cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Poly(β-alanoid-block-β-alanine)s: synthesis via cobalt-catalyzed carbonylative polymerization and self-assembly

The titled diblock copolymers are synthesized via cobalt-catalyzed living carbonylative polymerization of N-alkylaziridines under moderate pressures followed by a deprotection step. The poly(β-alanine) block is solubilized by the poly(β-alanoid) block in chloroform and remains fully hydrogen-bonded in the form of a sheet-like assembly.
Nondestructive volumetric 3-D chemical mapping of nickel-sulfur compounds at the nanoscale

Nano-structures of nickel (Ni) and nickel subsulfide (Ni3S2) materials were studied and mapped in 3D with high-resolution x-ray nanotomography combined with full field XANES spectroscopy. This method for characterizing these phases in complex microstructures is an important new analytical imaging technique, applicable to a wide range of nanoscale and mesoscale electrochemical systems.
An information hypothesis for the evolution of homeostasis

A prevailing view among physiologists is that homeostasis evolves to protect organisms from damaging variation in physiological factors. Here, we propose that homeostasis also evolves to minimize noise in physiological channels. Fluctuations in physiological factors constitute inescapable noise that corrupts the transfer of information through physiological systems. We apply information theory to homeostasis to develop two related ideas. First, homeostatic regulation creates quiet physiological backgrounds for the transmission of all kinds of physiological information. Second, the performance of any homeostatic system influences information processing in other homeostatic systems. This dependence implies that multiple homeostatic systems, embedded within individual organisms, should show strongly nonadditive effects.
Photoionization of Xe and Xe@C60

Photoionization of Xe and Xe@C60 have been studied using the random phase approximation with exchange method and our C60 model potential. The Xe atom was described by relaxed orbitals including overlap integrals. The Schrodinger equation for Xe@C60 was solved using both regular and irregular solutions and the continuous boundary conditions at inner and outer radii of the C60 shell. Better photoionization results for both Xe atom and Xe@C60 molecule have been obtained and compared with the experimental data.
Development and storage-protein synthesis in Brassica napus L. embryos in vivo and in vitro

Immature embryos of Brassica napus were cultured in vitro with and without various concentrations of germination inhibitors, and the progress of embryogeny was monitored by comparing accumulation of storage proteins in culture with the normal accumulation in seeds. The two major B. napus storage proteins (12S and 1.7S) were purified from seed extracts and analyzed by rocket immunoelectrophoresis (12S protein) or by sodium lauryl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1.7S protein). During embryo development within seeds both the 12S and 1.7S proteins were first detected when the cotyledons were well developed (embryo dry weight, 0.4 mg), and each storage protein accumulated at an average rate of 26 μg d-1 during maximum deposition. Accumulation of the 1.7S protein stopped when the water content of the embryo began to decline (embryo DW, 2.7 mg), but accumulation of the 12S protein continued until seed maturity (embryo DW, 3.6 mg). At the end of embryo development the 12S and the 1.7S proteins comprised approx. 60 and 20% of the total salt-soluble protein, respectively. When embryos were removed from seeds at day 27, just as storage protein was starting to accumulate, and placed in culture on a basal medium, they precociously germinated within 3d, and incorporation of amino acids into the 12S storage protein dropped from 3% of total incorporation to less than 1%. If 10-6 M abscisic acid (ABA) was included in the medium, amino-acid incorporation into the 12S protein increased from 3% of total incorporation when embryos were placed into culture to 18%, 5d later, and the accumulation rate (27.1±2.6 μg embryo-1 d-1) matched the maximum rate observed in the seed. High osmotica, such as 0.29 M sucrose or mannitol, added to the basal medium, also inhibited precocious germination, but there was a lag period before 12S-protein synthesis rates equaled the rates on ABA media. These results indicate that some factor in the seed environment is necessary for storage-protein synthesis to proceed, and that ABA is a possible candidate.
Correlation of pyruvate kinase activity with bitter pit development in apple fruit

Abstract The relationship between pyruvate kinase (pyruvate-ATP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) activity, fruit cation concentration (Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+) and bitter pit in apple cultivar ‘Smoothie Golden Delicious’ fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) was investigated. Fruit was sprayed with 1% (w/v) CaCl2, 1% (w/v) MgCl2 or a combination of both chemicals every 10 days, beginning 5 days after full bloom, in a factorial experiment designed to induce a range of post-storage bitter pit symptoms. Pyruvate kinase activity during the early stages of fruit growth was higher in fruit from treatments which developed 100% bitter pit after storage than in fruit from treatments that developed only 3% bitter pit. Fruit with a higher bitter pit incidence had a lower Ca2+:Mg2++K+ ratio than fruit with a low level of the disorder. There was a positive correlation between pyruvate kinase activity during the early stages of fruit development and bitter pit incidence after storage. Correlation coefficients (r) were highest in June (r=0.96), declined steadily until harvest (r=0.67) and were lowest after storage (r=0.12). Preliminary data indicate that an assay for pyruvate kinase may be valuable for early prediction of post-harvest bitter pit development and cation ratio.
PJ34, a poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor, modulates visceral mitochondrial activity and CD14 expression following thoracic aortic ischemia-reperfusion

