cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial patterns of mercury in macroinvertebrates and fishes from streams of two contrasting forested landscapes in the eastern United States

Controls on mercury bioaccumulation in lotic ecosystems are not well understood. During 2007–2009, we studied mercury and stable isotope spatial patterns of macroinvertebrates and fishes from two medium-sized (<80 km2) forested basins in contrasting settings. Samples were collected seasonally from multiple sites across the Fishing Brook basin (FBNY), in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, and the McTier Creek basin (MCSC), in South Carolina’s Coastal Plain. Mean methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations within macroinvertebrate feeding groups, and mean total mercury (THg) concentrations within most fish feeding groups were similar between the two regions. However, mean THg concentrations in game fish and forage fish, overall, were much lower in FBNY (1300 and 590 ng/g dw, respectively) than in MCSC (2300 and 780 ng/g dw, respectively), due to lower trophic positions of these groups from FBNY (means 3.3 and 2.7, respectively) than MCSC (means 3.7 and 3.3, respectively). Much larger spatial variation in topography and water chemistry across FBNY contributed to greater spatial variation in biotic Hg and positive correlations with dissolved MeHg and organic carbon in streamwater. Hydrologic transport distance (HTD) was negatively correlated with biotic Hg across FBNY, and was a better predictor than wetland density. The small range of landscape conditions across MCSC resulted in no consistent spatial patterns, and no discernable correspondence with local-scale environmental factors. This study demonstrates the importance of local-scale environmental factors to mercury bioaccumulation in topographically heterogeneous landscapes, and provides evidence that food-chain length can be an important predictor of broad-scale differences in Hg bioaccumulation among streams.
A computer‐oriented linkage analysis scheme

A comprehensive, computer-oriented scheme for genetic linkage analysis is described. It computes the likelihood of a complex pedigree allowing for many non-standard features including multiple alleles (up to four per locus), multiple mates, more than one mating in the eldest generation, consanguinity, missing or partially tested persons, and different recombination fractions between males and females. The program works by computing weighted likelihoods in a vertical, descending fashion. First, the set of possible genotypes for the members of the eldest generation is determined and prior probabilities assigned to these states of nature (based on gene frequency calculations). Phenotypic information is used to modify these probabilities in the standard manner. Then, for a particular set of genotypes, the conditional likelihood of the remainder of the pedigree is computed. This calculation may itself be many-branched and therefore a computer is necessary to keep track of the stages of the process. When the youngest generation has been taken into account, a final likelihood is determined, reflecting all information in the pedigree. The current version of the program successfully calculates the exact likelihood of a complex pedigree which was designed to exploit the non-standard features of the program. It has also computed likelihoods for a published pedigree, and the results are essentially equal to those obtained by the other authors using a previously available computer scheme for linkage analysis.
Secular Equations for Rayleigh and Stoneley Waves in Exponentially Graded Elastic Materials of General Anisotropy under the Influence of Gravity

The Stroh formalism is employed to study Rayleigh and Stoneley waves in exponentially graded elastic materials of general anisotropy under the influence of gravity. The 6×6 fundamental matrix N is no longer real. Nevertheless the coefficients of the sextic equation for the Stroh eigenvalue p are real. The orthogonality and closure relations are derived. Also derived are three Barnett-Lothe tensors. They are not necessarily real. Secular equations for Rayleigh and Stoneley wave speeds are presented. Explicit secular equations are obtained when the materials are orthotropic. In the literature, the secular equations for Stoneley waves in orthotropic materials are obtained without using the Stroh formalism. As a result, it requires computation of a 4×4 determinant. The secular equation presented here requires computation of a 2×2 determinant, and hence is fully explicit. A Rayleigh or Stoneley wave exists in the exponentially graded material under the influence of gravity if the wave can propagate in the homogeneous material without the influence of gravity. As the wave number k→∞, the Rayleigh or Stoneley wave speed approaches the speed for the homogeneous material.
Etiology of ejaculation and pathophysiology of premature ejaculation.

ABSTRACT Introduction Ejaculation is comprised of three stages of the male sexual response cycle, namely emission, ejection, and orgasm; however, in comparison with erection, which is a well-understood component of male sexual response, the pathophysiology of ejaculation has yet to be fully delineated. Premature ejaculation (PE), the most common sexual disorder in men, while believed to have a multifactorial etiology, is even less well understood. Aim This article reviews the physiology of ejaculation, and the multifactorial pathophysiology of PE. Methods The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24–26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE. There were 16 invited presenters and discussants; the group focused on several educational objectives. Main Outcome Measure Data were obtained by extensive examination of published peer-reviewed literature. Results Evidence supports that biologic mechanisms associated with neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin, Gamma-amino-butyric acid, and nitric oxide (NO) as well as the hormone estrogen play central roles in ejaculation, and subsequently may mediate PE. There is also emerging evidence to show that hyperthyroidism may be a causal factor in PE. Recent data also suggest that psychogenic factors include high level of any experience by some men with PE. Conclusions The pathophysiology of both lifelong and acquired PE appears to be both neurobiogenic and psychogenic. While psychogenic factors appear to be contributory to PE, pharmacologic intervention of PE can modify intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), which suggests that IELT is a biological variable, and is likely biologically dependent upon neurotransmitters and hormones. Donatucci CF. Etiology of ejaculation and pathophysiology of premature ejaculation.
Sci—Fri AM(2): Brachy—06: The NRC Electron Beam Primary Standard Water Calorimeter

