cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue Plasminogen Activator Concentration Dependence of 120 kHz Ultrasound-Enhanced Thrombolysis

It has been known for some time that the application of ultrasound can enhance the efficacy of thrombolytic medications such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Potential clinical applications of this ultrasound-enhanced thrombolysis (UET) include the treatment of myocardial infarction, acute ischemic stroke, deep venous thrombosis and other thrombotic disorders. It may be possible to reduce the dose of rt-PA while maintaining lytic efficacy; however there is little data on the rt-PA concentration dependence of UET. In this work, the rt-PA concentration dependence of clot lysis resulting from 120 kHz UET exposure was measured in an in vitro human clot model. Clots were exposed to rt-PA for 30 min, with (UET treated) or without 120 kHz ultrasound (rt-PA treated) at 37 degrees C, and the clot width measured as a function of time. The rt-PA concentration ranged from 0-10 microg/mL. The initial lytic rate for the UET-treated group was greater than that of the rt-PA group at almost all rt-PA concentrations, and exhibited a maximum over concentration values of 1-3 microg/mL.
Accurate millisecond timing on Apple’s Macintosh using Drexel’s MilliTimer

Many of the timed functions that concern psychologists, such as perceptual presentations and reaction time, are sensitive to a maximum variability in display timing caused by screen-refresh characteristics. For the Apple Macintosh, the screen operating speed is 60 Hz, which translates to an average of 8.33-msec variability. For microcomputers other than the Macintosh, a variety of hardware and software modifications to generate millisecond timing have become standard (e.g., Reed, 1979). Other than Reed College’s (1985) implementation in Rascal, which requires the Rascal development language, there has been no method of which we were aware to synchronize experimental timing with display presentation on the Macintosh. This limitation in the usefulness of the Macintosh as an otherwise excellent research tool can be overcome using Drexel University’s MilliTimer. The assembler code which follows should be considered in the public domain and can be readily adapted to any of the Macintosh-based languages.
Biological control of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, with predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus, in strawberries.

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted from 2005 to 2007 to determine the effectiveness of different release times with the predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), for control of the twospotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, in strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne). The effect of N. californicus releases over time and on development of TSSM populations during a growing season were evaluated. Our hypothesis was that repeated applications of N. californicus, which is currently recommended by biological control companies, might be unnecessary to attain season-long control of TSSM. In greenhouse trials, three treatments consisting of releases of N. californicus at five-day intervals: day 0, day 5, and day 10, and an untreated control were evaluated. The treatment releases significantly reduced TSSM below the control within five days of each release. Neoseiulus californicus significantly reduced TSSM in treatments with high densities (leaflets with ≥ 40 TSSM) below that of treatments with lower densities (leaflets with ≤ 10 TSSM) demonstrating that if released at a predator: prey ratio of 1:10, timing of release does not alter the effectiveness of N. californicus in controlling TSSM. However, we found that if the ratio of predator: prey remains adequate, N. californicus is a more efficient predator at high TSSM densities. Field studies included three treatments consisting of releases of N. californicus at one-month intervals. All treatments significantly reduced TSSM compared with the control plots (no releases). Releases applied early in the season sustained TSSM significantly below those in the control plots for the whole season. Our results indicate that one release of N. californicus is able to sustained control of TSSM in strawberry throughout a growing season if released when TSSM populations are low early in the season in the southeastern United States.
Petroleum industry perspective of clean air act reauthorization

The Clean Air Act needs to be improved in certain areas if the American public can experience continued environmental progress and have the additional domestic energy it needs. These areas are: National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Nonattainment areas, and Prevention of Significant Deterioration areas. Acid rain is discussed in relation to air pollution. Future changes should be based on sound scientific evidence, with potential benefits to society out-weighing potential costs.
Identification of meat species in pet foods using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay

Product mislabeling, adulteration, and substitution are increasing concerns in highly processed foods, including pet foods. Although regulations exist for pet foods, there is currently a lack of information on the prevalence of pet food mislabeling. The objective of this study was to perform a market survey of pet foods and pet treats marketed for domestic canines and felines to identify meat species present as well as any instances of mislabeling. Fifty-two commercial products were collected from online and retail sources. DNA was extracted from each product in duplicate and tested for the presence of eight meat species (bovine, caprine, ovine, chicken, goose, turkey, porcine, and equine) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with SYBR Green and species-specific primers. Of the 52 tested products, 31 were labeled correctly, 20 were potentially mislabeled, and 1 contained a non-specific meat ingredient that could not be verified. Chicken was the most common meat species found in the pet food products (n = 51), and none of the products tested positive for horsemeat. In three cases of potential mislabeling, one or two meat species were substituted for other meat species, but major trends were not observed. While these results suggest the occurrence of pet food mislabeling, further studies are needed to determine the extent of mislabeling and identify points in the production chain where mislabeling occurs.
Assessment of cutting energy consumption and energy efficiency in machining of 4140 steel

