cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing the Scheduling Critical Cycle Using Wakeup Prediction

For highest performance, a modern microprocessor must be able to determine if an instruction is ready in the same cycle in which it is to be selected for execution. This creates a cycle of logic involving wakeup and select. However, the time a static instruction spends waiting for wakeup shows little dynamic variance. This idea is used to build a machine where wakeup times are predicted, and instructions executed too early are replayed. This form of self-scheduling reduces the critical cycle by eliminating the wakeup logic at the expense of additional replays. However, replays and other pipeline effects affect the cost of misprediction. To solve this, an allowance is added to the predicted wakeup time to decrease the probability of a replay. This allowance may be associated with individual instructions or the global state, and is dynamically adjusted by a gradient-descent minimum-searching technique. When processor load is low, prediction may be more aggressive — increasing the chance of replays, but increasing performance, so the aggressiveness of the predictor is dynamically adjusted using processor load as a feedback parameter.
Cross-talk Between Autophagy and Mitophagy Regulates Shear-induced Nitric Oxide Production in Endothelial Cells

Aging is associated with suppressed endothelial cell (EC) autophagy and EC nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. A link might exist among autophagy, mitophagy, and stimulated NO production in ECs. ECs treated with scrambled siRNA exposed to shear stress (3 h x 20 dyn/cm2) exhibit: ↑LC3-II:LC3-1, ↓p62, ↑LC3-GFP puncta formation (indices of increased autophagy); ↓VDAC, ↓m-aconitase, ↑TOM20:LAMP1 colocalization, ↓ mitochondrial pH indicating lysosomal compartmentalization (indices of increased mitochondrial turnover), ↑ROS generation, ↑endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation, and ↑NO production (p<0.05 for all). ECs transfected with AuTophaGy-related protein 3 (Atg3) siRNA did not exhibit shear-induced autophagy, mitochondrial turnover, eNOS phosphorylation, or NO production, but ROS accumulation and cytokine production (ICAM-1, MCP-1, IL-8, E-selectin) were exaggerated (all p<0.05). Shear-induced increases in oxygen consumption rate, extracellular acidification rate, and ATP production (all p<0.05) in E...
Preparation and structural properties of InIII–OH complexes

Abstract The use of the tripodal ligands tris[(N′-tert-butylureaylato)-N-ethyl]aminato ([H3buea]3−) and the sulfonamide-based N,N′,N″-[2,2′,2″-nitrilotris(ethane-2,1-diyl)]tris(2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-sulfonamidato) ([MST]3−) has led to the synthesis of two structurally distinct In(III)–OH complexes. The first example of a five-coordinate indium(III) complex with a terminal hydroxide ligand, K[InIIIH3buea(OH)], was prepared by addition of In(OAc)3 and water to a deprotonated solution of H6buea. X-ray diffraction analysis, as well as FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopic methods, provided evidence for the formation of a monomeric In(III)–OH complex. The complex contains an intramolecular hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) network involving the In(III)–OH unit and [H3buea]3− ligand, which aided in isolation of the complex. Isotope labeling studies verified the source of the hydroxo ligand as water. Treatment of the [InIIIMST] complex with a mixture of 15-crown-5 ether and NaOH led to isolation of the complex [15-crown-5⊃NaI-(μ-OH)-InIIIMST], whose solid-state structure was confirmed using X-ray diffraction methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on this complex suggest it retains its heterobimetallic structure in solution.
Lidar Visibility Measurements

The Air Force requires information on light scattering by atmospheric particles in order to determine visibility for aircraft operations at airfields. The multiple scattering process is one facet that comes into strong play in the measurement of visibility in category II and III conditions. Experimental lidar slant visual range measuring systems are described.
Optimizing Student Models for Causality

Complex student models often include key parameters critical to their behavior and effectiveness. For example, one meta-cognitive model of student help-seeking in intelligent tutors includes 15 rules and 10 parameters. We explore whether or not this model can be improved both in accuracy and generalization by using a variety of techniques to select and tune parameters. We show that such techniques are important by demonstrating that the normal method of fitting parameters on an initial data set generalizes poorly to new test data sets. We then show that stepwise regression can improve generalization, but at a cost to initial performance. Finally, we show that causal search algorithms can yield simpler models that perform comparably on test data, but without the loss in training set performance. The resulting help-seeking model is easier to understand and classifies a more realistic number of student actions as help-seeking errors.
National Security and Open Government

There are circumstances in which governments can legitimately restrict openness in the name of national security. However, we can identify three common problems that arise when governments invoke national security concerns to restrict transparency. The first is the tendency to regard national security as an absolute trump over the right to information. The second is the failure to recognize how often security can actually be improved through openness. The third is the tendency to undercut transparency during states of emergency, at precisely the moment when it serves its most important role as a safeguard of basic rights.
The polyadenylation signal of influenza virus RNA involves a stretch of uridines followed by the RNA duplex of the panhandle structure.

