cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PcrA Helicase, a Prototype ATP-Driven Molecular Motor

Despite extensive studies, the mechanisms underlying molecular motor function are still poorly understood. Key to the mechanisms is the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to conformational changes of the motor protein. To investigate this coupling, we have conducted combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical simulations of PcrA helicase, a strikingly simple motor that translocates unidirectionally along single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Our results reveal a close similarity in catalytic site structure and reaction pathway to those of F1-ATPase, and these similarities include a proton relay mechanism important for efficient ATP hydrolysis and an "arginine finger" residue that is key to the coupling of the chemical reaction to protein conformational changes. By means of in silico mutation studies, we identified the residue Q254 as being crucial for the coupling of ssDNA translocation to the actual catalytic event. Based on the present result for PcrA helicase and previous findings for F1-ATPase, we propose a general mechanism of ATP-driven molecular motor function.
Kinematics for the decay of π0 and K0 beams

Abstract Several simple relations appropriate to the detection of the 2 γ decay of a parallel π 0 or K 0 beam are derived.
Word Use in Emotional Narratives about Failed Romantic Relationships and Subsequent Mental Health

The authors investigated how word use in a stressful narrative is related to levels of grief and intrusive and avoidant thinking associated with the stressful event. A total of 218 college students who had experienced the breakup of a romantic relationship during the preceding 12 months produced a written narrative of the relationship and subsequent breakup using an expressive writing procedure. Participants used more negative emotion, cause, sensory, and first person singular words when describing the breakup in comparison to describing the period when they were still dating. In addition, greater avoidance of the breakup predicted greater use of negative emotion, first person singular and third-person pronouns, and less use of cognitive words. Conversely, levels of grief predicted less use of causal words and greater use of first person singular pronouns. The authors argue that use of cognitive words reflect an active search for meaning and understanding of the stressful event.
Late pleistocene paleowind directions, Atlantic Coastal Plain, U.S.A

Abstract Parabolic dunes, transverse dunes and fields of irregular dunes are common along the left banks, the north or east sides, of streams of the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Georgia to Delaware and probably beyond. Similar dunes occur in the Appalachian Piedmont, but are less common. The features have been eroded, to some extent, and are normally recognizable on topographic maps only as areas of irregular topography with wet and dry depressions. The larger parabolic dunes can be recognized on aerial photographs and satellite images because the associated soils are poor and the vegetative cover relatively sparse. The dunes are of eolian origin and late Pleistocene in age. It is thought that most of the dunes are late Wisconsin in age and contemporary with the Carolina Bays. A small sample of paleowind directions based on average directions of parabolic dune axes indicates that late Wisconsin winds in Georgia were westerly and grain sizes suggest that the winds were stronger than present-day coastal winds of the area. Paleowind directions shift progressively toward the south across the Carolinas and are southwesterly in North Carolina. They change abruptly to the northwest in the Delmarva Peninsula. Following the theory that Carolina Bays are former lakes that are elongated perpendicular to the effective wind direction, the fact that paleowind directions derived from Carolina Bay orientations are virtually identical to those from parabolic dune orientations, strongly supports the wind orientation theory of Carolina Bay origin and confirms the validity of the small sample of directions obtained from parabolic dunes. By analogy with dunes of the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, the Atlantic Coast Plain dunes do not necessarily indicate arid conditions. The sediment load of some streams may have been sandier than at present and streams with sandy, braided channels may have been common.
Application of the transmission line matrix method to the analysis of slab and channel optical waveguides

The applicability of the three-dimensional vectorial transmission line matrix (TLM) method to the analysis of optical waveguiding structures is demonstrated. Any waveguide geometry, even incorporating anisotropic materials, can be treated by taking into account the coupling between all optical field components. The application of the TLM method to optical waveguides is shown to be both efficient and accurate. The dispersion curve for the fundamental TE-like mode of a typical rib dielectric waveguide as well as its electric-field pattern is obtained by the use of the TLM method. Numerical comparisons with the integral-formulation technique, the effective-index method, the finite-difference analysis, the spectral-index method, and the beam-propagation technique are also included.
Effects of Cyclic Loading and Pile Flexibility on Axial Pile Capacities in Clay

The paper investigates the degree to which relative pile-soil stiffness, rate of pile loading and severity of axial load cycling influence the behaviour of piles in clays which are typical of those found in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). It is confirmed that each factor can impact axial pile behaviour substantially. Results of analyses of typical piles subjected to design storm load patterns also are presented. These show that some pile foundations in GOM-type clays can have greater calculated axial capacity when cyclic loading effects are considered explicitly than when static procedures are used. This improvement was demonstrated for a deepwater and a shallow water steel jacket platform, a compliant tower and a TLP.
Charge transfer and the magnetic properties of amorphous Gd0.33Co0.67

Abstract Magnetization measurements on amorphous Gd0.33Co0.67 films indicate that Tc is>30 per cent higher in the films than in the ordered compound, GdCo2, of the same composition. This reverses the trend observed in isostructural Tb0.33Fe0.67 and many other amorphous ferromagnets, where Tc is lower in the amorphous state. A qualitative explanation of the effect of structural disorder on magnetic properties of the Co and Fe compounds is given in terms of the consequences of charge transfer to the transition metal atoms.
Heterogeneous response for a mammalian hepadnavirus infection to acyclovir: drug-arrested intermediates of minus-strand viral DNA synthesis are enveloped and secreted from infected cells as virion-like particles.

