cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variability aware interconnect timing models for double patterning

A compact model for estimating delay variations due to double patterning lithography process variations on interconnect layers is presented. Through process simulation and circuit analysis of one-dimensional interconnect topologies, the delay response from focus, exposure, and overlay is studied. Using a process window defined by 10% linewidth change from focus and exposure, and ±10% overlay error, a worst case change in delay of 3.9% is observed for an optimal buffer circuit. It is shown that such delay responses can be modeled using a second order polynomial function of process parameters. The impact of multiple interconnect variations in unique layout environments is studied using multiple segments of interconnects each experiencing different variations. The overall delay responses are then examined, and it is shown that for these layout structures, the separate variations combine in a manner that is both additive and subtractive, thereby reducing the overall delay variations.
Dreaming as delirium: A response to Allan Hobson.

My response to Allan Hobson makes several points. Primarily, I argue that the coherence of any dream cannot be determined by the recall of the dream events alone. Rather, coherence must surely reside in the dreamer's felt involvement in those dream events, and this is virtually impossible to determine from a dream report. Second, in response to Hobson's claim that a purely associative thought process neglects the role of dissociation, I argue that metaphor (analogical thinking in general), in all its forms, consists of a tension between resemblance and dissociation (a shift from one domain to another) and that the function of metaphor is, precisely, to free us from the gravity of received understanding. I suggest ways in which this process operates in all speculation, including art and science. Finally, I discuss the nature of dream orientation in connection with the specimen dream that Hobson provided.
Assembly and characterization of biofunctional neurotransmitter‐immobilized surfaces for interaction with postsynaptic membrane receptors

Herein, we report progress toward the development of bioactive surfaces based on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Whereas immobilization techniques have focused largely on antibodies, enzymes, and receptors, to our knowledge, this is the first report of a prototype neurotransmitter-immobilized surface. Biosurfaces were assembled onto either mica or glass using passive adsorption of avidin and subsequent attachment of a derivatized form of GABA via a biotin–avidin affinity bond. Surface characterization of these prepared bimolecular surfaces was determined using atomic force microscopy in tapping mode. The data reveal that passive adsorption of avidin is uniformly dispersed and cluster densities can be controlled through the concentration of the avidin incubation solution. GABA tethered via biotin to these avidin surfaces displayed a unique surface topology; in addition, histograms of surface heights suggest two different types of molecular cluster populations. Functional assays were performed to test the biological activity of the synthesized GABA. Anti-GABA antibody directed to these bimolecular surfaces result in morphological topologies and histograms that indicate antibody–antigen binding. However, nonspecific anti-immunoglobulin G antibodies directed to these surfaces show low binding affinity. Taken together, the data support the idea that the synthesized surfaces are biofunctional. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 66A: 184–191, 2003
A linear programming approach to optimal utilization of good quality coking coal — The Indian case

The present treatment is an attempted method for working out a standard against which the efficiency of any existing system of coal distribution of a country can be studied. The exercise, however, leans heavily on Indian examples. In such a study, gradation of coal because of their differences in ash content and consequently their routing through coal washeries should find an important place. The framework suggested in this paper can handle such extensions. From computational point of view, however, there is a limit to the degree of heterogeneity that can be introduced to the system. The same is true for the regional disaggregation, though, without some amount of it, the results of the model will provide no guideline to the policy-making exercise.
Reflections: neurology and the humanities. You had the choice, Martha.

Blasphemy of love you cannot now abort: Lesch-Nyhan. One in four hundred thousand but when it’s yours, a statistic isn’t a number, an X-linked trait, but a child. You clocked your son’s second month: gut, firm flat dinner plate, no inflated rubber glove. Despite the doctor’s warning—a disorder that breaks down purines in RNA and DNA …
Thrombocyte aggregation in rainbow trout

Abstract 1. 1. Thrombocytes from mature rainbow trout ( Sahmo gairdneri ) aggregated in vitro after addition of ADP, ATP, collagen, epinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine or thrombin to thrombocyte-rich plasma. 2. 2. Thrombocyte aggregation was dose dependent and could be inhibited by preincubating the thrombocyte-rich plasma with adenosine, acetylsalicylic acid or prostaglandin E 1 . 3. 3. Thrombocytes released ADP and ATP when aggregated by 10 μM epinephrine. This release was blocked by 1 mM adenosine. 4. 4. Electron microscopic observations of thrombocytes revealed them to contain numerous microtubules and electron-dense vesicles. In addition a possible shape change associated with thrombocyte aggregation was noted.
Osteoporosis in the elderly--an overview.

