cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Xe isotopic fractionation in a cathodeless glow discharge

Results are reported on the isotopic composition of Xe processed in cathodeless glow discharges in rarefied air at pressures of 20-40 microns Hg, in the presence of activated charcoal and in empty pyrex containers. Residual gas phase Xe and trapped Xe were found to be fractionated, with the trapped Xe fractionated up to 1 percent per amu. A model is presented for the fractionating process in which Xe ions are simultaneously implanted and sputtered from substrate material, with a mass dependence favoring retention of the heavy isotopes in the substrate. Results of the investigation show that plasma synthesis of carbonaceous material is unnecessary for producing Xe fractionations, and that the fractionations observed in previous synthesis experiments are probably due to implantation of ions into the synthesized material.
A framework for simultaneous co-clustering and learning from complex data

For difficult classification or regression problems, practitioners often segment the data into relatively homogenous groups and then build a model for each group. This two-step procedure usually results in simpler, more interpretable and actionable models without any lossin accuracy. We consider problems such as predicting customer behavior across products, where the independent variables can be naturally partitioned into two groups. A pivoting operation can now result in the dependent variable showing up as entries in a "customer by product" data matrix. We present a model-based co-clustering (meta)-algorithm that interleaves clustering and construction of prediction models to iteratively improve both cluster assignment and fit of the models. This algorithm provably converges to a local minimum of a suitable cost function. The framework not only generalizes co-clustering and collaborative filtering to model-basedco-clustering, but can also be viewed as simultaneous co-segmentation and classification or regression, which is better than independently clustering the data first and then building models. Moreover, it applies to a wide range of bi-modal or multimodal data, and can be easily specialized to address classification and regression problems. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on both these problems through experimentation on real and synthetic data.
Characteristics of treated hypertension in incident hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.

Abstract Background: The treatment of hypertension in dialysis patients is prevalent and poorly characterized. β-Blockers and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have been associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. This study describes the treatment of hypertension and assesses the association between mortality and class of antihypertensive medication among a cohort of dialysis patients. Methods: The US Renal Data System (USRDS) Dialysis Morbidity and Mortality Study Wave II cohort was analyzed. A total of 2,877 patients initiating hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in 1996 or 1997 and treated with antihypertensives were included in this analysis. Vital status was followed until November 2000. Results: Calcium channel blockers were prescribed to 70.3% of patients. Only 31.5% and 27.0% of patients with cardiovascular disease were prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and β-blockers, respectively. Mono-, double-, triple-, and more than triple-therapy were reported in 48.0%, 36.1%, 13.2%, and 2.7% of the cohort, respectively. In multivariable, fully adjusted models, no individual class of antihypertensives was associated with changes in all-cause mortality. In all patients, nondihydropyridine CCBs (non-DHP CCBs) were associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.97) and among end-stage renal disease patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease, dihydropyridine CCBs (DHP CCBs) and non-DHP CCBs were associated with reduced risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion: Calcium channel blocker use is widespread among hypertensive dialysis patients. Antihypertensive prescription patterns suggest a lack of consensus regarding treatment of hypertension. Multivariable analysis of associations between antihypertensive class and mortality reveals results of uncertain clinical significance. Hypertension treatment trials in dialysis patients should be performed to appropriately inform treatment decisions.
Nuclear Spin Relaxation by Translational Diffusion

The general theory of Bloembergen, Purcell, and Pound of nuclear spin relaxation has been extended to a more quantitative study of relaxation by translational diffusion. It has been found necessary to treat the problem by the theory of random walk. In the case of isotropic diffusion two cases have been studied: one in which the flight distance has a probability distribution, and the other in which it is constant. The problem of random walk to nearest neighbor sites in a lattice is also treated and quantitative results are obtained for a face-centered cubic lattice.
Effect of peripheral concentrations of progesterone on follicular growth and fertility in ewes.