Three woodchucks infected persistently with the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) were treated with acyclovir (ACV) to investigate the effect of inhibiting viral DNA synthesis upon the replication of an orthohepadnavirus in vivo. Normal viraemia was reduced during the treatment period in all three animals, but each responded with a distinct serum phenotype. In the most provocative case, the profile of the WHV DNAs in both the liver and serum provided a simple and novel description of the orthohepadnaviral infection for this ACV protocol. The pre-drug viraemia was rapidly cleared from the serum and replaced by virion-like particles containing predominantly minus-strand WHV DNAs. These serum DNA species had the character of replicative intermediates arrested in their elongation by ACV-mediated chain termination and were contained in particles with a buoyant density in CsCl essentially identical with virions. However, in infected hepatocytes, initiation of reverse transcription within newly formed core particles was not inhibited by the ACV treatment. Instead, an heterogeneous array of minus-strand DNAs were synthesised, each presumed to be truncated by the incorporation of one molecule of ACV monophosphate. An approximately normal level of core particles was present in the liver of this woodchuck after 26 days of the ACV protocol; excess drug-arrested nucleocapsids were steadily removed throughout the dosing period upon their envelopment and secretion as virion-like particles into the circulation. These data suggest that plus-strand DNA synthesis may not be absolutely required prior to secretion of virus from the infected cell. J Med Virol 51:6–16, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Earthworm peroxidase: Distribution, microbicidal action and molecular weight

Abstract Specific activity for enzymatic oxidation of o -dianisidine peroxidatically was different for homogenized tissue from the enteron and body wall of Lumbricus terrestris ; but similar for the body anterior vs posterior to the clitellum of Eisenia fetida andrei . Peroxidase from E. fetida andrci catalyzed the destruction of a Gram-negative bacterium and Gram-positive bacterium in the presence of chloride and methyl hydrogen peroxide but not in the absence of either cofactor. Through use of a Chromatographie gel, an estimate greater than 300 kD was obtained for earthworm peroxidase from E. fetida andrei .
“Snitches End Up in Ditches” and Other Cautionary Tales

This article examines the "stop snitching" phenomenon in relation to teenagers and schooling. It shows evidence of a code against sharing information with formal authorities among students at two low-income schools: a predominately Black, urban school and a predominately White, rural school. Using Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, the analysis demonstrates how antisnitching is woven into the social fabric of these communities, prompting student ambivalence toward school-sanctioned methods of conflict resolution. The findings highlight the broad reach of the antisnitching phenomenon, situating this mentality as the result of community-based distrust of formal authority. The article assesses implications of antisnitching for school discipline and climate.
A note on energy conservation and stability of nonlinear time-stepping algorithms

An example of a nonlinear time-stepping algorithm which preserves energy exactly but is unstable is presented and used to illustrate the fact that energy conservation is not sufficient for numerical stability in the nonlinear range.
Analytic sheaves in Banach spaces

We introduce a class of analytic sheaves in a Banach space X, that we shall call cohesive sheaves. Cohesion is meant to generalize the notion of coherence from finite dimensional analysis. Accordingly, we prove the analog of Cartan's Theorems A and B for cohesive sheaves on pseudoconvex open subsets Ω⊂X, provided X has an unconditional basis. We also give a few applications.
Keeping it real : A grounded theory study of African American clients engaging in counseling at a community mental health agency

Few studies have examined African American clients' subjective experiences in counseling from their perspective. This study used a constructivist paradigm, grounded theory methodology, and dimensional analysis to develop a model of clients' subjective experiences in counseling. Derived from clients' perspectives, the model suggests that the African American participants in this study engaged in an ongoing assessing process. Initially, they assessed client-therapist match, which was influenced by 3 factors: salience of Black identity, court involvement, and ideology similarity between client and therapist. These clients then assessed their safety in therapy and their counselor's effectiveness simultaneously. Clients in turn used information obtained from their assessing process to monitor and manage their degree of self-disclosing along a continuum. The model has important implications for future research.
On the Quantum Mechanics of Neutrino Oscillation

