cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RF power degradation of GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

We have developed a versatile methodology to systematically investigate the RF reliability of GaN High-Electron Mobility Transistors. Our technique utilizes RF and DC figures of merit to diagnose the degradation of RF stressed devices in real time. We have found that there is good correlation between selected RF and DC figures of merit. However, compared with DC stress, RF stress at the same bias point is found to be more severe and to introduce new degradation modes. At high power level, RF stress induces a prominent trapping-related increase in the source resistance most likely as a result of the creation of new traps. This is in contrast with drain degradation that often occurs under similar DC conditions. Our findings cast a doubt over the ability of DC life test in evaluating reliability under RF power conditions.
Inelastic collapse in two dimensions

Molecular dynamic simulations show that a two-dimensional gas of inelastic disks, started from random initial conditions, has a finite time singularity in which a group of particles spontaneously forms a straight line. The inelastic disks then collide infinitely often in a finite time along their joint line of centers. The upshot of this process is a multiparticle collision that occurs through the accumulation of an infinite sequence of binary encounters.
Astronomers zero in on solar system analog

Scientists searching for extra-solar planets have discovered the closest known analog to our own Solar System. A planet with a mass about twice that of Jupiter is in a near-circular orbit of the star HD70642,a team of astronomers from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced on 3 July at a conference in Paris on extra-solar planets.
Event size, substrate water content and vegetation affect storm water retention efficiency of an un-irrigated extensive green roof system in Central Texas

Abstract As green roofs continue to grow in popularity more research will be needed in new ecoregions to support development of policy, regulation, and incentives. Extensive green roofs represent the majority of new construction each year and understanding their performance expectations is critical for regulation. In our experiment we tested the ability of three monocultures of low stature CAM plants (Sedum kamtschaticum, Delosperma cooperi and Talinum calycinum syn. Phemeranthus calycinus) to improve runoff reduction efficiency of un-irrigated modular extensive green roofs exposed to a range of precipitation event sizes in a warm and dry southern US climate. Stormwater runoff data were collected for 15 rainfall events that ranged from a minimum of 4.1 mm to a maximum of 102.9 mm. An average precipitation event retention efficiency of 78% was recorded. On average, the presence of T. calycinum enhanced retention efficiency by an additional 7.5% compared to unvegetated modules. Substrate volumetric water content affected retention capacity of unvegetated modules only.
On simple theories of a complex world

It is not to be wondered that theory makers seek simplicity. When two theories are equally defensible on other counts, certainly the simpler of the two is to be preferred on the score of both beauty and convenience. But what is remarkable is that the simpler of two theories is generally regarded not only as the more desirable but also as the more probable. If two theories conform equally to past observations, the simpler of the two is seen as standing the better chance of confirmation in future observations. Such is the maxim of the simplicity of nature. It seems to be implicitly assumed in every extrapolation and interpolation, every drawing of a smooth curve through plotted points. And the maxim of the uniformity of nature is of a piece with it, uniformity being a species of simplicity.
Combined Transaortic Transcatheter Valve Replacement and Thoracic Endografting

Direct transaortic (TAo) approach for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS) with prohibitive transfemoral access is being increasingly performed. Furthermore, concomitant catheter-based procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are also being increasingly performed during TAVR. We report a single-stage, catheter-based treatment of both critical AS and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTA) by performing TAVR with concomitant thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR) through direct TAo access via a minimally invasive partial sternotomy approach. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a "hybrid" TAVR + TEVAR.
Mitochondrial ribssome in HeLa cells.

HeLa cell mitochondria contain 60S ribosomes which seem to consist of subunits of 45S and 35S particles. The 16S and 12S RNA components are coded by mitochondrial DNA.
Management of rheumatologic disorders during pregnancy

Rheumatologic disorders disproportionally affect women during their childbearing years. In addition, rheumatologic disorders behave differently and unpredictably during pregnancy. This article will discuss the management of the more common rheumatologic diseases during pregnancy. An approach to the pregnant patient with an underlying rheumatic disorder will be discussed as well as a review of medications and their safety for use during pregnancy and lactation.
Ovarian gene expression is stable after exposure to trichloroethylene

Exposure of female rats to trichloroethylene (TCE), an environmental toxicant commonly found in ground and surface waters throughout the United States, reduces the fertilizability of oocytes produced by these females compared with oocytes from control females. Localization of cytochrome P450 2E1 and glutathione s-transferase α, TCE-metabolizing enzymes, in the ovary suggests TCE metabolism occurs in the ovary. The production of bioactive TCE metabolites in the ovary may alter female reproductive function by altering ovarian gene transcription and/or protein expression and function. The purpose of the present study was to examine ovarian gene transcription after exposure of female rats to 0.45% TCE (v/v) in 3% Tween. Control rats received 3% Tween. Microarray analysis after 1 and 5 days of exposure indicated ovarian gene transcription was maintained during TCE exposure with the possible exception of a very few genes. Although conclusions for these few genes were ambiguous from the microarray analysis due to the minimal but statistically significant reductions, quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated expression of these genes was unaltered after TCE exposure. Protein analysis confirmed qRT-PCR results. This study suggests TCE-induced reductions in oocyte fertilizability are independent of currently detectable alterations in ovarian gene expression.
Chromosomal biomarkers in the clonal evolution of head and neck squamous neoplasia

