cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ modulates the cardiovascular, but not renal, responses to stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

SUMMARY 1. The central administration of the endogenous opioid-like peptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) produces marked cardiovascular depressor and renal sympathoinhibitory responses in conscious animals. These findings are evidence that central N/OFQ may modulate the cardiovascular and renal responses to acute environmental stress. 2. The changes in cardiovascular and renal function produced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) N/OFQ were measured in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) under basal conditions and during the acute environmental stimulus of air jet stress. 3. In SHR, central N/OFQ produced profound hypotensive, bradycardic, renal sympathoinhibitory (delayed) and water-diuretic effects by a pathway that does not involve activation of central α2-adrenoceptors or classical opioid receptors. 4. Intracerebroventricular injection of N/OFQ prevented the pressor response and blunted the tachycardia to air jet stress. A similar renal sympathoexcitatory and antinatriuretic response was observed in conscious SHR during air stress, before and after i.c.v. N/OFQ. 5. These findings are evidence that, in conscious SHR, i.c.v. N/OFQ selectively inhibited the neural responses to air jet stress by attenuating sympathetic outflow to the heart and, potentially, vasculature, but not to the kidneys. Central endogenous N/OFQ systems may be activated and contribute to regional changes in sympathetic outflow during acute stress.
Why Do Females Live Longer Than Males

Abstract In most countries, females live several years longer than males. Many biological and behavioral reasons have been presented in the scientific literature to explain this “female advantage.” A cross-sectional regression study, using 45 explanatory variables and data collected from 169 countries, provides support to the behavioral hypothesis. Four variables, unrelated to biological sex differences, explain over 61% of the variability of the life expectancy differential. One variable (the number of persons per physician) summarizes the degree of economic development of a country. The three other selected variables (the fertility rate, the percentage of Hindus and Buddhists, and Europeans countries of the former Soviet Union) are social/cultural/religious variables. This conclusion is slightly weakened when the presence of spatial autocorrelation in the data is specifically acknowledged.
Assembling the Project Team

Although the approval of a project's design and budget typically rests with the campus governing board, a project team determines the configuration, the cost, and the utility of the completed project. Because of the importance of these decisions, colleges and universities must select project team members carefully.
On the convergence of a basic iterative method for the implicit complementarity problem

In Part 1 of this study (Ref. 1), we have defined the implicit complementarity problem and investigated its existence and uniqueness of solution. In the present paper, we establish a convergence theory for a certain iterative algorithm to solve the implicit complementarity problem. We also demonstrate how the algorithm includes as special cases many existing iterative methods for solving a linear complementarity problem.
Stock returns behavior during holiday periods: evidence from six countries

Purpose – The study is a test for the existence of an international stock market anomaly.Design/methodology/approach – To test for holiday anomalies over a ten year period, the study examines six major international indices using dummy variable regressions with continuous data and simple regression analysis with discrete data points.Findings – Evidence is presented both for the existence of an ex‐post holiday anomaly for all exchanges tested and for the international effect of the ex‐post holiday reaction on other exchanges. The results differ from all prior holiday anomaly studies in finding a significant holiday reaction following, not preceding, the holiday.Practical implications – Future holiday periods may be used to capture profits from closed markets.Orginality/value – The findings are of value to international portfolio managers and investors.
Modes, beams, coherence, and orthogonality

Loss-guided optical waveguides have propagation operators which are linear but not self-adjoint. The eigenmodes of such nonHermitian systems are then not orthogonal but rather are biorthogonal to a set of adjoint functions. If one wishes to expand an arbitrary wave in the eigenmodes of the system, it is tempting to find the expansion coefficients using the biorthogonality relation to obtain quadrature integrals between the propagating wave and the adjoint functions. We show however that a minimum least-square error expansion is obtained not by using these adjoint integrals, but by a more complex procedure based on inverting the eigenmode orthogonality matrix. For the particular case of Hermite-Gaussian functions having a complex-valued scale factor, expansions using the adjoint coefficients fail to converge under a wide range of circumstances, whereas the minimum-error coefficients converge and give much smaller errors under all circumstances.
Fretting in Electrical Connectors Induced by Axial Vibration

A series of experiments were performed to investigate fretting behavior of electrical connectors subjected to axial vibration input. A random vibration test used to study vibration behavior of the connector systems revealed that multiple transverse modes were excited by the axial input. Through tests with single-frequency vibration inputs, the threshold behaviors at various frequencies for the onset of fretting corrosion were identified. It is demonstrated that the threshold amplitudes are at micrometer scale for these types of connectors. The results also exhibit that the thresholds vary with vibration frequencies, and at the frequency of one mode, the threshold is lowest over the testing spectrum. Threshold amplitudes at this mode of the connector systems with various wiring tieoff lengths were also tested. Based on the understanding of the dynamics of the connector systems, a discrete vibration model was developed to predict the threshold behavior at this mode. The estimated threshold amplitudes correlate well with the experimental results through a parametric best fit of the vibration transfer functions.
Partial hospitalization treatment for preschoolers with severe behavior problems: child age and maternal functioning as predictors of outcome