Abstract Appropriate RNAs are transcribed and amplified and proteins are expressed after transfection into cells of in vitro-reconstituted RNA-protein complexes and infection with influenza virus as the helper. This system permits us to study the signals involved in transcription of influenza virus RNAs. For the analysis we used a plasmid-derived RNA containing the reporter gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) flanked by the noncoding sequences of the NS RNA segment of influenza A/WSN/33 virus. Mutations were then introduced into both the 5' and 3' ends, and the resulting RNAs were studied to determine their transcription in vitro and their CAT expression activity in the RNA-protein transfection system. The results reveal that a stretch of uninterrupted uridines at the 5' end of the negative-strand RNA is essential for mRNA synthesis. Also, a double-stranded RNA "panhandle" structure generated by the 5'- and 3'-terminal nucleotides appears to be required for polyadenylation, since opening up of these base pairs diminished mRNA synthesis and eliminated expression of CAT activity by the mutant RNAs. Finally, it was shown that this double-stranded RNA structural requirement is not sequence specific, since a synthetic GC clamp can replace the virus-coded RNA duplex. The data suggest that the viral RNA polymerase adds poly(A) by a slippage (stuttering) mechanism which occurs when it hits the double-stranded RNA barrier next to the stretch of uridines.
Analyticity and Flows in Von Neumann Algebras

Let B be a von Neumann algebra, let {αt}teR be an ultraweakly continuous one-parameter group of ∗-automorphisms of B, and let U be the set of all A such that for each ϱ in B∗, the function t → ϱ(αt(A)) lies in H∞(R. Then U is an ultraweakly closed subalgebra of B containing the identity which is proper and non-self-adjoint if {αt}teR is not trivial. In this paper, a systematic investigation into the structure theory of U is begun. Two of the more note-worthy developments are these. First of all, conditions under which U is a subdiagonal algebra in B, in the sense of Arveson, are determined. The analysis provides a common perspective from which to view a large number of hitherto unrelated algebras. Second, the invariant subspace structure of U is determined and conditions under which U is a reductive subalgebra of B are found. These results are then used to produce examples where U is a proper, non-self-adjoint, reductive subalgebra of B. The examples do not answer the reductive algebra question, however, because although ultraweakly closed, the subalgebras are weakly dense in B.
The clinical impact of iliac venous stents in the management of chronic venous insufficiency.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was the presentation of the results of iliac venous stent placement in the management of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Methods: Balloon dilation and stent placement for the relief of iliac vein stenoses was performed in 304 limbs with symptomatic CVI. Sixty-one limbs had concomitant saphenous vein ablation. The median age was 52 years (range, 14 to 83 years). The ratio of postthrombotic to nonthrombotic CVI was 1 to 0.9. The CEAP classification clinical scores were: C 2 , 24; C 3 , 158; C 4 , 60; C 5 , 13; and C 6 , 49. Associated reflux was present in 57% of the limbs. The procedure was performed on an outpatient basis. Intravascular ultrasound scanning was routinely performed because transfemoral venography had poor sensitivity for the detection of iliac vein stenosis Results: The actuarial primary and secondary stent patency rates at 24 months were 71% and 90%, respectively. The median degree of swelling (graded 0 to 3, for none, pitting, ankle edema, to gross leg edema) declined from grade 2 to grade 1 after surgery ( P P P P Conclusion: The correction of iliac vein outflow obstruction with the placement of stents results in the significant relief of major symptoms of CVI. The procedure is minimally invasive, can be performed on an outpatient basis, has minimal complications with a high patency rate, and does not preclude subsequent open surgery for the correction of restenosis or the associated reflux. If these preliminary results are sustained for a long-term period, stent placement for the correction of iliac vein stenoses may represent a useful advance in the management of CVI. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:8-15.)
The calibration and evaluation of a hand held tonometer as a means of measuring the intraocular pressure in the conscious rabbit

Abstract A hand-held applanation tonometer was used to estimate the intraocular pressure in normal conscious rabbits. The instrument was calibrated with anaesthetized animals by cannulating the anterior chamber of the eye, inducing known pressure by a saline manometer and noting the equivalent tonometer readings. A regression line was calculated for means of triplicate tonometer readings. The reproducibility of readings by individual operators was found to be satisfactory and a high degree of correlation was obtained when two operators measured tensions in the same eye. The error introduced by the fluorescein quenching effect of local anaesthetic was found to be negligible. No correlation was observed between intraocular pressure and body weight. Hourly measurement of tensions through the day in a group of five animals confirmed a significant diurnal variation. Measurements in a sample population of 103 female rabbits showed a normal distribution of intraocular pressure, with the mean, standard deviation and range approximating closely to that found in man.
Spatial variation of aortic wall oxygen diffusion coefficient from transient polarographic measurements.

