cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prostate cancer: progression of prostate-specific antigen after external beam irradiation

This paper is concerned with the development of a stochastic path of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after radiation treatment for prostate cancer. PSA is a biomarker for prostate cancer, higher levels of which indicate the seriousness of the cancer progression. Following the deterministic modeling of the data by the previous authors, Cox et al. [1], this paper is concerned with the theoretical knowledge that could be gained by the stochastic modeling in discrete form of the PSA path over time. The expected value of the PSA level is computed and compared with the deterministic model and it is found that they are the same for about the first year after radiation therapy. The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology has set a consensus panel definition of biochemical failure following radiation therapy: the rise in three consecutive levels of PSA is considered to be a failure of the radiation therapy. Knowledge of the path of PSA presented in this paper would be useful in the management of the radiation treatment and in particular assessing quantitatively any clinically based policy for defining recurrence after radiation therapy. Application of the model is illustrated by fitting it to clinical data available in the University of Michigan cancer center.
Abstract 328: A p53 activating mutation accelerates the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer arising from the fallopian tube.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The tumor suppressor p53 is the most frequently mutated gene in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, the deadliest subtype responsible for 70% of all ovarian cancer deaths. Yet the precise role of p53 mutation in ovarian cancer remains unknown. To address this, we have incorporated a p53 activating mutation, p53R172H, into conditional Dicer-Pten double-knockout (DKO) mice, which develop metastatic high-grade serous carcinomas originating in the fallopian tube, to generate triple-mutant (TKO) mice (p53 LSL-R172H/+ Dicer flox/flox Pten flox/flox Amhr2 cre/+). Like DKO mice, these TKO mice develop high-grade serous carcinomas aggressively metastasizing throughout the abdominal cavity, inducing ascites and causing death. These TKO mice, however, die significantly earlier than DKO mice (average survival: 7.3 (n=31) for the TKO mice vs. 9.4 (n=24) months for the DKO mice; p<0.0001). Despite the overall similar extent of tumor burden and metastasis, TKO tumors appear to spread faster than DKO tumors. In TKO mice, tumor cells originating in the fallopian tube acutely penetrate the ovary, as marked by fallopian tube-specific epithelial markers, cytokeratin 14 and 17. In contrast, the ovary of DKO mice remains intact, largely free of metastasis during tumor progression. Moreover, unlike DKO ovaries, which alone fail to develop any tumors, TKO ovaries are able to initiate and develop metastatic ovarian tumors even after the fallopian tubes are removed, suggesting a tumor-initiating role of p53 mutation in the ovary. Collectively, these results thus reveal the critical role of p53 mutation in initiation and progression of ovarian cancer (Grant support: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF); F32 National Research Service Award (NRSA)). Citation Format: Jaeyeon Kim, Donna M. Coffey, Lang Ma, Martin M. Matzuk. A p53 activating mutation accelerates the progression of high-grade serous ovarian cancer arising from the fallopian tube. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 328. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-328
A simultaneous‐modular approach to process flowsheeting and optimization. Part I: Theory and implementation

There basic problem formulations for the simultaneous-modular approach are discussed, as are three alternative methods for computing the flowsheet-level Jacobian. A new algorithm for partitioning and tearing when using the simultaneous-modular approach is also presented. SIMMOD, our implementation of the simultaneous-modular approach is then outlined. In subsequent papers in this series we use SIMMOD to study the performance of the simultaneous-modular approach on process simulation and optimization problems, as well as to perform experiments on different numerical strategies for implementing the simultaneous-modular approach.
Crises Management in the Oil and Gas Industry

Crises are situations that disrupt systems, processes, and lifestyles. They adversely impact individuals, assets, prospects, operations, and reputations of organizations and societies on short and long-terms with significant environmental, social, economic, political, and legal consequences hence the need for priority attention to crises management. This study focused on crises in the oil and gas industry with special emphasis on the lingering situation in the Nigerian-Niger Delta between the communities, the oil and gas companies, and the Government. They became international concerns due to kidnappings, fatalities, assets destruction, environmental degradation, and poverty in the oil-rich region. Despite the industry’s substantial expenditure on security, kidnapping and vandalism persist as restive youths who feel marginalized, seek to hurt systems they believe, denied them quality life. Despite general knowledge and blames traded by parties involved, the study used qualitative-historicalnarrative- approach to interview representatives of communities, oil and gas companies, and Government to discover root causes of the crises. Coping theory by Lazarus and Folkman and crisis decision theory by Sweeny were utilized to understand the reasoning and responses of the people to the decisions and management strategies of the Government and oil and gas companies. Results revealed the root causes of the crises as specific policies and strategies of the Government and oil and gas companies, ethnic crises in the region, environmental pollution and degradation and failure to remediate polluted areas, lack of basic infrastructures, lack of human and infrastructural development, unemployment, and noninvolvement of the people in decisions affecting the region. Findings were used to develop recommendations to aid Government and Oil and Gas Companies on how best to stem crises and foster peace in their areas of operation. The enormous consequences discovered by the study provide crucial lessons for operators the world over and findings can be leveraged on to ensure appropriate and proactive crises management approach in the industry.
Electrophysiologic effects of flecainide acetate and its major metabolites in the canine heart.