Background This study focused on the behavioral functioning and treatment outcomes of preschool-aged children who attended a specialized, family focused psychiatric partial hospitalization program. Method Study data were collected between 2002 and 2007. Maternal reports of child behavioral functioning were obtained at program admission and discharge. Maternal parenting stress and psychiatric impairment were assessed at admission. Results Children's symptom severity decreased from admission to discharge, particularly with respect to externalizing symptoms. Both child age and maternal functioning emerged as predictors of treatment outcome. Conclusions Specialized partial hospitalization may be an effective approach to treatment for preschool children with severe psychopathology.
Correlation of phenolic metabolism with histological changes in Phaseolus vulgaris inoculated with fungi

Acetone powders were prepared at intervals after inoculation ofPhaseolus vulgaris, variety ‘Topcrop’, with fungi inciting hypersensitive (Helminthosporium carbonum), resistant (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, gamma race), and susceptible (C. lindemuthianum, beta race) host responses. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity was determined in extracts of the acetone powders, and quantitative and qualitative measurements were made of phenolic compounds in the acetone filtrates obtained during powder preparation. The developmental morphology of the fungi on host tissue was observed histologically. The data obtained indicate that host-fungus physiology is accompanied by readily detectable and specific alterations of phenolic metabolism during various stages of infection and host response. Phaseollin production in hypocotyls inoculated withC. lindemuthianum accompanied the appearance of symptoms in resistant and susceptible reactions; it was produced earlier and in greater amount in resistant reactions.
WebOn World: Geo-coded Video and Spatial Audio in Vehicles

Existing driver-vehicle interfaces do not support communication of geo-spatial relationships within the environment for navigation or information interaction. Instead, they rely on distracting maps, overabundant text, and often confusing audio. Acquiring and maintaining situation awareness in a moving vehicle in a 3D environment requires more natural spatial cues. A rich source of directional information can be provided via three-dimensional geo-coded visual and auditory cues. This paper describes an in-vehicle system called WebOnWorld for the use of geo-coded visual and auditory information, with special emphasis on the system implementation of the first in-vehicle geo-coded multi-channel, spatial audio. Supplied with a geographically coded audio/video database, WebOnWorld renders spoken information, guidance, and situation awareness for infotainment, navigation, and vehicle/driver safety to the driver, enabling improved situation awareness. We describe video-based cueing, audio-based cueing, use of the video and audio databases as a user accessible whiteboard, and driver and system performance issues.
Autonomous fire suppression using multispectral sensors

An autonomous fire suppression system was developed for local fire suppression. The system contains a multispectral sensor suite, including UV sensors and IR stereovision, to detect and target the fire for suppression. Using a deterministic trajectory algorithm, the nozzle angle is adjusted to apply the suppressant onto the base of the fire. The suppression system was used to suppress a wood crib fire.
Spring wheat response to fertilizer placement and nitrogen rate with limited moisture

Abstract Plant response to fertilizer placement under dryland conditions is dependent upon interactions between moisture, the crop, and root access to applied fertilizer. This study was conducted to determine response of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) to fertilizer placement and nitrogen (N) rate under limited moisture conditions in a conservation tillage system. Field trials were conducted over a three‐year period, from 1987–1989, with broadcast and band fertilizer placements applied at the recommended N rate or at 1.5X this rate, all with a uniform application of P, K, and S in a randomized complete block design. Banded fertilizer stimulated plant growth early in the growing season (Feekes 5–6) and produced dry matter with increased N and P concentration and content. As drought conditions developed over the course of the growing season, grain yield differences due to fertilizer placement and N rate diminished. There were, however, straw yield increases at harvest with band fertilizer placement. Early ...
Immunological studies on bovine milk lipoprotein lipase Effects of Fab fragments on enzyme activity

