cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication and test of an electrochemical microactutor

This paper reports on the design, fabrication, and analysis of an electrochemical (ECM) microactuator. The driving mechanism of the ECM actuator is based on the reversible electrolysis process of water. The expansion and reduction of gas bubbles generated in a micro electrochemical chamber during a reversible electrolysis process can be used to provide a pressure difference in microlfuidic systems. The ECM actuator has a very simple design consisting of inlet/outlet channels, reservoirs, and electrochemical reaction chamber. The fluidic components of the ECM actuator were fabricated on a glass substrate using UV lithography of SU-8 using both Pt black and Ag/AgCl electrodes. The Pt black and Ag/AgCl coated electrodes were supplied with controlled electropotentials for active control of expansion and shrinkage of gas bubbles using reproducible electrochemical reactions. The theoretical volume change rate of gas bubbles was simulated as a function of time using the ideal gas law and compared with the measured volume change. The results show that the simulation can be used to predict trends of the volume change by the electrochemical reactions and also, the device can serve as a promising microactuator for microfluidic applications.
The cell-specific silencer region of the human Dopamine β-hydroxylase gene contains several negative regulatory elements

Abstract: Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) catalyzes the conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline and is selectively expressed in noradrenergic and adrenergic neurons in the nervous system. Transient transfection assays have indicated that cell-specific transcription of the human DBH gene may require a cell-specific silencer region residing at −486 to −263 bp upstream of the transcription start site. This region includes a putative DBH negative regulatory element (DNRE) with sequence homology to the restrictive element-1 (RE1)/neuron-restrictive silencer element identified in many other neural-specific genes. However, DNRE exerted negative regulation in both neuronal and nonneuronal cells alike, and site-directed mutation of this element did not significantly diminish the repressive activity of the DBH silencer region. Furthermore, expression of RE1-silencing transcription factor/neuron-restrictive silencer factor repressed neither DBH nor tyrosine hydroxylase promoter activity. We now report identification of three protein binding sites in the silencer region of the human DBH gene: SI at −271 to −250 bp, SII at −316 to −295 bp, and SIII at −348 to −324 bp. In vitro binding studies showed that SI and SIII, but not SII, interact with nuclear proteins from DBH-negative cells in a cell-specific manner. Furthermore, SI and SIII preferentially repressed the heterologous thymidine kinase and homologous DBH proximal promoter activities in nonneuronal cells. Taken together, the cell-specific silencer function of the upstream DBH region appears to involve several cis-regulatory elements, including two cell-specific repressor elements, SI and SIII, and a general negative regulatory element, DNRE. Based on these data, we propose that a highly restricted pattern of DBH gene expression in (nor)adrenergic cells of the nervous system may be controlled by multiple negative regulatory elements/silencers.
Decay of 76As

Abstract The decay of 76 As was studied using a Ge(Li) spectrometer and scintillation detectors. Sixty-three γ-rays were assigned to 76 As and several coincidence measurements were performed. A decay scheme incorporating 51 of the γ-rays is tentatively proposed. From singles β-spectra and βγ coincidence measurements a β − decay Q -value of 2.99 ± 0.08 MeV was determined. Levels in 76 Se were established at energies in keV of: 559.47, 1113.92, 1216.19, 1331.64, 1689.35, 1779.76, 1788.88, 2126.63, 2430.25, 2443.70, 2454.50, 2656.72, 2670.46. Spin-parity assignments were deduced for several levels. Evidence was found for the electron-capture decay of 76 As into 76 Ge.
Interactions of "bora-penicilloates" with serine β-lactamases and DD-peptidases.

Specific boronic acids are generally powerful tetrahedral intermediate/transition state analogue inhibitors of serine amidohydrolases. This group of enzymes includes bacterial β-lactamases and DD-peptidases where there has been considerable development of boronic acid inhibitors. This paper describes the synthesis, determination of the inhibitory activity, and analysis of the results from two α-(2-thiazolidinyl) boronic acids that are closer analogues of particular tetrahedral intermediates involved in β-lactamase and DD-peptidase catalysis than those previously described. One of them, 2-[1-(dihydroxyboranyl)(2-phenylacetamido)methyl]-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, is a direct analogue of the deacylation tetrahedral intermediates of these enzymes. These compounds are micromolar inhibitors of class C β-lactamases but, very unexpectedly, not inhibitors of class A β-lactamases. We rationalize the latter result on the basis of a new mechanism of boronic acid inhibition of the class A enzymes...
The inhibition of polynucleotide phosphorylase by certain substrate analogues.

