cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parametric steady-state voltage stability assessment of power systems using benchmark scenarios of geomagnetic disturbances

Geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs) caused by solar storms give rise to geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in the power grid. GICs may affect transformers by hot-spot heating and damage, and increase reactive power losses in them. They may also cause harmonics, protection device misoperation, and loss of reactive power resources, potentially leading to a voltage collapse. This paper presents GMD analysis results of a large-scale power system, using the recent NERC GMD benchmark scenarios of non-uniform peak electric fields, to highlight the differences in results compared to the hitherto-conventional approach of using uniform electric fields for planning-type GMD studies. In addition, two types of parametric analyses to study the impact on steady state voltage stability are presented, 1) including transformer reactive losses from neighboring regions around a certain footprint to analyze the impact of study-system size 2) varying substation grounding resistances to understand the effects of their uncertainty.
Glutamine and Glutamate as Respiratory Substrates of Rabbit Reticulocytes

1 In rabbit reticulocytes there is formed 4–16 times as much 14CO2 from tracer amounts of [U-14C]glutamine than from [U-14C]glutamate. 2 14CO2 formation from substrate amounts of [U-14C]glutamine and [U-14C]glutamate is concentration dependent according to a Michaelis-Menten relation. The apparent Km is 2.0 mM for glutamine and 40 mM for glutamate. The maximal value of the relative 14CO2 formation (14CO2 formed as a percentage of O2 consumed) reaches 80% for both glutamine and glutamate. 3 Under physiological conditions, i.e. at its average plasma concentration, glutamine furnishes 15–50% of the respiratory CO2 formed by the reticulocyte. It is the most important exogenous substrate. 4 The kinetic data are consistent with the assumption that the CO2 formation from glutamine proceeds via glutamate. The large quantitative difference between glutamine and glutamate may be explained by the vastly greater permeation of glutamine as compared with that of glutamate.
Psychoanalytic Enlightenment and the Greening of Diplomacy

The author reviews aspects of psychoanalytic theory which have helped him in his career as an American diplomat and political analyst. He cites the works of Erikson (1950, 1968, 1969), Volkan (1979, 1987), and Mack (1979, 1983) as especially helpful, and praises the late Jeanne Knutson, founder of the International Society of Political Psychology, for her work on the psychology of victimhood. The role and function of completed and incomplete mourning are discussed as fundamental aspects of unresolved ethnic and sectarian conflict, and the importance of asking and granting forgiveness in the resolution of violent political conflict is explored. The paper ends with a specific application of the meaning of forgiveness in the relationship between Christians and Jews.
Deficit in depth perception of 90-day-old dark-reared rats

Dark- and light-reared 90-day-old hooded rats were tested on the visual cliff. Dark-reared animals preferred the shallow side at 10 in., but not at 4 in., of visual depth. Light-reared controls preferred the shallow at both depths. The results show an impairment in motion discrimination from prolonged rearing without light even though gross depth discrimination remained intact.
Use of Biplane Cinefluorography for Measurement of Ventricular Volume

A biplane cinefluorographic technic for measuring ventricular volume is described and its accuracy and limitations are assessed. Although rather complicated and time-consuming at present, the method permits construction of volume curves and estimation of stroke volume of the left ventricle for several successive contractions in the intact animal or man. This method may prove most useful for physiologic research and ultimately for diagnostic purposes.
Two-dimensional near-ultraviolet spectroscopy of aromatic residues in amyloid fibrils: a first principles study

We report a first principles study of two dimensional electronic spectroscopy of aromatic side chain transitions in the 32-residue β-amyloid (Aβ9–40) fibrils in the near ultraviolet (250–300 nm). An efficient exciton Hamiltonian with electrostatic fluctuations (EHEF) algorithm is used to compute the electronic excitations in the presence of environmental fluctuations. The through-space inter- and intra-molecular interactions are calculated with high level quantum mechanics (QM) approaches, and interfaced with molecular mechanics (MM) simulations. Distinct two dimensional near ultraviolet (2DNUV) spectroscopic signatures are identified for different aromatic transitions, and the couplings between them. 2DNUV signals associated with the transition couplings are shown to be very sensitive to the change of residue-residue interactions induced by residue mutations. Our simulations suggest that 2DNUV spectra could provide a useful local probe for the structure and kinetics of fibrils.
TRITON HYPERLIPEMIA IN DOGS : I. IN VITRO EFFECTS OF THE DETERGENT ON SERUM LIPOPROTEINS AND CHYLOMICRONS

