cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rocket-triggered lightning propagation paths relative to preceding natural lightning activity and inferred cloud charge

Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) data are used to compare the propagation paths of seven rocket-triggered lightning flashes to the inferred charge structure of the thunderstorms in which they were triggered. This is the first LMA study of Florida thunderstorm charge structure. Three sequentially (within 16 min) triggered lightning flashes, whose initial stages were the subject of Hill et al. (2013), are reexamined by comparing the complete flashes to the preceding natural lightning to demonstrate that the three rocket-triggered flashes propagated through an inferred negative charge region that decreased from about 6.8 to about 4.4 km altitude as the thunderstorm dissipated. Two other flashes were also sequentially triggered (within 9 min) in a thunderstorm that contained a convectively intense region ahead of a stratiform region, with similar observed results. Finally, two unique cases of triggered lightning flashes are presented. In the first case, the in-cloud portion of the triggered lightning flash, after ascending to and turning horizontal at 5.3 km altitude, just above the 0°C level, was observed to very clearly resemble the geometry of the in-cloud portion of the preceding natural lightning discharges. In the second case, a flash was triggered relatively early in the storm's lifecycle that did not turn horizontal near the 0°C level, as is usually the case for triggered lightning in dissipating storms, but ascended to nearly 7.5 km altitude before exhibiting extensive horizontal branching.
Unclogging a Pipe: Potassium Channel Pinball

Ion channels are characterized by three main properties: their gating characteristics, their selectivities, and their conductivity patterns. The crystal structure of the KcsA potassium channel pore (Doyle et al., 1998) provided immediate qualitative answers to most questions about potassium channel selectivity. It has led to an explosion of computational papers that illustrate in great detail how the various structural features function to exclude anions, stabilize cations, select for potassium over sodium, and promote divalent block.
Stem and precursor cells in the nervous system.

The early-formed neural tube consists of proliferating, morphologically homogeneous cells, termed "neuroepithelial (NEP) stem cells" which generate neurons, astrocytes, and oligodenrocytes through a series of intermediate precursor cells. In addition to NEP cells, a second class of stem cells—the neurosphere-forming cell—can be isolated at later stages of development. NEP cells can differentiate into neural crest stem cells, which in turn generate PNS derivatives. NEP cells and neurosphereforming stem cells and more restricted precursors express a characteristic spectrum of markers that can be used to characterize them. Each of these cell types can be isolated from embryonic stem (ES) cell cultures, and their behavior appears similar to cells isolated at later developmental ages. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these cells for cell replacement therapy are discussed.
Mediators and mechanisms of acute lung injury.

The saying "history repeats itself" applies well to the topic of this article. The subject of this article was reviewed in Clinics in Chest Medicine in 1990, in an article entitled "Mechanisms and Mediators of the Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome," authored by Rinaldo and Christman. 53 Those authors noted that the last review on the same topic had been in the early 1980s and they reflected back on the accomplishments that had occurred in the intervening 8 years. In their introduction, they concluded that important advances had been made in investigations into the mechanisms of acute lung injury (ALI) but they stated: "Despite years of research, no other specific pharmacologic therapies have proved useful, and we are less confident in 1990 that we understand the pathogenesis of ARDS than we were in 1982." In many ways, that statement is as true in 2000 as it was in 1990. There is still no specific pharmacologic intervention for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), although new studies have indicated that mortality can be influenced by modes of supportive care—specifically, mechanical ventilation strategies. Furthermore, although tremendous advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms of inflammation, how the process actually evolves in patients at risk for and with ALI is still confounding. Just as it was not possible for Rinaldo and Christman to include all the accomplishments and reports in the 8 years since the review before theirs, it is again not possible to delineate all the accomplishments of the past 10 years. Many of the investigations, however, have focused on specific themes that have been reiterated and developed over the 10 years. These serve as the focus of this review.
Reciprocal expansions of idiotypic and anti-idiotypic clones following antigen stimulation.

IT has been postulated by Jerne that a network of idiotypic and anti-idiotypic interactions between lymphocytes may constitute a principal form of immune regulation1,2. This network would control and ‘remember’ the antigen-induced activation of a particular (idiotypic) clone through its idiotopic or paratopic interactions with regulatory clones. These latter clones would in turn be regulated in the same fashion, creating what Jerne has called a ‘web of V-domains’ (ref. 2). Current experimental evidence strongly supports the concept of idiotype-directed regulation and also documents phenotypic complexity within the anti-idiotype response; for example, anti-idiotypic cells (and/or their products) may help or suppress the idiotypic response3–8. However, this apparent complexity does not diminish the importance of Jerne's basic premise that reciprocal activation between idiotypic and anti-idiotypic clones could establish an equilibrium system capable of regulating the immune response9–11. We present here evidence for oscillatory behaviour in the population dynamics of a single, antigen-stimulated clone and for the reciprocal behaviour of the specific anti-idiotypic (idiotype binding) clones.
Requirement of Cys399 for processing of the human ecto-ATPase (NTPDase2) and its implications for determination of the activities of splice variants of the enzyme.

