cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of contributing variables using kernel-based discriminant modeling and reconstruction

Fault identification is one of essential operational tasks required for process safety and consistent production of high quality final products. The objective of fault identification is to identify process variables responsible for causing a specific fault in the process. Such an identification of contributing process variables helps process operators or engineers to diagnose a root cause of the fault more effectively. A new nonlinear fault identification method is developed using a nonlinear kernel-based Fisher discriminant analysis (KFDA). The proposed method performs a pair-wise KFDA on normal and fault data. Thus it characterizes the change of each process variable's contribution relative to normal operating conditions when a specific fault occurs. A case study on the Tennessee Eastman process has shown that the proposed method produces reliable identification results. Moreover, the proposed method outperforms the contribution chart approach based on linear PCA. The use of a nonlinear technique of KFDA in a fault identification task was shown to be a promising tool for determining key process variables of various faults.
Scaling properties of 1D Anderson model with correlated diagonal disorder

Statistical and scaling properties of the Lyapunov exponent of a tight-binding model with the diagonal disorder described by a dichotomic process are considered near the band edge. The effect of correlations on scaling properties is discussed. It is shown that correlations lead to the arising of an additional parameter governing the validity of single parameter scaling.
Evidence of gravity wave breaking in lidar data from the mesopause region

[1] An outstanding question about the dynamics of the mesosphere is the temporal and spatial distribution of nonlinear events such as wave-breaking, wave saturation, and wave-critical layer interactions. A climatology of these events will help us understand how the mesoscale dynamical features, such as gravity waves, interact with the background mean wind and temperature structure. New lidar systems have the resolution to show us a height versus time “picture” of the dynamics so that identifying individual events within the observation window of the instrument is now possible. At the Starfire Optical Range (SOR) a sodium resonance lidar provides simulataneous sodium density, temperature, and three components of the winds. In this paper we present “pictures” of individual wave events apparent in the lidar data using the temperature (plotted as potential temperature and spectra) to show the time evolution of the wave structure.
Two mechanisms for the inhibition in vitro of phenylalanine hydroxylase by catecholamines

Abstract Norepinephrine and several related compounds inhibit the hydroxylation of phenylalanine to tyrosine in a system consisting of glucose dehydrogenase, dihydropteridine reductase and phenylalanine hydroxylase. The component sensitive to norepinephrine in this system is phenylalanine hydroxylase. The catecholamine is a competitive inhibitor of the hydroxylase with respect to the pteridine cofactor; it inhibits the hydroxylase noncompetitively with respect to phenylalanine. Norepinephrine also inhibits the hydroxylase by a time-dependent process which is prevented by reductants, aromatic amines and chelators. This progressive inhibition and the failure to accumulate a potent inhibitor from the catechol suggest that an unstable derivative, probably an o-quinone, formed from the catechol is strongly inhibiting the enzyme. This inhibition is partially reversed by ascorbate. Catalase does not prevent inhibition by norepinephrine. Ferrous ion and mercaptoethanol, which prevent inhibition by cumene hydroperoxide, do not prevent inhibition by norepinephrine. Oxygen is required for the inactivation of the hydroxylase by norepinephrine.
I. Langmuir-blodgett monolayer films of bacterial photosynthetic membranes and isolated reaction centers: preparation, spectrophotometric and electrochemical characterization

The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film technique has been successfully applied to the construction of stable and photo-active films of chromatophore membranes and isolated reaction centers from two species of photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodobacter sphaeroides and Rhodopseudomonas viridis. LB films of these preparations were characterized at the air / water interface through compression isotherms and film stabilities. Films deposited on glass slides were analyzed by spectrophotometric and redox potentiometric techniques. The results obtained indicate that the in vivo properties of the photosynthetic apparatus in the deposited films are essentially unchanged. Furthermore, the pigments and redox cofactors in the films are highly oriented and offer a unique opportunity for structural and functional studies of the kind described in the accompanying paper (Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1057 (1991) 258–272).
Probing lattice dynamics of Cd 2 Re 2 O 7 pyrochlore: Thermal transport and thermodynamics study

${\text{Cd}}_{2}{\text{Re}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{7}$ single crystals exhibit an amorphouslike lattice thermal conductivity, ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\text{latt}}$. At temperatures about twice the Debye temperature, the phonon mean-free path approaches the value of the average Cd-Cd spacing while the specific heat is at values notably lower than the classical Dulong-Petit limit. We show that a model that treats Cd ions as Einstein oscillators embedded in a Debye host with strong optical-acoustic phonon coupling and some very high-frequency optical phonon modes in the system, can account for these features. Despite no structural change, ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\text{latt}}$ undergoes a smooth slope change at $\ensuremath{\sim}340\text{ }\text{K}$, above which the resistivity adopts a weak power-law behavior. The combined results of resistivity, thermopower, specific-heat, thermal-conductivity, and Hall coefficient measurements corroborate that a phonon-mediated electron-hole scattering mechanism sets in above room temperature.
Production of polycythemia in hypophysectomized rats by the pituitary erythropoietic factor.