Machining operations such as turning, milling, and drilling are commonly employed machining processes in industry. With the push toward a future of sustainable manufacturing, machining processes need to be evaluated and optimized accordingly. This paper focuses on the energy aspects in metal cutting and attempts to provide an overall assessment of energy consumption and energy efficiency against the operating conditions. Specifically, the effects of tool geometry and cutting parameters in turning of ANSI 4140 steel are investigated through numerical experiments using finite element simulation. The variables considered include cutting speed, rake angle, nose radius, and edge radius. The effects of these parameters on cutting energy consumption and cutting efficiency are analyzed. The results show that the effects of these parameters on cutting energy and cutting efficiency are different. Strategies for minimizing cutting energy and maximizing cutting efficiency are suggested.
Voice-operated powered devices.

Abstract The transfer of control information to machines by speech is discussed. The design and use of a phonic control system utilizing hummed signals to control an electrically powered wheel-chair and a hand orthosis is reported, and the potential for applying sound control systems to powered devices in general is explored.
Spermatocytic seminoma: An immunohistochemical study☆

Abstract Spermatocytic seminoma (SS) is an unusual germ cell tumor that behaves in an indolent fashion. Because orchiectomy alone is adequate treatment, it is important to distinguish SS from classic seminoma and other germ cell tumors. Light microscopic distinction usually is possible; however, occasional cases of SS exhibit atypical features, including the presence of a lymphoid infitrate or microcystic change, which simulate classic seminoma and yolk sac tumor, respectively. Immunohistochemistry might aid in this differential diagnosis, but the immunohistochemical profile of SS is not well reported in the literature. We examined seven SS cases (six men and one non-human primate) with a panel of 14 antibodies directed against placental-like alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), keratins (CAM 5.2, AE1AE3), vimentin, human chorionic gonadotropin, alpha-fetoprotein, muscle-specific actin, carcinoembryonic antigen, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, desmin, leukocyte-common antigen, neuron-specific enolase, and human placental lactogen. A previously unreported finding was the presence of focal cytoplasmic staining for low molecular weight cytokeratin (CAM 5.2) in three cases. All other antibodies produced essentially negative results, including anti-PLAP. The PLAP and neuron-specific enolase negativity of SS are in contrast to the positivity of classic seminoma for these markers. A simplified panel of antibodies is recommended to assist in the differentiation of SS from other forms of germ cell neoplasia.
Computational and experimental analyses converge to reveal a coherent yet malleable aptamer structure that controls chemical reactivity.

As short nucleic acids, aptamers in solution are believed to be structurally flexible. Consistent with this view, most aptamers examined for this property have been shown to bind their target molecules by mechanisms that can be described as “induced fit”. But, it is not known to what extent this structural flexibility affects the integrity of the target−aptamer interaction. Using the malachite green aptamer (MGA) as a model system, we show that the MGA can protect its bound target, malachite green (MG), from oxidation over several days. Protection is reversed by an oligonucleotide complementary to the MGA binding pocket. Computational cavity analysis of the MGA-MG structure predicted that MG oxidation is protected because a molecule as small as an OH− is sterically excluded from the C1 position of the bound MG. These results suggest that, while the MGA-MG interface is sufficiently coherent to prevent OH− penetration, the bases involved in the interaction are sufficiently mobile that they can exchange out ...
The Power Politics of Identity

International Relations scholars often treat international order as a byproduct of threats of military violence. Recent scholarship, however, has focused attention on security communities — nonviol...
Conformational diffusion and helix formation kinetics.

The time, temperature, and sequence dependences of helix formation kinetics of fully atomistic peptide models in explicit solvent are described quantitatively by a diffusive search within the coil state with barrierless transitions into the helical state. Conformational diffusion leads to nonexponential kinetics and jump-width dependences in temperature jump experiments. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Low-Frequency Reflection from a Nonmeridional Eastern Ocean Boundary and the Use of Coastal Sea Level to Monitor Eastern Pacific Equatorial Kelvin Waves

Abstract Analytical theory and wind, sea level, and atmospheric pressure data were used to examine low-frequency dynamics near the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean boundary. The analytical technique involves linking low-frequency solutions near a nonmeridional boundary with the deep ocean equatorial Kelvin wave for both unforced and wind-forced flows using an equatorial wave orthogonality condition. The following results were obtained. Mathematical and physical arguments show that nonmeridional boundaries should be less reflective than meridional ones, and that the poleward coastal Kelvin wave energy flux should be greater the more the boundary tilts from north to south. The eastern Pacific Ocean boundary is more nonmeridional in the Northern Hemisphere and, as a consequence, calculations for the intraseasonal, semiannual, annual, and interannual frequencies an indicated that poleward coastally trapped energy flux is greater in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. For most frequencies ...
Hypoxia-induced growth rate reduction in two juvenile estuary-dependent fishes