Ecto-ATPase (CD39L1) corresponds to the type 2 enzyme of the ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase family (E-NTPDase). We have isolated from human ECV304 cells three cDNAs with high homology with members of the E-NTPDase family that encode predicted proteins of 495, 472, and 450 amino acids. Sequencing of a genomic DNA clone confirmed that these three sequences correspond to splice variants of the human ecto-ATPase (NTPDase2α,-2β, and -2γ). Although all three enzyme forms were expressed heterologously to similar levels in Chinese hamster ovary cells clone K-1 (CHO-K1) cells, only the 495-amino acid protein (NTPDase2α exhibited ecto-ATPase activity. Immunolocalization studies demonstrated that NTPDase2α is fully processed and trafficked to the plasma membrane, whereas the NTPDase2β and -2γ splice variants were retained in not fully glycosylated forms in the endoplasmic reticulum. The potential roles of two highly conserved residues, Cys399 and Asn443, in the activity and cellular trafficking of the ecto-ATPase were examined. Mutation of Cys399, which is absent in NTPDase2β and -2γ, produced a protein completely devoid of nucleotidase activity, while mutation of Asn443 to Asp resulted in substantial loss of activity. Neither the Cys399 nor Asn443 mutants were fully glycosylated, and both were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. These results indicate that the lack of ecto-nucleotidase activity exhibited by NTPDase2β and -2γ and the C399S mutant, as well as the large reduction of activity in the N443D mutant are due to alterations in the folding/maturation of these proteins.
The removal of alkanes in a liquid-continuous gas-phase bioreactor : preliminary considerations : scientific note

Columnar bioreactors are being tested for the treatment of volatile organics. The bioreactors contain microorganisms that are able to remove and degrade the dilute gaseous hydrocarbons (n-pentane and isobutane) from effluent air streams by biological action. Columnar bioreactors, including a liquid continuous packed column, were continuously operated for over 18 mo with sustained degradation of the gaseous hydrocarbons. In these systems, the hydrocarbons, pentane, and isobutane are the sole carbon and energy sources for the microbes. The overall conversion rate was increased by operating at higher gas flow rates. This indicates the importance of improving mass transfer and gas contact in these systems.
Why people believe in indeterminist free will

Recent empirical evidence indicates that (1) people tend to believe that they possess indeterminist free will, and (2) people’s experience of choosing and deciding is that they possess such freedom. Some also maintain that (3) people’s belief in indeterminist free will has its source in their experience of choosing and deciding. Yet there seem to be good reasons to resist endorsing (3). Despite this, I maintain that belief in indeterminist free will really does have its source in experience. I explain how this is so by appeal to the phenomenon of prospection, which is the mental simulation of future possibilities for the purpose of guiding action. Crucially, prospection can be experienced. And because of the way in which prospection models choice, it is easy for agents to experience and to believe that their choice is indeterministic. Yet this belief is not justified; the experience of prospection, and hence of free will as being indeterminist, is actually consistent with determinism.
Metabolic Effects of Growth Hormone on Protein and Lipids

The development of techniques for large scale production of human growth hormone (GH) and insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) by recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology has led to a resurgence in interest in their metabolic actions and clinical applications. The metabolic actions of GH can be divided into direct effects on carbohydrate, fat and protein, and indirect actions mediated primarily through IGF-I and insulin. IGF-I and insulin increase in response to GH treatment and the metabolic effects on carbohydrate, fat and protein of each are similar but not identical. Although the primary regulator of IGF-I is GH, nutritional effects on IGF-I may predominate during conditions of extreme undernutrition or overnutrition. Obesity is associated with impaired GH secretion, and total IGF-I concentrations in blood are reduced, assuming energy balance is maintained. GH treatment is associated with reduced percent body fat and increased lean body mass, although treatment of obesity with GH has been relatively ineffective, if combined with nutrient restriction.The direct effects of GH on glucose and fat metabolism are intimately related. GH-stimulated lipolysis leads to release of free fatty acids and inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. This effect, combined with stimulation of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, leads to hyperglycemia. The principal protein metabolic action of GH is a rapid reduction in amino acid oxidation. Within hours of exposure to GH, whole body protein synthesis (WBPS) increases, followed by an increase in the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis. This effect is associated with an increase in blood flow to muscle tissue, likely mediated by IGF-I and/or insulin. In summary, the effects of GH on body composition reflect a complex interaction between GH and its metabolic fuels in the short term, and the metabolic actions of IGF-I and insulin on carbohydrate, fat, and protein subsequently.
The Importance of Bequests and Life-Cycle Saving in Capital Accumulation: A New Answer