Abstract The effects of deoxycytidine 5′-diphosphate, deoxyadenosine 5′-diphosphate, and 9-β- d -arabinosyladenine 5′-diphosphate on the enzyme polynucleotide phosphorylase (nucleoside diphosphate:polynucleotide nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.8) were examined. These substrate analogues induce a lag period at the onset of ADP and CDP polymerization which cannot be eliminated by Mg 2+ , poly-A, or oligonucleotides. The possible role of the deoxyribonucleotides in the regulation of the synthetic activity in vivo of this enzyme is discussed.
Using sequences of movement dependency graphs to form object categories

This paper describes a new graph-based representation that captures the interaction possibilities between the robot's hand and one or more objects in the environment in terms of the dependencies between their movements or lack of movements. The nodes of the graph correspond to the tracked visual features, i.e., the robot's hand and the objects. The edges correspond to the pairwise movement dependencies between the features. As the robot performs different behaviors with the objects the structure of the graph changes, i.e., edges are added and deleted over time. This paper tests the hypothesis that sequences of such graphs can be used as a signature that captures the essence of some object categories. This framework was tested with container and non-container objects as the robot tried to insert a small block into them. The results show that the robot was able to distinguish between these two object categories based on the sequences of their corresponding movement dependency graphs.
The influence of father involvement on child welfare permanency outcomes: A secondary data analysis

Children have a higher risk for poor psychosocial outcomes when their fathers are absent or uninvolved. These children are more likely to live in poverty, drop out of school, and engage in risky behaviors like using alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Only 54% of nearly a half million children in foster care had contact with their fathers in the past year compared to 72% of children from the general population. Data on the involvement of fathers whose children are in out-of-home placements are scarce and child welfare agency efforts to involve fathers and children's permanency outcomes also are not well documented.This present study entails a secondary data analysis of 60 foster care case records to assess the influence of father involvement on children's permanency outcomes. The findings indicate that when fathers are involved their children have shorter lengths of stay in foster care and they are more likely to be reunited with birth parents or placed with relatives after foster care than in non-relative placements. This study contributes to the emerging research on father involvement and explores agency practices that might account for long-term and non-relative out-of-home placements. Implications for child welfare practice, policy, and research are discussed.
Saturated Control of Chained Nonholonomic Systems

Plenty of approaches to stabilize chained nonholonomic systems have been proposed in the literature. However, the stabilization with constrained inputs is seldom addressed. This problem has practical importance since all physical nonholonomic systems have actuator limitations. In this article, a novel switching control design is proposed. The design strategy is inspired by the structural similarity between chained nonholonomic systems and multiple-integrator systems. The key idea is to make u 1 to be piecewise constant, which renders the rest of the states a chain of constant weighted integrators. Moreover, since the saturation control u 2 eventually works in a linear region with fixed eigenvalues, a buffer zone for x 1 is introduced to ensure the convergence of the rest of the states. The effectiveness of the proposed design is verified by computer simulations.
ESTIMATING THE WEIGHTS FOR MULTIPLE ATTRIBUTES IN A COMPOSITE CRITERION USING PAIRWISE JUDGMENTS

This paper presents a new methodology for estimating the weights or saliences of subcriteria (attributes) in a composite criterion measure. The inputs to the estimation procedure consist of (i) a set of stimuli or objects with each stimulus defined by its subcriteria profile (set of attribute values) and (ii) the set of paired comparison dominance (e.g., preference) judgments on the stimuli made by a single judge (expert) in terms of the global criterion. A criterion of fit is developed and its optimization via linear programming is illustrated with an example. The procedure is generalized to estimate a common set of weights when the pairwise judgments on the stimuli are made by more than one judge. The procedure is computationally efficient and has been applied in developing a composite criterion of managerial success yielding high concurrent validity. This methodology can also be used to perform ordinal multiple regression—i.e., multiple regression with an ordinally scaled dependent variable and a set of intervally scaled predictor variables. The approach is further extended to “internal analysis” (unfolding) using the vector model of preference and to the additive model of “conjoint measurement.”
Retention of phytoalexin regulation in legume callus cultures

Legume callus cultures were examined to assess whether regulation of phytoalexin biosynthetic pathways is retained in cultured tissues. Callus tissue cultures ofCanavalia ensiformis (jackbean),Medicago sativa (alfalfa), and nine species ofTrifolium (clover) were established (six clover species for the first time) and maintained on modified Gamborg's B5 medium. Phytoalexins educed in cultures incubated for 48 h with an abiotic elicitor (3.15 mM HgCl2) were detected by their antifungal activity and were purified by column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Following crystallization, phytoalexins were identified by ultraviolet and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. None of the treated cultures yielded the same complement of phytoalexins reported for fungal-inoculated leaves of the corresponding plants. Callus from all species exceptT. pratense yielded medicarpin, the only phytoalexin reported in treated leaves of all the corresponding plants. A second phytoalexin, maackiain, was found in treatedT. pratense andT. medium calli; maackiain has been reported in fungal-inoculated leaves of those plant species as well asT. hybridum. The phytoalexins sativan and vestitol were not found in treated callus tissues even though they were reported to be present in fungal-inoculated leaves of the same species. These results suggest that (a) the pathway for medicarpin biosynthesis is of central importance for this group of legumes, (b) some phytoalexin anabolic pathways contain metabolic blocks in cells of cultured tissue, and (c) the mechanism for regulating phytoalexin accumulation in tissues is not lost in culture.
Calibration of reconstruction parameters in atom probe tomography using a single crystallographic orientation.