Early recognition of those at risk, and adequate prophylaxis is the key to prevention of severe bone loss, spine and hip fracture in the elderly. In those with established postmenopausal osteoporosis, bone loss can be inhibited or reduced by calcium supplements, with or without the addition of estrogen or anabolic agents. In the presence of normal adult calcium intakes, estrogen therapy appears somewhat more effective than calcium supplementation alone, in suppressing net bone loss. However,
Recombination between immunoglobulin variable region gene segments is enhanced by transcription

Immunoglobulin (Ig) variable (V) region genes are assembled in precursor B (pre-B) lymphocytes from multiple germline segments. The heavy-chain V- region gene is composed of variable (VH), diversity (D) and joining (JH) segments; kappa (κ) and lambda (λ) light-chain V-region genes have analogous VL, and JL segments. Assembly of Ig V-gene segments, as well as those of the highly related T-cell receptor, is regulated at several levels and shows both stage and tissue specificity; for example Ig heavy-chain V-gene assembly precedes that of Ig light chains during B-cell differentiation1. Joining of all classes of V-gene segments involves conserved recognition sequences that are probably targets for a common recombinase2. Evidence has been presented suggesting that rearrangement of specific classes of segments is regulated by modulation of their accessibility to the recombinase3. To elucidate mechanisms which control V-region gene assembly, we have investigated the effect of flanking gene expression on the frequency at which introduced V-gene segments are assembled in pre-B cell lines. Our findings suggest that transcription may play a direct role in the regulation of immunoglobulin V-gene assembly.
Challenges in language services: identifying and responding to patients' needs.

Objective Identify characteristics of hospital-based language services (LS), and describe practices of identifying patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and interpreter training. Participants Seventy-one hospitals applied to participate in a national initiative. Applicants were non-federal, acute care hospitals with substantial LEP populations, at least 10,000 discharges, and in-person interpreters. Methods Descriptive statistics were generated on language, collection of language data, LEP volume and service utilization, staffing and training requirements and organizational structure. The relationship between admissions and encounters was analyzed. Results Ninety percent of hospitals collect primary language data. Spanish is the most common language (93% of hospitals). We found no statistically significant correlation between admissions and encounters. Eighty-four percent require training. Eighty-nine percent have a designated LS department but no clear organizational home. Conclusions Hospital-based LS programs are facing challenges identifying patients with language needs, staffing and training a workforce, and creating an organizational identity. Need is not associated with utilization, suggesting that LS are not reaching patients.
Multiple-sprayer tandem mass spectrometry with parallel high flow extraction and parallel separation for high-throughput quantitation in biological fluids.

In this work, an on-line four-column high-flow parallel extraction device was set up and interfaced to a four-column parallel separation system with a four-sprayer tandem mass spectrometric detector. This system allowed for the direct and simultaneous sampling, extraction, separation, and detection of four samples in biological fluids, resulting in significantly increased throughput. The performance of this system was evaluated using rat plasma samples spiked with methotrexate as a test compound. The results showed that the relative standard deviation for responses across the four parallel channels was less than 10% for a concentration range from 10 to 2500 nM, resulting in comparable sensitivity (slope of curve) for the analyte on all channels. A ruggedness test was performed using a mixed set of new and used extraction columns and the relative standard deviation in analyte response was found to be below 15%. The inter-channel crosstalk was measured to be about 0.1%. A comparison between the data generated on this system and on a conventional system for a rat pharmacokinetic study showed no more than 20% difference in measured concentrations. This parallel system is a viable tool for high-throughput bioanalysis in a drug discovery environment.
Biotechnology initiative to achieve plant pest and disease resistance

Abstract Biotechnology applications are primarily proprietary, with ∼70% of the annual global research expenditures of US$11 × 10 9 being in the private sector. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) addresses this challenge by building a new partnership of three donor groups (bilateral/multilateral agencies, private philanthropic foundations, and private companies) to support a not-for-profit institution within existing centres of excellence (Cornell University in North America, John Innes Centre in Europe, Technova in the Asian Pacific Rim, and three additional locations to be established in developing countries). Brokered projects involve only near-term technologies with a high probability of success, using tissue culture/micropropagation, disease diagnostics and transgenic plants. The main targets for transgenic plants are coat protein-mediated protection for non-conventional virus resistance (NCVR) and insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); both NCVR and Bt can contribute to integrated pest management strategies using reduced inputs for chemical control of insects. Four ISAAA projects demonstrate the potential of NCVR and Bt in developing countries: (1) potato resistant to potato viruses X and Y with Mexico/Monsanto/Rockefeller Foundation, (2) melon resistant to cucumber mosaic virus with Costa Rica/Asgrow Seed/USAID and the ISAAA Fellowship Program, (3) papaya resistant to papaya ringspot virus with Brazil and other countries/Cornell University/Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria (EMBRAPA), and (4) cotton resistant to Lepidoptera with Brazil/EMBRAPA. Although over 1000 field trials of transgenic plants have taken place worldwide, those experiments have been mostly small scale and do not provide sufficient data to assess either the durability of resistance achieved with genetic engineering or conclusive public acceptance of this technology. However, resistance management modelling is speculative and can not decisively indicate a deployment strategy in the absence of continued monitoring and experimentation. ISAAA's projects should allow opportunities for assessment of resistance management practices for applied plant biotechnology to control agricultural pests under diverse production systems.
The Spectral Scale of a Self-Adjoint Operator in a Semifinite von Neumann Algebra