As the workhorse of consumption and saving research for the past four decades, the life-cycle model has proved flexible and useful for examining a variety of questions. In a classic paper, Albert Ando and Franco Modigliani (1963 p. 56) stated a key assumption of the basic model: “[t]he individual neither expects to receive nor desires to leave any inheritance.” Although the authors contended that the absence of a bequest motive was not critical to the heart of their results, the assumption set off a long-standing battle over the relative importance of different motives for saving. In an influential study, Laurence Kotlikoff and Laurence Summers (1981) estimated that a large fraction of the U.S. capital stock was attributable to intergenerational transfers. Modigliani and his collaborators vigorously disagreed and, based on their own empirical work, claimed that life-cycle saving was the primary source of capital accumulation (Modigliani, 1988). Subsequent work has failed to reach a consensus. Since this debate began, an important advance in the consumption literature has been the incorporation of uncertainty in life-cycle models (see e.g., R. Glenn Hubbard et al., 1995). We argue that allowing for uncertainty resolves the controversy over the importance of life-cycle and bequest saving by showing that these motives for saving are overlapping and cannot generally be distinguished. A dollar saved today simultaneously serves both a precautionary life-cycle function (guarding against future contingencies such as health shocks or other emergencies) and a bequest function because, in the likely event that the dollar is not absorbed by these contingencies, it will be available to bequeath to children or other worthy causes. Under this view, households have a bequest motive, but bequests are given (i.e., the motive is “operative”) in only some states of the world. Wealth is something like traveler’s checks: you take them along on vacation “just in case,” but odds are they will remain uncashed and available for sundry goods after the journey is complete. We first demonstrate the result using a simple model and then argue that this approach reconciles the apparent importance of bequests with households’ declared focus on life-cycle saving. Finally, we consider implications of our analysis.
Use of the Wesche Method to Evaluate Fine-Sediment Dynamics in Small Boreal Forest Headwater Streams

Abstract Fine-sediment infiltration was monitored by the Wesche sediment method in the Copper Lake watershed, Newfoundland, Canada, from June 1993 to October 1994 as part of a multidisciplinary forest harvesting buffer zone research project. Initial study in Copper Lake has focused on evaluating the ability of this method to measure sediment dynamics in small boreal forest streams and in developing methods for data analyses and interpretation. The Wesche method discerned expected differences in sediment yield among sites due to logging-road construction and seasonal trends. Stream reaches impacted by bridge construction and culvert installation had significantly higher sediment accumulation than streams not affected by road construction. The Wesche method was a relatively simple and inexpensive way to compare fine sediment yield in streams with similar hydrologic regimes and was easily used in remote locations. Due to the nonparametric nature of the data collected with this method, randomization technique...
Surface-Induced Dissociation of Homotetramers with D2 Symmetry Yields their Assembly Pathways and Characterizes the Effect of Ligand Binding

Understanding of protein complex assembly and the effect of ligand binding on their native topologies is integral to discerning how alterations in their architecture can affect function. Probing the disassembly pathway may offer insight into the mechanisms through which various subunits self-assemble into complexes. Here, a gas-phase dissociation method, surface-induced dissociation (SID) coupled with ion mobility (IM), was utilized to determine whether disassembly pathways are consistent with the assembly of three homotetramers and to probe the effects of ligand binding on conformational flexibility and tetramer stability. The results indicate that the smaller interface in the complex is initially cleaved upon dissociation, conserving the larger interface, and suggest that assembly of a D2 homotetramer from its constituent monomers occurs via a C2 dimer intermediate. In addition, we demonstrate that ligand-mediated changes in tetramer SID dissociation behavior are dependent on where and how the ligand binds.
Requirement of a reactive α,β-unsaturated carbonyl for inhibition of tumor growth and induction of differentiation by “A” series prostaglandins

Abstract Prostaglandins of the A series have been reported to inhibit tumor cell growth and induce tumor cell differentiation by a yet unknown mechanism. We propose that these effects are due to the presence of a reactive α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group (Δ10,11) in the cyclopentane ring of the PGA molecule. PGA was effective whereas PGB (sterically hindered α,β-unsaturated carbonyl at Δ8,12) and PGA conjugated to glutathione were ineffective. 15-Epi-PGA2 was as effective as PGA2 suggesting that the S absolute configuration of the 15-hydroxyl group is not essential. There was no correlation between generation of cAMP and inhibition of cell proliferation or induction of differentiation by various prostaglandins. The data suggest that PGA's and PGA-like compounds inhibit tumor cell growth and induce differentation because of the chemical reactivity of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl rather than hormonal activity of the prostanoid nucleus.
Superelastic SMA–FRP composite reinforcement for concrete structures