The effects of progesterone (P4) on follicular growth and fertility in ewes were examined. In Experiment 1, 22 ewes received either one or three packets of P4 (5 g/packed) or an empty packet subcutaneously (sc) from Days 5 to 15 of the estrous cycle (estrus = Day 0). On Day 6, P4-treated ewes received 12.5 mg of prostaglandin F2α. Follicles ⩾3 mm in diameter were observed via transrectal ultrasonography daily from Day 4 through estrus, corpora lutea (CL) were observed 5 to 7 d after estrus. Ewes with low (LOW; ⩽1 ng/ml; n = 5), intermediate (MED; > 1 and <2 ng/ml; n = 10), or normal (NOR; ⩾2 ng/ml; n = 7) P4 in jugular plasma on Days 7 through 15 differed in follicular development. The largest follicle at estrus was larger in ewes with LOW vs. MED and NOR P4 (7.8 ± 0.3 vs. 6.9 ± 0.2 mm; P < 0.05). Treatments differed in proportions of multiple-ovulating ewes, in which the oldest ovulatory follicle was first observed before Day 10 (LOW: 3 of 3, MED: 6 of 10, NOR: 0 of 5, respectively; P < 0.05). Estradiol was higher early in the treatment period in LOW ewes than in MED and NOR ewes (day × treatment; P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, ewes received 5 mg of P4 in corn oil (low progesterone [LP]; n = 51) or 2 ml of corn oil (CON; n = 49) sc every 12 hr on Days 6 through 14 of the estrous cycle before mating. LP ewes received 15 mg of prostaglandin F2α on Day 6. Mean serum P4 on Days 7 through 15 was 0.6 ± 0.1 ng/ml in LP and 1.9 ± 0.1 ng/ml in CON ewes. Eleven LP and 12 CON ewes were scanned daily from Day 4 through mating, and in all ewes (n = 93), CL were counted 10 d after mating and embryos were counted at 25, 40, and 60 d of gestation. In multiple-ovulating ewes, day of cycle of appearance was earlier for the oldest (Day 6.1 ± 0.8 vs. 10.4 ± 0.8) but not second oldest (Day 11.7 ± 1.0 vs. 12.2 ± 0.9) ovulatory follicles in LP compared with CON ewes. The conception rate was lower in LP (72%) than in CON ewes (98%; P < 0.01). However, numbers of CL 10 d after mating, and in pregnant ewes, numbers of embryos 25 d after mating and lambs born, did not differ with treatment. In summary, low P4 increased the size of the largest follicles and the age of the oldest ovulatory follicles. Embryos resulting from the ovulation of older and younger follicles in the same ewe did not differ in their ability to survive.
An Occupational Look at Temporal Adaptation: Night Shift Nurses

Abstract This phenomenological study describes the lived‐experience of night shift and the adaptive strategies used by night shift nurses. Eleven female night shift nurses working in the nursery and birthing centers of two affiliated Midwestern hospitals in the United States participated in the study. Face to face, semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted and data were analyzed using a qualitative approach to discover patterns and themes. Two themes emerged that reflected the lived experiences of the night shift nurses: (1) Living by night, sleeping by day: The masquerade, and (2) Relationships and family lives: A kaleidoscope. Two additional themes were identified to describe the adaptive strategies of the night shift nurses: (3) A ‘just do it’ attitude and (4) Occupational strategies for nightlife. Findings of the study suggest that the temporal challenges and demands of night shift disrupt occupational patterns and routines, which are strongly influenced by the diurnal nature of humans. Man...
Infrared matrix isolation and cryogenic thin film spectroscopic study of molecular complexes of dimethylcadmium with group VI organics

Abstract Molecular complexes of (CH 3 ) 2 Cd with a series of alkyl derivatives containing different organic functional groups of the group VI elements have been formed, isolated and characterized in argon matrices and cryogenic thin films. For each system, a 1:1 complex was identified based on band positions and the product yield as a function of the concentrations of the two precursors in the reaction. For several systems, a 1:2 complex was observed as well at relatively high base/acid concentration ratios. Each complex was characterized by several perturbed vibrational modes, including the shifted CdC 2 antisymmetric stretching mode for all the complexes. Comparison of the band positions with those obtained in previous studies of related complexes indicates that (CH 3 ) 2 Cd is a very weak Lewis acid, yet these complexes are still stable under cryogenic conditions whether in solid argon or in solid thin films.
Child- or adult-directed speech and esteem: effects on performance and arousal in elderly adults.

The effects of speech type and esteem level on performance, physiological arousal level, and subsequent esteem were explored in the present study of older individuals. The cardiovascular measures of blood pressure and heart rate showed the procedures to be stressful but produced inconclusive results related to the grouping variables. Practice effects were found for all participants on all tasks, regardless of group membership. On the mirror-tracing task, low esteem participants and participants who received child-directed speech made fewer errors than high esteem participants and participants who received adult-directed speech. The results indicate that older adults perform difficult tasks better with clarified instructions given in an attention-getting manner. This may be especially true on timed tasks where cautious response styles facilitate accuracy of performance (e.g., mirror-tracing tasks). The results were contradictory to more intuitive accounts of child-directed speech negatively impacting self-esteem and performance in this age group.
"Suffering in thought": an analysis of the mental health needs of female domestic workers living with violence in Malawi

The impact of violence on the mental health of women has been acknowledged but with limited exploration in resource-poor countries. Using critical ethnography and feminist methods, we analyzed the impact of violence on the mental health of a sample of Malawian women employed in domestic service. The analysis showed mental health as being situated in the context of poverty, inhumane treatment, social isolation, and the erosion of hope. We offer suggestions on how psychiatric nurses and other health care providers can promote the mental health of women employed in domestic service while acknowledging the limited mental health services in Malawi.
Simple, reliable basic equation for proton-reaction analysis of biological materials