Abstract The purpose of this work is to develop a methodology to estimate the APT reconstruction parameters when limited crystallographic information is available. Reliable spatial scaling of APT data currently requires identification of multiple crystallographic poles from the field desorption image for estimating the reconstruction parameters. This requirement limits the capacity of accurately reconstructing APT data for certain complex systems, such as highly alloyed systems and nanostructured materials wherein more than one pole is usually not observed within one grain. To overcome this limitation, we develop a quantitative methodology for calibrating the reconstruction parameters in an APT dataset by ensuring accurate inter-planar spacing and optimizing the curvature correction for the atomic planes corresponding to a single crystallographic orientation. We validate our approach on an aluminum dataset and further illustrate its capabilities by computing geometric reconstruction parameters for W and Al–Mg–Sc datasets.
Gaussian basis sets for calculation of spin densities in first-row atoms

The suitability of Gaussian basis sets for ab initio calculation of Fermi contact spin densities is established by application to the prototype first-row atoms B-F having open shell p electrons. Small multiconfiguration self-consistent-field wave functions are used to describe relevant spin and orbital polarization effects. Basis sets are evaluated by comparing the results to highly precise numerical grid calculations previously carried out with the same wave function models. It is found that modest contracted Gaussian basis sets developed primarily for Hartree-Fock calculations can give semiquantitative results if augmented by diffuse functions and if further uncontracted in the outer core-inner valence region.
Stratified grating couplers for waveguide applications

Stratified grating couplers (SGCs) designed to couple normally incident light into single mode, low-index contrast waveguides are discussed. SGCs are composed of multiple, shifted, binary grating layers. Preliminary simulations using a micro-genetic algorithm show an in-coupling efficiency of 68%.
College students’ expectations for entry‐level broadcast positions

Entry‐level college‐educated broadcast employees may have job‐related expectations which are not understood by broadcast managers. This situation, which may lead to frustration and unconstructive behavior, was studied by comparing the level of importance 351 broadcasting students at seven universities assigned to each of twenty suggested outcomes for working at their first jobs in broadcasting after graduation with 109 broadcast managers’ perceptions of the students’ evaluations. This study also compared the students’ 1983 evaluations to those reported in an earlier study (Funkhouser, 1979, 1980). The results suggest students’ desire for rapid professional advancement has increased during the years between the studies. Managers accurately perceived the rank order students assigned to the twenty outcomes, but misperceived the level of importance expressed by the students for 80% of the outcomes. A major role for broadcast educators is suggested to improve this situation.
Modeling of granular materials with intrinsic length

This paper addresses the continuum modeling of a discrete system such as granular media. Depending on the postulated form of the continuous deformation field, we have classified the continua into five model types. For higher-order models, the derived constitutive equations contain one or more material constants that have a dimension of length, which can be regarded as the intrinsic length of the material. In order to illustrate the influence of the intrinsic length, a high-gradient continuum model is applied for analysis of the behavior of a granular rod that is subjected to a forced vibration. The derived solution shows some salient behavior of the granular rod that can not be captured when using the classical continuum model. A discussion is given on the effect of the ratio between the intrinsic length and the sample size.
Langmuir-Blodgett films as barrier layers in Josephson tunnel junctions

Abstract We report the observation of the Josephson current in tunnel diodes in which the barrier is a monolayer of poly(vinyl stearate) deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The fabrication of these diodes is described and the resulting current-voltage characteristic is given. A critical current density of 140 A cm −2 was obtained at 4.2 KK, the energy gap of the superconducting electrode was observed, and hysteretic switching behavior was obtained. The characteristic time constant was estimated and was found to be very attractive for very high speed logic applications.
An exploratory study of object-oriented software component size determinants and the application of regression tree forecasting models

Software component size estimation is an important task in software project management. For a component-based approach, two steps may be used to estimate the overall size of object-oriented (OO) software: a designer uses metrics to predict the size of the software components and then utilizes the sizes to estimate the overall project size. Using OO software metrics literature, we identified factors that may affect the size of an OO software component. Using real-life data from 152 software components, we then determined the effect of the identified factors on the prediction of OO software component size. The results indicated that certain factors and the type of OO software component play a significant role in the estimate. It is shown how a regression tree data mining approach can be used to learn decision rules to guide future estimates.
Laying down one's life for oneself