The biological behavior of any tumor is the result of changes in gene expression caused by mutations accumulated in the carcinogenic process. In squamous carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) there are numerous complex chromosome abnormalities. To make sense of this complexity it is necessary to identify the consistent chromosome changes in a large panel of tumors, to determine if these changes are true representations of the in vivo situation, and to construct a map of gene loci likely to be involved in the development and progression of cancer. Our findings indicate that cultured tumor cells are cytogenetically stable when compared to cells evolving in vivo. We also found that clues to the sequence of events in clonal evolution of individual tumors can be deduced by studying primary and metastatic tumors from the same patient, by examining separate clones within the same tumor, and by analyzing ploidy changes. Furthermore, comparison of the in vitro karyotypes to in situ analysis of the tumor tissue indicates that in vitro cultures are good representations of the in vivo tumor. We conclude that identification of consistent chromosome changes in cultured cells can lead to the loci of genes important in the clinical behavior of individual tumors. The most frequent chromosome abnormalities in SCCHN, found in 40-60% of tumors, are deletions affecting 3p, 5q, 8p, 9p, and 18q. Less common consistent changes found in 3040% of tumors are gains affecting 3q, 5p, 7p, Sq, and llq. Preliminary evidence suggests that loss of 18q may be prognostically important and may involve disruption of genes encoding cell adhesion molecules. 0 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TH-C-18A-08: A Management Tool for CT Dose Monitoring, Analysis, and Protocol Review

Purpose: To develop a customizable tool for enterprise-wide managing of CT protocols and analyzing radiation dose information of CT exams for a variety of quality control applications Methods: All clinical CT protocols implemented on the 11 CT scanners at our institution were extracted in digital format. The original protocols had been preset by our CT management team. A commercial CT dose tracking software (DoseWatch,GE healthcare,WI) was used to collect exam information (exam date, patient age etc.), scanning parameters, and radiation doses for all CT exams. We developed a Matlab-based program (MathWorks,MA) with graphic user interface which allows to analyze the scanning protocols with the actual dose estimates, and compare the data to national (ACR,AAPM) and internal reference values for CT quality control. Results: The CT protocol review portion of our tool allows the user to look up the scanning and image reconstruction parameters of any protocol on any of the installed CT systems among about 120 protocols per scanner. In the dose analysis tool, dose information of all CT exams (from 05/2013 to 02/2014) was stratified on a protocol level, and within a protocol down to series level, i.e. each individual exposure event. This allows numerical and graphical review ofmore » dose information of any combination of scanner models, protocols and series. The key functions of the tool include: statistics of CTDI, DLP and SSDE, dose monitoring using user-set CTDI/DLP/SSDE thresholds, look-up of any CT exam dose data, and CT protocol review. Conclusion: our inhouse CT management tool provides radiologists, technologists and administration a first-hand near real-time enterprise-wide knowledge on CT dose levels of different exam types. Medical physicists use this tool to manage CT protocols, compare and optimize dose levels across different scanner models. It provides technologists feedback on CT scanning operation, and knowledge on important dose baselines and thresholds.« less
Fostering the Public Voice: Blogging as a Pedagogical Practice in Ministerial Education

AbstractIn the evolution of the World Wide Web toward a more participatory experience, the blog is one opportunity with intriguing educational potential. Among its educational benefits, the blog can offer a platform for exercising the public voice, but does so in a way that is simultaneously private and public, giving the author a safe distance through which one can grow into the public voice, both on- and offline. This growth into the public voice resonates deeply with Christian identity and mission, and as such, the blog as a pedagogical tool may especially benefit ministerial formation in an educational setting.
Last-male sperm precedence breaks down when females mate with three males

Females of many species commonly mate with several males, yet our knowledge of sperm precedence patterns is based almost exclusively on laboratory experiments in which females were mated to only two males. In both birds and insects, these investigations have generally shown strong mating order effects, usually with the second male to mate siring most of the offspring. In the harlequin beetle-riding pseudoscorpion, single-locus minisatellite DNA profiling has recently revealed extensive multiple paternity within the broods of field-inseminated females. Here, we report the findings of a sperm precedence experiment in which we investigated this unusual absence of mating order effects. By allowing females to mate with only two males, we were able experimentally to induce the pattern of strong last-male sperm precedence typical of other two-male mating studies. By contrast, females mated to three males produced broods exhibiting the same highly mixed paternity detected in this species in nature. The elimination of mating order constraints on sperm utilization when females mate with several males suggests that the opportunity for post-copulatory sexual selection may be much greater in nature than is evident from two-male mating experiments.
Next-to-leading order cross sections for new heavy fermion production at hadron colliders