EVIDENCE has recently been presented that the pituitary contains an erythropoietic factor which, administered to hypophysectomized rats, repairs the post-hypophysectomy anemia (Contopoulos, A. N., D. C. Van Dyke, M. E. Simpson, J. F. Garcia, R. L. Huff, B. S. Williams and H. M. Evans, 1953; Contopoulos, A. N., D. C. Van Dyke, S. Ellis, M. E. Simpson, J. H. Lawrence, and H. M. Evans, 1954; Contopoulos, A. N., M. E. Simpson, D. C. Van Dyke, S. Ellis, J. H. Lawrence and H. M. Evans, 1954; Simpson, M. E., D. C. Van Dyke and B. S. Williams, 1954; Van Dyke, D. C, A. N. Contopoulos, B. S. Williams, M. E. Simpson, J. H. Lawrence and H. M. Evans, 1954). This pituitary erythropoietic factor does not appear to act through any of the known pituitary target organs. None of the known pituitaiy hormones or the hormones of its target organs have been shown to cause polycythemia when injected into hypophysectomized rats
Dynamic Modelling of Horizontal Shafts With Annular Surface Contact and Friction: Application to Oilwell Drilling

Lateral whirl vibrations in long sections of horizontal oilwell drillstrings, which are essentially enclosed shafts lying on the low side of the wellbore, are potentially destructive to the bit, pipes and downhole tools. Forward or backward whirl can lead to impact with the borehole, and stick slip and bit bounce can cause tool joint failure, twist-off, and bit damage. A complete deviated drillstring has been modelled by having decoupled axial and torsional segments for the vertical and curved portions, and nonlinear three-dimensional multibody segments with lateral vibration in the final horizontal section ending at the bit. The model can predict how axial and torsional bit-rock reactions are propagated to the surface, and the role that lateral vibration near the bit plays in exciting those vibrations and stressing components in the bottom-hole-assembly. The proposed model includes the mutual dependence of these vibrations, which arises due to bit-rock interaction and friction dynamics between the drillstring and wellbore wall.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
On the Ranging Connectivity in the Cricket Localization System

Models have been proposed for ranging in localization systems, but their accuracy is limited. These models are typically accurate only for ranging systems in specific environments and settings, and do not apply well when aspects of the environment are changed. The ranging connectivity error due to scheduling in the Cricket localization system was measured in a specific environment. These experimental results were then compared to models used for connectivity to determine whether these models are accurate for the Cricket system in this environment. These experimental results can also be used as a guide to find the optimal positioning of Cricket motes for localization.
Functionalism and resource shortage: historically, how has Functionalist Theory been applied to resolve competition between political bodies and can this model be used today to address contemporary problems of scarce natural resources?

The largest hindrance to the effective management of environmental problems has been their interstate nature and the inability of the governments affected to produce a suitably powerful international regime which can compel states to take action. Following the Second World War, David Mitrany applied Functionalist Theory to the study of interstate relations. This approach focused on the idea that the isolated nation–state was not necessarily the ideal level of organisation to solve certain problems. Instead, some competences should be ceded by central government to both sub- and suprastate actors. This concept saw realisation in the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the USA and the European Coal and Steel Community in Europe. Both the organisations were constructed in order to share natural resources between discrete political bodies. Assuming the conclusions of groups such as the Club of Rome are correct and humanity is indeed heading towards a Malthusian crisis at some point in the future, the need to equitably share resources between states is going to gradually become more and more pressing as time passes. It is therefore argued in this paper that rather than depending on the model of international regimes as they currently exist, it would be more effective to begin a process of sectoral integration between political bodies which are competing for a scarce resource. Management theory tells us that the best way to preserve change in existing organisations is to institutionalise it. By removing any claim to a scarce resource and allocating complete responsibility to a supranational institution, it is theorised that predicted future conflict between states over said resources can be reduced.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES OF THERMONUCLEAR NEUTRON CAPTURE SYNTHESIS OF SHE

A variety of thermonuclear neutron sources and neutron capture targets were investigated for their potential of allowing signigicant production of heavy, perhaps superheavy, isotopes. The neutron sources considered range from inertial confinement microexplosives to (underground) macroexplosives. Optimal capture targets appear to be composites containing uranium and protactinium. 1 figure.
Placing the Extremes: Cityscape, Ethnic ‘Others’ and Young Right Extremists in East Berlin

Based on fieldwork in young right extremist street milieus in East Berlin, this article aims to advance debates on the European far right by approaching my subjects as intricately embedded within German society and within a broader ethnicization of political identities. The politics of young right extremists, I argue, hinge upon senses of place and sensualities of otherness that weave ethnic stereotypifications into geographies of difference in the multi-ethnic city. Particularly, right extremist subjectivities rely upon the figure of an ethnicized collectivity of ‘Turks and Arabs’. In turn, the quotidian right extremist negotiation of a racist nationalism and a multi-ethnic landscape reveals itself to mimic far broader European debates on immigration and cultural toleration, breaching the presumed boundaries that ostensibly define right extremism as a distinct political domain. The ethnographic purview shows how ultra-nationalists live out rather than resolve the contradictions of a situated bigoted poli...
Rank minimization for subspace tracking from incomplete data