Polarographic current transients following a voltage step (turn-on transient) were measured with bare cathodes (25 μm diameter) and shallowly recessed oxygen microelectrodes (<5μm diameter). Except for the initial part of the current transient, the experimental measurements were in excellent agreement with simple models in the literature, which predict an inverse relationship with $$\sqrt t $$ . Turn-on transients were measured in aqueous solutions with known physical properties, and in aortic wall tissue from three different species (n=6 rabbits, n=3 dogs, and n=1 miniature pig). Oxygen diffusion coefficients (D) were determinedin vitro by comparing time constants measured by the same microelectrode in saline and in strips of aortic wall tissue at 37°C. On the inner side (endothelium and intima) of the aorta, D averaged (±S.E.) 7.0 (±0.8)×10−6 cm2/s in 6 rabbits, 6.4 (±1.0)×10−6 cm2/s in 3 dogs, and was 4.6×10−6 cm2/s in the pig. On the adventitial side, D was 9.5×10−6 cm2/s in 1 rabbit, 11.4 (±1.2)×10−6 cm2/s in 3 dogs, and 8.1×10−6 cm2/s in the pig. For every aortic strip on which D was measured from both sides, D for the inner wall was always lower, overall by a little more than one third (p<0.001). The lower D on the endothelial side may limit oxygen transport to the vascular wall and play a role in atherogenesis.
Absence of beta3 integrin accelerates early skeletal repair.

Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-matrix interactions and modulate cell behavior. β3 subunit is a component of αII β 3 and αv β3 integrins. In this study, we first determined that β3 transcripts are expressed by cells within fracture calluses at 7 and 10 days after injury in a mouse model. We then analyzed fracture healing in mice deficient of β3 integrin with molecular, histomorphometric, and biomechanical techniques. We found that lack ofβ3 integrin results in an extended bleeding time and leads to more bone formation and accelerated cartilage maturation at 7 days after injury. However, β3 deficiency does not appear to affect later fracture healing. At days 14 and 21, histological appearance or biomechanical properties of fracture calluses are similar between wild type and mutant mice. We also found that altered fracture healing in β3 null mice is not associated with accelerated angiogenesis, since no significant difference of length density and surface density of blood vessels in fracture limbs was detected at 3 days after injury between wild type and β3 null mice. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that β3 integrin plays an important role during early fracture healing. Further research is required to determine the underlying mechanisms.
Self-trapping of helium in metals

Atomistic calculations are presented which demonstrate that helium atoms in a metal lattice are able to cluster with each other, producing vacancies and nearby self-interstitial defects. Even a small number of helium atoms is found to be sufficient to create these large distortions. As few as five interstitial helium atoms can spontaneously produce a lattice vacancy and nearby self-interstitial. An eight-helium-atom cluster gives rise to two such defects, and 16 helium atoms to more than five self-interstitial vacancy pairs. It was noted that the self-interstitials prefer to agglomerate on the same "side" of the helium cluster rather than to spread themselves out uniformly. The binding energy of each additional helium atom to these clusters increases with helium concentration and the trap is apparently unsaturable. A rate theory using these atomistic binding energies has been used to calculate the kinetics of helium-bubble nucleation and growth. The results are consistent with measurements of the properties of helium resulting from tritium decay.
1012-104 Monoclonal Antibody to Tissue Factor Inhibits Intravascular Thrombosis without Impairing Extravascular Hemostasis

Background Recent studies suggest that the release of tissue factor (TF) and its interaction with factor VII at the site of vascular injury may be the activator of the coagulation cascade, which along with platelet aggregation leads to occlusive intravascular thrombus formation. We tested this hypothesis in a rabbit carotid artery model of thrombosis. Methods Carotid artery was instrumented with Doppler flow probe and a needle electrode. Partially occlusive thrombus was formed by applying 150 μA of current which damages the endothelium of the carotid artery and promotes thrombus formation. After development of 50% occlusion of the artery by thrombus, the current was stopped and a murine monoclonal antibody against rabbit TF (AP-l) (0.1 mg/kg intraarterially) or vehicle (control) was administered. The changes in carotid blood flow were continuously monitored by the Doppler flow probe. Bleeding was assessed by weighing the amount of blood absorbed in a preweighed sponge, placed in a cut wound that was 5 cm long and 0.5 cm deep. Results The control rabbits (n = 12) occluded their arteries in 46.2 ± 13.6 min after stopping the current by a fibrin-platelet thrombus. In contrast, AP-l prevented carotid artery occlusion for g 200 min (n = 6) (p g 0.0001). Lower doses of AP-l were ineffective. The deep incisional bleeding times were not different between the control animals and the treated group. Similarly the platelet counts or ex vivo platelet aggregation response to collagen, ADP or arachidoic acid were not different between the control and the treated animals. Conclusion Data suggest that TF released at the site of vascular injury plays a role in intravascular coagulation and its activity can be selectively inhibited, without inducing an alteration in hemostatic parameters or platelet functions.
Theory of Electron Tunneling in Semiconductor Junctions