We extend Akemann, Anderson, and Weaver's Spectral Scale definition to include selfadjoint operators from semifinite von Neumann algebras. New illustrations of spectral scales in both the finite and semifinite von Neumann settings are presented. A counterexample to a conjecture made by Akemann concerning normal operators and the geometry of the their perspective spectral scales (in the finite setting) is offered.
Democratic institutions and regulatory reforms

Abstract We use a sample of 144 countries over the period 2003–2013 to investigate the link between democratic institutions and regulatory reforms. Democracy may be conducive to reform, as politicians embrace growth-enhancing reforms to win elections. On the other hand, authoritarian regimes may not worry as much about public opinion and could undertake reforms that are painful in the short run but bring long-term benefits. We test these alternative hypotheses, using data on regulatory reforms from the World Bank’s Doing Business database. The results provide mixed support for the hypothesis that democracy is good for regulatory reforms. We also show that regulatory reforms are more likely just after parliamentary elections in poor and middle-income countries.
Queer Diasporas, Boricua Lives: A Meditation on Sexile

Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes , Assistant Professor of Latina/o Studies, American Culture, and Spanish at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, specializes in queer Hispanic Caribbean and U.S. Latin...
The alcohol‐related workload of patrol officers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detail the prevalence and nature of patrol officers' alcohol‐related workload.Design/methodology/approach – A systematic social observation (SSO) methodology was used to collect data pertaining to the alcohol‐related activities and encounters of patrol officers. A fully randomized sampling procedure was used to select the days, times, and geographic areas of observation sessions. Observational data were obtained for 65 separate observations sessions ‐ totaling approximately 650 hours, 480 police‐citizen encounters, with 766 citizens, and 2,009 non‐encounter activities.Findings – Approximately 26 percent of encounters and 10 percent of non‐encounter activities involved citizen alcohol use. Roughly 15 percent of patrol officer time is dedicated to alcohol‐related encounters and their associated activities. Alcohol‐related encounters were of a substantively different type than those in which there was no alcohol involvement. In sum, alcohol‐related encounters were mo...
Total synthesis of (-)-dihydroprotolichesterenic acid via diastereoselective conjugate addition to chiral fumarates.

A diastereoselective conjugate addition of a variety of monoorganocuprates, Li[RCuI], to chiral fumarates to provide funtionalized succinates has been developed. The utility of this reaction is demonstrated in a concise total synthesis of (−)-dihydroprotolichesterenic acid that required only four steps and proceeded in an overall 31% yield.
ASK-ing EMT not to spread cancer

Global communication by the epithelial cell layer is maintained through gap junctional complexes, separated from adjacent tissues by a basal lamina. Mesenchymal cells are loosely organized in a three-dimensional extracellular matrix, comprising connective tissue adjacent to the stroma. Conversion of epithelial cells to mesenhymal cells involves profound phenotypic changes, including loss of cell-cell adhesion, loss of cell polarity, and the acquisition of migratory and invasive properties (1).
Automated measurement of cardiac output in patients by use of a digital computer.

A digital computer system has been developed to repetitively measure cardiac output on-line. This system, which also monitors arterial pressure, heart rate, and other physiological variables, derives the values for stroke volume, vascular resistance, appearance and mean circulation time of dye, central blood volume, and cardiac work. Measurements, computation and print-out are accomplished within a 5-min period. Summary reports of these variables are generated by a typewriter. A complete set of data is recorded on punched cards for detailed analysis.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma characteristics in HIV-infected and uninfected patients at an urban hospital in the late combined antiretroviral era

Background As combined antiretroviral therapy has allowed patients infected with HIV to survive longer due to improved immunity, increasing incidences of non-AIDS associated malignancies as well as chronic comorbidities are reported. One of the more commonly reported nonAIDS associated cancers is Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) [1]. We report our experience of HL among HIVinfected and uninfected patients.
Integrating working memory capacity and context-processing views of cognitive control.

Individuals low in working memory capacity (WMC) exhibit impaired performance on a variety of cognitive control tasks. The executive-attention theory of WMC (Engle & Kane, [2004[) accounts for these findings as failures of goal maintenance and response conflict resolution. Similarly, the context-processing view (Braver et al., [2001]) provides an explanation of cognitive control deficits observed in schizophrenia patients and older adults that is based on the ability to maintain context information. Instead of maintenance deficits, the inhibition view (Hasher, Lustig, & Zacks, [2007]) states that older adults and individuals low in WMC primarily have an impairment in the ability to inhibit information. In the current experiment, we explored the relationships among these theories. Individuals differing in performance on complex span measures of WMC performed the AX-Continuous Performance Test to measure context-processing performance. High-WMC individuals were predicted to maintain the context afforded by ...
Comparison of Methods to Determine Rivaroxaban anti-factor Xa activity