Triton WR-1339, a non-ionic detergent, added to canine serum or to ultracentrifugally separated lipoproteins, induced changes in the lipoproteins which were dependent upon concentration of detergent and class of lipoproteins. D 1.063 to 1.21 lipoprotein (alpha-LP) was especially sensitive to the action of triton. Addition of 2 mg. of triton to 1 mg. of alpha-LP (based on protein content), induced only slight changes in the electrophoretic and flotation characteristics of the lipoprotein. With a tenfold increase of the detergent (triton:alpha-LP, 20:1), the mixture, analyzed by starch gel and paper electrophoresis, yielded a tritonlipid complex which remained close to the origin, and a nearly lipid-free protein with electrophoretic mobility higher (starch gel) or lower (paper) than native alpha-LP. The splitting of the lipid and protein moieties of alpha-LP could not be clearly shown when the same mixture was analyzed by free boundary electrophoresis. Triton alone moved only slightly in an electrical field (paper, starch gel, Tiselius); it sedimented during ultracentrifugation at D 1.006 and D 1.063 and floated at D 1.21. D 1.006 to 1.063 lipoproteins (beta-LP), required larger amounts of triton to show changes. These were evident in 40 to 80:1 mixtures of triton and beta-LP. In starch gel and paper electrophoresis triton retained, in a position close to the origin, part of the lipids of beta-LP; the remaining beta-LP fraction, impoverished of lipids, had electrophoretic mobility similar to native beta-LP. The triton-lipid complex sedimented at D 1.063. After addition of triton to complexes [chylomicron-alpha-P-I(131)] or [lipomul-alpha-LP-1(131)], the electrophoretic and ultracentrifugal analyses of these mixtures revealed that the labeled protein was removed from the triglyceride component. Triton also prevented the occurrence of the interaction between lipomul and alpha-LP and the hydrolysis of both chylomicrons and lipomul-alpha-LP by lipoprotein lipase. It is postulated that, if the changes in lipoproteins and chylomicrons observed in vitro occur in vivo, they could account, at least in part, for the hyperlipemia which develops in animals following administration of triton.
Lack of biological activity of physiological metabolites of all-trans-retinoic acid on vaginal epithelial differentiation.

Abstract It has been of interest to determine whether the metabolites of physiological doses of retinoic acid represent active forms of vitamin A. Previous work ( Biochem. J. 206 , 33–41, 1982) studied the metabolites produced from 2-μg doses of all- trans -retinoic acid in the vitamin A-deficient rat. Four major metabolites common to all of the tissues studied were discovered. In the present work, three of these metabolites are isolated from vitamin A-deficient rats given physiological doses (5 μg) of all- trans -retinoic acid and from vitamin A-sufficient rats given high doses (1 mg) of all- trans -retinoic acid. Cochromatography on anion-exchange and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography showed that metabolites resulting from high doses of retinoic acid contained the metabolites generated from physiological doses of retinoic acid. Quantities of these metabolites were isolated, purified, and tested for their epithelial-differentiating activity in the vitamin A-deficient rat vagina. The metabolites were inactive at all dose levels tested. These metabolites have less than 10% the biological activity of all- trans -retinoic acid. Therefore, these metabolites appear to be products of the inactivation of all- trans -retinoic acid. Based upon these and previous data, it seems likely that all- trans -retinoic acid or its β-glucuronide derivative is the most likely active form of vitamin A in the maintenance of normal epithelial differentiation.
Synthesis, Nujol matrix and solution photochemistry of M(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6] (where M=Cr or Mo): molecular structures of Cr(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6], Mo(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6], and Mo(CO)[P(C6H5)3][η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6]

Abstract Reaction of chromium or molybdenum carbonyl with 2,2-bis(cyclopentadienyl)propane yields mixtures of products including M2(CO)6[η5,η5-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H4], M2(CO)6[η5-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H4]2, and the title compounds, M(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6], in which an η3-pentenyl group is tethered to the η5-cyclopentadienyl (Cp) group by a 2,2-propyl linkage. Although several isomers are possible for the cyclopentenyl groups, chromium and molybdenum appear to form only single, but unique isomers. Photolysis of M(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6], M=Cr or Mo, in Nujol glass at ca. 77 K has been found to be wavelength-dependent with low energy photolyses resulting in η3→η1 transformations while higher energy photolyses result in loss of carbon monoxide. Solution photolysis of the molybdenum derivative with triphenylphosphine yields as a first product Mo(CO)2[P(C6H5)3][η5,η1-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6], which undergoes decomposition upon work-up to yield both starting material, and Mo(CO)[P(C6H5)3][η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6]. The molecular structures of three compounds have been determined: Mo(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6]: monoclinic, P21/c, a=8.2767(4), b=19.875(1), c=7.960(1) A, β=96.720(6)°, V=1300.4(1) A3, Z=4, R(F)=2.82; Cr(CO)2[η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6]: monoclinic, P21/c, a=9.960(1), b=9.1015(6), c=13.997(1) A, β=92.460(9)°, V=1267.7(2) A3, Z=4, R(F)=4.67; Mo(CO)[P(C6H5)3][η5,η3-C5H4–C(CH3)2–C5H6]: monoclinic, P21/c, a=7.939(1), b=22.381(3), c=15.050(2) A, β=103.55(1)°, V=2599.8(5) A3, Z=4, R(F)=4.01.
A single backcross effectively eliminates agronomic and quality alterations caused by somaclonal variation in transgenic barley