We evaluate the cross sections for new heavy fermion production at three Large Hadron Collider energies accurate to next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. We treat the cases of pair production of heavy quarks via strong interactions, single heavy quark production via electroweak interactions, and the production of heavy leptons. Theoretical uncertainties associated with the choice of the renormalization scale and the parton distribution functions are specified. We derive a simple and useful parametrization of our results which should facilitate phenomenological studies of new physics models that predict new heavy quarks and/or leptons.
A polyhedral study of triplet formulation for single row facility layout problem

The single row facility layout problem (SRFLP) is the problem of arranging n departments with given lengths on a straight line so as to minimize the total weighted distance between all department pairs. We present a polyhedral study of the triplet formulation of the SRFLP introduced by Amaral [A.R.S. Amaral, A new lower bound for the single row facility layout problem, Discrete Applied Mathematics 157 (1) (2009) 183-190]. For any number of departments n, we prove that the dimension of the triplet polytope is n(n-1)(n-2)/3 (this is also true for the projections of this polytope presented by Amaral). We then prove that several valid inequalities presented by Amaral for this polytope are facet-defining. These results provide theoretical support for the fact that the linear program solved over these valid inequalities gives the optimal solution for all instances studied by Amaral.
Identifying emergent social networks at a federally qualified health center-based farmers' market.

Identifying potential mechanisms connecting farmers’ market interventions with health, economic, and community outcomes could inform strategies for addressing health disparities. The present study used social network theory to guide the in-depth examination of naturally occurring social interactions at a farmers’ market located at a federally qualified health center located in a rural, low-income community. Trained observers recorded 61 observation logs at the market over 18 weeks. Thematic analysis revealed a range of actors and nonhuman facilitators instrumental to the farmers’ market context. These actors connected with one another for communication and relationship development, economic and financial exchange, education, resource sharing, community ownership of the farmers’ market, and conflict resolution. These interactions provided opportunities for social networks to develop among attendees, which may have facilitated the acquisition of social supports related to improved health, economic and community outcomes. Results provide insight into the role social networks may play in mediating the relationship between a farmers’ market intervention and individual benefits. Findings also contribute to defining the typology of social networks, which may further disentangle the complex relationships between social networks and health outcomes. Future research should identify strategies for purposefully targeting social networks as a way to reduce diet-related health disparities.
Recalcitrant periungual verrucae: the role of carbon dioxide laser vaporization.

Abstract Recalcitrant periungual Verrucae (24 lesions) in 17 patients were vaporized with the carbon dioxide laser. The lesions had been present for 1 to 15 years and treated an average of nine times previously. Vaporization of these warts, in combination with partial or complete nail avulsion, resulted in complete cures in 71% of patients who had one or two treatments. The cure rate was 94% when the patients who had clearing after one or two laser treatments in combination with other therapies are included. Further follow-up indicates that infection and significant onychodystrophy are uncommon. Pain occurs, but in most cases it is short lived and manageable.
γ-Caseins Isolated from Milk Samples Typed β-Casein A1 and A3

Abstract γ -Caseins A 1 and A 3 were isolated from cow milk typed A 1 and A 3 with respect to β -casein. Disc gel electrophoretic patterns of γ -A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , and B were compared with corresponding β -casein patterns. The finding that the same relative spacings occur for the polymorphs of both γ - and β -caseins suggests that the amino acid substitutions which differentiate the β -caseins also differentiate the γ -caseins.
Removal of nasal foreign bodies in the pediatric population

Nasal foreign bodies requiring removal occur commonly in young children. Different techniques of removal are needed depending on the type of nasal foreign body. A retrospective chart review of a 19-month period identified 60 pediatric patients with nasal foreign bodies evaluated in a pediatric emergency department. Twenty-four different types of foreign bodies were removed; beads, rocks and plastic toys were the most common. Numerous removal techniques were used; forceps and Foley catheter techniques were the most common. Most foreign bodies can be managed with simple equipment and without requiring otolaryngology consultation. Because of the many different nasal foreign bodies found, the physician should be skilled in numerous techniques of removal. Each one of these useful techniques is reviewed.
More Mastectomies: Is This What Patients Really Want?

