cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ballistic electrons in a submicron structure: The distribution function and two valley effects

Abstract We have solved the Boltzman equation for a submicron N + -N - -N + GaAs structure within a two-valley model using energy-dependent relaxation times. Ballistic electrons produce a large peak in the velocity-distribution function throughout much of the N - region. Transfer of electrons from the lower to upper valley in the N - layer causes an accumulation of charge near the collecting N + region. Transfer of electrons back from the upper to the lower valley in the collecting N + region creates two new peaks in the distribution function which we call ballistic electron echoes.
Experimental Determination of the Energy Distribution Functions and Analysis of the Energy-Loss Mechanisms of Hot Carriers in p-Type Germanium

This paper contains a description of an experimental determination of the energy distribution functions of hot holes in germanium, and the application of the results to the analysis of the dominant scattering and energy-loss mechanisms. The distribution functions are obtained from the study of the modulation of the free-hole, intervalence-band absorption of infrared radiation by application of pulses of high electric field. Details of the distribution function can be obtained because a correlation exists between the absorption at a given wavelength and the hole concentration at a given energy. An auxiliary investigation of the temperature dependence of the equilibrium absorption spectrum empirically supplies the necessary calibrating relations for the above correlation and an approximate valence-band structure with equivalent spherical energy surfaces. The hot-carrier studies were made at field strengths up to 2800 V/cm, at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, on germanium samples with hole concentrations in the range of ${10}^{15}$/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. The infrared modulation effects are themselves of interest and the techniques are described in detail. Positive and negative modulation of transmitted intensity as high as 50% could be obtained. The dependence of the modulation (and distribution functions) on crystallographic direction, carrier concentration, and polarization of the light was investigated. Three features of the experimental distributions stand out: (a) the non-Maxwellian character, typified by the relatively small number of high-energy carriers, (b) the slow rise in average energy from 0.01 to 0.028 eV as the field strength is raised to 2000 V/cm, and (c) the large ratios of drift to root-mean-square velocity, $\frac{{v}_{\mathrm{d}}}{{v}_{\mathrm{rms}}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.4$ for Eg400 V/cm, corresponding to strong displacement of the hole distributions in momentum space. These features, together with energy-loss rate calculations, substantiate the importance of inelastic scattering and the dominant role of optical-phonon interactions. A picture of the steady-state hot-carrier effect emerges, emphasizing a cyclic streaming motion of holes in k space, in contrast to the usual diffusion formulation. Briefly indicated are some consequences of this picture regarding the relative population of light and heavy holes, the anisotropy of infrared absorption and hot-carrier mobility, and the efficiency of impact ionization of deeplying acceptors.
SU-FF-T-409: Simulation of the Risk of Developing a Second Cancer Due to the Scattered Radiation for Different Treatment Modalities at Different Sites

Purpose: Pediatric patients undergoing radiation therapy receive higher doses at organs and tissues lateral to the primary field edge and stand a higher risk of developing secondary cancers during the span of their longer post treatment lives. There is a concern in particular for modern treatment techniques, like IMRT or proton therapy. Consequently, we did extensive simulations on organ specific equivalent doses.Method and Materials: Age and gender specific whole‐body phantoms (an adult, a 9 month old male, a 4‐year old female, an 8‐year old female, an 11‐year old male, and a 14‐year old male) have been implement in Geant4 in order to determine the doses from the secondary radiation in patients undergoing proton and IMRTtreatments. We have used several fields planned for different treatment sites (head & neck, abdominal) to determine the secondary organdoses. Lifetime attributable risk (LAR) is also determined based on two risk models, namely, excess relative risk and excess absolute risk. Results: For passive scatteredproton therapy,neutron equivalent doses to various organs are dominated by the treatment head contribution for small fields and by the patient contribution for large fields. Passive scatteredproton therapy and scanned beam proton therapy were simulated separately. The maximum doseorgans received in the spinal field was 8.5mSv/Gy. Simulated LAR for passive scatteredproton therapy for an 8‐year old female and 11‐year old male patients for the lung are found to be 1.05% and 0.38%, respectively. Conclusions: We find the scattered photon and neutrondoses to various organs and tissues decrease with phantom age and it depends on the field size. Breast in female and lung/bronchi in male patients show the largest risk but also the baseline values for these organs are the highest. For most organ the risks are below the baseline risk.
The Dictionary of Gene Technology: Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Third, Revised and Enlarged Edition, Volumes 1 and 2. Günter Kahl. Weinheim, Federal Republic of Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2004, 1292 pp., $230.00, cloth. ISBN 3527307656.