Flecainide acetate, an investigational class 1 antiarrhythmic agent, undergoes biotransformation in man with production of 2 major metabolites: meta-O-dealkylated flecainide (S-24623) and the meta-O-dealkylated lactam of flecainide (S-26191). This study compared the effects of flecainide, S-24623 and S-26191 on cardiac electrophysiologic characteristics in the anesthetized dog. Each dog received 2 dose levels of 1 of the 3 test compounds after control measurements. Flecainide (2 and 4 mg/kg in 8 dogs), S-24623 (4 and 8 mg/kg in 8 dogs) and S-26191 (4 and 10 mg/kg in 7 dogs) were administered intravenously in dilute solution. Of the 3 compounds, only flecainide significantly prolonged sinus cycle length (p less than 0.01). However, both flecainide and S-24623 significantly prolonged minimum atrial paced cycle length with 1:1 atrioventricular conduction, atrioventricular nodal effective and functional refractory periods, and right ventricular effective refractory period. Metabolite S-26191 exhibited qualitatively similar but much weaker electrophysiologic actions. The maximal electrophysiologic effects of flecainide and S-24623 were approximately equivalent, but the metabolite was about one-half as potent on a milligram-permilligram basis, and lacked marked effects on infranodal (HV interval) conduction. S-26191 was less than one-tenth as potent as flecainide. Therefore, since both flecainide metabolites occur primarily in the conjugated form in plasma (i.e., free metabolite concentrations are low), it is unlikely that these compounds either potentiate flecainide's antiarrhythmic action or increase susceptibility to drug toxicity in the clinical setting.
An introduction to infinite hat problems

If one player guesses randomly and the others pass, the probabi l i ty of a win is 1/2. But Ebert 's th ree-p layer solution is better: pass if the two visible hats are different colors, and guess the missing color if they are the same. This strategy yields a win, on average, 3/4 of the time: of the eight poss ib le hat assignments, it fails only on the two in which all three hats are the same color. Elwyn Ber lekamp genera l ized this to n = 24 1 players, using Hamming codes to show the existence of a strategy that yields a win with probabi l i ty n/(n + 1). Joe Buhler gives an account of this, and further variations, in Buhler (2002), In Spring 2004, Yuval Gabay and Michael O'Connor, then graduate students at Cornell University, p roduced a number of hat p rob lems involving infinitely many players, one of which was (an equivalent of) wha t we will call the GabayO 'Connor hat problem:
Responding to Peer Victimization: A Sense of Control Matters

Peer victimization is a salient stressor for children, and the ways children respond to peer victimization is thought to influence whether the victimization increases or decreases over time. In a sample of middle school students (n = 311, 89% Caucasian, 57% female, mean age = 10.8 years, SD = .70), the current study examined social and cognitive factors that predicted children’s coping responses over time. Findings indicated that appraised control moderates the associations between social and cognitive factors and coping responses. For example, appraised control reduced the likelihood of avoidant responses, especially when children had attitudes supporting the use of aggression. Findings suggest that increasing children’s sense of control when responding to bullies will not have uniformly positive effects however. Thus, interventions must also take care to promote more positive responses while empowering children.
Winter changes in fatty acid composition of badger and coyote tissues

Abstract 1. 1. The double bond index of badger marrow and subcutaneous fat increased progressively from September through January in correlation with decreased ambient temperatures. 2. 2. There was no significant difference between the double bond index of badger marrow and subcutaneous fatty acids. 3. 3. Coyote marrow had double bond indexes consistently below that of the badger throughout the winter and demonstrated no seasonal change in response to colder ambient temperatures. These findings may be the result of greater cold exposure by the badger due to a lower quality insulation.
A Concept of Fragment Hardness, Independent of Net Charge, From a Wave-Function Perspective

A model Hamiltonian has been derived that defines energies for different integer charge states of each fragment, embedded in a molecule or a material. That model leads to a concept of fragment hardness that is related to a variable other than the square of the net charge. The new variable is referred to as ionicity, since it measures the total occupancy in all non-neutral states of the fragment, as a result of charge fluctuations. Ionicity need not be zero, even if net charge on a fragment is zero. Thus, fragment hardness operates in concert with one-electron hopping energies, associated with changing integer charge states, to determine the state of the fragment with respect to ionicity. Examining the simplest three-state fragment energy shows that ionicity can vary from 1/2, a value consistent with metallic behavior, to 0, a value consistent with the behavior of a dissociated atom.
Solving the maximal covering location problem with heuristic concentration