Abstract Background and Objectives Rivaroxaban, a new oral anti-Xa agent, has been approved for use without routine monitoring, but the lack of a predictable drug level measurement may hinder the management of anticoagulated patients. The aims of the project were to correlate a Anti-Factor Xa assay using commercial calibrators and controls (Riva Activity) with serum drug levels analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS (Riva MS) in patients currently receiving rivaroxaban, and secondly, to correlate the PT/PTT, thrombin generation (CAT assay) and Thromboelastograph (TEG) with the Riva activity and Riva MS. Methods Recruited patients receiving rivaroxaban prospectively had a total of 3 blood samples taken at least 2 hours apart. Plasma was divided for measurement of PT/PTT, Riva activity, rivaroxaban HPCL-MS/MS, and thrombin generation. TEG activity was measured at one random time point for each patient. Correlation and linear regression evaluations were used to compare the different assays. Results The cases were 22 patients on rivaroxaban, age 56 + 12.6, and 10 healthy controls. There was a strong correlation between Riva activity compared to serum Riva MS (r = 0.99). We found a statistically significant correlation between PT/INR compared to serum measurements of Riva MS (r = 0.68) and anti-Xa activity (r = 0.69). The peak (r = -0.50) and lag time (r = 0.57) CAT correlated with Riva MS measurements. There was no correlation between Riva MS and PTT, TEG R, TEG MA, Endogenous Thrombin potential. Conclusion Riva anti-factor Xa activity assay measured with commercial calibrators and controls provides a reliable assessment of rivaroxaban serum levels for patients requiring measurement of anticoagulant activity. Correlation with other coagulation tests is not sufficiently strong to be used clinically.
On the local stability of the solution to optimal control problems

Abstract New conditions for the local stability of optimal control problems are presented. The conditions are an extension of the results of a previous study focusing on the solution to problems solvable using calculus of variations. A comparison is made between the conditions introduced here and those presented in the literature. It is shown that our condition is roughly as powerful as the one presented by Sorger (J. Math. Anal. Appl. 148 (1990) 191) but it is easier to check.
The geopolitics of the police: Foucault, disciplinary power and the tactics of the Los Angeles Police Department

Abstract This paper uses the insights of Foucault to analyze the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as an agency of discipline. It takes Foucault's injunction to study the ‘how’ of power seriously, using insights from ethnographic fieldwork with the Los Angeles Police Department to assess Foucault's general formulations concerning disciplinary power. The fieldwork reveals that the LAPD does indeed engage in a series of technologically and organizationally sophisticated practices to monitor and control the populace. However, it also reveals the need to remember Foucault's more cautionary programmatics in analyzing an agency such as the LAPD; dynamics both internal and external to the police organization limit the reach of its surveillance capacities. The disciplinary network of the LAPD is much more restricted, complex and contradictory than a simplistic Foucauldian reading would suggest.
A Study Of The Effects Of Ultrasonics On The Particle Size Of Certain Suspended Pharmaceuticals

Data are presented showing the influence of insonation intensity, time of exposure, concentration of suspended material, and addition of dispersing agents on the particle size and rate of sedimentation of certain medicaments. All suspensions exposed to ultrasonics have a smaller particle size diameter, a slower rate of sedimentation, and are more stable than the control or noninsonated suspensions.
Review of neonatal red cell transfusion practices

Abstract In the United States in 1991, 290 000 or 7.1% of the 4 110 907 live births were premature infants; 53 299 or 1.3% were infants with birth weights of less than 1500 grams. Many if not all of these very low birth weight infants will require red blood cell transfusions for one of several reasons. These include exchange transfusions for hyperbilirubinemia, but most often transfusions are simple small volume transfusion also called ‘topper’ transfusions. Most of these small volume transfusions are given for iatrogenic blood loss or ‘bleeding into the laboratory’. Studies have demonstrated that the sicker the infant, the more blood sampling is needed and the greater the exposure to red blood cell (RBC), platelet and plasma products. Simple RBC transfusions may also be given for specific clinical indications or to maintain a predetermined hemoglobin concentration. This manuscript will review the criteria for RBC transfusion in neonates and selection of product as regards anticoagulant and specialized processing. In addition, the results of recombinant erythropoietin (r-EPO) clinical trials in neonates will be discussed.
Structure and Physical Properties of the New Pseudo-binary Intermetallic Compound Ti11(Sb,Sn)8

Abstract The new pseudo-binary intermetallic compound, Ti 11 (Sb,Sn) 8 , has been synthesized by reacting Ti and Sb in a Sn flux at 1100°C and its structure determined from both single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction data (orthorhombic, Pnma , Z=4, X-ray diffraction at 90 K: a =14.6877(6) A, b =5.5677(2) A, c =17.7207(7) A, V =1449.14(10) A 3 , neutron diffraction at room temperature: a =14.677(6) A, b =5.577(3) A, c =17.716 (6) A, V =1450(1) A 3 ). The structure contains two differently oriented repeating layers and interstitial atoms that are closely connected to make linear chains aligned along the crystal b axis. The compound exhibits mixed site occupancies of Sb and Sn on the anion sites. The phase width (Sb/Sn ratio=0.98–1.40) was determined by microprobe elemental analysis. The electrical resistivity of a single crystal as a function of temperature is anisotropic ( ρ //b =1∼2×10 −1 mΩ·cm, ρ ⊥b =0.5×10 −1 mΩ·cm) and confirms that this compound is metallic. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show Pauli paramagnetism.
Cish attenuates proximal TCR-signaling and CD8+ T cell immunity

