cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A validation study of new cryopreservation bags for implementation in a blood and marrow transplant laboratory.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies require blood and marrow stem cell laboratories to process cellular products according to specific regulations that apply current good tissue practice.1,2 These regulations stipulate that a change to a process shall be verified and validated by the laboratory before the implementation of the practice change. Validation and verification serves to ensure that a system change does not create an adverse impact anywhere in the operation.1 Furthermore, as a result of market forces, material and production changes might present with or without notice to the end user. Laboratory processes may need to adapt not only to patient care challenges, but also to economic diversity. One process change that a laboratory may encounter is converting from one cryopreservation storage material to another. Our blood and marrow transplant (BMT) program faced the discontinuation of the current cryopreservation bags used to store peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs), marrow, and donor lymphocytes. After selection of the new cryopreservation bag, a validation plan was drafted and approved. Validation was performed according to the laboratory quality plan. The complete process of validation and verification spanned several years as data were collected and studied. The transplant program medical director, laboratory director, and laboratory quality supervisor all approved the validation plan and participated in data and quality review.
Variations in age-0 pollock distribution among eastern Bering Sea nursery areas: A comparative study through acoustic indices

Abstract Cohort abundance of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is subject to strong interannual variation in the eastern Bering Sea, and this variation is known to be determined largely at the age-0 stage. We estimated the spatial distributions and densities of age-0 walleye pollock in five nursery areas around the eastern Bering shelf in three successive years (1997–1999) from acoustic survey data. Concurrently, we calculated estimates of the spatial distribution of euphausiids, a major prey of age-0 walleye pollock, and estimates of spatial overlap of groundfish predators with the age-0 walleye pollock. The analyses showed that all nursery areas had low densities of age-0 walleye pollock in 1997, which ultimately produced the weakest adult year-class. In the intermediate year of 1998, age-0 densities were low to medium, and in 1999, which produced the strongest of the three adult year-classes, all nursery areas had medium to high age-0 walleye pollock densities. Euphausiid distributions had a consistently positive spatial relationship with age-0 walleye pollock. Groundfish predator density ratios were positively related to age-0 walleye pollock density when age-0 walleye pollock were displaced relatively northward. Our results suggest that abundance of age-0 walleye pollock, and hence of adult cohorts in the eastern Bering Sea, can be predictable from a concise set of indicators: the densities of age-0 walleye pollock at nursery areas in mid- to late-summer, their spatial relationship to euphausiids and groundfish predators, and the latitudinal trend of their distributions. The 3 years 1997–1999 had significant differences of physical conditions in the eastern Bering Sea, and represent an advantageous framework for testing these hypotheses.
The presence of the APPSWE mutation in mice does not increase the vulnerability of cholinergic basal forebrain neurons to neuroinflammation

Abstract Neuroinflammation, and elevated levels of inflammatory proteins, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, and the deposition of β-amyloid may interact to contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. We reproduced a component of the neuroinflammatory state within the basal forebrain cholinergic system, a region that is vulnerable to degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, of transgenic Tg2576 mice that express the Swedish double mutation of the human amyloid precursor protein (APPswe). We have previously shown that basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are selectively vulnerable to the consequences of neuroinflammation. In the current study, tumor necrosis factor-α was infused into the basal forebrain region of APPswe and nontransgenic control mice for 20 days with the expectation that the presence of the transgene would enhance the loss of cholinergic neurons. Chronic infusion of tumor necrosis factor-α significantly decreased cortical choline acetyltransferase activity, reduced the number of choline acetyltransferase-immunoreactive cells and increased the number of activated astrocytes and microglia within the basal forebrain. The presence of the APPswe gene did not enhance the vulnerability of forebrain cholinergic neurons to the chronic neuroinflammation. Furthermore, combined treatment of these mice with memantine demonstrated that the neurotoxic effects of tumor necrosis factor-α upon cholinergic cells did not require the activation of the N-methyl- d -aspartate receptors. In contrast, we have previously shown that memantine was able to provide neuroprotection to cholinergic forebrain neurons from the consequences of exposure to the inflammogen lipopolysaccharide. These results provide insight into the mechanism by which neuroinflammation may selectively target specific neural systems during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The impact of West European trade strategies on exports to Eastern Europe

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which West European countries have utilized diplomacy and reductions in trade barriers to improve their export performance in East European markets during the 1960's. Equal-price export shares of 7 West European countries are estimated by means of an econometric model, and their behavior over time and among importing regions is related to the commercial and foreign policies of the exporters. Our results demonstrate that East European import decisions have been significantly influenced both by changes in western commercial policies and by diplomatic initiatives such as DeGaulle's effort at detente with the Soviet Union. Our results also indicate that elasticities of substitution in East-West trade are significantly lower than those in trade among western countries.
Bounded governance within extended order: The Confucian advantage of synergy under generalized constitutional rules