Breast-conserving therapy (BCT), consisting of breastconserving surgery (BCS) followed by breast irradiation, is a notable success story in oncology. For nearly the entire first half of the 20th century, mastectomy was the standard of care in the United States. Remarkably, it took the mature results from six randomized clinical trials comparing BCT with mastectomy before a 1990 National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel concluded that BCS wasthepreferredmethodofprimarysurgicaltherapyforwomenwith early-stage breast cancer. 1 From 1989 to 1995, the percentage of women undergoing BCT increased from 35% to 60% for stage 1 and from 19% to 29% for stage 2 breast cancer. 2,3 BCT has been shown to be associated with improved body image and improved short-term physicalfunctioningcomparedwithmastectomy. 4 Intheeraofsentinel node biopsy, BCS is an outpatient procedure that requires no drains,allowingapromptreturntofullactivity,althoughnecessitating
997-86 Intracellular Calcium Transients Underlie Mechanical Restitution in Whole Rat Hearts

Mechanical restitution describes the recovery of myocardial contractility during the interval between heart beats. Although restitution has been widely studied, much of the understanding about restitution of the whole heart has been inferred from isolated muscle studies. We investigated whether results from isolated muscle regarding intracellular calcium transients underlying mechanical restitution could be substantiated in the whole heart. Therefore, we obtained restitution curves for left ventricular pressure and, simultaneously, for intracellular calcium transients in isolated rat hearts (pressure and calcium plotted as a function of extrasystolic intervals). Intracellular calcium transients were assessed by surface fluorometry after Indo-1-loading. Restitution curves were generated by computer-controlled pacing protocols. Download : Download high-res image (72KB) Download : Download full-size image We found that, similar to isolated muscle, restitution curves for both pressure and intracellular calcium transients in the whole heart followed similar monoexponential functions. Moreover, interval-dependent changes in pressure were strongly correlated to interval-dependent changes in the amplitude of intracellular calcium transients (correlation by linear regression: r = 0.92, P = 0.00). Thus, for the first time, the results from isolated muscle regarding intracellular calcium transients underlying mechanical restitution could be substantiated in the whole heart.
MEASURING THE CONTRIBUTION OF TRANSPORTATION TO THE U.S. ECONOMY: U.S. TRANSPORTATION SATELLITE ACCOUNT

The importance of transportation to the U.S. economy is widely recognized. However, the current statistics within the U.S. national accounts and transportation statistics underestimate the true contribution of transportation to the U.S. economy. The U.S. Transportation Satellite Account (TSA), a multistage joint project between the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, attempts to provide a set of measures of the interdependence between transportation and the U.S. economy at the most detailed level. On the basis of these measures, determinations can be made of how much transportation contributes to the U.S. economy as a whole, which industries use how much transportation services, the extent to which transportation uses up social resources, and so on. The theoretical framework established for the core account of the TSA is presented. The structure of the account and estimation procedures for its construction are discussed. How the account can be combined with the U.S. Input-Output accounts to develop complete accounts with a more detailed representation of transportation for different purposes is illustrated.
From sustainability to customer loyalty: A case of full service hotels’ guests

Abstract More hotels adopt ecofriendly practices and implement innovative technologies to reduce carbon footprints and increase a viable green image. Many hotel guests value hotels that offer up-to-date technology and demonstrate sustainability efforts through various sustainable programs. Previous studies investigated how ecofriendly practices would induce higher customer loyalty and increase the image of a hotel brand in the past decade and reported the benefits of implementing green efforts in hotels. This study, which included distributing surveys to over 1200 existing hotel guests in 2013–2014 in the southeastern United States, examined how technologies, innovations, and sustainable-effort-related factors have an impact on customer perceptions, selection decisions, experience, and post-experience.
Post-fight levels of plasma lactate and corticosterone in male copperheads, Agkistrodon contortrix (Serpentes, Viperidae): differences between winners and losers

During the mating seasons (late summer and spring), male copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix; Serpentes, Viperidae) engage in aggressive physical interactions for priority of access to females. These fights generally involve two individuals and are characterized by prominent vertical displays, a high degree of physical contact, and the absence of biting. Ritualized aggression does not occur in females. Although intrasexual aggression in conspecifics has obvious energetic costs (e.g., lactate accumulation) that can affect subsequent behavior, few studies have addressed these costs in reptiles, and no studies have examined snakes. Moreover, recent studies suggest psychoneuroendocrine (catecholamines, glucocorticoids) regulation of metabolism during and following aggressive episodes. There were three main questions addressed in this study. Do winners and losers of staged, pair-wise encounters show differences in post-fight (60-min) levels of plasma lactate and corticosterone (CORT)? Are levels of plasma lactate correlated with levels of plasma CORT? Is fight duration correlated with levels of plasma lactate and CORT? Two different control groups (cage and arena) were used. Body length, body mass, duration of fighting, and season of testing were not correlated with levels of plasma lactate and CORT. At 60-min post-fight, losers had significantly higher levels of mean plasma lactate and CORT when compared to levels in winners and controls, and there were no significant differences between winners and controls. From our results, we suggest the following conclusions. First, elevated levels of CORT in losers, but not winners, result from psychoneuroendocrine factors rather than simple exercise. Second, elevated levels of CORT in losers retard metabolic recovery resulting in higher lactate levels in losers, whereas winners return to pre-fight levels within 60-min post-fight. Last, the CORT response has a net negative effect on metabolic recovery and may be implicated in the protracted suppression of aggressive behavior in losers.
Digital Imaging Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Intracellular Calcium Ions In Living Cardiac And Smooth Muscle Cells.