This is a comprehensive dictionary containing a total of 9000 technical terms commonly used in molecular biology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, biotechnology, and other modern life sciences. With 2500 more entries more than its previous edition, the new two-volume dictionary strives to reflect recent developments and new concepts, procedures, processes, and technologies in these fields, such as whole genome amplification, nanotechnologies, and array-based genomic and proteomic methods, in addition to basic vocabularies in molecular cloning, genetic engineering, and PCR-based technologies. The Appendix includes useful resources such as units for nucleic acids and proteins and conversion factors; restriction enzymes with special characteristics; a comprehensive list of databases of genetic, genomic, and proteomic information; and a collection of scientific journals and their homepages. This dictionary should be a valuable reference for a broad range of users, including not only students and beginners but also experienced professionals, in all fields of …
The narrow-angle telescope for the visual imaging subsystem of the Mariner-Venus/Mercury /1973/ spacecraft

A high-performance narrow-angle telescope for the visual imaging subsystem of the Mariner-Venus/Mercury spacecraft was designed to provide high-resolution tele vision photography of the planets Venus and Mercury over a spectral band of 350 to 650 nm during the 1973 Mariner mission to the inner planets. The optical system was designed to meet specific performance requirements and tested after fabrication in flight configuration to ensure that the requirements were met. This paper describes the optical requirements of the telescope, the mechanical constraints placed on the design, the resulting optical system, and its performance in flight configuration.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Markov chains on completely regular semigroups

Abstract We develop a Markov chain model consisting of three parts: (1) An initial decision which once made is irrevocable, (2) A set T of transient states representing indecision, (3) A set { C Γ } of disjoint Markov chains representing divergent paths conditioned on the outcome of the initial choice. The method used to create this model is to utilize probabilities defined on algebraic structures. This concept gives a great deal of flexibility in terms of applications.
Examining the association between binge drinking and propensity to join the military.

ABSTRACTIt is unclear to what degree previous and/or current alcohol consumption predicts enlistment into the military. The current investigation explored the extent to which binge drinking was related to propensity to join the military among a national sample of high school seniors (n = 14,577) responding to the 2008 Monitoring the Future survey. Independent sample t-tests and logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the research question. Results indicated that twelfth grade students who intended to join the military after graduating from high school binge drank a significantly greater number of days (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = −0.22) than those not intending to enlist. Even after controlling for various sociodemographic and lifetime drinking characteristics, binge drinkers had a higher propensity to join the military (odds ratio = 1.079, Wald = 5.53, df = 1, p < 0.05) than those who did not binge. Moreover, as binge drinking increased, so did one's propensity to join the military. Our findings...
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction From Serial Sections For Medical Applications

Three-dimensional display algorithms using computer graphics are evaluated for potential clinical utilization. The authors are utilizing triangular tiles for organ surface reconstruction based on contour information generated from computed tomography (CT), ultrasound examinations, and nuclear medicine examinations. Comparisons have been established among several triangular tiling algorithms which include the number of points required to adequately specify the contours, computer execution time, and the errors in reconstruction. The triangular tiling algorithm provides a means for accurately estimating the volume and surface area of the desired anatomic sites. Examples of studies include brain lesions, computed tomography radiation treatment plans, spleen, and nuclear medicine slant hole camera studies.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Discriminating between a good and a poor essay.

Essays by graduate students were scored by two, sometimes three university professors. The resulting scores permitted the essays to be sorted into three groups: the very best, the very poorest, and all the rest. By use of the General Inquirer program it was found that the best and poorest essays could be sorted accurately from a mixed batch of essays from all three groups.
Responsiveness of the olfactory receptor cells in dog to some odors.

Abstract 1. 1. A preparation has been developed in the dog which allows recording the electrical activity from an olfactory nerve twig containing the axons of a small group of olfactory receptor cells. 2. 2. The dog's response to n -pentyl acetate is vigorous and stable, like that of other air-breathing animals. 3. 3. The dog's response magnitude dependence on the nasal flow rate was noticeable for n -pentyl acetates, but not so great as for n -butyric acid. The response to n -butyric acid strongly depends on the nasal flow. The start of the nasal air flow caused an increase of neural activity, which is called flow response. 4. 4. The results show that the nasal flow rate is a very important factor which determines the response to odors. 5. 5. Methyl p -hydroxybenzoate is known as a dog's pheromone, however, this odor caused the feeble response in the electrical activity of the dog's olfactory receptor cells. The differences may be dependent on several factors.
On functions defined by sums of products of Bessel functions

Various functions, defined as infinite series of products of Bessel functions of the first kind, are studied. Integral representations are obtained, and then used to deduce asymptotic approximations. Although several methods have been investigated (including power series expansions and integral transforms), methods based on Fourier series emerge as the most useful.
Left Breast Necrosis Following Cardiac Bypass Surgery

The following is a case report of left breast necrosis following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a woman previously treated for a stage I breast carcinoma. To our knowledge this is the first such report of its kind in the literature. We believe that breast tumor extirpation and internal mammary artery utilization in combination are not sufficient insults on the vascularity of the breast to account for necrosis, but rather we feel that a variety of conditions are necessary for vascular compromise to occur.
Discovery of MK-3697: a selective orexin 2 receptor antagonist (2-SORA) for the treatment of insomnia.

