cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ureteroscopic Removal of Mid and Proximal Ureteral Calculi

AbstractPurpose: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL [dagger]) is considered standard therapy for most renal calculi as well as more than 80 percent of all upper urinary tract stones. The development of flexible and small diameter rigid ureteroscopes, and the increased availability of laser lithotriptors have made endoscopic treatment of ureteral calculi more successful and safe. This report represents our contemporary series of 80 single mid and proximal ureteral calculi treated endoscopically.[dagger] Dornier Medical Systems, Marietta, Georgia.Materials and Methods: A total of 78 patients underwent 80 primary endoscopic procedures with 3 auxiliary ESWL and 2 endoscopic re-treatments for 41 mid and 39 proximal ureteral calculi. Lithotripsy was performed for 55 of the 80 stones.Results: Of the 80 stones 75 (94 percent) successfully cleared 1 month after 1 endoscopic procedure. The success rate was 38 of 39 (97 percent) for proximal calculi and 37 of 41 (90 percent) for mid ureteral stones. With a ...
Physiological evidence for interaction between the HIV‐1 co‐receptor CXCR4 and the cannabinoid system in the brain

Background and purpose The chemokine, stromal cell-derived growth factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha/CXCL12), a member of the CXC chemokine family, and the ligand for CXCR4, the co-receptor involved in the entry of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), was tested for its possible interaction with a physiological response to a cannabinoid. Experimental approach The cannabinoid agonist, an aminoalkylindole, (+)-WIN 55,212-2 [(4,5-dihydro-2-methyl-4(4-morpholinylmethyl)-1-(1-naphthalenyl-carbonyl)-6H-pyrrolo[3,2,1ij]quinolin-6-one], was infused directly into the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (POAH), the primary brain area involved in thermoregulation. Key results WIN 55,212-2 (5-15 microg) evoked a dose-related hypothermia, which was attenuated by SDF-1alpha/CXCL12 microinjected directly into the POAH. The inhibitory effect of SDF-1alpha/CXCL12 on WIN 55,212-2-induced hypothermia was reversed by 1,1'-[1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)]bis[1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane] octohydrobromide dihydrate, an antagonist of SDF-1alpha/CXCL12, acting at its receptor, CXCR4. Conclusion and implications This study provides the first in vivo evidence for a thermoregulatory interaction between the HIV-1 co-receptor and the cannabinoid system in the brain.
Cytochrome b5 coexpression increases the CYP2E1-dependent mutagenicity of dialkylnitrosamines in methyltransferase-deficient strains of Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract Addition of cytochrome b5 to recombinant cytochrome P450 2E1 systems has been shown to enhance the metabolism of dialkylnitrosamines in vitro. To determine if this effect could be observed with recombinant expression systems in vivo, we have constructed mutagenicity tester strains that coexpress full-length human cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), rat cytochrome P450 reductase, and human cytochrome b5 in Salmonella typhimurium lacking ogt and ada methyltransferases (YG7104, ogt−; and YG7108, ogt−, ada−). These new recombinant strains exhibit a four- to five-fold greater mutagenic response to dimethylnitrosamine, diethylnitrosamine, and dipropylnitrosamine than strains that contain only CYP2E1 and reductase, and are over 100-fold more sensitive to nitrosamines than the parental strains in the presence of an exogenous activating system (S9 fraction). The four-fold increase in mutagenicity in the presence of cytochrome b5 was consistent with increasing alkyl chain length up to dibutylnitrosamine, which was poorly activated by CYP2E1. The greatest enhancement was obtained with a tricistronic construct in which the b5 cDNA preceded the P450 and reductase cDNAs; placing the b5 cDNA after the reductase cDNA was substantially less effective. These new, highly sensitive strains may prove useful in the detection of nitrosamine contamination of food and environmental samples.
GLUCONEOGENESIS IN ISOLATED FETAL HEPATOCYTES

The capacity for gluconcogenesis is absent from liver in the rat fetus, and develops rapidly after birth. Since the regulation of gluconeogenesis has been studied with greater precision in isolated liver cells free adult mammals, a method was developed for isolation of hepatocytes from the rat fetus, and for their use in determining factors involved in initiation of hepatic glucose production. Fetal hepatocytes were isolated following in situ perfuaion via the hepatic vein with collagenase in Ca++ free buffer, followed by pre-incubation in 4% albumin-buffer and subsequent incubation with C14-pyruvate (2 mM). Fetal hepatocytes (21 day gestation) converted approximately 20% as much pyruvate to glucose, as compared to hepatocytes from fed adult rats (.39 ± .06 vs 2.63 ± .44 umoles pyruvate converted to glucose/hr/mg DNA). Glucagon (1.4 n.M) increased the rate of gluconeogenesis in fetal hepatocytes by 100%, (.79 ± .12 umoles pyruvate converted), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (0.1 mM) by 94% (.76 ± .06) and oleic acid (0.64 mM) by 130% (0.89 ± .09). Glucagon and cyclic AMP enhanced glycogenolysis in isolated fetal hepatocytes. Immediate extra-uterine adaptation is accompanied by an increase in the rate of glucagon secretion and lipolysis. Although other studies indicate transient neonatal impairment in hepatic response to glucagon, both glucagon and fatty acid oxidation may participate in the initiation of gluconeogenesis in the newborn period.
Essential fatty acid deficiency and cholesterol esterification activity of plasma and liver in vitro and in vivo