Transgenic crops have proven commercial utility but are created using processes known to produce undesirable variability known as somaclonal variation. This reduces the utility of transgenic germplasm to the plant breeder and complicates assessments of transgene-encoded phenotypes. Backcrossing transgenes into a wild-type genome is one solution, but producing near-isogenic lines requires a lengthy and resource-intensive process of multiple crosses. However, an abbreviated breeding scheme involving a single backcross to the wild-type parent used to produce a transgenic line, which would replace 75% of the variant alleles, should produce transgenic lines with improved performance. Comparisons were made of 'Conlon' barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), primary transgenic lines derived from Conlon, and lines derived from single backcrosses of primary transgenic lines to Conlon. The primary transgenic lines were different from Conlon for many agronomic and malting characteristics. Most of the backcross-derived lines did not differ significantly from Conlon for most agronomic characteristics. The backcross-derived lines were also similar to Conlon for malting quality traits but showed more differences than for agronomic characteristics. Differences between lines encoding TRI101 versus lines encoding PDR5 suggested that PDR5 insertion or expression may have affected malting quality. It is concluded that a single backcross is an effective, rapid, and inexpensive method for creating superior transgenic lines.
Compensation temperature in molecularly doped polymers

Abstract The origin of the compensation temperature T 0 , at which the mobility of holes in molecularly doped polymers becomes field-independent, is related to competition between positional or orientational disorder, which are treated explicitly, and energetic disorder, which is assumed to be Gaussian. Compensation is shown to occur for hopping rates with different intrinsic field dependencies by considering the strong-disorder limit. Mobility simulations with Marcus rates indicate low T 0 at low doping, as found in dilute systems.
Polyether polyurethane delivery systems. II: Effect of coadministration of pentostatin with N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl) adenosine

Pentostatin, a tight binding inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, was used together with N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine (IPA) to increase the efficacy of the latter. IPA, although cytotoxic to several types of tumor cells, is unstable due to deamination to inosine by adenosine deaminase. Monolithic polymeric devices were made using segmented polyether polyurethane with both drugs, either individually or together. Drug release data for both drugs gave linear relationships when the amount released per unit area was plotted against the square root of time. Release rates of IPA from the devices were higher than that of pentostatin. The devices were also evaluated for cytotoxic activity of the drugs against cultured L1210 murine leukemic cells. Compared to the intact drugs alone, the polymeric devices enabled a sustained and controlled release of the agents, for a longer period of time. Cell replication was decreased to a marked extent although the initial action was slow. Release of both drugs, when incorporated in the same device, resulted in almost total cell death (⪢ 98%) of an initial population of 11 × 105. Even though the drugs were partially effective individually, the presence of pentostatin together with IPA increased cytotoxic action. The results indicated that sustained release of the enzyme inhibitor together with IPA gave rise to a better delivery system.
Overlapping fault planes of the 1971 San Fernando and 1994 Northridge, California earthquakes

Aftershocks of the 1971 San Fernando and 1994 Northridge earthquakes were relocated using a three-dimensional velocity model that was derived from inverting P-wave travel time data. The hypocenters show clear orientations of the dipping fault planes. The San Fernando aftershocks form a plane extending from a depth of 15 km to the surface, dipping toward the northeast at about 40°. The Northridge aftershocks delineate a fault extending from a depth of 18 km up to about 5 km, dipping toward the southwest at about 40°. In the region the aftershocks overlap in map view, the San Fernando plane cuts off the Northridge plane at a depth of 5 to 8 km, preventing it from reaching the surface. The similar but oppositely dipping fault planes suggest a pair of conjugate planes reflecting a horizontal northeast-southwest compression.
Interaction among substrates, inhibitors and Mn2+ bound to glutamine synthetase as studied by NMR relaxation rate measurements.

Abstract The interaction of Mn 2+ with the substrate glutamate and several transition state analog inhibitors of glutamine synthetase has been studied. With Mn 2+ bound to the tight binding site, the frequency and temperature dependence of the paramagnetic contribution to solvent water proton relaxation rates demonstrate changes in the structure of the metal ion environment induced by substrate or inhibitor binding. The water proton relaxation rate data also show differences in the metal ion environment in the presence of glutamate compared to methionine sulfoximine, a structural analog of an intermediate in the reaction mechanism. Additionally, the distance between the metal ion and the phosphorus atom of an inhibitor, 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, was estimated (∼5 A) using NMR measurements. These data are in accord with our recent hypothesis that the role of the metal ion is to stabilize the tetrahedral adduct formed on the reaction pathway.
Structures of globalization: Evidence from the worldwide network of bilateral investment treaties (1959–2009):

Existing sociological theories of international relations yield contrasting predictions for their structure that range from an increasingly dense and universally tied network to networks in which ties tend to concentrate within or between certain types of economically, politically or culturally defined blocs. We contribute to this growing body of empirical research by analyzing original data on the complete worldwide network of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) as it has evolved over the course of 50 years since its inception in 1959. We find that the number of BITs increases almost exponentially over time to include nearly all of the world’s countries. However, the density of ties between advanced capitalist and others is stronger than for any other dyadic types. We also find patterns of regional homophily, but only in Asia, East Asia, Postsocialist Europe and Eurasia, and North Africa/Middle East. These findings suggest that existing explanations of globalization are more complementary than contendin...
Prediction Markets and Election Polling: Granger Causality Tests Using InTrade and RealClearPolitics Data