Orexin receptor antagonists have demonstrated clinical utility for the treatment of insomnia. The majority of clinical efforts to date have focused on the development of dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs), small molecules that antagonize both the orexin 1 and orexin 2 receptors. Our group has recently disclosed medicinal chemistry efforts to identify highly potent, orally bioavailable selective orexin 2 receptor antagonists (2-SORAs) that possess acceptable profiles for clinical development. Herein we report additional SAR studies within the ‘triaryl’ amide 2-SORA series focused on improvements in compound stability in acidic media and time-dependent inhibition of CYP3A4. These studies resulted in the discovery of 2,5-disubstituted isonicotinamide 2-SORAs such as compound 24 that demonstrated improved stability and TDI profiles as well as excellent sleep efficacy across species.
Comparison of three methods for measuring light absorption by collected aerosols

Three instruments for measuring absorption of visible light by atmospheric aerosols are compared: the visual comparator; plate diffuser; and photoacoustic spectrometer. Two versions of the photoacoustic spectrometer are tested, one built of acrylic plastic and the other of aluminum. One version of the visual comparator uses Millipore filters for a crucial reflective surface, another a mirror. Several materials collected on Nuclepore filters are used in the comparison. Laboratory generated samples consist of carbon and carbon overlaid with ammonium sulfate. Atmospheric aerosols were collected in Tucson and on an Arizona mountain peak. All methods give reasonably consistent results, even when applied to the lightly absorbing nonurban atmospheric samples.
Characterization of monoamine oxidase activity during early stages of quail embryogenesis

Abstract Catecholamines and other biogenic amines may play a role in early embryogenesis in addition to functioning as neurotransmitters after neuronal differentiation. Regulation of amine levels is mediated by several different parameters including activity levels of degradative enzymes. Since monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4) is the primary degradative enzyme for these biogenic amines, we have begun to characterize MAO activity during quail embryogenesis. Our results demonstrate that MAO activity is present at all stages of development examined (stages 2–22) and that the MAO specific activity levels are highest during the earliest stages (stages 2–6). Two types of MAO activity similar to adult avian and mammalian MAO-A and MAO-B have been demonstrated by differential clorgyline sensitivity of tryptamine deamination. In addition, SDS-PAGE of embryonic quail [ 3 H]pargyiine-labeled MAO demonstrates that the quail MAO-A and MAO-B flavin-containing subunits have apparent molecular weights of 63,000 and 62,000 respectively. We have begun to assess the functional significance of embryonic quail MAO activity by daily injection of MAO inhibitors (clorgyline or clorgyline plus deprenyl) into fertilized eggs. Clorgyline injection selectively and completely inhibited MAO-A activity, while injection of clorgyline and deprenyl inhibited both MAO-A and MAO-B activities when embryos were assayed after either 2 or 7 days of embryonic development. This paradigm will allow a detailed examination of the effects of MAO inhibition on the developing embryo.
Rain Measurement Results Derved from a Two-Polarzation Frequency-Diversity S-band Radar at Wallops Island, Virginia

A dual-polarization radar located at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia is described. This radar operates with a slow polarization switch having a cycle time of 0.7 s and also incorporates a frequency diversity technique to achieve independent sampling over short intervals of time. Rain-rate measurements derived from the dual-polarization radar and low-and high-resolution rain gauges located at a remote site are compared. Average percent differences in rainfall of less than 5 and 16 percent were demonstrated when comparing the dual-polarization radar measurement with the low-and high-resolution rain gauges, respectively. Excellent correlation of the rain rates was in evidence during one rain day. All rain measurement cases examined were limited to only light rain rates (less than 7 mm/h).
Mapping of the Hor-3 locus encoding D hordein in Barley.

The hordein storage proteins of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) are of intense interest due to their genetic diversity and prominence and impact on the industrial and agricultural uses of the seed. Two major hordein loci have been previously mapped on chromosome 5 (Hor-1 and Hor-2 encoding the C and B hordeins, respectively). A third major locus, Hor-3, which codes for D hordein, has been located in the centromeric region of chromosome 5, probably on the long arm. Two allelic variants with apparent molecular weights of 83,000 and 91,000 and similar isoelectric points of 8.0 comprise the products of this locus in the barley varieties ‘Advance’ and ‘Triple Awned Lemma’. The D hordein examined is similar in molecular weight and isoelectric point to the high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin proteins encoded by the 1B chromosome of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Songs of hybrid gibbons (Hylobates lar × H. muelleri)