Extracting latent low-dimensional structure from high-dimensional data is of paramount importance in timely inference tasks encountered with `Big Data' analytics. However, increasingly noisy, heterogeneous, and incomplete datasets as well as the need for real-time processing pose major challenges towards achieving this goal. In this context, the fresh look advocated here permeates benefits from rank minimization to track low-dimensional subspaces from incomplete data. Leveraging the low-dimensionality of the subspace sought, a novel estimator is proposed based on an exponentially-weighted least-squares criterion regularized with the nuclear norm. After recasting the non-separable nuclear norm into a form amenable to online optimization, a real-time algorithm is developed and its convergence established under simplifying technical assumptions. The novel subspace tracker can asymptotically offer the well-documented performance guarantees of the batch nuclear-norm regularized estimator. Simulated tests with real Internet data confirm the efficacy of the proposed algorithm in tracking the traffic subspace, and its superior performance relative to state-of-the-art alternatives.
A prognostic model of early breast cancer relapse after standard adjuvant therapy and comparison with metastatic disease on initial presentation

Breast cancer can metastasize at any time during its course, but timing of systemic relapse cannot be predicted by traditional TNM staging. Characteristics of distant recurrence within the first 3 years of diagnosis may identify a group of patients who could benefit from novel strategies to prevent systemic relapse. Of 1,089 patients with breast cancer treated at our institution between January 2007 and May 2011, we identified 76 with de novo metastases (on presentation) and 40 with systemic relapse after a median follow up of 2.2 years. Compared to relapse, de novo metastatic disease was more likely to be grade 1 or 2 (43.1 vs. 18.4 %, p = 0.032), estrogen receptor (ER) positive (69.7 vs. 47.5 %, p = 0.019), progesterone receptor (PgR) positive (56.6 vs. 32.5 %, p = 0.014), and HER2-positive (27.5 vs. 10.3 %, p = 0.035). In the 815 patients with stage I–III disease who were at risk of systemic relapse, univariate analyses were performed for age, tumor size, grade, ER, PgR, HER2, lymph nodes, and TNM stage. A multivariate Cox regression model was built using step-wise model selection and identified 4 covariates that were significantly associated with risk of early relapse: stage-III (p < 0.001), grade-III (p = 0.002), PgR-negative status (p = 0.014), and HER2-negative status (p = 0.033). A risk-score was developed based on the linear combination of these covariates and time-dependent predictive curves were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the proposed risk-score. The highest risk-score group had a 1, 2, and 3-year relapse probabilities of 11.5, 41.2, and 52.5 %, respectively. The corresponding 1, 2, and 3-year relapse probabilities for the overall population were 1.2, 4.4, and 6.3 %, respectively. Our proposed model can be used to select patients at high-risk of early relapse who could benefit from enrollment on clinical trials with novel therapies designed for this group.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of silica in theory and experiment

Abstract Fourier deconvolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) valence band spectra obtained from crystalline and amorphous silica, used in conjuction with the results of quantum chemical calculations of the SiO4 tetrahedral unit and other spectrometric measurements (soft X-ray emission, UV absorption and reflectivity, photoconductivity, photoinjection and energy loss spectroscopy), suggest a reinterpretation of the electronic band structure of silica that is consistent with all the data. A unique method for pinning the Fermi level of insulators to that of a metal calibrant is described, resulting in the ability to obtain absolute binding energies of the electronic levels in wide bandgap insulators. Observe peaks in UV reflectivity and energy loss spectra of silica are all assigned to direct interband transitions, and no excitonic states need be involved to explain the data. Upper and lower limits for the bandgap of dry crystalline (α-quartz) and amorphous (Corning Code 7940 glass) silica are adjusted downward from the 8.9 eV bandgap proposed by DiStefano and Eastman [1] to 7.8–5.55 eV for α-quartz and 7.3–5.05 eV for fused silica, respectively. This in no way compromises the obvious insulating properties of silica in MOS devices, since the conductivity is governed by the high barrier height (∼3.8 eV in the case of gold) for metal-insulator electron transfer. The lowered bandgap results from increased low-energy electron density in the valence band, which we ascribe to the 1t1 molecular orbital predicted by various quantum formalisms, but heretofore not detected experimentally in bulk (thick) silica. Disappearances of this orbital and rearrangement of the non-binding 5t2 and 1e orbitals in silicas rich in silanols (OH), as may be the case for thin-film silica on Si metals, would increase the bandgap to 8.3 eV, in better agreement with previous determinations.
Toxicity of the organophosphorus defoliant def to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Abstract Ninety-day partial life cycle toxicity tests were conducted to determine the effects of the organophosphorus defoliant S , S , S -tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF), on rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) . Exposure concentrations were 0, 0.76, 1.2, 1.7, 2.7, 3.6, 6.5, and 9.5 μg/l for rainbow trout and 0, 0.77, 2.0, 4.8, 10.0, and 19.6 μg/l for channel catfish. In rainbow trout growth was reduced by DEF concentrations ≥ 1.2 and survival by concentrations ≥ 3.6 μg /l; growth and survival of channel catfish were reduced by DEF concentrations ≥ 4.8 and 19.6 μg /l, respectively. DEF adversely affected vertebral biochemical composition and mechanical properties of both species. DEF was not highly accumulative in the tissues of either species and was eliminated rapidly when the fish were transferred to contaminant-free water. The determination of safe environmental concentrations of DEF depends partly on the species tested and the biological response measured. Application factors classically used to estimate safe environmental concentrations of contaminants may not be applicable to some of the new-generation organophosphate compounds in relation to cold-water species such as rainbow trout.
Nitric oxide emission from pulverized coal blend flames