This study tests for direct causality between RealClearPolitics (RCP) polling averages and InTrade (IT) share-prices by performing Granger causality tests. These tests are applied to the 2012 U.S. presidential election campaign between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Three time series are considered in this analysis of causal links between RCP and IT. In all of the estimations, the null hypothesis that IT does not Granger cause RCP cannot be rejected. On the other hand, the null hypothesis that RCP does not Granger cause IT is rejected in a majority of cases. Overall, these results imply that RCP Granger causes IT. While the behavior of participants in prediction markets such as InTrade is informed by political polling, these Granger causality test results suggest that prediction markets add little to what is forecasted by the polls, particularly aggregation polls such as that from RealClearPolitics, regarding the outcome of presidential elections.
Non-small cell lung cancer and precision medicine: a model for the incorporation of genomic features into clinical trial design.

Historically, lung cancer has been categorized, based on histology, into non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constituting approximately 85% of cases and small cell lung cancer accounting for approximately 15% of the cases. Treatment for advanced NSCLC has been associated with relatively low response rates and significant toxicity, and only in the last 20 years has an agreement been reached that chemotherapy for this disease confers a survival benefit. 2 At the same time, no distinction was made in treatment between the various subtypes of NSCLC 3 until 2008 when a randomized trial demonstrated differences in response rates to specific chemotherapy regimens between squamous and nonsquamous lung carcinomas. 4 Addition of the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab resulted in a 2-month improvement in median survival in patients with nonsquamous cell lung cancer. 4 However, a subsequent study suggested that the benefit of this therapy may be limited to patients 65 years or younger. 5 A major shift in the approach to the treatment of some cancer types, including NSCLC, began in the last decade with a better understanding of the genomic alterations that contribute to tumor growth and progression and the recognition of the existence of “driver mutations” upon which many cancers depend for survival. These genomic features can be a tumor’s Achilles’ heel and, in many cases, are specifically targetable. Following the discovery that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is commonly overexpressed in NSCLC, 6 EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) were developed and demonstrated clinical effectiveness in patients with NSCLC. 7
Nature of virus-like structures in red cells of patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Summary1. Electron micrographs of erythrocytes similar to those depicting so-called “virus-like particles” were obtained from the blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease and other lymphomas as well as from non-diseased donors. 2. These micrographs contain many depressions or indentations easily confused with particles or objects.
Standard-cell-based design methodology for high-performance support chips

We describe the methodology used for the design of a set of CMOS support chips used in the IBM S/390® Parallel Enterprise Server Generations 3 and 4. The logic design is based on functional units, and the majority of the logic is implemented by standard cell elements placed and routed flat, using timing-driven techniques. Custom library elements are used wherever needed for performance reasons. Using this approach, a density has been achieved that is comparable to those of contemporary custom designs, combined with very attractive turnaround times.
Long-term results of functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Although much has been reported on the short-term outcomes of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), little has been reported with regard to its long-term impact on chronic sinusitis. The senior author (D.W.K.) previously reported detailed subjective and endoscopic follow-up on 120 patients at a mean of 18 months following surgery. This current study represents a long-term follow-up (average, 7.8 years) of 72 patients (60%) from the same cohort. Of patients responding to a question about overall symptoms, 98.4% (n = 66) reported improvement compared with before surgery. There was a trend toward continued subjective improvement in symptom scores with longer follow-up, but the changes did not reach statistical significance. Thirteen patients (18%) required subsequent surgical procedures. Preoperative stage, prior surgery, and other factors that might affect outcome were evaluated. The study demonstrates that excellent subjective results following FESS can be maintained in the long term with appropriate postoperative management. The study also validates the concept that patients in whom the cavity can be normalized following surgery are unlikely to require further surgery.
Characterization of a dual-tropic Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) strain derived from the prototypical X4 isolate HXBc2

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coreceptor usage and tropism can be modulated by the V3 loop sequence of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein. For coreceptors, R5 viruses use CCR5, X4 viruses use CXCR4, and dual-tropic (R5X4) viruses use either CCR5 or CXCR4. To understand the requirements for dual tropism, we derived and analyzed a dual-tropic variant of an X4 virus. Changes in the V3 base, which allow gp120 to interact with the tyrosine-sulfated CCR5 N-terminus, and deletion of residues 310/311 in the V3 tip were necessary for efficient CCR5 binding and utilization. Thus, both sets of V3 changes allowed CCR5 utilization with retention of the ability to use CXCR4. We also found that the stable association of gp120 with the trimeric envelope glycoprotein complex in R5X4 viruses, as in X4 viruses, is less sensitive to V3 loop changes than gp120-trimer association in R5 viruses.
Interest rate caps "smile" too! but can the LIBOR market models capture the smile?