Two hybrid offspring, one male and one female, were produced by a Hylobates muelleri female mated to a Hylobates lar male at Micke Grove Zoo, Lodi, California. Songs of the hybrids were studied at adulthood and compared to the parental-type songs. The hybrid female song is uniquely different from either parental type. The hybrid male song resembles the male song of H. lar, but contains an element that may be unique to H. muelleri. The study demonstrates the utility of sound-spectographic analysis of hybrid vocalizations to further understanding of primate behavioral inheritance.
Functional Properties of the Subtype of Insulin Receptor Found on Neurons

In this report, we have examined the structure, regulation, and function of insulin receptors in cultured neurons from fetal chicken brain. The apparent molecular weight of the alpha-subunit of neuronal insulin receptors, analyzed by photoaffinity labeling and sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, was 115,000. The number of insulin receptors in the cultures increased from day 2 to day 4 during a period of extensive process formation. After 5 days in culture, there were approximately 40,000 high-affinity insulin receptors per neuron. When neurons were photoaffinity labeled at 16 degrees C and then warmed to 37 degrees C for 30 min, approximately 40% of the cell-surface receptors were recovered in the intracellular, trypsin-insensitive pool. Chronic exposure of neurons to insulin (100 ng/ml) resulted in a time-dependent loss of neuronal insulin receptors with a maximal decrease of 50% after 24 h. Insulin had no effect on glucose transport, glucose oxidation, or glycogen synthase activity in neurons. On the other hand, insulin supported the growth and differentiation of a fraction of neurons isolated from chick forebrain. We conclude that (1) cultured neurons from fetal chicken brain express the same subtype of insulin receptor previously identified in adult rat and human brain, (2) the neuronal subtype of insulin receptor undergoes internalization and down-regulation in response to insulin, and (3) neuronal insulin receptors do not acutely regulate glucose metabolism but mediate growth in neurons.
Why are tumour blood vessels abnormal and why is it important to know

Tumour blood vessels differ from their normal counterparts for reasons that have received little attention. We report here that they are of at least six distinct types, we describe how each forms, and, looking forward, encourage the targeting of tumour vessel subsets that have lost their vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) dependency and so are likely unresponsive to anti-VEGF-A therapies.
How Design Quality Control can Help Engineering

Design quality control, when properly organized and carried out, helps the engineer to design products for optimum economy by giving him information that is not ordinarily available. Moreover, it teaches him additional elements of his craft in the form of applied statistics pertinent to local conditions.
Oxalic Acid Effects in Exudates of Sclerothinia trifoliorum and S. sclerotiorum and Potential Use in Selection

Sclerotinia crown and stem rot caused by Sclerofinia trifoliorum Eriks. or S. sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a serious problem on crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), berseem clover (T. alexandrinum L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in temperate climates. The inability to develop cultivars resistant to this disease indicates more detailed research is needed on factors causing disease by either fungus. The objectives of this study were to determine what deleterious effects fungal exudates have on the seed of these legumes and attempt to measure the importance of oxalic acid in the fungal exudates. The percent seed germination and length of germinated seedlings of four cultivars each of crimson clover, berseem clover, and alfalfa were measured in five environments
Moving from Flipcharts to the Flipped Classroom: Using Technology Driven Teaching Methods to Promote Active Learning in Foundation and Advanced Masters Social Work Courses

As part of a larger initiative to promote active learning at Case Western Reserve University, three faculty members (one field and two academic) participated in a year-long fellowship focusing on active instruction and academic technologies. The use of interactive technology and technology-based peer-to-peer active learning was considered a natural fit to the teaching of social work clinical practice skills; these techniques were designed to recognize students’ diverse learning styles and to promote hands-on application of practice skills in classroom and field settings. The following innovations were implemented. First, a foundation methods practice course was “flipped”—students viewed online lectures and instructional videos at their own pace prior to class, allowing classroom time to be reserved for collaborative work and case study exercises designed to engage students and deepen their understanding. Second, the Google Application Suite was used in both foundation and advanced masters courses to (a) help bridge the gap between field and classroom through case study dialogues with community practitioners using Google Hangouts video conferencing capability, (b) create an online and in-class learning community using Google+, and (c) promote student collaboration using Google Drive, Documents and Presentation. Third, the integration of newly designed interactive classroom learning spaces and collaborative technology was used to promote a pedagogical shift toward active learning. Implementation and evaluation of these approaches to teaching social work practice are presented.
The relaxation of a double-well energy

This paper studies coherent, energy-minimizing mixtures of two linearly elastic phases with identical elastic moduli. We derive a formula for the “relaxed” or “macroscopic” energy of the system, by identifying microstructures that minimize the total energy when the volume fractions and the average strain are fixed. If the stress-free strains of the two phases are incompatible then the relaxed energy is nonconvex, with “double-well structure”. An optimal microstructure always exists within the class of layered mixtures. The optimal microstructure is generally not unique, however; we show how to construct a large family of optimal, sequentially laminated microstructures in many circumstances. Our analysis provides a link between the work of Khachaturyan and Roitburd in the metallurgical literature and that of Ball, James, Pipkin, Lurie, and Cherkaev in the recent mathematical literature. We close by explaining why the corresponding problem for three or more phases is fundamentally more difficult.
Effect of Gallium Nitrate on Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis

Abstract Gallium nitrate (GN) has been shown to inhibit T cell-mediated inflammatory disease. The purpose of our study was to test the effect of gallium nitrate (GN) on experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). Experimental autoimmune uveitis was induced in male Lewis rats immunized with retinal S-antigen. Rats received subcutaneous injections of GN or saline one day prior to immunization and 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after immunization. Ocular inflammation was graded clinically and histologically by masked observers, and in vitro assays of cell-mediated and humoral immunity were performed. GN significantly inhibited the development of EAU graded clinically (P=0.001) and histologically (P=0.002). Treatment with GN also resulted in a small (30–41%) decrease in the lymphocyte responses to retinal S-Antigen and a small (12–37%) reduction in antibody production to S-antigen. These data show that GN suppresses the development of EAU, and inhibits both lymphocyte proliferative responses to antigen and antibody production.
Identification of tubby and tubby-like protein 1 as eat-me signals by phage display.

Abstract Phagocytosis is an important process for the removal of apoptotic cells or cellular debris. Eat-me signals control the initiation of phagocytosis and hold the key for in-depth understanding of its molecular mechanisms. However, because of difficulties to identify unknown eat-me signals, only a limited number of them have been identified and characterized. Using a newly developed functional cloning strategy of open reading frame (ORF) phage display, we identified nine putative eat-me signals, including tubby-like protein 1 (Tulp1). This further led to the elucidation of tubby as the second eat-me signal in the same protein family. Both proteins stimulated phagocytosis of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and macrophages. Tubby-conjugated fluorescent microbeads facilitated RPE phagocytosis. Tubby and Tulp1, but not other family members, enhanced the uptake of membrane vesicles by RPE cells in synergy. Retinal membrane vesicles of Tubby mice and Tulp1−/− mice showed reduced activities for RPE phagocytosis, which were compensated by purified tubby and Tulp1, respectively. These data reveal a novel activity of tubby and Tulp1, and demonstrate that unbiased identification of eat-me signals by the broadly applicable strategy of ORF phage display can provide detailed insights into phagocyte biology.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a complex of the FOXO1 and Ets1 DNA-binding domains and DNA

The Ets1 transcription factor is a member of the Ets protein family, a group of evolutionarily related DNA-binding transcriptional factors. Ets proteins activate or repress the expression of genes that are involved in various biological processes, including cellular proliferation, differentiation, development, transformation and apoptosis. FOXO1 is a member of the forkhead-box proteins (FOX proteins), which comprise a large family of functionally diverse transcription factors involved in cellular proliferation, transformation and differentiation. The FOXO subgroup of FOX proteins regulates the transcription of genes that control metabolism, cell survival, cellular proliferation, DNA damage responses, stress resistance and longevity. The DNA-binding domains (DBDs) of Ets1 and FOXO1 were crystallized in complex with DNA containing a composite sequence for a noncanonical forkhead binding site (AATAACA) and an ETS site (GGAA), FOX:ETS, by the sitting-drop vapor-diffusion method. The FOX:ETS motif has been shown to be a conserved cis-acting element in several endothelial cell-specific genes, including Vegfr2, Tie2, Mef2c and ve-cadherin. Crystals were grown at 291 K using 30% polyethylene glycol 400, 50 mM Tris pH 8.5, 100 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl2 as the reservoir solution. The crystals belonged to space group C2221, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.7, b = 104.9, c = 136.3 A. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.2 A.
Investigation of the Atmospheric Corrosion of Carbon Steel under the Conditions of Formation of Adsorption and Phase Moisture Films

Using eight-electrode electrochemical sensors of the rate of atmospheric corrosion, we study the specific features of the corrosion of carbon steel when adsorption and phase moisture films are formed. We have established that, with decrease in the air relative humidity from 100 to 80%, the corrosion rate falls down by almost three orders of magnitude: from 10−2 mm/yr to 10−5 mm/yr. The corrosion rate of carbon steel on a cooled surface at an air relative humidity of 100% is almost an order of magnitude lower than on a noncooled surface, but, at an air relative humidity of 80%, it is an order of magnitude higher. If the air relative humidity is 80%, then the moisture condensation on a cooled surface begins at a temperature of 50°C, whereas it is not observed on a noncooled surface. In crevices of height 1 mm, where the temperature of their bottom and top surfaces is lower than that of ambient air, the moisture condensation on the sensor surface begins at 40°C, which accelerates the corrosion processes.
Promotion of drop-by-drop condensation of steam from seawater on a vertical copper tube