Abstract The esterification of cholesterol in vitro and in vivo was studied in rats fed diets containing and deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA). EFA deficiency resulted in increased cholesterol esterification activity in vitro , and this appeared to reflect an increased plasma cholesterol esterification activity in vitro , and this appeared to reflect an increase in enzyme concentrations. There was a decrease in plasma lipid phosphorus concentrations during the period of cholesterol esterification. Certain aspect of the fatty acid compositions of plasma phospholipids and cholesterol esters were consistent with a role of phospholipid fatty acids in the transesterification reaction which has been demonstrated by Glomset et al. (18). There was heterogeneous labeling of different subclasses of cholesterol esters when cholesterol-4-C 14 was used as the substrate, the more unsaturated fatty acid esters having the highest relative specific activities. EFA deficiency resulted in decreased cholesterol esterification activity by hepatocytic organelles. This activity was also reduced when organelles were exposed to hypotonic media, ultrasound, or taurocholate. Rats deficient in EFA had increased rates of esterification of cholesterol-4-C 14 in plasma and increased rates of elimination of radiocholesterol from the plsama after intravenous injection of labeled lipoproteins. This was associated with higher concentrations of total radioactivity in the livers of the EFA deficient rats. The specific activities of individual subclasses of cholesterol esters of plasma and liver were also heterogeneous for several hours in these in vivo experiments regardless of the dietary regimen involved. The more unsaturated fatty acid esters had the highest initial specific activities. Although liver and plasma free cholesterol specific activities rapidly equilibrated, the specific activities of the cholesterol esters and individual subclasses of cholesterol esters of plasma were greater than the activities of corresponding fractions from liver. It was proposed that the differences in plasma and liver esterification activities induced by EFA deficiency were secondary to alterations in the stability of hepatocytic organelles.
How to make femtosecond pulses overlap

Normally, femtosecond light pulses that cross at a nonzero angle overlap over only a small region in space. This limitation can be overcome by the use of diffraction orders of a grating. We consider an arrangement in which, on diffraction of a femtosecond pulse by a grating, two beams that correspond to the first-order diffraction maxima are recombined at the image plane by a system of two confocal lenses. In this arrangement the beams overlap over the their full aperture, with the short duration of the pulses being preserved. We demonstrate the use of this setup as a simple autocorrelator and discuss a possible application to time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy.
Comparison of solar heat exchangers

Abstract This paper summarizes and compares the theoretical heat transfer characteristics of solar heat exchangers. Comparisons are made with a number of heat exchanger targets used in solar energy applications. The efficiencies of flat-plate, circular flat-plate, cylindrical, cylindrical annulus, spherical annulus and elliptic cylindrical heat exchangers are presented for comparison. Simplified lumped analysis expressions are derived for these heat exchangers, and the results compare very well with the more complicated distributive analysis results over a range of Nusselt numbers frequently encountered in solar energy applications. The influence of thermal and velocity profiles is also discussed. From this study it appears that the annular geometry yields higher efficiencies especially at large Nusselt numbers. A secondary aim of this paper is to provide a summary of the heat transfer characteristics of heat exchangers with different geometries in sufficient detail that would allow a designer of solar energy equipment to quickly make calculations for a particular application.
Purification, characterization, and cloning of the cDNA of human signal recognition particle RNA 3'-adenylating enzyme.

Abstract The 3′-terminal adenylic acid residue in several human small RNAs including signal recognition particle (SRP) RNA, nuclear 7SK RNA, U2 small nuclear RNA, and ribosomal 5S RNA is caused by a post-transcriptional adenylation event (Sinha, K., Gu, J., Chen, Y., and Reddy, R. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 6853–6859). Using the Alu portion of the SRP RNA as a substrate in an in vitro adenylation assay, we purified an adenylating enzyme that adds adenylic acid residues to SRP/Alu RNA from the HeLa cell nuclear extract. All the peptide sequences obtained by microsequencing of the purified enzyme matched a unique human cDNA corresponding to a new adenylating enzyme having homologies to the well characterized mRNA poly(A) polymerase. The amino terminus region of the human SRP RNA adenylating enzyme showed ∼75% homology to the amino terminus of the human mRNA poly(A) polymerase that includes the catalytic domain. The carboxyl terminus of the human SRP RNA adenylating enzyme showed less than 25% homology to the carboxyl terminus of poly(A) polymerase, which interacts with other factors and provides specificity. The SRP RNA adenylating enzyme is coded for by a gene located on chromosome 2 in contrast to the poly(A) polymerase gene, which is located on chromosome 14. A recombinant protein for the SRP RNA adenylating enzyme was prepared, and its activity was compared with the purified enzyme from HeLa cells. The data indicate that in addition to the SRP RNA adenylating enzyme, other factors may be required to carry out accurate 3′-end adenylation of SRP RNA.
The virtues of liberalism