Meeting abstracts CD8+ T cells are potent killers of infected cells and tumors, specifically recognizing their targets through the T cell receptor (TCR). While much has been revealed about the activation of TCR signaling, negative regulation of this pathway remains incompletely elucidated. We
Interactions between body temperature and wheel running over the estrous cycle in rats.

Abstract Female rats were housed in Wahmann wheels under a 12:12 light-dark (LD) photoperiod for 36 days and then were switched to LD 10:14 for 36–64 days. Running was 95–100% nocturnal. Overall amounts of running were higher in LD 12:12, but changes over the estrous cycle were similar. On the night of proestrus running increased by 64% in LD 12:12 and 123% in LD 10:14 ( p p p p p p p
Compact Holographic Storage and Projection of Two-Dimensional Movies

An optical system has been developed for the compact storage and projection of conventional two-dimensional movies. Each frame of a conventional movie is stored holographically on a small area of a photographic plate or film. Successive frames are holographically recorded adjacent to each other on the film. The movie is replayed by scanning a reconstruction beam across the storage hologram and viewing the real image on a diffusing screen. All images are in registration during playback. Advantages of the technique include: compact movie storage, ease of replication of movies, simple projection system and slow-motion capability.
Ter-Mikayelian effect on QCD radiative energy loss

The color dielectric modification of the gluon dispersion relation in a dense QCD medium suppresses both the soft and collinear gluon radiation associated with jet production. We compute the longitudinal and transverse plasmon contributions to the zeroth order in opacity radiative energy loss in the one-loop hard thermal loop approximation. This is QCD analog of the Ter-Mikayelian effect in QED and leads to $\ensuremath{\sim}30%$ reduction of the energy loss of high transverse momentum charm quarks produced in a QCD plasma with a characteristic Debye mass $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\sim}0.5\mathrm{GeV}.$
A PDMS sample pretreatment microdevice to enable downstream electrokinetic manipulations in bovine serum

The notion of sample preconditioning, or pretreatment, as a micro-unit operation in a Lab on a Chip (LOC) system has yet to be realized in commercial practice. As is well known, Biomarker detection in complex, biological samples, such as blood, requires a series of pretreatment steps to enable detection of specific markers. On chip, such a process usually relies on "off-chip" sample pretreatment prior to "on-chip" analyte manipulations and detection. Presented in this paper is a PDMS, pretreatment chip based on the design of Oddy et al.1 with a view to enable a self-contained LOC platform. The chip was designed to directly manipulate the suspended species while adjusting fluid properties using buffer volumes less than 1 ml. Using previous literature related to capillary electrophoresis, a bench-scale pretreatment protocol was developed to tune specific fluidic parameters to an optimal range, namely pH, conductivity, and viscosity. A PDMS device was fabricated and used to combine a raw, bovine serum sample with specific buffer solutions. Off-chip electrodes were used to induce DC-electrokinetic micro-mixing of the target analyte in the mixing chamber, where a homogeneous analyte distribution was achieved in less than one second using an 800V DC pulse wave. Additionally, the desired solution viscosity and pH were achieved using less than 1 ml of buffer solution. Adjustment of sample conductivity, which is driven by sample fluid volume, remains an open area of research.
Can fish consumption rate estimates be improved by linking bioenergetics and mercury mass balance models? Application to tunas

Abstract We developed an approach to estimate consumption rates by applying statistical methods to coupled bioenergetics and individual-based mercury (Hg) mass balance models, applied to bigeye ( Thunnus obesus ), yellowfin ( Thunnus albacares ), skipjack ( Katsuwonus pelamis ), and albacore ( Thunnus alalunga ) tunas. Direct measurement of consumption rates for these highly migratory species involves laborious and infrequent point estimates, while individual bioenergetics or contaminant-based models are biased by errors in parameter estimation due to a lack of data. We linked bioenergetics and Hg mass balance models by using consumption rate estimates produced from the former as inputs into the latter and determined whether the model could predict observed Hg-at-age. Consumption rate estimates derived from conventional bioenergetics and Hg mass balance models diverged considerably and the coupled bioenergetics-Hg mass balance model, based on default parameters, could not predict patterns of Hg accumulation. The statistical estimation approach (we found maximum likelihood estimates of metabolic expenditures related to swimming and the Hg concentration in tuna diets) generated biologically plausible daily consumption rates (yellowfin: 5.8–9%, skipjack: 4.5–6.7%, bigeye: 9.4–13% body weight for a 10 kg tuna), but failed to fit the albacore Hg data. Statistically based methods that use patterns of Hg bioaccumulation hold promise to advance our ability to estimate consumption rates, but are limited by high variance in Hg-at-size data and uncertainty in prey Hg data.
Postsynaptic scaffolds for nicotinic receptors on neurons