Abstract As eutrophication of coastal waters increases, water quality issues such as hypoxia have come to the forefront of environmental concerns for many estuarine systems. Chronic hypoxia during the summer has become a common occurrence in numerous estuaries, degrading nursery habitat and increasing the potential for exposure of juvenile fish to low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO). We conducted a laboratory study to investigate how hypoxic conditions and temperature affect growth rates of two juvenile estuary-dependent fish: the Atlantic menhaden ( Brevoortia tyrannus ) and spot ( Leiostomus xanthurus ). For a 2-week period, we exposed the fish to one of four constant DO levels (6.0, 4.0, 2.0 or 1.5 mg O 2 l −1 ), at one of two temperatures (25 or 30 °C). A fifth DO treatment, included for spot at 30 °C, allowed DO to fluctuate from 10.0 mg O 2 l −1 during the day, to 2.0 mg O 2 l −1 at night. This diel fluctuation approximated the natural DO cycle in tidal estuarine creeks. Size measurements were recorded at the beginning, middle and end of experiments. Growth rates were generally unaffected by low DO until concentrations dropped to 1.5 mg O 2 l −1 , resulting in 31–89% growth reductions. Our results suggest that DO levels must be severely depressed, and in fact, approaching lethal limits, to negatively impact growth of juvenile spot and Atlantic menhaden.
From ATP to Electron Transfer: Electrostatics and Free-Energy Transduction in Nitrogenase

Nitrogenase consists of two proteins that work in concert to reduce atmospheric dinitrogen to a biologically useful form, ammonia (Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2000, 4, 559−566; Chem. Rev. 1996, 96, 2965−2982). The smaller of the proteins (the so-called Fe protein) shuttles high-energy electrons to the larger subunit (the so-called MoFe protein) where the reduction of dinitrogen molecules takes place. The Fe protein catalyzes the hydrolysis of two MgATP molecules per electron transferred to the MoFe protein. The physical mechanism that couples the ATP hydrolysis and electron-transfer reactions in nitrogenase is one of the “great mysteries” of nitrogen fixation. Our goal is to describe the free-energy transformations that occur in nitrogenase based upon theoretical analysis of structural and electrochemical data. The electrostatic and thermodynamic analysis described here, made possible by recent X-ray structural data (and motivated by closely related electrochemical studies: Biochemistry 1997, 36, 12976−12983...
Light Scattering in Biomimetic Structures with Short-range Order

We performed coherent backscattering experiments to measure transport mean free path in closely packed biomimetic structures. Due to short-range order and near-field effect, low-order light scattering becomes dominant and produces structural colors.
Organic brain syndrome in three cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Abstract A triad of psychiatric symptoms involving mood disturbance, thought disorder with grandiose delusions, and severe memory deficits is described for three male homosexual patients suffering from acquired immume deficiency syndrome. The evidence suggests that the last two of these symptoms are inexplicable on the basis of previous psychiatric history or as a reaction to medical illness. Rather, an organic brain syndrome may be part of the natural history of AIDS for some patients.
Terminal optimization analysis for functional block re-use

The re-use of functional blocks within a large system on a chip (SoC) design results in a design trade-off between local intra-block and global inter-block communication. This paper develops a mathematical model to analyze the wire length distributions resulting from two possible layout strategies: the optimization of block terminal locations to minimizing global wire lengths which leave local wire lengths unoptimized, or the optimization of block terminal locations for minimizing local wire lengths which leave global wire lengths unoptimized. Results are presented for a model SoC floorplan composed of four identical functional blocks containing 12,769 cells and 245 terminals. Our analysis indicates that the best optimization strategy is dependent on the geometrical details of the floorplan with a local optimization producing smaller total wire lengths for a square (2 x 2) layout and global optimization producing lower total wire lengths for a linear (1 x 4) layout.
Synthesis of Some Monoamino Alkynes

The preparation of a series of monoamino alkynes has been undertaken. A method of reduction of the substituted and unsubstituted quinolines to their corresponding tetrahydro derivatives is presented. Some of the monoamino alkynes showed weak fungicidal activity against T. mentagrophytes.
Gender specialization and distyly in hoary puccoon, LITHOSPERMUM CROCEUM (Boraginaceae)

This 2-yr study of gender and its relation to the sizes of pin and thrum plants in Lithospermum croceum was performed in central Michigan. The population was composed of 51-52% thrums, 42-43% pins, and -6% homostyles in 1988 and 1989. Pins produced more flowers and fruits than thrums, and a greater proportion of their ovaries produced more than one nutlet. However, the number of fruits produced by pins and thrums in 1988 did not differ when plant size is a covariate in ANCOVA. The number of seeds produced by plants in 1989 is also unaffected by floral morph when size is a covariate. Instead, plant size is the most important predictor of fecundity in both years. The average percent fruit sets (fruits/ovaries) of the morphs did not differ in either year. Herbivory was more common in 1988 than in 1989, but there was no difference in the frequency with which pins and thrums were attacked. Furthermore, the effect of herbivory on fecundity did not differ for the morphs. The fecundity of neither morph was limited by pollen in 1989. Apparent gender specialization was a consequence of subtle differences in the vegetative sizes of the morphs.
On the Rate of Heat Release for High-Boost, Low-Temperature Combustion Schemes: Accounting for Compressibility Effects