This spirited analysis and defence of American liberalism demonstrates the complex and rich traditions of political, economic, and social discourse that have informed American democratic culture from the seventeenth century to the present. The Virtues of Liberalism provides a convincing response to critics both right and left. Against conservatives outside the academy who oppose liberalism because they equate it with license, James T. Kloppenberg uncovers ample evidence of American republicans' and liberal democrats' commitments to ethical and religious ideals and their awareness of the difficult choices involved in promoting virtue in a culturally diverse nation. Against radical academic critics who reject liberalism because they equate it with Enlightenment reason and individual property holding, Kloppenberg shows the historical roots of American liberals' dual commitments to diversity, manifested in institutions designed to facilitate deliberative democracy, and to government regulations of property and market exchange in accordance with the public good. In contrast to prevailing tendencies to simplify and distort American liberalism, Kloppenberg shows how the multifaceted virtues of liberalism have inspired theorists and reformers from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison through Jane Addams and John Dewey to Martin Luther King, Jr., and then explains how these virtues persist in the work of some liberal democrats today. Endorsing the efforts of such neo-progressive and communitarian theorists and journalists as Michael Walzer, Jane Mansbridge, Michael Sandel, and E. J. Dionne, Kloppenberg also offers a more acute analysis of the historical development of American liberalism and of the complex reasons why it has been transformed and made more vulnerable in recent decades. An intelligent, coherent, and persuasive canvas that stretches from the Enlightenment to the American Revolution, from Tocqueville's observations to the New Deal's social programs, and from the right to worship freely to the idea of ethical responsibility, this book is a valuable contribution to historical scholarship and to contemporary political and cultural debates.
How DoD's TRA process could be applied to intelligent systems development

Over the past several years, the Department of Defense (DoD) has instituted a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) process based on NASA's Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). The motivation was to ensure that technology development was complete and that performance was understood before entering into the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of a program. Such a disciplined approach may aid in Intelligent Systems development. However, NASA's TRLs were derived in a context of hardware systems, and the hardware TRLs needed modification to treat software and software-intensive systems. This paper will examine under what conditions additional modifications might be necessary to treat Intelligent Systems.Technology development can only be "complete" in the context of a specific program with known performance requirements. Thus, the TRA's focus on critical technology elements (CTEs)---those technologies used in a new or novel way that are essential to system performance. These CTEs are assessed for their performance in a relevant environment, as determined from a consideration of the system's requirements. For Intelligent Systems, this focus on CTE's and relevant environment may provide a disciplined approach to ensuring technology maturity before system development.The algorithms that make decisions will often be the distinctive CTEs, unlike the CTEs of hardware systems. However, the major differences between Intelligent and hardware systems are likely to be in the "relevant environment". Intelligent Systems that develop and execute a course of action will, by their nature, present challenges in the definition of the "relevant environment". We will explore the effect of various degrees of "intelligence" on CTEs and the relevant environment in this paper.
The effects of transient nucleation and size-dependent growth rate on phase transformation kinetics

Abstract The problem of the kinetics of new phase formation by a nucleation and growth mechanism is considered. A correction to the classical t 4 law for the total volume fraction transformed which results from non-constant nucleation and growth rates is derived. The main qualitative difference from previous treatments is that the effects of transient nucleation and size-dependent growth rate are shown to be intimately related. This relation results in a much larger correction than anticipated. An elementary treatment of the problem is presented, and then the results are confirmed by rigorous analytical and numerical evaluation of the third moment of the distribution function.
SURFACE MORPHOLOGY OF THE FOREBRAIN OF THE BOWHEAD WHALE, BALAENA MYSTICETUS

Observations were made on 11 brains from bowhead whales subsistence-harvested by Alaskan Eskimos under International Whaling Commission guidelines. This study is part of a larger project to determine the basic morphology of this endangered species. The bowhead brain is similar to other cetacean brains, particularly that of the southern right whale. Long olfactory peduncles are reflected upon the rostrodorsal surface of the cerebral hemispheres. Olfactory bulbs have not been recovered but are presumed to exist since nerve fibers have been identified histologically in the olfactory peduncles. The induseum griseum is evident on the corpus callosum. The hippocampus proper is small but protrudes into the lateral ventricle. The cruciate sulcus runs diagonally across the rostral surface, limiting a small frontal lobe. The structure of the floor of the sylvian fissure varies from a few short gyri radiating toward the circular sulcus to a more extensive and complex two-tiered arrangement including numerous gyri perpendicular to the gyrus bordering the paleocortex. Pineal-body-like tissue was present in one specimen. There is no interthalamic adhesion. The lateral geniculate body is elevated but smaller than the large medial geniculate body. The neurohypophysis was adherent on most brain specimens received.
SHeRo: Scalable hexapod robot for maintenance, repair, and operations