Using 3 years of interest rate caps price data, we provide a comprehensive documentation of volatility smiles in the caps market. To capture the volatility smiles, we develop a multifactor term structure model with stochastic volatility and jumps that yields a closed-form formula for cap prices. We show that although a three-factor stochastic volatility model can price at-the-money caps well, significant negative jumps in interest rates are needed to capture the smile. The volatility smile contains information
Using the Teaching Portfolio to Anticipate Programmatic Assessment.

Portfolios have long been a staple in professional writing courses: both in employment materials assignments and in entire classes that ask students to reflect on their experiential learning. Portfolios may also be used effectively in business communication teaching methods courses. This article details the justification and methodology for having a teaching portfolio as the capstone assignment in a business communication pedagogy course. It also explains how this portfolio may be used to anticipate programmatic assessment and verification of entry-level business communication courses during the accreditation process.
Increasing social activity attendance in assisted living residents using personalized prompts and positive social attention.

Low levels of social activity involvement may have negative implications on overall quality of life for older adults living in residential care settings. Despite the recent growth of assisted livin...
Interethnic Group and Intraethnic Group Racism: Perceptions and Coping in Black University Students.

This study explored perceived racism and the usual ways of coping with these perceptions in a sample of 269 Black university students (53% female). Perceptions of inter- and intragroup racism were ...
Real-time Reyes-style adaptive surface subdivision

We present a GPU based implementation of Reyes-style adaptive surface subdivision, known in Reyes terminology as the Bound/Split and Dice stages. The performance of this task is important for the Reyes pipeline to map efficiently to graphics hardware, but its recursive nature and irregular and unbounded memory requirements present a challenge to an efficient implementation. Our solution begins by characterizing Reyes subdivision as a work queue with irregular computation, targeted to a massively parallel GPU. We propose efficient solutions to these general problems by casting our solution in terms of the fundamental primitives of prefix-sum and reduction, often encountered in parallel and GPGPU environments.Our results indicate that real-time Reyes subdivision can indeed be obtained on today's GPUs. We are able to subdivide a complex model to subpixel accuracy within 15 ms. Our measured performance is several times better than that of Pixar's RenderMan. Our implementation scales well with the input size and depth of subdivision. We also address concerns of memory size and bandwidth, and analyze the feasibility of conventional ideas on screen-space buckets.
Simple, reliable robotic grasping for human environments

The inherent uncertainty associated with unstructured grasping tasks makes establishing a successful grasp difficult. Traditional approaches to this problem involve hands that are complex, fragile, require elaborate sensor suites, and are difficult to control. Alternatively, by carefully designing the mechanical structure of the hand to appropriately incorporate features such as compliance and adaptability, the uncertainty inherent in unstructured grasping tasks can be more easily accommodated. These features can reduce the need for complicated sensing and control by passively adapting to the object properties and positioning, making the hand easier to operate and with greater reliability. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel adaptive and compliant grasper that is both simple and robust. The four-fingered hand is driven by a single actuator, yet can grasp objects spanning a wide range of size, shape, and mass. The hand is constructed using polymer-based Shape Deposition Manufacturing (SDM), with joints formed by elastomeric flexures and actuator and sensor components embedded in tough rigid polymers. The hand has superior robustness properties, able to withstand large impacts without damage and capable of grasping objects in the presence of large positioning errors.
Destabilization of human alpha-globin mRNA by translation anti-termination is controlled during erythroid differentiation and is paralleled by phased shortening of the poly(A) tail

The extraordinary stability of globin mRNAs permits their accumulation to over 95% of total cellular mRNA during erythroid differentiation. The stability of human alpha-globin mRNA correlates with assembly of a sequence-specific ribonucleoprotein complex at its 3'-untranslated region. A naturally occurring anti-termination mutation, Constant Spring (CS), which permits ribosomes to enter the 3'-untranslated region of the alpha-globin mRNA, results in accelerated mRNA decay. To study the mechanism of this destabilization in vivo, we established transgenic mouse lines carrying the human alphaCS gene. Relative to wild-type human alpha-globin mRNA (alphawt), alphaCS mRNA is destabilized in marrow erythroid cells. The poly(A) tails of both the alphaCS and alphawt mRNAs show a periodicity of 20-25 nucleotides consistent with phased binding of poly(A) binding proteins. However, the mean size of poly(A) tails of the unstable alphaCS mRNA is significantly shorter than that of the alphawt mRNA. Unexpectedly, the alphawt and alphaCS mRNAs are of equal stability in peripheral reticulocytes, where their respective poly(A) tails shorten coordinately. These findings demonstrate a characteristic organization of the poly(A) tail on alpha-globin mRNA which is maintained during normal and accelerated decay, a correlation between poly(A) metabolism and anti-termination-mediated accelerated mRNA turnover, and a switch in the mechanism of mRNA decay during erythroid terminal differentiation.
Bioenergy Crops and Carbon Sequestration