We have used digital video microscopy to study the relationship of intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) to the function of living cardiac and vascular smooth muscle cells. The technical goal of our work is to obtain, with high spatial and temporal resolution, "maps" of [Ca2+]i inside single living cells. To relate [Ca2+]i to cell function, such "maps" can be used in conjunction with measurements of cell electrical activity, contractile activity or biochemical assays.
Access to Online Local Government Public Records: The Privacy Paradox

Local governments are required to provide open access to their records as a matter of law; however, there is growing public concern about the security of private information found in these files. Before the advent of the Internet, individuals enjoyed a level of practical obscurity, as viewing public records required the time and effort of a visit to the records' physical location and prevented easy access to details of individual files. However, the introduction of the Web and the availability of digital documents have caused an unavoidable conflict. On the one hand, the government is required to provide the public with a transparent view of its activities by offering open access to its records, and on the other hand, local governments need to secure their citizens’ right to privacy. Especially since September 11, 2001, and the problems associated with identity theft, finding the right balance between accessibility and privacy is not a simple task. The purpose of this article is to report on the accessibi...
Tokugawa Shoguns vs. Consumer Democracy

Civilizations are mortal. Some rise to meet their challenges, others collapse and disappear into history. Why do some posses the capacity to change, and others not? Jared Diamond warns that the Anthropocentric Age, in which the human species for the first time is the dominant influence on the planet, could end up like the extinct Maya, terminating our civilization's accomplishments if we don't squarely face our ecological challenges. Bruce Mau, like Alvin Toffler, sees hope in the “distributed power” enabled by new technologies. Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt examine the paradoxes of the digital age which has transformed how we live our lives in every respect.
Aerogel for Microsystems Thermal Insulation: System Design and Process Development

Extreme miniaturization in the microelectronics component market along with the emergence of system-on-chip applications has driven interest in correspondingly small-scale thermal management designs requiring novel material systems. This paper concentrates on aerogel, which is an amorphous, nanoporous dielectric oxide fabricated through a sol-gel process. Its extremely high porosity leads to very low thermal conductivity and dielectric constants. Significant research has been devoted to its electrical properties; however, there are several emerging applications that can leverage the thermal characteristics as well. Two promising applications are investigated in this paper: a monolithically integrated infrared sensor that requires thermal isolation between sensor and silicon substrate, and an ultra-miniature crystal oscillator device which demands thermal insulation of the crystal for low-power operation. This paper identifies the potential benefits of aerogel in these applications through system modeling, demonstrates aerogel’s compatibility with standard low-cost microfabrication techniques, and presents results of thermal testing of aerogel films compared with other microelectronics insulators and available data in the literature. The goal is to explore system thermal design using aerogel while demonstrating its feasibility through experimentation. The combination of numerical simulations, Bayesian surrogate modeling, and process development helps to refine candidate aerogel applications and allow the designer to explore thermal designs which have not previously been possible in large-scale microelectronics system production. This paper was also originally published as part of the Proceedings of the ASME 2005 Pacific Rim Technical Conference and Exhibition on Integration and Packaging of MEMS, NEMS, and Electronic Systems.© 2005 ASME
Combination use of statins and omega-3 fatty acids: an emerging therapy for combined hyperlipidemia

Many patients with coronary heart disease remain at risk for cardiovascular events despite treatment with statins, especially those with combined hyperlipidemia. Since the observation in the 1970s that Greenland Eskimos have reduced cardiovascular mortality despite a high-fat diet, the role of omega-3 fatty acids in human health has generated intense interest. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to provide cardiovascular benefits in secondary prevention and have a hypotriglyceridemic effect, as well as other beneficial biological properties. Combination therapy using statins and omega-3 fatty acids has been proposed as a method to improve both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in patients with combined hyperlipidemia. In addition, combination therapy with omega-3 fatty acids may represent a way to reduce the residual cardiovascular risk seen after statin monotherapy. This review highlights the properties of omega-3 fatty acids and reviews the current evidence for their use alone and in...
Physiological and anatomical responses of Acacia koa (Gray) seedlings to varying light and drought conditions