A limited number of tests were made of promoters, their method of application, corrosion resistance, etc. The best promoter found to date is tetrakis octadecyl thio silane (C18H37S)4Si which differs only in parafinic chain length from (C12H25S)4Si which was found to be one of the best promoters for drop-by-drop condensation by Blackman and Dewar (1, 2), Hampson (2, 3), and Osment (4, 5). These compounds are nontoxic. The C18 compound appears to be superior to the C12 compound in that it is less volatile, lower melting (∼34°C), and appears to impart superior oxidation resistance to copper when adsorbed on clean oxide-free metal. Copper tubes can be rapidly cleaned in place by sulfur dioxide or hydrochloric acid in steam, or, if previously promoted by a thio silane, by treatment first with chlorine gas in steam. The thio silanes may be rapidly applied as a 1% solution in octanoic acid injected into the sea-water feed. The acid acts as cleaner and poor promoter, allowing the good promoter molecules to contact the metal tube. The amounts of the best promoters required are in the parts per billion range.
Role of the renin-angiotensin system in the development of hemodynamic and clinical tolerance to long-term prazosin therapy in patients with severe chronic heart failure.

Right heart catheterization was performed before and during long-term therapy with prazosin in 27 patients with severe chronic heart failure who underwent serial hemodynamic studies during 3 to 12 weeks of treatment with the drug. Doses of digoxin and furosemide remained constant during the trial; in addition, 11 of the 27 patients were assigned to concomitant therapy with spironolactone, while the remaining 16 patients did not receive the aldosterone antagonist. First doses of prazosin produced marked increases in cardiac index and marked decreases in mean arterial pressure, left ventricular filling pressure and systemic vascular resistance in both groups of patients (all p These data indicate that prazosin produces long-term hemodynamic and clinical benefits in only 30 to 40% of patients with severe chronic heart failure and do not support a role for the renin-angiotensin system in the development of tolerance to alpha-adrenergic blockade. This low response rate explains why most randomized double-blind trials of prazosin in heart failure have not been able to demonstrate a significant difference between patients treated with placebo and those receiving active drug.
Activation of R235A mutant orotidine 5′-monophosphate decarboxylase by the guanidinium cation: Effective molarity of the cationic side chain of Arg-235

The R235A mutation at yeast orotidine 5′-monophosphate decarboxylase (OMPDC) results in a 1300-fold increase in Km and a 14-fold decrease in kcat for decarboxylation of orotidine 5′-monophosphate, corresponding to a 5.8 kcal/mol destabilization of the transition state. There is strong activation of this mutant enzyme by added guanidinium cation (Gua+): 1 M Gua+ stabilizes the transition state by ca. 3 kcal/mol. This stabilization is due to the binding of Gua+ to the binary Emut·OMP complex, with a Kd of 50 mM, to form the 9-fold more reactive ternary Emut·OMP·Gua+ complex. The “effective molarity” of the cationic side chain of Arg-235 at the wild-type enzyme is calculated to be 160 M.
Dependence of collision-induced dissociation energy on molecular degrees of freedom as a means to assess relative binding affinity in multivalent complexes.

In collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry experiments, the collision energy required for dissociation linearly depends on the degrees of freedom in the precursor ion. The magnitude of the slope of this relationship previously has been shown to qualitatively correlate to the relative binding strength of a noncovalently bound, monovalent complex. The goal of the work presented here is to determine if a similar methodology can be applied for assessing relative binding strengths in multivalent species. We have tested the method on complexes formed from 18-crown-6 and a variety of protonated, primary alkylamines, [CnH2n+1NH3]+ (n = 9, 12, 14, 16 and 18) and alkyldiamines, [H3NCnH2nNH3]2+ (n = 3, 5, 6, 9 and 12), and compared our results with dissociation energies calculated using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G* level. We found that the method correctly assessed the stronger crown ether/headgroup interaction in the two divalent species (1:1 and 2:1 complexes formed from the diaminoalkanes) compared with the weaker interaction in the monovalent species (1:1 complexes formed from mono-aminoalkanes). However, the experimental method could not distinguish between the binding strengths of the two divalent complexes, perhaps because their calculated dissociation energies were quite similar. Our preliminary results suggest that this method could potentially be used for a quick and simple analysis of binding strengths in multivalent species if the binding strengths of the species are significantly different from one another. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
External Stabilization of Flail Chest Using Continuous Negative Extrathoracic Pressure

On rare occasions after total sternectomy, patients develop persistent flail chest deformities requiring long-term mechanical respiratory assistance. We report the use of a temporary external chest shell to deliver constant negative extrathoracic pressure (CNEP) to a long-term ventilated patient with flail chest. The patient's anterior thoracic cage stabilized, and significant improvement in pulmonary function was observed. With these data in hand, an operation was done to permanently stabilize the anterior chest wall by bone grafting.
Synergetic control of power converters for pulse current charging of advanced batteries from a fuel cell power source