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions constitute a global problem. The need for agricultural involvement in GHG mitigation has been widely recognized since the 1990s. The concept of C sinks, C credits, and emission trading has attracted special interests in herbaceous and woody species as energy crops and source of biofuel feedstock. Bioenergy crops are defined as any plant material used to produce bioenergy. These crops have the capacity to produce large volume of biomass, high energy potential, and can be grown in marginal soils. Planting bioenergy crops in degraded soils is one of the promising agricultural options with C sequestration rates ranging from 0.6 to 3.0 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. About 60 million hectares (Mha) of land is available in the United States and 757 Mha in the world to grow bioenergy crops. With an energy offset of 1 kg of C in biomass per 0.6 kg of C in fossil fuel, there exists a vast potential of offsetting fossil fuel emission. Bioenergy crops have the potential to sequester approximately 318 ...
Crashworthiness Optimization of Vehicle Structures Made of a Lightweight Magnesium Alloy

This study uses material substitution of magnesium for steel and optimization to reduce the mass of a full-scale Dodge Neon finite element model while maintaining the crashworthiness of the vehicle. Crash simulations are performed in LS-DYNA to obtain vehicle responses used as measures for crashworthiness in the absence of a crash dummy model. These include intrusion distance, acceleration, and internal energy. An AZ31 magnesium alloy is substituted for the baseline steel in twenty-two parts of the vehicle model. Polynomial Response Surface, Gaussian Process, Radial Basis Function, Kriging, Support Vector Regression, and Optimized Ensemble metamodels are used to develop global surrogate models of crash-induced responses. The results show that lightweight magnesium alloy maintains or improves vehicle crashworthiness with an approximate 50% reduction in selected part mass.
Variations of period and Q of free oscillations due to mode overlap

Summary. Line broadening of the spectrum of free oscillations of the Earth as a consequence of intrinsic attenuation, can generate shifts of the spectral peaks and alter spectral line widths due to mode overlapping effects. We find that the frequency shifts are dependent on the distance from the earthquake, on the relative excitation amplitudes of the spectral lines, and on the relative phase at some reference time such as the origin time, or times of windowing. With regard to the distance dependence, the frequency shift of a spectral line is maximized near modal nodal lines and is minimized near modal antinodes. The frequency shifts have a zero average in unbiased global observations. Earlier eigenperiod data used in global inversions of free mode data probably contain systematic errors because of the non-uniform distribution of seismographs and seismic sources, and were derived from non-tapered records. The bias has been corrected in recent work. A synthetic seismogram consisting of fundamental toroidal modes only, yields Q values that are systematically biased toward low values and show no tendency to have zero average errors even for a uniform sampling over the Earth.
Investigation of Performance of Distributed Complex Systems Using Information-theoretic Means and Genetic Algorithms

An investigation is conducted into performance measures to evaluate network-centric systems via their information or other flow properties. To approach this problem, concepts are borrowed from Graph Theory Information Theory, and current methods to analyze network-centric systems. A number of tools are presented to help better understand how to measure the flow in distributed networks. The efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated by taking a known distributed paradigm (logistics system) and examining situations that produce maximum and minimum flow conditions. The optimization problem involving flow variables is computationally complex (NP-hard) and thus is determined via genetic algorithms.
An adaptive approach to group communications in multi hop ad hoc networks

The diverse nature of MANETs makes it almost impossible for a single routing protocol to perform well under a wide range of operating conditions. Therefore the solution may be to adopt an adaptive strategy to routing and the co-existence and interoperability of different routing protocols. Considering that MANETs are generally deployed in mission critical applications the adaptive protocol should be capable of providing high reliability and timeliness guarantees in the presence of mobility. To this end we develop an adaptive flooding protocol in which nodes can dynamically switch routing mechanisms based on their perspective of network conditions. We use relative velocity as the switching criterion. Each node periodically computes its velocity relative to that of its neighbor set and based on its computation switches to one of the three modes, i.e. scoped flooding, plain flooding or hyper flooding modes. Simulations using our adaptive protocol under various realistic scenarios have shown that such protocols provide impressive benefits and can be used as the basis for developing adaptive, integrated routing techniques for MANETs of the future.
MARTX, Multifunctional Autoprocessing Repeats-in-Toxin Toxins

The repeats-in-toxin (RTX) exoproteins are a diverse collection of proteins exported via type I secretion by gram-negative bacteria. These proteins include the pore-forming RTX toxins typified by α-hemolysin of Escherichia coli and Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT) and also
NASA LASE water vapor differential absorption lidar measurements and performance evaluation

The Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is a highly engineered and autonomous Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to measure high-resolution water vapor and aerosol profiles in the troposphere. LASE is being developed as a precursor to the deployment of a spaceborne DIAL system for global measurement of high-resolution water vapor profiles. The LASE system uses a tunable Ti:sapphire laser that is frequency locked to pre-selected water vapor lines in the 815-nm region. LASE is undergoing a series of engineering test flights onboard a high-altitude ER-2 aircraft to evaluate its initial performance before deployment on field programs. During the first engineering test flight conducted near NASA Ames Research Center in May 1994, LASE was operated in the backscattered lidar mode and obtained high-quality aerosol profiles in the 0-20 km altitude region. During a subsequent engineering flight series conducted near NASA Wallops Flight facility in September 1994, water vapor and aerosol profiles were obtained simultaneously under a variety of cloud and background conditions. This paper discusses the results of the water vapor and aerosol measurements made during these flights. These measurements will be used to evaluate the performance of the instrument and for comparison with predicted values of atmospheric signals and water vapor profiles derived from in situ measurements from radiosondes launched in the vicinity of LASE measurements. These results will be used to refine the LASE system for a final engineering test series planned for early 1995. Plans for the validation of the LASE instrument with other in situ and remote sensors and the anticipated field program participation are also discussed. >
Properties of detergent phosphates and their effects on detergent processing

Phosphates are usually key ingredients in detergent formulations ranging from liquids to free-flowing powdery material to hard cakes. Their functional properties, which contribute to the over-all detergency by controlling the alkalinity, lowering the critical micelle concentration, sequestering metal ions, and decreasing soil redeposition, are generally considered to be the reason for their wide use. Another important but less recognized reason is their versatile role in improving the handling properties and lowering the cost of the finished products.
Externalities and labour market linkages in a dynamic two-sector model of tropical agriculture

Economic and environmental linkages between two parallel agricultural systems— one upstream and another downstream—are examined. Panel data collected in the Philippine province of Palawan are used to demonstrate how labor market linkages influence decisions impacting local forests and watersheds. Using these data as a point of departure, the paper assesses whether efficiency based criteria can be used to justify the redistribution of productivity gains between two agricultural sectors. To do this, a dynamic, two-sector model of an agricultural watershed is used to study the evolution and impact of an agricultural externality. Attention focuses on the interplay between externalities generated by the extensive upstream sector and labor productivity in an input intensive downstream sector. A key feature of the model is that labor productivity and labor demand downstream are influenced by externalities generated upstream. Production of the downstream externality, in turn, is influenced by wage employment opportunities downstream. Time paths of equilibrium wages are derived. The analysis shows how natural processes and economic interactions among socioeconomic groups influence the benefits of agricultural intensification. Interventions to minimize tradeoffs and achieve sustainable outcomes are explored.
Simple Cyst in the Postmenopausal Patient: Detection and Management

The aims of our study were to determine the prevalence of simple ovarian cysts in asymptomatic postmenopausal patients and to investigate the natural history of these cysts by ultrasonographic follow-up examinations. Three thousand five hundred and eighty-five women participated in the volunteer pelvic cancer screening program. Entry criteria were as follows: postmenopausal, no clinical symptoms, and no previous gynecologic pathology. An anechoic, small cyst less than 5 cm in greatest diameter was classified as a simple ovarian cyst. A scoring system to determine malignant potential had been established previously. All simple cysts had a score of 2 or less and had a morphology typical of benign lesions. In the case of a positive finding, the patient would be seen at 3 to 6 month intervals. The decision for surgical intervention was made by a private gynecologist or patient or if an interval change was noted. One thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine postmenopausal women (49.34% of all patients from the screening program) participated in this study. One hundred and sixteen simple cysts were found, with a prevalence of 6.6% in our population. Among those patients, 27 (23.28%) simple cysts resolved spontaneously, 69 (59.48%) have persisted, and 20 (17.24%) have been lost to follow-up study. Eighteen women (26.09%) with persistent simple ovarian cyst underwent surgery. No malignant ovarian conditions were identified. In conclusion, simple ovarian cysts are more common in postmenopausal women than previously was thought. This condition is very unlikely to be malignant and can be followed conservatively.
Nonconvulsive status epilepticus in patients suffering spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Object Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is an underrecognized and poorly understood complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors evaluated the risk factors, electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics, hospital course, and clinical outcomes associated with NCSE in a population with SAH treated at a single institution. Methods The hospitalization and outcome data were reviewed in 11 patients who had received a diagnosis of NCSE and SAH. The study included individuals from a cohort of 389 consecutive patients with SAH who were treated between March 2003 and June 2005, and who were analyzed retrospectively. The patients' medical history, neurological grade, events of hospitalization, EEG morphological patterns, and disposition were analyzed. Advanced age, female sex, need for ventriculostomy, poor neurological grade (Hunt and Hess Grade III, IV, or V), thick cisternal blood clots, and structural lesions (intracerebral hemorrhage and stroke) were common in the population with...
Kinetics of N-acetylprocainamide deacetylation.