Introduction Electron dosimetry, for the majority of clinical dose measurements worldwide, is currently based on an ion chamber calibrated at the standards laboratory in a 60 Co beam. Conversion factors obtained from a protocol such as AAPM TG‐51 are then required to derive the dose in a linacelectron beam.Electron beam water calorimetry offers a direct method to calibrate ion chambers in the clinical beams that they will be used in. This presentation details the development of a primary standard water calorimeter at the National Research Council in Ottawa and the method to calibrate ion chambers.Materials and Method The calorimeter is based on the NRC 60 Co absorbed dose primary standard but the design is optimized for use in electron beams down to 8 MeV. After validation of the design the calorimeter was used to calibrate a set of cylindrical and parallel‐plate chambers (NE2571, NACP‐02, PTW Roos) in 12, 18 and 22 MeV electron beams from an Elekta Precise linac.Results The N D,w values obtained were compared to those obtained using TG‐51 and found to agree at the 1% level. The measured energy dependence of ion chambercalibrations was compared with data from three other laboratories that have developed electron beam standards and agreement generally better than 1% was obtained there. The standard uncertainty in the calibration of an ion chamber is estimated to be 0.35%, which will give significant improvement in the measured dose uncertainty compared to using protocol‐based values.
Studies of cellular proliferation in human leukemia. IV. Behavior of normal hematopoietic cells in 3 adults with acute leukemia given continuous infusions of3 H‐thymidine for 8 or 10 days

Proliferative behavior of residual normal hematopoietic cells was studied in 3 patients with acute leukemia given continuous infusions of 3H-thymidine for 8 or 10 days. The erythrocyte precursors were reduced in number, but were dividing rapidly at about the same rate as reported in normal subjects (i.e., generation time about 1 day or less); this is significantly faster than the mean generation time of the labeled leukemic cells. The proliferative rate of the red cell precursors in 1 patient was not appreciably affected by thioguanine, although the drug caused a complete remission of the disease. The red cell precursors showed no significant impairment of maturation, but the data suggests that they may have undergone more divisions during passage through the several maturation compartments than occurs in the normal state. The main reason for deficient red cell production in acute leukemia appears to be that the leukemic cells somehow interfere with the activation of stem cells and, therefore, an insufficient number of pronormoblasts are formed; the mechanism of inhibition is unknown. The proliferative behavior of the earliest granulocyte precursors could not be determined and that of the myelocytes varied, being fastest in a patient who had an infection. Prednisone and thioguanine had little effect, but 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine slowed the proliferation of the granulocyte precursors more than that of the leukemic cells. Almost all granulocytes were labeled at the end of the infusions and the emergence times of labeled metamyelocytes and later forms were similar to those reported from normal subjects, indicating that their maturation process is not defective. None of the lymphocytes were labeled on short-term in vitro incubation with 3H-thymidine, but appreciable numbers of both large and small lymphocytes were labeled at the end of the infusions. Their order of appearance in all patients suggests that most of the small lymphocytes originated in the marrow; in the one patient (S.W.), in whom large lymphocytes could be identified in both marrow and blood, the large cells apparently originated mostly in extramedullary sites. The cells identified as large or small lymphocytes in marrow and blood probably did not divide in these compartments; the exact proliferative rate of their precursors could not be determined, but it was appreciably slowed by chemotherapy.
Proliferation of Guinea Pig Tracheal Epithelial Cells Induced by Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is contained within and secreted by nerves and neuroepithelial bodies in the airway epithelium. To determine whether CGRP is mitogenic for airway epithelial cells, tracheal epithelial cells isolated from 26 guinea pigs were grown in primary culture for 2 days. Sub-confluent cells were exposed to 10-13 to 10-9 M CGRP for 4 h and then returned to CGRP-free medium. Proliferation was quantified by direct cell count and by measurement of fractional labeling with the thymidine analog, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). CGRP exposure increased both cell number (53,980 ± 9,870 cells after 10-9 M CGRP versus 33,910 ± 5,150 cells after control, P < 0.05) and fractional BrdU labeling (12.9 ± 2.2% after 10-11 M CGRP versus 3.9 ± 0.9%, control; P < 0.01, n = 9) at 24 h after exposure. The mitogenic effect of CGRP persisted at least 3 days after exposure. CGRP-induced proliferation was attenuated by co-incubation with the CGRP receptor antagonist, hCGRP-(8-37). These data demonstrate that ...
Noninvasive Imaging of ex Vivo Intracoronarily Delivered Nonviral Therapeutic Transgene Expression in Heart