A constitutional explanation of the economic dynamism of the East Asian Confucian economies is proposed. The main hypothesis is that the synergy between the extended order of generalized rules, first introduced by Western civilization, and the bounded governance of Confucian societies has produced a comparative cultural and institutional advantage for the five tigers in East Asia. As a pure form, the extended order, represented in Western society by a system of private property rights, a system of impersonal and generalized markets and a formal-rational system of law and administration, is far more efficient than the bounded governance of Confucian societies in the East Asia, which is characterized by the particularistic human relations and familistic, clannish, and other forms of personal ties and connections. Nevertheless, once a linkage to the extended order is established—overcoming the limits of personal exchange—Confucian ethics can support the bounded governance structures of clans, networks, communities, and familistic corporations that are effective in governing those complex tasks in which property rights are difficult to divide and allocate, individual performance is difficult to measure, and complete contract is either difficult to make or hard to enforce.
Monitoring LSO/LYSO Crystal Based Calorimeters

Precision light monitoring is important for keeping excellent energy resolution promised by LSO/LYSO crystals in severe radiation environment. In this paper, we report an investigation on the wavelength choice for monitoring LYSO crystal based calorimeters. Gamma-ray induced absorption and light output loss were measured for 20 cm long crystals from five different vendors. Monitoring sensitivity and divergence between crystals from different vendors were investigated. The pros and cons of two monitoring approaches using emission and excitation light and their practical implementation for a LYSO/W Shashlik test beam matrix are discussed.
A dynamically regulated levitation electrometer used in a search for fractional charges

Abstract We have developed a levitation electrometer based on the dynamic magnetic suspension method of Beams. The electrometer was used to measure the residual charge of twelve small (0.2 mm diam.) steel balls. A charge distribution was found that was suggestive of the existence of fractional charges. The systematic errors that could have caused such a distribution are discussed.
A planetary environment and analysis chamber (PEACh) for coordinated Raman–LIBS–IR measurements under planetary surface environmental conditions

A planetary environment and analysis chamber (PEACh) has been developed at Washington University in St. Louis, in order to perform in situ multiple spectroscopic measurements on geological samples under relevant planetary environmental conditions and to support future planetary missions, with particular interest on Mars. The pressure in the chamber can range from ambient to 3 × 10−2 mbar. The simulated atmospheric composition and pressure are regulated via a combination of needle and ball valves connecting the chamber with containers filled with premixed gas. The temperature of the samples can be controlled in a range from ambient to − 100 °C. The in situ analytical techniques implemented (and to be implemented) are laser Raman spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), near-IR reflectance spectroscopy, mid-IR attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, and microscopic imaging. The coordinated spectroscopic sensing on the same geological sample under well-controlled atmospheric conditions in the PEACh establishes a way to link the results from the laboratory experiments to the spectral data obtained by landed and orbital planetary exploration missions, which will facilitate understanding the surface processes by which mineral phases occur and their association with atmospheric changes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The purification and properties of an α-glucoside of Saccharomyces italicus Y1225

Abstract The purification and properties of α-glucosidase from Saccharomyces italicus Y1225 have been studied. The enzyme hydrolyzes α- D -glucosides to glucose and the aglycone alcohol. The pH optimum is 6.6–6.8. The purified enzyme has a broad specificity against alkyl- and aryl-α- D -glucosides but a restricted specificity against holosides. α- D -thioglucosides are complexants but not substrates of the enzyme. The enzyme is activated by sulfhydryl agents but not by K+, Na+, NH4+ or Li+, it is inhibited by amines at alkaline pH, sensitive to heavy metals, and inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodoacetate. The inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate and by Tris are both competitive with substrate. The pKM-pH plots suggest that substrate hydrolysis involves an ionizable group of pKa 6.6–6.8. The molecular weight of α-glucosidase is approximately 85,000.
The identification and management of drug-seeking behavior in a medical center

We describe the development of a quality assurance program that monitors prescription medication misuse in a medical setting. The program focuses on patient activities that influence physician prescribing of abusable medications. Seven defining criteria have been developed to judge the presence of drug seeking by patients. When appropriate, a drug-seeking label is attached to the patient's chart and the hospital computer information system. The warning informs the physician and protects the patient from excessive medications.
Quantitative study of the decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on metal oxides at room temperature and above

The adsorption and decomposition reactions of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on a commercial γ-Al2O3, a γ-Al2O3-supported iron oxide, and a sol−gel-prepared alumina have been examined at temperatures from 25 to 400 °C. The capacities of these solids for the decomposition of DMMP have been measured, and the identities and amounts of the decomposition products determined over the entire temperature range. The alumina surfaces yield higher total amounts of decomposition products than the supported iron oxide material, with the sol−gel alumina showing very high activity. When corrected for surface area, however, the supported iron oxide material shows an activity equal to that of the γ-Al2O3 support. The sol−gel alumina shows a higher activity at all temperatures up to saturation of the surface, presumably because of the presence of transitional phases that yield more reactive surface sites. At 25 °C, the commercial γ-Al2O3 shows a total decomposition capacity of 117 μmol/g, the alumina-supported iron oxid...
Structural features of the minimal DNA binding domain (M98-F219) of human nucleotide excision repair protein XPA