The metaheuristic heuristic concentration (HC) is applied here to the solution of large instances of the maximal covering location problem with high percentage coverage. In these instances, exact methods may be too cumbersome for practical use, and heuristics can allow faster solution times with near-optimal results. We examined the performance of HC based on its ability to approach the optimal solutions to these problems and the run times of the algorithm compared to LP-IP runtimes. Exact solutions, generated by linear programming and branch and bound, provided a benchmark for comparison when the LP-IP problems could be run to completion. In all cases, HC found solutions with objective values no worse than 0.543% below the best known LP-IP objective value. In several instances, LP-IP runtime ballooned to as much as 38.5h, while HC took no longer than 1.6h in any instance. In one particular instance, LP-IP took 38.5h to terminate, while HC found a near-optimal solution (within 0.306% of optimality) in only 25min. Furthermore, in 62.5% of the runs, the second stage of HC improved on the first stage 1-opt algorithm.
At least Noah had some warning

Tlachoc was worried. Life had never been easy in the mountainous jungle of this area that much later would be called Chiapas, in the southern part of what is now Mexico. But recently even the simplest of daily chores came with an unusual amount of stress and failure. During the past complete cycle of the seasons, the wild animals that were sources of meat, clothing, and bone tools had become increasingly skittish. For no apparent reason, these creatures now behaved as though an added sense helped them avoid close encounters with hunters, as though some foreign and disturbing sensation kept them fully alert.
Porosity measurement of some hydrated cementitious systems by high pressure mercury intrusion-microstructural limitations

Abstract Porosity measurements using both mercury intrusion and helium pycnometric methods are reported for several different hydrated cementitious systems. Significant differences in porosity values, where they arise, are explained in terms of microstructural limitations of the matrix material. Several mechanisms that affect mercury intrusion results are discussed.
Comparison of debris removal with three different irrigation techniques.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of debris removal between EndoVac, PiezoFlow, or needle irrigation (Max-i-Probe) in mandibular molars. Methods The mesial roots of 30 extracted mandibular molars were mounted in resin by using the K-Kube and then sectioned at 2 and 4 mm from the apex. The specimens were reassembled and instrumented to size 40/0.04. A standard irrigation protocol was used during instrumentation in the PiezoFlow and Max-i-Probe groups. During instrumentation of teeth in the EndoVac group, the manufacturer’s recommendations for irrigation were followed. Images of the canals and isthmuses were taken before final irrigation. The percentage of cleanliness for each canal and isthmus was calculated by using interactive software. The specimens were reassembled for final irrigation with EndoVac, PiezoFlow, and Max-i-Probe by using similar volumes of irrigants. Images were again used to calculate cleanliness. Comparisons of canal and isthmus cleanliness before and after final irrigation were made by using paired t tests, and the groups were compared with repeated-measures analysis of variance ( P Results There were no statistically significant differences in canal and isthmus cleanliness among all 3 groups at 2 and 4 mm from working length before or after final irrigation. Canal and isthmus cleanliness significantly improved at all levels after the final irrigation regimen in each group. Conclusions Final irrigation by using EndoVac, the PiezoFlow, or Max-i-Probe with similar volumes of irrigants significantly improved canal and isthmus cleanliness.
Debunking evolutionary debunking of ethical realism

What implications, if any, does evolutionary biology have for metaethics? Many believe that our evolutionary background supports a deflationary metaethics, providing a basis at least for debunking ethical realism. Some arguments for this conclusion appeal to claims about the etiology of the mental capacities we employ in ethical judgment, while others appeal to the etiology of the content of our moral beliefs. In both cases the debunkers’ claim is that the causal roles played by evolutionary factors raise deep epistemic problems for realism: if ethical truths are objective or independent of our evaluative attitudes, as realists maintain, then we lose our justification for our ethical beliefs once we become aware of the evolutionary shaping of our ethical capacities or beliefs, which would not have disposed us reliably to track independent ethical truths; realism, they claim, thus saddles us with ethical skepticism. I distinguish and spell out various evolutionary debunking arguments along these lines and argue that they all fail: the capacity etiology argument fails to raise any special or serious problem for realism, and the content etiology arguments all rely on strong explanatory claims about our moral beliefs that are simply not supported by the science unless it is supplemented by philosophical claims that just beg the question against realism from the start. While the various debunking arguments do bring out some interesting commitments of ethical realism, and even raise some good challenges as realists develop positive moral epistemologies, they fall far short of their debunking ambitions.
The addition reaction of hydroxide or ethoxide ion with benzindolium heptamethine cyanine dyes