Abstract True leaves of Acacia koa (Gray) seedlings play a vital role in the early stages of seedling establishment, particularly in the Hawaiian archipelago where regeneration occurs under very heterogeneous light and moisture conditions. Given the importance of understanding seedling regeneration in the highly disturbed forests of Hawaii, we studied the growth, biomass allocation, physiological, and anatomical characteristics of A. koa seedlings with true leaves in response to three levels of light (low, intermediate, and high sunlight) and two levels of moisture regimes (100% field capacity, 20% field capacity) in a greenhouse experiment. With increasing light intensity, seedlings exhibited greater growth, biomass accumulation, intrinsic water-use efficiency, more foliar C, and higher stomatal density. Their leaflets were thicker, containing more palisade and spongy parenchyma. Low light intensity ameliorated drought-related effects of carbon assimilation on A. koa seedlings, while seedling growth of drought-stressed seedlings was reduced under intermediate and high sunlight. Our results suggest that true leaves of A. koa seedlings are adaptive when light is the only limiting environmental variable. The low adaptive capacity of true leaves to drought stress under high light intensity negatively affected seedling performance, which possibly explains environmental conditions under which phyllodes are likely to emerge.
Hereditary amyloidosis: detection of variant prealbumin genes by restriction enzyme analysis of amplified genomic DNA sequences

The autosomal dominant prealbumin amyloidoses are late-onset disorders characterized by varying degrees of peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy and cardiomyopathy. To date, seven different single amino acid mutations in the plasma protein prealbumin (transthyretin) have been found to be associated with amyloidosis and each is the result of a single nucleotide change in the prealbumin gene. By virtue of the restriction endonuclease sites created by the point mutations which give rise to the protein variants, direct DNA tests using Southern analysis have already been developed for detection of the Met-30, Ile-33, Ala-60, Tyr-77 and Ser-84 prealbumin genes. As an alternative to Southern analysis, we have amplified discrete regions of the prealbumin gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and used restriction enzyme analysis of the PCR products to detect the Met-30, Ala-60, Tyr-77 and Ser-84 prealbumin genes after agarose gel electrophoresis and staining with ethidium bromide. In comparison to Southern analysis these alternative tests yield results much more quickly and avoid the use and handling of radioactively labeled probes.
THE EFFECT OF HEPARIN ON POST CATHETERIZATION ARTERIAL THROMBOSIS IN CHILDREN

Arterial thrombosis is a common and serious complication of percutaneous cardiac catheterization (cath) in children. A double blind study was therefore designed to test the value of heparin administered during cath in reducing this complication. One hundred and sixty-one unselected children > 1 year of age were studied. Prior to cath the pulse amplitude was measured in both legs using a pulse volume recorder, a quantitative oscillometer, (Surgery 72:873, 1972). Immediately after arterial canulation heparin (H) lmg/kg or a placebo (P) were administered. On the morning following cath the pulse amplitude in both legs was remeasured and a pulse volume index (PVI) calculated using the non-cath leg as a control. Patients in whom the cath leg was cold with poor capillary filling and absent arterial pulses 4 hours after cath were begun on systemic Heparinization (SH). If no improvement occurred within 48 hours embolectomy (E) was performed. Only 2/78 children in the H group had a PVI of < 50% compared to 10/83 in the P group (p<0.05). SH was required in 15/83 children in the P group and 3/78 in the H group (p<0.01). Embolectomy was performed in 7/83 children in the P group and none of 78 in the H group (p<0.03). We conclude that H administered during percutaneous cath is effective in preventing arterial thrombosis in children.
Hydrotreatment of corn stover bio-oil using noble metal catalysts

Abstract Hydrotreatment of corn stover bio-oil and its distilled fraction was performed using noble metal catalysts such as ruthenium and palladium on carbon support at 125 bar, 4 hour reaction time and 200 °C or 300 °C in a batch catalytic reactor. Results showed that ruthenium performed better at higher temperature (300 °C) and was more effective than palladium, giving about 25–26% deoxygenation. Higher yields (54–67 wt.%), higher H/C molar ratios (1.46–1.48) and lower O/C molar ratios (0.065–0.08) were obtained for the products from Ru-catalyzed processes at 300 °C. Analysis of the chemical composition of the products indicated that the major reactions involved hydrogenation of ketones to alcohols. Carbon dioxide, methane, ethylene and propane, were detected in the gas phase, indicating significant activity for this catalyst as compared to palladium. The hydrotreated product from the heavy distillate with ruthenium as catalyst at 300 °C had the lowest oxygen content (7.0 wt.%) and exhibited better product properties: lower moisture (2.6%), TAN (5.3 mg KOH/g sample), and the highest heating value (40.2 MJ/kg), making it a potential feedstock for co-processing with crude oils in existing refineries.
Bioanalysis Young Investigator: Narahara Chari Dingari

Supervisor’s supporting comments It gives me enormous pleasure to nominate Narahara Chari Dingari for the Bioanalysis Young Investigator 2011 award. Chari has been working with me since 2009 and we have worked together on numerous biomedical projects, including ones where he has put lots of effort into publishing new methods and findings in prestigious journals such as Analytical Chemistry, Journal of Biomedical Optics, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry and Biomedical Optics Express. I have found him to be very diligent with high academic interests and intellectual ability. Chari is a promising scientist motivated to work in multidisciplinary research areas and is quite capable of setting up his own team and carrying out independent research. Chari’s current work bears direct impact in the diagnosis of important diseases such as breast cancer and malaria as well as in noninvasive blood glucose detection. He has excellent communication skills and is highly motivated in his pursuit of an advanced caree...
Taste alteration in breast cancer patients treated with taxane chemotherapy: experience, effect, and coping strategies.