Abstract Background Visceral ischemia-reperfusion injury (VI) contributes to adverse outcomes following the repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysms. Experiments were designed to determine whether a poly–adenosine diphosphate–ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor modulates indexes of metabolic function (mitochondrial activity), inflammatory cell activation, and tissue inflammation (lipopolysaccharide receptor CD14 messenger ribonucleic acid) following VI. Methods 129S1/SvImj mice were subjected to thoracic aortic occlusion followed by 48 hours of reperfusion. Normal saline was administered to 25 untreated control mice and PJ34 to 21 mice before and immediately after thoracic aortic ischemia-reperfusion. Sham mice (n = 13) underwent median sternotomy alone. At 48 hours, all animals were euthanized and tissues harvested for quantitative analysis. Results PJ34 improved intestinal ( P P P P Conclusions PJ34 preserved the metabolic function of intestinal but not hepatic tissue during reperfusion. PJ34 uniformly decreased the expression of an important marker of inflammatory cell activation and tissue inflammation in visceral tissue following VI. PARP inhibitors may serve as a therapeutic modality to abrogate the stress response to VI.
Metabolic Response of Mice to a Postnatal Ablation of CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein α

Although CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) is essential for initiating or sustaining several metabolic processes during the perinatal period, the consequences of total ablation of C/EBPalpha during postnatal development have not been investigated. We have created a conditional knock-out model in which the administration of poly(I:C) caused a virtually total deletion of c/ebpalpha (C/EBPalpha(Delta/-) mice) in the liver, spleen, white and brown adipose tissues, pancreas, lung, and kidney of the mice. C/EBPalpha itself was completely ablated in the liver by day 4 after the injection of poly(I:C). There was no noticeable change in phenotype during the first 15 days after the injection. The mice maintained a normal level of fasting blood glucose and responded to the diabetogenic action of streptozotocin. From day 16 onward, the mice developed hypophagia, exhibited severe weight loss, lost triglyceride in white but not brown adipose tissue, became hypoglycemic and hypoinsulinemic, depleted their hepatic glycogen, and developed fatty liver. They also exhibited lowered plasma levels of free fatty acid, triglyceride, and cholesterol, as well as marked changes in hepatic mRNA for C/EBPdelta, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, and apolipoproteins. Although basal levels of hepatic mRNA for the cytosolic isoform of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase were reduced, transcription of the genes for these enzymes was inducible by dibutyryl cyclic AMP in C/EBPalpha(Delta/-) mice. The animals died about 1 month after the injection of poly(I:C). These findings demonstrate that C/EBPalpha is essential for the survival of animals during postnatal life and that its ablation leads to distinct biphasic change in metabolic processes.
Salinity and nutrient effects on the induction of the galactose permease system in a psychrophilic marine vibrio

An Antarctic psychrophilic marine Vibrio species was isolated having the inducible ability to accumulate nonmetabolizable thiomethyl-14C-β-galactopyranoside (14C-TMG) through a galactose permease system. Induction of 14C-TMG uptake was found to have a salinity requirement which was higher than that required for uptake. At the optimum salinity, galactose and fucose were the primary inducers. Lactose produced a comparable induction but only at higher concentrations, whereas glucose did not cause induction. The initial rate of 14C-TMG uptake exhibited saturation kinetics with an apparent Km value of 4.8 x 10−6M. An amino acid, in addition to the inducer, was required for induction which could not be replaced by glycerol or galactose. Evidence is presented which indicates that the uptake of 14C-TMG is energy-dependent and that nutrient availability is more important than salinity for induction and uptake under conditions which would normally be found in the oceanic environment.
Inverse Planned High-dose-rate Brachytherapy for Locoregionally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Four-year Follow-up