A formalism is developed for calculating the electric current in a semiconductor junction of the Esaki type due to direct tunneling of electrons between the valence and conduction bands. This formalism expresses the current at any temperature and bias in terms of a tunneling amplitude, whose absolute square is essentially the probability that an electron incident on the junction from either side will be seen eventually on the other side. The methods of time-independent perturbation theory are used to calculate the tunneling amplitude for a model in which the junction electric field is piecewise constant and the effective-mass approximation is applicable. The result of this calculation is used to compute explicitly the tunneling current as a function of bias and temperature. The formalism also yields a general variational principle for the tunneling amplitude.
Niche Tracking and Rapid Establishment of Distributional Equilibrium in the House Sparrow Show Potential Responsiveness of Species to Climate Change

The ability of species to respond to novel future climates is determined in part by their physiological capacity to tolerate climate change and the degree to which they have reached and continue to maintain distributional equilibrium with the environment. While broad-scale correlative climatic measurements of a species’ niche are often described as estimating the fundamental niche, it is unclear how well these occupied portions actually approximate the fundamental niche per se, versus the fundamental niche that exists in environmental space, and what fitness values bounding the niche are necessary to maintain distributional equilibrium. Here, we investigate these questions by comparing physiological and correlative estimates of the thermal niche in the introduced North American house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Our results indicate that occupied portions of the fundamental niche derived from temperature correlations closely approximate the centroid of the existing fundamental niche calculated on a fitness threshold of 50% population mortality. Using these niche measures, a 75-year time series analysis (1930–2004) further shows that: (i) existing fundamental and occupied niche centroids did not undergo directional change, (ii) interannual changes in the two niche centroids were correlated, (iii) temperatures in North America moved through niche space in a net centripetal fashion, and consequently, (iv) most areas throughout the range of the house sparrow tracked the existing fundamental niche centroid with respect to at least one temperature gradient. Following introduction to a new continent, the house sparrow rapidly tracked its thermal niche and established continent-wide distributional equilibrium with respect to major temperature gradients. These dynamics were mediated in large part by the species’ broad thermal physiological tolerances, high dispersal potential, competitive advantage in human-dominated landscapes, and climatically induced changes to the realized environmental space. Such insights may be used to conceptualize mechanistic climatic niche models in birds and other taxa.
The catalytic effect of dihydrofolate reductase and its mutants is determined by reorganization energies.

The effect of distant mutations on the catalytic reaction of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is reexamined by empirical valence bond simulations. The simulations reproduce for the first time the changes in the observed rate constants (without the use of adjustable parameters for this purpose) and show that the changes in activation barriers are strongly correlated with the corresponding changes in the reorganization energy. The preorganization of the polar groups of enzymes is the key catalytic factor, and anticatalytic mutations destroy this preorganization. Some anticatalytic mutations in DHFR also increase the distance between the donor and acceptor, but this effect is not directly related to catalysis since the native enzyme and the uncatalyzed reaction in water have similar average donor−acceptor distances. Insight into the effect of a mutation is provided by constructing the relevant free energy surfaces in terms of the generalized solute−solvent coordinates. It is shown how the mutations change the ...
Cell Adhesion Molecules: Druggable Targets for Modulating the Connectome and Brain Disorders?

Cell Adhesion Molecules: Druggable Targets for Modulating the Connectome and Brain Disorders?
Morphea in adults and children cohort II: Patients with morphea experience delay in diagnosis and large variation in treatment

Background Little is known about the diagnosis, evaluation, and therapy of morphea (localized scleroderma) in the United States. Delays in diagnosis and initiation of appropriate therapy, if present, may negatively affect patient care. Further, this gap in knowledge hinders planning for clinical trials and therapeutic guidelines. The morphea in adults and children (MAC) cohort is designed to address this gap. Objective We sought to determine the duration between morphea onset and diagnosis, specialty of the diagnosing provider, and initial evaluation and therapy in the MAC cohort. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of the inception cohort of the MAC study. Results In all, 63% (n = 141 of 224) of patients were given the diagnosis more than 6 months after onset. Dermatologists diagnosed and treated the majority of patients (83.5%, n = 187). Rheumatologists diagnosed and treated the more severe forms of morphea (linear and generalized). The most commonly prescribed therapy was topical corticosteroids (63%). Dermatologists predominantly prescribed topical treatments or phototherapy ( P P = .0018, respectively), even to patients with linear and generalized morphea. In contrast, rheumatologists predominantly prescribed systemic immunosuppressives and physical therapy ( P P = .0021, respectively). Limitations Referral bias and recall bias may affect patterns of evaluation/therapy and ascertainment of disease duration before diagnosis. Conclusions Patients with morphea experience delay in diagnosis, which likely impacts outcome. Therapeutic decision making is largely determined by the specialty of the provider rather than disease characteristics and many treatments with little or no proven efficacy are used, whereas others with proven efficacy are underused. This underscores the need for a collaborative, multispecialty approach in designing therapeutic trials and guidelines.
Fluorinated Organics in the Biosphere