Roman Catholicism has long opposed suicide. Although Scripture neither condones nor condemns suicide explicitly, cases in the Bible that are purported to be suicides fall into several different categories, and the Roman Catholic tradition can show why some of these should be considered morally wrong and some should not. While Christian martyrdom is praised, it is not correct to argue that this Christian outlook invites suicide, or that it recommends physician-assisted suicide for altruistic motives. Church Tradition, from its earliest days, has clearly distinguished martyrdom from suicide. The principles of double effect and cooperation, mainstays in Roman Catholic moral theology, enable one to see the moral difference between martyrdom and suicide, and to appreciate why physician-assisted suicide is wrong for both patient and physician.
Numerically nonreflecting boundary and interface conditions for compressible flow and aeroacoustic computations

Accuratenonreecting orradiationboundaryconditionsareimportantforeffectivecomputation ofaeroacoustic and compressibleow problems. Theperformance of such boundary conditions is often degraded upon discretiza- tion of the equations with ® nite difference and time marching methods. In particular, poorly resolved, spurious sawtooth waves are generated at boundaries due to the dispersive nature of the ® nite difference approximation. These disturbances can lead to spurious self-sustained oscillations in theow (self-forcing), poor convergence to steady state, and long timeinstability ofthenumerics. Exact discretely nonreecting boundary closures (boundary conditionsforadownwindarti® cialboundary andanupwindphysicalboundary)arederived by considering aone- dimensional hyperbolic equation discretized with ® nite difference schemes and Runge± Kutta time advancements. The current methodology leads to stable local ® nite difference-like boundary closures, which are nonreecting to an essentially arbitrarily high order of accuracy. These conditions can also be applied at interfaces where there is a discontinuity in the wave speed (a shock) or where there is an abrupt change in the grid spacing. Compared to other boundary treatments, the present boundary and interface conditions can reduce spurious reected energy in the computational domain by many orders of magnitude.
Analysis of the modulation by serotonin of a voltage-dependent potassium current in sensory neurons of Aplysia

Potassium currents in pleural sensory neurons of Aplysia were studied under control conditions and in the presence of serotonin (5-HT). Using pharmacological techniques we isolated a current that we refer to as IK,V. Although it is not known whether IK,V represents a distinct type of membrane channel, we described its properties using a Hodgkin-Huxley type model. The effects of 5-HT on IK,V were complex. 5-HT decreased by 50% the steady-state magnitude (Iss) of IK,V in response to a voltage-clamp pulse from -50 mV to +20 mV. In addition, 5-HT significantly slowed both activation kinetics (the time constant of activation was increased by 29% at +20 mV) and inactivation kinetics (the time constant of inactivation was increased by 518% at +20 mV). Mathematical descriptions of IK,V in control conditions and in the presence of 5-HT were used to estimate the relative contribution of serotonergic modulation of IK,V to the total 5-HT-induced modulation of membrane currents. Effects of 5-HT on IK,V account for more than 87% of the 5-HT-induced reduction in outward current during the first 20 ms of a voltage-clamp pulse to +20 mV. This result implies that 5-HT exerts many of its effects on spike width in sensory neurons via modulation of IK,V. Effects of 5-HT on IK,V are consistent with a model in which the maximal conductance underlying the current is decreased by 50%, and the rate constants between open and closed states of both the activation and inactivation processes are diminished in magnitude across all membrane potentials.
The relationship between employee satisfaction with organizational communication and customer orientation

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between satisfaction with the organizational communication and external customer orientation among front-line employees in a commercial recreation setting. Data for the current study were collected through the use of a survey instrument completed by front-line employees of a large regional family entertainment center in the Midwest USA. Contrary to the anecdotal evidence, a significant relationship was not found between the level of organizational communication satisfaction reported by front-line employees and their external customer orientation. Results of the current study are consistent with research by Wagenheim (2006) and Homburg et al. (2009) within a commercial recreation setting, but run contrary to previous studies conducted in non-commercial recreation environments. Results suggest that front-line employees within a commercial recreation setting may be fundamentally different in regard to the organizational communication satisfaction and ...
Ankylosing spondylitis and aortic regurgitation. Description of the characteristic cardiovascular lesion from study of eight necropsy patients

Clinical and cardiovascular necropsy findings are described in eight patients with combined ankylosing spondylitis and aortic regurgitation. All were men (aged 34-55 years), each had peripheral art...
Widely tunable exciton radiative recombination rate in ZnSe based superlattice structures

Abstract Spatially selective isoelectronic doping has been achieved in ZnSe quantum wells by the deposition of ultrathin layers of ZnTe on monolayer scale. Pronounced exciton localization effects ensue, with very large changes in both the radiative recombination rates and the recombination spectra. Insight is obtained to the particular nature of Te as an isoelectronic center in ZnSe.
Regulation of COX2 Expression in Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells Controls Bone Metastasis and PGE2- Induction of Regulatory T Cell Migration