Abstract Improper maintenance, repair, and operations of societal centric structures can lead to catastrophic failures that drastically affect global economy, the environment, and everyday life. Due to the remote, cramped and highly irregular environmental nature of these structures, routine manual procedures and operations can be rather tedious, dangerous, and hazardous for humans. Automating maintenance, repair, and operations removes human workers from having to crawl within highly cluttered and constrained spaces, breathing in stale air mixed with fumes from welding or particulate from repair work, and provides higher reliability and consistency in the repair work. This paper introduces SHeRo, a scalable hexapod robot designed for maintenance, repair, and operations within remote, inaccessible, irregular, and hazardous environments. The scalability of the design enhances traditional hexapod robot designs by incorporating two prismatic joints into each leg. A detailed discussion on the design and realization of SHeRo is provided. An analysis on the stability and workspace of SHeRo is presented and a dynamic criterion is developed to integrate the concepts of robot stability and constant orientation workspace into a stable workspace. The analytical solution of the lateral stable workspace of SHeRo is derived along with a metric for comparing stable workspace between different robot configurations. A simulated demonstration and two physical experimental demonstrations are presented showing the advantage of introducing scalability into the hexapod robot design along with the workspace enhancement and flexibility of the scalable hexapod robot.
Marginal employment and health in Britain and Germany: does unstable employment predict health?

This study examines the possible health impact of marginal employment, including both temporary and part-time employment schemes. It addresses three research questions: (1) Are employed people with a fixed-term contract or no contract more likely to report poor health than those who hold jobs with permanent contracts? (2) Are part-time employed respondents (even when they hold jobs with permanent contracts) more likely to report poor health than full-time workers? (3) Does change in employment stability (i.e., from employment with permanent contract to fixed-term or no contract employment and vice-versa) have an impact on health status? Logistic regression models were used to analyze panel data from Britain and Germany (1991-1993), available in the Household Panel Comparability Project data base. We included 10,104 respondents from Germany and 7988 from Britain. A single measure of perceived health status was used as the dependent variable. Controlling for background characteristics, the health status of part-time workers with permanent contracts is not significantly different from those who are employed full-time. In contrast, fulltime employed people with fixed-term contracts in Germany are about 42 per cent more likely to report poor health than those who have permanent work contracts. In Britain, only part-time work with no contract is associated with poor health, but the difference is not statistically significant. We conclude that monitoring the possible health effects of the increasing number of marginal employment arrangements should be given priority on the social welfare research agenda.
Solution NMR structures of Immunoglobulin-like domains 7 and 12 from Obscurin-like protein 1 contribute to the structural coverage of the human cancer protein interaction network

High-quality solution NMR structures of immunoglobulin-like domains 7 and 12 from human obscurin-like protein 1 were solved. The two domains share 30 % sequence identity and their structures are, as expected, rather similar. The new structures contribute to structural coverage of human cancer associated proteins. Mutations of Arg 812 in domain 7 cause the rare 3-M syndrome, and this site is located in a surface area predicted to be involved in protein–protein interactions.
In Defence of Kazakshilik: Kazakhstan's War on Sacha Baron Cohen

This article explores the controversy surrounding Borat Sagdiyev—the fictitious Kazakhstani reporter whose foibles mock Kazakhstan in particular and post-Soviet culture in general. With his appearances on Da Ali G Show, Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat persona long ago became the bete noire of the Kazakhstani government. However, when Borat was selected to host the MTV Europe Music Awards, the dispute over Borat's authenticity as a Kazakhstani became an international incident. In response to his negative portrayal of Kazakshilik (Kazakhness) through the deterritorialized medium of MTV, the government of President Nazarbayev threatened Baron Cohen with legal action and brought down his web site borat.kz. Baron Cohen immediately responded in character via his new domain (.tv) and defended the actions of Kazakhstan, thus fuelling the controversy. The ongoing feud has prompted an interesting postmodern praxis—one in which a fictional persona and national government can carry on a mass-mediated dialogue. As I documen...
Elastic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes and Nanoropes

Elastic properties of carbon nanotubes and nanoropes are investigated using an empirical force-constant model. For single and multiwall nanotubes the elastic moduli are shown to be insensitive to structural details such as the helicity, the radius, and the number of walls. The tensile Young's modulus and the torsion shear modulus of tubes are comparable to that of the diamond, while the bulk modulus is smaller. Nanoropes composed of single wall nanotubes have the ideal elastic properties of high tensile stiffness and light weight.
Two-dimensional guiding-center transport of a pure electron plasma.