Abstract Rabbit antiserum was prepared against purified bovine milk lipoprotein lipase. Immunoelectrophoresis of lipoprotein lipase gave a single precipitin line against the antibody which was coincident with enzyme activity. The γ-globulin fraction inhibited heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity of bovine arterial intima, heart, muscle and adipose tissue. The antibody also inhibited the lipoprotein lipase activities from adipose tissue of human and pig, but not that of rat and dog. Fab fragments were prepared by papain digestion of the γ-globulin fraction. Fab fragments inhibited the lipoprotein lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles and trioleoylglycerol emulsions to the same extent. The Fab fragments also inhibited the lipolysis of human plasma very low density lipoproteins. The change of the kinetic parameters for the lipoprotein lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of trioleoylglycerol by the Fab fragments was accompanied with a 3-fold increase in Km and a 10-fold decrease in Vmax. Preincubation of lipoprotein lipase with apolipoprotein C-II, the activator protein for lipoprotein lipase, did not prevent inhibition of enzyme activity by the Fab fragments. However, preincubation with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-emulsified trioleoylglycerol or Triton X-100-emulsified trioleoylglycerol had a protective effect (remaining activity 7.0 or 25.8%, respectively, compared to 1.0 or 0.4% with no preincubation). The addition of both apolipoprotein C-II and substrate prior to the incubation with the Fab fragments was associated with an increased protective effect against inhibition of enzyme activity; remaining activity with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-emulsified trioleoylglycerol was 40.6% and with Triton X-100-emulsified trioleoylglycerol, 45.4%. Human plasma very low density lipoproteins also protected against the inhibition of enzyme activity by the Fab fragments. These immunological studies suggest that the interaction of lipoprotein lipase with apolipoprotein C-II in the presence of lipids is associated with a conformational change in the structure of the enzyme such that the Fab fragments are less inhibitory. The consequence of a conformational change in lipoprotein lipase may be to facilitate the formation of an enzyme-triacylglycerol complex so as to enhance the rate of the lipoprotein lipase-catalyzed turnover of substrate to products.
ELECTRONIC BAND STRUCTURE OF SOLIDS BY X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

Advantages and disadvantages of x-ray spectroscopy are enumerated. The two energy regions of the method are discussed in reference to differences, resolving power, corrections, and diagrams. Discussions of the extended structures and discrete loss of energy of electrons are presented. Emission bands for sodium, magnesium, aluminum, nickel, copper, and zinc are discussed. (C.J. G.)
Spectroscopic studies of methane in collisions with rare gas atoms and diatomic molecules

Abstract We have recently measured widths and shifts of IR rovibrational lines of methane in collisions with helium, argon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. We present a preliminary study of these data on the basis of polarizabilities of atoms and multipole moments of molecules. We compare these experimental and theoretical results, and make suggestions for further research.
A novel microfluidic impedance assay for monitoring endothelin-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is an established and independent risk factor for the development of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. At the level of individual cardiac myocytes (heart muscle cells), the cell morphology alters (increase in cell size and myofibrillar re-organization) and protein synthesis is activated. In this paper, a novel cardiomyocyte-based impedance sensing system with the assistance of dielectrophoresis cell concentration is reported to monitor the dynamic process of endothelin-1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. A dielectrophoresis (DEP) microfluidic device is fabricated capable of concentrating cells from a dilute sample to form a confluent cell monolayer on the surface of microelectrodes. This device can increase the sensitivity of the impedance system and also has the potential to reduce the time for detection by a significant factor. To examine the feasibility of this impedance sensing system, cardiomyocytes are treated with endothelin-1 (ET-1), a known hypertrophic agent. ET-1 induces a continuous rise in cardiomyocyte impedance, which we interpret as strengthening of cellular attachments to the surface substrate. An equivalent circuit model is introduced to fit the impedance spectrum to fully understand the impedance sensing system.
Requirements for the Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began developing airborne lidar bathymetry systems for coastal mapping applications in 1986, and fielded its first system in 1994. In the ensuing years, the Scanning Hydrographic Operational Airborne Lidar Survey research and development program led to the creation of the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX), a robust federal government partnership in airborne lidar bathymetry; the USACE National Coastal Mapping Program, a program of mapping built around airborne lidar bathymetry and complementary airborne remote sensing technologies; and a healthy commercial field of airborne lidar bathymeter manufacturers and service providers. The Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar (CZMIL) is a new USACE sensor development effort and a partnership among the JALBTCX, Optech International, and The University of Southern Mississippi. The goal of CZMIL is to produce an integrated lidar and imagery sensor suite and software package designed for highly automated generation of physical and environmental information products for the coastal zone. CZMIL is an opportunity to revamp existing hardware and software to address the turbidity and shallow water limitations of existing systems; improve environmental applications of the data; take advantage of advances in laser, scanner, and receiver technology, and in signal processing and data fusion algorithms; while maintaining accurate depth measurement capability. The CZMIL program has been underway since 2006, resulting in a detailed design of the CZMIL software and hardware. CZMIL fabrication will be complete in 2010 and fielded in USACE operations in 2011.
Clinical study of twenty-three cases of Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve.