We try to understand and to develop some of the basic quantum mechanics of neutrino oscillation. First, we observe that measurements which identify the physical neutrino (mass eigenstate) involved in each event of an experiment destroy any oscillation pattern. We explain how these measurements do that. Then, we construct a wave-packet treatment of neutrino oscillation. We find that it gives the same results as the standard treatment. Next, we estimate the distance a beam must travel before its different physical neutrinos, which have different speeds, will stop interfering with each other. Finally, we consider the possibility of observing the difference in the arrival times of the various physical neutrinos at a given point.
Is Current Consumption Excessive? A General Framework and Some Indications for the United States

Many prior studies have explored the implications of human population growth and environmentally problematic technologies for biodiversity loss and other forms of environmental degradation. Relatively few, however, have examined the impacts of the level and composition of consumption. We offer a framework that shows how the level and composition of a society's total consumption relate to the uses of various forms of capital and to the sustainability of natural resources and human well-being. We relate the framework to two main approaches-top-down macro studies and bottom-up computer models-for measuring whether overall consumption in the United States satisfies a sustainability requirement. Existing top-down studies have shortcomings that bias their results toward optimism, and current computer simulation models, although strong on revealing biophysical outcomes, are limited in their ability to evaluate impacts on human well-being. Although some ambiguities arise in determining whether overall consumption in the United States is excessive, our conclusions regarding the composition of U.S. consumption are unambiguous. Distorted consumption patterns and associated production methods lead to excessively rapid natural resource depletion; greater conservation would yield gains to current and future generations that more than compensate for the sacrifices involved. Public policies that deal with the composition problem not only would help conserve natural resources and improve current welfare but also would reduce the costs of meeting the goal of sustainability.
Prolyl hydroxylase inhibition attenuates post-ischemic cardiac injury via induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress genes

Abstract Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) unleashes cellular events that threaten organ survival. I/R affects endoplasmic reticulum (ER) integrity and initiates the unfolded protein response (UPR). The adaptive arm of the UPR attenuates ER stress by increasing expression of chaperones promoting proper protein folding. However, failure to resolve ER stress leads to apoptotis. We recently showed that prolyl hydroxylase inhibition (PHI) attenuated post-ischemic cardiac injury. We hypothesized that PHI attenuated myocardial I/R injury through modulation of the UPR. We show for the first time that PHI activates all three regulatory arms of the UPR in murine microvascular endothelial cells and in mouse hearts. Cardiac I/R activated expression of pro-apoptotic CHOP (2.8 fold, n = 3, p n = 3, p n = 3, p n = 3, p n = 3, p
Structure and dynamics of the ionosphere

The structure of the Venus ionosphere and the major processes occurring within it are summarized. The daytime ionosphere is created by solar EUV radiation incident on the thermosphere; it is in photochemical equilibrium near its peak at about 142 km, where O2(+) is the major ion, and near diffusive equilibrium in its upper regions, where the major ion is O(+). The day-to-night plasma pressure gradient across the terminator drives a nightward ion flow which, together with electron precipitation, contributes to the formation of the nighttime ionosphere. Large-scale radial holes or plasma depletions extending downwards to nearly the ionization peak in the antisolar region are also observed which are associated with regions of strong radial magnetic fields. The ionopause is a highly dynamic and complex surface, extending from an average altitude of 290 km at the subsolar point to about 1000 km at the terminator and from 200 to over 3000 km on the nightside. A variety of solar wind interaction products are observed in the mantle, a transition region between the ionospheric plasma and the flowing shocked solar wind.
Molecular origins of the thermal transitions and dynamic mechanical relaxations in perfluorosulfonate ionomers

The study presented here is a fundamental investigation into the molecular origins of the thermal transitions and dynamic mechanical relaxations of Nafion membranes as studied by DSC, DMA, variable...
Genetic and psychophysiological factors in asocial behavior.

Abstract In this century social factors have dominated theories explaining asocial behavior. Some research has suggested, however, that a significant improvement in explanation can result from considering the interaction of these social factors with certain biological variables. We summarize twin and adoption investigations which consistently suggest the possibility of hereditary predispositional influences on the probability of registered criminal behavior. A tentative, partial explanation (which does not ignore biological factors) is offered as an illustration of how such forces might interact with social variables in inducing criminality.
Mitochondrial-DNA Phylogeny of Deer (Cervidae)

Mitochondrial-DNA restriction-site maps were constructed for several cervid taxa in the subfamilies Cervinae and Odocoileinae. Parsimony analyses of restriction sites and pair-wise analyses of genetic distances resulted in dendrograms congruent with the subfamily designations. Relationships within the Odocoileinae determined from genetic distances generally were concordant with those for nuclear-encoded allozymes and morphology. However, mitochondrial-DNA relationships were incongruent with some generic designations and intraspecific divergence in Odocoileus hemionus was greater than that between some genera. Because mitochondrial DNA exhibits considerable intraspecific variation and is inherited as a single locus, relationships based on mitochondrial DNA may not be concordant with true species phylogenies.
A numerical methods approach to calculating cost-of-living indices

Abstract The method developed in this paper deviates from the main approaches of thecost-of-living literature. We argue that, from the perspective of the econometrician, we would like to choose a system of demands which best fits the data. However, this may require estimating a demand system for which the underlying utility function is not known or a demand system for which compensated income cannot easily be computed. We demonstrate applicability of Vartia's (1983) algorithm for calculating a Konus cost-of-living index for a demand system that previously could not be used in applied welfare work due to these deficiencies.
Simultaneous dynamic proctography and peritoneography for pelvic floor disorders.