Cross-field particle transport is discussed for the case of a magnetically confined pure electron plasma column. The analysis is based on a 2D guiding-center model and yields a flux which scales with magnetic field strength like 1/B. The magnitude of the flux exceeds that predicted previously provided that two conditions are met. The axial bounce frequency for a typical electron must exceed the E\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}B drift rotation frequency, and this rotation frequency must be a nonmonotonic function of radius.
Lyophilization and development of solid protein pharmaceuticals

Developing recombinant protein pharmaceuticals has proved to be very challenging because of both the complexity of protein production and purification, and the limited physical and chemical stability of proteins. To overcome the instability barrier, proteins often have to be made into solid forms to achieve an acceptable shelf life as pharmaceutical products. The most commonly used method for preparing solid protein pharmaceuticals is lyophilization (freeze-drying). Unfortunately, the lyophilization process generates both freezing and drying stresses, which can denature proteins to various degrees. Even after successful lyophilization with a protein stabilizer(s), proteins in solid state may still have limited long-term storage stability. In the past two decades, numerous studies have been conducted in the area of protein lyophilization technology, and instability/stabilization during lyophilization and long-term storage. Many critical issues have been identified. To have an up-to-date perspective of the lyophilization process and more importantly, its application in formulating solid protein pharmaceuticals, this article reviews the recent investigations and achievements in these exciting areas, especially in the past 10 years. Four interrelated topics are discussed: lyophilization and its denaturation stresses, cryo- and lyo-protection of proteins by excipients, design of a robust lyophilization cycle, and with emphasis, instability, stabilization, and formulation of solid protein pharmaceuticals.
Slag-metal Separation in the Blast Furnace Trough.

It is important to reduce metal losses associated with the slag in the blast furnace runner. Insufficient separation gives rise to technological problems in the subsequent processing of hot metal and slag in addition to the losses themselves. By using a water-oil physical model of the blast furnace trough, the flow behavior and the separation efficiency in the trough were investigated. A series of experiments was carried out by changing the process variables such as flow rate of liquids, properties of oil (slag), and geometrical design of the trough. The results indicate that, at constant physical properties, the flow velocity in the upper stream of the trough is the predominant factor in determining the amount of metal carried over with slag. Oil (slag) viscosity was also found to be an important contributor in the separation efficiency. The mechanism for the slag entrainment into the metal phase was also investigated. The results indicate that the amount of slag (oil) entrained into metal (water) is mainly determined by the force balance between inertial force in the metal stream, the viscous force, and the gravity force in the upper stream. Because of this mechanism, the oil entrainment ratio decreased sharply with oil volume while the effect of total flow rate, water and oil, was comparatively small. In order to extend the results obtained by this modeling study to the actual system, a technique of dimensional analysis was also employed. As a result, dimensionless group correlations which can describe the separation efficiency as a function of process variables and dimensions of the trough were derived.
Heterogeneous strain in granitic mylonites from the Rockfish Valley fault zone, central Virginia

Grenvillian leucogranite and biotite granitoid are deformed in the Rockfish Valley fault zone in the central Virginia Blue Ridge province. Undeformed leucogranite is characterized by high silica content (>69% SiO2) and <10% mafic materials, whereas biotite granitoid contains 62–66% SiO2 and up to 25% modal biotite. The Paleozoic Rockfish Valley fault zone is a belt of anastomosing high strain zones that records NW-SE directed contractional deformation under greenschist facies conditions. In the Rockfish Valley fault zone, leucogranite occurs as moderately-foliated protomylonite with widely spaced zones of ultramylonite. Biotite granitoid occurs as well-foliated porphyroclastic mylonite and commonly envelopes boudins of deformed leucogranite. Strain measurements based on feldspar microstructures indicate that deformed biotite granitoid records higher strains than deformed leucogranite. Mineralogical and bulk-rock geochemical data indicate that leucogranitic protomylonite experienced approx. 40% volume loss during deformation, whereas biotite mylonite experienced approx. 25%. Although significant volume losses occurred during deformation, mylonitic rock from the Rockfish Valley fault zone generally records true tectonic flattening strains.
Cure of Repeated Attacks of Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy in the Rabbit by Alpha-Tocopherol.

ConclusionsAs many as 6 successive attacks of nutritional muscular dystrophy have been produced and cured in rabbits. Continued α-tocopherol therapy following the last attack resulted in the complete repair of hyalinization and necrosis of the thigh muscles. Testicular degeneration was not observed.
Use of direct current sputtering for improved visualization of chromosome topology by scanning electron microscopy.

Abstract The topological features of isolated Chinese hamster ovary metaphase chromosomes were studied with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using the techniques of direct current sputtering for the deposition of metal on the specimens. Metaphase chromosome surfaces consist of numerous compact microconvules of an average diameter of 520 ± 78 A when corrected for the thickness of the gold-palladium coating (80 ± 2 A). These microconvules contain several orders of supercoiling. The superhelical structures were detected also in water-spread preparations. Most of the isolated chromosomes had membrane-like structures attached at the distal portions of the chromatids forming a terminal “plate”. Limited tryptic digests of such isolated chromosomes resulted in considerable stretching of the chromatids and revealed a series of interchromatidal fibers with diameters of 203 ± 38 A (corrected for gold coating). Treatment of these chromosomes with EDTA revealed a longitudinal array of fibers within the chromatids. The diameters of these fibers decreased as the concentration of EDTA was increased. The technique of direct current sputtering for the preparation of chromosomes for scanning microscopy is satisfactory for detailed topological ultrastructural studies in the 70 A range.
Analog floating-gate synapses for general-purpose VLSI neural computation