The clinical findings in 23 cases of Ebstein's anomaly are presented, together with a discussion of the diagnostic and surgical aspects of this defect. Attention is again drawn to the frequent occurrence of the Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern in this anomaly.
THE NATURE OF FATTY ACIDS AND CAPSANTHIN ESTERS IN PAPRIKA

SUMMARY– The triglycerides present in whole ground paprika and paprika pods were extracted and hydrolyzed. The fatty acids were methylated, separated by gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. The whole paprika and pods, respectively, contained approximately 66 and 45% linoleic acid, 14 and 19% palmitic acid, 12 and 14% oleic acid and 5 and 17% linolenic acid. Small quantities of myristic and lauric acids and traces of capric, stearic and palmitoleic acids also were present. Capsanthin, which amounted to 35% of the total carotenoids, occurred as the dilaurate ester. It was isolated from paprika by thin-layer chromatography after interesterification of the triglycerides. Capsanthin dilaurate, synthesized in the laboratory, gave identical Rf value and infrared and visible spectra to those of the naturally occurring compounds.
The Hollow and the Ghetto: Space, Race, and the Politics of Poverty

The distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor has always been critical in the context of American poverty policy. Recent work by Martin Gilens (1999), Ange-Marie Hancock (2004), and Deborah Ward (2005) has demonstrated the ways in which this distinction has been racialized. Such work illustrates the promise of an intersectional approach for fields ranging from the study of public opinion to historical institutionalism and contemporary policy analysis. Indeed, at this point in our disciplinary history, it is difficult to imagine how research in any of these areas can be done in either an empirically satisfying or normatively responsible way without attention to intersectionality.
New dimensions in cell migration.

Cell migration research is taking some intriguing new turns. Emerging studies are revealing marked differences in the way that cells migrate in two versus three dimensions, plasticity in their migration mechanisms and diversity in the contribution of different Rho family GTPases that drive various modes of migration.
FEDERAL COURT INVOLVEMENT IN THE APPLICATION OF SURFACE MINING LAW

This article surveys 122 federal cases reported in the Surface Mining Law Summary from the earliest legislation under SMCRA to the end of 1987. The analysis distinguished between cases in which all OSMRE regulations or applications of SMCRA were upheld by the federal courts, and those in which one or more regulations/applications were overturned. The analysis further classifies the cases according to whether the decisions were favorable to industry (or, conversely, to environmental/citizen groups), according to whether the issues involved were primarily of narrow private right (or, conversely, of broad public policy), and according to state-of-origin. Finally, separate examination of those cases in which OSMRE's discretion in the enforcement of SMCRA was restricted is provided. The author concludes t h a t both the federal courts and OSMRE have been reasonably even-handed in their application of SMCRA, contrary to the earlier expectations of some proponents and opponents of surface coal mining regulation in the United States.
Prevalence and distribution of adenomas in black Americans undergoing colorectal cancer screening.

The American College of Gastroenterology recommends colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for average-risk black Americans ages 45–49. This is based on this group’s younger age for the development of adenomas and CRC. Our purpose was to determine the yield of CRC screening in average-risk black Americans including those <age 50. We also aimed to identify whether there was a higher prevalence of proximal adenomas in black Americans. This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study. All colonoscopy examinations from 2007 through 2010 were reviewed. Complete examinations with a good/excellent preparation in average-risk black patients 45–49 were selected. We excluded patients with signs, symptoms, or family history of CRC. Defined two control groups: average-risk black and white patients ages 50–59 who completed a colonoscopy during the same period. Patient’s height, weight, and use of statin medications and aspirin were recorded. Patients currently using tobacco at least weekly were identified. There were 1,230 patients with an adenoma for a prevalence of 40.7%. We included 304 black Americans 45–49 years, 669 black Americans 50–59 years, and 257 whites 50–59 years. There was no association between race/age group and the presence of at least one adenoma, proximal adenomas, or advanced adenomas. In regression modeling, both male sex and active smoking were associated with all three outcomes. Male sex and active smoking are risk factors for prevalent adenomas, proximal adenomas, and advanced adenomas. The prevalence of adenomas is similar in black Americans 45–49 compared to older black and white patients. We did not find that the recognized proximal distribution of CRC in black Americans parallels a similar distribution in adenomas in this group.
Effects of Teacher Lesson Introduction on Second Graders’ Creativity in a Science/Literacy Integrated Unit on Health and Nutrition