A methodology has been developed to account for compressibility effects (i.e., non-ideal-gas behavior) in the analysis of heat release rates. These effects may be important for advanced, high-boost, low-temperature combustion schemes currently under investigation, as the high pressure and overall lower temperatures can lead to compressibility factors (Z = Pυ/RT) that are significantly greater than 1.0. The rate of heat release (ROHR) formulation developed here uses a generalized energy conservation equation where the cylinder is segregated into three distinct regions (i.e., fresh, burned, and mixed); an arbitrary equation of state can be applied to these zones. Crevice/ringpack flows, which can be substantial under high-boost/high-compression ratio (CR) operation, are taken into account using a source/sink term. The new methodology is demonstrated using pressure-volume traces for six different engine cycles; these traces have been generated using a real gas engine simulator where the heat release is presc...
Dictyosome-like structures present in human testicular cells

Abstract Dictyosome-l ike structures (DLS) are present in human spermatocytes and spermatids. They display morphological and developmental characteristics similar to those of other species that contain DLS.
Melting Colloidal Crystals from the Inside Out

Consider an ice cube melting in a glass of water. Ice cubes and any other solid objects almost always melt from their outer surface inward, and this scenario is well understood by physicists. What is less common, less well understood, but more intriguing is the case when a solid melts from inside outward (see the figure, panel A). Experimentally, this might be achieved by focusing an intense laser pulse inside a solid sample to locally superheat it. However, in such experiments, the sample melts extremely quickly, and it is difficult to determine exactly how the melting proceeds. On page 87 of this issue, Wang et al. ( 1 ) report the creative use of colloids as a model system to study the internal melting of samples in slow motion and with high magnification. They find that large agitations are the main driver of sample melting, rather than the formation of crystalline defects, contradicting some theoretical expectations.
Effect of gonadectomy on discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in female versus male rats.

Abstract In a previous study, we found sex differences in the potency of morphine as a discriminative stimulus; the present study was designed to determine whether sex differences in gonadal hormones contribute to sex differences in morphine's discriminative effects. Adult female and male rats were gonadectomized (GNDZ) or sham-gonadectomized (SHAM), and then trained to discriminate 3.0 mg/kg morphine from saline. The ED 50 for morphine discrimination was significantly lower in females than in males (0.66±0.12 vs. 1.25±0.16 mg/kg, respectively); ED 50 values in GNDZ rats were slightly higher than in SHAM rats. The time course of morphine discrimination was not significantly different in females and males, whether GNDZ or not. The μ agonist fentanyl completely substituted for morphine in all rats, with no group differences in ED 50 value. The μ agonists buprenorphine and nalbuphine substituted for morphine in nearly all females and in all SHAM males, but in only four of seven GNDZ males. The κ agonist U69,593 did not substitute for morphine in rats of any group. Most opioid agonists were significantly more potent in decreasing response rate in males than females, and in GNDZ than SHAM rats; morphine and nalbuphine also increased response rate above control in some females. A pA 2 analysis of naltrexone in combination with morphine suggested that there were no significant differences among groups in receptors at which morphine produced its discriminative stimulus effects. Although hormone replacement in GNDZ female rats at the end of the study reinstated estrous cycling, it did not substantially alter the ED 50 for morphine discrimination. Thus, sex differences in potency of morphine as a discriminative stimulus may not be due to sex differences in gonadal hormone milieu. The possibility that sex differences in reinforcement frequency on morphine versus saline levers caused the sex differences in morphine discrimination is discussed.
DNA motifs in human and mouse proximal promoters predict tissue-specific expression

Comprehensive identification of cis-regulatory elements is necessary for accurately reconstructing gene regulatory networks. We studied proximal promoters of human and mouse genes with differential expression across 56 terminally differentiated tissues. Using in silico techniques to discover, evaluate, and model interactions among sequence elements, we systematically identified regulatory modules that distinguish elevated from inhibited expression in the corresponding transcripts. We used these putative regulatory modules to construct a single predictive model for each of the 56 tissues. These predictors distinguish tissue-specific elevated from inhibited expression with statistical significance in 80% of the tissues (45 of 56). The predictors also reveal synergy between cis-regulatory modules and explain large-scale tissue-specific differential expression. For testis and liver, the predictors include computationally predicted motifs. For most other tissues, the predictors reveal synergy between experimentally verified motifs and indicate genes that are regulated by similar tissue-specific machinery. The identification in proximal promoters of cis-regulatory modules with tissue-specific activity lays the groundwork for complete characterization and deciphering of cis-regulatory DNA code in mammalian genomes.
The Effects of Large-Scale Winds on the Sea–Land-Breeze Circulations in an Area of Complex Coastal Heating