A floating-gate-based synapse structure for neural computing fabricated by a standard double-polysilicon CMOS process is presented. Simulation and experimental results on conductance programmability and charge retention demonstrate the capability of this programmable synapse circuit. With this circuit a neural chip of 100K synapses complexity can be constructed using one megabit static-RAM fabrication technologies. >
A method for measuring single-crystal elastic moduli using high-energy X-ray diffraction and a crystal-based finite element model

Abstract This paper presents a method – based on high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction data and a crystal-based finite element simulation formulation – for understanding grain scale deformation behavior within a polycrystalline aggregate. We illustrate this method by using it to determine the single-crystal elastic moduli of β 21s, a body-centered cubic titanium alloy. We employed a polycrystalline sample. Using in situ loading and high-energy X-rays at the Advanced Photon Source beamline 1-ID-C, we measured components of the lattice strain tensor from four individual grains embedded within a polycrystalline specimen. We implemented an optimization routine that minimized the difference between the experiment and simulation lattice strains. Sensitivity coefficients needed in the optimization routine are generated numerically using the finite element model. The elastic moduli that we computed for the β 21s are C 11 = 110 GPa, C 12 = 74 GPa and C 44 = 89 GPa. The resulting Zener anisotropic ratio is A = 5.
The effect of surfactants on the solubility, zeta potential, and viscosity of soy protein isolates

Abstract The interactions of soy protein isolate (SPI, 5 wt%) with an anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and a nonionic (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, Tween 20) surfactant were studied as a function of pH. The solubility of the Tween 20 and surfactant free samples reached a minimum close to the isoelectric point of the protein (pH 4–5) whereas the SDS-containing sample was highly soluble over the whole range studied. The viscosity of the Tween 20-containing and surfactant-free samples were low (∼3 mPa s) and largely pH independent while the SDS-containing samples were much more viscous, particularly at high pH (>p I ) and high [SDS] (>critical micellar concentration (CMC)). The effect of the surfactants and pH on the ζ -potential of more dilute protein suspensions was measured by phase analysis light scattering. The charge on the SDS samples was high and negative at all pH values while the Tween 20 and surfactant-free samples showed a typical but distinct sigmoidal changes from positive to negative with increasing pH and a neutral point corresponding to the isoelectric point and the point of minimum solubility. The ζ -potential changed linearly with added SDS from a pH-determined value at 0 mM to approximately −50 mV at 7.5 mM. These observations are discussed in terms of the changing colloidal interactions of soy protein particles.
Optimal Sensor Placement for Active Sensing

We present a novel approach for optimal actuator and sensor placement for active sensing-based structural health monitoring (SHM). Of particular interest is the optimization of actuator-sensor arrays making use of Lamb wave propagation for detecting damage in thin plate-like structures. Using a detection theory framework, we establish the optimum configuration as the minimization of the expected percentage of the structure to show type I or type II error during the damage detection process. The detector incorporates a statistical model of the active sensing process which implements both pulse-echo and pitch-catch actuation schemes and takes into account line of site and non-uniform damage probabilities. The optimization space was searched using a genetic algorithm with a time varying mutation rate. We provide four example actuator/sensor placement scenarios and the optimal solutions as generated by the algorithm.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Alkoxy propane prodrugs of foscarnet: effect of alkyl chain length on in vitro antiviral activity in cells infected with HIV-1, HSV-1 and HCMV.

Abstract The identification of more effective and less toxic foscarnet (PFA) analogs for antiviral therapy would be useful. We recently synthesized 1-O-octadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphonoformic acid (ODG-PFA) and noted a 93-fold increase in its anti-HCMV activity relative to PFA. In addition, the antiviral activity of ODG-PFA in herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infected cells was increased 40-fold relative to PFA (Hostetler et al., 1996. Antiviral Res. 31, 59). To evaluate structure–activity relationships further, we synthesized alkoxypropyl esters of foscarnet with varying alkyl chain lengths and degrees of saturation. These compounds were tested in vitro for activity and selectivity in comparison with PFA and ODG-PFA in cells infected with HCMV, HSV-1 or HIV-1. Antiviral activity was strongly dependent on chain length with alkyl ethers 14–18 carbon atoms long exhibiting the greatest antiviral activity against HCMV and HSV-1. In HIV-infected HT4-6C cells, optimal activity was observed at 18–22 carbon chain lengths. The antiviral activities of 1-octadecyloxypropane-3-PFA and 1-docosyloxypropane-3-PFA were 135- and 338-fold greater than that of PFA in HT4-6C cells infected with HIV-1. This also represents a 2.6–6-fold improvement in antiviral activity over ODG-PFA, the previously reported analog.
Computerized Display of Spatio-Temporal EEG Patterns

A new technique to compute and display the electroencephalogram (EEG) as a spatio-temporal phenomenon is described. In this technique, position on a cathode ray tube is congruent with position in a recording array of electrodes on the head. The potential distribution over the area of the head covered by the array is computed and displayed as a contour map on the face of the tube. Succeeding displays represent distributions at successive instances of time and are photographed by a motion picture camera. The projected film recreates a time history of the potential field. Though this technique has been developed to investigate characteristic patterns of the electroencephalogram, it has application wherever it is necessary to investigate the time course of spatially distributed phenomena.
Raman spectra of CrO2 and MoO2 single Crystals