The focus on standardized testing in the areas of reading and mathematics in early elementary education often minimalizes science and the arts in the curriculum. The science topics of health and nutrition were integrated into the reading curriculum through read aloud books. Inclusion of creativity skills through figural transformation drawings allowed students to display nutrition comprehension, modeling how these subject areas can fit into a narrowed curriculum. This repeated measures study examined the weekly effect of teacher lesson introduction on 19 second grade students’ (11 female, 8 male) creativity and content knowledge of nutrition under two conditions that alternated every 2 weeks over a 16-week period: a brief, positive, standard lesson introduction (control) compared to a more enhanced introduction promoting originality, risk-taking and persistence (experimental). Students listened to read-aloud books on nutrition and completed figural transformation drawings related to the stories. Findings showed that student work evidenced more creativity during the experimental condition with a very large effect size for breaking perceived boundaries; a large effect size for depicting movement in drawings; medium effect sizes for fluency, originality, storytelling articulateness, humor, wisdom, emotion, and total creative traits; and a small effect size for elaboration. Students also evidenced greater overall knowledge of health/nutrition content during the experimental condition with a small effect size. Small changes in the way a lesson was introduced had a significant impact on student knowledge and creative performance, indicating that early childhood teachers should implement similar lesson introductions to increase student creativity.
Diagnosis and management of pre‐core mutant chronic hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis due to pre-core hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutants presents as hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB). HBeAg-negative CHB represents a late phase in the natural course of chronic HBV infection that develops after HBeAg loss and seroconversion to anti-HBe. It is usually associated with pre-core stop codon mutation at nucleotide 1896 (mainly selected in non-A HBV genotypes), but also with other pre-core changes or with mutations in the basic core promoter region (mainly in HBV genotype A). In chronic HBV infections, pre-core mutants can be detected both in patients with HBeAg-negative CHB and in inactive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. The diagnosis of HBeAg-negative CHB is based on HBsAg positivity, HBeAg negativity, and mainly on increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum HBV-DNA levels and exclusion of other causes of liver disease. The differential diagnosis between patients with CHB and inactive HBsAg carriers can be made only by close follow-up of aminotransferase activity and viraemia levels, although the cut-off level of serum HBV DNA has not been definitely determined. IgM anti-HBc levels have also been suggested as an index that increases the diagnostic accuracy for transient hepatitis flares, while liver biopsy confirms the diagnosis and evaluates the severity of the liver disease. Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and lamivudine are the two drugs that have been tried, mainly in the management of HBeAg-negative CHB. A 12-month course of IFN-alpha achieves sustained biochemical remission in about 20% of patients, which has been associated with improvement in the long-term outcome of this subset. A 12-month course of lamivudine is rather ineffective, maintaining remission in less than 15% of patients after cessation of therapy. Long-term lamivudine is associated with progressively increasing rate of virological and subsequent biochemical breakthroughs due to YMDD mutants, with approximately 30% of patients remaining in remission in the third year of therapy. Several other antiviral agents are currently being evaluated in this setting with combined regimens being the most reasonable step for the near future.
A spectrophotometer for measuring long attenuation lengths

Abstract A spectrophotometer that measures the long attenuation length of mineral oil, typically 20 to 30 m, is described.
Magnon-phonon coupling in metamagnetic systems

The coupling between the phonons corresponding to rigid vibrations of the waters of hydration and magnons (which is due primarily to the modulation of the crystal field at the transition-metal ion site) is treated in detail for the linear-chain metamagnetic systems ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} ${2\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, ${\mathrm{CoCl}}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} ${2\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, and ${\mathrm{CoBr}}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} ${2\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O. A microscopic magnon-phonon interaction Hamiltonian is derived by treating the waters of hydration as point dipoles, and the resulting coupling constants are given in terms of the splittings of the low-lying electronic states of the transition-metal ions and the spin-orbit coupling parameter for all interactions involving up to two magnons and two phonons. The forms of the coupling for the three phonons of different polarization and the magnons is found to be fundamentally different for the cases of the ${\mathrm{Co}}^{++}$ and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{++}$ transition-metal ion. The magnon-phonon Hamiltonian is used to calculate the Raman-scattering and infrared-absorption cross sections from the coupled magnon-phonon modes in these materials, and a consistent interpretation of all available experimental results on these coupled modes (magnon-phonon hybridizations, magnon-phonon bound states) is given. In addition, new experiments are proposed for the observation of several magnon-phonon hybridizations not yet reported. Among the effects treated in detail here is the magnon-phonon bound state observed in ${\mathrm{CoBr}}_{2}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} ${2\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O; its excitation mechanism is given, the phonon is correctly identified, and its binding energy and infrared absorption are calculated.
On the possibility of massless particle instability

Abstract It is shown that phase restrictions along with the application of known conservation laws allow only massless particle decay involving two photons and a graviton. These results are re-examined from an alternative viewpoint emphasizing virtual processes.
Second order properties in a tandem queue with general blocking

We study second order properties of a series single server queues, controlled using the 'general blocking mechanism'. It has been shown that this blocking mechanism generalizes and unifies the commonly studied communication, manufacturing, and Kanban blockings as special cases. We consider two ways external arrivals are communicated to the system. For both cases, using the notion of strong stochastic convexity and the sample path analysis technique, second order properties for system throughout and system size are established with respect to the buffer capacity as well as the (integer) control parameters.
Interaction of Chromate Ions with Surface Intermetallics on Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3 in NaCl Solutions