Abstract This paper pertains to a nucleophilic addition reaction at the C2 atom of a benz[c]indolium or 3,3-dimethyl-1H-benz[e]indolium subunit of the corresponding near-infrared heptamethine cyanine that contains a chlorine atom at the central meso position of the chromophore. An important finding is that the efficient S RN 1 replacement of the chloro substituent in such dyes is completely suppressed in the reactions (i) of hydroxide and ethoxide ions, both of which are poor single electron donors and (ii) conducted in aqueous alcohol, a medium that does not promote single electron transfer. The adducts produced were isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, 1 H NMR, and 13 C NMR. The NIR-absorbing parent dye is regenerated quantitatively upon treatment of the corresponding adduct with a weak acid, including silica gel.
Effects of modifying factors on the response of rice seeds to gamma-rays and fission neutrons

Abstract Experiments were conducted with Oryza saliva L. cv. ‘Bluebonnet’ to determine the effects of modifying factors on seed response to gamma-rays and fission neutrons. Dose rate did not affect the seed response to gamma-rays when storage-oxygen effects were minimized. Seed sensitivity to gamma-rays increased as water content was either decreased from 12–13 per cent to approximately 3 per cent or increased to approximately 20 per cent. D 50 for seeds with 2·7 per cent water irradiated in vacuo was 4·77 or 59·09 krad when seeds were soaked under oxic or anoxic conditions, respectively; OER was 12·4. Although a major role of seed water content is to mediate the extent of the oxygen effect, our results suggest also that the increase in water content from 2·7 to 13 per cent afforded a degree of protection which is oxygen independent. Storage effects were observed during as well as after irradiation in seeds with less than 13 per cent water when the oxygen effect was not eliminated. In contrast, increasing the water content from 3·8 to 16·3 per cent had little or no effect on seed sensitivity to fission neutrons; however, seeds containing 20 per cent water exhibited relatively higher sensitivity. The increase in damage at 20·3 per cent water content was probably caused by the increase in dose from the hydrogen and an increase in metabolic and physiologic activity. D 50 for seeds at 2·7 per cent water irradiated with fission neutrons in vacuo was 1·9 or 2·7 krad when soaked under oxic or anoxic conditions, respectively; OER was 1·44. There was no conclusive evidence of a storage effect following neutron irradiation of Bluebonnet rice seed. The RBE for fission neutrons based on seedling growth reduction was 2·5 or 21·9 for seeds with 2·7 per cent water soaked under oxic or anoxic conditions, respectively.
Advanced Process Model for Polymer Derived Ceramic Processing

Pyrolysis of preceramic polymers allows a new type of ceramic materials to be processed at a relatively low temperature. The ceramics via polymer pyrolysis display a number of exceptional mechanical, thermal and chemical properties, including high thermal stability, high oxidation/creep resistance, etc. Moreover, they offer better geometrical accuracy compared to conventional ceramics. In addition, thermal induced pyrolysis of organometallic polymer precursors offers the possibility of net shape manufacturing at a lower temperature compared to traditional powder sintering process. The pyrolysis of polymer precursors involves curing of polymer precursors in which the polymer undergoes cross-linking to form a green body, followed by a pyrolysis stage that involves the formation of amorphous SiC and crystallization of SiC at a higher temperature. The source material changes phase and composition continuously during polymer pyrolysis based ceramic process. Chemical reactions and transport phenomena vary accordingly. To obtain ceramics with high uniformity of microstructure and species without crack, transport phenomena in material processing needs to be better understood and a process model needs to be developed to optimize the fabrication process. In this paper, a numerical model is developed, including heat and mass transfer, polymer pyrolysis, species transport, chemical reactions and crystallization. The model is capable of accurately predicting the polymer pyrolysis and chemical reactions of the source material. Pyrolysis of a sample with certain geometry is simulated. The effects of heating rate, particle size and initial porosity on porosity evolution, mass loss and reaction rate are investigated. Optimal conditions for the manufacturing are also proposed.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Formation and isolation of a covalent intermediate during the glutaminase reaction of a class II amidotransferase.

Incubation of Escherichia coli asparagine synthetase B (AS-B) with [14C]-l-glutamine gives a covalent adduct that can be isolated. Radiolabeled protein is not observed (i) when the wild-type enzyme is incubated with 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) prior to reaction with [14C]glutamine or (ii) when the C1A AS-B mutant is incubated with [14C]-l-glutamine. Both of these alterations eliminate the ability of the enzyme to utilize glutamine but do not affect ammonia-dependent asparagine synthesis. Formation of the covalent adduct therefore depends on the presence of the N-terminal active site cysteine, which has been shown to be essential for glutamine-dependent activity in this and other class II amidotransferases. The amount of covalent adduct exhibits saturation behavior with increasing concentrations of l-glutamine. The maximum observed quantity of this intermediate is consistent with its involvement on the main pathway of glutamine hydrolysis. The chemical properties of the isolable covalent adduct are co...
Fictive component model of pyroxenes and multicomponent phase equilibria

Pyroxenes are considered as ideal solid solutions of some real components (e.g. diopside or orthoenstatite) and some fictive or hypothetical components (e.g. orthodiopside or orthohedenbergite). Using the reversed experimental data in the CaO-MgO-SiO2 system, the Gibbs free energy of formation of fictive orthodiopside and of fictive clinoenstatite have been determined in the temperature range of 1,000 to 1,600 °K. The data on free energies of components in the binary system can be used to extend the fictive component model to the ternary CaSiO3-MgSiO3-FeSiO3 system. Using published phase diagrams on the pyroxene quadrilateral, Gibbs free energy of formation of fictive orthohedenbergite has been calculated. Application of the ideally mixing fictive component model to computation of phase equilibria leads to the determination of compositions of coexisting Fe-Mg-Ca pyroxenes at different temperatures.
Neuromorphic silicon neurons and large-scale neural networks: challenges and opportunities.