Complex postsynaptic scaffolds determine the structure and signaling capabilities of glutamatergic synapses. Recent studies indicate that some of the same scaffold components contribute to the formation and function of nicotinic synapses on neurons. PDZ-containing proteins comprising the PSD-95 family co-localize with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and mediate downstream signaling in the neurons. The PDZ-proteins also promote functional nicotinic innervation of the neurons, as does the scaffold protein APC and transmembrane proteins such as neuroligin and the EphB2 receptor. In addition, specific chaperones have been shown to facilitate nAChR assembly and transport to the cell surface. This review summarizes recent results in these areas and raises questions for the future about the mechanism and synaptic role of nAChR trafficking.
Measurement of analgesia using a spatial preference test in the rat.

Abstract Using a rectangular tilt cage, the aversive threshold to grid shock was defined as that intensity avoided 75% of the time. Each shock intensity (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 μA) was presented for 10 min during the 50-min daily session. Various narcotic (codeine sulfate, meperidine hydrochloride) and narcotic antagonist (pentazocine, cyclazocine) analgesics, as well as a sedative hypnotic (sodium pentobarbital), were assayed using this procedure. Both the narcotic and narcotic antagonist analgesics reliably elevated the aversive threshold in a dose dependent manner. These results could not be accounted for in terms of drug induced sedation. Sodium pentobarbital, in agreement with the clinical literature, demonstrated poor analgesic properties and was able to reliably elevate the aversive threshold only in doses that severely hampered the execution of the escape response. This technique appears to be specifically sensitive to the analgesic properties of drugs. As such, it should be useful as a screening procedure in the development of new analgesics and for the investigation of possible mechanisms underlying drug addiction.
A survey of deductive database systems

Abstract The area of deductive databases has matured in recent years, and it now seems appropriate to reflect upon what has been achieved and what the future holds. In this paper, we provide an overview of the area, with a focus on implementation techniques, and briefly describe a number of projects that have led to implemented systems.
Photochemistry and photophysical properties of novel, unsymmetrically substituted metallophthalocyanines.

— A series of novel, unsymmetrically substituted metallophthalocyanines was synthesized, along with their symmetrically substituted analogs, and the effects of structure and metal substitution on their photophysical and photoredox properties were investigated. The macrocy-cles were synthesized using a mixed-condensation method followed by chromatographic separation of the resulting soluble products. They possess a catechol “active site” and three tert-butyl groups for enhanced solubility. The ground- and excited-state photophysical properties of the free-base, Zn(II) and Pd(II) macrocycles were measured and compared with their symmetrically substituted (tetra[tert-butyl]) analogs. The efficiency with which these macrocycles sensitize the formation of singlet oxygen was determined and discussed in the context of the excited-state photophysical properties. Several examples of photoinduced electron transfer reactions with one- and two-electron acceptors are demonstrated and discussed. These soluble molecules can be tuned to optimize their photochemical and redox properties by varying the central metal, axial ligands and other substituents, thereby providing a series of molecules for the investigation of photodynamic therapy and photoinduced electron transfer mechanisms.
Diet in relation to dental caries.

THE carious lesion in a tooth is caused by acid decomposition of the enamel, and afterwards the dentine, associated with proteolytic destruction of the organic substance of the tooth. Caries of the teeth is restricted to man and other animals which eat liberally of carbohydrate-containing foods. Carnivorous man and animals do not suffer from this disease. Dental caries does not attack the surfaces of teeth indiscriminately, but occurs only at such sites as favour the lodgment of food residues, as in pits or fissures, or on surfaces of the enamel which harbour mucinous plaques. In such sites acid is formed by fermentation of carbohydrate by micro-organisms, and is protected against being washed away by saliva or by neutralization by salivary alkalinity.
THEORY OF DEFORMATION OF A POROUS VISCOELASTIC ANISOTROPIC SOLID

Equations are established for the deformation of a viscoelastic porous solid containing a viscous fluid under the most general assumptions of anisotropy. The particular cases of transverse and complete isotropy are discussed. General solutions are also developed for the equations in the isotropic case. As an example the problem of the settlement of a loaded column is treated. The second–order effect of the change of permeability with deformation is also discussed.
Synthesis of a photo-caged aminooxy alkane thiol

A photo-caged aminooxy alkane thiol synthesized in 7 steps and 15% overall yield was used to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Photo-deprotection on the surface was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and contact angle goniometry. Conjugation of a small molecule ketone, ethyl levulinate, further confirmed the presence of aminooxy groups on the surface.
Morphologic changes in the murine leukemia L5178Y cells treated with antibodies in the absence of complement activity