Abstract We developed a clinically applicable approach for noninvasive monitoring of reporter–therapeutic linked gene expression in the whole heart of large animals using PET imaging and further validated the efficacy and cardiac adverse effects of reporter–therapeutic linked gene transfer in a rabbit cervical heterotopic functional heart transplant model. Cationic liposome complexed with a vector containing a herpes simplex virus type 1 mutant thymidine kinase (HSV1-sr39tk) as the reporter gene and a recombinant human immunosuppressive cytokine, interleukin-10 (hIL-10), as the therapeutic gene was ex vivo intracoronarily delivered into cardiac allografts before implantation. Long-term HSV1-sr39tk and hIL-10 transgene and protein overexpression associated with myocardial PET reporter probe 9-(4-[ 18 F]fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine ([ 18 F]FHBG) accumulation was observed in the allografts. The expression of the HSV1-sr39tk gene was significantly correlated with the hIL-10 gene expression and the total myocardial[ 18 F]FHBG accumulation quantified as a percentage of intravenously injected[ 18 F]FHBG dose. A homogeneous distribution of[ 18 F]FHBG accumulation was seen in the whole heart similar to the distribution of[ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose, a PET glucose metabolism probe. The immunosuppressive therapeutic efficacy remained the same in allografts treated with reporter–therapeutic linked gene and therapeutic gene only. No cardiac adverse effect was found. Our results demonstrate for the first time that PET reporter–therapeutic linked gene imaging is applicable for noninvasively monitoring ex vivo intracoronarily delivered therapeutic transgene expression in the whole heart.
3.2.3 An Approach to Design for Safety in Complex Systems

Most traditional hazard analysis techniques rely on discrete failure events that do not adequately handle software intensive systems or system accidents resulting from dysfunctional interactions between system components. This paper demonstrates a methodology where a hazard analysis based on the STAMP accident model is performed together with the system development process to design for safety in a complex system. Unlike traditional hazard analyses, this approach considers system accidents, organizational factors, and the dynamics of complex systems. The analysis is refined as the system design progresses and produces safety-related information to help systems engineers in making design decisions for complex safety-critical systems. The preliminary design of a Space Shuttle Thermal Tile Processing System is used to demonstrate the approach.
Measurement of pulsatile limb and finger blood flow by electrical impedance plethysmography: Criteria for the diagnosis of abnormal flow

Abstract The range of pulsatile arm and finger blood flow, measured by electrical impedance plethysmography, has been investigated in a hospital ward. The range of absolute blood flows, in ml min −1 , was found to be too wide to be used as a standard for identifying single blood flow readings as being abnormal. A blood flow ratio was calculated by dividing the blood flow in the right forearm or middle finger by the blood flow in the left forearm or middle finger. This ratio was found to have a clearly defined range. A blood flow in a unilaterally injured or otherwise abnormal arm or finger was considered to be significantly altered if the blood flow ratio fell outside the previously defined normal range. The diagnosis of significantly altered arm and finger blood flow from abnormalities in the blood flow ratio was tested in a series of experiments, in which artificial changes in upper limb flow were created by high elevation of the right hand. The ratio was measured in 11 patients with unilateral upper limb injuries and in 3 patients who required an urgent assessment of the upper limb circulation. Abnormalities in the ratio were identified in 12 out of 18 subjects after high elevation of the hand and in 8 out of the 14 patients.
Images in clinical medicine. Pulmonary Langerhans'-cell granulomatosis (histiocytosis X).

Figure 1. A previously healthy 16-year-old girl presented with a three-day history of progressive pain on the left side of her chest. A chest x-ray film showed a large left-sided pneumothorax with bilateral cystic radiolucencies, and a chest tube was inserted. A high-resolution computed tomographic scan demonstrated the pneumothorax and multiple thin-walled cysts throughout the lungs, especially in the upper lobes (Panel A). Diagnostic thoracoscopy, with the endoscope inserted in the space around the chest tube, showed multiple subpleural cysts (Panel B). A thoracoscopic wedge-biopsy specimen was obtained. Histologic evaluation demonstrated nodular aggregates of Langerhans' cells (arrows in Panel C) . . .
Mortgage credit risk in EU countries: Constraints on exploiting the single currency market