This study examined the experience and coping strategies for taste alteration in female breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel or paclitaxel. A purposive sample of 25 patients currently receiving docetaxel or paclitaxel or within 6 months of having completed treatment was recruited. Semi-structured interviews and patient-level data were utilized for this exploratory descriptive study. Interview data were analyzed with the constant comparative method; patient-level data were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Of all side effects reported from taxanes, the most common was taste alteration (8 of 10 docetaxel patients, 3 of 15 paclitaxel patients). Women that experience taste alteration chose not to eat as much, ate on an irregular schedule, and/or lost interest in preparing meals for themselves and/or their family. Women adopted a variety of new behaviors to deal with the taste alteration and its effects, including trying new recipes, eating strongly flavored foods, honoring specific food cravings, eating candy before meals, cutting food with lemon, drinking sweetened drinks, using plastic eating utensils, drinking from a straw, brushing their teeth and tongue before meals, and using baking soda and salt wash or antibacterial mouthwash. Taste alteration affects breast cancer patients’ lives, and they develop management strategies to deal with the effect. While some self-management strategies can be seen as positively adaptive, the potential for increased caloric consumption and poor eating behaviors associated with some coping strategies may be a cause for concern given the observation of weight gain during breast cancer treatment and association of obesity with poor treatment outcomes in breast cancer patients. Further studies are warranted to determine the overall burden of this symptom and measurement of cancer and non-cancer-related consequences of these behavioral adaptations.
Stack languages and log n space

We consider the space complexity of stack languages. The main result is: if a language is accepted by a deterministic (nondeterministic) one-way stack automaton then it is the image under a nonerasing homomorphism of a language accepted by a deterministic (nondeterministic) Turing machine that operates within space log n.
Yeast phenylalanine transfer RNA: atomic coordinates and torsion angles

The atomic coordinates of yeast phenylalanine transfer RNA (tRNA) as well as the torsion angles of the polynucleotide chain are presented as derived from an x-ray diffraction analysis of orthorhombic crystals. A comparison is made between the coordinates obtained from analysis of monoclinic crystals of the same material. It is concluded that the molecule has substantially the same form in the orthorhombic and the monoclinic lattices, except for differences found between residues at the 3' end of the polynucleotides chain. A number of observations are made concerning hydrogen bonding interactions which may account for many of the residues conserved in all tRNA sequences.
Irrigated Corn Yield and Nitrogen Accumulation Response in a Comparison of No-till and Conventional Till: Tillage and Surface-Residue Variables

Comparisons between no-till and conventional-till management are often confounded by variation in both tillage and residue placement. The objective of this research was to separate the tillage variable from the surface-residue variable associated with no-till and conventional-till management comparisons in irrigated continuous corn (Zea mays L.) production. Two Nebraska locations (Mead and Clay Center) with differences in soil types and climate were selected. Four tillage-residue treatments [NT-NR (no-till, residue removed), NT-R (no-till, surface residue), T-NR (till, residue removed), T-R (conventional till, surface residue)] were fertilized by either broadcasting at planting or sidedressing at the 6-leaf stage with rates of 0, 56, 112, and 168 kg N ha -1 . At Clay Center, grain yields and total N accumulation were similar for all tillage-residue treatment combinations in all years when the highest fertilizer N rate was used. In 2 of 3 yr at Mead, grain yields and total N accumulation were less for no-till than conventional-till treatments, but in 1 yr the yields and total N accumulations were greater in no-till than conventional-till treatments. At Mead, surface residue resulted in lower grain yields and total N accumulation compared with bare soil at lower N rates, but not at greater N rates, in 2 of 3 yr. Sidedressing fertilizer N was generally a more efficient N placement than broadcasting. Differences between tillage and residue effects at Clay Center and residue effects at Mead were overcome with higher rates of fertilizer N. Tillage effects at Mead did not appear to be N-related. The data suggest that tillage may be necessary to maintain optimum production levels on finer-textured soils when spring soil temperatures are cool and slow to warm. When spring soil temperatures are warm, no-till strategies can be used for optimum production levels on these soils.
Laminin as a substrate for retinal axons in vitro