Neuromorphic silicoN NeuroNs: state of the art Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors are commonly used in very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) digital circuits as a basic binary switch that turns on or off as the transistor gate voltage crosses some threshold. Carver Mead first noted that CMOS transistor circuits operating below this threshold in current mode have strikingly similar sigmoidal current– voltage relationships as do neuronal ion channels and consume little power; hence they are ideal analogs of neuronal function (Mead, 1989). This unique device physics led to the advent of “neuromorphic” silicon neurons (SiNs) which allow neuronal spiking dynamics to be directly emulated on analog VLSI chips without the need for digital software simulation (Mahowald and Douglas, 1991). In the inaugural issue of this Journal, Indiveri et al. (2011) review the current state of the art in CMOS-based neuromorphic neuron circuit designs that have evolved over the past two decades. The comprehensive appraisal delineates and compares the latest SiN design techniques as applied to varying types of spiking neuron models ranging from realistic conductancebased Hodgkin–Huxley models to simple yet versatile integrate-and-fire models. The timely and much needed compendium is a tour de force that will certainly provide a valuable guidepost for future SiN designs and applications.
Robust Optimal Balancing of High-Speed Machinery Using Convex Optimization

For high-speed rotating machinery, such as turbomachinery, the vibration caused by the rotor mass imbalance is a major source of maintenance problems. Vibration reduction by balancing under practical constraints and data uncertainty is often a challenging problem. In this paper, we formulate the problem of high-speed flexible rotor balancing as a convex optimization problem. This formulation not only solves the minmax balancing problem efficiently, but also allows the inclusion of various practical constraints. This formulation can be extended in a generalized unified balancing approach, which combines the advantages of both the influence coefficient approach and the modal balancing. Furthermore, a robust balancing approach is also developed to handle uncertainties in the influence coefficient and in the vibration response. This robust balancing approach provides the safeguard for the worse case scenario under the unknown but bounded uncertainty. All the resulting optimization problems are solved by second order cone programming. A large turbine generator balancing case is used to demonstrate that the proposed balancing technique provides the flexibility and efficiency beyond those of the existing balancing methods.
Monoclonal antibody mapping of the envelope glycoprotein of the dengue 2 virus, Jamaica

Although dengue (DEN) virus is the etiologic agent of dengue fever, the most prevalent vector-borne viral disease in the world, precise information on the antigenic structure of the dengue virion is limited. We have prepared a set of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the envelope (E) glycoprotein of DEN 2 virus and used these antibodies in a comprehensive biological and biochemical analysis to identify 16 epitopes. Following domain nomenclature developed for the related flavivirus, tick-borne encephalitis, three functional domains were identified. Five epitopes associated with domain A were arranged in three spatially independent regions. These A-domain epitopes were destroyed by reduction, and antibodies reactive with these epitopes were able to block virus hemagglutination, neutralize virus infectivity, and block virus-mediated cell membrane fusion. Domain-A epitopes were present on the full-length E glycoprotein, a 45-kDa tryptic peptide representing its first 400 amino acids (aa) and a 22-kDa tryptic peptide representing at least aa 1-120. Four epitopes mapped into domain B, as determined by their partial resistance to reduction and the localization of these epitopes on a 9-kDa tryptic or chymotryptic peptide fragment (aa 300-400). One domain-B-reactive MAb was also capable of binding to a DEN 2 synthetic peptide corresponding to aa 333-351 of the E glycoprotein, confirming the location of this domain. Domain-B epitopes elicited MAbs that were potent neutralizers of virus infectivity and blocked hemagglutination, but they did not block virus-mediated cell-membrane fusion. Domains A and B were spatially associated. As with tick-borne encephalitis virus, determination of domain C was more problematic; however, at least four epitopes had biochemical characteristics consistent with C-domain epitopes.
Optical constants and microstructure of amorphous hydrogenated silicon-carbon alloy films