PURPOSE: We sought to evaluate a new diagnostic technique for the identification of rectal and pelvic floor pathology in patients with obstructed defecation, pelvic fullness/ prolapse, and/or chronic intermittent pelvic floor pain. METHODS: Thirteen symptomatic women with either a nondiagnostic physical examination or nondiagnostic dynamic proctography (DPG) were studied. After placement of intraperitoneal and intrarectal contrast material, resting and straining pelvic x-rays were obtained in all patients, and defecation was videotaped using fluoroscopy. RESULTS: Simultaneous DPG and peritoneography identified clinically suspected and unsuspected enteroceles in 10 of the 13 patients studied. An enterocele or other pelvic floor hernia was ruled out by the technique in three of the women studied. Rectoceles and rectal prolapse that were identified during physical examination were confirmed by DPG with peritoneography. Simultaneous DPG and peritoneography also gave a qualitative assessment of the severity and clinical significance of the identified pelvic floor disorders. Results of simultaneous DPG and peritoneography affected operative treatment planning in 85 percent of patients studied. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous DPG and peritoneography identifies both rectal and pelvic floor pathology and provides a qualitative assessment of pelvic floor pathology severity, which allows for better treatment planning in selected patients with obstructed defecation and pelvic prolapse.
Upregulation of AKT1 protein expression in forskolin‐stimulated macrophage: Evidence from ChIP analysis that CREB binds to and activates the AKT1 promoter

Recently, we reported that silencing CREB gene expression by RNAi significantly attenuates forskolin-induced activation of Akt1. We now provide evidence that forskolin-treatment causes transcriptional and translational upregulation of Akt1 in macrophages. Akt synthesis was demonstrated by [(14)C]leucine or [(35)S] incorporation into newly synthesized Akt1 protein. Akt protein levels increased by approximately 1.5-fold after only a 5 min exposure of macrophages to forskolin. Akt1 levels thereafter rapidly returned to basal values (t(1/2) approximately 15 min). Maximal upregulation of Akt1 occurred in cells treated with 10 microM forskolin. Forskolin-dependent Akt1 synthesis was abolished by pretreating the cells with CREB-directed dsRNA as demonstrated at both the message and protein level, as well as by determining the synthesis of [(35)S]-labeled Akt1 protein. The PKA inhibitor H-89, greatly attenuated forskolin-induced Akt1 synthesis. Transcriptional and translational inhibitors also greatly reduced Akt1 synthesis in forskolin-stimulated [(14)C]leucine-labeled macrophages. Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we demonstrate that CREB binds to a CRE binding domain of the Akt1 gene promoter. In conclusion, we show here for the first time transcriptional upregulation of Akt1 by CREB, based upon Akt1 protein synthesis and its modulation by transitional and translational inhibitors in forskolin-stimulated cells, Akt1 protein. and mRNA levels upon silencing CREB gene expression, and binding of CREB to the Akt1 gene promoter.
Planting Date Effects on Winter Triticale Grain Yield and Yield Components

Winter triticale (3Triticosecale Wittmack) has the potential to introduce valuable economic and environmental benefits to U.S. grain production systems. To maximize triticale’s value, research was conductedtoidentifyplantingdatesthatallowmaximumproductivityafter soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Winter triticale was planted at 10-d intervals from 15 September to 15 October at three Iowa locations: central, NE, and SW, during three growing seasons: 2001–2002, 2002– 2003, and 2003–2004. Grain yield decreased with planting dates after late September at the NE and SW locations in 2002–2003, and the central, NE, and SW locations in 2003–2004. Yield reductions from planting in mid October rather than late September ranged from 13 to 29%.Atthe NElocationin2001–2002andthecentrallocation in2002– 2003, grain yield was 15% less for mid September than late September planting, similar for late September and early October plantings, and 13to15%lessformidOctober.Grainyielddidnotchangewithplanting date at central Iowa in 2001–2002. The greatest yields occurred for planting dates where between 533 and 955 growing degree days (GDD, 0C base temperature) accumulated between planting and 31 December. Winter triticale would most likely be placed after soybean in Iowa, suggesting that a 2-wk period would be available for planting winter triticale without diminished yield caused by late planting.
An inverse modeling approach to estimating phytoplankton pigment concentrations from phytoplankton absorption spectra