For many years there has been interest in using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) as reinforcement in concrete structures. Unfortunately, due to their linear elastic behavior, FRP reinforcing bars are never considered for structural damping or dynamic applications. With the aim of improving the ductility and damping capability of concrete structures reinforced with FRP reinforcement, this paper studies the application of SMA–FRP, a relatively novel type of composite reinforced with superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) wires. The cyclic tensile behavior of SMA–FRP composites are studied experimentally and analytically. Tests of SMA–FRP composite coupons are conducted to determine their constitutive behavior. The experimental results are used to develop and calibrate a uniaxial SMA–FRP analytical model. Parametric and case studies are performed to determine the efficacy of the SMA–FRP reinforcement in concrete structures and the key factors governing its behavior. The results show significant potential for SMA–FRP reinforcement to improve the ductility and damping of concrete structures while still maintaining its elastic characteristic, typical of FRP reinforcement.
Model studies made at the University of California River and Harbor Laboratory

Since establishment of the River and Harbor Hydraulic Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley, approximately ten years ago, numerous model studies have been made in connection with a variety of engineering problems. Many of the data obtained in the various model studies have not been published previously. Since many of the results may be of interest to other investigators, both because of general principles of application as well as the limitations of the models, a few of the more important investigations are described briefly.
The New Antidemocrats

Abstract Democratization has lately received new rounds of criticism from antidemocrats on both the right and the left. As the prevalence of democracy throughout the world has surpassed that of dictatorship and other forms of undemocratic government, nostalgia for authoritarianism has blurred the realities of the depredations of dictatorship. Increasingly, the new antidemocrats suggest that the problems of democracy require nondemocratic solutions. But while all democracies will necessarily fall short of their ideal, the solution lies within democratic traditions. The challenge is to motivate future generations to improve on existing democracy, not to replace democratic structures with a system that is simpler, more comfortable, and less demanding of those who live under it.
Terminal differentiation in cultured friend erythroleukemia cells

Abstract Two populations of differentiated, hemoglobin-containing cells have been identified in cultures of Friend murine erythroleukemia cells (Friend cells): terminally differentiated benzidine-positive (B+) cells that are no longer capable of proliferation and are arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and their precursors, traversing B+ cells which undergo two or three cell divisions before reaching their terminally differentiated state. Thus Friend cells in suspension culture retain a limited capacity to synthesize DNA and divide after commitment to erythroid differentiation. We identified terminally differentiated cells using autoradiography after benzidine staining. We also developed a quantitative flow microfluorometric assay to distinguish cells that are terminally differentiated from those cells committed to differentiation but still capable of proliferation. We developed a purification procedure to isolate terminally differentiated Friend cells. Their DNA content was the same as that of the undifferentiated cells in G1 by both the diphenylamine reaction and a fluorescence assay. No loss of DNA was detected during the differentiation of Friend cells. As many as 72% of the total cells in a culture induced with DMSO (88% B+) were differentiated cells arrested in G1. As a control, a DMSO-resistant line derived from 745A neither differentiated nor arrested in G1 after growth in the presence of DMSO. The results of these studies were obtained using several compounds that induce differentiation and three independently isolated clones of 745A. We also observed arrest of differentiated cells in G1 with the two other well characterized, independently derived erythroleukemia cell lines, F4-1 and T3-C1-2.
Searching for Transitologists: Contemporary Theories of Post-Communist Transitions and the Myth of a Dominant Paradigm

A political scientist investigates the claim that the field of post-communist studies is and has been dominated by a transitology paradigm whose teleological biases lead to faulty analysis. Based on a comprehensive analysis of post-communist regime change studies published in 10 leading area studies and comparative politics journals between 1991 and 2003 as well as a broader review of the post-communist transition literature, this article seeks to clarify the terminological confusion that is a prominent feature of critiques of transitology and to examine the claim that a single mode of analysis dominates the study of post-communism.
Conversion of premalignant human cells to tumorigenic cells by methylmethane sulfonate and methylnitronitrosoguanidine

Nine human tumor cell lines derived from both epithelial and mesenchymal tumors exhibited either an anchorage-independent growth non-tumorigenic phenotype or an anchorage-independent tumorigenic phenotype. Transformed epithelial cell lines with the non-tumorigenic phenotype could be converted to a progressively growing tumor phenotype following treatment with either methylmethane sulfonate (MMS) or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitro-soguanidine (MNNG). In contrast, sarcoma derived cell lines with a non-tumorigenic phenotype could be converted to a progressively growing tumor phenotype only with MNNG. SV40 immortalized HET-1A non-tumorigenic phenotype cells could be converted to a progressively growing tumorigenic phenotype, infrequently, when treated with MNNG, but not MMS. Progressively growing tumors produced by either MMS or MNNG treated non-tumorigenic phenotypes exhibited metastatic potential in nude mice. Chemically treated HET-1A cells acquired the ability to produce tumor in mice but the tumor did not exhibit metastatic potential. In contrast, populations of tumorigenic cells were not rendered more biologically aggressive after treatment with either MMS or MNNG; i.e., the latency period for tumor development was not accelerated and the tumors did not exhibit metastatic potential. These results suggest that the biological effects of MMS and MNNG on non-tumorigenic, tumorigenic and immortalized cell lines are phenotype specific.
Performance of health-related quality-of-life instruments in a spinal cord injured population