The adoption of a single EU currency market raises questions about how individual country mortgage policies are likely to affect the gains that can be realized from this larger market. We use an option pricing model to provide some perspective on this issue. We address questions such as how does the risk exposure of a mortgage guarantee program in one country compare with those in other countries? What kind of effects do any such differences or varying legal restrictions on lender recourse have? Do the programs help complete financial markets? That is, are the programs structured as unsubsidized financial intermediaries which help allocate risks? Or, are the programs essentially wards of the state which encourage risk taking? In short, we aim to provide a simple, tractable way to think about how individual country policies affect the ability to exploit the potential offered by the larger market. Our conclusions are three. First, when correctly structured, mortgage default insurance can be expected to reduce non-price rationing at an actuarially fair price. It follows that to the extent that such programs lead to more complete markets without subsidies they are also more efficient than are the many schemes now used which rely on subsidies to address mortgage market incompleteness. Second, considerable care must be exercised in the development of such instruments. In a number of countries the pricing policies do not appear to be prudent. The program terms imply either that regulators often expect a much safer economic environment than seems likely, or, alternatively, the programs have been conveying either unbudgeted subsidies or incurring contingent liabilities. Such liabilities have already been realized in Sweden, and the current exposure in the Netherlands as well as with the restructured program in Sweden, appear to be large. Finally, we find that the potential geographical risk diversification provided by the single currency market can be expected to reduce mortgage rates and improve risk allocation. However, legal, fiscal, and regulatory issues with respect to credit risk limit the ability to exploit this larger market.
The use of electrodeposition methods to prepare actinide targets for cross-section measurements and accelerator bombardments☆

Abstract We have prepared targets of many of the actinide elements, e.g., U, Pu, Am, Cm, Bk, Cf, Es, and Fm, for use in a comprehensive series of fission cross-section measurements. Other experiments requiring actinide targets have involved accelerator bombardments, e.g., irradiation of 253 Es and 257 Fm at the HILAC, and symmetry studies of neutron-induced fission, e.g., recent studies of 257 Fm and 258 Fm fission. The experimental techniques require the targets be uniformly deposited in a thin layer on various backing materials such as Al, Ni, Pt, Be, Cu, and stainless steel. The backing materials ranged in thickness from 0.007 cm to 150 cm with target diameters ranging from 2 to 250 mm. In most cases the rarity of the nuclide required a deposition method that produces high yields, ≥90%. The various methods developed to produce acceptable targets may be summarized as follows: Electrodeposition technique (1) Dilute nitric acid electrolyte: Useful for actinides on a tracer level where high yields and small target area are desirable (e.g., einsteinium, fermium targets on a beryllium backing plate). (2) Isopropyl alcohol-dilute nitric acid electrolyte: Useful for actinides from tracer to microgram levels where uniformity of deposit is critical (e.g., berkelium, curium, einsteinium targets for Physics VIII cross-section experiment). (3) Ammonium chloride electrolyte: Useful for deposition of massive amounts ( 2 ) of actinides over large areas (180 cm 2 ). Also useful for deposition of actinides that are subject to hydrolysis in dilute acid (e.g., preparation of 232 U, 238 Pu, 242m Am targets on nickel foils for fission cross-section measurement). Chemical replacement technique . (1) The method is useful for plating uranium on aluminium. The preparation of 1-mg/cm 2 deposits on 1-mil aluminum is typical. Following deposition, it is usually necessary to determine the absolute amount of the actinide in the targets. This quantity is most often determined by absolute alpha counting. In the case of targets with high activity levels (10 6 –10 11 α dis/min) and large backing plates (8-in. diam.), a new low-geometry counter has been designed, built, and calibrated for this purpose. Uniformity of sample deposition has been monitored through alpha counter scanning techniques.
Anomalous behavior of ice in solutions of ice-binding arabinoxylans

Abstract Arabinoxylans produced by rye seed interact with ice, reducing the rate of crystallization and changing the patterns of crystallization. These polysaccharides were found to be concentrated approximately fourfold in ice, compared with the crude extract, when separated centrifugally from a partially frozen solution. Cryomicroscopic and DSC examinations revealed that incubation of the frozen sample for up to 1 h elevated the melting point of these partially purified polymers by as much as 0.8 K. A possible explanation is that these polymers produce a long-range order in water which alters its bulk properties, perhaps of the type seen in gels, gums and clays and variously called “vicinal”, “anomalous” or “biological”. The relationship between this ordering of water and the restructuring of ice in the frozen plant tissue which occasioned this study, is, however, conjectural.
Effect of lyophilized plasma and plasma fractions from hypophyseal-portal vessel blood on adrenal ascorbic acid.

THE resolution of factors influencing the release of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) is a problem of continuing interest among investigators. It is noteworthy that destructive lesions in the hypothalamus (De Groot and Harris, 1950; Hume and Wittenstein, 1950; Porter, 1953; McCann, 1953; McCann and Sydnor, 1954; Ganong and Hume, 1954; and Laqueur et al., 1955), pituitary transplants (Harris and Jacobsohn, 1952 and Jacobsohn, 1954), and tissue cultures of the anterior lobe (Guillemin, 1955) suggest that the hypothalamus is of significance in regulating ACTH secretion, possibly by means of a neurohumoral substance (Hinsey and Markee, 1933 and Green and Harris, 1947). The vascular requirements for the direct transport of such a blood-borne substance from the hypothalamus to the anterior lobe are present as portal vessels (Wislocki and King, 1936; Green and Harris, 1947, 1949; and Xuereb et al., 1954). It has been observed that plasma from the hypothalamicohypophyseal portal vessels promotes the releas...
The effects of contingent and noncontingent rewards and controls on intrinsic motivation