This paper presents a synergetic controller for pulse current charging of advanced batteries from a fuel cell power source. Pulse current charging protocol that has been shown to have many advantages over the traditional constant current/constant voltage protocol is applied in a fuel cell powered battery-charging station to reduce the total charging time. Strong nonlinearity and dynamics exist in such systems. In this paper, the synergetic control approach is applied to regulate the buck converters that control the pulse charging currents to the many batteries. A practical synergetic controller to coordinate pulse current charging of the battery is synthesized and discussed. It provides asymptotic stability with respect to the required operating modes, invariance to load variations, and robustness to variation of the input and converter parameters. The synergetic controller is then implemented in Simulink. The dynamic characteristics of the synergetic controller are studied and compared with PI controller by conducting system simulation and experimental tests. Simulation and experiment results show the synergetic controller is robust for such nonlinear dynamic system and achieves better performance than the standard PI controller.
Cyclosporine therapy of central nervous system sarcoidosis.

With increasing numbers of patients covered under diagnostic-related group or prospective payment systems, there is mounting pressure to reduce the costs associated with caring for patients while maintaining the quality of care. New, broad-spectrum, parenteral antimicrobial agents are a prime target for cost control. The availability of an orally administered drug that is effective in a variety of serious infections would have a significant impact on cost reduction in hospitals. A significant proportion of the cost of parenteral drug therapy is associated with labor, supplies, and equipment. An orally administered drug would obviate these costs. Additionally, iatrogenic problems associated with parenteral therapy (e.g., phlebitis) would be avoided, the quantities of expensive parenteral drugs purchased might be reduced, and the duration of hospitalization for selected diseases such as osteomyelitis would probably decrease. Finally, the ease of oral administration may allow longer courses of therapy for resistant infections than have heretofore been possible. Oral ciprofloxacin and similar compounds present both opportunities and challenges for pharmacists. The fiscal impact may be beneficial for the hospital in terms of cost reductions for drug purchases and in expediting discharge for prolonged courses of outpatient therapy. The magnitude of cost reductions will vary substantially depending upon the types of patients and infections managed in a given institution. The challenge for pharmacists is to assure that these valuable compounds, as well as all antimicrobial agents, are appropriately utilized to avoid the offsetting costs of adverse effects, superinfection, unnecessary use, and the development of resistance.
Prohibitin Facilitates Cellular Senescence by Recruiting Specific Corepressors To Inhibit E2F Target Genes

Prohibitin is a growth regulatory gene that has pleiotropic functions in the nucleus, mitochondria, and cytoplasmic compartments. Earlier studies had proposed a role for prohibitin in modulating cellular senescence, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show that senescence induced by DNA-damaging agents causes the localization of prohibitin to specific heterochromatic foci. Prohibitin could bind to heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family proteins and colocalized with HP1gamma in senescence-associated heterochromatic foci. Further, HP1gamma could synergize with prohibitin to repress E2F1-mediated transcriptional activity. The depletion of prohibitin by small interfering RNA or antisense techniques led to a reduction in the senescent phenotype, correlating with a reduced expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase and fewer numbers of senescence-associated heterochromatic foci. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that prohibitin is needed for the recruitment of HP1gamma to E2F1-regulated proliferative promoters, leading to their repression. The ablation of prohibitin prevented the recruitment of HPIgamma, but not Suv39H, to the promoters upon senescence. Prohibitin-mediated recruitment of HP1gamma occurred in only senescent cells, not in quiescent cells; thus, there is a dichotomy in the recruitment of different corepressors by prohibitin, depending on the type of growth arrest. These studies show that prohibitin plays a vital role in inducing cellular senescence.
Enabling data-intensive biomedical science: gaps, opportunities, and challenges.

The challenges of data-intensive computing have been summarized (Gorton et al., 2008) as ‘‘managing and processing exponentially growing data volumes, often arriving in time-sensitive streams from arrays of sensors and instruments’’ and ‘‘significantly reducing data analysis cycles so that researchers can make timely decisions.’’ The management of such data requires integrated services for the (high-speed) transfer, storage, indexing, and retrieval of data. Enabling technologies for data management are under active development and investigation (including high-speed networks such as those studied by GENI (http://www.geni.net/), high-performance file systems and semantic ontologies for data access). In addition to existing cluster-based highperformance computing solutions, data-intensive cloud programming environments (e.g., MapReduce and Dryad) are emerging technologies that show promise. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) has supported data-intensive science projects in the physical sciences [e.g., ALICE—A Large Ion Collider Experiment (http://www .osc.edu/press/releases/2010/supercollider.shtml)] and the environmental sciences [e.g., ASR—Arctic System Reanalysis (http://www.osc.edu/press/releases/2007/bromwich.shtml)]. In biomedical sciences, OSC is actively supporting dataintensive biomedical research groups located at the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) at The Ohio State University’s Medical Center as well as those at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (RINCH). These organizations contain a number of core facilities, common laboratories providing analysis to a collection of research and clinical groups. Currently, OSC is engaged with the following core facilities at the CCC:
Synthesis of an iodine-125-labeled retinoid