definitive chemoradiation and weekly HDR brachytherapy. External radiation therapy using IMRT directed to the cervical tumor and pelvic lymph nodes utilizing FDG-PET/CT simulation was performed. All but one patient completed 6 weekly HDR-brachytherapy treatments beginning week 1 of IMRT. MRI simulation was used for each HDR fraction. The GTV from each fraction was delineated using diffusion weighted and/or T2 weighted images. Symmetric expansions of the GTV were created at 3, 5, 7, and 10 mm to define clinical tumor volumes (CTVs) avoiding the rectum, bladder, and sigmoid. Doses in 2 Gy equivalent fractions (EQD2) to the 90% and 100% volumes for each fraction and each CTV expansion were recorded and summed. The total D90 and D100 from the brachytherapy component was summed to the D90 and D100 from the IMRT plan for each CTV expansion. Statistical analysis utilized the Probit method to determine the relationship between likelihood of a complete metabolic response on the 3-month post-therapy FDG-PET and the D90 and D100 values of the GTV and CTV expansions. The Vuong test for non-nested independent models was used to determine statistical significance of different combinations of dosimetric models. Results: The median follow up was 20 months. A total of 97.5% of the patients completed treatment as intended. Median prescribed dose to the cervical tumor and lymph nodes from IMRTwas 20 Gy and 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, and the median prescribed dose to point A was 39 Gy in six fractions. Nineteen patients had an incomplete metabolic response on their post-therapy FDG-PET. Probit analysis indicated that the D90 or D100 EQD2 of all CTV expansions demonstrated a significant predictive relationship with 3-month PET/CT outcome (p-values 0.005-0.0176), whereas the D90 or D100 EQD2 for the GTV did not demonstrate a relationship (D90 pZ0.2371, D100 pZ0.0704). Comparison of the models using the Vuong test demonstrated that they were not statistically different. Conclusions: A significant relationship among DVH parameters based on the GTV and CTV expansions was demonstrated for early metabolic response. Further study will determine whether parameters from specific volumes more reliably predict local control, allowing for dose-volume optimization for treatment planning. Author Disclosure: A.J. Apicelli: None. P. Dyk: None. B. Sun: None. C. Bertelsman: None. J. Kavanaugh: None. T. DeWees: None. J. GarciaRamirez: None. S. Richardson: None. J.K. Schwarz: None. P.W. Grigsby: None.
Neutron activation and the JFK assassination, Part II. Extended benefits

The NAA of the bullets and fragments from the JFK assassination not only demonstrated that U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Texas Governor John B. Connally were hit by two and only two bullets, both from Lee Harvey Oswald's rifle, but offered a considerable number of extended benefits for understanding the assassination as well. The NAA eliminated all conspiracy theories that involved additional shooters or planted bullets. The NAA proved that none of the fragments were planted, that the rifle was fired that day (not planted), and that the locations of Kennedy's head wounds and back wound were not needed in order to get the right answer for the assassination. It supported the single-bullet theory and thus helped to provide the best-documented shooting scenario to date. It knits together the core physical evidence into an airtight case against Lee Oswald. It is, thus, the key to resolving the major controversies in the JFK assassination and putting the matter to rest.
Non-Canonical Jets-in-Crossflow

This invited paper presents a review of research done over the past several years at Purdue on non-canonical jets-in-crossflow. It is a retrospective and an integrative compilation of results previously reported as well as some new ones. The emphasis is on jets emanating from “short” holes, with length-diameter ratios of one or less. These are non-canonical in the sense that the flow is unable to “adjust” to the hole, unlike that in case of a long hole in which fully developed pipe flow can be attained. This motivated by gas turbine film cooling applications. Experimental results acquired with Particle Image Velocimetry will be presented primarily, with some complementary information gained from RANS simulations of the flow. Many different aspects of the problem have been investigated, and in this paper the focus will be on structural features within the hole and in the developing jet and crossflow interaction. A significant result is that the in-hole vertical structures, depending on their sense of rotation, tend to augment or weaken the primary counter-rotating vortex pair. This impacts global features such a jet trajectory and spreading.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Impact of Serum Proteins on MRI Contrast Agents: Cellular Binding and T2 relaxation

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) used as MRI contrast agents or for theranostic applications encounter a complex mixture of extracellular proteins that adsorb on the SPION surface forming a protein corona. Our goal was to understand how cellular binding and T2 relaxation times are affected by this protein corona. Our studies focused on carboxymethyl dextran-modified SPIONs, chosen for their similarity to Resovist SPIONs used to detect liver lesions. Using a combination of fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, we find that the cellular binding of SPIONs to both macrophages and epithelial cells is significantly inhibited by serum proteins. To determine if this decreased binding is due to the iron oxide core or the carboxymethyl dextran surface coating, we functionalized polystyrene nanoparticles with a similar carboxymethyl dextran coating. We find a comparable decrease in cellular binding for the carboxymethyl dextran–polystyrene nanoparticles indicating that the carbohydrate surface modification is the key factor in SPION–cell interactions. NMR measurements showed that T2 relaxation times are not affected by corona formation. These results indicate that SPIONs have a decreased binding to cells under physiological conditions, possibly limiting their use in theranostic applications. We expect these results will be useful in the design of SPIONs for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Rules for synthesizing correct communication protocols

An approach to communication protocols synthesis is proposed which permits the development of general (FIFO and non-FIFO channels), N-party (N>=2) protocols with the following properties: completeness, deadlock freeness, livelock or tempo-blocking freeness, termination or cyclic behavior, liveness, boundedness and absence of non-executable interactions.
Loving What I Leave: Closing My Therapy Practice

The author decides to close her long-term practice of clinical psychology. She compares chosen endings with unchosen, traumatic endings. She explores in narrative writing her decision-making process, therapist–client relationships, grief over endings, and what causes one to decide to stop working. She includes a narrative on the influence of grief on life choices, concluding that one can choose, with integrity, to leave what one loves.
Abstract 3331: MicroRNAs regulate breast cancer stem cells and spontaneous metastases in orthotopic xenograft models