XPA, an essential protein in nucleotide excision repair (NER), interacts with damaged DNA and other proteins (RPA, ERCC1 and TFIIH) to remove a wide variety of chemically and structurally distinct DNA lesions from the eukaryotic genome. To understand the structural basis for the role of XPA in the repair process, the structure of the minimal DNA binding domain of human XPA [XPA-MBD (M98-F219)] was studied by NMR spectroscopy. A three-dimensional structure for XPA-MBD was generated using distance geometry and simulated annealing methods from NOE-based distance restraints, hydrogen bond and Zn-S distance restraints, and dihedral restraints. The structure calculations indicate that XPA-MBD contains elements of well-defined secondary structure interspaced with disordered loops organized into two non-interactive sub-domains: a zinc-binding core (D101-K137) and a loop-rich domain (L138-F219). The zinc-associated core contains an antiparallel beta-sheet (Y102-C105 and K110-M113) and an alpha-helix (C126-K137) separated by a poorly defined turn, reminiscent of the structure of the zinc-binding domain of the chicken erythroid transcription factor GATA-1 when bound to its cognate DNA sequence. The loop-rich domain contains a triple-strand antiparallel beta-sheet (L138-T140, L182-M178 and K163-K167), three loops (K151-L162, N169-D177 and Q208-F219) and three alpha-helices (K141-L150, K183-W194 and Q197-R207). The XPA-MBD structure is discussed in terms of known functions: binding single- and double-stranded DNA and binding RPA.
Middle Cretaceous ash-flow tuff and caldera-collapse deposit in the Minarets Caldera, east-central Sierra Nevada, California

A 2.3-km section of ash-flow tuff and associated caldera-collapse deposit, representing the extrusive facies of part of the Sierra Nevada batholith, is totally exposed from its floor to its top in the Minarets Caldera, east-central Sierra Nevada. Rapid burial and subsequent hornblende hornfels facies metamorphism resulted in remarkable preservation of primary textures and structures, despite the development of cleavage domains in parts of the caldera fill; late Tertiary uplift and Quaternary erosion have produced a rugged terrain where every meter of section is available for study. Large-scale caldera-filling eruption of ash-flow tuff was interrupted by emplacement of a wedge-shaped mass of caldera-collapse deposit as much as 2 km thick, whose volume exceeded 70 km 3 . Individual clasts in the caldera-collapse deposit range to as much as 1.8 km across and include a wide variety of andesitic to rhyoliic lavas and related volcaniclastic rocks, remnants of a precaldera volcanic field that was probably much more extensive than the caldera itself. The caldera-fill sequence rests with angular unconformity on a rugged surface eroded into older volcanic rocks; the sequence is capped by bedded volcaniclastic rocks, including delicately laminated tuffs of probable caldera lake origin. The total aerial extent of the Minarets Caldera is not known, but the area studied, plus scattered pendants of ash-flow tuff and associated volcaniclastic rocks to the west, defines a 30- x 22-km elliptical area that may approximate its original shape. The caldera fill is invaded by a body of quartz monzonite porphyry, locally miarolitic,that was probably emplaced during an episode of caldera resurgence.
Annual Progress Reports: An Effective Way to Improve Graduate Student Communication Skills

A perennial problem in engineering education is the development of communication skills that allow students to present their ideas clearly and effectively. At Iowa State University, a cooperative program has been set up to provide one-on-one mentoring in communication skills for graduate students participating in the Power Affiliates Program. Graduate student research is funded on an annual basis by a consortium of utility companies. A system comprising a seminar and individual consultation assists students in preparing their required annual progress reports for their spring symposium. Students in the program for several years show improvement in their writing skills and their understanding of communication processes.
Dynamic provisioning in multi-tenant service clouds