The kinetics of N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) deacetylation to procainamide (PA) were determined in a normal subject using NAPA-13C, labeled in the acetyl group. The deacetylation clearance of NAPA (ClD) was found to be 6.5 ml/min whereas total NAPA elimination clearance was 231 ml/min, so that 2.8% of the administered NAPA-13C was metabolized by deacetylation. This estimate of ClD was shown to be representative of the rate of NAPA deacetylation in four patients on long-term NAPA therapy. Steady-state [PA]/[NAPA] ratios averaged 0.024, but would be expected to rise to 0.057 if functionally anephric patients were treated with NAPA. Despite reports that patients with the PA-induced systemic lupus erythematosus–like reaction have had symptomatic and immunologic remission when switched to NAPA, the demonstration that NAPA is deacetylated to PA indicates that the apparently greater immunologic safety of NAPA may be relative rather than absolute. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1980) 28, 659–666; doi:10.1038/clpt.1980.218
Uplift, thermal unrest and magma intrusion at Yellowstone caldera

Yellowstone National Park is on the site of one of the largest volcanoes on Earth, a super-explosive volcano that last erupted about 640,000 years ago, ejecting 1,000 cubic kilometres of material in the process. Supervolcanoes have had far-reaching effects on topography, climate and biosphere, so researchers have followed many different avenues in the attempt to understand them. Now using radar interferometry data from the European Space Agency's ERS-2 satellite, a group from the US Geological Survey has identified an unusual feature at Yellowstone, the uplift of a large area about 30 by 40 km centred under the north rim of the caldera. Even more unusually, during the uplift episode the caldera floor has subsided. This type of deformation has not been seen before and has profound implications for the workings of large active calderas. The cover shows Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, taken on 23 October 2003 by park geologist Henry Heasler. The Yellowstone caldera, in the western United States, formed ∼640,000 years ago when an explosive eruption ejected ∼1,000 km3 of material1. It is the youngest of a series of large calderas that formed during sequential cataclysmic eruptions that began ∼16 million years ago in eastern Oregon and northern Nevada. The Yellowstone caldera was largely buried by rhyolite lava flows during eruptions that occurred from ∼150,000 to ∼70,000 years ago1. Since the last eruption, Yellowstone has remained restless, with high seismicity, continuing uplift/subsidence episodes with movements of ∼70 cm historically2 to several metres since the Pleistocene epoch3, and intense hydrothermal activity. Here we present observations of a new mode of surface deformation in Yellowstone, based on radar interferometry observations from the European Space Agency ERS-2 satellite. We infer that the observed pattern of uplift and subsidence results from variations in the movement of molten basalt into and out of the Yellowstone volcanic system.
Effect of increased parasympathetic and sympathetic tone on internal atrial defibrillation thresholds in humans.

UNLABELLED Although changes in autonomic tone affect ventricular defibrillation, little is known about the effect of increased parasympathetic or sympathetic tone on the atrial defbrillation threshold. METHODS To evaluate the effect of reflexly increased parasympathetic and increase alpha- and beta-adrenergic tone on the atrial defibrillation threshold (ADFT), atrial fibrillation was induced in 14 patients. ADFTs, right atrial refractory period (RARP), and monophasic action potential duration (MAPD) were determined before and after autonomic intervention. ADFTs were determined with a step-up protocol using 3/3-ms biphasic shocks delivered through decapolar catheters in the right atrial appendage and coronary sinus. Two groups were studied. Group I (N = 8) had ADFTs determined at baseline, after receiving phenylephrine (PE), and with PE plus atropine (A). Group 2 (N = 6) had ADFTs determined at baseline and after receiving isoproterenol (ISO). RESULTS Group I: PE significantly increased sinus cycle length (SR-CL) compared to baseline (742 +/- 123 to 922 +/- 233 ms) without significantly changing RARP, MAPD, or ADFT (2.3 +/- 1.3 J vs 2.3 +/- 0.8 J). With PE + A, SR-CL significantly decreased (529 +/- 100 ms vs 742 +/- 123 ms) and MAPD shortened (231 +/- 41 ms vs 279 +/- 49 ms) without altering RARP or ADFT (1.94 +/- 0.9 J vs 2.25 +/- 1.25 J). Group 2: ISO decreased SR-CL (486 +/- 77 ms vs 755 +/- 184 ms) and MAPD (169 +/- 37 ms vs 226 + 58 ms) but not RARP or ADFT (2.25 +/- 1.21 J vs 2.33 +/- 1.75 J). CONCLUSIONS Increasing parasympathetic, alpha-, or beta-adrenergic tone does not affect the ADFT despite causing significant electrophysiological changes in the atria.
Variation of SNOMED CT coding of clinical research concepts among coding experts.

Objective: To compare consistency of coding among professional SNOMED CT coders representing three commercial providers of coding services when coding clinical research concepts with SNOMED CT. Design: A sample of clinical research questions from case report forms (CRFs) generated by the NIH-funded Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) were sent to three coding companies with instructions to code the core concepts using SNOMED CT. The sample consisted of 319 question/answer pairs from 15 separate studies. The companies were asked to select SNOMED CT concepts (in any form, including post-coordinated) that capture the core concept(s) reflected in the question. Also, they were asked to state their level of certainty, as well as how precise they felt their coding was. Measurements: Basic frequencies were calculated to determine raw level agreement among the companies and other descriptive information. Krippendorff's alpha was used to determine a statistical measure of agreement among the coding companies for several measures (semantic, certainty, and precision). Results: No significant level of agreement among the experts was found. Conclusion: There is little semantic agreement in coding of clinical research data items across coders from 3 professional coding services, even using a very liberal definition of agreement.