Objective: General health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) surveys have not been well tested in populations with spinal cord injury (SCI). This study evaluated the performance of 5 such instruments. Design: A cross-sectional survey with instruments administered in random order during computer-assisted interviews. Setting: A midwestern US veteran SCI program. Subjects: One hundred eighty-three veterans with SCI ranging in age from 21 to 81yrs (mean = 50.5). Measures: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) HRQoL modules, the Quality of Well-Being scale (QWB), the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 and Short-Form 12 (SF-36, SF-12), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Results: Construct validity was supported by scores from the QWB, IADL, and physical health measures of the BRFSS and SF-36 showing greater impairment for quadriplegia than paraplegia. Similar constructs on the SF-36 and BRFSS were more strongly correlated than between the IADL and QWB; eg, correlation between the SF-36 Vitality scale and the BRFSS “Days full of energy” question was r = .789 (p < .01), whereas correlation between the IADL and QWB was r = −.454 (p < .01). Longer surveys (SF-36, QWB) were rated lower in subject acceptability. Conclusions: These instruments have potential for research use among patients with SCI. More studies are needed to explore the best use of instruments with apparently different domains.
Analysis of mixed natural and forced convection copper deposition below the limiting current

Abstract Effective mass transfer boundary-layer thicknesses at a segmented vertical plate cathode were measured experimentally using the potential relaxation technique. Copper deposition at currents near and below the diffusion limiting current was investigated for assisting and opposing mixed natural and forced convection stirring. Mass transfer to the lower region of the plate was controlled by pure forced convection during assisting flow and laminar natural convection during opposing flow. At the upper portion of the plate, pure natural convection regulated the boundary-layer thickness during assisting flow whereas laminar forced convection dominated for the opposing flow case. Turbulent mass transfer was observed in the middle section of the cathode during opposing flow. The results suggest that turbulence was generated by flow instabilities and boundary-layer separation, which is analogous to that reported in opposing flow heat transfer studies. For the case of assisting mixed convection copper deposition, the following local Sherwood number correlation was generated from experimentally measured boundary-layer thicknesses, Sh 2.8 M = Sh 3 N + Sh 3 F .
Characteristics of the Gas Centrifuge for Uranium Enrichment and Their Relevance for Nuclear Weapon Proliferation

This article presents an analytical model, originally developed in the 1980s, for the gas centrifuge and uses this methodology to determine the main design and operational characteristics of several hypothetical centrifuge designs. A series of simulations for a typical first-generation machine is used to assess the relevance of important breakout scenarios, including batch recycling and cascade interconnection, using either natural uranium or preenriched material as feedstock.
Neutrophil bactericidal dysfunction towards oxidant radical-sensitive microorganisms during experimental iron deficiency.

NEUTROPHIL BACTERICIDAL DYSFUNCTION TOWARDS OXIDANT RADICAL-SENSITIVE MICROORGANISMS DURING EXPERIMENTAL IRON DEFICIENCY
TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION TO ANT OMNIVORY IN PINE FORESTS

To understand omnivore function in food webs, we must know the contributions of resources from different trophic levels and how resource use changes through space and time. We investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of pine (Pinus ponderosa) food webs that included the omnivorous ant, Formica podzolica, using direct observation and stable isotopes. Formica podzolica is a predator of herbivorous and predatory arthropods, and a mutualist with some aphids. Observations in 2001 of foragers showed that in early summer (June) ants fed upon equal parts non-mutualist herbivores (31% prey biomass), mutualist aphids (27%), and predators (42%); ant trophic position was thus between that of primary and secondary predator (trophic level = 3.4). In late summer (September), ant feeding remained relatively constant upon non-mutualist herbivores (53%) and mutualist aphids (43%), but ant feeding upon predators fell (4%), thus shifting ant trophic position to that of a primary predator (trophic level = 3.0). Feeding ...
Electromagnetic inversion of Ipswich objects with the use of the genetic algorithm

The genetic algorithm is combined with a moment method solver to carry out the shape inversion of two-dimensional metallic objects. The binary bitmap discretization is used in conjunction with geometrical median filtering to describe the shape of the object. Results of the shape inversion with the use of this algorithm are presented for several Ipswich objects based on measurement data. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 33: 457–459, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10349
Respecting the Evidence

Wherein Stedman answers Berliner and Biddle's reply to his review of The Manufactured Crisis.
Histochemical detection of esterified cholesterol within human atherosclerotic lesions using the fluorescent probe filipin