Abstract The Raman spectra of single crystals of CrO 2 and MoO 2 have been studied from 77°K to 500°K for a comparison with the heavily damped phonon features in metallic VO 2 . The spectrum of MoO 2 is very similar to that of monoclinic VO 2 whereas CrO 2 exhibits phonon spectra similar to rutile with no appreciable change at the ferromagnetic c curie temperature. The results are discussed with respect to the various models proposed for the semiconductor-to-metal transition in VO 2 .
Synthesis of Star Polymers by A New “Core-First” Method: Sequential Polymerization of Cross-Linker and Monomer

Star polymers containing a highly cross-linked core and many arms were synthesized by sequential polymerization of cross-linker and monomer. This novel method, termed as “star from in situ generated core”, belongs to the category of “core-first” method and presents an alternative strategy for star synthesis when compared to the traditional “arm-first” method, in which monomer is polymerized first before cross-linker. To illustrate this new concept for the synthesis of star polymers by using controlled radical polymerization techniques, atom transfer radical polymerization was applied for homopolymerization of ethylene glycol diacrylate (EGDA) to generate a multifunctional cross-linked core (nanogel). At high cross-linker conversion, monovinyl monomers were added into the system and polymerized from the polyEGDA nanogel macroinitiator (MI) to form the star arms. By use of different acrylate monomers, including methyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, and tert-butyl acrylate, star polymers with different arm chem...
ITO-Nanocomposite Thin Film Strain Gages with Low TCR

Dynamic strain gages based on alloys of indium tin oxide (ITO) have been developed to monitor the structural integrity of gas turbine engine components operating at temperatures in excess of 1200 °C. Static strain measurements in these harsh environments have been hampered by apparent strain effects that can be mitigated by employing sensors with a low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). Since refractory metals typically exhibit a positive TCR and semiconductors such as ITO exhibit a negative TCR, an optimal combination of materials could produce a sensor with little or no apparent strain. These materials were combined in a single strain gage element, in which phase separation occurred at very small length scales. Specifically, nanocomposite strain elements comprised of ITO/(Pt, Pd, W, NiCoCrAlY, Ni and Ir) combinatorial libraries were prepared by co-sputtering from ITO and refractory metal targets onto alumina constant strain beams. TCR was measured from room temperature to 1100 °C and the piezoresistive response of the more promising combinations was measured at strain levels approaching 1000 μm/m and the chemical composition of the most promising combinatorial libraries was analyzed by SEM/EDS. Preliminary results indicated that a strain gage based on an ITO/platinum (12% ITO: 88% Pt) nanocomposite was fabricated with a near zero TCR over the temperature range 500-1100 °C. The gage factor of this nanocomposite remained unchanged (∼-26.0) compared to that of ITO and thus, it appears that a simple additive mixture rule does not apply here and that other physics are controlling the piezoresistive response in these materials.
Limit on heavy neutrino in tritium beta decay

Abstract A local kink search for a 17 keV neutrino in tritium beta decay has been made on a sample of some 600 million decays per keV at electron kinetic energies near 1.5 keV. No excess of events is observed. The 99% confidence level upper limit obtained for the mixing probability is 0.4%. This is substantially less than the tritium excess reported by Hime and Simpson and the 35 S results of Simpson and Hime and Jelley.
Torque-Speed Relationship of the Flagellar Rotary Motor of Escherichia coli

The output of a rotary motor is characterized by its torque and speed. We measured the torque-speed relationship of the flagellar rotary motor of Escherichia coli by a new method. Small latex spheres were attached to flagellar stubs on cells fixed to the surface of a glass slide. The angular speeds of the spheres were monitored in a weak optical trap by back-focal-plane interferometry in solutions containing different concentrations of the viscous agent Ficoll. Plots of relative torque (viscosity x speed) versus speed were obtained over a wide dynamic range (up to speeds of approximately 300 Hz) at three different temperatures, 22.7, 17.7, and 15.8 degrees C. Results obtained earlier by electrorotation (, Biophys. J. 65:2201-2216) were confirmed. The motor operates in two dynamic regimes. At 23 degrees C, the torque is approximately constant up to a knee speed of nearly 200 Hz, and then it falls rapidly with speed to a zero-torque speed of approximately 350 Hz. In the low-speed regime, torque is insensitive to changes in temperature. In the high-speed regime, it decreases markedly at lower temperature. These results are consistent with models in which torque is generated by a powerstroke mechanism (, Biophys. J. 76:580-587).
Compact high efficiency bends in perfluorocyclobutyl polymer waveguides

We report the design, fabrication, and measurement of high efficiency, compact 45/spl deg/ single air interface bends in perfluorcyclobutyl (PFCB) copolymer waveguides. Experimental measurement reveals a low loss of 0.30/spl plusmn/0.03 dB/bend for TM polarization and 0.33/spl plusmn/0.03 dB/bend for TE polarization.
How Indirect Can Indirect Utilitarianism Be