Abstract Murine leukemia L5178Y cells treated with antiserum in the absence of complement activity showed capping and endocytosis of surface receptors after 30 min and 3 hr, respectively. Electron microscopy revealed that the number of microvilli on the treated cells was decreased after 1 hr whereas mitochondrial damage, appearance of vesicles and autosome—cytosomes, and small numbers of cell ghosts with watery cytoplasm and nucleus occurred after 6 hr. At 24 hr, some cells were obviously dead or moribund while the majority showed similar changes to those that had been seen at 6 hr. In many cells polyribosomes had become disorganized, reflecting the previously reported inhibition of protein synthesis which occurred after 6 to 8 hr. By 48 hr, many more of the cells had died but the survivors appeared to be essentially normal, indicating recovery of cells from the growth inhibitory effect of antiserum.
Mitigating congestion based DoS attacks with an enhanced AQM technique

Denial of Service (DoS) attacks are currently one of the biggest risks any organization connected to the Internet can face. Hence, the congestion handling techniques at the edge router(s), such as Active Queue Management (AQM) schemes must take into account such attacks. Ideally, an AQM scheme should (a) ensure that each network flow gets its fair share of bandwidth, and (b) identify attack flows so that corrective actions (e.g. drop flooding traffic) can be explicitly taken against them to further mitigate the DoS attacks. This paper presents a proof-of-concept work on devising such an AQM scheme, which we name Deterministic Fair Sharing (DFS). Most of the existing AQM schemes do not achieve the above goals or have significant room for improvement. DFS uses the concept of weighted fair share (wfs) that allows it to dynamically self-adjust the router buffer usage based on the current level of congestion, while aiding in identifying malicious flows. By using multiple data structures (a comprehensive repository and a cache) for keeping state of legitimate and malicious flows, DFS is able to optimize its runtime performance (e.g. higher bandwidth flows being handled by the cache). We demonstrate the performance advantage of DFS via extensive simulation while comparing against other existing AQM techniques.
MIGRATION OF ARTERIAL EMBOLIZATION COILS AS NIDUS FOR RENAL STONE FORMATION

A 36-year-old white woman presented with a history of dull right flank pain and microhematuria. Two years earlier she had undergone a percutaneous procedure elsewhere to remove a stone from a caliceal diverticulum, during which brisk hemorrhage necessitated percutaneous segmental arterial embolization with 2 metallic intravascular coils. Excretory urography demonstrated a 7 ml. stone in the renal pelvis. There was no evidence of remaining caliceal diverticulum. The embolization coils were seen in the mid portion of the kidney and did not appear to involve the collecting system. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was attempted but was aborted because of poor visibility of the stone during fluoroscopy. Two weeks later semirigid ureteroscopy was performed. A calculus accumulating around a wire coil could clearly be identified within the renal pelvis (see figure). Ablation of the stone was performed via pneumatic lithotripsy. Several inches of the coil were extracted with grasping forceps until none was visibly remaining within the collecting system. Plain x-ray of the kidneys, ureters and bladder confirmed the presence of at least 1 remaining coil, presumably still in its intravascular location. The patient recovered unremarkably. DISCUSSION
Transcription factors in melanocyte development: distinct roles for Pax-3 and Mitf

Abstract A transgenic mouse model was used to examine the roles of the murine transcription factors Pax-3 and Mitf in melanocyte development. Transgenic mice expressing β-galactosidase from the dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) promoter were generated and found to express the transgene in developing melanoblasts as early as embryonic day (E) 9.5. These mice express the transgene in a pattern characteristic of endogenous Dct expression. Transgenic mice were intercrossed with two murine coat color mutants, Splotch (Sp), containing a mutation in the murine Pax3 gene, and Mitfmi, with a mutation in the basic-helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper gene Mitf. Transgenic heterozygous mutant animals were crossed to generate transgenic embryos for analysis. Examination of β-galactosidase-expressing melanoblasts in mutant embryos reveals that Mitf is required in vivo for survival of melanoblasts up to the migration staging area in neural crest development. Examination of Mitfmi/+ embryos shows that there are diminished numbers of melanoblasts in the heterozygous state early in melanocyte development, consistent with a gene dosage-dependent effect upon cell survival. However, quantification and analysis of melanoblast growth during the migratory phase suggests that melanoblasts then increase in number more rapidly in the heterozygous embryo. In contrast to Mitfmi/Mitfmi embryos, Sp/Sp embryos exhibit melanoblasts that have migrated to characteristic locations along the melanoblast migratory pathway, but are greatly reduced in number compared to control littermates. Together, these results support a model for melanocyte development whereby Pax3 is required to expand a pool of committed melanoblasts or restricted progenitor cells early in development, whereas Mitf facilitates survival of the melanoblast in a gene dosage-dependent manner within and immediately after emigration from the dorsal neural tube, and may also directly or indirectly affect the rate at which melanoblast number increases during dorsolateral pathway migration.
ePIMA: an electronic environment for process investigation and management analysis

Abstract With increasing global competitiveness and compelling reasons for business optimization, researchers have realized that an ‘integrated approach’ is the key to solve problems of the real world. Electronic Environment for Process Investigation and Management Analysis (ePIMA) provides an environment, which is capable of integrating existing diverse tools and technologies to enable problem solving. The users of such an environment are students, researchers and business. In this work, the proposed environment is demonstrated by solving an industrial example, which studies the importance of coordination in business level. The future educational goals of this project are summarized in the last section.
Ornithine decarboxylase and polyamines in the resumption of cycling by diluted and reoxygenated mammalian cells.