To examine the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in breast cancer progression, we profiled miRNA and gene expression in both clinical breast tumors and human-in-mouse breast tumor models, where breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) contribute to spontaneous metastasis. CD44+ cells from both primary tumors and lung metastases were highly enriched for tumor initiating cells. Based on the miRNA profile analyses, we identified a limited number of miRNAs that are differentially expressed in metastatic triple-negative breast tumors and regulate BCSCs and tumor invasion in vitro. To facilitate miRNA functional studies in vivo, we also developed tumor imaging approaches by transducing BCSCs with optical reporter fusion genes (Luc2-eGFP or -tdTomato), which enabled both bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and FACS-based analysis and sorting. With non-invasive BLI approaches, as few as 10 cells of stably labeled BCSCs can be tracked in vivo. When optical reporters are expressed along with miRNA precursors or inhibitors, the effects of introduced miRNA candidates can be evaluated by selective imaging of labeled tumor cells, thereby eliminating the noise of unlabeled cells. Using this model system and imaging technology, we have screened and identified miRNAs that regulate BCSCs and metastatic CSCs (MCSCs) by targeting polycomb repressors (BMI1 and the PC2 components) and cytoskeleton genes (TWF1 and VIM). Clinical studies demonstrated that the expression of candidate miRNAs was associated with and regulated by GATA3, suggesting a transcriptional regulation of aberrantly expressed miRNAs in breast tumors. The GATA3-miRNA-target genes signaling pathway was also strongly associated with relapse-free survival of breast cancer patients, indicating the clinical importance of the miRNA-gene network in breast cancer. Supported in part by the University of Chicago Women9s Board Fellowship (J.B.), NIH T90 Fellowship DK070103-05, DOD Postdoctoral Fellowship W81XWH-09-1-0331, and Chicago Fellows Program and CTSA UL1 RR024999 at The University of Chicago (H.L.), University of Chicago Cancer Research Center Pilot Research Fund, UCMC/Northshore Collaborative Research Award and the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund (G.L.G and H.L). NIH R01 and Breast Cancer Research Foundation (M.F.C. and H.L.). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3331. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3331
Simultaneous quantification of sialyloligosaccharides from human milk by capillary electrophoresis

Abstract The acidic oligosaccharides of human milk are predominantly sialyloligosaccharides. Pathogens that bind sialic acid-containing glycans on their host mucosal surfaces may be inhibited by human milk sialyloligosaccharides, but testing this hypothesis requires their reliable quantification in milk. Sialyloligosaccharides have been quantified by anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), reverse- or normal-phase HPLC, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) of fluorescent derivatives; in milk, these oligosaccharides have been analyzed by high pH anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and, in our laboratory, by CE with detection at 205 nm. The novel method described here uses a running buffer of aqueous 200 mM NaH 2 PO 4 (pH 7.05) containing 100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) mixed with 45% (v/v) methanol to baseline resolve 5 oligosaccharides and separate all 12. This allows automated simultaneous quantification of the 12 major sialyloligosaccharides of human milk in a single 35-min run. This method revealed differences in sialyloligosaccharide concentrations between less and more mature milk from the same donors. Individual donors also varied in expression of sialyloligosaccharides in their milk. Thus, the facile quantification of sialyloligosaccharides by this method is suitable for measuring variation in expression of specific sialyloligosaccharides in milk and their relationship to decreased risk of specific diseases in infants.
Extension of the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method to the impurity problem☆

Abstract The Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method of energy-band theory is modified for the determination of localized impurity states.
Human genetics: Individual genomes diversify.

The link between a person's genetic ancestry and the traits — including disease risk — that he or she exhibits remains elusive. Routine sequencing of the genomes of an African and an Asian individual offer a step forward. The power of the latest massively parallel synthetic DNA sequencing technologies is demonstrated in two major collaborations that shed light on the nature of genomic variation with ethnicity. The first describes the genomic characterization of an individual from the Yoruba ethnic group of west Africa. The second reports a personal genome of a Han Chinese, the group comprising 30% of the world's population. These new resources can now be used in conjunction with the Venter, Watson and NIH reference sequences. A separate study looked at genetic ethnicity on the continental scale, based on data from 1,387 individuals from more than 30 European countries. Overall there was little genetic variation between countries, but the differences that do exist correspond closely to the geographic map. Statistical analysis of the genome data places 50% of the individuals within 310 km of their reported origin. As well as its relevance for testing genetic ancestry, this work has implications for evaluating genome-wide association studies that link genes with diseases.
When you set out for Ithaka . . .