Background The targeting of the immune system through immunotherapies to prevent tumor tolerance and immune suppression are at the front lines of breast cancer treatment and research. Human and laboratory studies have attributed breast cancer progression and metastasis to secondary organs such as the bone, to a number of factors, including elevated levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the enzyme responsible for its production, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). Due to the strong connection of COX2 with immune function, we focused on understanding how variance in COX2 expression manipulates the immune profile in a syngeneic, and immune-competent, mouse model of breast cancer. Though there have been correlative findings linking elevated levels of COX2 and Tregs in other cancer models, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms by which these immuno-suppressive cells are recruited to breast tumor and the means by which they promote tumor tolerance. Methodology/Principal Findings To elucidate the mechanisms by which exacerbated COX2 expression potentiates metastasis we genetically manipulated non-metastatic mammary tumor cells (TM40D) to over-express COX2 (TM40D-COX2). Over-expression of COX2 in this mouse breast cancer model resulted in an increase in bone metastasis (an observation that was ablated following suppression of COX2 expression) in addition to an exacerbated Treg recruitment in the primary tumor. Interestingly, other immune-suppressive leukocytes, such as myeloid derived suppressor cells, were not altered in the primary tumor or the circulation. Elevated levels of PGE2 by tumor cells can directly recruit CD4+CD25+ cells through interactions with their EP2 and/or EP4 receptors, an effect that was blocked using anti-PGE2 antibody. Furthermore, increased Treg recruitment to the primary tumor contributed to the greater levels of apoptotic CD8+ T cells in the TM40D-COX2 tumors. Conclusion/Significance Due to the systemic effects of COX2 inhibitors, we propose targeting specific EP receptors as therapeutic interventions to breast cancer progression.
Vagaries of News Translation on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Television: Traces of History

This article describes a series of failed attempts by the English and French networks of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to present translated news. On one level, it is concerned with the impulse that prompts people during moments of crisis to suggest translated news as a solution to a problems related to Canadian identity and the reasons their suggestions to translate news programs are not acted upon. On a deeper level, it is concerned with a methodological and epistemological problem facing translation historians: what happens when the relevant documents are not preserved because journalists’ notions of translation differ from those of historians? It recommends that historians turn to “para-archives,” or collections created and preserved by non-news organizations, that contain descriptions of the documents journalists have not kept. These para-archives can provide evidence for the creation of plausible narratives about the competing interests shaping decisions not to produce translated news. They can also reveal how historians actively produce the categories they use to define their object of study.
Daptomycin: a cyclic lipopeptide antimicrobial agent.

Abstract Objectives: The aims of this article were: to summarize the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy ofdaptomycin; to explore its safety profile; and to discuss its current and potential roles as an antimicrobial therapy. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE (1966–August 2004) and InternationalPharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–August 2004) databases with the search terms daptomycin, LY146032 , and lipopeptide antibiotics . Abstracts of the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and documents submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration were also reviewed. Results: Phase III study results suggest no difference in efficacy or tolerability between daptomycin 4 mg/kgIV QD and vancomycin or semisynthetic penicillins for complicated skin and skin-structure infections. Animal studies suggest daptomycin may be useful for the treatment of endocarditis. Daptomycin is not indicated for pneumonia, with poorer outcomes than conventional treatment It is available as an IV medication and exhibits 92% plasma protein binding in vitro. In healthy adult humans, daptomycin has a volume of distribution of 0.1 Ukg and a plasma elimination half-life of ∼9 hours, and is eliminated primarily by renal excretion (∼54%). In patients with reduced renal function, including those receiving hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, the dose interval should be 48 hours. No dosage adjustment appears to be necessary for mild to moderate hepatic impairment. The use of daptomycin in patients with severe hepatic impairment has not been assessed. The most commonly reported adverse events include constipation, nausea, injection-site reactions, headache, and diarrhea. Patients should also be monitored regularly for skeletal muscle toxicity. Conclusions: Daptomycin may be useful for complicated skin and skin-structure infections and gram-positive pathogens resistant to conventional antimicrobials. However, limited data are currently available for duration of treatment beyond 14 days and at doses >4 mg/kg QD.
A Location Free Network System Applicable to Geographical Terms of the Electronic Journal Site License

In the research institutes such as universities or companies, they contract electronic journals for document retrieval and document collection. When an organization contracts electronic journals, the site license is preferred. Because of terms of a site license include location or affiliation of users, available electronic journals differ from users. On the other hand, the user and the terminal are authenticated when the terminal was connected to the network, so an illegal user is excluded, and the terminal is able to connect to a VLAN that had been allocated by dynamic VLAN. With dynamic VLAN, the user can connect to the same VLAN everywhere. However, in such network environment, it cannot be determined where a user accessed by the IP address of the user's terminal, and it is not able to warrant the terms of the site license. In this paper, we propose a network system that adjusts to the site license of electronic journals in the location free network.
Experimental technology and performance of 0.1-mm-gate-length FETs operated at liquid nitrogen temperature