Phytoplankton absorption spectra and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) pigment observations from the Eastern U.S. and global observations from NASA's SeaBASS archive are used in a linear inverse calculation to extract pigment-specific absorption spectra. Using these pigment-specific absorption spectra to reconstruct the phytoplankton absorption spectra results in high correlations at all visible wavelengths (r(sup 2) from 0.83 to 0.98), and linear regressions (slopes ranging from 0.8 to 1.1). Higher correlations (r(sup 2) from 0.75 to 1.00) are obtained in the visible portion of the spectra when the total phytoplankton absorption spectra are unpackaged by multiplying the entire spectra by a factor that sets the total absorption at 675 nm to that expected from absorption spectra reconstruction using measured pigment concentrations and laboratory-derived pigment-specific absorption spectra. The derived pigment-specific absorption spectra were further used with the total phytoplankton absorption spectra in a second linear inverse calculation to estimate the various phytoplankton HPLC pigments. A comparison between the estimated and measured pigment concentrations for the 18 pigment fields showed good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.5) for 7 pigments and very good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.7) for chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin. Higher correlations result when the analysis is carried out at more local geographic scales. The ability to estimate phytoplankton pigments using pigment-specific absorption spectra is critical for using hyperspectral inverse models to retrieve phytoplankton pigment concentrations and other Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) from passive remote sensing observations.
Ambiguous figures and representationalism

Ambiguous figures pose a problem for representationalists, particularly for representationalists who believe that the content of perceptual experience is non-conceptual (MacPherson in Nous 40(1):82–117, 2006). This is because, in viewing ambiguous figures, subjects have perceptual experiences that differ in phenomenal properties without differing in non-conceptual content. In this paper, I argue that ambiguous figures pose no problem for non-conceptual representationalists. I argue that aspect shifts do not presuppose or require the possession of sophisticated conceptual resources and that, although viewing ambiguous figures often causes a change in phenomenal properties, this change is accompanied by a change in non-conceptual content. I illustrate the case by considering specific examples.
High-Assurance Reconfigurable Multicore Processor Based Systems

The current trend in the silicon industry has been a steady migration towards Chip Multicore Processor (CMP) system to harvest more throughputs. However, chip multicore processors report higher values of soft errors, thereby degrading the overall system reliability. Hence, engineers have been wary of using CMP architectures for safety-critical embedded real-time system applications that require high reliability levels. The larger users of these processors also dictate the processor migration trends. With newer processor architectures, the older ones are destined to become obsolete. This paper compares typical safety-critical architectures and investigates the reliabilities of different CMP architectures. We present the fault tolerance framework and detailed reliability analysis of fault-tolerant single-core and multi-core based systems. The analysis results are then used to compare the reliability of CMP architectures with the corresponding reliability of single processor architectures. Although a CMP system does encounter degradation, by applying some system level dependability assurance mitigation features, its reliability can be enhanced. This enables CMP systems to be effectively deployed in critical applications.
Influence of Assimilation of Subsurface Temperature Measurements on Simulations of Equatorial Undercurrent and South Equatorial Current along the Pacific Equator

Equatorial Pacific current and temperature fields were simulated with and without assimilation of subsurface temperature measurements for April 1992 - March 1995, and compared with moored bouy and research vessel current measurements.
Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1-arylmethyl-5-aryl-6-methyluracils as potent gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonists.

Based on the SAR from bicyclic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists such as 6-aminomethyl-7-aryl-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimid-4-ones (5) and 2-aryl-3-aminomethyl-imidazolo[1,2-a]pyrimid-5-ones (6a,b), a series of novel uracil compounds (8) were derived as GnRH antagonists. The synthesis and SAR studies of 6-methyluracils as human GnRH receptor antagonists are discussed herein. Introduction of a small methyl substituent at the β-position of the N3 side-chain improved the GnRH binding potency by 5−10-fold. Introduction of a methyl group of (R)-configuration at the α-carbon of the N-3 side-chain gave a modest improvement in binding affinity over the unsubstituted ethylene analogues. This modification enabled us to make uracil compounds without the labile 2-pyridylethyl motif on the basic nitrogen while still maintained excellent potency against the hGnRH receptor.
L-dopa reverses castration-induced disruption of dishabituation responses to female chemical cues in male rats.

Abstract In the present experiment, habituation/dishabituation behavioral tests were conducted to measure discriminatory olfactory recognition responses to chemical cues among control, castrated, and castrated + l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -DOPA)-treated males rats. Castration produced a disruption of dishabituation responses to female urine, and this effect was reversed by treatment with l -DOPA. In the posterior olfactory bulb, 3,4,-dihydroxyphenlacetic acid (DOPAC) levels were significantly increased in l -DOPA-treated animals compared with the vehicle-treated control and castrated groups. No significant differences in olfactory bulb norepinephrine or dopamine concentrations among the three treatment groups were obtained. The restoration of behavioral dishabituation responses following l -DOPA treatment suggests that the catecholaminergic system of the olfactory bulb may play a critical role in the recognition and possibly attractions for or preferences to female chemical cues.
AGU Launches Web Site for New Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Policy