Professor Nichols delivered the Keynote address to the Central States Speech Association on April 15, 1977, and a revised version of that address is printed here. In her essay, Professor Nichols argues that “Speech Communication has a center, if it wants to recognize its center in all the dimensions of language—logical, ethical, rhetorical, aesthetic.”
GENETICS OF SORDARIA FIMICOLA. IX. LINKAGE GROUP II

A B S T RA C T Ten mutant sites have been located in linkage group II of Sordaria fimicola, nine of them affecting fertility. Two different regions of the chromosome are marked with allelic mutations or mutant sites in closely linked loci involved in sexual reproduction. Mutants of one of these two regions also have an arginine deficiency. Crosses between the self-sterile mutants of each region yield hybrid perithecia containing asci with four spores of each parental genotype and few or no asci with recombinant spores. The bearing that these findings have upon the evolution of heterothallism is discussed. THIS SERIES of genetic investigations on the homothallic ascomycete Sordaria fimicala was initiated after the isolation of three ascospore color markers that made possible the visible distinction between selfed and hybrid asci (Olive, 1956). The wild type produces perithecia containing 8-spored asci with dark ascospores. It is a remarkably stable fungus in the laboratory; very few spontaneous mutants have been detected during 16 years of investigation. Most of the mutants have been obtained by irradiating ascospores with xrays. Recently, both auxotrophic and self-sterile mutants have been isolated after treatment with nitrosoguanadine (Jha and Olive, unpublished data). Eleven morphological mutants differing from wild type in ascospore color, loss of fertility, rate of growth, or mycelial characteristics have been mapped in linkage group I (El-Ani, Olive, and Kitani, 1961). The present paper contains a study of 10 additional mutants constituting linkage group II (Fig. 1). The haploid chromosome complement in S. fimicola is seven (Carr and Olive, 1958).
A COMPARISON OF STARVATION MODELS IN STUDIES OF BRAIN MYELINATION

Numerous experimental models have been used to study the relationship between nutritional status and postnatal brain development. Each model has certain advantages and disadvantages in comparison with others. In particular no single model can control for all possible variables of environment and behavior that might conceivably contribute to the experimental result. However, in the present analysis, one can observe that approximately the same effect of postnatal starvation on reducing brain myelination has been observed in three essentially different experimental models.
Invented tradition and Academic convention in geographical thought about New England

In the histories of colonial (pre-revolutionary) New England environment and landscape a three-stage process is recapitulated. An image of the past was formed which was factitious, but for reasons largely of self-glorification of the settlers the image was raised to the level of myth, memory of the actuality completely erased in one generation. Finally the myth became universally accepted by the populace—an invented tradition—the academy eventually giving it the stamp of (uncritical) approval and making it an established convention. Seven invented traditions/conventions are described: 1) The native American as Ignoble Salvage living off the land but with no right to it, 2) the environment as a Desart Wildernesse, later transposed in the nineteenth century to an image of 3) the impenetrable primeval forest, 4) the culture shock of this primordial world stripping the settlers of English regional/cultural differences and making them instant “Americans,” or generalized (Puritan) New Englanders, 5) the colonial agricultural village as universal settlement pattern for colonists of this wilderness, 6) the fabled colonial green as characteristic of these villages, defensive base for conquest of the surrounding dark forest, and 7) the colonial New Englander as prosperous yeoman in a Jeffersonian garden. The reality and actuality that can be reconstructed belies the invention and convention on every count. In the cases of all seven invented traditions one can discern a period of image formation of variable length, a period of myth creation of about 25 years to which memory of the actual past was erased—usually periods of stress and self-doubt—and then a period when one invented a better and simpler past.
Solute 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometric Investigation of Acetonitrile-Tetraalkylammonium Salt Interactions

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry is used to observe changes in the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) of the alkyl chain carbons of symmetric tetraalkylammonium salts (R4N+)X− in acetonitrile as a function of salt concentration in the range from 0.25 to 1.4 M. The T1 values of the alkyl chain carbons are observed to be differentially sensitive to salt concentration, the sensitivity being greatest at the α carbon position. These observations suggest accessibility of the cation nitrogen to solvent molecules and changing microviscosity about the salt molecule.
The energetics of the interaction of nitric oxide with alkali metal atoms

Abstract Ab initio and density functional calculations were employed to investigate the energetics of the interaction of nitric oxide with the first three alkali metals (Li, Na, K). Both singlet and triplet states were explored with the use of HF and MP2 methods combined with four different basis sets (6-31G, 6-31G(d), 6-311G(d), 6-311+G(d)). Potential energy surfaces (PES) were plotted and examined for M–NO complexes in their singlet and triplet states. Energy gaps between linear and bent structures were calculated and analyzed. Structural parameters are presented for stationary points on the singlet and triplet surfaces of M + NO.
Joint deblurring and demosaicking of CFA image data with motion blur

Camera motion blur is a common problem in low-light imaging applications. It is diffcult to apply image restoration techniques without an accurate blur kernel. Recently, inertial sensors have been successfully utilized to estimate the blur function. However, the effectiveness of these restoration algorithms has been limited by lack of access to unprocessed raw image data obtained directly from the Bayer image sensor. In the work, raw CFA image data is acquired in conjunction with 3-axis acceleration data using a custom-built imaging system. The raw image data records the redistribution of light but is effected by camera motion and the rolling shutter mechanism. Through the use of acceleration data, the spread of light to neighboring pixels can be determined. We propose a new approach to jointly perform deblurring and demosaicking of the raw image. This approach adopts edge-preserving sparse prior in a MAP framework. The improvements brought by our algorithm is demonstrated by processing the data collected from the imaging system.
Epidemiological evaluation of the outcomes of nonsurgical root canal treatment in a large cohort of insured dental patients