Abstract Theories of management and work motivation distinguish between two kinds of rewards—extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic rewards are ones such as money and verbal reinforcement which are mediated outside of the person, whereas intrinsic rewards are mediated within the person. We say a person is intrinsically motivated to perform an activity if there is no apparent reward except the activity itself or the feelings which result from the activity. All of the theories of work motivation which consider both kinds of rewards assume that the effects of the two are additive. This paper examines that assumption by reviewing a program of research which investigated the effects of external rewards and controls on intrinsic motivation. It was reported that a person's intrinsic motivation to perform an activity decreased when he received contingent monetary payments, threats of punishment for poor performance, or negative feedback about his performance. Noncontingent monetary payments left intrinsic motivation unchanged, and verbal reinforcements appeared to enhance intrinsic motivation. A cognitive evaluation theory was presented to explain these results, and the theory and results were discussed in relation to management.
Usable Policy Template Authoring for Iterative Policy Refinement

People must have usable tools in order to author and maintain high-quality policies. In this paper we discuss policy templates as a mechanism for policy authoring. We believe that policy templates can be leveraged to make policy authoring more usable and to provide consistent policy authoring interfaces across a wide variety of policy domains. Templates provide users with a structured format for authoring policies; however, a general approach for creating policy templates has not been described in published research to date. Based on research in policy management, we propose an iterative policy refinement process that consists of three user roles and spans policy authoring, template authoring, and policy element definition. We designed a GUI-based prototype that enables users to create policy templates. In this paper we describe our proposed policy refinement process, the necessary user roles, a template authoring prototype, and the results of an empirical study of template authoring
Controlling for gene expression changes in transcription factor protein networks

The development of affinity purification technologies combined with mass spectrometric analysis of purified protein mixtures has been used both to identify new protein–protein interactions and to define the subunit composition of protein complexes. Transcription factor protein interactions, however, have not been systematically analyzed using these approaches. Here, we investigated whether ectopic expression of an affinity tagged transcription factor as bait in affinity purification mass spectrometry experiments perturbs gene expression in cells, resulting in the false positive identification of bait-associated proteins when typical experimental controls are used. Using quantitative proteomics and RNA sequencing, we determined that the increase in the abundance of a set of proteins caused by overexpression of the transcription factor RelA is not sufficient for these proteins to then co-purify non-specifically and be misidentified as bait-associated proteins. Therefore, typical controls should be sufficient, and a number of different baits can be compared with a common set of controls. This is of practical interest when identifying bait interactors from a large number of different baits. As expected, we found several known RelA interactors enriched in our RelA purifications (NFκB1, NFκB2, Rel, RelB, IκBα, IκBβ, and IκBe). We also found several proteins not previously described in association with RelA, including the small mitochondrial chaperone Tim13. Using a variety of biochemical approaches, we further investigated the nature of the association between Tim13 and NFκB family transcription factors. This work therefore provides a conceptual and experimental framework for analyzing transcription factor protein interactions.
Increased Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Noncalcified Plaque Among HIV-Infected Men: Relationship to Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiac Risk Parameters

Objective In this study, the effects of traditional cardiac risk factors on coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and presence of plaque, including noncalcified plaque, measured by computed tomography coronary angiography, were compared among HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected subjects, with respect to the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Design and methods HIV-infected men recruited for the presence of the MS (HIV + MS, n = 27) were compared with 2 control groups, HIV-infected men recruited without regard to metabolic criteria (HIV, n = 87), and HIV-negative control men (C, n = 40), also recruited without regard to any metabolic criterion. Results All 3 groups were similar in age, demographic parameters, and smoking. MS was seen in 100% of the HIV + MS group, compared with 28% in the HIV-infected control group and 11% in the HIV-negative controls. HIV + MS subjects had higher mean CAC score than HIV-infected controls (72 ± 25 vs. 30 ± 8, P = 0.04, HIV + MS vs. HIV) and HIV-negative controls (72 ± 25 vs. 18 ± 7; P = 0.02, HIV + MS vs. C). With respect to CAC, only the HIV + MS group had increased CAC compared with non-HIV. In contrast, both HIV groups demonstrated an increased prevalence of plaque [63% vs. 38%, P = 0.04 (HIV + MS vs. C) and 59% vs. 38%, P = 0.02, (HIV vs. C)] and increased number of noncalcified plaque segments compared with the HIV-negative group [1.26 ± 0.31 vs. 0.45 ± 0.16, P = 0.01 (HIV + MS vs. C); 1.02 ± 0.18 vs. 0.45 ± 0.16, P = 0.04 (HIV vs. C)]. Plaque and noncalcified plaque did not differ significantly between the HIV groups. Conclusions Metabolic abnormalities in HIV patients are specifically associated with increased coronary artery calcification, whereas HIV itself or other factors may be associated with the development of noncalcified lesions.
Design, Fabrication, and Testing of Meso-Scale Cellular Contact-Aided Compliant Mechanisms

