed.
Evanescent microwaves: a novel super-resolution noncontact nondestructive imaging technique for biological applications

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and atomic force microscopes (AFM) are used to study biological materials. These methods, often capable of achieving atomic resolutions, reveal fascinating information regarding the inner workings of these materials. However, both STM and AFM require physical contact to the specimen. In the case of STM the specimen needs to be conducting as well. Here we introduce a new method for imaging biological materials through air or a suitable liquid using decaying or evanescent fields at the tip of a properly designed microwave resonator. This novel method involves the use of an evanescent microwave probe (EMP) and it is capable of imaging a variety of nonuniformities in biological materials including conductivity, permittivity, and density variations. EMP is a noncontact and nondestructive sensor and it does not require conducting specimens. Its spatial resolution is currently around 0.4 /spl mu/m at 1 GHz. We have used this probe to map nonuniformities in a variety of materials including metals, semiconductors, insulators, and biological and botanical samples. Here we discuss applications of EMP imaging in bone, teeth, botanical, and agricultural specimens.
Transverse motion of an elastic sphere in a shear field

The forces acting on an elastic particle suspended in a shear field, and moving relative to it, are found for the case in which there are small deformations from an initially spherical shape. The deformation is the result of the viscous stresses acting on the particle. Of principal interest is that there is a component of the force perpendicular to the free-stream direction, so that the particle will migrate across the undisturbed streamlines.
Growth-related neural reorganization and the autism phenotype: a test of the hypothesis that altered brain growth leads to altered connectivity.

Theoretical considerations, and findings from computational modeling, comparative neuroanatomy and developmental neuroscience, motivate the hypothesis that a deviant brain growth trajectory will lead to deviant patterns of change in corticocortical connectivity. Differences in brain size during development will alter the relative cost and effectiveness of short- and long-distance connections, and should thus impact the growth and retention of connections. Reduced brain size should favor long-distance connectivity; brain overgrowth should favor short-distance connectivity; and inconsistent deviations from the normal growth trajectory ‐ as occurs in autism ‐ should result in potentially disruptive changes to established patterns of functional and physical connectivity during development. To explore this hypothesis, neural networks which modeled interhemispheric interaction were grown at the rate of either typically developing children or children with autism. The influence of the length of the inter-hemispheric connections was analyzed at multiple developmental time-points. The networks that modeled autistic growth were less affected by removal of the inter-hemispheric connections than those that modeled normal growth ‐ indicating a reduced reliance on long-distance connections ‐ for short response times, and this difference increased substantially at approximately 24 simulated months of age. The performance of the networks showed a corresponding decline during development. And direct analysis of the connection weights showed a parallel reduction in connectivity. These modeling results support the hypothesis that the deviant growth trajectory in autism spectrum disorders may lead to a disruption of established patterns of functional connectivity during development, with potentially negative behavioral consequences, and a subsequent reduction in physical connectivity. The results are discussed in relation to the growing body of evidence of reduced functional and structural connectivity in autism, and in relation to the behavioral phenotype, particularly the developmental aspects.
Mismatch repair mutations of Escherichia coli K12 enhance transposon excision.

Excision of the prokaryotic transposon Tn 10 is a host-mediated process that occurs in the absence of recA function or any transposon-encoded functions. To determine which host functions might play a role in transposon excision, we have isolated 40 mutants of E. coli K12, designated tex , which increase the frequency of Tn 10 precise excision. Three of these mutations ( tex A) have been shown to qualitatively alter RecBC function. We show that 21 additional tex mutations with a mutator phenotype map to five genes previously identified as components of a methylation-directed pathway for repair of base pair mismatches: uvrD, mutH, mutL, mutS and dam . Previously identified alleles of these genes also have a Tex phenotype.—Several other E. coli mutations affecting related functions have been analyzed for their effects on Tn 10 excision. Other mutations affecting the frequency of spontaneous mutations ( mutT, polA, ung ), different excision repair pathways ( uvrA, uvrB ) or the state of DNA methylation ( dcm ) have no effect on Tn 10 excision. Mutations ssb-113 and mutD 5, however, do increase Tn 10 excision.—The products of the mismatch correction genes probably function in a coordinated way during DNA repair in vivo . Thus, mutations in these genes might also enhance transposon excision by a single general mechanism. Alternatively, since mutations in each gene have qualitatively and quantitatively different effects on transposon excision, defects in different mismatch repair genes may enhance excision by different mechanisms.
Enhancing offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) regulation via systematic novelty exposure: the influence of maternal HPA function.

In the rat, repeated brief exposures to novelty early in life can induce long-lasting enhancements in adult cognitive, social, emotional, and neuroendocrine function. Family-to-family variations in these intervention effects on adult offspring are predicted by the mother’s ability to mount a rapid corticosterone (CORT) response to the onset of an acute stressor. Here, in Long-Evans rats, we investigated whether neonatal and adulthood novelty exposure, each individually and in combination, can enhance offspring HPA regulation. Using a 2x2 within-litter design, one half of each litter were exposed to a relatively novel non-home environment for 3-min (Neo_Novel) daily during infancy (PND1-21) and the other half of the litter remained in the home cage (Neo_Home); we further exposed half of these two groups to early adulthood (PND54-63) novelty exposure in an open field and the remaining siblings stayed in their home cages. Two aspects of HPA regulation were assessed: the ability to maintain a low level of resting CORT (CORTB) and the ability to mount a large rapid CORT response (CORTE) to the onset of an acute stressor. Assessment of adult offspring’s ability to regulate HPA regulation began at 370 days of age. We further investigated whether the novelty exposure effects on offspring HPA regulation are sensitive to the context of maternal HPA regulation by assessing maternal HPA regulation similarly beginning 7 days after her pups were weaned. We found that at the population level, rats receiving neonatal, but not early adulthood exposure or both, showed a greater rapid CORTE than their home-staying siblings. At the individual family level, these novelty effects are positively associated with maternal CORTE. These results suggest that early experience of novelty can enhance the offspring’s ability to mount a rapid response to environmental challenge and the success of such early life intervention is critically dependent upon the context of maternal HPA regulation.
Endovenous saphenous vein ablation in patients with acute isolated superficial-vein thrombosis

Objective: The possible benefits of endovenous saphenous ablation (EVSA) as initial treatment in patients presenting with isolated superficial-vein thrombosis (SVT) and saphenous vein reflux include: (1) definitive treatment of the underlying pathology and (2) elimination of the saphenous vein as a path for pulmonary emboli, which (3) may eliminate the need for anticoagulation. Methods: In a ten-year review of 115 limbs presenting with acute isolated SVT, 72 limbs (71 patients) with saphenous reflux were given a choice of two treatments following an explanation of the risks and benefits of each. Group I limbs (n ¼41) were treated with office EVSA using radiofrequency or laser with or without thrombophlebectomy if performed within 45 days of diagnosis. Post-treatment anticoagulants were not given. Group II limbs (n ¼31) were treated with compression hose and repeat Duplex within one week, with added anticoagulants if SVTextended into the thigh. Results: In group I, mean interval from diagnosis to treatment was 13.7 days. One calf deep vein thrombosis was noted. In group II no complications were noted. In late follow-up of group II patients, 12/29 underwent EVSA more than 45 days after initial presentation. Conclusions: The safety and efficacy of EVSA and thrombophlebectomy appear indistinguishable from conservative measures and may be offered as initial treatment to patients presenting with SVT and saphenous reflux.