Abstract A three-dimensional mesoscale numerical model has been used to examine the effects of large-scale background winds on the characteristics of the sealand-breeze circulations over an area with an irregular coastline and complex surface-heating patterns at Kennedy Space Center/Cape Canaveral in Florida. A series of numerical experiments was performed in which the large-scale winds were varied in both speed and direction. The surface heating was based on measured surface-temperature variation from the Kennedy Space Center Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment (KABLE) during the spring season when the landsea temperature gradient reaches its maximum. The results from the simulations compared reasonably well with data available from KABLE. The results show that an onshore large-scale flow produces weaker sea-breeze perturbations compared to those generated by an offshore flow. However, the coastal rivers and lagoons create intense surface convergence with strong vertical motion on the seaward side of...
Improving the accuracy of sphere-source calibrations

Abstract A new technique for improving the accuracy of radiance calibrations for large-area integrating-sphere sources has been investigated. Such sources are used to calibrate numerous aircraft and spacecraft remote sensing instruments. Recent measurements performed at NIST and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center have demonstrated that the uncertainty of sphere-source radiance measurements can be improved from the present 5–10% level to a 1–2% level. Silicon detectors with bandpass filters mounted in front of them and calibrated for absolute spectral responsivity can be used to confirm and to monitor the absolute radiance of a sphere source.
Safety of Proton Pump Inhibitor Exposure

Proton pump (H + /K + –adenosine triphosphatase) inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used to treat patients with acid-related disorders because they are generally perceived to be safe and effective. However, as with any pharmacologic agent, they have the potential for side effects. Many studies have examined the side effects of long-term or short-term PPI exposure. We review the mechanism of action of PPIs, focusing on recently released products that might have greater risks of adverse effects than older products because of increased potency and/or duration of action. We summarize the data available on the putative adverse effects of PPI therapy and propose guidelines for clinicians who prescribe these agents to limit the potential for adverse outcomes in users of these effective therapeutic agents.
Intercontinental transport of aerosols and photochemical oxidants from Asia and its consequences

The intercontinental transport of aerosols and photochemical oxidants from Asia is a crucial issue for air quality concerns in countries downwind of the significant emissions and concentrations of pollutants occurring in this important region of the world. Since the lifetimes of some important pollutants are long enough to be transported over long distance in the troposphere, regional control strategies for air pollution in downwind countries might be ineffective without considering the effects of long-range transport of pollutants from Asia. Field campaigns provide strong evidence for the intercontinental transport of Asian pollutants. They, together with ground-based observations and model simulations, show that the air quality over parts of North America is being affected by the pollutants transported from Asia. This paper examines the current understanding of the intercontinental transport of gases and aerosols from Asia and resulting effects on air quality, and on the regional and global climate system.
Managing the spectrum of surgical pain: acute management of the chronic pain patient.

P A ostsurgical pain is an unintended side effect of operaions that continues to be undertreated, despite new dvances in pain management. In treating surgical paients who are on medications for chronic pain, it is mportant to realize that most of these patients have eveloped a significant degree of tolerance, thereby reuiring much higher doses of opiates than opiate-naive atients. In the United States, it is claimed that chronic ain affects over 70,000,000 patients, and acute pain an lead to chronic pain if not treated properly. Pain anagement in patients on medications for chronic ain requires a multimodal approach, with frequent asessments to ensure adequate pain control. The objective of this article is to discuss management f acute pain, with an emphasis on patients who are on edications for chronic pain before an operation.
Analysis of three-dimensional grids: Five-point cubes and curvature coefficients ☆

A method for estimating curvature coefficients on five measurements in prismatic array is illustrated with non-monotonic data. The method turns on repositioning the data from the prismatic array to the Latin square array. A polynomial interpolating equation is applied to the latter design to estimate surrogate numbers for data not originally present in the prismatic array. The five data and four surrogate numbers are then repositioned in the original nine-point cube. The cube is represented by another polynomial in order to estimate the three curvature coefficients. The method is capable of yielding estimates that are within an order of magnitude of the true values.
A free-space optical terminal for fading channels

This paper describes a lasercom terminal using spatial diversity to mitigate fading caused by atmospheric scintillation. Multiple receive apertures are separated sufficiently to capture statistically independent samples of the incoming beam. The received optical signals are tracked individually, photo-detected, and summed electrically, with measured diversity gain. The terminal consists of COTS components. It was used in successful demonstrations over a 5.4km ground-ground link from June through September 2008, during which it experienced a wide temperature range. Design overview and hardware realization are presented. This work was sponsored by the Department of Defense, RRCO DDR&E, under Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.
Possible genetic consequences of meiosis in pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae) populations