AGU's Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics policy, approved by the AGU Board of Directors and Council in December 2012, is now available online on a new Web site, http://ethics.agu.org. As the Web site states, the policy embodies a “set of guidelines for scientific integrity and professional ethics for the actions of the members and the governance of the Union in its internal activities; in its public persona; and most importantly, in the research and peer review processes of its scientific publications, its communications and outreach, and its scientific meetings.”
Assessment of Shear Deformation Theories for Multilayered Composite Plates

A review is made of the different approaches used for modeling multilayered composite plates. Discussion focuses on different approaches for developing two-dimensional shear deformation theories; classification of two-dimensional theories based on introducing plausible displacement, strain and/or stress assumptions in the thickness direction; and first-order shear deformation theories based on linear displacement assumptions in the thickness coordinate. Extensive numerical results are presented showing the effects of variation in the lamination and geometric parameters of simply supported composite plates on the accuracy of the static and vibrational responses predicted by six different modeling approaches (based on two-dimensional shear deformation theories). The standard of comparison is taken to be the exact three-dimensional elasticity solutions. Some of the future directions for research on the modeling of multilayered composite plates are outlined.
Differential dynamic responses of plasma LH and FSH to ovariectomy and to a single injection of estrogen in the rat

Comparative studies were made in the rat of the changes in plasma LH and FSH levels following ovariectomy (OVX) and the injection of a single dose of estradiol benzoate (Eb) to 48-hr OVX rats vs 3-week OVX rats. Serial bleedings after OVX revealed that plasma FSH rose at a much faster rate than LH (FSH elevated by 24 hr vs no significant changes in LH at 3 days post-OVX). A single subcutaneous injection of Eb (1 μg/100 g body wt) in the 48-hr OVX rat induced a clear ovulatory surge of LH 30 hr later but no change in FSH. A dose of Eb 5 times greater induced a still larger increment in LH 30 hr later, reaching levels comparable to those in chronic OVX rats. Twice-daily bleedings following this dose of Eb revealed low plasma LH levels in the mornings and high LH values in the afternoons of days 1–3 post-Eb, confirming a 24-hr rhythmicity in the LH-release mechanism. At the same time, a transient negative feedbackaction of the estrogen was observed in FSH. In 3-week OVX rats similar treatment with estrogen i...
Polarization dependence of readout signals from periodic one-dimensional arrays of magnetic domains in magneto-optical media and crystalline-amorphous line pairs in phase-change media of optical recording

Polarization dependence of signals from periodic one-dimensional arrays of magnetic domains in magneto-optical (MO) media and crystalline domains in amorphous phase-change (PC) media has been studied by theoretical calculation and experiment. The MO signal in the small-period regime depends on the direction of incident polarization. The relative strength of the E‖ and E⊥ signals changes depending on the period of the pattern, the wavelength of the light, and the numerical aperture of the objective lens. For PC media, the reflected signal has similar polarization dependence, but this dependence is weak.
Absorption spectra of a chromophore in highly scattering media

Frequency domain spectroscopy provides a quantitative measure of the optical properties, namely (mu) a and (mu) s ' coefficient spectra, of multiply scattering, macroscopically homogeneous media or tissue. The diffusion model for photon transport provides the theoretical framework for the analytical expressions of the optical properties. Experimentally, we intensity modulated (60 MHz) a light emitting diode, which emits between 620 - 700 nm. From data sets of relative phase shifts and average intensity at different source- detector separations, we calculated on the basis of the analytical expressions a wavelength resolved absorption (mu) a ((lambda) ) and scattering (mu) s ' ((lambda) ) coefficient spectrum. The test material was methylene blue, whose absorption spectrum (maximum 656 nm) closely matches the wavelength profile of the diode source. The multiply scattering, macroscopically homogeneous medium for dissolving the methylene blue was provided by a diluted fat emulsion, Liposyn III. The concentrations of both the absorbing and scattering materials were adjusted to correspond to ranges typical of (mu) a and (mu) s ' in tissues. We obtained quantitative agreement between the measured (mu) a ((lambda) ) in the scattering medium and a control solution measured in a spectrophotometer under non-scattering conditions.
First-principles investigation of radiation induced defects in Si and SiC

Abstract We have calculated the displacement-threshold energies for the main symmetry directions in Si and SiC using a self-consistent first-principles method. We show that – depending on the knock-on direction – 64-atom simulation cells can be sufficient to allow a nearly finite-size-effect-free calculation, thus making the use of first-principles methods possible. We use molecular dynamics (MD) techniques and propose the use of a sudden approximation which agrees reasonably well with the MD results for selected directions and which allows estimates of displacement-threshold energies without employing an MD simulation.
Effect of thermal processing on strain relaxation and interdiffusion in Si/SiGe heterostructures studied using Raman spectroscopy