An overview is presented of our work to explore the extendibility of the silicon FET technology to the 0.1-µm-gate-length level. Self-aligned, n-channel, polysilicon-gated FETs were designed for operation at 77K, with reduced power-supply voltage. Direct-write electron-beam lithography was used to pattern all levels, while other processing followed established lines. Noteworthy results of the work included the observation of a clear manifestation of velocity overshoot, which contributed to achieving extrinsic transconductances above 940 µS/µm at 0.07-µm gate length. The measured switching delay of ring oscillators which contained 0.1-µm-gate-length devices was as low as 13.1 ps, with simulations showing potential for reduction to below 5 ps. Both the transconductance and the switching times are the best values observed for FETs to date-indicating continuing value in the scaling of FETs to dimensions well beyond those currently used.
Dimerization of the Calcium-sensing Receptor Occurs within the Extracellular Domain and Is Eliminated by Cys → Ser Mutations at Cys101 and Cys236

Calcium-sensing receptors are present in membranes as dimers that can be reduced to monomers with sufhydryl reagents. All studies were carried out on the human calcium-sensing receptor tagged at the carboxyl terminus with green fluorescent protein (hCaR-GFP) to permit identification and localization of expressed proteins. Truncations containing either the extracellular agonist binding domain plus transmembrane helix 1 (ECD/TMH1-GFP) or the transmembrane domain plus the intracellular carboxyl terminus (TMD/carboxyl terminus-GFP) were used to identify the dimerization domain. ECD/TMH1-GFP was a dimer in the absence of reducing reagents, whereas TMD/carboxyl-terminal GFP was a monomer in the absence or presence of reducing agents, suggesting that dimerization occurs via the ECD. To identify the residue(s) involved in dimerization within the ECD, cysteine --> serine point mutations were made in residues that are conserved between hCaR and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Mutations at positions 60 and 131 were expressed at levels comparable to wild type in HEK 293 cells, had minimal effects on hCaR function, and did not eliminate dimerization, whereas mutations at positions 101 and 236 greatly decreased receptor expression and resulted in significant amounts of monomer in the absence of reducing agents. The double point mutant hCaR(C101S/C236S)-GFP was expressed more robustly than either C101S or C236S and covalent dimerization was eliminated. hCaR(C101S/C236S)-GFP had a decreased affinity for extracellular Ca2+ and slower response kinetics upon increases or decreases in agonist concentration. These results suggest that covalent, disulfide bond-mediated dimerization of the calcium-sensing receptor contributes to stabilization of the ECD and to acceleration of the transitions between inactive and active receptor conformations.
Jitter characterization of incoherently sub-sampled high-speed digital signals

A jitter characterization approach for incoherently sub-sampled high-speed digital signals using back-end signal processing algorithms is presented. Signal sub-sampling is used to increase the effective sampling rate of the digitizer used for data acquisition while incoherent sampling is utilized to simplify the data acquisition hardware. Algorithms for signal clock recovery and waveform reconstruction from the acquired data are developed in this research. The algorithms utilize peak identification of the sampled signal spectrum and the sparsity of the reconstructed waveform in the frequency domain as decision criteria for accurate signal reconstruction. To quantize the jitter value of such a reconstructed waveform, a wavelet based denoising method is used to generate a self-reference signal against which zero-crossing times are compared to generate jitter statistics. In addition, the data dependent jitter components can be differentiated from the original jitter by analyzing zero-crossing discrepancies of the self-reference signal.
A Broad View of Intelligence: The Theory of Successful Intelligence

This article reviews the theory of successful intelligence and attempts to construct–validate the theory of successful intelligence. It describes 4 distinct converging operations that have been used in these attempts. Two sets involve internal validation of the structure of the theory and 2 sets ext
Speciation of ambient fine organic carbon particles and source apportionment of PM2.5 in Indian cities

Fine particle organic carbon in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chandigarh is speciated to quantify sources contributing to fine particle pollution. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of 29 particle-phase organic compounds, including n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes, steranes, and levoglucosan along with quantification of silicon, aluminum, and elemental carbon are used in a molecular-marker based source apportionment model to quantify the primary source contributions to the PM_(2.5) mass concentrations for four seasons in three sites and for the summer in Chandigarh. Five primary sources are identified and quantified: diesel engine exhaust, gasoline engine exhaust, road dust, coal combustion, and biomass combustion. Important trends in the seasonal and spatial patterns of the impact of these five sources are observed. On average, primary emissions from fossil fuel combustion (coal, diesel, and gasoline) are responsible for about 25–33% of PM_(2.5) mass in Delhi, 21–36% in Mumbai, 37–57% in Kolkata, and 28% in Chandigarh. These figures can be compared to the biomass combustion contributions to ambient PM_(2.5) of 7–20% for Delhi, 7–20% for Mumbai, 13–18% for Kolkata, and 8% for Chandigarh. These measurements provide important information about the seasonal and spatial distribution of fine particle phase organic compounds in Indian cities as well as quantifying source contributions leading to the fine particle air pollution in those cities.
Pharmacokinetics of continuous intravenous infusion of methadone in the early post-burn period.