An experimental study of the nitric oxide emission from pulverized blended coal flames as a function of blending mass ratio is presented. Coals of three ranks (anthracite, bituminous, and lignite), and of the same rank (bituminous), but of different origin (Oklahoma and Wyoming mines), were used as fuels. Also, their blends (anthracite-bituminous, anthracite-lignite, lignite-bituminous, and Oklahoma-Wyoming coals) at mass ratios of 20:80, 40:60, 60:40, and 80:20 were studied. Correlations of nitric oxide emission index (mass/unit energy release ) with blend mass ratio are presented.
Clinicopathologic effects of cryotherapy on hepatic vessels and bile ducts in a porcine model.

Background: The proximity of a hepatic tumor to major vessels and bile ducts limits the use of cryotherapy because of the potential damage to these structures. However, the effects of cryotherapy on major hepatic vessels and bile ducts are not well understood.
Significance of initial aortic aneurysm pressure sensor readings varies with aortic endograft design.

Background The differences in implantable pressure sensor aneurysm sac readings were compared following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) among three different stent grafts.
Human herpesvirus 8.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV 8), also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a g 2 herpesvirus and the most recently identified human tumor virus. HHV 8 has been consistently implicated in the pathogenesis of all clinical variants of Kaposi's sarcoma, as well as in the plasma cell variant of multicentric Castleman's disease and primary effusion lymphomas. Pathogenicity of the virus is increased in the host who is immunosuppressed, either iatrogenically or through H1V-1 infection. The HHV 8 genome contains several homologues of cellular genes that regulate cell growth and differentiation, and the exact mechanisms of the virus' oncogenicity using molecular piracy are still being investigated and elucidated. In this article, the authors review the epidemiology, transmission, clinical manifestations, and molecular genetics of HHV 8 infection and provide a summary of the current treatment modalities available to the clinician.
Escherichia coli promoter sequences predict in vitro RNA polymerase selectivity

We describe a simple algorithm for computing a homology score for Escherichia coli promoters based on DNA sequence alone. The homology score was related to 31 values, measured in vitro, of RNA polymerase selectivity, which we define as the product KBk2, the apparent second order rate constant for open complex formation. We found that promoter strength could be predicted to within a factor of +/-4.1 in KBk2 over a range of 10(4) in the same parameter. The quantitative evaluation was linked to an automated (Apple II) procedure for searching and evaluating possible promoters in DNA sequence files.
L-tryptophan and rat fetal brain serotonin.

Abstract Rat fetal brain and body tryptophan, and brain serotonin were measured at 15, 17, and 19 days postconception, and on the day of birth. Body tryptophan and brain serotonin increased with age during the last trimester of pregnancy; brain tryptophan increased only slightly during this time period. L-tryptophan injected into the mother or into neonates increased fetal and neonatal body and brain tryptophan, and brain serotonin at all ages studied. The dose- and time-relationships of 1-tryptophan-induced changes in brain tryptophan and serotonin were evaluated in 19 day old fetuses. The systemic administration of 1-tryptophan directly to the 19 day old fetus also increased brain serotonin. Thus, fetal brain serotonin neurons appear to have the capacity to synthesize the neurotransmitter from exogenously administered tryptophan, even though these neurons appear to be relatively immature.
TGF-β Released by Apoptotic T Cells Contributes to an Immunosuppressive Milieu

T cell apoptosis is critical to development and homeostasis of the immune system. The most salient feature of apoptosis is the lack of an attendant inflammatory response or tissue damage. Here, we present evidence that apoptotic T cells release TGF-beta, thereby contributing to an immunosuppressive milieu. Apoptotic T cells released not only latent but also bio-active TGF-beta. Nonetheless, TGF-beta transcription was not upregulated, suggesting release of existing rather than synthesis of new TGF-beta. Localized within the intracellular membrane-bound compartment, which includes mitochondria, TGF-beta was redistributed into the cytosol following loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. TGF-beta secreted from apoptotic T cells inhibited proinflammatory cytokine production by activated macrophages to foster immune suppression. These findings broaden the potential mechanisms whereby induction of immune tolerance or deficiency occurs through T cell deletion.
Extended resection for locally advanced colorectal carcinoma