Abstract Charged-particle reaction analysis calculations are naturally involved because, unlike neutrons and photons, these particles readily lose energy when they penetrate matter and, therefore, the nuclear-reaction cross section varies with sample depth; in consequence, the usually significant variations among stopping powers of different substances - and, particularly, between samples and standards - must be taken into account to avoid systematic errors in the results. We have observed regularities in organic substances, however, that led to the derivation from first principles of a simple, sufficiently accurate basic equation R′ R′ = F′ F′ C′ C′ that gives either the ratio F between two isotopic abundances or the ratio C between two elemental concentrations, for organic samples, in terms of the corresponding nuclear-reaction prompt-product yield ratio R , and of the analogous parameters F ′, C ′ and R ′ for a known standard. The equation was derived, and proved reliable, for the determination of the isotopic abundance ratio 13 C 12 C - that leads to 12 C and 13 C percent isotopic abundances — and of the elemental ratio N C , by low-energy proton bombardment of biological samples with simultaneous prompt-gamma spectrometry. However, as analogous simplifying conditions may predictably be met in many charged-particle reaction analyses conducted by the comparator method, the same derivation and basic equation could be applicable on a general basis.
A MODEL OF TARGET INVENTORY AND MARKUP WITH EMPIRICAL TESTING USING AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY DATA

Abstract This paper presents and tests empirically, using automobile industry data, a model of markup pricing based on target inventory sales lag. The firm chooses target inventory together with selling price, so as to maximize average per unit time profit. The optimization yields a markup over direct costs equal to the inverse of the price elasticity of the sales time for the firm's inventory: 1/ϵ. Econometric estimates of 1/ϵ for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are compared with true markups for each firm. The empirical estimates obtained for 1/ϵ are not significantly different from true markups in a statistical sense, evidence that the model is compatible with the data.
The Perron process applied to oblique derivative problems

Abstract The Perron process has been used with great success to prove the solvability of the Dirichlet problem for linear elliptic equations by elementary methods. A modification of this process is used to give an elementary proof of the solvability of the regular oblique derivative problem for linear elliptic equations.
Improving the delivery of adolescent clinical preventive services through skills-based training.

Objective. To examine the efficacy of skills-based training workshops on primary care providers9 screening and counseling practices with adolescents during routine outpatient well visits. Design. Sixty-three primary care providers in outpatient pediatric departments within a managed health care organization participated in two 4-hour workshops on clinical preventive services for adolescents. The workshops focused on adolescent health, confidentiality, screening, and anticipatory guidance/brief counseling for 5 risk behaviors including: helmet and seatbelt use, tobacco use, alcohol use, and sexual behavior. A pre/posttest design was used to assess clinicians9 screening and counseling practices during the pretraining and posttraining periods. Independent adolescent reports of clinicians9 practices were obtained from 2 samples of 14- to 16-year-old adolescents immediately after their routine well visit in the outpatient clinics. One sample of adolescents reported during a pretraining period and a separate sample reported during a period after the training. Results. Adolescent reports indicated that after the training workshops, the average percentage of adolescents screened by their primary care providers increased significantly for seatbelt use (from mean 38% to 56%), helmet use (from mean 27% to 45%), tobacco use (from mean 64% to 76%), alcohol use (from mean 59% to 76%), and sexual behavior (from mean 61% to 75%). Additionally, the average percentage of adolescents offered brief counseling by their clinicians increased significantly after training in the areas of seatbelt use (from mean 36% to 51%), helmet use (from mean 25% to 43%), and sexual behavior (from mean 42% to 58%). Improvement after the training in brief counseling for tobacco use was marginally significant (from mean 60% to 69%) and for alcohol use was not significant, although there was an increase. Clinicians also significantly increased their discussion of the limits of confidentiality with their adolescent patients after the training workshops (from mean 32% to 45%). Conclusions. This study offers strong support for the efficacy of skills-based training for primary care providers as a method for increasing screening and counseling practices with adolescents. The present findings suggest that with appropriate skills-based training, practicing clinicians can implement several of the national guidelines that direct them to provide preventive services for multiple behaviors in a routine outpatient visit. Screening and counseling in these visits are important in the early identification, detection, and prevention of behaviors associated with the primary adolescent morbidities and mortalities. Thus, enhancing the delivery of clinical preventive services is an important step in the prevention of untoward health outcomes for youth.
Manufactured nanomaterials (fullerenes, C60) induce oxidative stress in the brain of juvenile largemouth bass.