Abstract The optical constants ϵ1 and ϵ2 of a series of amorphous hydrogenated silicon-carbon alloy films (a-Si1−xCx:H, 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1) have been determined for photon energies between 1.5 and 4.7 eV. The optical response of these films has been modelled, via the Bruggemann effective medium approximation (EMA), as arising from a film microstructure consisting of four components: amorphous polymeric (a-CHm, m∼2), amorphous graphitic (a-C), amorphous tetrahedral (a-Si:C:H), and void. This EMA approach gives a useful description of the observed dependences of ϵ1 and ϵ2 on film composition and provides a convincing demonstration that the amorphous graphitic component limits the attainable value of the energy gap Eopt in this alloy series.
Photoexcitation and photoionization of argon ahead of a strong shock wave

A chemical kinetic model describing photochemical reactions that are likely to be important in "cold" argon ahead of a strong shock wave is examined on a quantitative basis. The model includes the propagation of resonance radiation far from the shock front in the wings of the resonance absorption line, partial trapping of the absorbed resonance radiation, subsequent photoionization of excited atoms, photoionization of ground state argon, and certain recombination and deexcitation processes. Specific consideration is given to shock tube geometry, the occurrence of both nonequilibrium and equilibrium regions of variable lengths behind the pressure discontinuity, and the (experimentally) known shock tube wall reflectivity. Theoretical predictions of electron and excited atom concentrations ahead of the shock wave are presented for typical shock tube operating conditions.
580 ISOLATED VITAMIN K FACTOR IX DEFICIENCY IN LIVER DISEAS

Deficiencies of plasma clotting factors in hepatocellular disease are a well-described entity in adult patients. Factor IX deficiency with a normal PT has been described in adult patients. We report an isolated Factor IX depression in mild hepatic disease which corrected with return of normal liver function. A three-year-old white male was admitted for evaluation of a non-specific febrile illness and found to have an enlarged liver, prolonged PTT with a normal PT and mildly elevated transaminase levels. Further study revealed serial Factor IX assays of 30% with Factors VIII, XI, II, V, VII all > 100% activity. Fibrinogen level was 270, fibrin split products 1:5⊕ 1:20⊖ and screen for circulating inhibitors was negative. Differential diagnosis for this patient was mild hemophilia B versus an isolated Factor IX deficiency secondary to hepatic dysfunction. The patient's fever subsided and his liver returned to normal size. On follow-up his liver enzymes returned to normal as well as Factor IX assay, PT and PTT. This case illustrates that isolated Vitamin K dependent factors can be affected by mild hepatic disease. The half life of Factor VII is shorter than Factor IX. An isolated Vitamin K dependent Factor IX decrease would not be predicted. A diagnosis of mild hemophilia B cannot be made if there is any evidence of hepatocyte dysfunction.
Dynamic Optical Interconnections for Parallel Processors

Abstract This paper discusses the need for dynamically reconfigurable interconnection networks in parallel computing systemsand describes some of the important physical parameters, limitations and tradeoffs of optical and electronic interconnectionarchitectures. Several optical matrix -vector realizations of generalized crossbar networks are given and compared. These systems may utilize acousto-, electro-, or magneto-optic spatial light modulators as their active switching elements, and moderately large crossbar networks (64 X 64 to 512 X 512) appear feasible. Finally, the use of general optical sequential logicarchitectures to implement crossbar and multistage networks is considered. 1.0 Introduction This paper is concerned with the application of bulk (3 -D) optical components and optical interconnection architec-tures to data communication problems in digital systems. Efficient communication among the elements of these systems isrecognized as the key to faster computing and signal processing through the use of parallel processors and shared resources.This paper concentrates on dynamic, rapidly time -variable interconnections at the spatial scale size of processors (10° -108 m)
On a Multiproduct Assembly Line-Balancing Problem

Abstract A multiproduct assembly line-balancing problem is presented. The problem is formulated as a linear integer programming problem for which zero-one programming is applicable. A reformulation based on finding the shortest route in a finite direct network is developed, and an example problem is solved. Directions for future research is indicated.
High-Resolution Diffusion-Ordered Spectroscopy To Probe the Microenvironment of JandaJel and Merrifield Resins

The success of organic reactions performed on a gel-phase resin is highly dependent on the accessibility of solvents, catalysts, and reagents to the interior of the resin. A variety of techniques including EPR, fluorescence, and Hildebrand solubility parameters (δ) have been used to probe reaction capabilities and in particular the microenvironment of a gel-phase resin. To provide a more detailed picture of the matrix in question, researchers have turned to NMR for the determination of the diffusion coefficients of solvents and small molecules in swollen beads to provide a means to compare the microenvironment of swollen beads. Since Merrifield and JandaJel resins display different swelling properties and have significantly different kinetic behavior, we undertook a comparative study of the diffusion coefficients of solvents and small molecules in both resins by high-resolution 1H DOSY NMR. Our results show the following: (1) diffusion values for all studied solvents and small molecules are 20−30% higher...
Structural and functional domains of the mannitol‐specific enzyme II of the E. coli phosphoenolpyruvate‐dependent phosphotransferase system