The effect of thermal annealing on Si/SiGe heterostructures is studied using Raman spectroscopy. The structures consisted of Si on relaxed Si0.8Ge0.2 where the top Si thickness was 20–30 nm. Micro-Raman spectroscopy with 488 nm incident radiation revealed no significant shift in the strained Si peak position with thermal annealing at temperatures up to 1100 °C for 30 s. However, the intensity of the Si peak was systematically reduced with increasing thermal processing, a result which is attributed to interdiffusion at the Si/SiGe interface resulting in an apparent thinning of the Si cap layer.
Spiral waves in a model of myocardium

Abstract Myocardial tissue is an excitable medium through which propagate waves of electrical stimulation and muscular contraction. In addition to radially expanding waves of neuromuscular activity characterizing the normal heartbeat, myocardial tissue may also support high frequency, rotating spiral waves of activity which are associated with cardiac pathologies (flutter and fibrillation). Recently Pertsov, Ermakova and Panfilov have presented a numerical study of rotating spiral waves in a two-dimensional excitable medium modeled on the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations, suitably modified to reflect the electrical properties of myocardium. We show that some of their principal numerical results can be reproduced in quantitative detail by a general theory of rotating spiral waves in excitable media. The critical ingredients of our theory are the dispersion of nonlinear plane waves and the effects of curvature on the propagation of wave fronts in two-dimensional media. The close comparison of our analytical results with numerical simulations of the full reaction-diffusion equations lends credence to our theoretical description of spiral waves in excitable media.
Cache placement in sensor networks under an update cost constraint

In this paper, we address an optimization problem that arises in the context of cache placement in sensor networks. In particular, we consider the cache placement problem where the goal is to determine a set of nodes in the network to cache/store the given data item, such that the overall communication cost incurred in accessing the item is minimized, under the constraint that the total communication cost in updating the selected caches is less than a given constant. In our network model, there is a single server (containing the original copy of the data item) and multiple client nodes (that wish to access the data item). For various settings of the problem, we design optimal, near-optimal, heuristic-based, and distributed algorithms, and evaluate their performance through simulations on randomly generated sensor networks.
Catalysis and Alternatives to Liquid Fuels

The refining of liquid fuels from petroleum has arguably had a larger effect on the field of (non-enzymic) catalysis than any other industry, so much so that both the engineering and social norms resulting from, and supporting the petroleum industry now affects both the agenda and problem-setting goals in the alternative fuels industry and consequentially in catalysis. For example, there is great emphasis today on the development of biofuels that resemble in their properties and operation gasoline and diesel. I argue that this is not necessarily the most prudent manner of using biomass as a fuel source and propose that it is more prudent and efficient to convert biomass to electricity directly. If adopted, this would have a vast effect on vehicle design, on electrical distribution strategies and investments and consequently on the pathways that research programs in catalysis are likely to follow, replacing current emphases on producing and improving liquid fuels with ones affecting such processes as combustion, and battery and other electrical storage and distribution issues.
Gene expression signatures in tree shrew choroid during lens-induced myopia and recovery

Gene expression in tree shrew choroid was examined during the development of minus-lens induced myopia (LIM, a GO condition), after completion of minus-lens compensation (a STAY condition), and early in recovery (REC) from induced myopia (a STOP condition). Five groups of tree shrews (n = 7 per group) were used. Starting 24 days after normal eye-opening (days of visual experience [DVE]), one minus-lens group wore a monocular -5 D lens for 2 days (LIM-2), another minus-lens group achieved stable lens compensation while wearing a monocular -5 D lens for 11 days (LIM-11); a recovery group also wore a -5 D lens for 11 days and then received 2 days of recovery starting at 35 DVE (REC-2). Two age-matched normal groups were examined at 26 DVE and 37 DVE. Quantitative PCR was used to measure the relative differences in mRNA levels in the choroid for 77 candidate genes that were selected based on previous studies or because a whole-transcriptome analysis suggested their expression would change during myopia development or recovery. Small myopic changes were observed in the treated eyes of the LIM-2 group (-1.0 ± 0.2 D; mean ± SEM) indicating eyes were early in the process of developing LIM. The LIM-11 group exhibited complete refractive compensation (-5.1 ± 0.2 D) that was stable for five days. The REC-2 group recovered by 1.3 ± 0.3 D from full refractive compensation. Sixty genes showed significant mRNA expression differences during normal development, LIM, or REC conditions. In LIM-2 choroid (GO), 18 genes were significantly down-regulated in the treated eyes relative to the fellow control eyes and 10 genes were significantly up-regulated. In LIM-11 choroid (STAY), 10 genes were significantly down-regulated and 12 genes were significantly up-regulated. Expression patterns in GO and STAY were similar, but not identical. All genes that showed differential expression in GO and STAY were regulated in the same direction in both conditions. In REC-2 choroid (STOP), 4 genes were significantly down-regulated and 18 genes were significantly up-regulated. Thirteen genes showed bi-directional regulation in GO vs. STOP. The pattern of differential gene expression in STOP was very different from that in GO or in STAY. Significant regulation was observed in genes involved in signaling as well as extracellular matrix turnover. These data support an active role for the choroid in the signaling cascade from retina to sclera. Distinctly different treated eye vs. control eye mRNA signatures are present in the choroid in the GO, STAY, and STOP conditions. The STAY signature, present after full compensation has occurred and the GO visual stimulus is no longer present, may participate in maintaining an elongated globe. The 13 genes with bi-directional expression differences in GO and STOP responded in a sign of defocus-dependent manner. Taken together, these data further suggest that a network of choroidal gene expression changes generate the signal that alters scleral fibroblast gene expression and axial elongation rate.
The influence of loading direction upon the character of adhesive debonding