Selected outcomes following initial nonsurgical root canal treatment (NSRCT) procedures were retrospectively assessed using an insurance company database of 110,766 nonsurgical root canal procedures that were completed by endodontists and their referring general dentists. A subset of 44,613 cases, with a minimum required follow-up time of 2 yr, showed incidences of extraction, retreatment and periradicular surgery equal to 5.56%, 2.47%, and 1.41%, respectively. The incidence of subsequent extraction increased with patient age. Teeth that were not restored after root canal therapy were significantly more likely to undergo extraction than restored teeth. Although the practice pattern for endodontists consisted of a significantly higher proportion of molars (48% more; p
Growth Kinetic Limitations during Rapid Solidification

The importance of growth kinetics in the development of the microstructure of rapidly solidified alloys is described. Growth kinetics are conveniently divided into diffusion kinetics and interface attachment kinetics. The former, which are used extensively for the analysis of slow rate solidification, can be extended to high solidification rates to predict some microstructural features; e.g., the limitations on eutectic growth rate which can promote the formation of metallic glass, and the reduction of microsegregation. At the highest rates interface attachment kinetics must be included. Some microstructural effects of the velocity dependence of the partition coefficient will be described.
Stability analysis and breast tumor classification from 2D ARMA models of ultrasound images

Two-dimensional (2D) autoregressive moving average (ARMA) random fields have been proven to be accurate models of ultrasound breast images. However, the stability properties of these models have not been examined. In this paper, we investigate the stability of 2D ARMA models in ultrasound breast images, and use the estimated 2D ARMA coefficients as a basis for statistical inference using artificial neural networks. Specifically, we use the estimated 2D ARMA coefficients as inputs to a Multi layer perceptron (MLP) neural network to classify the ultrasound breast image into three regions: healthy tissue, benign tumor, and cancerous tumor. Our simulation results on various cancerous and benign ultrasound breast images illustrate the power of the proposed algorithm as attested by different learning algorithms and classification accuracy measures.
Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM+ absolute radiometric calibration using the reflectance-based method

The reflectance-based method of vicarious calibration has been used for the absolute radiometric calibration of the Landsat series of sensors since the launch of Landsat-4. The reflectance-based method relies on ground-based measurements of the surface reflectance and atmospheric conditions at a selected test site nearly coincident with the imaging of that site by the sensor of interest. The results of this approach are presented here for Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The data have been collected by two groups, one from the University of Arizona and the other from South Dakota State University. The test sites used by the University of Arizona group for this work are the Railroad Valley Playa, Lunar Lake Playa, and Roach Lake Playa all of which are in Nevada, Ivanpah Playa in California, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The test site for the South Dakota State group is a grass site in Brookings, SD. The gains derived from dates using these sites spanning the period from 1984 to 2003 are presented for TM and for the period of 1999 to 2003 for ETM+. Differences between the two groups are less than the combined uncertainties of the methods, and the data are thus treated as a single dataset. The results of these vicarious data indicate that there has been no degradation apparent in TM since 1995 and in ETM+ since launch. Agreement between the reflectance-based results and the preflight calibration of ETM+ is better than 4% in all bands, and the standard deviation of the average difference indicates a precision of the reflectance-based method on the order of 3%.
Inverse kinematics for a multifingered hand

One aspects of the control of multifingered hands is discussed, nearly inverse kinematics. For a serial-link manipulator with a multifingered hand attached to its distal link, the inverse kinematics of the hand and of the manipulator can be treated separately. The inverse kinematic solution for a three-fingered, nine-degree-of-freedom hand is described. The solution presented for the general configuration of the hand is unique and unambiguous; however, this is not the case for certain joint configurations, which are identified. >
Efficient continuous mapping in sensor networks using isolines

This paper introduces an energy-efficient data collection technique that takes advantage of spatial/temporal data correlation to generate maps for continuous monitoring (e.g., of environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, etc.). In its essence, the proposed technique, isoline aggregation, works by detecting isolines which are the lines that make up a contour map. Energy efficiency through spatial aggregation is achieved by having only nodes that detect the isoline report to the sink. Simulation results show that isoline aggregation can reduce the amount of bytes transmitted by a factor of 11 compared to when no data aggregation is used and by up to 4 times when compared to an existing spatial-correlation based aggregation mechanism. At the same time, we are able to keep high data accuracy.
A Mycoplasma genetic element resembling prokaryotic insertion sequences.