We reviewed the medical records of 101 patients who underwent extended resection for locally advanced colorectal carcinoma between 1965 and 1989. Preoperative symptoms related to the genitourinary system were present in 46 patients. Malignant invasion of genitourinary structures by colorectal carcinoma was found in 43 of these 46 patients (93%). In contrast, 51% of the patients without such symptoms had malignant invasion of contiguous structures. Preoperative intravenous pyelography, computerized tomographic scans, and cystoscopy correctly predicted the presence or absence of malignant invasion in 89%, 83%, and 87% of patients, respectively. Tumor-positive resection margins had a negative impact on survival (mean survival: 11.4 months). The 5-year actuarial survival rate for the patients who underwent a curative extended resection (margins tumor negative) was 54%. A thorough preoperative evaluation can identify a significant number of patients with colorectal cancer extending into adjacent organs and structures. Such evaluation is vital for operative planning and patient preparation, since an appropriate extended resection can produce long-term local control and patient survival.
School History Textbooks and Historical Memories in Japan: A Study of Reception

Memory wars in Asia still revolve around Japan. Much has been discussed on the so-called kyōkasho mondai (history textbook controversies), yet, not much has been explored on the domestic social function of history textbooks per se. Emphasizing creators of history narratives (and their production), the field tends to overlook the audience, or, receivers in the process. In this article, by referring to the original interviews with Japanese college students, I question the very assumption of the creator–receiver connection. How are history textbooks perceived as a source for promoting Japanese people’s underlying historical consciousness? How have they been utilized in schools? Are they useful? If so, how? If not, why? I argue that in the case of Japan, how people reflect upon history issues is not necessarily the function of school history textbooks as often assumed, making a strong case for the importance of receivers in the analysis of public discourse.
PALEOSOLS AND ICHNOFOSSILS OF THE WHITE RIVER FORMATION OF COLORADO: INSIGHT INTO SOIL ECOSYSTEMS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MIDCONTINENT DURING THE EOCENE-OLIGOCENE TRANSITION

Abstract Exposures of the upper Eocene to middle Oligocene White River Formation in northeastern Colorado contain ichnofossil-rich paleosols in a meandering alluvial system. The paleoenvironmental, paleoecological, and paleoclimatic significance of these paleosols and ichnofossils record the effects on soil ecosystems of the initial stages of global cooling in the late Eocene and early Oligocene. Previous studies of Eocene-Oligocene paleosols in Wyoming and South Dakota suggest a transition from woodland to grassland ecosystems in response to global cooling and drying. We describe four paleosol types from the study area. Type I paleosols include compound Entisols characterized by shallow networks of fine rhizoliths and ichnofaunal assemblages of Planolites isp., Pallichnus dakotensis, Macanopsis isp., Celliforma ficoides, and vertebrate coprolites. Type II paleosols are compound Inceptisols characterized by elongate rhizoliths and ichnofaunal assemblages of Planolites isp., Pallichnus dakotensis, Macanops...
The role of water in modifying friction within MoS2 sliding interfaces.

To explore the environmental dependence of friction for solid lubricants containing molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), we have investigated friction on the basal plane of single-crystal MoS2 with atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a function of relative humidity (RH) and tip composition. For both a bare Si3N4 tip and a MoS2-coated tip, changes in interfacial friction are observed with increasing relative humidity, however, with markedly different behaviors. For sliding contacts involving bare Si3N4 tips, the friction coefficient is observed to increase with increasing RH, from 0% to the point of water saturation. For Si3N4 tips precoated with MoS2 particles, friction appears to be relatively insensitive to increasing RH in the range of 0−40%. However, above 40% RH, a drastic increase in friction is observed and is accompanied by evidence for interfacial wear provided in images of the basal plane following the friction measurements. A comparison to the tribological properties of the basal plane of highly oriented ...
Hypercalcemia in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Effect of Nephrectomy and Metabolic Evaluation

AbstractPurpose: The role of nephrectomy in the management of hypercalcemia in metastatic renal carcinoma is not known. Hypercalcemia in patients with renal cell carcinoma frequently mimics primary hyperparathyroidism and has been attributed to tumor secretion of parathyroid hormone related protein. We determined the role of cytoreductive surgery in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and hypercalcemia, identified factors that predict patient benefit from surgery, and evaluated the mechanisms of hypercalcemia in these patients.Materials and Methods: A total of 15 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and hypercalcemia underwent metabolic and laboratory evaluation followed by nephrectomy. Postoperatively they were followed for changes in serum calcium levels. We selected 18 normocalcemic patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and 4 normocalcemic patients without renal cancer to serve as control groups for survival and parathyroid hormone related protein expression.Results: A decrea...
Modular simulators match cost and performance criteria [power systems]