The pharmacokinetics of methadone were studied in 14 patients with acute, severe burns and receiving an intravenous infusion of methadone to control their pain. Serum methadone concentrations were measured by gas chromatography on 5 mL arterial blood samples obtained at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 24 hours after the start of infusion. Albumin and Alpha-1-Acid glycoprotein (AAG) were measured by radial immunodiffusion. Serum methadone concentration-time data were fit with the appropriate sum of exponentials equation using iterative nonlinear regression analysis. All serum methadone concentration-time data were best described by a monoexponential equation. Estimates of Vd (180 ± 62 L) were not significantly different from those predicted for Vc from body weight using literature values (156 ± 41). Estimates of Vd were, however, significantly lower than those predicted for Vz using literature values (282 ± 74) (P < 0.001). in addition, CL values (53.0 ± 19.3 L/h) were significantly higher than those predicted from body weight using literature values (9.2 ± 2.3 L/h) (P < 0.001). These changes resulted in estimates of the elimination half-life for methadone of 2.6 ± 1.1 h. Methadone protein binding was independent of both albumin and AAG concentration. Multiple regression demonstrated that the significant predictors of CL in the early post burn injury period were serum albumin, days post injury and age. The coefficient of determination (r2) for this model was 0.8190. In summary, methadone CL is markedly elevated while the Vc is essentially unchanged during the early post burn injury period. These changes suggest that normal loading doses but increased maintenance doses of methadone should be used during this period to provide prolonged analgesia.
John wesley on health as wholeness

This paper explores John Wesley's concept of health as wholeness. Three themes gleaned from the medical community of his day-the idea of the well-working of the body as a whole, the view of “sympathy” throughout one's total being, and a belief in the natural means of promoting health-were critical for Wesley. Moreover, the themes were interconnected. Because of the symbiotic relation between body and spirit, a well-working body was fundamental to Wesley's wholistic view of health. Furthermore, sensible regimen was viewed as the natural way of realizing a life of health and wholeness.
Incorporating corrections for the head-holder and compensation filter when calculating skin dose during fluoroscopically guided interventions

The skin dose tracking system (DTS) that we developed provides a color-coded illustration of the cumulative skin dose distribution on a 3D graphic of the patient during fluoroscopic procedures for immediate feedback to the interventionist. To improve the accuracy of dose calculation, we now have incorporated two additional important corrections (1) for the holder used to immobilize the head in neuro-interventions and (2) for the built-in compensation filters used for beam equalization. Both devices have been modeled in the DTS software so that beam intensity corrections can be made. The head-holder is modeled as two concentric hemi-cylindrical surfaces such that the path length between those surfaces can be determined for rays to individual points on the skin surface. The head-holder on the imaging system we used was measured to attenuate the primary x-rays by 10 to 20% for normal incidence, and up to 40% at non-normal incidence. In addition, three compensation filters of different shape are built into the collimator apparatus and were measured to have attenuation factors ranging from 58% to 99%, depending on kVp and beam filtration. These filters can translate and rotate in the beam and their motion is tracked by the DTS using the digital signal from the imaging system. When it is determined that a ray to a given point on the skin passes through the compensation filter, the appropriate attenuation correction is applied. These corrections have been successfully incorporated in the DTS software to provide a more accurate determination of skin dose.
Sensitivity analysis for a chemical reaction in a porous catalyst with external heat and mass transfer resistance

Abstract Using variational techniques, a computationally efficient procedure is developed for determining the sensitivity of the observed reaction rate in a porous catalyst with external transport resistances. Derivatives of the observed rate with respect to bulk fluid conditions or any other parameters in the mathematical model of the catalyst may be easily calculated for slab, cylindrical, or spherical catalyst geometry.
Recognition of oxidatively damaged erythrocytes by a macrophage receptor with specificity for oxidized low density lipoprotein

Macrophages specifically bind and internalize oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (LDL) via the acetyl-LDL receptor and possibly one or more additional receptors jointly designated here as scavenger receptors. It is well accepted that these receptors are intimately involved in the formation of foam cells during atherogenesis. However, the normal physiological or pathophysiological role for these receptors has not been established. Oxidation of plasma membranes is a common accompaniment of cell damage and senescence. In particular, aged erythrocytes demonstrate peroxidation of their cell membrane lipids. In the present studies we show that oxidized human erythrocytes (treated with copper plus ascorbate or hydrogen peroxide) are bound and phagocytosed by mouse peritoneal macrophages in the absence of opsonizing antibodies. There was little or no binding of untreated erythrocytes. Oxidized LDL, but not acetylated or native LDL, inhibited this binding and uptake of oxidized erythrocytes. Inhibitors of scavenger receptor binding, including polyinosinic acid and fucoidin, also prevented binding of the oxidized red blood cells. We suggest that oxidative damage of erythrocytes results in the formation of lipid-protein conjugate(s) closely related to some of the conjugates found in oxidized LDL, making the oxidized erythrocyte a ligand for the macrophage scavenger receptors, apparently at a site distinct from that responsible for the binding of acetylated LDL. Oxidative modification of plasma membranes may represent a general mechanism that marks damaged cells for phagocytosis by macrophages.
V(D)J Recombination Signal Recognition: Distinct, Overlapping DNA–Protein Contacts in Complexes Containing RAG1 with and without RAG2