El analisis de la primera division meiotica des roeder fosorial,Thomomys bottae, muestra una uniformidad notable en la colocacion de quiasmas en los bivalentes, a pesar de las diferencias existentes en los cariotipos somaticos. La frecuencia promedio de quiasmas por bivalente es muy baja (1.03), y la mayoria de los bivalentes demuestran que sus quiasmas se localizan en o cerca de un estremo del par.
On the retention of finished goods inventory when reorder-occurrence is uncertain

Abstract Finished goods inventory may accumulate for a variety of reasons in the production of lowdemand or slow-moving items. In this article a simple model is developed and some results are presented to aid in making inventory retention decisions when there exists uncertainty about whether reorders for a slow-moving item will be received in the future. In formulating the model, it is assumed that some excess inventory remains after filling a customer order and that a single reorder for the item is possible. The problem is to determine how long to retain the inventory before disposing of it. The relevant expected costs of retaining some quantity of inventory for a period of time consist of two types: (1) the inventory carrying cost less the salvage value from disposal; and (2) the future production cost incurred due to premature disposal. Using conventional optimization, a relationship for finding the optimal retention period is derived and conditions are identified that ensure that the optimal retention period can be obtained directly from the relationship. To determine the optimal retention period, probability distributions are required for the interarrival time until the reorder occurs and for the reorder quantity. While it seems logical to assume that each item would have its own distributions, this argument leads to a specification problem since the data needed to establish distributions for individual items will generally not be available for slow-moving items. One approach used to overcome this problem in practice is to combine data for a selected group of items and use the combined data to obtain distributions useful for any or all of the items in the group. An example illustrating this approach is provided.
Is Deferrable Demand an Effective Alternative to Upgrading Transmission Capacity

AbstractWith high penetrations of variable generation from wind turbines in remote locations, transmission capacity may be inadequate to transfer this relatively inexpensive source of generation to demand centers. The major reason is that transmission corridors into load centers are often congested when the system load is high, and additional wind generation is effectively shut out. In contrast, when the system load is low and the wind is blowing, wind generation may be able to meet most of the load throughout the network subject to the specific limitations of the network’s topology. This paper compares the system costs of two very different ways of reducing congestion on the network to increase the annual amount of potential wind capacity dispatched. The first way uses the standard supply side solution of upgrading transmission capacity on the network. The second way uses a demand-side approach in which deferrable demand shifts the system load from on-peak periods to off-peak periods. In addition, the de...
Management of Psychiatric Disorders in Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Psychiatric disorders increase the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and increase morbidity from HIV-related illness by impeding treatment. The response to highly active antiretroviral therapies is impaired by poor patient adherence, a substantial component of which is related to mental illness and substance use disorders. The recognition of psychiatric disorders in most HIV clinics is an issue of utmost importance. We outline diagnostic and treatment issues for major depression, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, substance use disorders, and demoralization as seen in patients with HIV. Our experience at the Johns Hopkins Moore (HIV) Clinic has led us to conclude that treatment of these disorders greatly improves patient adherence to treatment and outcomes of HIV infection.
The endocytic hyaluronan receptor in rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells is Ca(+2)-independent and distinct from a Ca(+2)-dependent hyaluronan binding activity.

Isolated and cultured rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LECs) retain the ability to specifically bind 125I-hyaluronan (HA) internalize it using a coated pit pathway [Biochem J, 257:875–884, 1989]. Here we have determined the effect of Ca+2 on the binding and endocytosis of HA by LECs. 125I-HA binding to intact LECs at 4°C occurred both in the absence (10 mM EGTA) or the presence of physiologic concentrations of Ca+2 (1.8 mM). However, the specific binding of 125I-HA to LECs increased linearly with increasing Ca+2 concentrations. After permeabilization with the nonionic detergent digitonin, the Ca+2-independent HA binding activity increased ∼743%, while the Ca+2-dependent binding activity was enhanced only ∼46%. Therefore, the Ca+2-dependent HA binding activity appears not to be intracellular, whereas the Ca+2-independent HA receptor is found both inside LECs and on the cell surface. When LECs were allowed to endocytose 125I-HA at 37°C in 10 mM EGT A or in 1.8 mM Ca+2, no differences were seen in the extent or rate of endocytosis. When LECs were allowed to endocytose 125I-HA in the presence of 10mM Ca125, the amount of cell-associated radiocctivity increased appoximately 20–50-fold. However, this additional cell-associated 125I-HA was not sensitive to hyperosmolarity and was removed by washing the cells in 10mM EGTA at 4°C. Therefore, the Ca+2-dependent cell-associated 125I-HA had accumulated on the cell surface and had not been internalized. From these studies we conclude the LECs have at least two trypes of specfic HA binding sites. One, the previously characterized HA receptor, is Ca+2-indepoendent, localized both extracellularly and intracellular, and medicates he efficient binding and subsequent endocytosis of HA using a coated pit pathway. The other newly recognized HA binding activity is Ca+2-dependent, localized wxtracellularly, and is not responsible for the endocytosis of HA in rat LECs.
Integrated Fourier-Domain Mode-Locked Lasers: Analysis of a Novel Coherent Comb Laser