Cloud-based systems promise an on-demand service provisioning system along with a “pay-as-you-use” policy. In the case of multi-tenant systems this would mean dynamic creation of a tenant by integrating existing cloud-based services on the fly. Presently, dynamic creation of a tenant is handled by building the required components from scratch. Although multi-tenant systems help providers save cost by allocating multiple tenants to the same instance of an application, they incur huge reconfiguration costs. Cost and time spent on these reconfiguration activities can be reduced by re-constructing tenants from existing tenant configurations supported by service providers. Multi-tenant cloud-based systems also lack the facility of allowing clients to specify their requirements. Giving clients the flexibility to specify requirements helps them avoid spending an excessive amount of time and effort looking through a list of services, many of which might not be relevant to them. Moreover, dynamic provisioning in the cloud requires an integrated solution across the technology stack (software, platform and infrastructure) combining functional, non-functional and resource allocation requirements. Existing research works in the area of web service matching, although numerous, still fall short, since they usually consider each requirement type in isolation and cannot provide an integrated solution. To that end, in this paper we investigate the features needed for dynamic service provisioning on the cloud. We propose a novel User Interface-Tenant Selector-Customizer (UTC) model and approach, which enables cloud-based services to be systematically modeled and provisioned as variants of existing service tenants in the cloud. Our approach considers functional, non-functional and resource allocation requirements, which are explicitly specified by the client via the user interface component of the model. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first such integrated approach. We illustrate our ideas using a realistic running example, and also present a proof-of-concept prototype built using IBM’s Rational Software Architect modeling tool. We also present experimental results demonstrating the applicability of our matching algorithm. Our results show significant reduction in matching time with the help of an elimination process that reduces the search space needed for performing matching.
Modeling molecular interactions to understand spatial crowding effects on heterodimer formations

Molecular crowding occurs when the density of interacting molecules in some reaction system is sufficient to create deviations from traditional mass-action models of chemistry in diffusive systems. While there is a great deal of theory on the influence of molecular crowding on biochemistry in vivo, the effects are highly dependent on specific assumptions about the shapes, volumes, and diffusion properties of the components of an individual system and are thus difficult to predict from first principles. In this study, we use lattice Monte Carlo simulations to examine the effects on a reaction system for two limiting cases of the diffusion behavior of inert crowding agents. In cells, inert molecules might diffuse throughout a solute along with the reactant species by passive diffusion or may be anchored at fixed positions within the solute. We investigate the relative contributions of the two models to crowding effects by examining moving inert particles versus stationery inert particles on the kinetics of a heterodimer assembly system. The two models of inert crowding agents resulted in highly divergent effects on the reactant system. Stationary particles exhibited a bimodal response in the reaction rate curve that was a function of copy number and spatial arrangement and which accelerated the process at conditions not unlike those found in cellular environments. On the other hand, moving inert particles created a well mixed background that had no effect on the reaction process even under extremely compacted conditions. These results may have applications in developing more realistic simulations of reaction chemistry in crowded environments such as living cells.
The fungicide propiconazole interferes with embryonic development of the crustacean Daphnia magna

Propiconazole is a fungicide used in a variety of agricultural applications. Preliminary studies had suggested that embryos of the crustacean Daphnia magna are particularly susceptible to the toxicity of this chemical. The goals of the present study were to define endpoints of daphnid embryonic development that could be routinely used to assess the embryo toxicity of chemicals and to characterize definitively the embryo toxicity of propiconazole to daphnids. Daphnid embryonic development was characterized into six readily distinguishable stages based on the degree of tissue differentiation. Embryonic development could be monitored either in the brood chamber of the maternal organism or using embryos removed from the brood chamber and incubated ex vivo. Standard toxicity assessment revealed that propiconazole elicited no significant adverse effects on daphnid survival or fecundity during a 21-d exposure to concentrations as high as 0.25 mg/L. Exposure to 0.25 mg/L propiconazole, however, caused a significant incidence of developmental abnormalities and embryonic death. Abnormalities were consistent with developmental arrest at later stages of embryonic maturation. Propiconazole elicited a steep concentration-response curve with respect to embryo toxicity, with a 10% and a 90% incidence of embryo toxicity measured at 0.50 and 0.82 mg/L, respectively. Direct exposure of embryos to propiconazole resulted in toxicity, though the incidence and characteristics of developmental abnormalities were not consistent with that observed during chronic exposures. However, maternal exposure to propiconazole followed by transfer of early embryos to propiconazole-free media resulted in embryo toxicity consistent with that observed during chronic exposure. These results indicate that propiconazole interferes with the later stages of daphnid embryonic development, and that this toxicity is manifested largely via maternal exposure to the fungicide.
Study of the therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer (STEP): Study design and research methods

Background The effect of intercessory prayer (IP) on outcome in cardiac cases has been evaluated previously, but results are controversial. The goals of the Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) are to evaluate the effects of receipt of additional study IP and awareness of receipt of additional study IP on outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. STEP is not designed to determine whether God exists or whether God does or does not respond to IP. Methods STEP is a multicenter, controlled trial of 1802 patients in 6 US hospitals, randomized to 1 of 3 groups. Two groups were informed that they may or may not receive 14 consecutive days of additional IP starting the night before coronary artery bypass graft surgery; Group 1 received IP, Group 2 did not. A third group (Group 3) was informed that they would receive additional IP and did so. Three mainstream religious sites provided daily IP for patients assigned to receive IP. At each hospital, research nurses blinded to patient group assignment reviewed medical records to determine whether complications occurred, on the basis of the Society for Thoracic Surgeons definitions. A blinded nurse auditor from the Coordinating Center reviewed every study patient's data against the medical record before release of study forms. Results The STEP Data and Safety Monitoring Board reviewed patient safety and outcomes in the first 900 study patients. Patients were enrolled in STEP from January 1998 to November 2000. (Am Heart J 2002;143:577-84.)
Normal incidence sound transmission through double-panel systems lined with relatively stiff, partially reticulated polyurethane foam