Abstract Adhesive fracture surfaces have a topology that is affected by the type or mode of applied loading that induced the separation. In fracture mechanics these modes are commonly designated as I, II, and III, identified primarily with normal separation, sliding shear, and rotational shear, respectively. When the energy per unit area required to create new fracture surface, e α (ergs/cm 2 ) is measured, it is common practice to associate this area with the projected fracture area on the fracture plane irrespective of the actual surface topography. Hence the ratio of actual to projected fracture area introduces a perhaps artificial variation into the deduced value of fracture energy, which otherwise might turn out to be more of a universal (time-temperature dependent) quantity, independent of mode of loading. The paper describes the qualitative SEM fractrographic analysis conducted for adhesive debonds between polyurethane and polymethylmethacrylate. This analysis tends to explain part of the apparent differences in e α when deduced from different loading modes, and hence should put us closer to relating the continuum mechanic deductions for e α to more fundamental parameters of the molecular systems.
Image analysis for denoising full-field frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime images.

Summary Video-rate fluorescence lifetime-resolved imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a quantitative imaging technique for measuring dynamic processes in biological specimens. FLIM offers valuable information in addition to simple fluorescence intensity imaging; for instance, the fluorescence lifetime is sensitivetothemicroenvironmentofthefluorophoreallowing reliable differentiation between concentration differences and dynamicquenching.HomodyneFLIMisafull-fieldfrequencydomain technique for imaging fluorescence lifetimes at every pixel of a fluorescence image simultaneously. If a single modulation frequency is used, video-rate image acquisition is possible. Homodyne FLIM uses a gain-modulated image intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) detector, which unfortunately is a major contribution to the noise of the measurement. Here we introduce image analysis for denoising homodyne FLIM data. The denoising routine is fast, improves the extraction of the fluorescence lifetime value(s)andincreasesthesensitivityandfluorescencelifetime resolvingpoweroftheFLIMinstrument.Thespatialresolution (especially the high spatial frequencies not related to noise) of the FLIM image is preserved, because the denoising routine does not blur or smooth the image. By eliminating the random noise known to be specific to photon noise and from the intensifier amplification, the fidelity of the spatial resolution is improved. The polar plot projection, a rapid FLIManalysismethod,isusedtodemonstratetheeffectiveness of the denoising routine with exemplary data from both physical and complex biological samples. We also suggest broader impacts of the image analysis for other fluorescence microscopy techniques (e.g. super-resolution imaging).
Persistent ISR: The Social Network Analysis Connection

Persistent surveillance provides decision makers with unprecedented access to multisource data collected from humans and sensor assets around the globe, yet these data exist in the physical world and provide few overt clues to meaning behind actions. In this paper we explore the recent growth in online social networking and ask the questions: 1) can these sites provide value-added information to compliment physical sensing and 2) what are the mechanisms by which these data could inform situational awareness and decision making? In seeking these answers we consider the range of options provided by Social Network Analysis (SNA), and focus especially on the dynamic nature of these networks. In our discussion we focus on the wave of reform experienced by the North African nations in early 2011 known as the Arab Spring. Demonstrators made widespread use of social networking applications to coordinate, document, and publish material to aid their cause. Unlike members of covert social networks who hide their activity and associations, these demonstrators openly posted multimedia information to coordinate activity and stimulate global support. In this paper we provide a review of SNA approaches and consider how one might track network adaptations by capturing temporal and conceptual trends. We identify opportunities and challenges for merging SNA with physical sensor output, and conclude by addressing future challenges in the persistent ISR domain with respect to SNA.
“Control” laboratory rodents are metabolically morbid: Why it matters

Failure to recognize that many standard control rats and mice used in biomedical research are sedentary, obese, glucose intolerant, and on a trajectory to premature death may confound data interpretation and outcomes of human studies. Fundamental aspects of cellular physiology, vulnerability to oxidative stress, inflammation, and associated diseases are among the many biological processes affected by dietary energy intake and exercise. Although overfed sedentary rodents may be reasonable models for the study of obesity in humans, treatments shown to be efficacious in these animal models may prove ineffective or exhibit novel side effects in active, normal-weight subjects.