The use of organofluorine compounds has increased throughout this century, and they are now ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Although generally viewed as recalcitrant because of their lack of chemical reactivity, many fluorinated organics are biologically active. Several questions surround their distribution, fate, and effects. Of particular interest is the fate of perfluoroalkyl substituents, such as the trifluoromethyl group. Most evidence to date suggest that such groups resist defluorination, yet they can confer significant biological activity. Certain volatile fluorinated compounds can be oxidized in the troposphere yielding nonvolatile compounds, such as trifluoroacetic acid. In addition, certain nonvolatile fluorinated compounds can be transformed in the biosphere to volatile compounds. Research is needed to assess the fate and effects of nonvolatile fluorinated organics, the fluorinated impurities present in commercial formulations, and the transformation products generated by biochemical pr...
RNA decomposition by pyrite-induced radicals and possible role of lipids during the emergence of life

Abstract Generation of radical species (e.g., hydroxyl radical OH) by silicates is well documented, and it has been shown that these radicals can readily destroy biomolecules. While quartz and asbestos have received considerable attention, pyrite (FeS2), the most abundant iron sulfide, has received almost no attention in this context. Batch experiments were performed to determine the effects of pyrite-induced OH on RNA in the presence and absence of lipids. The effect of the presence of lipids on RNA stability was evaluated by coating pyrite as well as encapsulating RNA in bilayer-vesicles. Rapid degradation of RNA was observed in the presence of pyrite, whereas significantly slower RNA decomposition was observed in experiments in the presence of lipids, regardless of whether the lipids were coating the pyrite or encapsulating the RNA. Given the presence of pyrite on early Earth, its reaction with water may have formed hydroxyl radicals ( OH), which could have limited the stability of prebiotic biomolecules critical to the emergence and evolution of life. The lipid-mediated reduction of RNA decomposition suggests a possible protective mechanism that could have been a prerequisite for the origin of life.
Use of emerging technologies to assess differences in outdoor physical activity in st. Louis, missouri.

IntroductionAbundant evidence shows that regular physical activity (PA) is an effective strategy for preventing obesity in people of diverse socioeconomic status (SES) and race groups. The proportion of PA performed in parks and how this differs by proximate neighborhood SES has not been thoroughly investigated. The present project analyzes online public web data feeds to assess differences in outdoor PA by neighborhood SES in St. Louis, Missouri, US.MethodsFirst, running and walking routes submitted by users of the website MapMyRun.com were downloaded. The website enables participants to plan, map, record, and share their exercise routes and outdoor activities like runs, walks, and hikes in an online database. Next, the routes were visually illustrated using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Thereafter, using park data and 2010 Missouri census poverty data, the odds of running and walking routes traversing a low-SES neighborhood, and traversing a park in a low-SES neighborhood were examined in comparison to routes in high-SES neighborhoods and high-SES parks.Results Results show that a majority of running and walking routes occur in, or at least traverse through a park. However, this finding does not hold when comparing low-SES neighborhoods to higher-SES neighborhoods in St. Louis. The odds of running in a park in a low-SES neighborhood were 54 percent lower than running in a park in a higher-SES neighborhood (OR=0.46, CI=0.17-1.23). The odds of walking in a park in a low-SES neighborhood were 17 percent lower than walking in a park in a higher-SES neighborhood (OR = 0.83, CI = 0.26-2.61).ConclusionsThe novel methods of this study include the use of inexpensive, unobtrusive, and publicly available web data feeds to evaluate PA in parks and differences by neighborhood SES. Emerging technologies like MapMyRun.com present significant advantages to enhance tracking of user-defined PA across large geographic and temporal settings.
Testing for the Huntington gene: a right to know, a right not to know, or a duty to know.

La genetique va permettre de reduire a 1 le risque de la choree de Huntington. Les problemes techniques et ethiques sont discutes
A second system of alloantigens expressed selectively on epidermal cells of the mouse

In early experiments, rejection of strain A skin allografts by (B6×A)→B6 radiation chimeras indicated that mouse epidermal cells possess a distinctive transplantation alloantigen that is absent from marrow and lymphoid cells. Current studies reveal the existence of at least two such skin-specific antigens, determined by two segregating genetic loci.
Phase equilibria and transformations in Ti–(25–52) at.% Al alloys studied by electrical resistivity measurements