The design and fabrication of meso-scale cellular contact-aided compliant mechanisms with micron sized features are presented in this paper. Cellular structures with internal contact mechanisms exhibit a reduction in stress during deformation and, thus, can be stretched further than they could without a contact mechanism. Fabricating such structures at a meso-scale can result in new high-strength, high-strain materials. Manufacturing at a meso-scale restrains the maximum aspect ratio and the initial contact gap of the mechanism. An analytical model is used to resolve the tradeoffs between these manufacturing constraints and to design suitable contact-aided cellular mechanisms. A lost mold rapid infiltration forming process is employed to fabricate meso-scale cellular mechanisms using either 316L stainless steel or a composite 316L stainless steel with nanoparticulate zirconia. A custom rig was developed to test meso-scale cellular mechanisms. The elastic modulus of 316L stainless steel was found to be about 110 ± 40 GPa both from tensile testing of test bars and from model-matching of cellular mechanisms. The cellular mechanisms were observed to exhibit about 1.1% of overall strain before any local permanent deformation. This study validates the efficacy of the design and fabrication methodology for the meso-scale cellular mechanisms.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Olfaction and predator detection inColeonyx brevis (Squamata: Eublepharidae), with comments on the functional significance of buccal pulsing in geckos

Squamate reptiles rely heavily on two nasal chemical senses in directing most of their behavior: nasal olfaction and vomeronasal function. For most behaviors in most species, the vomeronasal system is the predominant sense. It has been suggested, however, that geckos are unusual in the extent to which they rely on nasal olfaction rather than vomeronasal function. In this study, we use defensive tail display as a behavioral bioassay to examine the context and relative use of olfaction vs. vomeronasal function in a eublepharid gecko, Coleonyx brevis. When presented with appropriate snake-predator skin chemicals in the absence of relevant visual stimuli, C. brevis exhibits a defensive tail display that has been shown to be adaptive in defending against snake predators. We demonstrate that olfactory cues alone are sufficient to provoke the behavior and that geckos precede the display in many cases with '%uccal pulsing," a behavior that we suggest is an olfactory sampling mechanism analogous to mammalian sniffing. Our results sup- port the gecko-olfaction hypothesis and demonstrate that geckos use nasal olfaction to discrimi- nate among potential predator species. We discuss alternative hypotheses for the origin of species-specific, chemosensory predator identification in Coleonyx. o 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc. The importance of the chemical senses in squa- mate biology is now universally acknowledged (see reviews by Burghardt, '70, '80; Halpern, '80, '83, '87, '92; Mason, '92; Schwenk, '95). Indeed, nearly all aspects of squamate behavior and ecology are mediated to a greater or lesser extent by chemi- cal information, including prey choice, prey location, foraging behavior, self and individual recognition, kin recognition, mate choice, mate location, shel- ter location, den location, trail following, aggrega- tion, predator identification, exploratory behavior, defensive behavior, courtship behavior, and copu- latory behavior (references above). Despite the plethora of cases in which we know chemoreception to be important, we remain sur- prisingly ignorant about the functional delinea- tion of the three chemosensory systems available to squamates (Graves, '93; Schwenk, '95). Of these, gustation (taste) is arguably the least important, despite the ubiquity of oral and lingual taste buds in most species (Schwenk '85). Of the two nasal- chemical senses (nasal olfaction and vomerona- sal function), the vomeronasal system (VNS) is known or assumed to be the predominant sensory mode in most scincomorphan and anguimorphan
Ellipsometric-spectroscopy of films formed on metals in solution

Abstract The computational problems involved in the analysis of “ellipsometric-spectroscopic” data are considered, including the existence of multiple values of the optical constants for a single wavelength. Suggestions are made for eliminating the extra values. Examples of pertinent experiments to study corrosion processes are given for passive films grown on single crystals of iron in sodium borate-boric acid solution.
Age, incentives, and maze learning by hybrid mice

C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, B6D2F1, and D2B6F1 mice (N=20 per group) were trained on the Lashley III maze at 60 days of age with water, oatmeal, mash, or cheese as the incentive. There was a strong dominance effect on three tests, but not on that with cheese, indicating that dominance and heterosis effects are influenced by environmental factors. Two groups were tested at 120 days with water and oatmeal. The hybrids did not manifest heterosis, and additivity supplanted dominance as the major effect at 120 days. The findings suggest a change in the set of genes controlling maze learning between 60 and 120 days.
"In vitro" measurements of spontaneous smooth muscle contractions: a screening method for "in vivo" exposure.

The “in vitro” recording of spontaneous contractions was selected as a neuromuscular screening method for “in vivo” exposure to pollutants. The rate of contraction was determined by interval histogram measurements. The method was assessed for effects of age, sex, pH, Ca++ concentration, temperature, and circadian rhythm. Male rats were shown to develop a slower rate of contraction with age. The rate of contraction was temperature and pH dependent. An effect was demonstrated for “in vivo” exposure to Baygon and Carbaryl at a level which did not produce overt symptoms.
Self-energy of excited states in a strong Coulomb field.