The fluorescent cholesterol probe filipin has been used in this study to histochemically examine the morphology and cholesterol composition of intra- and extracellular Sudanophilic lipid deposits which accumulate in human atherosclerotic lesions. Because filipin reacts with unesterified but not esterified cholesterol, detection of cholesteryl esters was carried out by first extracting native unesterified cholesterol with ethanol, and then enzymatically converting esterified to unesterified cholesterol before filipin staining. The size and structure of particles comprising extracellular cholesteryl ester-rich lipid deposits was different in regions of necrosis as detected using filipin compared with the Sudan lipid-soluble dye oil red 0. Whereas oil red 0 staining often indicated that extracellular cholesteryl ester in these regions occurred in amorphous and spherical particles of varying sizes, filipin staining revealed that extracellular cholesteryl ester occurred in spherical particles more uniform in size than indicated by oil red 0 staining. Also, the majority of extracellular cholesteryl ester-rich particles in necrotic regions were smaller than intracellular cholesteryl ester-containing lipid droplets. In addition, the use of filipin to detect intracellular cholesteryl ester allowed distinction of 2 subpopulations of oil red 0-stained cells which did and did not contain detectable cholesteryl ester.
Work in progress — What are you thinking? Over confidence in first year students

Michigan Technological University is one of the nation's largest engineering schools (900+ first year students) and houses a large common first year engineering curriculum. The purpose of this curriculum is to introduce many of the fundamental components of engineering. One of these components is the use of modern computational and programming tools to solve engineering problems. This paper continues a long-term study that began in 2007 and focuses on student confidence with the use of computational tools. On the first day of class, students were surveyed on their proficiency with the use of spreadsheets. Students self reported levels of proficiency from expert to no experience. Students were then asked a simple question regarding a spreadsheet cell equation. Over three years only 16% of the students were correct, while 90% self ranked as familiar or better. A gender bias was noted as women under estimated their skills while men overestimated their own abilities. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge of gender confidence gaps. Additionally, it lays the groundwork for creating an assessment plan to identify the preparedness of incoming students and measure their skill at the end of the course.
An indirect method of screening for lipid composition of serum lipoproteins.

Abstract A parameter, z, was defined which reflects deviations from average normal cholesterol (C)/triglyceride (T) ratios for β- and pre-β-lipoprotein (LP). Required for determining z are data for total serum C and T, and the electrophoretic β- LP pre -β- LP ratio. High z values indicate too much T in β-LP and low z values indicate too much C in β-LP, in pre-β-LP, or in both. These conclusions were validated by electrophoretic separations in agarose gel and direct determinations of C and T in the sectioned gel segments. A nomogram is presented from which values of z can be read.
The Role of Leukotrienes in Inflammation

Objective: To review the biochemistry and biological activities of leukotrienes, focusing on their role in the mediation of inflammatory diseases. Data Sources: MEDLINE (1966-1994), EMBASE (Excerpt...
Ethoxylated nonionic surfactants in hydrophobic solvent: interaction with aqueous and membrane-immobilized poly(acrylic acid).

Interaction between ethoxylated nonionic surfactants and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in aqueous solutions is well-documented in the literature. In the present study, pure ethoxylated surfactant solution in a hydrophobic solvent was permeated through a partially cross-linked PAA composite membrane to quantify the surfactant−PAA interaction in the heterogeneous system. Partitioning of the mixture of the surfactants (15-S-5) between the hydrophobic solvent and aqueous solution of PAA was also studied. The role of ethylene oxide group variation in the surfactant−PAA interaction for the heterogeneous system was established by performing experiments with pure surfactants having the same alkyl chain length but varying ethoxylate chain lengths. It was observed that the surfactants with a higher number of ethylene oxide groups per molecule exhibit stronger interaction with PAA. The literature data for adsorption of pure ethoxylated surfactants (C12En) on a hydrophobic solid−water interface was correlated and compared...
Architecture and performance evaluation of 3D CMOS-NEM FPGA

In this paper, we introduce a reconfigurable architecture, named 3D CMOS-NEM FPGA, which utilizes Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays and 3D integration techniques synergistically. Unique features of our architecture include: hybrid CMOS-NEM FPGA look-up tables (LUTs) and configurable logic blocks (CLBs), NEM-based switch blocks (SBs) and connection blocks (CBs), and face-to-face 3D stacking. This architecture also has a built-in feature named direct link which is dedicated local communication channel using the short vertical wire between the two stacks to further enhance performance. A customized 3D FPGA placement and routing flow has been developed. By replacing CMOS components with NEM relays, a 19.5% delay reduction can be achieved compared to the baseline 2D CMOS architecture. 3D stacking together with NEM devices achieves a 31.5% delay reduction over the baseline. The best performance of this architecture is achieved by adding direct links, which provides a 41.9% performance gain over the baseline.
Development of a ground level enhancement alarm system based upon neutron monitors