Abstract In this paper we present calculations of the normal incidence sound transmission performance of double-panel structures when lined with an elastic porous material, in particular, polyurethane foam. The predictions have been made using a theory for one-dimensional wave propagation in elastic porous media that makes allowance for two longitudinal wave-types, i.e. airborne and frame-borne waves. The boundary conditions that occur at foam surfaces in noise control treatments are then discussed in detail. To make the theory representative of typical noise control foams, certain parameters of the theoretical model (the bulk modulus, the loss factor, the flow resistivity and the structure factor) were determined by matching the theoretical and measured transmission impulse responses of an unfaced foam layer. The transmission impulse response measurements also clearly revealed the presence of both the airborne and frame-borne waves predicted by the theory. Theoretical predictions of the transmission loss of foam-lined double panels are then presented; the configurations considered were chosen to simulate aircraft fuselage treatments. The most important conclusion drawn from the theoretical predictions is that the foam-panel boundary conditions have a substantial effect on the composite panel performance. In addition, it is shown that a lining arrangement in which the foam is bonded directly to one panel, but is separated from the other by a thin air gap, appears to be optimum under practical circumstances. That configuration minimizes the effect of the ‘mass-air-mass’ resonance that usually impairs the low-frequency transmission loss, and offers good performance at higher frequencies.
Evidence for adsorption of Fe(CN)63−/4− on gold using the indirect laser-induced temperature-jump method☆

Abstract The addition of K 3 Fe(CN) 6 and K 4 Fe(CN) 6 to a 1 M KF solution is shown to effect a significant change in the response of the open-circuit potential to a rapid change in the interfacial temperature. Using the indirect laser-induced temperature-jump (ILIT) method the interfacial temperature can be changed in a few nanoseconds—fast enough so that electron transfer between the electrode and Fe(CN) 6 3−/4− (adsorbed or in the bulk) does not have time to occur. The only explanation for a change in the ILIT response is that the Fe(CN) 6 3−/4− adsorbs on the gold surface and effects a change in the structure, and therefore the thermal response, of the double layer.
Odd order groups with the rewriting property Q3

Let n be an integer greater than 1, and let G be a group. A subset {x 1, x 2, ..., x n } of n elements of G is said to be rewritable if there are distinct permutations \( \pi \) and \( \sigma \) of {1, 2, ..., n} such that¶¶\( x_{\pi(1)}x_{\pi(2)} \ldots x_{\pi(n)} = x_{\sigma(1)}x_{\sigma(2)} \ldots x_{\sigma(n)}. \)¶¶A group is said to have the rewriting property Q n if every subset of n elements of the group is rewritable. In this paper we prove that a finite group of odd order has the property Q 3 if and only if its derived subgroup has order not exceeding 5.
Durkheim's Theory of Suicide as Applied to the Family: An Empirical Test

Durkheim's theory of suicide has long been the dominant influence on the sociological study of suicide. But studies of suicide within the Durkheimian tradition have been discontinuous, preventing cumulative theoretical advance. The discontinuity is partly due to researchers' failure to base their work on a comprehensive, intersubjective interpretation of Suicide. We base our study on Pope's recent, systematic analysis of Suicide. Using contemporary methods of analysis and the best available data on the family, we conclude that though there are significant exceptions, Durkheim's theory gets strong empirical support. We also assess the amount of variance in social suicide rates that is explained by Durkheim's independent variables. Marital-familial status (Durkheim's most important variable) is important. But sex, which he treated in an ad hoc, post-factum way, is even more important. We conclude by reassessing Durkheim's theory and identifying topics for further research. Durkheim's Suicide has been important to the sociological study of deviance (Nisbet, a) and has been the dominant influence on the sociological study of suicide. Although many suicidologists feel that Durkheim has long since been superseded and Maris spoke of "putting Durkheim to bed" (xi), we believe that "continuity can be achieved only by focusing on the leading theory-Durkheim's" (Gibbs, a:199). Ironically, Durkheim's work did correct and refine the prior research of the moral statisticians (Douglas; Giddens, b), who have now been largely forgotten; but Durkheim's successors have not been equally successful in superseding him. Even among works that use Suicide as a point of de
Titration of recombinant woodchuck hepatitis virus DNA in adult woodchucks