Although nanotechnology has vast potential in uses such as fuel cells, microreactors, drug delivery devices, and personal care products, it is prudent to determine possible toxicity of nanotechnolo...
The decomposition of formic acid on Ru(101̄0)

Abstract The decomposition of formic acid was studied on a clean Ru(1010) surface adsorption temperature between 100 and 460 K by means of flash thermal desorption. The decomposition products observed were H2, CO2, H2O and CO. HCOOH itself was also desorbed, although at low exposures no formic acid was observed. The H2 and CO2 products were desorbed in identical first order peaks, with a peak temperature of 395 K. The H2O product desorbed in a second order peak at 813 K, in contrast to H2O desorption from low coverage H2O adsorption which occurs in two peaks in the region of 220 and 265 K. The CO product desorbed in a first order peak at 488 K, identical to CO from CO adsorption. The dependence of the product peaks on adsorption temperature of the Ru surface was also studied. These results suggest a model involving the formation and decomposition of a surface intermediate species.
Presence of hiatal Hernia does not adversely affect treatment response in GERD

Purpose: To study the effect of hiatal Hernia on the symptomatology and treatment response in patients with GERD.
Large alphabets: Finite, infinite, and scaling models

How can we effectively model situations with large alphabets? On a pragmatic level, any engineered system, be it for inference, communication, or encryption, requires working with a finite number of symbols. Therefore, the most straight-forward model is a finite alphabet. However, to emphasize the disproportionate size of the alphabet, one may want to compare its finite size with the length of data at hand. More generally, this gives rise to scaling models that strive to capture regimes of operation where one anticipates such imbalance. Large alphabets may also be idealized as infinite. The caveat then is that such generality strips away many of the convenient machinery of finite settings. However, some of it may be salvaged by refocusing the tasks of interest, such as by moving from sequence to pattern compression, or by minimally restricting the classes of infinite models, such as via tail properties. In this paper we present an overview of models for large alphabets, some recent results, and possible directions in this area.
Experimental investigations of the film cooling heat transfer coefficient of a Micro-Tangential-Jet scheme on a gas turbine vane

Abstract This paper presents experimental investigations of the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) performance of a Micro-Tangential-Jet (MTJ) film cooling scheme on a gas turbine vane using transient Thermochromic Liquid Crystal (TLC) technique. The MTJ scheme is a micro-shaped scheme designed so that the secondary jet is supplied parallel to the vane surface. In order to supply the jet in a direction parallel to the vane surface, extra material was added on both pressure and suction sides. The film cooling performance of one row of holes on both pressure and suction sides were investigated at a blowing ratio ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 on the pressure side and 0.25 to 0.625 on the suction side, calculated based on the MTJ scheme exit area. The average density ratio during the investigations was 0.93, and the Reynolds number was 1.4E+5, based on the free stream velocity and the main duct hydraulic diameter. The pitch to diameter ratio of the cooling holes is 5 on the pressure side and 6.5 on the suction side. The turbulence intensity during all investigations was 8.5% and was measure two chords upstream the vane leading edge using the PIV technique. The investigations showed that the increase in the HTC ratio due to the presence of the MTJ scheme is very close to that resulting from the presence of normal traditional shaped schemes on the pressure side. Meanwhile, a reduction in the HTC ratio is recorded on the suction side. Such performance is attributed to the small overall height of the scheme which helped keep the resulting turbulence to a minimum. Moreover, the HTC distribution downstream the MTJ scheme is uniform in the lateral directions which helps minimize the thermal stresses. The Net Heat Flux Reduction (NHFR) parameter is used to judge the overall performance of the MTJ scheme. The NHFR represents a combination of the effects of both the cooling effectiveness and the HTC. Great enhancement in the NHFR performance of the MTJ was observed compared to traditional shaped schemes. With the current MTJ scheme design and dimensions and under the previously mentioned Reynolds number and turbulence intensity it was observed that a blowing ratio close to unity, calculated based on the scheme exit area, provides an optimal film cooling performance on both pressure and suction sides.
Purification of bone sialoprotein from the medium of the rat osteoblast-like cell line UMR 106-01 BSP

Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is an integrin-binding, RGD-containing bone matrix glycoprotein that has been shown to support cell attachment of cell in culture. Purification of large amounts of this protein from bone is possible but the methods are tedious and the yield is generally low. The availability of a transformed rat osteoblastic cell line synthesizing BSP has made it possible to isolate quantities of this protein in a non-denatured form for studies on its structure and function as well as cell attachment. This report describes the purification of 1 to 2 milligrams of BSP from a liter of serum-free medium of the rat osteoblast-like cell line UMR 106-01 BSP.
The Dynamics of Second Language Emergence: Cycles of Language Use, Language Change, and Language Acquisition

This article outlines an emergentist account whereby the limited end-state typical of adult second language learners results from dynamic cycles of language use, language change, language perception, and language learning in the interactions of members of language communities. In summary, the major processes are: 1. Usage leads to change: High frequency use of grammatical functors causes their phonological erosion and homonymy. 2. Change affects perception: Phonologically reduced cues are hard to perceive. 3. Perception affects learning: Low salience cues are difficult to learn, as are homonymous/polysemous constructions because of the low contingency of their form–function association. 4. Learning affects usage: (i) Where language is predominantly learned naturalistically by adults without any form focus, a typical result is a Basic Variety of interlanguage, low in grammatical complexity but communicatively effective. Because usage leads to change, maximum contact languages learned naturalistically can thus simplify and lose grammatical intricacies. Alternatively, (ii) where there are efforts promoting formal accuracy, the attractor state of the Basic Variety can be escaped by means of dialectic forces, socially recruited, involving the dynamics of learner consciousness, form-focused attention, and explicit learning. Such influences promote language maintenance. Form, user, and use are inextricable.
A case-crossover study of intensive racing and training schedules and risk of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury and lay-up in California thoroughbred racehorses