Protein interactions with V(D)J recombination signal sequences (RSSs) were mapped in complexes containing RAG1 with (M1/2) or without (M1) RAG2. In both complexes, RAG interactions with the DNA backbone are biased toward one side of the helix; nonamer contacts resemble those of Hin with hixL. In the M1 complex, DNA contacts are centered on the nonamer. In the M1/2 complex, protein-RSS interactions extend through the spacer and into the nonamer-proximal portion of the heptamer. Chemical modifications near the heptamer-coding junction are overrepresented in the M1/2 complex, providing evidence for perturbation of DNA structure in this region. Thus, while RAG1 alone can bind the nonamer, RAG2 is required for heptamer occupancy.
Golden Ratio and a Ramanujan-Type Integral

In this paper, we give a pedagogical introduction to several beautiful formulas discovered by Ramanujan. Using these results, we evaluate a Ramanujan-type integral formula. The result can be expressed in terms of the Golden Ratio.
The design and evaluation of a tool to support software designers at the whiteboard

Despite the availability of advanced software design tools, software developers are known to frequently turn to the whiteboard when faced with a specific design problem. Free from any restrictions, they engage in an informal form of software design that relies heavily on sketching. However, whereas whiteboards afford flexibility and fluidity, they at the same time limit a designer in only being able to draw and erase content. This paper presents Calico, a novel software design tool that leverages electronic whiteboards to enhance the design experience with explicit support for the creative, exploratory aspects of design. Specifically, Calico offers a grid to partition the drawing space, scraps to organize and manipulate the content, and a reusable palette together with gesture-based input to address several natural behaviors exhibited by software designers, including frequent shifts in focus, use of low-detail models, use of a variety of notations, and a tendency to refine representations. To evaluate Calico, we performed a laboratory experiment involving the design of an educational traffic simulator. Through a three-pronged analysis examining the use of Calico’s features, design behaviors exhibited by the participants, and the nature of the design conversations, we show how Calico benefits the design process as it takes place at the whiteboard.
Redistribution of metals and nutrients by fire ants in a flue dust contaminated pasture

Abstract Flue dust was disposed of by land application as a source of micronutrients for crops, resulting in unusually high heavy metal (Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd) concentrations in the soil. We determined whether fire ants accumulate or avoid heavy metals and nutrients in their mounds and evaluated whether this accumulation or avoidance is due to accumulation of specific soil textural classes in mounds by the fire ants. A bahiagrass pasture was chosen where flue dust had been applied in the early 1980s. Eighteen fire ant mounds were sampled to an approximate depth of 10–15 cm, and 10 fire ant mounds were sampled to 45 cm deep in 15 cm increments. In both surveys, an area 3 m north of each mound was sampled as a control. Statistical analysis was achieved using the paired t -test. Sand content was significantly lower in mounds, and clay content was significantly higher in mounds than in control areas. K and Mg concentrations were significantly higher in shallow mound samples than in control areas of corresponding depth; however, P and Zn were significantly lower in mounds than in control areas. K concentrations were significantly higher in mounds in the 0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm depths. The increases in K and Mg concentrations can be accounted for by the accumulation of clay in the mounds since cations bind to negatively-charged clay particles. Dilution with material transported by the ants from the subsoil, where metal and nutrient concentrations are lower, does not fully explain why P and Zn concentrations were lower in mounds than in control areas. Fire ants may have actively avoided Zn during mound construction.
Prism 〈c〉 slip in the quartzites of the Oakhurst Mylonite Belt, California

Abstract Quartz c -axis fabrics from 21 amphibolite facies quartzites of the Oakhurst Mylonite Belt, California, suggest that prism 〈 c 〉, prism 〈 a 〉 and basal 〈 a 〉 slip systems were activated during deformation. Qualitative two—dimensional kinematic models, consistent with meso- and microscopic shear criteria, are constructed based on a regime of combined pure and simple shear. In this kinematic framework, most of the observed c -axis fabric patterns of the Oakhurst Mylonite Belt can be explained if prism 〈 c 〉 slip was dominant during the early increments of deformation, until a transition to dominant basal 〈 a 〉 slip occurred. An apparent relationship between grain size and type of crystallographic fabric is interpreted as resulting from some quartz (syntectonic vein quartz) having recorded only the latest increments of deformation. Comparison with the metamorphic evolution of fault zones of similar tectonic origin in California suggests that prism 〈 c 〉 slip was enhanced by the circulation of hot fluids which hydrolytically weakened quartz and allowed prism 〈 c 〉 slip to occur at relatively low temperature.