The aim of this paper is to analyze the interaction of chromate ions with surface intermetallics on Al 2024-T3 in NaCI media under open circuit conditions at pH 3 and 6. These interactions are probed by Auger electron (AES), X-ray photoelectron, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopies, as well as scanning electron microscopic techniques. In acidic NaCl solution, S-phase particles undergo bulk dealloying through preferential dissolution of magnesium and aluminum, which leaves the particles enriched in copper. In contrast, no bulk dealloying can be observed on the (Cu,Fe,Mn)Al 6 intermetallics. Copper enrichment is also observed on the bulk matrix. At pH 6, S-phase particles are again subject to bulk dealloying through preferential dissolution of magnesium and aluminum, but the release of copper is also plausible since the particles are often surrounded by copper deposits. Similar to the effects in pH 3 solution, no bulk dealloying is observed on the (Cu,Fe,Mn)Al 6 intermetallics, though the surface has developed a rough iron oxide corrosion product layer, AES analyses show no sign of copper enrichment on the hulk matrix in neutral NaCI media. When chromate is added to the sodium chloride solution, a chromium (III,VI)-rich lilm forms on the entire surface. The extent of deposition increases in the following order in both acidic and near neutral solutions: bulk matrix <(Cu,Fe,Mn)Al 6 intermetallics ≤S-phase particles. Our results indicate that chromate strongly inhibits magnesium dissolution, retards the copper enrichment on the S-phase particles, and prevents copper redeposition on the surface, In the presence of chromate, no corrosion product layer develops on the (Cu,Fe,Mn)Al 6 intermetallics, and copper enrichment on the bulk matrix is not observed.
Treatment of depression in late life.

Abstract Depression is a common, but treatable, source of suffering, excess disability, and caregiver strain in late life. It is important to take a long-term view of the treatment of late-life depression because of the high risk for relapse, recurrence, and chronic illness. Elderly patients with medical and neurological illness or bereavement-related depressions also merit greater attention. Recent data highlight several important caveats: (a) the role of medical and psychosocial factors in the course of major depression; (b) variability in etiology, clinical presentation, and treatment response; (c) need for additional studies of syndromal and subsyndromal depression in primary and long-term care facilities, particularly in patients >75 years of age; and (d) importance of continuation and maintenance treatment to maintain quality of life and to lower the risk for chronic illness. Nortriptyline, desipramine, and the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), paroxetine and sertraline, are preferred pharmacotherapy for short-erm and long-term treatment. The newer SSRIs should be further studied in controlled trials of elderly depressed patients, including those >75 years and those with medical or neurological illness. Psychotherapy also appears to be of major importance in successful outcome but, as does pharmacotherapy, merits further controlled investigation in both short- and long-term clinical trials.
Atmospheric loss considerations for synthetic aperture radar design and operation

A significant loss factor for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is the atmosphere, particularly under conditions of adverse weather. Dominating these losses are 1) atmospheric clear-air attenuation due to a) oxygen absorption, and b) water vapor absorption, 2) cloud liquid water absorption, and 3) attenuation due to rain. These losses are very nonlinear with respect to radar operating frequency, and their relative significance obviously depends on the nature of the weather being modeled. Attenuation is also very operating geometry dependent, and typically increases with range and shallower depression angles. The net effect is that while airborne radar operation at short ranges often favors higher frequencies owing to higher antenna gain for a given real aperture antenna, radar operation at longer ranges often favors lower frequencies in spite of this. In fact, at any particular range, an optimal SAR operating frequency that maximizes SNR exists for a given weather condition, transmitter power, and antenna aperture area. This paper discusses loss rates due to various loss contributors, and then quantifies expected atmospheric loss rates and their frequency dependence for typical adverse weather specifications for SAR systems. Furthermore, this paper describes airborne SAR operating geometries for which various radar frequency bands are optimal.
A Co-Evolutionary Approach for Design Optimization via Ensembles of Surrogates With Application to Vehicle Crashworthiness

In many engineering application, where accurate models require lengthy numerical computations, it is a common design practice to perform design of experiments (DOE) and construct surrogate models that provide computationally-inexpensive approximations. Main challenges to that approach are (i) construction of high-fidelity surrogates and (ii) discovery of high performance designs despite the fidelity limitations. An ensemble of surrogates (EOS) is a collection of different surrogates approximating the same process (typically with some form of weighted averaging to get an overall approximation) and has been demonstrated in the literature to often exhibit better performance than any of the individual surrogates. This paper presents a Multi-Scenario Co-evolutionary Genetic Algorithm (MSCGA) for design optimization via EOS. MSCGA simultaneously evolves multiple populations in a multi-objective sense via the predicted performance by the different surrogates within the ensemble. The outputs of the algorithm are solution sets including several designs that are spread over Pareto-optimal space of best-predictions by the surrogates within EOS, as well as best designs as predicted by individual surrogates and the weighted average of the EOS. Studies using analytical test functions show MSCGA to be more likely to discover better performing designs than an individual surrogate or a weighted ensemble. The primary application for MSCGA presented in this paper is that of vehicle structural crashworthiness since it is a typical design application that requires massive computational resources for accurate modeling. Two studies, which include simplified and detailed vehicle models, MSCGA successfully discovers new high performance designs.
Dissecting the dimerization motif of Enterococcus hirae's Zn(II)CopY.