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between intensive racing and training schedules and risk of either catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) or lay-up from racing in California Thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred racehorses that sustained a CMI during racing or training and either were subsequently euthanized or died on a California racetrack during 1991 and 1992 were studied using a case-crossover study design. Each study subject (case) provided its own self-matched control information in the form of 'typical' exposure frequency, determined or estimated from historic information. Periods of rapid average daily accumulation of high-speed exercise distance were identified for each horse from official race and training histories with a sliding 60-day window. Those window frames containing an average daily rate of distance accumulation exceeding 75th percentile cutoff values were classified as exposed frames followed by 30 days of increased risk, or hazard periods. All remaining days (excluding periods of layoff from racing) were considered non-hazard time at risk. The relative risk (RR) of CMI within 30 days following a period of rapid accumulation of high-speed exercise distance (during a hazard period) was 4.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.0, 5.8). Of these 214 cases, 84 (39%) were injured during a hazard period whereas on average only 22% of total career time at risk was hazard time for these horses. A second analysis was performed for horses with at least 1 lay-up period from racing of > or = 60 days. RR for a lay-up beginning during a hazard period was estimated for the last lay-up experienced by each horse. The RR for lay-up beginning during a hazard period was 4.8 (95% CI = 2.9, 8.1). Of these 98 cases, 32 (33%) of the lay-ups began during a hazard period whereas on average, only 22% of at-risk time up to last lay-up was hazard time for these horses.
An engineering model 30 cm ion thruster

Thruster development at Hughes Research Laboratories and NASA Lewis Research Center has brought the 30-cm mercury bombardment ion thruster to the state of an engineering model. This thruster has been designed to have sufficient internal strength for direct mounting on gimbals, to weigh 7.3 kg, to operate with a corrected overall efficiency of 71%, and to have 10,000 hours lifetime. Subassemblies, such as the ion optical system, isolators, etc., have been upgraded to meet launch qualification standards. This paper presents a summary of the design specifications and performance characteristics which define the interface between the thruster module and the remainder of the propulsion system.
Extended access nicotine self-administration with periodic deprivation increases immature neurons in the hippocampus

Rationale Limited access nicotine self-administration decreases hippocampal neurogenesis, providing a mechanism for the deleterious effects of nicotine on hippocampal neuronal plasticity. However, recent studies have shown that limited access nicotine self-administration does not exhibit key features of nicotine dependence such as motivational withdrawal and increased motivation for nicotine after deprivation.
Endolaser treatment of the ciliary body for severe glaucoma.

Abstract Endolaser photocoagulation of the ciliary body was used to treat 42 eyes with severe glaucoma that could not be managed successfully by medical therapy and conventional glaucoma surgery. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean, 13 months). The preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) ranged from 13 to 76 mmHg (mean, 37 mmHg). The postoperative IOP ranged from 1 to 44 mmHg (mean, 17 mmHg), representing an absolute decrease of 20 mmHg, and a mean decrease of 48%. After one or two (7 eyes) treatment sessions, 11 eyes (26%) had an IOP less than 21 mmHg without medications; 21 eyes (50%) had an IOP less than 21 mmHg with medications; 5 eyes (12%) had an IOP of 21 to 25 mmHg with or without medications; and 5 eyes (12%) had an IOP greater than 25 mmHg. Postoperatively, the number of antiglaucoma medications required was reduced from a mean of 2.8 ± 0.13 to a mean of 1.4 ± 0.19. Twenty-three (72%) of 32 patients were able to discontinue carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.
Stochastic Dynamic Game between Hydropower Plant and Thermal Power Plant in Smart Grid Networks

In this paper, we study the competitive interactions between an autonomous pumped-storage hydropower plant and a thermal power plant in order to optimize power generation and storage. Each type of power plant individually tries to maximize its own profit by adjusting its strategy: both types of plants can sell their power to the market at a price depending on the demand and supply, as well as the dynamics over different periods of time; or alternatively, the thermal power plant can sell its power at a fixed price to the pumped-storage hydropower plant by storing the energy in the reservoir. A stochastic dynamic game is formulated to characterize this competition. The instantaneous market price is modeled as a Cournot duopoly game. Here, the dynamics comes from the varying water volume in the reservoir, and the stochastic aspect captures the uncertain natural inflow to and losses from the reservoir. The solutions are derived using the stochastic Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations. We also show that the proposed game can converge to a feedback Nash equilibrium. The simulation results demonstrate the properties of the proposed game and suggest how to optimize the amounts of generation in hydropower and thermal power plants over time with the fluctuations of price. The proposed framework and games can reduce the peak-to-average ratio and total energy generation for the thermal plant, which helps power plant operation and reduces $\hbox{CO}_{2}$ emission.
Predictors of drusen reduction after subthreshold infrared (810 nm) diode laser macular grid photocoagulation for nonexudative age-related macular degeneration.