Results are given of a calculation of the self-energy radiative correction for electrons bound in a strong Coulomb field. The calculation has been done for the states with principal quantum number n=3, 4, and 5, with angular momentum j=1/2 and 3/2, and for nuclear charge Z in the range 10--110.
Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization of N2 at 193 and 248 nm detected by N2+ fluorescence

Abstract Using a broad band excimer laser operating at 193 and 248 nm multiphoton ionization of N 2 at high pressures in air and pure nitrogen has been detected by fluorescence from N 2 + in the B-X first negative system. Measurements of the fluorescence intensity as a function of beam irradiance indicate resonances in N 2 at the energy of two 193 nm photons (2 + 1 REMPI) and three 248 nm photons (3 + 1 REMPI). Possible resonant intermediate states are discussed.
Antibacterial activity of the investigational oral and parenteral cephalosporin BK-218.

BK-218 is a novel cephalosporin with a dual route of administration and spectrum of activity most similar to that of second-generation cephalosporins. BK-218 was active againstStreptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae andMoraxella catarrhalis but strains resistant to penicillins had higher MICs. BK-218 had greater activity (8-fold) than cefuroxime or cefaclor against oxacillin-susceptibleStaphylococcus spp. Moderate BK-218 activity was observed againstNeisseria gonorrhoeae and commonly isolatedEnterobacteriaceae such asEscherichia coli (MIC90, 1 mg/l),Klebsiella spp. (MIC90, 2 mg/l), andProteus mirabilis (MIC90, 2 mg/l). The following organisms were generally BK-218-resistant (MIC90, >16 mg/l):Bacteroides fragilis, Pseudomonas spp.,Acinetobacter spp.,Xanthomonas maltophilia, Citrobacter spp.,Enterobacter spp., indole-positiveProteus, Serratia spp., enterococci and oxacillin-resistant staphylococci.
Client-side monitoring for web mining

"Garbage in, garbage out" is a well-known phrase in computer analysis, and one that comes to mind when mining Web data to draw conclusions about Web users. The challenge is that data analysts wish to infer patterns of client-side behavior from server-side data. However, because only a fraction of the user's actions ever reaches the Web server, analysts must rely on incomplete data. In this paper, we propose a client-side monitoring system that is unobtrusive and supports flexible data collection, Moreover, the proposed framework encompasses client-side applications beyond the Web browser. Expanding monitoring beyond the browser to incorporate standard office productivity tools enables analysts to derive a much richer and more accurate picture of user behavior on the Web.
The distribution of honoraria income in the U.S. Congress: Who gets rents in legislatures and why?

The major conclusion to be drawn from this analysis is that low-cost suppliers of political favors receive the highest honoraria incomes. There is no evidence that being a lawyer, acquiring a large number of committee assignments, receiving high ratings by labor unions, representing a safe district, or introducing numerous legislative bills, increases one's honoraria income in any significant way. The wider dispersal of power reduces the effects of seniority, and membership on the Finance Committee, in determining institutional power in the Senate; hence, these variables are only significantly related to honoraria income in the House. The smaller the number of suppliers in the Senate, relative to the House, means that senators obtain higher prices for their services. As a result, business groups are more willing to pay extra — a price premium — to assure that no shirking occurs.
Cone-beam pseudo-lambda tomography

In this paper, for the first time we define the concept of 3D pseudo-lambda tomography based on the 3D Calderon operator, and formulate an approximate local reconstruction algorithm for cone-beam data collected along an arbitrary scanning curve. The main idea is to rewrite the filtering operator in an exact filtered-backprojection reconstruction formula as a local projection. Simulation using the 3D differentiable Shepp–Logan phantom is performed to demonstrate the utility of this new technique.
Properties of multilamellar liposomes containing 99mTcO−4: Effect of distearoylphosphatidylcholine to sphingomyelin ratio☆

Abstract Multilamellar liposomes composed of eight different mixtures of distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) and sphingomyelin (SM) were prepared containing [ 99m Tc]pertechnetate. The in vitro permeability of the liposome preparations in buffer and serum were measured by both dialysis and direct exposure. Liposomes composed of 25–33% SM were least permeable exhibiting leakage half-times of approximately 70 h in buffer and 52 h in serum. Pertechnetate-containing liposomes of three different lipid compositions were injected into mice and the biodistribution of 99m Tc activity was determined. All preparations were taken up primarily by the lungs and liver. The half-time for clearance of 99m Tc activity ranged from 24.8 to 30.6 h for the liver and 25.3 to 33.0 h for the lungs.
Vitamin/mineral supplement use by geriatric outpatients in the United Kingdom.