Abstract Phase equilibria and transformations in Ti–(25–52) at.% Al alloys were studied by electrical resistivity measurements over a range of temperatures using a special device that was constructed for this purpose. The α 2 , α , β and γ phases are observed to have distinctly different resistivities and temperature dependencies, owing to which phase transitions could be monitored. The results show that the currently accepted Ti–Al phase diagram is, by and large, accurate, except for minor modifications being required to the phase boundaries in the composition range of Ti–(25–43)Al. Also, the α single-phase field is found to extend to the 25Al composition, which points to the absence of a β + α 2 ↔ α peritectoid reaction. The room temperature electrical resistivity of stoichiometric α 2 Ti 3 Al and γ -TiAl are 118 and 31 μ Ω cm, respectively, i.e. show a difference of 87 μ Ω cm. The changes in resistivity with temperature are also significantly different in that in α 2 the resistivity saturates to a near-constant value near 750°C, whereas that of the γ phase shows a linear and near-constant slope with temperature like most metallic materials. In order to explain these differences, the electrical resistivity of the α 2 and γ phases has been modeled by fitting the data using the Bloch–Gruneisen formulation with certain simplifying assumptions. Good agreement between the calculated and experimental resistivity–temperature curves, and between calculated and experimental values of the residual resistivity and Debye temperature, were obtained. From the model, parameters such as the Fermi velocity, effective mass of a conduction electron, the number of electrons participating in conduction and electron mean free path have been calculated for the two phases. The calculations reveal that the mean free path is of the order of the lattice parameter in the case of α 2 , which leads to high resistivity and resistivity saturation. The resistivity of the α 2 phase is also higher than that of the γ phase due to the fact that the Fermi velocity of the electrons is lower, effective electron mass higher and fewer electrons participate in conduction. These factors, coupled with hybridization and localization effects, cause the different electrical resistivity behavior of the two phases.
Expression of the SAM recycling pathway in Nicotiana tabacum roots

Abstract S -Adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylation of putrescine is a key step in the biosynthesis of nicotine in Nicotiana tabacum . Previous reports suggest that at least one step in SAM biosynthesis is upregulated during conditions that promote nicotine biosynthesis. This study investigated the expression of three genes involved in SAM biosynthesis/recycling (i.e. SAM synthetase (SAMS), S -adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH), and methionine synthase (MS)) during conditions that increase the gene expression of nicotine biosynthetic genes. Removal of the synthetic auxin indolebutyric acid (IBA) increased SAMS, SAHH and MS mRNA levels in wild type Burley 21 root cultures. SAMS mRNA levels were significantly lower in LA21 root cultures, indicating that SAMS mRNA levels are controlled by the A and B regulatory loci. In contrast, MJA treatment did not alter SAMS, SAHH, or MS mRNA levels. Although IBA deprivation increased SAMS, SAHH, MS mRNA levels, no apparent changes in the corresponding steady state protein levels were observed. A MJA treatment-specific aabb genotype-dependent decrease in β-ATPase mRNA levels was also observed. Thus, the A – B regulon includes at least one target gene that is not associated with nicotine biosynthesis and the β-ATPase mRNA accumulation pattern was unlike that of other target genes regulated by the A – B loci.
Mothers' and Children's Conceptualizations of Corporal Punishment.

Preschool (M age = 4–11) and fifth-grade (M age = 12–1) children and their mothers judged the acceptability of corporal punishment as a function of the type of transgression (dangerous, violation of social rule, or violation of moral precept) and discipline agent. Children of both ages and their mothers discriminated among different types of transgressions as a function of rule contingency, rule generalizability, and seriousness of the transgression. Social convention transgressions were judged to be more rule contingent, less generalizable (across settings), and less serious than prudential (dangerous) or moral violations, but overall children judged transgressions to be more generalizable than did their mothers. Preschool children showed broad acceptability for severe corporal punishment given any type of transgression, by any agent, whereas fifth graders were generally discriminating about limits of punishability, and their judgments appeared to be transitional between the broad acceptance shown by younger children and more focused acceptability shown by mothers. Mothers were proprietary with respect to agent and tended to focus on dangerous and moral violations as punishable. Findings suggest a developmental path from a single criterion for young children to consideration of multiple criteria for older children and adults. Judgments were also interpreted as reflecting social roles such as parents' responsibility to constrain children and children's expectations for constraint. Preschool children's broad acceptability of punishment despite their differentiation of classes of rules and of transgressions suggests that different constraints operate for judgments about rules or commands as opposed to sanctions. Implications for children's ability to identify and report abuse are also noted.
A relation between inhibition of protein synthesis and conformation of 5'-phosphorylated 7-methylguanosine derivatives.

The inhibition of protein synthesis by 5′-phosphorylated derivatives of 7-methylguanosine and 7-methylinosine has been studied in a wheat germ cell-free system programmed by exogenous messenger RNA. The di- and triphosphate derivatives were found to inhibit protein synthesis at lower concentrations than 7-methylguanosine-5′-monophosphate. Inosine derivatives were consistently poor inhibitors when tested with different eucaryotic and viral RNAs. Dinucleotides derived from G5′ppp5′A by methylation of guanosine in the 7 position and/or of the adenosine in the 2′-O position were also tested as inhibitors of protein synthesis. A dinucleotide without the 7-methyl group is not inhibitory. Dinucleotides containing m7G ‡ inhibit protein synthesis at about the same concentration as m7G5′ppp. The presence of the 2′-O methyl group has no effect on the inhibition of protein synthesis. A correlation between inhibition of protein synthesis and conformation in solution of the phosphorylated derivatives of m7G has been sought by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. In aqueous solutions m7G exhibits considerable conformational freedom and various conformers are present. In the 5′-phosphorylated derivatives of m7G a very dramatic effect on the conformational freedom of the backbone is observed. This results in an increase in conformational purity and loss of the flexibility about the C-4′−C-5′ bond and a significant increase in the population of 3E conformers of the ribofuranose ring. Little conformational difference is observed between the di- and triphosphate derivatives of m7G. It seems likely that the electrostatic interaction between the positively charged N-7 and the negatively charged phosphate groups plays the dominant role in imparting conformational “rigidity” to the backbone of the 5′-phosphorylated derivatives of m7G.
Dynamic hierarchies for business intelligence information retrieval