Keywords: Bacterial sugar transport; Membrane protein structure; Sugar phosphorylation; Protein domains; Phosphotransfer reactions; Mannitol permease
Densification of grain-oriented high Tc superconducting Ba2Ln3+Cu3O7−x and Bi2Ca2Sr2Cu2O8 ceramics

Abstract Grain orientation in high T c superconducting materials such as Ba 2 Ln 3+ Cu 3 O 7−x , (Ln = Y or Gd), and Bi 2 Ca 2 Sr 2 Cu 2 O 8 has been achieved using the hot-forging technique. X-ray diffraction and microscopic studies indicate that samples hot-forged at or over 1000 psi and at temperatures around 930 °C show close to 85% grain orientation along the (001) direction for all samples. The room temperature resistivity for these oriented dense ceramics dropped significantly and J c increased nearly an order of magnitude (1.1 × 10 3 to 9.5 × 10 3 A cm −2 ) for Ba 2 YCu 3 O 7−x compared with non-oriented ceramics of the same composition.
Macroeconomic fluctuations and welfare cost of stabilization policy

Abstract This paper uses an extended Real-Business-Cycle (RBC) model including money and government spending to analyze US macroeconomic policy and business cycles. There exist two kinds of exogenous shocks: nominal random disturbance (money) and real random disturbance (technology, government spending and tax rate). In addition, the welfare cost of business cycles is measured and different stabilization policies are discussed and compared. The results of the calibration indicate that this model can mimic the characteristics of post-war business cycles well and that it does a good job of explaining the dynamic interactions of money and real variables. It is obvious that monetary and fiscal shocks play important roles in the explanation of post-war business cycles. According to the welfare cost of different stabilization policies, it can be found that (1) monetary policy may be a better stabilization policy than other policies, (2) there may exist a kind of “Laffer curve” patterns for the feedback coefficient of government consumption, and (3) tax smoothing induces lower welfare cost than variable tax rate.
Fundamentalist Religious Affiliation and Support for Civil Liberties: A Critical Reexamination

The perceived connection between theological and political conservatism has motivated many scholars to test its implications using quantitative data analysis. However, those studies have yielded quite contradictory findings. One reason lies in the way the religious orientation variable is typically operationalized. Researchers often select respondents for the analysis based on their denominational affiliation, further restricting the group based on religious beliefs or participation. In contrast, this study will utilize the 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) data and logistic regression analysis to assess if fundamentalist religious affiliation independently of other religious or demographic characteristics correlates with low support for civil liberties. The findings suggest that fundamentalist religious affiliation itself does not show a statistically significant effect in most cases. Instead, the demographic composition of religious groups and belief in the literal truth of the Bible are largely responsible for the variation in attitudes of their adherents.
Catheter-based photoacoustic endoscope for use in the instrument channel of a clinical video endoscope

We have successfully developed a fully-sheathed, flexible shaft-based, mechanical scanning photoacoustic endoscopy (PAE) system for imaging the human gastrointestinal tract via the instrument channel of a clinical video endoscope. The endoscopic system uses a single element ultrasonic transducer and flexible shaft-based proximal actuation mechanism, and it has a 2.5 m long and 3.2 mm diameter catheter section, which can be accommodated in the 3.7 mm diameter instrument channel of a clinical video endoscope. Here, we demonstrate the intra-instrument channel workability and in vivo imaging capability of the PAE system.
Abrupt change in tropical African climate linked to the bipolar seesaw over the past 55,000 years

[1] The tropics play a major role in global climate dynamics, and are vulnerable to future climate change. We present a record of East African climate since 55 ka, preserved in Lake Malawi sediments, that indicates rapid shifts between discrete climate modes related to abrupt warming (D-O) events observed in Greenland. Although the timing of the Malawi events cannot be determined exactly, our age model implies that they occur prior to their Greenland counterparts, consistent with southward excursions of the Intertropical Convergence Zone during Greenland stadials. The magnitude of each of the events recorded in Malawi sediments corresponds to the scale of the subsequent Greenland warming. This suggests that a tropical component of climate sets a template for abrupt high northern latitude climate fluctuations associated with the bipolar seesaw.
Organization of the Yeast Golgi Complex into at Least Four Funtionally Distinct Compartments

Pro-α-factor (pro-αf) is posttranslationally modified in the yeast Golgi complex by the addition of α1,6-, α1,2-, and α1,3-linked mannose to N-linked oligosaccharides and by a Kex2p-initiated prote...
Influence of Particle Size on the Sintering Kinetics of Ultrapure Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride particles with size fractions covering the range <38 to 180 μm were sintered in air at T=973 to 1048 K. At any given time and temperature, the degree of densification was found to be a decreasing function of particle size. Calculated activation energies from these densification results showed a corresponding dependence on particle size, i.e. higher energies were associated with the sintering of larger size fractions. Surface-area reduction measurements showed a similar trend with respect to particle size. These results are discussed in terms of simultaneous contributions from densifying (bulk diffusion) and nondensifying (evaporation-condensation) processes in the sintering of sodium chloride.
Long term outcome with post-operative radiation therapy for spinal canal ependymoma

Purpose A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the long term efficacy and safety of post-operative radiation therapy in the management of spinal canal ependymoma at our institution.
Update on the role of vitamin K in skeletal health.