Fourier-domain (FD) mode locking of integrated laser diode structures is studied theoretically and their application for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) comb generation for future terabits per second interconnects is discussed. Twenty-five-gigahertz FD mode-locked structures with ring and Mach-Zehnder-based bandpass filters show comb widths of 1.0-1.8 THz, i.e., 40-72 comb lines, but the mode comb is not flat, which increases the mode relative intensity noise (RIN). It is shown that by combining AM and FD mode-locking wide and flat combs (down to 7 dB) can be achieved, with mode RIN values of less than 0.3%, suitable for error-free transmission. These novel structures have been simulated using experimentally verified parameters and technologically feasible configurations.
The Effects of Age, Information, and Personal Contact on Attitudes Toward Individuals With Cleft-Lip and Palate

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine how information and brief personal contact with individuals who have a cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) affected attitudes and to compare these effects across two age cohorts. Design and Participants: A pretest-posttest design was utilized to determine if accurate information and personal contact with an individual with CLP would affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral attitudes in participants without CLP. To assess attitudes, 189 participants without cleft lip and palate completed a modified version of the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (Findler et al., 2007). The study included a child cohort (n = 78; Mean age = 10.01 years) and a young adult cohort (n = 111; Mean age = 19.58 years). Results: Using a mixed MANCOVA, it was found that children's cognitive attitudes were significantly improved (22.54%) by information and personal contact with individuals with CLP. Within the young adult cohort, however, findings were inc...
Nobility and Necessity: The Problem of Courage in Aristotle’s

In the current debate over the status of moral virtue in ethical and political theory, Aristotle is an imposing and controversial figure. Both champions and critics of the ancient conception of virtue identify Aristotle as its most important proponent, but commentators often obscure the complexity of his treatment of moral virtue. His account of courage reveals this complexity. Aristotle believes that courage, and indeed virtue generally, must be understood as both an end in itself and a means to a more comprehensive good. In this way Aristotle’s political science offers a middle course that corrects and embraces the claims of nobility and necessity in political life. Honor is central to this political science. It acts as a bridge between the desires of the individual and the needs of the political community and reduces the dangers posed by the excessive pursuit of nobility and the complete acquiescence to necessity.
Efficient Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources by Gridable Vehicles in Cyber-Physical Energy Systems

The main sources of emission today are from the electric power and transportation sectors. One of the main goals of a cyber-physical energy system (CPES) is the integration of renewable energy sources and gridable vehicles (GVs) to maximize emission reduction. GVs can be used as loads, sources and energy storages in CPES. A large CPES is very complex considering all conventional and green distributed energy resources, dynamic data from sensors, and smart operations (e.g., charging/discharging, control, etc.) from/to the grid to reduce both cost and emission. If large number of GVs are connected to the electric grid randomly, peak load will be very high. The use of conventional thermal power plants will be economically expensive and environmentally unfriendly to sustain the electrified transportation. Intelligent scheduling and control of elements of energy systems have great potential for evolving a sustainable integrated electricity and transportation infrastructure. The maximum utilization of renewable energy sources using GVs for sustainable CPES (minimum cost and emission) is presented in this paper. Three models are described and results of the smart grid model show the highest potential for sustainability.
MR-PDP: Multiple-Replica Provable Data Possession

Many storage systems rely on replication to increase the availability and durability of data on untrusted storage systems. At present, such storage systems provide no strong evidence that multiple copies of the data are actually stored. Storage servers can collude to make it look like they are storing many copies of the data, whereas in reality they only store a single copy. We address this shortcoming through multiple-replica provable data possession (MR-PDP): A provably-secure scheme that allows a client that stores t replicas of a file in a storage system to verify through a challenge-response protocol that (1) each unique replica can be produced at the time of the challenge and that (2) the storage system uses t times the storage required to store a single replica. MR-PDP extends previous work on data possession proofs for a single copy of a file in a client/server storage system (Ateniese et al., 2007). Using MR-PDP to store t replicas is computationally much more efficient than using a single-replica PDP scheme to store t separate, unrelated files (e.g., by encrypting each file separately prior to storing it). Another advantage of MR-PDP is that it can generate further replicas on demand, at little expense, when some of the existing replicas fail.
High-resolution mapping of evolutionary trajectories in a phage.