In vivo transfection of Eastern woodchucks (Marmota monax) with recombinant woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNA is effective in inducing virus infection for the study of replication, pathogenicity, and oncogenicity of wild-type and mutated WHV. The one drawback to this procedure is the need for preparation of large amounts of WHV DNA. Reduction of the amount of WHV DNA in the transfection protocol necessary to induce infection would save considerable time and resources. Therefore, we conducted a titration of WHV DNA, ranging from 50 micrograms to 50 pg of DNA, in adult woodchucks to determine the minimum infectious dose of recombinant WHV DNA. As little as 50 ng of transfected WHV DNA induced productive infection in adult woodchucks. Thus, transfection with large amounts of recombinant WHV DNA appears to be unnecessary.
A Resonant Switched-Capacitor IC and Embedded System for Sub-Module Photovoltaic Power Management

The viability of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) energy has improved dramatically in recent years: large increases in manufacturing capacity have driven reductions in cost and higher efficiencies, improving lifetime cost of energy (LCOE). Mismatch loss remains an important consideration in PV systems and a range of power electronic solutions have been proposed to recover losses due to shading, dust/debris, factory mismatch and aging. This paper presents a high-voltage CMOS IC and embedded system based on a resonant switched-capacitor converter. The solution is integrated into the junction box to balance power flow in parallel with sub-module strings of PV cells. A custom dual-core cable and connector extend the balancing function to multiple PV modules connected in series, improving energy production of large-scale PV arrays in the case of shading or mismatch. The converter is based on a resonant switched-capacitor (ReSC) topology that achieves effective conversion efficiency over 99% for a wide range of mismatch, insertion loss below 0.1%, a vertical footprint less than 6 mm, and weight less than 1 Oz.
Role of response imagery on stimulus recognition

This experiment investigated the role of response imagery on recognition of stimulus terms following associative training. Ss learned to associate 12 high-imagery or low-imagery responses with trigram stimuli by the study-associative matching procedure. Half the pairs were consistently paired and half were re-paired anew on each trial. Following associative training, Ss were given a stimulus recognition and an associative matching task The results indicated that the probability of stimulus recognition, given correct associative matching, was greater when the responses were high-imagery rather than low-imagery. In contrast, no rehable response imagery effects were found for the probability of stimulus recognition, given incorrect associative matching. It was argued that the locus of the response imagery effect was primarily during retrieval rather than during encoding.
Hypnoanalytic study of a false confession.

Abstract It was possible to investigate in hypnoanalysis the psychological issues involved in a case of false confession. The patient was a college student expelled from school after he admitted his responsibility for stealing money from fraternity brothers. This study in depth is pertinent to the increasing awareness by the general public and the psychiatric profession of the problem of false confessions.
Racism and the Availability of Family Planning Services in the United States

Previous research by Kammeyer et al. has found that the availability of family planning services in U.S. counties is positively related to the percentage of blacks in the population but has yet to establish the correct interpretation for the linkage. Services provided through county health departments and hospitals are usually provided by authority of local boards and county commissions. These people respond to local elites and share local political norms. Threatened whites are more disposed to fertility control programs than whites living in nonblack areas. Little support is found for an altruistic interpretation of local policy decisions. The decisions regarding services provided by Planned Parenthood and O.E.O. are due mainly to urbanism and are not consistent with either the racial or the altruistic interpretation. The variables used to determine these conclusions were measures of black concentration county political orientations other policies affecting blacks and the availability of family planning services.
A Market Based Distributed Optimization for Power Allocation in Smart Grid

The potential of Smart Grid in bringing about a revolutionary change in the production, distribution, and utilization of power has generated much attention among producers and consumers of electric power, policy makers as well as researchers. However, before a smart grid can become fully functional, it requires technological advancements in a number of interdisciplinary domains. In particular, the usage of renewable energy sources is envisioned to result in a massively distributed power generation and distribution system composed of a large number of generating stations operating on disparate renewable technologies. Even though smart grid facilitates run-time optimal allocation of power via extensive instrumentation and information accessibility, the process of optimal power routing becomes challenging due to the massively distributed nature of generation facilities and consumption sites, and due to uncertainty caused by inherent random fluctuations in generation. In this paper, a Market Based technique has been presented for carrying out the optimal allocation for efficient utilization of the energy produced in a Smart Grid. The Market Based Resource Allocation is inspired by concepts from the economic market, where resources are allocated to activities through the process of competitive buying and selling. In the proposed technique, the energy consumers act as the potential energy buyers and the energy producers act as the energy sellers. The paper evaluates the proposed Market Based technique via a number of simulated scenarios of energy consumers and producers in a Smart Grid. The proposed technique optimizes the transmission loss of electric power distribution. Simulation results of the proposed approach are presented at the end of this paper.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Transport of carbon and excretion of dissolved organic carbon by leaves and roots/rhizomes in seagrasses and their epiphytes☆