A protective role for vitamin K in bone health has been suggested based on its role as an enzymatic cofactor. In observational studies, vitamin K insufficiency is generally associated with lower bone mass and increased hip fracture risk. However, these findings are not supported in randomized controlled trials (RCT) of phylloquinone (vitamin K1) supplementation and bone loss at the hip in the elderly. This suggests that increased vegetable and legume intakes may simultaneously improve measures of vitamin K status and skeletal health, even though the mechanisms underlying these improvements may be independent of each other. Menaquinone-4 (vitamin K2), when given at pharmacological doses, appears to protect against fracture risk and bone loss at the spine. However, there are emerging data that suggest the efficacy of vitamin K supplementation on bone loss is inconclusive.
EVALUATION OF SELECTION ON CLIFF SWALLOWS

Estimates of the intensity of selection based on measurements of the living and the dead require knowledge of the fraction of the original population dying. We apply recently developed methods (Blanckenhorn et al. 1999) to estimate the intensity of selection in a population of cliff swallows. In this population the fraction of individuals dying was unknown, but certainly high. The inferred selection is very strong and impossible to achieve if the original population is assumed to have followed a normal distribution. We consider several alternative explanations for this result including measurement biases, undetected immigration, and sampling biases. Of these, sampling biases are perhaps the most likely. We conclude that the intensity of selection on the swallows was probably strong, but its absolute magnitude is unknown.
Reducing Fragmentation on Torus-Connected Supercomputers

Torus-based networks are prevalent on leadership-class petascale systems, providing a good balance between network cost and performance. The major disadvantage of this network architecture is its susceptibility to fragmentation. Many studies have attempted to reduce resource fragmentation in this architecture. Although the approaches suggested can make good allocation decisions reducing fragmentation at job start time, none of them considers a job's wall time, which can cause resource fragmentation when neighboring jobs do not complete closely. In this paper, we propose a wall time-aware job allocation strategy, which adjacently packs jobs that finish around the same time, in order to minimize resource fragmentation caused by job length, discrepancy. Event-driven simulations using real job traces from a production Blue Gene/P system at Argonne National Laboratory demonstrate that our wall time-aware strategy can effectively reduce system fragmentation and improve overall system performance.
Extinction of counterflow diffusion flames in counter-rotating finite jets

Extinction of counterflow diffusion flames located between counter-rotating porous disks of large radial extent and finite axial separation distance is theoretically investigated using the method of large activation energy asymptotics. It is shown that slow rotation of the jets modifies thc critical minimum values of the Damkohler number at extinction δDE identified earlier by Linan for non-rotating, infinite-jet counterflow diffusion flames. In the treatment of the reactive flow, the inviscid limit is considered such that while the diffusion of heat and species concentrations are included, that of momentum is suppressed. The minimum fuel molar concentration at extinction XF£ is found to decrease to a minimum value XF1 and increase thereafter with the jet angular velocity &#x1d6bf; in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations. Also the envelope of XF£ vs &#x1d6bf; curves at different jet velocity V is found to be linear. General aspects of interactions between three randomly moving vectors associated with ...
Segregation and linkage analysis for longitudinal measurements of a quantitative trait

We present a method for using slopes and intercepts from a linear regression of a quantitative trait as outcomes in segregation and linkage analyses. We apply the method to the analysis of longitudinal systolic blood pressure (SBP) data from the Framingham Heart Study. A first-stage linear model was fit to each subject's SBP measurements to estimate both their slope over time and an intercept, the latter scaled to represent the mean SBP at the average observed age (53.7 years). The subject-specific intercepts and slopes were then analyzed using segregation and linkage analysis. We describe a method for using the standard errors of the first-stage intercepts and slopes as weights in the genetic analyses. For the intercepts, we found significant evidence of a Mendelian gene in segregation analysis and suggestive linkage results (with LOD scores ≥ 1.5) for specific markers on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 17. For the slopes, however, the data did not support a Mendelian model, and thus no formal linkage analyses were conducted.
HIGH SPEED BIPOLAR SRAMS — DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS AND ADVANCES

This paper reviews the design considerations and recent advances in high speed bipolar static random access memories (SRAMs). The design constraints and limitations of some most commonly used bipolar SRAM cells, including the resistor-loaded Schottky-clamped ECL cell, the pnp-loaded ECL cell, and the MTL/L2L cell, are examined. Process modification, device optimization, and circuit innovation to address these constraints and limitations are discussed. The density and performance potential of these cells are projected.