Most act-utilitarians now reject the direct utilitarianism of Bentham. They do so because they are convinced of what I call the paradox of utilitarianism—the thought that one cannot maximize happiness if one is trying to maximize happiness. Instead, they adopt some form of indirect utilitarianism (IU), arguing that the optimal decision procedure may differ markedly from the criterion of rightness for actions. Here I distinguish between six different versions of indirect utilitarianism, arguing that the weaker versions of IU also fall prey to the paradox of utilitarianism, while the stronger versions of IU violate an overwhelmingly plausible moral principle, the principle that one ought to V only if one can V intentionally.
Community Radio and Free Expression in Late Twentieth-Century El Salvador

What began as a tool for civilian self-defense in the combat zones during El Salvador's civil war evolved into a means of self-expression that helped define the type of democracy that would govern the country in peacetime. Community radio became the focus of a struggle for participatory democracy in the last decade of the twentieth century, pitting the market logic of communication that had been the dominant model against a diametrically opposed concept of the purpose of communication. Harking back to the lessons that Archbishop Arnulfo Romero taught through YSAX, the radio station that defied the military dictatorship in the late 1970s, and drawing on traditions that refugees developed in exile, community radio stations mobilized local and international support; tested constitutional law in the courts; and, finally, resorted to subterfuge to provide an outlet for alternative communication. By linking together in the Asociacion de Radios y Programas Participativas de El Salvador (ARPAS, Radio and Particip...
Iron carbonyl complexes of pentalene and dihydropentalene

Abstract Treatment of 1,5-dihydropentalene with diiron enneacarbonyl affords iron carbonyl complexes of both pentalene and dihydropentalene.
Regulation of gene expression by endogenous ABA in tomato plants

In response to water deficit, endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates in plants. This ABA serves as a signal for a multitude of processes, including regulation of gene expression. ABA accumulated in response to water deficit signals cellular as well as whole plant responses playing a role in the pattern of gene expression throughout the plant. Although the function of genes regulated by ABA during stress are currently poorly understood, a number of these genes may permit the plant to adapt to environmental stress.
Retrograde Flow of Milk Within Machine-Milked Teats

Abstract Milk flow velocity within machine-milked teats was measured with a Doppler ultrasonic velocity meter probe inserted in the mouthpiece of the teat-cup liner. A reflux of milk from the teat into the gland cistern consistently accompanied each contraction of the liner. Such reflux may provide a mechanism for the transmission of pathogens from teat into gland cistern during milking. For 77 observations, the mean reflux, estimated by the areas under the reverse flow velocity curve, was 34% of the forward flow within each pulsation cycle. Measurement of vacuum inside the teat-cup liner revealed an increase of vacuum fluctuation with greater milk flow and with lack of admission of air to the short milk tube.
Do Dow Stocks Offer a Value Premium

This article investigates the performance of value and growth portfolios based on five different valuation ratios to determine whether Dow stocks offer a value premium, as suggested by the Dogs of the Dow strategy. The results show that the dividends value portfolio earned significant excess returns during May 1983–April 1995, while the earnings value portfolio significantly outperformed during May 1995–April 2007. Only the earnings value portfolio provided a significant annual excess return (3.72%) over the entire study period.
Acute brachial neuropathy in athletes

Acute brachial neuropathy is an uncommon etiology of shoulder pain and disability. It can, however, present in association with athletic activity and therefore must be included in the differential diagnosis of athletes with such symptomatology. Findings that should alert the examiner to the possible presence of acute brachial neuropathy include 1) onset with noncontact as well as contact sports, 2) rather acute onset of pain without specific inciting trauma, 3) persistent, often severe pain that continues despite rest, 4) patchy brachial plexus and/or peripheral nerve involvement, and, 5) dominant arm predominance of symptoms and signs.Electromyography and nerve conduction studies often can confirm the diagnosis. Treatment begins with rest and continues through a rehabilitation phase. Fol lowup of athletes with acute brachial neuropathy dis closes that weakness may persist in the affected mus cles. Absolute strength parity may be difficult to achieve, so permission to participate in athletics must be give...
Accurate timekeeping is controlled by a cycling activator in Arabidopsis

Transcriptional feedback loops are key to circadian clock function in many organisms. Current models of the Arabidopsis circadian network consist of several coupled feedback loops composed almost exclusively of transcriptional repressors. Indeed, a central regulatory mechanism is the repression of evening-phased clock genes via the binding of morning-phased Myb-like repressors to evening element (EE) promoter motifs. We now demonstrate that a related Myb-like protein, REVEILLE8 (RVE8), is a direct transcriptional activator of EE-containing clock and output genes. Loss of RVE8 and its close homologs causes a delay and reduction in levels of evening-phased clock gene transcripts and significant lengthening of clock pace. Our data suggest a substantially revised model of the circadian oscillator, with a clock-regulated activator essential both for clock progression and control of clock outputs. Further, our work suggests that the plant clock consists of a highly interconnected, complex regulatory network rather than of coupled morning and evening feedback loops. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00473.001.