[1] We have developed a system that watches for count rate increases recorded in real time by eight neutron monitors, which triggers an alarm if a ground level enhancement (GLE) is detected. In this work, we determine optimal strategies for detecting the GLE event at a very early stage, while still keeping the false alarm rate at a very low level. We study past events to optimize appropriate intensity threshold values and a baseline to determine the intensity increase. The highest-level alarm, which we term an “alert,” is generated when a 4% increase is recorded at three stations in 3 min averaged data. At this level, the false alarm rate obtained by backtesting over the past 4.4 years is zero. Ten GLEs occurred in this period, and our system produced GLE alarms for nine events. Alarm times for these nine events are compared with satellite proton data. The GLE alert precedes the earliest alert from GOES (100 MeV or 10 MeV protons) by ∼10–30 min. Real-time GLE data may be viewed at http://neutronm.bartol.udel.edu/spaceweather. An automated e-mail alert system is under development.
Infectivity of Pasteurella tularensis Clouds.

The infectivity of Pasteurella tularensis clouds decreases with age, for guineapigs challenged by the peritoneal and respiratory routes. No decrease occurs in mice challenged peritoneally. The loss of infectivity depends to some extent on age of culture but more especially on culture medium used. Cultures grown in a partially hydrolysed casein medium and aged 2–3 weeks lose infectivity severely in clouds held 20 hr. at 85% r.h ., whereas if grown in cysteine broth with catalase (CBC) no loss occurs in this time until cultures are aged several months. Chloride ion, yeast extract and casein hydrolysate are shown to be infectivity depressors when used in culture media or when added to suspensions before spraying. Sodium chloride in CBC can be replaced adequately by sodium sulphate or sodium phosphate for growth of the organism.
Integration of magneto-optic garnet waveguides and polarizers for optical isolators

YIG waveguides and polarizers were integrated monolithically onto semiconductors. The waveguide losses were 1.55 dB/mm with Faraday rotations of 0.2 dB/mm. Birefringence was minimized by optimized etching. Photonic crystal polarizers and biasing films completed the isolator.
Tracking, Students' Effort, and Academic Achievement:

This study examined the links among students' effort, tracking, and students' achievement. It found that students in higher tracks exert substantially more effort than do students in lower tracks. These differences in effort are largely explained by differences in prior effort and achievement, as well as students' experiences in their classes. Students' effort is strongly related to students' learning, and track differences in students' effort account for a modest portion of track differences in students' learning. Finally, the effect of students' effort on students' learning is roughly the same, regardless of the track in which a student is placed.
Dielectric characterization of carbon nanotube contrast agents for microwave breast cancer detection

We are investigating the feasibility of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as contrast agents for microwave breast cancer detection. We hypothesize that the accumulation of SWCNTs in a tumor will enhance the dielectric contrast between normal and malignant tissue and potentially improve the efficacy of microwave imaging techniques. As an initial step, we constructed tissue-mimicking phantom materials with varying concentrations of SWCNTs. We characterized their dielectric properties and estimated the pressure wave induced in the phantom materials under microwave illumination. At SWCNT concentrations of less than 0.5% by weight, we observed significant changes in both the relative permittivity and effective conductivity of these SWCNT/tissue-mimicking material mixtures. Our estimates suggest a similarly significant change in the thermoacoustic response relative to the phantom material mixtures without carbon nanotubes.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or a combination of these, is being increasingly recognized in adults. Adult ADHD prevalence rates range from 1% to 4%. The pathophysiology of adult ADHD is likely multifactorial, including genetic, environmental, and neurobiological influences. Though ADHD diagnostic criteria per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) were developed based on child samples, the symptoms are believed to be similar in adults, with some developmental differences in symptom presentation. This article identifies common presenting complaints of adults who have ADHD and provides information useful for differential diagnosis of these patients. Specific strategies for pharmacological and nonpharmacological intervention are also presented.
Aerial and aquatic feeding in the silver arawana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

The silver arawana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, hunts along shorelines and within flooded forests in the Amazon River basin and supplements its limited consumption of aquatic vertebrates by leaping from the water to obtain terrestrial and arboreal prey. We offered O. bicirrhosum prey both suspended above and submerged below the surface of the water. From high-speed digital recordings, we measured kinematic variables associated with the jaws, cranium, pectoral fins, and body during orientation and prey capture. Aquatic and aerial feeding events were kinematically distinct, with aerial events generally involving faster, larger movements and a distinct delay in the onset of lower jaw depression until the head had left the water. The comparatively large gape during leaping may facilitate prey capture by overcoming variability in the apparent position of the prey due to refraction, while the delayed onset of mouth opening may serve to reduce the effects of drag. This distinctive leaping behaviour allows exploitation of the terrestrial prey base, especially during seasonal inundation of the Amazon River basin when the aquatic food base is widely dispersed.
Seraphim: dynamic interoperable security architecture for active networks