The carrier-free synthesis of 4-(5′,6′,7′,8′-tetrahydro-4′-[125I]iodo-5′,5′,8′,8′-tetramethyl-2′-anthracenyl)benzoic acid (4′-[125I]TTAB) is described. Site specific radioiodination was accomplished by electrophilic destannylation of the tri(n-butyl)tin analog of the retinoid with Na125I and chloramine-T. 4′-[125I]TTAB (33 μCi, 1.65% radiochemical yield based on Na125I consumed) was purified by reversedphase HPLC.
Faculty Motivators and De-motivators for Teaching Online: Results of Focus Group Interviews at One University

What are the most significant factors that motivate and inhibit faculty with regard to teaching in online environments? And what are the specific kinds of experiences that underlie and explain the importance of these factors? Exploring these questions through structured focus group discussions is the primary goal of this study. The second goal is to provide insight regarding how to engage and retain a larger number of faculty in online teaching. This paper describes the methods and results of a pilot study conducted using focus group interviews of faculty experienced in teaching using "asynchronous learning networks" (ALN) at one university. Leading motivators are the flexibility allowed by being able to teach "anytime/anywhere;" better/more personal interaction and community building supported by the medium; the technical and creativity challenges offered by this mode of teaching; being able to reach more (and more diverse) students; and better course management. Major sources of dissatisfaction are more work, medium limitations, lack of adequate support and policies for teaching online, and the fact that the medium is not a good fit for some students
The thymine-thymine pyrimidine-pyrimidone(6-4) ultraviolet light photoproduct is highly mutagenic and specifically induces 3' thymine-to-cytosine transitions in Escherichia coli.

Abstract We have constructed single-stranded, M13-based vectors that contain a specifically located thymine-thymine pyrimidine-pyrimidone(6-4) UV photoproduct and have used these to estimate the frequency and accuracy of DNA replication past this adduct in uvrA6 cells of Escherichia coli. Both the normal and the Dewar valence photoisomer of the (6-4) adduct were studied. In the absence of SOS induction, vectors carrying the photoproducts were rarely replicated; relative to the lesion-free control, 1.9% of vectors carrying the normal (6-4) isomer produced plaques, and with the Dewar valence isomer the proportion was 0.4%. In SOS-induced cells, these frequencies rose to 22.1% and 12.3%, respectively. The error frequency of replication past the normal isomer in SOS-induced cells was high; in a random sample of 185 progeny phage analyzed, 169 (91%) contained mutations, all of which were targeted. Equally striking, a high proportion of the mutations (158/169; 93%) were of only one type, namely 3' T----C transitions. Both the error frequency and the specificity were much reduced with the Dewar valence isomer; overall, 74/140 (53%) of the phage analyzed were mutant, and of these only 34 (46%) entailed the 3' T----C transition. We speculate that the high error frequency and specificity arise from the formation of a stable T-G base pair, involving hydrogen bonds at O-2 and N-3 in the pyrimidone ring. Potential hydrogen bonds at these sites are coplanar in the normal but not in the Dewar isomer, perhaps explaining the reduced specificity of mutagenesis with the latter adduct.
The IBM 2004 conversational telephony system for rich transcription

This paper describes the technical advances in IBM's conversational telephony submission to the DARPA-sponsored 2004 rich transcription evaluation (RT-04). These advances include a system architecture based on cross-adaptation; a new form of feature-based MPE training; the use of a full-scale discriminatively trained full covariance Gaussian system; the use of septaphone cross-word acoustic context in static decoding graphs; and the incorporation of 2100 hours of training data in every system component. These advances reduced the error rate by approximately 21% relative, on the 2003 test set, over the best-performing system in last year's evaluation, and produced the best results on the RT-04 current and progress CTS data.
Removal versus fragmentation of amyloid-forming precursors via membrane filtration.

The presence of even minute amounts of protein aggregates in solution can significantly alter the kinetics of amyloid formation. Removal of such pre-existing aggregates is critical for reproducible analysis of amyloid formation. Here we examine the effects of membrane filtration on insulin fibrillization. We find that filtration of insulin with large pore membranes (≥100 nm) generally slows fibril formation relative to unfiltered solutions by removing pre-aggregated protein. Unexpectedly, filtration with small pore membranes (<100 nm) showed no beneficial effect and, in some cases, accelerated insulin fibril formation. This effect may be due to fragmentation of pre-existing aggregates during filtration through small pore membranes, which can increase the number of amyloid-forming precursors. These findings reveal the complexity of removing protein aggregates via filtration and suggest optimal filtration protocols for conducting fibril formation analysis of insulin and similar amyloidogenic proteins. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:840–845. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.