Summary Nucleotide sequence analysis of two Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae-derived copies of a repetitive genetic element revealed structural similarities to typical prokaryotic insertion sequences. This is the first such sequence identified in the class Mollicutes. The element spans approximately 1550bp, with 28bp inverted terminal repeats. Two open reading frames occur within the sequence, one potentially encoding a protein with a size-variant alpha-helical domain containing heptameric leucine periodicity. Hybridization data with several strains from each of two mycoplasma species showed that the repetitive sequence is variably distributed within the M. hyopneumoniae and Mycoplasma hyorhinis chromosomes and indicated that in some cases the repeated sequence is contained within a larger genetic element which may be the result of phage or plasmid Insertion.
Charges trapped throughout the oxide and their impact on the Fowler-Nordheim current in MOS devices

We calculate the discrepancy ratio of gate voltage shift between charge trapped throughout the oxide and its equivalent charge density and centroid. The trapped charge density is underestimated if we extract trapped charge and its centroid from the measured lateral gate voltage shift without considering the transmission coefficient change due to charge trapped within a tunneling distance. For the thin gate oxide (/spl ap/9.5 nm) polysilicon gate MOS capacitors after constant current stress, /spl Delta/V/sub G/,/spl Delta/V/sub FB/ and effective barrier height measurements showed that negative charges are trapped within the tunneling distance of both sides of the oxide. >
Evaluating the biogeochemical cycle of selenium in San Francisco Bay through modeling

A biogeochemical model was developed to simulate salinity, total suspended material, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved selenium concentrations (selenite, selenate, and organic selenide), and particulate selenium concentrations (selenite + selenate, elemental selenium, and organic selenide) in the San Francisco Bay estuary. Model-generated estuarine profiles of total dissolved selenium reproduced observed estuarine profiles at a confidence interval of 91–99% for 8 different years under various environmental conditions. The model accurately reproduced the observed dissolved speciation at confidence intervals of 81–98% for selenite, 72–91% for selenate, and 60–96% for organic selenide. For particulate selenium, model-simulated estuarine profiles duplicated the observed behavior of total particulate selenium (76–93%), elemental selenium (80–97%), selenite + selenate (77–82%), and organic selenide (70–83%). Discrepancies between model simulations and the observed data provided insights into the estuarine biogeochemical cycle of selenium that were largely unknown (e.g., adsorption/desorption). Forecasting simulations investigated how an increase in the discharge from the San Joaquin River and varying refinery inputs affect total dissolved and particulate selenium within the estuary. These model runs indicate that during high river flows the refinery signal is undetectable, but when river flow is low (70day residence time) total particle-associated selenium concentrations can increase to .2 m gg 21. Increasing the San Joaquin River discharge could also increase the total particle-associated selenium concentrations to .1 m gg 21. For both forecasting simulations, particle-associated selenium was predicted to be higher than current conditions and reached levels where selenium could accumulate in the estuarine food web.
Equivalence between SP2 high-performance switches and three-stage Clos networks

In this paper we prove the functional equivalence of SP2 switches and rearrangeable three-stage Clos networks. From this equality we derive results on routing communications in SP2 switches. The present an algorithm using centralized control which can route any permutation in one pass through SP2 switches, for various system sizes. Further, we present a distributed control algorithm which can route the important class of linear-complement permutations through SP2 switches. Our results not only highlight the capabilities of SP2 switches, but also demonstrate how to efficiently route permutations at the application level.
Calculation Method for Compressible Turbulent Boundary Flows with Heat Transfer

Cf = local skin-friction coefficient F1,F2 = initial distribution functions, see Eq. (6) h = specific enthalpy H = total enthalpy, h + u/2 k = thermal conductivity / = mixing length M = Mach number Pr = Prandtl number R = gas constant in ideal gas equation of state Rex = Reynolds number, pe ue x/ne Ree = Reynolds number, pe ue 9/^e St = Stanton number, k(dT/dy)Jpeue(Haw-HJ T = absolute temperature Tt = total or stagnation temperature u = x component of time mean velocity v = y component of time mean velocity x = distance along surface y = distance normal to wall y = dimensionless distance, pwXw/Pw)//w 5 = boundary-layer thickness 6 — momentum thickness /.i — dynamic viscosity p = time mean density n = total shear stress
MODELING OF GRADIENT ELUTION IN MULTICOMPONENT NONLINEAR CHROMATOGRAPHY

Gradient elution in nonlinear chromatography is a very powerful tool for the separation of components having a wide range of retentivity. It is not only used for chemical analysis, but also used in preparative- and large-scale chromatography for the separation of many macromolecules, such as proteins. In this work, a general rate model has been presented for the study of gradient elution in nonlinear chromatography. The model considers axial dispersion, external film mass transfer, intraparticle diffusion and kinetic effects. The modulator-eluite relationship used in the model accounts for both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Examples of simulations have been given to demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of a computer code based on a numerical procedure for the general rate model, which uses the finite-element, the orthogonal-collocation and Gear's stiff methods. The examples also show the advantage of gradient elution over isocratic elution in multicomponent elutions, and the comparisons among linear, nonlinear and stepwise linear gradients.
Population energetics of bacterial-feeding nematodes: Carbon and nitrogen budgets