Fetal mouse retinal ganglion cell axons have been shown to ramify within co-cultured basement membrane secreting tumor explants and upon isolated basement membranes. Here we report that laminin, a glycoprotein found in basement membranes and adhesion sites of a variety of cell types, acted as a substrate for retinal explant attachment and axonal outgrowth. When axons were given a direct choice, laminin was preferred over collagen. Under suitable conditions (air-dried upon underlying collagen gels), laminin was more effective than fibronectin for promoting axon emergence from retinal explants. These findings have implications for the study of molecular mechanisms underlying CNS axonal outgrowth.
SABER Instrument Design Update

This paper describes the design of a 10-channel infrared (1.27 to 16.9 micrometers ) radiometer instrument known as SABER (sounding of the atmosphere using broadband emission radiometry) that will measure earth-limb emissions from the TIMED (thermosphere- ionosphere-mesosphere energetics and dynamics) satellite. The instrument telescope, designed to reject stray light from the earth and the atmosphere, is an on-axis Cassegrain design with a clam shell reimager and a one-axis scan mirror. The telescope is cooled below 210 K by a dedicated radiator. The focal plane assembly (consisting of a filter array, a detector array, a Lyot stop, and a window) is cooled to 75 K by a miniature cryogenic refrigerator. The conductive heat load on the refrigerator is minimized by a Kevlar support system that thermally isolates the focal plane assembly from the telescope. Kevlar is also used to thermally isolate the telescope from the spacecraft. Instrument responsivity drifts due to changes in telescope and focal plane temperatures as well as other causes are neutralized by an in-flight calibration system. The detector array consists of discrete HgCdTe, InSb, and InGaAs detectors. Two InGaAs detectors are a new long wavelength type, made by EG&G, that have a long wavelength cutoff of 2.33 micrometers at 77 K.
Pathways to Solar Grade Silicon

The price of photovoltaics continues to fall and installed solar generation capacity doubles every two years. To be competitive with existing fossil generation prices, estimates dictate the solar module price needs to decrease by one half, to $0.50 per peak watt (Wp). The production of solar-grade silicon (SoG-Si) contributes the most to the cell cost. In this communication, we outline the current and future methods for SoG-Si production and use.
Experimental Study of Phonon-Folding in Si/Ge and Si/Sige Structures Designed for Thermoelectric Applications

We report data of Raman study of Si/Ge and Si/SiGe superlattices designed for thermoelectric applications. The obtained Raman spectra clearly indicate the presence of folded doublets from longitudinal acoustic phonons. Due to the significant difference in the sound velocities for Si and Ge the position of the doublets strongly depends on the superlattice layer thickness and ordering. Comparison of the Raman data for different samples with measured thermal and thermoelectric properties allows us to determine a correlation between the strength of the phonon confinement in these structures and their thermoelectric properties. Our experimental results are consistent with recent theoretical prediction of increased thermoelectric figure of merit in semiconductor quantum wells.
Human iliac crest cancellous bone elastic modulus and hardness differ with bone formation rate per bone surface but not by existence of prevalent vertebral fracture

The goals of this study were to measure tissue-level elastic moduli and hardness of human cancellous bone using nanoindentation, and determine the relationship between nanoindentation results and previously measured bone histomorphometric variables and bone mineralization. Forty iliac crest biopsies were used in this study, which were collected from Caucasian females with vertebral fracture or from a normal healthy female Caucasian population. They were also categorized into two groups according to high or low bone formation rate per bone surface (BFR/BS). Thirty-two sites were randomly selected on each specimen for nanoindentation with a Berkovich diamond indenter. Two sets of elastic moduli and hardness were calculated using the continuous stiffness measurement method and the Oliver-Pharr method, respectively. Relationships between nanoindentation results and donor age, bone mineralization, and histomorphometric variables were examined. No difference in elastic moduli or hardness was observed between the normal and fracture groups. Significantly lower elastic moduli were observed in the high BFR/BS group. The elastic moduli and hardness measurements were not significantly correlated with the bone mineralization measured independently in a previous study. Linear correlation between elastic modulus and hardness calculated using the Oliver-Pharr method was not different between the normal and fracture groups or between the high and low BFR/BS groups. Nanoindentation hardness was a very good predictor of bone tissue elastic modulus for both normal and osteoporotic bone tissues. Osteoporosis may not change the relationship between bone tissue elastic modulus, bone hardness, and bone mineralization.
A Variable Property Analysis of Laminar Film Boiling on Vertical Plates

Abstract An analysis of laminar film boiling with variable properties is presented. The investigation is made on the basis of boundary-layer theory. Results are presented for film boiling of water at atmospheric pressure for wall temperatures up to 1273 K and water bulk temperatures from 343 to 373 K. The effect of subcooling on various heat fluxes is demonstrated. Solutions for variable property and constant property heat flux differ less than 20% in the range investigated. No reference temperature can be found at which all constant property results coincide with all variable property results.