Experimental evolution in rapidly reproducing viruses offers a robust means to infer substitution trajectories during evolution. But with conventional approaches, this inference is limited by how many individual genotypes can be sampled from the population at a time. Low-frequency changes are difficult to detect, potentially rendering early stages of adaptation unobservable. Here we circumvent this using short-read sequencing technology in a fine-grained analysis of polymorphism dynamics in the sentinel organism: a single-stranded DNA phage ΦX174. Nucleotide differences were educed from noise with binomial filtering methods that harnessed quality scores and separate data from brief phage amplifications. Remarkably, a significant degree of variation was observed in all samples including those grown in brief 2-h cultures. Sites previously reported as subject to high-frequency polymorphisms over a course of weeks exhibited monotonic increases in polymorphism frequency within hours in this study. Additionally, even with limitations imposed by the short length of sequencing reads, we were able to observe statistically significant linkage among polymorphic sites in evolved lineages. Additional parallels between replicate lineages were apparent in the sharing of polymorphic sites and in correlated polymorphism frequencies. Missense mutations were more likely to occur than silent mutations. This study offers the first glimpse into “real-time” substitution dynamics and offers a robust conceptual framework for future viral resequencing studies.
Escherichia coli tmRNA lacking pseudoknot 1 tags truncated proteins in vivo and in vitro

Transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and protein SmpB facilitate trans-translation, a quality-control process that tags truncated proteins with short peptides recognized by a number of proteases and recycles ribosomes stalled at the 39 end of mRNA templates lacking stop codons. The tmRNA molecule is a hybrid of tRNA- and mRNA-like domains that are usually connected by four pseudoknots (pk1–pk4). Replacement of pk1 with a single-stranded RNA yields pk1L, a mutant tmRNA that tags truncated proteins very poorly in vitro but very efficiently in vivo. However, deletion of the whole pk1 is deleterious for protein tagging. In contrast, deletion of helix 4 yields Dh4, a fully functional tmRNA derivative containing a single hairpin instead of pk1. Further deletions in the pk1 segment yield two subclasses of mutant tmRNAs that are unable to tag truncated proteins, but some of them bind to stalled ribosomes. Our studies demonstrate that pk1 is not essential for tmRNA functions but contributes to the stability of the tmRNA structure. Our studies also indicate that the length of this RNA segment is critical for both tmRNA binding to the ribosome and resumption of translation.
Theory into Practice.

The importance of putting theory into practice can be addressed and advocated to educators and gifted students through the presentation of a Continuum of Practice.
Temperature dependence of tissue impedivity in electrical impedance tomography of cryosurgery

The temperature-dependent impedivity of rat liver, transverse abdominal muscle and full skin was determined in vitro as a function of frequency across the temperature range 5/spl deg/C to 37/spl deg/C and from 100 Hz to 10 kHz. This study was motivated by an increasing interest in using electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for imaging of cryosurgery and a lack of applicable data in the hypothermic range. Using a controlled-temperature impedance analyzer, it was found that as the temperature is reduced the resulting increase in tissue impedivity is more pronounced at low frequencies and that the beta dispersion, resulting from cell membrane polarization, shifts to lower frequencies. With these new data a simple case study of EIT of liver cryosurgery was examined, using a finite-element model incorporating the Pennes bio-heat equation, to determine the impact of this behavior on imaging accuracy. Overestimation of the ice-front position was found to occur if the EIT system ignored the effects of the low-temperature zone surrounding the frozen tissue. This error decreases with increasing blood perfusion and with higher measurement frequencies.
Factor VIIa-Induced Gene Expression: Potential Implications in Pathophysiology

Binding of factor VIIa (VIIa) to tissue factor (TF) triggers the coagulation cascade. Several studies indicate a possible role for TF-VIIa in other cellular functions, in addition to coagulation, under pathophysiological conditions. Recent studies suggest that TF-VIIa mediates cell signaling by two distinct mechanisms, TF cytoplasmic domain-dependent and TF-VIIa protease activity-dependent. In this review, we focus upon TF-VIIa protease-induced gene expression and how the altered gene expression could potentially affect various cellular processes.
Optimizing the performance of Doppler blood-flow probes in extra-corporeal circuits

A theory is developed to improve the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of clamp-on Doppler blood-flow probes by optimizing their operating frequency for the tubing utilized in extra-corporeal blood circuits. The theoretical results can be used to increase the magnitude of both the S/N and Doppler frequency shift and to produce a greater tolerance of S/N to variations in the dimensions and acoustic parameters of Tygon tubes. It is shown that thin tube walls improve the S/N and reduce the effect of temperature variations on the magnitude of the S/N. Measurements were performed on various Tygon tubes and their acoustic attenuations obtained. These values were used to predict an optimum operating frequency of 1.78 MHz for the de facto standard tubing having 3/32-in wall thickness. If a 1/16-in wall thickness were substituted, then the optimum operating frequency would be 2.67 MHz and the S/N would increase by 14.54 dB. >