Summary-Ibacterial-feeding nematodes participate in nitrogen mineralization in decomposition food webs to an extent determined by metabolic and behavioral attributes, by life history, and by the relative C-to-N ratios of the nematodes and their bacterial prey. The mean C-to-N ratio for eight nematode species cultured on Escherichia coli on agar was 5.89 (range 5.16-6.83). The mean C-to-N ratio was similar, although with greater variability among species, when nematodes were cultured in soil on a range of soil bacteria. The mean C-to-N ratio of five isolates of soil bacteria and E. coli was 4.12 (range 3.65-4.92). Where food was not limiting, production-to-assimilation ratios ranged from 0.58 to 0.86 and respiration-to-assimilation ratios from 0.14 to 0.42. The excess N assimilated during growth and egg production, and the excess N assimilated to meet the C needs of respiration, were similar across species at 20°C. The excess N from both sources provides an estimate of the amount of N excreted by each nematode during the life course. The weight of bacteria necessary to meet the growth and respiration costs at 20°C ranged from 0.87 pgpg-nematode -’ d-’ for Cephalobus persegnis to 1.99 pg pg-nematode-’ d-* for Bursilla labiata, providing estimated consumption rates between 6.61 x 10’ and 15.22 x 10’ bacterial cells pg-nematode-’ d-‘. At a field site, we estimate that the bacterial-feedin f nematode community in the top 15 cm soil mineralized N at rates increasing to 1.01 pg-N g-soil-’ din rhizospheir soil. On a monthly basis, the community contributed 0.28 kg-N ha-’ in April, 0.98 kgN ha-’ in Mly and 1.38 kg-N ha-’ in June in bulk soil. Contributions in the rhizosphere would be considerably greater depending on the ratio of rhizosphere to bulk soil. The contribution of individual species to N mineralization in the rhizosphere varied through the first 3 months of the summer growing season as a function of their abundance and their metabolic and development rates in relation to temperature. Rhabditis cucumeris was the predominant contributor in April; there were similar contributions by Acrobeloides bodenheimeri, B. labiata, Cruznema tripartitum, and R. cucumeris in May; A. bodenheimeri and B. labiata were the major contributors in June. 0 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd
Variation in Number of Instars, Longevity, and Fecundity of Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae)

The biology of the predaceous mirid, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis Reuter, was studied with emphasis on the number of instars and the relationship of the observed variation in number of instars to adult longevity and fecundity. Nymphs underwent three, four, or five molts before becoming adults. Thus, C. lividipennis may be classified into three-instar, four-instar, and five-instar groups. Females of the four-instar group lived longer and were more fecund than those of the five-instar group. There was no statistical difference in the longevity of the males. The number of instars, longevity, and fecundity of the different geographical populations of C. lividipennis were compared.
Tuning of electric artworks of printed circuit boards to reduce warpage

The paper deals with a tuning method to reduce warpage of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). There are three main processes involved in this method: calculating effective properties of PCBs with simple regular electric artworks, using three-dimensional (3D) Finite Element (FE) modeling; fitting simplified expressions to the results from these analyses; and developing two-dimensional (2D) FE models of a whole PCB, with arbitrarily complicated artwork, using the simplified expressions. These three processes were used to estimate the warpage of a production PCB. Iterative searches, or optimization, were used to change trace width, spacing, etc. in order to reduce the warpage. It was demonstrated that by slightly varying trace widths and spacings in the PCB, warpage could be reduced approximately by a factor of five.
Cocaine Tolerance: Behavioral, Cardiovascular, and Neuroendocrine Function in Men

Cocaine tolerance was assessed by comparing the acute effects of cocaine in drug-abstinent men who reported occasional cocaine use (n = 6) and in men who met DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria for dependence on both cocaine and opiates (n = 6). Peak plasma cocaine levels were equivalent in the two groups, and pharmacokinetic analyses revealed no significant differences in cocaine levels at any time. Cocaine induced a significantly greater increase in ACTH in the occasional cocaine users than in the cocaine dependent men (p < .01). Heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure increases after cocaine were also significantly greater in the occasional cocaine users than in the cocaine-dependent men (p < .05). These neuroendocrine and physiologic differences were paralleled by significantly greater subjective reports of "high" and "euphoria" by the occasional cocaine users (p < .03 to .0001). These data are consistent with the conclusion that tolerance to cocaine's physiologic, neuroendocrine, and subjective effects may occur as a function of chronic use.
Phosphor modeling and characterization

The prevalent method to develop a phosphor recipe (based on trial and error) to create white light with a blue light-emitting diode (LED) is time-consuming. We developed a new method for determining parametric values in a simulated phosphor model through systematic testing of phosphor samples and optimizing the parameter values with ray-trace software. The model employs Mie volume scattering together with absorption and down-conversion. A double-integrating sphere spectral measurement system was constructed to perform phosphor characterization. It was used to characterize a YAG phosphor over a wide range of phosphor concentrations and thicknesses. The final phosphor model was proven to accurately predict the phosphor performance.