The regulation of the copper homeostasis pathway in Enterococcus hirae is conducted through activity of the zinc metalloprotein Zn(II)CopY, which is a Cu(I)-responsive dimeric repressor (Cobine et al., Biochemistry 41:5822–5829, 2002). Its dimerization domain contains a C-terminal cysteine-rich metal-binding motif used for Cu(I) sensing adjacent to an aliphatic-rich repeating sequence, but it is unclear as to which regions contribute most to the interaction. To accomplish this, a synthetically produced CopY construct (CDG) was fused with solubility enhancement tags so the key components of the elements of the aliphatic repeat and metal-binding site could be probed for their dimerization activity. The resultant fusion constructs were tested using two independent methods. Isothermal titration calorimetry, an in vitro technique, was employed to determine dimer affinity thermodynamically. Protein fragment complementation, an in vivo technique, made it possible to rapidly screen homodimeric and heterodimeric complexes within live cells. The combination of in vivo and in vitro studies enabled the identification of CDG sequences that dimerize and sequences that do not, in addition to deciphering relative dimer affinity between all constructs screened. The in vivo technique allowed the formation of heterodimers to be tested for their ability to form specific complexes between dissimilar CDG analogs.
Neuroendocrine lung carcinogenesis in hamsters is inhibited by green tea or theophylline while the development of adenocarcinomas is promoted: implications for chemoprevention in smokers

Abstract Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. With smoking the major etiological factor for lung cancer, there is a great need for the development of chemopreventive treatments that inhibit the progression of initiated cells and premalignant lesions into overt lung cancer in smokers who quit. Although the major focus of chemoprevention research has been on agents that inhibit the metabolic activation of genotoxic chemicals contained in tobacco products, some of these agents may additionally modulate growth-regulating signal transduction. In turn, the function of such signaling pathways is highly cell type-specific, with a given pathway inhibiting the growth of one cell type while stimulating the growth of others. The current experiment has tested the hypothesis that green tea and the methylxanthine theophylline contained in tea inhibit the progression of neuroendocrine lung carcinogenesis in hamsters with hyperoxic lung injury and initiated with the tobacco carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) while promoting the development of Clara cell-derived pulmonary adenocarcinomas initiated by NNK in healthy hamsters. This hypothesis is based on published evidence that human small cell lung cancer as well as the neuroendocrine hamster tumors are regulated via autocrine signaling pathways that activate Raf-1 and the mitogen-activated (MAP) kinase pathway whereas human pulmonary adenocarcinomas of Clara cell lineage and the hamster model of this cancer type are regulated by a β-adrenergic pathway involving the activation of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) and the arachidonic acid (AA) cascade. In turn, it was hypothesized that theophylline would inhibit Raf-1-dependent tumor progression while promoting cAMP-dependent tumor progression due to its documented ability to inhibit the enzyme cAMP-phophodiesterase. The experimental design simulated chemoprevention in former smokers in that treatments with tea or theophylline started after completion of a 10-week tumor induction period with NNK. Our data show that green tea as well as theophylline significantly inhibited lung tumor multiplicity in the neuroendocrine cancer model whereas identical chemopreventive treatments significantly promoted the lung tumor multiplicity in the adenocarcinoma model. These findings indicate that green tea and theophylline as well as other chemopreventive agents that modulate signal transduction may have opposite effects on cancers of different histolopathology and cell lineage. At the current state of knowledge such chemopreventive treatments should only be used as adjuvant to cancer therapy of cancers that have been fully characterized at the pathology and molecular level.
A comment on quantum detection

Abstract Almost all measurements in quantum optics are performed with photomultipliers as detectors. These devices measure the light intensity by the absorption of photons from the beam. We explore the possibility of using a parametric amplifier in one mode to simulate the action of a different kind of detector that would measure the field not only by absorption but also emission of photons.
A digital feedback system for transverse orbit stabilization in the NSLS rings

Abstract We are reporting on the design and preliminary results of a prototype digital feedback system for the storage rings at the NSLS. The system will use a nonlinear eigenvector decomposition algorithm. It will have a wide dynamic range and will be able to correct noise in the orbit over a bandwidth in excess of 60 Hz. A Motorola-162 CPU board is used to sample the PUE's at a minimum rate of 200 Hz and an HP-742rt board is used to read the sampled signals and to generate a correction signal for the orbit correctors.
Glutathione deficiency is associated with impaired survival in HIV disease