Digital power system simulators for protective relay testing were introduced as a concept in the late 1970s with the first designs made available in the early 1980s. Since that time, a variety of digital simulator solutions have been implemented and used by utilities, universities, and relay vendors. It is interesting to note that all of the designs had quite different implementation approaches and performance characteristics. This article features a new concept for a modular digital simulator design in which a variety of hardware and software modules have been developed and used to configure different simulator solutions. The author describes how modular digital simulator configurations range from low-cost single-user, to multiuser environments for open-loop testing and real-time application.
Approaches to the Treatment of Initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Children Who Have Cystic Fibrosis

Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains an important cause of pulmonary disease in patients who have cystic fibrosis. The development of antimicrobial therapy directed against this organism has resulted in the preservation of lung function and improved longevity. Efficacy has been demonstrated with agents administered via parenteral, inhaled, and oral routes. The optimal antibiotic regimen remains unclear. There is an active effort to use randomized, controlled clinical trials to rigorously test effective antibiotic for the eradication of P aeruginosa in young children or at least to delay the establishment of chronic infection.
Current Approaches to Integrating Elements of Cultural Competence in Nursing Education

Cultural competence in nursing education is receiving renewed emphasis. Curricular input to incorporate such knowledge, attitudes, and skills encompasses a wide variety of teaching and learning methods. Five are described here: specialty focus, required courses, models, immersion experiences, and distance learning or simulation. Despite progress in incorporating cultural content into nursing curricula, several issues characterize all levels of nursing programs, including lack of consensus on what should be taught, lack of standards, limited and inconsistent formal evaluation of effectiveness, a decline of curricular specialty courses on culture, a focus on the microlevel of the nurse-patient encounter, and the need for, support of, and preparation of faculty.
Time judgments by magnitude estimation and magnitude production and anxiety: a problem of comparison between normals and certain schizophrenic patients.

Abstract The literature suggests association between arousal, general activation, and anxiety on the one hand, and time judgments on the other hand, implying that reported differences in time judgment between nosological groups may be confounded by group differences in arousal-anxiety. Self-report measures of anxiety, as well as magnitude estimates and magnitude productions of standards ranging from 500 to 2000 msec in 250 msec steps and presented in 10 randomized blocks, were obtained from 16 male normals and from 16 male hospitalized patients with a tentative diagnosis of chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia. Only 10 of the 16 patients were later found to have the same confirmed diagnosis. Data from nine normals and from seven chronic undifferentiated schizophrenics met a criterion of linearity of response functions for both time judgment methods and were further analyzed. Magnitude estimates and magnitude productions showed underestimation of elapsed time, both types of judgment exhibited satisfactor...
On-line monitoring of depth of cut in AWJ cutting

Monitoring of the abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting process has become increasingly important. The present paper proposes a model for on-line depth of cut monitoring based on the acoustic emission (AE) response to the variation in AWJ depth of cut, instead of the expensive and impractical vertical cutting force monitoring. The main objective is to use the AE technique in order to predict the actual depth of cut in AWJ cutting under normal cutting conditions. It was found that the root mean square of the acoustic emission energy (AErms) increases linearly with an increase in the depth of cut and could be used for its on-line monitoring. The results show that the AE is the most suitable technique for AWJ monitoring, as the AE signal has high sensitivity to the variation in the depth of cut.
Iron regulates growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and the expression of immunogenic trichomonad proteins

Iron is an essential nutrient for Trichomonas vaginalis and is acquired via highly specific receptor-mediated mechanisms from the host. Responses of T. vaginalis to conditions of iron limitation or iron excess were analysed in order to determine whether iron levels in the growth medium regulate certain properties of the parasite. When compared with organisms grown in excess iron, iron limitation resulted in greater than or equal to 80% lower rates of protein synthesis and greater than or equal to 3-fold decreases in cell densities. These parasites also exhibited generation times of approximately 10 hours, 2.5-fold longer than organisms grown in the usual complex medium. Iron-restricted growth also resulted in increased binding of lactoferrin by trichomonads, which paralleled elevated expression of the lactoferrin-binding receptor protein having a relative molecular mass of 136,000 daltons (136 kDa). A Mr 126 kDa protein was concomitantly repressed in low-iron-grown parasites. The greater amounts of lactoferrin bound by iron-depleted T. vaginalis organisms corresponded with both the expression of additional receptors onto trichomonal surfaces and increased affinity of the receptor for the lactoferrin molecule. Finally, immunoblot analysis of parasites grown under high- and low-iron conditions using sera from patients with trichomoniasis further revealed the synthesis by T. vaginalis of at least 19 iron-regulated immunogens, and patients' sera also detected the lactoferrin receptor. These data not only show the overall importance of iron to the biology of this protozoan, but illustrate the in vivo iron modulation of gene expression of the biofunctional lactoferrin receptor and other immunogens.
Characterization of the replicative intermediates of polyoma virus.