Information retrieval is a critical function in Business Intelligence (BI) applications. Most business intelligence applications today rely on traditional keyword searching for their primary retrieval mechanism. Keyword searching has been improved over the years via various advancements including indexing, storage optimisation, improved query processing, and advances in hardware. Nevertheless, it still has significant limitations. This paper presents an alternative mechanism for information retrieval, dubbed "dynamic hierarchies", and describes how to develop such a system. Cognitive psychologists have found that recognition is typically superior to recall in information retrieval. The dynamic hierarchies that we develop: are based upon a recognition paradigm rather than a recall paradigm; can be constructed using low-cost hardware and software; overcome many of the limitations inherent in keyword searching and traditional static hierarchies.
Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide and Sodium Hypochlorite on The Corneal Oxygen Uptake Rate

AbstractThe aerobic responses of the rabbit cornea to commonly used sterilization solutions for applanation tonometers in clinical practice were measured. Hydrogen peroxide (3.0, 3.75, 4.8, and 7.5%) and sodium hypochlorite (0.5 and 1.0%) solutions were each applied to six corneas. Significant increases (p<0.01, paired Student's t-test) in oxygen uptake rates (41.2, 48.2, 51.7, and 79.2% increases with 3.0, 3.75, 4.8, and 7.5% hydrogen peroxide solutions, respectively) occurred 1 min after exposure. The oxygen uptake rate returned to baseline 10 min after exposure at all concentrations. Significant decreases occurred 30 and 60 min after exposure to 7.5% hydrogen peroxide. Decreases in corneal oxygen uptake rate occurred after exposure to 0.5 and 1.0% sodium hypochlorite. Hydrogen peroxide 3.0% solution caused the least significant changes in corneal oxygen uptake rate of all the solutions tested.
Is Race Still Socially Constructed? The Recent Controversy over Race and Medical Genetics

Abstract Current controversies in the field of genetics are provoking a reassessment of claims that race is socially constructed. Drawing upon Bruno Latour's model of how to analyse scientific controversy, this article argues that race is ‘gaining in reality’ in such a way that renders claims about its social construction tenuous and uncertain. Such claims can be seen as failing in two key regards. The first relates to changes in the way genetics is practised and promoted, which are undermining the stability of fundamental assertions that there is ‘no biological basis for race’ or that ‘race does not exist’. The second involves the confusion of analytical domains in making assertions about race. This problem stems from investing genetics research with hopes that it would reveal the ‘truth’ about race. This confidence has led to equating the ‘cultural’ with ‘bias’, while ignoring the cultural dynamics which shape race. Subsequently, I argue for making a domain claim for the primacy of cultural analysis tha...
Alternative Routes toward High Quality CdSe Nanocrystals

Different kinds of safe, common, and low-cost compounds were proven to be good solvents/precursors for the synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals. The size, shape, and crystal structure of CdSe nanocrystals synthesized by these alternative routes can be varied in a controllable manner in a very broad size range, from about 1.5 nm to above 25 nm. Without any size sorting, the size distribution of the wurtzite nanocrystals in the size range smaller than about 15 nm can be readily controlled as narrow as with 5−10% relative standard deviation. The highest photoluminescence quantum efficiency of the nanocrystals was up to 20−30%. Cd(Ac)2 and fatty acids were found to be the most versatile cadmium precursor and solvent/ligand, respectively. The synthesis of high quality CdSe nanocrystals in the current systems is not feasible when the system contains any anions from a strong acid, either in the form of a cadmium precursor or as an added cadmium ligand. The experimental results indicate that the synthesis ...
Substituted imidazolium phenylphosphonate salts for nonlinear optical applications

Three candidates for potential applications as new nonlinear optical materials were investigated using x-ray crystallography to probe the structure and powder second harmonic generation to elicidate the nonlinear response of the materials. Three structures are reported: 1-benzylimidazolium phenylphosphonate, 2-ethylimidazolium phenylphosphonate, and 2-methylimidazolium phenylphosphonate. Of these three salts two, 2-ethylimidazolium phenylphosphonate and 2-methylimidazolium phenylphosphonate, are noncentrosymmetric and therefore display a nonlinear optical response.
Ultrastructural changes in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells exposed to 80% O2 in vitro

Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells in culture were exposed for up to 7 d to a gas mixture containing 80% O2, 5% CO2, and 15% N2 (hyperoxia) and were compared by phase contrast and electron microscopy to cells exposed to a gas mixture containing 20% O2, 5% CO2, and 75% N2. Cells exposed to hyperoxia became enlarged and showed vacuolization and increased lysosomes within 24 to 48 h. These changes were progressive over the 7 d period of exposure. Between 3 and 7 d of exposure to hyperoxia the cells showed reductions in polysomes and endoplasmic reticulum. Despite the other marked cytoplasmic changes, the appearance of mitochondria of oxygen-exposed cells remained unchanged from those of air-exposed cells throughout the 7 d period. Preconfluent and confluent cells responded qualitatively similarly to hyperoxia, but morphological evidence of injury occurred more rapidly for preconfluent cells. We conclude that the initial early structural injury of the endothelial cell exposed to hyperoxia occurs in lysosomes and that the mitochondrial structure is relatively resistant to injury.
A fault-counting algorithm for repairing redundant memories

This paper describes a new approach for repairing memories. Repair is implemented by deletion of either rows and/or columns on which faulty cells lie. These devices are commonly referred to as redundant memories, because redundant columns and rows are added. A new repair technique and an algorithm are proposed. The algorithm is based on a fault-counting technique and on a reduced-covering approach. The innovative feature is that reduced covering permits an heuristic, but efficient, criterion to be included in the selection of the rows and/or columns to be deleted. This retains independence of the repair process on the distribution of faulty cells in memory, while allowing a good repairability/ unrepairability detection. The main benefits that result by using the proposed repair algorithm are a reduction in execution time to determine the repair-solution for the device under test and its suitability for implementation in a defect analysis system. Illustrative examples and theoretical results are provided t...
Automation of the CHARMM General Force Field (CGenFF) I: bond perception and atom typing.

Molecular mechanics force fields are widely used in computer-aided drug design for the study of drug-like molecules alone or interacting with biological systems. In simulations involving biological macromolecules, the biological part is typically represented by a specialized biomolecular force field, while the drug is represented by a matching general (organic) force field. In order to apply these general force fields to an arbitrary drug-like molecule, functionality for assignment of atom types, parameters, and charges is required. In the present article, which is part I of a series of two, we present the algorithms for bond perception and atom typing for the CHARMM General Force Field (CGenFF). The CGenFF atom typer first associates attributes to the atoms and bonds in a molecule, such as valence, bond order, and ring membership among others. Of note are a number of features that are specifically required for CGenFF. This information is then used by the atom typing routine to assign CGenFF atom types ba...
Reduced Kinetics Mechanisms for Ram Accelerator Combustion

Two skeletal kinetics mechanisms for reactive CH 4/O2 and H2/O2 ram accelerator e owe elds are presented. Both models were derived from a 190-reaction, 38-species kinetics mechanism (RAMEC or RAM accelerator MEChanism) that successfully reproduces the high-pressure (>50 atm), low-dilution (<70%), fuel-rich chemistry of ram accelerator mixtures. The reduction procedure for the CH 4/O2 mechanism utilized a detailed-reduction technique with ignition delay time and heat release as the selection criteria. The methane-based mechanism (REDRAM or REDuced RAM accelerator mechanism ) contains 34 reactions and 22 species and predicts ignition times to better than 5% and postcombustion temperatures to within 10 K of the full mechanism for a representative range of ram accelerator mixtures and conditions. This CH 4/O2 mechanism is an improvement over existing reduced methane-oxidation mechanisms that arebased on lower-pressure, higher-temperature chemistry. An 18-step, 9-species mechanism is presented for hydrogen-based ram accelerator combustion that is based on the H2/O2 submechanism of the RAMEC/Gas Research Institute GRI-Mech 1.2 methane-oxidation mechanism. The H2/O2 kinetics model includes HO 2 and H2O2 chemistry near the second and third explosion limits, necessary for ignition at ram accelerator pressures but lacking in certain e nite rate chemistry models currently in use.
Studies in spontaneously atherosclerosis-susceptible and resistant pigeons: Nature of plasma and aortic sterols, steryl esters, and free fatty acids☆☆☆

Abstract 1. 1. Comparison of atherosclerosis-susceptible White Carneau pigeons with atherosclerosis-resistant Show Racers showed increased aortic sterol content, sterol esterification, and oleic acid of steryl esters. 2. 2. Unlike plasma, the oleic/linoleic acid ratio in aortic steryl ester fatty acids between the two breeds differed. 3. 3. Plasma and aortic free fatty acids from both breeds are similar. 4. 4. The lower aorta of White Carneau pigeons showed a higher sterol content, sterol esterification, and oleic acid concentrations than that of Show Racers. 5. 5. Cholestanol has been identified in the aorta of both breeds, with high concentrations in the distal aorta of White Carneau pigeons.