Abstract Transport of carbon between the rooting organs and foliage and the extracellular release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was examined experimentally in three species of seagrass. Carbon taken up by roots/rhizomes was transported to the leaves and to water surrounding the leaves. Carbon fixation in leaves was small in Zostera marina L. and Thalassia testudinum Banks et Konig (5–20% of C taken up by roots) but nearly equal to that incorporated in the roots in Halodule wrightii Aschers. A greater percentage of carbon transported from the roots accumulated in the leaves and epiphytes of Halodule than in the other two species. Altering the oxygen concentrations of water surrounding the roots/rhizomes had only minor effects on the uptake and transport of carbon from either the roots or the leaves. Excretion of DOC as a percentage of carbon fixed was low but was consistently lower from Halodulel than from Zostera or Thalassia. Generally, over 50% of the excreted DOC was of a molecular weight >10,000 Daltons. Low molecular weight (
On counting in the game of life

Abstract A new, indirect method of counting neighboring cells for Conway's “Game of Life” is described. Implementation requires one data structure, and runtime depends upon the sparseness of the infinite array. Student response to the programming project was enthusiastic and the population that used indirect counting produced highly efficient programs.
ZINC, IRON AND FOLIC ACID

Interest in nutrition has shifted away from the isolated concern with the individual nutrient to the interaction between and among nutrients. Examples of interactions among nutrients include a host of mineral‐mineral interactions of transition series metals with similar orbital configuration and chemical properties.
Limit theorems in spline approximation

Abstract In this paper we establish new asymptotic relations of the form lim m → ∞ E ( f , S h , m , L p ( R ) ) = E ( f , B π / h , L p ( R ) ) , where E ( f , S h , m , L p ( R ) ) and E ( f , B π / h , L p ( R ) ) are the errors of best approximation of a function f in L p ( R ) , 1 ⩽ p ⩽ ∞ , by splines of order m with breakpoints { k h } k = − ∞ ∞ , h > 0 , and by entire functions of exponential type π / h , respectively. Approximation and interpolation of entire functions of exponential type by splines of high order is discussed as well.
Engineering the Baseball Magnet System

The Baseball II magnet system has satisfactorily completed engineering testing at LRL. Over a three day period the magnet was lowered to 30°K by a helium refrigerator. Then the magnet was filled with liquid helium from the 10,000 liter storage dewar and energized to about 75% of its capability. The electrical and magnet quench systems performed satisfactorily. However, helium loss rates were greater than necessary because the permanent heat shield was not installed. A plasma beam line is being completed that incorporates superconducting magnetic shielding to protect the injected beam from the Baseball II fringe field.
Twenty-meter space telescope based on diffractive Fresnel lens

Diffractive lenses offer two potential advantages for very large aperture space telescopes; very loose surface-figure tolerances and physical implementation as thin, flat optical elements. In order to actually realize these advantages one must be able to build large diffractive lenses with adequate optical precision and also to compactly stow the lens for launch and then fully deploy it in space. We will discuss the recent fabrication and assembly demonstration of a 5m glass diffractive Fresnel lens at LLNL. Optical performance data from smaller full telescopes with diffractive lens and corrective optics show diffraction limited performance with broad bandwidths. A systems design for a 20m space telescope will be presented. The primary optic can be rolled to fit inside of the standard fairings of the Delta IV vehicle. This configuration has a simple deployment and requires no orbital assembly. A twenty meter visible telescope could have a significant impact in conventional astronomy with eight times the resolution of Hubble and over sixty times the light gathering capacity. If the light scattering is made acceptable, this telescope could also be used in the search for terrestrial planets.
Association of an insulin gene promoter insertion polymorphism with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy in African Americans

Abstract An insertion in the insulin gene promoter region among African American individuals was reported previously to reduce transcription. We typed two African American populations to determine the role of this variant. We identified the insertion in 5/260 diabetic cases and 1/135 matched controls from Arkansas ( p = 0.7), and 7/200 African American diabetic individuals and 5/198 matched controls from North Carolina ( p = 1.0). When all available data were pooled, the insertion was present in 1.66% of cases and 0.84% of controls ( p = 0.12; OR = 2.0). By meta-analysis, the insertion was significantly associated with type 2 diabetes ( OR = 2.56; p = 0.048), thus supporting a minor role in type 2 diabetes susceptibility.
Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of YBCO thin films on (100) MgO

Abstract Thin films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x have been grown on stepped (100) MgO substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Films 100 nm thick had superconducting transition temperatures of 88 K and critical current densities of 2 × 10 6 A/cm 2 (measured at 77 K). The films grew via screw dislocation mediated growth as evidenced by atomic force microscopy. At the initial stages of film growth, large holes between growth spirals were formed. These holes enlarged as film growth continued, and film performance declined. Films 250–300 nm thick had superconducting transition temperatures of 86 K and critical current densities of 1 × 10 6 A/cm 2 (measured at 77 K).
Amyloid β-Protein Fibrillogenesis: DETECTION OF A PROTOFIBRILLAR INTERMEDIATE