Abstract PURPOSE: To determine the predictors of drusen reduction in eyes with nonexudative age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) treated with subthreshold infrared (810 nm) diode laser macular grid photocoagulation. Additionally, to determine the relationship of laser-induced drusen reduction and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 18 months after laser treatment. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. METHODS: Fifty patients (100 eyes) with bilateral nonexudative ARMD were enrolled at two centers. One eye of each patient was randomized to the observation; the other eye was treated with 48 subthreshold (invisible end point) applications of infrared (810 nm) diode laser in a macular grid pattern. The eyes that received subthreshold laser treatment were compared with the eyes that received no treatment. The baseline fundus characteristics (number, size, and distribution of drusen, as well as focal hyperpigmentation) from two macula areas (central 1500 μ diameter, pericentral 1500 μ ring area) on stereo color photographs, the number of laser-induced lesions, and the area of laser induced retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) lesions on fluorescein angiography 3 months after treatment were studied as predictors of major drusen reduction (≥ 50% drusen reduction from baseline) 18 months after laser treatment. BCVA at baseline and 18 months later was compared in observation eyes and in laser-treated eyes. RESULTS: Eighteen months after randomization, 24 (48%) of 50 eyes treated with subthreshold laser had major drusen reduction compared with three (6%) of 50 observation eyes ( P = .00001). At 3 months post-treatment in laser-treated eyes with major drusen reduction, the mean number of laser-induced lesions on fluorescein angiography was 30.7 and the mean area of RPE change was 0.81 mm 2 compared with 14.8 laser-induced lesions and 0.35 mm 2 area of RPE change in eyes without major drusen reduction ( P = .0001 and P = .0003, respectively). At baseline, fundus characteristics were not significantly different between observation eyes and laser-treated eyes or between the major drusen reduction group and the nonmajor drusen reduction group. At 18 months after treatment, BCVA was not significantly different in laser-treated eyes and in observation eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Subthreshold infrared (810 nm) diode laser macular grid photocoagulation in eyes with nonexudative ARMD significantly reduced drusen 18 months after laser treatment. Both the number of subthreshold laser lesions and the area of RPE changes visible on fluorescein angiography 3 months after treatment appeared to be predictors for major drusen reduction 18 months after treatment. However, it remains to be determined whether laser-induced drusen reduction is beneficial for visual acuity or reduces the incidence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in eyes with nonexudative ARMD.
Implicit heterogeneous and parallel programming

Programmers are often required to develop parallel programs using new parallel languages or parallel extensions to existing languages that are different from the languages they used previously on sequential machines. As a consequence, programmers are faced with unfamiliar programming models and are often compelled to program at a low level with specific target machines. In this paper, we are going to introduce an implicit parallel programming method that allows programmers to use their favorite sequential programming languages for heterogeneous and parallel programming. Implicit parallelism relieves programmers since they do not have to worry about the details of parallel execution.
Effect of amputation level on energy expenditure during overground walking by children with an amputation.

Background: The oxygen cost of walking by adults with an amputation has been well described, but few studies have focused on this parameter in children who have had an amputation. Children with a transtibial amputation have been reported to maintain walking speed at a 15% higher oxygen cost than able-bodied children. The purpose of this study was to determine if the level of amputation in children has a differential impact on the self-selected speed of walking and the oxygen cost, and how the performance of these children compares with that of a group of able-bodied children. Methods: Seventy-three children who had had an amputation participated in this study. Oxygen consumption was measured with a Cosmed K4b2 oxygen analysis telemetry unit (Rome, Italy) as the participants walked overground for ten minutes at a self-selected speed. One minute of steady-state data were reduced, averaged, and standardized to control values. Children with a unilateral amputation were grouped according to the level of the amputation; there were twenty-nine Syme, thirteen transtibial, fourteen knee disarticulation, five transfemoral, and five hip disarticulation amputations. Seven children had had a bilateral amputation, and they were considered as a separate group. Comparisons were made among the five amputation groups and between all children who had undergone amputation and control subjects. The variables that were analyzed were resting VO2 rate (mL/kg/min), resting heart rate (beats per minute [bpm]), walking VO2 rate (mL/kg/min), walking VO2 cost (mL/kg/m), walking heart rate (bpm), and self-selected walking velocity (m/min). Results: Unilateral transfemoral and hip disarticulation amputations resulted in significantly reduced walking speed (80% and 72% of normal, respectively) and increased VO2 cost (151% and 161% of normal, respectively), while the heart rate was significantly increased in the hip disarticulation group (124% of normal). Compared with the controls, the children with a bilateral amputation walked significantly slower (87% of normal), with an elevated heart rate (119% of normal) but a similar energy cost. Children with a Syme amputation, transtibial amputation, or knee disarticulation walked with essentially the same speed and oxygen cost as did normal children in the same age group. Conclusions: Children with an amputation through the knee or distal to the knee were able to maintain a normal walking speed without significantly increasing their energy cost. Only when the amputation is above the knee do children walk significantly slower and with an increased energy cost. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Bis(diaryliodonium) perfluorosulfonimide zwitterions as potential photo acid generators