Glutathione (GSH), a cysteine-containing tripeptide, is essential for the viability and function of virtually all cells. In vitro studies showing that low GSH levels both promote HIV expression and impair T cell function suggested a link between GSH depletion and HIV disease progression. Clinical studies presented here directly demonstrate that low GSH levels predict poor survival in otherwise indistinguishable HIV-infected subjects. Specifically, we show that GSH deficiency in CD4 T cells from such subjects is associated with markedly decreased survival 2-3 years after baseline data collection (Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analyses, P < 0.0001 for both analyses). This finding, supported by evidence demonstrating that oral administration of the GSH prodrug N-acetylcysteine replenishes GSH in these subjects and suggesting that N-acetylcysteine administration can improve their survival, establishes GSH deficiency as a key determinant of survival in HIV disease. Further, it argues strongly that the unnecessary or excessive use of acetaminophen, alcohol, or other drugs known to deplete GSH should be avoided by HIV-infected individuals.
Heterogeneity within Asian Subgroups: A Comparison of Birthweight Between Infants of US and Non-US Born Asian Indian and Chinese Mothers

Objectives Birthweight distributions and proportions of low birthweight (LBW) are commonly used to assess the health of populations. However, the “population” is difficult to define due to differences by race, socioeconomic status, age distribution, and cultural identity. This study analyzes birth outcomes in two Asian subgroups to examine variation within the Asian population. Methods Analysis of the 1998–2003 National Center for Health Statistics’ natality file for 293,211 singleton births in Asian Indian and Chinese mothers compared birthweight distributions, mean birthweights, proportions of very low birthweight (VLBW) and moderately low birthweight (MLBW) infants, and the influence of maternal nativity on these outcomes. A multiple logistic regression analysis, stratified by maternal nativity, was done to control for established confounders of maternal age, marital status, education, and parity. Results Maternal characteristics and birthweight distributions varied by race subgroup and nativity. Infants of Asian Indian mothers had a lower mean birthweight and higher proportions of VLBW and MLBW than Chinese. After controlling for differences in maternal characteristics, infants of US born Asian Indian mothers were more likely to be VLBW (AOR 1.87, 95% CI: 1.27–2.75) or MLBW (AOR 1.59, 1.39–1.82) than infants of US born Chinese mothers. Similarly, infants of non-US born Asian Indian mothers were more likely to be VLBW (AOR 2.13, 2.06–2.21) or MLBW (AOR 2.26, 2.18–2.35) then infants of non-US born Chinese mothers. Conclusions Our study demonstrates variation in birth outcomes by maternal race and nativity in two Asian subgroups. The heterogeneity within a single commonly used “population” is likely not limited to these two Asian subgroups, but is probably applicable to many populations in the United States. Analyses should try to account for these differences to ensure a more accurate representation of various populations in the US. The difficulty of defining a population by race adds to the complexity of examining disparities in birth outcomes.
Energy landscape theory for Alzheimer's amyloid beta-peptide fibril elongation.

Recent experiments on the kinetics of deposition and fibril elongation of the Alzheimer's beta-amyloid peptide on preexisting fibrils are analyzed. A mechanism is developed based on the dock-and-lock scheme recently proposed by Maggio and coworkers to organize their experimental observations of the kinetics of deposition of beta-peptide on preexisting amyloid fibrils and deposits. Our mechanism includes channels for (1) a one-step prion-like direct deposition on fibrils of activated monomeric peptide in solution, and (2) a two-step deposition of unactivated peptide on fibrils and subsequent reorganization of the peptide-fibril complex. In this way, the mechanism and implied "energy landscape" unify a number of schemes proposed to describe the process of fibril elongation. This beta-amyloid landscape mechanism (beta ALM) is found to be in good agreement with existing experimental data. A number of experimental tests of the mechanism are proposed. The mechanism leads to a clear definition of overall equilibrium or rate constants in terms of the energetics of the elementary underlying processes. Analysis of existing experimental data suggests that fibril elongation occurs through a two-step mechanism of nonspecific peptide absorption and reorganization. The mechanism predicts a turnover in the rate of fibril elongation as a function of temperature and denaturant concentration. Proteins 2001;42:217-229.
A PARALLEL GPU IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABSOLUTE NODAL COORDINATE FORMULATION WITH A FRICTIONAL/CONTACT MODEL FOR THE SIMULATION OF LARGE FLEXIBLE BODY SYSTEMS

This contribution discusses how a flexible body formalism, specifically, the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF), is combined with a frictional/contact model using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to address many-body dynamics problems; i.e., problems with hundreds of thousands of rigid and deformable bodies. Since the computational effort associated with these problems is significant, the analytical framework is implemented to leverage the computational power available on today’s commodity Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) cards. The code developed is validated against ANSYS and FEAP results. The resulting simulation capability is demonstrated in conjunction with hair simulation. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND - ANCF For almost a decade the Absolute Nodal Coordinate formulation (ANCF) has been widely used to carry out the dynamics analysis of flexible bodies that undergo large rotation and large deformation. This formulation is consistent with the nonlinear theory of continuum mechanics and easy to implement. Also, it leads to a constant mass matrix which makes it computationally more efficient compared to other nonlinear finite element formulations.