Abstract The replicative intermediate molecules of polyoma DNA form a heterogeneous band in CsClEtBr density gradients with densities ranging from slightly lower than that of the closed circular viral DNA through that of the nicked form of the DNA. In this gradient the molecules are fractionated according to the extent of replication. Material with a buoyant density closest to the closed circular DNA has replicated the least while that in the region of the nicked DNA has replicated the most. The replicative intermediate DNA sediments heterogeneously in neutral sucrose gradients with sedimentation coefficients ranging from 21 to 25 S. In the electron microscope most of the replicative intermediates have one superhelical region and two relaxed regions. In alkaline sucrose gradients the replicative intermediates separate into parental and daughter strands: The daughter strands are linear molecules of less than or equal to one genome length. The parental strands behave as a cyclic coil in which the extent of topological winding between the two strands is less than that of the mature viral DNA. We present a model for the replication of circular polyoma DNA which involves repeated cycles of nicking and sealing of the parental strands. These swivel points may be introduced by the DNA untwisting enzyme.
Experiments on film elasticity and surface relaxation

The effect of extensive purification by foaming (and foam removal) upon the surface tension, the Marangoni effect, and upon the film elasticity of solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate and sulfonate has been studied. Evidence is presented that com-plete purification was not obtained and that the persistence of a Marangoni effect with a long relaxation time is a sensitive test for surface impurities.
Restructuring networks to avoid deadlocks in parallel simulations

The authors introduce a novel approach for parallel discrete event simulation which reduces or eliminates the possibility of deadlock without complex time synchronization or deadlock detection protocols. Deadlock is eliminated by restructuring the logical network representing the physical system to an equivalent network which is deadlock free. For large networks, a full elimination of deadlock can concentrate messages too much, so an intermediate restructuring is used to reduce and control the possibilities of deadlock. Empirical studies show that small to medium size queueing networks for which previous conservative methods have failed can be simulated in parallel with efficiencies ranging from 30 to 80%. >
The prong denture: A combined surgical-prosthetic approach to enhance denture retention

Abstract A technique is described where prong extensions were placed on a complete maxillary denture to fit into surgically created skin grafted pockets. Careful selection of patients who will follow oral hygiene instructions meticulously make the prong denture a viable alternative to complete denture construction for the severely resorbed residual alveolar ridge.
DNA Sequencing By Denaturation: Principle and Thermodynamic Simulations

We describe a new DNA sequencing method called sequencing by denaturation (SBD). A Sanger dideoxy sequencing reaction is performed on the templates on a solid surface to generate a ladder of DNA fragments randomly terminated by fluorescently labeled dideoxyribonucleotides. The labeled DNA fragments are sequentially denatured from the templates and the process is monitored by measuring the change in fluorescence intensities from the surface. By analyzing the denaturation profiles, the base sequence of the template can be determined. Using thermodynamic principles, we simulated the denaturation profiles of a series of oligonucleotides ranging from 12 to 32 bases and developed a base-calling algorithm to decode the sequences. These simulations demonstrate that DNA molecules up to 20 bases can be sequenced by SBD. Experimental measurements of the melting profiles of DNA fragments in solution confirm that DNA sequences can be determined by SBD. The potential limitations and advantages of SBD are discussed. With SBD, millions of sequencing reactions can be performed on a small area on a surface in parallel with a very small amount of sequencing reagents. Therefore, DNA sequencing by SBD could potentially result in a significant increase in speed and reduction in cost in large-scale genome resequencing.
Negative-resistance amplifiers using three-terminal Gunn devices

Negative-resistance amplifiers have been realised using three-terminal Gunn devices. Both transmission and reflection amplifiers were made, with the central frequency in the range 100–540 MHz for the transmission type and in the range 390–425 MHz for the reflection type. The maximum gain obtained reached about 53dB with a noise figure of about 20dB for a transmission-type amplifier operated at 140 MHz.
Vocal cord paralysis after vagus nerve stimulator battery replacement successfully treated with medialization thyroplasty

The vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) has been used effectively for partial seizure disorders, however many patients suffer from side effects of alterations in voice. This case describes a new remediable adverse effect of the VNS. A patient with medically intractable epilepsy had improvement of his seizure control with VNS therapy after titrating him to a high output and rapid cycling paradigm with essentially no side effects. After a battery replacement, he was restarted on his previous settings and subsequently developed a hoarse voice. He was found to have complete left vocal cord paralysis, an adverse effect attributed to a rapid titration to his previous high output and rapid cycling paradigm. This side effect has not been previously described in the literature. The patient subsequently had a medialization thyroplasty with resolution of his hoarse voice.
Involvement of the Adrenal Gland in Ovulation of the Fowl