Many elderly people in the United States take vitamintmineral supplements, but little is known about supplement use by the elderly in the United Kingdom. Among 203 patients referred to a geriatric outpatient clinic in Britain, 28% used supplements during the last year. Most supplement users consumed them daily and had used them for over a year. Multivitamins were the most frequent type of supplement taken, followed by Iron, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. The primary reasons for supplement use were for more energy, treating illness, and feeling stronger.
Crop advisors as climate information brokers: Building the capacity of US farmers to adapt to climate change

This paper examines the role of crop advisors as brokers of climate information to support US corn farmers to adapt to climatic change. It uses quantitative data collected from a broad survey of crop advisors in the US Corn Belt to examine the factors that shape advisors’ use of (and willingness to provide) climate information to their clients. Building upon a general model of climate information usability we argue that advisors’ willingness to provide climate advice to farmers is influenced by three main factors: their information seeking habits and behavior, their experience with innovation in the past, and how climate information interplays with other kinds of information that they provide—especially agronomic advice. We find that advisors’ willingness to provide climate related information depends both on factors at the individual and organizational level and on the type of advice they provide. First, at the individual and organizational levels, advisors who work in supportive organizations and who collaborate with other advisors are more likely to provide climate information. Second, advisors are more likely to provide climate information if it does not interfere with their main profit making business (e.g. provision of agronomic advice). Third, there is a significant positive relationship between trust in a greater number or sources of information and use of climate information. Fourth, the way advisors perceive short- and long-term risk also influences their willingness to provide climate information; the more concerned they are about long-term climate-related risks to farming, the more likely they are to provide (or want to provide) advice based on climate information. Differently from other empirical work in the literature, our analytical model suggests that neither negative experiences with climate information in the past nor the high level of uncertainty characteristic of climate information appear to influence advisors willingness to provide climate information in the future.
Cloning and characterization of the ribosomal protein L8 gene from Xenopus laevis

A full-length cDNA clone encoding the Xenopus laevis ribosomal protein L8 has been isolated and sequenced. The cDNA has an open reading frame of 257 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence is rich in basic residues and extremely homologous to the rat L8 protein. The Xenopus gene is ubiquitously expressed at fairly constant levels during development, consistent with its role as a house-keeping gene.
Estimating thermodynamic properties of coal, char, tar and ash

Abstract Methods for predicting the specific heat, enthalpy, and entropy of coal, char, tar and ash as a function of temperature and material composition are presented. The standard entropy of coal is approximated by comparing the behavior of the standard entropies of a number of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons as a function of the variables H/(C + N), O/(C + N), N/(C + N), and S/(C + N), where the variables are the atomic fractions of the respective elements. The standard entropy of a bituminous coal was found to be about 20 kJ/kmol carbon K and of the char to be about 10 kJ/kmol carbon K. Estimates of the enthalpy difference between 273 K and temperatures above 273 K deviated from published data by about 8.49% for chars and 8.55% for coals on the average. Maximum deviations of 18.3% and 17.6% respectively were found.
Synthesis of complex separation schemes with stream splitting

Abstract For a separation scheme to produce multicomponent products, stream splitting besides stream bypassing can reduce both the capital and operating costs by evenly distributing the mass loads among the separators. Nevertheless, this almost always gives rise to a prohibitively large number of additional candidate schemes; thus, the existing heuristic methods for separation scheme synthesis either completely disregard stream splitting or only deal with it on an ad hoc manner, which has been shown to be extremely inefficient. This paper presents a unique heuristic approach for synthesizing separation schemes, each of which contains only simple, sharp separators but involves both stream bypassing and splitting. It focuses on constructing the so-called stream allocation diagram (SAD) based on the heuristics for guiding stream splitting. By resorting to the SAD, the stream splitting arrangements leading to infeasible separation schemes are identified and excluded from further consideration at the early stage of synthesis, thereby drastically reducing the search space. The feasible stream splitting is then performed by dividing the feed stream into two or more substreams, each of which matches with at least part of a product stream after one separation. The simplicity and effectiveness of the proposed approach are demonstrated with two examples.
A Rediscovery of Consciousness

Abstract In his recent book, Searle claims that more than anything else, the neglect of consciousness is responsible for so much barrenness and sterility in psychology, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind. He proposes to locate consciousness in the natural world by breaking with the materialist tradition now reigning in these fields of inquiry into mind and behavior. In Searle′s view, consciousness is a physical, spatial, biological, intrinsic feature of certain brain states and processes. However, he holds that consciousness is (a) a first-person, subjective feature of conscious brain states and processes and (b) not possibly identical to any of the third-person, objective features of conscious brain states and processes, although (c) proximally caused by certain of these third-person features. Searle argues, as well, that the mentality of nonconscious mental states and processes consists entirely in their producing, barring interference, corresponding conscious brain states or processes. I examine Searle′s ontological feature of subjectivity, including how conscious brain states and processes are themselves objects of consciousness; why Searle holds that the first-person features of conscious brain states and processes must be distinct from all third-person features; and Searle′s claim that no nonconscious mental state possesses intentionality since it is not conscious.