Abstract Three examples of bis(diaryliodonium) perfluorosulfonimide (BDI-PFSI) zwitterions have been prepared as a potential new class of ionic photo-acid generators for chemically amplified photoresist formulations.
PI3 kinase enhancer–Homer complex couples mGluRI to PI3 kinase, preventing neuronal apoptosis

Phosphoinositide 3 kinase enhancer (PIKE) is a recently identified nuclear GTPase that activates nuclear phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 kinase). We have identified, cloned and characterized a new form of PIKE, designated PIKE-L, which, unlike the nuclear PIKE-S, localizes to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. We demonstrate physiologic binding of PIKE-L to Homer, an adaptor protein known to link metabotropic glutamate receptors to multiple intracellular targets including the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R). We show that activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRIs) enhances formation of an mGluRI-Homer-PIKE-L complex, leading to activation of PI3 kinase activity and prevention of neuronal apoptosis. Our findings indicate that this complex mediates the well-known ability of agonists of mGluRI to prevent neuronal apoptosis.
Synthesis and processing of the nonstructural polyproteins of several temperature-sensitive mutants of Sindbis virus.

We have examined the synthesis and processing of nonstructural polyproteins by several temperature-sensitive mutants of Sindbis virus, representing the four known RNA-minus complementation groups. Four mutants that possess mutations in the C-terminal domain of nonstructural protein nsP2 all demonstrated aberrant processing patterns when cells infected with these mutants were shifted from a permissive (30°) to a nonpermissive (40°) temperature. Mutants tsl7, tsl8, and ts24 showed severe defects in processing of nonstructural polyproteins at 40°, whereas ts7 showed only a minor defect. In each case, cleavage of the bond between nsP2 and nsP3 was greatly reduced whereas cleavage between nsP1 and nsP2 occurred almost normally, giving rise to a set of polyprotein precursors not seen in wild-type-infected cells at this stage of infection. The nsP1 produced by these mutants was unstable and only small amounts could be detected in infected cells at the nonpermissive temperature. Submolar quantities of nsP2 were also present. We suggest that nsP1 and nsP2 may function as a complex and that free nsP1, and possibly nsP2, is degraded. Cleavage between nsP3 and nsP4 appeared to be normal in the mutants except in the case of tsl7, where upon shift to 40° P34 was unstable and nsP4 accumulated. We propose that the change in the P34/nsP4 ratio upon shift is responsible for the previously observed temperature sensitivity of subgenomic 26 S RNA synthesis in tsl7 and for the failure of the mutant to regulate minus strand synthesis at 40°. Other mutations tested, including ts21, which is found in the N-terminal half of nsP2, ts11, which has a mutation in nsP1, and ts6, which has a mutation in nsP4, all demonstrated nonstructural polyprotein processing indistinguishable from that in wild-type-infected cells. These results support our conclusion, based upon deletion mapping studies, that the C-terminal domain of nsP2 contains the nonstructural proteinase activity.
Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using massively parallel sequencing technologies.

“Epigenetics” refers to a heritable change in transcriptional status without alteration in the primary nucleotide sequence. Epigenetics provides an extra layer of transcriptional control and plays a crucial role in normal development, as well as in pathological conditions. DNA methylation is one of the best known and well-studied epigenetic modifications. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling has become recognized as a biologically and clinically important epigenomic assay. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the protocols for genome-wide DNA methylation profiling using massively parallel sequencing (MPS) techniques. We will also describe recently discovered DNA modifications, and the protocols to detect these modifications.
Walking on a ‘peg leg’: extensor muscle activities and sensory feedback after distal leg denervation in cockroaches

Previous studies in insects demonstrated that leg coordination changes following complete ablation of distal limb segments. However, normal coordination was restored when small 'peg leg' prostheses were attached to leg stumps to permit substrate contact. We have adapted this paradigm to preserve appropriate leg mass and inertia by severing all nerves and muscle tendons in the femur of the cockroach hind leg and converting the animal's own limb into a peg leg. Recordings of muscle activities and leg movements before and after denervation showed that: (1) the 'peg leg' is actively used in walking and regular bursts occur in motoneurons to leg extensor muscles; (2) driving of motoneuron activity is sufficient to produce 'fictive' bursting in a muscle whose tendon (apodeme) is cut in the ablation; and (3) similar motoneuron activities are found in walking on an oiled glass surface, when the effects of body weight and mechanical coupling are minimized. When distal segments were completely severed in these preparations, leg use and muscle bursting were disrupted but could be restored if the stumps were pressed against the substrate. These results support the hypothesis that feedback from receptors in proximal leg segments indicating forces allows for active leg use in walking.
A note on the instability of embeddings of Cauchy-Riemann manifolds