Abstract Plateau-phase V79 Chinese hamster cells induced to reenter the proliferative cell cycle from G1 G0 by dilution in fresh medium showed an early increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) followed by increases in some polyamines and in DNA synthesis. In contrast, cells accumulated in G1 G0 by growth in extreme hypoxia for 60 h and induced to recycle by reoxygenation did not respond with early increases in either ODC or polyamines.
Formation of amorphous plutonium alloys or metastable structures in Pu-Fe, Pu-Ta, Pu-Si alloys☆

Abstract The sputter deposition technivue was used to study the possible formation of amorphous structures in Pu-Fe, Pu-Ta and Pu-Si systems. A triode sputtering system employing a split-target configuration of pure α-Pu and a selected solute element was used to prepare sputtered coatings: 13 to 59 at.% Fe, 10 to 50 at.% Si, and 15 to 65 at.% Ta. The Pu-Fe and Pu-Si binary systems showed strong evidence for the formation of amorphous phases in the sputtered coatings. In addition, the v-ray analyses indicated the presence of Pu6Fe in the 13 to 20 at.% Fe range of Pu-Fe alloys and no apparent crystalline phases over the entire 10 to 50 at.% Si range of Pu-Si alloys. In the Pu-Ta system, the differential scanning calorimetry data obtained for compositions below 50 at.% Ta did not show typical crystallivation evotherms. At compositions above 50 at.% Ta, a metastable b.c.c. α-Ta structure was observed with an evpanded lattice parameter. The calculated volume evpansion (2.9%) corresponds to 29 at.% Pu in solid solution if the lattice parameter is assumed to follow Vegard's Law. After storage in a nitrogen glovebov atmosphere for over two years the Pu-Si and Pu-Ta coatings maintained a metallic luster and showed no visible evidence of surface ovidation.
Experimental Determination of the Two-Dimensional State of Stress and the Orthotropic Elasticity Coefficients for Coatings

The state of stress for a uniform coating away from the edges reduces to that of plane stress, two in-plane normal stresses, and an in-plane shear stress. For this state, the interface between the coating and the substrate is totally stress free. Since the substrate and the coating are not interacting mechanically, an internal section of the substrate can be removed creating a tensioned drum-like membrane without altering the stress state. Holographic interferometry of vibrationally excited membranes is used to evaluate the stress. Using this technique, up to thirty vibrational modes can be obtained. This high degree of redundancy enables one to determine the one shear and two normal stresses that act in the plane of the coating. The only physical property requires is the coating density. The density is obtained from commonly reported literature values. Simple variations on the membrane vibration scheme, e.g., cutting the membrane to create a uniaxially tensioned ribbon, enables one to determine the in-plane Poisson’s ratio and shearmodulus. In separate but related experiments on commercially made free-standing films with residual orientation, the above techniques, combined with special free and axially constrained compressibility experiments should enable all of the Poisson's ratios and elasticmoduli for an orthotropic material (nine elastic constants) to be determined. Methods for measuring the state of stress and the elastic constants are required to predict the state of stress in complex coating geometries.
Incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides into terminal positions of DNA

Abstract An enzyme fraction from calf thymus nuclei which incorporates single ribonucleotides into terminal positions of DNA has been described (1, 2, 3). It has been found that this same enzyme fraction (referred to in this communication as ‘nuclear enzyme’) catalyses the incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides into terminal positions of DNA and that this activity appears to be distinct from that of DNA polymerase.
14N Electron Spin−Echo Envelope Modulation of the S = 3/2 Spin System of the Azotobacter vinelandii Nitrogenase Iron−Molybdenum Cofactor†

Wild-type nitrogenase MoFe protein shows a deep 14N electron spin−echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) arising from a nitrogen nucleus (N1) coupled to the S = 3/2 spin system of the FeMo-cofactor of the MoFe protein. A previous ESEEM study on altered MoFe proteins generated by substitutions at the α-195-histidine position suggested that α-195-histidine provides a hydrogen bond to the FeMo-cofactor but is not the source of the 14N1 modulation [DeRose et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 2809−2814]. This study also raised the possibility of a correlation between ESEEM spectroscopic properties and the nitrogenase phenotype. We now report ESEEM studies on altered MoFe proteins with substitutions at residues α-96-arginine, α-359-arginine, and α-381-phenylalanine to (i) assign the first-shell hydrogen bonding as revealed by the 14N modulation; (ii) explore the mechanistic relevance of the ESEEM signatures to nitrogenase activity; and (iii) study microscopic changes within the polypeptide environment of the FeMo-cofactor....