Security is an important concern in the active networking paradigm because a breach in security can quickly compromise many systems in the network. The paper describes an extensible, reconfigurable security architecture that is flexible and accommodates a wide variety of security policies and mechanisms. It provides applications and users with the ability to create and enforce highly customized and situational policies dynamically, and is well-suited to the security issues in active networks. R.H. Campbell and M.D. Mickunas (1998) implement this architecture and allow the creation of dynamic security policies. Innovative applications use these policies in an exploration of the nature and scope of "dynamic security". The implementation facilitates research of interoperability and portability security issues. Based on the experience from this effort, we are investigating a unified model for security mechanisms that preserves security guarantees across domains.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and gadolinium angiography for neonates and small infants: a 10-year single institutional experience

Methods Clinical, anesthesia and nursing records of all patients (pts)<120 days of age who underwent CMR were reviewed. Variables including cardiac diagnosis, study duration, anesthesia type and agents used, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) dependence and gadolinium (Gd) use were recorded. Serially recorded temperature, systemic saturation, and cardiac rhythm were analyzed. Primary outcome measure was any adverse event (AE) during or <24 hours after the procedure, including minor AE such as hypothermia (axillary temperature ≤95 F), desaturation (SpO2 drop ≥ 10% below baseline) and bradycardia (heart rate ≤100/ min). Secondary outcome measure was unplanned overnight hospitalization of out-pts.
Engineering study of a 10 MeV heavy ion linear accelerator

LBLs Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's Heavy Ion Fusion Accelerator Research group has completed the engineering study of the Induction Linac Systems Experiment (ILSE). ILSE will address nearly all accelerator physics issues of a scaled heavy-ion induction linac inertial-fusion pellet driver. Designed as a series of subsystem experiments, ILSE will accelerate 16 parallel carbon ion beams from a 2-MeV injector presently under development to 10 MeV at 1 mu s. The physics and engineering requirements are presented, and conceptual design approaches for building ILSE are described. Major ILSE subsystems comprise electrostatic focusing quadrupole matching and accelerating sections, a sixteen- to four-beam transverse combining section, a four-beam magnetic focusing quadrupole accelerating section, a single-beam 180 degrees bend section, a drift compression section, and a final focus and target chamber. Also discussed are vacuum and alignment, diagnostics/data acquisition, and controls. Plans for further development are considered. >
Stepwise Modification of a Modular Enhancer Underlies Adaptation in a Drosophila Population

The evolution of cis regulatory elements (enhancers) of developmentally regulated genes plays a large role in the evolution of animal morphology. However, the mutational path of enhancer evolution—the number, origin, effect, and order of mutations that alter enhancer function—has not been elucidated. Here, we localized a suite of substitutions in a modular enhancer of the ebony locus responsible for adaptive melanism in a Ugandan Drosophila population. We show that at least five mutations with varied effects arose recently from a combination of standing variation and new mutations and combined to create an allele of large phenotypic effect. We underscore how enhancers are distinct macromolecular entities, subject to fundamentally different, and generally more relaxed, functional constraints relative to protein sequences.
Fault tolerant deployment and topology control in wireless ad hoc networks

We consider a large-scale of wireless ad hoc networks whose nodes are distributed randomly in a two-dimensional region Ω (more specifically, a unit square). Given n wireless nodes V, each with transmission range r n , the wireless networks are often modeled by graph G(V, r n ) in which two nodes are connected if and only if their Euclidean distance is no more than r n . We first consider how to relate the transmission range with the number of nodes in a fixed area such that the resulted network can sustain k fault nodes in its neighborhood with high probability when all nodes have the same transmission range. We show that, for a unit-area square region Ω, the probability that the network G(V, r n ) is k-connected is at least e -e-a when the transmission radius r n satisfies nπr 2 n ≥ 1n n + (2k - 3)ln ln n - 2 ln(k - 1)! + 2a fork > 1 and n sufficiently large. This result also applies to mobile networks when the moving of wireless nodes always generates randomly distributed positions. We also conduct extensive simulations to study the practical transmission range to achieve certain probability the network being k-connectivity, when the number of nodes n is not large enough. The relation between the minimum node degree and the connectivity of graph G(V, r) is also studied. Setting the transmission range of all nodes to r n guarantees the k-connectivity with high probability, but some nodes may have excessive number of neighbors in the graph G(V, r n ). We then present a localized method to construct a subgraph of the network topology G(V, r n ) such that the resulting subgraph is still k-connected but with much fewer communication links maintained. We show that the constructed topology has only O(k . n) links and is a length spanner. Here a graph H ⊂ G is spanner for graph G, if for any two nodes, the length of the shortest path connecting them in H is no more than a small constant factor of the length of the shortest path connecting them in G. Finally, we conduct some simulations to study the practical transmission range to achieve certain probability of k-connected when n is not large enough.