We prove that there are compact strictly pseudoconvex CR manifolds, embedded into some Euclidean space, that admit small deformations that are also embeddable but their embeddings cannot be chosen close to the original embedding.
Control variates in nonlinear regression

Control variates can be applied to Monte Carlo sampling experiments to improve the precision of the results. This method is especially useful in statistical problems were low order approximators of a particular variate of interest are available and possibly several statistical properties of the variate are to be investigated. In this paper a control variate scheme based on the linear approximator s of the nonlinear parameter estimator (
Re‐visiting Kenneth Burke: Dramatism/logology and the problem of agency

In this essay we propose that the corpus of Kenneth Burkes work can be examined as an effort to grapple with the issues involved in what we will call the “problem of agency.” We argue that Burke oscillated between an affirmation of a voluntarist view of human action, with its related aesthetic theory of symbolic action, and multiple attempts to integrate action and motion within a symbolicity‐centered model of “practical” criticism. We conclude that the core problematic in his perspective on the problem of agency led him to end his career where he began, with an essentially aesthetic perspective on critical action.
The Drosophila Casein kinase Iε/δ Discs overgrown promotes cell survival via activation of DIAP1 expression

The proper number of cells in developing tissues is achieved by coordinating cell division with apoptosis. In Drosophila, the adult wing is derived from wing imaginal discs, which undergo a period of growth and proliferation during larval stages without much programmed cell death. In this report, we demonstrate that the Drosophila casein kinase Ie/δ, known as Discs overgrown (Dco), is required for maintaining this low level of apoptosis. Expression of dco can suppress the apoptotic activity of Head involution defective (Hid) in the developing eye. Loss of dco in the wing disc results in a dramatic reduction in expression of the caspase inhibitor DIAP1 and a concomitant activation of caspases. The regulation of DIAP1 by Dco occurs by a post-transcriptional mechanism that is independent of hid. Mutant clones of dco are considerably smaller than controls even when apoptosis is inhibited, suggesting that Dco promotes cell division/growth in addition to its role in cell survival. The dco phenotype cannot be explained by defects Wingless (Wg) signaling. We propose that Dco coordinates tissue size by stimulating cell division/growth and blocking apoptosis via activation of DIAP1 expression.
Expression of the hepatocyte growth factor and c‐MET genes during furan‐induced regenerative cell proliferation in the livers of B6C3F1 mice and F‐344 rats

. Chronic administration of furan has been reported to produce hepatocellular carcinomas in male and female mice and male rats and cholangiocarcinomas in male and female rats. The weight of evidence indicates that furan is not genotoxic and tumours appear to arise secondary to initiation and promotional events associated with furan-induced necrosis and regenerative cell proliferation. Identification of altered patterns of gene expression related to these events may provide insight into some of the underlying factors involved in this carcinogenic process. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, the protein product of the c-met oncogene, play an important role in regenerative growth of liver. These experiments examined the relationship between induced cell proliferation and expression of the HGF and c-met genes in liver after treatment with furan. Male rats were administered a single necrosis-inducing dose of furan, and male mice and male and female rats were treated daily with furan by gavage for up to six weeks under conditions of the cancer bioassay. Northern blot analysis of mRNA isolated from livers of those rats administered a single dose of furan detected a transient increase in expression in the HGF gene associated with the resulting wave of regenerative cell proliferation, but no increase in the expression of c-met. No increase in expression of either gene was detected in liver tissue from any of the animals treated for up to six weeks, even though elevated rates of regenerative hepatocyte proliferation were sustained. Thus, given the detection limits of the techniques used here, sustained increases in expression of these genes are not required to maintain the regenerative response.
Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Transient Electron Velocity Overshoot in GaN

We employ an optically detected time-of-flight technique with femtosecond resolution that monitors the change in the electroabsorption due to charge transport in an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction p-i-n diode to measure the electron velocity overshoot in GaN at room temperature. It has been found that electron velocity overshoot occurs at electric fields as low as 105 kV/cm, with the peak transient velocity increasing with E up to ∼320 kV/cm, at which field a peak velocity of 7.25 x 10 7 cm/s is attained within the first 200 fs after photoexcitation. At higher fields, the increase in transit time with increasing field suggests the onset of negative differential resistance due to intervalley transfer. The existence of transient velocity overshoot at fields lower than the calculated peak steady-state velocity suggests that it occurs while the electrons are primarily in the r valley. Full zone Monte Carlo calculations imply that the overshoot is associated more with band nonparabolicity in the Γ valley than with intervalley transfer at fields less than 325 kV/cm, and, in conjunction with theoretical calculations employing a semiclassical transport model, confirm the importance of this nonparabolicity for the determination of the temporal shape of the transient velocity overshoot curves.