Abstract Dexamethasone (DCM) injection (2 mg./kg.) was found to block ovulation only when administered 14 hours before an expected ovulation of C1. This blocking effect was overcome by ACTH injection. Neither progesterone (0.5 mg./kg.) nor corticosterone (2 mg./kg.) alone were able to maintain “normal” ovulation in DCM treated hens. However, corticosterone (2 mg./kg.) with progesterone (.5 mg./kg.) acted synergestically to bring about normal ovulation in DCM treated hens. When different steroids were used as hydroxycorticosterone and desoxycorticosterone acetate along with progesterone, the blocking effect of DCM on ovulation was not abolished. Results of this study indicate that the adrenal gland might play a role in the release of LH 14 hours prior to ovulation of the C1 follicle.
Induction of nitric oxide synthase and motoneuron death in newborn and early postnatal rats following spinal root avulsion

It is well established that immature motoneurons are more vulnerable to axonal injury than the adult ones. Many previous studies used distal axonal injury, such as sciatic nerve transection, to examine the response of immature motoneurons to injury. In the present study, a more severe injury, spinal root avulsion, was performed in newborn and early postnatal rats, and the response of immature spinal motoneurons to the injury was observed. In newborn rats, root avulsion causes motoneuron loss which is similar to that of previous studies by distal axonal injury. During the early postnatal development, motoneuron loss in immature rats is greater following root avulsion when compared to cell loss following distal axonal injury at any given age. Following root avulsion, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is induced in injured immature motoneurons. The induction and accumulation of NOS in injured motoneurons is much more rapid in the immature animals than in the adult, which is coincident with the more rapid motoneuron loss in the immature animals. Results of the present study indicate an involvement of NOS in neuronal degeneration. However, the precise role of NOS in the response of motoneurons to axonal injury is not clear and needs to be further studied.
Role of Cerium in Suppression of Gamma‐Ray Induced Coloring of Borate Glasses

The role of cerium in the suppression of gamma-ray induced coloration in glass has been found to depend on the relative concentration of Ce3+ to Ce4+ ions as well as on the total cerium content. In a borate glass having high ultraviolet transmission, it has been found that both Ce3+ and Ce4+ ions are necessary to suppress the optical absorption bands induced in the visible region. The role of cerium can be explained on the basis of a change in its oxidation state as a result of gamma irradiation. It is postulated that the cerous ions, by the reaction Ce3+→ Ce4++e, suppress the induced visible band at 2.36 ev (525 mμ), which may result from positive hole centers. High cerous ion concentration results, however, in an induced center (Ce3++e) which absorbs in the visible at about 1.9 ev (650 mμ). The presence of Ce4+ ions near Ce3+ prevents the formation of this center possibly by the reaction Ce4++e→ Ce3+. These induced opposite changes in the oxidation state of cerium tend to maintain a balance in the ratio of Ce3+ to Ce4+ ions in the glass during irradiation, and the suppression of the visible bands depends on this ratio.
To higher energy: balloon and satellite investigations around the ‘knee’

The galactic cosmic radiation spans over 14 decades in energy and follows a power law spectrum in energy which shows two features, a steepening in the power law at a few times 1015 eV—the 'knee'—and a subsequent flattening in the power law at a few times 1018 eV—the 'ankle'. The 'knee' was discovered over 40 years ago through the measurement of cosmic ray initiated air showers, yet its origin and the underlying physics remain largely unknown. Experiments over the past four decades, from both balloon and space platforms, have pressed measurements to ever higher energy and to greater precision. This progression is briefly reviewed with emphasis on the current generation of experiments studying the high-energy regime up to the knee using direct particle-by-particle measurements. Prospects for understanding the 'knee' in terms of the acceleration of the cosmic rays and possible future experiments are included.
Web-based simulation in Simjava using remote method invocation

An investigation is underway regarding technologies to support the design, development and use of distributed, web-based simulations. As part of this investigation the Simjava simulation-support package has been extended to utilize the Remote Method Invocation facilities of the Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.1. Current efforts with Simjava are described and future research directions are outlined.
Growth arrest-specific 1 binds to and controls the maturation and processing of the amyloid-β precursor protein

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by cerebral deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ), a series of peptides derived from the processing of the amyloid-β precursor protein (APP). To identify new candidate genes for AD, we recently performed a transcriptome analysis to screen for genes preferentially expressed in the hippocampus and located in AD linkage regions. This strategy identified CALHM1 (calcium homeostasis modulator 1), a gene modulating AD age at onset and Aβ metabolism. Here, we focused our attention on another candidate identified using this screen, growth arrest-specific 1 (Gas1), a gene involved in the central nervous system development. We found that Gas1 formed a complex with APP and controlled APP maturation and processing. Gas1 expression inhibited APP full glycosylation and routing to the cell surface by leading to a trafficking blockade of APP between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi. Gas1 expression also resulted in a robust inhibition of APP transport into multivesicular bodies, further demonstrating that Gas1 negatively regulated APP intracellular trafficking. Consequently, Gas1 overexpression led to a reduction in Aβ production, and conversely, Gas1 silencing in cells expressing endogenously Gas1 increased Aβ levels. These results suggest that Gas1 is a novel APP-interacting protein involved in the control of APP maturation and processing.