Abstract Fibrillogenesis of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) is a seminal pathogenetic event in Alzheimer’s disease. Inhibiting fibrillogenesis is thus one approach toward disease therapy. Rational design of fibrillogenesis inhibitors requires elucidation of the stages and kinetics of Aβ fibrillogenesis. We report results of studies designed to examine the initial stages of Aβ oligomerization. Size exclusion chromatography, quasielastic light scattering spectroscopy, and electron microscopy were used to characterize fibrillogenesis intermediates. After dissolution in 0.1 m Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, and removal of pre-existent seeds, Aβ chromatographed almost exclusively as a single peak. The molecules composing the peak had average hydrodynamic radii of 1.8 ± 0.2 nm, consistent with the predicted size of dimeric Aβ. Over time, an additional peak, with a molecular weight >100,000, appeared. This peak contained predominantly curved fibrils, 6–8 nm in diameter and <200 nm in length, which we have termed “protofibrils.” The kinetics of protofibril formation and disappearance are consistent with protofibrils being intermediates in the evolution of amyloid fibers. Protofibrils appeared during the polymerization of Aβ-(1–40), Aβ-(1–42), and Aβ-(1–40)-Gln22, peptides associated with both sporadic and inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that protofibril formation may be a general phenomenon in Aβ fibrillogenesis. If so, protofibrils could be attractive targets for fibrillogenesis inhibitors.
Design And Evaluation Of A 3 × 21 Element 1.75 Dimensional Tapered Ultrasound Phased Array For The Treatment Of Prostate Disease

This paper describes the design, construction, and evaluation of a 1.75 dimensional (1.75-D) tapered ultrasound phased array to be used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate...
Correlation of β -lipoprotein levels and serum cholesterol concentration

Mit Hilfe der immunologischen Methode wurden derβ-Lipoproteinspiegel wie auch der Serum-, Cholesterol- und Triglyceridspiegel von 161 Erwachsenen bestimmt. Der Gehalt an Cholesterol und Triglyceriden stand in direktem Verhaltnis zumβ-Lipoproteinwert, wobei jedoch Unsicherheit in der Voraussage der Hypercholesterolaemie auf Grund der Hypertriglyceraemie besteht.
Presidential Debate Viewing and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9–11: A Study of Affect-as-Transfer and Passionate Reasoning

Extant research on presidential debate viewing focuses primarily on the cognitive outcomes (e.g., knowledge gain) associated with this particular mediated communication event. This study expands effects-based research on political debate viewing by focusing on citizens' discrete emotional reactions to candidates (e.g., joy and anger). In addition, the influence of a 2004 Bush-Kerry presidential debate is analyzed in coordination with the consumption of Michael Moore's controversial film, Fahrenheit 9-11. A 2 (view Fahrenheit 9-11, did not view Fahrenheit 9-11) X 3 (low, medium, or high likelihood of elaboration) independent groups design was used for this study. The study finds evidence of both affect-as-transfer and passionate reasoning. In addition, there is clear support for goal oriented emotional reactions to candidates strongly predicting overall confidence in candidates' policy positions.
Ultrastructural analysis of synapses involving tyrosine hydroxylase-containing neurons in the ventral periventricular hypothalamus of the macaque.

Abstract Immunocytochemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the adult macaque brain revealed a network of catecholaminergic (CA) cell bodies and fibers in the arcuate (ARC), anterior ventral periventricular (APV)_and lateral suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Coronal Vibratome sections immunostained with PAP or colloidal gold (15nm) were thin sectioned and examined by electron microscopy. We examined 280 TH-immunopositive processes in individual or in serial thin sections. Of these, 190 engaged in a total of 270 synapses identified as Gray Type I asymmetrical synapses (AS) with distinct postsynaptic densities or Gray Type II symmetrical synapses (SS) without such specializations. The majority (80%) of all synapses were axodendritic, 63% of which exhibited SS and 37% AS, representing almost all of the AS observed. In nearly every case, unlabeled axon terminals containing round, 45 nm, clear vesicles and occasional small dense core vesicles contacted TH-labeled dendrites. About 15% of the synapses were dendrodendritic, all of which were symmetrical. Rare contacts involving other elements (axosomatic, dendrosomatic) constituted only 5% of the total, and occurred predominantly as SS. The predominance of AS and the prevalence of SS almost exclusively on TH-containing dendrites indicates that these CA neurons receive extensive afferent input of from other neurotransmitters. TH-labeling of both neural elements in most dendrodendritic, and some axodendritic SS, also suggest that they modulate one another within the ARC, APV and SCN. The results suggest that these CA neurons performed an important role in local integration, and may act elsewhere to affect the common final pathway of the neuroendocrine system in primates.